Before you make any personal or environmental
changes in your teen’s life, take a few minutes to
survey what your home life is like. Do you allow
them to lead a sedentary life, and are they given
plenty of chances to over eat at any time? If you
do, then it is important that you bring any changes
in to these areas of their life gradually.
First, look at just how many hours your teen spends
either watching TV, or sitting at their computer.
A teen can spend up to 24 hours a week watching TV.
Log any time that they spend doing either, watching
TV or on the computer, and try to reduce this by
half.
When you have meals, does your family gather around
a table, or do you eat most of your meals sitting
in front of the TV or computer? If you do, then
try and make it a family rule that, in the future,
all food (including snacks) will be eaten in the
kitchen or in the dining room at a table. Such a
small change has been shown to significantly reduce
the amount of over eating that takes place in the
home.
Next, you will need to take a close look at your
fridge and food cupboards. Which foods do you have
that you are most likely to eat when hunger hits
you? If the foods are high in fat, sweetened or
low in nutritional value, then why not try to find
healthier alternatives instead, such as fresh fruit
and vegetables?
Do Not Shame your Child into Losing Weight
Neither adults nor children can be shamed into
losing weight, and an overweight teen will know
that they weigh too much. But what a teen does not
know, is how they can achieve a normal weight, as
well as increase their self esteem. Teens like to
know that their parents love them unconditionally,
whether they are fat, thin or normal.
For any parent, mastering the fine art of loving
our children just the way they are, while helping
them to achieve a healthier body can be difficult.
Any parent must learn to “give time” and believe
that the lessons we teach them will one day come to
fruition.
This means that we can teach our youngsters to
visualize that healthy plate (one which is half
salad or vegetables, a quarter of starches and the
remainder are made up of protein such as fish,
meat, poultry or soy). But you also know that at
some point, they will sneak either sweets or
cookies into the home, and upset the balance that
you have achieved.
A parent can persist in teaching their teens to see
their plate before any food is put on it. This is
helpful, as it creates a sense of portion control
that is helpful when the parent is not around to
monitor what food they are actually having. This
portion control can also be practiced not just at
home, but when visiting a restaurant as well.
Take up some type of Physical Activity as a
Family
The recommended amount of physical activity to be
done by an adult is 30 minutes, and 60 minutes for
children, which should be done several times a
week. However, if you are looking to lose weight,
then more physical activity may be necessary.
A great way of breaking the pattern of the lives
that many families lead is to arrange activities
that involve plenty of movement for the whole
family together. Not only do these types of
activities burn calories, they can also serve as a
setting for parent and child communication. It is
especially important in a child’s teen years, when
such opportunities for a parent to interact with
their teen are at a premium.
Also, there is little or no financial cost involved
in going for a walk or having a bike ride, and many
communities now have either indoor or outdoor
swimming pools which do not cost to much to use.
Just taking the family dog for a walk in the
evening not only makes the dog happy, but will help
to increase the family’s metabolism.
How to encourage the right sort of behavior in
your teen
The best way to help an overweight or obese teen is
through your own behavior. Too often, teens will
do as an adult does, rather than what we tell them.
No parent can ask their child to turn off the TV
when we are actually watching it in another room,
or to stop using the computer when they are
spending hours themselves surfing the net. Nor
should they restrict the portions of food they eat,
when they, themselves, do not watch what they are
eating. Why would any child want to drink water or
munch on fruit or vegetables, when they see the
adults around them drinking sugar laden soda or
having a bag of potato chips?
When looking to lead a healthier kind of life
style, it should be done one day at a time, and the
end result will be well worth the effort.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Factors for Obesity in teens
The Family
Often children and teens are more at risk of
becoming overweight if they have two overweight
parents. Although in some cases, this may be due
to a powerful genetic factor, or it may be because
they are modeling themselves after what they see
their parents eating. Also physical activities, if
any, they take part in, can indirectly affect the
teen.
In Activity
On average, an American child will spend several
hours each day watching television or on a
computer. Compare this to years ago, when this time
would have been spent doing some form of physical
activity instead. There are a large amount of
teens and children who are now overweight, as they
are expending little energy, and often eat high
calorie snacks while watching TV or playing on the
computer. Today in the US, about 1/3 of elementary
school children carry out some form of physical
education, and less than 1/5 take part in physical
activity programs after school.
Heredity
Recently, information has shown that heredity can
influence fatness in a child and teen. It was
found that children born to overweight mothers have
been found to be less active, and often gain more
weight by the age of 3 months compared to those
children born to mothers who are a normal weight,
which suggests a possible inborn drive to conserve
energy.
Often children and teens are more at risk of
becoming overweight if they have two overweight
parents. Although in some cases, this may be due
to a powerful genetic factor, or it may be because
they are modeling themselves after what they see
their parents eating. Also physical activities, if
any, they take part in, can indirectly affect the
teen.
In Activity
On average, an American child will spend several
hours each day watching television or on a
computer. Compare this to years ago, when this time
would have been spent doing some form of physical
activity instead. There are a large amount of
teens and children who are now overweight, as they
are expending little energy, and often eat high
calorie snacks while watching TV or playing on the
computer. Today in the US, about 1/3 of elementary
school children carry out some form of physical
education, and less than 1/5 take part in physical
activity programs after school.
Heredity
Recently, information has shown that heredity can
influence fatness in a child and teen. It was
found that children born to overweight mothers have
been found to be less active, and often gain more
weight by the age of 3 months compared to those
children born to mothers who are a normal weight,
which suggests a possible inborn drive to conserve
energy.
When a teen is overweight
Since the late 1990’s, there has been a dramatic
increase in obesity in Americans, regardless of
age, according to information collected and
analyzed by the National Center for Health
Statistics.
Almost 9 million (15%) children between the ages of
6 and 19 are overweight, and this number is still
growing according to information gathered between
1999 and 2000 (triple the number of 1980). The
information has also shown that another 15% of
children between the ages of 6 and 19 are at risk
of becoming overweight also.
Obesity is defined as having an excessive
accumulation of body fat which will result in the
person’s body being about 20% heavier than their
ideal body weight. So those people whose weight is
above what is considered their ideal range, are
defined as being overweight. Obesity is a common
eating disorder that is associated with teens.
Although teens may have fewer weight related health
issues than adults, those teens that are overweight
now are much more likely to be come overweight as
an adult. Teens who are overweight (in fact people
of all ages that are overweight) are at risk from a
number of different health issues, and these
include:
1. Heart Disease
2. Diabetes
3. High Blood Pressure
4. Strokes
5. Some forms of Cancer
Those teens who are obese may find that they are
not only physically unfit, but their well being is
usually very low as well. Many obese people will
also tend to have a shorter life expectancy than
those who are the right weight for their body size.
Plus, it can also lead to social disabilities and
unhappiness, which in turn may cause them stress
and in some cases, may make them mentally ill as
well.
A study that was carried and details which were
released in May 2004 suggested that overweight
children are more likely to be involved in bullying
than those children who are a normal weight. But
they can not only be the victims of bullying, they
may be the perpetrators as well.
The development of their own personal identity and
body image is an important goal for any teenager.
There are a number of causes for obesity which
center around an imbalance in the teens energy they
put into their bodies, (calories that they obtain
from the food they eat) and the energy they release
from their bodies (how good their metabolism is,
and how much physical activity they take part in).
Often when a teen is overweight, it is
because there is a problem with the nutritional
value of their diet, or it may be psychological,
familial or physiological.
increase in obesity in Americans, regardless of
age, according to information collected and
analyzed by the National Center for Health
Statistics.
Almost 9 million (15%) children between the ages of
6 and 19 are overweight, and this number is still
growing according to information gathered between
1999 and 2000 (triple the number of 1980). The
information has also shown that another 15% of
children between the ages of 6 and 19 are at risk
of becoming overweight also.
Obesity is defined as having an excessive
accumulation of body fat which will result in the
person’s body being about 20% heavier than their
ideal body weight. So those people whose weight is
above what is considered their ideal range, are
defined as being overweight. Obesity is a common
eating disorder that is associated with teens.
Although teens may have fewer weight related health
issues than adults, those teens that are overweight
now are much more likely to be come overweight as
an adult. Teens who are overweight (in fact people
of all ages that are overweight) are at risk from a
number of different health issues, and these
include:
1. Heart Disease
2. Diabetes
3. High Blood Pressure
4. Strokes
5. Some forms of Cancer
Those teens who are obese may find that they are
not only physically unfit, but their well being is
usually very low as well. Many obese people will
also tend to have a shorter life expectancy than
those who are the right weight for their body size.
Plus, it can also lead to social disabilities and
unhappiness, which in turn may cause them stress
and in some cases, may make them mentally ill as
well.
A study that was carried and details which were
released in May 2004 suggested that overweight
children are more likely to be involved in bullying
than those children who are a normal weight. But
they can not only be the victims of bullying, they
may be the perpetrators as well.
The development of their own personal identity and
body image is an important goal for any teenager.
There are a number of causes for obesity which
center around an imbalance in the teens energy they
put into their bodies, (calories that they obtain
from the food they eat) and the energy they release
from their bodies (how good their metabolism is,
and how much physical activity they take part in).
Often when a teen is overweight, it is
because there is a problem with the nutritional
value of their diet, or it may be psychological,
familial or physiological.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Weight Loss Plan: The Goal to Go For
Since excess weight puts you at risk for many health problems, you may need to set some weight loss plans to help avoid those risks and prevent disease.
But what should be your long-term goal? And what short-term goals should you set to help you get there? You have a better chance of attaining your goals if you make sure that the weight loss plans that you will use are sensible and reasonable right at the beginning.
Here are some guidelines from the experts in choosing weight loss plans and goals.
1. Be realistic
Most people’s long-term weight loss plans are more ambitious than they have to be.
For example, if you weigh 170 pounds and your long-term plan is to weigh 120, even if you have not weighed 120 since you were 16 and now you are 45, that is not a realistic weight loss goal.
Your body mass index or BMI is a good indicator of whether or not you need to shed of pounds. The ideal BMI range, according to the national Institutes of Health, is between 19 and 24.9. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. Any number above 30 is in the obesity range.
From this point of view, you will need a sensible weight loss plan that will correspond to the required BMI based on your height, because this is the primary factor that will affect your BMI.
2. Set appropriate objectives
Using a weight loss plan just for vanity’s sake is psychologically less helpful than losing weight to improve health.
You have made a big step forward if you decide to undergo a weight loss plan that includes exercise and eating right so that you will feel better and have more energy to do something positive in your life.
3. Focus on doing, not losing
Rather than saying that you are going to lose a pound this week, say how much you are going to exercise this week. This would definitely make up of a sensible weight loss plan.
Keep in mind that your weight within a span of a week is not completely in your control, but your behavior is.
4. Build bit by bit
Short-term weight loss plans should not be “pie-in-the-sky.” This means that when you have never exercised at all, your best weight loss plan for this week should be based on finding three different one-mile routes that you can walk next week.
5. Keep up the self-encouragement
An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to next week. You do not need to have a perfect record.
After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Otherwise, you will just fail in the end.
6. Use measurable measures
Saying that you are going to be more positive this week or that you are going to really get serious this week is not a goal that you can measure and should not be a part of your weight loss plan.
This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise on your weight loss plan and focus on it. You should be able to count up the minutes of exercise in order to be successful in your plan.
The bottom line is, people should make weight loss plans that will only remain as it is, just a plan. They have to put it into action by incorporating goals that will motivate them to succeed.
But what should be your long-term goal? And what short-term goals should you set to help you get there? You have a better chance of attaining your goals if you make sure that the weight loss plans that you will use are sensible and reasonable right at the beginning.
Here are some guidelines from the experts in choosing weight loss plans and goals.
1. Be realistic
Most people’s long-term weight loss plans are more ambitious than they have to be.
For example, if you weigh 170 pounds and your long-term plan is to weigh 120, even if you have not weighed 120 since you were 16 and now you are 45, that is not a realistic weight loss goal.
Your body mass index or BMI is a good indicator of whether or not you need to shed of pounds. The ideal BMI range, according to the national Institutes of Health, is between 19 and 24.9. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. Any number above 30 is in the obesity range.
From this point of view, you will need a sensible weight loss plan that will correspond to the required BMI based on your height, because this is the primary factor that will affect your BMI.
2. Set appropriate objectives
Using a weight loss plan just for vanity’s sake is psychologically less helpful than losing weight to improve health.
You have made a big step forward if you decide to undergo a weight loss plan that includes exercise and eating right so that you will feel better and have more energy to do something positive in your life.
3. Focus on doing, not losing
Rather than saying that you are going to lose a pound this week, say how much you are going to exercise this week. This would definitely make up of a sensible weight loss plan.
Keep in mind that your weight within a span of a week is not completely in your control, but your behavior is.
4. Build bit by bit
Short-term weight loss plans should not be “pie-in-the-sky.” This means that when you have never exercised at all, your best weight loss plan for this week should be based on finding three different one-mile routes that you can walk next week.
5. Keep up the self-encouragement
An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to next week. You do not need to have a perfect record.
After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Otherwise, you will just fail in the end.
6. Use measurable measures
Saying that you are going to be more positive this week or that you are going to really get serious this week is not a goal that you can measure and should not be a part of your weight loss plan.
This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise on your weight loss plan and focus on it. You should be able to count up the minutes of exercise in order to be successful in your plan.
The bottom line is, people should make weight loss plans that will only remain as it is, just a plan. They have to put it into action by incorporating goals that will motivate them to succeed.
Why Losing Weight is Good
There is a great benefit acquired from losing weight. Though losing weight is not easy, the long term effects brought by it would probably be of help to anyone considering to shed those unwanted and unhealthy pounds.
The following are a few of the remarkable advantages from losing those excess weight.
Weight loss prevents high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke
That is a three in one benefit from losing weight. It is a fact that heart disease and stroke are one of the primary reasons for disability and death in both men and women in the US. People who are overweight have a higher risk to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood stream as well as triglycerides (also known as blood fat).
Angina, one type of heart disease, could cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen pumped to the heart.
Sudden death also occurs from heart disease and stroke, and usually this strikes with very little warning, signs and symptoms.
It is a fact that by decreasing your weight by a mere five to ten percent, this could positively decrease the chances of you having or developing heart disease or a stroke. Plus, how your heart functions would also improve as well as your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride count will decrease.
Weight loss prevents type 2 diabetes
Diabetes puts in jeopardy one’s life as well as how one leads his or her life because of the complications that result from having it. Both types of diabetes, type one and type two are linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, regular exercise and losing weight could help in controlling your blood sugar levels as well as the medication you may be currently taking. Increase your physical activity. You could simply walk, jog or dance. It helps get those blood streams moving as well as lose those unnecessary pounds.
Weight loss helps reduce your risk for cancer
Being overweight is linked with a number of kinds of cancer. Specially for women, the common types of cancer that is associated with being overweight include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, ovary, breast, and colon. This is not meant to scare you, this is only to keep you informed. Men are at risk too from developing cancer if they are overweight. These include cancer of the colon, prostate and rectum. Extra weight, a diet high in fat and cholesterol should as much as possible be avoided.
Weight loss reduces sleep apnea
Or it could eliminate it all together. Sleep apnea is a condition wherein one could temporarily stop breathing for a brief period and then would continue to snore heavily. Sleep apnea could cause drowsiness or sleepiness during the day and – because of being overweight – could result in heart failure. Shedding those excess pounds could help in eliminating this problem.
Weight loss reduces the pain of osteoarthritis
When one weighs heavily, the joints of his or her knees, hips and lower back would have to exert double – if not triple – effort to carry him or her through out his / her waking, walking and moving life. This could cause tension and stress on these joints. Weight loss decreases the load these joints carry thus decreasing – if not eliminating – the pain of one who has osteoarthritis.
The following are a few of the remarkable advantages from losing those excess weight.
Weight loss prevents high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke
That is a three in one benefit from losing weight. It is a fact that heart disease and stroke are one of the primary reasons for disability and death in both men and women in the US. People who are overweight have a higher risk to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood stream as well as triglycerides (also known as blood fat).
Angina, one type of heart disease, could cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen pumped to the heart.
Sudden death also occurs from heart disease and stroke, and usually this strikes with very little warning, signs and symptoms.
It is a fact that by decreasing your weight by a mere five to ten percent, this could positively decrease the chances of you having or developing heart disease or a stroke. Plus, how your heart functions would also improve as well as your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride count will decrease.
Weight loss prevents type 2 diabetes
Diabetes puts in jeopardy one’s life as well as how one leads his or her life because of the complications that result from having it. Both types of diabetes, type one and type two are linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, regular exercise and losing weight could help in controlling your blood sugar levels as well as the medication you may be currently taking. Increase your physical activity. You could simply walk, jog or dance. It helps get those blood streams moving as well as lose those unnecessary pounds.
Weight loss helps reduce your risk for cancer
Being overweight is linked with a number of kinds of cancer. Specially for women, the common types of cancer that is associated with being overweight include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, ovary, breast, and colon. This is not meant to scare you, this is only to keep you informed. Men are at risk too from developing cancer if they are overweight. These include cancer of the colon, prostate and rectum. Extra weight, a diet high in fat and cholesterol should as much as possible be avoided.
Weight loss reduces sleep apnea
Or it could eliminate it all together. Sleep apnea is a condition wherein one could temporarily stop breathing for a brief period and then would continue to snore heavily. Sleep apnea could cause drowsiness or sleepiness during the day and – because of being overweight – could result in heart failure. Shedding those excess pounds could help in eliminating this problem.
Weight loss reduces the pain of osteoarthritis
When one weighs heavily, the joints of his or her knees, hips and lower back would have to exert double – if not triple – effort to carry him or her through out his / her waking, walking and moving life. This could cause tension and stress on these joints. Weight loss decreases the load these joints carry thus decreasing – if not eliminating – the pain of one who has osteoarthritis.
Weight Loss Surgery: Preventing the Health Risks
If you have been watching your weight go up and you are worried about the rising pounds, you may be wondering whether weight loss surgery really works. Is it possible to prevent future weight gain by putting yourself on a well-known weight loss surgical operation?
Today, weight loss surgeries are gradually gaining recognition when it comes to losing weight. Many health experts contend that people who are excessively overweight or has slower metabolism would normally require some surgical operations.
Surgery at Present
The greatest progress in the care of the surgical patient has taken place since the beginning of the present century. An increasing knowledge of disease and disorder as a result of research has permitted the development of many diagnostic aids. Some of these depend upon roentgenograms, laboratory procedures such as chemical, bacteriologic, and pathologic determinations, as well as monitoring devices and computer aids.
Hence, the result is that the diagnosis of disease and disorder is made with more exactness and certainty than was possible from the simple clinical examinations of previous days.
That is why people who wish to undergo weight loss surgery should no longer be afraid of the procedure because high clinical standards are now being implemented in every surgical operation.
The Concept of Weight Loss Surgery
Health experts contend that weight loss surgery is a “major surgery.” One of the most common reasons why people would like to lose weight is to enhance their physical attributes. However, it should not be the underlying motivation that they should undergo the process of weight loss surgery.
What people do not know is that weight loss surgery is especially generated to help obese people live longer, healthier, and better.
That is why it is important for an individual to meticulously analyze his or her situation, do some research about the process, and analyze if weight loss surgery is the ultimate choice for his or her physiological condition.
Moreover, it is important to gather further information about weight loss surgery by consulting an experienced and knowledgeable bariatric surgeon or even just an expert family physician who knows the ins and outs of weight loss surgery.
In addition, the patient should also consult the other health experts such as the psychiatrist and dietician with regards to some psychological advices on long-term goals after the operation.
Generally, patients who have undergone weight loss surgery are said to be successful if they were able to lose 50% or more of their extra body weight and will be able to maintain that condition for the next five years or so. However, the results of the operation may still vary depending on the clinical information of the patient and the skills of the bariatric surgeon.
Normally, the patient will be able to lose at least 30% to a maximum of 50% during the first six months after surgery; and within the year after the operation, the patient has the potential of losing weight up to a maximum of 77%.
Best of all, people who were able to loss weight through surgical operations can actually maintain a continuous weight loss of up to 50% to 60% in the next 10 to 14 years after surgery.
Factors to Consider
As with the other weight loss management programs, there are many factors to consider before the patient should decide to undergo weight loss surgery.
Consequently, the actual weight that will be lost is reliant on the weight before surgery, surgical procedure, patient’s age, capability to exercise, total health condition of the patient, dogged determination to maintain the necessary follow-up nurture, and the enthusiasm to succeed with the help of their family, friends, and their colleagues.
If you have just put on a few extra pounds and want to avoid gaining more, these weight loss surgeries for better health may seem convincing. But, in addition to being convinced, you may also have to take some action to ensure that your weight does not creep upward.
Therefore, it can be concluded that losing weight is not just a question of deciding to be strong-willed and determined or upbeat and positive. Lifestyle changes are where it is at for long-term success with your weight especially after weight loss surgery.
Today, weight loss surgeries are gradually gaining recognition when it comes to losing weight. Many health experts contend that people who are excessively overweight or has slower metabolism would normally require some surgical operations.
Surgery at Present
The greatest progress in the care of the surgical patient has taken place since the beginning of the present century. An increasing knowledge of disease and disorder as a result of research has permitted the development of many diagnostic aids. Some of these depend upon roentgenograms, laboratory procedures such as chemical, bacteriologic, and pathologic determinations, as well as monitoring devices and computer aids.
Hence, the result is that the diagnosis of disease and disorder is made with more exactness and certainty than was possible from the simple clinical examinations of previous days.
That is why people who wish to undergo weight loss surgery should no longer be afraid of the procedure because high clinical standards are now being implemented in every surgical operation.
The Concept of Weight Loss Surgery
Health experts contend that weight loss surgery is a “major surgery.” One of the most common reasons why people would like to lose weight is to enhance their physical attributes. However, it should not be the underlying motivation that they should undergo the process of weight loss surgery.
What people do not know is that weight loss surgery is especially generated to help obese people live longer, healthier, and better.
That is why it is important for an individual to meticulously analyze his or her situation, do some research about the process, and analyze if weight loss surgery is the ultimate choice for his or her physiological condition.
Moreover, it is important to gather further information about weight loss surgery by consulting an experienced and knowledgeable bariatric surgeon or even just an expert family physician who knows the ins and outs of weight loss surgery.
In addition, the patient should also consult the other health experts such as the psychiatrist and dietician with regards to some psychological advices on long-term goals after the operation.
Generally, patients who have undergone weight loss surgery are said to be successful if they were able to lose 50% or more of their extra body weight and will be able to maintain that condition for the next five years or so. However, the results of the operation may still vary depending on the clinical information of the patient and the skills of the bariatric surgeon.
Normally, the patient will be able to lose at least 30% to a maximum of 50% during the first six months after surgery; and within the year after the operation, the patient has the potential of losing weight up to a maximum of 77%.
Best of all, people who were able to loss weight through surgical operations can actually maintain a continuous weight loss of up to 50% to 60% in the next 10 to 14 years after surgery.
Factors to Consider
As with the other weight loss management programs, there are many factors to consider before the patient should decide to undergo weight loss surgery.
Consequently, the actual weight that will be lost is reliant on the weight before surgery, surgical procedure, patient’s age, capability to exercise, total health condition of the patient, dogged determination to maintain the necessary follow-up nurture, and the enthusiasm to succeed with the help of their family, friends, and their colleagues.
If you have just put on a few extra pounds and want to avoid gaining more, these weight loss surgeries for better health may seem convincing. But, in addition to being convinced, you may also have to take some action to ensure that your weight does not creep upward.
Therefore, it can be concluded that losing weight is not just a question of deciding to be strong-willed and determined or upbeat and positive. Lifestyle changes are where it is at for long-term success with your weight especially after weight loss surgery.
The Advantages of Weight Loss Patch
Finally, for severely obese people who have been unable to lose weight using traditional means, the utilization of weight loss patch may be an option.
Basically, weight loss patch is a revolutionary device or product that helps people to lose weight effectively. This weight loss patch, also known as “the diet patch,” or the “Slim Form Patch” are the new and innovative weight loss product that are now readily available in the market.
Its manufacturers contend that the ingredients used in weight loss patches are 100% natural. So, people who will use the product can be assured of a safe and effective weight loss regimen.
To know more about these weight loss patches, here is a list of some facts that can help you understand how it works:
1. It is a biological and straightforward process of losing weight.
This means that these weight loss patches are made from 100% natural ingredients that is why manufacturers claim that these products are safe to use. In addition, it is also simple and easy to utilize.
2. It’s not considered as one form of trendy weight loss program.
Because of its viability and clinically proven results, weight loss patches are considered as something that can safely burn calories and fats without having to skip meals or do some crash diets.
Moreover, because it does not advocate people to engage into crash diets, these products have not eradicated certain food groups in one’s diet. This means that the person using it is still eating a well-balanced meal.
3. It employs a “cutting edge technology” known as the Patch technology or the Transdermal.
This new technology states that in most cases, the food that enters into the body passes through the different areas inside. In most cases, there are harmful ingredients that were able to enter the body and yet it may pose greater risks.
The point here is that these substances where already broken down into pieces in areas like the liver or stomach, without passing through the bloodstreams. Hence, it pose greater risk to the person concerned.
However, with patch technology, the substances are easily absorbed and penetrated through the skin. It is in this process that the substances are redirected first to the bloodstream, where they are filtered, before they can go to the liver, stomach, and other parts of the body.
In this way, the harmful substances are already eliminated and that everything that passes through the different parts of the body are effectively utilized by the cells, where it is mostly needed.
Moreover, these weight loss patches contain the active ingredients that can effectively help people lose weight at the same time enhancing their health and well-being.
Therefore, for a revolutionary modification to weight loss regimen, it would be better if you will try using these weight loss patches. Buy now and start your life to a healthier you.
Alternatively, these weight loss patches are available in 30-piece package. It should only be worn once a day. Hence, you have a month supply of these products.
Indeed, with the advent of weight loss patches, losing weight will no longer be considered a game for the chosen few.
Hence, with these wonderful, excellent patches, you can now easily lose weight without the trouble of extreme fad diets. Best of all, these weight loss patches are affordable, so there’s no reason why you cannot try it out.
Basically, weight loss patch is a revolutionary device or product that helps people to lose weight effectively. This weight loss patch, also known as “the diet patch,” or the “Slim Form Patch” are the new and innovative weight loss product that are now readily available in the market.
Its manufacturers contend that the ingredients used in weight loss patches are 100% natural. So, people who will use the product can be assured of a safe and effective weight loss regimen.
To know more about these weight loss patches, here is a list of some facts that can help you understand how it works:
1. It is a biological and straightforward process of losing weight.
This means that these weight loss patches are made from 100% natural ingredients that is why manufacturers claim that these products are safe to use. In addition, it is also simple and easy to utilize.
2. It’s not considered as one form of trendy weight loss program.
Because of its viability and clinically proven results, weight loss patches are considered as something that can safely burn calories and fats without having to skip meals or do some crash diets.
Moreover, because it does not advocate people to engage into crash diets, these products have not eradicated certain food groups in one’s diet. This means that the person using it is still eating a well-balanced meal.
3. It employs a “cutting edge technology” known as the Patch technology or the Transdermal.
This new technology states that in most cases, the food that enters into the body passes through the different areas inside. In most cases, there are harmful ingredients that were able to enter the body and yet it may pose greater risks.
The point here is that these substances where already broken down into pieces in areas like the liver or stomach, without passing through the bloodstreams. Hence, it pose greater risk to the person concerned.
However, with patch technology, the substances are easily absorbed and penetrated through the skin. It is in this process that the substances are redirected first to the bloodstream, where they are filtered, before they can go to the liver, stomach, and other parts of the body.
In this way, the harmful substances are already eliminated and that everything that passes through the different parts of the body are effectively utilized by the cells, where it is mostly needed.
Moreover, these weight loss patches contain the active ingredients that can effectively help people lose weight at the same time enhancing their health and well-being.
Therefore, for a revolutionary modification to weight loss regimen, it would be better if you will try using these weight loss patches. Buy now and start your life to a healthier you.
Alternatively, these weight loss patches are available in 30-piece package. It should only be worn once a day. Hence, you have a month supply of these products.
Indeed, with the advent of weight loss patches, losing weight will no longer be considered a game for the chosen few.
Hence, with these wonderful, excellent patches, you can now easily lose weight without the trouble of extreme fad diets. Best of all, these weight loss patches are affordable, so there’s no reason why you cannot try it out.
Losing Weight Rapidly
Wanting a slimmer and sexier body is no lofty ambition. Many people have succeeded in sculpting their physiques to make them look healthy and desirable. However, this end is not attained in just a snap or skipping one night's dinner. For some people though, patience is not a virtue. They seem not to be able to afford so much attention, time and money to get the body they have always wanted. As a result, these people result to rapid weight loss practices and programs which may not be as effective as these people are led to believe they are.
Fast-track diets are one of these rapid weight loss practices which may not be very inviting as they seem according to research. Fast-track diet programs, as scientific research shows, are only good while they last. Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. people who undergo low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits simply because human beings can not actually live on with this type of diet scheme for the rest of their lives.
Now there is also scientific research showing that rapid weight loss does not imply an individual is losing unwanted excess fat; it is commonly water that is lost with following rapid weight loss practices. This could cause certain alarm but actually, water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So one should not be foolish enough to be so gullible with the advertising of certain diet pills out there in the market; especially those which claim to aid lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. They will only dehydrate the body. And just so it is clear, the body can only lose two pounds of fat per week, one could be exceptionally lucky if he can lose three, but normally, it's just two.
Another rapid weight loss product out in the market is the slimming soap. Claiming that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare chinese herbs and seaweed, they assert to help people using them to shed off body fats by emulsifying them upon application while taking a bath. Some are even specialized like those which promise to give the user "beautiful thighs". The ingredients may prove to improve the quality of the skin but no research has ever come up yet which aids to prove the efficacy of these ingredients in emulsifying excess body fats.
One more rapid weight loss product out there in the market promises to suppress hunger and at the same time help increase the body's metabolic rate. It also claims to be able to accelerate the healing process and reduce certain body pains, all these plus its being a very chic fashion accent. Well they are actually called magnetic weight loss earrings.
The secret of this set of earrings is in the magnet, so it says. Wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body therefore one will experience all the above mentioned effects. Though press releases say that there are actually "studies" to back these assertions up, nothing yet is found in medical journals. Though buying a set may not kill a person, it's probably not a wise investment. One might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.
Bottom line is "no pain, no gain". If one wants a beautiful body, one must sweat it out. And as for those rapid weight loss products coming out on the market, if they are too good to be true, they probably are not.
Fast-track diets are one of these rapid weight loss practices which may not be very inviting as they seem according to research. Fast-track diet programs, as scientific research shows, are only good while they last. Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. people who undergo low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits simply because human beings can not actually live on with this type of diet scheme for the rest of their lives.
Now there is also scientific research showing that rapid weight loss does not imply an individual is losing unwanted excess fat; it is commonly water that is lost with following rapid weight loss practices. This could cause certain alarm but actually, water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So one should not be foolish enough to be so gullible with the advertising of certain diet pills out there in the market; especially those which claim to aid lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. They will only dehydrate the body. And just so it is clear, the body can only lose two pounds of fat per week, one could be exceptionally lucky if he can lose three, but normally, it's just two.
Another rapid weight loss product out in the market is the slimming soap. Claiming that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare chinese herbs and seaweed, they assert to help people using them to shed off body fats by emulsifying them upon application while taking a bath. Some are even specialized like those which promise to give the user "beautiful thighs". The ingredients may prove to improve the quality of the skin but no research has ever come up yet which aids to prove the efficacy of these ingredients in emulsifying excess body fats.
One more rapid weight loss product out there in the market promises to suppress hunger and at the same time help increase the body's metabolic rate. It also claims to be able to accelerate the healing process and reduce certain body pains, all these plus its being a very chic fashion accent. Well they are actually called magnetic weight loss earrings.
The secret of this set of earrings is in the magnet, so it says. Wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body therefore one will experience all the above mentioned effects. Though press releases say that there are actually "studies" to back these assertions up, nothing yet is found in medical journals. Though buying a set may not kill a person, it's probably not a wise investment. One might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.
Bottom line is "no pain, no gain". If one wants a beautiful body, one must sweat it out. And as for those rapid weight loss products coming out on the market, if they are too good to be true, they probably are not.
Losing Weight? - Go Herbal
These days, there is a great need for overweight Americans to lose those excess pounds. Being healthy would not only lead them to have a healthier lifestyle but it will also literally lighten their load, and improve their overall well-being.
There is a long list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills - there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe.
One other available option to shed off those unwanted pounds is to go herbal.
Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way. However, when you take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs.
Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:
1. Herbal weight loss products
There are a lot of herbal weight loss products available in the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products.
Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but some actually have side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products.
Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:
> Senna. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.
> Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level. However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.
> St. John's wort. This supplement increases the production of a chemical in the brain. If not used properly, it may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.
Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.
2. Organic food.
In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. Organic food devotees believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment.
A person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.
3. Green Tea.
Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat.
This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea.
These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an emmediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.
3. Caffeine.
Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn.
4. Immortality Herb
This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:
> increases healthy blood flow
> reduces artery blocks
> aids healthy blood pressure
> increases the rate of fat burning
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:
> weight loss
> improved cholesterol level
> improved high blood pressure
> helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis
There is a long list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills - there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe.
One other available option to shed off those unwanted pounds is to go herbal.
Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way. However, when you take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs.
Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:
1. Herbal weight loss products
There are a lot of herbal weight loss products available in the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products.
Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but some actually have side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products.
Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:
> Senna. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.
> Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level. However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.
> St. John's wort. This supplement increases the production of a chemical in the brain. If not used properly, it may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.
Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.
2. Organic food.
In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. Organic food devotees believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment.
A person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.
3. Green Tea.
Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat.
This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea.
These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an emmediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.
3. Caffeine.
Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn.
4. Immortality Herb
This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:
> increases healthy blood flow
> reduces artery blocks
> aids healthy blood pressure
> increases the rate of fat burning
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:
> weight loss
> improved cholesterol level
> improved high blood pressure
> helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Good of Vegetarianism
Sometimes the only thing really holding you back from making the big step of becoming a vegetarian is to come to a firm grasp of what good you will get from it. Too often we see eating right and cutting meat from our diet as a drudgery and something we "should do" but we don’t want to. But becoming a vegetarian is a big life change and one that you should make with every intent of remaining a vegetarian for life. The only way to make that kind of life change "stick" is to have some concrete and desirable positive outcomes that you will realize from the change. If there is "something in it for you" besides being seen as a good person because you "should" do it, you will embrace the change more enthusiastically.
One big advantage that a vegetarian lifestyle can bring you is that it is a lot less fuss to life as a vegetarian and it is far less expensive. It doesn’t take a very extensive trip to the grocery store to realize that even a small slab of steak or a pound of hamburger is far more expensive than a head of cabbage or a bunch of carrots. Your food costs can plummet if you simplify your life and eat only meatless dishes. And your food will last longer in storage.
One advantage that many new converts to vegetarianism notice but that don’t get much coverage is how much better their digestive systems will work without the heavy load that meat places on your insides. Not only will you digest your food more easily, you will not feel that "heavy and sluggish" sensation and you will sleep better and even have better sex. That is because the negative impact of animal muscle on your intestines will disappear. You will also notice it in your lower intestines and your elimination. In every way, the functioning of your internal mechanisms will be much smoother when you only give it meatless meals to live on.
The health benefits are probably the motivation that convinces most people to adopt a meat free diet. The simple fact is that science has proven that humans are not natural meat eaters. Yes we can live on meat but our systems are not well suited to digest the heavy food that meat represents in your digestive system.
Many of the most chronic national health problems can be traced to meat consumption. Everything from obesity to cancer to heart disease to aging seems to be linked to the consumption of meat. Because meat is so much more difficult on our internal systems to digest, utilize and eliminate, the impact on your insides is devastating. Vegetarians do not suffer with as high an incidence of colon cancer, heart disease or obesity.
As many high priced weight loss programs as there are, there may be no more effective one and one that can be done for virtually no cost is to just stop eating meat. You rarely meet a fat vegetarian because there is just not very much in a nonfat meal to become fat. Vegetables quickly convert to energy, deliver vitamins to your systems and the remnant leave your system without difficulty so your metabolism will naturally speed up so you lose weight.
The moral, ethical and spiritual reasons for becoming a vegetarian are also well known. Many religions call for a diet of no meat and frequent fasting. A vegetarian diet gives you much greater control over your appetite so you can observe religious disciplines that call for physical denial for a short time and get all of the spiritual good from them.
Besides the spiritual values, more and more people are becoming aware that eating meat is unethical or immoral. It is not "kooky" or crazy to see that the raising of animals for us to kill and eat seems barbaric for an evolved culture such as ours. It is easy to find horror stories of the gruesome ways that animals are slaughtered to become our food. To become part of the solution rather part of the problem is appealing to many people who have a conscience. And vegetarianism is part of the solution that if all of us embraced vegetarianism, it would be a better world for everyone.
One big advantage that a vegetarian lifestyle can bring you is that it is a lot less fuss to life as a vegetarian and it is far less expensive. It doesn’t take a very extensive trip to the grocery store to realize that even a small slab of steak or a pound of hamburger is far more expensive than a head of cabbage or a bunch of carrots. Your food costs can plummet if you simplify your life and eat only meatless dishes. And your food will last longer in storage.
One advantage that many new converts to vegetarianism notice but that don’t get much coverage is how much better their digestive systems will work without the heavy load that meat places on your insides. Not only will you digest your food more easily, you will not feel that "heavy and sluggish" sensation and you will sleep better and even have better sex. That is because the negative impact of animal muscle on your intestines will disappear. You will also notice it in your lower intestines and your elimination. In every way, the functioning of your internal mechanisms will be much smoother when you only give it meatless meals to live on.
The health benefits are probably the motivation that convinces most people to adopt a meat free diet. The simple fact is that science has proven that humans are not natural meat eaters. Yes we can live on meat but our systems are not well suited to digest the heavy food that meat represents in your digestive system.
Many of the most chronic national health problems can be traced to meat consumption. Everything from obesity to cancer to heart disease to aging seems to be linked to the consumption of meat. Because meat is so much more difficult on our internal systems to digest, utilize and eliminate, the impact on your insides is devastating. Vegetarians do not suffer with as high an incidence of colon cancer, heart disease or obesity.
As many high priced weight loss programs as there are, there may be no more effective one and one that can be done for virtually no cost is to just stop eating meat. You rarely meet a fat vegetarian because there is just not very much in a nonfat meal to become fat. Vegetables quickly convert to energy, deliver vitamins to your systems and the remnant leave your system without difficulty so your metabolism will naturally speed up so you lose weight.
The moral, ethical and spiritual reasons for becoming a vegetarian are also well known. Many religions call for a diet of no meat and frequent fasting. A vegetarian diet gives you much greater control over your appetite so you can observe religious disciplines that call for physical denial for a short time and get all of the spiritual good from them.
Besides the spiritual values, more and more people are becoming aware that eating meat is unethical or immoral. It is not "kooky" or crazy to see that the raising of animals for us to kill and eat seems barbaric for an evolved culture such as ours. It is easy to find horror stories of the gruesome ways that animals are slaughtered to become our food. To become part of the solution rather part of the problem is appealing to many people who have a conscience. And vegetarianism is part of the solution that if all of us embraced vegetarianism, it would be a better world for everyone.
Little Secrets Vegetarians Know
Most people who don’t know anything about the vegetarian lifestyle think that is must be pure drudgery being a vegetarian and giving up meat. That is a misconception because even though meat is not a part of a vegetarian diet, it isn't about what you are going without, it is what is in your diet and in your life that makes a vegetarian lifestyle work so well. If you actually interviewed a vegetarian, the last thing they would say is that they are all about not eating meat. Instead they are about living in healthy way in a way that is at peace with the environment and with their own bodies.
The body of knowledge about vegetarians that most people don’t know is pretty astounding. Most people do understand the basic three reasons someone becomes a vegetarian which are health, animal rights and spiritual or moral reasons. But there are a number of side benefits and little secrets only vegetarians know that if they became popularized, the flood of converts to vegetarianism would be overwhelming. Some of those little secrets include…
. Vegetarians are not depressed as much as others because they know some secrets to overcoming depression naturally.. Vegetarians do not struggle with weight issues as much as others. . Vegetarians are better informed about nutrition and know how to make the most of what they eat.. Vegetarians sleep better, are more energetic and need less sleep than meat eaters.. Vegetarians have a much reduced incidence of cancer, heart disease and digestive disorders.. Vegetarians live longer than meat eaters.
One secret vegetarians know that gets almost no press is the power of walnuts. There is a little known chemical in walnuts called serotonin that is a powerful antidepressant. Now you can get your doctor to prescribe an artificial anti depressant which can cost you a lot of money and put you at risk for chemical dependency. Or you can make a nice hot cup of tea with walnut as part of the mix. About half a walnut shell mixed in with your regular tea brew fills the drink with serotonin. Taken regularly, you will feel the effects of a chemical pick me up that can combat depression very effectively.
Another little secret of vegetarians runs against the normal rules of dieting to get the full value of nutrients you might expect from eating a salad. Diet theory would have you use no salad dressing or at very least a zero fat or low fat salad dressing. Vegetarians who are more in touch with the effects of foods in their bodies know that the real value of eating salad are the natural nutrients in leafy vegetables called carotenoids. But science has shown us that the best way to pull cerotenoids from green vegetables is to use a higher fat salad dressing. So enjoy that fatty dressing because your vegetarian lifestyle will deliver plenty of weight loss value to you even with this small indulgence that can do you so much good.
Speaking of tea, green tea is often a staple of a vegetarians diet because of the little health secrets buried in this amazing drink. Green tea has powers to help your digestive system, help combat depression and to accelerate weight loss that ancient cultures like the Chinese and India have known for centuries. Vegetarians have caught up on this secret of health knowledge ahead of us so its time well learned from their wisdom.
These are just a few of the wisdom of the ancients that have been rediscovered by the modern vegetarian "craze". But it really isn't a craze because once you start living a healthy life cashing in on these many benefits a vegetarian lifestyle will give you, you will never want to go back.
The body of knowledge about vegetarians that most people don’t know is pretty astounding. Most people do understand the basic three reasons someone becomes a vegetarian which are health, animal rights and spiritual or moral reasons. But there are a number of side benefits and little secrets only vegetarians know that if they became popularized, the flood of converts to vegetarianism would be overwhelming. Some of those little secrets include…
. Vegetarians are not depressed as much as others because they know some secrets to overcoming depression naturally.. Vegetarians do not struggle with weight issues as much as others. . Vegetarians are better informed about nutrition and know how to make the most of what they eat.. Vegetarians sleep better, are more energetic and need less sleep than meat eaters.. Vegetarians have a much reduced incidence of cancer, heart disease and digestive disorders.. Vegetarians live longer than meat eaters.
One secret vegetarians know that gets almost no press is the power of walnuts. There is a little known chemical in walnuts called serotonin that is a powerful antidepressant. Now you can get your doctor to prescribe an artificial anti depressant which can cost you a lot of money and put you at risk for chemical dependency. Or you can make a nice hot cup of tea with walnut as part of the mix. About half a walnut shell mixed in with your regular tea brew fills the drink with serotonin. Taken regularly, you will feel the effects of a chemical pick me up that can combat depression very effectively.
Another little secret of vegetarians runs against the normal rules of dieting to get the full value of nutrients you might expect from eating a salad. Diet theory would have you use no salad dressing or at very least a zero fat or low fat salad dressing. Vegetarians who are more in touch with the effects of foods in their bodies know that the real value of eating salad are the natural nutrients in leafy vegetables called carotenoids. But science has shown us that the best way to pull cerotenoids from green vegetables is to use a higher fat salad dressing. So enjoy that fatty dressing because your vegetarian lifestyle will deliver plenty of weight loss value to you even with this small indulgence that can do you so much good.
Speaking of tea, green tea is often a staple of a vegetarians diet because of the little health secrets buried in this amazing drink. Green tea has powers to help your digestive system, help combat depression and to accelerate weight loss that ancient cultures like the Chinese and India have known for centuries. Vegetarians have caught up on this secret of health knowledge ahead of us so its time well learned from their wisdom.
These are just a few of the wisdom of the ancients that have been rediscovered by the modern vegetarian "craze". But it really isn't a craze because once you start living a healthy life cashing in on these many benefits a vegetarian lifestyle will give you, you will never want to go back.
Getting Started with the Hobby of Organic Gardening
Organic gardening can very well pass up as a hobby for starters. This can be true if you are the type of person who has the passion for gardening. This may not be everybody's cup of tea. So consider yourself lucky if you are among those who can grow green things out of the blue.
Gardening requires certain skills. You have to know the type of soil, what kind of plants you can place on them, how you will take care of those plants, aside from the many other considerations that you must be aware of when you are serious about it.
It may sound complicated enough for the beginners. But if you have been marked as the one with a green thumb and you've already honed you skills on this, then you might as well try the organic way of gardening. This method is particularly special as well as hard. It will require you to double your effort as compared with the regular stuff that you do with the usual gardening tricks.
The Concept
The basic rule on this type of gardening is that you will only use synthetic products in all your endeavor with regards to the task. This will include the important elements such as the fertilizers and the pesticides. You can actually get from the earth what you will then use for your organic venture into gardening. You will use such elements to be able to grow something new, these are your plants, your vegetables or whatever greens you may want to grow. Do you get the picture? To look at it from a bird's eye view, it is like working closely with nature. Or as others may say, this is like being one with nature.
Organic FertilizersIs there such a thing, you may ask? Yes, and you are the one to make it. You can actually perform composting on the materials found on your garden. You can use fallen leaves and twigs, animal manure, but this will depend on the type, and many more.
Organic Pesticides This type of gardening wants, as much as possible, to stay away from pesticides. But if you can't afford to pick the insects one by one by your bare hands, then you can go to your local grocery store and ask for an organic pesticide that is available commercially.
The old way really is to be vigilant with your garden and take off every pest that you see. You should only turn to the organic pesticides when it becomes too many and uncontrollable that you can no longer handle. You can also try to bring in the animals that feed on those pests. This way, you'll have some help in picking those pests up. And that is also helping the other animals satisfy their hunger.
As a hobby, this may be time consuming. So if you cannot devote enough time into it, might as well find a partner or drop the idea until you've found the right time to carry on with the tasks.
Organic gardening really entails a lot of hard work. So you better be prepared to perspire in the process. To ease your tiredness when you are already into it too deep, just think that what you are doing is helping nature. This is your way of giving back what nature has bestowed on you since the day you were born.
Gardening requires certain skills. You have to know the type of soil, what kind of plants you can place on them, how you will take care of those plants, aside from the many other considerations that you must be aware of when you are serious about it.
It may sound complicated enough for the beginners. But if you have been marked as the one with a green thumb and you've already honed you skills on this, then you might as well try the organic way of gardening. This method is particularly special as well as hard. It will require you to double your effort as compared with the regular stuff that you do with the usual gardening tricks.
The Concept
The basic rule on this type of gardening is that you will only use synthetic products in all your endeavor with regards to the task. This will include the important elements such as the fertilizers and the pesticides. You can actually get from the earth what you will then use for your organic venture into gardening. You will use such elements to be able to grow something new, these are your plants, your vegetables or whatever greens you may want to grow. Do you get the picture? To look at it from a bird's eye view, it is like working closely with nature. Or as others may say, this is like being one with nature.
Organic FertilizersIs there such a thing, you may ask? Yes, and you are the one to make it. You can actually perform composting on the materials found on your garden. You can use fallen leaves and twigs, animal manure, but this will depend on the type, and many more.
Organic Pesticides This type of gardening wants, as much as possible, to stay away from pesticides. But if you can't afford to pick the insects one by one by your bare hands, then you can go to your local grocery store and ask for an organic pesticide that is available commercially.
The old way really is to be vigilant with your garden and take off every pest that you see. You should only turn to the organic pesticides when it becomes too many and uncontrollable that you can no longer handle. You can also try to bring in the animals that feed on those pests. This way, you'll have some help in picking those pests up. And that is also helping the other animals satisfy their hunger.
As a hobby, this may be time consuming. So if you cannot devote enough time into it, might as well find a partner or drop the idea until you've found the right time to carry on with the tasks.
Organic gardening really entails a lot of hard work. So you better be prepared to perspire in the process. To ease your tiredness when you are already into it too deep, just think that what you are doing is helping nature. This is your way of giving back what nature has bestowed on you since the day you were born.
Why Is Organic Vegetable Gardening So Important These Days
Organic vegetable gardening seems to be the trend these days as more people have become conscious of what they are eating. This is because conventional methods which involve the use of harmful chemicals may enter our systems.
In order to control the problem, the US Department of Agriculture has issues a new directive. This encourages farmers to shift to organic farming.
With organic farming, farmers will no longer need to plant crops using genetic engineering, irradiation and sewage sludge. Instead, this will be replaced with crop rotation.
Crop rotation is the practice of planting a different crop in the same area where another crop once occupied. This keeps the soil’s nutrients fertile so it can be used again in the following season.
If you think about it, this approach is easier said than done as farmers are accustomed to the old ways of doing it. To help them change their minds, the government offers incentives and subsidies to farmers who decide to follow this plan. But the main reason why organic vegetable gardening is so important is the fact that the crops harvested have 50% more nutrients and vitamins compared to that of conventional farming methods.
This means the food they consume will reduce the risk of people suffering from a number of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers.
Children who drink milk will be able to get more anti-oxidants, CLA, Omega 3 and vitamins when this is extracted from pastured grazed cows that will really strengthen their bones and muscles.
You can buy organically grown vegetables from the supermarket. The sad part is the almost everywhere you go, although the packaging comes from Department of Health, Quality Assurance International, California Certified Organic Farmers or the Oregon Tilth Farm Verified Organic, most of these are only 50% to 70% organic.
This is why homeowners who want to eat 100% organic vegetables are encouraged to grow these themselves.
There are two ways to make this happen. First, you buy the seedlings until they grow so you can harvest the. Second, you buy them fully grown and then just plant it into the ground.
Most people prefer the first because it makes them proud to know that what is served on the table was done from scratch.
In both cases, you have to prepare the soil, use compost and make sure that these are safe from threats such as insects, weeds and other animals that will eat what you have planted.
You can fight these with other animals, insects, organic fertilizers, deodorant soap and a few other items which you can find out after doing some research.
For those who don’t have a big garden, they can try growing these organically grown vegetables in containers. They require more water than those planted in the soil so give doses frequently.
There is no doubt that organic vegetables and other products are important these days. If you value your health and those of your family you can buy these from the store or plant it yourself.
For those who decide to buy organically grown vegetables, remember to wash before cooking them. This will remove any harmful substances or residue that may still be there which is invisible to the naked eye.
In order to control the problem, the US Department of Agriculture has issues a new directive. This encourages farmers to shift to organic farming.
With organic farming, farmers will no longer need to plant crops using genetic engineering, irradiation and sewage sludge. Instead, this will be replaced with crop rotation.
Crop rotation is the practice of planting a different crop in the same area where another crop once occupied. This keeps the soil’s nutrients fertile so it can be used again in the following season.
If you think about it, this approach is easier said than done as farmers are accustomed to the old ways of doing it. To help them change their minds, the government offers incentives and subsidies to farmers who decide to follow this plan. But the main reason why organic vegetable gardening is so important is the fact that the crops harvested have 50% more nutrients and vitamins compared to that of conventional farming methods.
This means the food they consume will reduce the risk of people suffering from a number of diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers.
Children who drink milk will be able to get more anti-oxidants, CLA, Omega 3 and vitamins when this is extracted from pastured grazed cows that will really strengthen their bones and muscles.
You can buy organically grown vegetables from the supermarket. The sad part is the almost everywhere you go, although the packaging comes from Department of Health, Quality Assurance International, California Certified Organic Farmers or the Oregon Tilth Farm Verified Organic, most of these are only 50% to 70% organic.
This is why homeowners who want to eat 100% organic vegetables are encouraged to grow these themselves.
There are two ways to make this happen. First, you buy the seedlings until they grow so you can harvest the. Second, you buy them fully grown and then just plant it into the ground.
Most people prefer the first because it makes them proud to know that what is served on the table was done from scratch.
In both cases, you have to prepare the soil, use compost and make sure that these are safe from threats such as insects, weeds and other animals that will eat what you have planted.
You can fight these with other animals, insects, organic fertilizers, deodorant soap and a few other items which you can find out after doing some research.
For those who don’t have a big garden, they can try growing these organically grown vegetables in containers. They require more water than those planted in the soil so give doses frequently.
There is no doubt that organic vegetables and other products are important these days. If you value your health and those of your family you can buy these from the store or plant it yourself.
For those who decide to buy organically grown vegetables, remember to wash before cooking them. This will remove any harmful substances or residue that may still be there which is invisible to the naked eye.
The Benefits of Eating Organically Grown Vegetables
If you have gone to the doctor, chances are he or she has told you to watch what you eat. If you have been eating the right amount of fish, meat, fruits and vegetables then you have nothing to worry about. But because some of these contain harmful chemicals, perhaps you should start switching to organically grown vegetables and other food products.
Why should you buy organic food products? Simply because majority of these items have been genetically modified. Farmers have used various techniques, chemicals and fertilizers to make them bigger even if they know that this is dangerous to your health.
No magic or anything fancy is used to make organically grown crops. You only need fertile soil, sunlight, water and some compost to make it work.
A recent study shows that following this simple plan helps vegetables have 50% more vitamins and minerals than those made from conventional methods. If you eat them regularly, you are able to have a healthier life.
You will probably feel like you will live longer too as organically grown vegetables tastes much better. This is because although fertilizers and pesticides have their advantages, they remove essential vitamins and nutrients so you are not getting the required daily allowance that your body needs. In short, you may think you are but in reality, this isn’t what’s happening.
Another benefit of eating organic vegetables and food is that you help the environment. This happens because farmers will no longer use harmful chemicals and put these into the ground.
The land which they have worked on can be planted by the next generation because the land that has been cultivated for so long is still fertile.
When you go to the supermarket, one thing you will notice is that the price of organically grown vegetables and other items are much more expensive than those conventionally grown.
Should you always buy something if it is cheaper? In the case of food, the answer is no because you can’t put a price on the lives of those who eat it.
Surely, you also don’t want to wait until someone you know gets sick so think about the future and go organic.
Eventually, the price of organic items will go down when more farmers decide to sell these in supermarkets. It is only because there is a small section of this available now in the store but when it becomes an industry standard, things will change.
Until that happens, you can probably plant and grow these in your backyard. You just need the supplies especially the seeds or the fully grown plant to help you get started.
Don’t forget to do some research first so you know how to take care of them. After all, sprinkling water every morning is just one of the many things you have to do to help these grow.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges in organic food is that the US imports a lot of vegetables from countries that are not yet practicing this back to the basics method.
But with a little help and encouragement, they too will come around so everyone not only here but in other countries as well will be able to enjoy the benefits of organically grown vegetables and fruits.
Why should you buy organic food products? Simply because majority of these items have been genetically modified. Farmers have used various techniques, chemicals and fertilizers to make them bigger even if they know that this is dangerous to your health.
No magic or anything fancy is used to make organically grown crops. You only need fertile soil, sunlight, water and some compost to make it work.
A recent study shows that following this simple plan helps vegetables have 50% more vitamins and minerals than those made from conventional methods. If you eat them regularly, you are able to have a healthier life.
You will probably feel like you will live longer too as organically grown vegetables tastes much better. This is because although fertilizers and pesticides have their advantages, they remove essential vitamins and nutrients so you are not getting the required daily allowance that your body needs. In short, you may think you are but in reality, this isn’t what’s happening.
Another benefit of eating organic vegetables and food is that you help the environment. This happens because farmers will no longer use harmful chemicals and put these into the ground.
The land which they have worked on can be planted by the next generation because the land that has been cultivated for so long is still fertile.
When you go to the supermarket, one thing you will notice is that the price of organically grown vegetables and other items are much more expensive than those conventionally grown.
Should you always buy something if it is cheaper? In the case of food, the answer is no because you can’t put a price on the lives of those who eat it.
Surely, you also don’t want to wait until someone you know gets sick so think about the future and go organic.
Eventually, the price of organic items will go down when more farmers decide to sell these in supermarkets. It is only because there is a small section of this available now in the store but when it becomes an industry standard, things will change.
Until that happens, you can probably plant and grow these in your backyard. You just need the supplies especially the seeds or the fully grown plant to help you get started.
Don’t forget to do some research first so you know how to take care of them. After all, sprinkling water every morning is just one of the many things you have to do to help these grow.
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges in organic food is that the US imports a lot of vegetables from countries that are not yet practicing this back to the basics method.
But with a little help and encouragement, they too will come around so everyone not only here but in other countries as well will be able to enjoy the benefits of organically grown vegetables and fruits.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Transform Yourself From the Inside-Out and Look Your Best Naturally
Sunday, May 11, 2008 by: Charmaine D. Mercado
At some point in our lives we have all suffered from physical insecurities, thanks to the unwitting comments of the people around us, our faulty habit of comparing ourselves to others, and mainstream media's rigid standards of beauty. Depending on our environment, upbringing, and self-image we have either acknowledged or denied our desire to look more attractive. The point is that physical appearance is a universal issue we all have dealt with, whether we have acted upon our desire to look better, have moved on peacefully through self-acceptance, or have scorned this wish as something shallow and embarrassing.
Technological progress sought to address the beauty question by coming up with gadgets and machines that at best changed things only on the surface for a temporary period of time, and at their worst merely pandered to human vanity, obscuring from man the true causes of his cosmetic complaints. But advances in research now point to natural solutions that could help one look better without drugs and artificial procedures. According to this new research, one can tremendously improve his or her appearance through superior health by way of a powerful cleansing diet. If you want a radical improvement in your appearance without going under the knife, then this diet is the answer to your prayers. The health benefits of this diet will make you feel so great you'll start looking it too.
Raw Food Magic
While beauty is relative because it's in the eye of the beholder, there are certain outward manifestations of it regardless of heredity, sex, age, or ethnicity. Rosy cheeks and lips, clear, sparkling eyes, strong, healthy hair, fresh, glowing skin, strong bones and teeth, and a well-developed physique -- such are the physical markers of radiant health. Emerging research has revealed that one kind of diet can help you attain the best of health, and through it, your best face yet: the raw food diet.
Aside from achieving excellent health, refined and enhanced physical features are just some of the wonderful perks one inevitably obtains through the raw diet. Long-time raw foodists even claim that the diet changed their eye color and helped them lose stubborn fat, warts, and cellulite
Fresh, organic, nutrient-dense, and enzyme-rich raw foods can really boost anyone's self-confidence due to the dramatic physical improvements they bring about. And it's a different kind of self-confidence too, the one that feels honest in your bones because you know you didn't cheat. You jacked up your score in the attractiveness meter with discipline, proper knowledge, diligence, perseverance, and natural, nutrient-rich food, not with toxic chemical injections or cosmetic incisions, the a-little-more-here and a-little-less-there kind of artificial procedures. But the mind-blowing thing about the raw diet is that you will look as if you had a face lift or a tummy tuck. Go search the internet for before and after raw transformations for proof. Draw your inspiration from these people who succeeded with the raw food regimen. If they did it, then so can you. The internet is also replete with information on raw food to educate and excite you, not to mention free raw recipes to make your raw journey more fun and enjoyable.
The amazing bonus is that on raw food, a new inner self emerges too. Raw food will purify and transmute your old energy. You will feel lighter and it will be much easier for you to smile, and a smile makes any countenance more attractive. That is because raw food will not just heal you physically; it will also improve your mental, emotional, and spiritual states. People will sense that positive, ineffable 'something' that envelops your being. They won't be able to put a finger on it, but you'd know what that 'something' is: superior over-all health brought to you by the most nourishing foods on the planet.
The rate and degree of your natural make-over will depend on your toxicity level. If you are immunocompromised then your metamorphosis may take longer. Your body will utilize all the nutrients from raw food to heal your disease before it starts taking care of your stretch marks. The process may take longer for others, depending on the person's previous diet and general state of health. The important thing is to persevere. Bear in mind that all successful raw foodists underwent unpleasant, and sometimes unglamorous, detox symptoms. Allow your body to unload itself of old, impacted garbage. Give it time to recover its "old youthfulness," the one that you lost early on in life due to stress, poor diet, faulty thinking, and lack of motion. Educate yourself that you may understand how the body functions to help you stick to the raw diet in spite of the brief cycles of cleansing reactions. But be assured that in between the short periods of detox symptoms you will feel fabulous like you never did on your old cooked and toxic diet, like you never did in your entire life.
Why Raw?
Numerous studies reveal that cooking causes a big drop in a food's nutritional profile. Heating food beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit kills off all the enzymes and decreases the amount of vitamins and minerals originally present in the food. To look your best you have to get the maximum amount of nutrients you could possibly get from any kind of food. Eating raw food is the obvious best solution to this, as all the nutrients in the food are undiminished and uncorrupted.
Raw food gives your body the "go" signal to do what it really has to. Eating cooked food will make the body use up its enzyme reserves. It takes three metabolic enzymes to produce one digestive enzyme. Those metabolic enzymes that were converted into digestive enzymes could have been used for detoxification, tissue growth and repair, and assimilation of nutrients, not to mention cell production, growth, and rejuvenation -- all the vital processes that would transform you inside out. Don't overtax your body with cooked food and toxic substances. Always carry enzyme supplements with you in case you have to eat cooked food. Just remember that to obtain impressive results, you'd have to be at least 70-80% raw.
The path to natural beauty actually begins in the gut. Yes, your physical transformation is largely hinged on bowel health, not on what you apply topically on your skin. While slathering your face with a fresh, crushed tomato or with your concoction of mashed banana, papaya, and honey will give you smooth, bright-looking skin in 10-20 minutes, natural topical treatments are, at best, only adjuncts to ingested super-nutrients from raw and super foods. You cannot have a healthy digestive system without consuming raw food. Nutrients and fiber found in raw food will loosen and absorb the mucus, grease, and impacted fecal matter in your gut, preparing them for elimination. A dirty digestive tract will not assimilate nutrients well. Moreover, filthy intestines provide a breeding ground for parasites, viruses, and unfriendly bacteria, which rob you of precious nutrients and toxify your body further with their own wastes.
There are other ways to kick out the bad guys from your system aside from following a high-raw and high-fiber diet. One is by taking an all-natural intestinal cleanse formula that would kill off the free-loading parasites squatting in your gut. Increasing the population of good bacteria through probiotic supplementation and consumption of unpasteurized fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented seed and nut cheeses, miso, and natto. Enemas and colonics would also help scrape off stubborn waste matter that have accumulated throughout years of unhealthy eating, washing off the unfriendly organisms as well. Eating foods such as cayenne, ginger, garlic, onion, pineapple, cold-pressed coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, fresh aloe vera gel, and sesame seeds will also antagonize parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
Weight loss takes place when your body starts getting rid of old, un-expelled wastes. The digestive tract alone could be carrying around nine pounds of un-eliminated toxic matter! A lot of obese and overweight people have finally controlled their weight more easily without starvation and hang-ups through raw food. Unlike in other weight loss programs, the skin clings more closely to the bones, obviating the need to have loose flabby skin surgically removed. People who have weight problems also end up more satisfied on the raw food diet since it helps them lose weight more rapidly than any other program. It helps them overcome food cravings and addictions due to the detox process. They are also pleasantly surprised to find out that their favorite evil food actually has a healthy, all-raw version. They never have to count calories again because the enzymes enable the food to be properly metabolized and completely digested.
While going raw will initially lead to weight loss, those who want to gain weight can do so with raw food. Yes, with a few modifications it is possible to gain weight and build huge muscles on the raw diet. Some underweight women actually achieved their more ideal weight through raw food. Some scrawny guys even put on enormous muscle mass through raw food. If you're apprehensive about raw bodybuilding you can check out raw vegan bodybuilders such as Storm Talifero, Charlie Abel, and Stephen Arlin.
You can gain weight and do bodybuilding by increasing your intake of green vegetables, sprouts, raw fats such as those found in coconuts, durian, avocado, nuts, and seeds. A caveat, though: increasing your fat intake doesn't mean you should eat as much as you could. While raw fats can metabolize themselves, too much raw fats will slow down the blood flow and detox process. You can also gain weight by eating a combination of amazing superfoods every day such as raw cacao, unpasteurized honey, bee pollen, wheat grass, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, blue-green algae, hemp seeds, goji berries, kelp, and acai. Super foods not only clean you up through their high antioxidant content; they also build you up with the best materials because they're great sources of high-quality amino acids.
The thing with raw foods is that, with the right adjustments, you can make them work to achieve your desired result, be it weight loss or weight gain. The beauty of the raw diet is that whether you lose or gain weight, you end up as a healthier individual due to all the intact nutrients working together to give you the best clean-up and remodeling job.
A List of Important Nutrients for a New Improved You
One of the greatest enemies of the human body is a group of noxious substances called free radicals. These are produced in the body from environmental toxins, additives, pesticides, and foods cooked in high temperature. Free radical damage is systemic, and it works its way from the inside out. It accelerates aging at the cellular level, resulting in wrinkles and a host of other aesthetic complaints.
Antioxidants are compounds that arrest and reverse free radical damage in the body, which, aside from faster aging, is a large contributing factor to serious diseases like cancer. Since oxidative damage takes place at the cellular level, the most commonsensical way to fight it is through super-nutrition via antioxidants found in raw food. Free radicals get inactivated through the abundant amounts of antioxidants present in raw fruits and vegetables. Think of the proverbial lemon juice sprinkled on browned, cut-up apples. Antioxidants do the same thing to us. They protect our cells from rapid oxidation. Antioxidants combat free radicals that eat up collagen and elastin, the fibrous materials that support skin structure, thus making the skin firmer, smoother, and softer, with a highly improved tone and texture. They are also powerful keys to longevity, no matter what recent studies have claimed.
Phytochemicals are natural biologically active compounds found in plant foods. They work synergistically with other nutrients and fiber found in fruits and vegetables to fight deadly diseases and to slow down the aging process. So far, more than 900 phytochemicals have been identified, and more shall be added to this list in the future. Phytochemicals have a lot to do with plant pigment, so generally, the brighter the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals and nutrients it contains. Phytochemicals have been known to have antioxidant properties, protecting us from disease and rejuvenating us inside-out.
Amino acids, otherwise known as the building blocks of protein, are greatly needed by the body to repair and form new cells, tissue, skin, hair, teeth, and bones.
The following is a list of nutrients needed by the body to build a healthier, better-looking you:
Glutathione is by far the most powerful antioxidant that can be produced by the human body. It detoxifies harmful substances so that they can be eliminated through the bile. This antioxidant has gotten so much popularity from its well-documented and scientifically-proven properties to reverse aging and promote a fairer complexion. Animal flesh contains the highest concentration of this very potent nutrient, but the rub is that you'd have to consume it raw since glutathione is an antioxidant enzyme. The other natural and more palatable raw sources of this amino acid are spinach, broccoli, walnuts, tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, asparagus, garlic, avocado, purslane, squash, okra, walnuts, potatoes, and apples. Glutamine, cystine, glutamic acid, and glycine are also needed by the liver to manufacture optimum levels of glutathione. One can also opt to take glutathione supplements that are widely available in the market today.
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an anti-aging enzyme that scavenges for free radicals with revitalizing and protective properties. SOD can be found in broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and most green vegetables, as well as in superfoods such as barley grass and wheat grass.
Catalase is another antioxidant enzyme that is needed by the body to put free radical activities in check. Leeks, onion, broccoli, bananas, parsnip, zucchini, spinach, carrots, radish, cucumbers, cherries, red cabbage, apricot, and cherries are good sources of catalase.
Coenzyme Q10, a potent anti-aging nutrient, plays an important role in tissue oxygenation. Get your dose of this antioxidant from spinach, peanuts, and fish.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin that regulates oil balance in the skin and helps prevent and treat acne, psoriasis, and eczema. It is necessary for growth of new cells and helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles. It can be obtained from carrots, egg yolks, dark leafy greens, parsley, arugula, mangoes, watermelon, nettle leaves, watercress, and sweet potatoes. Super foods such as chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass, barley grass, and kelp also have high concentrations of vitamin A.
Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, forms the basis of healthy skin, hair, and nail cells. Biotin is abundant in nuts, soybeans, egg yolks, swiss chard, fish, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, cabbage, onion, almonds, cucumber, cauliflower, and carrots.
Vitamin C is needed by the body to maintain healthy skin, bones, teeth, and gums. This vitamin is invaluable in the replacement and generation of tissue. Best food sources of this toxin-neutralizing antioxidant are citrus fruits, acerola berries, strawberries, rosehips, broccoli, parsley, nettles, and superfoods such as acai, goji berries, camu-camu, and raw cacao.
Vitamin D promotes the use and assimilation of calcium and magnesium for healthy bones and teeth. Very few foods contain enough amounts of this vitamin so exposure to sunlight is needed to help the body create its own vitamin D. Mushrooms, salmon, cod, and certain types of milk fortified with vitamin D are some food sources of this vitamin.
Vitamin E has been known to diminish the appearance of fine lines on the face, repair connective tissue, and, along with vitamin C, increase your skin's protection against sun damage. It also protects vitamins A and C from destruction. Food sources of this powerful antioxidant are goji berries, nuts, berries, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, wheat germ, soy, and vegetable oils such as olive oil.
Calcium is needed by the body to maintain healthy bones and teeth. Spinach, broccoli, kale, lima beans, apples, bananas, oranges, blackberries, kiwifruit, tomatoes, sardines, dairy, peas, soy products, salmon, seaweed, artichoke, kale, avocado, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, cashew, pistachio, sunflower seeds, strawberries, lemons, and grapes all have ample amounts of calcium.
Copper works in conjunction with zinc and vitamin C to produce elastin. Kiwifruit, apples, lima beans, artichoke, avocado, broccoli, bananas, carrots, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapes, and cucumber all contain copper.
Magnesium is necessary for the production of new cells and for healthy bones and teeth. Good sources of this mineral are raw cacao, kelp, kiwi, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, avocado, summer squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almonds, corn, potatoes, peas, kale, and cashew.
Phosphorous promotes healthy teeth and bones and is needed for the acid-alkaline balance in the body. Kiwi, tomatoes, blackberries, asparagus, mushrooms, lima beans, bananas, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts, potatoes, kale, avocado, artichoke, lime, cantaloupe, strawberries, and oranges all contain phosphorus.
Silicon increases bone, skin, hair, and nail strength. It improves wrinkles, skin thickness, skeletal health, and teeth formation. High-silicon content foods include bell pepper, cucumber (with skin), spinach, tomatoes, apples, strawberries, oranges, beets, carrots, radish, romaine lettuce, burdock root, marjoram, and horsetail, which is considered by natural health experts as a super herb.
Sulfur is required by the body for collagen production and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails. Sulfur can be found in broccoli, kale, pumpkin seeds, asparagus, hemp seeds, garlic, onion, watercress, and red peppers. If you feel hard-pressed to eat a lot of natural foods to keep your sulfur levels optimal, you might want to consider taking the supplement MSM or methylsulfonylmethane, which contains high amounts of sulfur per gram.
Selenium enables the body to efficiently use oxygen. This mineral helps maintain healthy skin due to its high protein component. Brazil nuts, mushrooms, onion, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, whole grains, parsley, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, sesame seeds, poultry, fish and eggs are especially high in selenium.
Zinc maintains and builds healthy collagen, assists in wound and tissue healing, and prevents the formation of stretch marks. Good zinc sources include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, parsley, wheat germ, oatmeal, and eggs.
Essential fatty acids prevent skin dryness and inflammation as well as the formation of white heads and black heads. The body needs EFAs but cannot manufacture it; it is therefore important to get your omega fatty acids from food. Ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are found in flaxseed, flax oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, and cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon. Omega 6 fats on the other hand can be found in sunflower seeds and oil, olives and olive oil, safflower and soybean oil. Fats provide lubrication to the skin and joints, and having dry, flaky skin is a good tell-tale sign of EFA deficiency.
Chlorophyll is an excellent blood builder and purifier. This phytochemical produces in the body an unfavorable environment for bad bacteria. It draws out toxins stored in cells and tissue, dumping them into the bloodstream for proper elimination. Chlorophyll is also highly alkalinizing. Get the benefits of this powerful cleanser by eating green leafy vegetables and seaweeds, and superfoods such as chlorella, wheat grass, spirulina, and barley grass.
Carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, are pigments responsible for the colors of many orange, yellow, red, and green fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are known to slow down the aging process. Get your beta-carotene from orange and golden-colored fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, papaya, apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and the superfood goji berry. Green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli are also great sources of beta-carotene. Lutein can be obtained by eating green vegetables such as kale, collards, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, and brussels sprouts. The highest amount of anti-aging and cancer-fighting lycopene can be found in raw sun-dried tomatoes, then in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce and paste, followed by fresh, raw tomatoes. Watermelon, red peppers, and pink grapefruit also have significant amounts of lycopene.
Bioflavonoids are known to have chelating properties, binding to toxins and eliminating them safely out of the body. Like other antioxidants they have the ability to neutralize highly unstable and reactive molecules that are responsible for premature aging. They also help treat varicose veins, bleeding gums, bruises, and hemorrhoids. Get your medley of primary bioflavonoids such as rutin, resveratrol, hesperidin, quercetin, and anthocyanins from buckwheat groats and leaves, rosehips, broccoli, citrus fruits (lemon, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines) berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), papaya, cantaloupe, cucumber, garlic, onion, cherries, plums, apples, tomatoes, kiwifruit, grapes, red wine, and green tea.
Pycnogenol is known to be fifty times more powerful than vitamin E and twenty times more effective than vitamin C. Pine bark and grape seeds are high in pycnogenol.
Alpha-lipoic acid increases the power of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. This antioxidant is naturally present in peas, swiss chard, collards, broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes.
Alanine is an amino acid that aids in the development of skin, hair, and scalp. Like zinc and sulfur alanine speeds up wound healing. Alanine is available in apples, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber.
Arginine aids in the healing and repair of skin and connective tissue. It facilitates weight loss by helping your body increase muscle mass. Arginine is important in the formation of new bone and collagen. Dietary sources of this amino acid are cacao, carob, hemp seeds, celery, coconut, peanuts, wheat germ, soy, dairy, walnuts, almonds, cucumber, sunflower seeds, beets, and oats.
Aspartic acid helps build healthy bones and teeth. Find it in almonds, grapefruit, hemp seeds, lemon, sprouts, cucumber, and apples.
Cystine contains sulfur, a mineral that helps build strong nails, healthy skin and hair. It promotes skin elasticity and assists in the production of collagen. This amino acid is very important in detoxification because it destroys free radicals and binds to heavy metals so that they can be safely eliminated from the body. Poultry, egg yolks, red peppers, apples, yogurt, alfalfa, garlic, onion, hazel nuts, broccoli, brussels sprouts, oats, wheat germ, and cucumber all contain cystine.
Glutamine plays the biggest role in the body's metabolic processes among all the other amino acids. It is therefore no coincidence that glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. This amino acid is also a precursor of glutathione, one of the much-raved antioxidants in the world of both conventional medicine and natural health. Glutamine prevents muscle loss, making it a vital nutrient among bodybuilders. Glutamine food sources include spinach, beans, parsley, dairy products, and fish.
Glycine is needed by the body to build proteins and other amino acids, repair damaged tissue, and accelerate healing processes. Glycine can be found in fish, dairy, almonds, okra, figs, raspberries, lemon, oranges, and beans.
Lysine aids in building muscle mass, tissue repair, and collagen formation. Deficiency symptoms of lysine include hair loss, bloodshot eyes, and retarded growth. Increase your lysine intake by consuming lima beans, dairy products, fish, potatoes, yeast, soy products, and eggs.
Methionine is an essential amino acid that contains a high amount of sulfur, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. This amino acid is vital in collagen formation and in building strong hair. Like glutathione, methionine is also a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and detoxifies the body from heavy metals. Get your dose of methionine by consuming more garlic, dairy, onions, fish, soybeans, lentils, and other seeds.
Proline helps in the breakdown of fats. Coconut, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber are good sources of proline.
Phenylalanine helps the body get rid of waste matter. Cacao, tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber, apples, carrots, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, millet, sweet potatoes, avocado, spinach, corn, millet, green peas, chards, and potatoes are all phenylalanine-rich foods.
Serine is needed for muscle growth and tissue detox. Eat pineapple, papaya, apples, cucumber, and radishes, which all contain serine.
Tryptophan helps the body generate new cells and tissue. Get your tryptophan from peanuts, soy, dairy, celery, beets, fennel, carrots, spring beans, fish, eggs, and oats.
Threonine is also an essential amino acid that plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, muscle tissue, and elastin. Soy, chickpeas, lentils, wheat germ, fish, egg yolks, flaxseed, and peanuts are all rich in threonine.
Tyrosine affects hair color, tissue, and cell growth. Apricots, cucumbers, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, almonds, green pepper, strawberries, fish, oats, avocado, and sesame seeds all contain tyrosine.
Valine, an essential amino acid, is needed by the body for proper muscle metabolism and tissue repair. Valine can be found in mushrooms, dairy, peanuts, soy, and grains.
Additional Tips for a More Successful Natural Make-over
1. A certain step you can take to have a dramatic improvement in appearance in a matter of days is by fasting. When you fast your body re-allocates its energies from digestion to detoxification more than it does on a regular high-raw or all-raw diet. You may opt for a cleanse that is either milder or stronger, like the one that removes a lot of fiber from the food to further accelerate the body's cleansing rate. There are several kinds of fasting that you can do: water fast, lemonade fast (or the master cleanse), mono-meal fast, juice fast, and the juice feast. The difference between the juice fast and the juice feast is in the amount of juices you can consume. In the former you can only drink a limited number of servings, while the latter would require you to drink at least 2 gallons of juice everyday. Whichever fasting program you choose has to be 100% raw. It is good to do your own research and to consult an expert on fasting to help you decide the type and duration of the fast that is right for you.
2. Intensify your body's inside-out make-over by detoxifying your mind. Raw food and natural beauty guru David Wolfe put it so eloquently in an old but currently unavailable interview published online: "True beauty comes from the inside out. It emerges from proper thinking, as well as proper nutrition, and exercise. Thoughts -- positive or negative -- etch themselves in the face and record themselves in the character of the individual... The habitual presence of high and noble thoughts polishes the face, defines the stature, and builds the countenance. High purpose and genuine enthusiasm create an immaculate beauty. Thoughts alone can overwhelm the influence of clothing and cosmetics." Negative thoughts and emotions acidify the system. Unfired food will eventually alter your thought patterns and emotional make-up for the better, but you can also diffuse them with the help of exercise, acupressure, or any activity that you enjoy doing. Such activities will trigger the release of feel-good chemicals that would facilitate your mental make-over.
3. Opt for a low-sugar and low-sodium diet. Say no to highly-processed foods and refined sugars. Foods with high glycemic indices promote insulin secretion. High levels of this hormone in the body leads to premature aging, breaking down collagen along the way, the fibrous protein responsible for your skin's firmness and contour. A high-sodium diet on the other hand causes weight gain, cellulite, dark eye circles, and water retention.
4. Improve your circulation through regular exercise, massage, acupressure, and dry skin brushing prior to taking a bath. These will all improve both blood flow and lymphatic drainage. By stimulating the lymphatic system metabolic wastes and toxins trapped in the lymphatic fluid more easily move to the bloodstream, allowing them to be eliminated from the body. Also, daily dry skin brushing with a natural brush will help remove cellulite and reveal a softer, smoother skin.
5. Sweating is a good way to get rid of toxins through the skin, the body's largest organ of elimination. Work up a sweat by doing your favorite aerobic exercise or by going to a sauna for a pampering detox treatment.
6. Steer away from deep-fried food. Plant oils subjected to high temperature get oxidized. Oxidized fats inside the body cause free radicals to proliferate, so choose wisely when you eat outside, and be extra wary because some restaurants don't change their oil to cut down costs and keep using oxidized oil over and over again. Barbecued, charred, and broiled food will also result in increased free radical activity in the body.
7. Consider hiring a raw food coach to help you personalize your new healthy diet. He or she can guide you in making the right food choices by asking you questions about your family history, previous diet, and the goals that you want to achieve through the raw diet. A raw food coach can also give you the encouragement and support you'll need as you step on the marvelous but often-misunderstood world of raw food. He or she will help you plan strategies to maximize results and give you advice to overcome problems and issues that you might have on the raw diet. Attend raw food seminars and potlucks not just to immerse yourself in the world of raw food but also to meet people like you who want to improve all aspects of their life through superior nutrition.
8. Minimize your consumption of meat if you still feel that you must eat animal flesh. Raw or cooked, animal flesh is acidifying. Acidosis leads to accelerated aging. Raw animal flesh contains parasites, and cooked meat encourages the growth of worms through putrefaction in the intestines. Avoid unhealthy animal fat such as those found in red meat. That bacon or pancheta may look so tempting to you but if the human body stores its metabolic wastes and toxins in the fat cells then guess where the animal's poisons are found.
9. Quit smoking. Smoking will give you dark lips, crow's feet, wrinkles, a sallow complexion, and dark eye circles. Smoking will also exhaust your vitamin C supply due to increased oxidative stress.
10. Learn to relax and let go of tension. Physical stress and lack of sleep force the body to work much harder and disrupt hormonal activities. Weight gain, hair loss, wrinkles, gray hair, oily skin, dark eye circles, dandruff, murky skin tone, acne, dry skin, eye bags, and a haggard appearance are all side effects of having too much stress in your life. Fight stress through exercise, deep breathing, and a healthy diet. Try to connect with others and with that part of yourself that needs to be acknowledged, appreciated, and cared for.
11. Control your alcohol intake. Liquor burdens the liver and therefore interrupts the detox process. Red wine may be considered raw and may have a lot of antioxidants, but alcohol is alcohol and would still have to pass through the liver.
12. Drink plenty of water. Water not only helps flush out toxins and helps promote weigh loss; it is also needed by all the nutrients to do what they're supposed to. The body's metabolic processes rely on water to be carried out smoothly. Water hydrates tissue and cells. It fights off cellulite, dry skin, constipation, and edema brought about by a high-sodium diet.
13. Get yourself your own aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is a wonder plant that can heal wounds, burns, infections, and lacerations. It contains around 200 phytonutrients as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential fats. Aloe has properties that can restore tissue. It also boosts the potentiality of antioxidants. The quality of aloe tends to deteriorate upon exposure to air, so mix the gel last to your favorite raw smoothie or juice with a spoon and consume immediately.
14. Some foods have greater antioxidant power than the others, so you may want to include them in your diet on a more regular basis. This is determined by ORAC values, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the in-vitro ability of foods to destroy free radicals. Studies reveal that antioxidants found in foods raise the antioxidant power of the blood. Raw cacao has the most phenomenal ORAC value. All other super foods, as well as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, kale, spinach, strawberries, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, plums, oranges, red grapes and alfalfa sprouts, fare very well in ORAC assays. Among the nuts, pecan, pistachio, and almonds have the highest ORAC ratings.
15. Coffee has been reported to cause wrinkles in spite of all its publicity as a high-antioxidant drink. Coffee beans are roasted even before you "cook" them in your cup with hot water, which goes to mean that coffee has a greatly-reduced antioxidant capacity. If you eat a mainly raw diet, which provides more octane than heat-treated caffeine, then you wouldn't need coffee. Super foods will also provide a lot more energy than your daily caffeine fix.
16. Go natural as often and as much as you can. Toxins from your creams, lotions, make-up, perfume, shampoo, soap, and additive-laden foods will convert into free radicals once they have entered the gut or bloodstream. Anything carcinogenic will lead to free radical damage.
John Robert Powers said that beauty is every woman's birthright. A rejoinder to this is that beauty is everyone's birthright, male or female, young or old, black or white. The concept of radiant health has made us rethink the traditional idea of physical attractiveness. The raw food philosophy teaches that beauty is everyone's privilege no matter where the person is coming from, since anyone can attain outstanding health by eating more raw food and by adopting positive lifestyle changes. If one really thinks about it, health, happiness, and beauty are truly inseparable from each other. Enjoy the journey to a healthier, happier, and better-looking you!
References:
Phytochemicals: Another Reason To Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables. N.d. (www.tonytantillo.com/reference/phyto.html) .
Calbom, Cherie, and Keane, Maureen. Juicing for Life. Health Harmony 2004.
Kenton, Leslie and Susannah. Raw Energy. Century Publishing 1984.
Mc Bride, Judy. Can Foods Forestall Aging? March 16 2007.
((http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/f...) .
Moffat, Denice. Amino Acids. 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/) .
Antioxidant List And Best Bet Foods. 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com) .
Petrosino, Steven. Dietary Sources of Glutathione. N.d. ((http://www.nutritionadvisor.com/glutath...) .
Rose, Natalia. The Raw Food Detox Diet. Regan 2005.
Wolfe, David. The Latest Word on Raw Food: Raw Chocolate! N.d. ((http://www.sunfood.com/b2c/ecom/ecomEnd...)
Three Age-Defying Secrets of the Beauty Diet. N.d.
((http://www.davidwolfe.com/Articles/Secr...)
for life. Some got cured of acne for good; others found their hair growing back and turning from gray back to its original color. But all have been told that they look younger than their real age.
At some point in our lives we have all suffered from physical insecurities, thanks to the unwitting comments of the people around us, our faulty habit of comparing ourselves to others, and mainstream media's rigid standards of beauty. Depending on our environment, upbringing, and self-image we have either acknowledged or denied our desire to look more attractive. The point is that physical appearance is a universal issue we all have dealt with, whether we have acted upon our desire to look better, have moved on peacefully through self-acceptance, or have scorned this wish as something shallow and embarrassing.
Technological progress sought to address the beauty question by coming up with gadgets and machines that at best changed things only on the surface for a temporary period of time, and at their worst merely pandered to human vanity, obscuring from man the true causes of his cosmetic complaints. But advances in research now point to natural solutions that could help one look better without drugs and artificial procedures. According to this new research, one can tremendously improve his or her appearance through superior health by way of a powerful cleansing diet. If you want a radical improvement in your appearance without going under the knife, then this diet is the answer to your prayers. The health benefits of this diet will make you feel so great you'll start looking it too.
Raw Food Magic
While beauty is relative because it's in the eye of the beholder, there are certain outward manifestations of it regardless of heredity, sex, age, or ethnicity. Rosy cheeks and lips, clear, sparkling eyes, strong, healthy hair, fresh, glowing skin, strong bones and teeth, and a well-developed physique -- such are the physical markers of radiant health. Emerging research has revealed that one kind of diet can help you attain the best of health, and through it, your best face yet: the raw food diet.
Aside from achieving excellent health, refined and enhanced physical features are just some of the wonderful perks one inevitably obtains through the raw diet. Long-time raw foodists even claim that the diet changed their eye color and helped them lose stubborn fat, warts, and cellulite
Fresh, organic, nutrient-dense, and enzyme-rich raw foods can really boost anyone's self-confidence due to the dramatic physical improvements they bring about. And it's a different kind of self-confidence too, the one that feels honest in your bones because you know you didn't cheat. You jacked up your score in the attractiveness meter with discipline, proper knowledge, diligence, perseverance, and natural, nutrient-rich food, not with toxic chemical injections or cosmetic incisions, the a-little-more-here and a-little-less-there kind of artificial procedures. But the mind-blowing thing about the raw diet is that you will look as if you had a face lift or a tummy tuck. Go search the internet for before and after raw transformations for proof. Draw your inspiration from these people who succeeded with the raw food regimen. If they did it, then so can you. The internet is also replete with information on raw food to educate and excite you, not to mention free raw recipes to make your raw journey more fun and enjoyable.
The amazing bonus is that on raw food, a new inner self emerges too. Raw food will purify and transmute your old energy. You will feel lighter and it will be much easier for you to smile, and a smile makes any countenance more attractive. That is because raw food will not just heal you physically; it will also improve your mental, emotional, and spiritual states. People will sense that positive, ineffable 'something' that envelops your being. They won't be able to put a finger on it, but you'd know what that 'something' is: superior over-all health brought to you by the most nourishing foods on the planet.
The rate and degree of your natural make-over will depend on your toxicity level. If you are immunocompromised then your metamorphosis may take longer. Your body will utilize all the nutrients from raw food to heal your disease before it starts taking care of your stretch marks. The process may take longer for others, depending on the person's previous diet and general state of health. The important thing is to persevere. Bear in mind that all successful raw foodists underwent unpleasant, and sometimes unglamorous, detox symptoms. Allow your body to unload itself of old, impacted garbage. Give it time to recover its "old youthfulness," the one that you lost early on in life due to stress, poor diet, faulty thinking, and lack of motion. Educate yourself that you may understand how the body functions to help you stick to the raw diet in spite of the brief cycles of cleansing reactions. But be assured that in between the short periods of detox symptoms you will feel fabulous like you never did on your old cooked and toxic diet, like you never did in your entire life.
Why Raw?
Numerous studies reveal that cooking causes a big drop in a food's nutritional profile. Heating food beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit kills off all the enzymes and decreases the amount of vitamins and minerals originally present in the food. To look your best you have to get the maximum amount of nutrients you could possibly get from any kind of food. Eating raw food is the obvious best solution to this, as all the nutrients in the food are undiminished and uncorrupted.
Raw food gives your body the "go" signal to do what it really has to. Eating cooked food will make the body use up its enzyme reserves. It takes three metabolic enzymes to produce one digestive enzyme. Those metabolic enzymes that were converted into digestive enzymes could have been used for detoxification, tissue growth and repair, and assimilation of nutrients, not to mention cell production, growth, and rejuvenation -- all the vital processes that would transform you inside out. Don't overtax your body with cooked food and toxic substances. Always carry enzyme supplements with you in case you have to eat cooked food. Just remember that to obtain impressive results, you'd have to be at least 70-80% raw.
The path to natural beauty actually begins in the gut. Yes, your physical transformation is largely hinged on bowel health, not on what you apply topically on your skin. While slathering your face with a fresh, crushed tomato or with your concoction of mashed banana, papaya, and honey will give you smooth, bright-looking skin in 10-20 minutes, natural topical treatments are, at best, only adjuncts to ingested super-nutrients from raw and super foods. You cannot have a healthy digestive system without consuming raw food. Nutrients and fiber found in raw food will loosen and absorb the mucus, grease, and impacted fecal matter in your gut, preparing them for elimination. A dirty digestive tract will not assimilate nutrients well. Moreover, filthy intestines provide a breeding ground for parasites, viruses, and unfriendly bacteria, which rob you of precious nutrients and toxify your body further with their own wastes.
There are other ways to kick out the bad guys from your system aside from following a high-raw and high-fiber diet. One is by taking an all-natural intestinal cleanse formula that would kill off the free-loading parasites squatting in your gut. Increasing the population of good bacteria through probiotic supplementation and consumption of unpasteurized fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented seed and nut cheeses, miso, and natto. Enemas and colonics would also help scrape off stubborn waste matter that have accumulated throughout years of unhealthy eating, washing off the unfriendly organisms as well. Eating foods such as cayenne, ginger, garlic, onion, pineapple, cold-pressed coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, fresh aloe vera gel, and sesame seeds will also antagonize parasites, bacteria, and viruses.
Weight loss takes place when your body starts getting rid of old, un-expelled wastes. The digestive tract alone could be carrying around nine pounds of un-eliminated toxic matter! A lot of obese and overweight people have finally controlled their weight more easily without starvation and hang-ups through raw food. Unlike in other weight loss programs, the skin clings more closely to the bones, obviating the need to have loose flabby skin surgically removed. People who have weight problems also end up more satisfied on the raw food diet since it helps them lose weight more rapidly than any other program. It helps them overcome food cravings and addictions due to the detox process. They are also pleasantly surprised to find out that their favorite evil food actually has a healthy, all-raw version. They never have to count calories again because the enzymes enable the food to be properly metabolized and completely digested.
While going raw will initially lead to weight loss, those who want to gain weight can do so with raw food. Yes, with a few modifications it is possible to gain weight and build huge muscles on the raw diet. Some underweight women actually achieved their more ideal weight through raw food. Some scrawny guys even put on enormous muscle mass through raw food. If you're apprehensive about raw bodybuilding you can check out raw vegan bodybuilders such as Storm Talifero, Charlie Abel, and Stephen Arlin.
You can gain weight and do bodybuilding by increasing your intake of green vegetables, sprouts, raw fats such as those found in coconuts, durian, avocado, nuts, and seeds. A caveat, though: increasing your fat intake doesn't mean you should eat as much as you could. While raw fats can metabolize themselves, too much raw fats will slow down the blood flow and detox process. You can also gain weight by eating a combination of amazing superfoods every day such as raw cacao, unpasteurized honey, bee pollen, wheat grass, spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, blue-green algae, hemp seeds, goji berries, kelp, and acai. Super foods not only clean you up through their high antioxidant content; they also build you up with the best materials because they're great sources of high-quality amino acids.
The thing with raw foods is that, with the right adjustments, you can make them work to achieve your desired result, be it weight loss or weight gain. The beauty of the raw diet is that whether you lose or gain weight, you end up as a healthier individual due to all the intact nutrients working together to give you the best clean-up and remodeling job.
A List of Important Nutrients for a New Improved You
One of the greatest enemies of the human body is a group of noxious substances called free radicals. These are produced in the body from environmental toxins, additives, pesticides, and foods cooked in high temperature. Free radical damage is systemic, and it works its way from the inside out. It accelerates aging at the cellular level, resulting in wrinkles and a host of other aesthetic complaints.
Antioxidants are compounds that arrest and reverse free radical damage in the body, which, aside from faster aging, is a large contributing factor to serious diseases like cancer. Since oxidative damage takes place at the cellular level, the most commonsensical way to fight it is through super-nutrition via antioxidants found in raw food. Free radicals get inactivated through the abundant amounts of antioxidants present in raw fruits and vegetables. Think of the proverbial lemon juice sprinkled on browned, cut-up apples. Antioxidants do the same thing to us. They protect our cells from rapid oxidation. Antioxidants combat free radicals that eat up collagen and elastin, the fibrous materials that support skin structure, thus making the skin firmer, smoother, and softer, with a highly improved tone and texture. They are also powerful keys to longevity, no matter what recent studies have claimed.
Phytochemicals are natural biologically active compounds found in plant foods. They work synergistically with other nutrients and fiber found in fruits and vegetables to fight deadly diseases and to slow down the aging process. So far, more than 900 phytochemicals have been identified, and more shall be added to this list in the future. Phytochemicals have a lot to do with plant pigment, so generally, the brighter the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more phytochemicals and nutrients it contains. Phytochemicals have been known to have antioxidant properties, protecting us from disease and rejuvenating us inside-out.
Amino acids, otherwise known as the building blocks of protein, are greatly needed by the body to repair and form new cells, tissue, skin, hair, teeth, and bones.
The following is a list of nutrients needed by the body to build a healthier, better-looking you:
Glutathione is by far the most powerful antioxidant that can be produced by the human body. It detoxifies harmful substances so that they can be eliminated through the bile. This antioxidant has gotten so much popularity from its well-documented and scientifically-proven properties to reverse aging and promote a fairer complexion. Animal flesh contains the highest concentration of this very potent nutrient, but the rub is that you'd have to consume it raw since glutathione is an antioxidant enzyme. The other natural and more palatable raw sources of this amino acid are spinach, broccoli, walnuts, tomatoes, carrots, grapefruit, asparagus, garlic, avocado, purslane, squash, okra, walnuts, potatoes, and apples. Glutamine, cystine, glutamic acid, and glycine are also needed by the liver to manufacture optimum levels of glutathione. One can also opt to take glutathione supplements that are widely available in the market today.
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an anti-aging enzyme that scavenges for free radicals with revitalizing and protective properties. SOD can be found in broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and most green vegetables, as well as in superfoods such as barley grass and wheat grass.
Catalase is another antioxidant enzyme that is needed by the body to put free radical activities in check. Leeks, onion, broccoli, bananas, parsnip, zucchini, spinach, carrots, radish, cucumbers, cherries, red cabbage, apricot, and cherries are good sources of catalase.
Coenzyme Q10, a potent anti-aging nutrient, plays an important role in tissue oxygenation. Get your dose of this antioxidant from spinach, peanuts, and fish.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin that regulates oil balance in the skin and helps prevent and treat acne, psoriasis, and eczema. It is necessary for growth of new cells and helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles. It can be obtained from carrots, egg yolks, dark leafy greens, parsley, arugula, mangoes, watermelon, nettle leaves, watercress, and sweet potatoes. Super foods such as chlorella, spirulina, wheat grass, barley grass, and kelp also have high concentrations of vitamin A.
Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, forms the basis of healthy skin, hair, and nail cells. Biotin is abundant in nuts, soybeans, egg yolks, swiss chard, fish, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, cabbage, onion, almonds, cucumber, cauliflower, and carrots.
Vitamin C is needed by the body to maintain healthy skin, bones, teeth, and gums. This vitamin is invaluable in the replacement and generation of tissue. Best food sources of this toxin-neutralizing antioxidant are citrus fruits, acerola berries, strawberries, rosehips, broccoli, parsley, nettles, and superfoods such as acai, goji berries, camu-camu, and raw cacao.
Vitamin D promotes the use and assimilation of calcium and magnesium for healthy bones and teeth. Very few foods contain enough amounts of this vitamin so exposure to sunlight is needed to help the body create its own vitamin D. Mushrooms, salmon, cod, and certain types of milk fortified with vitamin D are some food sources of this vitamin.
Vitamin E has been known to diminish the appearance of fine lines on the face, repair connective tissue, and, along with vitamin C, increase your skin's protection against sun damage. It also protects vitamins A and C from destruction. Food sources of this powerful antioxidant are goji berries, nuts, berries, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, wheat germ, soy, and vegetable oils such as olive oil.
Calcium is needed by the body to maintain healthy bones and teeth. Spinach, broccoli, kale, lima beans, apples, bananas, oranges, blackberries, kiwifruit, tomatoes, sardines, dairy, peas, soy products, salmon, seaweed, artichoke, kale, avocado, peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, cashew, pistachio, sunflower seeds, strawberries, lemons, and grapes all have ample amounts of calcium.
Copper works in conjunction with zinc and vitamin C to produce elastin. Kiwifruit, apples, lima beans, artichoke, avocado, broccoli, bananas, carrots, cauliflower, cantaloupe, grapes, and cucumber all contain copper.
Magnesium is necessary for the production of new cells and for healthy bones and teeth. Good sources of this mineral are raw cacao, kelp, kiwi, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, avocado, summer squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, sweet potato, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almonds, corn, potatoes, peas, kale, and cashew.
Phosphorous promotes healthy teeth and bones and is needed for the acid-alkaline balance in the body. Kiwi, tomatoes, blackberries, asparagus, mushrooms, lima beans, bananas, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, walnuts, potatoes, kale, avocado, artichoke, lime, cantaloupe, strawberries, and oranges all contain phosphorus.
Silicon increases bone, skin, hair, and nail strength. It improves wrinkles, skin thickness, skeletal health, and teeth formation. High-silicon content foods include bell pepper, cucumber (with skin), spinach, tomatoes, apples, strawberries, oranges, beets, carrots, radish, romaine lettuce, burdock root, marjoram, and horsetail, which is considered by natural health experts as a super herb.
Sulfur is required by the body for collagen production and maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails. Sulfur can be found in broccoli, kale, pumpkin seeds, asparagus, hemp seeds, garlic, onion, watercress, and red peppers. If you feel hard-pressed to eat a lot of natural foods to keep your sulfur levels optimal, you might want to consider taking the supplement MSM or methylsulfonylmethane, which contains high amounts of sulfur per gram.
Selenium enables the body to efficiently use oxygen. This mineral helps maintain healthy skin due to its high protein component. Brazil nuts, mushrooms, onion, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, whole grains, parsley, blackstrap molasses, wheat germ, sesame seeds, poultry, fish and eggs are especially high in selenium.
Zinc maintains and builds healthy collagen, assists in wound and tissue healing, and prevents the formation of stretch marks. Good zinc sources include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, parsley, wheat germ, oatmeal, and eggs.
Essential fatty acids prevent skin dryness and inflammation as well as the formation of white heads and black heads. The body needs EFAs but cannot manufacture it; it is therefore important to get your omega fatty acids from food. Ample amounts of omega-3 fatty acids are found in flaxseed, flax oil, safflower oil, evening primrose oil, and cold-water fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon. Omega 6 fats on the other hand can be found in sunflower seeds and oil, olives and olive oil, safflower and soybean oil. Fats provide lubrication to the skin and joints, and having dry, flaky skin is a good tell-tale sign of EFA deficiency.
Chlorophyll is an excellent blood builder and purifier. This phytochemical produces in the body an unfavorable environment for bad bacteria. It draws out toxins stored in cells and tissue, dumping them into the bloodstream for proper elimination. Chlorophyll is also highly alkalinizing. Get the benefits of this powerful cleanser by eating green leafy vegetables and seaweeds, and superfoods such as chlorella, wheat grass, spirulina, and barley grass.
Carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, are pigments responsible for the colors of many orange, yellow, red, and green fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids are known to slow down the aging process. Get your beta-carotene from orange and golden-colored fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, papaya, apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and the superfood goji berry. Green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli are also great sources of beta-carotene. Lutein can be obtained by eating green vegetables such as kale, collards, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, swiss chard, and brussels sprouts. The highest amount of anti-aging and cancer-fighting lycopene can be found in raw sun-dried tomatoes, then in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce and paste, followed by fresh, raw tomatoes. Watermelon, red peppers, and pink grapefruit also have significant amounts of lycopene.
Bioflavonoids are known to have chelating properties, binding to toxins and eliminating them safely out of the body. Like other antioxidants they have the ability to neutralize highly unstable and reactive molecules that are responsible for premature aging. They also help treat varicose veins, bleeding gums, bruises, and hemorrhoids. Get your medley of primary bioflavonoids such as rutin, resveratrol, hesperidin, quercetin, and anthocyanins from buckwheat groats and leaves, rosehips, broccoli, citrus fruits (lemon, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines) berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), papaya, cantaloupe, cucumber, garlic, onion, cherries, plums, apples, tomatoes, kiwifruit, grapes, red wine, and green tea.
Pycnogenol is known to be fifty times more powerful than vitamin E and twenty times more effective than vitamin C. Pine bark and grape seeds are high in pycnogenol.
Alpha-lipoic acid increases the power of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E. This antioxidant is naturally present in peas, swiss chard, collards, broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes.
Alanine is an amino acid that aids in the development of skin, hair, and scalp. Like zinc and sulfur alanine speeds up wound healing. Alanine is available in apples, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber.
Arginine aids in the healing and repair of skin and connective tissue. It facilitates weight loss by helping your body increase muscle mass. Arginine is important in the formation of new bone and collagen. Dietary sources of this amino acid are cacao, carob, hemp seeds, celery, coconut, peanuts, wheat germ, soy, dairy, walnuts, almonds, cucumber, sunflower seeds, beets, and oats.
Aspartic acid helps build healthy bones and teeth. Find it in almonds, grapefruit, hemp seeds, lemon, sprouts, cucumber, and apples.
Cystine contains sulfur, a mineral that helps build strong nails, healthy skin and hair. It promotes skin elasticity and assists in the production of collagen. This amino acid is very important in detoxification because it destroys free radicals and binds to heavy metals so that they can be safely eliminated from the body. Poultry, egg yolks, red peppers, apples, yogurt, alfalfa, garlic, onion, hazel nuts, broccoli, brussels sprouts, oats, wheat germ, and cucumber all contain cystine.
Glutamine plays the biggest role in the body's metabolic processes among all the other amino acids. It is therefore no coincidence that glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body. This amino acid is also a precursor of glutathione, one of the much-raved antioxidants in the world of both conventional medicine and natural health. Glutamine prevents muscle loss, making it a vital nutrient among bodybuilders. Glutamine food sources include spinach, beans, parsley, dairy products, and fish.
Glycine is needed by the body to build proteins and other amino acids, repair damaged tissue, and accelerate healing processes. Glycine can be found in fish, dairy, almonds, okra, figs, raspberries, lemon, oranges, and beans.
Lysine aids in building muscle mass, tissue repair, and collagen formation. Deficiency symptoms of lysine include hair loss, bloodshot eyes, and retarded growth. Increase your lysine intake by consuming lima beans, dairy products, fish, potatoes, yeast, soy products, and eggs.
Methionine is an essential amino acid that contains a high amount of sulfur, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. This amino acid is vital in collagen formation and in building strong hair. Like glutathione, methionine is also a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and detoxifies the body from heavy metals. Get your dose of methionine by consuming more garlic, dairy, onions, fish, soybeans, lentils, and other seeds.
Proline helps in the breakdown of fats. Coconut, avocado, almonds, olives, and cucumber are good sources of proline.
Phenylalanine helps the body get rid of waste matter. Cacao, tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber, apples, carrots, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, millet, sweet potatoes, avocado, spinach, corn, millet, green peas, chards, and potatoes are all phenylalanine-rich foods.
Serine is needed for muscle growth and tissue detox. Eat pineapple, papaya, apples, cucumber, and radishes, which all contain serine.
Tryptophan helps the body generate new cells and tissue. Get your tryptophan from peanuts, soy, dairy, celery, beets, fennel, carrots, spring beans, fish, eggs, and oats.
Threonine is also an essential amino acid that plays a vital role in the formation of collagen, muscle tissue, and elastin. Soy, chickpeas, lentils, wheat germ, fish, egg yolks, flaxseed, and peanuts are all rich in threonine.
Tyrosine affects hair color, tissue, and cell growth. Apricots, cucumbers, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, almonds, green pepper, strawberries, fish, oats, avocado, and sesame seeds all contain tyrosine.
Valine, an essential amino acid, is needed by the body for proper muscle metabolism and tissue repair. Valine can be found in mushrooms, dairy, peanuts, soy, and grains.
Additional Tips for a More Successful Natural Make-over
1. A certain step you can take to have a dramatic improvement in appearance in a matter of days is by fasting. When you fast your body re-allocates its energies from digestion to detoxification more than it does on a regular high-raw or all-raw diet. You may opt for a cleanse that is either milder or stronger, like the one that removes a lot of fiber from the food to further accelerate the body's cleansing rate. There are several kinds of fasting that you can do: water fast, lemonade fast (or the master cleanse), mono-meal fast, juice fast, and the juice feast. The difference between the juice fast and the juice feast is in the amount of juices you can consume. In the former you can only drink a limited number of servings, while the latter would require you to drink at least 2 gallons of juice everyday. Whichever fasting program you choose has to be 100% raw. It is good to do your own research and to consult an expert on fasting to help you decide the type and duration of the fast that is right for you.
2. Intensify your body's inside-out make-over by detoxifying your mind. Raw food and natural beauty guru David Wolfe put it so eloquently in an old but currently unavailable interview published online: "True beauty comes from the inside out. It emerges from proper thinking, as well as proper nutrition, and exercise. Thoughts -- positive or negative -- etch themselves in the face and record themselves in the character of the individual... The habitual presence of high and noble thoughts polishes the face, defines the stature, and builds the countenance. High purpose and genuine enthusiasm create an immaculate beauty. Thoughts alone can overwhelm the influence of clothing and cosmetics." Negative thoughts and emotions acidify the system. Unfired food will eventually alter your thought patterns and emotional make-up for the better, but you can also diffuse them with the help of exercise, acupressure, or any activity that you enjoy doing. Such activities will trigger the release of feel-good chemicals that would facilitate your mental make-over.
3. Opt for a low-sugar and low-sodium diet. Say no to highly-processed foods and refined sugars. Foods with high glycemic indices promote insulin secretion. High levels of this hormone in the body leads to premature aging, breaking down collagen along the way, the fibrous protein responsible for your skin's firmness and contour. A high-sodium diet on the other hand causes weight gain, cellulite, dark eye circles, and water retention.
4. Improve your circulation through regular exercise, massage, acupressure, and dry skin brushing prior to taking a bath. These will all improve both blood flow and lymphatic drainage. By stimulating the lymphatic system metabolic wastes and toxins trapped in the lymphatic fluid more easily move to the bloodstream, allowing them to be eliminated from the body. Also, daily dry skin brushing with a natural brush will help remove cellulite and reveal a softer, smoother skin.
5. Sweating is a good way to get rid of toxins through the skin, the body's largest organ of elimination. Work up a sweat by doing your favorite aerobic exercise or by going to a sauna for a pampering detox treatment.
6. Steer away from deep-fried food. Plant oils subjected to high temperature get oxidized. Oxidized fats inside the body cause free radicals to proliferate, so choose wisely when you eat outside, and be extra wary because some restaurants don't change their oil to cut down costs and keep using oxidized oil over and over again. Barbecued, charred, and broiled food will also result in increased free radical activity in the body.
7. Consider hiring a raw food coach to help you personalize your new healthy diet. He or she can guide you in making the right food choices by asking you questions about your family history, previous diet, and the goals that you want to achieve through the raw diet. A raw food coach can also give you the encouragement and support you'll need as you step on the marvelous but often-misunderstood world of raw food. He or she will help you plan strategies to maximize results and give you advice to overcome problems and issues that you might have on the raw diet. Attend raw food seminars and potlucks not just to immerse yourself in the world of raw food but also to meet people like you who want to improve all aspects of their life through superior nutrition.
8. Minimize your consumption of meat if you still feel that you must eat animal flesh. Raw or cooked, animal flesh is acidifying. Acidosis leads to accelerated aging. Raw animal flesh contains parasites, and cooked meat encourages the growth of worms through putrefaction in the intestines. Avoid unhealthy animal fat such as those found in red meat. That bacon or pancheta may look so tempting to you but if the human body stores its metabolic wastes and toxins in the fat cells then guess where the animal's poisons are found.
9. Quit smoking. Smoking will give you dark lips, crow's feet, wrinkles, a sallow complexion, and dark eye circles. Smoking will also exhaust your vitamin C supply due to increased oxidative stress.
10. Learn to relax and let go of tension. Physical stress and lack of sleep force the body to work much harder and disrupt hormonal activities. Weight gain, hair loss, wrinkles, gray hair, oily skin, dark eye circles, dandruff, murky skin tone, acne, dry skin, eye bags, and a haggard appearance are all side effects of having too much stress in your life. Fight stress through exercise, deep breathing, and a healthy diet. Try to connect with others and with that part of yourself that needs to be acknowledged, appreciated, and cared for.
11. Control your alcohol intake. Liquor burdens the liver and therefore interrupts the detox process. Red wine may be considered raw and may have a lot of antioxidants, but alcohol is alcohol and would still have to pass through the liver.
12. Drink plenty of water. Water not only helps flush out toxins and helps promote weigh loss; it is also needed by all the nutrients to do what they're supposed to. The body's metabolic processes rely on water to be carried out smoothly. Water hydrates tissue and cells. It fights off cellulite, dry skin, constipation, and edema brought about by a high-sodium diet.
13. Get yourself your own aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is a wonder plant that can heal wounds, burns, infections, and lacerations. It contains around 200 phytonutrients as well as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential fats. Aloe has properties that can restore tissue. It also boosts the potentiality of antioxidants. The quality of aloe tends to deteriorate upon exposure to air, so mix the gel last to your favorite raw smoothie or juice with a spoon and consume immediately.
14. Some foods have greater antioxidant power than the others, so you may want to include them in your diet on a more regular basis. This is determined by ORAC values, which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the in-vitro ability of foods to destroy free radicals. Studies reveal that antioxidants found in foods raise the antioxidant power of the blood. Raw cacao has the most phenomenal ORAC value. All other super foods, as well as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, kale, spinach, strawberries, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, plums, oranges, red grapes and alfalfa sprouts, fare very well in ORAC assays. Among the nuts, pecan, pistachio, and almonds have the highest ORAC ratings.
15. Coffee has been reported to cause wrinkles in spite of all its publicity as a high-antioxidant drink. Coffee beans are roasted even before you "cook" them in your cup with hot water, which goes to mean that coffee has a greatly-reduced antioxidant capacity. If you eat a mainly raw diet, which provides more octane than heat-treated caffeine, then you wouldn't need coffee. Super foods will also provide a lot more energy than your daily caffeine fix.
16. Go natural as often and as much as you can. Toxins from your creams, lotions, make-up, perfume, shampoo, soap, and additive-laden foods will convert into free radicals once they have entered the gut or bloodstream. Anything carcinogenic will lead to free radical damage.
John Robert Powers said that beauty is every woman's birthright. A rejoinder to this is that beauty is everyone's birthright, male or female, young or old, black or white. The concept of radiant health has made us rethink the traditional idea of physical attractiveness. The raw food philosophy teaches that beauty is everyone's privilege no matter where the person is coming from, since anyone can attain outstanding health by eating more raw food and by adopting positive lifestyle changes. If one really thinks about it, health, happiness, and beauty are truly inseparable from each other. Enjoy the journey to a healthier, happier, and better-looking you!
References:
Phytochemicals: Another Reason To Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables. N.d. (www.tonytantillo.com/reference/phyto.html) .
Calbom, Cherie, and Keane, Maureen. Juicing for Life. Health Harmony 2004.
Kenton, Leslie and Susannah. Raw Energy. Century Publishing 1984.
Mc Bride, Judy. Can Foods Forestall Aging? March 16 2007.
((http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/f...) .
Moffat, Denice. Amino Acids. 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/) .
Antioxidant List And Best Bet Foods. 2006. (http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com) .
Petrosino, Steven. Dietary Sources of Glutathione. N.d. ((http://www.nutritionadvisor.com/glutath...) .
Rose, Natalia. The Raw Food Detox Diet. Regan 2005.
Wolfe, David. The Latest Word on Raw Food: Raw Chocolate! N.d. ((http://www.sunfood.com/b2c/ecom/ecomEnd...)
Three Age-Defying Secrets of the Beauty Diet. N.d.
((http://www.davidwolfe.com/Articles/Secr...)
for life. Some got cured of acne for good; others found their hair growing back and turning from gray back to its original color. But all have been told that they look younger than their real age.
About the author
Charmaine D. Mercado is a freelance writer who is passionate about natural health, nutrition and well-being.Friday, April 4, 2008
Exciting new weight-loss product-Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra
Last week, a good friend told me about Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra. I had heard of the appetite-suppressing powers of Ephedra before, but was not aware of this particular product. She had achieved a loss of almost nine pounds her first week, her clothes were already fitting better, and she felt more energetic.
Doing the research before buying the product is always a good idea. Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra contains a full range of the most effective natural herbs and fat-burners designed to jump-start your weight loss efforts, along with exercise and a low-calorie, low-fat diet. Ephedra, a natural herb from China, revs up your metabolism, causing you to burn up more calories. Hoodia, used by natives of Africa for centuries as an appetite suppressant, gives your will power a helping hand, and helps you say no to extra helpings or between meal snacks. Green Tea Extract, which is not only a weight loss aid but also a powerful antioxidant, is another of the powerful but all-natural ingredients in this weight loss formula. Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra also helps you burn fat from the problem areas such as the thighs, stomach, hips, and buttocks.
If you stick to a good diet and exercise plan, and do not exceed the recommended dosage, Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra is a safe way to lose ugly and dangerous excess weight. For more information, please visit Lipodrene with Ephedra .
Doing the research before buying the product is always a good idea. Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra contains a full range of the most effective natural herbs and fat-burners designed to jump-start your weight loss efforts, along with exercise and a low-calorie, low-fat diet. Ephedra, a natural herb from China, revs up your metabolism, causing you to burn up more calories. Hoodia, used by natives of Africa for centuries as an appetite suppressant, gives your will power a helping hand, and helps you say no to extra helpings or between meal snacks. Green Tea Extract, which is not only a weight loss aid but also a powerful antioxidant, is another of the powerful but all-natural ingredients in this weight loss formula. Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra also helps you burn fat from the problem areas such as the thighs, stomach, hips, and buttocks.
If you stick to a good diet and exercise plan, and do not exceed the recommended dosage, Hi-Tech Lipodrene with Ephedra is a safe way to lose ugly and dangerous excess weight. For more information, please visit Lipodrene with Ephedra .
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Get Your Kids to Exercise
Today’s children tend to be grossly overweight in many areas. While steps are being made to prevent this epidemic from continuing, the real battle is on the home front. If you can give your kids healthy, low-fat meals and get them to exercise, you shouldn’t have any problems with overweight youngsters. The big problem is how to get them moving.
Kids love to play and if you can have them play active games, they will automatically exercise! There is no need to force pushups and squats on your children, they don’t need to follow a typical adult workout routine (although many kids enjoy dancing along with exercise dance videos). Just being outside, running around the back yard is perfect for them.
If you don’t have a good yard to play in, you can make a point of taking the kids to a nearby park or playground. The toys on a playground are built for exercise and your kids will automatically start climbing and running and sliding when they have the opportunity. However, even in the absence of cool playground equipment, there are a few ways to encourage exercise and active movement.
Balls are the perfect prop for getting kids to exercise. They can throw it, kick it, and bounce it, whatever they wish. And you need no other equipment. Kids can easily make up their own games or set up goals, marked by rocks or jackets and play their very own version of soccer. Smaller children will simply enjoy running after the ball as it rolls away!
If there are hills near where you live, introduce your children to the joys of rolling down a hill. You remember the game, you lay flat at the top of a hill and then start to roll down it. At first, you need to push yourself over, but if the hill is steep enough, you just pick up speed and tumble over and over down the hill. It is wonderful fun, but the exercise part comes when the kids have to climb back up the hill again to try again.
If you have three or more children together, organize a game of tag. This gets everyone running around and laughing and is a great hit among younger kids. There are other versions of tag as well, including freeze tag and TV tag. See if your children can’t come up with more ideas.
A dog offers endless possibilities for adding exercise to your daily routine. While you shouldn’t get a puppy for that reason alone, it is certainly a big help. The whole family can participate in walking the dog around the block, plus children will enjoy playing and rolling around on the floor with their new pet, all great forms of exercise.
Kids these days don’t get enough exercise and the best way to motivate them to move is to set a good example. If you are constantly on the move, walking and exercising from the time the kids are small, you shouldn’t have a problem. The trouble begins when kids are allowed to sit on the couch and watch TV all day!
Secrets to Post-Partum Weight Loss
Having a baby is a wonderful event, but many a mother wonders if her body will ever return to normal after having changed so drastically during the pregnancy. The truth is, no. Your body will always be slightly different, perhaps the hips are wider, the breasts saggier, it all depends on the person. However, there is no need to continue carrying around baby pounds for years after the birth! A healthy weight loss is possible for every mother with a bit of patience and time and the right techniques.
The body has natural methods of weight loss and one of these is breastfeeding. If you can manage to breastfeed even for the first three months, you will experience far faster weight loss than if you bottle feed right from the start. The baby is taking nutrients that your body has stored up in the form of fat cells, thus depleting the fat cells and returning your body to its original shape . . . more or less. Also, breastfeeding stimulates uterine contractions and the uterus will shrink back to its pre-baby size much faster, which helps with that extra tummy bulge.
Getting a good night’s sleep might seem impossible during those first few nights, but if you can manage to nap with the baby and try to stay well rested, you will be able to lose weight faster as well. This might mean leaving some of the housework for later or asking for help, but it is very important that you have enough sleep so your body can recuperate and get back to its regular metabolism faster.
Eating a healthy diet is important not only for you, but also for the baby. Instead of splurging on fast food and sweets just because you are too tired to cook, look for healthy alternatives. Frozen vegetables only take a few minutes to microwave and a chicken breast or two sprinkled with parmesan cheese doesn’t take much time to cook up, even if you are dead on your feet. This all helps move you in the direction of post-partum weight loss.
Showing off your new infant is the perfect excuse to get some exercise and promote weight loss. Get out with the baby in a front carrier or sling and go for a walk every day. Invent errands if you like, the point is to get out of the house and to enjoy taking a little exercise with your child. The walking will help return your body to its pre-baby state faster as well.
There are also special weight loss exercise classes and yoga classes meant for moms with babies. These involve everything from going for a jog in the park to doing stretches and lifting your baby on your legs. These classes are a great way to get in shape while bonding with your newborn and are usually not very expensive.
A complete weight loss is not going to happen overnight. You do need to take your time to recover, and give your body the nutrients and rest it needs. Then the weight loss will happen almost on its own!
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