Eating Dirt?

One of the most important ways to stay healthy is to wash our hands. Just think of all the germs that live on door knobs, school desks, pens, pencils, store counters, etc. I could go on all day about the prevalence of germs all around us. 

 
There is no need to go to the extreme of wearing masks and gloves all day, or to wash our hands every time we touch something, but there are certain times when washing hands is a necessity.

When should hands be washed?

We all know that hands should be washed after coughing and sneezing, before preparing foods, and after using the restroom. But since nutrition is my focus, I'm going to emphasize the importance of washing hands before eating.

Imagine the following scenario: 

you come inside your home after working outside in the dirt and your hands are covered with dirt. Would you sit down at your kitchen table, pick up a sandwich and start eating? No. After putting the sandwich back on your plate, you would be able to see brown dirt spots where your fingers touched the bread. Since you don't like to eat dirt with sandwiches, you probably would not eat it.


 Now getting back into the real world, imagine the following scenario: you come inside your home after going to the store where you shut your car door that had invisible dirt from the road on it, then you pushed around a cart that had the previous person's invisible germs all over it, then you touched items for sale that had invisible germs from the store worker on them, then you touched the check-out counter that hundreds of other people had also touched adding their invisible germs to it. 

Now would you sit down at your kitchen table, pick up a sandwich and start eating? Not if you thought about the serious germs living on your hands, just waiting to be transferred to the bread where they could be eaten and start living in your body. Luckily our bodies can handle a certain number of germs, but why overload it and risk getting sick?

How should hands be washed?

 

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Weightlifting Nutrition - 5 Ways To Power Up Your Post-Workout Shake

You've hit the gym hard and need to make up your post-workout shake. As a serious weightlifter you know that your post-workout shake is as important as your weightlifting, and you understand the need for healthy nutrition when trying to build lean muscle. So let's look at five ways you can power up that shake to give you even more benefit...

 

Add More Protein

Since the most important part of your nutrient restocking is protein, let's add some more - but not more whey protein. Whey protein can only be absorbed at a certain pace and it clears the body in about 90 minutes, so adding more whey protein would just be a waste. Instead, add liquid egg whites. A cup (250g) of egg whites contains 0 fat, 0 carbohydrates and 28 grams of protein. Egg whites still have a very high biological value (BV) but stay in the system longer and digest more slowly, meaning you'll still be absorbing protein after the whey has cleared your body.

Use Chocolate Milk As Your Base

Instead of mixing your protein with water, juice or white milk, use partly-skimmed chocolate milk instead. Since you need protein, carbs and fats as part of your healthy nutrition and especially following your post-exercise shake, chocolate milk fills the bill nicely. One cup of 1% has 2.5 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams of protein, plus many brands add vitamins A & D as well. And once you add your whey protein and liquid egg whites you'll see the resultant nutrient breakdown is excellent for your recovery.

Add A Teaspoon Of Ground Cinnamon 

Without getting too technical, the sugars in your shake cause a rise in insulin - and that insulin is necessary to transport the nutrients to your muscles. But if you've been reading up on healthy nutrition, you know that too much insulin over an extended period leads to Type 2 Diabetes. Amongst many other health benefits, cinnamon helps to regulate your blood sugar levels - not a prevention, but one step towards keeping your body in balance. Of course, it helps that most people love the taste of cinnamon - how long since your last cinnamon bun?

Take A Fish Oil, Krill Oil Or Omega-3 Supplement

There's been a lot of press lately about all the benefits of supplementing with Omega-3, an essential fat your body needs for a myriad of bodily functions. In this instance, it helps with both the nutrient absorption and the health of your muscle cells, so don't skip this vital step. Don't add it to your shake, just use your post-workout shake to wash down the capsule.

Add A Vitamin D-3 Supplement

Chances are you already knew that Vitamin D helped build healthy bones and teeth, right? But did you know that Vitamin D helps with the absorption of some nutrients? Include a Vitamin D-3 (the most common form of it) supplement when you take your Omega-3 to make sure your body can most easily use all the great nutrients in your post-workout shake.

These 5 low-cost steps will go a long way towards powering up your post-workout shake and help you get the most from your weightlifting session. Try and drink it within 30-60 minutes of your workout to take advantage of the maximum-uptake window - the sooner the better. As with any supplementation, make sure your doctor has approved the ingredients for your particular use, in case any pre-existing conditions would be affected, and barring any issues you'll be on your way to your healthy nutrition goals while maximizing the results from your time in the gym!

Juicing Health Benefits

Juicing Health Benefits

Juicing is the one trend hitting the big city that is making the National Cancer Institute's job a little easier in spreading their cancer prevention message. If you have noticed that juice bars have suddenly started cropping up in more city delis and corner trucks then you are not alone. 

 
Juicing has finally hit mainstream in a big way. Grocery stores all across the country are also jumping on the bandwagon, offering pints, quarts, and half gallons of fresh-squeezed orange juice or recently-pulped carrot juice. Now instead of meeting over a cup of joe or a glass of wine, folks are choosing to sit down with their favorite juice. 

Many people are also now opting to make the few hundred dollar investment for a good juicer to create their own home juice bar in order to making juicing a part of their daily diet for a healthier lifestyle. When it comes to juicing, there is a wide selection of healthy juices of all sorts of fruits and vegetables to choose from such as: carrot, wheat grass, kale, cucumber, spinach cabbage, celery, beet, lettuce, parsley, mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, cranberry, grapefruit, and apple.

The National Cancer Institute recently began a campaign to help motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables in their diet. They recommend an individual consume five servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables on a daily basis to prevent or possible even cure a wide range of ailments such as; breast cancer, cancer of the colon, esophagus, stomach, lungs, ovaries, etc. Promising, cutting edge research indicate that the chemicals in plants known as phytochemicals offer protection against cancer causing substances thereby decreasing the possibility of damage occurring in a cells' DNA. These studies have cited that the phytochemicals could potentially prevent or cure many cancer causing ailments, as well as heart disease, asthma, arthritis, and allergies.

The vegetables and fruits that require special mention in the fight against cancer are:

• Green vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale have high levels of phytochemicals that offer protection against cancer-causing substances. Other vegetables including carrots, celery, cilantro, parsley, and parsnips also offer high levels of phytochemicals
• The foods and herbs with the highest anticancer activity include garlic, soybeans, ginger, licorice
• Citrus fruits have substances that make it easier for your body to remove carcinogens, thus decreasing the chance of contracting cancer. Grapes contain a phytochemical that appears to protect each cell's' DNA from damage.

Since many people say they would like to incorporate more vegetables and fruits to their diet on a daily basis but just don't have the time for such food preparation in their busy lives. So instead they miss out on all of the numerous health benefits that fruits and vegetables provide. Juicing provides an easy way for people on the run to get the daily nutrients their body needs. Juicing could be the answer to our nation's fruit and vegetable deficient diet. We are simply not eating enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. The average American eats only 1 1/2 serving of vegetables and typically little to no fruit on average on a daily basis. If you don't enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables, juicing is solution for you in how to incorporate them into your daily diet.
Benefits:
 
• When you juice, you use more fruits and vegetables than you could actually eat. As a result, you are drinking a densely packed amount of vitamins, minerals and other plant-based nutrients.

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PharmaFoods - The Truth Behind Food Made In Chemistry Labs

Science and technology has made our lives today healthier and more enjoyable in the 21st century. We have fast cars, medicine for our ailments, and the internet for information. A hundred years ago, nothing we have today has passed through anyone's imagination.


Nor has the horrors we have today from science being abused. Today, over half the food you buy in the grocery store is made in a chemistry laboratory. Instead of eating organic foods made by Mother Nature, the US Government finances for chemical corporations to make the food you eat so you get sicker easier.

Most people in America have no comprehension of what genetically modified foods (GMO) are or how they affect our every day lives and young children. In the past month, many Americans have heard in the media about Whole Foods selling GMO foods. They have always claimed to be the organic grocery store; a claim that is now falsified. This is a wake up to all Americans to do their homework on what they are feeding themselves, if not their children.

There are two corporations that are the true giant in chemical based foods: Dow Chemical and Monsanto. Most Americans have barely heard anything of these two corporate giants in our food supply. Thus, we can look back at history and see what these two companies have done for the world in the past.


During the Vietnam War, Dow Chemical and Monsanto were giant chemicals companies back then. They were the creators of the infamous poison used in Vietnam War called Agent Orange.
Just think for a second about eating Agent Orange every time you go to the supermarket or fast food restaurant. That seems to give me the shivers also. It is scary to think that we are getting poisoned by chemicals when we shop at grocery store and get a quick bite to eat at fast food restaurants. I have not eaten any fast food for 5 years when I learned about the risk of eating GMOs.


We see many foods in the grocery store and fruit stand that are labeled natural and organic. Natural does not mean chemical free. A good example is Kashi cereal. Their soybeans were confirmed to not be organic. Thus, it was made in a chemistry lab.

Organic is food and produce that does not possess any of the poisons that farmers use to fertilize their crops. But, they are not 100 percent organic because they are grown on the same soil that was used for natural foods. Yet, they are the most organic that is legal to claim as organic.

Organic foods are heavy on the wallet. Even I think I spend a lot of money each month for buying organic instead of low cost produce and shelf items at my local supermarket. But, one has to remember that they are saving money in the future buy paying 2-3 times the regular price. How so? This is because organic foods will not give you cancers or severe disabilities in the future.

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What You Need To Know About Getting Rid of Back Fat

In this article I want to share with you several tips and tricks that will help you to get rid of unwanted back fat and without wasting too much of your time, lets start!


The first thing that you need to know about losing back fat is that there is no such thing as spot reduction. That's right, fat loss cannot be localized and it is simply impossible to get rid of body fat from specific parts of your body, unless of course you are planning to get liposuction done.

The main reason why you have got back fat is simply because your overall levels of body fat are too high. I am guessing that not only do you want to get rid of back fat, but there is also some belly fat that you want to be gone too.

The main reason why you overall levels of body fat are too high is simply because of bad eating habits. As a result of bad eating habits, as a result of eating too much you gave your body way too much energy which came in a form of calories.

To get rid of back fat, to drive your levels of body fat down you first of all have to improve your eating habits and cut down on your daily caloric intake. Once you will do this you will force your body to look for alternative sources of energy - fats that are stored throughout your whole body.

In addition to creating a caloric deficit you also need to be really careful about where you get the remaining calories from. For example, if on average you were consuming 2800 calories per day, but now you cut down that number to 2200 calories per day you need to be really careful about where you get those 2200 calories, because not all calories are created equal!

Some calories will help you shed unwanted body fat, whereas others will lead to fat gains.

When it comes to training you also need to keep things simple. Just like with your diet, there's no need to overcomplicate things and focus on complicated workout routines. To get rid of back fat you need to decrease your daily caloric intake and you also need to increase your daily energy output. Simply become more active and you will do well.


To conclude this article I would like to say that the most important thing when trying to get rid of unwanted body fat is to keep things simple. There's no need to reinvent the wheel, there's no need to focus on advanced stuff. Stick to the basics: eat less and become more active.

The Vitality of Vitamins

When it comes to the food that we eat, it is always good to consume those that are rich in vitamins and minerals so that we can reap their health benefits. Most processed food lacks these necessary components for good nutrition. 

Instead, they mostly consist of sugar and fat which would drive us to gain weight without the benefits of proper nourishment. 

We really have to think about what we put into our bodies. Think of your body as a car and the food we put inside is the fuel. If you put substandard fuel into your car, it won't run efficiently. It might even cause your car to stall or suffer engine failure. To avoid this sort of situation, the answer is as easy. Get healthy!

Vitamin A is an asset if you're looking to have better vision. It goes by the alternative name of retinol since the retinas in our eyes need it to help us see. If you're looking for a good source of Vitamin A, look no further than the carrot. This humble orange root vegetable is easy enough to introduce to any diet. 

 
Cut it into sticks and enjoy it fresh with a sour cream dip. You can also throw some carrots together with apples in the juicer for a delicious smoothie. Getting your nutrients straight from the source is far more delicious than swallowing a pill.

When it comes to Vitamin B, you're not looking at just one vitamin but a whole group. There are twelve B vitamins and, put together, they are called Vitamin B complex. We need these in order for our body to function. Vitamin B deficiencies can lead to an assortment of diseases. Thankfully, Vitamin B sources are also plentiful. They can be found in whole grains so make sure to get your fill of bread. Bananas, potatoes and beans are other good sources of these.

Everyone knows Vitamin C helps build a stronger immune system. When it comes to fighting away the threat of flu, there's nothing better than a nice glass of orange juice. Citrus fruits are also rich in vitamin C so don't hesitate to season your meat and fish with a nice squeeze of lemon. With this immunity builder on your side, you can head out into the world with no worries of getting infected.

Last but not least, we have Vitamin D for stronger bones. This vitamin would help you absorb calcium which is why a lot of milk on the market is enriched with it. In this way, you can get the calcium from the milk and be sure that your body will be able to use it to optimal efficiency. Vitamin D also comes from sunlight so soaking up some rays will help keep you from getting brittle bones.


Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the vitamins you can take advantage of for a healthier body. Look into Vitamin E for healthier skin or Vitamin K for better blood clotting. When it comes to vitamins, the sky's the limit when it comes to health benefits.

2 Moves to 6-Pack Abs: Is This for Real?

Most people who started on an exercise routine would very much love to get a six-pack abs, though they'll think that it's no easy task. Rightfully, this needs plenty of hard work and commitment. But the good news: it's possible! All you need to do is to follow two simple guides relentlessly for 3 months to see the results you'd always wanted as below:

 

Guide 1: Know your nutrition

This is, by far, a very important aspect of getting that six-pack abs. You can have the most awesome set of abs, but if you've fat on top of them, nobody will be able to see them! If you're in this situation, spread out your daily 3 meals to say, 5 or 6 smaller meals, as this will increase your metabolic rate. At the same time, you should also refrain from eating foods that'd cause your waistline to expand, such as white bread, pasta, soda drinks, candy, fast foods, foods with hydrogenated oils, sugars, fructose corn syrup, etc.

You should substitute these with foods that will help you achieve the result you want, such as oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, natural peanut butter, chicken, fish, protein and drink plenty of water. However, you'll need to be realistic - you may at time forget to follow your diet plan, but that's alright so long as you're making a conscientious effort to fundamentally improve your daily diet, otherwise getting that six-pack will be just far fetch!

Guide 2: Do your exercises

You need to get started with 3 different types of exercises: cardio, weightlifting and abs exercises. Do these exercises for at least 3- 4 times a week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc. Do the cardio that you like most, so that you'll make it a routine. Do these exercises for 30-45 minutes, for at least 2 times a week.

Weightlifting helps in burning calories. For instance, 3 pounds of build up muscle burns as many calories as a 1-mile jog even while you're just idling around! Do these exercises for 30-45 minutes, for at least 2 times a week.

Of course, the last exercise you need to include into your workout is abs exercises. Do your abs exercises for at least 3 times a week. In fact, there are many different abs exercises you can do, so try to stick to at least 3 types or so that you enjoy doing and mix them up whichever way you want.
Try mixing up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and changing. Add or take away different weight or abs exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight, reps or form of cardio you do.




Well, there's all that's to it. Follow the two guides above for 3 months relentlessly, and while results will vary from one person to another, you're likely to see the difference. Certainly, you'll need hard work and commitment on your part, but think of the excitement you'll get when you look in the mirror and notice the six-pack abs staring back at you!

Nutritional Counseling and Food Allergies

Nutritional counseling helps patients discover and manage their food as well as nutritional concerns using short and long-term strategies for treatment. It is commonly used for patients experiencing health issues such as obesity, digestive ailments, diabetes, musculoskeletal or neuromuscular disorders, menopause, and food allergies among others.

Through diet assessment and analysis as well as exercise routines, nutrition may be viewed as a primary factor in keeping and maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle. A person may experience different diseases because the body has become vulnerable without proper nutrition. 

Dietitians and nutritional counselors will help patients find specific ways to achieve the correct nutrition needed by his body. When a patient undergoes nutritional counseling, his individual profile is assessed and analyzed.

Proper Nutrition with Food Allergies

Patients with food allergies can take advantage of nutrition counseling to ensure that he meets all nutritional needs within his restrictive diet and find out how he can eat to promote digestive healing.

In most cases, food allergies are complicated and misunderstood. This could be due to genetics, but why some people react in such ways to what they eat has many factors and is usually connected to the whole well-being and body health. The key to healthier immune system is a healthy digestion. 

When incomplete digestions occur, there is also an incomplete breakdown of proteins which can compromise the gut barrier and 'leak' these proteins into the blood. These often react with the immune cells and the reaction is known to be one of the main reasons for food reactions and sensitivities.


Understanding the Digestion, Food and Proper Nutrition
Chronic stress and poor digestions are some of the primary causes of food intolerance. Digestion is compromised by a combination of factors including poor diet, environmental toxins, stress as well as an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria. 

A patient may be advised to follow simple changes in their eating habits such as eating smaller portions, chewing thoroughly, eating slowly, using digestive supplements or bitters and eliminate bad bacteria while rebuilding good bacteria.

Taking time to consult a dietician specializing in food allergies and intolerance will help patients discover and clarify the foods that can be potentially reactive. Nutritional counseling can help patients with alternatives and suggested menu to ensure that they meet the proper vitamin and mineral requirements. 

 
Nutritional counselors will also provide you with food ideas that are easy to digest and will support digestive health and your immune system. Soon, you'll be on your way to regaining total body health and well-being while you eat healthy, repair your gut and heal your body.

5 Weird Foods That Are Good for Your Hair

5 Weird Foods That Are Good for Your Hair

We all know that our diet is important to our general health. A selection of fresh fruit and vegetables along with healthy portions of lean meats like chicken and fish are important to a healthy diet. Our diet is also a factor that impacts our hair health and it is important to include foods that help your hair. 

 
Nutrients important for healthy hair can be found in a variety of foods. When looking to add something new to your diet, don't be afraid to try some interesting ingredients.

The five hair health foods described here may be unfamiliar, but they are delicious and healthy for any diet. The foods that made the list were chosen for their nutritional profile relating to hair nutrients, their relative scarcity in the average diet, and we chose foods that actually tasted good and were easy to add to any diet.
Most foods will be available at your local grocery store but some more unusual items may need to be found at specialty health food stores. Check your regular grocer first; you would be surprised what may be on the shelves right under your nose.

1. Okra

The food Okra is the seed pod from the okra plant. It has a mild but unusual taste and is popular in many world cuisines. Okra can be lightly cooked leaving it firm and crunchy, or it can be cooked until soft or broken down as in Gumbo. Okra is a great food because it is filling, low in calories and very nutritious.

This unusual vegetable can be found fresh or frozen in most grocery stores. It goes well as a side vegetable to meat dishes like chicken and pork. It can be mixed together with other vegetables like tomato and onion and fried together. Okra is rich in many nutrients important for hair health.

Okra Hair Nutrients:
Magnesium, Manganese, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A
Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Low Calorie

2. Quinoa

Quinoa is a grain-like plant that is harvested for its seeds. Quinoa seeds can be prepared like whole grain or rice. It can also be dried and flaked like oats. Quinoa is gluten free and can replace wheat in gluten-free diets. The quinoa grain also has an excellent nutritional profile that is rich in protein and iron compared to other grains.

Quinoa has become very popular recently for its high nutritional value. Most grocery stores will carry Quinoa and health food stores will have a variety of Quinoa products like flakes and seeds.

You can use quinoa as you would couscous, as a side dish on its own or mixed with vegetables. Quinoa may also be used as a flour or flaked and added to cereals and granolas. Quinoa flour can also be used in baking. It is an excellent substitute for wheat flour for gluten free cooking.

Add Quinoa to your diet to get a dose of healthy hair nutrients.
Quinoa Hair Nutrients:
Protein, Magnesium, Iron

3. Kombucha Tea

Looking like an alien from another world or some strange jellyfish, the Kombucha appears to be a strange looking mushroom. In fact, it is a culture made up of yeasts. The health benefits of Kombucha are derived from a tea made using the Kombucha culture.

A sweetened tea with sugar added to help the culture is put in a jar with the culture on top of the liquid. A tea drink is created as the liquid is processes by the yeasts. Kombucha tea is used as a detox tea and helps maintain the body's pH balance. Kombucha is also rich in Vitamin B-6. You don't need to make your own tea; many commercial varieties of Kombucha teas are available pre-packaged in health food stores.

Kombucha Tea Hair Nutrients:
Vitamin B-6, Detox, Maintain body pH

4. Oysters

Many people love oysters and they are known for their purported aphrodisiac qualities. Though they may not help spark love, oysters are packed with nutrition essential for healthy hair. They are high in protein and also contain Magnesium and Zinc - a powerful antioxidant.
Oysters Hair Nutrients:
Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc

5. Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds have very high nutritional value and are often touted as the world's "most nutritionally complete food source". What does this mean for your hair? Hemp seeds are high in protein and contain all nine of the essential amino acids we must obtain through our diet. Hemp seeds are also an excellent source of essential fatty acids with the perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-3 to Onega-6 fatty acids.
Health food stores and many grocery stores will carry Hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are very easy to quickly add to many recipes. They can be eaten raw or added to cereals and many cooked dishes. They are fantastic on salads and add a nice nutty taste. They are also a terrific garnish to use over cooked vegetables.
Hemp Seeds Hair Nutrients:

3:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, High protein, All 9 essential amino acids

Next time you are out shopping for groceries, check to see if your grocer carries any of these these unusual foods. Most should be easy to find in large grocery stores. If you can't find them at your regular grocer, try looking for a local specialty or health food store.
These foods were selected because, although unusual, they are easy to fit into many household meals. Even the unusual Kombucha Tea can be found in pre-made drinks. Search the Internet for meal and recipe ideas and give some of these weird foods a try.

Your Health: What Are You Fighting?

Your Health: What Are You Fighting?

When I ask someone about their health, there is a sense from them that I want to hear something positive. This is true to a point. Do I like hearing success stories? Of course I do. I like to hear about people doing things well and making positive changes to their health.


What I don't like is to hear people tell me what they think I want to hear. There are so many ways to live healthy and so many reasons to do it, that I wonder why we aren't all doing it. That doesn't mean that I expect it to be easy. I know that living healthy is a challenge. Actually, it is a series of challenges.

The first challenge seems to be getting over the fight with yourself. When I talk to people about health for the first time, there is often a struggle for them to find a reason that things aren't as good as they want them to be or as good as they would like to tell me they are. There is a strange need to please that people have causing them to want to give the best reports and share that they are "doing what they are supposed to do".

Doing what you are supposed to do is challenging. It is hard to do and not many are very good at it. Doing what works for you is easier to do and will always be more fulfilling. The problem is that we have to figure out a few things:

1. What do you want to do?
2. Why do you want to do it?
3. How are you going to do it?
4. What is stopping me from doing it?
 
When it comes to health, you need to be able to focus. You need to know what you want to do, why you want to do it and how you are going to do it. If you don't know any or all of these things, you are going to struggle. One of the reasons for people struggling is not being able to identify these options.

That seems to be the biggest reason people are off track. It's not that they can't do it. It's not that they don't want to do it. It's more about not taking the time to set up a plan. We could talk about the importance of planning all day. 

We could talk about it until we knew our plan inside and out, but that wouldn't help us get started.
What helps us get started? First you have to get over your hang-ups. What are your hang-ups? What are my hang-ups? They are likely different and that is the point. Everyone has their own reasons for not getting started. 

They want to get going. They know they should get going. They even know why they should get going, but they don't know how they are going to do it and can't get past their inner hang-ups that are keeping them from getting started.
Let's walk through the steps:

1. What do you want to do?

Let's talk about exercise. When you want to get more active, what do you have to do? You have to get more active. It sounds simple and even too good to be true. Well, it is too good to be true. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. You have to start by deciding exactly what you want to do. Do you want to run? Do you want to bike? Do you want to walk or hit the gym? There are countless options, but until you choose one of them, you can't do any of them.

2. Why do you want to do it?

When it comes to exercise, there are many reasons to get started. There are health benefits, weight loss, looking good and many other reasons to do it. Until you identify those reasons, you can't motivate yourself to do anything. You have to keep the reasons in mind when you get started so you can keep going when it gets tough.

3. How are you going to do it?

This sounds simple and even sarcastic, but I assure you that you need to mind this step. The way you are going to get active is important. The plan is even more important. For example: If you are going to go to the gym, you need to have a bag and a time set aside to go. If you are going to ride a bike, you need a bike. It doesn't get any simpler than that, yet many struggle to establish the how before they try to get going.

4. What is stopping you from doing it?

This is where we fail. If you are not doing something, you are being stopped. Something is stopping you from doing it. The people that I talk to with excuses and stories about what has happened or not happened are being stopped. Who or what is stopping them? They are stopping themselves. There is a fight that we all have before starting something new. If have you haven't gotten started, you are fighting yourself and losing.

Setting up your plan can mean the difference between success and failure. If you don't do it, failure becomes far more likely. Failure is certain if you are fighting yourself. Health takes support and dedication. When met with a fight, health often loses. We can all put up a good fight and fend off a healthy routine. The world around us makes that easy.

But, what are we fighting? We are fighting a good healthy routine. We are fighting energy. We are fighting better sleep. We are fighting long-term health. We are fighting the look in the mirror that we can be proud of. In other words, we are fighting the things we want.

It doesn't make sense, does it? Of course it doesn't make sense. When we are asked, we tell ourselves and others that we want to be healthy. When it comes to the action, we often start that fight. If health brings such good things, why do we fight it?

It doesn't make sense, but if you follow the steps and ask yourself 4 questions, you can win the fight. Ask yourself what you want to do, why you want to do it, how you are going to do it and you will be able to get started. You may want to ask yourself one more important question before you get too far: What are you fighting?

When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio?

When Is The Best Time To Do Cardio?

You have probably heard all sorts of things in regards to the best time to do cardio. You have probably heard some people say that performing cardio before eating first thing in the morning burns fat the best. You have probably also heard that consuming carbs before a run is also beneficial. So which one is right?

A lot of it depends on you. For me, when I run in the morning before eating anything, I feel sick and lethargic as I'm running, but you may feel differently. Find a time of the day, whether it is before work, early in the morning, late at night, etc, where you feel the most energetic and most able to complete an intense workout.

There have been many studies linking early morning cardio to increased fat loss. Listed below are three of these such studies, but make sure to take these studies with a grain of salt for reasons I will discuss later in the article.

A study conducted by the University of Kansas in 1985 showed that performing cardio very early in the morning resulted in a greater fat loss than cardio performed later in the day.

Another study conducted in Belgium showed the possible benefits of performing cardio early in the morning. The study consisted of 3 groups. One of the groups did no exercise, one of the groups did intense running and cycling early in the morning, and the final group did intense running and cycling later in the day. 

All three of the groups were put on an increased calorie diet that was high in fat. As expected, the group that performed no exercise gained weight. The group that performed intense exercise later in the day also gained some weight, although it was less than the first group. The group that performed intense exercise first thing in the morning, however, did not increase in weight further showing that cardio early in the morning may be very effective for fat loss.




In another study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise conducted at Kansas State University, showed that performing cardio in the morning may lead to increase fat burning. The researched measured caloric expenditure, carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, and respiratory gas exchange, and found that 67% of the total energy burned during aerobic exercise after a 12 hour fast was fat. This is a lot higher than the 50% fat expenditure achieved with the same exercise after eating or later in the day.

Despite these findings, I only recommend performing cardio on an empty stomach if you feel comfortable doing so. If you exercise first thing in the morning and you feel great doing it, then I would go for it. However, if you are anything like me, you will feel nauseous, sick, and light headed after a morning run and you won't be able to exercise for nearly as long. 

If you do not have sufficient energy supplies during your exercise, your ability to maintain your exercise for long periods of time is unlikely and possibly dangerous. Food is the fuel for your workout and without that fuel there is only so long your body can run on empty.

Bottom line, however, is do cardio!! It doesn't matter if it is in the morning, evening, afternoon, lunch break, after the sunset, under the stars, at midnight, etc.. The most important thing is to develop a routine that consists of regularly doing cardio.

Super foods Tips

Super foods Tips

We neglect nature and all it gives to us and yet it is the only location where we can get help when we are sick, when we lack energy, and feel tired. The foods that are necessary for good health and wellness are referred to as super foods implying that they are filled by having antioxidants, enzymes and minerals. 

 
Others in the same classification have phytochemicals, monounsaturated fats, omega 3 fatty acids and fibers.

One can be shocked by the foods that make up the list and these in most cases include the avocado, apricots, beans, broccoli, berries, cacao, cinnamon, oats, pomegranate juice, peanut butter, turkey among others. It is necessary to consist of the superfoods in ones diet as they help in combating various conditions.

Many people until years past did not actually comprehend exactly what the fuss was all about in regards to the so called super foods and nowadays almost all the people wish to join the band wagon of the people who consume and ingest them. If one were to look at one instance, primarily the avocado, it is small and yet filled by having the vital monounsaturated fats must sustain a lean waist and reduced belly fat and it additionally helps in decreasing blood degrees to controllable levels.

These are the excellent fats that we really should all be consuming as they do not obstruct our canals, do not keep our cholesterol levels up and are good in lessening belly fat. 
 
Superfoods are jam packed by having the antioxidants which are beneficial in strengthening the immune system, weakening the maturing process, and fighting back the free radicals and the phytochemicals are advantageous in promoting cleansing this is the process where the body does away with the toxins, they promote the immune system too and they act as antibacterial and antiviral brokers.

An additional top superfood is spirulina; this is an alga that is typically blue or green in color. What makes it a superfood is that it consists of organic iron, protein, chlorophyll, vitamin E, B12, beta carotene, amino acids and trace minerals. It has been shown to be very beneficial to the senior.

Giving little ones a head start where the super foods are concerned might be giving them the necessary defense had to ward of diseases and illnesses. Thus having them on the table in small quantities is suggested.

The different forms of super foods impact the body in a different way and as a result the advantages do not cease at ingestion. By cultivating a bad habit where we eat the super foods on a normal basis, illnesses might be a thing of the past and we will all have the bodies that we just dream of. It is good that we recognize what is essential and what is not as one is able to gauge what is required from what is simply rubbish.

It is important to then have the best that can just be gotten from fruits and vegetables and to inculcate in ourselves the habit of having a few on any given day without feeling burdened by having a tons we can not effectively carry.

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis Defined

Diverticulosis is a serious condition and diverticulitis is even more so. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diverticulosis you hopefully have some understanding of what the condition is, but my experience has taught me that sometimes there is confusion over what the condition is and how it is managed or treated. 

 
Understanding the medical terms related to this condition will help to further understand and appreciate the medical and nutritional recommendations made for diverticular disease states.

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are sometimes interchanged and used improperly. Looking at the two terms, you see the common root; diverticu. This root is in reference to Diverticula, which are small pouches that form through the wall of a person's colon. You can picture this as an inner tube that, when inflated, has a weak spot that bulges.
Weak spots in a person's colon can bulge in a similar fashion and most of the time without issues. However, sometimes the weak spot is weak enough to allow the lining of the intestine to poke through the wall of the colon and a small pouch is formed that is still open to the inside of the colon but extends out through the colon wall. 

The risk of this occurring increases with age, and a history of poor diet and constipation may also increase the risk of developing diverticula. A single pouch is referred to as "diverticulum", while more than one sack are called diverticula.

Please keep in mind I am explaining this in fairly simple terms because many people need to understand the basics before other aspects will make sense. If you are a medical professional reading this please keep this in mind before being too critical of my descriptions and depictions.

OK, now you know what diverticula are. Looking at the two diagnostic terms again you will see that one ends in "osis" and the other ends in "itis". This is a very important distinction because these refer to different disease states. 

The -osis ending simply means that at least a single diverticulum  diverticulosis refers to the condition of having the small pouche(s) called diverticulum. The -itis ending means inflammation and swelling are present, so diverticulitis is the term used when one or more of these pouches get infected and swell which often causes severe pain and possibly GI bleeding.

In summary, diverticulosis is when you have the "pouches" while diverticulitis is when one or more pouches gets infected and inflamed. Therefore a person with diverticula is said to have diverticulosis but if their diverticula never get infected they may never develop diverticulitis. So, why is this differentiation important? Nutrition guidelines differ in some ways between diverticulosis and diverticulitis. 
 
The brief description of the difference between nutritional recommendations for diverticulosis and diverticulitis is this; diverticulosis calls for a high fiber diet that provides for good hydration status while diverticulitis calls for a low fiber diet that doesn't stimulate significant effort on the part of the digestive system. Understanding the terminology will help to keep these simple and abbreviated diet recommendations clear and meaningful.

Instructions to Increase Your Body's Metabolism

Instructions to Increase Your Body's Metabolism 

You more likely than not heard individuals saying something regarding how quick or moderate metabolic rates influence an individual's weight. Basically, the metabolic rate is the rate in which your body consumes the calories that you ingest from the sustenance that you eat. 

There are no buts or uncertainties about the way that on the off chance that you eat a bigger number of calories than you consume, you won't lose any weight and will in certainty simply make you put on more pounds, and most likely all in the wrong places. At that point the inquiry is how to get in shape quick? So as to do this, there are sure things that you need to comprehend all together not to wind up baffled and load on more pounds simultaneously. A portion of these you can control and others you can't. 

• Heredity - the qualities that you acquired have foreordained your metabolic rate. 

• Gender - the guys of the specie, for the most part, can consume off a larger number of calories quicker than the females since they have more muscle tissues in their bodies. 

• Age - the more established you get, the slower your metabolic rate progresses toward becoming. 

• Medical condition - in the event that you experience the ill effects of a thyroid issue, an overactive one will influence you to get more fit quick while an underactive one will make you put on weight. 

Considering these things, is there whatever you can do to expand your metabolism and to get more fit quick? 

Individuals who need to get in shape quick frequently go on a starvation mode, imagining that in the event that they don't stack on any calories they will truly get thinner. Denying your assemblage of what it needs to keep up it will just influence it to go on a survival mode. This will just back off your metabolism and make your body store more calories as fat to shield itself from starving. Lack of healthy sustenance is never the answer for getting more fit and in truth may even represent a wellbeing peril, over the long haul. Rather, you may wish to do the accompanying to normally support your body's metabolism. 

• Eat - Eat a decent breakfast. The body metabolism backs off amid rest and does not kick back in until the point when you eat the next morning. Examines have demonstrated that the individuals who do have breakfast will in general lose more load than the individuals who skip it inside and out. Nonetheless, ensure that you have a reasonable breakfast comprising of organic products, grains, bubbled eggs, and so on. Avoid the jams, jams, margarine, the waffles and the flapjacks. Eat littler dinners for the duration of the day and don't starve yourself. Keeping your metabolism revved up will enable you to abstain from eating gorges; 

• Drink - Water and green tea, that is... The mixes in green tea accelerate your metabolic rate and expands vitality use prompting weight reduction. Drinking six to eight glasses of water should enable flush to out the poisons from your body. 

• Exercise - This enables the body to consume a larger number of calories than muscle to fat ratio. A decent exercise routine will put the body metabolism into overdrive, making you consume more calories for up to two hours after the exercise.

Weight Loss Surgery - Is It Bad for Teens?

Weight Loss Surgery - Is It Bad for Teens? 

Despite the fact that weight loss surgery for teenagers is on the ascent, regardless it speaks to short of what one percent of all weight loss medical procedures performed. On account of a youngster having this surgery, specialists like to investigate how the weight represents a danger to their well being against the dangers of such a surgery. 

A fat youngster has a more serious hazard for cerebrum weight that can prompt vision issues, breathing issues, diabetes, joint issues, and liver issues. Losing the weight will reduce these potential wellbeing risks. The issue with surgery is that there have not been any inside and out examinations that having the surgery as an adolescent will really help them later on. 

Having weight loss surgery won't guarantee that all the weight will fall off or remain off. Surgery ought not be viewed as an option in contrast to appropriate eating regimen and exercise. 

Before the surgery is even viewed as the teenager should experience a board of assessments and tests given by specialists in pre-adult prescription to decide whether it's vital and could be useful. As a result of the absence of concentrates on the issue, there are no pat rules with respect to what age a high schooler ought to be to have the surgery. Quite a bit of it relies upon the teenager, the measure of weight that should be lost and their general wellbeing condition. Surgery of this nature is resolved on an individual premise. 

Fundamental Guidelines for Weight Loss Surgery in Teens: 

Ought to be seriously overweight and thought about large or fat. 

Their weight list ought to be more than 40. 

Have achieved the purpose of full-developed bones (skeletal development). Ordinarily this occurs for young men at around age fifteen and for young ladies at around age thirteen. 

Have not prevailing with no less than a half year of specialist oversaw weight loss programs. 

For young ladies, evade pregnancy for up to one year after surgery. 

Consent to an exceptionally strict eating regimen following surgery. 

Be of sound personality, ready to settle on sensible choices. 

Important - must have an empowering home condition. 

Reasons Against Surgery: 

On the off chance that either the youngster or the guardian(s) of the high schooler, don't completely see every one of the dangers for weight loss surgery. 

In the event that there's a restorative treatment effectively accessible to settle the weight issue. 

Any kind of earlier medication misuse. 

Pregnant or intending to wind up pregnant inside two years of the potential surgery. 

Weight loss surgery for teenagers shouldn't be viewed as except if every single other strategy for shedding pounds have been depleted and just if the weight can represent a major well being worry for the present and future. Surgery ought to be, in all cases, a final desperate attempt in shedding pounds.

The Best Strategy To Burn The Last 10 Pounds Fast

The Best Strategy To Burn The Last 10 Pounds Fast 

In the event that you need to figure out how to lose weight lastly shed those last couple of pounds that just won't appear to leave your body paying little heed to what you do, you have to take in some first rate techniques that will empower quicker achievement. 

A great many people don't have excessively hard of a period figuring out how to lose weight when initially starting. Those underlying pounds fall off moderately rapidly and effortlessly as the body has a higher metabolic rate and isn't sticking onto put away muscle versus fat all that strongly. 

Be that as it may, as you get less fatty and student, it's splendidly ordinary to discover things end up unmistakably progressively troublesome. 

That is the place the accompanying procedures become an integral factor to enable you to figure out how to lose weight quick. 

How about we take a gander at what you should know. 

Crisscross Your Calories 

The specific first tip to enable you to figure out How to lose weight quick is to consider crisscrossing your calorie admission. As opposed to eating a low calorie admission for an all-inclusive timeframe and having the metabolic rate adjust to this, backing off what number of calories it consumes every day, amaze your calorie allow over the week. 

Have a couple of low calorie days and after that include a couple of higher calorie days. The blend of this will keep your digestion speculating about what's coming straightaway. 

Consequently, you continue consuming fat off at a quickened pace. In addition, the eating routine is considerably more agreeable also. 

Go Very Low Carb/High Protein For One Week 

Second, you may likewise consider going on a low carb, high protein diet for a multi week time span. This is a quick method to kick off weight misfortune advance yet you can just do it for a short timeframe. 

Going excessively long without sugars in the eating regimen will have negative results, so confine yourself to only multi week on this extreme eating routine. 

From that point onward, return to a progressively moderate fat misfortune program. As you go low carb, ensure that you are as yet eating a lot of new vegetables anyway as these will give the supplements that your body needs amid this time. 

Enjoy A Reprieve From Your Workouts 

At long last, the exact opposite interesting point is taking a break from your exercises. In many cases excessively practice joined with a serious eating routine is the thing that makes issues happen, so by taking a short break, you ease up on the body marginally so it won't clutch muscle versus fat stores as promptly. 
For the present, basically center around keeping up a decent eating regimen. In the event that you do this, you ought to have the capacity to keep up better dietary control and will feel better approaching your exercises when you return back to the rec center after the week off is up. 

So there you have some fast approaches to figure out how to lose weight when you're attempting to get those 10 pounds off. Regularly some program re-alteration will be essential as you get down to the last few to get them off your body for good.

Abdomen Fat : The 10 Things Women Can Do!

Abdomen Fat 

Lots of women above forty are not as fit as they used to be when they were junior. At this platform, women startle gaining heaviness faster and most of what they eat or drink ends up as abdomen fat. For these women, the deed that they can no longer fit into their old jeans is pleasing without being striking frustrating. However, there are ways to get rid of abdomen fat with different prompt heaviness forfeiture programs. This portion will accord confer you some profitable tips for swift heaviness forfeiture from your abdomen!

Here are some prompt but unhurt heaviness forfeiture tips to help you.

Notice what you're catheretic from a neuter vista and scratch it down. Put together a fare daily register and re-examine your catheretic habits and aliment on a quotidian ground. Your belonging to or characterizing the object is to fall upon out what you're catheretic unfair so that you can be more felicitous with your swift heaviness forfeiture technique.

Have nothing to do with catheretic anything for at least three hours before you go to bed because this helps you minimize fat buildup and helps pandect fare faster, for prompt heaviness forfeiture. It lets your material part pandect fare fitly and starts flaming material part fat yesterday night. Through this, you can easily let slip through the fingers heaviness while you are quiescent. This is one of the easiest prompt but unhurt heaviness forfeiture techniques.

Close using sweeten for such programs. Cereal grain syrup, protoxide of sodium, intermittent fever, and coffee usually have a lot of sweeten in them. Have nothing to do with them as much as you can and opt for swarthy coffee, or use skimmed milk rather than sweeten and best part. Most packaged crop juices also have additional sweeten or other additives to make them sweeter.

Get rid of all the snacks you have tucked in your desk drawer at be in action and at domicile. This prompt but unhurt heaviness forfeiture tip can actually be in action wonders on its own. Close using chips and other junk fare as snacks and startle carrying vegetables like carrots, broccoli, cucumbers or celery. Foods that have high-reaching fiber easy in soul help make sure that you won't overeat. It can help bring abdomen fat and influence swift heaviness forfeiture.
It is also fit to be advised to have nothing to do with processed foods. Keep in soul not to buy fare which contain Trans-fat.

Don't hop breakfast. Breakfast is a must-have collation because it lays the ground for the ease of your day. Don't faith the fable that skipping breakfast can eradicate your overall intake of calories.

You have to startle formation soups and one glass of irrigate before meals a temperament. They help you have nothing to do with overeating and fill up your appetite up. They are a hale, low-calorie choice to higher quantities of formal, heavier fare.

Birch to skimmed or soy milk rather than whole milk or best part. It's specially profitable for women more than forty because it helps bring the levels of estrogen produced in their bodies. Estrogen is the pristine mind for that weary-like abdomen!

Expend as much pertaining or relating to herbs, verdant or coin tea and bare irrigate as you can, every day. It will flow or rush suddenly out mischievous toxins from your material part and they help conversion of fare into chyme.
Instead of having three hard or difficult to lift meals a day, greaten that sum up to five or six and bring the quantities. This way, you won't have feeling as of keen appetite as before and will have plenitude of intensity for the day's proceedings.


This swift heaviness forfeiture program can help you carry out your prompt heaviness cognate goals. These prompt but unhurt heaviness forfeiture tips help eradicate abdomen fat for women who want a sexier material part.