Rapid Weight Loss Diet

A rapid weight loss diet plan not necessary has to include rapid weight loss pill. Those drugs normally used for blocking fats. However, if you intend to go for healthy diet, you are strongly encouraged for not taking any rapid weight loss pills. This is because of some of these drugs are not safe to use. However, I you insist want to take it, and then please go for the safe weight loss pills as these drugs sometimes will cause site effect to your body. Many o the rapid weight loss plan in the market has included rapid weight loss pills inside their slimming packages. However, some o them only centered profit, although they seems like really care or your weight.

If you are ready now for a safe and rapid weight loss diets, now please taking out a piece of paper and write it out. Be honest to yourself, state down your current weight. At another column, how many lbs you need to lose. Continue the plan with the big question marks, what kind of rapid weight loss plan you are comfortable to implement and what kind of rapid weight loss diet that you can adapt. Be assured you are on the right track for weight loss. If possible, scrip it offs the possibilities of taking rapid weight loss pill. Try to lose weight naturally. If you are still not confidence enough to plan for your rapid weight loss diets, you can always invite someone to help you. Friend and family is the best person or accompanying you throughout the process of weight loss. Well if you have set your mind and now you're ready to go for choosing the right food for your rapid weight loss diet. There are two ways for you're to go. First you can diet through organic nutritional weight loss shakes. Secondly you can diet through low calories, low sugar and low sodium food. Maybe you will throw a question to me, are weight loss shakes consid ered drugs? No, they are not. There are kinds of healthy meal replacement food which safe to take. And if you're rapid weight loss diets can include protein shakes, then the possibilities for getting the weight loss results faster. Unlike others rapid weight loss pill, weight loss shakes or protein shakes are organics. There are safe. Replace your lunch and dinner with this shakes, you will easily get rid of obese. But unlike those promises from many of the weight loss expert, weight loss shakes only will contributed to part of the rapid weight loss programs.

Second way for rapid weight loss diet is through choosing the right food for your rapid weight loss plan. You must choose low calories food to eat and I possible also low in sugar and sodium. Low cholesterol food like vegetables, grapefruit, spaghetti, fruits, wheat rice good for your rapid weight loss diets. These foods are low in calories but high in fiber. Besides, not like other rapid weight loss pills, the se low cal foot help to improve your skin problem. As far as we know, high cholesterol food basically is very oily like pizza, burger and French fries. However boost up your spirit to avoid high cholesterol food during your rapid weight loss diet period and be rest assured that you definitely can achieve your weight loss goal.

If you managed to control your appetite then I should congratulate you, caused you have done the first 50% of you rapid weight loss diet plan. Furthermore, don't release yourself too early once you've seen some weight reduction. In fact you should put more effort on your rapid weight loss diet plan. And please remind yourself, away from those entire rapid weight loss pill in the market, be focus on your diet plan.

There's no actual rapid weight loss plan that works perfectly. A healthy and rapid weight loss diets must always pairing up with strong self-determination and desired to success. You are the one whom determine how rapid the re sult it. Avoid taking commercial rapid weight loss pill is a must as most of the drugs doesn't containing health benefits for our body. Schedule an exclusive rapid weight loss diet plan by include your life habits. This is important for the durability of the plan. If all these steps done then I think now you should be standing confidently in front of me now.

Diet For Diabetics - What Are the Foods to Avoid For Diabetics?

When the cells of the human pancreas don't generate insulin, it creates Diabetes mellitus. Actually, insulin is useful to split sugar into a form in blood that the body can efficiently store and apply to produce energy later. This disease compels you to include diet for diabetics forget some foods and it demands your diet to be something that is high in soluble fibers and low in saturated fats. A doctor can suggest foods to avoid for diabetics and consume less carbohydrate products because it might contain high glycemic index.

The rapid increase of this disease has pressed food, beverage, and pharmaceutical companies to make products considering the need of such patients. It's also true that the doctors often prescribe not to buy such products at random and the products are often very costly as well. Such products might contain more fats and may be that the products just don't have anything that can help you to cure diabetes

If you want to keep yo ur blood glucose levels in control, a slight change in your food habit can be the best option.

Being a new patient of this disease, doctor may advice you to collaborate with a dietitian or nutritionist, who can endow you with a proper diabetic meal plan as well as snack plan. You might need to calculate your carbohydrates by pointing out your eating of sugary or starchy foods.

Then, you have to adopt a plan of diet for diabetics as new food habit. The prescription usually suggests the consumption of whole grains and starchy vegetables as the main part of your meal. It demands you to eat a minimum of two servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

The prescription then states to have proteins available in lean meat, legumes, and cheese. You must consume them in smaller quantities. Adding of slight amount of non-fat or low-fat dairy items is fine but it shouldn't cross the limit for it has fats and sugars listed under foods to avoid fo r diabetics.

This is a general prescription. To have a perfect diet for your diabetic case, please consult with a dietitian or nutritionist. Try to consume proper foods to lower high blood sugar but you must also be aware enough to keep on hand the list of very salty foods to avoid for diabetics. This is so because high blood pressure along with high blood sugar is something common in such patients. Not only consumption of fats causes high blood pressure, sodium is largely responsible for this. To avoid this problem, either lessen the salt in your food or buy non-sodium or low sodium salt replacements. Also, avoid foods like crackers, chips, processed or conserved meet products, or canned foods like sardines or soups because they contain extra sodium and salt.

Fats can be really harmful. Cardiovascular diseases often follow diabetic cases. So, avoid dairy products, solid vegetable fats, and butter because they have saturated fats. Before chicken pre paration, get the skin off. Also, strive to avoid butter and margarine. Oils obtain from canola or olive can be good for lowering elevated blood sugar levels.

It is suggestive to choose the diets for diabetics such as skimmed, low-fat, or non-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt than full cream products. It is strictly forbidden foods to avoid for diabetics with fried foods and rather boil and bake or simply broil it.

Alcoholic products are not good in such cases. Such food habit is not really difficult provided you have the patience to change.

What if you Could Extend your Life With a High Blood Pressure Diet?

High blood pressure is a health issue that causes innumerable fatalities in the United States each year. Further, if it doesn't kill you, it can still lead to major problems, including heart attack and stroke. And sodium is an ingredient of a high blood pressure diet as it is one of the major high blood pressure causes. Consequently, this article will help you learn about the role of sodium in the development of high blood pressure.

Read the Ingredients

Unfortunately, given its prevalence, a good amount of the sodium you digest comes from processed foods. A good habit to develop, before buying such food, is to read the ingredients label. Unfortunately, those labels, with their multisyllabic words, seem like they aren't written in English. You feel as if you need a chemistry degree to understand them. Well, to help, remember that foods that contain ingredients with the word "sodium" in them can be bad news. For example, take disodium phosp hate and monosodium glutamate (MSG). The word "sodium" is visible. Miminize your use of such ingredients and foods.

Also, the US FDA , to aid people's dietary choices, developed sodium guidelines. For example, "low sodium" equates to 140 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. Or, as another example, 5 milligrams or less of sodium per serving is "salt free" food. Google FDA sodium for the entire guide. If necessary, bring it with you to the grocery store to allow for quick and easy interpretation when you shop.

Further, highly processed foods often contain high levels of sodium, making them contributory to a high blood pressure diet. I can only imagine the thoughts going through your head now. You're busy and have no time to cook. You rely on frozen dinners and canned goods to quickly whip something up for you and your family. Unfortunately, a good amount of these foods are laced with sodium.

The Infamous Salt Shaker – One of the More Prominent High Blood Pressure Causes

Finally, like most people, you probably grab for the salt shaker at the center of your dining room table to add some quick flavor to your sometimes bland food. And, to compound the matter, you may be adding salt to processed food that already contains high levels of sodium. So resist the "salt shaker" temptation. Perhaps you might even empty your salt shaker. Further, use natural herbs to add flavor to your food. Consider onions or thyme, for example. This may be hard to do, but it's in your body's best interest.

As you can see, sodium not only presents a high blood pressure health issue, but also is hard to avoid given our busy lives. If you look at your food labels, especially those of processed foods, you'll start to see sodium everywhere. So remember to avoid ingredients with the word "sodium" in them as sodium can play a huge role in a high blood pressure diet. Also, use th e Food and Drug Administration guidelines to monitor your sodium use. And put down that salt shaker!

Take these small, proactive steps and you are on your way to eliminating some high blood pressure causes and earning better health.

Hypertension Sufferer's Diet - What Are the Processed Foods to Avoid

Unknown to many, unprocessed, or natural foods already contain sodium chloride sufficient enough for our body's needs, hence, obtaining salt through natural food is not a problem. It is with the intake of processed foods that our body gets to encounter sodium chloride content that causes high blood pressure problems.

Returning to natural diets is one of the effective solutions in treating or preventing high blood pressure attacks. Accordingly, natural foods would mean anything derived from natural food sources grown from the soil, from trees, or derived from animals without need to add sauces or coatings.

In purchasing food supplies from supermarkets, reading the labels of low-sodium foods can help us determine the processed foods to avoid. An example would be a low-sodium salad dressing that contains 2 milligrams (mg) of sodium and 32 mg of potassium.

If this were to be analyzed further regarding the balance of sodium to potassium conte nt, or in determining its K-factor, the resulting proportion would be 1 mg of salt for every 16 mg of potassium. The prescribed ideal K-factor ratio is 1 mg salt for every 3 mg potassium.

Experts suggest that rather than buy foods with potassium chloride, check the labels for other substitutes like potassium gluconate and potassium bitartrate. Better yet, you can opt for natural or unprocessed foods and use salt substitutes like seasonings from spices and herbs.

Here are some of the processed foods to avoid and why they should be avoided:

1. Cooked cereals with added salt content.

2. Ready-to-eat cereals may have some moderation in sodium but are low in potassium content, hence, the addition of milk, increases the sodium level resulting to further disparity between their ratio. Occasionally, this type of food can be a part of a hypertension sufferer's diet but other low sodium, high potassium foods should be eaten in order to compe nsate.

3. Juice drinks that have minimal content as far real juice is concerned. Check the label for artificial flavors and colors as well as its sugary ingredients.

4. Processed meats use high proportions of salt in their preparation. Specifically, avoid processed beef foods like corned beef, beef burgundy, breakfast strips, frozen meatloaf, and frozen or canned sliced beef, Salisbury steak and chipped beef.

Processed pork to avoid includes cured bacon and ham, bacon bits, ham loaf, bacon bits, sweet and sour pork, ham steaks and sausages. Special preparations like frozen veal parmigiana should also be avoided. You should also consider excluding spreads, luncheon meats, franks, bologna, corned beef loaf, barbecue loaf, salami, mortadella, sandwich spreads, Vienna sausage and turkey ham.

5. Seafood are too high in sodium content although some may be eaten occasionally and with caution. Processed seafood however are best avoided si nce their preparation uses additional salt for processing.

Examples of these processed seafood are deviled crab, crab cakes, crab imperial, canned crab, fish fillets, fillet almondine, fish sticks, canned fish, lobster paste, Newburg lobster, oysters, mussels, clams, sardines and shrimps whether breaded or French fried.

6. Canned soups are definitely processed foods to avoid since most of them contain more than one gram of sodium chloride and less than the desirable level of potassium content. Do not be misled by such information as "no salt content" or "homemade"; such information does not relieve them of their high level of sodium ingredient.

7. Food flavorings with salt. Contain mostly salt blended with other ingredients.

As part of dietary measures that can prevent high blood pressure, it is recommended that the hypertension sufferer's diet should take into consideration these processed foods to avoid.

Alvin Hop kinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and high blood pressure treatment. Discover how you can get rid of your high blood pressure for good using proven and effective home remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.minusbloodpressure.com

Why Cut Back on Sodium?

Sodium creeps into your diet from lots of different places, the result is, every day most people consume twice as much sodium as they should. Where does it all come from? It is important to realize what kinds of high sodium foods you eat every day that are raising your sodium level to dangerous levels.

Sodium is found in a lot more foods than you might think. Store bought spaghetti sauce, frozen entrees, chips, deli meats, soups, and other salty snacks are typically surprisingly high in sodium. Even cereals and cookies can contain a heavy does of sodium. Restaurant and take-out foods are also notoriously high in sodium. Look out for high sodium content in Indian and Chinese food particularly.

The recommended daily maximum level of sodium is about 2400mg per day. That is roughly one teaspoon of table salt. Since most people eat twice this much every day, there are rising concerns regarding the overall public health. High sodium levels tend to raise yo ur blood pressure, and the risk of stroke and other serious health problems rises with it. Also, when you eat a lot of salt, your body loses a lot of calcium through urine. This causes the body to draw on its reserve supply of calcium found in your bones. So a high sodium diet is also a risk factor for developing osteoporosis. This is particularly true if you're not getting enough calcium in your diet.

Eating a lot of sodium also causes you to retain a lot of water weight. This means you'll be gaining weight that could be easily lost if you simply limited sodium in your diet.

So what should you do to cut back on sodium? First, start paying attention to the hidden sodium content in your diet. The nutrition label on your food will tell you exactly what sodium content you'll find in the food. You can use these nutrition labels to keep careful track of your daily sodium intake and keep it to a healthy level. You can choose low sodium options for a l ot of foods that you eat regularly. You'll find low sodium soup, sauces, deli meats, and lots of other foods. If they don't taste salty enough for you, you can always add a little salt and you'll still have a very low sodium meal compared to a store bought regular meal.

Another great option for limiting sodium is to cook at home. Homemade soups, sauces, and baked goods are almost always lower in sodium than store bought goods.  

Be sure to keep your potassium and calcium intake high to compensate for the weakening effect of sodium. Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to help boost your level of these essential vitamins. For added insurance against development of osteoporosis or other bone related illnesses, add a good daily multivitamin to your diet. They typically provide a good strong level of calcium and potassium to ensure healthy bones and to compensate for sodium intake. If you're a little more careful with sodium, you'll b e a lot better off as you avoid the threat of serious illness related to high sodium levels.

Good Diet For High Blood Pressure And Hypertension

This article will furnish you comprehensive Dietary Advice For Prehypertensive and Hypertensive Blood Pressure Levels. Here you will find Diet Tips To Reduce Blood Pressure

Diet For High Blood Pressure and Hypertension, Relation Between Diet and Blood Pressure
If you have Bad eating habits then it contributes significantly to unhealthily high blood pressure levels, even in middle age, when blood pressure levels typically rise as part of the aging process. Whether or not you are taking antihypertensive drugs, the need to make dietary improvements (eg. follow a healthy low-fat diet) is frequently at the top of a doctor's list of recommendations to reduce or prevent the onset of high blood pressure. Before outlining the best type of diet for hypertension, let's take a brief look at health consequences of raised blood pressure.

Hazards of Hypertension & High Blood Pressure
In under developed as well as developed countries, an estimated 20-40 percent of all adults suffer from persistent high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts a strain on the heart causing atherosclerosis(Thickenning of vessels). Result is damage to heart, Coronary artery disease, Kidney failure, Strok, Eye damage. Choice is yours, try to save these vital organs by controlling your BP. Remember Hypertension is a silent Killer, it shows its effects silently and when you come to know that you have BP, by that time hypertension often affects your vital organs.

Normal Blood Pressure Levels vs. Prehypertensive and Hypertensive
Normal blood pressure of an healthy adult at rest, is 120 (systolic) over 80 (diastolic) or less. Blood pressure levels greater than 120/80 and below 140/90 are at prehypertensive stage, while levels above 140/90 are considered hypertensive stage. Both prehypertensive and hypertensive subjects should make diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to reduce or prevent the onset of hypertension and reduce the risk of heart di sease.

Weight increases blood Pressure
Over weight persons will be having high blood pressure. Weight reduction significantly decreases blood pressure.People with obesity double their risk of developing the disorder. In addition, roughly 7 out of 10 obese adults suffer from high blood pressure. If you lose even 10 pounds can produce noticeable improvements.

Dietary Advice and Tips For High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure and not overweight, here are few tips to control your BP.

Choose A Healthy Balanced Diet
If you want to reduce your blood pressure, your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods, while low in saturated and trans-fats. It should also be low in cholesterol, high in fiber, calcium,potassium and magnesium, and moderately high in protein. The American Heart Association and U.S. government recommend the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet as a good diet guide to reduce blood pressure.

First thing is to Reduce Your Intake of Sodium (Salt)
How salt intake increases blood pressure. Eating too much salt or sodium-rich foods leads to a greater uptake of fluid and causes greater retension of water inside body, leads to volume overloard and High blood presure. It also places extra strain on the arterioles (blood vessels that dilate/constrict to regulate blood pressure and blood flow). Both these effects lead to higher blood pressure. The Recoomended daily dose for sodium for most people is 2,400 mg.

You can Reduce Sodium Intake
How can you decrease sodium intake? Eat less pre-cooked or processed food, and eat more fresh food. Sodium is found naturally in fresh foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, and dairy products, but in much lower quantities than in processed foods (eg. packet, bottled or canned food).

High Sodium Foods
These foods typically have a high sodium content. In order not to exce ed the RDA, either avoid them altogether, or choose low-sodium varieties.
Sauces: baking soda, barbecue sauce, catsup, garlic salt, mustard, onion salt,Soy sauce, steak sauce, salad dressing, baking powder, mustard, onion salt, seasoned salts like lemon pepper, bouillon cubes, meat tenderizer, and monosodium glutamate.
Salted Snacks: peanuts, pretzels, pork rinds. Tortilla chips, corn chips
Soup: instant soups, Regular canned soups.
Pickled Food: Olives, or sauerkraut, Herring, pickles, relish,
Meats: smoked or cured meats (containing sodium-nitrite) such as bacon, bologna, hot dogs, ham, corned beef, luncheon meats, and sausage, Hogmaws, ribs, and chitterlings,.
Dairy: Most cheese spreads and cheeses.
Drinks: club soda, saccharin-flavored soda,
Cereals: Instant hot cereals, Regular ready to eat cold cereals,
Ready-to-Eat: boxed mixes like rice, scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese and some frozen dinners, pot pies and pizza. Quick cook rice, instant noodles,
Fats: Butter, fatback, and salt pork.

Check Labels of Food Containers:
Choose those foods which labeled as low-sodium, very low sodium, or salt-free. Check food labels for words that indicate a high sodium content, including: sodium nitrite, sodium proprionate, disodium phosphate, and sodium sulfate., monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate, sodium hydroxide,

Lower Sodium Eating Habits
Do not add extra salt when cooking or preparing meals. Cook with more herbs and spices.
Do not have salt on the table while eating do not add salt on salad.
If you cook with salt, switch to chili, ginger and lemon juice for flavoring.
If you eat cured/smoked meats, switch to fresh cold meats.
If you eat ready-to-serve breakfast cereal, choose low-sodium types of cereal.
Rinse before eating, If you eat tuna, salmon, sardines, or mackerel canned in water.
If you eat soup, switch to low-sodium or fresh soups.
If you cook with whole milk or fat diet, switch to 1 percent or skimmed buttermilk.
Remember taking less salt diet, Your BP will be in normal Limits.

If you want to know more about High Blood Pressure Diet Visit our website.

How To Adjust Your Diet To Lose 10 Pounds

January comes and soon December is here — you haven't completed your new year's resolution yet to lose those extra 10 pounds. You sigh with dread because once again you face an enormous challenge.

How can you increase the odds to overcome this challenge? Start with being honest with yourself about your eating habits. Pinpoint exactly what you eat, as well as how much and how often. See the real you- the person who finishes a bucket of fried chicken in one sitting every Sunday afternoon.

Knowing your unique eating habits can help you find reasonable ways to change. Perhaps you love rich potato salads, loaded with mayonnaise. Or you must have steak, with the fat included. You may be shocked to see that you eat only a few vegetables, letting a head of lettuce wilt away in the fridge. And you discover that potato chips aren't actually vegetables.

Eating more vegetables can help you lose 10 pounds. But you can't avoid unhealthy foods alt ogether since the craving for junk food will build until it becomes irresistible. As a result, you may give in to the cravings by eating too many bags of potato chips. Instead, reward yourself every so often with treats.

Another useful technique to lose 10 pounds requires you to chew food slowly. Not only can you prevent choking, but you can also enjoy each bite, rather than devouring your food as if you're late for a meeting. If you're really running late, you might put off eating for later. In other words, you control food— food doesn't control you.

What if you want to lose 10 pounds faster? Then you could try making more changes in your eating habits, like:

-- Leave off the sauce. Forget marinating with rich liquids or barbecue sauce by using a good substitute, like a paste made from blending hot, ground chili peppers with water. You also get better flavor by spicing up your food with various seasonings.

-- Use boneles s chicken. Drumsticks may look mouth-watering, but not when you think about the extra fat. Instead, use boneless chicken and bake it.

-- Leave out the salt. Try salting every dish you cook with half as much salt: if you use 1 teaspoon to flavor the vegetable soup, try 1/2 teaspoon. By the way, soups are a great way to get more vegetables in your diet- just make sure you buy low sodium soup.

You could practice making these changes and whatever else you think of, until you lose 10 pounds. You eventually won't want to go back to your old eating habits because you'll be addicted to feeling and looking great. In other words, your new dietary habits will become a part of your life.

Hair Loss - 10 Diet Tips on How to Reduce Hair Loss

Almost all of the cases of permanent hair loss or balding is a result of hereditary influences. Temporary hair loss, on the other hand, can result from nutritional deficiency, among other causes. If the proper diet is maintained, poor nutrition will be avoided. Thus, this will help reduce hair thinning and loss. Here are a few facts that may help us determine what and what not to include in our diet:

1. A high-fat and high-sodium diet contributes in hair loss. Such a diet harms our kidneys and increases the acidity of our blood, resulting in hair loss. Having a low-fat diet may help slow down the hair thinning process. According to some studies, male pattern baldness is connected to high testosterone levels, which may have resulted from consuming a high-fat and high-animal protein diet.

2. Too little protein in one's diet, on the other hand, can also lead to hair loss since it can make the hair go into a resting phase.

3. Monosaturate d fats, such as those found in nuts and extra virgin olive oil, encourages hair growth and revitalizes hair follicles.

4. Avoid ingesting foods with large amounts of carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, and potatoes. Carbohydrates are converted to glucose during the digestion process, and this raises the blood sugar level of the body. Cutting down our blood sugar level helps in reducing hair loss.

5. Have no more than one drink of alcohol per day. Alcoholic drinks lower the zinc, vitamin B, vitamin C, and folic acid levels in our body. This would lead to a deficiency in vitamins that are important for the health of our hair. Moreover, alcohol contains a high level of sugar and calories.

6. Limit your caffeine intake. Caffeine decreases the levels of vitamins B and C, potassium, and zinc in our body. This deficiency in vitamins would strain the adrenal glands and this would increase the levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, a form o f testosterone that induces hair loss and prostate growth.

7. Soy protein stimulates hair growth. In one study, an increase of 15% in hair growth was observed. Good sources of soy protein include soy milk, tofu, fish, eggs, yogurt, and cheese.

8. Anemia is one cause of hair thinning. In order to avoid this, eat a lot of iron-rich foods. Examples include dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, cherry juice, liver, eggs, raisins, dates, and whole grain cereals.

9. Silica is another nutrient that helps improve the health of our hair. It reduces hair loss, promotes healthier hair regrowth, strengthens hair follicles, and gives shine and luster to our hair. Studies conducted in Europe have shown that silica intake slows down hair loss. An example of silica-rich food is raw oats.

10. Incorporate iodine-rich foods into your diet as it is important in maintaining the health of your hair. Use sea salt to flavor your food. Eat veg etables such as spinach, carrots, turnips, and cabbage. Pine nuts, mustard, soybeans, millet, and cold-pressed seed oils such as pumpkin, walnut, and flax seed oil are also rich in the said nutrient.

Controlling Diabetes With Diet - A Natural Approach To Disease Management

If you are diabetic, in theory there is nothing that stops you from doing everything you used to do before you had diabetes. But in practice, you will have to make some lifestyle adjustments to manage your disease well such as controlling diabetes with a good diet.

In controlling diabetes with diet, one should keep in mind that there is more to treatment success than whipping the pantry into shape. The first is keeping a consistent watch on where your glucose levels are. Next is to find some ways to come up with a good diet and eventually help you control your diabetes.

Start at Home

Even though you are the one with the diabetes diagnosis, your whole family needs to make some adjustments to living with the disease. A healthful lifestyle matched with a good diet that promotes good blood glucose control is the best defense against diabetic complications. And the good news is that it is a great prescription for everyone around you as we ll.

Do not try to go it alone. The changes that diabetes brings to the dinner table can be positive ones for the entire family, particularly if your diet before now has been less than stellar.

Exercise is also a healthy choice for the whole family, both physically and on a psychological level - the family that plays together stays together.

Also, while kids should be able to enjoy the occasional treat that is not regularly on your meal plan, such as cookies or jellybeans, stocking up on junk food is not healthy for you or them. You do not need the temptation and they will be better off with more balanced fare. Limit treats to special occasions like birthdays or Halloween.

Start Out Slowly

Try limiting restaurant food to once a week and encouraging healthier menu choices. Instead of mandating "no junk food" off the bat, allow one selection of their choosing to be kept in a cabinet you do not frequent. Above all, work to provide lots of healthy, fresh, and good-tasting alternatives so the change is perceived as a positive one.

If your family members have a favorite food that is a no-no for you, only keep it on hand if you are sure it would not be calling you from the cupboard. Remember, you are not an ogre for requesting that Lucky Charms, Moon Pies, and potato chips be kept out of the pantry. No matter what degree of pouting and resistance you face from your spouse or children, stand firm. Bypassing these treats would not harm their health; having them could very well hurt yours.

Menu Planning

A meeting with a registered dietitian is an absolute must for anyone with diabetes. A good health expert will explain the mysteries of exchanges and carbohydrate counting to you and will work with you to create a meal plan that works with your lifestyle.

Parents cooking for a child with type 1 diabetes will have a whole different set of conc erns and dietary issues than, for example, an adult with type 2 who wants to learn how to eat for better control when he is out on the road.

Whether you are using carbohydrate counting or exchanges, your doctor will try to spread out your carbohydrate intake more or less evenly throughout the day to promote blood glucose balance. Again, your dietitian will work with you to come up with an appropriate amount of exchanges or carbohydrate grams, protein, and fat intake. He may also suggest other dietary guidelines based on your health history, such as low sodium if you have hypertension.

Diabetes Food Pyramid

Controlling diabetes will be a lot easier if you have a good diet to follow. And the most important guide you need to facilitate this is to know the diabetes food pyramid.

It is important to include a variety of vegetables, grains, fruits, and other nutrient-dense foods in your diet. Health experts suggest a slightly modi fied version of the recommended food pyramid as guideline for daily servings. The only difference is that starchy vegetables are moved out of the vegetable portion and down into the breads at the base of the pyramid with the rest of the starchy-heavy foods.

The general guideline should be:

1. Breads, legumes, grains, and starchy foods intake should be 6 to 11 servings

2. Nonstarchy vegetables: 3 to 5 servings

3. Fruits: 2 to 4 servings

4. Milk and yogurt: 2 to 3 servings

5. Meat and meat substitutes (proteins): 2 to 3 servings

6. Fats and sweets: Use sparingly

So the next time you plan your diet, keep in mind that your goal is not to eliminate the disease. As you go along, you will learn how to control diabetes with a good diet. It is more of keeping the culprits away from your kitchen so you can stay healthy and live longer.

Flat Belly Diet-Discover the Best Way to Lose Belly Fat Now!

There is the latest weight loss program called Flat Belly Diet. This diet is based on monounsaturated fats. Each meal should compose of this fat. The meal plan should be 1600 calories a day. The suggested foods are food with monounsaturated fats such as oils like canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, soybean and walnut nuts, almond butter, olives and dark chocolate. Fruits vegetables red meat and whole grains can also be included.

Like any other program, flat belly diet suggests exercise and offers cardio workouts and resistance training. Though, the program advertisement says there is no exercise needed. The press release says that Flat Belly Diet can be at its best and at its worse. The diet's target market is the people with fat belly. The marketing of Flat belly diet is not taken seriously; it is indeed a healthy diet and will positively lead to weight loss. The question is....is this just another fad? That will make every person who does it frustrated? Some says the Flat belly diet does not work. But, how come Rachel Ray endorses this diet? Researches has proven that 95-98'5 of the dieters that use Flat belly diet are not successful in their permanent weight loss objectives and they even get fat even more when they started doing the diet. The flat belly diet is just a temporary solution.

They key to achievable permanent weight loss using the flat belly diet is to gaining the ideal weight and get rid of the extra fat through change in lifestyle, doing the flat belly diet while changing eating habits by eating, exercising and sleeping on time.

What is so positive about the flat belly diet?

Flat belly diet recommends varying eating habits. They suggest better options, getting rid of meats and focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains. The program also offer means to trace the progress of the program, interacting with other people who are using the diet plan and the support team onli ne.

One of the flaws of the flat belly diet is that advertising that there is no exercise needed but on the contrary they also said "in order to achieve the best result exercise is recommended." It is always better to have physical activities in order to lose weight. It is an essential to have best possible health. There should be 20-60 minutes of physical activities per day. Although, there are easy exercise that can be done at home and there is no need to visit the gym. Claiming "no exercise needed" is primarily a manner of just selling more the Flat belly diet that are seeking for an easy to do program.

The flat belly diet is a healthy diet program. Flat belly diet is exciting because of two reasons, the best results for the beginners and the super yummy foods included in the list of the program at the same time they are healthy fats. It is just losing weight and having fun eating at the same time.

Low-Carb Out, High-Fiber In

While at the grocery store, have you noticed that you have more choices than ever from food manufacturers? Low-fat, high-protein, low-sodium, and especially high-fiber foods have become the growing trend impacting our shopping carts, taste buds and our health. High fiber is no longer the 'neglected nutrient'. Its role in healthy lifestyles has become the buzzword for today's health-conscious consumer. The whole-grain trend has apparently surpassed the low carb movement. Fiberlady says it's about time.

Continued research encourages the food industry to develop whole-grain products that are more appealing and acceptable to you and me. By exploring new technology for grain-processing, the texture and taste of whole-grain products is being altered. There is currently marketed a fiber-enriched flour that tastes and has a similar texture of white bread. The mounting presence of dietary fiber in our food sources should easily satisfy a wide range of dietary needs, tastes a nd choices.

Fiberlady has curiously noticed foods such as cereals, breads and pastas, the once dreaded low-carbs, have now become the darlings of health-conscious, high-fiber food fans. There are good carbs that not only help you with weight loss and control, but also protect your health.

"The percentage of products being marketed as fiber-enriched has increased from 2.3 percent in 2000, 2.5 percent in 2001, 2.8 percent in 2002, 3 percent in 2003, to 4.2 percent this year," comments Tom Vierhile, the executive editor of Productscan Online. "Four years of consective growth is pretty good evidence of a trend." The revisions in the new food pyramid will help promote the trend for high fiber foods and high-fiber diets as well.

The daily recommendation of dietary fiber by nutritional experts is 20-35 grams. Studies support over and over again the health benefits of consuming high fiber foods. A high fiber diet helps to protect and prevent cardiovascular dise ase, reduces the risk of some cancers,aids in weight loss,lowers cholesterol levels, and helps regulate diabetes and high blood pressure.

Fiberlady recognizes that we have come along way in the evolution of our species, but we didn't get this far by eating highly-refined, processed foods. Fast food for our ancestors meant grabbing an apple off the nearest tree. There was an undeniable instinct for nutrient-rich fibrous plants.

Today, we descendants of the apes eat barely enough high-fiber foods to keep a monkey in bananas. There is a challenging road ahead to redefine overly-refined foods. The food industry needs to consciously bridge the gap in nutritional awareness among consumers. Informative websites are abundant and can address all of your high fiber questions and/or doubts.

Fiberlady wants you to raise your high fiber IQ and do the same for the people you care about, choose high fiber foods. Even if you have to read every nutritional fact on ever y food label on the grocer's shelf, choose high fiber foods. Think about the alternative.

Top 8 Abs Food for Your Abs Diet ( Part 1 )

I guess its a a well-known fact that our diet plays a significant factor in determining whether will we get the 6 pack abs we desired .No matter how great your workout routine is and how much sweat you sweated out, having the wrong type of diet will bring you nowhere to getting the 6 pack abs.

In order to get the 6 pack abs, you're going to have to obtain very low body fat digits such that the top layer of your stomach is decreased,showing your ab muscles. In general, the abs muscles will most likely start to reveal itself once you get your body fat % to be below 10 %.However, don't get hung up on the numbers too much. Constantly see yourself in the mirror and judge yourself whether do you still need to decrease your body fat %.

In order to decrease your fat % , you will need to incorporate "abs food"
( Foods that are specifically geared towards maximum fat loss and muscle maintenance) in your abs diet.

With that, I present you the list of th e top ab foods that should be keeping your stomach's gastric juice churning at them constantly :

1) Spinach and other vegetable

2) Egg whites

3) Apple

4) Peanut Butter

5) Diary products

6) Turkey and other lean meat

7) Unsweetened Oatmeal

8) Low sodium cottage cheese

1st abs food for your abs diet - Spinach and other green vegetables

Vegetables in general, are packed with important nutrients. Spinach in particular, is a favorite vegetable recommended by most professional instructors mainly due to its extreme high value of nutrient. Spinach itself contains a substantial amount of carotenoids ( serve as biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals and singlet oxygen).as well as quercetin ( a phytochemical which presents antioxidant effects too.) Moreover, you will also get folic acid, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese to that and more protei n from spinach than from many of the other vegetable options. It is also loaded with folate - a vitamin that protects against heart disease, stroke, and colon cancer.

Preparation Procedure : You may dress a sandwich with Spinach or stir-fry it with garlic and olive oil.

2nd abs food for your abs diet - Egg whites

Egg whites, being relatively cheap and readily available is another favorite ab food recommended by most professional trainers. Egg whites contain the highest "biological value of protein " - allowing us to digest the protein rapidly, making the protein in eggs more effective at building muscles than protein from other food sources. Moreover, eggs also contain vitamin B12 , which is necessary for fats breakdown.

Health concern about eggs: For a long time, eggs were considered as a harmful food to consume due to its relatively high amount of cholesterol value. However, studies have actually shown that eat ing an egg or two each day will not increase your cholesterol fact. In fact, most blood cholesterol comes from dietary fats instead of dietary cholesterol. Therefore, you wont have to be too uptight about your cholesterol level when consuming eggs.

The remaining abs food will be covered in the article : "The top 8 abs food for your abs diet ( Part 2 )". Do lookout for it !

Lose Weight Diet ! No Fun!

Times are rough! Okay, maybe that's a bit over-dramatic. Times are rough for some people, and not so much for others. I suppose overall we currently reside in a pretty wonderful world. However, those who're constantly struggling with their weight may not see things the same way. In fact, many of these individuals are down-right depressed. Maybe they have difficulty sticking to a diet, or they simply love food a little too much. Well, the cold, harsh truth is that a REAL lose weight diet consists of routine and will power. You have to adopt proper eating habits and conform to a strict exercise regimen. This is the best route to take if you truly want results. You must stick to the program!

When people mention the phrase "lose weight diet," what comes to mind? I generally picture low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium foods with plenty of nutrients, along with a consistent workout program. And let's not forget plenty of water and rest. These are the bare essentials folk s. These are the key ingredients for any effective lose weight diet. You must change your eating habits and stay strong. I always hear people say "But what if I work out four days a week and just keep eating like I do?" Hmm, this is unlikely to be effective for someone overweight. You must also change your poor eating habits in order to shed pounds of fat. You may not gain any additional weight since you're working out routinely, but you may not lose anything either. It's sort of a stagnant position.

My guess is you really want to lose a specific number of pounds. Most people do. Ask them and they'll tell you. My spouse is a perfect example. She wants to drop 10 pounds. Maybe she believes that 10 pounds is what's keeping her from an ideal size and weight. Either way, she needs a serious lose weight diet to accomplish her weight loss goal. And the same goes for you as well.

Losing weight is never fun. The majority of us hate to even have to grapple w ith our weights. It's a pesky annoyance that comes with life and aging. Now, if you're serious about dropping pounds and getting results, remember what must be focused on. Eating right, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits and water; exercising regularly, 4-5 days a week, mostly cardio to start; and sticking to your program. Soon you will reach that desired weight you're after.

Gallstone Treatment - How a Gallbladder Diet Could Help Pass Your Gallstones Naturally

So what is the best gallstone treatment out there? Obviously, a surgeon would recommend getting your gallbladder permanently removed. But is removing your organ worth $15,000 if it cures you of gallstones but leaves you susceptible to bowel or colon cancer.

Most natural health doctors and some traditional doctors would disagree with the practice of gallbladder surgeries, also called cholecystectomies. Often times, doctors don't think twice about sending their patients to surgery to remove their organ. However, recent research showing that this type of surgery increases the risk of bowel and colon cancers.

Thousands of sufferers are now postponing their surgeries and flushing their gallstones with simple remedies that include a gallbladder diet.

Why Your Diet Can Cure You?

I'm always reminded of the old saying, "You are what you eat!" And it is surprising how much your diet means to every aspect of your health, including your gallstones.

Fact! The most recent research is showing how gallstones can be caused by a person's diet. Obesity is also a major risk factor for causing gallstones.

Therefore, cholesterol gallstones develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts. And since obesity tends to cause excess cholesterol in bile, low bile salts, and decreased gallbladder emptying, a person could be a prime candidate for the disease.

But if a person becomes pro-active about their diet and health, you may be able to flush your gallstones in days and return back to a normal lifestyle. In fact, hundreds of our customers were days away from surgery when they found some of our simple and practical suggestions for flushing cholesterol-based gallstones.

Here are some tips involving your diet!

S ecrets for a Simple Gallbladder Diet

1. It is important to know that gallstones can form when you go on a weight loss diet. Common factors that cause gallstones are rapid weight loss, very low calorie diets, or prolonged fasting.

If you are going to diet (which is a good idea), you should know that eating right (good calories) and exercise are the two keys to success.

2. Think long-term! Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can eat well for a week and eat poorly the rest of the year. Eating healthy should be part of your lifestyle. You should always remember that you will feel better, look better, age better, and be better if you eat healthy. With all this said, avoid fast foods and processed foods that are high in fat, cholesterol and sodium. This will take loads of stress off your gallbladder and possibly pass a few stones.

3. Avoid red meats which have higher cholesterol and choose fish, chicken and other white meats.

4. Substitute all salad dressings for vinegar and oil which is healthier and passes through your body faster.

5. Make a fist! That is about the size your meals should be because that is about the size your stomach should be. Most of us have an enlarged stomach because of our super-sized meals. If you have excess fat on your body, you are eating too much. A great way to take stress off your gallbladder and shed some pounds is to eat meals the size of your fist. 5 meals a day!

6. Forget soda! Actually, you should avoid all carbonated drinks because they will cause more pain from the movement of your gallstone.

7. Flush! You should think of your body as a toilet that needs to be flushed. You may need to begin drinking 10 glasses of water a day. You may have to finally enjoy fruits and vegetables (fiber) and begin eating 6 a day. The better flushing you do, the more likely you are to pass a stone from a bile duct.

8. Think simple! The best diet is a simple diet with raw, fresh fruits and vegetables. After a couple weeks, your bad-food cravings will begin to go away! Stay strong and eat healthy because it only gets easier.

9. Here is a quick list of foods to avoid: oily foods, spicy foods, eggs, red meats, eggs, pork, onions, milk, corn, beans and nuts.

10. Perform a gallbladder and liver cleanse after visiting your grocery stone. Most grocery stores have everything you need for your annual gallbladder and liver cleanse. Our Gallstones Remedy Report offers a simple step by step remedy that is guaranteed to work!

Flush Your Gallstones by Tomorrow

Obviously, your diet and prevention is the first step to success for flushing your gallstones. However, if you are serious about dissol ving and flushing your gallstones by tomorrow, please visit our Gallstone Treatment website.

We offer the only 6-month trail, 100% guarantee on a gallstone remedy that has worked for thousands of other sufferers. To read our remedy in minutes, please visit us today!

 

Fruit Flush Three Day Detox Diet

The fruit flush three day detox diet can be particularly used for cleansing after festive season. Jay Robb's methodology of helping the body get rid of all the impurities body would accumulate by piling up the body system by over stuffing oneself with all sorts of food and drink during the holiday season is quite a craze.

The objective of this diet plan is allowing the body to loose all those additional kilos gained by having the delicious meals and drinks during an extended party, a vacation or during festivals. Regaining the figure and vitality is the mantra of this diet. Due to over indulgence in food besides putting on weight, the system also gets clogged up and requires cleansing. The option to look for is the all fruit diet.

As the name suggests, the fruit flush is a 3-day diet consisting of just fruits. Fruits help in dissolving stored toxins, the water and fiber in the fruits help to flush out wastes aiding in weight reduction. It also str engthens the body and helps in improving the metabolism of liver which plays a vital role in discarding the toxins.

1st day: the pre-flush

On the first day of this diet plan between 8 am and 4 pm one has to drink protein mix (11/4 cup protein powder and 1 quart water), this has to be consumed every two hours. Make it a point to eat 3 to 6 cups of raw vegetable salad and 3 to 6 ounces of lean chicken, beef, fish or turkey at 6 pm. This food should have a topping of 1 to 2 ounces of olive oil or flax seed oil, or half avocado and half a lemon juice. After taking each protein milk or drink, one hour later drink water around 8-12-ounces.

2nd and 3rd day: fruit flush three day detox diet

On the second and third day between 8 am and 4 pm help yourself with fresh fruit serving, at an interval of two hours. At 6 pm, like the first day eat a single serving of raw vegetable salad. Along with this also drink one protein drink comprisi ng of 12 ounces of water and 5 tablespoons of protein powder.

Unlike the 30-day detox diet or fasting, the fruit flush three day detox diet can be followed for a period of up to 12 weeks, by following the diet plan for 3 days and taking 4 days off alternately. The diet is based on natural fruits and vegetables and followed uninterrupted, definitely aids in considerable weight loss without any negative effects on the system and functions. The program has had very good reviews. The dieters say the diet is rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and low in potassium and sodium. Hence this kind of diet apart from aiding in detoxifying the body and reducing body weight also improves energy level, ensures regular bowel movements and cleansing the system and improves skin tone.

The fruit flush diet program does not advocate use of any kind of chemicals such as preservatives, laxatives or pills; also Robb does not insist on any particular exercise regime d uring the course of diet. Inspite of all this there are a few negatives.

One of the important thing is it is a very low calorie diet, hence not a balanced one. It is not a program which can be continued for very long term for reducing weight. It is not ideal if you are on a fat loss program. Many individuals who have tried it are not very convinced with the recommendation of using Robb's protein powder. The affirmative reviews definitely outweigh the negative noises and several dieters give their own handy protein mixtures to the people opting for this diet plan and manage to obtain the desired results of the fruit flush diet program!

Raw Food Diet and Weight Loss

It is believed that if food is heated to over 116 deg. F enzymes which assist in digestion and absorption of the food are destroyed. Raw food diet is based on the use of uncooked and unprocessed plant food such as fresh vegetables, fruits, seed, sprouts, grains, nuts, dried fruits, etc.
To derive the full benefit of raw food diet our diet must comprise at least 75 % of the raw and living components.

Raw food is low on saturated fats and components of hydrogenated oils as compared to the conventional diet. It has low sodium content and is richer in magnesium, folate and potassium. It has higher fiber content and it contains phytochemicals which are health promoting plant chemicals. Raw food diet has less fat, less calories.

Raw food has many benefits. It improves digestion and improves skin appearance. It gives increased energy and it reduces risk of heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. It can lead to healthy weight loss.

What can you eat in Raw Food Diet

Use organic and unprocessed items such as fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, seeds, fruits. Grains, nuts, legumes, dried fruits, seaweed are permitted. Purified water and young cocoanut milk are also permitted.

What cooking techniques can be used

Food should not be heated to 116 deg. F; such high temperature heating destroys the enzymes and the beneficial properties of raw food. Sprouting of beans, seeds and grains make them easier on digestion at the same time providing their flavor and variety. Similarly you can soak nuts and dried fruits. Juicing of fruits and vegetables as well as blending with other items will add variety to diet. You can use dehydrated food also.

Precautions

Raw food diet is basically very healthy but some people who have been previously used to diets rich in meat, caffeine or sugar may have mild but harmless reactions when they start on raw food diet. They may experience n ausea, headaches or cravings for a few days. Raw food diet is not suitable for pregnant or nursing women or children. It is not suitable for anemic persons and persons suffering from osteoporosis.

Raw food diet may be found to be deficient in proteins, calories, vitamins B12. It may be deficient in certain minerals such as calcium and iron. You may consult your physician for suitable supplements.

Criticism of Raw Food Diet

Apart fro nutritional deficiencies of raw food diet, critics are against the basic premise about the foot being unsuitable if heated to over 116 deg F because of destruction of enzymes. Critics argue our bodies do use their own enzymes and are not dependent on enzymes from the raw food.

It is also argued that raw food diet may not be suitable for people in colder climate.

A Simple 1200 Calorie Diet Plan

 

Dealing with obesity can be very frustrating; as it takes a lot of time to burn calories and attain the perfect figure you always wanted. Most people tend to starve their bodies but what really happens is that the body slows down its use of calories thereby showing no significant weight loss on the scale. According to fitness experts, it is healthy to consume 1200 calories on a daily basis so as to provide the necessary nutrients to the body and allow for the calorie deficit required for fast weight loss.

Most diet plans that are devised by nutritionists and medical professionals are designed to accommodate 1200 calories. However certain factors do affect the number of calories a person needs to eat to attain weight loss. These factors would include gender, age, metabolic rate, fitness levels, exercise regime, medical history, and body size. A person's individual calorie requirement is calculated keeping all these criteria in mind.

Although 12 cal ories may sound like a lot of food, that's not actually true. Calories add up quickly and a balance of macronutrients is necessary so that you feel full and satisfied and do not feel the need to consume more calories. Macronutrients can be provided to the body in the form of fats, carbohydrates, and protein. The macronutrients can be consumed in the following manner:

55% of calories from complex carbohydrates

15% calories from protein

30% calories from fats (only 10% saturated fats)

These percentages would translate into 660 calories from carbohydrates, 180 calories from protein, and 360 calories from fat. However these percentages can be tweaked a bit to fit certain medical conditions.

A classic example of a 1200 calorie diet plan would be as follows:

Breakfast

1 English muffin made from whole wheat

Peanut butter – one tablespoon

Half banana

Mid-morning Snack

One apple and twenty almonds

Lunch

Whole wheat bread – two slices

Turkey breast (low sodium) – 2oz.

Cheese – 1oz.

Mustard – one tablespoon

Tomato

Lettuce

One orange

Mid-afternoon Snack

Low-fat yogurt - 8 oz.

Dinner

Baked, grilled, or broiled chicken breast (skinless) - 3 oz.

1 cup cooked broccoli or any other vegetable

Brown rice - 2/3 c.

Evening Snack

1% milk - 1 cup

Fig cookies (low fat) - 2

There are number of advantages of going on a 1200 calorie diet plan. The biggest advantage of this diet is that addition of wholesome, nutritious foods ensure that cravings for food are minimized. As a result, you can easily avoid episodes of over-eating and keep your weight in control. Since the diet includes the goodness of various food groups, it provides energy to each and every cell of your body. You must drink about 48 ounces of water along with snacks and meals to keep your body we ll-hydrated.

This diet is not appropriate for pregnant or breast-feeding women whose daily calorie requirement is much higher. It would be a good idea to consult your nutritionist or physician before taking up any diet plan for weight loss. You can speed up the weight loss process by adding an exercise session to your daily routine.

Lifestyle Diet

Lifestyle Diets

It's become increasing clear that diets don't work. Most of the popular diets that people have tried over the past few years focused on restricting or even eliminating whole food groups. People lost weight on these diets and then, of course gained the weight back. Now there is a small and hopefully growing trend towards lifestyle diets.

Lifestyle diets focus on how one lives and then proposes easy to implement changes to help people to lose and most importantly keep weight off. This is very important because yo yo dieting is dangerous and may cause some serious health threats. A study done at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center by Dr. Ulrich found that the women who yo yo dieted the most had a lower number of natural killer cells. These killer cells are the cells in your immune system that aim at viruses.

The statement above does not mean that people should not try to lose weight. Obesity contributes to many disease stat es and is being considered as a separate risk factor when health care professionals evaluate heart disease risk. What this does mean is that people need to lose weight by making small changes that fit into their lives. Here are some principles that people can follow to make small changes in order to achieve permanent weight loss:

Plan Ahead

Portion Control

Fill Up With Fiber

Take 3 Deep Breaths And Drink Water

Balance Your Choice

Cheat

Plan Ahead: Eating mindlessly with no plan is like driving to a new destination with no directions. You need to have a plan for eating at home, work and while traveling or eating out. Fill your refrigerator with fresh cut vegetables and fruits so that they're easy to get to. If you have to keep high fat and sugar foods in your home, put them somewhere where it's difficult for you to get to and stay away from that food. Better yet, don't have it in your h ome in the first place. Buy pre-cooked lean protein, low fat high fiber cereals or low sodium, low fat frozen dinners so that there is always healthy food around.

Portion Control: This is one of the most important areas of any lifestyle diet. Some people refuse to eat "rabbit food" and have lives that socially revolve around food that isn't good for weight loss. These people will do best by significantly reducing their portions. Start by leaving a third of what you normally eat on your plate.

Fill Up With Fiber: Fiber is an essential part of weight loss because it makes you feel full and helps you with elimination. When purchasing cereals, check the label for a fiber number of over 5 grams. This will be under the carbohydrate section. You can also get lots of great fiber from fruits and vegetables.

Take 3 Deep Breaths and Drink Water: When you are about to binge and are eating out of emotion as opposed to hunger try this: stop and take 3 long and slow deep breath, exhaling as slowly as possible. Then drink a big glass of water and wait 10 minutes before you go for that binge. You just may skip it.

Balance Your Choice: This step has a small learning curve, but try to have a bit of a protein and a carbohydrate with every meal. This will help to control your blood sugar levels and insure more adequate nutrition.

Cheat: Everyone needs a break and if you stop eating all the foods that you enjoy, you will resent your eating habits and binge. Therefore, plan one day per week, it could be a special event where you allow yourself some of your favorite foods. Try to still be aware of portions when you do this.

The pH Miracle Diet - Must-Know Basics!

The latest path breaking invention to strike the world of nutrition and dieting is the pH Miracle Diet. Experts have noted that popular dieting plans seem to vary from time to time. For instance, the 90s marked lo-fat diets, and the last decade has focused on low-carbohydrate diets like Protein Power, South Beach diet, Sugar busters and Atkins. People begin to get frustrated with each new diet and start looking for newer options. The pH miracle has stolen the spotlight currently.

This diet appeals to most people as it completely different from the usual high- protein, low carbohydrate diets that have ruled the last couple of years. The pH diet, also known as the Young Diet, named after its founder Dr. Robert Young, or the alkaline diet, has a unique approach towards the supply of nutrition. Many medical experts, nutritionists and doctors find this diet program as an extremely balanced approach to achieve nutrition that considers the true requirements of the b ody.

Normally, our bodies have a slightly alkaline pH value. The principle is that as our body functions best at alkaline pH; our diet must be comprised of alkaline foods. The normal diet of an average American contains several acidic foods, including sugar caffeine, animal protein and packaged food. These acidic products disturb the pH level of the human body and thereby cause a myriad of problems. The principles of this diet claim that acidic foods hinder the benefits of alkaline minerals, including potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium, which make people vulnerable to chronic conditions.

The real essence of the pH diet
Nutrition and health experts have realized that the food which a person consumes as part of his diet has a distinct effect on his overall health pattern. Though the medical community has given special importance to a balanced, nutritional diet which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat items, the pH diet is a step ahead. It clearly indicates that acidic foods deprive the body of its essential minerals. People, who adopt the pH miracle diet, have learnt to avoid intake of food that causes disastrous effects to health.

Most foods that we commonly consume are strictly forbidden in the pH diet. The most surprising of these restrictions is the removal of wheat products. Though the FDA suggests consumption of whole wheat products, the pH diet claims that grains like millet, wheat, rice and oats are harmfully acidic. Alkaline grains such as quinoa, spelt and buckwheat are favoured due to their alkalizing benefits.

Usually, dairy and meat products are banned from the pH miracle Diet. For your protein source, goat milk is allowed. Protein is also available in tofu, nuts, seeds and beans. Almost all vegetables, except mushroom, have a high alkalizing effect. Intake of fruits is limited to grapefruit, lime, lemon and coconuts.

People who have a dopted the pH miracle diet claim that there had been tremendous effect on their health well within the first couple of weeks. It is advisable to lower the consumption of pre-processed foods, and increase the intake of vegetables, irrespective of what the diet specifies for the person. As a matter of fact, this has become the point of major criticism of the pH diet. Opponents claim that those who are already consuming fresh food and plenty of water will find no effect from this diet. They ignore the pH balance theory.

Another significant point to be noticed is that there is no scientific proof of the theories involved in pH miracle diet. Several conventional doctors find no benefits arising from this diet. But the principles of this diet are based completely on Chinese medicine, which has been in practice for centuries. These proponents are currently being studied at the John Hopkins' University and by the United Nations. Critics may have to amend their attitude towards the basis of the diet.

Top Most Diet Drinks and Benefits

Many low-calorie diet drinks get their sweetness from the common sweetener aspartame. While regular soda remains the king of the soft-drink industry, consumption of diet versions has increased consistently. A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. When it comes to beverages, consider more healthful alternatives, and save the sodas for weekend treats.

The first artificial sweeteners used in diet soda were cyclamates (often synergistically with saccharin). While many say these cyclamate-sweetened soda had a more pleasant taste than the diet soda that followed them, in 1970 the Food and Drug Administration banned cyclamates in the United States on evidence that they caused cancer in lab rats. Cyclamates are still used in many countries around the world, including for diet soda.
The Diet Soft Drink Information Center is an information portal offering a variety of resources all related to diet soft drinks. The diet soft drink ingredients such as citric acid, caffeine, low-calorie sweeteners and more.
Pop is sweetened, acidic, often caffeinated carbonated drink. There is "regular" pop that is sweetened with different kinds of sweeteners and "diet" pop that is sweetened with artificial sweeteners. The pH of regular and diet pops ranges from 2.47-3.35.
Aspartame has had anything but a sweet run, since it was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration in 1981. Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener, which was invented in 1965. Weight for weight, it is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. The acceptable daily Intake is about 50 mg/kg of body weight per day. For a 75 kg person, this works out to 20 cans of diet drink per day.
Coca-Cola and Britvic's Pepsi Max and Diet Pepsi all contain sodium benzoate. Their makers and the British Soft Drinks Association said they entrusted the safety of additives to the Government.
Diet Mountain Dew - Mountain Dew is one of the most popular citrus soft drinks. Both diet and regular have the same amount of caffeine. In countries outside the USA - Mountain Dew has either reduced amounts of caffeine (or no caffeine at all).

Anti Aging Diet - The Quest for the Elixir of Youth

For ages man has been trying to defy Father Time and Mother Nature. Eternal youth is a myth but you can definitely defy old age with anti aging diet. And contrary to popular myth, anti aging diet does not translate into starving yourself.

A strict adherence to any anti aging diet not only delays aging, but also prevents a large number of diseases and the ensuing stress and fatality. Such a diet plan is guaranteed to make you look younger and stay healthy too.

Anti aging diet is actually a form of calorie restriction. However, it is fundamentally different from the numerous fad diets that are featured in the newspaper daily. In this diet program, you eat less overall and keep a tab on the amount of fats and carbohydrates you are consuming.

How you keep a check on the calories is up to your convenience. You can skip your lunch, or gorge on all kinds of foods for a few days and then go hungry the other days of the week or you can limit your food intake on all days of the week.

The anti aging diet plan maintains a fine line between consuming less and being malnutritioned. That means you do not compromise on the essential nutrients by having more of anti aging food like fruits, vegetables and fishes.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, except avocadoes, coconuts and olives, are storehouses of essential vitamins and minerals. They are low on calories and devoid of fat, cholesterol and sodium, the culprits behind coronary diseases, diabetes and hypertension.

The anti aging diet program also emphasizes the intake of fruits and vegetables for they contain antioxidants in large measures. Antioxidants induce longevity by countering free oxygen radicals, which erode cell membranes and life-nourishing proteins. Antioxidants also stem the neural degeneration that comes with senility. It is no wonder that the National Cancer Institute recommends a daily anti aging diet of five fruit-and-vegetable portions. But the more, th e merrier.

You cannot banish fat entirely from your diet but the anti aging diet plan counsels that fish be the source of this fat. The omega-3 fatty acids contained therein, inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, stimulate the immune system, reduce the chances of cardiac arrest and ward off depression.

Anti aging diet has caught on like nothing else and people are already swooning over the Jennifer Anniston endorsed Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. Both are essentially low carbohydrate diets.

While the Atkins Diet is formulated on the principle that when you are running low on carbs, the body is left with no other choice but to burn the fat, the South Beach Diet recommends complex carbs, which take time to break down so that you have less sugar cravings.

The hype surrounding anti aging diet seems justified for nothing less than your health is at stake.

Low Calorie Fat Diets

When you are on a low calorie diet, you will want to find recipes for foods that are low in calories. Yet, sometimes, you'll find something that you really would like to eat but it will have something in it that is high calorie. Can you still make it? How can you get around those tricky situations? To help you, there are a number of substitutions that you can easily use in most recipes to get all of the flavor and texture of the recipe you are looking for but with a whole lot less calories. Low calorie fat diets may be an alternative.

If you would like something cold but ice cream is just too rich in calories, consider low or non fat frozen yogurt. To replace whole milk, substitute it with skim milk. Look for reduced fat cheeses instead of standard cheese for a large deduction in calories, fat and sodium. For cakes and pies that are too calorie rich, look for something less rich such as angel food cake or sorbet with all of the sweetness you crave.

Pudding...sugar free pudding, even better is gelatin
Potato Chips...pretzels.
Doughnuts...go for bagels

That is just for taste. If you are looking for substitutions for ingredients in your favorite recipes, you can often find these too. Look for low fat foods instead of whole fat. When considering no fat foods, you'll find a real difference in the taste and often the texture of the food. Instead, take a few extra calories and take in the low fat foods.

You can also look at your oils. Extra virgin olive oil has a lot of good fats in it and is very good for your heart. Use this instead of vegetable oil. You'll find that margarine is a better choice over butter too. A good quality product won't taste bad either.

There are a number of other ways that you can handle the foods you eat. Look at the ingredients in your favorite recipe. Ask yourself what you can replace in that recipe that may be lower calorie than something alrea dy there. You may find that there are even some of the best flavors in these reduced calorie foods. Finally, don't feel that you have to spend a lot of money to be on a low calorie diet. Some of the best foods for you are whole vegetables and fruits.

The Secrets Behind pH Miracle Diet

The latest dieting phenomenon which has taken the health and nutrition sector by storm is the pH miracle diet. Diets are essentially fads which come and go, but more often than not, after the initial hype, people become frustrated with the diets because they do not produce the promised results. Examples of such diets would be the low-fat diet in the 90s, which gave way to low-carbohydrate diets such as Protein Power, Sugarbusters and Atkins, the South Beach Diet.

The pH miracle diet, or the alkaline diet or Young diet, named after its founder Robert Young, has been at the centre of attention since it was first introduced, because it does not follow the high protein, low carbohydrate diet advocated by dieticians for the past few years. How does a pH miracle diet work? The theory behind this is that our body is slightly alkaline. Since our body's mechanism functions best at the alkaline medium, it only makes sense for our diet to be mostly made up of alkaline fo ods. However, the food that we eat are considered acidic. Foods such as sugar, animal protein, caffeine and packaged food will introduce acids into our body, and thus interfering with the alkaline minerals in our body. Alkaline minerals are magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium, which protect our body from chronic illnesses.

Therefore, the idea behind the pH diet is to prevent us from falling prey to a host of diseases when these minerals are depleted due to the incorrect pH balance in your body. Do not go away with the notion that the acidic foods you consume are only done in small quantities. In fact, what you put in your mouth is significant enough to affect your overall health. Even though the usual balanced diet and the food pyramid recommended by doctors may seem sufficient, an inclusion of the pH diet will ensure avoidance of food that is detrimental to your health.

FDA often makes recommendations on food that are good for our health, and whole-wheat grain products is one such example. Going strictly by the pH diet theory, however, it falls into the category of "acidic foods" which we should avoid, together with millet, oats and rice. Instead, alkaline grains such as quinoa, spelt and buckwheat are better replacements due to the alkaline properties.

Thus, many of the foods that are supposedly recommended violate the pH miracle diet. Besides wheat, all meats and dairy products are also on the exclusion list. Alternative sources of protein can come from goat milk or vegetables like tofu, beans certain nuts and seeds, except for mushrooms. Fruits that are in the inclusion list are grapefruit, coconut, lemon and lime.

You will only be able to experience the difference after you've embarked on the pH miracle diet. Mind you, it's not just a slight improvement in your health, the effect is revolutionary! The rule of the thumb in any diet is to include more vegetables and fruits and lower th e consumption of processed food. This is why opponents of the pH miracle diet claims that pH balance does not play a vital part in maintaining our health since we are already eating healthily. Moreover, there is no solid scientific research to testify that this diet is beneficial to our health. On the other hand, many believe in its potential are it is currently being researched by John Hopkins' University and by Neil Solomon from the United Nations. Having its grounds firm in Chinese medicine and holistic medicine, it is hoped these new findings will prove the effectiveness of the pH miracle diet to its critics, and gain a new following on a quest to better health.

The Ultimate Weight Shredding Diet - Lose More Than 10 Kg in 30 Days

This diet is for all the people who want to lose more than twenty thirty pounds of weight. It can also be followed by anyone any gender. For breakfast you will have egg whites cooked egg whites in microwave. Do not add any salt in it, you can add any other herbs to the egg. Do not add any oil. Have half a grapefruit after you are done eating the egg. On alternate days have 1 orange and 6 egg whites for men, and 4 egg whites for women.

For mid morning snack you can have a low calorie protein shake, you can make this shake in low fat yogurt by adding any of your favorite fruits except bananas and mangoes or any protein bar or a 1 oz beef jerky. For lunch time you can have 4oz of grilled chicken or 1 small can low sodium spring water albacore tuna fish, half unpeeled apple, and 8 raw baby carrots. For dinner you can have 6 oz of grilled chicken or 8 oz of grilled fish or 4 oz of beef. Have one medium sized baked potato with 1 tea spoon of low fat margarine or 1 tea spoo n of low fat sour cream. Add half a cup of steamed broccoli or cauliflower or you can have a cup of green salad with squeezed lemon.

Before going to bed have an orange or ½ grapefruit. This diet will make you shed weight of like a machine, but make sure you add the exercise with it. It is advisable to do any type of cardiovascular exercise while doing this diet. you can do any type of exercise you want, the preferred ones are walking or running on the treadmill, or the elliptical. You can also swim if you want. Make sure you drink a lot of water while doing the diet. If you feel you are suffering from hair loss, get any multivitamin.

Watch Your Diet

Instead of eating a hamburger at lunch, you opt for chicken noodle soup and a slice of white bread without butter. Instead of snacking on potato chips, you munch on a couple of rice cakes.

Whole grains are very versatile and can be incorporated into all meals, snacks, appetizers, entrees, salads, soups and even desserts. Usually, a person eats foods high in caffeine, sugar, packaged foods and animal protein. These foods are acidic and have the ability to disturb the pH balance of the body, thereby creating a lot of health problems. Rather than focusing on how many carbs a food has look at the food's Glycemic Index, a measure of how much one's blood sugar rises after eating a particular food. Eating high GI foods means large amounts of glucose are released into the body.

Forget blood pressure, blood sugar, and hormone levels. The single most important health measurement is the pH level in your blood. Stick to healthy whole grains which are absorbed slowly and do not lead to imbalanced sugar levels, such as brown rice, millet, spelt, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth or natural white rice such as jasmin or basmati

Foods such as sugar, animal protein, caffeine and packaged food will introduce acids into our body, and thus interfere with the alkaline minerals in our body. Alkaline minerals are magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium, which protect our body from chronic illnesses. High-carb and high-glycemic foods (e.g., white potatoes, tropical fruit, dried fruit, sugar), as well as artificial sweeteners, are discouraged. Low/zero-calorie natural sweeteners such as stevia, lo-han, and xylitol are permitted. 

Dairy products turn into lactic acid because of its high concentration of sugar, which means you know it - acidic waste! The reason blood cholesterol, sugar, and triglycerides may be reduced on high protein diets is that people are eating much less, because of their loss of appetite, and sometimes nausea. Similar re sults, for similar reasons, are seen with cancer chemotherapy. This is very similar to the alkaline diet, in which you cut out all of the negative food stuffs, and replace with a diet rich in low sugar fruits, vegetables, good oils and small amounts of fish/lean meat. 

In all honesty, the only downside to paying to join a weight loss program or a weight loss plan is that you have to pay to do so. With that in mind, however, you should be able to find affordable weight loss programs and plans, both locally and online. The 5 Day Miracle Diet doesn't come easy, but it is a miracle worker if you follow the plan. 

I can attest first hand that the diet does work provided proper diligence is applied to the proposed meal plan. However, following the diet will prove to be no easy task as even the simple block plan amounts to a low calorie diet that leaves one in the same predicament of any other low calorie diet; a large requirement of willpower for long term success.

The Problem With Almost All Low Carb/High Protein Diets

Do they work? Yes -- you do lose weight initially on a High Protein/Low Carb diet but 90% of your initial weight loss is water. And that's where the problems begin.

What happens after your body has shed its water weight? It starts to burn the left over fat and then, because it lacks carbohydrates to burn for energy, it starts to burn protein - your muscles. These diets induce a metabolic condition known as ketosis which is really an unhealthy condition found in people who suffer from kidney disease and diabetes. It is not usually found in healthy people. Burning protein is not healthy because protein is nature's building material and is vital for repairing and rebuilding your body's cells, tissues and organs. Advocates of the Low Carb/High Protein/Fat diets play down ketosis and claim it's proof your body's burning fat. That's true in part. Ketosis does burn fat but will also, eventually, burn your body's muscle tissue.

If you've ever been on one of these diets, you've noticed that your urine gets yellow. This is due to ketones which is a by-product of ketosis. This is evidence that your body is burning and breaking up muscle tissue which is protein. That's dangerous because if too much of your body's protein is broken down you could suffer irreparable liver and kidney damage. Further symptons of muscle breakdown is evident in general weakness, fatigue and lack of energy.

Another thing to consider about Low Carb/High Protein diets is that during the process of ketosis your body also breaks down fatty acids and converts them to ketones and acetones which are used for fuel. A side effect of this is that your body loses vital minerals like potassium and sodium. This reduces your thyroid hormone level which in turn slows down your metabolism and subsequently your rate of weight loss. Furthermore ketosis could boost your blood cholesterol levels which is definitely not a safe situation.

Once you stop the regimen the weight piles right back on and then some.

There's a simple way to avoid this. Do not restrict your diet to any one food group or category.

Rather than blindly cutting Carbohydrates and increasing protein and fat intake, you should opt for a healthy ratio of 30% protein, 15% fat, and 55% Complex Carbohydrates. This ratio will help you to lose weight steadily and safely. The key is to reduce fat and SIMPLE carbohydrates not Carbohydrates in general.

Another downside of Low Carb/High Fat diets is that studies show that the less carbs you consume the more likely you are to consume more fat. And this excess fat is stored up in your body's fat cells where they'll linger indefinitely, clogging up your arteries with unhealthy cholesterol. Thus the more fat you eat the more your body will retain no matter how little carbs you eat, even if you eat no carbs at all.

Now here's the secret about eating complex carbs. Because complex carbs have a low glycemic index your body has to use 250% more energy to convert these carbs into fuel than it does to convert fat into fuel. Your body works harder to metabolise and burn calories from complex carbs than it does High Protein/Low Carb. The result? Safe, systematic weight reduction - the best way to avoid health problems and sagging skin caused by too rapid weight loss.

Popcorn Diet: Successful Or Unsuccessful?

There is a lot of confusion concerning diets around North America. One minute we are told that low carb, high fat, high protein diets are best, while the next we hear that high carbohydrate, low fat diets are the ticket to weight loss. However, there is no real secret diet that will work for everyone, and it is important to pick a diet that works well with your likes and lifestyle. In this article we will review a fad diet that was presented to consumers a couple of years back; the popcorn diet.

By now, everyone should know that fad diets fail to work because they are short term, unrealistic, and usually starvation diets that encourage our bodies to pack on the fat after we go off of them. There are some good aspects of the popcorn diet though, which includes snacking all day on air-popped popping corn. Popcorn is very high in dietary fiber which is key for losing weight because of it's ability to make out stomachs feel fuller for longer without the added calo ries. Fiber is also essential in maintaining regular bowel health, preventing heart disease and certain cancers. Popcorn is also extremely low in calories which makes it a great food to snack on if you get the munchies.

On the down side however, most people don't really like the taste of plain popcorn because it is really dry and bland. So instead of having a healthy low calorie snack, they load it up with butter and salt which makes it extremely high in sodium and in many cases, higher in fat than potato chips. Eating an excessive amount of corn can block the absorption of vitamin B, which can result in anemia, low energy levels, skin rashes, depression and short term memory loss.

Don't let this turn you off from popcorn though! Popcorn can be a great contribution to your diet, and a little salt and butter once in a while won't kill you either. Just remember, humans can't live on popcorn alone, and this is why the "popcorn diet" is yet another fail ed fad. It is also important to note that popcorn belongs in the top five foods that children choke on under the age of five, so refrain from giving your little one popcorn until he/she is older, and make sure you don't leave any popcorn laying around.

The Pitfalls of Weight Loss Programs and Diets

Most diet and weight loss programs have a depressingly high failure rate, with people either never reaching their weight goals or reaching them and regaining all the weight they lost (and sometimes more) in about one year.

Getting the weight off fast is so desirable that many of us are willing to sacrifice health and ignore common sense in the hope that some new weight loss program or scheme will work. This pipe dream can unfortunately outweigh the negative consequences. So let's examine the downside of dieting.

What Is An Unhealthy Weight Loss Program?

* Any weight loss program that is not nutritionally sound;
* One that works against what the body naturally needs like vitamins, minerals, and a minimum number of calories a day;
* One that requires you to go without eating (for example, fasting or meal replacement drinks);
* One that puts your body into an unnatural state, such as starvation or ketosis.

Your body can only lose a few pounds a week on a consistent basis. If you lose more than that initially, it's likely just water loss. So any weight loss program that promises you will lose five pounds a week, or 25 pounds in 3 weeks, is guaranteeing you will be losing water and muscle mass not fat.

Almost every popular weight loss program out there falls into one of the following diet categories: low calorie diets, meal replacement drinks, packaged foods, unbalanced nutrients, and ketosis diets. Let's see how they stack up.

LOW CALORIE DIETS

Whenever you drastically reduce your calories, the body enters an unnatural state and its defenses kick in. So when calories drop below, say, 1000 calories a day, your metabolism will shut down in an effort to conserve energy. And weight loss with a sluggish metabolism is very difficult.

Your body will start using muscle tissue to provide energy, which again leads to a decrease in the m etabolism. Taken to an extreme, the body will break down its vital parts (such as the heart muscle) trying to meet its energy needs.

In addition to these drawbacks, trying to maintain the weight loss over time is nearly impossible because your body is now used to making do with very few calories. Going back to "normal" eating causes the weight to pile back on.

For this reason, low cal weight loss programs rarely work over the long haul.

MEAL REPLACEMENT DRINKS

One of the most unnatural things for your body is to go without solid food, which is what meal replacement plans ask it to do. Some people think that dieting will be easier if they aren't confronted with daily food choices and the pounds will just fall off. This may be true while they are on the liquid diet. But what about afterwards?

Where will the good eating habits come from after you've lost the weight? This is something that takes time, practice and knowledge. Dieters need to establish a healthy attitude towards a life-long eating plan. And no "fad" weight loss program or liquid lunch can help you with that.

Getting hooked on meal replacements can become a destructive way to view food. It often leads dieters to fear food or binge to "feed" their cravings after a long period of deprivation. And that's just the psychological side of the equation.

The lack of fiber in such weight loss programs can be a threat to good physical health. And when the body is denied enough solid food, the intestines go into overdrive absorbing calories and nutrients. This helps you during the diet period, but later it makes it much easier to regain the weight.

Another yo-yo weight loss program that hurts you in the end.

UNBALANCED NUTRIENT PLAN

Be cautious about any weight loss program that has strict rules about good foods and bad foods. Sure, high fat and high sugar foods might be considered bad for the waistline, but moderation not abstinence is key to success.

Why? Because eating the same foods every day (say, grapefruit or high protein meals) is going to result in two things: nutritional imbalance and boredom.

All foods are made up of the same nutrients in different amounts: fat, carbohydrates, and protein. It is the right proportion of these nutrients that will bring about weight loss - not the avoidance of "bad" foods and the consumption of only "good" or magical foods.

In the world of dieting, no one food or nutrient group is magical. Variety and moderation are the keys to a healthy diet and a successful weight loss program.

PACKAGED FOODS

To stay at your ideal body weight, you have to learn how to make proper food choices. By following a packaged food weight loss program you are postponing the inevitable, and spending plenty of $$$ in the process.

Another problem w ith this kind of weight loss program is that the foods provided are not always healthy. Read the package label and you will see chemicals, preservatives, sodium, sugar and saturated fats. And when all you can eat is packaged food, how do you plan meals with other people? Going out to restaurants and parties and enjoying family meals becomes a big hassle.

Your weight loss program then becomes a burden, not only to you, but to those around you.

KETOSIS DIETS

Ketosis has been defined as:

"An abnormal condition marked by excessive production of ketone bodies. Often caused by high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins diet."

Atkins and certain other weight loss programs are based on the principle of restricting carbohydrates to the point that the body enters into ketosis. On the surface, a ketogenic diet seems to work for two reasons: First, you'll lose large amounts of weight, which is very pleasing to the dieter. Secondly, you don't experience hunger.

But there are serious drawbacks. Your weight goes down due to water loss (which occurs when you restrict carbohydrates) and a loss of lean muscle tissue. This is NOT true, lasting weight loss.

The loss of appetite comes from having ketones building up in the body, which can harm your health. Side effects of a ketosis weight loss program can include fatigue, kidney stones, gout, and muscle loss. The longer you follow such a diet, the greater the risk to your health.

Clearly not a wise choice of weight loss program, not for the short term or the long.

WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM QUESTIONNAIRE

There are always new weight loss programs coming onto the market and going in and out of style. To evaluate if a weight loss program is healthy and sensible for you, ask yourself the following questions:

* Is the plan nutritionally sound?
* Will it help improve m y weight, metabolism, cholesterol level, blood pressure, energy level, and general health?
* Will I be eating real food and not have to buy special formulas, drinks, etc?
* Will I be eating a wide variety of foods rather than just a few "diet" foods?
* Am I allowed to have some treats and eat my favorite foods?
* Can I eat out in restaurants, have a glass of wine with dinner, or some dessert?
* Can I follow this weight loss program without it interfering with my lifestyle?
* Can I lose weight without feeling hungry?
* Will l develop eating habits for life-long weight control with this weight loss program?
* Is this the last diet I will ever need to finally reach and maintain my ideal weight?

Cabbage Soup Diet - The 5 Stark and Dark Realities

The Cabbage Soup Diet is a short-term answer to a long-term problem. Dramatic weight loss can be achieved through the Cabbage Soup Diet. However, this diet should only be undertaken for one week at the most. Undertaking this diet longer than one week will lead to health problems. The very low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet is very severe in that very little nutrients is absorbed by the body. Here are some of the concerns you should look into:

1. The Yoyo Effect

Since the dieter can return to his or her normal eating pattern after one week, the feelings of deprivation created by the seven-day diet will result to the individual's need to fill that feeling by eating his or her favorite high-fat, high-calorie food. The binge eating will then result to feelings of guilt and a ballooning of weight, even more so prior to the diet. The individual will then go back to the diet and after one week, the cycle continues. This is very unhealthy for the b ody which cannot sustain drastic drops and increase in weight in a short period of time. The yoyo diet will also leave the dieter sick or looking slack.

2. The Unhealthy Diet Plan

A diet which is very low calorie and has a very low carbohydrate supply is unhealthy according to health experts. Although fruits and vegetables can be good for you, the absence of protein can affect the person's overall feeling of well-being. The soup itself contains nutrients but it is only in small amounts which makes the diet impractical in the long term.

3. Physical After Effects

The dieters who have undergone the diet report of looking tired and limp. Dark circles around the eyes are evident and the muscles are often soft. Since what is lost is primarily water weight, the overall look cannot be called healthy. Often, the lethargic feeling during the diet period becomes evident after the diet.

4. The Feeling of H unger

Hunger does not compensate the large amount of pounds taken off. It's basically starving yourself and although you are allowed to eat as much as you can, the hunger pangs can lead to misery in most people. The week will be terrible and if the dieter is not prepared for the emotional, mental and physical onslaught brought about by hunger, then the diet will not work. It requires very strict adherence.

5. Some Side effects

The side effect is more mental than physical. You will have your kitchen as well as the whole house smelling of cabbage. You will be eating cabbage day in and day out. You will not want to look at cabbage for the rest of your life after the diet. It can be very bland and monotonous but you can dress it up with seasoning and spices. However, medical experts say that this causes the diet to become sodium-enriched, risking the possibility of kidney-related health problems.

Also, be prepared fo r flatulence, irritability, lethargic feeling and inability to concentrate. Because of the huge amounts of water you will be drinking to compensate for lack of solid food, you will also be going to the bathrooms dozens of times in one day.