Fat won't melt, won't rub off and won't peel out. Even if you do achieve part of these tasks, the sagging skin remains and the years show. Cellulite is to be blamed for this. Ninety per cent of 'thin' women have cellulite too!
The French call it 'peu d'orange' because cellulite gives a typical 'orange peel' look to the skin on certain parts of the body as compared to the normal contours. Generally, the areas affected are hips, thighs and arms.
Two types of cellulite
'Cheesy' fat deposits in the body as part of two different mechanisms.
In the first case, thick layers of fat look lumpy because strands of connective tissue lose elasticity and shrink with age. The overlying skin contracts and loses lubrication. This gives the skin a dimpled feel and effect. Main reason for this is that majority of women gradually start to lose muscle strength and size with age.
Men too suffer from cellulite. Many adults therefore, look and feel thin overall but have cheesy-looking flab in some areas of the body.
In the second case, cellulite forms because of congestion of the layer of connective tissue. Because of sluggish body functions and constipation, toxins are not flushed out and harden and fat builds up around these deposits.
Other factors which lead to cellulite build-up are poor nutrition and lack of regular exercise. Spending long hours sitting at work without any breaks piles up cellulite really fast.
Treating cellulite
Cellulite-busting requires a combination treatment. You can go for the following solutions for cellulite-scraping:
• Adopt a restricted sodium diet to counteract water retention. But sodium is essential to life and no one should start a low-sodium diet without medical supervision.
• Go for aromatherapy using essential oils for application on affected areas to check cellulite and improve blood circulation. Therapists usually use lavender, rose geranium or rosemary extracts for sessions at least twice a week.
• Body brushing using commercially available body brush of good quality for improving the lymphatic system is very effective against cellulite.
• Consistent but a non-strenuous exercise program should be adopted.
New-tech diet pills
Incidentally, the latest diet pills also offer solutions for healthier skin and stronger hair along with weight loss. Manufacturers are now using green tea extracts, herbal extracts from cactus and a combination of vitamins and minerals in diet supplements. These also include collagen which is known for improving skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles.
Some supplements also use alpha-lipoic acid and silica which protect skin cells. Ginseng has become a popular ingredient in diet pills. Ginseng, along with green tea, has been used for thousands of years in the East for enhancing longevity and youthfulness. Both these herbal products are now becoming extremely popular in the west for their health benefits.
Precautions
No dietary supplements or pills should be taken without proper verification of the manufacturer's credibility and medical advice. Any kind of side-effects must immediately be examined. You must also check the ingredients being used in the supplements you intend to eat. Losing weight is essential for overall health.
Dump the fat but not the beauty and charm.
Diet Pills Enhance Beauty Too
Low Cholesterol Diet
Increasing incidence of heart diseases is a worrisome possibility in modern high-pressure lifestyles. One of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease is high cholesterol (a lipid or fat necessary for building cell membranes) levels in the blood. Cholesterol is delivered to the cells by two types of lipoproteins (combination of the lipid and special proteins made by the liver) i.e. high density lipoprotein (HDL) the so-called "good" cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) the so-called "bad" cholesterol Excessive cholesterol in the blood tends to deposit, as plaque, on the artery walls leading to their constriction and resultant heart problems.
While a number of medicines are now available to control excessive cholesterol levels, the preferred initial treatment should be a combination of diet, exercise and weight loss. It is very important to make the right choices of food and physical exercise as they affect one's health. Exercise should typically involve at least thirty minutes of daily cardiovascular activity like brisk walking or aerobic exercises.
The best way to achieve a low cholesterol diet (one which helps to control cholesterol levels in the blood) is to work out a healthy eating plan. The plan should ideally start from buying food at the grocery store to ensure purchase of a variety of nutrient-rich foods for meals and snacks throughout the week. The healthy eating plan should give due importance to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat free or low-fat milk and milk products; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; be low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars (caloric sweeteners). The aim of the plan should be to eat foods that provide adequate nutrients without exceeding the daily calorie needs.
It is not enough to simply tighten the eating plan at home and let go while eating out. The effort should be towards a change to a healthier lifestyle. At the restaurant, it would be a good idea to examine the menu and to choose steamed, grilled or boiled dishes and avoid those that are fried or sautéed. If one is predisposed towards alcoholic beverages, the golden rule is "drink in moderation", since these beverages have calories without any significant nutritional value.
Changing over to a healthy lifestyle, with a balanced diet and adequate exercise, not only helps to control blood cholesterol, but also reduces the risk of many chronic ailments such as heart disease, diabetes etc.
When Studies Mislead: The Skinny on Low Fat Diets
When I read the front page headline in the February 7 edition of the New York Times, LOW-FAT DIET DOES NOT CUT HEALTH RISKS, my 35 years as a cardiologist-researcher told me something was probably amiss. The article that followed seemed to faithfully report the conclusions of an 8 year, $4.15 million study of nearly 49,000 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Trial. But after carefully reviewing the original reports in the Journal of the American Medical Association, I discovered the problem. Fundamental flaws in the research invalidated the dangerously misleading headline.
The government sponsored study followed women, ages 50 to 79, to determine whether a group assigned to a low-fat diet lowered their risk of breast and colon cancer, heart attacks and strokes when compared to those allowed to eat whatever they pleased. The researchers found no difference for any of the diseases between the two groups.
Authorities hailed the report. Newspaper quotes read: "revolutionary," "the Rolls-Royce of studies," "overturning three decades of wisdom," "largely closes the book on a highly publicized chapter of dietary history." Does it? If the women who ate whatever they pleased did as well as those struggling to cut fat intake, doesn't that mean that we are finally and forever free to pursue a diet of bacon cheeseburgers, and chocolate cheesecake? Unfortunately, the answer is no. The reason? The problems with the WHI study make it impossible to draw valid conclusions.
The women assigned to the low-fat group were instructed to reduce their total fat to 20% of total energy intake. They fell far short of that goal, decreasing the fat to 29%. Additionally, the comparison group (after receiving a copy of the Dietary Guidelines for America, and other health-related materials) also decreased their dietary fat to approximately 35%.
Given the minor dietary differences between the two groups, the resulting minor differences in their "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels was predictable. In the "low-fat" group, average LDL-cholesterol fell from 133 to 123 mg/Dl, while the "eat anything" group also fell, from 134 to 127! Both levels are well within the recently revised Federal guidelines that recommend LDL-cholesterol be kept below 130 in individuals without additional cardiovascular risk factors.
In addition to the low "bad" cholesterol levels, both groups had high amounts of "good" (HDL) cholesterol, ranging from 58 to 60 mg/Dl. Normal "good" cholesterol levels are 30 to 60, and those in the higher ranges are at a significantly lower risk for cardiovascular disease. Thus, both groups had highly desirable cholesterol profiles.
It should come as no surprise that the "eat anything group" had a 30% lower incidence of developing cardiovascular diseases than the researcher-statisticians originally anticipated. The higher prediction of disease occurrence was the main reason why the study was designed to be only eight years in duration.
How does this study apply to men? According to the Los Angeles Times, "it probably applied to men as well because the disease mechanisms are the same." Even if the study was valid, that conclusion would not be, because the assumption about similar disease mechanisms omits a crucial fact. Since men typically have much lower "good" (HDL) cholesterol levels than women, decreasing their "bad" (LDL) cholesterol is considerably more important.
Confused? Don't be. A solid body of evidence supports the notion that lifestyle changes do decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Last year, the American Journal of Epidemiology published a large report—with a 20 year follow-up--from the Nurses' Health Study of dietary fat intake and risk of coronary heart disease. It showed clearly favorable results. In January of this year, a report in The Lancet analyzed the effect of fruit and vegetable consumption in eight studies that included a total of 257,551 men and women with a 13 year average follow-up period. The investigators concluded: "Our results provide strong support for the recommendations to consume more than five servings of fruit and vegetables per day, which is likely to cause a major reduction in strokes."
Since the WHI study was undertaken, a revolution has taken place in our understanding of specific types of dietary fat. Intakes of specific fats are related far more strongly to heart disease risk than total fat. Collectively, these analyses demonstrate that a diet lower in saturated fat (fatty meats and butter) and trans fat (processed foods, and stick margarines), and higher in monounsaturated (olive, canola and peanut oils) and polyunsaturated fat (safflower, sesame and corn oils), as well as amounts of fruit and vegetables not approached in the WHI Trial, help prevent heart disease. In fact, a trend was observed toward reduction of cardiovascular disease risk in the quartile of women who ate the lowest amounts of saturated and trans fat, and highest monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties. If the study had been carried out longer, this observation might well have become statistically significant.
The WHI investigators noted this, stating that "Trends toward greater reductions in CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) risk was observed in those with lower intakes of saturated fat or trans fat or higher intakes of vegetables/fruits." They concluded by suggesting that "more focused diet and lifestyle interventions may be needed to improve risk factors and reduce CVD (cardiovascular) risks."
So, what to do? My advice may surprise you. The primary goal of healthy eating is to reach and maintain a normal body weight in order to lower the risks of diabetes, high blood pressure or the metabolic syndrome (the combination of diabetes, hypertension and a particularly malignant form of high LDL-cholesterol). This is best achieved, not by "going on a diet," but by learning to develop sensible eating habits. Heart-healthy eating is easier and more satisfying than one might think. There is no need to deprive yourself of an occasional steak or delectable dessert, while nibbling miserably on raw carrots for the rest of your days. Healthy eating is a long-term commitment. It is about choosing nutritious foods that are satisfying by making sensible substitutes, modifying favorite recipes, adopting an experimental attitude, and discovering over time what works best for you.
To round out a heart-healthy lifestyle, become physically active. Exercise is the great health facilitator because it increases HDL ("good") cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, helps prevent diabetes, and improves heart function. In addition, physical activity is a natural antidepressant, and a great way to rediscover the wonders of your body. Research has shown that you can reap major health benefits with a minimum amount of effort and time. Begin by taking brisk walks for 30 minutes or more, several times a week. Decrease sodium intake if you have a tendency towards high blood pressure, and of course, avoid tobacco exposure.
Despite the findings from the WHI Trial, it is vital for women, and men, to understand that simple lifestyle changes do provide invaluable health benefits. They also provide a wonderful bonus. In addition to being healthier, you will look and feel healthier too!
The Best Low Cholesterol Diet Plan
If you want to lower your cholesterol levels, following an ideal diet may be able to help you a lot. It has been known for a long time now that the food a person eats or is accustomed to eating daily can have a direct relation in the body's cholesterol levels.
And it is important for people to lower their cholesterol levels because cholesterol has been associated with the development of coronary heart disease. The higher the level of blood cholesterol levels in an individual, the more likely it is that he will be developing heart disease later on. Aside from that high cholesterol levels can also put a person at risk of suffering from a stroke or a heart attack.
Aside from using drugs to lower cholesterol levels, following a low cholesterol diet is the next best thing to keep your cholesterol levels down. Eating more vegetables, soy products and other low cholesterol foods can be just as effective at reducing blood cholesterol as medication. A study has been able to show that a vegetarian diet can lower cholesterol by as much as one-third in just a month.
The best cholesterol-lowering diet that you can follow usually includes a hearty serving of vegetables such as broccoli and red peppers. Soymilk and soy sausages, oat bran cereal and bread as well as plenty of fruits and nuts make up a complete low cholesterol diet. Soy protein, nuts, and fiber rich food such as oats and barley can effectively cut cholesterol levels by up to seven percent.
A low cholesterol diet also requires you to minimize your intake of saturated fat by seven percent and other fat substances by 25-35 percent. It has been discovered that the best diet for avoiding coronary heart disease includes consuming non-hydrogenated (unprocessed) fats rather than the hydrogenated variety. Increased consumption of omega-3 fats from fish, fish oil or plant sources such as flaxseeds is the suggested fat intake in a low cholesterol diet. With a low cholesterol diet, one should also limit daily sodium intake somewhere in the level of 2400 milligrams daily.
A typical day on the low cholesterol diet would include a hearty breakfast of soymilk, oat bran cereal with chopped fruit and almonds, oatmeal bread, vegetable-based margarine and jam. A typical low cholesterol lunch would comprise of soy cold cuts, oat bran bread, bean soup and a dessert of fruit. For dinner, stir-fry vegetables, tofu, fruit and almonds would be the usual low cholesterol diet fare. Following this type of low cholesterol diet religiously for long periods, it is possible for one's cholesterol level to drop by as much as 29 percent in just a month.
Low Carb Diets That Work- Don't Make This Bad Mistake With A Low Carb Diet
I must confess that I have always been a fan of low carb diets that work. My personal training clients are constantly coming to me for advice on diets, and frequently I will suggest a low carb diet. Unfortunately, some of them don't heed ALL of my directions while on the diet. The result being that they experience frequent plateaus, and inconsistent weight loss. I generally discover that most of them are making this one big mistake!
During the course of just about any diet, there are periods of time when an individual is following the plan, and not losing any weight. These frustrating periods of time are commonly referred to as a plateau.
Most plateaus are caused by fluid retention, particularly if the intake of sodium (salt) IS NOT reduced while on the diet. Water is quite frequently retained right beneath the surface of the skin.
On most low carb diets that work, dieters tend to lose a great amount of water weight during the initial stages of the diet. Generally, during the first 2 weeks or so. The reason for this fluid loss is that carbohydrates act as a "dam" for body fluids. When carbohydrates are drastically reduced, the body "dumps" water that had been retained in body tissues.
However, after this initial loss of water weight, dieters notice that their weight loss dramatically decreases. In fact, their weight may increase a bit! This is caused by the body's need to take back the water that was lost during the initial stages of the diet.
The mistake that these dieters generally make is not drinking enough water when starting the low carb diet. This is also true of low carb diets that work. Dieters MUST drink at least 8, full glasses of water daily, to curtail fluid retention.
It is interesting that consuming more water PREVENTS water being held. This occurs because the kidneys are working "overtime", constantly releasing water.
Low Calorie Diet - Meet your Weight Loss Goal
Low calorie diet is not only effective in treating obesity but also maintaining a healthy balance. A low calorie diet can comprise of 1000 to 1800 calories per day. With the help of this diet, one can manage his weight. The expert health practitioners and doctors recommend the healthy diet depending on individualized needs to meet the weight-loss goals. In a standard adult body weight, the daily protein intake should be around 0.8gm per kg of standard body weight. If the diet doesn't consist of 1200 calories, vitamin supplements may become necessary.
Expert medical practitioners or dieticians recommend the low calorie diet depending on patient's eating behavior, preparation of food, meal prototype, usual food share capability, nutritional sufficiency, exercise and other relevant factors. With a satisfactory output by analyzing the above factors, doctors then recommend individual program for attaining and maintaining ideal weight.
Feeling hungry is too common among individuals on low calorie diet. To fulfill this need, patients are recommended to satisfy their appetite with low calorie foods such as raw vegetables, broth, black tea or coffee or any other sugar free beverages. If the patient is not suffering from any sort of cardiac problem or edema, doctors usually do not recommend sodium restricted diet.
Effectiveness of Very Low Calorie Diet
VLCD or very low calorie diet is generally recommended to severely obese people for the purpose of short term weight loss. It is also effective for moderately obese individuals. VLCD allows an average weight loss of 3 to 5 pounds per week. Not only weight loss, but VLCD also aids in alleviating a whole host of medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. VLCD is simply great for short term weight loss, however, modest dietary restrictions intended for long term benefits are found to be more effective than that of VLCD.
A combination of VLCD with exercise and cognitive-behavioral therapy can offer a long term weight loss benefit. The cognitive-behavioral therapy helps in recognizing the cause of the problem and guides for corresponding moderation in eating behavior pattern.
How safe is Very Low Calorie Diet?
VLCD is not suitable for everyone. If you are suffering from obesity and the BMI or Body Mass Index is greater than 30, you may be supervised with VLCD under proper medical condition. However, BMI less than 30 may not be recommended for VLCD unless prevalent medical conditions occurred due to obesity problem.
VLCD is recommended by the doctor precisely on case-by-case basis. Only receiving proper medical guidance from your doctor, you can switch to very low calorie diet. You cannot depend on VLCD if you are pregnant or if you practice breastfeeding. Typically, it is not recommended to the growing age, children and adolescents, expect they do not belong to any specialized treatment plan. This diet is also not suitable for people over 50 years of age due to several age-related factors such as preexisting medicinal conditions, possible side-effects, etc.
Side Effects of Very Low Calorie Diet
Typically, minor side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, fatigue and nausea are reported from individuals on VLCD for 4-6weeks. These complications are indeed short-term and people can improve health conditions rapidly. These problems generally do not prevent individuals in finishing the diet program successfully.
However, there are serious side effects involved with VLCD as well. The most serious among all is gallstone formation. During rapid weight loss, it is common to see developing gallstone, especially in the case of obese women. It is assumed that the rapid weight loss slows down the gallbladder's ability for bile contraction. Although, it is a serious health complication, but no research has yet confirmed whether VLCD is directly responsible for the occurrence of gallstone or the amount of rapid weight loss causes the problem.
To maintain good health, a proper balance of food from different food groups is needed. Getting good nutrition is difficult in as few as 800 calories and it becomes fatal if someone only depends on such diet day after day.
Truly speaking, whenever you come out from the low calorie diet, you have every possibility to regain weight if you do not maintain healthy eating practice, physical exercise, along with an improved outlook towards your eating pattern.
Low Cholesterol Diet to Keep your Cholesterol Level Low
Genetic factors and diet are the two most common reasons for high cholesterol levels in your body. Though, you may not do anything about what you inherited genetically, you can always control your diet to keep the cholesterol level low, as required by your body.
A high cholesterol level leads to building up of a waxy substance cholesterol plaque in your arteries that obstructs the blood flow. Gradually, it leads a dysfunctional organ and may be a heart attack as well. A planned cholesterol diet is essential to keep it in control. In fact, a minimum level of cholesterol is always required for your body as it helps in repairing cell membrane, and in producing some useful hormones. However, after a certain level, it is dangerous to have high cholesterol level in your body.
Cholesterol Diet
Plan your diet and see what foods can help you lower your cholesterol level. There are some foods that can lower your cholesterol; while others can help it not rising beyond the required level. Generally, you should reduce fat intake and avoid oily and fried foods. Since fats are the main sources of calories, replace the saturated fats intensive diet by natural foods such as fruits and vegetables, and more of complex carbohydrates.
Low Cholesterol Diet
Certain foods are very good for low cholesterol. You should have fish, at least three times in a week. A few kinds of sea fish contain omega-3 fatty acid that helps you lower blood cholesterol. Reduce your fat intake. A low cholesterol diet should include more of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and potatoes. These are excellent sources of energy and these take care of the benefits that you might miss because of avoiding fats.
While purchasing food items from market that are cooked, baked or roasted, read the label carefully and see there should not be any saturated oils. In addition, have lots of natural fruits, such as fruits or vegetables. These are rich source of fiber that your body requires for many reasons. Apples, carrots, brown rice, barley and legumes form a very good low cholesterol diet. A widely recommended herb psyllium also helps you reduce cholesterol level, if taken daily.
You can also have soya to control cholesterol level in your body. Research has shown that soya milk helps in reducing cholesterol. If possible, have at least 2-3 glasses of soya milk everyday. However, there are a variety of soya sweeteners such as for ice creams or desserts. Read out the sugar content and the amount of calories in those items and select the one that don't have too many calories.
In true sense, a low cholesterol diet does not require wholesome changes in your diet; rather, it only requires using alternative methods of preparing food. For example, if you are in the habit of having salads, try having potato salad. Cut a few boiled potatoes into thin slices and soak these into plain, low fat yoghurt. Serve these with fresh chive, or even with onions. This is a good low cholesterol diet that is an excellent source of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
High Cholesterol Diet
There is no such defined or standard high cholesterol diet. As long as you take planned diet and take enough of vitamin C, even a diet that is high in cholesterol too is not bad for your body. The problem arises when the excess of cholesterol is not balanced due to lack of vitamin C, or antioxidants. The high cholesterol level leads to arteries' blockage, and heart related diseases.
If you see that your cholesterol level is higher than required, cut down on fats and oily foods, reduce the sodium content in your meals. A high cholesterol diet usually consists of meats, dairy products and foods that contain hydrogenated or saturated oils. Trans fats are particularly harmful for people who have high cholesterol. Many packed and processed foods that are available at stores contain trans fats or saturated oils, and you should avoid such products for a healthy body.
Even if you are taking required precautions with respect to your diet, ensure to have a decent intake of vitamin C. Have lots ofruits and vegetables as these are generally good antioxidants. Orange, lemon, papaya, cabbage and grapefruit are good sources of vitamin C.
If your doctor says that you should seriously avoid all fats and take minimum of salt, it means that you need to take such food items that have no cholesterol at all. Slowly, a cholesterol free diet helps you neutralize the high cholesterol level in your body. Some of the items that you can take are Orange Juice, Raw Melon, Seedless Raisins, Raw Watermelon, Boiled and Drained Asparagus, Apple, Banana, White Rice, Sweet Potato, Oat Bran, Spinach, Tomato, Cabbage, Cucumber, and Onion to name a few.
Garlic should be integral part of your cholesterol free diet since it is an excellent product for cholesterol control. Research has shown that a clove of garlic for 12 consecutive days starts bringing down the cholesterol level to normal.
Low Cholesterol Diet in Secondary Prevention of Coronary Disease
Going on a low cholesterol diet is not something to be taken lightly. A low cholesterol diet is indeed a lifestyle change, that not only you, but perhaps your entire family can go on. A low cholesterol diet is important for many people around the world who are at risk for heart disease and other medical conditions associated with heightened cholesterol. The diet is just as much about all the wonderful foods you can eat as it is about those foods you want to find alternatives to.
People have experienced over several generations that the body not only likes, but requires the vitamins, minerals, proteins, oxygen, enzymes, and hormones that are in these non-cooked, living super foods. Whether you simply would like to add more living super foods to your diet, or want to change your lifestyle in a more meaningful way, living super, natural foods are what you need to look at for these changes to happen.
Super foods
Super foods are getting a lot of publicity in the media today and that is because they are very vitamin and nutrient packed and they have lots of antioxidants that help prevent against illnesses and disease. They are effective in providing oxygen to the cells, detoxifying tissue, supporting thyroid functions, and providing the body with a natural source of commonly known vitamin and minerals such as calcium, sodium, and potassium, as well as trace nutrients some of which we have yet to be "discovered" or understood. Super foods are nutritional powerhouses high in phytonutrients-chemicals that occur naturally in food. Super foods are extremely rich in health promoting plant compounds like phytonutrients, co-factors, antioxidants, enzymes and much more.
For the best metabolism boosting results make sure you introduce super foods to your existing healthy diet and you will notice the benefits. Always buy your food in season and local if you can as they are grown in the same environment as you live and your body can use them much better than other foods. You will notice that these foods will make you feel better as soon as you start eating them. Keep on trying and experimenting with different foods until you find what is best for your body. Eating only super foods will not do you much good in the long run. The 10 healthiest super foods are blueberries, citrus fruits, garlic, tomatoes, brocoli, oats, salmon, spinach, nuts, and yoghurt.
Exercise
Exercise is important though in keeping healthy and is normally good for keeping the high cholesterol levels down as well. Exercise itself doesnt directly lower cholesterol, but will strengthen the heart and entire circulatory system. Exercise has so many benefits – maintaining function, controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, fighting depression, etc. A scheduled exercise program of aerobic exercises, strength training or even yoga can go a long way in toning up the lazy muscles. Ensure that you follow the exercise routine systematically and regularly.
Conclusion
The objective of every cholesterol diet is the same, though: to reduce circulating levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL, the bad kind of cholesterol) and increase high-density lipoproteins (HDL). If you are in a high risk group, such as if you have diabetes, a no-cholesterol diet is even better than a low cholesterol diet. Bringing your diet and your cholesterol level under control with a low cholesterol diet is the best thing you can do to save your heart.
Adopting a low cholesterol diet is the other proven and highly recommended way for people to reduce cholesterol to healthier levels. The key to long term success with a low cholesterol diet is to continually monitor the cholesterol and saturated fats in the food you eat, to make sure no bad stuff gets back in. Probably the most important thing to do when shopping for food as part of a low cholesterol diet is learning to read labels. As always when dealing with health factors, you should consult a physician before self-prescribing a diet plan, exercise regime, or any dramatic life altering solution.
Losing Weight Through Diet - The Pros And Cons
Various studies show that more than two-thirds of all American adults are either obese or morbidly obese. With all the hype on weight loss and weight loss products, it's no wonder that more and more people who suffer from being overweight become interested into various commercial diet plans and weight loss programs that are available in the market today.
OF DIET AND DIETING
By definition, "dieting" refers to the practice of eating or drinking in a regulated manner in order to achieve a specific short-term objective of gaining and or losing size or weight. "Diet" on the other hand refers to the habit of nutritional consumption and focuses more on a long-term goal.
Studies show that the most common objective of dieting is for a person to lose excess body fat. But, there are also kinds of diet that are prescribed in order to achieve a particular medical objective while some dieting are actually designed and prescribed to increase body fat or add up to muscle weight gain.
Diet is actually categorized into two: the weight-loss diets, which restrict the intake of specific foods or food group in order to reduce body weight and the weight-gain diets, which are usually self-imposed in order to achieve a higher weight class.
Aside from that, special cases also require diets especially when it is related to certain medical conditions. Special diets usually include, exclude, or regulate a set of certain chemicals especially from the foods that contain them.
These special diets are usually given to diabetics to manage the person's blood sugar levels; epileptics who adhere to Ketogenic Diet; celiac disease patients are advised to take gluten-free diet; people who suffer from being lactose-intolerant are advised to veer away from milk products, kidney disease patients are restricted to eat foods that have high-sodium content while people who suffer from mild hypertension are advised to follow a diet low in fat and sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables.
Other specific types of diet to control weight include low-fat diets, low-carbohydrate diet or Atkins Diet, natural diets that include Paleolithic Diet and Evolution Diet, vegetarian diet, and very low calorie diet. Experts say that different diets are designed to on weight loss and weight gain depending on the person's need.
THE PROS AND CONS OF DIET AND DIETING
Of all the means of losing weight offered by various companies, weight loss diets have become one of the most popular that overweight people use. This is because these people believe that by taking in regulated amounts of food or veering away from eating foods from a specific food group, they can lose weight easily.
But, little do they know that improper diet and dieting may result to rapid weight loss and can even lead to more serious illnesses due to lack of nutrients absorbed by the body.
Food and nutrition experts say that most obese people who are into strict diet and improper dieting have developed have a long history of dieting failure because they always go back to their usual eating and lifestyle habits.
Experts also agree that although improper diet can lead to severe health cases, it can be powerful tool in losing weight if done properly and administered by authorized health care providers. This is because weight loss diets that are monitored by authorities can evoke commitment, discipline, and dedication to those who are taking the specific diet plan. And if these weight loss diets are administered properly, people who choose weight-loss program can conquer their fear of dieting failure and depression.
Indeed, it will take a huge amount of energy for an obese person to be able to stick to any weight-loss diet or program. Aside from fighting the temptation to go back to their usual way of eating, people who are overweight have large tendencies of becoming violent and defensive in their preference of diet.
Although diet can be an effective means of losing weight, experts say that not all weight loss diets and programs can be successful. This is because some diets target the dieter's weakness and make them believe that they can eat certain amount of foods when in fact, these can contribute much to their weight gain.
AVOIDING FAD DIETS
To be able to lose weight safely and properly, make sure that you know when the weight loss diet is a fad. Here are some ways to help you spot a fad diet:
- Menu offers extremely limited food choices.
- Cutting out an entire food group.
- The diet asks the dieter to eliminate all fats.
- Promises of ultra-fast weight loss or rapid weight loss.
- It aims to sell a specific weight loss product such as herbal weight loss supplement or pills.
- Weight loss diet claims they are based on unproven science.
- It opposes medical opinions.
A Low Sodium Diet Helps You Lose Weight and Stay Healthy
A low-sodium diet is recommended for weight loss and general health. It prevents bloat from water retention and guards against many diseases. Choose fresh unprocessed food and use natural herbs, spices and other salt-free seasonings to enhance flavor.
One of the more effective ways to lose weight is to go on a low-sodium diet. This is because high sodium makes your body retain water, resulting in bloat and added pounds and inches. High sodium also increases your risk for hypertension and diseases of the heart, liver and kidney. On the other hand, a low-sodium diet not only eliminates all these but also makes food less tempting and protects you from over-indulging.
What is sodium and where is it found?
The mineral sodium occurs naturally in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and cheese. It is also found in high amounts in salt, monosodium glutamate and many other seasonings. Processed food and fastfood are usually high in sodium. Even soda, as in soft drinks and baking soda, contains sodium.
The human body needs only a minimum of 250 milligrams of sodium per day and you should not exceed 2,400 milligrams or a teaspoon of salt a day. Since sodium already occurs in fresh unprocessed food, you ideally need not add salt to anything.
Of course, salt is added to flavor food and enhance its taste. Take note that we are referring to a low sodium diet here, and not a no-sodium diet. You need not totally remove salt from your diet. Just drastically minimize your use of salt and explore other ways to add flavor and taste.
You can perkup your food with natural herbs and spices, including fresh or powdered garlic, onion, ginger and pepper. The juice of lemons and limes and other citrus fruits have also been used for ages, as well as various types of vinegar. You can make up your own combinations or try commercial salt-free seasoning mixes for different types of food.
Sometimes, you cannot really tell from taste alone whether or not certain food contain high sodium. Many canned or frozen food are notorious for this. They may not seem too salty to your tastebuds but can actually make you exceed your daily limit with just a few servings. Always check food labels and opt for those with 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving. Remember that you will be eating several meals a day and it adds up.
At home you can easily have control over how you prepare your food, but what happens when you eat out? Some restaurants will accommodate requests for special diets as long as you ask nicely when you order. Take note of such restaurants. They deserve your patronage and your body deserves the care.
For general health and well-being, the low-sodium diet is recommended. It will not only make you feel better, it will also make you look better with no undesirable side effects, except maybe having to spend for a wardrobe in smaller sizes.
Low Sodium Diet Ideas to Help Ease Hypertension
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor will very likely ask you to reduce your salt intake. It is a fact that high salt levels in food can cause hypertension to worsen significantly.
Cutting down salt can seem like a terrible prescription to many. They are afraid that a low sodium diet is equal to tasteless, flavorless food.
That is not necessarily true. It is quite possible to reduce salt intake and enjoy tasty food too. Here are several ideas you can try out.
- First things first—avoid those potassium chloride salt substitutes. Why? Because they can lead to a dangerous increase in potassium levels in the body and result in many problems including heart rhythm abnormalities.
- Have you noticed when you are tempted to add more salt to your food? It is when the food appears to be bland or otherwise tasteless. Avoid this problem altogether. Ensure that your food looks attractive and has sufficient variety, including colors and textures. That way, you are less likely to impulsively add extra salt.
- Salt is added to canned vegetables during processing. If you use canned vegetables, wash them well with water to remove the salt. Where possible, use fresh vegetables.
- Do you eat a lot of starchy foods like pasta that will use toppings? It is easy to not add salt to them because the toppings add taste to the food and the lack of salt will not be noticeable at all.
- Do not keep the salt shaker on the table. Use lemon juice as a substitute. Use it on a variety of foods to add flavoring.
- Use fruits like pineapples and mandarin oranges to spice up chicken, instead of adding extra salt.
- Eat a balanced diet, and strive for balance in your salt intake as well. For example, if you enjoy a relatively high-salt meal for dinner, keep your breakfast and lunch low in salt content.
- Try marinating meat in wine. You could also add wine to soups and other foods. During cooking, the alcohol will evaporate but wine will enhance the flavor. This is a great option for reducing sodium intake.
- Substitute salt with red pepper, green pepper and paprika to add flavoring.
- When you buy food, read the labels carefully. Remember to choose only low-sodium foods. And be careful of additives that may increase the sodium content.
- Try orange juice for marinating meat and poultry. You can use lemon juice too.
- Garlic salt and onion salt are just salt with flavoring added. Avoid them. Use fresh onions or garlic for flavoring.
- Try out those mixes of herbs and spices for flavoring. Many of them are salt free (be sure to check.) You can also buy many kinds of fruit peels, herbs and spices. Experiment and find out what works best for you.
Use some of these options to create a very tasty, yet low sodium diet. Making these changes will go a long way controlling high blood pressure.
Low Sodium Diet - Find and Cook the Right Foods Now!
Low Sodium Diet is one diet plan that gets the attention of those who are health conscious. It is not only for getting the good shape you wanted for your body but also low sodium diet lower the risk of high-blood pressure and other related illnesses. This had been recommended by The National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine (IOM). There had been a released guideline that defines daily sodium intakes. As suggested, people between the ages of 19-50 may only take 1,500 mg sodium/salt, for ages 51-70 1,300 mg and for ages 71+ 1,200 mg. This strictly includes ALL salt or sodium intakes.
That also counts sodium used in cooking and at the table.
Following this diet plan and recommendations made a lot of people who are very cognizant to their health have to look for the right foods and have themselves prepare and cook it in their own kitchen. The big question now is how to find and cook the right foods that are certified in low sodium. This article can provide some of the information that you need to know on sodium or salt content in food in order to be cautious in preparing and serving them to their family. Low sodium foods with 1-150 mg per servings are doughnuts, white and whole bread, cookies, crepes, graham crackers, Melba toast, shredded wheat cereals, cakes, together with granola, puffed rice, puffed wheat, spaghetti, noodles, rice and macaroni pasta.
Condiments like butter, herbs, margarine, oil, Horseradish, sugar, mustard, syrup, Tabasco, vinegar and spices are still in the same bracket of specified low sodium contents. Dairy Products like cheeses amongst are cream, Monterey, Mozzarella, Ricotta are little salt nature. All untreated animal protein have natural sodium content. Many individuals also do not have the luxury of time to cook. They preferred packed foods that are cooked already and ready to go. These Prepared foods that have Low sodium food labels has the following sodium information: Salt free means less than 5 milligrams sodium per serving. Sodium free has Less than 5 milligrams sodium per serving. No Salt added may mean No salt added during processing but does not guarantee as sodium free. Very Low Sodium has 35 milligrams or less sodium per serving. Low Sodium labels may have 140 milligrams or less per serving. The list could go on and on but the bottom line here is to examine the Nutrition Facts Label to evaluate the quantity of sodium in every package and be very conscious of the sodium or salt intake.
Always choose foods that have lower values. It is also important that before you take the packed food or processed food, you need to compare the amounts you will eat to the serving size given. The figure may look low but the amount you eat will double or triple the sodium consumed as per guidelines. Becoming conscious of what you eat keeps you fit. I wish you the best of luck down the road to losing weight. It is not easy but with the right dedication and never give up attitude anything is achievable.
The Benefits of Low Sodium Diets
Low-sodium diets are useful in the management of hypertension and in conditions in which sodium retention and edema are prominent features, particularly congestive heart failure, chronic liver disease, and chronic renal failure. Sodium restriction is beneficial with or without diuretic therapy. Low-sodium diets are widely reported to reduce blood pressure and are recommended by the American College of Cardiology in the treatment of mild hypertension. Seaweed preparations have been shown to decrease blood pressure by a mechanism involving ion exchange. Low-sodium diets are prescribed to help control high blood pressure. These limit the amount of sodium in the diet to less than 2 grams per day (about half the amount of sodium in the average diet).
Low sodium diets are often used with diuretics to get rid of surplus fluid. This combination helps to reduce weight. These diets are also helpful if we are fortunate it can help add some time to our life.
Low sodium diets are beneficial in preventing heart disease. Eliminate foods that are high in salt content. They are helpful in reducing urinary output . Thiazides or indomethacin may also help reduce urinary output , though there are side effects to consider. Low sodium diets are a necessity for some and a goal for others. Sodium is not only found in a salt shaker, 75% of our salt intake comes from packaged foods alone.
Special low sodium foods are available from many gourmet meat and foods purveyors. Low sodium diets are often advised to prevent heart disease and followed by people who have an existing heart condition or a family history of heart disease. There has been much publicity regarding the amount of salt included in the majority of processed foods.
The Dash Diet is considered to be one of the most effective diets for lowering sodium intake and blood pressure.The most common source of sodium in our diet is table salt added to foods. Low-sodium cottage cheese spoils quickly, and has very low demand. I can understand why most stores do not want to carry it.
The low sodium diet is the type of diet that is easy to maintain as there are many food choices that are available. As a result, a low sodium lifestyle does not have to be boring and it will not become old.