Posts Tagged ‘Healthy eating’

Losing Vanity Weight the Healthy Way

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

It’s true that obesity is practically an epidemic in the United States, and the number of overweight people around the world continues to grow. However, there are many people that are not horribly overweight – they often struggle to just lose vanity weight. The good news is that losing a small amount of weight doesn’t have to be too difficult. Here are a few things that you can do when you just need to lose a few pounds.

You can start by closely watching  what you eat. There are a lot of little things that you can do to take in fewer calories.

You can start by eating breakfast – studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast actually can and will lose weight. That’s because eating something in the morning wakes up your metabolism and gets your body burning energy more efficiently. Plus, if you eat something early in the morning, you won’t eat as much during lunch.

You should also try to be careful about snacking. A great way to lose a few pounds is to throw out all of the candy and junk food in your house. You could give up drinking soda as well. If you eat junk food and drink one can of carbonated soda each day, you could be adding as many as 500 meaningless calories or more to your diet every day. It only takes 3500 calories to add one pound of weight. That means that cutting out candy and soda could help you lose about one pound every week, a great way to lose vanity weight.

The next thing that you should try is exercise. A lot of people who are just a few pounds overweight could be in great shape if they exercised regularly. Your workout doesn’t have to be a big deal – you can just hit the gym at least three times each week. You will have even better results if you try to get to the gym five times each week. While you’re there, you should do some cardiovascular exercises like riding the exercise bike or using the elliptical for at least 20 minutes. That will get your heart rate up – this sends extra blood to your brain and gives your heart a workout which is great. Once your heart is worked up, you will really be burning some calories. You can also lift some weights to lose extra pounds.

You should supplement your diet and exercise with a lot of water. Drinking more water is a great way to ensure that the processes inside your body are working properly as it is kind of a natural lubricant that keeps your insides clean. Drinking a full glass of water before each meal is a great way to cut back on the amount of food that you eat. Try to drink at least eight glasses everyday – that’s about 4 bottles or water.

If you stick to these tips, it should not be too hard to lose vanity weight. It can be pretty hard to stick to a plan when you are only trying to lose a few pounds – since you feel like you are already in good shape. But, just remember that there is always more that you could do to help your body work better and be healthier.

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www.fitandhealthyplace.com  .   .   .   .   .  Benefits of Aerobics

The Benefits of Yogurt

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Yogurt is a popular snack treat for people who are trying to monitor their weight. Did you know that apart from making you lose weight, yogurt has other benefits to your body?

One way to improve your health naturally is by eating an adequate amount of yogurt everyday. Yogurt has live microorganisms called probiotics. These good bacteria help your body works properly. 

Here are some benefits you can get from eating yogurt:

• Improves gastro-intestinal functions
Since yogurt is rich with probiotics, it helps improve food digestion and absorption. Good digestion and absorption will prevent you from experiencing hyperactive bowel movements and constipation. Yogurt also helps lactose intolerant individuals. It also lowers your risk of getting inflammatory bowel diseases like Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease.

• Boosts your immune system
Probiotics from yogurt makes your body stronger in resisting harmful bacteria, thus lessening your risk of getting infections. These good bacteria also enhance your body’s natural healing process so you can easily recover from illnesses.
• Regulates your blood pressure
A study have shown that having 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy daily will greatly reduce your risks of getting high blood pressure. Some dairy products are high with dairy fat that is not healthy for your heart. Yogurt is a low-fat dairy product that does not have a bad effect on your heart.
• Maintains your weight
Because yogurt is low-fat, it frees you from worries of gaining weight. When dieting, it’s important that you still get enough nutrients so you don’t end up being malnourished. Yogurt contains an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals that you need. With a high yogurt intake, you get enough nutrients without the worries of moving the scales up.
• Prevents osteoporosis
Yogurt, just like some dairy products have added calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are very important in making your bones stronger. Strong bones will prevent you from developing osteoporosis.

Here are some tips you can follow when deciding on adding yogurt in your diet.

1. Choose the type of yogurt that you want to take:
There are various types of yogurt. Some yogurts contain regular fat, some are fat-free and some are low-fat. You may also want to check the sugar contained in the yogurt. There are yogurts that have more sugar than others. Look at the label at the back of the package. Read and compare nutritional contents of different brands. Reading labels will help you choose the best brand in the market.
 
2. Make it a habit:
You can eat yogurt anytime and anywhere. Make it a point to take some yogurt everyday. Bring some in the office so you can easily have yogurt on your lunch break. You can also put a small yogurt cup in your bag so you can take a healthy snack anywhere.

3. Substitute other ingredients with yogurt:
Yogurt can easily be added to your recipes. Use yogurt instead of ice cream when making a smoothie. You can also try adding yogurt when baking cakes and other pastries. You can easily substitute milk to yogurt.

4. Make eating yogurt fun and delightful:
There are numerous recipes that you can follow so that you don’t only get to eat the flavored yogurt available on the market. Adding fruits on your yogurt is a good idea and will make your snack even healthier.

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Lots of interesting things .    .    . Lose Weight Eating Healthy

What You Must Know About Flax Seeds

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

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Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical advice provided by your physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read carefully all product packaging and labels. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your physician or health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Fish oil versus Flaxseed oil:

What is the opinion on fish oil supplements, and why not just take flaxseed oil since it has omega 3s? How much is needed to take daily?

Flax is one of the best dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fat not produced by the human body but only available through dietary sources.

The answer is really very simple. There are several Omega 3 fatty acids. They are named ALA (alpha linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). ALA is found in flaxseed oil whereas EPA and DHA are found in fish oils. ALA is able to convert into EPA and then into DHA, but this takes several enzymatic steps in the body and not everyone efficiently converts ALA into EPA and DHA, particularly with aging.

Lignans are a type of fiber, and at the same time a type of phytoestrogen — a chemical similar to the human hormone estrogen. Flaxseeds are the richest source of lignans. When you eat lignans, bacteria in the digestive tract convert them into estrogen-like substances called enterodiol and enterolactone, which are thought to have anti-tumor effects. Lignans and other flaxseed components may also have antioxidant properties, that is, they may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals.

Flaxseeds have a pleasant, nutty flavor and taste good sprinkled on salads, cooked vegetables, or cereals. The oil is quite tasty, too, though expensive. However, the process of obtaining the oil from the seeds removes these lingans. Soluble fiber is not present in flax seed oil. 

In addition to the omega-3s, the remaining two components of flaxseed, which are lignans and fiber are being studied for their health benefits as well, says Diane Morris, PhD, RD, spokesperson for the Flax Council of Canada. Lignans, for example, act as both phytoestrogens and antioxidants, while the fiber contained in the flaxseed is of both the soluble and insoluble type. Flax is an interesting mixture of nutrients and other components.

Ground flax seed is used for hot flashes, breast pain and reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels. It is also used as a laxative, as a promoter of heart health and to modulate blood glucose levels. Flax seed oil is used to relieve arthritis, prevent cancer and control cholesterol. The oil may also have beneficial effects on controlling ADHD and dry eyes, as well as being beneficial to the cardiovascular system.

So what are you waiting for? You have the chance to improve your health state today! We urge you to gather more information on the benefits of Flaxseed and Flaxseed oil today! Live a healthy life!

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Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/104211-ground-flax-seed-vs.-flax/#ixzz0vIAtTEeE