Good Health Starts With The Right Food and Vitamins

Many health problems can be avoided by eating food that is naturally high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. It is also a good idea to supplement your diet with a multiple vitamin that replenishes your system on a daily basis. There are however, some foods that will definitely promote your health and are necessary to keep your body vibrant and youthful.

1. Many health experts agree on the value of fresh fruits and vegetables as a source of vitamins that will promote your well being. The main reason behind this is the many natural vitamins that this food group contains.

Everyone should include fruits and vegetables in their diet that are high in vitamin C. This is a natural protector against communicable diseases such as colds and other viruses. Oranges and apples have a large amount of this vitamin. If you prefer, you can drink the juice instead of the solid food. One 12 oz. glass of orange juice or the equivalent is recommended every day.

2. One of the best sources for natural water known to mankind is contained in the fruits and vegetables we buy at the grocery store. The natural water in these foods will be digested much better than other liquids and even bottled water itself.

This is a tip that will help your body maintain a proper pH value also. You must remember that your health depends on a good flow of food through the digestive tract. That is a very good reason in itself to keep some natural water bearing fruits and vegetables on hand. It's never too early in life to start this habit for better health.

3. It is preferable to use food and vitamins to prevent certain diseases such as hardening of the arteries and discomforts of the abdominal system. By eating healthy doses of natural food whenever you can, the risks of major problems occurring lessens over time.

The vitamins that will do everyone good on a daily basis are as follows:

a. Vitamin C. One chewable tablet of orange flavored Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, 500mg.) per day is the recommended dose for adults.

b. Vitamin A - This vitamin has been shown to be present in salmon meat as Omega-3. The results of a steady use of this vitamin is a better blood flow. The recommended dose is one 200 I.U. gel tablet (Individual Units) per day.

c. Everyone should switch to a 100% whole wheat bread. Do not buy whole wheat bread that has enriched flour as its main ingredient. 100% whole wheat bread will provide you with Vitamins B-6 and B-12. This will aid your digestion process and provide you with a good amount of fiber in your diet.

4. Another good health tip is to switch to honey instead of sugar as your sweetener of choice. Honey is of course all natural and is absorbed by your digestive system without a complicated breakdown process. The benefit of using honey instead of refined sugar is less stored fat in your body over time. Your system does not have to work as hard to absorb what it needs. You get more of what you need and less of what you do not need when you eat honey. It's a tasty change that most people can live with.

A word of caution to diabetics: Consult with your doctor before using honey because it is still a form of sugar. It is just a form of sugar that is absorbed faster by the body. (Recommended)

The proper use of the right food and proper vitamins will promote your good health and give you more energy. These tips are by no means the end of the story for anyone who wishes to stay healthy. You must keep taking any medicine that is prescribed to you as well as the vitamins outlined here on a continual basis for maximum results.

This is because the levels of these nutrients must stay constant in your bloodstream to remain effective. Your health depends on your vigilance in this matter. Combining the right food with the right vitamins is a choice that will bring you closer to optimum health and a happier life.

Why The George Foreman Grill Is So Popular

We all want to stay healthy and healthy eating is what the doctors encourage us to do. Not everyone will like to switch to a diet that is mainly based on fruits and vegetables when they have been consuming lots of fats and calories.

One of the main concerns is that the food will be tasteless and plain. In comes the George Foreman grill to the rescue. This cooking appliance can assist you to cook tasty meals that you can think of.

Many years ago when it was first in the market, there seems to be a craze over it. Just because a former heavyweight boxing champ had his name on it, does it means it is good? However many people believe it and soon every house has a set of George Foreman grill.

When people started using them for cooking non oil laden food with great results, the George Foreman grill gradually became in style.

Perhaps one of the most attractive features of this tool is the ease of using it. Many people savor the taste of grilled food but they did not know how to cook it the right way. With the ability of the George Foreman grill, you can easily get the flavor that only a large grill can offer and with all the convenience of an easy to use and solid design.

Even for those who rarely cook, they will find sing it a breeze. More families are now using the grill several times weekly.

You can use the George Foreman grill for fish, chicken, beef and pork. Though there are many models around, choose one that suits the number of people you usually cook for. If your family size is four, choose the family size George Foreman grills. If there is just only two of you, use the smaller version.

Another feature that many people love about this indoor grill is that cleaning it is simple. Just use a damp cloth and the grilling surface itself can be wiped clean. Some mild detergent can do the trick to remove any dirt marks outside of the George Foreman grill.

Be warned that you cannot sink it into water as it is an electrical appliance. It will be damaged immediately.

In fact, when you have used it once, you will see the beauty of it. Many people love it because you can cook anything without using more oil. If you enjoy burgers, you can use the George Foreman grill to make a low-fat, healthy version of a hamburger.

To cook a steak, just a small number of spices, you can cook up a lean piece of beef without any extra oil or salt. Now who says there is no easy way to cook?

Natuaral Body Odor Is Healthy

The frequent users of hand soaps and detergents are not aware that cleanliness can be dangerous to their health. That obsessive attempt by many people to destroy germs and bacteria has only opened up paths for those germs and bacteria to enter their body. The super clean people who try to live in super clean clothes or a super clean home are asking for trouble, and possibly a long stay in the hospital. The body has an immune system that fights germs and bacteria best. That immune system has to be battle hardened and battle ready. This can only happen when the immune system is in a constant state of war. Removing Germs and bacteria from the battle field gives the immune system a vacation, a vacation which it may never return from.

Two of the most populated countries of the world use the least amounts of detergents and hand soaps per person. They are India and China, and yet those people are healthy and presentable. The main reason for them washing less is that their scarce water supply is used mainly for drinking and cooking. Only a wealthy person has an unlimited water supply. It is impossible for those people to have enough water to be able to wash their clothes and shower daily. Yet those billions live happily and survive without the constant use of soaps and detergents. That fact alone should prove that Americans are washing themselves obsessively and wasting their water and time.

Body odor has been advertised to stem from unhygienic practices. It telegraphs that the person is in need of a shower. Being told that you have body odor can upset you so much that you will drop everything and quickly jump into that shower. The natural smell of the body has recently become a foul odor, and the nose has now become nature's enemy. The nose is on guard and is always working full time sniffing for foul odors. Even the most attractive people who have some body odor are now avoided as if they had a terrible disease. The perfect world for the nose would be an odorless world. It would be a world where the nose could breathe odorless air.

The Anti-dirt industry makes billions of dollars each year creating a vision of dirt in each person's mind. The more dirt people see and want to eliminate the bigger their profits become. But they are going too far when they try to create the impression that the human body is naturally dirty. They even say that humans smell bad, and should be deodorized. This is not a fair way to make a profit.

Human beings don't naturally smell bad nor are they naturally dirty. The dirt lies with the people that are pushing their cleansing products on us. Let's accept the way we smell and the homes we live in. A messy house and a strong body odor is a healthy sign.Lets learns to live with it and love it.

What Is The Nutri System Diet?

Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry. Through constant research conducted by companies, and doctors, many diets are very effective, and can be used no matter what lifestyle a person leads. There are now millions of different options available for the different needs, and habits of each dieter.

It goes without saying that the Nutri System diet would have to be one of the most flexible and easy to use diets for effective weight-loss around. This is simply because it takes the guess work out of dieting, by educating dieters on what they need to do to lead a healthier lifestyle, and providing pre-packaged prepared meals for each day.

How Does The Nutri System Diet Work?


The plan is unique in the way it takes into account each individual on the diet, and calculates things such as age, height, weight and gender of the person to provide the best possible chance at weight loss. It works on a low fat diet plan, but it does not starve the body of essential fat intake, or much needed carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate intake is based on the glycemic index, and provides a healthy source of carbohydrates, and a lowered fat intake to promote weight loss. By using this approach, the person on the diet notices a reasonably quick reduction in weight without losing energy, or feeling irritable.

What makes this weight loss program very simple for the dieter is that the plan does not require the person to count calories, or prepare their meals according to a plan. This type of diet is especially beneficial for those who lead a busy lifestyle, multi task, or would prefer to depend on others to plan their meals, and calculate the proper amount of food intake needed to lose weight, and stay healthy. Many people who want to control their tendency to over eat can also benefit from having prepared meal portions.

Basically, the Nutri System diet plan is a balanced diet calculated individually for each person using it, and the correct amount of food intake that will speed up the process of weight loss is already provided. Providing pre-packaged meals, prepared for the individual, makes sure that the correct amounts of food are eaten, as well as the correct types of foods to promote weight loss.

This eating plan works by following a basic guide of providing around 60% of carbohydrates, with the avoidance of carbohydrates that contain high amounts of starches in them, 20% protein, and 20% fats.

Pros And Cons Of The Nutri System Diet


Like any diet, there are always pros and cons. One of the two major cons of the diet would have to be the dependency that the person on the plan has when they are using pre-prepared meals rather than being educated on how to prepare a healthy meal. Another con is the cost to participate in the program, as the food, and preparation from the company can be costly.

Some people may not be able to afford to use this diet plan, or may feel that the dependency on the pre-prepared meals is a bad thing. However, there are others that favor this method of dieting as they do not have to follow a weight loss regimen, count their calorie intake, or even prepare their own meals, since the food needed for each day is already prepared, and ready to be eaten.

The diet teaches the dieter to control their hunger, and educates the person on what is an appropriate amount of food needed for each meal to stay healthy, and lose weight. Those using it are also given a weekly counseling, teaching the person how to exercise to complement their weight loss efforts, and how each person's calorie intake is calculated, depending on the individual's needs.

Although the person following this method of losing pounds can become dependent on the pre-packaged meals, they are also educated on how to maintain their weight long-term afterwards. By using the skills taught in the weekly training course, those on the diet plan can learn how to control their weight after they have reached their desired weight goal, by preparing their own meals based on their unique calculations.

This weight loss diet is not for everyone. Although, for the right people who are looking for already prepared meals, and quick healthy weight loss, the Nutri System diet plan is a very effective way to lose unwanted weight, and gain a new lifestyle.

The Facts About Your Cholesterol Level

It's one thing to be told that cholesterol level is too high. It's another thing entirely to understand what that means and why it is important to bring it into check.

The cholesterol level a person hears about in a doctor's office following a simple blood test is generally the read out of several different types of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Most tests look for a few different types of cholesterol, or fat, with three forms being vital for good health.

The LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is called the "bad" cholesterol. This form of fat is known for its ability to stick to plaque in the arteries and assist in hardening and clogging. When the level of this kind of cholesterol is too high, serious problems can be on the horizon. Issues that might arise include an increased risk for heart disease, heart attacks and even stroke. Bringing this down can greatly increase the risk for such conditions developing.

HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, will also be checked as part of a standard cholesterol level test. This kind of cholesterol is known as the "good" kind. It has earned the reputation of being good simply because it is known to help remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream and transport it to the liver where it can be removed from the body. When the levels of HDL are too low, it can be a problem.

Triglycerides are also checked in a standard test. This form of fat is the type the body tends to make all on its own. When these levels are too high, there is cause for concern.

When blood cholesterol level tests come back in, the most common reading will be in milligrams per deciliter of blood, which is written generally as mg/dL. The levels of cholesterol a person should have in their bloodstream will vary depending on age, but in general when a total cholesterol test comes back it should be under 200 mg/dL. Anything between 200 and 239 is considered borderline and 240 and above is a cause for concern.

If a test happens to break it down. The standard "normal" results will be 60 mg/dL or above for HDL or "good" cholesterol. LDL cholesterol level readings should be less than 100 mg/dL. Anything in the 130 to 159 range is considered borderline. At about 160, there is cause for concern. Triglyceride level should fall in at 150 mg/dL for the normal range.

Finding out cholesterol level on a regular basic can help a person avoid one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease and stroke. When the numbers are known, the correct action can be taken. In some cases the tests will lead a doctor to recommend diet and exercise changes. In other cases, diet, exercise and even special medications will be ordered.

Understanding cholesterol level and its implications on health can save a life. At the very least, the information can help a person make conscious decisions about their health and what they can do to improve it. Heart disease is a silent killer, but there are warning signs. Cholesterol level is a rather loud and clear sign.

How Atkins Works

The Atkins Nutritional Approach™, as the Atkins diet is commonly known, has worked for several people with weight problems, although the opinion about its efficacy, especially in the long term, is divided among the medical community. Considerable controversy surrounds the program. Most other diets, and there are numberless of them out there, follow the principle of avoiding high-fat foods. But the Atkins diet allows things like red meat, bacon, butter, cheese, eggs and so on, which are all high in fat. Yet, to the utter surprise of everyone who repose their trust in the tried and tested low-fat diets, the Atkins diet works.

The reason is rather simple. The Atkins diet limits the consumption of foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, white bread, cereal and sugar. Your body burns its excess fat during a process consisting of four phases, which the late Dr. Robert Atkins developed. In his book Dr.Atkins New Diet Revolution, published in 1972, he advised dieters to cut down on only carbohydrates, not both fats and carbohydrates as had been the practice followed until then.

During the first phase of Atkins diet, the dieter is allowed to eat only very small quantities of carbohydrates. The carbohydrates allowed are limited to a maximum of 20 grams per day, in the form of salads, or vegetables without starch.

The second phase allows the dieter to progressively increase the amount of carbohydrates by 5 grams (from the initial 0 - 20 grams in the first phase to 25 grams in the first week of the second phase) a day. Thereafter, as long as the dieter loses weight, the weekly increase of 5 grams of carbohydrates continues. Once the dieter reaches a stable weight, he has to reduce the carb-intake by 5 grams, so that he remains at the weight reached.

The purpose of the third phase is to help the dieter to maintain the weight reached at a steady level, if necessary, by increasing the intake of carbohydrates at the rate of 10 grams per week.

The fourth and final phase allows consumption of more foods of a wider variety, even though the carbohydrate consumption remains restricted. The idea is to maintain over a long period of time the weight reached in the earlier phases.

The question about how exactly the Atkins diet works for weight loss can be answered either by referring to complex scientific processes like lipolysis and gluconeogenesis and so on or by using simple and direct explanation that may be easier to appreciate. When the body is starved of carbohydrates, which provide quite a bit of the energy required to run its various systems, it turns to its stored fat and burns it to replenish the energy deficit. As more and more of the stored fat is burnt to supply energy to the body, more and more weight is lost. Another thing is that by controlling the amount of carbohydrate-intake in the body, the Atkins diet controls the quantity of insulin in the body. Being a storage hormone, insulin converts carbohydrates into sugar and stores it as fat in the body, in the normal circumstances. However, when the quantity of carbohydrates is lower than normal, the sugar in the body is not stored in the shape of fat, but burnt instead. Again, the result is weight loss.

Atkins has become popular for two reasons. One is that it works, especially when exercise goes with it. Two, it gives the dieters the freedom to eat the foods that are prohibited in other diet programs.

Utilizing Nutrition And Diet Therapy

It's no secret that the relationship between nutrition and overall health is recognized as legitimate and fundamental. The food we choose to put into our bodies has a profound and lasting impact on our weight, our health, and, ultimately, our longevity. A poor diet can mean a lifetime of illness and disease. But sadly, most people do not heed the advice of experts until they are facing a health crisis; at which time they embark upon nutrition and diet therapy to help put their bodies back into balance.

Nutrition and diet therapy works to eliminate those poor nutritional choices from the diet and replace them with choices focused on whole, natural foods. In some cases, it can be an overhaul in lifestyle; significantly minimizing – or even eliminating – foods that are fried, processed, or high in salt, sugar, or saturated fats. Nutrition and diet therapy will instead ask you to include fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat diary products as the staples in your diet.

This is by no means an easy lifestyle change for someone who is used to canned or boxed products and a steady stream of fast food. But it is a necessary change if you want to live a life of optimum health. In addition to the obvious advantages of implementing this lifestyle is the fact the payoff is immediate in terms of how you feel. You'll immediately begin to feel healthier and more energized.

Apart from choosing the right kinds of food as a part of nutrition and diet therapy, there is also choosing the right amount of food. If most people would practice simple portion control, they could limit their calories enough to make a major impact on their weight and overall health.

Another part of nutrition and diet therapy is the flushing of your system. It is imperative that you drink at least eight glasses of water on a daily basis. Water acts as a natural appetite suppressant, hydrates and flushes the body, speeds the metabolism, and aids digestion.

Nutrition and diet therapy works to put your body back in line with what it needs to be healthy and efficient. If you are having difficulty making the right choices, work with a nutritionist to help develop a meal plan that works for you.

Good Diet Necessities

Its not all about nagging and forcing our children to engage themselves in exercise and fitness but another major necessity is to help and introduce good balanced and healthy diets in our households.

Good diet and nutrition is essential to help our minds and body to stay healthy( Well maintained) fit and strong. It might be a bit hard for a parent to introduce healthy meals to her kids, all at once, but a gradual process can be the way forward.

Try and have your kids to be part of the cooking. Shop around with them and let them pick what has to be cooked for dinner provided it will be a healthy and nutritious meal. In this way, the kids will always be looking forward to have the good and appetising meal of their own choice and they will gradually become enthusiastic when it comes to healthy living and well being.

This does not mean that your child has to get rid of all her favourite junk food or unhealthy snack, but make the intake limited.

Fruits and vegetable Intake

But how do you make kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, especially when they may only want to eat the famous mcrubbish chicken nuggets and the traditional English fish and chips and you are not supposed to force kids to have their plates cleared or make meal times a chaos?

The easiest way is to let your kids become creative, let them help you make different recipes and dress up your serving line to draw attention to fruits and vegetables to encourage children to make these selections. Make it a routine and have a variety of the fruit and vegetables in case they get bored of having the same meal. More info at www.mancubs.com

One trick that often works for both fruits and vegetables is to find foods that your kids already like to eat, like smoothies, muffins, yogurt, etc., and find recipes that allow you to add fruits or vegetables to them, like banana or zucchini muffins.

Creativity on Fruits

Other helpful tips might be to:

" let your kids pick the fruits they want to eat when you go shopping

" mix fruit pieces in with yogurt or serve them with a dip or sauce

" make fruit crunchies

" offer a fruit salad,for example mixep up with oranges, grapes, strawberries, etc. as a dessert or snack

" make a snack mix with raisins, nuts and cereal

" add chopped fruit, especially berries and bananas, to your child's cereal

" try dried fruits

Creativity on Vegetables

" As it will always work, trust me on this one, let you child help you when preparing the meal.

" Have a back yard garden, where your child can be excited on eating and growing the vegetables.

" Serve the vegetables on their favorite meals.

" Let them know about the nutritious values and benefits in what they eat.

Written By Sphephile Peppy Sibanyoni

What is the Fastest Weight Loss Program?

There are so many ways that people have that they can lose weight. From low carb and low sugar to outright deprivation there are more ways that a person could lose weight than they could ever try in a lifetime. While I don't promote or recommend most weight loss programs, I have in my lifetime tried most of them. They do work, and some with some great success, but most of them are not something that an average person could spend the rest of their lifetime doing. That is why most, if not all, of the quick loss weight loss programs are doomed to failure in the long run and can lead to a dangerous weight loss and gain cycle that can end up putting more weight on you than you started out with.

There are, as in all things, exceptions to the rule. And if you are trying to jump start your weight loss program to get yourself motivated and really into the fat burning phase there are some ways to do it. It might also be that you have something important coming up and you want to look just a little better for it. Well if that is the case here is the fastest weight loss program, and another on top of it.

If you have a month or two to lose the weight that you want to lose you really can't beat the low carb weight loss program, such as Atkins. I personally have lost a lot of weight in a months time using Atkins. The reason that it works so well is that you are putting your body into ketosis, and forcing it to burn fat. This can also have some negative repercussions as well so I do not recommend staying on Atkins for a long period of time.

Another way to lose some weight quickly is to cut calories like mad and do up your exercise. This will only work for the short term because eventually your body will figure out that you are starving it and will go into starvation mode. If you stay at this level too long you will slow your metabolism and it may take some time to restart.

So when looking for the fastest weight loss program make sure that you are not going after it for the long haul. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight are a lifelong project, so start fast if you must but remember that good health takes time.

Test Your Calorie Smarts - Part 2

For those of us weight-conscious folks, dining out can easily be a high calorie nightmare. Offerings of lean, low calorie foods seem to be few and far between. In fact it is downright difficult, if not impossible, to choose restaurant foods that are the best calorie bargains.

Are you a calorie-sleuth? Time to step up to the plate. (No pun intended.) Let's see how you do with this quiz*:


1. Which dinner entrée contains the most calories?


a. Grilled Steak Caesar Salad with toast from Applebee's


b. Chicken Pasta with Focaccia Bread Dinner Plate from Shari's


c. Whopper (with cheese and mayo) and medium French fries from Burger King

The Whopper meal, right? Wrong. The Caesar salad wins top honors with 1295 calories, more than the Burger King fare with 1119 calories. The chicken pasta entrée from Shari's comes in lowest at 959 calories.


Moral of the story: Just because it's a salad doesn't mean it's low in calories.

2. Let's try another one. Which one of these has the most calories?

a. South Western Chicken Fajita Salad with Tortilla from IHOP

b. Southwest Philly Roll-up with sour cream, salsa and French fries from Applebee's

c. Chicken Marsala meal from Olive Garden


If you picked b, the Roll-up, congratulations you chose correctly. 2231 calories to be exact. The Fajita Salad placed second with 1090 calories, and the Chicken Marsala the lowest at 973 calories. None of these is a nutritional bargain, though, as all have over half of their calories coming from fat.

3. Which of the following lunch choices would set you back the most calories?

a. Double Meat Steak and Cheese Sub (6 inch) from Subway

b. Deep Dish Meat Lovers Delight Pizza (1 slice) from Sbarro

c. Turkey Ranch Swiss sub (8 inch, no dressing) from Quizno's


The pizza slice, at 780 calories, is the winner here. Next the Quizno's sub at 691 calories with the Subway choice containing the fewest calories at 540.

4. Which of these selections from Nothing But Noodles contains the most calories?


a. Asian Thai Peanut Noodles, ½ bowl


b. Italian Fettuccini Alfredo, ½ bowl


c. American Beef Stroganoff, ½ bowl


This one is easy, right? Winning first place with the highest total is the Alfredo bowl at 723 calories followed by the Asian bowl at 568. The lowest calorie choice among these is the Beef Stroganoff bowl with 508 calories.

5. Got a hankering for something sweet? Which of these wins the top calorie prize?

a. Blueberry scone from Starbuck's

b. Apple pie slice from Shari's

c. Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll


If you chose the Cinnamon Roll, you are right. Coming in at a whopping 813 calories, it's the highest of the bunch. The slice of pie ranks second at 666 calories, the scone lowest at 400 calories.

6. Okay, one last one for all of you chocolate-lovers. Which one of these has the most calories?


a. Triple Chocolate Meltdown from Applebee's


b. Chocolate Thunder from Down Under from Outback Steakhouse


c. Triple Chocolate Cake from Nothing But Noodles


The Outback choice wins hands down at 1220 calories. Unbelievable, isn't it? This is over ½ the daily caloric needs of many adults…contained in just one dessert! (Imagine the calorie total after adding in the rest of the dinner.) Not that the other two choices are much lower. The Applebee's Chocolate Meltdown comes in at 727 calories, and the Nothing but Noodles Chocolate Cake a "mere" 710 calories.

How did you do? Don't despair if your calorie-sleuthing needs some fine tuning, there is help available at www.calorieking.com. This site contains an extensive listing of the nutritional content for many of your favorite restaurant foods. Try consulting it before eating out. Maybe you can plan to share one of those chocolate bombs with a friend or two.

*Source for all calorie counts www.calorieking.com

How Good Is Good Food Really?

I have always been an advocate of eating right. And please don't get me wrong, I am in no way suggesting in this article that we all give up trying to eat right and start living on a diet of Twinkies and Yodels. That would certainly be a one way ticket to an early grave. However, we can't bury our heads in the sand regarding the real condition of the food that we eat. In this article, I'm going to take a good hard long look at some of the things that we put into our bodies that we truly believe are good for us. In today's world, good is a very relative term, as you will soon find out.

Let's start with something that almost everybody will agree is good for you. I'm talking about fresh fruits and vegetables. Certainly there can be nothing wrong with these wonders of nature. They're loaded with vitamins and minerals and help keep us healthy. Well, they're also loaded with something else that is hard to get around unless we go to special organic farms. See, in today's world where everything is about the mighty dollar, keeping our crops from being eaten by predators is our main concern. After all, every apple with a worm is one less apple that we can sell to the public. To achieve these ends, our fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides in order to keep the critters away. Well, as bad as the pesticides are for the critters, they're even worse for us. Yes, the government has strict regulations on these pesticides and insist that the levels are not harmful. I prefer to take what my government says with a grain of salt. If you want to be really safe in this area, get your fruits and vegetables from an organic farm where they don't use pesticides. You'll pay a lot more, but it's worth it.

What about our fresh meats? I'm not talking about the ones that aren't any good for you anyway, like pork or beef. I'm talking about the lean meats like chicken and turkey. Certainly these meats that are low in cholesterol and fat have to be good for you, right? Well, have you ever seen what these chickens and turkeys are given in order to fatten them up? They're given drugs. Guess where those drugs are going. Right into our bodies. Again, the FDA says the levels are harmless. Again, we won't go there. If you want to make sure the meat you eat is really good for you, make sure it comes from a farm where the animals are not given drugs to make them look like Arnold what's his name.

What about fish? Certainly fish is very good for you, right? Well, it all depends on the levels of mercury found in the ocean where these fish have been floating around. In case you're not aware of this, the sea is not as clean as it once was. With all the dumping and polluting of our waters, eating fish can actually be hazardous to your health, depending on the fish you're eating.

The truth is, because of the industrial age we live in, the days of truly natural food are close to being over. We can come close, and certainly eating an apple is a lot better than eating a Yodel.

It's just not as good as it used to be.

To YOUR Health,

Steve Wagner

Sugar - Aspartame - Splenda - Stevia - Molasses: Choosing a Sweetener That's Right for You

Just a few years ago, there were very few choices to sweeten your food and beverages. Now, our supermarket aisles are literally filled with tons of natural and artificial sweeteners. All these choices make it harder to decide what's right for you and your family. Here is an overview of some of the top sweeteners on the market.

Sugar


Sugar is, by far, the most popular sweetener worldwide. It has been used for many years to make foods more appetizing. However, processed sugars are being used more and more, and are causing adverse health problems. Excessive consumption of sugar is linked to obesity and tooth decay. Eating sugar also triggers your body's insulin response and can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and craving more sugar.

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)


Aspartame is probably the most common artificial sweetener. It is the key ingredient in NutraSweet and Equal. It is also used to sweeten many diet products like cookies and colas. While the FDA and many medical associations claim aspartame is entirely safe, others have suggested it may cause or increase health problems ranging from headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision to more serious problems such as severe depression, brain tumors, and multiple sclerosis. Both sides cite extensive scientific research to back their claims.

Sucralose (Splenda)


A newer sweetener called sucralose or Splenda has recently been working its way into restaurants and homes. Splenda is being advertised as being made from sugar, giving the impression it's as safe as sugar. While there isn't extensive research to prove Splenda is unsafe, there really hasn't been any extensive research done on this product.

While sugar is used in the production of Splenda, the conversion process is quite extensive. Sucralose is no more natural than aspartame. Preliminary research done on sucralose has shown that it causes a shrunken thymus gland, enlarged liver and kidneys, diarrhea, pregnancy complications, and other problems in rodents. The product is considered safe because these problems only occurred with large doses.

Stevia


Nothing is sweeter than sugar, right? Actually, a natural sweetener called stevia is. It comes from the stevia plant and is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. This means, you can use a lot less to get the same sweetening power. Plus, stevia contains no calories. It can be used for the same purposes as sugar, including sweetening beverages and baking.

While stevia is only approved as an herbal remedy in the U.S., countries like Japan have been using it for years with no adverse side effects.

Molasses


While some of the sweeteners I've already mentioned may or may not be bad for you, molasses is actually good for you. Blackstrap molasses is a natural byproduct that comes from refining sugar. Unlike sugar, which is basically empty calories, molasses contains iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. While molasses doesn't have the same taste as other sweeteners, it provides you with fuel to help you look and feel better.

While there is disagreement on the safety of artificial sweeteners, why bother taking the chance when there are safe, natural alternatives? While sweeteners like stevia may be more expensive, the health of your family is worth the extra cost.

Whey Protein

It is a well known fact that protein is one of the most important components that makes up our body's cells and is needed to build our complete body – muscles, nails, hair, tissues, etc. The lack of sufficient protein in the body can make us energy-less and adversely affect our bones, blood, muscles, skin, & cartilage.

What is Whey Protein?

Whey Protein is an important variety of protein, rich in essential nutrients and amino acids that are required by and beneficial for people of all ages. The term whey protein is used to refer to those globular proteins that are derived from cow's milk and are also the most natural & pure forms of protein there is.

Over the years, whey protein has gained tremendous popularity, especially in the arena of sports nutrition and body building largely due to its ability to repair tissues. Since whey protein is a rich source of amino acids, it provides these essential amino acids to the body, thus helping in the building of muscles without increasing cholesterol or fat. Research has shown that Whey protein is beneficial for any weight loss program and is often used as a meal replacement.

Moreover, Whey Protein has the highest Biological Value (BV), is lactose-free and easily digestible. It is recommended to supplement your diet with whey protein to experience a sense of total wellbeing.

From time immemorial, the importance of a healthy and balanced diet has been propagated. The human body requires its share of nutrition to function well and remain free of diseases.

Cheat Days

For most people the definition of a diet is to reduce calories in order to lose weight. Most of the calories that are cut come from the foods that many of us find delicious such as chips, sweets and fast food. Its a bad idea to eat these on a daily basis even if you're not on a diet. Another bad idea is to never eat the foods you love again for the sake of your health.

While diet and nutrition have a huge impact on your overall health, eating foods you enjoy can have as big of an impact on your psychological health. Eating foods that you enjoy can bring you happiness. Food is a part of everyone's culture and should be enjoyed.

Healthy diets are about moderation. Have a piece of cake but don't eat the whole thing and don't have it everyday. Diets were never about completely cutting out parts of your life that you enjoy. Cheat days can help you get through the hard times of a diet.

Once you have a stable diet that you are used to, a good idea is to institute a cheat day about once a week. This day isn't about reversing the progress you've made by eating everything you see. Its about relaxing and not worrying about the amount calories to consume or foods that are off limits.

On your cheat day you can forget about counting calories. You can use this day to go to your favorite restaurant and eat your favorite dessert. Keep in mind that even though you've worked hard the rest of the week, it doesn't take much to derail your weight loss efforts. Enjoy yourself but don't go overboard.

Don't start your cheat day until you're sure that your diet is on solid ground. Its pretty easy to enjoy yourself a bit too much and have another cheat day and another. Don't have them back to back and remember that once tomorrow comes the rules of your diet are back in effect.

Advanced Guide to Dieting

Do Not Take Supplements Without Diet

If you think that just buying a shake or taking a few pills would all make a sudden difference in you, then you are mistaken.

No supplement would help you if in case there is not proper training and dieting. If you are taking sports nutrition supplements then all the aspect of your program should be in order to get the maximum benefits out of it. Normally supplements improve your program by:

1. Adding a factor of ease: Using nutrition supplements like Meal Replacement Powders and whey protein assist you to remove the usual problem of 'not having enough time'. It provides you with a fast effective way to get your required nutrients on daily basis.

2. Increasing strength and reduce recovery time: Using vitamin and amino acid supplements assist you to minimize the side effects, which are negative and speed your recovery.

Mass diet need very high protein intake on an every day basis – Over 300g per day. The following examples would help you understand what 300g of protein is equal to:

Tuna – The 50 oz of canned tuna (the average can is 6-8oz) that is 1,750 calories and 25g of fat.


Chicken – The 38 oz of chx breast (equals about seven 6oz breasts) that is 1,313 calories and 38g of saturated fat.


Beef -- The 43 oz of lean ground beef (about 2.7 pounds of meat) that is 3,214 calories and 215g of saturated fat.


Eggs -- The 50 large whole eggs equal 3,750 calories and have 250g of saturated fat.


Egg whites -- The 100 egg whites, equals 1,600 calories and nearly no fat
Pure whey protein -- The 15 scoops of EAS Precision Protein, equals 1,500 calories 7.5g of soaked fat.

It is quite possible to get this value from eating whole foods only – But it would take work. Also, as you could see from the above numbers, getting all of your protein from usual food would also bring a lot of needless elements like extra saturated fat. Yes, our aim to gain mass is to eat a lot of calories (as well as fat), but your main fat intake must consist of unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature like olive oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil and as well safflower oil. Whey protein supplements would help to give you the extra protein without the fat.

History Of Whole Wheat

Long before refrigeration, microwaveable foods, and artificial chemicals, people traveled from place to place to find food. They would pick and eat whatever grew wild and whatever they could find. However, when the population began to grow and more and more food got harder to find, the travelers had to settle and figure out how to grow food themselves.

Wheat could have possibly been one of the first plants to be cultivated, due to how well it adapts to harsh environments this seems likely. After it was discovered you could grow wheat, big changes started taking place. People realized they could grow their own food, so they no longer needed to wander in search of it. The stable food supply caused people to settle permanently.

The travelers became farmers, and as the growing of wheat progressed, so did the farmer's knowledge. They began to make the wheat easier to grow and eat. Gradually they started choosing kernels from their best wheat plants for the next years' planting. Which eventually ended up producing better crops and better quality of wheat that was passed down from one generation to the next. Very quickly wheat became one of the world's most important crops and to this day is grown on more land area worldwide than any other crop!

It has been said that the first evidence of wheat was discovered in the Middle East. When farmers began producing enough crops to feed people from other lands, trading between the various lands and cultures began. Eventually wheat made it's way from the Middle East to England and other countries, then into the United States with Columbus back in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Over time, the growing of wheat spread to many continents and countries and is still one of the highest producing crops in the world.

All of the wheat grains were consumed or milled whole with the bran, germ, and endosperm part of the wheat still intact. However, a new way of milling and mass refining took hold in the wheat business when the industrialization wave hit America in the later 1800s. These manufacturers began removing the bran and germ from the wheat, because it meant that the wheat products could sit longer on grocery store shelves without spoiling. However, during this process almost all the essential vitamins and minerals (not to mention the dietary fiber from the bran) are removed. Since this time there have been increasing health problems throughout America and other countries.

Today, whole wheat has been taking the notice of nutrition experts to contain healthy phytochemicals and nutrients that are essential for good health. So let's get back to eating whole wheat, people used to eat it whole long before we started eating it without the bran and germ, and in most cases they even lived longer back then!

It's Amazing How Easy it is to Get Shopping Done Without Needing to Go to the Store

When either your car or health breaks down and nobody is there to help, getting to the store becomes hard for anyone who lives alone. What is a single person to do when faced with disability or car trouble? Don't despair, as long as you have a phone and a computer, help can be on the way, pronto! When stricken with severe sciatica and spinal pain from a herniated disk, I found out first-hand how difficult the problem of immobility can be. With research and a few phone calls, my problems were taken care of. Here are some helping hints to get help when you need it.

Getting groceries

Look to see if there is a concierge service in your area. If so, see if they deliver groceries. If they don't, see if they recommend anyone else. Then, try a site online called Peapod.com. They deliver groceries to different parts of the country. See if they deliver in your area. If your area isn't listed, then go to Amazon.com and browse their online grocery store. There, you cannot buy frozen or refrigerated items, but they are good for getting what you need otherwise, from toiletries to food. They carry major brands and also obscure ones, look through and find what you need. Buying from the grocery section is cheaper than buying from the gourmet food section because shipping is cheaper or free. Bookmark the site and save items you want to your Amazon "wish list" if you want to buy them and want to find them later. Another site, called Netgrocer.com has groceries, too. They even carry limited refrigerated products. Try them all and compare prices and shipping. Whoever has the best deal, order from them.

Getting medicine

Call your local pharmacy and ask if they deliver medicine. If they don't, ask them if they know anyone who does. My local CVS Pharmacy delivers, but not all of them do. Check around and find one who is reliable. Ask if they deliver other items as well. Some may deliver non-perishables also, like shampoo or over-the-counter medicines. It never hurts to ask. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Need new furniture or housewares?

Try reputable online sites like HSN or QVC. I bought a recliner and a large ottoman from one site and just love both of them. Products change all the time so compare their sites and see what looks best for your needs. They are quick to ship, usually, and items I've bought have been of fine quality. Wal-Mart and other big names frequently have online order forms to buy basic furniture such as desks, tables and chairs. They also have a large selection of cookware, bakeware and more.

I have bought new furniture such as a large handcarved desk and dresser on Ebay but be careful; negotiate shipping with the seller before bidding. Choose only sellers with high customer satisfaction ratings. Don't assume an item is easy to ship. If they have to hire a shipper instead of using UPS or FedEx, it can cost a lot of money. Stand your ground and don't let them inflate shipping prices later. I have bought fine furniture and negotiated well for shipping. Compare sellers, quality of furniture and service in general, also. Nearly anything can be found on Ebay, and there are many other furniture selling sites otherwise to please you. Shop around.

Want ready to cook food?

The tv shopping channels like Home Shopping Network or QVC have selections of steaks, chicken pork and more. Also, search gourmet services online such as Omaha Steaks, and see other, more local options. If you need to entertain but cannot cook, buy a case of hors d'oerves, main courses and dessert all from one place. It has become easy to buy good food online.

Need help with your car?

If you don't have a reliable mechanic to turn to, then try the American Auto Association (AAA.) Just call them and order a basic membership, then they will come out and give you a tow, jump or even help you if your keys are locked into your car. A membership will give you a few free tows, to a local garage. You will pay extra if you want it towed to a location other than where they want to tow it. The garages they tow to have to be approved by AAA, so they must be pretty good. I usually have my car towed to a well-known chain I trust for a few bucks more, though. It's a personal choice.

As for getting around, use a taxi if you need to go somewhere nearby. Some take credit cards, so if you plan to use one, ask them first before hiring them. In my area, taxis are cheap and plentiful. I always keep a few phone numbers of different services in my purse, for safe keeping. If you like a certain driver, get his card and request him in the future. I use the same driver most of the time, but have the other phone numbers in case he is off duty. It saves wear and tear on the car, and gas, too.

When you're unable to get out of the house, these sites may help you. Look around and see which meet your needs the best. Now that my spine is healed, I still use my concierge service, because they are so helpful, even when I don't need to. When you find a system that works, it is good to know it is there when times are hard. Good luck and don't let momentary troubles get you down.

Do You Fear Cancer? Why?

Why is it that cancer is the most feared of all diseases? O.K. we know for a fact that there is a high incidence of cancer in North American society. We all know loved ones and acquaintances who have
battled the disease – with or without a victorious outcome.

The Reasons

One of the reasons cancer is so feared is because it is one of the least understood diseases. Medical research leads us to believe that cancer is hereditary. If your grandmother had it, then you become conditioned to believe that surely you will, too. The fact, however, is that only 20% of cancer is attributable to heredity. 80% is in your control.¹

Billions of dollars are spent to try and find a cure. But, instead of it being conquered, the incidences of breast and prostate cancer has increased considerably.

According to one medical expert, Dr. Virginia Livingston-Wheeler, who has treated hundreds of cancer patients with amazing success in her San Diego clinic: "We all have cancer in our bodies it's just that our immune system is keeping it in check. It's the breakdown of our immune system that allows cancer to grow. If you maintain a strong and healthy immune system, your chances of ever getting cancer are virtually nil."²

Dr. Patrick Quillin, another cancer expert, says in his book Beating Cancer with Nutrition: "Scientists agree that nearly all individuals develop undetectable cancer about 6 times in a 70-year life span. Yet only one of three people actually develops overgrown and detectable cancer. The body is equipped to deal with cancer.³

But, of course you already know the "statistics." You cannot miss them as they're all over the news media. So, there's no need to go on and on with the pros and cons of this feared disease. Instead, let's focus on:

The Answer

Proper nutrition could prevent from 50-90% of all cancer. There is hope! If you strengthen your immune system now, you can take back control over cancer!

Research done by Dr. Marcial-Vega, among others, has proven that cancer cannot live in an alkaline body. Easy to say, but how do you get it done?

In a nutshell, plant foods are in general alkaline. Animal products, coffee and sugar-laden products on the other hand are acidic. If your blood contains mostly animal protein, your overall body PH balance will be acidic. Trans-fats, like margarine, and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils are immune suppressants, it's advisable to wean them off your diet.

All this may sound a little simplistic. Yet, even if you're hooked on a lifestyle that does not contain mostly veggies and fruit, it can be quite a feat to maintain a healthy Ph balance.

The Solution

O.K. now you know the answer, but how can you satisfy the taste buds who have for years been conditioned to love all the acid in your body?

Well, thanks to Dr. Mindell's discovery and extensive research and testimonials with the product, there now is at your disposal Himalayan Goji Juice. Call it incredible, impossible, or anything else you want – only don't say a thing until after you have first put it to the test! Believe me, you will soon have nothing but affirmative superlatives to share with everyone who will listen.

What will it do for you? As it eliminated all fear from my life, I am sure it will benefit you greatly as well!
You will find many wonderful benefits and all the reasons what Himalayan Goji Juice is all about at Youth Makeover dot com.

Put it to the test right away! Saliva PH testers are available at your local pharmacy (the ideal PH is between 7.0 and 7.4).It's exciting to see the results for yourself rather than "a-hoping-and-a-praying" that something good is happening in your body. Very soon you will notice good changes, and realize your fear has gone!

Casseroled Rump with Port

A type of ragout with a full-bodied flavour, which is excellent served peasant-style with hot bread or noodles, a salad and a good burgundy. It should be made well ahead, cooled and refrigerated to allow the flavours to mature.

Ingredients


750g well-trimmed piece of rump steak


Oil and a nut of butter


Salt and milled black pepper


1 large onion, chopped


1 green pepper, seeded and diced


200g brown mushrooms, wiped and sliced


50ml flour


200ml port


200ml seasoned beef stock


Pinch salt


2 whole cloves


2 cloves garlic, crushed


2ml dried origanum

Method


Cut rump into biggish squares, about 5cm x 7, 5cm, and brown briefly over high heat in a large heavy frying pan just slicked with oil. Remove steak to baking dish to fit, arrange in single layer, and season. To frying pan, add a little more oil and a nut of butter and fry onion, green pepper and mushrooms. When softened and beginning to smell good, spoon over steak. To pan juices, add flour and stir until nut brown. Slowly add port, stock, sugar and cloves. Stir well, and when hot and thick, pour over steak. Cover and bake at 160ºC for 30 minutes. Add garlic and origanum and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove and cool. Refrigerate all day, but remove in time for baking dish to reach room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, at 160ºC for about 50 minutes, by which time gravy will be thickened and slightly reduced. Remove cloves before serving as suggested, or with parsleyed new potatoes, spinach and baby marrows. Serves 4.

More delicious beef recipes!

Recipes from Your Coffee Maker

If you love your coffee, you will love dishes made from coffee. There are many dishes that use the wonderful taste of coffee as their main component. Let your coffee maker help you prepare your meals.

Most people think of using coffee to make desserts-and there are great recipes for that-but coffee adds a distinctive flavor to many other dishes as well. You can make barbecue sauces and glazes for meats, and put coffee in chili and pot roast recipes, to name a few.

Just as you use other fresh ingredients in your recipes, you should be sure the coffee you use is fresh. Either buy freshly ground coffee or grind your own, with your coffee grinding machine. If the recipe calls for brewed coffee, brew it just before you use it; don't use your leftover coffee for this. Most of the recipes using coffee use coffee that is 2-3 times stronger than drinking coffee, since the flavor is going to be blended. So here are a few of the wonderful recipes using coffee:

Coffee Meatloaf Sauce: Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to a blend of the following ingredients: a quarter cup of water, a half a cup of ketchup, a quarter cup of dry red wine, a quarter cup of Worcestershire sauce, two teaspoons of vinegar, an ounce of margarine, two tablespoons of lemon juice and a teaspoon of brown sugar. Cook your favorite meatloaf recipe, but after about 1/2 hour of cooking, pour this sauce over it and continue baking for 45 minutes more at 375 degrees (190C) for tender, delicious meatloaf.

Espresso Brownies: Gently heat a cup of sugar, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and a stick and a half of butter in a sauce pan; add a teaspoon of vanilla, four ounces of chopped, semi-sweet chocolate and stir until melted in. Add a tablespoon of dark roast coffee. If you would like to add a crunch, add two teaspoons of espresso granules. Mix everything together and let cool, fold in three eggs and a cup of flour. Pour into a rectangular baking pan, bake for 30 minutes and set out to cool. Perfect brownies every time!

Black Russian Cake: Make dark chocolate cake mix, your own or from a box, and add a cup of vegetable oil, a package of instant chocolate pudding, four eggs, and a half a cup of creme de cacao. To this mix, add a cup of Russian coffee. (A cup of black coffee with an ounce of vodka and an 1/2 ounce of Kahlua added.) Beat well and put into a tube pan and bake for 45 minutes. Your guests will love this switch from Black Forest Cake.

You can even enjoy great cocktails using coffee; Kahlua is only one of many. If you want to be able to add coffee to just about everything you like, try making your own coffee syrup.

There's even a recipe for coffee syrup. Combine a cup of sugar with a cup of double strength Colombian coffee. Boil, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolved. Lower heat, simmer and stir for three minutes, then cool. You can put this flavoring into almost any of your favorite dishes and add the special touch of coffee.

Tasty Vegetarian Recipes

Vegetables are important protective food and highly beneficial for the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. They contain valuable food ingredients like vitamins, minerals and fiber which can be help build up and repair the body. Here are two great vegetarian recipes for all of you moms who cannot get their children to eat vegetables and all those vegetarians who are tired of salad.

To make VEGETABLE CASHEW KEBAB you'll need following ingredients:

2 medium potatoes – chopped


2 small onions – chopped


¾ cup peas


1 cup cauliflower florets


1" piece ginger – crushed


5-6 garlic flakes – crushed


1 green chili – finely chopped


2 tsp tomato sauce


1 ½ tsp salt


2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro


10 – 12 cashew nuts – finely chopped


4 tbsp croutons

Cook potatoes, peas, onions and cauliflower with 1 cup water. Drain the excess water and mash the vegetables.

Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, and salt and tomato sauce to the mashed vegetables. Add croutons, cashew nuts and cilantro.
Break off small balls of the vegetable mixture and pat them into flat circular shapes about ½" thick, with the palms of your hands.

Heat 4 – 5 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry gently over medium heat, turning once.
Remove on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil and serve.

To make TAPIOCA AND POTATO FRIES you'll need the following ingredients:

2 medium potatoes – chopped


1 cup tapioca pearls


2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro


½ cup powdered peanuts


1 green chili – finely chopped


1 tsp salt

Soak the tapioca pearls in warm water for 3 hours.

Cook and mash the potatoes. Add tapioca, cilantro, peanuts, cilantro, green chili and salt.
Break off small balls of the vegetable mixture and pat them into flat circular shapes about ½" thick, with the palms of your hands.

Heat 4 – 5 tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry gently over medium heat, turning once.
Remove on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil and serve.

Our Nose inhales Tablespoon of Indoor and Outdoor Pollutants Daily

No one sees the inside of your nose, so why should you care about your nasal passage? According to Ayurveda, clean, lubricated, nasal passages are one key to health and beauty. Consider this: Modern allergists tell us we inhale two and half tablespoons of solid particles every day! Think about it--each life-giving breath of air may also contain car exhaust, smog, formaldehyde fumes, pollens, and more. These unappetizing pollutants enter your nose, irritating the delicate nerve endings of your nasal passages; some of them even end up in your lungs.

Ayurveda offers nasaya (nah-SAH-yah-nah), a very simple technique that will lubricate and strengthen your cilia (the tiny hairs that line your respiratory tract and sweep away harmful particles), clean your sinuses, lubricate and protect the tender tissues responsible for your sense of smell, and improve your voice.

To practice Nasaya, insert one or two drops of sesame oil into your nose, using either an eye dropper or the tip of your little finger, inhale strongly, so that the oil is carried into your nasal passages. I recommend that you do this once or twice a day; once you get in the habit, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

No matter what the style, length, or amount of hair, Ayurveda can help you have hair that is soft, lustrous, and as attractive as your prakruit allows. Like skin and fingernails, your hair is an outward reflection of the state of your inner health. Be aware that many factors affect your hair and scalp: bad hair days, weeks and months can be due to age, general diet and health, season, climate, stress, anxiety. So eat a balanced diet appropriate to your dosha.

Put An End To Fast Food & Snacks In Your Diet

It hardly seems fair... it is so easy to gain weight and so very difficult to get rid of it.

Eating is one of the true pleasures in life. It's a social activity... it's a reason to gather with friends or family. And you can't just completely refrain from food... your body won't tolerate that maneuver and it's unhealthy to do so anyway.

Life is tough enough and nobody wants to give up the few pleasures in life that they truly enjoy; which is why so many people head further and further down the path to obesity without breaking the cycle.

Recent studies indicate that our body doesn't even respond to dieting the way it was once thought. When you deprive your body of food and nutrients, your body goes into a bit of a self defense mode. Your body can't discern between the lean times of a diet and being deprived.

Today your body is also up against a major onslaught of the widespread use of fast foods, soft drinks, and snacks. The make up of fast foods is such that merely one item off of many of menus is the caloric equivalent of an entire meal or more! And not only that, fast foods just leave your stomach screaming for more because they are the meal that doesn't fill you up. And to pile on even more... most people wash the junk food down with a soda that is nothing more than sugar flavored water. This is truly a vicious, unhealthy eating cycle... that coupled with a inactive lifestyle leads to massive storage piles of fat in your body.

Another threat to healthy eating habits are snacks. Snacks contain way too many empty calories that ultimately end up as fat. Between meal snacks should involve you buying some fruit to take with you... so when hunger strikes you have a healthy alternative to a bag of chips. The important point to remember here is that snacks equate to habits. For the vast majority of people battling their weight, they have trained their mind and body (habit)that they need a 'snack' between meals... your body doesn't... it is only responding to it's training. The good news is that just as habits can be developed they can be broken.

Again start by eating some fruit for your snacks and over time I'll guarantee you'll lose the craving for those vending machine treats.

The Sonoma Diet - The New Mediterranean Diet

The Sonoma Diet was a book written by Connie Gutterson. It is one of the most balanced and moderate diets to appear in a long time. There are no dramatic restrictions on food groups, no calorie counting, and has all of the flair of a gourmet Mediterranean diet.

What is the Sonoma?


The Sonoma diet is a uniquely flavorful weight loss plan that brings together the art and science of food. Sonoma is a region in California, USA that is well regarded for its quality vineyards. The author and registered dietitian Connie Gutterson has been consulting with the Olive industry for a number of years. The nutritional credentials she has have enabled her to write a book that provides some of the most balanced and sensible weight loss advice. The Sonoma diet was not born in a lab much like other weight loss programs; in fact, it was born from two of the most agriculturally abundant and vital regions of the world: The coast of the Mediterranean Sea and of course Sonoma Valley California. These two regions share a festive approach to eating – a heart felt love of great food that turns every meal into a celebration of life. These wonderful foods make these areas into a paradise of healthy living and are the heart and soul of the Sonoma Diet. Members of the Sonoma diet experience this joy of eating. There are wide selections of recipes that are essential to Sonoma Diet member's success.

The 3 Waves


Wave 1: lasts for approximately 10 days, and you'll immediately begin eating delicious breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepared with healthful foods. A benefit of this wave is that you will be able to eat all of your favorite foods and your online meal planner and recipe database will provide all the options you will need to be satisfied. One of the positive notes is that unlike other diets, this phase does not restrict carbohydrates but does include whole grain cereals and breads.

Wave 2: This wave is the major part of your diet. This here will be the eating plan that you stick with until you reach your target weight. Wave 2 is about variety with a broad range of foods including wine and fruits.

Wave 3: The third wave of the Sonoma Diet begins the day you finally reach your target weight. Once your ideal weight has been reached, this is the life – long maintenance phase where they teach you how to keep the weight off that you lost as well as teach you how to stick with the healthy eating lifestyle.

Portion Control


The secret is enjoying the right foods in the right amounts. If you think about it, that is really the only healthy way to lose weight. Aren't you tired of counting calories, and dealing with severe food restrictions? The main premise of the Sonoma diet is that food should be enjoyed even when dieting. The problem with most weight loss programs out there is that so many teach and cause the dieter to hate and fear food. Sonoma introduced a concept called 'plate and bowl'. All of the meals are assigned a specific plate size, with detailed instructions on how the plate should be filled. I was amazed while reading the book that it provided a wine guide to help select the best matching wine to accompany the meal.

Top 10 Power Foods


It's important to know what the top 10 power foods are. When you start to eat the Sonoma way, you'll be eating this way for the rest of your life. The Sonoma Diet book contains 300 recipes. The on-line program contains an additional 500 recipes. The top 10 power foods are.

• Almonds


• Bell Peppers


• Blueberries


• Broccoli


• Grapes


• Olive oil


• Spinach


• Strawberries


• Tomatoes


• Whole grains

One of the best features of the Sonoma diet is how interactive it truly is. The online program features on-line dietitians, live support, shopping lists, customized meal plans, and message boards. All subscriptions do come with a required fee, and subscribers must pay for a minimum of 5 weeks; however, if at any time you want to cancel your program there is not a cancellation fee. The Sonoma Diet is very popular and comes highly recommended by us and its users. This diet is now in 2007 considered to be in the top 5 diet programs. We at Flex Your Health consider this diet to be in the top 2 of all weight loss programs offered. If you try this program I am sure you will find a new healthier lifestyle with fantastic gourmet meals that will impress even the most sophisticated pallet.