The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Key to Eating Well

'You are what you eat' implies that certain foods can be good or bad for you. They are bad if they are inflammatory foods and good if they are not. If you are a doctor who treats inflammatory conditions, like neck pain or low back pain, wouldn't you want your patients to eat foods that help to reduce inflammation as oppose to consuming inflammatory foods? But how can you tell?

What patients eat can affect their outcome. As a Baltimore chiropractor I have found that review of the literature not only reveals the answer but provides the perfect guide to eating well. So, this article begins with the premise that eating certain foods can actually make things hurt worse-increases inflammation-while eating other foods can actually help lessen pain and promote faster healing. These are known as anti-inflammatory foods and they are closely related to competing omega fatty acids. Swelling, redness, heat and pain occur when tissue become inflamed. It may be overt, like a sprained ankle, or hidden beneath the skin, like in your stomach.

So, what foods should or shouldn't be consumed and why? An example of inflammatory foods are those high in refined or hydrogenated vegetable oils, like potato chips and many baked goods. Refined oils and trans fats are used by manufacturers to extend the shelf life of their products. They are notorious preservatives. On the other hand, olive oil, avocado oil and grape seed oil are natural and are known to be anti-inflammatory. Salmon is very high on the list of ant-inflammatory foods.

The reason has to do with the competing omega fatty acids. "A healthy diet contains a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids," according to an excerpt by the University of Maryland Medical System. Now, red meats, such as a good, juicy steak, are high in omega-6 fatty acids. So, does that make it bad? No! It's extremely good for you. A good steak is loaded with essential amino acids and other nutrients. It's just that the key to improving health and reducing inflammation is to balance the amount of omega-6 (e.g., nuts, eggs, poultry, cream, cheese, butter) against the omega-3 (e.g., salmon, tuna, turkey). The saturated fats contained in omega-6 foods compete with the omega-3 foods for vital digestive enzymes, like seagulls fighting over french fries on the boardwalk.

As a post on the University of Maryland Medical System commented, "Omega-6 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids: They are necessary for human health... Along with omega-3's, omega-6's play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development." Anti-inflammatory foods include colorful, high fiber vegetables like sweet peppers, celery, raw carrots, onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, apples, pears, berries, nuts, grapes, bananas, citrus fruits and so on (omega-3's).

So here's my advice: Limit fatty animal products like red meats and dairy products. Instead, eat more lean cuts of chicken, turkey and fish. Olive oils and avocado can and should replace unhealthy oils from corn, soybeans, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils. Sweets should be limited, including all bakery products like cookies, cakes, pies and breads. We all know that our modern diet of processed and fast foods tends to generate inflammation and other evils, like obesity. To counteract bad eating, give close consideration to the competing omega fatty acids.

Here's a suggestion: Quinoa and avocado salad (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS:

    * 1 cup red quinoa
    * 2 avocados, cut up in pieces
    * A few dried tomatoes
    * 2 fresh basil leaves
    * 1 green onion

Dressing:

    * ½ cup olive oil
    * Juice of 2 lemons
    * 1 garlic clove (minced)
    * Salt
    * Cayenne (very small amount)

DIRECTIONS:

    * Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain well
    * In saucepan, bring 2 cups water and ½ tsp. salt to boil. Add quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes).
    * In a bowl, mix together the ingredients in cooled quinoa. Toss with dressing.

Things to Eat to Lose Weight - 3 Most Overlooked Foods

You have been working out everyday yet all the excess weight does not seem to come off. It may possibly be that you are not consuming the right stuff. You ought to read (eat) regular meals that are balanced. Furthermore the meals should contain appetite suppressing foods. What is unique about these foods is that they fill you up; make you feel like your stomach is already full. Accordingly, you devour less. However, the good news is that they contain very few calories. In fact there are many things to eat to lose weight, both natural and artificial. But to shed weight and keep it off permanently, it is important that you stick to the natural stuff, like real food.

One of the things to eat to lose weight is apples. You have probably heard that an apple everyday keeps the physician at bay. What's even more exciting is that An apple, or a few, a day also keeps weight at bay. It is possible you always buy apples and place them on the fruit basket for others to eat but have never paid them any attention yourself. Apples unlike other fruits are fiber rich. What is more, they require lots of chewing. The brain takes around twenty minutes to realize that the hunger has been effectively satiated when one is eating. What this means is that if you eat slowly, you will consume less. If you eat apples slowly, you will feel full very fast. This will help to stop you from eating any more food. One final juicy tidbit on applies: Do not forget the goodness of the apples is in the rind. Therefore, wash rather than peel your apples.

Courgettes/zucchinis are other things to eat to lose weight. Just like apples, they are rich in fiber. Additionally, they contain lots of water. This also makes them diuretic, which mean they make you drink you more water. Cooking courgettes is relatively easy. Simply slice them into thin strips, fry them briefly and serve with some tomato sauce. They make a meal that is not only tasty but low in calories. Tofu is yet another of the foods you can eat to lose weight. A good number of people think tofu is for vegetarians only. On the contrary, anyone can eat tofu and it is especially good for those who are looking to lose weight. Tofu is said to contain a peptide, a naturally occurring hormone that is known to suppress one's appetite. In addition, it is rich in proteins. So what's so good about that? Well, Foods rich in protein cause the body to release the that particular peptide hormone. The result is that you feel full much faster and therefore eat less. Pretty cool, eh?

As you can tell, there are a lot of simple and tasty things to eat to lose weight. Just keep in mind that fresh food tastes best ripe from the tree. So those apples? Get them as fresh as you can. In the winter in the north country that may be hard, but once you buy them, don't let them sit 'forever!'

Finally, one of the best ways to eat all these great foods to lose weight is to learn how to cook mouth-watering recipes with them!!

Things to Eat to Lose Weight - The Magic Diet

Many types of foods have been cited as unhealthy for your body. This includes all diets that contain high levels of processed sugars and saturated fats. Such foods can literally wreck havoc on your attempts at losing weight. However, there are certain things to eat to lose weight effectively. These include vegetables, fruits, whole-grain cereals, proteins and other whole foods. Although the choice of weight loss foods can be long and confusing to choose from, here are a few simple strategies to get you started in finding the best things to eat to lose weight:

Whole-grain Cereals
When purchasing cereals, it is advisable to choose whole grains instead of refined ones. Refined grains such as white bread do not have fiber since they are usually destroyed during processing. When you consume food that contains fiber, you become fuller for a longer time. Hence, you end up eating smaller amounts of food less frequently. Whole grains include brown rice, buck wheat, oatmeal, brown bread and other cereals. Certain types of Tortillas, pasta and crackers may be whole grain. However, you have to ascertain that the cereals are actually 100% whole grain as indicated on the packaging, not just whole-grain added in to a refined flour base.

Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and veggies are some of the best things to eat to lose weight. They contain few calories and can therefore be helpful in preventing weight gain. Fruits and vegetables also contain water and fiber that helps in curbing appetite. Hence, you can feel full for a longer period of time and avoid overeating. Eat fruits in their natural form and avoid toppings such as dips or sauces. These will only add excessive calories to your body that will contribute to weight gain.

Proteins
You can also find numerous sources of proteins that can help in weight loss. Lean meats that are indicated "low fat" are better than processed ones. Processed meats contain additives and preservatives that add to the calorie count of the products. Skinless chicken, fish, white meat and lean beef are some of the best types of meat to consume for weight loss.

Nuts are also an excellent source of healthy protein that can be eaten in moderation to lose weight. However, choose low salt and non sugar coated nuts to avoid high calories. A great way to eat nuts is to eat them in salad to ensure you do not consume excessive calories from eating them by the handful.

Nowadays, many foods are cited for excessive calorie count. Processed foods contain preservatives, sugars, salts and fats that contain high calories. Such foods can be futile in your attempts at loosing weight. Nonetheless, these things to eat to lose weight that we share with you can be readily obtained from any grocery store.

The Dukan Diet For People Who Think That Diets Don't Work

You are reading about the Dukan diet so there is a good chance that you are thinking about giving this diet a go. But are you one of those people that have almost given up on diets altogether? I wonder how many people there are at the end of their tether, totally frustrated by the lack of success they've had with diets and weight loss plans they've tried in the past. If you are one of those people then the Dukan diet could be just what you're looking for. So before you give up completely - a mistake I almost made a year ago before I gave the Dukan diet a chance - please read on.

When people say that diets don't work what they usually mean is that diets only seem to work for a short period of time before the weight loss stops. This is the dreaded weight loss plateau. Dr. Dukan refers to this situation as being in 'stagnation'. Being on a diet but without losing any weight at all is disheartening to say the least and it is at this point that most people tend to give up and go back to their old ways. But things don't have to be this way! You do not need to stagnate while on the Dukan diet.

Dr. Dukan identifies 4 groups of people most likely to find themselves in this situation:

   1. Women who have a history of dieting. These are the women who have tried everything and come to Dukan in desperation hoping that there is a way for them to lose weight.

   2. People who come from families with a long history of obesity. Women who have overweight children as well as mothers, fathers and aunts and uncles who are obese.

   3. Men and women who are very obese. Losing weight when you are hugely over weight can seem like trying to do the impossible.

   4. People who live a very sedentary lifestyle. Most of us lead more a sedentary life than perhaps our recent ancestors did. We drive to work, sit down all day at the office before returning home and hitting the couch in front of the TV.

Now a weight loss plateau or 'stagnation' period is a normal part of any weight loss program. As far as I am aware, it is your body's way of coping with what it sees as a shortage of food. It is perfectly possible to wait the situation out, just stick to the weight loss plan (whether that is the Dukan diet or regular calorie counting) and you should get past it and go back to losing weight. This is easier said than done however!

But you do not have to just put up with the plateau. Dr Dukan has the answer and it is as simple as this: exercise.

He writes:

"A body that has started to resist dieting cuts down its energy consumption and extracts every last calorie from its food intake, blocking the weight loss long enough for the diet to fail. But if when the situation is blocked the forces present are in equilibrium, like two sides of a pair of scales, and there is a sudden dose of 'prescribed exercise' this confuses the body breaking the stalemate."

In the Official Dukan Diet Book Dr. Dukan then gives his easy 6 step plan to breaking the stagnation period and quickly getting over the weight loss plateau period. Those of you not too excited about exercise need not be too worried. The prescribed exercise is simply walking!

Prepping For P90X2

Few fitness programs have gained the notoriety and reputation that P90x has through its eight years on the market. The combination of a charismatic trainer and multi-faceted exercise and diet programs have earned the system over a million loyal customers, a number that continues to grow. In the fall of 2011, a second program will be released, promising an extension of the results people enjoyed with the original system. Since a lot has changed in the world of fitness education since 2003, let's take a look at some great ways that people new to extreme home fitness can prepare.

1) The Mind-Body Principle

The days of quick fixes are long gone. The Internet has made more and more quality information available when it comes to health and fitness; this means the onus is on YOU to make the necessary changes in your life. What does change really mean? It means a full commitment from both you body and your mind. This commitment should extend through all areas of your life. If it does, you will enjoy the results in all areas of your life as well -not just on the scale. You will be thinner, fitter and filled with a long-lost vitality you so desperately crave. Achieving fitness WILL make you happy, and your happiness will encourage your continued push towards extreme fitness.

2) Education

It may sound odd, but the road to weight loss starts in your brain. Learning the truth about dieting and weight loss will save you time, money and a ton of unnecessary stress. As we alluded to, there has never been a better time to obtain quality information when it comes to health and fitness; the important thing is to know how to weed out the garbage from the gold.

The truth is that real weight loss and fitness is easy when you have the right information filling your mind. If you've followed previous programs in the past that mandate long arduous workouts, little food and tons of over-processed supplements, chances are you're headed down the wrong track. Real success will last forever if you stick to sensibility: real food, efficient exercise and an affirmative attitude.

3) Knowing Your Current Fitness Level

We all know that after you purchase P90x, you are required to complete a fitness test to determine whether or not you are prepared to take on the vigorous regimen that is one of the world's most popular programs. While this is a fantastic way to gauge your fitness level, there are some other great methods like determining your BMI and body fat percentage. These are indicators that reveal what and how you can expect your body to respond to extreme exercise. It also might help you decipher whether you are ready to take on this project, or may need some more practical preparation.

The industry is full of options that don't work and thankfully this article didn't talk about one of them. If, however, you feel that your personal fitness or your intuitions about food and exercise aren't up to the caliber necessary to complete a program of this magnitude, at least you know now that the tools to prepare and succeed are right at your fingertips.

When Is The Best Time To Eat Your Medifast Meals?

Sometimes people who contact me about the Medifast diet are a bit confused and concerned about how often they have to eat and how they are going to fit this into a busy schedule. After all, you're expected to eat six times per day on this diet (five diet meals and one larger "lean and green meal." ) Plus, you have the option of eating one additional approved snack per day, which ultimately gives you seven opportunities to eat. So, how do you fit this all in and what times are best to eat your Medifast prepackaged meals, your lean and green meal, and your snack? I'll offer some suggestions in the following article.

Fitting In All Of Your Medifast Meals: A Sample Schedule: Of course, your experience and schedule may be different than mine. But I can and will share with you a typical schedule for me to give you some idea of how your day and meals might go. I'm a relatively early riser, so my first meal of the day happens at our 7. But I'm also hurried, so I'll typically start my day with one of the warm drinks - like the cappuccino, hot chocolate (or both mixed together) or the chai latte.

If I'm working from home, I might have one of the Medifast pancakes or the diet oatmeal. But if I'm on the run, I might eat a bar in the car. Usually this second meal happens somewhere between 9 and 10am so that by mid morning, I've already had two of the six meals.

My lunch is usually somewhere between 1 and 2. I will usually have my "lean and green meal" at dinner time, but if I need to take a lunch meeting, then there's nothing wrong with having a larger lunch and eating a diet dinner. Usually though, I have Medifast chili or soup or sometimes I will have one of the eggs wrapped in a fat free, low calorie tortilla.

I generally crave something sweet in the afternoons so this is when I'll typically have a shake or bar depending on my mood. If I happen to be at home, I might opt for pudding. If I'm in my car and have no time at all, then I'll have one of the diet drinks like the peach iced tea. So by the early afternoon, I've had four of the six meals.

Now as I mentioned for dinner, I will usually opt for my Medifast lean and green meal because I like to be able to eat a larger meal that I incorporate with what I'm already making for my family. I've become pretty good at being able to tweak whatever they are having to make it work for me. As a result, I still feel included and they are eating a little more healthy and no one is complaining. My dinner time is usually between 6:30 and 7 just because this is what works best for my family's schedule. But, I need to stress that your schedule can be tweaked as needed. The plan is very flexible with this. There's really no set time requirements. I believe that whatever works best for you is your specific "best time" to eat your Medifast meals as long as you are eating regularly and are setting it up so that you don't have time to get hungry.

I will usually have my snack pretty late and usually before bedtime. It usually consists of the chip snacks, the brownies, a shake, or pudding. Sometimes, when I tell people this, they tell me that I shouldn't eat so close to bedtime. I've heard this before. But, I really do like to spread out my meals and I haven't found this to impede my progress whatsoever. If you want to take all of your meals earlier and well before bedtime, then that's perfectly fine. As I said, do whatever works best for you.

So what about the one allowed snack per day? Well, to be honest, I don't always include it. When I first started the diet, I incorporated the snack more than I do today. But usually, I would eat the snack during a meal. For example, I'd include celery or a pickle with my soup or chili. I might have a Popsicle along with my afternoon snack. Or, I'd eat a jello cup for dessert at dinner time. With that said, there's no right or wrong time to have your snack. If you get hungry in between any of your meals, take advantage of your snack, as that's why it's there.

What Is the Paleo Diet (Caveman Diet) and Can You Can Lose Weight on It?

The Paleo (short for Paleolithic) diet, also known as the Caveman Diet, may sound like a strange and faddy idea. Maybe it comes across as a bit too odd for you to give it a try. But really it's not as quirky as is may first appear - it's mostly about eating the kind of foods our ancestors ate, and that's important. In this article we'll find out why.

Not So Fast

Evolution is a slow process, at least as far as mere mortals like us are concerned. We evolved over a period of hundreds of thousands of years eating a particular kind of diet: one consisting mainly of protein and fat with, perhaps, a few carbohydrates from berries and starchy native plants. During the long era of 'hunter-gathering' we had not yet begun to grow our own crops for food. We had to rely on the foodstuffs that were available from the environment around us. In my part of the world (the Highlands of Scotland) that happened to be shellfish from the windswept, rocky coasts. And there is a great deal of evidence here in the form of 'shell middens' which are great piles of shells, discovered by archaeologists, heaped up outside the mouths of the caves where my distant ancestors once lived.

These hardy ancestors survived. We know this because, otherwise, we wouldn't be here to ponder the mysteries of their diet. It may have been a hard existence but we shouldn't assume this in all cases. There's a good chance that, in some parts of the world at least, food was abundant and readily available.

What's 'Paleo' All About?

Paleo, as I mentioned in the intro, is short for Paleolithic. It refers to the period very roughly 750,000 years ago up to about 15,000 years ago during which humans first began to make chipped-stone tools. The idea behind the so-called Paleo Diet is that we should eat the kind of foodstuffs that humans from that historical period ate. The reasoning behind this is that we have not yet evolved away from the adaption to the kinds of food they ate back then. 15,000 years really isn't long in evolutionary terms and it would be a big ask for humans to have been able to adapt completely to our very different modern diet within that time.

Sugar and Starch

If you think about human diet in the terms and over the timescales I've mentioned above you'll begin to see that large quantities of carbohydrate-rich food, containing lots of sugar and starch, are a recent addition. Perhaps it's the case, as advocates of low-carb and Paleo-type diets claim, that our bodies are just not adapted to deal with all this stodge. We assume that our ancestors didn't suffer greatly from problems of obesity because they had little food to eat and spent most of their time running about chasing it. But maybe that's just not true. In the places where food was readily available our ancestors may have led relatively sedentary lives. Maybe they didn't become obese because they were living on a diet to which they were properly and fully adapted.

What if we are now seeing the terrible consequences of this great dietary change in our modern epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer?

Facing Up & Losing Weight

Perhaps it's time to face up to the idea that our modern diet is nutritionally lacking. We assume that it's healthy for us to eat foodstuffs like bread and pasta because that's what we have been told for the last 40 or 50 years. But the research behind human diet is really in its infancy, so it's way too early to claim that we have all the answers.

Personally I would rather trust a diet that humans lived on for hundred of thousands of years than one they have lived on for perhaps just a couple of centuries. Maybe I'm just lucky in that I really love the kinds of foods you can eat on low-carb and Paleo diets. I know from around 8 years of personal experience that, when I switch back to a carbohydrate-heavy diet, my weight increases very rapidly. I can lose the weight again quickly when I switch back to Paleo. This isn't scientific evidence but it works for me.

I'm also lucky that I live right by the sea. I can go down to the beach, get some clams, cook them up, eat them, then throw the shells back down on the shore. I'm making my own little Paleolithic shell midden down there!

Things to Eat to Lose Weight - The Miracle Fat

If you are on a mission to shed a few extra pounds, then you should incorporate foods rich in omega 3 oil in your diet regimen. Omega 3 is a kind of fat that helps you lose weight in a healthy manner. Health and weight loss experts encourage individuals that are looking for things to eat to lose weight to try omega 3 for a variety of reasons. Foods that contain omega 3 keep your body healthy and prevent it from retaining water. What is more, they are highly energizing.

The reason why you should consider including omega 3 into the list of things to eat to lose weight is the fact that it helps reduce the amount of insulin in your blood thus keeping the blood sugar levels under control. As a result of this, the body is able to boost its ability to convert fat into much needed energy. It is worth noting that if there is too much insulin in the blood, the body will only store more fat instead of turning it into energy. The benefit of keeping the levels of blood sugar under control is that it helps keeps hunger pangs at bay. You do not have to be told that you will eat less if you experience few hunger pangs. Thus, omega 3 also acts as an appetite suppressant.

Omega 3 should be among the things to eat to lose weight as it is also known to boost kidney function. With the kidneys in top shape, the body will be able to get rid of toxins more easily which reduces or eliminates water retention. This then helps you lose weight without having to work out too hard. To reap all the benefits of omega 3, it is important that you consume enough of it. Each meal you eat ought to contain sizable portions of foods that are rich in the healthy fats. Among these are walnuts and fish such as sardines, salmon, herring and trout. Hemp and flax seeds are also said to contain the fat. Another source that is gaining a lot of scientific support and attention is Chia seed. If you are unsure of foods that contain omega 3, you can ask us for recipes that contain food sourced Omega-3's. As always though, it is wise to talk to a nutritionist.

Omega 3 oil is also an excellent energy booster. Often time when people experience lethargy; energy levels are low and you do not feel like doing anything, most people resort to binge eating. This is counterproductive as it only results in weight gain. Omega 3 is one of the things to eat to lose weight and also boost your energy levels. The fats work on the thyroid thereby increasing the level of serotonin in the blood. This in turn improves your moods. The result is a highly energized and happy individual.

With your energy levels up, you will have a higher quality of life, feel more motivated to exercise, and begin seeing great results. This will motivate you to make better and better choices in your food and lifestyle and thus you end up creating this great cycle of fat burning and total wellness!

Things to Eat to Lose Weight - 4 Natural Appetite Suppressants That You Will Love

One important way of improving weight loss is by taking appetite suppressants--foods that either make you feel full faster for longer yet low on calories. Unfortunately, many appetite suppressants come in the form of diet shakes, supplements and other manufactured products which raises the issue of side-effects.

But the good news is that there are certain natural things to eat to lose weight and reduce suppress your appetite including the following:

Natural Suppressant #1: Lentils

(How about "natural suppressant" since that's our topic? Let's change that for all of them)

An understated but powerful food item is lentils, which has plenty of benefits not only for enhancing weight loss but for your overall health. Lentils are packed with protein and fiber: 9 grams of healthy proteins per half cup serving and 8 grams of fiber per serving, to be exact. They also have lots of minerals required in the body for metabolism. As an appetite suppressant, lentils travel relatively slowly through the digestive system compared to other legumes like beans, thus keeping you full for longer. To have a little fun with them, try the different colored lentils for soups, dips and spreads.

Natural Food#2: Celery

A great vegetable to reduce appetite is celery. It is very rich in fiber and offers very few calories- a whole cup of celery contains 16 calories. This combination of high fiber and low calories, as well as the slight salty taste and crunchiness of the celery, makes it ideal for reducing your appetite. (watch the grammar of using "appetite" on its own) Celery will satisfy hunger without the calories, so you can eat as much as you wish without worrying about gaining weight.

Natural Food#3: Pickles

Natural pickles-usually made from cucumbers-- are great snacks / salads as they are very low in calories--a whole jar of pickles will only add about 50 calories to your body. In addition to keep you satiated, brine cured pickles will allow intestinal microflora, which aid in the digestion process and help boost the immune system, to flourish.

There are many varieties of pickles in the market like salted, half-sour, backed et cetera and so it is important to always read the ingredient labels before adding them to your shopping cart. Steer clear of the ones with artificial additives and flavoring as these will actually cause you to add weight.

Natural Food#4: Bananas

This is a fruit with a long list of health benefits and is often featured prominently in many weight loss diets. Some of the health benefits associated with the consumption of bananas-whether ripe or unripe-include:

1) Helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure due to their near perfect potassium / sodium balance.

2) Prevents eye-sight degeneration in old age.

3) Helps fight kidney diseases

4) Helps control anemia by providing the body with high quantities of iron to facilitate the formation of red blood cells.

Why talk about health benefits in an article about natural appetite suppressants? Simply because when your body is out of balance you crave things you shouldn't or wouldn't if you were healthy. But, health benefits aside, this wonder fruit aids directly in the weight loss fight in various ways. Here's a few:

1. Ripe bananas are an excellent substitute for sugary snacks. This keeps you from overloading your body with refined sugar calories that leave you hungry and send weight directly to the places you want to keep the weight off of!

2. Bananas have sugar in its natural form within the the fruit and are high in monosaccharides--glucose, sucrose, and fructose--which will keep your energy up and help you burn more calories and keep your appetite in check

3. Finally, bananas help you suppress your appetite because their fiber content will keep you satiated and nourished.. Feeling full is the #1 goal of natural or synthetic appetite suppressants so the fiber in bananas is your friend!

So there you have it! Four satisfyingly suppressing super foods to eat to lose weight. Be creative with them and enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror after these natural appetite suppressants have worked their wonders on your body!

Conceptualizing HCG Diet Protocol

Different techniques, medicines and courses have been developed to help people reduce their weight and in today's world where everyone wants fast results, we cannot deny the results provided by HCG diet. Dr. ATW Simeons is the founder of the HCG diet protocol and he has revealed all the interesting facts and uses in his book "Pounds and Inches". In this book he explains about HCG diet protocol as a whole provides much importance to the proteins as a food source providing few guidelines to regular diets in order to get better results from this diet. He mentioned the role of fruits and vegetables providing fibers and preventing constipation and also advised to stay away from the dairy products like milk and eggs and to avoid any type of massage.

In order to get detailed description of this diet protocol it is better to understand the different phases involved in the same. Initially there are three phases in the whole process of this diet protocol and they are Loading Phase, Maintenance Phase and Stabilization Phase.

Loading Phase

Initial period of 2 days is dedicated to the total HCG weight loss therapy that is also termed as Loading Phase, wherein the user has to eat as much as he/she can containing high calorie food so that he/she can prepare their body for the following low-calorie diet phase. Consumption of 10-15 Oral drops of HCG diet 3 times in a day is recommended, however, 6-10 drops six times in a day will provide better results.

Maintenance Phase

After the initial 2 days of loading phase follows the maintenance phase lasting for about 21 days but depending on requirement users can stretch it to almost 40 days. Main aspect of this phase is introduction of 500-calorie diet or Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). In this phase, users have to prepare their body with this kind of diet combining it with the 10-15 oral drops of HCG three times a day. This combination helps to burn all the fat reserves in the body by releasing energy in blood stream ranging from 1500-4000 calories. When this additional energy combines with the daily intake of 500-calorie diet it helps in metabolism and melting excessive fat in the body helping to lose weight and making users more slimmer. During this phase users should avoid sugar, starch and fried food products and women can resume the course immediately after the menstruation with VLCD diet.

Stabilization Phase

This is the last phase following after the maintenance phase wherein users can skip the oral drops and shift from VLCD to Controlled diet in moderate restrictions. Avoiding sugar and starch completely is the best way to stabilize the loosened weight accounting for daily intake of 800 calories in women and 1000 calories in men.

In case if users are not satisfied with the results of the diet protocol they can take as many rounds of the protocol as they want by keeping a distance of six weeks between different rounds of HCG diet.

How to Prevent Constipation on the HCG Diet

One of the biggest pet peeves about the HCG Diet is its propensity to "slow" things down in the digestive tract and cause Constipation. But there are ways to avoid this nuisance and assist your body in returning to a normal routine. By making these minor adjustments you can resolve the constipation and succeed in reach your weight loss goals on your diet.

First, let's address why constipation is so common for those on the HCG Diet. The simple reason is that the HCG Diet is very low in fiber carbohydrates typically found in grains. This leads to a slowing down of the bodies natural elimination process and results in mild constipation. In fact it's not uncommon for people to complain about not having a bowel movement for as long as week while doing the HCG Diet. This is a huge concern and must be addressed to allow for proper body function and to minimize the stress placed on the digestive system. Thankfully, the solutions are rather minor and easy to incorporate in your daily routine:

1. Hydration

Staying properly hydrated is an absolute must on the HCG Diet for several reasons. Not only does it help you lose more weight but it also helps in assuring proper elimination. Those on the diet should drink at least two quarts of fluid per day while on the diet. Stick with water and herbal teas and avoid diet drinks as much as possible.

Note: Coffee is controversial in regards to constipation. Some studies shows a cup of coffee in the morning aided in producing a bowel movement and yet others show that caffeine can agitate the intestines and can actually cause constipation.

2. Take a Fiber Supplement

A daily Fiber Supplement can help add back the necessary amounts of fiber your body is lacking during the HCG Diet. Two of the best choices are Glucomannan, which has actually been shown to aid weight loss, and Psyllium Seed Husk. Both of these supplements are readily available at your grocery or health food store and should be taken as directed on the label. One point of caution, avoid products that have added natural laxatives and stick with products that include either of these natural fiber sources exclusively. Taking products that contain herbal laxatives on a daily can be damaging to your digestive system and should be avoided.

3. Herbal Teas

There are several readily available Herbal Teas that can assist with getting things moving again in your digestive track. Teas made with Senna are recommended. Point of caution though, as stated before, try not to use these herbal laxatives on a daily basis for more than a day or two. If you follow the steps above you should be able to minimize the need for actual herbal laxatives and only use them once or twice a week.

These suggestions will help you get back to a healthy routine and should resolve any constipation you are experiencing on the HCG Diet. Stick with it, make the adjustments, and your overall diet experience should improve and help you to reach your weight loss goals.

The Best Medifast Flavors On Popular Medifast Foods

I often hear from people who are trying to decide which foods to order in their Medifast package. To that end, many ask me questions like "what are the best or most popular Medifast flavors?" Well, the answer to this question is going to depend on which foods you are talking about. In the following article, I'll tell you my favorite flavors on many of this diet's popular meals.

The Best Medifast Shake Flavors: I really like all of the shake flavors and I wouldn't turn down any of them, but if I had to pick my top three, they would be the Swiss Mocha, the French Vanilla, and the banana creme. Don't get me wrong. The dutch chocolate and strawberry are both very nice. But to me, the Swiss mocha has a more smooth flavor and I prefer the favor of banana over strawberry. The vanilla is a nice classic flavor that reminds me of ice cream.

The Best Medifast Bar Flavors: There are really two types of bars: the crunch and the maintenance. Because you can only have one maintenance bar each day, you'll likely be eating more of the crunch bars. My favorite three crunch bar flavors are the peanut butter crunch, the chocolate mint, and the caramel crunch (with the lemon meringue a very close 4th.) My favorite maintenance bar flavors are (in order:) the caramel nut; the chocolate mint; and the oatmeal raisin.

Popular Flavors On The Medifast Oatmeal: From participating in forums and communications on my blog, if I had to guess the most popular flavor on the oatmeal, I would suspect that it's the blueberry, followed by peach, and then followed by the apple cinnamon, but all of the flavors are quite good.

Eggs: There are three flavors of eggs: the southwest; the scrambled; and the original with egg whites. I like the southwest the best followed by the scrambled.

Pancakes: There are only two types of pancakes (chocolate chip and original.) I (and I suspect many others) prefer the chocolate chip although both are good.

Ice Cream / Soft Serve Flavors: The ice cream is a recent (and very popular) addition to the menu. Many people rave about the coffee ice cream. It's quite good, but my favorite is the chocolate mint and the peanut butter. I'm not as fond of the mango as the other three.

Pudding: There are three flavors here (chocolate, vanilla, and banana.) If I had to choose my favorite, it would probably be the banana although I use the chocolate quite a bit as a base for baked goods. All three are quite good and versatile.

Soups: There are eight flavors for the soups: beef vegetable stew; chicken and wild rice; chicken noodle; home style chili; cream of broccoli; cream of chicken; cream of tomato; and Maryland crab. Of these, my favorites are the chili, the chicken noodle, and the chicken and wild rice. I also like the vegetable beef. I don't like sea food so I haven't eaten much of the crab. I regularly use the cream based soups to make sauces for other meals.

Pretzels / Cheese Puffs: There are two flavors of pretzels (cinnamon and honey mustard.) Both are quite goods, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the cinnamon. The cheese puffs come in chili nacho cheese and Parmesan cheese. (The chili nacho are great on top of the chili, but if I'm eating them straight, I like the Parmesan a tiny bit better.)

Brownies: The brownies only come in one flavor (chocolate) although there are some chocolate chips sprinkled on top. These are very good even though there's not as much variety.

Cold Drink Flavors: There are two types of Medifast drinks offered (hot and cold.) In the cold drink category, there is cranberry mango, peach iced tea, raspberry iced tea, and a tropical punch fruit drink. My favorites among these are the peach iced tea and the fruit punch.

Flavors On Medifast Hot Drinks: I really like the hot drinks and have one every morning. The choices are cappuccino, hot chocolate, and chai latte. It's impossible for me to choose between the cappuccino and the hot chocolate so I often mix half a packet of each together, but I like the latte also.

The New Slow Carb Diet - Does It Work?

The Slow Carb Diet is one of the newer diets put forth for people with weight problems to consider. And as we all know, there is great controversy about how we get fat, what "diets" work best - or work at all - and who has (drum roll, please) The Answers. Could it possibly be the Slow Carb Diet? It's starting to look like that may be the case.

A few years ago when Gary Taubes came out with his first book on fat gain and loss, Good Calories, Bad Calories, and was making the rounds promoting it. Taubes' career has been as an investigative reporter researching and writing about scientific topics.

He appeared on Larry King, hosted by Joy Behar, with Mehmet Oz in the first segment and Andrew Weil and Jillian Michaels in the second. Dr. Oz promotes his beliefs and book, Taubes talks about what he has discovered, Weil gives a review of the book and Michaels insists that what she does is what works. All in all, the national controversy in two video clips.

These Larry King Show clips show respected people getting a bit ruffled at the thought that their expertise is being questioned. Whenever long held beliefs are threatened, people hunker down, and doctors and weight loss gurus who have been trumpeting "eat less, exercise more" as the way to lose weight do not want to read what Taubes has written. Although Dr. Weil has and thinks it's good information. Good for him.

The truth about why we get fat is much more complex than we've been told and Taubes essentially tells us that it's not our fault if we gain weight easily. What a relief. He also explains what makes us fat (sugars and carbs) and how to give ourselves the best chance to lose weight. Some of us gain weight easily and others do not. And it appears that a lot of what we've been told was self-serving in one way or another and that a healthy slow carb diet will truly help us defeat obesity.

So based on Gary Taubes lifetime as a science writer, and that his book that has over 100 pages of references, let's give this a good look. It may well be the answer. If you're interested in finding out more about this diet, you can refer to the books of Gary Taubes and also Tim Ferriss' 4-Hour Body. Online searches also produce a lot of information and both Taubes and Ferriss have informative web sites.

Ditch Yo-Yo Diets

If you experience weight problems try to avoid fad slimming crazes as yo-yo dieting can be a danger to your health.

Yo-yo dieting is defined as a vicious cycle of regular weight loss and regain which can adversely affect a person's physical and mental well being as a permanent solution to slimming problems always appear out of reach.

Research by Slimming World and YouGov revealed that over 20 per cent of British women had taken part in yo-yo diets at least five times in their life while more than ten per cent had do it at least ten times.

More worryingly, the study discovered that six per cent of UK females had banished the bulge only to see it pile back again over 20 times over the course of their life, which can be mentally crushing.

There has been a significant increase in faddy eating programmes allegedly endorsed by certain celebrities such as the blood type diet, the baby food diet but these must be avoided at all costs.

Such diets that promise rapid weight loss by cutting out specific food groups can never be sustained over a long period of time because feelings of hunger and deprivation will result in people returning to their previous eating habits.

It is important to realise that it is never to late to break a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting because all it takes is increased confidence and support from friends and family to tackle your damaging lifestyle behaviour.

Fad diets might initially achieve success by only allowing miniscule portions or banning specific food groups but eating a healthy, balanced diet will help people realize long-term weight loss.

A diet of high energy foods that are filling such as vegetables, rice and fish will provide long-lasting weight loss results when combined with an active lifestyle which contains regular exercise.

Food such as these are satiating but low in calories so are ideal for people that are starting a weight loss programme and in order to avoid feelings of deprivation they can be supplemented with the occasional treat.

People who feel they need that extra bit of help with losing weight may want to take slimming supplements like fat burners as they are proven to assist weight loss when taken alongside a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.

These products work by accelerating metabolism through the elimination of more fat cells at the same time as suppressing appetite and providing an energy boost which encourages exercise.

Detox Diet - Get Rid of Toxins Naturally

Detox diet refers to the dietary plan in which a person plans to take up a diet plan just to get rid of the toxins. The procedure is not scientifically approved but there are certain detox diet plans practiced which are aimed to cleanse various body parts. Some of the common forms of detoxification measures are fasting, eating only fruits and eliminating fats, carbohydrates or fruits or herbs. Sometimes it is done by eliminating everything from diet in a day including water. Different detoxification methodologies are used for colon cleansing, removal of dental filing and cleansing therapy.

Doctors do not consider it scientifically effective but the diet is not considered even harmful although not much research has been done in this area. A group of researcher believes that the procedure may help the body to get rid of fat stored toxins in blood from where it is eliminated through skin, feces, breath or urine. After taking the long procedure of going on a Detox diet, one can get clear skin and improved immune system.

In the Detox diet plan following procedures are in use

Using herbs: Colon cleansing is the method in which certain herbs are used to get rid of toxins in colon. Include herbs in your diet which includes licorice root, Psyllium seed, Yucca root, Gentian root and Milk thistle root.

Diet based on fruits: It is found that the vitamins A, C and E are important for body and these vitamins provide the antioxidants to body which is needed for detoxification. Raw fruits and vegetables mostly contain these vitamins and it helps to regenerate the body and destroy old harmful cells. For a detox diet the body is given only fruit juices. Fruits help the body to meet the daily calorie needs and to get rid of the toxins which prevents growth of new cells. After a few days of taking such diet the body cells are rejuvenated and it helps in growth of new cells.

There are other methods such as juice fasting and drug Detox which is used to get rid of the effect of drugs from the body.

Certain rules are followed such as

1. One should take only organic drinks which does not contain fungicides or pesticides.
2. One can include herbal tea with diet.
3. Unprocessed food should be taken which includes raw vegetables and fruits.
4. Drink a good amount of water and the water should be pure.
5. Refined food should be avoided such as powdered grains and processed food.
6. Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine should be avoided.

Different stages of detoxification

One has to go on three days fast in which only melons are allowed in the breakfast or you can take yoghurt with seeds. Apple can be taken after some time in the morning and in the lunch salads should be taken.

During lunchtime any of the following fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, pineapples or plums can be taken but many different varieties of fruit should not be mixed. Carrot juice can be taken.

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