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Monday, December 27, 2010

The Secret To Successful Fitness Resolutions



While you can't wave a magic wand and make your resolution come true, there are some easy steps to take that will make it easier to fulfill your promise to yourself.


•Choose an attainable goal. Resolving to look like a male-model is not realistic for most of us, but promising to include daily physical activity in our lives is very possible.


•Avoid choosing a resolution that you've been unsuccessful at achieving year after year. This will only set you up for failure, frustration and disappointment. If you are still tempted to make a promise that you've made before, then try altering it. For example, instead of stating that you are going to lose 30 pounds, try promising to eat healthier and increase your weekly exercise.


•Create a game plan. At the beginning of January, write a comprehensive plan. All successful businesses start with a business plan that describes their mission and specifics on how they will achieve it. Write your own personal plan and you'll be more likely to succeed as well.


•Break it down and make it less intimidating. Rather than one big end goal, dissect it into smaller pieces. Set several smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then, even if you aren't able to reach your final goal, you will have many smaller, but still significant, achievements along the way. For example, if your goal is to complete a 10K race, your smaller goals could be running a 5K in less than 30 minutes, adding upper and lower body strength training to increase your muscular endurance, and running 2 miles with a personal best completion time.


•Make contingency plans: don't assume sticking to your plan will be smooth sailing. Plan on hitting bumps along the resolution road and be prepared with specific ways to overcome them. What will keep you from skipping your workout or stop you from having a cigarette? This may mean seeking help from family or a professional, writing in a journal, etc.


•Give it time: most experts agree that it takes about 21 days to create a habit and six months for it to actually become a part of your daily life.


•Reward yourself with each milestone. If you've stuck with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something special. But, be careful of your reward type. If you've lost 5 pounds, don't give yourself a piece of cake as a reward. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food related, like a professional massage.


•Ask friends and family members to help you so you have someone to be accountable to. Just be sure to set limits so that this doesn't backfire and become more irritating than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.


•Don't go it alone! Get professional assistance. Everyone needs help and sometimes a friend just isn't enough. Sometimes you need the help of a trained professional. Don't feel that seeking help is a way of copping out. Especially when it comes to fitness, research studies have shown that assistance from a fitness professional greatly improves people's success rate.


Limit your number of promises. You'll spread yourself too thin trying to make multiple changes in your life. This will just lead to failure of all of the resolutions.

•Test your flexibility: realize that things change frequently. Your goals and needs may be very different in April then they were when you made your resolution in January. Embrace change, even if that means that your resolution is altered.


•Keep a journal: A journal helps you recognize your positive steps and makes it harder to go back to the same old habits.
On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in fitness resolutions. But don't let the statistics get you down. By following the tips above you'll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.


Source: About.com

Friday, November 19, 2010

The Benefits Of Stetching




As you age, your muscles tighten and range of motion in the joints can be minimized. This can put a damper on active lifestyles and even hinder day-to-day, normal motions. Tasks that used to be simple, such as zipping up a dress or reaching for a can off of the top shelf, now become extremely difficult. A regular stretching program can help lengthen your muscles and make daily living activities easier.

Everyone can learn to stretch, regardless of age or flexibility. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine, whether you exercise or not. There are simple stretches you can do while watching TV, on the computer, or getting ready for bed. If you are doing strength training exercises, stretch in between sets. It feels good and saves time from stretching at the end of the workout!

It does not have to involve a huge time commitment, but stretching can end up giving you huge results! Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect from a regular stretching program:

- Reduced muscle tension
- Increased range of movement in the joints
- Enhanced muscular coordination
- Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
- Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)

Stretching is important for people of all ages! One of the greatest benefits of stretching is that you’re able to increase your range of motion, which means your limbs and joints can move further before an injury occurs. Post-exercise stretching can also aid in workout recovery, decrease muscle soreness, and ensure that your muscles and tendons are in good working order. The more conditioned your muscles and tendons are, the better they can handle the rigors of sport and exercise, and the less likely that they'll become injured.

Stretching comes naturally to all of us. You might notice that if you have been sitting in a particular position for a long time, you stretch unconsciously. It feels good! In addition to that good feeling, a consistent stretching program will produce large gains in flexibility and joint movement. Be kind to your muscles and they will be kind to you!


Source: Sparkpeople.com

Monday, October 4, 2010

Fitness 101


Physical fitness is something that more people are really taken to heart as they get older and realize that it helps their overall health. Workouts are becoming more commonplace than ever before at work, in the home, or even at a gym. Many times people forget the small things that can really help them get the most out of their workouts. We have compiled some great tips to help you take that workout to the next level.

You may have heard this a million times but drink lots of water. Humans can survive days and sometimes even months without food, but without water you can die within a day. People who have extra strenuous workout regiments tend to lose body fluid very rapidly. If you are a sports enthusiast than you can also consider using some sports drinks into your workouts. One word of caution though, still makes sure water is part of the workout. Drinking nothing but sports drinks is not advisable as you still need water. Sports drinks many times have lots of sugar which isn't something that you want in your body. Water is natural and nothing can beat the taste of ice cold water.

Vegetables were what mom would always tell you to eat and there is truth to that. As you workout more your body needs the vitamins and mineral supplements that fruits and vegetables can give you. It will also make your body stronger and help you fight of diseases. Don't underestimate the power of these powerhouses when it comes to fueling your workout. Always remember to use in proper portions and choose a wide of variety so you can get the most of what you take into your body.

Calcium intake is another vital element that should be in your plan of action. Calcium is vital to the development and provides strength to your bones. By having stronger bones it also prevents injuries and lets you do more. It's usually found in dairy products and should be a part of your workout for maximum production.

Warm up exercises are something that many people forget about. If you talk to any fitness expert, they will tell you the value you of warming up before starting any kind of workout. Preventing injuries is just one of the many benefits of it. Cooling down is something that is also very important in your workout. Cooling down is when your workout is done and you should slowly relax and let your body get back to pre workout conditions.

These tips are just some of the things that will make your workout better and give you the ability to take it to the next level. Each step of your workout should be put in for your overall success. As you follow each step you will get stronger and in time be in better shape. Remember it takes time to improve your body and exercise is the best way to get there. If you follow these tips, you should be there in no time at all.


Source: Jeffrey Meier, http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeffrey_Meier

Monday, August 23, 2010

10 Ways To Recover Quickly After Exercise




Do you know what to do after exercise to speed your recovery from a workout? Your post exercise routine can have a big impact on your fitness gains and sports performance but most people don't have an after exercise recovery plan.
Most people exercise for the benefits they get from their workout: improved sports performance, better endurance, less body fat, added and even just feeling better. In order to maintain an exercise routine it's important to recover fully after exercise. Recovery is an essential part of any workout routine. It allows you to train more often and train harder so you get more out of your training. Do you have a good after exercise plan?

Why Recovery After Exercise Is Important

Recovery after exercise is essential to muscle and tissue repair and strength building. This is even more critical after a heavy weight training session. A muscle needs anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, and working it again too soon simply leads to tissue breakdown instead of building. For weight training routines, never work the same muscles groups two days in a row.

10 Ways To Recover Quickly After Exercise

There are as many methods of recovery as there are athletes. The following are some of the most commonly recommended by the experts.

1.Rest. Time is one of the best ways to recover (or heal) from just about any illness or injury and this also works after a hard workout. Your body has an amazing capacity to take care of itself if you allow it some time. Resting and waiting after a hard workout allows the repair and recovery process to happen at a natural pace. It's not the only thing you can or should do to promote recovery, but sometimes doing nothing is the easiest thing to do.

2.Stretch. If you only do one thing after a tough workout, consider gentle stretching. This is a simple and fast way to help your muscles recover.

3.Cool Down. Cooling down simply means slowing down (not stopping completely) after exercise. Continuing to move around at a very low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes after a workout helps remove lactic acid from your muscles and may reduce muscles stiffness. warming up and cooling down are more helpful in cooler temperatures or when you have another exercise session or an event later the same day.

4.Eat Properly. After depleting your energy stores with exercise, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. This is even more important if you are performing endurance exercise day after day or trying to build muscle. Ideally, you should try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and make sure you include some high-quality protein and complex carbohydrate.

5.Replace Fluids. You lose a lot of fluid during exercise and ideally, you should be replacing it during exercise, but filling up after exercise is an easy way to boost your recovery. Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is even more important for endurance athletes who lose large amounts of water during hours of sweating.

6.Try Active Recovery. Easy, gentle movement improves circulation which helps promote nutrient and waste product transport throughout the body. In theory, this helps the muscles repair and refuel faster.

7.Have a Massage. Massage feels good and improves circulation while allowing you to fully relax. You can also try self-massage and Foam Roller Exercises for Easing Tight Muscles and avoid the heavy sports massage price tag.

8.Take an Ice Bath. Some athletes swear by ice baths, ice massage or contrast water therapy (alternating hot and cold showers) to recover faster, reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury. The theory behind this method is that by repeatedly constricting and dilating blood vessels helps remove (or flush out) waste products in the tissues. Limited research has found some benefits of contrast water therapy at reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
How to use contrast water therapy: While taking your post-exercise shower, alternate 2 minutes of hot water with 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat four times with a minute of moderate temperatures between each hot-cold spray. If you happen to have a spa with hot and cold tubs available, you can take a plunge in each for the same time.

9.Get Lots of Sleep. While you sleep, amazing things are taking place in your body. Optimal sleep is essential for anyone who exercises regularly. During sleep, your body produces Growth Hormone (GH) which is largely responsible for tissue growth and repair.

10.Avoid Overtraining. One simple way to recovery faster is by designing a smart workout routine in the first place. Excessive exercise, heavy training at every session or a lack of rest days will limit your fitness gains from exercise and undermine your recovery efforts.

Listen to Your Body for a Faster Recovery

The most important thing you can do to recovery quickly is to listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, sore or notice decreased performance you may need more recovery time or a break from training altogether. If you are feeling strong the day after a hard workout, you don't have to force yourself to go slow. If you pay attention, in most cases, your body will let you know what it needs, when it needs it. The problem for many of us is that we don't listen to those warnings or we dismiss them with our own self talk ("I can't be tired, I didn't run my best yesterday" or "No one else needs two rest days after that workout; they'll think I'm a wimp if I go slow today.").


Source: About.com

Monday, July 5, 2010

Exercising in hot or humid weather


When doing any vigorous physical activity in hot or humid weather, especially if you are not used to exercise, you risk heat illness, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Your body produces heat when you exercise vigorously, and that heat can combine with the outside heat to reach dangerous body temperatures. High humidity prevents your body from cooling itself through the evaporation of sweat because the sweat does not evaporate as easily or as quickly in humid air. You will need to drink more water in hot, humid weather to cool your body.

If the air temperature is less than 80 F, you can be active outside without taking any extra precautions. As you exercise:

Drink water periodically, such as a few ounces every 20 to 30 minutes.
Lower the intensity of your exercise if you are getting hot.
Find some shade if you are exercising outside.
When the temperature gets past 80 F, consider both the heat and the humidity. The hotter or more humid it is, the higher the risk of heat-related illness. For example, if the humidity is 60%:1

Be careful exercising in temperatures of 80 F to 85 F.
Experts advise being extremely careful between about 85 F and 90 F
The conditions are considered dangerous or extremely dangerous at temperatures over 90 F.
When the weather is hot or humid, or both, consider exercising early in the morning or in the evening, or in an air-conditioned area. You also have less chance of overheating if you choose less strenuous exercise. If you usually jog or run, try taking a walk on a shady sidewalk.

If you are a distance runner or a triathlete, there is a chance you could overhydrate during your training or event. Overhydration (hyponatremia) can be caused by exercising over a very long period of time, especially in hot or humid weather, and drinking too much fluid. It can cause symptoms such as nausea, confusion, and feeling bloated. Although it is rare, it is a medical emergency when it happens. An athletic trainer or sports nutritionist can help you learn ways to avoid overhydration.

It is important to listen to your body and get help from a health professional if you stop sweating or have other symptoms of heatstroke, such as confusion.


Source: Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Metabolic Cancer Cure Diet


Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in our world today. However, what most people don't realize is that it's one of the slowest growing diseases. Too often people are scared into going under the knife, to take chemo and to pollute their bodies with a cocktail of toxic drugs. Are we to believe that toxins will "cure"?

If only people would stop and research the orgins of Western medicine they would find out that the battle was won by money hungry capitalists. These capitalists understood that by producing synthetic drugs and machines that huge profits were to be had. Conversely the Homeopathic doctor's knew that diet was the best and more effective way to prevent and cure disease. It's never too late to make changes! I hope you enjoy the article below.


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About the year 424 BC Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, made the statement, "Your food shall be your medicine and your medicine shall be your food." Try as we may, we have not been able to improve upon this basic truth. This is particularly true when it comes to the successful treatment of the cancer patient. At least 86% of all cancer conditions could be adequately treated and/or prevented by diet alone.

It never ceases to amaze me at the number of learned as well as ignorant persons who scoff when diet is mentioned. They all seem to believe that no matter what is placed into the body, by some magical process, it makes for perfect health. Yet these same people are very fastidious and concerned about what, how and how much food is fed to their pedigreed dogs and cats and their registered cattle and horses. It is ironic that they cannot see that their own health is equally dependent upon a proper balanced nutritional process.

Kelley Almond Diet
From the first printing of this book in 1967 we have called our diet the "Kelley Almond Diet" because the principal protein is almond and vegetable protein. Raw almonds are a very good source of protein and may be used as directed: 10 almonds at breakfast and 10 almonds at lunch.A mixture of raw almonds, cashews, pecans, filberts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds is recommended to supplement protein during the first six months when meat proteins are severely restricted. These should be eaten any time up to 1:00 p.m.Cashew nuts are desirable, especially if the patient is also suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Nuts, seeds, and grains should be stored in closed containers in a very cool location. Refrigeration is best if one has the space.

Some enzyme researchers do not recommend the use of raw seeds or nuts, claiming that the enzyme inhibitors in the seeds or nuts make proper digestion difficult. This is true in one sense — if raw nuts and seeds were swallowed whole without masticating them, a person couldn’t digest them properly. But if nuts and seeds are chewed well or soaked overnight (in RO filtered or distilled water) the activity of enzyme inhibitors is greatly reduced or nullified.

Should you have difficulty chewing whole raw almonds, you may substitute two tablespoons of pure raw almond or sesame seed butter.

Protein (Phase One)

We have maintained throughout this treatise that cancer is nothing more than a pancreatic enzyme deficiency. The greatest cause of this deficiency is the amount of cooked protein (mutated amino acids) fed into the body. The pancreas simply cannot manufacture enough enzymes to digest the large volumes of pasteurized milk and cheese and cooked meat we eat and have any enzymes left over to digest the foreign protein we know as cancer. If people would not eat protein after 1:00 p.m., 86% of cancer in the United States could be eliminated.

However, a cancer patient should never give up all protein, as they might be tempted to do when they first learn that too much protein in the diet prevents the pancreas from ridding the body of cancer. The pancreatic enzymes themselves consist of protein (amino acids), and unless the body is fed adequate protein, the pancreatic enzyme production will stop and the cancer tissue will make a very rapid growth. The total withdrawal from protein has been the fallacy of many cancer diets, such as the "Grape Cure." This is also the reason these diets have worked so well for the first few months — no protein — thus freeing the pancreatic enzymes to digest the cancer. Yet, over prolonged periods of total abstinence from protein, the pancreas fails. Proper balance and regulated intake is the answer.

Protein Timing
It is not only imperative that the correct kind and quantity of protein be eaten, but of equal importance, it must be taken at a specific time. We have found that regular proteins should be taken at breakfast and lunch only. When this is strictly observed the pancreatic enzymes, used in digestion of protein, are used only about 6 hours. This leaves 18 hours for production of pancreatic enzymes to digest cancer tissue.

If the average cancer patient is carefully observed, it will be noted that they start the day with protein — a glass of milk, ham and/or bacon and eggs, or milk with cereal. By mid-morning they are ravenous and have a candy bar, peanuts, doughnuts or sweet rolls with a soft drink or coffee. For lunch they normally have a roast beef sandwich, or chicken fried in "trans-fatty acid" vegetable oil, or a hamburger. By mid-afternoon they are again hungry and have been attacked by low blood sugar, so they perk themselves up with coffee or a soft drink. Dinner consists of a charbroiled steak, or a piece of roast beef or other cooked meat with white flour gravy and cooked-to-death vegetables. For desert there is ice cream or pie a la mode with another glass of milk. It is impossible for the pancreas to produce enough enzymes under these conditions.

Eggs
Eggs are an unusually good source of protein — well balanced and the standard by which all protein is evaluated. They have all the essential amino acids in proper proportions. The cancer patient may have two eggs (preferably raw) each day at anytime.

Proper preparation of eggs is of vital importance. The eggs must be heated in the shell. We bring our eggs to a temperature of 140º F. to 160º F. (which is the normal temperature of hot tap water), for five minutes before cracking them. This destroys an enzyme just inside the membrane under the shell that prevents the biotin in the egg from functioning normally. When biotin functions properly, it greatly reduces the cholesterol risks of eating eggs.

After preheating before cracking them, the eggs may then be eaten, as you prefer them. Raw and soft-boiled eggs are the most preferable, though it isn’t absolutely necessary to eat them in these forms. In keeping with the use of as much raw food as possible, a good procedure is to eat the eggs raw in a blended drink of some kind, flavored to suit one’s taste.

There was a group of research doctors and dentists who, for at least a dozen years, had eaten two eggs daily (properly prepared as above), as part of a well-balanced nutritional program. Tests conducted on these people showed no increase in cholesterol. In fact, there was a significant decrease in the blood serum cholesterol level of each individual.

Misconceived beliefs of the orthodox medical world about eating cholesterol-containing foods have caused countless people to be unduly alarmed about cholesterol levels and the associated possibility of heart attacks. These misconceptions, carried on from the early 1950’s, have been proven false.

Liver
Liver is a wonderful energy food and cannot be surpassed as a blood builder. It is especially crucial for leukemia and lymphoma patients, as their blood is unusually weak. However, all cancer patients can benefit from the intake of raw liver before noon each day. In the mid 1960s, when Dr. Kelley was told he was in the final stages of pancreatic and liver cancer, he found that raw liver blended into carrot juice gave him strength when everything else he ate made him feel ill.

Raw organic, antibiotic-free and hormone-free liver contains a multitude of live enzymes, amino acids and other intrinsic factors that science has not yet identified, which are destroyed when the liver is cooked. (References to "intrinsic" or "unidentified" food factors are fairly common in nutritional literature. They result from clinical reactions, which cannot be linked to known nutrients. Raw liver for cancer patients is an excellent example of powerful therapeutic, but unexplained, effects.) There are no supplements or drugs that can take the place of raw liver; none are in any way comparable in their effects. Eating raw liver ensures thorough digestion and the replacement of expended nutrients, promoting excellent health.

Raw liver is best if it is organic, antibiotic-free, hormone-free and not irradiated. However, if this type of raw liver is unavailable, fresh muscle meat, steaks and ground, are acceptable even if you buy them at regular markets. Organically grown and not irradiated is always more nutritious and preferable. But if organic isn’t available, commercial is healthier than none. At least 3 and no more than 6 heaping tablespoons of raw liver should be taken daily.

Chewing the liver is best for proper digestion. However, if masticating it is too objectionable, it will digest well even swallowed whole, if it is sliced into small enough cubes, and if adequate hydrochloric acid and enzymes are taken.

There are two methods which people find suitable for preparing liver:

1. The liver can be sliced about ¼ inch thick, placed on a cookie sheet, and frozen. After it is frozen, it can be cut into ¼ inch cubes. One can then use plastic sandwich bags, putting 3 to 6 tablespoons of frozen cubed liver in each bag and storing them in the freezer for daily eating. This frozen liver may be chewed or swallowed whole, followed by a sip of juice if desired. Some prefer to allow the liver to thaw and then to place a spoonful at a time in the mouth and chew it or swallow it whole with a sip of juice.

2. Liver may be placed in the blender with carrot, pineapple, or tomato juice (and seasoning of one’s preference if desired), blended, strained to remove the fiber if preferred, and used as a morning "pep-up" drink.

Meat (Cooked and Commercially Produced)
The cancer patient will want to give up cooked and commercially produced meat such as beef, pork, lamb and fowl immediately (except for raw liver — see above). Cooked meat is harmful for the cancer patient, as the very same enzymes used in its digestion are needed for fighting and digesting the cancer. All natural, self-made enzymes your body can produce should be used to fight the cancer. Commercial meat should be avoided for another reason; it has a high female sex hormone content. For commercial reasons most animals, especially beef and fowl produced in the United States have been fed large quantities of hormones. Since an overabundance of female sex hormones initiate cancer, meat of this type should be excluded from the cancer patient’s diet.

After being on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet for 9 to 12 months, when the tumors are under control, one may gradually resume consumption of meat as long as one’s metabolic type requires it (see Chapter VIII, Metabolic Typing — Discovering Your Personal Nutritional Needs) and adequate enzymes and hydrochloric acid are taken to digest it.

If and when one does go back to eating meat, it will be extremely wise to make every effort to find a source that can provide meat, which has been produced without chemical feed, hormones, antibiotics, and pesticide residues.

Protein After 6 Months On Cancer Diet
After the first six months on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet the cancer patient must increase the quantity of protein in his diet. At this time not less than sixty grams of protein daily should be included in the diet. You should, of course, continue all the above approved protein, but now you may include (or increase) such proteins as those found in deep sea fish, all forms of seeds, nuts (except peanuts), nut butters, whole grains, whole grain breads, and homemade, raw (unpasteurized) goats’ milk yogurt and/or buttermilk.

Seeds and Sprouts
Raw seeds and sprouts are good foods for cancer patients, and may be eaten after 1:00 p.m. We freely use brown sesame, sunflower and pumpkinseeds. Many people enjoy sprouted seeds, such as alfalfa and mung beans, buckwheat, wheat and soybeans.

The most "living foods" are sprouted seeds. When seeds are soaked in water, their protective enzyme inhibitors are removed and the enzymes, which have been "asleep," become active, and in three days the nutritional values of the seeds are increased tremendously. The seeds also become much easier to digest.

For the best in nutrition, be sure to eat your sprouts raw. Eat as many as you desire.

Beans
Dry beans of all types are a good source of food for the cancer patient, and may be used two or three times a week at anytime of the day. The best way we’ve found to prepare them is to cook them at a temperature of 200º F. We place two cups of dried beans (washed) in a bean pot to which we add five cups of RO filtered or distilled water, five garlic cloves, two tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of sea salt or kelp, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. We place the pot, (covered), in an oven overnight at 200º F.

Vegetable Juice and Fruit Juice (Phase Two)

Vegetable Juices (Fresh and Raw)
The second most important phase of our cancer diet is that of fresh raw juices. At least one quart of carrot and one pint of celery juice should be taken each day. As much other fresh raw vegetable juice in volume may be taken as desired. One should consider alfalfa, beet, cabbage, cucumber, dandelion, endive, lettuce, parsley, potato, spinach, and turnip juice. Vegetable juices are the builders of the body. Juice is better than the whole vegetable because so much energy is used to digest the whole vegetable. Juice has a proper balance of vitamins and minerals in a concentrated solution. We recommend that the juice be made fresh and used immediately.

Fruit and Fruit Juices (Fresh and Raw)
Fresh raw fruit and fruit juices are the cleansers of the body. The cancer patient may eat as much as desired of fresh raw fruit or fresh fruit juices. Small amounts of dried unsulfered fruit may also be taken.

Fresh Fruit Salads and Raw Vegetable Salads
The cancer patient may eat, in addition to his fresh raw vegetable and fruit juices, all the fresh fruit and fresh raw salad he or she can hold. These are good for lunch or dinner meals. The body needs bulk, as it is necessary to keep the digestive tract in good working order. For at least the first eight months on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet, lemon should be used in preference to vinegar on salads. Unrefined, organic flaxseed oil may be used as salad dressing (see page 22, Formula F). Dr. N.W. Walker’s books, Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices and Diet and Salad Suggestions, are recommended reading for every cancer patient.

Whole Grain Cereal (Phase Three)

We have found that it is desirable in building the body to eat a mixture of raw whole grain cereals for breakfast each morning. Mix together well in a large container one pound of each of the grains and nuts below. Store in refrigerator (if too large a quantity is mixed it will keep in a cool, dark pantry).

Multi-Grain Porridge
Objective: to obtain as many different nutrients as possible from as many different seed and grain gene pools as possible from as many different sources (fields) as possible.

Contents by equal weight of Organic:

Amaranth Pumpkin Seeds

Barley Rice, Brown long grain

Barley Flakes Rice, Brown short grain

Buckwheat Groats Rye Berries

Corn Meal Blue Spelt Berries

Corn Meal Yellow Sunflower seeds

Kamut Triticale Flakes

Millet Wheat, Hard Red Spring

Oat Groats Wheat, Soft Pastry

Adding Almonds, English Walnuts and Bananas makes a complete tasty meal.

Directions

Daily at bedtime:

A. Grind 1/3 Cup porridge grains in seed mill.

B. Add 1 Cup boiling water. Stir well.

C. Let soak at room temperature overnight.

D. For breakfast add fruit, concentrated fruit juice and/or unheated honey to taste.

Hot Porridge
After two years this porridge may be cooked as in oatmeal or other grains — best in double boiler or on low heat.

Flax Seed Oil (Phase Four)

Take two tablespoons per day of unrefined, fresh flaxseed oil for the first month of Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Program, and one tablespoon per day from the second month of the program to completion. (Formula F provides Essential Fatty Acids — Essential Fatty Acids must be provided in the diet, as the human body cannot make them.)

Johanna Budwig, a German researcher, did the lion’s share of the early work on flax oil and its therapeutic uses in the early 1950s. Blood samples from healthy and sick people were systematically analyzed, and the findings tabulated. According to her, blood samples from people with cancer, diabetes, and some kinds of liver disease consistently lacked Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). She claims that blood from people with other diseases did not show this severe deficiency and that healthy people’s blood always contained EFAs. If cancer is a deficiency disease brought on by lack of EFAs, she reasoned, a diet high in EFAs should alleviate at least some of the cancer patients’ problems.

Unrefined Flaxseed oil, in practice, inhibits tumor growth and is useful in the natural treatment of cancer. EFAs, from refined oil, on the other hand, help promote tumor growth (due to trans- fats present in all American commercial vegetable oil). All oils except unrefined, fresh olive and flaxseed oil are forbidden on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet.

Note: Fat that has not been heated above 96º F. in the form of unsalted raw butter, raw eggs, raw cream, the fat in and on raw meats, no-salt-added raw cheeses, avocados, fresh coconut and stone-pressed olive oil is acceptable on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet. These fats are the easiest to digest, assimilate, and utilize and aid the body in binding with toxins and carrying them to the bowels and out of the body.

Golden Rule of Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet
The Golden Rule of Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Diet is:

"Take nothing into the body that has been cooked or processed except items mentioned."

Eat no Processed food for the first six months of Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Program.

The juicer is the most important appliance in the kitchen of a cancer patient. If necessary sell the stove and buy a good juicer.

The enzymes in foods that have been cooked have been destroyed or changed into a different compound (amino acid). Cooked food can only be used as food and not as enzymes, for it has no life. For example, if you plant a raw potato it will grow. If you boil a potato and plant it, it will not grow it will rot. Many enzymes are destroyed at 107º F. and almost all are destroyed at 140º F.

When a person eats anything processed he or she is not only eating "dead food" (those in which the enzymes have been destroyed), but he or she is adding a second very destructive force to his body, the destructive force of food preservatives. This may not be too significant for a normal healthy person, but for the cancer patient it may mean life or death. The liver must detoxify, destroy, or metabolize all foreign substances from the body. When one eats foods with preservatives, it adds an extra burden upon the liver, which the cancer patient cannot accept.

Milk
The cancer patient must give up pasteurized cows’ milk forever, except in the form of raw (unpasteurized), homemade yogurt, and for a while must avoid raw milk too, except raw (unpasteurized) goats’ milk. Cows’ milk, like meat, has too high a protein content and pasteurization compounds the problem as it alters or mutates the protein. Pasteurized cows’ milk requires too many pancreatic enzymes for digestion.

Also, an animal cannot produce milk unless the female sex hormones are present in extra large quantities; this causes too many hormones in milk for the person who has cancer.

But if raw goats’ milk is available, it is advisable to take 4 to 8 ounces of raw (unpasteurized), homemade goats’ milk (goats’ milk is similar to humans’ milk) yogurt each morning for breakfast. This will supply the intestines with adequate helpful bacteria. This is acceptable because the yogurt bacteria predigest the milk protein when added to it.

After following this diet for 9 to 12 months and if raw goats’ or cows’ milk is available. 9 to 12 ounces per day may be taken at any time during the day.

Peanuts
The cancer patient will also want to give up peanuts. First, the peanut is not a nut, but a legume. Second, the peanut also has too much protein for the cancer patient. Third, it has been found that a fungus grows on peanuts, which produces aflatoxin. To stimulate cancers in experimental animals cancer researchers use aflatoxin.

Processed Foods

White Flour
All concentrated foods are extremely hard on the liver and should be given up. White flour and all products containing white flour should be avoided. These are not only concentrated carbohydrates, but almost always have preservatives added.

Use fresh whole wheat bread, made from wheat grown free of all pesticides (another liver destroying chemical). The essential vitamins are oxidized within three days at room temperature; hence the need for grinding only as used. Freshly ground flour or freshly made whole wheat bread may be safely stored deep in a deep freeze for about a week. It is best, however, to use it within three days.

White Sugar
The cancer patient will also want to give up all white sugar and white sugar products. The concentrated carbohydrates are hard on the liver, but more important in relation to cancer, they are very hard on the pancreas. The pancreas, as noted earlier, is the first organ to be protected at all costs. White sugar has been processed (refined) and all the vital minerals are taken out. Cancer patients are always deficient in minerals.

For those who have a sweet tooth, these organic foods may be eaten as desired: dates, date sugar, figs and raisins obtained from a health food store. These are free of toxic pesticides and are not harmful to the pancreas or the liver. A cancer patient may also eat pure maple syrup or unheated honey, in that order. The first is preferable because it has a higher mineral content.

Soy Products
Soy products, except Lecithin, should be used very sparingly for two reasons: First, the protein content is too high for the cancer patient; Second, soy products tend to upset the delicate acid/alkaline balance of the body. Eating soy products may be resumed when Dr. Kelley’s Pancreas Self-Examination Procedure is negative (see page 15).

Other Improper Foods
Lemon juice should replace vinegar altogether. Vinegar is too harsh on the delicate mucus membrane of the alimentary canal. Also, the ingestion of large quantities of vinegar causes the digestive tract to become too acid and thus decreases the efficiency of the pancreatic enzymes and the digestive processes. For at least the first eight months on Metabolic Medicine’s Cancer Cure Program, lemon juice should be used in preference to vinegar on salads.

Unrefined, organic flaxseed oil may be used as salad dressing.

For the period of intensive detoxification and treatment, tea, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, liquor, tobacco, pork, and white rice should be avoided. These also place additional stress upon the liver and pancreas as they are being detoxified.


Source: Educate-Yourself.org

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Nutrition & Intense Training


An optimal diet supplies the required nutrients which are adequate for tissue maintenance, repair, and growth without excess energy intake. It is now possible to make estimate nutritional needs for men and women which should account for their daily energy expenditure. The dietary needs for athletes, however must consider the specific energy requirements attributed to their sport as well as taking into consideration the athlete's food preferences. Although there is no one diet for optimal exercise performance, the planning and evaluation of food intake should be based on sound judgement.

Carbohydrate intake is of great importance and those athletes who neglect this specific intake in their diet will eventually lead to glycogen depletion, which will definitely effect their training causing 'staleness' that will hinder the ability to train and compete.

Proteins the protein intake of an athlete is considerable higher than the intake recommended by the RDA, however the protein intake must be in relation to the amount of energy you expend.

Lipids the standards for lipid intake are yet to be firmly established as this area is still being widely tested and little is known about the human requirement for this nutrient. For good health lipid intake should not exceed 30% of the energy intake in your diet. Eliminating lipids may effect your exercise performance level. With low-fat diets, it is difficult to increase carbohydrate and proteins essential to maintaining the athlete's body weight and muscle mass during extensive training.

Carbohydrates sufficient carbohydrate intake is crucial for an active person. During the inadequate supply of oxygen to the active muscles, stored muscle glycogen and blood-borne glucose are prime energy contributors. In addition to the anaerobic role of carbohydrates, stored glycogen provides substantial energy during intense aerobic activity. In all active persons, dietary carbohydrates are of the utmost importance. During more strenuous training for and before competition, the intake should be increased even more so as to ensure sufficient glycogen stores. A general recommendation, for those involved in heavy endurance training, is the daily carbohydrate intake of 10g per kilogram of body mass.

Athletes experiencing chronic fatigue ('staleness') during training may attribute this to the gradual depletion of the body's carbohydrate reserves, and it is for this reason the carbohydrate intake should be increased to at least 70% of the athlete's total calories.

Note: rest should play an integral part of any successful athletes program

Exercise and food intake For individuals who exercise regularly it is relatively easy to match food intake with the daily level of energy expenditure. Below is a diagram of the percentage calories burned by a group of male and female elite athletes. These are based on the averages taken from the study and the purpose is to highlight the expenditure of calories and the importance to replace the calories spent as well as store for the forthcoming day's intensive training. Hopefully, an efficient balance will be found by the athlete in their pursuit towards excellence.


Source: http://www.time-to-run.com

Monday, April 5, 2010

THE HEALTHY RUNNER'S DIET


"Where's the food?" that's the question I ask many runners when I review their food diaries. It's not that they're starving. Most are taking in lots of calories and nutrients--but it's in the form of energy bars, nutrient-enhanced drinks, and fortified packaged foods. The problem is, "real" foods--fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats--are better for you than fortified products.

That's because there's more to a carrot or a sweet potato than just vitamin A. Within the body, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients work together with literally thousands of other compounds, such as color components in fruits and vegetables, special starches and fibers in whole grains, and unique fats in seeds, nuts, and dairy. And it's the whole package that promotes good health and peak athletic performance.

Of course, protein bars and calcium-fortified juices seem like a convenient way to take in all of the 50-plus nutrients every runner needs daily. But getting them--and more--from real food is easy. Follow these six rules every day, and your body will get everything it needs for better health and better running.

Rule #1: Eat seeds or foods made from seeds

What makes seeds so special? Seeds--including whole grains, many beans, and even tree nuts--contain the crucial mix of nutrients necessary to grow a new plant, which means they are packed with health-boosting compounds. In addition to traditional nutrients like protein and essential fats, seeds contain bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds and ferulic acid, which act as antioxidants.

Eating a diet with ample plant seeds has been shown to improve health and help maintain a healthier body weight. People who eat whole grains and beans have a lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, and they tend to have lower cholesterol levels than people who don't eat nuts and seeds.

Rule #2: Eat five different colored fruits and vegetables daily

You already know that eating fruits and veggies supplies your body with vitamins, minerals, and the carbs it needs to fuel your running. Fruits and vegetables also fill you up with few calories, helping you maintain your weight. But to get the most from your produce, you need to think in terms of color--yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple, and every shade in between. There are 400-plus pigments that light up the produce aisle, and each offers unique health benefits.

The rich red in pomegranate comes from anthocyanins, the deep red in tomatoes comes from lycopene, and the bright orange in sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene. These and other pigments have been shown to lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, while also improving your memory. And since most pigments act as antioxidants, they can help reduce inflammation caused by disease or heavy exercise. But new studies suggest that the pigments in produce need to interact with other color compounds in fruits or vegetables to produce their beneficial effects, which is why it's important to eat a wide variety of colors every day. The results of these studies also explain why taking a single pigment, such as beta-carotene in supplement form, doesn't lead to the same health improvements as eating the whole foods and may even increase your risk for some diseases.

Rule #3: Eat plant foods with their skins intact

Drop the peeler. From apples and black beans to red potatoes and zucchini, plants' outer skins protect them from UV light, parasites, and other invaders. As a result, those skins are bursting with a wide range of phytochemicals that also protect your health. Grape skins, for example, are high in resveratrol, and onion skins contain quercetin, both of which can help lower your risk of heart disease and colon and prostate cancer, and boost your immunity.

Produce skin is also rich in resistant starches and various types of fiber. These compounds promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the intestines, improve intestinal function (relieving constipation and decreasing hemorrhoid risk), and help curb appetite and aid in weight control. Studies have shown that fiber from vegetable and fruit skins (which contain both soluble and insoluble fibers) actually blocks absorption of three to four percent of total calories consumed when eaten as part of a high-fiber diet. This is why people who follow a higher-fiber diet (over 35 grams daily) that consists of mainly fruits and vegetables tend to have lower body-fat levels and smaller waist sizes than low-fiber eaters.

Rule #4: Drink milk and eat milk products that come from animals

Whether from a cow, a goat, or even a reindeer, mammal milk (as opposed to soy milk) and other dairy products, like cheese, yogurt, and kefir, should be a part of every runner's diet. Sure, milk supplies calcium, and calcium builds strong bones, which is great for your running. But animal milk offers much more.

Dairy supplies a runner's hardworking muscles with an ample amount of protein to help speed recovery. But whey protein, the specific type of protein found in dairy foods, may also help strengthen the immune system. Milk products also contain stearic acid, which is thought to improve blood-cholesterol levels. Ample research also suggests that regular dairy consumption can lower your blood pressure and your risk for heart disease. And for anyone watching his or her weight, studies have shown that dieters who include dairy in their low-calorie plans lose more fat than those who simply cut calories.

Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, cultured milk, and kefir, contain live bacteria, which also bolster immune health. These bacteria, as well as a special fat in dairy called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), can also help alleviate constipation, improve symptoms of certain intestinal ailments, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and reduce the occurrence of yeast infections in women. And people who are lactose intolerant may see an improvement in their symptoms when they regularly consume cultured dairy products.

Rule #5: Eat foods that come from cold water

Fish and other seafood provide a unique combination of nutrients important to runners. Most seafood is an excellent source of quality protein (you need about 50 percent more protein than your nonrunning friends) and also contains zinc, copper, and chromium--minerals that are often low in a runner's diet. But the omega-3 fats found in fish, particularly those from cold waters, are what make seafood such an essential part of anyone's diet.

Over the past decade, researchers have unfolded a fish story of grand proportions: People who eat fish and other seafood a few times per week have a lower risk of sudden heart attack, vascular disease, and stroke. Fish intake has also been linked to lower rates of depression. And recently, low intake of fish (and omega-3 fats) has been associated with certain behavioral conditions in children, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Anthropological scientists who study "caveman" nutrition theorize that our ancestors consumed much more omega-3 fats than we currently do and that many of our modern-day ailments, such as heart disease and Alzheimer's, may stem from low omega-3 fat intake. Runners should also note that the omega-3s in fish have anti-inflammatory capabilities, giving them the potential to counter exercise-induced muscle soreness and help alleviate diseases such as psoriasis.

Rule #6: Eat meat, poultry, or eggs from free-range or grass-fed animals

By eating lean meats, poultry, and eggs, along with dairy products, runners can easily meet their increased protein needs and take in crucial minerals that can be hard to get from nonanimal sources. In particular, meats are a great source of iron and zinc, which support healthy red blood cells and a strong immune system. And these two minerals are simply better absorbed by the body when they come from meat instead of nonmeat sources.

While a vegetarian lifestyle can be quite healthy, studies suggest that diets balanced with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat, including beef and skinless poultry, help lower blood-cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and heart-disease risk. Sticking to lean meats, however, is key, so consider foods from animals raised in open pastures that graze on grasses. Compared with their stockyard-raised, corn-fed counterparts, free-range, grass-fed animals may contain more omega-3 fats and less artery-clogging saturated fats due to their healthier diets and higher activity levels.



Source: Liz Applegate Ph.D.

Monday, March 29, 2010

The Importance Of Breakfast


How you feel throughout the day often depends on what, or if, you ate starting out. If you skip breakfast, odds are that you’ll end up with an aching head, moodiness, lack of brain power, and even weight gain as you eat more than you should later in the day. Besides, you lose out on the many nutrients your body gets from a good breakfast. And then there’s the flip side, where breakfast is a grab ‘n’ go option that offers little quality nutrition. Or it may be a greasy buffet that contributes more calories and saturated fat that you need in an entire day! These choices can hinder health in both the short and long run. Try these power-packed options instead. They’ll curb your hunger, fuel your body and provide essential fiber and nutrients to start your day off right.


1. Nuts

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and weight loss expert in New York, says treats like chopped walnuts or slivered almonds give you “healthy fats to provide sustained energy.” Think outside of traditional “breakfast” nuts, too. Pistachios have been shown to reduce cholesterol absorption from other foods.
How much to eat each morning? 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 2 heaping tablespoons slivered almonds, 30 pistachios, or one tablespoon nut butter.
Breakfast tip: Taub-Dix suggests adding nuts to your oatmeal or other whole grain cereal for a flavorful crunch.

2. Fruits and vegetables

“It's hard to get in all of the fruits and veggies we need if we skip them at breakfast,” says Taub-Dix. For optimal benefits, try for 10 combined servings of fruits and veggies each day, two from each color group: red, white, green, purple/blue, and yellow/orange. (Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives you the widest possible range of nutrients.) If 10 daily servings is unrealistic, aim for at least one more fruit and veggie than you’re already getting. In addition to all the other benefits of fruits and vegetables, new research finds that eating more plant foods can help to prevent oxidative stress in the body. That’s a process linked to disease and obesity.
How much to eat each morning? At least two servings: two fruits, two veggies, or one of each.
Breakfast tip: Try what Taub-Dix does: Warm frozen raspberries in the microwave and add them to yogurt to get a high-calcium, protein-rich start. As for vegetables, enjoy sliced tomatoes in an omelet or a grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Read What Yogurt is Right for You?

3. Whole grains

“Whether it's a whole grain cereal or a chunky slice of whole grain bread, including these foods at breakfast will provide you with fiber as well as vitamins and minerals,” says Taub-Dix. Diets high in whole grain foods and fiber are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. And fiber can promote a feeling of fullness, which may help you reduce your total daily calorie intake.
How much to eat each morning? 1 slice whole grain bread, 1 cup whole grain cereal flakes, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, or 1 buckwheat pancake
Breakfast tip: Have a slice of whole grain toast with one tablespoon of nut butter.

4. Protein

“Adding protein helps provide sustained energy and could prevent you from feeling hungry between meals,” says Taub-Dix.
How much to eat each morning? 1 egg plus 3 egg whites, 3 ounces of lean poultry, or 3 ounces whole soy breakfast “sausage”.
Breakfast tip: You don’t always have to eat “breakfast” food at breakfast time. Think outside the box. Add tofu or cooked chicken or turkey to an omelet or burrito.

5. Tea

Whether it’s regular or decaf, Taub-Dix says, “Tea is filled with antioxidants to help boost your immune system.” But if you do want to cut down on your caffeine consumption, wean yourself off by gradually reducing the number of drinks you have, or by having a drink that is half caffeinated and half decaffeinated.
How much to drink each morning? One cup of black or green tea
Breakfast tip: Drink it hot or iced; add lemon or orange slices for extra zest.

Read 5 Stress-Busting Superfoods

As you get more used to eating these foods, you can begin coming up with your own combinations. To get you started, though, here are three sample meals that each include all five power foods:

1. Whole grain bun with egg, tomato, fresh arugula or basil, and mozzarella or soy cheese; California pistachios sprinkled on orange segments; hot black tea with an orange slice.
2. Whole wheat tortilla stuffed with shredded chicken breast (poached in unsweetened green tea!) and/or scrambled egg, sautéed bell peppers, and tomatillo salsa; smoothie made with frozen banana slices, fresh apple juice, and peanut butter.
3. Buckwheat pancake with strawberries and sliced almonds; whole soy sausage links; vanilla soy or dairy yogurt with blueberries; iced black tea with a lemon slice.

Each breakfast provides a nutrient-rich kick-start to your day … and in a deliciously satisfying way!


Source: Jackie Newgent, RD, Nutritionist

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Vegetarian Diet - How To Get The Best Nutrition


Vegetarian diet planning

A healthy vegetarian diet consists primarily of plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Because the emphasis is on nonmeat food sources, a vegetarian diet generally contains less fat and cholesterol, and typically includes more fiber.

Vegetarians fall into groups defined by the types of animal-derived foods they eat:

■Vegans eat only plant-based foods. They don't eat foods from animals, including meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs and cheese.
■Lacto-vegetarians consume milk and milk products along with plant-based foods. They omit eggs as well as meat, fish and poultry.
■Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs, milk and milk products, such as cheese and yogurt, in addition to plant-based foods. They omit red meat, fish and poultry.
■Flexitarians (semivegetarians) primarily follow a plant-based diet but occasionally eat small amounts of meat, poultry or fish.
To keep your vegetarian diet on track, you may find using a vegetarian food pyramid helpful. This pyramid outlines various food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.

No matter what your age or situation, a well-planned vegetarian diet can meet your nutritional needs. Even children and teenagers can do well on a plant-based diet, as can older people, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you're unsure whether a vegetarian diet is right for you, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.

Meat alternatives
Meatless products, such as tofu dogs, soy burgers, nut loaves or texturized vegetable protein, add variety to your vegetarian diet. These products, found in many grocery stores and health food markets, simulate the taste and texture of meat and usually have less fat and fewer calories. Many of the meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans.

If you follow a vegan diet, you may need to find alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Try these suggestions when meal planning or cooking:

■Milk. Drink fortified soymilk, rice milk or almond milk in place of cow's milk.
■Butter. When sauteing, use olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine or fat-free cooking spray instead of butter. In baked goods, use canola oil.
■Cheese. Use soy cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, which are available in health food stores.
■Eggs. In baked goods, try commercial egg replacers — a dry product made mostly of potato starch. Or you can use the following to replace one egg: 1/4 cup whipped tofu or 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. For an egg-free omelet use tofu instead of eggs.

Ensuring adequate nutrition
The more restrictive a diet is, the more difficult it is to get all the nutrients your body needs. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are a good source of calcium. Other nutrients, such as iron and zinc, are available in a meatless diet, but you need to make an extra effort to ensure they're in yours.

Here are nutrients that may be deficient in a vegetarian diet and how you can get these nutrients from nonmeat sources:

■Protein. Your body needs protein to maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Vegetarians who eat eggs or dairy products have convenient sources of protein. Other sources of protein include soy products, meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
■Calcium. This mineral helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Low-fat dairy foods and dark green vegetables, such as spinach, turnip and collard greens, kale, and broccoli, are good sources of calcium. Tofu enriched with calcium and fortified soy milk and fruit juices are other options.
■Vitamin B-12. Your body needs vitamin B-12 to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, including milk, eggs and cheese. Vegans can get vitamin B-12 from some enriched cereals, fortified soy products or by taking a supplement that contains this vitamin.
■Iron. Like vitamin B-12, iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables, and dried fruit are good sources of iron. To help your body absorb nonanimal sources of iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C — such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli — at the same time you consume iron-containing foods.
■Zinc. This mineral is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in the formation of proteins. Good sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, nuts and wheat germ.
The key to a healthy vegetarian diet — or any diet for that matter — is to enjoy a wide variety of foods. Since no single food provides all of the nutrients that your body needs, eating a wide variety helps ensure that you get the necessary nutrients and other substances that promote good health.

Getting started
If you're thinking of switching to a vegetarian diet but aren't sure where to begin, start with menu planning.

■Start with what you know. Make a list of meatless meals you already prepare regularly, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.
■Make meatless substitutions. Select meals that could easily become meat-free with a couple of substitutions. For example, you can make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans or soy crumbles. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that some dishes require only simple substitutions.
■Experiment with new meal ideas. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus or for tips about making meatless substitutions. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisine. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the better the chance you'll meet all your nutritional needs.


Source: Mayo Clinic Staff

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Weight Loss 101



Sometimes we start losing weight, but we never finish. We ditch another diet. We throw in the towel on our exercise efforts. Maybe it's from outside pressure; sometimes we aren't ready to lose weight. Whatever the cause, it is not at all uncommon.
That doesn't mean you're destined for failure. Even if you've started and stopped 100 times before, this time doesn't have to end the same way.

By putting some important skills to use, you will find it a little easier to stick to your weight loss efforts than if you rely on sheer will alone.

Skill One: Reward Yourself

One of the best ways to stay motivated throughout your weight loss journey is to reward yourself with non-food rewards that you will look forward to and enjoy. It can be something tangible (a new book) or something intangible (no less important), such as a lazy Saturday of watching movies in bed.

By marking a goal -- say, each five pound loss -- you will begin to correlate reaching your goals with a pleasurable experience. When simply seeing the scale numbers change loses its "buzz," that special treat will keep you going.

Skill Two: Track Your Progress and Portions

Whether you keep a spreadsheet on your computer or simply jot down your stats in a notebook, keeping an eye on your progress will keep you motivated. You can track your weight, measurements, or BMI -- it is up to you. By looking back at how far you've come, you're less likely to revert to old habits.

Additionally, if you keep careful records, you will be able to catch slip-ups in your calorie counting or exercise habits that, left unchecked, could cause a major plateau or weight gain.

Careful record-keeping includes closely monitoring portion sizes -- what many say is the most important long-term weight management key. Over-doing portions of even healthier foods can mean the difference between long-term weight loss success and eventual failure. Keeping a food diary is the best way to keep on top of what you're eating.

Skill Three: Master Emotional Eating

To achieve long-term weight loss success, you will have to come face-to-face with any emotional eating habits by asking some important questions: Do you overeat when you're angry? Do you splurge on an extra serving of dessert when you're feeling frustrated?

Being honest with yourself is the only way to get the true measure of your emotional eating triggers. Without facing them, you will always be less likely to be in control of your weight.

Skill Four: Prepare for the Pushers

There will always be people who encourage you to go off your diet "just this once." That's not really a problem until "this once" becomes time and time again. If every time you see someone you go off the rails at their suggestion, it may mean you need to distance yourself or have a serious talk with about your weight loss efforts.

Peer pressure doesn't end when you get older; it's ever-present if your friends and family correlate enjoying time with you to eating with you. Plan non-food activities with loved ones and work hard to resist temptation when you're in an environment where food is part of the festivities.

Skill Five: Remember, It's About Health, Too

In a Web poll, 65% of our site's visitors said they were losing weight for appearance's sake; only 35% said they were doing it for their health. To be honest, that surprised me quite a bit, considering how great an impact weight loss has on health and overall quality of life.

The thing is, your slimmer self will become your norm. The compliments about your weight loss will die down. Once you've worn that "new and improved" size for a while, the thrill of trying on the clothes in your new wardrobe will start to fade. Shopping outside a plus size store, if you're doing so for the first time, will be exciting only for so long (or until your credit cards are maxed out). So, if you ask me, it's not all about looks.

When motivation to stick to your new eating and exercise habits wanes, and a quick glance in the mirror doesn't do the trick, considering the many health risks of obesity probably will get you going. By maintaining a healthier weight, you are more likely to live a longer life with fewer medical problems. Wearing a smaller size is just the icing on the cake; a happier, healthier life is the ultimate reward.


Source: About.com Health's Disease and Condition, Jennifer R. Scott

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Tips On How To Lose The Last 10lbs


Why is it that losing the last 10 pounds is so difficult? For many people, the first 20 or 30 seemed to come off steadily, but now everything has slowed down and summer is almost here. It feels like no matter how religiously you stick with your program, that needle on the scale isn't moving -- at least not downward.

It is harder now partly because you already look and feel so much better, says Weight Watchers regional trainer Kelda Gavina. That may cause your motivation to slump. But it may also be that you are gaining muscle mass now, which is heavier than fat. Or that you are tired of denying yourself.

Dr. Michael Lyon, adjunct professor at the University of B.C. in the Food, Nutrition and Health Program, medical director of the Canadian Research Centre for Functional Medicine and co-author of Hunger Free Forever, says that when it comes to the last 10 pounds you have to adjust your lifestyle and your relationship with food so that you can sustain it throughout your life.

Using will power to control weight is like trying to hold your breath, he says. You can do it for a while, but then the brain takes over and demands you gulp.

Lyon warns that losing a last 10 pounds may not be what you really want.

"I'd rather see someone gain five pounds in muscle mass and lose five pounds in fat," he says.

Muscle mass raises your resting metabolism which helps you more efficiently burn -- rather than store -- calories.

Loss of muscle has proven to be as hard on your health as gaining fat. Gaining muscle is actually more important than aerobic exercise in the long run, experts say.

Here are 10 tips from three experts on how to shed those last lingering pounds.

1. Stabilize blood-sugar levels. Overweight or obese people tend to have highly fluctuating blood-sugar levels, resulting particularly from weight gain around the belly, Lyon says.

Excessively irregular blood sugar levels cause a domino effect of body changes beginning with the secretion of hormones that in turn promote insulin resistance and other phenomena that cause you feel sluggish and to eat more. The more you eat the more you want to eat, and the less you want to move.

Lyon suggests choosing foods that are low on the glycemic index, (55 or under) high in water-soluble fiber and high in protein.

2. Spoil your appetite before you get to the high-fat, high-calorie part of the meal. Have a bowl of vegetable soup or a salad (with dressing on the side to dip your fork into) before the main course. Says Lyon:

"You get an initial feeling of fullness and when you get to the rest of the meal, you will eat more slowly and not as much."

3. Eat a solid breakfast with adequate protein and a reasonable number of calories. People who skip breakfast tend to either eat a high-calorie snack later or they will themselves to wait until they are starving, and then pig out late in the day when they are the least active. If you skip breakfast, your metabolism rate drops and your body stores more calories as fat.

4. Get out the weights or the bands and do resistance training to build muscle mass. Muscle weighs more without looking like you've gained weight, and it burns more calories than fat does.

John Berardi, Ontario-based human performance and nutrition expert and the author of Gourmet Nutrition, says if you do the next three things on the list, you can burn an extra 400 calories a day. That is a whole meal.

5. Increase the intensity of your exercise. The exercise program you started with doesn't create the same metabolic challenge as your fitness improves.

You need to regularly up the intensity of your workout to continue to lose weight. Add 30 minutes to your run (or walk) every two weeks or bump up the intensity level on the cardio machine.

6. Eat fish oil. Fish oil has been shown to boost metabolism, improve fat burning and increase carbohydrate storage in muscle. Berardi typically recommends using about 6 to 12g of total fish oil per day or 3 to 6g of combined DHA+EPA.

7. Eat protein with each meal. Eating always sparks metabolism, but the rate we metabolize depends on the type of food we eat. If we eat fat, our metabolism increases by two to three per cent. Protein increases it by 30 per cent. Carbs by nine per cent.

8. Keep your eyes on the prize. The last 10 pounds are the hardest because you already feel so much better and fit into a smaller size, says Gavina. But originally you may have wanted to look good in a bikini. Remember that.

9. Have a support group of like-minded people. Especially when you are down to the last 10 pounds, people tend not to support you like they did for the first 90.

They tempt you or tell you how great you look. Meeting regularly with people who do support you can really help.

10. Be realistic. Losing those last 10 pounds might mean cutting out all the extras and becoming a bit obsessed with this one part of your life. Gavina lost 30 pounds 12 years ago and was willing to cut everything out for the last push.

She has since gained 10 pounds back, but she says she leads a more balanced life now and is content knowing her weight is still within a healthy range.



Canada.com