New Lemon Diet Tips And Tricks: July 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Pancreatitis Food Diet

The pancreas is a digestive gland that produces digestion assisting enzymes and hormones that aid metabolization of sugar. When the pancreas inflames, you have a condition known as pancreatitis. Depending on the severity of your pancreatitis, you may require hospitalization and surgery to treat any underlying conditions that contributed to your pancreatitis. Once you recover from the immediate effects of pancreatitis, adopt a low-fat, antioxidant rich diet to prevent future flare-ups or pancreatitis development in the first place.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, antioxidants may provide protection against pancreatitis and may also reduce symptoms such as abdominal pain. Foods high in antioxidants include tomatoes, blueberries, pomegranates and squash. For breakfast, eat a bowl of yogurt with fresh blueberries and cherries. Then for lunch eat salads full of dark leafy green vegetables, such as kale or spinach, topped with pomegranates and tomatoes. For dinner, cook brown rice and small red beans, which are extremely high in antioxidants. Drink plenty of green tea throughout the day to help further relieve symptoms and prevent pancreatitis flare-ups.

Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce some of the inflammation you experience due to pancreasitis. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in many fish (such as salmon), nuts and flax seed. Add grilled salmon or mackerel to your antioxidant-rich salad or atop red beans and rice for dinner. Snack on sardines or anchovies, both full of Omega-3's throughout the day. Also snack on nuts, especially walnuts and almonds. Another dinner option is a lean piece of bison or chicken--lean meats also help ease/prevent pancreatitis--that are seasoned with Omega-3-rich cloves. Other foods high Omega-3's include grape leaves, Chinese broccoli and basil.

As you increase the amount of antioxidants and Omega-3's in your diet, opt for healthy fats, such as polyunsaturated fats or monounsaturated fats over saturated or trans fats. Olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil all contain high levels of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Cook your salmon or lean meats in these "good" oils to further protect you from pancreatitis and to help alleviate symptoms. Also avoid processed meats and refined grains, such as those found in white bread, pasta and sugar. Refined foods may exacerbate pancreatitis symptoms or lead to a flare-up.

One of the side effects of pancreatitis is dehydration. If you already suffer from pancreatitis, increase your daily water intake to six to eight glasses daily. Adequate hydration may also lessen inflammation and prevent flare-ups. As you increase your water intake, do not also increase caffeine or alcohol intake as both can dehydrate you. In addition to water, drink juices rich in antioxidants, such as pomegranate juice, V8 and antioxidant-rich fruit smoothies.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, excessive alcohol consumption is one of the leading factors that contributes to pancreatitis. If you already have pancreatitis and drink, scale back your drinking considerably. Although too much alcohol leads to pancreatitis, a moderate amount of red wine with your food may decrease your chances of developing pancreatitis. Red wine contains the powerful antioxidant/flavonoid resveratrol. Just as food antioxidants may help with pancreatitis, so may antioxidants found in red wine. Note that moderate alcohol consumption is no more than one glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men.

How to Do a Lemonade Fast

This fast, adapted from Stanley Burrough's Master Cleanser Recipe, is a simple, yet demanding, cleanse that allows you to maintain a moderate level of energy while cleansing your liver and blood stream and eliminating toxins from your deep tissues and vital organs. We recommend you discuss doing any fasts with your doctor and read "Understand a Lemonade Fast" in Related eHows.

Instructions

Combine 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon or lime juice, 1 or 2 tbsp. of organic maple syrup and some cayenne pepper (as your taste allows), per 1 c. of pure water.

Drink a minimum of six cups of this mixture a day for a minimum of 10 days. Eat no solid foods. You may drink herbal teas and water as well.

Keep your bowels moving with laxative teas in the morning and evening to help your body eliminate the toxins accumulating in your colon as the lemonade cleans your entire system. Taking enemas on the last few days is also highly recommended for clearing out your colon.

Break your fast by drinking orange juice for two days to prepare your stomach to assimilate other foods. On the third day, drink orange juice in the morning, raw fruit for lunch, and fruits and salad for dinner. Resume normal, healthy eating on the next day.

How to Do the HMR Decision Free Diet

The HMR diet is really easy to follow because it is structured and offers filling foods. The HMR foods are delicious and nutritious and make it easy to stay on the diet. The HMR diet includes soups, shakes, entrees, puddings, bars and hot cereals made specifically for the diet, in addition to your own choice of fruits and vegetables. You will also meet weekly with a group to help you stay on the diet in addition to going through lifestyle education to create a plan of healthy eating and exercise that works for you. Read on to get started.

Instructions

Find a program near you. You could of course eat the HMR foods and follow the program without actually being part of the program, but you will find you lose more weight and have more support if you join the program. To find a program near you simply call 1-800-418-1367.

You will need to eat or drink three HMR shakes or puddings per day. These are great for snacks or meal replacements because they are filling and nutritious. They are low in calories and there are actually different types of shakes available depending on whether you need more protein, fewer calories or a mix of the two. You are in control of whether you want to make a shake, add diet cola to create a float or mix in fruit to make a smoothie.

During the day you can eat two HMR entrees. There are a variety of entrees to choose from and they are all very tasty and don't require refrigeration. That means you can easily eat them at work or carry them with you on a trip. Cook some extra vegetables to complete the meal and fill up with tasty foods.

You can also eat five servings of your own fruits and vegetables during the day. Choose your favorite fruits and veggies and add them to your entrees, eat them as a snack; or just graze on them throughout the day. Adding your favorite fruits and vegetables means you will eat the foods you like and fill up so you don't feel hungry during the day.

In order to do the HMR diet you will also need to drink eight glasses of water and/or non-caloric beverages. It is highly recommended to drink mostly water but if you love colas then have some diet drinks, too. Make sugar-free lemonade or fruit drinks to enjoy on hot days or freeze them to have popsicles.

How to Drop up to 16 pounds in 4 days

Seen in the July issue of "First for Women" You can lose up to 16 pounds in 4 days. The best detox, just got better. Get ready to be firm and fabulous in four days. By Drinking six 8 oz. glasses of the lemonade daily it delivers the optimal blend of nutrients needed for rapid detoxification while helping you feel alert and vibrant. It flushes damaging toxins that cause the body to store fat, so you can lose weight fast and continue slimming long after your detox ends.

Instructions

To make enough concentrate to last a full day, combine 12 Tbs.of lemon juice and 12 Tbs.of maple syrup in a transportable container. (I used a canning jar and kept refrigerated until ready to use.)Repeat this daily for 4 days.

Then every two to three hours, stir 3 Tbs. of the mixture into 8 oz. of water, sprinkle with 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper and drink.

You can do mini cleanses on a weekly or monthly basis. Your tongue is your barometer on when to stop. When the white, coated look is a healthy pink, your body is detoxified.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Soy Milk Dangers

Soy has become a popular protein and dairy alternative. You can buy soy milk, infant formula and ice cream products, to name a few. All of these products claim to be healthy alternatives for those who are lactose intolerant or simply want a lower fat alternative to many dairy products. However, studies are showing that soy may not be a risk-free alternative. Talk to your doctor or a dietitian if you are considering dramatic changes to your or your family's diet.

Soy has been a dietary staple in China and Indonesia for centuries. The traditional process of preparation is known as fermentation. Fermentation prepares the bean and kills bacteria and toxins that can become harmful if ingested. If fermentation is not used, the toxins that the soy bean naturally contains will not be removed. Modern methods involve bleaching, deodorizing and heat blasting the beans. Milk is made by taking these flakes and adding water without fermenting the beans. It is a faster, less healthy process. Additionally many additives are incorporated into the process to fortify the soy product.

Phytoestrogens can have a negative effect on fertility. This has been documented in livestock since the 1940s. It is now known that soy reduces testosterone levels. Children on soy formula are at greatest risk of inadequate reproductive development. The effect on boys is to reduce testosterone levels and sperm count. Male reproductive growth is not the lone victim. Girls may develop reproductive tract abnormalities, leading to infertility.

Learning disorders are at alarming rates, with more children being diagnosed for attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia and Asperger's syndrome. One of the areas being studied that may be a causal factor is soy milk and its trace elements. Dairy milk and breast milk contain aluminum, fluoride and manganese. These three metals have the potential to be toxic to a developing brain, causing learning issues. Manganese is essential at trace levels for adequate brain development but can be toxic at high levels in a developing cortex. Soy milk contain high levels, perhaps toxic levels in some cases, of these three trace minerals and may play a role in increased classroom issues.

Because soy is being more widely used in infant formula, there has been an increase in soy allergies developing. Someone with soy allergies may experience hives, congestion, sneezing or coughing. More severe cases may lead to difficulty swallowing or even anaphylactic shock. There also may be delayed reactions that affect energy levels, sound sleeping and lead to chronic pain. Those at the highest risk of developing a soy allergy are those with peanut allergies or those who suffer from asthma.

Soy is a thyroid inhibitor. Frequent consumption of soy products and lead to hypothyroidism. Those at highest risk are infants on soy formula, vegans who do not obtain protein from other sources other than soy, and those who use soy as a means of self-medicating against menopause, cancer or heart disease. Of interesting note, Michael Fitzpatrick, PhD, explains that researchers induce thyroid cancer in laboratory animals by giving them a high-soy diet.

Monday, July 29, 2013

How to Make Soft Drinks

Old-fashioned soft drinks are not only a trip down memory lane, they're fun and easy to make, too. Back in our grandparents' day, soda jerks mixed soft drinks by hand behind counters at drug stores. Homemade soft drinks are perfect for parties and healthier than store-bought drinks as well. Read on for some ideas. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

Chill chocolate syrup and club soda (plain soda) until they're very cold.

Squirt a few tablespoons of well-chilled chocolate syrup into a tall glass.

Pour about a cup of milk very slowly over the chocolate syrup.

Add cold soda to the glass with a seltzer bottle. Alternatively, pour the soda into the middle of the glass so that it generates as much fizz as possible.

Stir the mixture slowly and carefully with a long-handled spoon. Try not to disturb the foam at the top of the glass.

Drink your egg cream soft drink directly from the glass, not through a straw.

Fill a tall glass full of club soda (plain soda).

Add about an ounce of strawberry syrup, then half as much orange syrup and vanilla syrup. Pour about a quarter of a glass full of ice into the glass.

Pour about half an ounce of grape juice into the glass. Mix the contents of the glass well, then top your Mont Blanc with whipped cream.

Blend a few scoops of ice cream with a similarly flavored syrup (strawberry ice cream and strawberry syrup, for instance) and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add enough milk to make your malt the consistency you like.

Stir in a few tablespoons of malt powder.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Liver Disease Diet

The liver is an important organ in the body, and when liver failure occurs it can cause havoc on your body. However, there are certain foods that can help sustain the liver for as long as possible and ease the stress of the disease.

The liver is responsible for metabolizing the food you eat into useful energy to function through daily life. If the liver is diseased, the nutrients in the foods you consume will be lost.

A healthy liver will use protein to repair tissue in the body. An unhealthy liver will cause fat to be accumulated on it.

First recommendation is to increase carbohydrates and limit protein intake. Carbohydrates like bread, pasta and whole grains are good choices. Carbohydrates to avoid are of the junk food variety like salty chips and buttered popcorn.

You should also invest in multivitamins and supplements, particularly glucosamine chondroitin, vitamins B, C, D and E.

Also make sure to drink plenty of water, since 8 to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water are recommended for those with liver disease. Water may help with the dehydration that many liver diseases patients experience.

First on the list is complete abstinence from alcohol. Also stay away from caffeinated drinks.

Avoid eating too much unhealthy fat in your diet; fat can often prevent protein from being properly digested. Also try to stay away from too much sodium; sodium can cause bloating and retaining fluid in the body.

Do not consume too much protein from fatty foods, instead opt for lean protein like fish, poultry and beef.

Surprisingly not all vitamins are recommended especially vitamin A, vitamin B3 and too much iron. Going along with avoiding vitamin A, avoid foods rich with it like egg yolks, dairy products high in fat and fish oil.

Do not bother strolling down the frozen food aisle since processed food usually contains too much salt for those with liver disease.

A sample menu courtesy of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute website:

For breakfast try a citrus fruit loaded with vitamin C, oatmeal or whole grain cereal with a little milk, a slice of wheat toast with jam and glass of juice or water.

For lunch, lean fish, poultry or beef, one nonprocessed starch food like potatoes, a serving of a vegetable or salad, two slices of wheat or whole grain bread with a bit of margarine no more than two teaspoons with tablespoon of jelly or jam, a piece of fruit and a glass of milk, water or juice.

A healthy treat like graham crackers or piece of fruit would both be good options for afternoon snacks.

For dinner another four ounces of beef, fish or poultry, another starch, vegetable or salad, two whole grain slices of toast or rolls, a piece of fruit or healthy dessert. If you are still hungry later on in the night, try another piece of fruit for an evening snack.

Of course, before going on any diet please consult a doctor beforehand. Certain forms of liver diseases require avoidance or addition of specific foods and vitamins.

How to Lose 50 Pounds in Two Months

It is common for people who are trying to lose weight to want it gone immediately. You want to look better and feel better quickly, but a few stubborn pounds just seem to stay where they are regardless of what diet you're on. There are ways to lose those last pounds quickly, in as little as two months in fact. However you must use caution and realize that the results of this method will vary from person to the next.

Instructions

Set your mind. Before you begin, be sure your mind is set and you're willing to stick with your weight loss goals. If you feel as though your willpower is going to waiver, wait until you are positive that this time you are truly ready to make a change.

Increase your water intake. If you're dehydrated, your kidneys will not function at full capacity. This means the toxins clogging your system and contributing to your excess weight will remain in your body. In addition, water helps fill you up, keeping you feeling full in between meals. Drinking eight, 8 oz. glasses of water a day is a good place to start.

Enter ketosis. This is the process when your body burns fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. It is the stage when carbohydrates are limited to 20 g or less. It is during this stage that you can burn fat and calories rapidly. If you can handle eliminating all refined sugars and carbohydrates for two months, your chances of losing 50 pounds is fairly decent.

Choose your foods. When using ketosis, choose your foods carefully. There are hidden carbs in many items, including cheeses, fruits and vegetables. Your main food source should be all types of meat and fish, eggs, up to 4 oz. of cheese and several cups of green, leafy vegetables.

Use meal replacement shakes. If you want to take some of the hassle out of cooking and choosing your foods, you can always purchase pre-packaged, meal replacement shakes. Some companies offer drinks that are flavorful and contain only 2 g of carbohydrates each.

Exercise. No diet is complete without an exercise routine. To lose weight and belly fat, you need to get at least 30 to 45 minutes of exercise each day. The best exercise is aerobic, something that raises your heart rate and burns energy. Good options include brisk walking, swimming, jogging or biking.

How to Use the Master Cleanse Detox Drink

The master cleanse detox drink is part of a detox diet that was invented by Stanley Burroughs. The master cleanse detox drink consists of fresh lemons, cayenne pepper grade B pure maple syrup, water, and non-iodized sea salt. To learn how to make the drink see related articles below.

The steps of this article will guide you trough how to properly use the detox drink as part of the master cleanse detox diet.

Instructions

Prepare your schedule and support system for a 10 day fast

Before starting the master cleanse detox diet you will want to clear your schedule of any highly strenuous or long lasting commitments. The first few days of the detox diet will be very difficult leading to low energy and frequent urges to have a cleansing bowel movement. If you have supportive family or friends, enlist them to help you stay vigilant with the diet.

Mix the detox drink every night fresh and refrigerate

If you mix the drink the night before the flavors will have time to blend better, and you will have the drink immediately available for energy in the morning. You need to have enough on hand to drink at least six servings of the drink per day.

Eliminate all other foods except for salt-water and herbal tea

The detox diet allows your body to purge itself of built up toxins and extra matter in the colon. The salt-water or tea act as a natural enema encouraging frequent bowel movements to help the process. The maple syrup provides the energy you will need, especially if you are diligent in purchasing grade B organic maple syrup. The lemons provide crucial vitamin C.

Push through days 2,3, and 4 of the master cleanse

These will likely be the most difficult of the detox diet. Your body will eventually move into a fasting mode, and provide you with increased levels of energy and sense of mental focus. Until then you have to push through the detox diet wall.

Gradually reintroduce your body to healthy foods

Your body will not be ready to eat difficult to digest foods after this master cleanse. Many suggest taking probiotics to replenish your system. The detox diet also requires you to start with broth for a day. Then move to soft vegetables, and eventually fruits. Then follow common sense in slowly re-introducing your body to other foods. Especially avoid foods that are high in fat or processed sugar.

** See more tips below on using the master cleanse detox drink **

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Weight Loss Juicer Recipes

Many people are finding that juices are an easy, tasty way to get more servings of fruits and vegetables into their diet. Increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat can also contribute to weight loss, and thus some useful suggestions for creating weight loss juicer recipes are outlined below.

The principles of safe weight loss are the same whether you are eating your fruits and vegetables whole or drinking them as juice. Fruits and vegetables are chock full of nutrients, which means that your body is getting more of the good stuff it needs with way less calories. So, not only are you cutting calories by increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, you are actually giving your body's natural fat-burning systems a boost and bringing your metabolism back to a healthier state. Additionally, because your body is getting the things it needs to be healthy, you are more likely to feel more satisfied hunger-wise even though you're only drinking juice. However, adequate amounts of fiber are necessary for good digestion, and to help you feel fuller and thus control portions, so you may want to consider a fiber supplement if you choose to drink all of your fruits and vegetables.

Green vegetables are one of the best ways to speed up weight loss, including broccoli, spinach, collard greens, brussel sprouts, and cabbage. While these may not sound appetizing as juice, mixing them with carrots or tomatoes can help mask their flavors and make the juice a bit sweeter.

Berries are also an excellent weight loss booster as they are packed with antioxidants that help regulate metabolism. Berries mixed with bananas, apples, oranges, lemons, or any other fruits produce a sweet and refreshing juice. Often, it is best to keep vegetables together and fruits together for flavor's sake, rather than mixing veggies and fruits.

Sample mixtures include:

Carrots and spinach
Tomatoes, broccoli, and celery
Beets, spinach, and broccoli
Zucchini and carrots
Strawberries and bananas
Oranges and raspberries
Raspberries, grapes, and apples
Pears and blueberries

Keep trying different combinations to find those that you like best, and remember the basic principle that when it comes to fruits and vegetables you cannot have too much of a good thing.

There are also a lot of other good things you can add to your fruit and vegetable juices to help you lose weight safely and promote good health. Lowfat milk mixes well with fruit juices to create smoothies, and ensures that you get enough calcium to support your bone and muscle health. Sprouts are an excellent source of B vitamins, and wheat germ and flax seed have omega-3 fatty acids to promote brain functioning.

Some things that you can add to your juices will help to detoxify your body by promoting better liver and kidney functioning, which can assist in weight loss. Cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar, and herbs like burdock, milk thistle, marshmallow root, and licorice root all support detoxification of the body. Other herbs, like ginseng, stinging nettle, and guarana, actually work directly to energize your metabolism and increase your body's ability to burn fat.

Sample recipes incorporating these elements include:

Tomatoes, spinach, celery, and a dash of cayenne pepper
Apples, grapes, and licorice root
Oranges, bananas, and guarana
Bananas, strawberries, milk, and wheat germ
Carrots, broccoli, and sprouts

The amount of each ingredient that you use is largely dependent upon personal taste, but remember that a little bit of herbs, cayenne, or apple cider vinegar goes a long way, and so you don't need large amounts of these additional ingredients.

Diuretics & Weight Loss

While lasting weight loss can require time as well as changes in lifestyle and eating habits, sometimes you need to lose weight quickly, say, for a reunion, wedding or some other event. In those instances, you can lose weight quickly (though it won't be a lasting weight loss) using a diuretic.

Diuretics or "water pills" come as both over-the-counter and prescription medications. They can be found naturally in certain foods or as homeopathic remedies. They remove fluids from the body through urination, and the less fluid in your body the less you will weigh. Many over-the-counter diuretics work on the kidneys in different ways (increasing blood flow, increasing filtration, inhibiting sodium absorption) to cause increased urination and the ridding of salts.

When people need to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, they may turn to diuretics. They don't reduce a person's body fat. Diuretics simply reduce the amount of fluid the body is retaining. It is not the healthiest way to lose weight and the weight loss will only be temporary. As soon as you drink or eat something, your body begins replacing lost fluids and you begin regaining your weight.

Overusing diuretics can cause dehydration or potassium deficiencies. To use a diuretic and avoid this problem, use apple cider vinegar as a diuretic because it contains potassium. The brain is 70 percent water, 83 percent of blood is water and the lungs are up to 90 percent water, so by depleting the water in your body you can hinder the function of those organs. Because of the dehydrating effect, you might also experience fatigue, nausea, muscle weakness or cramping and an irregular heartbeat.

If you need to use a diuretic, using a natural one will be easier on your body. Some of the natural diuretics are cranberries, cranberry juice, caffeinated drinks, apple cider vinegar, cucumbers and watermelons.

Though diuretics are probably most popularly used for quick weight loss, they are also used in other ways. People with edema can get relief. Diuretics can also be used to help people with high blood pressure and heart-related diseases. This is because diuretics help rid the body of salts and may reduce blood volume.

Home Remedies to Detoxify Your Body

It is a good idea to stay home while you are doing a detoxification program because the first few days of the cleanse can leave you feeling weak, dizzy or sick. Detoxes are performed for such varied reasons as to improve elimination and digestion, kick starting a diet or purging toxins from your body. At-home remedies are less expensive than commercial juices or tonics, and typically consist of water, fruits and vegetables.

The Cabbage Soup Detox is also known as the Cabbage Soup Diet, for people like to use it to jump start a weight loss program. The soup is made with such vegetables as onions, green peppers, tomatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery and cabbage. You consume as much soup as you want for seven days, along with water, and that is all that you eat during that time span.

The Master Cleanse is also known as the Lemonade Cleanse or the Lemonade Diet. Individuals on this diet drink an herbal laxative tea in the evening, perform a salt water flush every morning by drinking warm water mixed with sea salt and consume eight to 12 glasses of a lemonade that is made with fresh lemons, distilled water, cayenne pepper and organic maple syrup. The detox is followed for 10 to 14 days. Its purpose is to cleanse the complete digestive tract and remove toxins from the body.

Drinking freshly juiced fruits or vegetables (or a combination of both) can flush impurities and heavy metals from your system. Carrots, spinach, wheat grass, grapes, grapefruit and blueberries are some foods that work well for this purpose.

To cleanse your body after a night of drinking too much or to knock caffeine out of your system if you've gotten the jitters from consuming too much coffee, drink a glass of water on the hour for eight hours. You will also flush your kidneys at the same time.

Performing an enema with coffee instead of water has been recommended to cleanse the liver and provide relief when someone feels sluggish. Organic coffee should be used since additives that are put in commercial coffee can be harmful when absorbed through an enema.

Sweat helps purge impurities in your body, which can improve the appearance of your skin, and promotes weight loss. It also helps when trying to get a bug out of your system if you are feeling under the weather. If you dress in layers to encourage your body to sweat, make sure that you keep yourself hydrated.

Doing a fast that primarily consists of consuming one type of fruit purges the body of fats, preservatives and other unhealthy elements. One such fast is the Cleansing Apple Fast, where organic apples, apple juice and water are the only nutrients that are consumed for three days before gradually reintroducing other foods.

About Lemonade Fasts

The lemonade fast was originally developed by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. Considered a pioneer in holistic medicine, Burroughs encouraged the healing of disease through cleansing and detoxification. The inventor believed that by eliminating toxins, the body could in turn rejuvenate itself and run more efficiently, allowing for the buildup of immunities. Because the lemonade mixture is consumed exclusively during the fast, and easily conforms to the body's natural chemistry, energy that would normally be used to aide in the digestion of solid foods could instead be fully reserved for the purposes of healing and increasing metabolism.

Identification
- A detoxifying drink consisting of 2 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tbsp. of organic maple syrup, and a dash of cayenne pepper, is not complete until it is combined with 1 cup of pure spring water. Finally, a quick stir of a spoon creates a tasty glass of acidic pleasure.
Function
- Lemonade fasts have been developed to aide in the elimination of waste materials in the body. Poor dietary habits are responsible for the buildup toxic matter throughout the body, especially in the colon, resulting in disease and contamination of the blood stream. By eliminating unhealthy foods from the diet, and temporarily replacing them with the lemonade cocktail, the body is given the opportunity to recoup its lost health and energy, resulting in an increase in metabolism and overall wellness.
Considerations
- While lemonade fasts do have their advantages, a certain level of dedication and lifestyle changes are required to achieve the expected benefits. All solid foods need to be completely eliminated from the daily diet, with the sole source of nourishment being provided by the lemonade mixture. At least six servings of the lemonade mix are required for a period of 10 days. But along with ingesting the lemonade, one must also incorporate a saltwater flush and laxative regiment. After following the routine of drinking the lemonade during the day, an herbal tea laxative must be ingested before retiring to bed in the evening. The following morning, a mixture of 1 quart warm water and 2 tsp. of sea salt is to be consumed. This salt flush will help aide the lemonade cocktail and the herbal tea in their ultimate quest to cleanse the body of its impurities. At the end of the 10 days, pure juices and raw fruits and vegetables are slowly introduced into the healthier, new body.
Potential
- Followers of lemonade fasts have noted an increase in energy and a sense of overall well being in the days following the fast. Elimination of brain fog, and increased clarity and focus has also been mentioned, along with decreases in insomnia and night time sleep interruption. Chronic pain sufferers have also been known to notice a dramatic reduction in sore and swollen joints.
Warning
- It can only be expected that such a dramatic change in diet would lead to a bit of physical discomfort in the first few days of lemonade fasting. Fatigue and muscle weakness can set in, as well as other headaches and nausea. But it is important to remember that these side effects are only temporary. Although lemons provide essential nutrients, it is not enough to sustain the body. Therefore, a vitamin supplement should be taken while fulfilling a lemonade fast.

Instructions for lemonade fasts

Photo Credit Jonae Fredericks

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A detoxifying drink consisting of 2 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tbsp. of organic maple syrup, and a dash of cayenne pepper, is not complete until it is combined with 1 cup of pure spring water. Finally, a quick stir of a spoon creates a tasty glass of acidic pleasure.

Lemonade fasts have been developed to aide in the elimination of waste materials in the body. Poor dietary habits are responsible for the buildup toxic matter throughout the body, especially in the colon, resulting in disease and contamination of the blood stream. By eliminating unhealthy foods from the diet, and temporarily replacing them with the lemonade cocktail, the body is given the opportunity to recoup its lost health and energy, resulting in an increase in metabolism and overall wellness.

While lemonade fasts do have their advantages, a certain level of dedication and lifestyle changes are required to achieve the expected benefits. All solid foods need to be completely eliminated from the daily diet, with the sole source of nourishment being provided by the lemonade mixture. At least six servings of the lemonade mix are required for a period of 10 days. But along with ingesting the lemonade, one must also incorporate a saltwater flush and laxative regiment. After following the routine of drinking the lemonade during the day, an herbal tea laxative must be ingested before retiring to bed in the evening. The following morning, a mixture of 1 quart warm water and 2 tsp. of sea salt is to be consumed. This salt flush will help aide the lemonade cocktail and the herbal tea in their ultimate quest to cleanse the body of its impurities. At the end of the 10 days, pure juices and raw fruits and vegetables are slowly introduced into the healthier, new body.

Followers of lemonade fasts have noted an increase in energy and a sense of overall well being in the days following the fast. Elimination of brain fog, and increased clarity and focus has also been mentioned, along with decreases in insomnia and night time sleep interruption. Chronic pain sufferers have also been known to notice a dramatic reduction in sore and swollen joints.

It can only be expected that such a dramatic change in diet would lead to a bit of physical discomfort in the first few days of lemonade fasting. Fatigue and muscle weakness can set in, as well as other headaches and nausea. But it is important to remember that these side effects are only temporary. Although lemons provide essential nutrients, it is not enough to sustain the body. Therefore, a vitamin supplement should be taken while fulfilling a lemonade fast.

Gout Cleanse

Gout is often thought of as something that happens to old men, but it's actually a common form of inflammatory arthritis. It can occur at any age, and is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood. Medication can be prescribed, but if you're looking for a natural or alternative gout treatment, a cleanse may be beneficial.

The pain and inflammation associated with gout are a result of a condition called hyperuricemia, or elevated levels of uric acid. Uric acid is a normal waste by-product and is usually filtered from the bloodstream by the kidneys. If the uric acid is not removed from the blood, the excess is deposited in the joints as sharp crystals, which cause pain and swelling. Cleansing is intended to help remove uric acid and other toxins from the system to reduce pain and swelling, and to help the kidneys and liver continue to cleanse the system more efficiently.

A gout cleanse is really a full-body cleanse made up of several components: a bowel cleanse, a kidney cleanse, and a liver cleanse. Begin with the bowel cleanse, which in its simplest terms is an enema. Enemas can take many forms, and the best one to use is a matter of personal preference -- coffee enema, vinegar, wheat grass, salt and soda, or traditional Epsom salts.

The next step is a kidney cleanse. The idea is to flush out the kidneys and remove any accumulated salts or toxins. This both removes the waste product from the body, and improves the functioning of the kidneys. A kidney cleanse can be a simple as a juice fast of three to five days, consuming nothing but vegetable juice or water during this period. For a juice fast, drink juices that are organic, or at least fresh juices that are preservative free, not canned juices. Another good option for the kidney cleanse is the Lemonade Diet, also known as the Master Cleanser.

The final component is a liver and gallbladder cleanse. Advocates of the liver cleanse believe that poor diet results in the liver and gallbladder becoming congested by thickened, fatty bile. This can lead to blockages and stones, as well as impair the liver's ability to filter toxins from the body. There is a variety of liver cleanse suggestions, but one frequent recommendation is the olive oil and lemon juice cleanse. This cleanse also lasts three to seven days.

Because of the multiple steps involved in a gout cleanse, the basic process can easily take two weeks. Gout sufferers having an acute attack may prefer to continue with traditional medical treatment if it is providing relief. These cleanse regimens tend to be safe for most people, but always consult with a doctor before beginning any cleanse or detox diet.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Diet Pills That Work Fast for Women

Almost every woman would love to pop a diet pill and put an end to her dieting woes. And there's almost no limit to the number of ads claiming a product can do just that. The problem is, which ads do you trust? And do diet pills really work? Although the effectiveness of diet pills can vary from person to person, studies reveal a few may actually live up to their promise.

Alli is a diet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Alli is a reduced strength version of the prescription diet drug Xenical. Alli works by preventing some of the fat you eat from being absorbed by the intestines. It is meant for overweight individuals who are 18 years old or older.

Alli is not marketed as a stand-alone weight loss miracle. Users who take Alli are encouraged to eat a well-balanced, low-fat diet and to exercise regularly. According to Dr. Donald Hensrud from the Mayo Clinic, Alli can cause unpleasant side effects if used with meals containing high amounts of fat. These side effects include "urgent bowel movements, diarrhea and gas with oily spotting." The number of pounds lost by taking Alli vary but is generally a few pounds more than dieting and exercise alone.

Hoodia Gordonii is derived from a succulent plant native to southern Africa. The plant has been used for hundreds of years by the Kalahari Bushmen. The natives ate the plant to curb thirst and hunger during long periods of travel.

Hoodia works by cutting off the hunger switch in the brain. It contains a steroidal glycoside molecule called P57. Researchers believe P57 is 10,000 more times active than glucose in the brain. A research study conducted at Brown University found that daily consumption of hoodia reduced the amount of calories consumed by 40 to 50 percent. In trials conducted in Great Britain, study participants taking hoodia shaved approximately 1,000 calories from their daily calorie intake.

Many products containing hoodia have flooded the market in the last several years. Many of these products do not contain the purest forms of the plant. Before buying, consumers should ensure the label clearly states the product contains Hoodia Gordonii. In addition, some hoodia products contain other stimulant ingredients that may produce adverse side effects, such as difficulty in sleeping, higher blood pressure and increased heart rate.

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition contends a good multivitamin is one of the best weight loss aids for women. Women who regularly took multivitamins as a part of their health routine experienced less hunger and a reduced desire to eat. In addition, the study confirmed women who take multivitamins daily have a lower percentage of body fat and weigh less than women who do not take multivitamins. Angelo Tremblay, Ph.D., and the lead researcher in the study, claims the vitamins work by replacing vital minerals and vitamins lost during the dieting process. By restoring balance, they help control the appetite and increase the amount of calories burned.

Diet for Fibroids

Uterine fibroids, also known as fibromyomas, leiomyomas and myomas, are benign growths in the uterus that arise from overproduction of a single cell developing from the smooth tissue of the uterus. There are myriad methods of treatment , though fibroids typically don't cause serious problems and require nothing more than a keen eye to monitor their growth. Following a certain diet, may decrease the risk of fibroids.

When uterine fibroids are symptomatic, they often present with frequent urination, pain in the pelvis, back or legs, constipation and a prolonged or heavy menstrual cycle. The symptoms are often dependent on the location of the fibroids. If they grow into the uterus' inner cavity, they are called submucosal fobroids, with primary symptoms being heavy menstrual bleeding. If they extend outside the uterus, they are called subserosal fibroids, with the primary symtom being urinary problems.

The direct cause of fibroids are unknown, though there are several theories as to what can aid in their development. These include genetic abnormalities, chemical imbalances and, central to the notion of a fibroid diet, excessive production of estrogen.

There are a number of ways to treat uterine fibroids, including medications, a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) and a myoectomy (removal of the fibroids). There are, however, a number of seemingly effective alternative treatments, such as herbs, stress reduction and a special diet. While these may work for some people, the scientific evidence supporting their efficacy is almost nonexistent. As such, consult your doctor before beginning any alternative treatment and to discuss all possible treatment options.

Given that the cause of uterine fibroids is relatively unknown, the effectiveness of any sort of special diet is up for debate. When taking into consideration the variety of possible causes, especially the role estrogen might play, certain foods and dietary restrictions may conceivably help lower the risk of those afflicted with uterine fibroids.

A diet rich in whole grains is suggested, as they contain lignins, which are considered an anti-estrogenic. Common foods rich in lignins include flaxseed, rye and buckwheat, among others.

In addition to this, a diet rich in fiber may be effective at helping to remove excessive amounts of estrogen from the body. As such, a diet high in fiber (at least 28 grams a day), which can include nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables and grains is recommended. By contrast, foods low in fiber, such as red meats, fried foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol should be avoided. These foods can cause the liver to work too hard due to added stress, which can make its other duties suffer, such as breaking down estrogen.

Women who present with an excess of estrogen should consider the possibility of decreasing their consumption of soy. Isoflavones in soy such as genistein and daidzein are strong estrogen reactors and can increase, decrease and mediate estrogen levels. As such, a diet high in soy is typically not recommended in those with a high risk of uterine fibroids due to the potential for increased estrogen levels. Soy supplements or adding soy-rich foods to the diet should be discussed with the doctor, as people react differently to them, especially in those with other estrogen-receptor positive conditions.

A number of supplements may be helpful in the prevention and even treatment of uterine fibroids. One of the recommended supplements includes flavonoids, as their anti-estrogenic properties may prove beneficial. Discuss their use with your doctor, as they may increase, rather than decrease, estrogen levels.

In addition, a number of herbs such as saw palmetto and yarrow flowers, as well as Vitamin C, zinc and and Vitamin E may all be considered for their immune-boosting anti-oxidant properties. If uterine fibroids cause bleeding, foods high in iron may help if the bleeding causes anemia.

One factor proven to increase the risk of uterine fibroids is obesity. The result of a study published in a 1991 issue of Nutrition suggested uterine fibroids that present with symptoms may be associated with obesity.

This was given further credence in a study published in a 1998 issue of Epidemiology, which showed evidence that women with body mass index above 30 experienced a 23 percent greater chance of developing uterine fibroids.

Diet for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

Diet is an integral part in controlling acid reflux, especially when it's in the form of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). When this condition occurs, your upper esophageal sphincter struggles to function properly, and acid that's supposed to help the digestive process travels back up into the sensitive tissue at the back of the throat and larynx, and possibly into your nasal airway. With the right diet and by avoiding potentially harmful foods, you should be able to prevent LPR from occurring.

Unlike gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), most people suffering from LPR do not experience heartburn. However, general diet principles are similar in that you should avoid acidic, high-fat and spicy foods. High-fat and oily foods can increase acid secretion, decrease esophageal function or slow your stomach's ability to empty, while acidic and spicy foods could irritate your esophageal lining.

You should eat dinner at least two to three hours before you lie down, and do not snack after your evening meal. If you eat right before going to bed, reflux problems may arise, as the stomach produces large amounts of acid to help you digest food. When you lie down, unused acid usually backs up into the esophagus. Try to avoid heavy, large meals that increase the chance for reflux to develop. If you eat more meals that are smaller, your stomach will have enough room for proper digestion.

Milk and/or milk products are fine to consume if you suffer from LPR, as long as they are 1 to 2 percent low-fat milk items, fat-free yogurt, feta or goat cheese, or fat-free cream cheese and sour cream. You want to avoid chocolate milk and whole milk.

You can have low-fat breads and grains, but try to avoid any that have high-fat or whole milk content. While fatty foods should not comprise a large portion of your diet, consuming food high in complex carbohydrates will help you prevent LPR. Breads and pastas bind with the acid in your stomach, resulting in less acid backup into your esophagus.

On your list of vegetables to avoid should be creamy or fried vegetables, raw onions and tomatoes. Vegetables that will not have a negative impact on your LPR include baked potatoes, broccoli, carrots, green beans and peas. Fruits like apples, bananas, berries, melons, peaches and pears are fine choices for an LPR diet, but you want to avoid citrus fruits like grapefruit, kiwi, lemons, oranges and pineapple, whether in actual fruit form or their juices.

Aside from citrus juices, you also should try to stay from alcohol, carbonated beverages like soda and tea, and coffee (regular or decaffeinated). You do not have to worry about irritating your reflux when drinking non-citrus juices and water.

Certain spices may cause your reflux to act up and could weaken your lower esophageal sphincter muscle. These include curry, garlic, hot mustard, pepper (especially chili and hot) and vinegar. You also want to avoid peppermint and spearmint.

You do not have to stop eating meat and meat substitutes if you suffer from LPR, but make sure your diet consists of items like chicken (skinless), extra lean ground beef, fish, London broil, turkey and other low-fat meats. Bacon, chicken fat and skin, sausage, spicy cold cuts and other fatty meats should be on your no-thanks list.

While you do not have to deprive yourself of sweets completely, make sure you're not consuming chocolate or desserts made with large amounts of fats and/or oils. You can have baked potato chips, fat-free cookies and any item that contains no fat or whose fat content is less than or equal to 3 g of fat per serving.

Foods That Raise Body pH

A balanced pH level in the body equals good health. If you are too acidic or too alkaline it opens the body up to illness. Most people tend to suffer from acidosis (when your pH is too low) because of an imbalanced diet consisting mostly of acid-forming foods, such as sugar and coffee, as well as high levels of stress. Balancing your pH level is one of the simplest things you can do for your health; test your level regularly and accommodate it with the right foods.

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the hydrogen-ion concentration of a solution, or the ratio of acidity to alkalinity, with 0 being acid and 14 being alkaline. The middle range, 7, is neutral. The optimum level for a healthy body is 7.35 to 7.45, with numbers below 6.8 or above 7.8 indicating the possibility of disease because at high or low levels cells stop functioning optimally.

The lower the pH the more acidic and oxygen-depleted your blood is. Most people suffer from acidosis (as opposed to alkalosis) because of the diet they eat (or don't eat), which tends to be high in sugar, flour, coffee, and alcohol and low in vegetables. Emotional stress, toxins and too much or too little exercise can also result in acidosis. When the body is in a high-acid state, it can't heal itself; it can't absorb vitamins or minerals; cells can't repair themselves and tumor cells thrive; the body can't naturally detox; and fatigue is common.

The higher the pH the more alkaline and oxygen-rich your blood is. Alkalosis is not as common as acidosis but may occur after hyperventilation, vomiting or excessive use of bicarbonate of soda or other antacids. Urinary tract infections (bacteria in the bladder or urethra) occur when the body is too alkaline, so temporarily adopting an acidic diet helps because it prevents the bacteria from adhering to the bladder walls.

You can test your pH levels at home with test strips, or litmus paper, purchased at health food stores like Whole Foods Market for about $10 to $15. Test your saliva and your urine several times per day as your pH levels will vary from morning to night as well as after eating. Ideally you want to test one hour before a meal or two hours after. Saliva and urine test results will vary slightly, so just take the average.

To maintain your health you'll want to eat about 60 percent alkaline- and 40 percent acidic-producing foods; to restore your health you should start with 80 percent alkaline- and 20 percent acidic-producing foods.

Foods that raise your body pH (i.e., are alkaline-producing), from highest to lowest are vegetable juice, parsley, raw spinach, broccoli, celery, garlic, barley, dried figs, raisins, herb teas, lemon water, stevia, carrots, green and lima beans, beets, lettuce, carob, dates, grapes, papaya, kiwi, berries, apples, pears, hazelnuts, almonds, green tea, maple syrup, squash, asparagus, tomato, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, peas, cauliflower, olives, coconut, oranges, cherries, pineapple, peaches, avocados, lentils, quinoa, goat milk and cheese, chestnuts, brazil nuts, flax seeds, olive oil, ginger and raw honey.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

How to Lower Blood Pressure with Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is considered by many as just an herb to give a little extra taste to your meal, but the truth is that cayenne pepper is one of the healthiest herbs. There are many ailments that cayenne pepper is good for, but one of the most common uses of cayenne pepper is to lower blood pressure. This is how you can use cayenne pepper to lower your blood pressure.

Instructions

First you must make your cayenne pepper drink. Get one cup of water and add to it one teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Next decide on the temperature you want your drink to be. You can just drink the cayenne pepper drink as it is, but some people say it works better if you put the drink in the microwave and heat it up.

Make and drink this cayenne pepper concoction once every day.

Keep in mind that a little extra cayenne pepper never hurts. Feel free to also add some cayenne pepper to any meals that you have throughout the day.

After you have taken the cayenne pepper drink once every day for a month, check your blood pressure to see if the cayenne pepper drink worked.

Why Do You Lose Weight With Low-Carb Diets?

Weight loss occurs when the number of calories the body burns exceeds the number of calories taken in through the foods you eat every day. This process is mostly achieved through a healthy mixture of eating healthy foods, watching calories and exercising regularly. However, augmenting the types and amounts of foods that you can eat may also help you accelerate your weight loss. This is often the case with low-carb diets.

Your body needs energy to run its many processes throughout the day. This energy can come from a variety of places, with the most frequent being blood glucose, body fat storage and, in some cases, muscle. When your body needs energy, the first place it turns to is the glucose in your bloodstream.

When you eat carbohydrates, your body naturally secretes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that has the ability to turn carbohydrates into blood glucose. The glucose produced then flows through the bloodstream to the many tissues of the body. As these tissues need energy to work, they absorb glucose through the bloodstream. This is an important step, as too much sugar in the bloodstream can result in the damaging effects seen by patients with diabetes. The glucose is then used in the tissues to create energy.

When you reduce the amount of carbs you ingest on a daily basis, you also decrease the amount of insulin being produced. This causes less blood glucose to be present in the blood stream. Once the tissues no longer have enough glucose to obtain their needed energy, the body turns to other places to find and produce energy. The first of these places is usually your fat storage. The body burns your fat storage in place of the glucose, causing a loss in body fat as well as a drop in pounds. It is important to be careful how much carbs you take out of your diet, as your body may also turn to muscle storage to make up the resulting deficit from a lack of glucose in the blood stream.

As with any diet, balance is necessary to insure that your body is getting enough of all the important vitamins and nutrients it needs to survive. Completely eliminating any of these important nutrients can be harmful to your health. As such, it is not recommended to completely remove carbohydrates from your diet. A low-carb diet can still be effective by just limiting and monitoring your carbohydrate intake.

How to Go on a Watermelon Diet

It seems like everyone worries about their weight in the summer, and no wonder--those teeny, tiny bikinis do not leave much to the imagination, and if you are not careful, halfway through swimsuit season you may find yourself the victim of one too many backyard barbecues and hanging up that beautiful creation that you worked out all spring to be able to fit into. Fortunately, one of summer's finest treats also holds the secret to keeping your tummy firm and your waist trim. Watermelon is at its sweetest in the summer, and there are few things more refreshing than an icy slice of the sweet fruit in the shade. Even better, if you cave in and grab a second--or even a third--piece it will not really matter, because watermelon is a great way to control, maintain and even continue to lose weight over the busy summer months all while enjoying the tastes of summer to the fullest. Read on to learn how to go on a watermelon diet.

Instructions

Keep a container of watermelon chunks in the refrigerator. Generally, you can replace most snacks with watermelon without experiencing any serious cravings, but it is inadvisable--although tempting--to actually replace meals entirely with this delicious fruit. Instead, keep it prepared and on hand for when you come inside from the heat and are looking for a quick, refreshing bite.

Have watermelon instead of a calorie-ridden drink.

Replace juice drinks with watermelon and water. Instead of drinking a big glass of sugary lemonade or fructose full fruit punch, have a few bites of icy watermelon and a glass of water. The fruit will ease your desire for a flavored beverage while the water keeps you hydrated.

Have a slice of watermelon before dessert. Summer desserts like homemade ice cream, fresh fruit pies and cobblers a la mode are very tempting, but you will find their allure much diminished after consuming a sweet slice of watermelon.

Cut your portions in half. Watermelon is, literally, nearly 90 percent water, so if you replace about half of your regular portions with this delightful fruit you will still feel full and be able to enjoy backyard picnic food, but you will not be as inclined to overindulge.

Take a daily multivitamin recommended by your doctor or dietitian. Replacing foods that you usually eat with a fruit that is very high in water can affect your balanced diet. Work with your doctor to be sure that your watermelon weight control does not hurt your body instead of help it.

How to Do The Vinegar Diet

The vinegar diet has been around for quite some time in fact many historical references go bact to the 1820s and Lord Byron. But the vinegar diet isn't just about any old vinegar, in order for the diet to work, you must use apple cider vinegar.

The advantages to the vinegar diet is that apple cider vinegar is inexpensive, let's face it its easy to locate at any grocery store.

The other advantages of the vinegar diet is that many studies have suggested that it lowers cholesterol, lowers blood sugar and even blood pressure. Also note that the vinegar diet pill also produces similiar results.

Instructions

Purchase Apple Cider Vinegar at your local grocery store. Many people suggest that the Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar is best for the vinegar diet.

Take three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar no more than about 15 to 20 minutes before each meal.

Don't go over three tablespoons.

Eat in moderation.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

10 Best Diet Foods

When you're watching what you eat, focus on the foods that provide the most nutrition for the least calories. Just because you are eating less does not mean that you can't get all the nutrition and satisfaction you need from your diet. There are 10 foods you should incorporate into your menu to get the best results.

Using safflower, olive or canola oils in your cooking, especially in place of butter or margarine, helps add beneficial MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids) into your diet. MUFAs are a "good" fat that helps lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing bad cholesterol levels.

Apples contain pectin, which was found in a 2007 University of Georgia study to fight prostate cancer. Other health benefits of pectin are its effect on colon cancer cells, and its ability to lower cholesterol and glucose levels. Both apples and pears are excellent sources of fiber, which help you to feel full longer.

Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber. They also are highly portable and easy to portion control, making them an ideal snack and a healthy way to satisfy sweet cravings.

Besides containing MUFAs, avocados are a great source of potassium, lutein, B vitamins and vitamin E. Their creamy taste and texture make them a great substitute for mayonnaise on sandwiches, and for sour cream in Mexican food and dips. Pairing avocados with foods that are high in antioxidants, like tomatoes or carrots, boosts the body's ability to absorb the antioxidants.

For just 75 calories each, eggs provide high-quality protein and a wide variety of nutrients, including choline, which is essential to brain function. Their versatility makes them an option for any meal, such as a breakfast omelet, hard-boiled for a snack, or cut up in a lunch salad or a dinner frittata or low-fat quiche.

Besides offering a shot of flavor, the ingredient in peppers that gives them their heat, capsaicin, has been found to offer a mild boost to the metabolism.

Salmon is a terrific source of omega-3, an essential fatty acid our body needs but does not produce. It supports healthy brain function and reduces the risks of heart disease and stroke. Omega-3 has also been shown to be helpful in preventing risk factors for cancer and arthritis.

Peanuts have been shown to lower total cholesterol. Almonds help lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, and contain B17, a nutrient being studied for its cancer-fighting properties. Walnuts improve artery function, particularly following a meal that's high in fat. Pumpkin seeds aid in prostate health and improving male bone density.

Besides chocolate satisfying a sweet tooth, dark chocolate is packed full of antioxidants and the chemical serotonin, a natural anti-depressant, as well as feel-good endorphins. It relaxes blood vessels and can help to lower blood pressure. Just remember to keep the portion size small (1 oz. or less).

The complex carbohydrates help to regulate blood sugar levels to prevent peaks and crashes, which help you to avoid crankiness and binge eating. It is also a great source of fiber.

What Causes Weight Loss in Dogs?

Weight loss occurs when your dog's body uses or expels more calories than he is eating or absorbing. Your dog may lose weight for any number of benign reasons: the stress of a new home or a new pet, or perhaps he just doesn't like his food. However, weight loss is considered to be a problem if it exceeds 10 percent of your dog's normal body weight. Clinically dangerous weight loss can occur if your dog's appetite is decreased, which is often one of the first indicators of illness.

Malabsorption disorders are characterized by the disruption of the normal absorption of calories and nutrients. Your dog will begin to lose weight because these vital elements are not properly delivered to her body, but rather expelled through her feces.

Disorders that interfere with proper digestion, like exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or chronic diarrhea, cause the rapid or improper movement of nutrients and/or feces through the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in weight loss.

Metabolic disorders such as Addison's disease, Cushing's disease and diabetes can cause weight loss in your dog if not properly managed.

Depending on the specific neuromuscular disorder, your dog may lose weight due to loss of muscle mass, the inability to exercise or difficulty swallowing or holding down food.

Severe weight loss is common in dogs with cancer. Your veterinarian should be able to prescribe a specialized diet for your dog to help her maintain optimal weight during cancer treatment.

Dogs with severe or unmanaged heart disease will experience loss of appetite and weight loss.

Internal parasites like intestinal worms, heart worms, giardia or coccidia will cause weight loss in your dog if left untreated. Yearly physicals and monthly preventatives will easily prevent these problems.

What Foods Cause Stomach Gas?

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Children's Diet After Adenoid Surgery

Adenoid surgery is a common procedure performed on children. The adenoids need to be removed if they are so large they interfere with nasal breathing or cause recurring ear infections. There are normally few complications and recovery time is fairly rapid. Some children may be feeling fine and able to eat a normal diet within 24 hours. For others it may take several days.

Give your child fluids as soon as he wants them and as often as he wants them to prevent dehydration. He will probably experience pain or fever after the surgery and have an increased need for fluids. Try to get him to drink four glasses of fluid each day for a few days after surgery. Water and ice chips are fine. Frozen Popsicles are also good because cold fluid may help ease discomfort in the throat. Avoid hot fluids or carbonated drinks as these may irritate the throat. So do not serve citrus drinks like orange juice or lemonade for a week after surgery because the acids can cause irritation and aggravate pain.

If thin liquids go up your child's nose, serve thick drinks like milkshakes or smoothies. If your child experiences vomiting after surgery it is best to only serve clear liquids so you can watch for bleeding. If your child has vomiting that lasts for 24 hours or if he appears to be dehydrated, call your doctor right away. Nausea and vomiting sometimes occur as a side effect of medication used in surgery and should clear up within 24 hours.

Serve your child soft foods as early as the evening of surgery if he wants to eat them and he is able to keep down fluids without vomiting. Begin with pudding, noodles, eggs, yogurt, Jello or ice cream. It is best to stick to cool food at first. Introduce warm or room temperature soft food when your child can swallow it without irritation. Avoid spicy food or anything hot.

Feed your child solid food as soon as he is able to eat soft food with no discomfort. As long as his throat is not sore and he is able to swallow, it is fine to reintroduce solid food as early as the day after surgery. For a few days it is best to avoid sharp foods like chips, pizza crusts, dry cereals or toast. Select foods for your child's diet after adenoid surgery following the same guidelines you would use if your child had a sore throat. Offer plenty of liquids, serve cool soft foods and resume solid foods when his throat pain has subsided.

The Best Prepackaged Food Diets

Portion control and daily exercise are necessary to lose weight and keep it off. Prepackaged food diets such as Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and Medifast help clients learn portion control and how to eat healthy. Each of these programs includes advice and support from professional dietary consultants and those enrolled in the program.

The Jenny Craig weight loss program allows you to choose from a variety of prepackaged meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. In addition to prepackaged food, you can add fruit, vegetables and dairy products to enhance meals. Recipes are available online. Vegetarian meals are available.

When starting the program, you will talk to a dietary consultant (in-person or over-the-phone) and complete a lifestyle profile that includes the types of foods you currently eat and your level of fitness.

From this profile, a diet and exercise plan will be developed that explains the amount and types of food to eat and the recommended daily amount of exercise you should engage in each day.

The Nutrisystem weight loss program includes separate meal plans for men and women. Diabetic, vegetarian and silver plans for older clients are available.

To begin losing weight using Nutrisystem, choose the 28-day preselected meal plan (popular or favorite meals chosen by clients) or customize your own by choosing from a list of prepackaged meals and snacks.

Online help and community forums are available if you have questions or need additional support while losing weight. You can contact dietary consultants online or over-the-phone. Track your progress using free online tools available on the Nutrisystem website.

The Medifast weight loss plan includes separate meal plans for men, women and those who have diabetes.

When creating your five-day menu, you will be able to choose from more than 70 prepackaged meals and snacks. The five-day menu allows you to customize a new menu each week.

Each day, you will create a "Lean and Green" meal to eat for lunch, dinner or as a snack. This meal includes lean protein and vegetables. Approved lists of protein and vegetables are available online.

Guides, recipes and additional help are available through the Medifast website.

Honey & Cinnamon for Weight Loss

Honey and Cinnamon aren't usually a condiment and spice you would pair with weight loss. Their sweet qualities are usually associated with sugary desserts. Both ingredients, however, have natural components that can help you shed pounds and stay healthy.

Honey has been around for more than 2,000 years and always been used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments. Honey contains sugar. But due to natural sugar, as opposed to refined, honey also contains vitamins and minerals. Honey also helps with digestion, which is why nutritionists recommend a teaspoon of it after a heavy meal. Honey can help protect and coat the immune system, which is why we're told to drink tea with honey when we have a cold, sore throat or the flu.

Cinnamon isn't just a spice used to sweeten smoothies or cappuccinos anymore. The spice that was historically considered more valuable than gold has many health benefits, including improving brain function, memory as well as ulcer, yeast infection and urinary tract infection prevention.

The main component in honey that helps battle weight gain is its nutrients. Nutrients are essential in the weight loss process as they dissolve fat cells and reduce cholesterol. Honey also has a strong source of energy and is easily broken up into glucose, making it much easier to digest than sugar. So honey can be used as a sugar substitute, when possible.

Honey also contains an ergogenic aid that helps boost energy and athletic performance. It also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels and supports muscle recuperation after working out.

Cinnamon has many benefits, but its main weight loss component is its ability to reduce blood sugar and prevent diabetes and Metabolic syndrome. Similar to honey, cinnamon also reduces cholesterol and creates a thermogenic burn. Its effect on the body's bad cholesterol also helps build insulin resistance for those suffering from diabetes.

Honey and warm water is a good way to mobilize stored fat cells and break them up. Also, honey and lemon juice is a good combination to combat weight loss because of lemon juice's vitamin C contents. Mixing honey and ginger, too, is good for combating weight loss, as ginger speeds up your metabolic rate.

Honey and cinnamon together in warm water is great solution for an empty stomach to build the immune system, and can be a sip of something sweet after a meal to help digestion instead of a heavy dessert.

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Best Weight Loss Diet for Menopausal Women

Menopause, the end of a woman's menstrual cycle, and perimenopause, the years before menopause, often mean gaining weight. Estrogen loss decreases muscle growth, allowing fat to take over and the metabolism to drop. By adding vegetables, fruit, multigrain breads and protein to your diet and eliminating fried food and other junk, you can lose the middle-aged spread.

Your body's hormonal changes during menopause affect your muscle growth. While menopause happens around age 50, women in their 30s lose a half pound of muscle each year. Muscle mass burns more calories than fat cells do. Once created, fat cells never disappear; they wait for new food to make them expand. When your body has more fat and less muscle, your metabolism downshifts.
Packing on more pounds often starts during perimenopause, the 2 to 8 years before menopause. On average, women gain about a pound a year. Losing those pounds, often gained around your waist, requires a healthy diet and an exercise plan.

Americans spend at least $40 billion a year on diets and weight-loss products. Many dieters steadily regain the weight, and it's confusing to sort through all of the nutritionists' advice.

Dietitians often suggest healthy lifestyle changes, rather than following a one-diet-fits-all-menopausal-women plan. With a few changes to your eating habits, you can take about a pound off each week and keep it off. By eating less processed foods and adding more natural ingredients, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you can drop those extra pounds.

Mayo Clinic dietitians say that if you're limiting calories to 2,000 per day, you should get 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates. Carbs include whole grains, beans and nutrition-packed fruits.
If you're perimenopausal and don't like to exercise much, though, limit yourself to 1,800 calories a day. If you eat less than that, you won't get the vitamins and minerals you need. Be sure to drink skim and low-fat milk or eat low-fat yogurt and cheeses for calcium, because menopause is when bones start losing their density and can break more easily.

Between 10 and 35 percent of your calories should come from protein. Eat more nuts, seeds, chicken, turkey and seafood, especially salmon and fish that's rich in Omega-3 oils, because they are packed with protein. Beans, lentils and soy are also rich in protein.

As you age, your body takes longer to digest food. Increasing your fiber intake pushes the food through your system more quickly and prevents constipation. Fiber, which comes from plants and isn't digested or absorbed in your body, is either soluble or insoluble. Vegetables, wheat bran and other whole grains are good insoluble fiber sources. Soluble fiber exists in oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as apples and oranges.

Nutritionists recommend smaller portions of meat, usually about 4 or 5 ounces each meal. Red meat has saturated fat, which can increase cholesterol levels. Choose leaner or fat-free meat or chicken without the skin, where most of the fat is concentrated. Bake or broil your meat to avoid vegetable oil fat.

Fried chicken, crackers, cookies, cake and donuts are definite no-no's, and you should also avoid candy, potato chips and other junk food. By reading the nutrition labels carefully, you can find food that has no trans or saturated fat.

Some dieters skip breakfast, but studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast can concentrate better. Your breakfast should consist of whole grain breads, bagels, cereal or a low-fat bran muffin; protein-packed hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, lean meat or fish; fruits; vegetables; and skim or low-fat dairy products. Wash it down with some 100-percent fruit or vegetable juice that lacks extra sugar.

If you love to nosh, eating five or six small meals daily may be the best advice. Carry some walnuts or almonds with you to munch on. Drinking water flavored with lemons or limes makes you feel less hungry between meals.

While it's hard to fight a craving for your favorite chocolate, learning to eat strawberries, apples and tangerines will satisfy your sweet tooth. And once you start eating more natural foods, you'll have more energy to tackle the mood swings and hot flashes that usually accompany menopause.

Inexpensive Colon Cleanse Detox & Weight Loss

If you thought you needed to buy an expensive pre-packaged colon-cleansing kit, think again. A cleanse is meant to return us to simplicity--and the greatest simplicity grows from the ground, on trees and in the earth's natural ingredients. You can find exactly what you need for an inexpensive and effective cleanse in your own garden or at a natural grocery store.

Research different cleansing recipes and choose one that appeals to you. One of the most well-known is the Master Cleanse developed by Stanley Burroughs in 1940, and it has been so effective that it is still used today. But if you hate lemons, have an allergy to cayenne pepper or dislike the amount of sugar or calories in maple syrup, you might want to go a different route.
Many people choose to cleanse with green juices if they have a blender or mixer powerful enough to liquify vegetables. Others use freshly made fruit juice or smoothies (never buy pre-bottled or overly processed juice products). Still others cleanse on water alone--you can't get much cheaper than a three-day water cleanse. Whichever you choose, tailor the cleanse to your needs and goals to make it a smooth process. For instance, if your cleanse is for weight loss, try the lowest-calorie cleanse you can sustain for an extended period of time, which should be for a minimum of three days. If your goal is holistic health, try a lemonade diet for 10 or more days so that your body has time to make extended repairs.

Make sure you are eliminating waste two to three times daily. When you restrict your eating, your bowel movements are likely to become less frequent or stop altogether. There are a number of ways you can ensure movement through the digestive tract without consuming any pre-packaged pills or liquids. Psyllium husks and flaxseeds (which must be ground before use in a coffee grinder or bought in their sprouted form) may be added to your cleansing recipe or to water to encourage bowel movement. A saltwater flush can also be used every morning by adding two teaspoons of iodized sea salt to a glass of water. Drink it as quickly as possible (as it tastes horrible) and chase it with another glass of water. You can expect a bowel movement in 15 to 30 minutes and two or three more throughout the day.
Throughout the cleanse, consume enough of your chosen liquid to function normally. If you are doing a short cleanse, save it for the weekend or for a less busy weekday so that you can have adequate rest. If your body is not busy digesting it will want to wind down and begin repairing itself deeply from the inside out. The best way to aid this process is to lie in bed and read, or close your eyes and meditate until you fall asleep.

Detoxing and weight loss are a product of the same actions. The action you must take is a sustained commitment to a cleanse. To commit to a cleanse without cheating or breaking it early, you must choose one that works for your goals and needs. If you have a busy lifestyle and cannot take time off to cleanse, choose a cleanse like the lemonade diet so that the recipe can provide you adequate calories to get through the day.
Seek support throughout your cleanse, as it can be both physically and emotionally difficult to get through in a culture that is so used to overconsuming processed, addictive foods. Cleanse with a friend so that you can hold each other accountable. Ease both in and out of the cleanse--do not return to eating bad foods immediately, as this can cause irritable bowel and other negative reactions. Try a healthy vegetarian diet after the cleanse to ensure long-term success in weight loss and detox.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Fasting & Weight Loss

Fasting diets include Master Cleanse, juicing and other detoxification diets and cause rapid weight loss. According to HealthRecipes.com, you can lose between 30 to 40 pounds on a 30-day juice fast. The major claim of fasting supporters is that this process removes toxins from the body, increases energy and improves overall health. Rapid weight loss is appealing, but you may not achieve permanent weight loss without a healthy diet.

Humans have fasted for thousands of years. Muslim, Christians and Jews fast for spiritual reasons during certain times of year. In the 20th century, fasting became in vogue as a way to lose weight quickly. "Master Cleanse," created in the 1940s, is a restrictive diet that requires drinking a concoction of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper six to 12 times a day without eating food. Dr. Andrew Weil of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the College of Medicine says Master Cleanse's original purpose was an ulcer treatment. In the 1970s, the book "The Master Cleanse" by Stanley Burroughs documented the fasting plan as a weight loss solution.

In the 1990s, juice fasting became popular as a cure-all for obesity, aging, chronic diseases and cancer. Juicing consists of taking raw fresh fruits and vegetables and extracting the juices from them using a juicer. The American Cancer Society says juicing practitioners believe that juice fasts enhance the immune system and return balance to the body's cell composition.

Side effects of fasting for weight loss include lightheadedness, headaches, low blood sugar, anemia and irregular heartbeat. Dr. Michael Picco of the Mayo Clinic says detox dieters claim to feel more energetic and focused during and after their diets; however, this may be a psychological reaction because you think that calorie restriction is good for your body. You should not attempt extreme calorie restrictive diets like detoxifications and fasting without medical supervision because of potential side effects.

Fasting for weight loss causes rapid weight loss but wreaks havoc on your metabolism. The body goes into starvation mode as a way to preserve its protective fat. Family Education website says the body burns fat slower to survive longer and increases its fat stores, prompting the yo-yo dieting effect. Dr. Weil says Master Cleanse produces the same effect, making it hard for you to lose weight later and more likely that you will regain pounds lost once you resume normal eating.

Fasting diets do not produce long-term weight loss results. The best way to attain permanent weight loss is eating a balanced diet and exercising---at least five days of aerobic activity and two or three days of strength training. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says you should eat about 1,500 calories per day. This diet should consist of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.

The Best Free Ways to Lose Weight Fast

Taking control of one's diet and activity level is the best way to lose weight fast. Understanding the basics of nutrition and exercise is essential to quick losses, and it is all right here.

Using more energy than you take in is the key to weight loss. Since there are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of weight, you need to either consume 500 fewer per day for seven days or burn that many a day to lose one pound per week.

A 10-year reunion may require a temporary, sudden weight loss. Low-carb diets work but are difficult to maintain for long periods.

Cutting carbs is simply a matter of replacing them with proteins and fats. The body loses water weight and begins to burn glucose instead of fat for fuel. Bodybuilders often use this method for to bring out muscle definition.

Counting calories is not glamorous nor is it much fun. Keeping track of food intake however, can reveal areas that can be improved.

Write down everything you eat for at least a week, noting amounts and times. Add up the calories. You'll see unnecessary snacks, toppings you can do without, or even meals that can be minimized.

Increased activity is the easiest way to lose weight fast. The body needs food to survive, so trying to limit this natural craving is an incredible barrier to cross. By increasing exercise and maintaining current eating habits, the weight will have no other choice but to come off.

Use aerobic exercise as the key calorie burning exercise. Twenty minutes is the minimum, three days per week. More is better but increase in small amounts to prevent burn-out.

Muscle burns fat. Use weights if available, or do calisthenics such as push-ups, pull-ups, or squats.

Competitive bodybuilders exercise first thing in the morning to burn extra fat. During sleep the metabolism is in its lowest state (basal metabolic rate) and is functioning to maintain basic processes (respiration and organ function). Aerobic exercise before breakfast burns extra calories since a fuel source has yet to be consumed.

Increase the intake of dietary fiber. Fiber is healthy for the digestive system and makes you feel fuller longer, minimizing appetite.

Eat the majority of calories early so the body can use them as fuel throughout the day.

Eat five or six small to medium meals a day. Your body's blood sugar levels remain the same and it reduces the urge to overeat.

Intensifying activity will dramatically enhance weight loss. Burn twice the number of calories doing the same activity hard and fast. Clean house fast, walk briskly and run instead of jogging; sprint instead of running.

Pages

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Antioxidant Food Sources

Omega 3 Food Sources

Refined Foods and Fats

Proper Hydration

Alcohol

Instructions

Instructions

Instructions

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Porcessing Soy

Reproductive Dangers

Learning Disorders

Soy Allergies

Thyroid Issues

Monday, July 29, 2013

Instructions

Enjoy an Egg Cream Drink

Make a Mont Blanc

Mix Up a Malt

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Value of the Liver

Suggestions for the Liver Disease Diet

What to Avoid

Sample Menu

Instructions

Instructions

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Why Juices Work for Weight Loss

Best Fruits & Vegetables to Promote Weight Loss

Adding Other Stuff

Diuretics

For Weight Loss

Danger

Natural Diuretics

Other Uses

Cabbage Soup

Master Cleanse

Juicing

Water

Coffee Enemas

Sweating

Fruit Fast

Identification

Function

Considerations

Potential

Warning

Identification

Function

Considerations

Potential

Warning

Theory

Process

Warnings

Friday, July 26, 2013

Alli

Hoodia Gordonii

Take Your Vitamins

Symptoms and Causes

Warnings

Uterine Fibroid Diet

Supplements

Weight

Diet Basics

What to Eat and What to Avoid

Meats and Sweets

pH Basics

Acid

Alkaline

Test Strips

Alkaline Foods

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Instructions

Introduction

Energy

Insulin

Carbs and Weight Loss