http://www.healthzine.org/feed/ http://www.healthzine.org/ Every day new articles and updated info on all your health, beauty and fitness concerns. Tue, 19 May 2009 05:30:49 +0200 Tue, 19 May 2009 05:30:49 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Slim-fast-diet-shakes http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Slim-fast-diet-shakes So who wouldn’t want to lose weight these days. It’s basically because everywhere you look—the billboards, magazines, on tv, the wide screen —you see women as skinny as can be- and that’s seen as attractive. And a person all walled with fat, -skeletal prominence subdued- just can’t help feeling insecure. After all, women (or most of them) are instinctually compelled to be beautiful. And when one thinks they fall short of the “beautiful and sexy” criteria, they can’t help feeling disheartened. It’s because of this perception that the populace of the weight-obsessed is all the more growing. There is the obsession for them to be as thin as can be, and for the most part, the health significance of losing weight is brushed aside. Especially with the eternal offshoots of all sorts of weight loss diets these days. There have been diets that have been around for a while now such as the slim fast diet. The slim fast diet came into the picture back when liquid diets were becoming popular. “ Slim fast”—the term itself goes with the weight loss mindset of the majority today -to be as thin as can be, as fast as can be. And that’s perhaps why the slimfast dieting scheme seemed to have gained a number of following. But quick slimming with the slim fast diet—how does it go, and does it makes sense? “ Slim fast”- it seems to appear as the “ideal” quick, low caloric path to shedding off pounds. And quick slimming it does seem, because with the dieting plan, all you have to do is go on a diet which is almost mind- dumbingly easy to follow. You get to have a “healthy” meal for breaky and lunch, and laid out on the table as easy as pie. The “healthy” slimfast diet breakfast and lunch is comprised of “healthy” shakes. Slim fast diet shakes are considered as meal replacements. That’s why they were formulated to contain vitamins, minerals and proteins. But then again, “healthy” may not be what it’s supposed to be with these shakes. Reviews about the slim fast diet say these shakes aren’t particularly healthy. What they’re mainly made up of are milk, sugar, fructose and cocoa. In other words, the shakes are all about milk, sugar and more sugar, with a bit and dash of emulsifiers, vegetable oils and “vitamin blends”. And then there are slim fast diet bars, too, meant in the same manner to be meal replacements. These meal replacements are packaged and are thought of to be nutritionally balanced, too. And that’s how it goes with the slimfast diet. You get to conveniently eat “nutritionally balanced” packaged meal replacements. Dinner, on the other hand is when you enjoy a sensible meal- with foods from all food groups in proper proportions. Considering this so-called mechanics of the slim fast diet, you are most likely to have lesser caloric intake. But caloric limit set in the slimfast diet is simply inadequate—too low. And if you happen to set your eyes on long term weight loss, then the slim fast diet would not be an ideal preference. You would need to cut down on your caloric intake to lose weight, but not drastically, or too much, as with the slim fast diet. Or else, problems would arise, especially in terms of your health and well-being. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:00:49 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/starvation-diets-weight-loss http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/starvation-diets-weight-loss So you want to lose weight, and perhaps you’re getting impatient. Don’t we all want quick results- especially with weight loss. Your initial tendency then might be to eat as little as you can, or maybe even skip meals. It seems like a simple logic, right? Eat less or starve and you have less calories intake. Then you lose weight. Many people misconceive such sort of diets, or starvation diets. What are examples of starvation diets? Consider this scenario: A "good" breakfast is comprised of a cup of black coffee. For lunch, you try to fill up with carrots and celery sticks. Dinner, on the other hand is of “mouse – size” proportions. But why is it that by the end of the week, you don’t lose a pound? And on the contrary, you might even notice your belly fat becoming more prominent. The logic you used to believe in is then found erroneous. No, starvation diets don’t work. Starvation diets will not make you lose weight as quickly as you’d want to. The body works the other way around as opposed to the common starvation diets weight loss misconception. When starving or going on a self-imposed unnecessary fasting, your body shifts into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down and saves as much fat as it can. It is because your body is under the notion that you’re going through a long famine. It prepares itself for survival. Your body is smarter than you think  This is how it goes for starvation diets, and eating junk foods. As you may well know, junk food contains more calories than nutrients. Eating junk basically means taking in more toxins than nutrients. And these toxins make you gain weight. The toxic burden you so bear would significantly cause havoc on your health as well. When keeping to starvation diets or nutrient deprived diets, you send your metabolism a blatant message that “Times are tough. You’d need to pack up fat to survive”. The body responds to this situation by saving calories rather than burning them off. Muscle is burned up for energy instead of fat, so fat in stays in your body, packed up as reserve. Gaining weight would only be anticipated. You might also be complementing your starvation diet with exercise. You eat less and then exercise, so to speak. This is a massively unhealthy combination. Eating less and exercising more increases your caloric requirements. And yet the body is deprived of the nutrient it needs. It is highly likely that your system would experience a break down. Loss of energy and ill health could then set in. That could spell more trouble for you. Not only would you fail in your weight loss effort, but you could gain an illness or a health issue in the same manner. Your metabolism has a so-called “psychology”, and this you have to understand. The body has a mind of its own, so to speak. This “mind” controls the internal thermostat associated with your metabolic functions. If you feed your system inadequately, this thermostat is turned off. Thus, no more fat burning process, and everything you ingest is stored as fat. But feed your body well, and it functions more efficiently, including its fat-burning agenda. A car needs gas, right? What good is a car that doesn’t run? The same goes for your body and the nourishment it needs. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:36:23 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/protein-diet http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/protein-diet There are different diet plans for different purposes. These purposes may be for gaining better health, or simply for aesthetic advantages. Take for instance the protein diet. People who are into bodybuilding often consider going on an all protein diet. Their purpose is primarily for gaining more muscle mass, so they adhere to this diet plan. But gaining muscle mass is one thing, and achieving total health is another. You might be wondering then if an all protein diet is healthy at all. Many are under the notion that an all protein diet is the most suitable plan for building muscle mass. It is true that protein supplements and high protein foods can promote this purpose- they can accelerate the body’s muscle building process. But on the other hand, it is inadvisable that a person makes protein their sole nutritional resource. There are quite a number of drawbacks when a person limits their consumption to these foods alone. For one thing, it is virtually impossible to eat all protein foods all the time. When a person does follows this dietary scheme, it is likely that they eat foods high in protein while minimizing their carbohydrate intake. This approach may be beneficial in some aspects, most often on a short-term basis. But on the long term, keeping exclusively to a certain food group can have health consequences. It may even end up to be harmful to one’s health and well-being in so many ways. An all-protein diet most often entails consuming heavy meat. Heavy meat consumption causes levels of uric acid in the bloodstream to increase. It poses a person to a higher risk of contracting certain cancers and bacteria-based illnesses. Contrary to what many people believe, the diet can reduce the body’s ability to grow muscle mass. Going on this dietary scheme forces the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is the initial stage of lipolysis, a process wherein the body reverts to burning stored fat instead of glucose. In the area of weight loss, and again for the short term, ketosis can produce immediate results. But this is not likely to be beneficial for muscle gaining. When the body burns enough fat, it will subsequently begin to burn muscles. This is among the major mishaps for a bodybuilder- health and aesthetically-wise. A better option will be to incorporate protein supplements with a balanced diet. Balance is always the key in most areas of living, and so it is with the diet. It is best that one keeps to the requirements set in the food pyramid. In this manner, they are able to obtain all their nutritional needs for sustaining good health and vitality. As one aims on gaining more muscle mass, they focus on this aspect by augmenting their diet with supplements- bodybuilding supplements. When it comes to achieving aesthetic or cosmetic gains, total health should be taken into account. A healthy and balanced diet promotes a healthy mind and body. And an attractive physique is only better appreciated and enjoyed with one’s mind and body in good condition. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:49:03 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/detox-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/detox-diet1 Detoxification. This seems to be an essential word these days, and more so, it should be practiced. Everyday people are exposed to all sorts of toxins. From the air we breathe, the foods we eat and the medicines we take. Even products that we use daily slowly become toxic to us. Industrial and automobile pollution causes the air we breathe to become harmful to our health. Pesticides are also almost always sprayed on foods that we eat. Nobody can expect foods to be totally safe in this sense. Aside from giving us nutrients, they can also inject harmful elements into the body. Even the water that we drink can be harmful. Oftentimes it contains chlorine and lead. Soaps, lotions and everyday products that we use contain chemicals as well, and such substances aren’t really friendly to our system. These are but to mention a few of how exposed we are to toxins, and eventually to risks. Health risks are the primary consequences of the toxic elements that we ingest. As much as we cannot completely avoid this exposure, we have to combat it. Or otherwise take health measures to reduce its harmful effects. This is where detoxification comes in, also known as cleansing. One of the ways a person can detoxify their body of toxic elements is through detox diets. You’ve probably heard of some sort of detox diet from the internet, on tv or health magazines. Diets of this sort are actually becoming popular. A detox diet’s main objective is to cleanse the body of toxic elements. Will a detox diet be good for you? The thought of detoxifying your system seems appealing. When you would become cleansed and safe from the harmful effects of toxins. There are actually many benefits of a detox diet. You’d become healthier, have more energy and lose weight to name a few. A deotx diet can bring about a sense of well-being. But you have to know that detoxifying has side effects. If you are on a detox diet for the first time, you might feel low in energy and extremely hungry. Headaches, irritability and insomnia could also be problems. These are some of the common side effects of a detox diet. They can be brought about by the changes your body is going through. Your system is trying to adapt to the detoxifying process. Changes are indeed necessary in detoxifying. Primarily, you have to modify your dietary habits and lifestyle for a period of time. For instance, this usually involves fasting, such as juice or water fasting. Herbal detox is also a form of detoxification. Other means are through calorie restriction or food combing. Side effects are more likely to be experienced with a detox diet, especially when starting on it. But if you want to enjoy its benefits, you have to be willing to tolerate these discomforts and even inconvenience. If you decide on going on a detox diet, education and preparation are your best tools. Thoroughly research on a diet you are interested in and take steps to be able to properly keep to it. As for the side effects, you have to look on those as well, and even anticipate them. Awareness of these factors will be able to help you enjoy detoxification better and experience benefits to the optimum. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:05:43 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Mediterranean-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Mediterranean-diet1 Healthy living is better living, that’s why health and fitness is always a worthwhile goal. When it comes to achieving total health and fitness, essential is the right motivation. The compelling driving force which will just keep on pushing you to get going. And indeed you would need to keep on going because a healthy lifestyle is not just a phase or a period. It is a lifetime endeavor of living in moderation and discipline. But for all it’ worth, health and fitness will give you countless rewards. Your well-being will be enhanced which in turn will make living more fulfilling. So what does it take for a person to be totally fit and healthy? What is the ideal health regimen that you should keep to to attain the state of optimum wellness? The basic still remains, or the pillars of good health- regular exercise and a healthy diet. Adhering to the basics often doesn’t entail much complications- and so it is with health and fitness, too. This article is more focused of the aspect of a healthy diet. A healthy diet is to complement regular physical activity. But of all the popular fads and celebrity diets out there, how can you make the right choice? Here and there, all sorts of “healthy” diets have been devised, with claims that sound so appealing and basically too good. But then again, these claims may just as well be too good to be true. In the arena of healthy diets, one which has long been recognized is the Mediterranean diet. Why has the Mediterranean diet been acknowledged as one of the best diets ever? And what is the Mediterranean diet all about, you might ask. The diet dates back in antiquity to the Mediterranean region in Europe. People of that area are said to have lived the longest. The lowest incidence of obesity all over the world is also found in the so-called region. Dating back to Crete, the Mediterranean diet has been a way of eating and living. Cretans and Greeks during that period enjoyed a healthier lifestyle than those in other parts of the world. Since then, many people have become attracted to the Mediterranean diet, as there seems to be conclusive evidence of its effectiveness. In the Mediterranean diet, meat and animal products are consumed in limited amounts. Of the little meat included, it is often poultry or fish which are suggested. Red meat is hardly recommended in the Mediterranean diet. Dairy products are also consumed sparingly. And if ever dairy products have to be consumed, there are restrictions as well. Milk, for instance, has to be non-fat, and eggs are to be eaten merely two to four times a week. A distinction of the Mediterranean diet is the use of extra virgin olive oil in high amounts. Olive oil is most often recommended for cooking rather than saturated fats and oils. And whole olives as well are used time and again in this dietary measure. Having known the basics of the diet, you might now be in the position to judge whether it is right for you. In your choice for the most suitable diet and health regimen to keep to, remember that what makes them effective is your attitude. Of how motivated you are to live a healthy life. And why would you want to live a healthy life? It’s simply because you want to live a good life. Where you regard yourself with utmost care and concern because you know that you deserve it. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 9 Jul 2008 07:54:48 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/flat-belly-diet http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/flat-belly-diet Who wouldn’t want a flat belly, right? It’s basically one of the trademarks of being sexy. There are few lucky people who were actually born sexy, but more often, having a fit and trim body takes a lot of hard work. You might be one of those who have a bothersome weight issue to deal with. Flab and bulges might be all over you making you look somewhat unpleasant. And you would want to look better, which is normal. So you want to lose weight and look svelte and trim. Well you know the basics about weight loss- less calorie input and more calorie output. Means you have to control your diet or watch what you eat and combine it with exercise. This scheme is more apt to give better results. One of the ‘better results” of a good weight loss program is a flat belly. That oh so attractive flat belly. But how can you have it? There’s a flat belly diet which can make you achieve what you want. The flat belly diet may sound so complicated to you, but actually it is not. One thing you have to do in this diet is to drink plenty of water. Water is in fact the basic ingredient in the flat belly diet. You’ve probably heard of the health benefits of drinking ample amounts of water. One of them is actually for weight loss. So make it a habit to drink 8 glasses of water a day, and all the time- not just for a couple of days or a week. Then fiber, another important element for health and fitness. Science has proven the crucial role of fiber in losing weight. Fiber allows your digestive system to work smoothly, helping you achieve a flat belly faster. Start eating fiber and you’ll begin to see and feel the difference in a few days. Probiotics also has a role to play if you’d want to have a flat belly. Combined with water and fiber, this is actually a potent formula. With this formula, your digestive system processes will become more efficient. Your metabolism will be boosted as well and more fat will be burned. Do your body a big favor by consuming sufficient fiber and probiotic dairies everyday. What are foods that you have to limit or avoid on the other hand? Beer and carbonated drinks are no-no’s. So are processed foods, foods rich in trans fats and junk foods. Sugar and white flour- containing foods should also be ticked off your diet list. For even faster results, exercise regularly. This doesn’t mean that you have to lift weights and do crunches for hours on end. A minimum of 30 minutes a day of exercise will do. Ask your doctor if you are in proper condition to exercise, and then choose a regimen in which you are most comfortable with and will suit your needs. Look for an exercise program which your time and lifestyle would allow. Squats and weight lifting are good exercises for losing weight, and you might consider them. Weight loss which is healthy is often achieved through hard work, so be up for it if you want to have worthwhile gains. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:35:30 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/models'-dieting-tips http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/models'-dieting-tips It seems like everybody wants to have the body of a model. After all, models look fantastic to the point of being perfect. Their bodies seem to be divine- symmetrical, oh-so-attractive and simply fabulous. We look at the glossy pages of magazines and we see their images and most people can’t help getting envious. Models revel in physical beauty, and most think that they have the best of life. Most think that models just have it so easy. Take for instance when a model is asked the eternal question “What is the secret to your gorgeous body?” And then they would say, “Well, nothing really and in fact I eat whatever I want and I just don’t get fat”. But that’s just one side of the story- and the other side is left conclealed to the general public. There is of course a low down to being a model. It is either that these celebrities extremely work hard for their perfect figure by exercising on end, or they avoid food as much as they can. Glamour almost always has a price to pay. So when people who are desperate to look good look for ways to do so, they cling to models’ dieting tips. Well, they would want to have the body of a model and they think that models’ dieting tips in the market are the best ways to have it. But more often, the real story behind models’ dieting tips is starving. Well there are good models dieting tips out there, but watch out if these tips are for real or just a marketing scheme. A gorgeous body is what makes a model keep their job, and at any cost they must keep it. So often, these people exercise like mad. This would not be so enjoyable to average humans who have other important things to take care of other than catering to their vanities. So in the realm of normal and average people where you are- get real and keep your feet on the ground. Leave the perfect looks and body to models because they make a living by looking great. As for you, you have your job as a regular person to take care of, and you have chores to do at home or you might even have kids. You have real things to do and you need to be healthy for it. In this case, starving or at least not eating right will not be good for you. The point is not so much in looking fabulous and perfect, but in looking presentable, and this is more realistic. Be fit and trim, yes, but don’t aim for the extreme. And the key to being fit and HEALTHY is in the way you eat. Most of us were brought up to believe that we should eat three square meals a day. Your parents conditioned you with that idea and all along you’ve been thinking that it is what’s right. But the key to healthy weight loss doesn’t have to do with eating three big square meals a day. This syndrome will drive your metabolism to destruction, so to speak. To hasten your metabolism, mix and match your meals and eat more regularly than three times a day. You’ve probably heard about “frequent but small meals”, and this is the point driven at. Couple this weight loss scheme with regular exercise and you’re on your way to looking good the better and healthy way. Stay grounded when it comes to your goals for yourself rather than being swayed by the glamour that you see in magazines or on tv. Simply live right, eat right and be physically active and you’ll look good in your own way. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 05:26:18 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/raw-food-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/raw-food-diet1 Our society is in the midst of a health craze nowadays. People seem to have a collective will to strive to be healthy. Well this endeavor is certainly worth it. Health and well being is one of the most worthwhile goals to aim for. With health and well-being, you would enjoy more energy and vitality. You can then face life with enthusiasm and you could handle stressors better. As a result, you become a happier, more functional and better person. Certainly you’d want to be all these, right? But what is the best way for you to achieve total health and well-being? The basics still apply- regular exercise and a healthy diet. For regular exercise, there are actually countless of options. You could get a gym membership and wok out in a health and fitness club. This entails a bit of a cost, though, but it also has its advantages. Or you can opt to have your own home gym and invest on some home fitness equipments. And further still, you can do exercise the straightforward way. Brisk walking for 30 minutes everyday would do- not much investment, really. Just comfortable clothes and a good pair of shoes. And then a healthy diet which should complement your exercise regimen. You might be at a loss about which diet to keep to as countless of fads abound in the market. So which diet would be the best choice for you to become healthier? You’ve probably heard of the raw food diet which is gaining more popularity. The raw food diet is actually and simple, natural and effective way to enjoy a host of health benefits. But first, what is the raw food diet, you may ask. Going raw food means consuming nearly all uncooked foods. The standard ratio is generally 25% cooked foods and 75% raw food. Some even strive for 90-100% raw foods in this dietary scheme. Vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, fresh fruit juices, sprouts, seeds and nuts are some of the best choices to incorporate in the raw food diet. Through strict and regular adherence with the shift in your dietary regimen, you can then enjoy a host of benefits. For one thing, it would be easier to establish and maintain your body weight. It means you would look fitter and trimmer. Your health and fitness levels would increase and you’d look younger and healthier. Your skin would become clearer and softer and your energy levels would be boosted. Your eyes would appear clearer and brighter. But even more so, you would eat as much as you can and not gain weight. You wouldn’t feel deprived when eating. Throughout the day you’d feel happy- no signs of depression. You’d rarely suffer from constipation and digestion and you’d have regular bowel movements. You will be less likely to be beset by degenerative diseases. Colds and flu won’t bother you so much at all. As for your instincts and intuitiveness, they would be sharper. All these and more are the benefits of the raw food diet. It’s about time that you make the choice to be healthier. Not because of the health craze, but because you are aware that being fit and healthy would make you a better and happier person. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 21 May 2008 14:07:39 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/skipping-meals http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/skipping-meals Many people are desperate to lose weight, so they do it at any cost. One of the desperate measures which this oblivious populace resort to is skipping meals. They think it would be as easy as that- skip a meal or two, or better yet, starve and presto. You don’t put in calories into your body. But that’s not as simple as that because a different physiological process takes place. When you skip meals, calories in your body will become scarce. When this happens, your whole system will switch into survival mode. This is just where your problem will begin. As your body is in a survival mode when you skip meals, it would pack away fat. This fat which your body stores will be saved away for later. This fat storage is saved for use the next time food is short in supply. What seems worse is that fat is often stored in the stomach area- conveniently gained yet burned with much effort. You might be one of those who believe that skipping meals will help you lose weight. But such a tendency is one of the worst means you can ever do for such a purpose. In fact, it will only do the contrary- it will make you gain weight. Skipping meals will make your body confused and slow down your metabolism. The next time you eat, you would be unable to burn calories. Basically, all it would do is make you develop more fat which means more pounds. When you skip a meal, especially breakfast, you are more apt to overeat later in the day. As you have been starving, your body has the tendency to compensate. After all, food is fuel for your system. Like it or not, you will crave for it and you will have the urge to eat. So the point is to eat healthily so that you will be nourished yet at the same time not gain weight. When meals are skipped, your natural bodily cycle gets on a deprivation mode. So when you do some meal-skipping to become trimmer, think again. You’d actually be doing yourself more harm than good. Skip a meal or two during the day and you would end up binge eating later, or perhaps at night. Apparently, this is an unhealthy eating pattern. It would affect your overall health as a consequence. When you skip a meal, your system would end up craving for more fuel. So you would actually have a stronger urge to eat, and to eat more. So you want to skip meals in order to diet? It will just end up in a dieting disaster. To overcome this habit, its best to plan your meals ahead of time. Think of healthy foods and eating healthy. This means eating the right food, and at the right time. Remember that weight loss is not merely for looking good. A more worthwhile purpose of being fit and trim is to be totally healthy. So take into account the means you resort to to lose weight. Not just anything will do, but it has to be safe and healthy. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:44:02 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/low-carb-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/low-carb-diet1 All sorts of fad diets have come and gone. Some of them may have gone as quickly as they came, yet there are those who have survived. Among these diets which have withstood years is the low carb diet. Many people have resorted to the low carb diet due to its benefits. For weight loss and for warding off or alleviating certain conditions, this diet plan has been effective. Are you trying to lose weight or perhaps maintain it? The low carb diet might just be the solution to your goal. This plan is somewhat similar to a high fat and moderate protein diet. You will basically be allowed to eat until you are full, provided that you eat only recommended foods. There is not so much deprivation in this sense. You won’t be even left craving for more foods. Some conditions which can benefit from a low carb plan are diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and hypoglycemia. And more so, it can address obesity. Indeed, it is one of which is worthwhile among the fad diets. When you are overweight, going low carb will be helpful. And even if you are not overweight, you can make use of this plan as well. That is for you to maintain your weight or to keep your blood sugar and cholesterol in check. Did you know that the low carb diet is known to strike at the true cause of obesity? This might be interesting to note as obesity causes other health issues as well. Such is why many doctors and nutritionists advocate the low carbohydrate plan. There are various versions of this diet plan. Experts are looking into the nature of each and trying to determine their benefits. Going low carb is one of the hottest fads which has swept the world. This plan is acclaimed due to its popularity and well-known health benefits. Following this nutritional approach, you can easily lose pounds and inches. And quite many people have attested to this. And if you’re into maintaining your weight, this diet plan produces apparent results, too. Keeping to it will make you not likely to gain pounds, and it would be easier for you to stick to your weight. Many people may have had the experience of being able to trim down, only to become heavy again. The problem could be that their weight loss scheme may no longer be effective, or that they have slacken down on their compliance. If this is a problem for you, the limit your carbohydrate intake and adhere to your weight loss program. With this measure, you can also boost your general health. So if its being fit and trim and healthy at the same time that you aim for, limited carbohydrates might be the answer for you. As there are many and varied versions of it, you can choose which one would suit you best. You can consult a nutritionist or your doctor for this purpose. You also have to make sure if it is suitable for you to go on a diet. And when you are, make means to incorporate dieting with regular exercise. That way, results will be better and more guaranteed. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Thu, 3 Apr 2008 07:39:33 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/healthy-diet http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/healthy-diet Many are in for the battle against unwanted pounds and bulges. With countless of people being overweight and obese, weight loss is just within a majority’s agenda. After all, losing weight has its delightful rewards. Many aim to lose weight because of its cosmetic benefits and this is quite understandable. But it must be noted that weight loss schemes have to be primarily done in the context of achieving total health. Apparently, looking fabulous would be the added bonus. But what are the best means to burn more calories and get rid of excess pounds? Quite a lot turn to fad diets for this. Fad diets certainly sound attractive when they declare all their claims. Well, fad diets may initially be effective, but there are drawbacks. Fad diets just come and go which only shows that they are not consistent. They are merely good while they last until another one comes along, claiming to be better. Fad diets are often associated with quick weight loss, and often times it is not healthy weight loss. One may initially shed off pounds and become trimmer, but it is an unhealthy means. One cannot stick to a fad diet for long. Eventually they would go back to their usual eating pattern and soon the pounds would start coming back. For healthy weight loss, results have to be slow and steady, and they have to be permanent. Fad diets hardly deliver this. The basics would, however- the pillars of good health. By the pillars of good health, it means regular exercise and a healthy diet. One should rather keep it simple and straightforward with a healthy diet. Often times, fad diets are far from healthy. It is not a healthy diet when it tries to keep a person away from food. Food is the main nourishment for the body and it is essential. So when a diet scheme says that one should keep solely to powder mixed with water, it’s inadvisable. Or when it says that one should stick to certain foods or a certain food group. That would deprive one of nutrients. People have varied nutrient needs, and they have to be provided. Thus, a broad variety of foods are needed for sufficient nutrient nourishment. Limit the food intake, and nutrient nourishment would be limited, too. This can have health consequences in the long run. And then there are supplements offering so many promises. One thing to remember is that when it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Many supplements hardly deliver the miracles that they claim to offer. It is rather hard work which would deliver consistent results. This is where regular exercise comes in. One should burn more calories than they take in to eliminate pounds. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are the best means for this purpose. It takes will and effort, and not magic to lose pounds and calories. Not only that, but with healthy means, one would not only become fit, but the primary purpose is served. And that is to boost overall health. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Wed, 2 Apr 2008 07:11:19 +0200 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/vegetarian-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/vegetarian-diet1 More and more people are considering being a vegetarian. There are many benefits of becoming one, not only to the environment but the physical and spiritual well-being as well. Primarily, there are the health benefits of the vegetarian diet. As numerous studies have shown, those who follow a vegetarian diet are at lesser risk for health problems. Among these health problems are colon cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. When one keeps to the vegetarian diet, they are able to avail of its health promoting properties. These elements can help ward off certain cancers. Consumption of vegetarian foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains and pulses have more benefits over taking meat. Especially eating much red meat which can lead to the development of coronary heart disease. Vegetarian foods are also easier to digest, unlike meat. When consuming meat, it generally stays longer in the stomach. It takes more time for it to be digested. When one switches to the vegetarian diet, they would be able to experience an improvement in their digestion. A person is not more apt to become lethargic when they keep to a vegetarian diet. Another benefit of this endeavor is towards the environment. Producing vegetarian foods is actually less intensive rather than producing livestock. It takes a higher percentage of land space to tend to animals. More attention also needs to be rendered in order for them to produce the corresponding amount of food. This point would become significant when one takes into account that global warming is threatening the availability of farm land. Apparently, the vegetarian diet would put less strain on environmental resources. There would also be less cruelty to animals. Of course, animals would not be unnecessarily killed. Modern faming methods do not put the welfare of animals on the forefront. They often lead to poor conditions which make the animals suffer. Thus, when one is more inclined to eat fruits and vegetables and the like, they do not promote cruelty to animals. Vegetarianism is also being promoted by many spiritual traditions. It is a beneficial complement to many spiritual practices. The meditation practice would actually be enhanced by vegetarianism. It must be noted that different kinds of foods embody different kinds of vibrations. And meat, it is said to embody the animal consciousness. This animal consciousness is said to be more restless and aggressive. When one is in the habit of eating animal meat, the animal consciousness becomes transferred to them to some extent. How would this have an effect to the meditation practice? Meditation would become difficult as eating animal meat would affect the subtle nerves. Eating meat and fish would allow the animal consciousness to enter the being. This in turn would make the nerves agitated. The nerves become restless and aggressive and this can interfere with meditation. But as for vegetarian foods, they have a peaceful vibration. They do not have the restlessness that animal meat has. This would significantly affect one’s stance when meditating- it would be for good. All these said, vegetarianism is being more kind to the environment, to animals and to oneself. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Fri, 1 Feb 2008 07:17:51 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Atkins-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/Atkins-diet1 You probably have heard about the Atkins diet. If not, well where have you been for the last ten years? The Atkins diet actually started way back around 20 years ago, and yes, the diet has quite been controversial. Dr. Robert Atkins, an American heart specialist developed the Atkins diet. You may wonder what really is the Atkins diet. Well, the controversial Atkins diet is a actually a low carb diet. And one which is high protein and high fat at that. Doesn’t that sound interesting? A diet aimed on losing weight yet high in fat. This Atkins diet by all means would appeal to those who love having a fry-up in the morning. It may rather sound peculiar, but there are some tricks involved in the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet is one of the most popular low carb diets in the past decade. It is one which made a lot of people achieve their weight loss goals. The diet can quite be effective to a large number of people. Most people are however not sure of what the Atkins diet really is all about. It may have been a by-word, but you may be one of those who wonder what goes on with it. Or how to go about it. As mentioned, Atkin’s is a very low carbohydrate, high protein and high fat diet. There is actually a science behind the popular Atkins diet. This is called ketosis. The diet attempts to trick the body into burning stored fat rather than carbohydrates. A plus of this diet is that it also incorporates exercise. Dieting and exercise is generally a power combo for weight loss. This is one of the salient features of the Atkins diet. Such is why many people have actually lost weight with it. But as with most other diets, Atkins does have its drawbacks. For one thing, the diet can get boring. And for another thing, Atkin’s limits consumption of fruits and vegetables. Many people, too, would rather frown upon that. When healthy weight loss comes to mind, fruits and vegetables are said to be necessities. Such is why there are those who find the Atkins diet questionable. As anticipated, there are those who would vouch for Atkin’s and there are those who are against it. But mind you, Atkins makes a lot of physiological sense. It can be seductive to some people. Once you really get into the details of how Atkin’s works, you might even be convinced. By nature, though, the Atkins diet is quite restrictive. Such is why the diet is recommended to be kept to along with supplements. But certainly, Atkin’s is not a license to eat as much fats as you want. Adhering to Atkin’s is a lifetime dietary approach. The diet remains to be one of the most controversial. It is also one of the most successful in terms of books and products sold. When you intend on going with the diet, it is best that you initially ask your doctor. If Atkin’s suits you well, or any other diet does, then good luck. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 12:39:59 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/south-beach-diet1 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/south-beach-diet1 What does it take to lose weight? Like really lose weight- keeping the weight off for life. Is it just through mere dieting? Merely altering the foods that you eat? Dieting may help. It may initially make you lose weight. But the thing is, is the weight loss for life? For steady weight loss and maintaining it, needed is a lifestyle change. That’s how it is with the south beach diet. The popular south beach diet. You’ve heard of it for sure. The south beach diet has swept the country for more than 5 years now. There are countless diets, fads or otherwise, which have gained popularity in the United States. And they are all for the need of the American populace to lose weight. Among them is the south beach diet. So what really is the south beach diet? Why is this diet so popular? Many have claimed to have lost weight with it. So is the south beach diet really effective? What are the principles behind this diet? The south beach diet is a new way of eating, and it is different from its predecessors- the low carb and low fat diets. It is an entirely different approach to eating. The south beach diet teaches that carbohydrates and fats are not bad in themselves. But they have to be the right kinds of carbs and the right kinds of fats. There are bad kinds of carbohydrates and there are bad kinds of fats. And they are those which are to be avoided. This is one of the underlying principles in the renowned south beach diet. When you eat the wrong kinds of fats and carbs, you are more likely to feel hungrier. You’ll end up eating more than you have to. This in turn will cause you to gain weight. With the south beach diet, however, you’ll learn to eat the right foods in the right proportions. The right kinds of carbs and fats in the right amounts, that is. And there is bound to be a big pay off- that’s 8 to 13 pounds in the first two weeks. Those are the pounds you will initially lose when keeping to the south beach diet. After the first two weeks, weight loss with the south beach diet becomes slower, yet steady. This diet is effective in losing weight, and keeping them off on a long term scale. Who developed the south beach diet? A highly respected cardiologist located in Miami’s South Beach. He is known by the name of Dr. Arthur Agatston. The south beach diet is safe, yet it is effective in eliminating fat from the body. It is similar to the Atkin’s diet in that it works in stages. The first two stages are kept to for a specific period of time. The third stage on the other hand is the maintenance stage. It is to be adhered to for life. The south beach diet is actually less of a diet and more of a lifestyle change. Following the south beach diet means you will eat three portioned meals and two snacks in a day. The meal plans on the program are also flexible. Being so, they can easily be incorporated into your lifestyle. This is how it goes with the famous south beach diet. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy. Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:00:51 +0100 http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/nutrition http://www.healthzine.org/Diets/nutrition Humans, and all other living things need nourishment for them to live, sustain themselves, and grow. Each and every living thing, including humans, of course, has a different nutrition need. We are supposed to eat according to our physical and physiological design. Our bodies are designed to process our food from the time it enters our mouths to the time it exits. Nutrition is the entire process of eating, digesting, absorbing, and utilizing the food that we had taken. That is why carnivores have a set of teeth designed to cut and tear animal meat. Herbivores have teeth that are designed to cut, mash, and grind a wide variety of plant sourced food. The carnivore teeth is inefficient in grinding rootcrops, fruits, and leaves. The herbivore teeth is inefficient in tearing and cutting meat. And then we have some creatures in between- the omnivores. Those that can eat both animal, and plant sourced foods. In order for each of them to them to grow and develop to their full potential, have proper and optimum growth, they need to have proper nutrition. This can be achieved by eating kinds of foods that are best suited to their individual design. Human beings have a set of teeth very much similar to vegetarian creatures. In fact, the apes, and the gorillas, which are reputed to be the nearest biological kin of human beings, are vegetarians. They may eat meat at times, though, but it is not their real staple food. Proper nutrition then is not only about eating what we think is what food nice or delicious, but also eating what is needed, best absorbed, and best utilized by our bodies. Ideally , this what proper nutrition should be. Nowadays, with the with the advent of fastfoods, people eat more according to what they want. Power lunches, energy bars, etc., became a worldwide fad. What is ready and easily available became what we need. Getting sated and energized quickly, even at the expense of proper nutrition, has become widespread and encompassing. Many people, especially those who are in fast-paced jobs skip regular meals in their hurry. This not only affect them, but children as well. Especially mothers who are in hurry, have fastfood not only for themselves, but for their kids as well. There is no one to blame, of course, except our lifestyle. Proper nutrition is not that impossible. Healthy living is, after all, a choice. In a high-tech, fast-paced, world, many modern and new sources of energies feed our new and modern machines. Modern man have been a relatively slower evolve, though. We can not yet have ethanol, or fuel cells for breakfast. So, why don’t we stick to our real foods, foods that provide us with real and proper nutrition. Health and nutrition experts agree; that proper nutrition brought about by healthy and nutritious foods, combined with healthy living, exercise, enough sleep, and proper dietary supplements; is the very essential of a long, healthy, and productive life. In spite of all those “power foods” around There is not yet a real substitute for power and energy given by real foods. Take your meat, grain, fruits and vegetables. The food designed for you. Only a good balance of these foods and your supplements can give proper nutrition, and bring out the “lean and mean working machine” in you. About the author. Dr. Rose Windale is a successful Health & Wellness Coach who has been advising and coaching individuals for many years. Rose now decided to share her knowledge through this site, Healthzine.org. You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter and learn how to become truly healthy and happy.