Sunday, October 11, 2009

How to Lose Your Belly Fat Quickly and Naturally

3:17 PM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

Q. How I lose my belly fat? I’ve tried several things but nothing worked”. I do 100 daily sit-ups, cutting calories drastically, excess cardio, fat burners, etc.

A. If you can’t lose your belly fat, you’re using the wrong approach. You don’t need endless sit-ups, supplements, starving yourself or worse surgery. Here are the 10 best ways to lose your belly fat – quickly and naturally.

1. Stop Doing Crunches. Crunches will strengthen your stomach muscles, but won’t burn the belly fat that covers your abs. Spot reduction is a myth. You’re wasting time & effort doing 200 daily crunches.

Crunches can also cause lower back pain, slouching shoulders & forward head posture. The Reverse Crunch doesn’t cause these problems, but again: spot reduction is a myth. To lose your belly fat, you need more. Keep reading.

2. Get Stronger. Strength training builds muscle mass, prevents muscle loss and helps fat loss. Squats and Deadlifts work best to build strength.

Your lower back keeps you upright from the back. Your abs from the front. Both muscles will work hard during heavy Squats & Deadlifts at keeping you from collapsing under the weight.
Squats & Lunges; Deadlifts allow you to stress your body with heavy weights, working all your muscles from head to toe. This helps getting stronger quickly and building muscle fast, including ab muscles.

Spot reduction still doesn’t exist, so Deadlifts won’t burn your belly fat directly. However they’ll strengthen your abs and lower your waist size. Only takes 3×45mins/week.

3. Eat Healthy. As the saying goes “abs are built in the kitchen”. You can train hard & build muscular abs, but if you eat junk food all day, you won’t lose your belly fat. Stop eating processed food. Eat whole, unprocessed foods. If there are more than 5 ingredients you may want to avoid it. Beware of the words All-Natural, 100 Percent Natural, these are marketing terms.

Proteins. Grass Fed Beef, Bison(Buffalo), Free Range poultry, Fresh fish, Whey Protein Powder, free range eggs, grass fed cheese, …
Veggies. Spinach, broccoli, salad, kale, cabbage, carrots, cucumber …
Fruits. Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, pears, strawberries…but only in the morning, veggies at night, fruit in the morning.
Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds, …
Carbs. Brown rice, steel cut oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa, …

No need to be perfect. Eating junk food occasionally helps fat loss by keeping your hormones sharp. Don’t overdo it though. Eat junk food 10% of the time max. That’s 4 junk meals/week if you eat 6 meals/day.

4. Limit Alcohol Consumption. To lose your belly fat, what you drink is as important as what you eat. Alcohol from time to time is OK. But forget about losing your belly fat if you drink beer & sweet alcohols daily.

Beer drinkers always have a peer shape: belly fat & man boobs – especially as they get older. Alcohol also stresses your liver which has to overwork to clear the toxins. This can get in the way of building muscles.

Drink alcohol 10% of the time. Example Friday & Saturday night. Normal alcohol consumption, not the get drunk. Rest of the time: water, water with squeezed lemon, green tea, etc. Either that or forget about losing your belly fat.

5. Eat Less Carbs . You need carbs for energy. Problem is that most people eat way more carbs than they need. Your body will stock the carbs it doesn’t need as fat. And this is often how you get belly fat.

Unless you’re a skinny guy who needs to gain weight, lower your carb intake. Keep eating fruits & veggies with each meal. But cut back on potatoes, and switch to new potatoes or sweet potatoes because they have a lower glycemic load, pasta, rice, breads, … Eat these post workout only.

Drink Your Weight In Water. You should try to consume at least half of your weight in good water. When I say good water I mean the best you can find. Good water usually doesn't come from a store, but rather through your faucet. Your responsible for filtering your water with a Kangen generator that will adjust the pH of your water to balance your internal fluids and hydrate your body much more effeciently than designer or tap waters without any chemicals.

6. Eat More. Eating tons of healthy foods won’t make you fat. Especially not if you exercise 2-3x/week. Starving yourself is the number 1 nutritional mistakes. Healthy nutrition is important for 3 reasons:

Energy. Food is energy. Your body uses food for weight lifting, working, digestion, etc. Lack of food means lack of energy, in all areas of life.
Fat Loss. Eating the right foods helps fat loss: protein has the highest thermic effect and satiates, healthy fats promote fat loss, A single fat molecule can produce a whopping 129 molecules of ATP. In contrast, without enough healthy fat, the body is forced to utilize an inferior source of fuel for ATP production — carbohydrates. A single carbohydrate molecule produces a paltry 38 molecules of ATP! Do the math — a single fat molecule yields more than three times the energy as a carbohydrate molecule! Unlike carbohydrates, consuming healthy fat does not result in a spike of the fatigue-causing, fat-storing hormone insulin. And even better, healthy fat exponentially increases production of the energy molecule ATP. ATP is the master energy- and strength-producing molecule within the body. The more you have, the better you perform.
Maintain Muscle. If you starve yourself, your body will burn muscle for energy – NOT fat. You’ll become skinny + fat. Protein intake is crucial to a lean fat burning machine. You should set your daily protein intake at 1 gram per pound of your Lean Body Mass LBM. So if you are 150lbs and your 20% body fat, then your are actually 30lbs of fat and 120lbs LBM. Consuming minimum of 120 grams of protein daily 6 meals consisting of 20 grams per meal.

Hunger means you’re not eating enough of the right foods. Don’t worry about calories so much, but you should be choosing were the calories originate. 100 calories of sugar from a 40oz soda are much different than 100 calories from a veggie salad. Just eat breakfast and eat every 3 hours from there on, including post workout. Eat healthy foods 90% of the time to lose your belly fat fast.

7. Eat More Protein. Protein has a higher thermic effect than other foods: your body burns more energy processing proteins than it does processing carbs and fat. That’s why high protein diets work great at burning your belly fat. Muscle is what we all want more of, in fact one pound of muscle can burn 20 times the calories as a pound of fat. Building new muscle helps us achieve that lean, and sculptured body.

8. Eat More Fat. Fat doesn’t make you fat. Bad nutrition and lack of exercise do. Eating fat actually helps fat loss. Your body won’t store fat as easily if your giving it a constant intake of healthy fats.

Fish oil is the best source of fat to lose your belly fat. Fish oil naturally increases testosterone levels and increases fat loss. 6g omega-3 per day is a good start. Check Out Krill Oil

Stay away from trans-fatty fats present in products like margarine, actually they are hidden under names like Partially Hydrogenated Soybean or Cottonseed oil . Trans-fatty fats are bad for your health. Eat whole unprocessed foods 90% of the time as I recommend in point 3 and you’ll avoid trans-fatty fats easily. Some products actually make claims like 0 Trans Fat, but actually contain Partially Hydrogenated Oils in the ingredients so read the label on the back.

9. Lower Your Body Fat. As a man, your belly is the last place where you’ll get rid of fat. If you have man boobs and a double chin, you’ll have to lower your body fat to lose your belly fat. If you're a woman then the butt, thighs and back of your arms is where you will store it. Here’s how to remove it:

Get Stronger. Strength training builds & maintains muscle, increases fat loss, helps sticking to diet, don't be afraid of muscle you wont turn into "that girl" bodybuilders have a completely different diet.
Eat Healthier. Apply the 8 nutrition rules. Eat breakfast. Eat every 3 hours. Proteins, veggies & fruits with each meal. Fast digesting carbs post workout only. 2 cups of water with each meal. Whole foods 90% of the time.
Add Cardio. 15mins post workout, build up to 3×45mins/week. If you have less than 15% body fat, just get stronger and eat healthier. That will lower your body fat and make you lose your belly fat.

10. Stay Motivated. Looking at your belly or in the mirror gives you inaccurate feedback. What you see is influenced by food intake, water retention, light and your own perception. Self-image issues can make the last one tricky. Always think and speak in terms of what you want, and would like to have, rather than what you are trying to avoid.

You will always get more of what you don't want when it's all you think and talk about. "Those who argue for their limitations get to keep them." Instead practice positive self-talk where you talk about how you feel at your goal weight and body fat. "I love being a size 4 and I feel great, I knew I could do it." Studies indicate that your subconscious mind can't distinguish the difference in reality and imaginary. Start day dreaming of your perfect body.

Measure Body Fat. Every 2 weeks using a fat caliper. It doesn’t need to be accurate. What matters is that the trend goes down.. Stay off the scale, weight isn't nearly as important as bodyfat.
Measure Your Waist. Also every 2 weeks. If you get stronger and eat healthy, your waist will go down fast. Your pants will start to feel loose.
Take Pictures. Shoot pictures of yourself every 2 weeks: front, back & side. The side pictures will show the most change.

Example Diet. You won’t get fat eating healthy foods. Especially not if you exercise and with all the veggies. Example diet using the above nutrition rules:

Breakfast: eggs with veggies, orange, organic green tea from Mercola

Snack: unsalted raw nuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, 2-4 small strawberries, a small pear

Lunch: tuna in water, organic spinach or roman lettuce, olives, olive oil

Snack: cottage cheese with small organic tomato

Post workout: ground round 4-6oz, quinoa, spinach, banana small

Dinner: chicken 3-4oz, spinach 1-2 cups, baby carrots, pear half

Pre-bed snack: whey protein shake w/ organic rice milk, cranberries, ground flax seeds, fish oil capsules

Success breeds success. Track progress accurately so you know where you are and stay motivated to keep working at losing your belly fat. Don’t just read this post and go back to what you were doing. Take action. Lose your belly fat, and turn your belly into abs.

Your Success is My Success,
Ryan Parker

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76 Reasons Why You Should Switch From Sugar To Natural 0 Calorie Stevia

12:27 PM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

Q. I have heard about this new sweetener, I am wondering do you think it's better for me and my family's health?

Contributed by Nancy Appleton, Ph.D
Author of the book Lick The Sugar Habit

In addition to throwing off the body's homeostasis, excess sugar may result in a number of other significant consequences. The following is a listing of some of sugar's metabolic consequences from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publication.

Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.
Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 3,4,5,6
Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.7,8
Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.9,10,11,12
Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.13
Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.14,15,16,17,18,19,20
Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.21,22
Sugar can weaken eyesight.23
Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.24,25,26,27,28
Sugar can cause premature aging.29
Sugar can lead to alcoholism.30
Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.31,32,33
Sugar contributes to obesity.34
Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.35,36,37
Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)38
Sugar can cause gallstones.39
Sugar can cause appendicitis.40
Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.41
Sugar can cause varicose veins.42
Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.43
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.44
Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.45,46,47
Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.48
Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.49
Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.50
High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).51
Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.52
Sugar causes food allergies.53
Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.54
Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.55
Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.56,57
Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.58
Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.59,60
Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.61
Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.62,63
Sugar can cause emphysema.64
High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.65
Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.66
Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.67
Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.68,69
Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.70,71
Sugar can damage your pancreas.72
Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.73
Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.74
Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.75
Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.76
Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.77
Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.78,79
Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.80
Sugar can cause depression.81
Sugar can increase your risk of gout.82
Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.83
Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.84,85,86,87
Sugar can lead to dizziness.88
Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.89
High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.90
High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.91,92
Sugar is an addictive substance.93
Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.94
Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.95
Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.96
Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.97
The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.98
Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).99
Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.100
Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.101
Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.102
I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.103
Sugar increases your risk of polio.104
High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.105
Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.106
In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.107
Sugar may induce cell death.108
In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.109
Sugar dehydrates newborns.110
Sugar can cause gum disease.111

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Compounds in Processed Foods that Can Cause Cancer

11:38 AM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

World Health Order: "Cancer Top Killer by 2010"

We Must Hold Ourselves Responsible

Trans Fatty Acids: Imitation fats in shortenings, margarines and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. Strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.

The link between hydrogenated oils and diseased children: ADHD, aggressive behavior, learning disabilities and more.

Click here to read the full story on the links to disease and hydrogenated oils.

Rancid fats: Industrial processing creates rancidity (free radicals) in commercial vegetable oils.

Omega-6 fatty acids: Although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets. Click here for the full story on the links of Omega-6 and disease

MSG: Associated with brain cancer. Found in almost all processed foods, even when "MSG" does not appear on the label. Flavorings, spice mixes and hydrolyzed protein contain MSG. The word Autolyzed yeast extract is a code name for MSG. Click here for the full story about the link between cancer and MSG

Aspartame: Imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages. Associated with brain cancer, is now being used in over 6,000 low sugar or no sugar consumer products. Aspartame was actually developed by a pharmaceutical company owned by Donald Rumsfeld and later sold to Monsanto one of the largest developers of pesticide. Click here for the full story about the link between brain tumors and aspartame you were never told.

Pesticides: Associated with many types of cancer. Found in most commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits. Peanut Butter, and soy are said to have the highest levels of pesticide due to the farming practices. Click here to read the full story of the links to cancer and pesticide

Hormones: Found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods. Click here for a story on the links between disease and added hormones

Artificial Flavorings and Colors: Associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food. Click here for a story about links to disease using artificial colors

Refined Carbohydrates: Sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption. Click here to read 76 ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health

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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Why Cant I Lose Weight, I Dont Overeat , What's the Problem?

11:08 PM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

Dear Ryan

Q. I have been working out for several weeks and I have not lost any weight, help. I am only having a small salad for lunch and a very small dinner, and I can't figure out why I am not dropping these pounds.

A. Salad for lunch? Small dinner? Sounds like your having less than 1,000 calories per day if that, and that is just not enough to put your body in a state of positive nitrogen balance and surplus of energy for exercise and weight training. Losing weight is not what you ultimately want, it's fat you want to burn and muscle you want to build. Read 8 Simple Nutrition Rules click here

Organ or tissue	Daily metabolic rate
Adipose (fat)	2 calories per pound
Muscle	6 calories per pound
Liver	91 calories per pound
Brain	109 calories per pound
Heart	200 calories per pound
Kidneys	200 calories per pound

In other words, losing two pounds of fat and replacing it with two pounds of muscle will increase your resting metabolic rate by less than 10 calories per day.

Calories In Vs. Calories Burned Equals Energy Balance

Your body is the best computer system in the world. It’s able to calculate every calorie you eat and burn off. You can’t sneak a snack without it knowing it. You can’t miss a workout without consequences. If you remember that your body is either burning or storing the food calories you eat, you can take control of your weight loss…or gain.

So, what’s a calorie? It’s energy. It’s the fuel your body needs to run like a virus-free, computing machine.

For every calorie you eat, you must have a plan on how to work it off. If you eat too many calories the excess will end up as fat on your thighs, butt and other unwanted places. If you eat as many as you burn off, you’ll be maintaining your current weight. Now, if you burn more calories than you take in daily through regular exercise consisting of resistance training as well as cardiovascular training and a healthy, balanced and nutritional eating plan, you’ll be on the path toward burning fat and building muscle, instead of just losing weight, which can result in the loss of lean muscle resulting in less strength and energy but fewer numbers on the scale which is only one of several factors in overall health.

Weight management depends upon the energy-balance equation; the amount of energy you put into your body (food calories) versus the amount of energy you expend through regular, physical activity.

So, how do you know how many calories your body needs to reach or maintain a certain weight? Use This “How Many Calories Do You Need?” tool:

The Old-Fashioned Method
Or, you can also roughly estimate your daily calorie requirements using these simple formulas, which are based on your daily activity levels:

For sedentary people: Weight x 14 = estimated cal/daily
For moderately active people: Weight x 17 = estimated cal/daily
For active people: Weight x 20 = estimated cal/daily

Moderately active is defined as three to four aerobic sessions per week. Active is defined as five to seven aerobic sessions per week. Sedentary means that you probably spend most of your time sitting instead of moving.

So, now that you know all about energy balance, how are you going to start burning today’s calories? Go ahead, get moving!

-Ryan Parker

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The dangers of food colorings

10:16 PM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

The dangers of food colorings

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Whats the Best Drink for Health, "Yoli" Creates Superfood Blast for Kangen Water

5:13 PM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

Labels: drinks, health, yoli | 0 comments

Friday, October 9, 2009

Eat These Foods For A Strong Immune System

10:04 AM | Posted by Mobile Guru | Edit Post

Immunity-Boosting Foods

Yogurt for Probiotics

There's a promising perk for yogurt lovers! A German study found that probiotics (as found in yogurt with active culture) may shorten your cold episode by almost two days. Most yogurt products have a label claiming they are good for your digestive health and may boost immunity. But not all bacterial strains have the immune-boosting quality. So far, only some strains, like Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus reuteri have been scientifically shown to prevent colds, improve immune response, or shorten sick leaves from work. So keep on eating those "friendly" bugs but look for yogurt products that contain these strains!
Choose Greek-Yogurt as it has more than twice the muscle building protein as others, and very little sugar. Most of the yogurt on the market has very little benefit, it's really just no good, choose wisely here are a few brands.

Citrus for Vitamin C

Previous studies have shown that 1,000 mg of Vitamin C supplements may make your cold milder and shorten it by half a day. Another systematic review has found evidence that high-dose Vitamin C reduces the duration of symptoms in people with upper respiratory tract infections. However, not all studies generated a similar result. Hence, it is not generally recommended to take Vitamin C supplements routinely, but you may try them with the onset of a flu. Instead of supplementing on a day-to-day basis, include lots of Vitamin C–rich foods such as orange, kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, and watermelon in your diet. You can also try Yoli Blast Caps to add to your Kangen water

Mushrooms for Beta-Glucan

Beta-glucans, a type of soluble polysaccharides found in foods, have been identified as having the ability to boost immunity, lower bad LDL cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar. However, not all beta-glucans are effective at improving immune response, according to Dr. Roger Clemens, Professor at the University of Southern California's School of Pharmacy. Beta 1,3/1,6 glucans from mushrooms have been shown to enhance macrophage activity, which is critical in warding off infection. Beta 1,3/1,4 glucans found in oats and barley, however, do not appear to be effective. So toss extra mushrooms in your pasta sauce, soups, stir-fries, casseroles, or pizza. Don't forget, not just exotic mushrooms like shiitake or reishi contain beta-glucans. Local favorites like crimini and white button mushrooms are also healthy options.

Seafood for Selenium

Most of us think of the good omega 3 fatty acids when we think of seafood. But did you know that seafood is also a rich source of selenium, a potent antioxidant? A small study conducted by researchers from the University of California found that healthy men given a high-selenium diet had a better immune response in improving white blood cells (B-lymphocytes and perhaps T-cell function). So include a variety of sustainable seafood choices in your diet.

Green Tea for Catechins

A 2007 study showed that participants taking green tea extracts have improved immune response by secreting more virus-fighting interferon. Dr. Susan Percival, one of the researchers in this study, agreed that drinking at least 6 cups of tea will achieve the same health benefits. "Green tea is a better immune modulator as it contains higher levels of catechins, but black tea still has benefits," added Dr. Percival, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Florida. Drinking 6 cups of tea may seem like a lot, but adding 2 to 3 cups of this calorie-free beverage to your day is not that hard to achieve.

"Don't Miss Out on One of Japan's Best Kept Secrets..."

Nuts for Vitamin E

Similar to seafood, most people think of omega 3 fatty acids as nuts' major beneficial nutrients. But nuts are also known for their rich levels of Vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin. Researchers from Tufts University found that a daily Vitamin E supplement of 200 IU may help prevent colds among the elderly living in nursing homes. So enjoy some unsalted crunchy nuts and other Vitamin E–rich foods such as whole grain cereals.

Blueberries

These little berries are said to have some of the highest levels of antioxidants of any food available to use. Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Fresh fruits, including blueberries, and vegetables contain many of these naturally occurring antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. Blueberries contain 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg Vitamin E per 1 cup of blueberries. Using a test called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), researchers have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables.

Spinach

Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents.The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. A carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the the Journal of Nutrition. The vitamin K provided by spinach-almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves and over 1000% of the Daily Value in one cup of boiled spinach (which contains about 6 times as much spinach)-is important for maintaining bone health.

Himalayan Sea Salt

So, why are we often told that salt is not good for our health?

Dr. F. Batmanghelidj MD explains that salt is not bad for you. It does not raise the blood pressure. It is the insufficiency of other minerals that normally hold on to and keep water inside the cells that causes a rise in blood pressure. Given in conjunction with other minerals, salt will actually lower blood pressure to normal levels.

Dr. F. Batmanghelidj MD also believes that salt is vital for the prevention and treatment of the cancer.

Cancer cells - he explains- cannot live in an oxygenated environment. When the body is well hydrated and salt expends the volume of blood circulation to reach all parts of the body, the oxygen and active immune cells in the blood reach the cancerous tissue and destroy it.

Click here to find out why sea salt and table salt just dont cut it for proper health

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high in fiber — including the soluble form of fiber than can help sweep cholesterol from the body. It also has plenty of slow-digesting, complex carbohydrates that keep your energy levels up and your blood sugar stable.

Oatmeal is also one of the four foods included in a great breakfast (carbs), an approach to eating that has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels as effectively as statin drugs. Avoid the pre-flavored, pre-packaged instant varieties (although regular instant oatmeal is fine in a pinch) that contain lots of added sugar.

Opt instead for quick oats, old fashioned oats, steel-cut or boxed oat bran. Each of these varieties will have a slightly different texture, so experiment around to see what works for you. Don’t forget that granola is made from oats and makes a great cold breakfast cereal when paired with skim milk. Again, try to choose low-sugar varieties of packaged granola (like Bear Naked Fit) or make your own low-sugar homemade granola at home.Whole oats and oat groats are extremely nutritious because they are minimally processed, with only the outer hull removed. People not used to these delicious and highly nutritious oats will find them chewy.

Steel-cut oats, Irish oats, Scotch oats, pinhead oats, and cracked oats include groats chopped into small pieces. Grain aficionados prefer them for hot oatmeal and muesli. Nutrition is retained, as no heat processing is involved.

Rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, flaked oats, and oatmeal are steamed, rolled, and flaked for quicker cooking. While less nutritious than the whole oats, they are still a healthful choice and good for cereal.

Quick oats, easy oats, and quick-cooking oats are precooked, so cook up in about three minutes. Nutrients are lost in the manufacturing process.

Instant oats are cooked and dehydrated oats that are reconstituted in hot water. No cooking is needed; however, they are the least nutritious oat option.

Color Me Healthy - An easy to follow guide to disease
prevention

You can lose weight, live longer and reduce your risk of disease by eating
fruits and vegetables from seven
different color groups.

That's the theory behind a new food plan that emphasizes the importance
of including a variety of health-promoting phytonutrients in your diet.
The plan follows the Color Code System,devised by David Herber, M.D. Ph.D.,
Professor of Medicine at UCLA and the director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
In his book, "What Color is Your Diet?" Dr. Herber classifies fruit and
vegetables into seven color groups with each color representing a plant
chemical with a specific benefit. What's great about this system is that people can easily understand
which whole foods and which nutrients target which disease.

Red Group: Included in the red group are tomatoes, pink grapefruit
and watermelon. These fruits contain the phytonutrient lycopene, which
may prevent heart disease, lung disease and prostate cancer.

Red/Purple Group: Grapes, red wine, grape juice, cranberries,
blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and red apples are part
of the red/purple group. These foods contain anthocyanines,
an antioxidant that appears to protect against heart disease by
inhibiting blood-clot formation.

Orange Group: Included in the orange group are carrots, mangoes,
apricots, cantaloupes, pumpkin, acorn squash and sweet potatoes.
All high in alpha and betacarotene, these foods may prevent
cancer by blocking cell damage caused by oxidation.

Orange/Yellow Group: This group targets the prevention of heart
disease and includes the nutrient beta cryptothanxin. Included in the
orange/yellow group os orange juice, papayas, tangerines, peaches,
oranges and nectarines.

Yellow/Green Group: Here's the group that includes spinach, mustard
greens, turnips, collard greens, yellow corn, green peas, avocado and
honeydew melon. Because these are the whole foods that contain
lutein and zeaxanthin which target the eyes, they may help prevent
cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Green Group: This group includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage,
Chinese cabbage and kale. These foods contain sulforaphanes, isothiocyanates
and indoles which speed up the action of
enzymes that break down carcinogens in the body.

White/Green Group: White wine, garlic, onions, celery, pears and chives
are rich in flavonoids. Plants in the onion family also contain allicin, which
appears to deter the growth of tumors.

Putting phytonutrients to work for you! Research shows that free radicals,
the by-product of breathing, damage DNA and cause cancer and other diseases.
Recent studies indicate that 80 to 90% if all cancers are not inherited, but are
caused by DNA defects that could be prevented by eating phytonutrient-rich whole foods.
Phytonutrients in the color groups listed, target specific tissues and organs where
they protect against oxygen damage. The production of free radical soars as we age,
while our bodies' natural DNA defenses break down. Dependence on the DNA
defenses available in whole foods becomes increasingly important and that's
where color coding your food can help you maintain optimum health. Nutrition
experts advise eating at least one serving from each of the seven color groups daily.
To get those daily servings, there's no need to consult complex charts, formulas
and exchange lists. With a Vitamix machine on your counter, you have over
400 delicious, whole food recipes that can be made in minutes.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Phytonutrients aren't the only benefit of eating from the complete color palette.
Whole foods add fiber to your diet, so you'll fill up on fruits and vegetables and
eat less high-fat and high-sugar foods. The added bonus is that you reduce
excess body fat, you further decrease your risk of disease.

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