The Solution to Healthy Weight Loss
Marilyn Pokorney

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The overweight and obesity epidemic is a worldwide problem.
There are no official statistics for spending on diet
products, but estimates vary from $40 to $100 billion in the
US alone, much of that on scams and fad diets that promise
the impossible.

Research shows that 95% of people who have lost weight find
that they regain it back when they return to their normal
eating habits.

According to the Center for Disease Control’s Chronic
Disease Center, in 1991 in the United States, only four
states had an obesity prevalence of 15 percent to 19
percent. In 2003, 15 states had an obesity prevalence of
15 to 19 percent, 31 states had an obesity prevalence of 20
to 24 percent, and four states had a prevalence of 25
percent or more.

Major medical problems associated with obesity include
gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high blood
cholesterol, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.

If that isn’t incentive enough to lose that excess weight
statistics show that overweight people are usually given
lower paying jobs, get lower salaries, receive little in
raises, and are, as a whole, looked down upon by 40 percent
of fellow employees and employers.

In 2002 The American Heart Association reported that more
than 10 percent of US children ages 2 to 5 are overweight.
That is up from 7 percent in 1994. The situation is
probably even worse now, said Dr. Robert H. Eckel,
president-elect of the heart association and professor of
medicine at the University of Colorado.

The obesity problem among children has increased with
school-age children as well. Four million children ages 6
to 11 and 5.3 million in age group 12 to 19 have increased
by 75 percent from 1991.

Food habits adopted in childhood can be hard to change. As
a result hypertension and high cholesterol leading to heart
disease, strokes, and diabetes are going to become the
nations top health problem with people of all ages within 10
to 30 years. These are ailments that usually afflict the
middle age to elderly population. More than a million new
cases of diabetes are already being diagnosed each year,
says the American Diabetic Association.

Nearly 30 percent of American adults are overweight and
another 30 percent are obese, according to University of
Minnesota researchers. Obesity is usually described as a
weight 20 percent greater than the persons desirable weight.

A study by the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at the
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle revealed
that 60% of overweight women, and 70% of obese women, are
likely to become pregnant while taking the pill. The
researchers suggest that a higher metabolism is the reason,
causing the medication to be effective for a shorter length
of time. Or, that the drug interacts with the body’s
hormones in a way that the drug becomes trapped in the body
fat instead of circulating in the bloodstream.

Studies with obese pregnant women show they are 50% more
likely to die during pregnancy than those of normal weight.
Complications such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes,
hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, and stillbirth
are also more common. Preliminary evidence shows that
babies are also adversely affected, and are more likely to
be obese themselves in later life.

Fast foods: Studies show that people who frequent fast food
outlets twice a week or more gained 36 pounds over the
course of 15 years compared to 26 pounds for those that
frequented them once a week or less.

A major factor for the obesity crisis is a sedentary
lifestyle, not enough exercise, and the eating of high
calorie fast foods in place of nutritious natural food
products.

Fast food is designed to promote consumption of the maximum
number of calories in the minimum amount of time. This
upsets the body’s normal metabolism. One solution is to eat
smaller, more nutritious, meals more frequently throughout
the day.

Physical activity reduces the effects of being overweight,
but healthy eating habits have to be followed to prevent
disease associated with poor nutrition according to an
expert of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School
of Public Health.

The new diet guidelines set by the Health and Human Services
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is basically a
balanced diet and good old fashioned exercise. They stress
more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and limit fats, sugar,
alcohol, and salt.

Many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day making a choice of
healthy food available at all times.

For more tips on how to lose weight safely see The Secret to
Weight Loss at:
http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/diettips.htm

*****************************************
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
*****************************************

About the Author

Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

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Healthy Eating Myths Destroyed
Dr. Jamie Fettig

Some of the things you think you know that just aint so (these myths are not true):
Eating Cholesterol does not increase your cholesterol levels
Salt does NOT cause High Blood Pressure
Eating Fat does NOT make you fat
All refined carbohydrates are hazardous to you
Artificial sweeteners of all kinds are not good for you
All vitamins and supplements are NOT created equal

Eating Cholesterol does not increase your cholesterol levels

The Medical professions current way of thinking about cholesterol.
They look and see lots of cholesterol in the blood. So they scratch their head and say, well, dont eat so much cholesterol then. If you eat less cholesterol, you will not have as much in your blood. Now, on the surface, it sounds good. But there are two major flaws with their theory. The first one. It doesnt work. I dare you to try and find someone whose cholesterol significantly went down by eating less cholesterol. You will be hard pressed to find someone. Even with medication.

That brings in my favorite definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result. This is what the medical profession has been doing for Years. Telling people to do the same thing, with out really getting results, expecting to get different results. It just doesnt work that way.

The Second flaw in their theory is this. The cholesterol in your blood is not the same cholesterol in the food you eat. Your body actually has to break down the cholesterol in the food you eat, and then absorb the pieces of the cholesterol. Then your body, if it wants to, has to reassemble the pieces back into the cholesterol you find in your blood. And your body does not make cholesterol, unless you need it.

The question is then why would you need cholesterol in your blood?

Cholesterols primary job is to carry glucose (sugar) around the blood stream. You need an equal number of cholesterol units as you have sugar molecules in your blood. So if you have 3000 sugar molecules in your blood, you need 3,000 cholesterol molecules to carry them. The actual numbers are much, much higher than this, but you get the point.

The more glucose or sugar molecules you have in your blood, the more cholesterol you need to carry them.

So what affects your blood sugar levels? Mostly what you eat. Refined Carbohydrates. When you eat refined carbohydrates, the get digested and absorbed into the blood stream very quickly. Your body then very quickly converts the refined carbohydrates into glucose. This causes a spike in your blood glucose levels. And if you have a high amount of glucose in the blood, what do you need again? That is right; you need lots of cholesterol to carry those glucose guys around.

Your body is smart. It learns from the past. If you are constantly having high amounts of glucose because of the food you eat. Your body prepares for the next time that you eat refined carbohydrates. It prepares by having lots of cholesterol on reserves to deal with the certain increase in glucose levels that are inevitably going to happen.

So if you eat refined carbohydrates often (daily) your body prepares by keeping lots of cholesterol on reserve to deal with this. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have high cholesterol levels. Your body is smart, and it is preparing for the inevitability of your blood glucose levels going way up from eating refined carbohydrates.

Like I said, your body is smart. It is a very quick learner. If you quit eating food that makes your blood sugar levels high, your body will get rid of the excess of cholesterol levels in your blood. That is why, often with in weeks, your cholesterol levels drop significantly, often 50 or 100 or more points, when you quit eating refined carbohydrates.

Now, the trick comes with, what is refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are things that are mostly calories from carbohydrates that have been refined from how they are found in nature including most sugars. Great, what does that mean? Things like breads, crackers, pastas, sugar (in most forms), and grains are refined carbohydrates.

To safely, significantly lower your cholesterol level with in weeks, quit eating refined carbohydrates. It is that simple. And again, dont take my word for it. Do it yourself, and measure your cholesterol levels before and after, and you will see for yourself. If you cut refined carbohydrates out completely, you will often notice the 50-100 point drops within weeks. If you still eat refined carbohydrates, you will notice a decrease, but not as quickly. And the amount your cholesterol drops will be in direct proportion to how much refined carbohydrates you quit eating. The less you eat, the more it will drop. It really is that simple.

About the Author

The truth about salt causing high Blood pressure. I share this with you in my free e-course. Go to http://www.HealthyEatingDiet.com for the e-course. Dr. Jamie wants to give you Permanent Results with his “non-diet.” He is giving you free gifts to “ethically bribe” you into helping him make his new book, “The Ultimate Non-Diet” a #1 best seller. For details on the book go to: http://www.TheUltimateNonDiet.com/free

Tags: Artificial Sweeteners, Author, Bl, Blood Stream, Cholesterol, Cholesterol Levels, Definition Of Insanity, Dr Jamie, e-course, Eating Healthy, food;, Glucose, Healthy Eating, high blood pressure;, High Cholesterol, Jamie, Job, Medical Profession, Medical Professions, Medication, Myths, NOT cause High Blood Pressure, Refined Carbohydrates, salt causing high Blood pressure, Sugar Molecules, Vitamins And Supplements —

Food that&#39s good for a healthy heart
Nitin Jain

Here’s a conundrum: While experts agree that high cholesterol and blood pressure are crucial heart disease risk factors, many people who suffer chest pain or even heart attacks have levels that are perfectly normal. This puzzle has prompted researchers to scour the body for other cardiovascular villains. Several have emerged in recent years, but the one that stands out the most is inflammation.

The latest studies suggest that chronic inflammation of the lining of arteries is an important factor in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. What causes this inflammation is not clear, but the good news is that (1) the advice that is given for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides also works fine for fighting inflammation; and (2) you can tackle all 4 culprits with the help of dietary weapons – http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/nutrients.htm In fact, you can plan your war against heart disease in your kitchen. Here is how:

1. Think like an artist when you choose fruits and vegetables: Eat those with the brightest colors. They have the most heart protective antioxidant pigments. A diet high in fruits and veggies also provides another important heart benefit, salicylic acid, which is the same anti-inflammatory compound created when aspirin is broken down in the body.

2. Increase food sources of omega-3 fatty acids which target high triglycerides in the blood. Good sources of omega-3s include fish such as sardines, mackerel; nuts and seeds; green leafy vegetables; grains like wheat, bajra; legumes like rajma, cowpea, and black gram.

3. Reduce the amount of meats you eat, especially red meats, and always select lean cuts. Use meat as a seasoning for vegetable dishes rather than the focal point of a meal.

4. Cut down on salt and instead use herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, turmeric and fenugreek liberally in your cooking; the first three are naturally anti-inflammatory and the last has soluble fibre which helps sweep away cholesterol from the arteries.

5. Shift to groundnut, mustard, rice bran and olive oils which contain monosaturated fatty acids that help lower (bad) LDL and maintain levels of (good) HDL cholesterol. Drastically limit margarine, vegetable shortening, butter and all products made with partially hydrogenated oils.

6. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains (wheat, brown rice, oats), beans and pulses, are also great sources of soluble and insoluble fibre, which trap LDLs and usher them out of the body.

Get helpful information on vitamins, amino acids, herbs, minerals and other nutrients for a healthier life – http://www.vitaminsdiary.com/.

If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE link to our website

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Fats and carbohydrates – their place in your healthy diet
Zaak OConan

Lately it would seem that fats and carbohydrates have both gotten a bad rap. First it was fat that was the culprit in all dietary ills, and low fat diets were all the rage. Then the two switched places, with carbohydrates being the bad guys and fat reigning supreme.

As with most extremes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. There is no such thing as a bad food, only bad dietary choices. While some foods are naturally better for you than others, there is no reason that all foods cannot be enjoyed in moderation. After all, the most successful diet is not one that you can follow for a day, a week or even a year. On the contrary, the only successful diet and nutrition program is one that you will be able to follow for a lifetime.

Both fats and carbohydrates play an important role in nutrition, and both are important to a healthy diet. It would be impossible and unwise to eliminate all fat from the diet, since fat is important for the production of energy, and for carrying valuable fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K, throughout the body. In addition, fat plays a vital role in regulating various bodily functions.

Even though some fat is essential to a healthy body, too much fat can be harmful. Excessive levels of dietary fats have been implicated in heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol levels and even some cancers. Most nutritionists recommend limiting daily fat intake to less than 20% of calories, although taking that level lower than 10% is not recommended.

Of course not all fats are created equal, and some fats are more harmful than others. Saturated fats and trans fats are generally understood to be more harmful in the diet than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These lighter fats, like canola oil and olive oil, should form the basis of cooking a healthier diet.

Keeping saturated fats and trans fats to a minimum is important to a healthy diet. Trans fats, which are solid at room temperature, are most often found in highly processed foods like cookies, cakes and other baked goods. In addition, trans fats are often found in fried foods and in salty snacks like potato chips. While these foods are fine in moderation, it is best to avoid large quantities of such snacks.

One additional word here about good fats – yes there are such things, and one of the most powerful of these are the so called omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are most often found in fish, and they have shown great promise in preventing and even reversing heart disease and high cholesterol levels.

When limiting your daily intake of fat and cholesterol, it is good to have an understanding of nutritional labels. These government mandated labels can be a huge help to those who take the time to read and understand them. Not only do nutritional labels provide valuable information on calories, fat content and sodium, but they provide valuable information about the most important vitamins and minerals as well.

Like fats, carbohydrates are found in a variety of different foods, some healthier than other. For instance, both Twinkies and whole wheat bread are sources of carbohydrates, but while one can form the basis of a healthy diet, the other is best used as an occasional snack.

In addition to cereals and breads, carbohydrates are also present in fruits and vegetables and in milk and other dairy products. Carbohydrates and fats are both important to a healthy, varied diet.

As with many products, less is often more when it comes to choosing foods rich in carbohydrates. For instance, less refined whole grain bread is generally more nutritious than white bread which has gone through a greater amount of refining. That is because the refining process tends to reduce nutrient content over time.

Of course, there are some elements in the diet that should be limited. Two of these elements are sugar and salt. Most Americans consume too much salt and sugar, and this has led to epidemics of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other ills. Limiting sugar and salt, while choosing good fats and unrefined carbohydrates, is a great way to maximize the nutritional value of the foods you eat.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

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