End Winter Weight Gain With Healthy Snacking
Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP

It’s that time of year we all start thinking about putting on a healthy layer of fat, just like the hibernating bears. From a nip in the air to a massive snow and ice storm, there is a palpable difference in the air. We’ve generally accepted that it is nature’s way of helping us provide a little extra winter fat, storing up for the winter, just in case. But how long since you last had a food shortage or had to wait out the winter for your next meal?

This year can be different.

Today consider making one small change. When you make a small change, it is easier to handle, you are more likely to incorporate it into your daily life and you are more likely to succeed, than if you try to make a global change to your whole way of being.

Instead of taking something away, start by adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Just for today, throw out your rules, if you typically follow a diet that forbids fruit or fresh vegetables because fresh foods are too important to miss. Fresh foods are sweet, satisfying and full of vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, and other things that your body requires for optimum health.

Choose a few you particularly enjoy. This time of year apples are great, citrus fruits, bananas are available year-round. Get some fresh fruits you like and start carrying a food sack everywhere you go. Try little packages of baby carrots, or cut up cauliflower and broccoli. A fellow I know always has a bagful of chopped cauliflower, carrots, and others vegis he munches on. That’s smart.

The idea with healthy snacking is that when hunger strikes (or what you think is hunger), no matter where you are you’ll now have healthy snacks handy. No more having to buy a candy bar because you’re famished. My choices for healthy snacks won’t suit everyone, but that’s fine. Choose other things that would work better for you. I enjoy things such as jerky, whole grain rolls or bagels, yogurts, and fresh fruits as I mentioned earlier. I almost always have an apple nearby.

The idea is that it’s not that you couldn’t wait, but what has forestalling your hunger done for you so far? It tends to set you up for later binging and out-of-control snacking. Eating a few healthy snacks during the day can end that pattern once and for all.

Here’s a plan: Think of one or two fresh foods you could carry in a big or small cooler and then do it. As I’m writing this I’m a little hungry and I’m starting to think about having a snack. I might eat an apple, a banana or some jerky because they are all within my immediate reach. That’s far better than not eating anything now, but instead deciding to “wait it out,” while I start thinking about cookies and cake and pizza and other fast foods I can grab on the way home.

Going all day in a hungry or denied state sets you up for late night binging and out-of-control snacking. You’ll never be able to make up for the earlier deprivation. Why bother. I’ve never met anyone yet who got fat from eating too much fruit, so be brave and give this idea a chance.

About the Author

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, author of the free
e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight
Loss, and owner of http://www.OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get The Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and
NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss and Tackling any
Obstacles http://www.onemorebite-weightloss.com/getnews.html

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Why are most people in the Western World Unhealthy?
Warren Matthews

I’m going to attempt to shed some shed some light as to why the majority of the population is overweight and in less than optimum health. I won’t bore you with a whole lot of facts as you have probably heard most of them before, particularly those relating to obesity.

Observe the Evidence:

I am sure that you have observed the evidence of the extent of general poor health yourself…first hand. If
you haven’t already done so, next time you are in a shopping mall sit down for 10 minutes and consciously observe the outward health of the people passing by you.

Look at whether they are overweight, observe their skin for clarity and firmness, take note of the way they
move…are their movements effortless and appear to have energy to spare, or are they sluggish as if they are
carrying a burden? Also look at their eyes… are they bright, clear and alert?

I think that you know what the results of a personal survey such as this will reveal! It will show that the MAJORITY of the people that pass by you will either be overweight or have other outward signs of less than optimal health.

I am not being judgmental of these people because many of them are in this condition primarily as a result of
being fed misinformation through the media by either misguided authorities or commercial interests. Before
I expand on this I should mention that a certain number of these people are nevertheless 100% to blame for
their condition.

They know they are doing harmful things to their body and health.

But, what about the rest of the unhealthy group who are in this condition primarily due to being fed a constant stream of misinformation!

These can be placed into just a few general categories:

1. Psychological.

There is a constant barrage of ‘pill’ advertising which we are subjected to every day. Consider the influence
that this has on the general population. If you were to believe the advertismentss and ignore the side effect warnings it would be quite easy to get the impression that there is a ‘Magic pill’ solution for most ailments.

Added to this are the constant news releases that talk about new medical discoveries such as being able to
grow replacement organs when your own wear out, and don’t forget about the ‘promising’ research for other
new ‘miracle’ drugs just over the horizon.

All these influences combined with a ‘busy’ society looking for a quick and easy ‘fix’, it is no wonder that so many people are quite ‘slack’ when it comes to taking care of their
bodies…particularly on the inside.

2. Dietary Advice.

The food pyramid that is recommended people adhere to, haslargely been discredited scientifically but continues to be pushed. Also, an obsession has developed in which people
are constantly advised to reduce their fat intake.

The ‘official’ line is that saturated animal fats are bad for you and you should avoid butter etc, etc… People believe that if you eat saturated fat you will become fat, or if you eat foods containing cholesterol such as eggs you will raise your cholesterol levels, and so on.

The reality is quite different but I do not have the space to examine this further right now. But just as a quick
illustration take cholesterol. 80% of your blood cholesterol is manufactured by your liver. In other words only 20% is from dietary sources. So, if you reduced your intake of cholesterol by 25% it would only impact on your overall cholesterol by 5%.

By people accepting the ‘official’ no fat line they turn to alternatives such as margarine and other vegetable
oil substitutes. What they are not aware of is that most of these substitutes, which are derived from vegetable oils, are in fact hydrogenated because otherwise they would be liquid at room temperature.

This involves treating the oils and the resulting substance is much, much more harmful than butter could ever be. A
future article will discuss the subject of oils and fats.

The official dietary guidelines virtually ignore the incredibly harmful impact of processed foods and sugar on
the human body. They also ignore the fact that the normal western diet is seriously lacking in essential nutrients, which translate to imbalances and poor health.

3. Mystery.

We all know that the human body is an amazingly complex ‘vehicle’. No one fully understands all the interactions
that are taking place within it every second throughout your lifetime.

This includes the medical profession along with the pharmaceutical industry, evidenced by the ongoing removal
from the market of drugs which have been approved and considered to be safe and afterwards found not to be.

Nonetheless, many people place far too much reliance on the medical profession. Apart from using the medical profession for important tests to find out the internal health of your body so you can make corrections in your lifestyle habits if required, you should never have to visit a physician.

Now, I understand and appreciate that this is not the case for the vast majority of people. I just want to
make the point that other than routine check ups if you need to visit the Doctor it means you have damaged your
body in some way and are seeking a repair.

Your body is not like a car when it comes to repair issues. When you try to repair your body through the use of
pharmaceutical drugs you run a serious risk of starting a cascade effect which will bring on other health problems
in the short or longer term.

In Summary

If you want to live a life of vibrant health and energy take a close look at your attitude to health and consider
honestly if you are working towards removing as much as possible the mystery of how your body works. Realize that there is no quick and easy medical ‘fix’ for most ailments as a single ailment is often merely one small symptom of other underlying problems that cannot be effectively dealt with in isolation…in the long term.

Try to eliminate as much as possible, your intake of manufactured and processed foods and avoid drinking sodas, and tap water. If you are overweight be particularly vigilant about avoiding sugars in any form…they are much more damaging to your weight objectives than fat.

In good health,

Warren Matthews
Editor In Chief
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The pH diet stresses a balanced approach to eating. By limiting the intake of acidic foods and increasing the intake of alkaline foods one can achieve optimum health. One of the main factors in the fight against acidic pH levels is sugar. Sugar is an epidemic in our modern world. The average American consumes 2 to 3 pounds of sugar each week, that translates to over 135 pounds of sugar per person per year. This alarming number is attributed to the wide popularity of sugar as an additive. Sugar is in everything, hiding in various forms. Sucrose, dextrose, and high fructose corn syrups are active ingredient in all processed food and condiments. These highly refined sweeteners leave a bitter taste in the mouths of those who are starting out on the pH diet due to their universal acceptance as a necessary evil

With sugars radical effect on insulin levels, the body has no fighting chance against the damage. When insulin levels drop; so do the release of growth hormone. These growth hormones depress the immune system that leaves the body open to a host of diseases and maladies. Insulin also inhibits the bodys ability to fight off weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels. Put quite simply, the higher in simple sugars a food is, the more likely it will promote fat storage in the body. These stored fat cells play a host to acidic waste that in turn degrade the structure of red blood cells in the bloodstream.

Sugar also fights for control of the cellular development in the body with Vitamin C. From a structural standpoint, Vitamin C and Simple Sugar are quite similar. As sugar levels go up in the body, they compete with one another when they enter cells. If there is a higher concentration of sugar in the bloodstream which will allow more sugar into thirsty cells leaving little to no room for Vitamin C. Without the phagocytizing effects of Vitamn C on cellular structures they are unable to fend off the attacks of viruses and bacteria. Lower white blood cell counts equal a suppressed immune system that isnt strong enough to protect the body.

Sugar is devoid of vitamins and minerals and upon absorption steals vital micro-nutrients to help it metabolize into the system. A deficit is created when these micro-nutrients are not replaced. This deficiency causes fat cells and cholesterol to not be metabolized thus leading to high blood pressure and obesity. The ability of sugar to raise insulin levels artificially eventually leaves the pancreas dysfunctional and the body dependent on sugar. This is commonly referred to as diabetes. Simple sugars have also been attributed to gallstones, mood disorders, heart disease and even asthma. With all of the negative effects that sugars have been clinically linked to, is it any wonder that sugar is also one of the most acidic things you can put into your body.

Cancer is the most dangerous result of heavy sugar dependence. Cancerous cells thrive on lactic acid. This lactic acid produced by fermenting glucose is transported into the liver. A more acidic PH is produced by this buildup of lactic acid in the cancerous cells, the highly acidic nature of cancerous tumors is testament to this. The connection between sugars and unhealthy acidic levels in the bloodstream is clearly drawn through the connection of glucose (sugar) and cancerous cells. Simple sugars are quite simply a poison to the body that will eventually deteriorate the quality of cellular development and suppress the immune system to the point of failure.

By balancing the diet with an 80% alkaline and 20% acid induction of foods, supplements, and beverages you can decrease the risk of disease in the body. By replacing simple sugars with more complex ones or alkaline-based sweeteners such as Stevia, one can decrease the dependence on simple sugars and avoid bad health. Look carefully at ingredient labels and be aware of the many names that simple sugars hide behind. Become educated on how the body metabolizes simple sugars, as well as how carbohydrates can be broken down into simple sugars in the bloodstream. By arming yourself with information you can improve the quality of your life.

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The pH miracle diet is an exciting new way for people to take control of their health. By lowering your dependence on acid producing foods and raising your intake of alkali foods you can attain optimum health. The pH scale is from 1 to 14 , 1 being very acidic and 14 being very alkaline. The blood in the human bloodstream tends to run slightly alkaline at 7.35. All foods, beverages and in fact everything we put into our bodies will breakdown into acid or alkali. The body will store and eliminate excess amounts of these things respectively. An excess amount of acid stored in the body will cause the blood to cluster in the bloodstream, causing fatigue and trauma to the body on the cellular level. When there is so much shutdown going on in the body, the immune system will be lowered allowing disease and illness to enter. By keeping the balance of the pH level in the body at 7.35 you can ensure good health. Eating more alkaline foods and avoiding overly acidic foods a proper balance can be maintained. Researching which foods are alkalizing and which ones are acidifying will give you the power to make informed choices. Knowing where you are on the pH scale will determine what changes you need to implement into your daily routine. The monitoring of this balance can be achieved through the regular use of pH saliva test strips. With so much riding on proper technique and form, the level of personal accountability can be rather high for the first time dieter, especially if they are used to other diets that dont require as much responsibility as the pH diet. This can be a daunting task for many starting out on the pH miracle diet. Here are two common mistakes and their solutions.

Trying to add too much alkaline into the system is a common pitfall many overly enthusiastic dieters fall into. The purpose of the pH miracle diet is to create a permanent way of living for you stressing the idea of balance. Many dieters want to solve the problem with a quick fix submerging them into an all alkali intake. This is going overboard with supplements and beverages promising to raise their alkaline levels to unhealthy levels. As stated earlier about too much acid in your bloodstream being unhealthy for you, so too can an overabundance of alkali. Many people focus on the claim that cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment, which is true, but nothing in the human body can survive very long in a purely alkali environment. Yes, it is true, too man alkalis can kill you. The key to life is everything in moderation and the pH diet is no exception. Acids and alkalis are meant to work in concert together. Acids serve your body and play a function in the breaking down of digested material. The stomach is an acid holding tank that converts food into energy. Alkaline waits in the intestinal tract for this newly energized material still hot with acidity and neutralizes it as the material is metabolized, absorbed and sent into the bloodstream. By keeping this harmonious partnership in synch you assure that your bodys pH levels stay within the optimum range.

Many people who start out dont take enough time to look for complete listings of the pH levels of the foods they eat. There are many lists available online and in various books that offer food lists that break the groups down into acids and alkalis. Making sure to choose a comprehensive list will guarantee whole nutrition. A list that includes supplements, herbs, spices, and condiments is the most desirable. You want the most complete list possible including those foods which are neutral. Paying attention to how many foods are being ingested from the acid and alkali sides is a great way to ensure proper balance in the diet.

Tags: Acid Producing Foods, Acidic Foods, Alkali Foods, Alkaline Foods, cancer;, Cellular Level, Daily Routine, Daunting Task, Dieters, disease, energy;, Excess Amounts, fatigue;, food lists;, food;, Human Bloodstream, illness, Optimum Health, Personal Accountability, Ph Level, Ph Miracle Diet, Ph Saliva, Ph Scale, Pitfall, Proper Balance, Saliva Test, Test Strips —