Lack of education and information is one of the leading causes behind many weight loss failures. As a matter of fact, lack of education gives rise to several misconceptions and superstitions! One such misconception is regarding carbohydrates. People think that carbohydrates are all bad and that if one can reduce carbohydrate intake, or even better, totally avoid carbohydrates, then weight loss will be easy! However, that is completely wrong!
There are actually two types of carbohydrates, to simplify we'll call them the good and the bad. You should of course avoid the 'bad' carbohydrates but the 'good' ones will provide your body with much needed nutrition and energy. Here's a brief rundown on what types of carbs you should consume and which ones you should avoid to ensure fast weight loss!
1. The Bad Carbohydrates: In case you don't know, processed foods contain a lot of carbs. However they are bad carbs. These foods do contain some nutrition in their natural state but as soon as they are processed through their various stages, much of their nutrition and value is lost! What is left are empty calories which only make you fat and nothing else.
Examples of such foods are chips, white bread, pasta, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, candies, etc. These foods should be avoided at all costs, if you are serious about weight loss, that is!
These processed foods contain a lot of sugar and as you might be aware, sugar is rich in calorie content. The more sugar you consume, the fatter you become! These foods offer very little nutrition to your body and since they have very little fiber content, they are easily converted by your body into fat deposits.
Apart from weight gain, eating processed foods regularly can also result in diabetes, since your blood sugar levels increase so much that it becomes extremely difficult for the insulin produced by your body to control it!
2. The Good Carbohydrates: So what are good carbohydrates? Good carbohydrates can usually be found in natural foods, such as raw fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, wholemeal pasta, wholegrain wheat, etc.
These foods contain carbs for sure but not the ones that would make you fat! Unlike the fast carbs contained in the processed foods, these are slow carbs which take a long time to digest; therefore, you don't get fat!
Plus they also contain a high amount of fiber. Fiber will keep you fuller for longer! If there was ever a natural way to suppress your appetite, then this is it!
Remember that not all carbs are bad. Making the right decision regarding carb consumption can result in quick weight loss!
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Four Foods That Can Help You With Weight Loss
Ever wondered why most people gain weight during their middle age? During middle age, a person's metabolic rate slows down; hence they are not able to burn as much fat as they used to during their youth. Eating certain foods however, can boost your metabolic rate and help you to lose weight.
1. Green Tea: If you are in the habit of drinking morning tea, replace it with green tea! Ordinary tea is not so bad, but green tea is better! It contains fat burning chemicals which will help you with weight loss. It is no wonder that many of the weight loss supplements available in the market have green tea as a common ingredient!
2. Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a great replacement for the ordinary butter. Unlike the ordinary butter, which is rich in fat, peanut butter is rich in protein and fiber, both of which will help you with weight loss. While protein will help you burn fat by building lean muscle mass, fiber will help in suppressing your appetite for a long time.
Peanut butter is widely available but I would recommend that you buy the natural ones and avoid the popular commercial brands. Or if you want, prepare it at home! Peanut butter makes for a great breakfast when combined with wholegrain wheat!
3. Almond: As you know,there are two types of fat, good and not so goods. Bad fats need to be avoided because simply, they make you fat! The good fats, on the other hand, supply your body with essential nutrients such as fatty acids. Almond is one such food. It is rich in fatty acids and protein. Almond helps you burn fat by boosting your metabolic rate!
4. Beans: How successfully you are able to suppress your hunger will determine how fast you are able to lose weight. Beans make for a great appetite supplement. Since they are rich in fiber, they help to keep your stomach full for a long time.
OK, they do have that sometimes unfortunate side-effect, but eaten regularly your system gets used to processing them in the most efficient manner, and it isn't such a problem.
So, if you incorporate these foods into your diet on a regular basis it will help you to lose weight without being too stressful.
1. Green Tea: If you are in the habit of drinking morning tea, replace it with green tea! Ordinary tea is not so bad, but green tea is better! It contains fat burning chemicals which will help you with weight loss. It is no wonder that many of the weight loss supplements available in the market have green tea as a common ingredient!
2. Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a great replacement for the ordinary butter. Unlike the ordinary butter, which is rich in fat, peanut butter is rich in protein and fiber, both of which will help you with weight loss. While protein will help you burn fat by building lean muscle mass, fiber will help in suppressing your appetite for a long time.
Peanut butter is widely available but I would recommend that you buy the natural ones and avoid the popular commercial brands. Or if you want, prepare it at home! Peanut butter makes for a great breakfast when combined with wholegrain wheat!
3. Almond: As you know,there are two types of fat, good and not so goods. Bad fats need to be avoided because simply, they make you fat! The good fats, on the other hand, supply your body with essential nutrients such as fatty acids. Almond is one such food. It is rich in fatty acids and protein. Almond helps you burn fat by boosting your metabolic rate!
4. Beans: How successfully you are able to suppress your hunger will determine how fast you are able to lose weight. Beans make for a great appetite supplement. Since they are rich in fiber, they help to keep your stomach full for a long time.
OK, they do have that sometimes unfortunate side-effect, but eaten regularly your system gets used to processing them in the most efficient manner, and it isn't such a problem.
So, if you incorporate these foods into your diet on a regular basis it will help you to lose weight without being too stressful.
Friday 16 March 2012
The how to lose weight fast guide to telling good fats from bad fats.
Dietary guidelines…do they confuse you? How much protein should we eat? What about carbohydrates? Should we eat them at all? If your blood type is O, do you eat differently to your partner whose blood type is AB?
If there’s a more confusing and contradictory issue than human nutrition, I have yet to find it. Well maybe the psychology behind male and female relations comes close – anyone who’s single & online dating will know all about that!
But scientific literature on the subject of diet and nutrition is so conflicting that you start to question the value of anything you read. You take time to study, say, four articles on diet and you get four totally different opinions written by authors with lots of impressive initials after their names.
Let’s look at fats. What a maligned character is that of poor fat. The no-fat diet was huge in the 1970s (There are those who think that this could be a direct contributor to the huge surge in brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s that we see today).
This diet is making a pretty reasonable comeback in Generation Now. People avoid fat like a Scandinavian backpacker in a shopping mall collecting money for Greenpeace.
But this avoidance of a substance we need in fairly reasonable amounts (20-30 per cent of our daily caloric intake) in our diet is not only unhealthy but also pointless, as the liver converts carbohydrate to fat very simply and quickly.
A close relative of fat, cholesterol, is even more despised. But did you know that human breast milk has a higher proportion of cholesterol than any other food? It’s also 50 per cent fat, most of which is saturated. Hmmm.
Ok, so what is saturated fat good for? It:
- makes up 50 per cent of all cell membranes, so is essential for the health of all cells.
- protects the liver from alcohol and other toxins.
- has an immune function.
- is antimicrobial in the digestive tract.
- enhances essential fatty acid utilisation.
And what about cholesterol? It is:
- essential for sex hormone production and corticosteroids that help the body deal with stress and protect against heart disease and cancer.
- essential for Vitamin D production which in turn supports bone and nervous system health, growth, metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production,reproduction, immunity, digestion, and serotonin production.
To add to this, fat (good fat that is) in general is an anti-inflammatory and makes up the myelin sheath that covers your brain, spinal cord and nervous system.
So what’s the dietary take home message? We must increase our intake of good fats, ie coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oils, etc. As long as the oil is pure, extra virgin and cold pressed it will be nutritionally beneficial.
Remember the only oil you can cook with is coconut oil or butter. All other oils are destroyed by heat. Eggs (organic) are a wonder food and should be eaten with confidence. The same goes for organic butter. Trans-fats should be banned for human consumption (animal consumption too for that matter).
But what if your doctor says you should cut out saturated fats and cholesterol from your diet? Is that right? Are they sure? Before you believe them, just take a closer look at your doctor…
So, the next time you’re dating someone & the conversion turns to diets, start talking about good fat if you need to cover a few of your own pounds hanging over your belt!
If only online dating guidelines could be broken down so easily…that’s impossibly more complex than dieting.
If there’s a more confusing and contradictory issue than human nutrition, I have yet to find it. Well maybe the psychology behind male and female relations comes close – anyone who’s single & online dating will know all about that!
But scientific literature on the subject of diet and nutrition is so conflicting that you start to question the value of anything you read. You take time to study, say, four articles on diet and you get four totally different opinions written by authors with lots of impressive initials after their names.
Let’s look at fats. What a maligned character is that of poor fat. The no-fat diet was huge in the 1970s (There are those who think that this could be a direct contributor to the huge surge in brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s that we see today).
This diet is making a pretty reasonable comeback in Generation Now. People avoid fat like a Scandinavian backpacker in a shopping mall collecting money for Greenpeace.
But this avoidance of a substance we need in fairly reasonable amounts (20-30 per cent of our daily caloric intake) in our diet is not only unhealthy but also pointless, as the liver converts carbohydrate to fat very simply and quickly.
A close relative of fat, cholesterol, is even more despised. But did you know that human breast milk has a higher proportion of cholesterol than any other food? It’s also 50 per cent fat, most of which is saturated. Hmmm.
Ok, so what is saturated fat good for? It:
- makes up 50 per cent of all cell membranes, so is essential for the health of all cells.
- protects the liver from alcohol and other toxins.
- has an immune function.
- is antimicrobial in the digestive tract.
- enhances essential fatty acid utilisation.
And what about cholesterol? It is:
- essential for sex hormone production and corticosteroids that help the body deal with stress and protect against heart disease and cancer.
- essential for Vitamin D production which in turn supports bone and nervous system health, growth, metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production,reproduction, immunity, digestion, and serotonin production.
To add to this, fat (good fat that is) in general is an anti-inflammatory and makes up the myelin sheath that covers your brain, spinal cord and nervous system.
So what’s the dietary take home message? We must increase our intake of good fats, ie coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oils, etc. As long as the oil is pure, extra virgin and cold pressed it will be nutritionally beneficial.
Remember the only oil you can cook with is coconut oil or butter. All other oils are destroyed by heat. Eggs (organic) are a wonder food and should be eaten with confidence. The same goes for organic butter. Trans-fats should be banned for human consumption (animal consumption too for that matter).
But what if your doctor says you should cut out saturated fats and cholesterol from your diet? Is that right? Are they sure? Before you believe them, just take a closer look at your doctor…
So, the next time you’re dating someone & the conversion turns to diets, start talking about good fat if you need to cover a few of your own pounds hanging over your belt!
If only online dating guidelines could be broken down so easily…that’s impossibly more complex than dieting.
Sunday 11 March 2012
Weightloss exercise tips for busy people.
The pressures of modern everyday life can sometimes make it difficult for busy working people to find the time to exercise regularly as part of their weightloss program.
I have been there myself, and there were times when the stress of a busy worklife and family life made it all but impossible for me to stick to my weight loss plan.
OK that's the negative side. But you must not let stress become an excuse for giving up on the exercise, which is after all an essential part of any weight loss regime. There are 24 hours in every day, so why can't you find the time to exercise?
You brush your teeth and shower every day don't you? And why? Simply because they have become part of your ingrained daily routine. You know that if you don't brush your teeth regularly you will suffer tooth decay and other dental problems.
You know that if you don't shower regulary, apart from being not pleasant to be around you will be prone to skin diseases and other results of poor hygiene.
By the same token, if you don't exercise regularly you will become sedentary and pile on the fat. It's just wrong to use the "I don't have time" excuse for avoiding exercise. Be honest with yourself here. You are either afraid of exercise, or you just don't know where to start. Here's a few tips to get you on your way.
Find a friend to work out with. Working out alone is not always enjoyable and it takes an enormous amount of self-discipline. However if you can find a friend to exercise with, chances are you will even start to enjoy it and look forward to the social aspect.
A big plus is that seeing your friend(s) exercising with you is a terrific motivator, you'll want to do a bit better than them as the competitive edge creeps in and you will both benefit. I say both of you, but several friends would work well, and there would pretty much always be someone to work out with if an individual occasionally drops out for any reason.
Get an mp3 player. Load it with your favourite music or even audio books, and take it with you whenever you hit the gym. This is a great way of kicking out the boredom from your exercise routine.
Do what you enjoy. There are bound to be certain exercises that you just don't like doing. Don't force yourself to carry on with them. You will rebel eventually and give up. There are dozens of exercises that essentially do the same thing. Find ones that you enjoy and you will stick with them and benefit enormously.
Start slow. It seems obvious, but as the saying goes "never overlook the obvious" If you have not exercised before, or only very little and infrequently it's only natural that you will be apprehensive about starting a regular exercise routine.
Ignore those who say you must exercise daily to lose weight. Nonsense, the key is regular exercise. You can start once or twice a week for maybe ten/fifteen minutes, and build up from there as you and your body become accustomed to it. Do it at your own pace and it will not be a chore and you will find you can fit it into your daily life.
Before you know it you'll be looking in the mirror and wondering where that fat person went!
I have been there myself, and there were times when the stress of a busy worklife and family life made it all but impossible for me to stick to my weight loss plan.
OK that's the negative side. But you must not let stress become an excuse for giving up on the exercise, which is after all an essential part of any weight loss regime. There are 24 hours in every day, so why can't you find the time to exercise?
You brush your teeth and shower every day don't you? And why? Simply because they have become part of your ingrained daily routine. You know that if you don't brush your teeth regularly you will suffer tooth decay and other dental problems.
You know that if you don't shower regulary, apart from being not pleasant to be around you will be prone to skin diseases and other results of poor hygiene.
By the same token, if you don't exercise regularly you will become sedentary and pile on the fat. It's just wrong to use the "I don't have time" excuse for avoiding exercise. Be honest with yourself here. You are either afraid of exercise, or you just don't know where to start. Here's a few tips to get you on your way.
Find a friend to work out with. Working out alone is not always enjoyable and it takes an enormous amount of self-discipline. However if you can find a friend to exercise with, chances are you will even start to enjoy it and look forward to the social aspect.
A big plus is that seeing your friend(s) exercising with you is a terrific motivator, you'll want to do a bit better than them as the competitive edge creeps in and you will both benefit. I say both of you, but several friends would work well, and there would pretty much always be someone to work out with if an individual occasionally drops out for any reason.
Get an mp3 player. Load it with your favourite music or even audio books, and take it with you whenever you hit the gym. This is a great way of kicking out the boredom from your exercise routine.
Do what you enjoy. There are bound to be certain exercises that you just don't like doing. Don't force yourself to carry on with them. You will rebel eventually and give up. There are dozens of exercises that essentially do the same thing. Find ones that you enjoy and you will stick with them and benefit enormously.
Start slow. It seems obvious, but as the saying goes "never overlook the obvious" If you have not exercised before, or only very little and infrequently it's only natural that you will be apprehensive about starting a regular exercise routine.
Ignore those who say you must exercise daily to lose weight. Nonsense, the key is regular exercise. You can start once or twice a week for maybe ten/fifteen minutes, and build up from there as you and your body become accustomed to it. Do it at your own pace and it will not be a chore and you will find you can fit it into your daily life.
Before you know it you'll be looking in the mirror and wondering where that fat person went!
Thursday 8 March 2012
How to lose weight fast with these 3 Super-Foods
Wouldn't it be great if you could lose weight by eating? Well, your wish is about to come true. In this post we will look at three foods that will help you lose weight. Sound too good to be true? Well, read on to understand what I mean!
1. Lean meats:
Lean chicken meat is one of the best weight loss foods you can ever have! Why? It contains lots of protein and very little fat, and as you know, protein will build lean muscles. Lean muscles will help you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate!
Chicken has the advantage of being readily available and is one of the most economical meats in the store. If you're not too keen on chicken try turkey breast! In any case, make sure you eat only lean meats and stay away from red meat!
Fish is also very good for rapid weight loss. Fish such as salmon and tuna contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids fall in the category of 'good fats' or unsaturated fats. You gained weight because of a hormone called leptin which stores fat inside your body. Omega-3 fatty acids will cut down on leptin; when that happens, you are pretty much bound to lose weight!
2. Olive oil:
Replace your fatty oil with olive oil. Olive oil is almost free from the 'bad fats' (saturated fats) and contains a considerable amount of unsaturated fats. These unsaturated fats will not only suppress your appetite but also fight cholesterol. In short, olive oil will keep your cholesterol levels down.
3. Berries:
Berries are excellent for weight loss. There are many types of berries: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc. All of them will help you with weight loss. Strawberries are one of the best among the berries: not only do they taste good, but also help in suppressing your appetite. Once you get rid of hunger pangs, you can focus more on your weight loss goals and less on eating!
As you can see, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean that you have to starve. Many people tend to starve or follow crash diets but nothing beats eating and losing weight. I firmly believe that if you eat the right foods, you will not only lose weight but also become healthy.
As a plus, the foods I mentioned above are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants. And remember that these are not the only weight loss super foods that are available to you. Other foods such as nuts, oatmeal, eggs and almonds can also help you with weight loss. Add these foods to your diet and see how quickly you are able to get rid of that surplus fat!
1. Lean meats:
Lean chicken meat is one of the best weight loss foods you can ever have! Why? It contains lots of protein and very little fat, and as you know, protein will build lean muscles. Lean muscles will help you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate!
Chicken has the advantage of being readily available and is one of the most economical meats in the store. If you're not too keen on chicken try turkey breast! In any case, make sure you eat only lean meats and stay away from red meat!
Fish is also very good for rapid weight loss. Fish such as salmon and tuna contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids fall in the category of 'good fats' or unsaturated fats. You gained weight because of a hormone called leptin which stores fat inside your body. Omega-3 fatty acids will cut down on leptin; when that happens, you are pretty much bound to lose weight!
2. Olive oil:
Replace your fatty oil with olive oil. Olive oil is almost free from the 'bad fats' (saturated fats) and contains a considerable amount of unsaturated fats. These unsaturated fats will not only suppress your appetite but also fight cholesterol. In short, olive oil will keep your cholesterol levels down.
3. Berries:
Berries are excellent for weight loss. There are many types of berries: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc. All of them will help you with weight loss. Strawberries are one of the best among the berries: not only do they taste good, but also help in suppressing your appetite. Once you get rid of hunger pangs, you can focus more on your weight loss goals and less on eating!
As you can see, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean that you have to starve. Many people tend to starve or follow crash diets but nothing beats eating and losing weight. I firmly believe that if you eat the right foods, you will not only lose weight but also become healthy.
As a plus, the foods I mentioned above are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants. And remember that these are not the only weight loss super foods that are available to you. Other foods such as nuts, oatmeal, eggs and almonds can also help you with weight loss. Add these foods to your diet and see how quickly you are able to get rid of that surplus fat!
Wednesday 7 March 2012
10 Foods To Help You Lose Weight
Although some of us might not think so, especially here in UK right now, summer is on the way (honest) and we are going to be spoilt for choice with healthy, tasty natural foods to help us in our healthy eating weight loss program.
Here I've put together a list of ten of my favourite vitamin rich foods to include in your diet to ensure that you never run the risk of deficiencies, not to mention helping out your brain, heart, vision, joints and just about everything else by consuming them....
Dark Leafy Greens
Dark green is the key, with examples of amazingly vitamin rich, leafy vegetables including spinach, mustard greens, beetroot greens, turnip greens and kale as just a few. Adding these to a salad will give you high amounts of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and carotenoids.
Mustard greens themselves have an incredible array with vitamin A, C, E, and B6, folate, dietary fibre, tryptophan (one of the essential amino acids that the body uses to synthesize the proteins it needs), manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and copper all being found in this green.
Asparagus
These fleshy spears are extremely high in vitamin K and folate and are also high in protein for a vegetable. It is also a superior source of vitamins C, A, B1, B2 and B6. It's high in essential minerals as well including copper, phosphorous, potassium, iron, manganese and magnesium.
Plus, asparagus is also a natural diuretic that provides benefits for the heart and also prevent birth defects (thanks to folates ability to protect against spina bifida!).
Blueberries
The blueberry is one of the healthiest fruits in the world, as well as being one of the tastiest. It has incredible amounts of vitamins C and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, dietary fibre and riboflavin. Because of its dark blue/red flesh, it contains some of the most potent antioxidants around.
The phytonutrients contained in this amazing berry help to destroy free radicals that damage the body's tissues. They can help prevent heart disease, cancer, dementia, ulcers, varicose veins, cataracts and glaucoma. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory abilities that can also protect brain cells from damage.
Other Berries
Berries are abundant in summer so consider having a berry fruit salad first thing in the morning or for a mid day snack. Cranberries are proven natural healers of the urinary tract (number one in fighting UT infections!) and as a digestive aid. They have incredible amounts of vitamin B2 alongside a few other B vitamins. They also host high levels of fibre, vitamin C, iron, manganese and copper.
The raspberry is rich in tannins, elagic acid and flavonoids. With potent antioxidants and antimicrobials, research has suggested that the mighty raspberry can even help fight cancer. They are high in fibre, vitamin C, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, manganese and impact minimally on blood sugar levels.
Strawberries are well known for their phenols, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Jam-packed with more than 12 essential minerals and vitamins, strawberries are very high in vitamin C and K and in dietary fibre.
Rock Melon
Although this beautiful melon peaks in summer, it is often available all year round. It offers an excellent supply of beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C. One cup of rock melon has under 60 calories, but is already well above the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
The orange flesh of the rock melon boasts vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, folate and great source of dietary fibre. The B vitamins combine to make a great energy producer for the body, helping to control carbs and blood glucose levels through processing the carbohydrates and slowing digestion with its fibre content.
Spelt Grain
Just two ounces of this ancient whole grain contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin B2. Though largely unknown to many, spelt can be found in cereals, crackers, breads and baked goods.
Your local health food store will have it in the form of grain, flakes or flour. It has a wide range of nutrients for a whole grain including an excellent source of niacin, thiamine, manganese and tryptophan. It also packs a decent amount of fibre, zinc, copper, protein and iron.
Broccoli
Broccoli, possibly my all time favourite veg is a nutritional wonder. The exceptional nutritional value of broccoli is most visibly seen in its vitamin K levels. It is also very high in vitamin A, folate and dietary fibre not to mention protein, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
This is a vegetable not to be missed! Who said Mum didn't know what she was talking about?
Lentils
Lentils can provide an upward of 80% of your daily value of iron in one cup! The same amount of this amazing food contains 230 calories and hardly any fat. Whilst its iron levels will boost the body's energy and help prevent anaemia, its fibre content will stabilize your blood glucose levels and also net you four B vitamins, seven other essential minerals and a heaping amount of protein.
All of the mighty lentil's nutrients can be found in high levels. As a note of interest, the history of lentils dates back 8,000 years! Found in archaeological sights in the Middle East, it is possible that lentils could be one of the first foods ever cultivated.
Black Beans
Also known as Mexican or Spanish black beans, they have a phenomenal source of molybdenum, a trace mineral that detoxifies sulfites in your body. Black beans (like most beans) are good for your heart, and contain an excellent source of dietary fibre, folic acid, magnesium, and polyphenols that bring down cholesterol levels.
They are also high in vitamin B1, tryptophan, phosphorus, iron, manganese and potassium. Each cup of black beans carries 15g of protein too!
Brussels Sprouts
Although a tough vegetable to get any child to consider (or some adults for that matter), the active constituents of Brussel sprouts are cancer fighters, great for skin, boosts the immune system and ensures the colon stays healthy. Best boiled or steamed, they contain gigantic amounts of vitamin K as well as high levels of vitamins C, A, B6 and B1, and fibre on top of a good amount of 14 other major minerals and vitamins.
And the best part for those needing to lose weight, you can eat as much of these as you want to alleviate those hunger pangs and not feel the slightest bit guilty.
Here I've put together a list of ten of my favourite vitamin rich foods to include in your diet to ensure that you never run the risk of deficiencies, not to mention helping out your brain, heart, vision, joints and just about everything else by consuming them....
Dark Leafy Greens
Dark green is the key, with examples of amazingly vitamin rich, leafy vegetables including spinach, mustard greens, beetroot greens, turnip greens and kale as just a few. Adding these to a salad will give you high amounts of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and carotenoids.
Mustard greens themselves have an incredible array with vitamin A, C, E, and B6, folate, dietary fibre, tryptophan (one of the essential amino acids that the body uses to synthesize the proteins it needs), manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and copper all being found in this green.
Asparagus
These fleshy spears are extremely high in vitamin K and folate and are also high in protein for a vegetable. It is also a superior source of vitamins C, A, B1, B2 and B6. It's high in essential minerals as well including copper, phosphorous, potassium, iron, manganese and magnesium.
Plus, asparagus is also a natural diuretic that provides benefits for the heart and also prevent birth defects (thanks to folates ability to protect against spina bifida!).
Blueberries
The blueberry is one of the healthiest fruits in the world, as well as being one of the tastiest. It has incredible amounts of vitamins C and E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, dietary fibre and riboflavin. Because of its dark blue/red flesh, it contains some of the most potent antioxidants around.
The phytonutrients contained in this amazing berry help to destroy free radicals that damage the body's tissues. They can help prevent heart disease, cancer, dementia, ulcers, varicose veins, cataracts and glaucoma. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory abilities that can also protect brain cells from damage.
Other Berries
Berries are abundant in summer so consider having a berry fruit salad first thing in the morning or for a mid day snack. Cranberries are proven natural healers of the urinary tract (number one in fighting UT infections!) and as a digestive aid. They have incredible amounts of vitamin B2 alongside a few other B vitamins. They also host high levels of fibre, vitamin C, iron, manganese and copper.
The raspberry is rich in tannins, elagic acid and flavonoids. With potent antioxidants and antimicrobials, research has suggested that the mighty raspberry can even help fight cancer. They are high in fibre, vitamin C, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, manganese and impact minimally on blood sugar levels.
Strawberries are well known for their phenols, which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. Jam-packed with more than 12 essential minerals and vitamins, strawberries are very high in vitamin C and K and in dietary fibre.
Rock Melon
Although this beautiful melon peaks in summer, it is often available all year round. It offers an excellent supply of beta-carotene, potassium, and vitamin C. One cup of rock melon has under 60 calories, but is already well above the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
The orange flesh of the rock melon boasts vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, folate and great source of dietary fibre. The B vitamins combine to make a great energy producer for the body, helping to control carbs and blood glucose levels through processing the carbohydrates and slowing digestion with its fibre content.
Spelt Grain
Just two ounces of this ancient whole grain contains more than your daily requirement of vitamin B2. Though largely unknown to many, spelt can be found in cereals, crackers, breads and baked goods.
Your local health food store will have it in the form of grain, flakes or flour. It has a wide range of nutrients for a whole grain including an excellent source of niacin, thiamine, manganese and tryptophan. It also packs a decent amount of fibre, zinc, copper, protein and iron.
Broccoli
Broccoli, possibly my all time favourite veg is a nutritional wonder. The exceptional nutritional value of broccoli is most visibly seen in its vitamin K levels. It is also very high in vitamin A, folate and dietary fibre not to mention protein, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
This is a vegetable not to be missed! Who said Mum didn't know what she was talking about?
Lentils
Lentils can provide an upward of 80% of your daily value of iron in one cup! The same amount of this amazing food contains 230 calories and hardly any fat. Whilst its iron levels will boost the body's energy and help prevent anaemia, its fibre content will stabilize your blood glucose levels and also net you four B vitamins, seven other essential minerals and a heaping amount of protein.
All of the mighty lentil's nutrients can be found in high levels. As a note of interest, the history of lentils dates back 8,000 years! Found in archaeological sights in the Middle East, it is possible that lentils could be one of the first foods ever cultivated.
Black Beans
Also known as Mexican or Spanish black beans, they have a phenomenal source of molybdenum, a trace mineral that detoxifies sulfites in your body. Black beans (like most beans) are good for your heart, and contain an excellent source of dietary fibre, folic acid, magnesium, and polyphenols that bring down cholesterol levels.
They are also high in vitamin B1, tryptophan, phosphorus, iron, manganese and potassium. Each cup of black beans carries 15g of protein too!
Brussels Sprouts
Although a tough vegetable to get any child to consider (or some adults for that matter), the active constituents of Brussel sprouts are cancer fighters, great for skin, boosts the immune system and ensures the colon stays healthy. Best boiled or steamed, they contain gigantic amounts of vitamin K as well as high levels of vitamins C, A, B6 and B1, and fibre on top of a good amount of 14 other major minerals and vitamins.
And the best part for those needing to lose weight, you can eat as much of these as you want to alleviate those hunger pangs and not feel the slightest bit guilty.
Sunday 4 March 2012
Fat in the front can mean a pain in the back!
There are many people that struggle with weight loss on a regular basis, but the fact is, it may be more than a simple cosmetic issue.
Lots of people who are overweight experience back pain, and are suffering needlessly, simply because they are having a difficult time in getting rid of the extra weight that they are carrying. The truth of the matter is, if you are carrying around an additional weight in the front of your body, your back is going to suffer as a result.
The simple reason for this is because the spine was not designed in order to carry a load that is heavier than our body at its natural, lean weight.
As you put on additional pounds, the spine begins to distort and to compress, causing a lot of the pain that you may be experiencing. It can also have an effect on your pelvis, tilting it forward and perhaps causing it to pinch your sciatic nerve.
This is one of the main reasons why people who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back, either because of sciatica or because of the distorting of the spinal column.
If you are experiencing this problem then there is really only one thing that you can do in order to overcome it. You need to get rid of some of the additional weight that you have been carrying around, and your spine will begin to ease up and go back into its regular position.
Unfortunately, weight loss is not something that is simple and it is a bit time consuming but the benefits of losing weight far outweigh any inconvenience that you may experience from the effort.
Two things that you can do in order to lose weight naturally are to get a little bit of exercise, and to modify your diet so that you are taking in fewer calories than what you are using throughout the day. Start exercising slowly, especially if you're having problems with back pain.
You should also do stretching exercises as well as concentrating on your core body muscles so that it will help to strengthen this area of your body, further reducing the amount of pain that you are experiencing.
Within just a week or two of being on this weight loss program, you should begin to notice differences in the way that you feel.
Lots of people who are overweight experience back pain, and are suffering needlessly, simply because they are having a difficult time in getting rid of the extra weight that they are carrying. The truth of the matter is, if you are carrying around an additional weight in the front of your body, your back is going to suffer as a result.
The simple reason for this is because the spine was not designed in order to carry a load that is heavier than our body at its natural, lean weight.
As you put on additional pounds, the spine begins to distort and to compress, causing a lot of the pain that you may be experiencing. It can also have an effect on your pelvis, tilting it forward and perhaps causing it to pinch your sciatic nerve.
This is one of the main reasons why people who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back, either because of sciatica or because of the distorting of the spinal column.
If you are experiencing this problem then there is really only one thing that you can do in order to overcome it. You need to get rid of some of the additional weight that you have been carrying around, and your spine will begin to ease up and go back into its regular position.
Unfortunately, weight loss is not something that is simple and it is a bit time consuming but the benefits of losing weight far outweigh any inconvenience that you may experience from the effort.
Two things that you can do in order to lose weight naturally are to get a little bit of exercise, and to modify your diet so that you are taking in fewer calories than what you are using throughout the day. Start exercising slowly, especially if you're having problems with back pain.
You should also do stretching exercises as well as concentrating on your core body muscles so that it will help to strengthen this area of your body, further reducing the amount of pain that you are experiencing.
Within just a week or two of being on this weight loss program, you should begin to notice differences in the way that you feel.
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