What You Need to Know Before You Try the Lemonade Diet

By J. Marion

Did you know that you can enjoy all foods as part of a healthy diet as long as you don't overdo it? Successful at weight loss only requires that you change your lifestyle"slightly--not just go on a diet. Research has shown that one of the best ways of doing this is known as carbohydrate cycling. And it does not require starvation, deprivation, or gimmicky fads " but the technique I will teach you does work best with a physically active lifestyle.

If you've ever hit a plateau, if you've ever struggled to see the number on the scale change, or if you've ever felt guilty after eating something you "shouldn't have" while being on a diet, then you need to continue reading.

You see, for the last six years I have has been teaching people how to strategically "cheat" on their diet (with their favorite foods) to literally TRIPLE progress beyond what is possible with "restrictive" dieting.

I'm talking cupcakes, pizza, ice cream, burgers " you name it. Believe it or not, you can actually use *these* foods to lose fat at a faster rate. CRAZY, I know, but it's true.

And what's more, as you'll see in the case studies, there's enough proof to back it up 30 times over.

But even beyond the science, the sheer number of people who have already benefited from the methods I teach is pretty unreal " literally thousands of men and women all over America how to do this.

I will give you 2 perfect examples of how this works. I have detailed the experiences of my biggest "fat loss losers", one of which lost 30 lbs DURING the holidays while never having to turn down a holiday meal, party, or dessert!

I really believe that with this information we're getting ready to experience a new era in the realm of dieting " one with less frustration.

But the story starts with something you've most likely never heard of. Its name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning thin), and its without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.

About the Author:

Before you start a diet, make sure you check out my excellent free videos on how to lose weight without dieting at CheatYourWaySlim.com.

Save your life - How to Cut Sugar from Your Diet

By Micheal Parkes

Sugar is ever prevalent in our diets - ranging from high sugar content in processed food to fast foods. It can be a challenge to cut sugar from your diet, but the health benefits itself is worth the effort. When blood sugar levels are constantly high, the chance of getting diabetes is increased. Diabetes has its own complications which in turn affects our general health. Hence, this article will explore the age old question of how to cut sugar from your diet?

It is important to take note of the various healthy food groups. Being aware of the healthy food groups help to make better food choices, even helping to draw up your own healthy snack menu. It is far better to snack on low-sugar, low-fat foods such as fruits or vegetables.

Sugar substitutes can present as an excellent alternative to using sugar. Viable substitutes include using naturally available spices to sweeten your food. There are various spices that can be used for this function; they include ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves and so on. In addition to being able to sweeten up food, they also give it a unique flavor. For a more refreshing taste, you may even consider using a combination of those spices.

A tried and tested method of cutting down on sugar is to use artificial sweeteners. The use of artificial sweeteners has helped in the food and beverage industries, as they are marketed as no-sugar drinks. An interesting fact is that artificial sweeteners can even be used for relishes and pickles, but this is provided you have the right recipe to make it.

Furthermore, snacking is a habit that unknowingly increases your daily sugar intake as well. Substituting regular chips and dips with toast and sugar-free jam can help to lower sugar intake. Fresh fruits are also good methods of snacking as they are refreshing and healthy too.

The caloric content in sugar is very high. It may even exceed the amount of sugar one needs in a day. Long term effects from high sugar consumption is inevitably, weight gain. Being overweight increase the chance of getting various medical conditions. In order to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle, cutting sugar from your diet is a wise move.

Sugar reduction in our diets is a necessity as it helps us to maintain our health and emotional well-being. A little bit of sugar is needed in our diets, as the brain relies on glucose as its main source of energy, but too much is a health risk. The risks of getting diabetes, blood pressure problems or health diseases are greatly increased if long term sugar intake is high.

If you do choose to indulge in sugary foods e.g. brownies, cakes or ice cream, try to ensure that the portion size is appropriate. Some brands of these products come in single serves, which are good choices to help limit your consumptions of these foods.

About the Author:

Micheal Parkes is a health conscious food lover. He runs an informational website that provides tips on how to cut sugar from your diet as well as promotes interest in healthy international cuisines. As a bonus to his valued readers, his site provides free low sugar diet information, please visit Micheal's site at http://www.online-food-guide.com.

Natural Cholesterol Treatments

By Julieanne van Zyl

Modern society speaks familiarly about "lowering your cholesterol", but do we even know what it is? All that most people know that it is bad for your health and that it is related to fatty intake, which is to some degree, correct.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance. Yellow in color, soft, it clings to your membranes and cell walls throughout the interior of your body systems. In order to stay healthy your body does need cholesterol, but since your body produces it we definitely do not need to add to it.

In order to stay healthy your body does need cholesterol, but since your body produces it we definitely do not need to add to it. There are things that you can do to keep your cholesterol in check and to keep your body healthy without use of medications, unless your cholesterol is critically out of control. Some cholesterol natural remedies have quite a bit to do with lifestyle changes.

To maintain optimum cholesterol levels you can:

If you are overweight take measures to reduce or maintain your weight if it is already optimal. Not only does excess weight cause your cholesterol levels to rise but it also keeps it imbalanced. high levels of cholesterol can and do clog up your blood vessels. Excess fat carried around the abdominal area and is a significant indicator that your cholesterol is too high.

Get regular exercise, ideally four times a week for 30-minutes is a very good way to keep your overall health at optimal condition. Regular exercise has been found to lower your cholesterol. By exercising regularly you are able to heighten your good cholesterol, HDL, and lower your bad cholesterol, LDL. Also, by exercising regularly you will be able to lose weight at a faster rate and to keep your weight maintained once you have lost it. Although some forms of exercise are better than others just concentrate on any form of exercise to get you moving.

Foods that lower cholesterol are:

Fruits, such as mangosteen, grapes, citrus fruits, strawberries, and apples Chicken Fish Whole grain cereals Lean meats Seeds Nuts, such as walnuts and pecans Olives and more.

Levels of cholesterol greater than the average will cause a great deal of harm to your body. It will cause health complications, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. If you have high cholesterol, confirm with your doctor about additional ways of lowering your cholesterol. A few lifestyle changes in regards weight, exercise, and dietary modifications and you can be healthier sooner than you think. It takes work, patience, self-control and lots of ambition, but it can be done. Your cholesterol levels can be returned to good health by following these natural remedies.

About the Author:

Julieanne van Zyl operates a site about Vemma Mangosteen Juice which has current information about Mangosteen Juice. If you would like to to buy a healthy energy drink, which is a whole fruit Mangosteen and the Mangosteen pericarp extract supplement , go here: Vemma Mangosteen

How Can Banana Nutrients Help Your Health?

By Rachel Greene

Bananas are considered to be one of the most nutrient rich fruits that you can eat -- they are also one of the most popular fruits eaten today by people of all ages all over the globe. This combination means that few foods can have such a regular and positive impact on our health and well-being. So, let's take a closer look at how banana nutrients can help your health.

Bananas are a great source of vitamins for a start, including vitamins A, B and C, and we all need plenty of those. They are also rich in a variety of minerals including calcium, magnesium and potassium. The calcium content here, for example, is a great way of helping promote healthy bone growth for both children and in adults.

It is, however, the potassium content of the average banana that is considered to be the nutrient of most value in the opinion of most nutritionists and diet experts. Bananas contain such high levels of potassium that some doctors will even recommend eating them if their patients have low potassium levels and need a natural boost here. They are also a good source of fiber which is also important to your general health and everyday fitness.

You should also remember that the potassium boost that you can get from eating bananas regularly can also help keep you physically healthy in other ways. It is, for example, good for your heart and for your blood pressure. The potassium content in a banana also makes them the snack of choice for many athletes and fitness trainers. Potassium can go a long way to avoiding cramps and muscle spasms after exercise, for example.

Bananas are also an easily digested fruit which means that this can be an acceptable fruit to eat if you suffer from certain stomach problems such as ulcers. The way that a banana breaks down in your system helps protect the stomach and causes few problems. For this reason many people swear by eating bananas after a stomach upset or bout of diarrohea as the stomach can accept and digest bananas very easily without further problems.

Finally, bananas can be one of the greatest snacks that you can eat when you are on a diet. They are rich in natural healthy sugars which will immediately deal with any cravings you have for sugary foods. You will also get an immediate energy boost with a banana that is similar to the sugar rush that you will get from eating a sugary snack. The difference here is that a banana is good for you!

You will also find that your body processes the nutrients from a banana slowly and steadily. This means that most people will feel fuller for longer and they will not need the energy boost of sugary snacks as there will be a steady flow of natural sugars and carbohydrates going through their bodies. So, as you can now see, bananas can help you keep healthy in all kinds of ways!

About the Author:

Rachel Greene helps people find out about the nutritional value of bananas at her website on banana nutrition.

The Powerful Properties Of The Caralluma Herb

By Therese Zachary

The Caralluma herb is basically an edible succulent plant. It has been utilized by the people of India for over a hundred years for many purposes, including the control of hunger and improved strength. However it has also been simply used in cooking, as Caralluma is a typical part of the Indian diet. So what is the Caralluma herb all about exactly?

Caralluma Characteristics - Spiny leaves and thick flowers characterize the Caralluma plant. The flowers are star shaped and may be purple, red, black or yellow. They are typically show during the summer or fall. The Caralluma stands with an angular stem and is clump forming. While the herb has been found extremely useful in many kinds of situations, it is also characterized by a foul odor. The Caralluma herb thrives throughout most of India and even reaches Afghanistan and nearby places.

As Vegetable - Hundreds upon hundreds of years, even before the Caralluma herb was known to the Western world, it has been utilized by the locals of India as a vegetable. It has also been mixed with chutneys and pickles. It can be consumed both cooked and raw. The green follicles of the herb are often boiled, salted, and consumed.

For the past few centuries, people have discovered certain properties that made the Caralluma herb more than just part of a vegetable diet. These properties were somehow able to suppress appetite naturally while enhancing energy levels and satiating thirst at the same time. Because of this, the Caralluma has become an extremely useful type of "portable food." It is even called a "famine food", since it helped fight off hunger in times of desperate need of food. Those who had to travel long distances on land also needed something to make their journey a bit more bearable. Even back in history the Caralluma herb was already being used by tribesmen to treat health conditions such as diabetes.

In the modern day, more scientists and researches have begun to understand just how useful the Caralluma herb could be in the Western world as well. Because it is well-known for its appetite suppressing and energy boosting properties, it could very well be used in weight loss regimens.

Other Benefits - Not only that, further studies have shown that the Caralluma herb indeed contains properties that are able to lower blood sugar levels in the body as well. So with the herb itself, you can lose weight effectively and stay the healthiest possible.

Powerful Properties

Saponins - The Caralluma herb carries saponins, which are natural cleansing properties. These special properties are beneficial for a variety of things. They can help fight against acne as well as oily skin and scalp. They are able to sooth symptoms of dermatitis, dandruff and eczema. Saponins are basically antioxidants, which means they are also able to fight against free radicals that damage cells. Moreover, they are known to treat arthritis and are anti-rheumatic. Other uses are for enhanced endurance and mental concentration.

There are other properties and components as well. Other key components of the Caralluma herb include Flavone Glycosides, Pregnane Glycosides, Megastigmane Glycosides, and Bitter Principles. All these are called phytochemical constituents, which help in maintaining a healthy weight and appearance when consumed as recommended.

About the Author:

How effective is the caralluma herb to control appetite? Get more information now.

The Alkaline Food To Eat With Acid Reflux

By Richal Peyton

Without realizing it, most of us tend to eat more acid-forming food and much less alkalizing food. Dairy products, meats, are just some of the food we tend to eat more. As you may notice, even most children do not like vegetables. However, it's never too late to start gaining optimum health. Being on an alkaline diet is highly beneficial, and even more for those of us suffering from acid reflux. This article will talk about what alkaline is, what alkaline food to eat with acid reflux and why it works in treating the condition.

What Does Alkaline Mean?

Any food rich in alkaline has a pH level of over 7.0. On the other hand, anything that is acidic has a pH level of below 7.0. Foods vary in nutritional value, but also vary by pH level. There are many foods that are alkaline as well as acidic. Depending on your specific needs, you may need more alkaline foods in your diet, but generally, everyone needs more alkaline foods for better health.

Why Do We Need More Alkaline Foods?

We sometimes need something to counteract the excess acids since over-acidity in the body can cause a myriad of health conditions. For those of us who suffer from acid reflux, we are even in a worse situation because we're often already predisposed to having more acid in the stomach than needed.

Although there are certain positions or activities may trigger acid reflux, but it is mainly what we eat that makes symptoms worse. Since acid reflux mainly involves acid traveling from the stomach to the esophagus, we need to keep acid levels down by eating less acidic or non-acid-forming foods.

Is There An Alkaline Diet?

You can find alkaline diet recommendations online. An alkaline diet basically means having meal plans that mainly incorporate alkaline food. Often times, alkaline diets will require you to eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, vegetable roots, nuts and legumes. Of course, everyone has different tastes in different dishes, so you may benefit from researching on recipes that cater more to your liking. You may also visit a dietician or nutritionist to discuss your preferences in a special diet.

What Are The Alkaline Foods I Can Use?

Alkaline food to eat for acid reflux would include a wide range of fruits and vegetables that are alkaline. You may have grapes, bananas, blackberries, apples, strawberries, melons, cauliflower, celery, beets, radishes, eggplants, and spinach in your special diet. As you can see, a lot of these alkaline fruits are delicious and fun to snack on. There is also a myriad of vegetables you can eat as a side dish.

This diet is not just limited to fruits and vegetables. Alkaline properties can also be found in other foods high in protein. Foods that contain alkalizing protein include fermented tofu, almonds, chestnuts, whey protein powder and tempeh.

You don't have to stay with the diet forever. The alkaline diet is fairly simple to follow once you're used to using alkaline ingredients while cooking.

About the Author:

What is the right food to eat with acid reflux and what is the right food to avoid with acid reflux? Read more.

Improve Your Health With Vinegar

By Boston B Stevenson

Vinegar has been used for more than ten thousand years and documented history tells us that vinegar has been an important condiment. Uses of vinegar range from beauty aides, effective germ fighter, preservative, antiseptic and general medicine. People have used vinegar to improve their health for decades. Vinegar is not a new idea as it has been used in worldwide cultural medicines for many years aiding the health of animals and humans alike.

Vinegar is made when any alcoholic liquid ferments. It is easy to see why you can improve your health with vinegar, as when naturally fermented it contains no fat, is low sodium and a rich source of trace elements, vitamins and minerals including sulfur, magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus plus enzymes which contribute to wellness.

Over processed and over heated brands which are diluted and highly filtered are not the best option when buying vinegar to improve your health. Reading the labels and lchecking for the words organic, pure, unfiltered, or aged in wood. These varieties may be overlooked in a supermarket and are more likely to be found in a health food shop but may cost you more.

Vinegar comes from many sources with different flavours and aromas even in today's modern supermarket. Vinegar can also be made from potatoes, melons, honey, molasses, beets, sorghum, maple syrup, cactus, grapes and coconuts. A vinegar that has the highest nutritional value is apple cider vinegar and is readily available.

Greek and Roman soldiers have documented vinegar as a source of power and strength, so did Japanese Samurai warriors. during the Stone Age vinegar was used as a means of getting healthy and it is excellent for digesting high protein meals and heavy foods. This aide to digestion may explain why it is a favourite with "Fish and Chips" one of the favoured foods in our modern day diet.

You can also use vinegar to improve your health in many other ways and these will be looked at further in the articles to come: Killing bacterial and fungal infections As a hair rinse to treat seborrhea and dandruff Enzymes to improve your gallbladder health As a remedy for indigestion and liver stagnation For the treatment of osteoporosis, memory loss and arthritis In a footbath to soften calluses and relieve athlete's foot Children's ear infections Regulate Blood pressure. Weight loss

You can also improve your health with vinegar by using it as a preventative measure against backache especially if you are a keen gardener, as vinegar will kill those prolific nuisance weeds like Clover, Dandelion, Thistle and Ragweed. If you think about this there are multiple health benefits when you use vinegar to get rid of weeds because the chemicals found in many synthetic weed killers can be extremely dangerous not only to us, but also to our pets and the wildlife in our gardens.

Commercial weed killers can affect the surrounding areas and poison the adjacent plants or grass. This means you not only kill the weed but run the risk of harming your garden and lawn. Vinegar used in the garden can be referred to as, organic gardening, as it is considered biodegradable. There is no need to worry about the PH value of your soil either because although vinegar decreases this, it will restore to its original PH within a couple of days.

Keeping your garden free of weeds and not suffering the backache associated with the pulling out of weeds is a pleasant and surprising way to improve your health with vinegar.

About the Author:

If you want to know the answers to all your questions about the Many Uses of Vinegar look no further Help is here Use Vinegar to Improve Your Health Today!

Smart Foods For A Better Immune System

The immune system helps keep the body healthy by fighting of infections and disease. Regular exercise and stress reduction activitive such as meditation can assist in strengthening the immune system, but the types of food we eat make the largest contribution to a healthy immune system. Eating a well-balanceddiet including a variety of healthful foods will boost this system's effectiveness.

Free radicals are the main cause of breakdown in the immune system. Free radicals damage healthy cells by causing cell mutations which can lead to serious illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Fortunatley, some foods contain antioxidants, which can destroy these free radicals.

The strongest, and most well known of these antioxidants are vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamen C can boost the immune system to aggressively react on cancer cells. Diets high in this nutrient are linked to reduced risks for stomach, breast, prostate and other cancers. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges and amalaki, peppers, cantaloupes broccoli. Vitamin E this helps to slow down the symptoms of aging and strengthen body cells that fight infection. People who eat foods rich in vitamin E have an added weapon against bacteria and viruses' it also helps in the fight against heart disease and cancer. G ood food sources for vitemin E are whole grain foods and vegetable oils. Supplements are recommended to reach the daily requirement of both vitamin C and E. Check with your doctor on the dose.

Another excellent source of protection against disease is the antioxidant carotenoids. Carotenoids help to strengthen the immune system by producing lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are cells important to fighting infection. The best sources for carotenoids are the red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupes, pumpkin, etc. and leafy green foods. The four important carotenoids are beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin.

The immune system also gains strength from minerals such as zinc, iron, and selnium. Zinc increases the number of lymphocytes and helps fight cancer. Whole grains are a good source of zinc. Iron, helps fight infection and strengthens overall immunity. Meats, dried beans and tofu are good sources of iron. Selenium helps to increase the number of antibodies and encourages growth of immune cells. Food sources are fish, grains and nuts.

A low fat diet is very important for a strong immune system. Excess fat hampers the ability of the body to fight off bacteria and free radicals. Lowering fat in the diet can be accomplished by limiting the intake of fatty foods and making low fat and low calorie meal substitutions.

Dan Baker is a Realtor in Northern California http://www.danielbakerhomes.com For many years Dan suffered from sleep apnea. Dan found relief from this debilitating condition by taking steps to lose the extra pounds he was carrying and through Zrii! http://www.lifeofz.com

What! Fat is Good For Us?

Ever look at pictures of people that were taken before 1970? You will probably be able to notice something different about them if you compare them with pictures of people today. They are not fat, and almost all of them look healthy. How many people do you see on a daily basis today that look really healthy?

Were our parents or grandparents exercising more than us? Did they have better exercise science? Did they work harder than we do? Were they taking special weight loss products we don't have today? Why in the world do they all look so healthy and skinny?

It all has to do with the type of fat they were consuming in their diet. Food was not altered then and everybody ate natural and organic foods, that is all there was. I don't know when or why it happened, but gradually food companies started looking for and began using cheaper ways of manufacturing food to increase their profit.

Thanks to the food companies, we get to eat all kinds of preservatives and unnatural fats they put in the food to give it a longer shelf life, this saves us a little money, makes the food companies a lot of money, and makes us fat and unhealthy. Then the food companies even figured out to somehow trick us into believing that things like margarine are better for us than actual butter.

When did we start believing major, publicly traded corporations could outsmart nature? I guess television advertisements and marketing can really mess with people's perceptions.

What is natural fat? There are three kinds of naturally occurring, "good" fats, to be aware of. They are saturated fats (butter, animal fats), poly-unsaturated fats (fish oils, vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil), and mono-unsaturated fats (olive oil, nut oils,).

These "good" fats help give us energy, keep us warm by cushioning organs, keep our brain, nerves, skin and hair healthy. They also aid in cell division, growth and repair.

Obviously if you eat too much "good fats" you can gain weight, and raise your cholesterol, but overall they are very good for you. Use your common sense and follow a healthy diet. Also get your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked once a year by a certified health care provider.

NOTE: As you read this next section please keep in mind that poly-unsaturated fats (oils) are very reactive and literally "go bad" or turn "toxic" very quickly when exposed to heat, oxygen or light.

As we process our food, unfortunately we extract natural oils that are found in fruits, nuts and seeds. How are those oils extracted? (Remember to keep the above note in mind).

The seeds are crushed and heated to extremely high temperatures. They use pressure to squeeze the oil out, this generates even more heat. The oil is then exposed to oxygen and light and treated with solvents (vitamin E is destroyed during this process).

Often two toxic substances are added to the oils as a preservative. So the result of all of this; rotten, or toxic oil is extracted out for further processing.

However, there are a couple of safe alternatives that are being used to extract natural oils. They are expeller-pressed or cold pressed processing, which extracts the natural oils under low temperature and with minimal light and oxygen exposure. Most of the oils in packaged food available at your local health food store use the expeller pressing method.

Back to the toxic processing. After the (bad) oils are extracted they are often put through a hydrogenation process, this is usually done, once again, to extend a product's shelf life. Liquid oils go through this process to turn them into fats that are solid at room temperature (margarine).

During this process the oils are subject to starch, hydrogen gas, steam cleaning (to remove the 'bad' odor ), and are usually bleached for color. Yes I said bleached!

I bet you did not know that margarine's natural color is grey, not a creamy yellow like butter. That is why they bleach it, so it looks like butter.

What type of fat we are left with for consumption after all that processing? Trans fats.

Another negative side effect of the hydrogenation process is that the natural fat's molecular formation is altered. The altered formation, which is rarely found in nature is called a trans-formation, hence the name trans fats. I was never the best science student so I am not going to explain all of this in detail, it would get too confusing.

I'll tell you what you need to know. The potential health dangers of hydrogenated products and trans fats. They have been shown to increase your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol levels, have been suspected to cause cancer and heart disease, and cause an increase in body weight.

What foods contain hydrogenated vegetable oil and trans fats? Most of the food in the aisles at your grocery store (prepared, packaged, instant foods). All margarines, most salad dressings, bread, cereal, cookies, baked foods, donuts, pies etc. are also loaded with hydrogenated oils and trans fats.

Please check the labels and ingredients of the food you buy. This will help you recognize what products are made with hydrogenated oils and trans fats. Do your best to eliminate as much of them from your diet as possible.

Think of your body like a Porsche; would you put cheap gas in a Porsche? What if you put "bad" oil into it? How would it drive?

How much money would it cost you later on when many mechanical problems start to go wrong because of it running on cheap gas its whole life? How much money would you be paying to mechanics to see your maltreated Porsche again and again every year?

If you would not treat your car this way, then why in the world would you put toxic food into your body?

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from all across the country sky-rocket their health and well-being. Find out how you can get your hands on the best natural supplements at: http://www.DynamicHealthTips.com

Organic Benefits from Superfood Marine Phytoplankton

Blue whales are kings of the seas. What do they have to do with human health? Well, what would you say if I told you that this king of the seas' diet was solely dependent on phytoplankton's? Yes, this big guys move around and survive through such small organisms such as phytoplankton's. Amazing, right? The story just keeps on getting better too. Read on to find out why.

Just how big are blue whales? Well, they measure up to 33.6 meters in length and 181 metric tons or more in weight. Blue whales are the largest whales and also the largest living animal. It is even believed to be the largest animal ever to have existed. Yes, they are. The largest known dinosaur, the Argentinosaurus was estimated to weigh in 90 tons and up to 27m in length, slightly smaller than the blue whale. The extinct fish Leedsichthys may also approached that size but still is considered to be smaller than the blue whale. That's how big these guys are.

A Blue Whale's tongue weighs around 2.7 tons. Its mouth when fully expanded is large enough to hold 90 tonnes of food and water. Its heart weighs 600 kg and is the largest to be known in any other animal. A new born blue-whale weights up to 2,700 kg, the same weight as a fully grown hippopotamus. On its seventh month, a baby blue whale can drink an approximately 400 liters of milk everyday.

With their size blue whales can travel hundreds of miles without rest and consume up to 1.5 million calories a day in order to restore its massive energy requirements. They can reach speeds of 30 mph over short bursts while 12 mph is their more typical traveling speed.

And guess what? Blue Whales feed on marine phytoplankton. And you know what else is amazing? Scientists and nutritionists have created a raw organic superfood that uses phytoplankton. It is called Marine Phytoplankton.

Marine Phytoplankton is known as the greatest superfood. It has unique super nutrients that come from the ocean and provides the body with residual energy. Residual energy that when ingested on a daily basis builds up significantly. And with its abundance of natural vitamins, minerals and an original life force, such substance can give anyone a deepening inner strength.

Then there is more. It is a substance, which benefits the body by making the skin vibrant and younger. It assists in regulating blood sugar naturally, increase strength, improves eyesight, speeds the recovery from illness and disease, strengthens the immune, nervous and endocrine system, helps cells defend against radiation and help calms the mind.

Then there is much more. Marine phytoplankton relieves symptoms of heartburn, improves memory, it is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal, improves circulation and heart function, relieves allergy, has powerful antioxidant qualities and essential fatty acids Omega 3,6,7 and 9. It is not called the greatest raw organic superfood for nothing.

Now have the energy of the Blue Whale in you, through Marine Phytoplankton, that is - the greatest raw organic superfood in the planet.

Come learn about the greatest selection of Superfoods on The Planet. Please visit our site at http://www.superfoodliving.com/ and learn about
Raw Chocolate Cocao, Noni, Goji Berries, Maca, Phytoplankton, Sacred Chocolate, Golden Incan Berrries and more....

Nutritional Benefits of Probiotics

Healthy adults around the globe can benefit from adding probiotic supplements to their diet. One major population that can gain health-related rewards from this practice are senior citizens. Many senior citizens must maintain regimens of prescription medication. This practice, along with a poor diet or simple stress, can weaken the body's natural immunities. A probiotic supplement can help strengthen the body naturally.

Probiotics function as friendly bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. They have been reported to assist in numerous common ailments. The helpful microorganisms reside in the tract as a barrier against other harmful bacteria and pathogens that can cause a variety of illnesses. This is a natural process overall. Scientists report that there are over 400 of these microorganisms living in a healthy gastrointestinal tract.

The friendly bacteria stimulate the body's production of necessary digestive enzymes. This improves the overall digestive system. They help the body to produce a variety of B vitamins as well as give the body vitamin K. They also offer a boost of antioxidants to strengthen the immune system.

Probiotic bacteria can be taken in many forms today. It is available in the grocery store in many dairy products. Yogurt and cheeses offer the highest levels because the bacteria are often used in processing milk into dairy products. They may also be found in some varieties of pickles and fruit juice.

Probiotic supplements are also available in a variety of forms at your nearest health and nutrition store. They are available in powders, tablets, capsules and in granulated form. All are taken orally and may be mixed with food.

These helpful organisms have been shown to decrease allergic reactions in patients who have lactose intolerance or hay fever. Some individuals with skin conditions such as eczema have reported some relief after developing their own regular regimen.

Our bodies are constantly changing. These changes may greatly decrease the body's natural defenses. Antibiotics are often necessary in our body's fight against infection. This also means that the antibodies will target both good and bad bacteria. You may be more susceptible to contracting illness once your round of antibiotics has stopped.

Stress is often a major factor in weakening our bodies. Senior citizens may experience greater amounts due to the changes in life and their environments. A probiotic regimen may help alleviate these issues and prevent many common illnesses with regular use.

Poor diet is another major factor in the loss of helpful bacteria. Carbonated beverages are common in our diets and may deplete the levels normal in the human body. They may also diminish your body's probiotic levels. Other contributing factors that will lessen your body's natural defenses include:

* Depression/Anxiety

* Non-organic foods

* Excessive sugars or fats in diet

* Influenza or stomach flu

* Urinary tract infections

* Yeast infections

These friendly bacteria will have a wonderful impact on those who incorporate a probiotic routine into their daily diet. Your physician will provide detailed information based upon your current state of health.

Billy Kite is a researcher writing on behalf of http://www.ganedenlabs.com

Anti Gout Diet Tips

By Rashel Dan

Looking for anti gout diet means preventing gout for life. This is not such an impossible task. Diet does play a large role in controlling and preventing gout, so depending on your daily intake, you can either increase or reduce your risk of gout.

A gout may be acquired since birth, from family history or caused by obesity and other health factors. It is also more prevalent among men and those who are 40 to 60 years of age. If you can relate to any of these then you may want to focus on preventive measures.

An anti gout diet primarily consists of low-purine foods.

Purines are highly associated with foods high in fats and proteins. Vegetable oils, greasy burgers and fatty fish are all high in purines, so you should avoid fried foods and naturally fatty produce. Basically, high purine content is found in almost all kinds of food: pork, beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, oysters, scallops, creams, eggs, peas and beans. But there are ways to have a low-purine diet and are illustrated below:

Eat more fruits and vegetables as part of your anti gout diet.

Many fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Potassium regulates electrolytes in the body and has the ability to get rid of uric acid crystals from the blood. Potassium-rich fruits are bananas, avocados, apricots and cantaloupe. High-potassium vegetables include spinach, potatoes, asparagus, beets and pumpkin.

Begin your anti gout diet now.

Prepare low-fat protein foods for breakfast. For example, drink low-fat milk and utilize only egg whites when cooking. Add onions and garlic for taste and use low-fat butter or margarine. High-protein foods that are low in fat have been found to be safe. Quench your thirst with vegetable juice or concentrated blackberry juice.

Include lemon juice at lunch for cleansing. Lemon juice is filled with vitamin C and antioxidants to help flush your body from unwanted uric acids. Couple the drink with a hearty salad and meal using tofu to replace red meat or chicken, finely chopped fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

For dinner, go for baked or grilled lean meat in a foil to retain moisture. Pair with potatoes and steamed spinach. After dinners make sure to have a bowl of cherries, berries or grapes on the side.

More tips for your anti gout diet:

Watch your weight. Gout has been linked with health problems such as diabetes and obesity. Slowly restrict calories by introducing more of the gout preventing foods mentioned earlier. Avoid crash diets as these can actually trigger gout flare-ups. A good anti gout diet is always a balanced diet.

Drink several glasses of water everyday. 8-10 glasses daily is ideal. Water dilutes uric acid (a cause of gout) and rids them from the body. Cloudy urine means you have high acid content in your body and this is not a healthy sign. Clear urine suggests that you are properly hydrated and well on your way to good health.

About the Author:

If you want to prevent gout in foot, make sure you have the best anti gout diet. Learn more about the condition and how to stop it.

Cold Sore Food Choices To Prevent Your Cold Sores

Yes, there are foods that encourage cold sores, and foods that prevent cold sores.

If you are curious about preventing oral herpes cold sores with food, you are right on track. Fact is, food can be a powerful ally (or enemy) in the struggle with cold sores.

CAUSE OF ALL COLD SORES, FEVER BLISTERS AND ORAL HERPES.

Cold sores are the visible damage caused by the reproduction of herpes simplex virus. It is a very destructive parasite virus.

The herpes simplex virus is normally dormant in the root nerve cells of your facial nerves. This virus will become active for the sole purpose of reproduction.

Herpes virus, when active, will move to the surface and invade the nerve cells there. Since it cannot reproduce itself, it forces the victim cell to create virus clones. Once the cell is full (or exhausted) the controlling virus executes it and it bursts open to release hoards of new virus.

A lot of cells destroyed in such a manner create the cold sore ulcer you see and feel. Usually now all the damage is done and the healing part begins.

ARGININE FEEDS THE COLD SORE VIRUS - LYSINE STARVES IT.

The main protein in the herpes virus is arginine - a common amino acid found in most foods. Without proper quantities of arginine your nerve cells cannot create new virus, thus avoiding another cold sore.

Your cells store arginine in a specific area within the cell because it is an important protein for many different functions.

Lysine is another very common amino acid that closely resembles arginine. The big difference here is that your cells cannot create herpes virus by using lysine protein.

Lysine is stored within the cell in the same area as arginine. The more lysine you store, the less room for arginine and the less likely a cold sore will appear.

If the herpes simplex virus senses an arginine shortage, it will give up and return to the dormant state.

FOOD ITEMS THAT HELP PREVENT COLD SORES

Most common foods contain both lysine and arginine. For cold sore prevention, you want food choices that have a high lysine to arginine content. The ideal ratio is 2 to 1. You should strive for this ratio from your entire daily diet.

Balance is the way to success. Don't give up the foods you love, just compensate with additional high lysine foods.

Most meat is high in lysine and lower in arginine. This is especially true for fish, chicken and beef. Eggs are an excellent choice too. Dairy products are rich in lysine including cheese and yogurt.

Good Wisconsin cheddar is excellent for lysine, as is ricotta cheese. Flounder is a fish that is extremely high in lysine - giving you about 14,000 milligrams of lysine per pound (450 grams) serving.

SOME FOOD PRODUCTS THAT CAUSE COLD SORES

If you suffer from frequent or long-lasting cold sores, here are a few food items that you may want to watch closely in your diet as they have higher arginine content.

High arginine foods include nuts, both grown in trees as well as on the ground. Grains such as wheat and oats are higher than normal in arginine. Sunflower and sesame seeds are healthy but high in arginine.

Most vegetables are higher in arginine, but not by a great amount. Watch out for carrots, eggplant, cabbage family foods and beans (dried). Chocolate is very high in arginine.

Doing without these very healthy foods for any length of time is not a good idea. Rather than do so, try adding additional high lysine food to your diet. Fish, eggs and dairy are great choices for this.

LYSINE SUPPLEMENTS - THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR COLD SORE PREVENTION.

Changing your diet is not easy or fun. But if you get a lot of cold sores - or they last longer than normal - you do need to flood your system with lysine.

The best way to do this for most people is by taking lysine supplements. They are cheap, convenient and very easy to find. Start taking them at the first sign of a cold sore and continue until final healing is complete.

Look for lysine in 500-milligram capsules. As an oral herpes cold sore treatment, six to eight capsules per day with meals is a common regimen. Some people take a capsule or two a day as a preventative measure.

Lysine is a great cold sore treatment. Used along with the other oral herpes cold sore tactics we now know about, lysine can be effective at slowing down - even stopping - your cold sores permanently.

Want more remedies for cold sores? Go to Denny Bodoh's popular web-site with tons of FREE expert info about cold sores and cold sore treatment tactics that you can use right now.
http://www.3daycoldsorecure.com

Facts About the Acai Berry

By Frank Cassa

If you watch TV or read news articles, you will most likely have come across the acai berry. You probably have heard that it is a very healthy fruit, much healthier than other berries, fruits or vegetables. The acai berry has been featured in many TV programs, magazines and news.

The acai berry is not a new type of fruit. It is not a hybrid berry and its nutrients and health benefits are natural, not artificially created. The acai berry is native in low-lit, swamp areas. There are a lot of acai berries in the Brazilian rain forest where it is hard to get to.

The acai berry grows on a tall, large tree called Euterpe oleracea but most people just refer to the tree as the acai palm tree. The acai palm tree can have many trunks. Some of them have just a few trunks but there are some that have 25 trunks. Each acai berry tree can be as tall as 25 meters tall and as wide as six inches in diameter.

Each acai berry tree has many branches dropping down from it like flowing ribbons. The branches cluttered together and on them are the acai berries. Each acai berry is on a branch is very close to the next berry on the same branch.

Most people know what a blueberry looks like. The acai berry is very similar to the blueberry in appearance because it is small and round. Its color is purple/black. Some acai berries are more black than purple whereas others are more purple than black. Each acai tree has many fruits and are capable of producing up to 20 kgs of acai berries.

Like most berries, the acai berry is edible. Many people eat the acai berry as fruit but some make use of other parts of the berry too. The acai pulp is where most of the nutrients are and it is very commonly used in wines, liqueurs, or as food flavoring or colorant. The acai berry has many uses so it is not surprising that there are many acai berry products around.

The acai berry has many healthy and medicinal properties. It is one of the best antioxidant and contains many minerals, essential fatty acids, and lots of other nutrients that the body needs to be healthy. The acai pulp is where most of the nutrients are found so to get the most health benefits of the acai berry, eat the pulp too.

Since people now know that the acai berry is so healthy, the acai berry is more in demand now than ever. In the past, the acai berry used to be hand picked but nowadays many companies have them mass harvested to meet the world demand of the acai berry. Unfortunately, automation will always decrease the effectiveness of the end product.

About the Author:

Looking to learn more factual information on the interesting Acai Berry? How about a website full of non-biased reviews comparing all of the commercially-available Acai products in the United States? Visit us today at the Acai Berry Products free information & reviews site!

Acid Reflux: Alternative and Complementary medications.

By Frank Robson

While some leading medications work for everyone, they actually make the Acid Reflux worse after you stop taking them. In particular, when a patient takes the medications classed as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI), they inhibit the production of acid. When these medications are discontinued, it is observed that the body responds and bounces back with more acid secretion. This is called "rebound hypersecretion," It is, thus, often advisable for people taking PPI's to avoid sudden stoppage of medication

There are some know herbs for heartburn remedies. A tea made from caraway seeds, coriander, chamomile, anise, fennel and angelica, may be taken after a meal to relieve symptoms. Teas made from peppermint and spearmint leaves are contraindicated in allopathy. Peppermint and caraway seed oils taken in capsule form for four weeks may also be beneficial.

Many experts depend on roots and herbs. In Ayurveda, the ancient Hindu art of medicine and prolonging life, ginger root is commonly used. Consuming up to 500 mgs per day may actually cause you to have fewer occurrences of acid reflux.

Symptoms may also be reduced be adding extra fiber to your diet. The acid from food is easily digested by fiber. The extra fiber has the added bonus of keeping you body regular. If you have a problem adding raw foods you have the option of taking your fiber in a pill form or as a water-soluble powder.

Stop smoking. Nicotine causes a relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, allowing fluids to swish around freely. Sometimes smoking and stress are related, and both need to be reduced, as both affect your digestion.

Citrus fruit, potatoes, Buffalo wings, ground beef, raw onions, chicken nuggets, cheese, ice cream, spaghetti, liquor and wine, coffee and tea and some salad dressings are all foods that you should avoid.

Licorice (sold in health food stores), Meadowsweet (an antacid and anti-inflammatory that helps protect the digestive tract), Papain (helps to make the digestion of food more efficient), Chamomile (aids in digestion) and marshmallow (combined with chamomile works as an anti-inflammatory) have all been used with success as natural alternatives.

Acid reflux can be treated alternatively by making some simple lifestyle changes such as maintaining a good diet and controlling your weight. Managing your stress will also be beneficial in handling this problem.

About the Author:

Is your heartburn triggered by any of these causes of acid reflux? Learn more about what can cause reflux as well as what you can do to stop it at the Reflux Renegade website. Visit http://www.refluxrenegade.com for more helpful tips & advice.

Low GI Foods

By Greg Smithers

The glycemic index, more commonly known as GI, ranks carbohydrate foods according to their effect on glucose levels in the blood. High GI foods are absorbed rapidly and lead to a quick rise in blood glucose levels.

On the other hand, low GI foods are broken down more gradually. This leads to blood glucose levels that are more stable.This can help avoid a seesaw effect with fluctuations in both mood and energy.

Low GI foods release energy more slowly because they take longer to digest. This can give the feeling of being "full" for longer which decreases the need for snacks.

High GI foods, on the other hand, can lead to wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels, which in turn, can cause the pancreas to overproduce insulin. This can lead to illnesses such as Syndrome X, hypoglycemia, and type II diabetes. There is also research which suggests that lower GI diets help improve levels of 'good' cholesterol, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Most low GI diets don't restrict you to only eating low GI foods, but usually prompt you to add more foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Simply adding a low GI food to a meal, has the effect of lowering the glycemic index for the whole meal. In particular, active people should use of balance of high and low GI foods to make sure they have optimal energy stores for exercise.

High glycemic index foods include many carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, serial and baked goods. Low glycemic index foods tend to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. However, within these broad categories there are differences. For example, bananas and potatoes would be classified as having a mid-range glycemic index.

Other factors, such as the methods used to cook food can affect GI levels.

While GI is useful, you need to be sensible. For example, chocolate is a low GI food, but it is not the best food to add to your diet.

Nevertheless, GI can be a useful tool for selecting between foods that have low levels of saturated fat and are nutrient-rich.

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Vegetarian Food Pyramid Facts

By Jim John

The vegetarian food pyramid is very similar to the food pyramid that we have all seen. In place of meat it will list the legumes and nuts that are an alternative protein to animal products. It also replaces the fiber category with a vegetable and fruit category at the bottom of the pyramid. This is possible because of the high fiber content of most fruits and vegetables. It is not necessary to add fiber as a separate tier on the pyramid.

You should note that the usual vegetarian food pyramid is not the one you should use for a vegan diet. It makes recommendations for dairy products that will not be used with a strict vegan diet. In its place are foods such as soy items that will replace these dairy items. There is a food pyramid that is designed specifically for vegans and it will usually include bread and grains. These items are missing from the general vegetarian pyramid.

The food pyramid is an excellent reference for those trying to determine their nutritional needs. If you are concerned about getting the right foods in the right amounts, you should take a look at the pyramid and plan your diet accordingly. The vegetarian pyramid gives you serving amounts daily just as the traditional food pyramid does so you will be able to determine if you are getting the right amounts.

The vegetarian food pyramid also helps you determine how much of each type of food your body needs and what is over the limit. At the top of the pyramid for the smallest amounts are fats, oils and sweets. This is the way it should be if you are looking for the healthiest diet available.

The vegetarian food pyramid offers a graphic illustration of the healthy features of this diet. You can be certain of your diet being as healthy as it could be if the vegetarian food pyramid is followed faithfully. This happens to be a good method for dieters who are considering a vegetarian diet to reduce weight by incorporating the food recommendations.

To adopt a vegetarian diet and maintain healthy nutrition levels may sometimes prove difficult since some food items are limited or missing. It remains however a totally possible task. While it takes time and effort to plan your healthy diet, the end result will be a longer and healthier life. Vegetarians are known to be generally healthier than those who consume meat.

The vegetarian food pyramid can be a helpful resource and diet planning aid for those who are just beginning the vegetarian lifestyle. The newcomer will have a greater understanding of the nutritional aspects of the diet as well as being more aware as to what is needed to maintain this healthier lifestyle. The transition towards a healthier diet is easier than ever, due to the amount of information that is available. You will discover that an all around improvement in your health by becoming a vegetarian is delicious and easy.

About the Author:

Visit Vegetarian Food Pyramid to learn more about being vegetarian at www.vegetariandiet.us We cover a lot of information on this topic.

Diabetic Recipes: Low Carbohydrate Diets

By Irene Maseko

Enjoying good food is not just the province of those lucky people who do not have diabetes, today there are plenty of excellent diabetic recipes to make this condition more bearable. Controlling your diet can be the key to reducing the risk of diabetes as well as improving your symptoms if you are already affected by this disease people often refer to as "the silent killer". Using approved and regulated diabetic recipes; the task of staying on top of the condition becomes less of a burden.

One of the hardest things to do will be to stick with your diabetic diet to shed those unnecessary pounds as maintaining your weight is extremely important when you're a diabetic. Eating food from the four main food groups and sticking to your diabetic diet will help you with your diabetes.

For patients, having a healthy diabetic diet plan means eating in a way that reduces the risk for complications that are commonly associated with their condition, including heart disease and stroke. A diabetic diet using specially formulated diabetic recipes which are essentially a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan that helps the patient feel better and more energetic, and achieve some control over the symptoms like fatigue, thirst, blurred vision.

A healthy diabetic menu is concerned with eating a balanced diet of non-fat dairy foods, lean meat, poultry, fish, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and beans. The low-carb diabetic dietary plans are a little different and only certain vegetables are allowed such as kidney beans, carrots and avocados as well as fish, meat, poultry, cheese and eggs. Diabetic recipes should include foods that are low in saturated fats and cholesterol, such as skinless poultry, fresh fruit, and vegetables as previously mentioned.

Weighing your food when you're on a diabetic diet is as important as the foods you consume, so that you receive the correct amount of calories. Using the food labels in the supermarkets will also become second nature when you are preparing your diabetic recipes as they contain useful information, usually based on a diet of 2,000 calories per day.

For example, your breakfast on 2,000 calorie diabetic diet plan might consist of something like this, a cup of skimmed milk or sugar free yoghurt, a couple of slices of bread, rice cakes or pasta if you prefer, an egg prepared your favorite way and a serving of fruit. However, if a lower 1,800 calorie per day has been advised for your diabetic diet plan then your diabetic recipes book might suggest something like a cup of skimmed milk, a tablespoon of cheese, a couple of slices of bread and a serving of fruit.

In the afternoon a snack might consist of a half cup of tea or coffee with artificial sweeteners a couple of crackers and some more fruit. Knowledge of your diabetic diet will mean that even small meals like this can be varied so that instead of tea or coffee, sugar free yoghurt or a cup of fat free milk could be a suitable replacement. There is no reason for you to believe that you can no longer enjoy your food if you're restricted to a diabetic diet, because diabetic recipes are designed to have plenty of variety.

About the Author:

Budget Cooking For a Crowd supplies more information, visit: Grilled Vegetables Recipes.

Effective Tips for Dental Hygiene

A balanced diet and proper in take will help in avoiding dental decay and this is the primary step which helps to keep the teeth hygienic. Successful the dental hygiene program are done through many ways and we must be very careful and maintain healthy very healthy teeth.

The following are the steps of dental hygiene program:

To brush regularly with proper tooth brush atleast twice a day.

Good and healthy eating habits and diet.

Usage of fluoride water or other products containing fluoride substances for example toothpastes and mouthwashes must be proper. Fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel. It can also be applied to the children.

Regular dental check ups and prophylaxis.

After these all will provide a successful dental hygiene and prevent from unnecessary suffering. They can provide a good oral health free from diseases when followed properly. A well balanced diet plays a vital role in the dental hygiene program, as the mouth inhabits acid forming bacteria which are a natural process. This will be more in case of starches and sugars, as the acid will be formed when the bacteria act on them. This acid will cause enamel degradation and this is the starting point of any dental problem.

In order to minimize this it is important to avoid foods with more sugar and starch, as they harm the tooth surfaces very soon. Most of the heavy sugar contained foods must be avoided. This is not enough and the teeth must be brushed regularly both in morning and in the night. It is much better if it is done thrice daily and after taking meals or after eating anything. By doing this it helps to remove the food particles which are stuck in between the teeth. It will also help to prevent foul breath or halitosis, caused by factors like decayed tooth, eating certain foods, tonsils or throat infection.

Removing the food particles from the teeth is also very much important in the dental hygiene program. But sometimes in case of old dental appliances also tooth decay is possible. The dental appliances must also be taken utmost care like the teeth. Any particles accumulated in the appliances must be removed properly in order to avoid stains it. Rinse the appliances with running water often and soak them in water overnight in between once or twice a week. Through this, it will help to remove the stains from the dental appliances.

Visiting the dentist on timely basis will also help to maintain a good dental hygiene. This includes for the children also, when they are around the age of three years. The visit must be once every six months. So a dentist can very well help his patients in regular dental hygiene maintenance and procedures to be followed. So, keeping the mouth and teeth fresh and maintaining it by following a good hygiene program from small age will help life long.

Author Resource: Find informative articles on tooth whitening procedures on http://www.dentalcareonline.info The website http://www.healthfriendly.info" target="_blank">http://www.healthfriendly.info carries comprehensive info related to dental insurance.

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You Need To Raise Your Cholesterol

You can imagine my surprise after my last blood test when my doctor told me I needed to raise my cholesterol levels. What? I had a stroke the year before and had revamped my diet to lower my cholesterol. I was slowly able to walk and move more and was adding as much exercise as my body could handle. I had successfully dropped an extremely high cholesterol level to well within normal ranges. Now she wanted me to raise my cholesterol levels again?

That’s because there are two types of cholesterol; good cholesterol, or HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and bad cholesterol, or LDL (low-density lipoproteins). HDL scour the walls of the blood vessels, sweeping away excess fat and cholesterol in the blood and carries it back to the liver for processing, preventing plaque build-up. We’ve all heard that it is important to decrease bad cholesterol, but it is just as important to keep our HDL levels high. I had lowered my bad cholesterol levels but my good cholesterol had dropped as well.

An HDL reading less than 40 mg/dL is considered to be a major risk factor for heart disease, with a reading between 40 and 50 mg/dL recommended, while readings over 60mg/dL indicate a significantly lowered risk of heart disease. My HDL had dropped to a risky 32 mg/dL. The question now was how to raise good cholesterol. Listed below are some suggestions that will help.
Lose Excess Fat by Increasing Activity: It is important to lose excess body fat. But, often dieting alone can cause the desirable HDL to drop along with LDL. By increasing regular physical activity with aerobic exercise, this trend is stopped and good HDL levels will increase. Aerobic exercise is any constant activity that increases your heart rate. Please note that exercise has a powerful, yet short-lived effect, so it is important to exercise on a consistent basis. Studies show that people who exercise regularly tend to have higher HDL.

Research shows that HDL may be elevated as much as 20 percent from regular aerobic exercise that expends at least 800 to 1,200 calories per week. For example, walking at 3 miles per hour burns roughly 300 calories per hour, so walking 3 to 4 hours a week would meet this goal. Further studies show that the duration of exercise, rather than the intensity is a more important factor in raising HDL. Any aerobic exercise will have a greater effect the longer you can participate in that activity. Instead of increasing how hard you exercise, try adding a little more time to your activity for the greater HDL benefits. Studies show that for every 10 minutes of additional exercise HDL may increase by 1.4 mg/dL

Weight control is critical to raising HDL levels. Researchers note that every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight a patient loses raises HDL levels by an average 0.35 mg/dL. So, get walking, hiking, swimming, biking or whatever. Just increase your activity and control what you eat.

Stop Smoking: Giving up tobacco will result in an increase of HDL. Studies show this can raise your HDL by about 4 mg/dL. If you do smoke, please stop! Smoking puts you at high risk for heart disease and stroke. Believe me, these are not experiences you want, especially since they are the #1 and #3 killers in this country and strokes are the #1 cause of disability.

Eliminate Trans Fats: High intakes of trans fats lower HDL. It is hard enough to improve cholesterol levels with food. Cutting out fast foods, processed foods and foods made with hydrogenated oils will at least stop drops in good cholesterol and will stem the rise of bad cholesterol. This is not an easy task since many of our favorite prepared foods contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Alcohol: One or two drinks a day, no more, can show a beneficial increase to HDL levels, regardless of the type of alcohol, by up to 4 mg/dL. But, use caution if you have liver or other conditions affected by alcohol or you have an addictive nature. Consult your doctor.

Improved Diet: What we eat can help lower overall cholesterol and increase HDL levels. It gets so hard with our lifestyles these days. I had a problem eating right while working an 8-5 job, juggling home life and personal activities. It is just so much easier to eat processed foods. But it can be done. The more I find foods I like that are good for me and include them in my diet, the less room I have for not-so-good foods.

Canola oil, avocado oil, olive oil and the oils found in peanut butter can increase HDL, as can soy, flaxseed, eating more nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts and pecans. A 2004 study in Diabetes Care found that men and women with type 2 diabetes who included 30 grams of walnuts a day in their diet showed improved HDL levels.

Soluble fiber found in fruits, vegetables, beans and oats help reduce LDL and raise HDL. Orange juice and cranberry juice have also been shown to be beneficial, as are cold-water fish containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. High glycemic products like cereals and breads on the other hand are associated with lower HDL levels. Consumption of the products should be reduced.

Magnesium rich foods have been shown to both help raise good cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels and lower blood fats These include spinach, black beans, kidney beans, lima beans, soybeans, halibut, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and some whole grains.

Other herbs and nutrients that have been beneficial are niacin (vitamin B3), guggul (a gum resin from the mukul myrrh tree), curcumin, chromium and calcium citrate.

As you can see, with a few dietary changes and increasing aerobic physical activity you can win the battle over cholesterol for life. For the balance of this article discussing the above mentioned supplements, please visit my website for the full article.

Author Resource: Jeff Keto suffered a stroke in March, 2007 requiring a much healthier diet and lifestyle. Product links available at: http://njkmarketing.com

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