How To Lose Weight - - - Part Two

Losing weight can seem like an impossible task sometimes. Always making and breaking your New Years Resolutions, then summer comes and its time to look good for the pool. Following some simple steps can help you on your way to weight loss.

How to Lose Weight:

1. Set your goals, break them up into manageable goals.
2. Exercise.
3. Eat healthy.

First, set your goal, then break it down into manageable pieces. For example, if you goal is to lose 20 pounds, break it down into 5 pound increments and set your first goal to lose 5 pounds. It is psychologically better to have smaller goals so when you achieve them, you can congratulate yourself.

Second, exercise! Not only will it help you lose weight, it will also help in other areas of your life. With a good exercise plan, you will find yourself less tired all the time, more attentive, and you will feel better about yourself. Take a sheet of lined paper and track your progress over time. This way you can slowly increase your reps and length of your workout gradually over time. Don't start out too big, start with the basics, running, biking, light weight lifting.

Exercise isn't just a time in a gym somewhere. Park far out at the grocery store. It's amazing how many of us pay $30 a month for a gym, then hunt for the absolute closest spot at the mall. When you go into a building, use the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the park with your kids instead of driving.

Start eating low fat and low carbohydrate foods. Find things you like that are lowfat, you don't have to eat bland tasteless food just because you're dieting. Also, start taking a daily vitamin, it will help you be alert and help your body with the nutrients its missing.

Carry diet snack foods with you, you will be less likely to stop off at McDonalds or a vending machine if you have something with you.

Finally, consult a doctor for an exercise program and weight loss program that is right for you.

Diet Blogger or Diet Blogging

Diet Blogging has become another way of checking on your weight and eating habits. Create your own web page or a blog, that tells the story of your diet. Include before and after pictures, add your daily weights and meals and post messages about your diet actives. Record your daily weight and eating habits. it is highly recommended to record every day on to your blog, adding in a pictures every 3 to 7 days and well labeled graphs and charts in a regular bases will also be a good way to monitor your progress.

Doing this will allows you to plan weight loss goals and track your progress towards them using unique charts and graphs. And best of all: planning goals and tracking your weight is as easy as finding the date on our interactive calendar. You can share your blog or set a password for privacy.

Why Your Diet May Not Be As Rich In Iodine As You Assume

The trace mineral iodine is well known for its crucial role in enabling the body's manufacture of vital thyroid hormones, but it is also important for the health of the immune system and for optimal brain function. It is widely believed by many authorities that iodine deficiency should never be seen in the affluent West, although this problem affects millions throughout the developed world.

Some nutritionists argue, however, that this conventional view is too optimistic, because the content of all minerals in foods is heavily dependent on the mineral content of the soil from which those foods are derived. The assumption must therefore be that the continuing de-mineralisation of farm soils has led to a reduction in the amount of dietary iodine commonly consumed.

Fish and other seafood, however, remain a relatively rich source because these ocean creatures concentrate the sea's iodine in their flesh. Though not commonly eaten in the West, seaweed, or kelp, is also an excellent source of iodine for this reason, and is readily available in the form of a dietary supplements. Dairy products and certain meats may also be a good source, particularly where iodine is routinely added to farm animal feed. But in countries, including most of Western Europe, where animals are grazing fields growing on iodine depleted soils, levels are likely to be much lower.

So even in the West, those not including fish or seafood in their diets, and not using iodised or sea salt, may be at real risk of deficiency. In an effort to compensate for low levels of dietary iodine, the mineral has been routinely added to ordinary table salt in the US for many years. But the practice is not as common in the UK and other European countries, where specially iodised or natural "sea-salt" has been marketed more as a luxury alternative. The problem of insufficient dietary iodine has been compounded on both sides of the Atlantic, however, by increasing concern about the possible adverse health consequences, particularly high blood pressure, of excessive salt intake. Many nutritionists, however, regard these fears as exaggerated, and believe that any such potential problems are far less serious than the consequences of an insufficiency of iodine, and may be easily resolved by the use of the low sodium salt alternatives available.

Iodine, however, cannot in any case be regarded as a luxury. Its essential function lies in the production of the vital thyroid hormones; thyroxine, sometimes known as T4, and tri-iodothyronine, or T3. And as is well known, these hormones are crucially important in ensuring a healthy metabolic rate and the release of energy from food; so an underactive thyroid gland is commonly the villain in cases of excessive weight gain, particularly where this of sudden onset, and in cases of difficulty in losing weight even when following a sensible reducing programme. A healthy thyroid gland is also crucial for the optimal functioning of the immune system.

But perhaps even more importantly, iodine deficiency is also known as a major cause of avoidable brain damage; a problem which the World Health Organisation has estimated to affect an astonishing 50 million people worldwide. Sadly, many of these cases occur in children whose mothers were iodine deficient in pregnancy, resulting in a condition of severely retarded brain development known as congenital hypothyroidism, or "cretinism". Even where such catastrophic consequences are avoided, iodine deficiency in childhood may also have serious effects on the developing brain, leading to low energy and motivation for learning, and measurable impairment of IQ scores.

Since 2001 the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine (FNB) has prescribed a Recommended Dietary Allowance for iodine of 150 mcg for all individuals over 14, rising to 220 mcg for pregnant women and 290 mcg for those breastfeeding. Somewhat confusingly, however, an excessive consumption of iodine is also associated with a malfunctioning or enlargement of the thyroid gland, as well as mouth ulcers, headaches and gastric upsets, and the FNB therefore advises an upper safe limit for daily iodine consumption of 1,100 mcg for adults. Most people eating a conventional Western diet are unlikely to exceed this level.

With the possible exception of pregnant and breastfeeding women, people in the West who use liberal quantities of iodised salt as a regular seasoning are unlikely to need further supplements. But many commercial multi-mineral preparations contain iodine in reasonable quantities, usually in the form of potassium iodide, and whilst not perhaps strictly necessary, such supplementary doses will do no harm and may be regarded as a useful insurance policy given that, like all minerals needed by the body, iodine functions best in the presence of adequate supplies of all the others. And it should be particularly noted in this context that the effects of any deficiency of iodine may be intensified by any deficiency of selenium, iron or vitamin A. By Steve Smith

Why Women's Health Matters

Women start out with a lower average blood pressure than men have. But as women go through menopause, hormonal changes can cause them to lose this advantage.

What most of us call 'mood swings' can be normal, or they may be a symptom of a serious mood disorder. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference, but there are certain things to be on the lookout for that can signal a problem.

Burning mouth syndrome is a frustrating and elusive disorder that is far more common in women. Its symptoms can include a feeling of burning on the lips, tongue, and throat, as well as changes in taste.

Relationships can be positive or negative influences in our lives. Either way, they form an important part of who we are, how we see ourselves, and how we interact with the world. One Ontario-based organization is empowering girls and young women by letting them take part in a research project on healthy relationships.

Healthy Foods

Good food categories 
Fruits and olive oil;
Raw Vegetables / Cooked Vegetables; 
Grains and Pasta;
Nuts & Seeds;
Unrefined sugars (often brown).

Health: Why fruit?
 Sugar
 Health food
 Unhealthy food
 Guava
 Olive oil
 1. FRUITS & OLIVE OIL 

- Acid Fruit 
oranges - pineapples - sour apples - sour plums - lemons - grapefruits - sour peaches - limes - tangerines - sour grapes - tomatoes

These are the most detoxifying fruits and excellent foods. They should be avoided when you have the flu because the body could overreact detoxifying and make you even more sick. 

Some people may have problems with these fruits because of their acid content. The acid though is a healthy and organic nutritional element (for instance: ascorbic acid is vitamin c, found especially in citrus fruits and vegetables).  

Sometimes one type of fruit from this category can irritate a particular part of the body. This can be caused by an allergic reaction caused by cow milk. There is a good chance that after staying away from dairy this reaction disappears. 

- Low-acid Fruit 
apricots - blueberries - huckleberries - strawberries - nectarines - raspberries - blackberries - gooseberries - mangos - elderberries - olives - fresh figs - sweet apples - cherries- sweet peaches - sweet plums - persimmons

These fruits are less detoxifying than acid fruits and can be handled well in any amount. 

- Sweet Fruit 
dates - sweet grapes - pears - prunes - raisins - dried figs

Rehydrate dried fruit by soaking it overnight in a jar of water. 

- Melons 
watermelons - cantaloupes - honey dew - galia

Are like all other fruits excellent food. What's very special about watermelons is that they contain as much iron as spinach. Eat as much of them as you like. 

- Starchy Fruit 
bananas - peanuts - pumpkins - winter squashes

Don't eat more than one banana a day if you gain weight easily. 

- Non-starchy Fruit 
cucumber - sweet pepper - zucchini - egg plant - yellow squash

- Protein containing Fruit 
olives - avocadoes

Extremely healthy fruits. Olives and avocadoes contain a lot of different nutritious elements and even scientists don't know what they exactly contain! 
Read more 

- Olive oil 
Olive oil is very healthy. Use olive oil from today on instead of animal based fat. If you don't want to use olive oil use a different plant based oil. If you still want to use butter use real butter and not margarine. olives and olive oil
 
 2. VEGETABLES 
After fruit the most important of all foods. Along with fruits, vegetables are the only right nutrition for the human body. Vegetables contain amino acids and antioxidants in forms that do not occur in other foods. You can eat unlimited amounts. Vegetables are most nutritious when eaten raw. They are especially important to eat for their protein contents. We don't offer more information about vegetables because this is a fruit site.
For more information on fruits vegetables click here. 

- Non-Starchy (usually green) Vegetables 
alfalfa sprouts - asparagus - bamboo sprouts - beet greens - broccoli - cabbage - celery chard - Brussels sprouts - chive - collards - dandelion greens - endive - garlic - green beans - kale - leeks - lettuce - mustard greens - okra - onions - parsley - radishes - rhubarb - scallions - spinach - wax beans - turnips - watercress - turnip greens

- Mildly Starchy Vegetables 
carrots - green peas - rutabagas - cauliflower - beets

- Starchy Vegetables 
corn - dried beans - artichokes - potatoes

- Protein containing Vegetables 
dried beans - dried peas - soybeans - lentils
 
 3. GRAINS  
Grains consist of equal amounts of starch and protein.  

pasta - organic whole wheat - brown rice - spelt - millet - oats - rye - barley
 
 4. NUTS & SEEDS 
Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein. Nuts are always best when eaten raw right out of their shell. Nuts are an excellent source of rare amino acids that are destroyed in cooked protein. Seeds are a good source of essential minerals and beneficial oils. As with nuts, do not overeat.  

- Nuts 
almonds - Brazil nuts - pecans - filberts

- Seeds 
sesame - pumpkin - sunflower
 
 6. NATURAL, UNREFINED SUGARS 
It is very important to use natural, unrefined, often brown sugars instead of white sugars or sweetners. To digest refined white sugar your body has to use a lot of energy and it works as a stimulant. Sweetners make you crave for sugar about 30 minutes after consumption so you end up robbing the cookie jar. Unrefined brown sugars are natural and provide you with energy. 

brown sugar - cane sugar

Unhealthy Foods

Replace these foods by fruits or vegetables as often as you can. Your body will function better and you'll have more energy.
 
 Wrong food categories 
Animal food;
White flour;
Refined Sugar;
Stimulants;
 
Health: Why fruit?
 Sugar
 Health food
 Unhealthy food
 Guava

 Olive oil

 1. ANIMAL FOOD 
Animal foods are: meat, milk, yoghurt, cheese, bouillon, butter, fish, shellfish, eggs e.g.  
If you look into it you'll be amazed how much products in the supermarket contain some kind of animal based product. If you want to become a strict vegan it is not easy. The food pattern of the Western civilisation is based on animal products. In fact this is very strange since we know that many modern diseases are caused by an overconsumption of animal food. 

If you want to lose weight quickly it is a must to stay away from animal products. There are two reasons why you have to abstain from animal food if you want to slim down fast: 
The energy animal foods contain consists of proteins. Proteins take a longer time to digest and are burnt in a different, more cumbersome way than fruits and vegetables. Burning proteins is a body polluting process so it will not contribute to a healthy functioning of the cells. For more about this subject see the burning process.
Animal products contain a lot of fattening cholesterol whereas fruits and vegetables do not contain any cholesterol.

2. WHITE FLOUR 
White flour forms a sticky substance in the intestines and cardiovascular vessels, causes constipation and deregulates the digestive system. For a proper burning process you have to stay away as much as you can from white flour. 
Products that contain white flour are: white bread, pizza, buns, pancakes, crepes e.g. 


3. REFINED WHITE SUGAR 
Refined white sugar is a stimulant and therefore mentioned at 4 but we treat white sugar here because allmost every product you buy at the store contains some kind of refined white sugar. Check those labels! If you consume refined white sugar your body will start craving for more. This effect is not known with the consumption of natural sugars. Try to avoid products that contain this worldly accepted stimulant. Examples: sodas, icecream, candy, ketchup, other sauces and literally thousands of other products in the supermarket. Inform yourself and check the labels. 


4. STIMULANTS 
Characteristic for stimulants is that they can quickly change a mental or bodily state but that the change is never made permanently and is only a temporary solution. We use stimulants to make us feel good. If you try to control a symptom with stimulants, the cause of that symptom will remain. So try to stay away from stimulants as much as you can. The most well known stimulants are: 
Refined white sugar;
Coffee,
Alcohol;
Cigarettes;
Spices;
Red meat;
Diet pills;
Drugs. 

Heart Healthy Living