Weight Loss - It's in Your Head

When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged is mostly in your mind. “Should I eat the corn muffin with butter or would it be better for me to have margarine or better yet, have jelly? What am I doing eating this muffin anyway? It's so caloric and filled with saturated fat. I'm such a pig. I have absolutely zero willpower.” It's no wonder you'll eat that muffin with the butter and jelly on top to quiet that negative self-talk.

See what a holistic nutritional coach advise us....

What you need more than a diet is a way to shift those negative self-defeating thoughts to more adaptive, positive self-statements. As with most things worth doing, this requires a bit of practice. First, become aware when you're using a negative statement, then determine what about that thought is faulty and finally, replace it with a self-defense response or coping thought. In the corn muffin example, instead of listening to “I'm such a pig” which clearly mislabels who you are, respond with “Pigs are animals and I am human. I don't have to be perfect.”

Many people cannot change their eating habits until they change their thoughts about food, eating and drinking. By shedding “distorted” thoughts and replacing them with productive ones, eating habits can be changed. It is possible to rid yourself from many self-critical thoughts, but like any ingrained habit, it takes vigor and vigilance to change. Here are some other thinking distortions to challenge:

Shoulds. Should statements are more about other people's values, not ones chosen by the person who wants to lose weight. Additionally, should statements reflect an attempt by the dieter to motivate herself without really believing in the value. Better to determine what works for you. “I will eat up to two Hershey kisses daily and thoroughly enjoy them.”

All-or-Nothing. This kind of reasoning is the foundation for perfectionism. An all-or-nothing individual views the world as black or white. Since there is no allowance for gray areas, the behavior is either perfect or a failure. “I've ruined my diet by eating all that pizza. I can't stay on a diet and I'll just always be fat.” Maybe the problem does not arise from the behavior… maybe the problem is with the diet that does not allow for pizza. “I do not want to give pizza up for the rest of my life, so what I need is a way to include pizza in my diet without feeling like a failure. Let me try having a salad (dressing on the side) before the pizza to take the edge off my hunger.”

Good Foods / Bad Foods. If the truth be told, foods do not misbehave. Foods are not good or bad. While it is true that some foods have more nutrients or are more fiber-dense than others, all foods can be enjoyed. How we think about food colors what we eat and how much we eat. If a food is labeled as bad (such as fries), then for many individuals that food is taboo. When one eventually succumbs to eating the forbidden, French fries, bingeing may result. Rather than continue with dichotomous thinking of good food/bad food, shift to allow space for all foods you like without judgement. Instead of “I ate those fries which are so bad for me” to “I really enjoyed that small portion of fries. They really satisfied me.”

Body Distortions. Rather than dwelling on how fat or thin you think your body is, it is extremely helpful to view your body in terms of what it can do for you. For example, when you look in the mirror, instead of zooming in on your stomach which “looks five months pregnant, although your last baby was nine years ago” tell yourself “my body has given life” or “my body enables me to go where I want to and allows me to have fun.”

The conversations that are going on inside your head cannot be stopped. However, what you can do is to be aware of negative self-talk and understand that it has little to do with actual reality. When you believe this, you can respond to the critical voice with a more objective, coping thought. Although negative thoughts may not be stopped entirely, they can be quieted by listening to your compassionate, caring voice. In much the same way you would sympathize and listen to a close friend, listen to yourself. Be your own best friend and chances are you'll have greater weight loss success.

How To Burn Fat Quickly

Burning fat quickly can be frustrating and difficult to achieve. However, it is possible, especially if you know exactly how to do it. If you want to burn fat quickly, keep reading this article, and you're sure to gain the insight needed to burn fat quickly and easily.

1) Proper Diet is very important if you want to burn fat quickly. In fact, nothing else is as important, which is why you should have a very close look at your diet before you try anything else. In order to burn fat quickly, ask yourself how many times per day you eat and how big your portion sizes are?

Most people eat far too much food at each meal. Either that, or they don't eat enough, and their body goes into starvation mode. If you want to, you should avoid both of those possibilities.

2) Multivitamins are a great way to ensure you are getting the vitamins you need. The healthier your body is, the better the chances that you'll burn fat.

If you're weight training, whey protein is a good investment. You can use it to make delicious shakes that can be used as a meal replacement in a pinch. You can mix it with water or low fat milk, and drink away right after an intense workout.

If you want to burn fat quickly, you have to combine good nutrition, exercise and superior supplementation to succeed. Think of it as a big chain. If one of the links is weak, the entire chain is useless. Without the proper vitamins, minerals, and detoxification, you may be halting your fat loss efforts before they even begin. Good luck!

Why Does Fast Weight Loss Programs Always Fail?

If you are anything like the rest of the millions of people that are constantly trying to lose weight, you have probably ran in to all kinds of fast weight loss dieting programs that promises super quick results. But what is the truth behind these diets?

Here's a little news flash for you; those fast diets are for idiots! The whole weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar business and if that doesn't allure the scam artists then I don't know what would. Sure, with some of the quick weight loss programs on the market you may lose some weight and actually do it quite fast, but do not get fooled, it all will come back to you with interests! You will just end up getting even fatter than what you used to be.

What Exactly Is Wrong With The Fast Weight Loss Programs?

The major reason why these "lose weight fast" programs fail is that they are designed to do something impossible. Now I'm not saying that you couldn't lose weight and get into a healthy shape in a reasonable time if you do the right things and follow the right advice. I'm just saying that these ordinary quick weight loss systems will not ultimately make you lose FAT.

Now like I said, they all have a huge flaw in the way they were designed, they try to fool your body to do something that, well, just will not happen. Our metabolic and hormonal systems are very clever and they know when they are trying to be fooled. Working against these systems, like the most quick weight loss diets do, may help you to lose some fat tissue in the beginning, but in the long run they only help you to lose muscle tissue and actually gain fat tissue.

So Is Losing Weight Fast Even Possible?

Yes and no, yes it is very much possible for anybody to lose some weight rather quickly, but no, you shouldn't expect any miraculous results in the next two weeks. It does take months but once you get there, I guarantee that you will look back glad that you did make that decision to go through with it. Once you find the right fat loss system that works for you, stick with it and let the rest worry and spend their money on all those miracle weight loss programs and products.

White bread may bring greater disease risk

Foods with a high glycemic index (GI), such as most white breads, lead to a higher risk of certain health problems, according to researchers at the University of Sydney , Australia .

The study found that high blood glucose led to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and was also linked to gall stones and some types of cancer, providing further evidence that could trigger greater demand low GI and multi grain foods.

The researchers concluded: "Low-GI and/or low glycemic load (GL) diets are independently associated with a reduced risk of certain chronic diseases. In diabetes and heart disease, the protection is comparable with that seen for whole grain and high fibre intakes. The findings support the hypothesis that higher postprandial glycemia is a universal mechanism for disease progression."

High grain breads, and other low GI foods, are therefore recommended in the promotion of a healthier diet.

Between 2003 and 2006, the number of new whole grain product launches fairly doubled every year - from 64 in 2003, to 140 in 2004, to 346 in 2005, to 620 in 2006, according to Mintel.

This reflects the race by food manufacturers to carve out a slice of the market during the initial period of rapid growth, which ran parallel to the growth in consumer awareness of the healthy grains.

The researchers had found that results from previous observational studies had been inconsistent and had prolonged the controversy over the effects of GI and GL on the risk of certain chronic diseases.

A statement from the University of Sydney drew attention to the fact that the diets of nearly two million healthy men and women worldwide were reviewed.

The University statement quotes lead author Alan Barclay as saying: "If you have a constantly high blood glucose and insulin levels due to a high GI diet, you may literally 'wear out' your pancreas over time. Eventually it may lead to type 2 diabetes in older age."

However, he said that he was more surprised by the relationship between GI and some of the other diseases. With regard to cancer he concluded: "This is because constant spikes in blood glucose that cause the body to release more insulin also increase a related substance called 'insulin like growth factor one' (IGF-1). Both these hormones increase cell growth and decrease cell death, and have been shown to increase the risk of developing cancer."

The University statement defines high GI foods as carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion, causing blood glucose levels to increase quickly and stay higher for longer, for example most biscuits.

Low GI carbohydrates break down more slowly during digestion, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, with leading examples including muesli, whole- or multi-grain bread and fruit.

Source : The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

"Magic" Mushrooms

A growing number of health-care experts say a particular mushroom - cordyceps is, well.....magic.

Why? Turns out, it has a unique ability to increase blood flow, thus boosting oxygen supplied to all our cells; clinical trials have already shown cordyceps has the power to improve everything from pulmonary and heart disease to arthritis and low libido. In ancient China, use of cordyceps sinensis was reserved exclusively for the Emperor's Palace. Researchers have also begun to test the mushroom's ability to trigger fat loss. Early results: Very promising! One study found that folks taking a cordyceps supplement lost 20% of their body weight in just 12 weeks – without dieting.

How it works? “Over time, tiny receptors in our bodies that regulate the blood-sugar hormone insulin can become clogged,” says Cordyceps Miracle author Paul Ling Tai, D.P.M. When that happens, we can't process carbohydrates properly, and they often get converted to fat instead of energy. “Cordyceps cleans the receptors out,” Tai explains. So you instantly begin storing less fat and generating extra energy. You move more, burn more calories and stop craving sugar to boost stamina. Blood sugar becomes steadier, further reducing cravings. “Plus, cordyceps creates a hormonal balance that keeps metabolism higher,” Tai adds.

No wonder a cordycps-based supplement regimen has helped his patients lose up to 40 pounds! Who are they safe for? "Anyone who isn't illergic to mushrooms," notes Tai. How much should I take? Tai recommended to take 300mg-1,150mg, depends on the body condition. Three times daily with meals.

The Antioxidant Miracle

A pill that strengthens your heart, sharpens your mind, keeps your body young, extends your life, prevents cancer, and keeps your skin wrinkle-free? Sounds like a joke or a dream, doesn't it? According to molecular cell biologist Lester Packer, these pills exist -- they are antioxidants.

Does your daily food supplement contain 50 mg of lipoic acid? Mine does. Did I even know that name until recently? No. So what's the big deal with antioxidants?

Some years ago, I've read a book which has changed my life by summarizing the vast amount of research which has been done in the past few decades on antioxidants and their role in preventing degenerative diseases.

If you read the Antioxidant Miracle, you won't be without antioxidants afterwards. Dr. Lester Packer is perhaps the world's leading authority on antioxidants, having pioneered much of the research himself at Packer Lab at U. C. Berkeley over the last three decades. The level of research is not mostly anecdotal, like, "I took vitamin E and my heart didn't hurt as much." Instead, it is at the high scientific level of being able to induce heart disease in laboratory animals by simply withholding vitamin E, and then seeing them improve when it is restored. There are clinical studies involving thousands of patients, which provide overwhelming evidence that antioxidants are major factors in preventing cancer, heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis and a host of others.

How long will it take us to get it? To figure out what we need to do to be healthy? To discover that major fatal diseases can be prevented by simple diet and supplements? The answer is often measured in centuries. Consider the killer disease scurvy, caused by a lack of vitamin C:

A.D. 1227: Gilbertus de Aguilla advised sailors to bring ample apples, pears, and lemons to avoid getting scurvy.
A.D. 1500's: World explorers Vasco de Gama and Magellan reported losing over half their crew to scurvy.
A.D. 1753: British physician James Lind published his results of testing several supposed cures. He found that sailors with scurvy who ate two oranges and one lemon per day were cured in a few days.
A.D. 1795: British Admiralty begins to require sailors to eat lemons and limes and scurvy ceases to be a problem.

Why did it take 500 years to for sailors to take the advice seriously to eat citrus fruit? And why 42 years after it was published by a physician? Probably because it is hard to believe that such a simple thing as eating an orange can prevent such a horrible disease.

Why are we so loathe to believe the idea today that so many of our killers today such as cancer and heart disease can be prevented by getting enough of the substances found in fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods? Perhaps in the past, we had the excuse of a lack of evidence, but today that dodge is no longer an acceptable excuse for neglecting healthy practices. And Dr. Packer points out that a healthy diet is not nearly enough, we need to supplement our modern diets to get the optimum amounts of these antioxidants.

Dr. Packer explains that of the hundreds of known antioxidants, there are five which seem to be the most important, and which operate as a network, meaning that they help balance and recycle each other. Cells are essentially filled with water surrounded by a fatty wall, so both fat and water soluble varieties are important. Two of the network antioxidants are water soluble (vitamin C and glutathione), two are fat soluble (vitamin E and CoQ10), and one (lipoic acid) is both fat and water soluble. The importance of this latter team member has only been known in the last decade. It may be the most important of all and most daily supplement manufacturers don't even include it.

I have made a table summarizing the main results presented in The Antioxidant Miracle , including the optimum amounts recommended by Dr. Packer. It fits well on one page if printed in landscape mode. There are also links to a few bulleted charts below which summarize the importance of each of the network antioxidants and some others. You can message me if you need the table.

After reading his book, I went to both grocery and health food stores and hunted for a supplement that had something close to all his optimum amounts of antioxidants, as well as other usual vitamins and minerals. I found none. It is possible to buy most of them separately, but that is very expensive and way too hard for me to open all those bottles twice a day. I found that simply looking for at least 50 mg of lipoic acid is a good test of the entire supplement because few companies have kept up with the most recent research.

The best I've found so far is Life-Pak by Pharmanex, which is guaranteed to be very high quality as has been the Olympic's only licensed product since 1996. Life Pak plays an extremely important part in the TRA program as more antioxidants are consumed during the breakdown of fat cells.

In any case, if you read his book, you will build up your antioxidant protection.

Obesity Linked to Increased Cancer Risk

Weight management, exercise and proper nutrition are keys to reducing your risk of cancer. And the earlier in life you adopt these practices, the better off you'll be, a new study suggests.

Factors such as birth weight, childbearing, breast-feeding, and adult height and weight also influence cancer risk, according to the report released some months ago by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the Britain-based World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). Understanding how these factors affect cancer risk, and how to put this information to use to prevent the disease, offer promising new directions for cancer research, the study authors said.

The WCRF said obesity can be linked to six types of cancer, five more than its last report, 10 years ago.

"We need to think about cancer as the product of many long-term influences, not as something that 'just happens,' " Dr. Walter J. Willett said in a prepared statement. Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, was one of 21 authors of the report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective.

"Examining the causes of cancer this way, across the entire lifetime, is called the life course approach," he added.

Among the new types are colorectal (bowel) and post-menopausal breast cancer.

The report, an analysis by scientists from around the world of more than 7,000 studies, offers 10 recommendations to help prevent cancer. They include staying lean, getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, limiting your intake of red meat and alcohol, and avoiding processed meats.

"These findings are right on," said Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical activity at the American Cancer Society. "They are consistent with our own nutrition and physical activity guidelines. They clearly put the emphasis where the emphasis needs to be, and that's on controlling your weight."

"This is a good-news report," added Karen Collins, a nutrition adviser at the American Institute for Cancer Research. "If we are watching our weight, working regular physical activity into our daily life and eating a healthy balance of foods, we could prevent a third of cancers," she said. "Extra weight is not dead weight," she said. "It's an active metabolic tissue that produces substances that promote the development of cancer."

"People should take this message to be empowering," Collins said.

The analysis of the studies found a definite link between excess fat and cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium, kidney as well as breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

The risk from excess weight begins at birth, according to the report. The reason for the link between birth weight and breast cancer has to do with body fat. Excess body fat influences the body's hormones, and these changes can make it more likely for cells to undergo the kind of abnormal growth that leads to cancer, the researchers said.

In addition, overweight girls can start menstruating at an earlier age. So, over their lifetime, they will have more menstrual cycles. This extended exposure to estrogen is associated with increased risk for premenopausal breast cancer, the report found.

Not smoking is the most important thing one can do to reduce the risk of cancer, Doyle said. But, she added, "there are estimates that obesity will overtake smoking as the leading preventable cause of death.

"It's great to see another report that emphasizes being active, watching your weight and eating a healthy diet are not only going to help you reduce your risk of cancer but heart disease and diabetes as well," Doyle said.

The report also found that breast-feeding can lower a mother's risk for developing breast cancer. In addition, breast-fed infants have a lower risk of becoming overweight or obese, and this means a lower risk of developing cancer.

"The evidence is uniformly strong on breast-feeding, and the fact that it offers cancer protection to both mothers and their children is why we made breast-feeding one of our 10 Recommendations to Prevent Cancer," Willett said.

In addition, tall people seem to have a higher risk of colorectal and postmenopausal breast cancer, according to the report.

"We found that tallness is also probably linked to increased risk for ovarian, pancreatic and premenopausal cancer as well," Willett said. Although the association between height and cancer is convincing, tall people are not destined to get cancer, he added.

Willett noted that being at increased risk is not a guarantee that you are going to develop cancer. "Risk isn't fate," he said. "The evidence clearly shows that risk can be changed.

"We wanted to point these emerging links out, because we now believe them to be more important than the scientific community, much less the public, has yet realized," Willett added. "Whether or not we get cancer has to do with our genes and with the choices we make everyday. Our cancer risk is also influenced by our whole accumulated life experience, from conception onwards."

Body weight and composition is a big factor, one expert said.

"This report really reinforces the connection between being overweight or obese and the increased risk of many, if not all, cancers," said Carolyn Lammersfeld, the national director of nutrition at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. "The majority of Americans are not aware of that connection. They are more concerned with pesticides and environmental contaminants, but obesity is a much greater risk factor," she said.

But risks can be minimized, she added. "If you don't have cancer, it's never too late to try to do what you can to lower your risk," Lammersfeld said. "In addition, cancer survivors should follow the diet and weight recommendations to prevent a return of cancer."

Fats Facts

Of all the essential nutrients required for optimal health, fatty acids have not only been forgotten, they have been considered hazardous.

Health has somehow been equated with “low-fat”or “fat-free” for so long, to suggest that fats could be essential or even therapeutic is to risk credibility. Recommendations to view essential fatty acids in a similar fashion as essential vitamins and minerals will be combined with therapeutic protocols for conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease, skin conditions, diabetes, nerve related disorders, retinal disorders and more. A complete restoration of health cannot be accomplished until there is a restoration of fatty acid nutritional information among health care professionals and their patients.

So what are fats? Dietary fats come to us from a variety of sources, but primarily in the form of triglycerides. These fatty acids are then used as energy by our cells or modified into phospholipids to be used as cell or organelle membranes. Some fatty acids are used in lipoprotein molecules to shuttle cholesterol and fats to and from cells, and fats may also be stored for later use. While many debates are ongoing concerning the ideal level of fats in the overall diet, this review will focus only on the types of fats available in dietary or supplemental forms and how they either harm or benefit your health.

What's the difference between saturated fats & non-saturated fats? Saturated fats are harmful to body health and they are found in high amounts in things like butter, coconut oil, palm kernel oil and beef fat. Found primarily in vegetable oils, nut oils (almonds, walnut etc), and fish oils. It is in this category that both essential fatty acids are found.

EPA is an essential fatty acid. This essential fatty acid is an Omega 3 fat, which is found in cold water fish. EPA is highly unsaturated fat and these polyunsaturated fats play a very important role with the function of our bodies.

DHA is a building block of tissue in the brain and retina of the eye. It helps with forming neural transmitters, such as phosphatidylserine, which is important for brain function. DHA is found in the retina of the eye and taking DHA may be necessary for maintaining healthy levels of DHA for normal eye function.

Cardiovascular system - EPA and DHA are converted into hormone like substances called prostaglandins, and they regulate cell activity and healthy cardiovascular function.

Human growth and intellectual development - DHA plays a very important role during fetal development, early infancy, and old age. High concentrations of DHA are found in the brain and increases 300-500% in an infant's brain during the last trimester of pregnancy. Adding DHA to a pregnant mothers diet may be beneficial for the fetus's brain development.

Elderly people should also take EPA - DHA, because as we get older, our bodies form less DHA and EPA, which may cause less mental focus and cognitive function. Taking EPA - DHA may also help with mental abnormalities, such as Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia.

There are other benefits to taking EPA and DHA because it also plays as a source of energy, it insulates the body against heat loss, prevents skin from drying and flaking, and cushions tissues and organs.

Who should take EPA - DHA? Most people can benefit from taking EPA and DHA.

The Crazy Makers

Have you ever wondered "How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children?"

Most people try to eat right. They read labels and avoid nutrosweet, MSG, and other suspect additives. And yet their energy level is still low, experience mood swings and occasional sleeplessness. I observe children who are anxious, moody, and have a difficult time in school. Wondering why so many people have such problems?

Examining the relationship of diet to changing levels of chemicals in the brain, author Carol Simontacchi finds that:

• consumer baby-formulas and baby foods can be harmful to an infant's brain development;
• ingredients and residues such as MSG and neurotoxins are present in our children's food, hidden by misleading labels;
• stripping essential minerals from the foods being served to teenagers can be linked to anorexia nervosa, bulimia, poor cognition and behavior;
• schools that strike deals with fast-food companies are among the worst saboteurs of a child's healthy diet and mind;
• many supposedly health-conscious foods are so deficient in meeting adult needs that they threaten the physical structure of the brain.

This book both frightens the reader as it describes the bizarre results of our poor diets and offers an easy solution as it clearly and factually explains what vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs are essential for physical and mental development and growth and what food products and additives not only are non-nutritive but actually harmful to growing bodies and minds. Anyone claiming this book is "junk science" is probably in the food industry, and a "Crazy Maker" himself.