10 Tips For Fast Weight Loss

Losing weight can be a challenge, especially if you have many pounds to shed. It can be difficult to sift through all the fad diets, and downright dangerous supplements and pills on the market today. How do you know what works and what doesn’t? Whom should you believe?

Here are 10 no-nonsense tips for fast, healthy weight loss :

1) Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day - this helps flush your body of impurities and fat. You can also substitute a few glasses of water for green or herbal tea.
2) Break up your meals into 5 or 6 smaller ones - this will help speed up your metabolism and keep you from getting too hungry in between meals.
3) Increase your fruit and vegetable intake - these are packed with vitamins.
4) Decrease your fat intake - try for no more than 20 grams per day.
5) Exercise for 30 minutes each day - take a walk, or play a game with your kids. Just get moving.
6) Find a hobby - take up knitting or painting to keep your hands busy.
7) Don’t eat that late night snack - Try not to eat for at least 2 hours before going to bed.
8) Listen to your body - your body will tell you when it is full, hungry, stressed, tired. Learn the signs and obey what your body is telling you.
9) Increase your fiber - choose whole grain pasta and bread.
10) Cleanse and detoxify - this may be the most important. Rid your body of harmful toxins and chemicals, while allowing it to function normally.

Cleansing is an important part of long-term weight loss success. Our bodies are laden with insecticides, pesticides, lead, and dozens of other harmful substances. These chemicals clog our internal organs and our bodies respond by coating these chemicals with layers of fat.

One way to cleanse your body of harmful impurities is by using Acai Berry. This fruit is a nutritional powerhouse and will get your body functioning normally again, so it can fight illness and disease. It will also allow your body to burn calories and fat faster and more efficiently. You will see a faster rate of weight loss, and you will be able to keep it off.

Acai berry has many health benefits as well, including increased circulation, increased metabolism, and increased mental clarity and focus.

Source: http://www.weightlosslib.com/2009/07/30/10-tips-for-faster-weight-loss/#more-917

Pregnancy Diet: Eating (Well) for Two

Eating right during your pregnancy prepares you for the rigors of labor, delivery, and, ultimately, motherhood, while also helping your baby develop during nine months of enormous change. "Even with all the diagnostic tests and fancy equipment now available, good nutrition is still the most important factor in giving your baby a healthy start in life," says Bridget Swinney, M.S., R.D., author of Eating Expectantly: A Practical and Tasty Guide to Prenatal Nutrition.

You're ahead of the game if you started eating well from the beginning of your pregnancy, but don't worry if you didn't mainline vegetables right after conception. What's important is that you focus on creating healthy eating habits as soon as you can.

Food for Tot
Experts advise that you see a nutritionist during your pregnancy if you are significantly over- or underweight, a teenager, pregnant with multiples, or nursing while pregnant, because you may have special nutritional needs that can best be met by following a custom diet. "Strict vegetarians should also consult with a dietitian," says Brenda Danner, R.D., C.D., outpatient dietitian at St. Francis Hospital and Health Center in Indianapolis, IN. "Those who don't eat eggs or milk may lack vitamin B12 -- which is found only in animal products -- as well as iron, calcium, and other nutrients."

For the majority of women, however, professional advice isn't necessary -- you just need to rethink your usual eating habits. Start by changing your definition of a meal. "If you're used to a glass of juice as a morning meal," says Glade B. Curtis, M.D., a board certified ob-gyn who practices in Salt Lake City, UT, and author of Your Pregnancy Week by Week, "make an effort to eat a real breakfast every day." According to Dr. Curtis, a balanced diet of four or five small meals throughout the day is the best way to nourish your baby and maintain a high level of energy. (It will also help counter morning sickness; see next page.) It might sound like a lot of food, but you need the extra calories: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women take in an additional 300 calories each day.

But that doesn't mean chowing down on every high-calorie, high-fat treat in sight. To get the best results, go easy on fats, oils, and sweets, and stick to lean, low-fat, nutrition-packed foods. If you're unsure of just what to eat every day, here's a guideline:

•      9 slices of bread or 9 ounces of grains (a major source of thiamin, iron, niacin, and zinc)
•      4 cups of raw or 2 cups of cooked vegetables (provides vitamins A and C, folic acid)
•      3 medium pieces of fruit (provides vitamins A and C, folic acid)
•      3 to 4 8-ounce cups of milk or other dairy products (for protein, calcium, riboflavin, B12 and D)
•      2 3-ounce servings of lean meat (for protein, iron, thiamin, B6 and B12, folic acid, and zinc).

Source: http://www.parenting.com/article/pregnancy-diet

Anxiety, Depression in Pregnancy May Raise Kids’ Asthma Risk

Children of women who experience anxiety and depression during pregnancy may be at greater risk for asthma, according to new research.

The study of 279 inner-city black and Hispanic women adds weight to research previously conducted among white families that found children are particularly susceptible to asthma-related risks during the prenatal period.

The findings are published in the July issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

“Approximately 70 percent of mothers who said they experienced high levels of anxiety or depression while they were pregnant reported their child had wheezed before age 5,” study lead author Marilyn Reyes, a researcher at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health in New York City, said in a news release from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

“Understanding how maternal depression affects a child’s respiratory health is important in developing effective interventions,” Reyes added.

The research team said common asthma symptoms include:

    * Coughing, particularly during the night
    * Wheezing or whistling while breathing
    * Difficulty breathing that causes the skin around the ribs or neck to sink in
    * Frequent chest colds

The study authors noted that children who experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis could have asthma and should see an allergist.

“The symptoms of pediatric asthma can range from a nagging cough that lingers for days or weeks to sudden and scary breathing emergencies,” allergist Dr. Rachel Miller, study senior author, said in the news release. “With the right treatment, your child can sleep through the night, avoid missing time from day care or preschool, and breathe easy.”

Source: http://news.health.com/2011/07/08/anxiety-depression-in-pregnancy-may-raise-kids-asthma-risk/

Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet

Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.

Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?
Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Selecting tasty foods that provide fiber isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it and how to add them to meals and snacks.

What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes relatively intact through your stomach, small intestine, colon and out of your body. It might seem like fiber doesn't do much, but it has several important roles in maintaining health.
Fiber is commonly classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).

• Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
• Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Soluble fiber is found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new Food Guide Pyramid to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you're looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

• Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners
• Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can--a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
• Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you'll automatically eat less calories.
• Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
• Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you're at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items. 

Source: http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/a/healthylifestyl.htm

Simple Ways to Move Your Body

You can start the process of weight loss now by adding a little more activity to your life. If you're not ready for a structured program, start small. Every little bit counts and it all adds up to burning more calories.

• Turn off the TV. Once a week, turn off the TV and do something a little more physical with your family. Play games, take a walk...almost anything will be more active than sitting on the couch.
• Walk more. Look for small ways to walk more. When you get the mail, take a walk around the block, take the dog for an extra outing each day or walk on your treadmill for 5 minutes before getting ready for work.
• Do some chores. Shoveling snow, working in the garden, raking leaves, sweeping the floor...these kinds of activities may not be 'vigorous' exercise, but they can keep you moving while getting your house in order.
• Pace while you talk. When you're on the phone, pace around or even do some cleaning while gabbing. This is a great way to stay moving while doing something you enjoy.
• Be aware. Make a list of all the physical activities you do on a typical day. If you find that the bulk of your time is spent sitting, make another list of all the ways you could move more--getting up each hour to stretch or walk, walk the stairs at work, etc. 

Source: http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/a/healthylifestyl.htm

Simple Ways to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn't smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
The trick to healthy living is making small changes...taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water...these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Exercise
 
One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it's good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we're used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you'll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.
Just adding a little movement to your life can:

• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
• Improve joint stability
• Increase and improve range of movement
• Help maintain flexibility as you age
• Maintain bone mass
• Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
• Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Enhance self esteem
• Improve memory in elderly people
• Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

Source: http://exercise.about.com/od/healthinjuries/a/healthylifestyl.htm