Friday, November 13, 2009

Guidelines to a Healthy Diet

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from the different food groups. In order for women to lose one to two pounds a week, they should consume between 1200 and 1500 calories a day.

Men should consume between 1500 and 1800 calories a day if they want to lose one to two pounds a week. Let’s examine the different food groups the American Heart Association suggests you consume.

Meat, Poultry, Fish - You should consume no more than 6 ounces of meat, poultry, and fish per day. Lean cuts of poultry and fish have fewer calories than fatty red meat, but you can find lean cuts of red meat in your supermarket.

Breads, Cereals, Starches - This food group includes bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. You can have six servings from this food group a day. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal, and 1cup of rice, pasta, or ¼ to ½ cup of starchy veggies.

So, if you eat Remember here, that whole grain is best. When you can, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta instead of their white counterparts that have been stripped of nutrients and fiber.

Vegetables and Fruits - Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of your diet because they contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients. You can have five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables.

A serving size is ½ cup to 1 cup of cooked and raw vegetables, ½ cup of fruit juice, or one medium piece of fruit. Aim to choose a variety of colors in your diet because they have different vitamins and minerals. Let’s examine the colors you should include in your diet every day.

Red - Red fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help keep your heart and urinary tract healthy. They also help with your memory and lower your risk of some cancers. When it comes to red, choose from apples, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers, and radishes, to name a few.

Yellow/Orange - Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that keep your heart, vision, and immune system healthy. Some yellow and orange fruits and veggies include apricots, lemons, peaches, cantaloupe, yellow squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Green - Green fruits and vegetables help lower your risk of some cancers and keep your bones and teeth strong. Choose foods like green grapes, broccoli, avocados, spinach, green apples, and limes.

Blue/Purple - Blue and purple fruits and vegetables lower the risk of some cancers and keep your urinary tract healthy. They also help maintain your memory function. Some delicious blue and purple foods are blackberries, blueberries, raisins, plums, eggplant, and purple cabbage.

White - White foods promote your heart health, and if you already have healthy cholesterol, they’ll help maintain those levels. Bananas, pears, cauliflower, mushrooms, and garlic are tasty options you can fit into your meal plan.

Milk Products - If you love dairy products, the good news is that you can still eat them and lose weight. However, choose low-fat or fat-free products. They contain the same vitamins and minerals, taste good, and lower your cholesterol all at the same time.

Adults aged 19-50 should have three servings of milk products per day. A serving of dairy is 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk, 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese (stay away from fat-free cheeses—they have too much sodium) or a ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese.

Fats - You should have no more than five servings of fats a day in the form of oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and mayonnaise.

Fat servings include one teaspoon of oil, three teaspoons of nuts or seeds, 5-10 olives, 1/8 of an avocado and two teaspoons of mayonnaise. If you love the taste of butter on your vegetables, use a fat-free imitation butter spray. It really doesn’t taste that much different.

For more related information visit: http://www.Hoodiaa.com - a site that offers product advice for coping with weight loss. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, side effects and improving your life!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Ruane

Worried About Gaining Weight?

I know a lot of people out there would like to loss a few pounds, or more importantly do not want to gain weight over the Holiday season. Most people want to loss weight to look better, the bigger issue is to fell better and have a healthier life style without the health conditions associated with excess weight. The majority of people want a quick easy weight loss system that sheds pounds with little or no effort. The truth is, there are new breakthrough's that make that possible. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to incorporate a regular exercise routine into your life. Walking after dinner every night could be a good routine to get into for people who haven't been very active. Good weight loss supplements or fat burners combined with a regular exercise program can be very effective and rewarding in your life.

My research has lead to a very good solution. It may be possible to get some help to lose the pounds you need to, or prevent the gain from occurring in the first place, thus avoiding the health conditions associated with excess weight. All natural weight loss supplements are one of the best options in getting that help, the best weight loss product should slowly and naturally allow the body to lose fat, without added preservatives or chemicals that can cause damage to your body. Ideally, an herbal weight loss supplement should increase energy, without giving you the jitters, caused by many diet pills on the market. Always look for all natural ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, cayenne just to mention a few.

Apple Cider Vinegar is a solution of acid. It is produced by fermenting apples, and contains pectin, which is believed to be the reason behind this solution's fat burning effects. There is even evidence of ancient Egyptians using apple cider for weight loss. Cayenne prized for thousands of years for its healing power. The combination of these and other natural ingredients have formed a very effective weight loss supplement, that is now available online. The fat burning properties combined with the energy increasing ingredients gives you the head start you need to keep the daily exercise program going, and the pound falling off. It is possible to get rid of the excess weight, and keep it off once and for all. Investigate this supplement for yourself.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_La_Quay

Herbal Acne Remedies

Remember the angst ridden acne years of your youth? Or perhaps you are still a youth. By youth, I mean either adolescent or teenaged. So many people today suffer from teenage and adult acne. The effect acne has on your self esteem can be devastating, especially at a young age, when appearance seems so important, and people can be cruel. The new herbal acne remedies are now changing that scenario for many teenagers, and is also helping many people suffering with acne into adulthood to permanently clear acne.

There are some excellent, and fairly new herbal acne remedies that actually clear acne through precise combinations of herbal compounds and pure, natural ingredients. These herbal acne pills have been used as very successful, and often times permanent, remedies to clear acne on both adults and adolescents.

How do herbal acne pills work? These natural remedies actually work by correcting the hormonal and chemical imbalances in the body that lead to acne flareups, persistent acne, and the more severe form, cystic acne. People suffering from cystic acne can really benefit from an herbal acne pill, since they are designed to treat acne at it's source, from the inside of the body, rather than topically. Cystic acne sufferers really tend to have hormonal issues, which acne pills address by "calming", soothing and balancing.

Some of the common ingredients in these complexion-clearing acne pills are actually known in herbal communities for their skin soothing and "calming" properties, and have commonly been used to treat various skin disorders in the past. Natural acne pills actually blend several of these ingredients together in precise combinations to effectively clear acne permanently, or with very little follow up treatment.

Let's look at some of the common skin clearing and therapeutic herbs and compounds that are found in an acne pill. First, vitamin E is a common ingredient. Vitamin E has been used as a skin soothing and repairing agent for decades. Vitamin E actually will help smooth rough skin when taken in the proper dosages, and actually helps facilitate the clearing of acne in combination with other ingredients.

A second common ingredient in the acne pill is aloe vera. Aloe vera actually has many of the same skin soothing properties and advantages as vitamin E. I'm sure you've used aloe vera at least a couple times to treat sunburn or irritated skin. Aloe vera seemed to be a staple in everyone's home growing up for it's skin repairing benefits.

Two more ingredients you may find in these natural preparations are alpha lipoic acid and collagen, both of which are actually beneficial for both aging skin and skin suffering from disorders such as acne or acne rosacea. Alpha lipoic acid is gaining a lot of recognition in recent years, especially with the publication and advocation of popular cosmetic dermatologist Nicholas Perricone in his book The Perricone Prescription and other popular follow up books on how to stop and reverse the aging process of the skin.

Other skin cleansing, purifying and balancing ingredients botanicals found in the acne pill are chamomile, rosemary, rose essential oil, and horsetail, all traditionally used to clear, tone and purify the skin for the most blemish-free complexion possible, even back as far as the early 1800's.

The bottom line is, I highly recommend investing in either a natural acne system that combines topical treatment with an oral acne pill or just investing in a natural acne remedy that is high in purity standards and has a good track record of customer satisfaction. These treatments have proven to be just as effective as many of the often long-term and sometimes harmful treatments dermatologists prescribe. Not only that, you can order them from the comfort of your own home, and don't need to be burdened by dermatologist visits, or repetitive costs. It is truly one of the best investments you can make in your skin!

Visit Herbal Acne Remedies for more information on effective alternatives to medical acne treatments. Danna Schneider is the webmaster of Herbal Acne Treatments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danna_Schneider

Herbal Breast Enhancement - Non-Surgical Breast Enhancement Methods that Work

Non-surgical breast enhancement and herbal breast enhancement products are fast becoming a real and effective breast enlargement alternative for women who either don’t want the artificial look and feel of breast implants, cannot afford the surgery, do not want to take the risk, or simply have never even considered having cosmetic surgery to correct or enhance any physical feature they are not satisfied with.

There are actually quite a few mediocre herbal breast enhancement products on the market today, mostly sold online or in herbal supplement shops, so a buyer must be prudent in shopping around for quality. Non-surgical breast enhancement alternatives can be in the form of a device (like Brava or other breast suction devices), which are worn kind of like a large bra and must be used several times a day or for several hours. Herbal breast enhancement products ( Examples of these products can be found here Breast Enhancement Pills Info,which generally use phytoestrogen or plant estrogen synthesis technology to stimulate the mammary glands and promote breast tissue growth), natural breast growth promotion supplements (non-phytoestrogen), and even hypnosis are other forms of non-surgical breast enhancement gaining popularity as alternatives to surgery.

Herbal breast enhancement products like Bloussant, Erdic and the like, use phytoestrogen technology to boost breast growth. The only problem with traditional herbal breast enhancement products like this is that sometimes the effects may not last, due to a sudden spike in the body’s estrogen, and the subsequent release of the estrogen gained during the usage of the product results in loss of some of or all of the breast tissue growth once the supplement is discontinued. There is actually a non-surgical breast enhancement product that does produce permanent breast growth and maintenance, due to the fact that it does not use traditional herbal phytoestrogen utilization, but rather induces permanent breast growth by stimulating the body’s own pituitary gland and continuing the breast growth cycle that was stunted.

Not only that, but if you do not adhere to a proper lifestyle and diet, some women can experience weight gain, increased cellulite, acne breakouts, and other hormonally induced problems on traditional herbal breast enhancement products, due to a high concentration of estrogenic compounds. The female body is not designed to handle such an influx of estrogen, even if it is plant derived. So please be mindful and ask questions of the manufacturer if you are considering a traditional phytoestrogenic herbal breast enhancement product - make sure it has just the right balance of estrogenic compounds, not an over-abundance of them.

Common complaints with the non-surgical breast enhancement “breast suction devices” like the Brava breast enhancer system, are that they may irritate skin, are bulky and hard to conceal, require too much time to gain any kind of results, and are high in cost and a burden to maintain due to the required physician supervision. The Brava system has proven to be effective in several cases though, but it does take a large time commitment, and patience with the process and work that goes along with it.

Other non-surgical breast enhancers like hypnosis are a little harder to pin down. I haven’t actually read of any success stories with hypnosis for breast enhancement and enlargement, but that certainly doesn’t mean there haven’t been some women who have achieved permanent breast tissue growth. I would approach this method of breast enhancing with extreme caution and suspicion. As with any other non-surgical breast enhancement product, do your research, be prepared for any possible side effects, and know the company’s success rate by researching complaints on the internet or through other resources.

Herbal breast enhancement and non-surgical breast enhancement is becoming the focus of a lot of attention, both positive and negative, and is also the subject of much contention and controversy amongst the medical community. The fact is, there are proven and highly successful alternatives to surgical breast enhancement and enlargement, you just need to know where to look!

Danna Schneider is the webmaster and founder of http://www.breastenhancepill.com a non-surgical breast enhancement product review and information site that reviews and gives the latest information on both herbal breast enhancement technology and other forms of non-surgical breast enhancement technology.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danna_Schneider

Different Methods of Penis Enhancement

There are several methods of penis enhancement, all of which provide varying levels of success.

One is the use of traction device. The use of traction to enhance the penis is based on the principle of tensile force and the body's ability to adapt under such influence. By exposing the cells in the penis chambers to a durable and constant traction, the cells will begin to divide and multiply, thus increasing the tissue mass. This process allows the penis chambers to hold more blood than it could before. As a result, enlargement can be noticed in both length and width (girth) of the penis.

For centuries, this principle of traction has been used to enlarge different parts of the body. Evidence of this is seen in the neck lengthening exploits of the famous Paduang or giraffe (long necked) women hill tribe found in the border of Northern Thailand and Myanmar ( Burma ), as well as the lip and earlobe stretching practices of certain African tribes.

Another penis enhancement method is the use of penis pills. Penis enhancement pills are a proprietary selection of natural herbal ingredients that are renowned for their special properties. Common ingredients which are gathered around the globe include L-arginine, Dodder seed, Gingko, Yin yang huo, Hawthorn, Korean Red Ginseng, Catuaba, and Muira Pauma.

Individually, these herbs are known to improve blood circulation, enhance sex drive, act as stimulants to boost energy levels and encourage stronger, firmer erections. It has also been suggested that taking penis pills may boost the effects of other penis enhancement routines.

Natural penis exercise, on the other hand, is by far the most popular and safest method of penis enhancement. It relies on the principle that as cells within an area exposed to frequent motion, they tend to divide and multiply.

Individually, these methods may be effective. But when used simultaneously with one another, this combination of traction device, pills, and exercise can truly produce superior results.

These same methods are found in Size Genetics all-in-one penis enhancement system. Size Genetics combines all the most effective tools in penile enhancement today. It combines an enlargement device, penis enhancement pills, penis exercises, plus semen volumizers to guarantee larger, fuller, and longer lasting erections, increased semen production, intensified orgasms, and peak sexual performance every time.

Size Genetics provides an easy, non-surgical, and break-through solution designed to aid in penile enhancement. It comes at a very competitive price too.

Marc Stock - Head Researcher at Penis Enlargement Pill Consumer Ratings

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Stock

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 slather jelly on top to quiet that negative self-talk.

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.

Helene Haber

Holistic Nutrition Coach

Helene Haber, HHC is a board certified health counselor. She designs personalized wellness solutions for women of all ages looking to enhance their lives, get their bodies back in shape and their health back on track. Email: TopCatHelene@aol.com.

http://www.integrativenutrition.com/graduates/HHaber.aspx

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20 Ways to Lose Weight

1. Take it one step at a time

Start by paying attention to what you eat. Cut back on fat and sweets and add more fruit and vegetables. After you have that under control, add exercise. If you hate to exercise try it for only 15 minutes a day at first, then a 1/2-hour. Keep in mind that while you are exercising you are burning calories and not eating. Also, it will be easier if you chose an activity that you enjoy.

2. Find a friend

It is always good to have support when you are trying to lose weight. Find a friend who wants to lose weight and compare notes, weigh-in together and maybe even have a contest.

3. Use weights

Working out weights will build muscle and raise your metabolism so you will burn more calories. Also, muscle takes up less space than fat so you will be smaller ( but probably weigh more).

4. Eat fewer carbs

Don't eat as much bread and pasta and you will see a difference.

5. Set a goal

Set a deadline to lose the weight and write it down. For example, ' By Dec 14/04 I will weigh 150 lbs or less'. Put it somewhere you will see it daily.

6. Give up soda

If you drink a soda or 2 a day you are adding empty calories. If you find it hard to stop
completely, cut back at first and drink water instead.

7. Grill or boil

Avoid fried meat, grill and use lots of spices. You will get used to it and probably enjoy it more.

8. Don't buy junk food

When you go shopping, don't go on an empty stomach and you will be less likely to buy junk food. Keep your home 'junk food free' so you won't be tempted to indulge.

9. Eat breakfast

Consume most of your calories early in the day and always eat breakfast. Don't eat after 8pm and
not only will you avoid those added calories but you will sleep better.

10. Give yourself a treat

When you tell yourself that you can't have something you want it more. Give yourself a treat once a day ( ie. half a cookie) and you won't feel you are missing out.

11. Use smaller plates

Trick yourself into believing that you are eating more by using a smaller plate.

12. Drink lots of water

Drink water when you are feeling hungry and you will get that 'full' feeling.

13. Don't eat everything on your plate

Many times we eat just because it's there. Pay attention to when you have had enough.

14. Eat five or six meals a day

Eating more frequently will keep you from getting too hungry.

15. Plan your workout sessions

Write your workout sessions in your journal or planner.

16. Stay away from fad diets

Fad diets don't work. If you lose weight fast chances are that you will gain it back ( and more)
just as fast. It takes time to put it on and time to take it off.

17. Do several workouts a day

While you are watching TV do crunches and leg lifts.

18. Measure your food

If you decide to have junk food for a snack - be sure to measure and control what you eat.

19. Keep pre-cut vegetables

...and ward off those cravings.

20. Create Good Habits

It is a known fact that when we do something twenty-one times it becomes a habit. Create good eating habits.

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheila_Dicks