Posts Tagged ‘energy’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Understanding fats and carbs

June 4th, 2007

Fats and carbohydrates are two building blocks of a healthy diet, but many people do not understand their role in proper nutrition. While the daily intake of fats and oils should be limited, these elements are still a vital part of the diet. The key is to make smart choices when it comes to fats and oils. That means substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and using healthier, lighter oils in cooking. Let’s look at the role fats and oils play in the diet. Fats are necessary for supplying energy to the body. In addition, fats supply essential fatty acids and act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and the carotenoids. In addition, fats have an important role to play as building blocks for various tissues and membranes, and they also play a key role in regulating numerous bodily functions.

Dietary fat is available from a variety of plant and animal sources, and most diets do contain adequate amounts of fat. Most nutrition experts recommend keeping the intake of fat to less than 20% of calories, but studies have shown that severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous. Extreme low fat diets should only be undertaking with a doctor’s approval and oversight.

The type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference. A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart disease, stroke and other associated diseases. In addition, many long term chronic problems, such as obesity, are associated with high levels of dietary fats.

The greatest risk of complications from excessive fat intake appears to lie with saturated fats and trans fats (fats that are solid at room temperature). One of the best ways to keep levels of saturated fat low is to limit the amount of animal fats that are consumed. These animal based fats include meats like bacon and sausage, as well as butter and ice cream. Dietary cholesterol can be limited by watching the consumption of eggs, organ meats and other foods high in cholesterol.

Food labels do make the complicated process of choosing the right fats somewhat easier. For instance, trans fats will be listed on the ingredient list of foods that contain them. In general, trans fats are found mainly in processed foods.

Some fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, are better choices for healthy eating. Examples of these fats include canola oil and olive oil. Cooking with these lighter oils can be a big step toward a healthier diet. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they have been found to have heart protecting qualities.

Many types of fish have also been found to be sources of good fat. Fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3′s have been found to promote good health, and they may even lower cholesterol levels.

Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as well, and carbs are necessary for providing energy and many essential nutrients. Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, in grains and in milk and dairy products. It is important to choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally healthy.

When choosing breads and cereal, for instance, try to select those made with whole grains, while avoiding the more highly refined varieties. It is also important to limit the intake of sugars, such as soda, candy and highly processed baked goods. Consuming large amounts of such high calorie, low nutrient foods, can make it very difficult to stay on a healthy diet without gaining weight.

Most Americans tend to have too much of certain elements in their diet. Sugar is one such element and salt is the other. While a basic level of sodium in the form of salt is important to proper nutrition, most people consume too much salt in their daily diet. Excess salt consumption can lead to water retention, high blood pressure and other complications. Choosing low sodium foods, and limiting the use of the salt shaker, can go a long way toward cutting levels of excess salt in the diet.

About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

Written By: Zaak OConan

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Low Carb Diets on the way out…Taste is Back!!!

May 27th, 2007

To see the low carb diets on the way out is a somewhat reflective process, not that I was an advocate of ketogenic diets at all unless you have Adolescent Epilepsy, but bringing the low carb or ketogenic diet into the forefront of our American Society meant that more people were being educated about obesity, food and eating.

This acknowledgement about food was astounding and became overwhelming , causing restaurant chains and some farmers to really suffer from these trendy diets, people have lost farms that have been in their families for years , businesses that lend job and economic stability to an area, have gone out of business or lost business, all on a dietary whim, with no research done on the side-effects of not eating what these diets restrict.

What side effects? you ask. Okay, so you’ve lost a bunch of weight by eating tons of meat and fat, maybe your cholesterol numbers aren’t out of reach, but, have you had your bowels checked lately? You know, eating that much meat and fat can only do one thing to your intestines and colon, and that’s putrefying products in the bowels. Pretty disgusting, huh?

As you grow older, you lose the ability to digest food like you use to when you were young and had lots of enzymes . Sometimes, that comes from just age, but sometimes it comes from disease and antibiotic use, the point being that, the low carb diet’s started you out on food that you may not be able to absorb anyway so you haven’t been absorbing the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to start, process or finish some important tasks.

So what’s the harm in that, you may say, I’ve lost weight and feel great, and I don’t feel sick. You probably wouldn’t. There are illnesses that you never see coming until it’s to late. One of the leading causes of Colon Cancer, is eating an over abundance of meat and fat, and not having the ability to digest that protein and fat in the system. When enough damage is done, you don’t absorb minerals and vitamins like you are suppose to, and you start to develop other problems, more serious problems, like cancers.

I will have to admit, that the Atkins type diets do advocate not eating the processed and manufactured foods that break down so fast into sugars you can almost hear run into the veins! And that is still true, the human body was designed to do the work of breaking down complex carbohydrates into a more simple usable energy. The break down of a whole grain, fresh vegetable or fruit product also take a certain amount of energy, so not only does your body use energy to break this healthy food down, you also have the benefit of a lot of fiber, which will keep the intestines and colon clean and functioning well.

So, what’s the next trend, I think the next trend is going to be the old fashion weight loss plan. This is a tried and true method of weight loss that anyone can do and it tastes great. This would involve healthy, low or slow absorbing carbohydrates, counting and burning calories, and exercise! A balanced diet, along with knowing how many calories you need to eat per day, to either maintain your weight, or lose weight, and an exercise program to give your bones and muscles a reason to stay strong, not a trendy type diet, but a healthy lifestyle that you can live with for the rest of your life, that still has room for an occasional treat now and then. Low carb is out, the new trend is healthy and better tasting proportions.

D.S. Epperson is the top formulator for Home Blend Gourmet / South Pacific Health, a leader in the functional food industry in the U.S.. With 20 years of experience in Nutritional Biochemistry, she has written reference books on botanicals and manufacturing of medicines from botanicals, and published articles on health, fitness and foods. She has formulated over 240 formulas and inventions for health, the environment and agricultural uses, and continues to research and study microbial advantages in nutraceuticals and functional foods. For more information or to view the articles that she has written: http://www.sugarblend.com.

Written By: D.S. Epperson

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

What You Should Know About Low Carb Diets!

May 11th, 2007

What is a Low Carb Diet? You’ll do away with bad carbs and bad fats, and start eating good fats and good carbs. What you need to understand is that you are not really on a diet, but changing the way you eat. Eating the wrong foods consistently throws your body out of balance. Most of us tend to overdue it eating processed carbs. What do I mean by processed carbs? Basically, there are two kinds of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Some refer to them as bad and good carbs, fast and slow digestion carbs and others. Here are some basic explanations:

SIMPLE CARBS – Foods with simple or refined carbohydrates most often have a low nutrient content and a high-glycemic index. They are metabolized quickly (quick to digest). They enter the bloodstream and rapidly elevate blood sugar levels, then fall dramatically within a short span of time. In order to keep the body running healthy and stable, it is recommended that these type foods be limited. Examples of these simple or overprocessed carbs are white bread, potatoes, and sugary treats like cookies, candy, cupcakes and cakes, and beverages like cola products.

COMPLEX CARBS – Foods with complex carbohydrates contain many nutrients and have a low- to moderate-glycemic index. Higher fiber content in these foods means slower digestion, which is healthier for the body (including reducing mood swings and food cravings). And these foods are considered good choices by health advisors. Examples of these complex carbs are whole grains, most fruits and vegetables. Legumes, plants of the pea or bean family, are also in this category.

WHICH IS BEST?? Studies show that low-carb diets can help with weight loss; which means that the carbs need to be of the complex, low-glycemic type. The key is eating whole, real, unprocessed food found as close to nature as possible.

WHY DOES YOUR BODY NEED CARBOHYDRATES ANYWAY? Carbohydrates cause your body to produce a hormone called Insulin. Insulin is responsible for the movement of glucose (sugar) from the food you eat into the cells of your body to be used for energy. Excess glucose (that is not burned as energy) is then stored as body fat.

Years of consuming too many carbohydrates can lead to a sensitivity of the cells to Insulin. This can result in the body having to make more (and more) Insulin to get the same job done. Over time over-production of Insulin can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and type II diabetes and more. A side effect of Insulin over-production is that it actually causes more fat to be deposited.

EATING LOW CARBS WORKS WITH YOUR BODY.

All the food you consume provides energy for your body. Your body burns fuel in this order: carbohydrates / fat / protein. So, by limiting the carbohydrates you eat, it is perfectly natural for your body to burn fat next. Your body will go inward and start burning your own body fat for fuel. Because of this store of body fat, you wont feel hungry and you will maintain a more even blood sugar level throughout the day.

One important thing to note here is … it is not eating too much fat that makes you overweight – it is eating far more carbohydrates than your body needs to use for energy.

It is important, however, that any and all dietary planning should be made under the guidance of your own medical practitioners. Also, drinking 8 glasses of water a day and consistent exercise is vital to your body’s health. This content only presents overviews of low-carb research for informative purposes and does not replace medical advice from a professional physician.

About the author:

Theresa is an avid cook and gardener. Visit her blogs for more information, articles, recipes and more: Low Calorie Recipe, Low-Fat-Recipes and Low Carb Recipe

Written By: Theresa Sontag

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Weight Loss – Low Carb Diet Plans

May 7th, 2007

When most people want to lose weight the first thing they usually do is start a diet. And a diet to most people means “stop eating”.

Wrong!

A healthy diet should consist of eating less of the foods that contain calories from simple carbohydrates (sugar and processed flour) and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and good sources of protein. This is the basis of a good low carb diet plan.

As a matter of fact, a good diet should have you eating more instead of less! Not more food, but more often.

The body’s a wonderful mechanism. It’s geared towards one important goal. Survival. When your body feels threatened by the lack of food it automatically assumes that you’re starving.

To combat this condition the body will start breaking down muscle to use as energy and saves its fat stores for the last ditch effort to save itself from what it thinks is immanent death.

This is bad on two fronts.

First, by using muscle tissue for energy you’re losing precious lean mass which is metabolically active. This means that you need energy to support muscle which helps to keep your metabolism running at a higher pace. Higher metabolism means more calories burned even in a resting state.

Fat, on the other hand, doesn’t need any energy to support it. It’s simply “dead” weight.

Secondly, the body will start storing more fat because it’s preparing itself for the worst. Your survival is your body’s most important concern so it’ll do whatever it can to stay alive.

So what can you do if you want to eat less without starving yourself and sending your body into this defense mode?

Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.

This works on two levels.

By eating more often you won’t get hungry as quickly and your metabolism will stay raised because you’ll be digesting food more often. Digesting food uses calories just like any other physical activity.

So here’s the plan. Eat four or five meals a day. Not what most would consider a meal (main course with two sides and dessert!), but a small portion of protein along with some fresh fruits and veggies.

This can be accomplished with a little planning and preparing in your spare time.

Cook your weeks worth of meals – skinless chicken’s an excellent source of protein and can usually be purchased in a big pack or value pack from your local grocery store – and refrigerate it in separate packages, one for each meal.

Egg whites are a very good source of protein too. By mixing three or four whites with one yolk and tossing it into the microwave for approximately 90 seconds, whipping it and tossing it back in for another 60 seconds, you can have some nice fluffy scrambled eggs practically anywhere. Without all the cholesterol!

Buy your produce and clean it, separating it too into meal size portions. All this can be done in a few hours on the weekend.

Buying some disposable storage containers can help keep things convenient and organized.

Try to eat every three hours or so to keep your metabolism and energy up. This’ll help you stay away from those snacking binges too.

Also, drink lots of water. Water will help to cleanse your body and make you feel full.

So you see, with a little planning and by adhering to a low carb diet plan sometimes eating more can be better!

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.weight-loss.biz/weight-loss-program/ Weight Loss Program, a website that provides information and resources on nutrition, weight loss programs, and fitness. You can also visit his website at: http://www.diet-pill.info/south-beach-diet/ for South Beach Diet

Written By: Jay Bauder

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Understanding Carbs to Stay Healthy

April 29th, 2007

Low carb diets are popular. How good are they? How healthy are they? It all depends on what you know about the difference between different types of carbohydrates.

Common table sugar represents 20 to 25 percent of the daily caloric intake of Americans who live on the typical All American processed food diet. In the early 1800s average sugar consumption was about 12 pounds per person a year. In 1997, it was 152 pounds per person. Is that too much? You bet it is. Its making us old before we need to be.

Do we need carbohydrates? No, we dont. They are non-essential to the human diet. We do need water, fat, and protein. It is possible to survive for long periods without carbohydrates providing fat and protein needs are met. Fat and protein are broken down to make building blocks of carbohydrates as food and energy. This is something the carb-rich processed foods industry doesnt tell us.

Regardless of what is known about carbohydrate needs, we continue to consume massive quantities of carbohydrates. Therefore, its important to know which carbs are better than others. Its simple: All carbs are broken down into sugar in the body. The key is the rate and the amount that determines the level of sugar in the blood.

Complex carbs such as green leafy veggies, brown rice, potato, whole grain products, and fruits break down slowly. The result is a gradual rise and fall in blood sugar. It is generally understood that most complex carbs are good for you.

Refined, simple carbs such as cake, ice cream, cookies, breakfast bars, so-called cereals, and refined grains break down quickly in the body. This causes rapid elevation of blood sugar levels. These are not good for your health.

It should be understood that while refined carbs should be avoided because they are harmful, some complex carbs such as potatoes are not good because of their relatively fast breakdown.

How do you determine which carbs are really good, and what to avoid? Simple. Become familiar with something called the Glycemic Index of foods. When you look at a glycemic index for foods, bear in mind that the lower the rating, or number, the slower the digestion and absorption process and the better it is for your health.

As useful as the glycemic index is, you will need to learn which foods are good for you.. For example, a cup of low fat ice cream has a glycemic index of 50, which is lower than the glycemic index of a baked potato. Thats because the glycemic index rating of a refined sugar product is lower than that of a starchy food! So, learn to discern the difference between refined sugars and everything else. Just assume that if its made in a factory, its suspect!

Here are some glycemic index numbers for some popular food choices:
Baked Potato: 85; Cheerios: 74; Fanta soft drink: 68; Cheese pizza: 60; Banana: 54; Sweet potato: 54, Low fat ice cream: 50; Carrots: 49; Grapefruit juice: 48; All-bran: 42; Spaghetti: 41; Apple: 38; M&Ms (peanut): 32; Peanuts: 15; Yogurt, lot fat, artificially sweetened:14.

You can see from the above how misleading, yet useful the glycemic index can be.

The bottom is this: Do your homework. Dont rely on advertising or uninformed advice of well meaning friends to give you guidance about healthy eating. Making educated choices about what you put into your body puts you in the drivers seat and allows you to be in charge of how healthy you are, and how quickly or slowly you age.

About the Author

Barbara Morris, R.Ph., is a 76-year-old working pharmacist and recognized expert on unique anti-aging strategies. Author of Put Old on Hold, her message is for Boomers who want to feel and function as a healthy 40 or 50 year old for 25 or more years. She calls it Liberation Living a process she has discovered that bypasses infirmities and indignities of traditional old age. http://www.PutOldonHold.com

Written By: Barbara Morris

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Santa Goes Low Carb!

April 21st, 2007

North Pole- The word is out! Due to an “unpublished dilemma” last Christmas Eve Santa has gone Low Carb!

Sources reveal that Santa was stuck in a chimney somewhere in California for over an hour last Christmas Eve – how embarrassing! The incident certainly wreaked havoc with his jolly schedule for the most important night of the year. In the aftermath, it caused Santa to really stop and think.

After careful consideration – Santa and Mrs. Claus decided they could not risk a repeat of the incident, but more importantly the risk factors associated with Santa’s health – oh my! Right after the holidays, Santa visited his primary care physician for a complete physical. A “new lifestyle” was decided upon – It’s the “Low Carb Lifestyle” for Santa!

Santa has Changed His Mind – Changed His Heart – and is Losing Weight for Life! Will this make Santa “less jolly”? Absolutely not! Fat is not what makes Santa jolly! His weight goals are not to be a skinny “Twiggy Santa” but rather a “healthy weight Santa” with less inches (for some VERY obvious reasons). The keyword here though for Santa is: HEALTH!

Our sources tell us that Santa has more energy than ever, his creativity and staying power seem to be at an all time high! He has hired more elves this season just to keep up with him! The jolly fellow is even less stressed this season.

The absence of stress seems to be relative to the fact that his chances of losing his jolly lifestyle to diabetes, heart disease and obesity have been considerably reduced by his new choice of a healthy eating lifestyle! Santa has serious work to do and HEALTH has become his priority!

In fact, our elf resource reported that we are going to see a big shift in “stocking stuffers” this Christmas. Huge orders are being received and warehoused at the North Pole for “sugar free” candies and low carb treats! Santa’s sleigh is going to look like a “sugar free zone” this year!

With Christmas quickly approaching, as Santa’s inches have dropped away, the “sewing elves” are working round the clock in altering Santa’s RED wardrobe!

So this Christmas watch for an even “more jolly” Santa and just a “little less” of him but a much healthier and happier Santa ’cause he’s gone Low Carb!

And…”Laying his finger aside of his nose and giving a nod, up the chimney he [easily] rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,”HAPPY [LOW CARB] CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”

http://www.LowCarbcookin.com
Home site of Low Carb Christmas Cookin’
The FIRST Low Carb Christmas Cookbook!
Low Carb Christmas Cookin’- with an Old-Fashioned Cook!
224 fun-filled, sometimes hysterical pages!

Jan McCracken is author and self-publisher of 39 gift books and cookbooks. Born in the Midwest and former owner/innkeeper of a country bed and breakfast in Branson, MO, she has been cooking since she was seventeen years old (she wont tell us how many years that is!

Jan has been living the low carb lifestyle for almost eight years. Her long-term goal is helping people understand that food is truly the great medicine, prevention and healer of disease.

jan@lowcarbcookin.com

You may publish this article in your newsletter, on your website, or other publication as long as the article content is not altered and the resource box is included. Please add byline with active link. Notification of the use of this article is appreciated. Thank you!

Written By: Jan McCracken

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

What are the benefits of the low-carb diet?

April 17th, 2007

Are you one of those who hate dieting? Well, you are not alone, almost all of us hate the deprivation from food that dieting brings to us. Aside from the fact that our parents raise us to believe that food intake is necessary to keep us energetic, especially carbohydrates. Potatoes and breads are the essential members of our diet from morning, noon and night. Therefore, we resent the idea that carbohydrates are not good for us.

However, your thinking might change upon reading the low-carb diet overview. In the low-carb diet overview, you will learn that energy does not come from carbohydrates alone. Low-carb diet overview will also tell you that good fats convert to energy much like carbohydrates, as we know it to be. Low-carb diet overview will likewise tell you about the recommended carbohydrates like whole grain, fruits and vegetables. However, you should minimize intake of carbohydrates to as low as 10% of your total calorie intake. If you can maintain your consumption of carbohydrates to as low as 10% of your calorie intake, you should eat more fats and moderate protein. Then, the low-carb diet overview will be the best tool to compliment your weight loss regimen and avoid jumping on the obese bandwagon.

The low-carb diet overview will explain how you can best manage your weight. In contrast with the belief that carbohydrates are necessary to build your energy profile, fat may replace carbohydrates in this arena.

You will also learn from the low-carb diet overview that it is the best diet for obese individuals. Diabetics may also use the low-carb diet overview to combat the cause of obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia and type II diabetes because studies show that low-carb diet attacks the condition called hyperinsulinemia. Hyperinsulinemia is a condition where insulin levels in the blood are elevated.

It may also be helpful knowledge you will get from low-carb diet overview is the advantages one will get from low-carb diet. Sustained weight loss is one advantage of low-carb diet. Another advantage you will learn from low-carb diet overview and low-card dieting is stable blood sugar, this is specifically important for diabetics and those people prone to diabetes. If you have a relative who is a diabetic, then you are one of those people prone to diabetes. Low cholesterol level is also an advantage of low-carb dieting. Some low-card dieters also report being more energetic than their counterparts who are not dieting.

Finally, here are some basic guidelines you will get from the low-carb diet overview. You should limit your carbohydrates intake to 10% or less of your total calorie intake. You will also find the list of allowed foods, you will also find the list of foods to avoid and foods with hidden sugar in the low-carb diet overview. Avoiding food containing sugar and white flour is also part of the low carb diet. Avoiding caffeine and drinking lots of clean and clear water also help in the dieting process. Taking fiber supplements and vitamin will help during the initial stage of low-carb dieting, you will understand this need better upon reading the low-carb diet overview.

Low-carb dieting is good for everyone who wants to loose weight, so try it to experience a trim lifestyle. However, when you finally decide to try it, after reading the low-carb diet overview, visit your health care professional just to be sure that low-carb dieting is really, what you need.

About the Author

For free advice, tips and education about weight loss, fitness and dieting visit Weight Loss Information at http://www.effective-weight-loss.info

Written By: Christine Edwards

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

High Carb Low Fat Breakfast

April 13th, 2007

The current Low Carb fad is way off target. Our ancestors, depending on era and location, mostly ate more grains, fruits, vegetables, and less four legged meat than is common in present diets of North America and Europe.

It is no secret that fats can satisfy hunger, even long after the eating. That’s one reason for the traditional popularity of breakfast bacon, sausage, butter, breakfast pastries, et cetera. For most of us who are not athletes, farmers, stevedores, or other calory burning people, we should restrict fat intake, and prefer unsaturated plant sources over saturated fats from meat sources.

Refined sugars can give us a quick energy high, but this won’t last. Lumberjacks have long known that old fashioned pancakes and breads can sustain one through hours of heavy labor.

I don’t have a reference handy, but I recall reading that Roman Legionnaires got an early morning start by eating cereal grains, proving that cereals can make a hearty breakfast. In our “more advanced” society, we have many prepared cereals to pick from. My very strong advice is to avoid the ones having hydrogenated oils or refined sugars, or more than a trace of added salt. And don’t bother with enriched cereals if you are taking a daily vitamin – mineral tablet.

So what do I recommend for breakfast?

Example 1: eggs poached in a small covered pan with a small amount of water, plus whole grain bread with a small amount of one of the new butter substitutes that has no hydrogenation.

Example 2: Whole grain cereal such as shredded wheat, corn flakes, wheat flakes, oats, oat meal, or similar. You can make your own from whole grains, if you have a grinder. Some food blenders will work. Avoid wheat farina, from which the bran and most of the germ were removed prior to grinding.

Example 3: Pancakes made from whole grain flour. A blend of wheat and other grains, such as corn, rye, soy (a legume)can make a nice texture while providing complete protein. Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye, but pre made flour can be hard to find. Use just enough baking powder. Cook on non stick surface with a touch of non stick spray or vegetable oil, no animal fats.

The cereal and pancakes do NOT need sugar or syrup, unless one is truly starved for calories. Those are “bad carbs”.

Flavor and nutritional value are enhanced by adding some form of fruits, preferably with no refined sugar or fructose. I like to add sliced banana, raisins, or berries to cereal, mashed banana or unsweetened apple sauce to pancakes, and so forth. For serving more than one person, to justify the effort, grated apple gives more character than apple sauce. I often use orange juice instead of milk or water for pancakes.

If these breakfasts don’t hold you until lunch, try serving a poached or boiled egg with the cereal, or mixing egg into pancakes. They are not a threat to blood cholesterol levels. Also consider a few almonds on the side, which provides unsaturated fat to fight hunger, and Omega-3 fatty acids supposed to protect the heart.

Be inventive. And don’t avoid unrefined carbohydrates.

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

About the Author

Dr. Donald A. Miller is author of “Easy Health Diet” http://easyhealthdiet.com/diet.htm, “Easy Exercise All Ages” http://easyhealthdiet.com/eeaa.htm, and numerous free articles on health http://easyhealthdiet.com/articles/.
Seven of ten deaths are caused by preventable diseases.

Written By: Dr. Donald A. Miller

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Low Carb Diet – The Way To Weight Loss?

April 5th, 2007

Everybody you know is on the latest weight loss bandwagon: The Low Carb Diet. They’ve seen the astounding results on the scale and have lost 10+ pounds in a short period of time. So you want to join in on this also?

Before You Start Take Time to Look at How the Body Works with Carbs:

It is true that the weight that is lost starting out on the low carb diet is a lot in a short period of time, but most of the weight that is lost is water and carbs that are stored in your body. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles. Each gram of a carbohydrate that is stored in the muscle is also stored with 3 grams of water. When you cut out carbohydrates your body uses the stored carbohydrates in your muscles for fuel. As these carbs are used up the water that is stored with them is taken out also, so the result is weight loss at the beginning of a low carb diet and some inches lost due to the depletion of carbohydrate stores in your body. As the carbs and water leave the muscles the muscles become depleted and loses volume.

Once carbs are added back into the diet the muscle take up these carbs along with water, so if the carbs are reintroduced into the diet in a couple days time the initial weight that was lost will be regained.

Your brain requires carbs for energy also. The brain uses 400 calories a day just for the standard thought process of staying alive. So this is 100 grams of carbs a day that is required for one body function. Any movement that you do for longer than 3 minutes requires carbs to be used for energy.

When carbs become scarce your body goes into a state of ketosis, that is the process of the body breaking down fat into ketones for the brain to use as energy because not enough glucose is available for the brain. The results of this can be loss in energy, fatigue, irritability and a slower thought process. Thus affecting your ability at work or school.

Eating Carbs But Not Gaining Weight:

You can eat carbs and not gain weight. It is in the choice of carbohydrates that you consume that will make the difference. Including more vegetables and whole grains in your diet and eating less simple carbohydrates like sugars that are in soda, candy, processed and refined foods will help you in losing weight. Paying attention to portion sizes will also help. Pasta is an easy trap for eating to much carbohydrates. If you like pasta add vegetable to you dishes, since vegetables are good carbs and have fiber in them they will help fill you up faster. Eat a salad with every meal, but pay attention to what you put on your salad, stick to low fat versions of dressings, like Italian and Vinaigrettes. Creamy dressing when they are low fat can be loaded with sugars to take place of the fat, so it is important to pay attention to the nutritional values of dressings.

Another way of using carbs in your body is weight training. Weight Training requires your body to use carbs for the exercise and to repair muscles after your workout. Finding a requirement in the body for the carbs that you eat is a great way to use the carbs that are consumed. By finding the requirement for use of carbs you do not need to worry so much on how many carbs that you consume but just the types of carbs. Always remember that no matter what sugars in abundance are not good for your body or your weight loss goals.

About the Author

Josie Anderson is a personal trainer and is the owner of http://www.weight-loss-program-101.com providing weight loss resources to help with many weight loss goals and newsletter to keep you up to date on the latest in the health and fitness industry.

Written By: Josie Anderson

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags:

Are all Carbs Equal?

April 1st, 2007

We are getting low carbs trust down our throats right now literally. Everywhere we look these fads are being thrown at us. Then there will be a major health scare and everyone will back off for a bit, only for someone else to pick up the gauntlet.

So lets put the record straight. You can not cut out a major food group to such ridiculous amounts! There should be no such thing as a no/low carb diet.

In principle, the theory works. You lose weight (whether you do it healthily and keep it off is not for me to say). Eating good quality proteins definitely keeps the hunger at bay. However, if you are a normal individual cravings will start to kick in for those forbidden carbs and the whole thing goes down the pan.

So why don’t we change the concept slightly? Instead of concentrating on low carbs why don’t we start thinking about GOOD carbs? Because of course all fruit and veg are carbohydrates and everyone knows you have to eat plenty of this group for vitamins and minerals, right?

So consider changing tact. Miss off all the heavy, sugar laden carbohydrates like bread, pasta, potatoes etc. and pile on the veg! don’t stint, don’t worry about the carbs they are good for you! Have a salad on the side tossed in a light dressing and three to four portions of non starchy veg with your chicken or fish. Have an apple to satisfy your sweet tooth. Fruit contain fructose, which has a different make up to other sugars and glucoses. When glucose hits your body the levels in your blood rise rapidly. The body has to deal with this surge by releasing insulin to clear the blood and direct this energy source to right place that not required for muscle energy is shoved along to the liver to be stored for future use and the remainder gets stored in your fat cells. (ie, you get fat!) You are left with insulin in your blood which causes a huge drop in blood sugar. So how does body react? It wants more sugar to counterbalance! Fructose is metabolised direct in blood stream, does not cause a surge of insulin and hence the blood sugar remains stable. In other words, you wont get an addictive craving for more, like you do with that pack of biccies! It is difficult to overeat on apples, isn’t it? You don’t often fancy eating the whole bag, do you?

Not all carbs are equal, just as not all proteins are equal. For successful weight loss a quality and good level of proteins must be adhered to (and the level necessary is different for each individual) to stop the body starting to burn muscle up for energy. Quality protein maintains muscle mass while decreasing the body fat density. A good carb programme incorporates body fat testing into its regime, wherever possible.

Prehistoric man wasn’t fat. He existed on lots of protein from animals, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and natural vegetation. Grains, potatoes and rice did not exist and although our world has evolved to grow and produce these ingredients, our bodies have evolved at a much slower rate and are not as yet primed to cope with them. So really as we have brought the troubles on ourselves it is up to us to rectify the problems.

Just why did we make them taste so good?

Heres to successful weight loss!

About the Author

If you want more info on kick-starting your weight loss programme then click on the link below

http://www.negativecaloriediet.com/promote/besthealth.html

Chrissie is a Wellness Consultant working with clients on a one to one basis to address individual nturition and weight loss problems. For more info visit her website www.besthealthchoice.co.uk

Written By: Chrissie Mayes

No comments »

Posted in Low Carb

Tags: