High Fiber Weight Loss

High fiber weight loss starts by eating the right mix of fiber, essential fatty acids and plenty of water. It helps by controlling your cravings and causing you to feel “full”. It also helps to maintain good digestive health. Read more

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Fossilized Stony Coral Calcium Miracle

The fossilized stony coral calcium miracle is the basis for the new product presented by the company that makes Holy Tea.  You may have heard of the Holy Tea Club started back in 2007. Their one…and only…product at the time was a tea made from holy thistle that is known for how well it can detox the body and benefit so many people with a variety of health challenges.

They’re still offering that product but they’ve changed their name to Whole Wellness Club and they’ve introduced this new product  called Read more

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Start Healthy Eating Habits

Okay, so you’ve decided to improve your eating habits. But you hate vegetables, salads and whole grain breads. You’re all into processed cheese, deli meats and white dinner rolls. What do you do??? Read more

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Lose Fat with Fish Oils

Fish oils, also know as Omega 3 or essential fatty acids, can help you lose weight.

Both Omega 3 and Omega 6-the complete EFA- are, in fact, vital components that your body needs to lose fat.

The estimated daily requirement of EFA for a healthy person is 3-5 grams. (People who have blood clotting problems or other heart problems should consult their doctor about what dose they can take safely.)

Your body cannot produce these oils from within your body. Most people only get 1-2 grams in their diet. You can either increase amounts of the natural source of essential fatty acid or include a quality essential fatty acid supplement in your daily regimen.

What is Omega 3 and omega 6?

Omega 3 is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Normally, your body converts ALA into EPA and then into DHA.

Food source of Omega 3

You can choose to get your EFA’s from a fish oil supplement or from whole foods. Here are some choices:

    Fresh fish from cold, deep oceans-mackeral, tuna, herring, flounder, sardines, salmon, rainbow trout, basslinseed oil

    flaxseeds and flaxseed oil

    cod liver oil

    black currant and pumpkin seeds

    shrimp

    oysters

    soybeans

    walnuts

    wheat germ

    fresh sea vegetables like seaweed

Omega 6 is linolenic acid/gamma linolenic acid(GLA). Linolenic acid can be converted into GLA.

Food source of Omega 6

    breast milksesame

    safflower

    cotton

    sunflower seeds and sunflower oil

    corn and corn oil

    soybeans

    raw nuts

    legumes

    leafy greens

    evening primrose oil

    borage oil

    spirulina

    lecithin

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How to Lose Baby Weight

If you are a celebrity who’s just had a baby, you probably don’t need to read this article on how to lose baby weight. It seems that celebrity moms possess some magical formula that allows them to lose all their baby weight within 8 weeks of childbirth.I think it might have a lot to do with having a personal chef and a personal trainer on hand 24/7! Read more

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Cheap Exercise Equipment

Looking for cheap exercise equipment to buy this holiday season? You already own it! It’s your body. There are lots of exercises you can do to increase your fitness that don’t require any equipment at all. Read more

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Stress Relief Tips

Feeling stressed about the holidays? You can reduce your stress naturally by following a balanced diet that strengthens your immune system.

When our immune system is out of balance, we are more vulnerable to everyday stresses and tension. However, if our daily diet consists of foods that strengthen the immune system, we are more able to survive the effects of stress and tension we face on a daily basis. Read more

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More Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Fit people already know there are things you can do to avoid holiday weight gain. For me. the holiday season is my last chance to eat all the good stuff until the diet kicks in January 1st. It’s rare for me to make a commitment to maintain my weight and I’ve never been able to lose weight during the holidays.

But this year, I’ve decided to try and avoid holiday weight gain by following these tips

First, I’ve made a plan for the parties. I know that I am probably going to indulge in my favorites at some point in the holidays. But I’ve decided I can still enjoy the goodies without completely blowing it. I’ve chosen one or two events where I am going to be more flexible with my diet. I’ve made a commitment that those times are the only times I’m going to “cheat”. Once the event is over, I’m going right back to my healthy diet. My metabolism should be able to weather those occasional indulgences pretty well.

Second, I’ve committed to my exercise plan no matter what. Even if I do eat something I shouldn’t eat, the exercise should burn up the extra calories so that I am at least maintaining my weight.

Third, I’m going to remember that it’s only food. It tastes good for a moment but then it’s gone. Meanwhile, the after-effects of bloating and weight gain stay with you. A little taste is good and really all that I need so that I don’t feel deprived. I’m going to keep a level head and not get carried away with how good it tastes.

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Benefits of Bee Pollen for Weight Loss

Benefits of bee pollen for weight loss has been proven by research which has found that bee pollen increases metabolism. In other words, it speeds up the rate at which calories are burned. Bee pollen is low in calories and contains lecithin which allows fat to Read more

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Fast, Healthy Snack Foods

Fast and healthy snack food doesn’t have to be boring. Celery and low fat cream cheese used to be the only healthy snack food you could eat when what you really wanted was chips and cookies.

Now, both of those items can be included on your healthy menu.

Health magazine (May 2006 issue) has compiled a list of healthy snack food that you can find in your local grocery store or online.

All are tasty and healthy versions of the snack food you like to eat but have made you Read more

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Green Tea Extract and Thermogenesis

Is there a connection between green tea extract and thermogenesis?  Can green tea extract help you to lose weight by increasing your metabolism?  Will drinking green tea help you to burn more fat? Yes it can but you can’t just drink green tea and expect your metabolism to go up. You’ve got to know what yo look for in green tea if you want to drink it to lose weight.

Relying on popular green tea drinks you find in the grocery store to help you lose weight is not really a good idea. Most of the green tea drinks in the supermarket put the smallest amount on the label that they can in order to meet federal requirements but it’s not enough to affect your weight loss.

Other Weight Loss Teas

If you’re interested in finding a weight loss tea to drink, there are a couple of options besides green tea. The first one is oolong tea, which you can either find in an Asian grocery store or health food store. Chinese studies indicate that Oolong tea is effective way to burn fat.

Another option is to drink Holy Tea. It’s named for the holy thistle herb, which is one of the main ingredients in the tea.  It’s a great way to increase your digestive health and it can be used along with any weight loss plan to eliminate bloat and midruff bulge.

Fat Burning Power of Green Tea

For green tea extract and thermogenesis, your best bet is to look for a highly concentrated extract of the antioxidant catechins found naturally in green tea. That’s where green tea gets its antioxidant and fat burning power.

What are catechins? They are among the powerful antioxidants in green tea called polyphenols. These are similar to the polyphenols you might have been hearing about in coffee that are so good for your heart but green tea is a healthier source.

Besides their power in protecting your cells against free radical damage, the connections between green tea extract and thermogenesis have been proven in clinical studies. These studies say that taking green tea extract helps your body to burn more calories (increased energy expenditure) without caffeine. It also helps with fat oxidation (fat burning), maintaining normal insulin and preventing development of weight gain and obesity.

Some green tea supplement manufacturers have found a way to extract the polyphenols that are most powerful in green tea-catechins- and put them in a green tea capsule that you can take every day without having to drink tons of tea.

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Satisfy Chocolate Cravings Without Guilt

Chocolate cravings fulfilled without guilt…is it really possible? You betcha!

More and more health experts agree that the nutrients found in chocolate can mean better health for you. You just have to eat the right kind of chocolate and eat in moderation. Remember, less is more!

Why do we crave chocolate? Maybe it’s because Read more

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How to Stop Binge Eating

Until recently, very few diet programs have dealt with the issue of how to stop binge-eating or emotional eating. Most diet book authors and personal trainers make it sound very simple. . . just eat what is recommended, do the required amount of exercise and then you will lose the weight. But the books don’t discuss how to stop binge-eating when it’s more about your emotions than it is about Read more

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How to Stop Food Cravings

Food cravings can spell disaster for someone on a healthy diet.  In some cases, you can trace your cravings to an emotional need or a hormonal impulse. Yes, it’s true! Just look at Read more

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Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Avoid holiday weight gain starting NOW! Today is Thanksgiving and it’s the perfect time to start thinking ahead. Since it’s just the start of the holiday season, you can get a head start on a healthy eating program by planning ahead!

Too much food, too much wine, too much holiday cheer can lead to months and months of diet deprivation into 2009 and beyond.

So, here are the tips that I’ve found to be very helpful:

Lighten up your weight loss goals. This advice is not for everyone especially if you’ve had lots of success losing weight and you don’t want to mess up your plan. If that’s you, great! But if you’ve struggled with your weight loss so far, consider easing up a little. Revise your goals for the holidays to lose half as much as you’ve been trying to lose or just make a goal to maintain your weight right now. I encourage you to still follow your plan but if you should happen to slip up, don’t beat yourself up.

Keep to your exercise schedule of at least 30 minutes a day 3 to 5 times a week. You’ll need the stress-relieving benefits of exercise during this time, anyway.

Eat a small healthy meal or snack before you go so that the goodies on the holiday table won’t tempt you as much. Eating a small amount of protein 20 minutes before a meal can help suppress your appetite and make you feel fuller sooner.

If you’re not already doing this, start a food journal so you can track what you’re eating.This will make you accountable to yourself to make sure you stick to a healthy eating plan.

If you get a craving for something sweet or even feel a little hungry but it’s not time to eat yet, keep sugar free gum or mints handy.

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How to Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is the way your body burns the energy it takes in as food. You can count calories forever but if you’re not burning them faster than you’re taking them in, you won’t be able to lose weight.

Many people have success in their weight loss approach by learning how to combine the right foods with the right amount and type of exercise that burns fat and increases the body’s thermogenesis. Read more

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Strength training Burns Fat

You can lose fat,build muscle, and look great with strength training. Better than cardiovascular exerscise, it helps you lose fat and build muscle…the kind that gives you a sleek and toned look and minimizes flab.

Strength training helps you lose fat by building muscle in your body…which is the engine that burns the fat on your body. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Read more

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Water Aerobics Exercise

Right now, water aerobic exercise is the last thing I would try because it’s something like 60 degrees outside…and I live in Florida!

But since I mentioned it in the previous post, I thought I would tell those of you who have access to an indoor pool or who live in a really warm place that never gets cold how to get started.

Water aerobics is great because Read more

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Fat Burning Workouts for Moms

Fitness for busy moms is hard because most mothers don’t really have much time to think about how to begin a health physical fitness program. But it’s wise to make room for it in your daily life before you start to experience weight problems and other complications from an unhealthy lifestyle. Read more

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How to Build Stamina

Want to know how to build stamina? Maybe you’re just starting a fitness program or you’re returning to your  fitness program after a long illness or surgery. Whatever the reason, here are some tips to get you back on your fitness track.

The definition of stamina – the ability to endure prolonged physical or mental strain. There are a few things you can do first to make sure you have a good foundation.

First, just like a car needs gas in it to make it run, you need good food to give you the vitality you need to have stamina and endurance.

Eat three healthy meals throughout the day and a mini-meal of 200-300 calories about 60-90 minutes before exercising to give you the energy to “go”! If you exercise on an empty stomach, it can cause dizziness and fatigue which is exactly what you don’t want to do if you’re trying to build stamina.

Good choices for the mini-meal are low fat yogurt and a banana, string cheese and an apple or peanut butter (no trans fat) and crackers. If you don’t have time for that, even a small snack 30 minutes before you exercise can help. A simple carbohydrate is your best bet such as jello or a piece of fruit. Read more

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Hoodia Gordonii Review

The latest thing in weight loss supplements is Hoodia Gordonii. My hoodia gordonii review was sparked by my own curiosity. Everyone is talking about Hoodia Gordonii and hoping that it is the “magic pill” that is the answer to the obesity problem forever.

I know, I know…of all people I should know that the best weight loss program is one that is based on a balanced diet, exercise and lots of water. But my curiosity got the best of me and in the interest of “science”, I thought I’d give it a try.

Hoodia Gordonii is a succulent botanical that is similar to a cactus. It grows in the Kalahari Desert in Africa and the San Bushmen of South Africa have been eating hoodia gordonii for thousands of years to keep from getting hungry and thirsty during long hunting trips in the desert.

It works by “tricking your brain” into thinking the body is “full”, similar to the effects of sugar so you stop eating.

In the 1960’s, research started on the appetite-suppressing effects of this plant. Recently, they released this information: Hoodia Gordonii has no side effects and can suppress appetite to the point where a person can cut 1,000 calories or more from their diet.

For my hoodia gordonii reviews, I chose 3 different manufacturers of hoodia. There are many different forms of hoodia in the marketplace right now that claim to help you lose weight. The most common are the hoodia diet pills and tea.

Hoodia Extract from Source Naturals® was the first one I chose to try for my hoodia gordonii reviews. It cost $13.95 for 30-250mg capsules at my local health food store and says 20:1 on the label. This is a reference to the extraction process that was patented by Phytopharm. Basically, they use about 20 pounds of raw hoodia to extract 1 pound of hoodia effective for weight loss. You will find most bottles of hoodia will have this designation on the bottle. My rating: Poor. I really felt no appetite suppressant effect at all and feel like I wasted my money on this product.

The second choice in my hoodia gordonii reviews list is Hoodia Slimming BIJA Healing Teas made by Flora. They are a well-known and credible manufacturer of supplements and herbs. I bought it for $9.95 for 20 tea bags at my local health food store. It is a proprietary blend that also contains organically grown Ceylon green tea, oatstraw herb and regular Magnolia bark, bitter orange extract, Garcinia Cambogia powder in addition to the Hoodia powder. You brew it for 3-4 minutes and drink it hot or cold. My rating: Fair. While I felt some appetite suppressant effects, it could be due to the other ingredients in the tea. However it tasted awful, even when I added Splenda to sweeten it up a little. I don’t feel like this was a total waste of money but I probably won’t buy it again.

The third contender in my hoodia gordonii reviews is Hoodia Super Slim 400 made by Pure Herbal Extracts, also a well-known provider of herbal extracts and supplements. I bought a bottle of 90 capsules for $39.95 (not including shipping) but they had a money back guarantee so I figured I had nothing to lose, except for the cost of shipping.

Pure Herbal Extracts uses 8,000 mg of the core of the hoodia plan in order to make one 400 mg capsule. They call this a concentrate rather than an extract. Directions for use say to take one hour before normal meal time with a full glass of water. My rating: Save your money. Although the instruction say that you should wait at least 14 days before making a judgment on whether it’s effective, I had to stop because of constipation. And I really didn’t see an appetite suppressant effect either so I sent the product back.

Conclusion for hoodia gordonii reviews

Hoodia Gordonii has proven to be a very popular product no matter what form it takes. The folks at the health food stores where I purchased and did research said that they can’t keep it in stock.

However, there are many imitators and I don’t beleive the product claims made by these companies. The Hoodia Super Slim site says that the San Bushmen in the Kalahari desert only used the core of the plant. Hoodia Super Slim 400 claims that they strip away the outer layers and only use the inner core of their product. They provide a Lab Assay and export permit in order to demonstrate that their product is the real thing. Many of the other products bottled under different names take the whole cactus, grind it up and put it in a pill. I don’t know how you can tell the difference unless you have your own test lab.

My hoodia gordonii reviews recommendation is to save your money and wait for Unilever to come out with their patented and authentic Hoodia Gordonii. Obviously, they are making a safe and effective product that has been clinically tested for results. When it does come out, it’s going to be a blockbuster!

My hoodia gordonii reviews notes that like any other dietary supplement, the labels and instructions on all of these products say that you must eat right and exercise! Proof that the best weight loss program includes a balanced diet, exercise and water.

While hoodia can “trick your brain” into thinking that you are full and don’t need any more food, this doesn’t help when you are eating to fill an emotional need. That doesn’t change, no matter how much or what form of diet pill you might take. Make sure you are always eating for the right reasons.

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Whole Food Vitamins Better than Food?

When I was younger, I thought that whole food vitamins were for hippies. Come to think of it, I’m not sure we had whole food vitamins back then. 

It used to be that you could count on regular food…meat and potatoes, vegetables and dairy, to supply all the nutrition you needed to be healthy.

Unfortunately, things change and I’ve discovered that the world’s food supply today has never been more deficient in nutrition simply because we’re not taking proper care of our natural resources and we’re relying too much on manufactured nutrition.

Back in the day, farmers used methods like crop rotation to make sure the soil had time to rest and regenerate the nutrients within. But nowadays that’s just not possible because farmers can’t afford to let the soil rest. They have to get as much out of their farms as they can in order to make a living in this 21st century economy.

Farmers add synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and preservatives to their crops but these can make us sick and detract from the quality of our food supply even more.

For this reason, I started a few years ago to take vitamin supplements in an effort to get the nutrition I know I need. The truth is that no matter how much I eat (and I do eat a lot sometimes - lol) , I’m not getting the nutrition my body needs from the food I eat.

Some people say that the reason we are so overweight as a nation is because we are not getting what we need to get the nutrition we need so we over-eat to try to satisfy that need.

When I started to research the best vitamins to take, I found some surprising information about synthetic vitamins.

First of all. did you know that there was such a thing? Synthetic Vitamins?????

What are they, exactly? Well, vitamin makers isolate the vitamin needed from the food supply. That means they remove all the beneficial substances or phytochemicals that make the vitamin works so well in your body.

Studies done by the New England Journal of Medicine reveal a couple of interesting conclusions about taking synthetic vitamins:

    Vitamin and mineral tablets or capsules are 85% indigestible (ie. the nutrition is not getting where we want it to because it can’t be absorbed by your body)

    What is digested is not easily absorbed by the body (ie. what does get there isn’t being used very well)

The study authors ultimately concluded that eating whole foods is still your best bet for good nutrition, which means eating whole fruits and vegetables that still have the “life force” within.

Unfortunately, we’re back to where we started. Your body was designed to absorb vitamins and minerals from the food you eat but foods from the farm no longer contain the quality and quantity of nutrition your body requires.

After “digesting” all this information, I started looking for a quality, whole food vitamin that was affordable. I tried quite a few brands but couldn&#