Archive for September, 2010

Now that the summer is over the temptation to tuck into comfort foods and move less can be hard to resist. But by maintaining your new healthy eating habits and keeping you body active you will do you body many favours. When you exercise and boost your metabolism you produce more heat.  Basically when you exercise you burn calories,  even after you stop exercising, the effect continues. So we burn calories at a faster rate for several hours afterwards.

More exercises for the older woman

As we get older we tend to be less active chilren having grown and left home, demands or work and career slow down it is easy to find that the pounds start to pile on around your belly and midfiff. In younger days weight would tend to gravitate towards our hips and thighs. Although the reason for this change is not really known, hormones do play a big part.  Reduce Belly fat with simple exercises that take no more than a little of your time and comfortable clothing.

 Work That fat Under Your Belly Button

Having children and a sedantary lifestyle can make your belly lose defination, lose the belly fat with simple exercises that are easy to fit into your daily routine. You do not have to take drastic measures to reduce your belly fat decreasing your calorific intake by as little as 300 -500 calories can make a difference and that is as simple as cutting back 1 juicebox  or saying no to pudding.

 Although I am showing you belly fat reducing exercises remember spot reduction is almost an impossibility add these to your routine or add them after a 20 minutes or half hour walk. By working your whole body you will lose fat where you have it the most a 10% reduction in overall body fat can result in 30% of that being belly fat so don’t do mindless crunches thinking that will get you six pack abs it won’t. 

Simple changes to your diet will aid in your belly fat reducing quest, cutting out sugars,  bad fats and increasing your intake of fresh vegetables and lean proteins.  Good quality lean proteins will help you build muscles while burning fat in your lower belly.

Did I say cut out sugar?

Ok then reduce your sugar and fat intake by half again this will see marked results for the better and a healthier you.

Start your belly fat reducing quest with a cleanse I am a personal fan of Vitaklenz

Vitaklenz is a blend of herbs traditionally used in Asia, Europe, America & India to help the body eliminate unhealthy organisms, and to support a healthy digestive system.

 Helps the immune system eradicate unhealthy bacteria, protozoa, flukes and worms

• Promotes healthy digestion and acts as a liver tonic

• Balances intestinal flora to fight off candida infections

Reduce Belly Fat-Now

Monthly Water Rentention Uncomfortable and Annoying

For most women this type of water retention is a monthly bother, should it become more than that there are lifestyle changes that you can make that will help to alleviate the symptoms and reduce the amount of belly bloating if not get rid of all together. There are even medications and dietary supplements that you can take to help your relieve the discomfort of premenstrual water retention. Reducing you belly to its normal size ridding you of the discomfort of belly bloat.

Water retention before your periods causes bloating and a heavy feeling anything up to a week or two before your periods. It mainly reasons or happens ings unclear but hormonal changes seem to play an important role.

You can control or even banish these symptoms with simple lifestyle changes:.

Include some sort of physical activity as part of your daily routine. Studies have shown women who participate in regular activity show fewer symptoms of pre menstrual belly bloating and water retention.

Cut down or skip the salt keep an eye out for food labels which will list the sodium content of the dish or meal of foods .All these can have high levels of sodium soy sauce, canned vegetables, soups and deli meats.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables

These simple steps should go among way to relieve your symptoms, if however you still find you are having problems then there are medications that you can consider

Over the counter medications are easily available and depending on how severely you suffer monthly will depend on what you take. You might want to bear other factors in as well like do you wish to get pregnant are you taking other medications. The popular medicines are: Midol Pamprin and others will usually contain a mild form of diuretic, along with other ingredients like pain relievers, caffeine antihistamines, all helping to treat a range of symptoms that come with PMS. However if your main symptoms are a bloated belly you may not need all the components of these particular medications .

 You can get non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, (Advil, Motrin, and others) as over the counter pain killers and these may make you feel more comfortable. It is always important to remember that using NSAIDs over a long period of time can cause other problems like ulcers stomach bleeding and a combination of diuretics and NSAIDs can cause kidney damage

 Taking the birth control pill or oral contraceptives which prevent ovulation can help to reduce the symptoms of pre menstrual bloating and PMS

If you wish to take a more natural approach to the symptoms of pre menstrual bloating and water retention then you could look at taking certain supplement. Again you do have to be careful here as many herbs have been touted for their benefits against reducing belly bloat or fat. The following supplements however have shown promise in recent research.

Taking 1,200 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day may reduce the physical symptoms of PMS, including water retention.

Taking 200 to 400 mg of magnesium a day may help alleviate water retention. Magnesium isn’t recommended for women who have serious heart or kidney disease,

It is always wise and prudent to consult your doctor or heath care practitioner before you embark on a regime of dietary supplements. Taking too much or taking them combined with other medications can be harmful.

Should you find that you are still having problems with your monthly cycle and have problems reducing your belly then you should consider taking a visit to your doctor.

He will be able to determine that your symptoms are related to water retention and any discomfort or abdominal pain you are or may be feeling is not related to more serious issues like irritable bowel, celiac disease or any other gastro-intestinal problems

Almost everywhere we turn – the grocery stores, restaurants, at home and at the movies we see portion sizes on the increase. the food industry is trying to hi-jack our brains and our bodies!. Did you know that studies have shown the when faced with larger portions,people inadvertently consume more calories?  That can only lead to weigh gain.

There are ways you can control your portions. Read more about many ways that portion control can help you toward a healthier lifestyle.

Firstly lets make sure we know the difference between portion size and serving size. Portion size is the amount of a single food on your plate. Serving size is the total amount of foods on your plate.

More And More We See Large Even Huge Portions Served In Resaurants and Fast Food takeaways

All foods with the exception of water provide us with energy. The energy content of food is measured in calories or more accurately kilo-calories. We have a tendency to get fatter as we get older, but at any age, with rare exceptions, you are fat because you take in more calories than you burn up. To accumulate excess fat means the energy you take in as food must exceed the energy that your body uses. Sorry but there is no simple way around his unpleasant fact. If you want to loose weight you have to reduce food intake and increase activity until you hit the balance where your food intake and the energy you burn is equal to what your body requires.

It is easy to exceed our daily calorific ideals when we eat a lot of processed foods and ready meals which are packed with sugars, salts and fats. and worse still trans fats and simple carbohydrates. There are simple steps that you can take to manage the amount you eat per meal. Remember small meals 3 to 5 times per day can boost your metabolism so you burn more calories even when you are sedentary. The first thing you can so is change your plate size. Use the appetizer size plate and ditch the dinner plate. When you consider portions remember restaurants and fast food chains will always encourage you to eat more! Imagine what your take out will look like in a plate. Better still take it home and put it in a plate. You will be surprised how much food there is.

Eat more slowly and chew each mouthful of your food at least 30 times. This is not a trick to make you eat less because you get fed up of chewing! The digestive process starts in the mouth. Saliva and chewing breaks the food down to a enable the stomach and all the acids to process the food and distribute valuable nutrients around the body, your stomach does not have teeth. Improperly chewed foods can lead to problems like leaky gut syndrome, constipation and improper absorption of vitamins and minerals. I often see people do what I call cut and swallow. These people often chew their food two or three times before the swallow and will have the next mouthful ready on the fork. Usually on further investigation they do not empty their bowels on a daily basis. This is because the stomach has to take a longer time to digest large portions of un chewed foods. Remember digestion starts in the mouth where saliva and your teeth are the first stage in the process of making your food into something your blood tissues and organs can make use of to regenerate and work at optimum health. 

Learn to recognise when you are full. this is another reason to chew your food properly and slow down when eating. We can often mistake the bodies need for water as a need for food. Our bodies are 70% water it is important to keep it hydrated. If you are not sure if you are hungry or thirsty take a drink of water, if after 15 to 20 minutes you still feel hungry get something to eat.

Be aware when you are shopping and eating out. Bagels and muffins are often sold in sizes that are equal to 2 servings. But we tend to eat the whole thing, thinking we have just eaten 1 serving. We do not realise that we have just eaten a large portion size which is more than 1 serving. As portion sizes have increased over time it is important that you check the serving size on labels.

Also do not put food on your fork until you have chewed and swallowed what is already in your mouth.

Eat with out distraction, do not watch the TV or read the paper. Always sit down when eating. All these distractions stop you from recognising when you are full and will invariably lead to over eating. You will be left feeling unsatisfied after the meal because you did not pay attention to what and how much you were putting in your mouth.

If you do snack in front of the TV share out the snacks in small bowls rather than eat from the pack. Do not go back for a second helping wait 15 to 20 minutes, you will probably find you don’t want that second helping after all.
Your metabolism will determine your food needs, some people do need more food than others. You would do well to find out what your metabolic rate is that way you can eat the foods that will naturally burn fat in your body and boost your metabolism. Every bodies metabolic rate is different and what works for you might not work so well for another person.

Throw away the deep fat fryer and find more healthy ways to cook food. Grilling, broiling, steaming are healthier options that maintain the flavours of food and their nutrients.

Cut down on the amount of meat you eat no more than once per day and red meats should

Cut Down Your Red Meats To Once Per Week

 be restricted to once or twice per week. Red meat and pork speed up the process of atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries which can lead to heart disease.

Fish and chicken are low in fat and fish will provide you with essential omega and fatty acids which are very good for you. These fatty acids are essential for protecting the body’s vital organs and assisting in regulating body temperature.

Try replacing margarine’s and butter alternatives and butter with olive oil. Why not try drizzling some on bread with a sprinkle of herbs like basil or thyme on top.

Limit yourself to one drink per day. Alcohol should be consumed in Small portions if at all. Red wine has its benefits especially for women it contains heart health flavanoids. However avoid the wines that contain sulphates. Here’s a tip on how much you should be drinking per day: 12oz of beer or 15oz of 80% proof spirit or 4oz of wine. There is as lot of sugar in alcoholic drinks and you will be surprised how a few glass of wine can pile on the calories. Excessive alcohol puts a strain on the liver about 60% of chronic alcoholics have fatty infiltration of the liver about 10% Cirrhosis of the liver. In both these conditions the liver is unable to function properly and the person constantly feels under par.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Every meal matters, so if you ate a big piece of birthday cake at lunch time, you can still get back on track with your next meal. You don’t have to have a full day of healthy eating in order for it to count.

6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude.

If you had diabetes, or a severe food allergy to something, you wouldn’t think twice about turning down food you weren’t sure of – and you should feel that same sense of priority in turning down a food that you know will disrupt your diet - most people will understand.

7. Missing a meal every now and then will help you lose weight?.

Missing a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat, say experts.  Not only that, missing meals can actually help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism, meaning you’ll burn fewer calories.

8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening.

It’s not what you eat that contributes to weight gain, it’s how much you eat that matters most.

Whole wheat bread, for example, is a great source of nutrients, and it won’t make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

9. All calories are equal.

While it’s true that 1,400 calories is 1,400 calories, experts say certain foods have a greater ability to fill you up before they fill you out. These tend to be fibre-rich, water-rich foods, like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

All calories are equal if all you’re doing is counting calories to lose weight but if you care about how you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger, or the health of your body, then all calories are not of equal value.

10. If you don’t clean your plate, you’re wasting food.

Tying emotions to eating (like when you feel guilty about leaving food on your plate) sets the stage for emotional overeating. If you’ve been taught that cleaning your plate is the best way to show appreciation for a meal, consider showing your gratitude with verbal praise instead.

Food is simply a source of fuel for the body – not an emotional payoff or payment. If you don’t feel right leaving the table until you’ve cleaned your plate, put less food on your plate to begin with.

Candida & Yeast

candida cell with bud

Wonderful Garlic Anti-bacterial and Aniti-fungal

If you have ever suffered from yeast infections then you know the warning signs. First the tingling sensation and at the first tingle you know what is coming next! A lot more discomfort and unpleasantness. Yeast infections have a tendency to make us itch, and even burn specially when they occur in the vaginal area.

There are many ways yon can treat yeast but one of the best way I have found is garlic.

Yes garlic! Strange as it may seem and it is often over looked but I think and believe garlic to be one of the wonder herbs that we should always have plenty of in the larder.

Garlic is the ideal natural cure for yeast and is often over looked.

What I love about garlic is the fact that is has been used for thousands of years for its natural medicinal properties.

There are many people in the world who make sure they eat a clove of garlic everyday in order to improve and maintain their health. The problem with this is that not only will you keep vampires away you may also keep other members of the population away because garlic is very pungent and ingesting it everyday in this manner would make you rather pungent since people will be able to smell garlic on your breath and through your sweat! However in order to ensure you beat your yeast infection you do not necessarily need to eat it everyday. One way to get around this is with odourless garlic capsules.

Garlic can be applied directly to the area that the yeast exists. In other words with vaginal infection insert the tab directly into the vagina. Although this might seem quite bizarre putting a garlic tab in your vagina you might be pleasantly surprised to find you will get instant relief! Practicing this regularly may be able to even reverse the infection and get rid of it all together. Strange as it may sound garlic with its wonderful anti bacterial anti fungal properties, yeast will simply perish and is unable to grow where garlic is present. You can even try crushing the garlic and applying topically to the area and although you might feel a burning sensation initially this will soon disappear and again the itch burn will be relieved. .

Garlic is a good remedy to use eating a bit everyday is a good start to promoting good health. If you are going to try the garlic remedy for your yeast you need to make sure that the garlic you use is not of the commercial type that could have been processed in some way. There are other alternative cures out there but if you are tired of over the counter medicines that only work for a few weeks or months and the infection is back then you should not over look garlic as a cheap and natural way to combat yeast.

E. Can Exercise Cure Your Yeast Infection?

walking is a great way to get your body back to it balanced state

In order to get your body back to a balanced state you need to eat the right foods supplement your diet with vitamins and herbs where necessary, and drink enough water. One thing that should not be overlooked however is exercise. Making all the above changes will make a difference to you body and the state it is in at the moment in order to enjoy radiant health it is necessary to get your body moving.

This is not something that you have to stress about it is not necessary to spend hours in the gym sweating away, in fact doing the wrong type of exercise may actually promote yeast by allowing moisture to be present on your body through sweating for long periods of time!

Simple changes like walking, slow cardiovascular exercise, yoga, Pilates can all help as they help to stretch the body and relax the mind. Thrush and yeast infection sufferers know that stress can be a major trigger for yeast attack.

We do not automatically think of walking as a form of exercise, we primarily use our feet to get us from one place to another, pressing the gas or break peddle, but few of us really walk anywhere apart from car to office, car to home , car to shops etc.  Walking is an excellent form of exercise and can be incorporated with treasure hunts, rambling, and hiking for more experienced walkers who want to either have experiences of new sights or new adventures and riddle solving.

If you embark on a systematic regime to get yourself walking at least 30 minutes a day for a month you will be surprised at how quickly not only can you walk further without getting out of breath but your overall health will be dramatically improved as well as your yeast infection

Thrush on inner lip

Male chin with yeast infection

yeast infecting the bottom

candida foot

candida of Male groin

thrush penis

colon and internal organs working at optimum level.

Reduce Belly Fat Detox Regularly

 8 Ounces of Water

2 Teaspoons of lemon zest

1/2 Teaspoon black pepper

 Combine the water and other ingredients and drink down follow with 2 glasses of water 8 ounces each

This will help flush the cleanser through your sytem. This cleanser is good for your colon and entire digestive system

Body Detoxifier: Italian Body Detoxifier   8 ounces of water

1 teaspoon of flax seed oil 

1 teaspoon of basil

Herbs make excellent natural cleansers

1 teaspoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon of garlic

 Combine all of the ingredients with water and drink it. After drinking wait 5 minutes for solution to settle and then drink 2 more glasses of water.  This will act as a detoxifier of the whole body it is good for your digestive system as well as the circulatory system.

 Berry Detox

Reduce Belly fat with natural berry fruit smoothies

 6 Ounces of water

2 ounces of pure acia berry juice

1/2 cup blueberries

4 fresh Strawberries

Put all the ingredients in a blender and mix them together. Drink them and follow the solution with an 8 ounce glass of purified water. This detoxifier is loaded with anti-oxidents

 Tropical Detox 

1 Banana

1 cup of Unsweetened plain yogurt

1/2 Cup pure orange juice

1/2 Cup of pineapple juice

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix them. This will be more like a shake than a traditional drink but works well to cleanse out the digestive tract as well as providing essential nutrients. It does work slower than other body detoxifiers but is healthy for the colon as well as the heart and immune system.

For the best results use only fresh ingredients and pure juices. You can use 1 cup of orange juice instead of half and half or pineapple and orange juice.

 Body Detoxifier Tropical Delight

Ice cubes made from purified water

1/2 Banana

1 Teaspoon of flax seed oil

Reduce Belly fat with seasonal ingredients

1/2 Cup orange juice

1/4 Cup Accai juice

2 Teaspoons of lemon juice pure

 Mix all the ingredients together in a blender.  Add enough ice cubes to fill the blender and purify. Drink the entire amount. This is a good detoxifier and can be substituted fora meal if you are trying to loose weight.

Green Tea Detox Cleanse

 1 Cup green tea Hot

1 Capsule of vitamin D

1 Capsule of vitamin A

1 Capsule of vitamin K

1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Grind the capsules in a mortar and then add them to the hot tea mix until they dissolve. Add the cinnamon to the mix. Drink it down. This will add vitamins and nutrients to your body, it is good for eliminating stress, depression and also healthy for the heart.

 Lavender Cleanse

 8 ounces of water

1 teaspoon of pure lavender oil

1 teaspoon of flax seed oil

 Mix all the oils together and drink.  Drink another glass of water to flush it through your system

This is a total body cleanse and will detoxify all parts of your body.

If you want to try something a little more gentle then try using

 1/2 cup lavender oil

Cleanse with Lavender And Rose Oils

1/4 cup rose oil

Mix well together and massage into feet neck and chest areas. Essential oils will be absorbed in to the skin and then into your blood stream. This is a good recipe if you want to de-stress, relax and detox at the same time

 You can put the oils into an infuser and breath in the scent allowing the lungs to be cleansed daily.

 Reduce Belly Fat-Now