Thursday, November 8, 2012

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A truly successful diet is a healthy diet - avoid fad diets. Two key principles are moderation and variety. As for moderation, some nutrition experts believe it is better to eat three light to moderate meals with two or three healthy snacks throughout the day. Large meals take longer to digest, which actually slows your metabolism and can rob you of energy. Exercise and rest also play a part in controlling appetite and metabolism.

When it comes to variety, understand that different foods have different nutrients. Choose wisely – the fresher the better, shy away from processed foods. Don’t be afraid to experiment – try new foods as they are in season throughout the year. Check out this Seasonal Food Guide.

And don't underestimate those stress hormones! Learn how yoga and meditation can lower your stress.

Get Informed ~ Get Proactive ~ Get Healthy!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Don't Diet!

Don't Diet! 15 Easy Ways to Rev Up Your Metabolism

The Men's Health Diet isn't about eating less, it's about eating more - more nutrition-dense food, to crowd out the empty calories and keep you full all day. That's important, because restricting food will kill your metabolism. It makes your body think, "I'm starving here!" And your body responds by slowing your metabolic rate in order to hold on to existing energy stores. What's worse, if the food shortage (meaning your crash diet) continues, you'll begin burning muscle tissue, which just gives your enemy, visceral fat, a greater advantage. Your metabolism drops even more, and fat goes on to claim even more territory.

Go to bed earlier

A study in Finland looked at sets of identical twins and discovered that of each set of siblings, the twin who slept less and was under more stress had more visceral fat.
Learn 52 easy ways to control and conquer stress!

Eat more protein
Your body needs protein to maintain lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts, or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Plus, research showed that protein can up post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35 per cent.
Munch on these 8 foods that pack on muscle.

Go organic when you can
Canadian researchers reported that dieters with the most organochlorines (pollutants from pesticides, which are stored in fat cells) experienced a greater than normal dip in metabolism as they lost weight, perhaps because the toxins interfere with the energy-burning process. In other words, pesticides make it harder to lose pounds.
Try the 20 best organic packaged foods

Get up, stand up
In one study, researchers discovered that inactivity (4 hours or more) causes a near shutdown in an enzyme that controls fat and cholesterol metabolism. To keep this enzyme active and increase your fat burning, break up long periods of downtime by standing up - for example, while talking on the phone.
Learn 7 easy stretches to do at work.

Drink cold water
German researchers found that drinking 6 cups of cold water a day (that's 48 ounces) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily - enough to shed 5 pounds in a year.
Watch out for the 20 worst drinks in America.

Eat the heat
It turns out that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 per cent.
Flavor your food with the 6 most nutritious herbs.

Rev up in the morning
Eating breakfast jump-starts metabolism and keeps energy high all day. It's no accident that those who skip this meal are 4 1/2 times as likely to be obese. And the heartier your first meal is, the better.
Avoid these 11 terrible restaurant breakfasts.

Drink coffee or tea

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily java jolt can rev your metabolism 5 to 8 per cent - about 98 to 174 calories a day. A cup of brewed tea can raise your metabolism by 12 per cent, according to one Japanese study. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins in tea provide the boost.
10 best foods you aren't eating but should

Fight fat with fibre

Fibre can rev your fat burn by as much as 30 per cent. Studies find that those who eat the most fibre gain the least weight over time. Aim for about 25 g a day - the amount in about three servings each of fruits and vegetables.
Try these 30 tricks to make fibre taste good.

Eat iron-rich foods

Iron is essential for carrying the oxygen your muscles need to burn fat. Unless you restock your store, you run the risk of low energy and a sagging metabolism. Shellfish, lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and spinach are excellent sources. (But it's not always a good idea to take a supplement. Too much iron has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease in men. Get this essential mineral in natural doses from real foods.)
Slim down on the go - blend up the 12 best smoothie ingredients

Get more D

Vitamin D is essential for preserving metabolism-revving muscle tissue. Unfortunately, researchers estimate that a measly 20 per cent of Americans take in enough through their diet. Good sources: salmon, tuna, fortified milk and cereals, and eggs.
Learn 6 ways to turn comfort food into muscle fuel.

Drink milk

There's some evidence that calcium deficiency may slow metabolism. Research shows that consuming calcium in dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also reduce fat absorption from other foods.
Need a little motivation? Start with these 20 reasons to lose 20 pounds.

Eat watermelon

The amino acid arginine, abundant in watermelon, might promote weight loss, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers supplemented the diets of obese mice with arginine over 3 months and found that it decreased body-fat gains by a whopping 64 per cent. Adding this amino acid to the diet enhanced the oxidation of fat and glucose and increased lean muscle, which burns more calories than fat does. Snack on watermelon and other arginine sources, such as seafood, nuts, and seeds, year-round.
Check out 40 foods with superpowers.

Stay hydrated

All of your body's chemical reactions, including your metabolism, depend on water. If you are dehydrated, you may be burning up to 2 per cent fewer calories, according to researchers at the University of Utah who monitored the metabolic rates of 10 adults as they drank varying amounts of water per day. In the study, those who drank either eight or twelve 8-ounce glasses of water a day had higher metabolic rates than those who had four.
Try these 10 painless ways to upgrade your diet.

Source: http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com/health-fitness/diet/rodale-gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=27779491

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Best Advice

"Live a healthy lifestyle - don't diet. Focus on filling you body with the nutrients it needs instead of dieting, detoxing or counting calories." Ellie Gonsalves

My top tips for keeping a healthy body & soul!

Breakfast with a BOOST - Clean & Lean Cinnamon toast by Ellie

My CLEAN Eating Plan

15 foods you can regrow from scraps

15 FOODS YOU CAN REGROW FROM SCRAPS

Organically grown food has more minerals and nutrients that we need than food grown with synthetic pesticides. Organic farming starts with the nourishment of the soil, which eventually leads to the nourishment of the plant and, ultimately our bodies.

Besides saving money, you can regrow your own food to save energy, protect water quality, prevent soil erosion, avoid chemicals, promote biodiversity and help beautify your community.

Check out the following links on how to easily grow your own fruits and veggies Read more>>

If you’re really interested in this kind of kitchen food experimentation, you’ll be happy to know about a great book on the subject called Grow it, Don’t Throw It!: 68 Windowsill Plants from Kitchen Scraps by Deborah Peterson. She walks you through all the specifics of growing 68 different things from your kitchen supplies.

The book is packed with tons of helpful information!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Don't drink the water!

N.C. neighbors aghast to learn drinking water contaminated for years

By Charlotte Huffman
WNCN/News-17

WAKE FOREST, N.C. -- A Wake Forest community is in an uproar after learning the state of North Carolina knew a resident’s water had been contaminated with toxic chemicals and failed to alert other residents for more than six years.

“It makes me feel horrible,” homeowner Michele Hamilton said of unknowingly giving the toxic water to her kids. “They’re the most important things to me.”

The EPA called families in the community this past summer, saying their water is contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical called trichloroethylene, or TCE, and to not drink, bathe or cook with the water.

Gerald LeBlanc, the head of N.C. State University’s Department of Environmental and molecular toxicology, said TCE is a chemical that cleaning industries have used for years to remove grease. It is cheap, highly effective – and very toxic.

“Based upon animal studies, we know that it has the ability to do harm,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said TCE “has been known to cause cancer” specifically leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, and there are symptoms associated with TCE exposure that are like Parkinson’s disease. Read more>>

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

America’s greenest street eats smog

http://specials.news.msn.com/americas-greenest-street-eats-smog

Chicago lays claim to the "greenest street in America" with a new neighborhood streetscape that makes use of sustainable technology from the ground up.

CHICAGO - Chicago, the gritty city of stockyards, broad shoulders and the eternal Chicago Cubs, is building a reputation for sustainable technology thanks to one of its not-so-mean thoroughfares -- what city officials call the "greenest street in America."

On Oct. 9, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) unveiled the project, along Blue Island Ave. and Cermak Rd. in the city's Pilsen neighborhood. The $14 million project includes what CDOT calls the first commercial road use of photocatalytic cement. The material gobbles up nitrogen oxide gases from the surrounding air in a catalytic reaction that is powered by sunlight falling on the road surface. CDOT says about one-quarter of the material for the Cermak/Blue Island streetscape is recycled.

"This project demonstrates a full range of sustainable design techniques that improve the urban ecosystem," said CDOT Commissioner Gabe Klein in a press release. "It provides both mitigation and adaptation strategies by reducing its carbon footprint and integrating technologies that allow the infrastructure to address and adapt to climate change."

The project is also designed to keep about 80 percent of rainfall from going into the sewer system, and to cut energy consumption, the streetscape includes LED lighting that makes use of solar power and wind power (that singular resource of the Windy City). Even the sidewalks alongside the roadway are 30 percent from recycled content.

Officials said the project costs were covered by city capital improvement funds, as well as grants from the Federal Highway Administration, and the Illinois EPA.

This story includes content from The Associated Press, Gizmodo and information from the Chicago Department of Transportation.

Alternative vaccination schedule

Vaccination is a controversial subject, and many parents worry about subjecting their children to them...

In my searches for the truth, I came across this article that was very helpful and I am happy to pass it along. I have a summarized table of a safer vaccination schedule that follows, and the entire article linked at the end of the post.

Infectious disease was the leading cause of death in children 100 years ago, with diphtheria, measles, scarlet fever, and pertussis accounting for most them. Today the leading causes of death in children less than five years of age are accidents, genetic abnormalities, developmental disorders, sudden infant death syndrome, and cancer.

Public health officials, however, have not proven that it is indeed safe to inject this many vaccines into infants. Fifty years ago, when the immunization schedule contained only four vaccines (for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and smallpox), autism was virtually unknown. Today, one in every 68 American families has an autistic child. Other, less severe developmental disorders, rarely seen before the vaccine era, have also reached epidemic proportions. Four million American children have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. One in six American children are now classified as “Learning Disabled.”

The CDC has not done any studies to assess the long-term effects of its immunization schedule. The following is a summary of a more reasonable and safe vaccination schedule…

1. No vaccinations until a child is two years old.
2. No vaccines that contain thimerosal (mercury).
3. No live virus vaccines (except for smallpox, should it recur).
4. These vaccines, to be given one at a time, every six months, beginning at age 2:
     1. Pertussis (acellular, not whole cell)
     2. Diphtheria
     3. Tetanus
     4. Polio (the Salk vaccine, cultured in human cells)
American children are the most highly vaccinated kids in the world.

To read the original article by Dr. Donald Miller M.D., click here…