Citrus Fruits and Obesity.

Weight loss benefits…

Citrus fruits include grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines, and oranges. They are best eaten fresh and are high in vitamin C as well as a wide range of nutrients and protective phyto-chemicals like pectin and naringenin. When eaten raw they are a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber. By adding Citrus Fruits to the daily diet, one can greatly increase metabolism, increase ability to get rid of fat and, hence, citrus fruits can be called as an effective weight-loss weapon.  It has been shown that people can actually eat large quantities of food without consuming too many calories by choosing foods high in fiber and water content. Besides being a refreshing source for the mind and body, citrus fruits have been also recognized for their numerous other health benefits.

How do citrus fruits help in weight loss?

According to researchers, Vitamin C & naringenin, found abundantly in all citrus fruits, have a fat burning quality.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C reduces the effectiveness of fat. It reduces its content and can liquefy or dilute fat. By diluting the fat, it makes it less effective, and easier to flush out of your system. Vitamin C also works on cholesterol deposits. Vitamin C can help burn out the cholesterol, hence, making it difficult for cholesterol deposits to form in blood vessels.

Naringenin – A phytonutrients present in citrus fruits

Citrus fruits mainly consist of various water-soluble plant pigments collectively called as flavonoids. Of all the flavonoids, the most abundant one is naringenin, a naturally occurring alkaline compound in all citrus fruit, but most significantly in grapefruit, orange and tomato.

Naringenin has a significantly positive bioactive effect on human health as a fat blaster (weight loss agent), antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, carbohydrate metabolism promoter and immunity system modulator. 

US study – Naringenin, a key to fighting obesity

In 2006, a scientific study was performed by the Florida Department of Citrus at the California Scripp's Clinic. It was found that by adding 4 ounces of grapefruit juice or half a grapefruit to meals, participants had an average weight loss of 3 1/2 pounds a week without altering their diet in any other way.  Researchers believed a compound, naringenin, in the grapefruit helped the liver lower cholesterol and also helped regulate insulin levels. Both of these factors had a significant impact on overall weight reduction of the subjects.

It should be noted that obesity constitutes the main part of the “metabolic syndrome” that is also characterized by hypertension, elevated blood cholesterol and disturbed glucose and insulin metabolism. 

Canadian study - Naringenin, as an effective weight reducer and maintainer

In another study performed at the Roberts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario, the study mice were divided into four groups. They fed one group a normal, healthy diet. The second group received a high-fat, high-calorie diet. The third and fourth groups received a high-fat, high-calorie diet along with a naringenin supplement.

After just four weeks, the mice on the high-fat, high-calorie diet became obese. In addition, they became insulin and glucose intolerant. On the other hand, the two groups who received the naringenin supplement fared much better. Despite the same high-fat, high-calorie diet, these mice did not gain weight like their counterparts. In addition, the naringenin mice did not develop key health factors linked to Metabolic Syndrome. In fact, they lowered their triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They also continued to metabolize glucose normally and they never developed a resistance to insulin. At the end of the study, it was found that naringenin had marked lipid- and lipoprotein-lowering potential, without affecting caloric intake or fat absorption.

It was also found that naringenin, in concentrations far above levels found naturally, makes the liver burn fat instead of storing it. These effects were independent of caloric intake as the mice ate exactly the same amount of food and the same amount of fat. There was no suppression of appetite or decreased food intake, which are often the basis of strategies to reduce weight gain and its metabolic consequences.

As a conclusion, it was suggested that naringenin metabolizes hepatic VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) production, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and prevents obesity associated with high-fat diet. 

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Dealing With Childhood Obesity.

Do you know that more children and adolescents suffer from childhood obesity? In fact, the problem of obesity or abnormally high weight is continuously rising among children. This has resulted in a growing concern for both health care providers and the parents. What is even more alarming is that not many people are fully aware of the consequences of this problem. The complications which may arise due to uncontrolled obesity include diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, arthritis, and reduced mobility and life expectancy.

For the same reason, it is vital for the parents to address the issue as early as possible as, after all, prevention is better than cure. Read on to discover some simple, easy and cost-effective measures to deal with the condition.

So, what makes your kid fat?

Your child’s body gets the energy it needs from the food he / she eats (Input). This energy is used to perform physical activity (Output). The unused energy is stored in the body is stored as fat. Therefore if, for some reason, this input is more than the output, it will cause your kid to become fat or obese.

What are the risk factors?

Some common factors that may cause your child to become overweight or obese include:

• Food preferences: Foods rich in fat and sugar
• Lack of physical activity: Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history: If parents are obese, children have more chances of being over weight

What you can do?

Remember, being closer than anyone, parents have the main influence on the diet and life style pattern of their children. Therefore, simple measures and easy tactics in the home can have a significant impact on reducing your child’s overweight or obesity. It is always better to address the problem as early as possible as most overweight children become overweight adults as well.

Following recommended measures are of utmost importance in managing the overweight or obesity of your child.

Enhancement in physical activity

TV viewing should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day, discourage TV in kid’s room.

Plan and execute activities that kids and family view as fun. Walking the dog is great daily exercise that also teaches children about having the extra responsibility of something in their care.

Develop plan for increasing activities, such as family outings to parks. Alternatively, you can suggest indoor activities such as dancing or jumping rope. Children also love to play games like skipping, hide and seek, hopscotch and tag.

Suggest gifts/rewards that promote physical activity, such as active games, music CDs, or DVDs. With a little incentive you could get the kids doing chores like sweeping the yard, cleaning the family car or even weeding the garden.

It is, however, important to remember that when you child is involved in long exercises; they should include a gradual warming up and cooling down periods. Examples of warming up exercises are brisk walking or jogging on the spot. Similarly, when cooling down, stretching exercises help to restore the muscles resting length.

Improvement in eating habits

You should choose a balanced diet for your child, essentially representing the major food groups of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes. It should also include dairy products, fish, meat and poultry.

Look for unhealthy dietary habits. Limit fast foods or providing lower fat alternatives, eliminating soft drinks or switching to low calorie drinks, changing to 2% or skimmed milk, substituting low-calorie, high-fiber snacks (low-fat popcorn, fruits, or vegetables) for the high calorie ones.

Never let your kid skip his / her breakfast.  However, you should limit your kid’s daily food consumption to frequent small meals instead of a fewer large meals. A difference of three hours between two meals is mostly recommended, constructing 4 to 5 small meals each day.

In short, if managed early and properly, childhood obesity can be successfully controlled. Necessary measures, if taken early by the parents, can change the outcome for obese children or even prevent it happening in the first place. However, such change should be gradual and parents must plan for small, single changes at a time.

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Creating An Extreme Weight Loss Diet Plan

Looking for extreme weight loss success? Have a deadline to reach for your weight loss goals?

Whatever the case, if you are in a hurry to shed the excess weight you’re carrying around, chances are you’re on the hunt for one of the ultra low calorie diets out there. In fact, as much as you hate to admit it, you may have even typed in ‘Crash Diet’ in the Google search bar.

You aren’t messing around here – you need that weight gone yesterday!

But, before you run off on a poorly designed extreme weight loss diet plan, it’s worthwhile to take a bit of time to educate yourself on how to do this correctly. While you should never use an extreme weight loss diet plan for the long haul (as they will cause harm regardless if carried out for extended periods of time), over the short term, if done right, they can be safe to use.

Let’s go over the main points that you must know if you’re going to be creating an extreme weight loss diet plan for yourself.

Focus On Protein

The first component to get in place on any extreme weight loss diet plan is protein. Protein is what will make sure that you aren’t burning up lean muscle mass as you go about the diet plan, so what will keep your metabolism running on high over the long term.

If you start to lose lean muscle mass, which is quite common on extreme weight loss plans, you’re headed for long-term trouble.

You do not want to miss this point. Each and every meal and snack that you consume should have protein laid out as its base.

Get Your Greens

Second, make sure that you get your greens in.  Eating enough vegetables on a fat loss diet plan is going to be incredibly important because these are the foods that are going to provide the most nourishment overall to the body and help to also keep you regular due to their fiber content.

Plus, they’re also incredibly low in calories. So for any dieter on an intense diet program, that’s really a win-win scenario.

Eating more greens throughout this diet is only going to make your life that much easier.

Drink More Water

Next up, make sure that you stay well hydrated. Very low calorie diet plans do tend to have dehydrating effects on the body, so to avoid this from happening to you, make sure that you are staying as well hydrated as possible.

Aim for 8-10 glasses of clear fluid each and every day – more if needed.

Keep A Calendar

Finally, last but not least, make sure that you keep a calendar of your time on the diet. Track how long it has been since you started and at two weeks, come off that diet. Doing it any longer than this period of time is only going to set you up to fail.

So there you have the main points to know about extreme weight loss diets. Do these wisely and you will see fast results and meet your weight loss deadline. 

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A Natural Cure For Cancer

by Dr. Laurence Magne

Do you realize that one of the most powerful cures for cancer is right over your head each and every day, free of charge? It's sunlight, which is astounding in its ability to prevent and cure cancer. If it were a mainstream drug, it would probably make the cover of Time magazine and be heralded as the greatest medical breakthrough in the history of modern science. It's that good. 

The funny thing is that you’ve most likely heard that the sun is dangerous, causes skin deterioration and skin cancer such as melanoma. However, the healing powers of sunlight are essential and often misunderstood. 

Sunlight exposure reduces the risk of many cancers by more than 50% and even helps reverse certain types of cancers through the creation of vitamin D in the body. It's a magnificent natural healing modality, and it's been right over our head every single day. Nature has a way to provide us with everything we need for our well-being. And sunlight is essential to our health. There is even a “syndrome” caused by lack of sunlight in winter in the Northern countries that affects people’s personality, their moods and eventually their health. Yet somehow, after spending billions of dollars on so-called medical research to find "cures" for various cancers, almost no one from the world of mainstream medicine has yet acknowledged the healing power of natural sunlight and vitamin D. 

None of them have actually prescribed sunlight to patients, except for perhaps a handful of pioneering researchers. By and large, the medical community has not only ignored this truly miraculous cure for many types of cancer; it has worked hard to discredit it. 

If there were ever a reason to lose faith in conventional medicine, or so-called modern medicine, it is simply the fact that one of the greatest cures and prevention strategies for cancer goes completely ignored by nearly the entire conventional medical community. It's as if there were a miracle medicine invented, but conventional medical doctors didn't want anyone to find out about it. Why aren't researchers promoting cures that are available for free? 

When nature offers a cure that's not likely to produce billions of dollars in revenue like the cancer drug industry, the benefit of the cure are downplayed. A drug company will only promote cures that it can patent and exploit for financial gain. The way it perpetuates the cycle is to make sure that the cancer treatments it controls get a lot more press and hype than any natural treatments. You don't see sunlight promoted in full-page advertisements for its ability to prevent or reverse cancer. Instead, the medical community uses the full-page advertisement for high-profit prescription drugs that have negative side effects and actually kill people. 

However, all of us have the power to heal our bodies. Healing is something the patient does, not the doctor. Healing occurs within. Healing is based on faith, on intention and the power of the mind. If you would like to learn more about using your mind to heal your body of cancer, find all the solutions and the results of 25 years of study in Cancer-Free-For-Life.

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How To Lose Weight Effectively With The Help Of Natural Supplements?

Why go natural?

Weight loss is the goal of more and more men and women every day. With obesity rates increasing every year it seems that people haven't yet figured out a sustainable way to achieve and maintain weight loss. The main reason behind it is the fact that people seek fast solutions, involving starving themselves or consuming chemical diet supplements. This might lead to a temporary weight loss, but after you stop, you might gain even more weight than you have initially lost. This is because your body is thrown of balance and you eat more due to many days of deprivation. Additionally, many chemical diet pills can lead to severe health problems ranging from digestive issues to increased blood pressure and heart health issues. This is why choosing to approach weight loss naturally is so important, if you want to maintain - or even improve - your health and lose weight forever.

Natural supplements

The basic vitamins: Supplementation is a way to make sure that your body gets what it needs, in terms of vitamins and minerals. This is why doctors will often suggest you a multivitamin if you are feeling fatigue or if you cannot concentrate. With today's fast-paced life we often do not have time to prepare and eat nutritious meals every day. This can lead to deficiencies and if your body is deficient in essential vitamins or vitamins, weight loss will slow down or even not occur at all. This is why starvation diets do not work in the long run. If you are not getting what you need, your body will burn as little calories as possible, in an attempt to get the nutrients it needs. So pop a good quality multivitamin, to make sure that your body is not deprived of the essentials.

Green coffee bean extract: green coffee beans contain a substance called chlorogenic acid. This natural substance inhibits the absorption of glucose in the blood stream, which means that your body is using fat as a source of energy. Burning more fat is not the only benefit of this supplement. It does not allow excess sugar to be stored in your body, which means that it won't turn into fat. Additionally, it helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces sugar spikes and cravings. This can be very helpful for emotional eaters or people who tend to overeat.

Natural supplementation for hormonal imbalances: for many women, weight gain is linked to hormonal imbalances, be it menopause, poly-cystic ovarian syndrome or irregular menstrual cycles. You can take herbal supplements in order to balance your hormones and achieve a faster weight loss, while fighting hormonal imbalance symptoms. Look for supplements containing parsley, red raspberry leaf, nettle, dandelion, kelp, alfalfa and/or black cohosh.

The importance of a healthy lifestyle

Even though there are natural supplements that can increase your body's fat burning rate and lead to weight loss no matter what you eat, switching to a healthier lifestyle has many benefits. Small changes, like replacing soda with water or eating fruit instead of a sugary dessert can make a huge difference not only to your figure, but also to your skin, hair and nails. Replacing frozen dinners with home-cooked meals made out of whole grains and vegetables will boost your immune system and detox your body, helping supplements work even more effectively. And if you start running, swimming or even walking a few times a week, you will transform into your slimmer, healthier self in no time!

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How many calories a day to lose weight?

The bio-mathematics of weight loss

If you are an overweight or obese adult, you probably eat too much i.e. more than you actually need. As a matter of fact, your body needs a certain amount of calories to keep itself functional and active, and if you eat or drink more than that, you will likely gain weight. Likewise, if you consume fewer calories than you expend, you will lose weight.

So, the question is, what number of calories you actually need to consume daily to lose weight?

If you are one of those billions around the globe who are trying their best to get or maintain an ideal body weight and minimize extra body fat, this is the first and the most vital aspect you should consider.

The answer:

Your recommended per day calorie intake primarily depends on your age. If you are an adult man with average height and built, you need to take 2,500 calories / day. Similarly, if you a woman with average weight and height, you will need to take 2,000 calories daily. Do remember; however, that these calories should come from cumulative sources i.e. you should eat a healthy, balanced diet consisting of foods from all major groups e.g. proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nutrients and minerals.

If you are eager to lose weight, a good rule of thumb is that a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories leads to a weight loss of approximately one pound. Therefore, you could begin by taking five hundred less calories day, providing you are taking a healthy, well-balanced diet and performing your physical activity / exercises regularly. Simply saying, to get rid of one pound per week, you need to reduce your calories by 500 per day. There are two simple ways of doing this; eat / drink 250 lesser calories daily and burn additional 250 calories by performing physical exercise (e.g. walking or jogging for 2 to 3 miles daily).

Another way to cut back on calories is to watch your portion sizes. Go for relatively smaller, leaner, pieces of meats, perhaps. Eat as much vegetables as possible as they are low in calories but contain higher quantities of vitamins and nutrients) and avoid deep fried food (cheese burgers, fried chicken, French fries etc.). Doing these easy things will have a dynamic impact on your weight.

It’s important to remember that you don't have to starve yourself to lower your calorie consumption. As mentioned above, just take smaller portions of the foods you currently enjoy. If you need to burn those extra calories, again, you do not necessarily need to run miles a day or join a fitness club. Just remember to use the stairs, or park your car away from the door when going to work.

Last but not least, calories - knowing how to find them, how to count them and how to cut them, are key to lose weight on your own. By doing simple mathematics and implementing your diet and exercise plan accordingly, you can successfully lose your weight and maintain it for long term.

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Why Isn’t My Diet Working?

If you find your diet isn’t working, or after dieting, you gain weight more quickly than before, there is a sound medical reason for that.

Diets slow down fat-burning
If you starve your body of food, it will switch to survival mode and your metabolism will stop burning off fat and store as much fat as possible! 
And when you return to a regular, healthy diet, this survival mode will have re-configured your body to make and store more fat than before.

Eating less is not the answer
This is how human bodies have evolved to live through periods of famine and to stay prepared for food shortages in the future.  
Low calorie diets change your metabolism and lead to yo-yo weight problems, which inevitably lead to dieters gaining more weight and being heavier than when they first started dieting!

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Foods That Will Help Control Your Hunger Levels

We generally associate becoming overweight with eating, which is quite true, but it is also true that there are foods and other consumables that will actually help up to feel less hungry, and be less inclined to snack or overeat at mealtimes.  Whether you combine these foods and beverages with other dietary supplements, these can definitely assist you in keeping hunger pangs at a distance.

Water is actually one of nature’s best appetite controls.  It has been found that drinking a glass of water before a meal helps you to eat less.  Water fills your stomach and tells your brain that you really are not feeling that hungry.  Besides drinking water before a meal, you can also do this whenever you start to feel hungry between meals.  There is some speculation that when we become even a bit dehydrated, our brains confuse this with hunger and tell us to eat rather than drink.  Just drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day can help you to control your hunger.

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Minimizing Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms.

Many patients with arthritis typically focus their treatment on medical drugs which are prescribed by doctors. However, many arthritics have ignored the fact that natural and physical measures are some of the best ways to combat the disease. These methods can help you eliminate the irritating symptoms faster.

Exercise is one of the easiest ways to minimize the symptoms of arthritis. With the right kind and amount of work out you can generally feel better than your arthritic state. However, you need to do the exercises properly otherwise your arthritis might flare up. There are exercise programs specifically designed for patients with such disease and these programs include the presence of a certified physiotherapist. There are various kinds of exercises that you can do. You can start with range if motion exercises which can help minimize stiffness and pain as well as allow your joints to freely move. You can then do strength training to increase your muscle tone and add protection to your joints. Stretching exercises are also advisable since it can help lessen pain and promote flexibility to the tendons and muscles surrounding the joints. Moreover, you also need to undergo endurance training (e.g. swimming, walking, and cycling) to keep your heart strong and make you more energetic. Put in mind that not all exercise are applicable for people with arthritis and this includes kick boxing, jogging, and even aerobics.

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GREEN COFFEE BEAN: LATEST BREAKTHROUGH IN WEIGHT LOSS

Green Coffee Beans are fresh coffee beans that have not been roasted. Standard coffee beans have been roasted at 475 degrees Fahrenheit, and that is where their dark color comes from. The roasting process also causes Green Coffee Beans to lose 90% of their primary fat-burning and anti-oxidant component - Chlorogenic Acid. In their 100% pure form, Green Coffee Beans are rapidly becoming a significant breakthrough in the science of natural health and weight loss.

In a study presented Tuesday at the American Chemical Society's spring national meeting in San Diego, 16 overweight young adults took, by turns, a low dose of green coffee bean extract, a high dose of the same green coffee supplement, and a placebo. Though the study was small, the results were striking: Subjects taking the full dose of the green coffee extract lost an average of 17.5 pounds in 22 weeks and reduced their overall body weight by 10.5%!

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HOW TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM?

There are various myths, theories and old wife’s tales about how to boost our metabolisms and get them working faster and more effective, but not all of them are true. Lets firstly understand what a “metabolism” is.

In its simplest terms, our metabolic rate is the rate our bodies burn calories. Not many of us have a fast metabolism weight and even if you do it doesn’t necessary mean you are going to be that slim catwalk model. Although it may shock you, overweight individuals generally have relatively fast metabolism rates because they weigh more, however like most things in life everything is in moderation. If your weight is staying constant and your metabolism isn’t working quick enough to work off those calories your body is absorbing then your body will struggle to lose those extra lbs. in essence, by increasing your metabolism you will find it easier to work off that stubborn weight.

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