Free Weight Loss Plans

By Owen Jones

The march to health and fitness is on and a lot of people are getting in on the act. Some people do it in order to have a sexy body, some people do it because they are ashamed of their body as it is now, while others do it just to remain fit and healthy. Because of this, there are hundreds of fitness programs on the Internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centres all over the world. Some are too expensive - so dear that you will lose weight quickly, just because you have to work hard to earn the money to pursue these fitness programs.

You might not need to go to the gym or the spa or any fitness centre and spend much just to slim down and obtain that desired beautiful body. There are many books available in the bookstores] offering diet programs which are easy and cheap. However, the books are not cheap though. These weight loss programs are gaining immense popularity because of their publicity, testimonials and reviews and you might be confused as to exactly which one to buy. So before you pick which weight loss plan to follow, try reading the following precis of the most popular diet programs out today.

Atkins' New Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins: This weight loss program encourages a high protein diet with a restricted carbohydrate consumption. You can eat loads of vegetables and meat, but must not eat bread, rice or pasta. You are not restricted on your fat intake so it is OK to pour on the (right) salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, during the diet, some people may find themselves lacking fibre and high on fat and cholesterol. Grains and fruits are also severely restricted.

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet by Drs. Heller. This diet plan also advocates following a low carbohydrate diet. It suggests eating mostly meats, vegetables and fruit, dairy and grain products. however, advises against consuming too many carbohydrates. So-called "Reward Meals" can be quite high in fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose: by Dr. Goor. It recommends restricting your fat intake. You are given a "fat" budget but you are given free reign on how to spend it. It does not pressure people to watch their carbohydrate intake. Eating meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and seafood is fine. You may also consume vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan is fairly healthy, because it recommends correct amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch your triglyceride levels though. If they are high, cut down on the carbohydrates and eat more unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet. Advocates moderate amounts of fat and protein but lots of carbohydrates. Primarily designed to lower blood pressure, so the diet plan follows the pyramid food guide and encourages a high consumption of whole wheat grains as well as fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it advocates too much eating to produce significant weight loss.

Eat More, Weigh Less: by Dr. Ornish. Primarily vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. Advises to look out for low-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet plan is low in calcium and limits the consumption of healthy foods like seafood and lean poultry.

Eat Right for Your Type: This diet is really interesting because it bases its recommendations on your blood type. For example, it recommends plenty of meat for people with the blood type O. However, diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. Furthermore, just for the record, there is no proof that blood type can affect dietary requirements.

The Pritkin Principle: It is focused on trimming the amount of calories by eating watery foods that make you feel full. Eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy is OK, although it limits protein sources to lean meat, seafood and poultry. It is healthy because it provides low amounts of saturated fats and large amounts of vegetables and fruits. However, it is low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics: It provides for eating fewer calories. It recommends the same foods as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This program is fairly healthy given the high amounts of fruit and vegetables as well as being low in calories and saturated fats.

The Zone: It is moderately low on carbohydrates but moderately high on proteins. It advises low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken and vegetables, fruits and grains. It is also a healthy plan but short on grains and calcium.

Weight Watchers: High carbohydrates, yet moderate on fats and proteins. A very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. It permits the dieter to plan his own meals rather than offering recipes, although there are WW TV dinners in the shops. - 17274

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Acai Berry Gains And Researches

By Earl Cabo

Acai benefits are one of the latest nutritional secrets to be revealed to the modernized world. Harvested in the Brazilian rain forest from Amazon palm trees, the Acai berry has long been known and esteemed by Brazilian natives for it's nutritional benefits and capacity to promote energy and strength.

This fruit is now becoming available worldwide and is used mostly in nutritional juices. Benefits of Acai berry powder is also put in capsules as a supplement. Juice containing Acai, and Acai berry powder supplements are becoming widely available in health food stores and can also be ordered online from dealers.

Fruit is good for you; and everyone knows that. Certain fruits have been recognized to have much higher nutritional substance and antioxidant properties than others. Of this group of fruit, the Acai berry comes out as a leader.

With a high content of vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, and E along with iron, phosphorous, calcium and potassium, the vitamin and mineral content in this grape-sized, unique-tasting fruit alone would make it worth adding to your diet. Acai fruit contains so many other natural health-enhancing ingredients that it is arguably one of the most nutritious supplement.

One of the things people note when they start adding Acai to their diet is increased energy - and this seems to happen not within weeks or months, but days - and the positive effects keep increasing as time goes on. Acai also has almost immediate effect on the body by enhancing metabolism, increasing fiber content in the body, and helping the body build and regenerate muscle at a much more efficient rate.

"Smoothies" made with Acai fruit have become a popular morning-coffee substitute for many people, who find that the power they feel after drinking an Acai smoothie lasts much longer and feels much better than the temporary lift from caffeine. Many men have reported a marked improvement in sexual function after adding Acai to their daily regimen. This has led to Acai berry benefits to often be called the "Amazon Viagra". - 17274

About the Author:

Sexual satisfaction is a famous acai berry benefit that most men are fond of. Acai berries will help you revive the romance in your life.

How To Create An Effective 6 Pack Workout

By Gerald Holt

Ask anyone you know or anyone you meet out and about, what they think of the looks of a well toned body and a perfect set of 6 pack abs, and you usually will be met with an initial blank look, then the eyes glaze over, and then a small smile as the drool works its way down the chin. Yes, no doubt about it, having a good set of well developed abs is the ultimate challenge for most people that are into fitness and toning up their bodies, and that challenge can be met head-on if you have a well planned 6 pack workout that will accomplish that for you.

Just what are abs? That is an abbreviation for the abdominal muscles found around the middle of the human torso including the rectus abdominus muscle (also referred to as the 6 pack), the transverse abdominal muscle, the internal oblique muscles, and the external obliques.

The functions of the muscle groups is most important to remember when trying to put together a 6 pack workout that will do what you want for you as far as developing a washboard front that will evoke sighs from everyone who views it. The muscle groups work independently in some functions and in others, they work in tandem with each other. The obliques are found on the sides of the torso, and aid in the twisting and rotating of the body; the internal obliques are involved mainly with the rotation as they are found flanking the rectus abdominus muscle inside the hip bones; and the external obliques do most of the twisting. The rectus abdominus, or better known to most people as the 6 pack, helps with the general motion of the middle body because it is found between the ribs and the pelvic bone; and the transverse abdominal muscle is the strongman of the group, holding in your insides while it acts as a belt around the midriff.

When you want to put together a 6 pack workout, you must consider all the types of exercises that are out there tailored specifically to the abdominal section of the body. The most common exercise group that is recommended for firm flat abs is the crunches; and they are found to be much more effective in developing a 6 pack more so than are situps. And situps are far more dangerous for people just starting out with a workout regimen because if you are not careful, doing situps can pull on your back and cause painful damage to the lower back. Some of the other exercise choices are leg lifts, static holds (which are used to train your core muscles), various types of twists for the obliques, and the bicycle maneuver.

But history has proved that exercise alone will not give you the 6 pack abs you are longing for; you must incorporate a well balanced and planned eating program into your 6 pack workout in order to get the results you want. This would include a diet plan that would reduce fat which tends to be the culprit that is hiding the abs from world view; and revamping your routines so that your carbohydrates, both ingested and stored, are used up effectively. This can be done by lifting weights combined with cardiovascular exercises that are designed to speed up your metabolism; but (and this is a big but here), there is a certain order in which to perform these exercises so you will have the most effective 6 pack workout. The weightlifting is to be done first because that uses mainly carbohydrates as an energy source; and then do the cardiovascular routine because now you have little stored energy reserves left and the body goes for stored fat to get its energy.

So now you have a good idea of what exercises will help you put together a good 6 pack workout, and there are just a few items to keep in the forefront of your mind when you are starting your regimen. First of all, with the exercises on a daily basis, you need to Keep your metabolism steady, Drink more water (include a lot of tea if you want-it's almost all water and is a good metabolism booster as well), Eat smaller meals and eat more often during the day, Eat more fiber-keep your system moving, and most important of all (to the chagrin of a lot of people) Eat breakfast.

Developing a 6 pack workout that will do its thing for you and get you the abs you want will be a challenge, and the workout itself will be just that, a lot of work. But you have to work hard to lose the fat and develop the muscles around the abdomen to get the look you want; so stay focused on the fact that you must have a deficit of 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound of fat every week. It won't be that long until you notice that as you stroll through public places with your defined 6 pack abs on display, that you will leave a trail of admiring, panting people in your wake. - 17274

About the Author:

Gerald Holt likes to explore the inner workings of how to get firm flat abs ebook. For more information on How To Do Sit Ups visit our site.

Weight Loss Information

By Dean Marcus

Many people have trouble with their weight. There are a great many factors in determining a persons weight. The type of food you eat will definitely have a large impact on your weight. Do you exercise? An active person is much more likely to have a healthy weight than someone who leads a less active lifestyle. There are also some factors beyond our control. This makes weight-loss much hard for some people. Do you have a desk job? We all need to work, some of us very long hours. What if you have a desk job that require you to work very many hours. This makes it very hard for a person to be active.

People who are naturally thin, the people who can eat fast food everyday and not gain a pound. They were born with "thin gene", get it thin genes? :P This is not fair but that's life. If you want to look like them you are going to have to work very hard. There are some benefits to working hard to keep thin. You will be much healthier than a person who is naturally thin because you will achieve your goals the right way, with healthy food and exercise.

Remember the key is healthy diet and exercise but there's nothing wrong with a little help in your weight loss battle. It maybe harder for you to loose the weight than to keep it off. While dieting you may want to consider taking a weight loss pill.

One of those weight loss supplements is Clinicallix. This is a weight loss pill that can help you curb your hunger and keep up your energy so that you can make it through the day. Don't be scared of diet pills they aren't as harmful as you may have been lead to believe. Like any other medication these supplements are only harmful when they aren't used properly. You should only use the pills as directed and only while you are trying to loose weight. Diet pills are not a long term solution.

There are 3,500 calories to a pound. So for every 3,500 calories you burn off you will loose a pound of weight. This of course doesn't take into account how many calories you area taking into your body. So, if you want to loose weight make sure your burn more than you eat!

There are huge health benefits to loosing weight and being fit. You will find that the more active you are and the closer you get to a healthy weight, the more energy you will have. You will start to feel like being active isn't as much of a chore. You will be far less susceptible to certain disease like heart disease and certain cancers.

So don't burn your bridges and consider all your options. If you do choose to use a weight-loss pill to help you on your fitness journey, always do some research so hat you can find the best weight loss pill for you. - 17274

About the Author:

The author can help you find prescription weight loss pills or other diet pills

Acai Nutritional Information: Get the Acai Nutrition Facts Before You Buy

By Travis Van Slooten

The acai berry is the most recent super fruit to hit the market and the acai nutritional statistic tell you why. Whether you saw it on television talk shows or in the supplements aisle, you have no doubt heard it touted as the greatest food to have come along in quite some time. People have begun exploring the acai berry as a treatment for countless ailments and illnesses. And when you look at the acai nutrition facts, it is easy to see why they think this little berry could be so

The Ever-Important Antioxidant

Almost everyone has had the terms antioxidants and free radical before. But not everyone is completely aware of what these are and how they are important. First, you must abandon the idea that free radicals are evil. Free radicals are naturally occurring atoms which are missing an electron from the standard pair. They are useful for many essential purposes including combating invasive bacteria. However, many of our unhealthy routines in life can increase the occurrence of free radicals in our system. This increase can lead to numerous problems such as certain cancers and mental health issues like Alzheimer's. Antioxidants provide the other electron for the pair and reduce the amount of free radicals in your system.

What makes acai berry really stand out is its antioxidant content which measures far above all other fruits. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a system which scores a type of food on its antioxidant level -- the higher the number, the greater the antioxidant content. For instance, the avocado only measures 19 on the ORAC and yet is known to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. With a 94 ORAC score, Cranberries have long been called super fruit. Acai berry on the other hand, scores an amazing 610 ORAC count. Now let's see other fruits even come close to that.

More Acai Nutritional Info

The acai is not touted as a super food for nothing. True, its antioxidant content is just unbelievable but it doesn't stop there. Acai contains a component called anthocyanins, the same substance found in red wine, which is effective in fighting coronary heart disease. A decent amount of unsaturated fats can also be found in acai berry. These unsaturated or "good" fats, produce essential fatty acids like Omega-6 which are needed in the body. Acai berry is also a good source of fiber, which is an energy booster.

Is the Acai Berry Deserving of the Title of Super Fruit?

If being a super fruit means having an incredible level of antioxidants as compared to other foods, and an abundance of fiber, anthocyanins, and essential fatty acids, then yes, acai berry is nothing less than a super fruit. Fresh acai may never be available to you unless you visit the specific areas in Brazil where acai is grown but it doesn't mean that you'll miss out on all the nutrients that acai berry can offer. By getting high-quality acai supplements, you can also take advantage of the acai nutritional benefits. - 17274

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Only pure acai supplements will give you all the nutritional benefits! As you can see, the acai nutrition facts is amazing but you'll only experience the potential health benefits if you take an authentic supplement. Drop by our site to get the facts about this amazing fruit.

Successful Weight Loss, How To Do It

By Ricardo d Argence

Losing weight can be tough and even tougher to keep it off as time passes, you may wonder about the best way to do it? Here are some great tips:

The first thing you can do is to make sure that you maintain the diet lifestyle that you used previously to lose all that weight. Obviously in order to gain considerable success in your weight loss program, you have made certain changes in your food intake and eating habits.

It is now time to once and for all change those habits. If you return to your old eating habits, you are again bound to put on the extra pounds, and it will be even more difficult for you to shed them for the second time, due to the fact some changes in the metabolism rate and chemical changes had taken place in your body when you were on your initial dieting spree.

You need to condition your thinking patterns into believing that you will keep that weight off after a successful weight loss goal has been achieved. Those thoughts will assist you in develop healthy eating habits that will help you maintain a trim and healthy body. Self affirmation, visualizations and meditation can help you to get into the right frame of mind to achieve this end.

If you are able to develop the proper mindset, you will be able to resist grabbing and eating that next bite of your favorite dessert when you are at the next family event.

Exercise is a crucial step in any weight loss program. Without proper exercise, you can never achieve long term success in your efforts to lose weight. Select the right exercise that you can enjoy, have loads of fun doing it and gives you a great workout at the same time.

There are plenty of exercises you can select from but do talk to your physician before embarking on any rigorous physical activity.

Support Group. Sometimes what you need is that extra dose of motivation to keep you going on your weight loss program. A public proclamation isn't always necessary, but putting your integrity and your pride at stake by sharing your weight loss goals with a few of your close friends or family members can go a long way to keep you focused on those weight loss program.

Remember to choose wisely, and do not share them with those who have a negative attitude and who will most likely dampen your enthusiasm to lose weight.

Once you find a way to lose weight that is right for you, the process can actually be fun. Remember to do what is necessary and include our four suggestions into your lifestyle. Things that bring you pleasure will always attract you, and to take the weight off and keep it off, you need to make the weight-loss process enjoyable. - 17274

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It would take hours to do the proper research to finally decide which is the right product. That's a waste of your time, so we have come up with the absolute best Diet Programs you'll ever find.

High Blood Pressure, Can Your Medications be Causing It?

By Dr. Robert A. Simmons

Did you know that one of the most popular and widely used medications are those used for high blood pressure? There is an obesity crisis in America. Approximately two-thirds of Americans are overweight. Living in Charlotte NC and where I have my chiropractic practice, I've noticed that majority of the families are living on fast food. The rate in which calories are consumed from sugar and fat is climbing at an alarming rate.

America has now become an over-medicated society. It is hard to believe that we have access to the best healthcare in the world, but are one of the sickest nations. Hardening of the arteries (Atherosclerosis) is common in our society. High blood pressure and diabetes continue to rise. Blood pressure and cholesterol medications have become all too common in usage. Poor diet has the endocrine glands such as adrenals and thyroid becoming more dysfunctional.

Medication use is causing further deterioration of the body. The side effects of these medications can cause damage to other parts of the body. The medicine used to lower your blood pressure can end up causing more damage to the body in the long run. People are seeing Chiropractors to reduce or eliminate taking medications.

Have you ever spoken to someone that has had high blood pressure in the past, but now they don't due to medications? Guess what, they still have the high blood pressure, but it is not showing due to the medications they are taking. The drugs aren't meant too treat the cause; they are just to lower the numbers to an acceptable level. At our chiropractic clinic, we like to seek the cause of our patient's ailments.

Whatever the cause is of the high blood pressure it is still present and not being treated. Without treatment the damage can go on for years. Patients need to seek the cause of the disease. Lifestyle changes can often be made to lower the blood pressure with out medications.

There needs to be changes in life habits. This means consuming more high cost foods. This refers to foods that require more time to prepare. The price paid for convenience is lower quality of food. Fat calories are largely contained in meat and artificial products. If the ingredient list is a large number of chemicals then that is what you are eating. You should consume food that is as close to organic as possible.

To reduce the fat and sugar calorie intake, fast food should be avoided. Fat is the substance that leads to your arteries narrowing. This is one of the major contributors of high blood pressure. Chiropractors and other doctors are now consulting with their patients about their diets.

Sugar is an inflammatory substance. It has the effect of scraping the arteries and causing inflammation throughout the body. Sugar actually stresses the adrenal glands which increases the stress on the body. Reduction in fat and sugar can reduce the need for blood pressure and cholesterol medication.

Do you want to be on medication for the rest of your life? Have your doctor monitor your lifestyle changes and seek out holistic health care from a Chiropractor to obtain nutrition programs. One of the most important procedures for patients is the reduction of medication under proper supervision. There will be no way to actually know if the changes you are making are actually working without reduction of medication. Many of our patients are actually able to reduce or eliminate the use of medications and live a healthier and happier lifestyle. - 17274

About the Author:

Author: Dr. Robert Simmons is a charlotte chiropractor using applied kinesiology technique. We regularly hold free charlotte chiropractic nutrition lectures and exciting classes.

Uncovering The Chinese Acne Alternative Treatment

By Jason Cartwright

If you are probing for a normal but useful and safe acne alternative treatment, we advise you to believe what the Chinese have to recommend. We all accept that concerning a cure for just about whatever thing, the Chinese have beaten the market.

Chinese medications have been used for thousands of years and at present, are an admired selection for all sorts of sicknesses together with acne. Against westernized medicine, the Chinese think that a human being's blood has temperature and toxins that take part in the growth of acne.

For example, doesn't your acne always seem to crop up around your chin, forehead and nose? Well the Chinese believe that these areas are linked to your digestive system. So your acne appears because of toxins or problems with your stomach or intestines.

So what does a Chinese acne cure home remedy entail? Generally it requires you to eat more healthily, get enough vitamins and nutrients, be very hygienic, and then stick to a long-term, sustainable eating plan. When it comes to eating fats, you should stay away animal fats and margarine that leek toxins in your body and cause inflammation, and use extra virgin olive oil instead.

With a Chinese acne alternative treatment, it is also thought that eating non or low-fat dairy goods is a great deal better on the digestive system. You should keep away from anything, which is processed, which includes several of our much loved foods such as crackers, cookies, potato chips, and so forth. You ought to also enhance your diet with foodstuffs like flax seed and salmon, both rich in omega-3 fats.

However, what you want to stay clear of is omega-6 fats. These would cover things like soybean, corn, sunflower, and cottonseed oils, all oils that encourage inflammation. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is also promoted by the Chinese as an effective acne cure treatment.

These foods are a good source of nutrients that aid in the cleansing of your body and skin. Also the fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin A in some of these foods help to cleanse your stomach and intestines. And to further aid the proper functioning of your digestive system, the Chinese at home acne treatment prefers you to eat more protein and fewer carbohydrates.

The bottom line is that the Chinese have discovered that eating foods that heat the body like garlic, some spices, and coffee are harmful and can only cause an explosion of acne. The Chinese also promote drinking lots of clean, purified water. In fact, while most experts suggest about two quarts of water, the Chinese say to clean up acne, you should drink up to four quarts. This helps the body by flushing out harmful toxins, thus making it a simple but effective acne alternative treatment. - 17274

About the Author:

Is acne taking over your life? Sign-up for your FREE copy of our "How To Stop Acne" E-Course, and see how you can beat this skin disorder once and for all. For more on an acne cure treatment, follow the link.

Acne Antibiotics Exposed

By Jason Cartwright

Thousands of those around the world suffer from acne, with a few circumstances being mellow and other cases terrible. For the reason that acne is such a pervasive subject, brand new and enhanced acne antibiotics and oral cures have been devised and initiated. Commonly, these antibiotics for acne are designed to cleanse acne quicker than without trying anything at all.

Even though different medications help in several ways, most acne antibiotics help by decreasing swelling and in several circumstances, they can even lessen the risk of scarring caused by harsh acne. One of the most common forms of antibiotics used for the eradication of acne is oral, which is safe and effective.

Though a number of doctors will start with antibiotic lotions, when this cystic acne cure does not work, oral treatments can be a fantastic choice. For one thing, oral antibiotics lessen bacterium that cystic acne is comprised of. Actually, in a couple of cases, oral antibiotics can reduce some sorts of acne in 90% of instances.

Then, systemic acne antibiotics are also utilized, which stop some pro-inflammatory chemicals from forming while lowering the amount of tenderness. The end result is less acute acne breakout, and less swelling and scarring.

For oral antibiotics, generally it will take you up to 6 weeks to see improvements. What's crucial is that you stick to the recommended dosage and follow through to the end. Only once you see you skin clearing up, should you slowly reduce your dosage of the oral acne cure treatment until it is finally over.

However with cystic acne, it can take up to half a year to be free from acne - but it all depends on what antibiotics you take, the severity of your acne and how well you follow the prescription. If this is the case, you will normally be put on systematic acne antibiotics - that are safer to use for such a lengthy period.

Oral antibiotics for acne not only facilitate with your appearance impaired from acne but in addition your emotions. For instance, roughly six tenths of the people in America suffer from some class of acne, which means a lot of individuals suffer a lack of confidence on the inside.

If left untreated, acne can leave scars outwardly and within. Nevertheless, with the right oral acne antibiotics, these scars can lessen and improve. If you are amongst folks who have acne, you ought to understand that aid is accessible.

Before you try anything, speak to a skin specialist about using a pimple or cystic acne cure for your condition, so that in a few weeks you will be on track to clearer skin and improved self-confidence. Now that you know more about acne antibiotics and their effectiveness, you should do what you can to have the skin you always dreamed of. - 17274

About the Author:

Before you do anything, do yourself a favor and claim your copy of our FREE "How To Stop Acne" E-Course and enjoy gorgeous skin. For more on antibiotics for acne, read the article.

Don't accept immitations - Try a Real Smoothie

By Nick Jaggs

Do you know what is going into that smoothie you are drinking? Such drinks have become big business today, and words like "healthy" and "natural" have been used in order to describe them. Yet the smoothies you purchase in your local supermarket may not be all that they seem. These products often have labels either depicting a blender full of fruit or a sunny outdoor scene to convey the image that they contain vital living ingredients. But in many cases these smoothies have been prepared on a very large scale using large industrial machines as well as vats of fruit purees that to help extend their life have been pasteurized.

Not every juice and smoothie bar set up offers completely natural products to you either. In some cases they use frozen fruit purees high in sugar that have been supplied to them by the company that supplies the juice and smoothie making equipment. Certainly these types of professional blenders are very expensive to purchase and juice bars will often be provided them for free as long as they use the companies frozen fruit portions to create their smoothies.

However, there are now a few juice bars where to simplify their operations and save money actually make their own frozen fruit products. Again some will produce good drinks, but a few others load theirs with sugar. Don't think that for one minute the company that create these are trying to prevent us from getting natural ingredients, they just use this as a way to help streamline their business to ensure that they make a profit. Although there may be times when we as the consumer lose out because of this.

The original idea of a smoothie was simple; it was a blended health drink. It was made popular in the USA; although today there is still no specific definition to describe this drink. However, most of us know them as a thick, smooth drink that is fruit based and will be created using either frozen fruit or frozen fruit and ice. A large number of the independent juice bars around today are health focused and will offer a high quality of freshly prepared natural products. Also for the health enthusiasts they will provide super foods and boosters to further enhance their smoothies.

If you are lucky enough to have such a great juice bar close to you then you should really be using it. However, if your only real contact with smoothies is the bottled variety, you are missing out on some great flavours and goodness from the freshly prepared kind.

The best way for you to try a smoothie is actually make it yourself at home. But first let us clear up the confusion caused by some blender manufacturers. When we talk about smoothie makers we are actually talking about blenders. For years the kitchen appliance we know as a blender was always called this until someone somewhere in a marketing department decided to call them smoothie markets so that the company producing them could target those people wanting to make their own smoothies. Whilst a lot of companies have profited from the demand in people wanting to make their own smoothies it is this reason which has resulted in us thinking that these are two different machines, when in fact they aren't.

Making smoothies at home is very simple you just need to put some ingredients into the jug and then press the button. It only takes a matter of seconds to pulp a full jug of fresh fruit and juice, and at a lot less than you would pay for the high street ones. As well as the drink being delicious it is full of vital nutrients your body needs. Some people will use frozen fruit chunks that they have prepared earlier or add ice to the fresh fruit. To give the smoothie a much creamier tangier taste adding yoghurt is recommended. But you could experiment as well using different healthy ingredients in order to get the health benefits from them as well.

For making such drinks you need a blender or smoothie maker. It is important that you go for one which will do everything you require and is able to deal with frozen ingredients. The cheaper models may save you money but are as effective and blending ice in such machines can be very demanding on them. So it is better to go for a more expensive model. Ideally go for one that allows you to mill dry ingredients as well such as the Mill Blender by the American company L'Equip. This is a machine that not only allows you to create smoothies but allows you to grind up flax which is full of essential fatty acids and which can be added to the drink.

Many health enthusiasts demand much out of their kitchen equipment and some will spend several hundred pounds on purchasing commercial blenders like the Blendtec Total Blender. But you don't need to although you will get many years of good service out of such a model spending more than 60 on yours will be sufficient, especially if you intend to use ice in your smoothies. If you are looking for a good quality smoothie maker there are plenty of online sites such as www.ukjuicers.com who have available what you may need. - 17274

About the Author:

There are a wide range of smoothie makers available to order from various online stores. It is worth doing a littleresearch into what type is most suitable for you and you diet needs. You may also consider choosing from the many juicers which can be a great alternative to a smoothie maker.

Type 2 Diabetes - How to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar Levels!

By Brian V Shortt

Sufferers of type 2 diabetes at times walk a fine line between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia simply because their bodies cannot process blood sugars as effectively and efficiently as non-diabetics. However, don't despair regarding this because balanced blood sugar levels can be achieved although, it must be emphasized, it will still be relatively elevated when compared with non-diabetic levels.

Therefore, you must consult with your health care provider to determine the target blood glucose range appropriate for you.

Three of the most basic steps to help you include:

1: With the aid of your own glucose meter, regular blood sugar level testing at times agreed with your health care provider, will help you determine the pattern with which your levels rise and fall. Of course your activities, foods consumed and time of day will make a difference. Don't forget issues like stress, depression, pain, poor mobility and illness come into play as well.

After you have determined your personal pattern your diabetes management plans will be easier to tailor to your needs. In other words, you can then make the needed changes to your lifestyle to stabilize your blood sugars.

2: Various conditions, like type 2 diabetes, send you warning signals when something is not quite right. You must learn to listen to your "body talk" ... Your body will constantly show you but you must be aware of the symptoms of high or low blood sugars. For examples an unquenchable thirst, frequent urination and extreme tiredness are all signs your levels are high. If you are taking insulin and maybe missed a meal, you would suffer signs of a "hypo" and they could include pale sweaty skin, palpitations, confusion, slurred speech or maybe a headache.

When you know your signs and symptoms take immediate action, i.E. Monitor your blood sugar levels, inject insulin, take glucose tablets, and/or eat food. Don't wait for your symptoms to go away as your capacity to remedy the situation may fade quickly.

3: Even after you give your type 2 diabetes your complete attention, blood sugar levels can be unpredictable. So it is really essential for you to know the level you should be aiming for. Most people who have diabetes should aim for:

* an HbA1c of less than 7 per cent * a pre-meal blood glucose level of 4 to 6mmol/l (72 to 108 mg/dl) or 3.5 to 6mmol/l (63 to 108 mg/dl) if you are not taking insulin or diabetic medications * a level of 4 to 8 mmol/l (72 to 144 mg/dl) measured two hours following your meal.

Don't overlook to share with your relatives and friends the steps you would like them to take if you are unable to help yourself. Position your health care provider's telephone number in conspicuous places so they can contact him when emergency situations occur.

By keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range you can slash your risk of developing complications and live a long and healthy life even with type 2 diabetes.

Running consistently high blood sugar levels when you have type 2 diabetes increases your risk of developing complications such as heart problems, stroke, macular degeneration and other circulatory conditions, besides recurrent infections - 17274

About the Author:

If you're sick and tired of unnatural, toxic, expensive diabetes treatments that don't work, then check this book out The Diabetic Warrior delivers a complete, step-by-step program that allows your body to naturally heal itself of diabetes. For more valuable information Diabetes CLICK HERE

Washington, DC Personal Trainer Reveals His Top Five Fitness Foods

By Josef Brandenburg

Priding myself on being one of Washington, DC's top personal trainers, I have made it my life's work to help others to get healthy. Sometimes this task can seem extremely overwhelming without someone to support and guide you. We all have an idea of what exercises are good and what exercises are bad, but what happens when it comes to food? There are so many conflicting reports, no fat, no carbs, low fat, fruitarian, vegetarian, vegan, its enough to make your head spin! Thankfully, you don't have to worry. You have Washington, DC's top personal trainer to guide you in the right direction! Here are my top five fitness foods for you to focus on in your quest to a healthy existence.

1. Grass Fed Beef: If the fact that this is 1st on the list surprises you due to the high fat content of beef then please remember that not all beef is created equal. More important than what you eat is what your food ate before it became your food. Grass fed beef is low in saturated fats yet packed with healthy omega-3fatty acids, fat burning CLA and protein, not to mention it tastes great.

2. Turkey Bacon: This is my favorite side dish as I am sure many others would agree. It tastes great; it is high in protein and extremely versatile. Try it crumbled in a favorite salad or next to your egg white omelet in the morning.

3. Berries: Not only are they a great tasting replacement for your usual boring breakfast of cereal and toast, guaranteed to make your taste buds happy, they are considered the number 1 super food. You just cannot go wrong with them no matter which you choose strawberries, blackberries, blueberries or raspberries. The choice is yours they are chock full of vitamins not to mention healthy phytochemicals and anti oxidants. On top of all of that, even though when they are ripe they are really sweet, they are low in sugar and great for you!

4. Spinach: It is packed with beta-carotene to aid in the prevention of cataracts, Vitamin C to boost the immune system and leutin to help protect against macular degeneration. With all that going for it, I would say Popeye knew a good thing when he saw it! Try this for a day and see if you think your deprived have a spinach omelet for breakfast, spinach salad for lunch and grass-fed beef with a side of spinach for dinner. I think you will be quite satisfied.

5. Shrimp: Not only is shrimp high in protein and low in calories and fat, with just 112 calories per 4 oz. serving, but also, it is packed with vitamins such as vitamin D for strong bones, b12 for increased energy, the antioxidant selenium. What more could you ask for?

Well, there you have it. You have just found out this Washington, DC's top personal trainers list of 5 super foods. Incorporate these into your diet and you will be doing your body and your health a great service. Your taste buds will also thank you along the way. - 17274

About the Author:

Josef Brandenburg has written the best selling book The Body You Want, and works as a personal fitness trainer in Washington, DC. He is dedicated to helping normal, busy people create the bodies they have always wanted in the time that they actually have. Get more free fat-loss recipes right here.