How Fat Plays Into Health And Fitness

By Jose Bautista

When many people think about health and fitness they tend to think that fat is bad. However there are different types of fat, some of them bad for your body and others that are actually good for your body. It is important you completely understand the different types of fat. While you do not want to eat a lot of fat there are types of fat that are beneficial to the body and can help and you want to eat these in moderation.

The harmful fats that will eventually line your arteries and cause heart disease are saturated fats. These fats are ridged as their structure has the maximum amount of hydrogen's, making them saturated. Most food products that contain saturated fats include cheese, fatty meats, butter and whole milk.

There is a direct link between saturated fats and the amount of LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol found in your body. High cholesterol can cause a mirad of health issues if steps are not taken to lower it.

These saturated fats are typically found in whole milk, butter, fatty meats and cheese. Scientists have found that saturated fats will raise the amount of LDL or 'bad' cholesterol in your body and this increases your chance of developing heart disease.

However there are some saturated fats that are worse than others. Interestingly enough a saturated fat in beef and dark chocolate, stearic acid does not affect your LDL cholesterol at all. So stearic acid doesn't help your body but it doesn't hurt it either. Another saturated fat, lauric acid, while raise your LDL cholesterol but it also increases your HDL or good cholesterol. It can be concluded though that too much saturated fat is a problem so eat your chocolate and beef in moderation.

It is a good idea to try to avoid saturated fats and instead consume unsaturated fats. An unsaturated fat tends to be liquid at room temperature while saturated fats are solids at room temperature. They do not have the maximum amount of hydrogen's in their structure and are more fluid and flexible. These unsaturated fats are good for your body and can make your heart stronger. Foods that are high in unsaturated fats include vegetable oils, avocado, fish, olives and nuts. - 17274

About the Author:

to read more natural diet news articles visit our health and fitness resource site.

Affordable Personal Training in Washington, DC - Are You Really Ready for It?

By Josef Brandenburg

Is there a need for you to drop a good deal of money when you can lose weight at a cost that is comparatively lower? People in America are really putting on weight at a much faster pace and Washington, DC's reasonably priced personal fitness training might just turn out to be the new rage. But have you really thought about the fact that it really does not guarantee value for your money? The following are some facts that you should be aware of

1. How valuable are random workouts?

You will be bombarded with loads of workouts that will probably kick the hell out of you. You might even end the day with being too pooped out to stand up and you think that you're into a good program with your body feeling all worked out.

Affordable personal training in Washington, DC can be limited to random workouts that will plainly tire you out, give you mediocre results in no less than half a year and come with the risk of bouncing back to your previously depressing body weight.

A good weight loss exercise plan is supposed to be customized for your specific needs and it physically challenges your body without making you suffer. You should be able see a substantial difference in your weight in about a month's time and should be able to keep it off for the rest of your life.

2. Does the baseline assessment have any value?

There will not be much discussion other than a little bit about what your goals should be. Immediately after that you will have to begin your random workouts that will include anything from doing crunches to biking to jogging.

How in the world can anybody suggest these activities without testing your flexibility, coordination and exercise capacity first? A complete baseline information, which is commonly absent in Washington, DC's affordable training, is your key to uncovering the best exercises that will yield weight loss to clients!

Preliminary weight and measurements should be jotted down, the trainer should also go over past medical record in detail, special objectives should be set, present working environment should be taken into consideration, the clients commitment levels needs to be discussed and the clients suitability for the program in terms of time is also very imperative. A trainers resourcefulness and proficiency begins at his point he should ensure that the intended plan will suit the clients schedule.

3. Does their philosophy have any value?

If you strongly agree that aerobics is the key to fat loss, that you should eat less and exercise more, and that weight loss can only happen with trainers around, then be among those that squandered money for an affordable personal training in Washington, DC.

Interval training will give you the healthy body you want in less time. With this type of training, you can always eat more as you exercise more. The best Washington, DC personal trainer will always work to equip you with ample knowledge so that by the time you get to maintain your fab body on your own, you can handle things!

Affordability does not guarantee value. If you still think that it is perfectly fine to go for inexpensive fitness training, without taking value into consideration, it is up to you. But you cant say you haven't been warned! - 17274

About the Author:

Josef Brandenburg is an award-winning, high-value vs. affordable Washington, DC personal trainer, dedicated to helping people on the go create the bodies they want, in their spare time. His average client drops 8-0lbs of body-fat in the first 4 weeks alone with only 3 to 3.5hrs of exercise. Click here to find out how to get started absolutely free.

HCG Dieters are Loving Dessert Options

By Amelia Handley

The majority of people out there love dessert. The majority of dieters out there love dessert. Dessert tastes good. It makes people smile. So it's just sad that going on the HCG diet means that you can't enjoy any dessert whatsoever for the length of the program and maintenance period. Or it would be sad if it were true...

Homeopathic HCG Dieters are limited to 500 calories per day. That's a very low number of calories. And many assume that because of this there is NO place on the diet for dessert of any kind. And they're wrong. There are wonderful dessert options that are HCG diet approved. HCG dieters can feel treated and indulgent and still enjoy the fantastic results offered by through the diet.

In the cookbook provided by HCG Diet Direct dieters can access several great examples of approved diet foods. Jimmy B. of Austin, TX said, "I've got a definite sweet tooth. Trying to have just a taste of something fantastic never worked for me. It's one of the reasons that so many diets were utter failures in helping me lose weight. But with the HCG diet I was encouraged to include one treat each day as outlined in the cookbook and that did it. I'm not 35 pounds lighter and still enjoying some of the desserts that I got used to while I was on the diet."

Dieting takes a lot of will power. Removing something that gives you pleasure from your life always takes a lot of will power. But when you find yourself uncomfortable in your own body you realize that you DO have the will power that's required. When it comes to high calorie sweets, HCG dieters have found that eliminating them altogether is much easier than trying to limit the intake to a super small amount.

HCG Diet Direct's cookbook has many appetizing desserts that dieters (and non-dieters) love. They're easy and they're healthy and they're very low calorie. A few favorites are: Hot Cinnamon Apple, Strawberry Shortcake (don't get too excited...you use Melba Toast for the starch) and Mock Apple Cobbler.

Some would even suggest that the HCG Diet Direct allows them to indulge their sweet tooth! Dieters are often able to create their own healthy sweet treats on their own after they've been on the diet because they've learned how to manipulate their foods in healthy ways. We know because we usually hear about the good ones and sometimes we even add them to the HCG Diet Direct approved recipe list! Feel free to share any you come up with...we always love to hear about new HCG approved recipes. - 17274

About the Author:

Amelia Handley majored in exercise science in college with a minor in Nutrition. Yet she still found herself jumping from diet to diet in order to control her size. With HCG Diet Direct she's found a program that allows her to combine her desire to control her own body weight with her education and not feel off balance.

Hemlock Fungus Brimming with Antioxidants

By Dr. Markho Rafael

Hemlock Varnish Shelf extract contains an abundance of antioxidants. [827, 828, 829, 830] A study from 1999 found Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) to possess "the strongest antioxidant activity of five species of Ganoderma tested," and stronger than Vitamin E. [831]

Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) is the local variety of Reishi (Ganoderma spp.) for eastern United States. It is common on Eastern Hemlock trees (Tsuga canadensis) throughout the Appalachian range.

Much of the therapeutic benefits are the same as those of the Common Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), which is the oldest used medicinal mushroom in Traditional Chinese Medicine with a 2,000 year history.

Hemlock Varnish Shelf is not limited to the U.S., though, and plenty of Asian research has been conducted specifically on this species of Reishi.

Grown commercially in Taiwan as a medicinal mushroom, Hemlock Varnish Shelf is exported to mainland China, where it is traditionally used to treat autoimmune diseases and asthma, as well as other conditions involving inflammation.

In modern scientific literature, we can only find one study on the use of Hemlock Varnish Shelf in the treatment of an autoimmune disease. A paper published in 2001 stated: "Improved the survival rate of lupus" [800] with the administration of Ganoderma tsugae extract.

In cases of asthma or lung inflammation, there have been three studies confirming the effectiveness of Hemlock Varnish Shelf. It's been found to "exert anti-inflammatory effects on airway responses" [801] in cases of allergic asthma and broncheoalveolar inflammation. [802, 803]

One of the most novel uses of Hemlock Varnish Shelf is as a skin substitute during wound healing. The skin substitute material, commercially sold as Sacchachitin, has been proven in numerous studies to promote and speed up skin healing. It has been observed that "rapid wound healing" takes place when covered by Sacchachitin as compared to regular gauze [804] - a "wound area covered by SACCHACHITIN completely healed by 21 days, while that covered with cotton gauze did not." [805, 806, 807]

Ganoderma tsugae extract has also been used in studies on cancer with results that encourage continued research. [808, 809, 810, 811, 812] Breast cancer [816] and lung cancer patients in particular have responded favorably in the studies conducted. [808, 809, 810, 811, 812] A study on cancer metastasis also reported positive results from the use of Hemlock Varnish Shelf. [817]

Same as with Common Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the Hemlock Reishi (or Hemlock Varnish Shelf) has also been shown to be a powerful immunomodulator. [817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823] What that means is that both of these species of Reishi will help adjust the immune system up or down, whichever is needed. They can help strengthen a weak immune system in one person, [824] while helping to calm an overactive immune system in another person, perhaps someone with an autoimmune disease or an inflammatory condition such as allergy, asthma or arthritis. [825]

Finally, a paper published in 2004 reported that Hemlock Varnish Shelf also possessed anti-fibrotic as well as liver protective properties. [826]

Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor. - 17274

About the Author:

Dr. Markho Rafael has worked with natural health since finishing Chiropractic College in 1996. He currently specializes in medicinal mushrooms, working specifically with MycoMedicinals from Paul Stamets' Fungi Perfecti, including reishi synergistic blends such as G5 (Five Ganoderma) and CordyChi Extract. For scientific references to this article, please visit the Ganoderma tsugae research page.

Preparing For Rotator Cuff Injury Surgery

By Dr. Richard Edelson

One of the most frequent musculoskeletal injuries is the rotator cuff injury. Sometimes this type of injury is not associated with symptoms, but usually it is quite painful. A rotator cuff tear or rotator cuff tendonitis can cause you to experience pain and weakness in the shoulder when using your arms. It can be especially painful to lift the arm higher than shoulder level. Luckily, there are a number of ways to treat rotator cuff injuries - both surgical and non-surgical. The type of injury you have, your condition, and your age will be determining factors in deciding which type of treatment is right in your situation.

There are two categories of rotator cuff injury. One is rotator cuff tendonitis. The other is rotator cuff tear. Be aware that there are several other conditions that could be the cause of shoulder pain. The only way to get an accurate diagnosis of rotator cuff injury is to see a doctor. He or she will first look at the symptoms and perform a basic physical examination. After this, the physician may use a local anesthetic that will be injected into the injured shoulder. This will help determine whether the injury is a muscle tear or tendonitis. If the injury seems to be a rotator cuff tear, the doctor may order some imaging tests. These will help confirm that the injury is a tear and isolate the location of the injury.

The more common diagnosis is rotator cuff tendonitis. Treatment for rotator cuff tears and rotator cuff tendonitis is quite similar. Both may be treated conservatively with rest, ice, compression and elevation (known as RICE) therapy. Additionally, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen is recommended. The physician may make a referral to a physical therapist for exercise therapy and modification methods that will help with ADL (activities of daily living). Persistent pain caused by tendonitis may be treated with local injections of a steroid/anesthetic mixture. This will help relieve pain in the joint.

This sort of non-surgical intervention usually has a 50-50 chance of being effective. If it is to work, you will probably see results in 6 - 12 weeks. Using non-invasive techniques of this sort can be good in a number of ways. When you do not have surgery, you also do not have recovery time. Furthermore, you do not experience any of the risks commonly associated with surgery such as complications caused by anesthesia, permanent stiffening of the joint, or infection. One thing to realize, however, is that this approach can cause the original tear to increase in size. Additionally, even though there is not a set recovery time, you will be operating at less than your usual ability until you have completely recovered. Aside from these considerations is the fact that non-invasive techniques may not be effective. You may end up having surgery after all. If your injury is quite severe, your doctor may bypass the non-invasive option and recommend surgery right from the start.

Click here for more on rotator cuff tears .

There are three ways to treat a rotator cuff injury surgically:

The method that allows the surgeon to operate most freely is called open repair surgery. This method utilizes a full incision in the shoulder. This option can leave a rather large scar.

The second method is mini-open repair surgery. While this method is similar to open repair surgery, it differs somewhat in that it utilizes arthroscopy. The use of arthroscopy allows the surgeon to make a smaller incision, leaving a smaller scar. This method is an outpatient procedure.

3. All arthroscopic surgery: This option is an outpatient procedure, and it uses the smallest incision.

After examining and diagnosing your injury, your doctor will be able to make a sound decision as to which method will work best for you.

After rotator cuff surgery, most patients have decreased pain and an increase in range-of-motion. Recovery is usually complete within 4 to 6 months. Results are usually quite satisfactory, with 80 - 95% of patients reporting good results.

The success of your recovery is dependent on a number of factors. Among them are, your surgeons level of expertise, your fitness level, the severity of your injury, and your compliance with your doctors instructions.

Complications resulting from rotator cuff surgery are quite rare. The most commonly experienced complication is tendon re-tear. This is only experienced by about six percent of patients. Nerve injury may be experienced by one to two percent of patients. Infection may be a problem for one percent of patients. Fewer than one percent complain of stiffness. Less than one percent may have problems with deltoid muscle detachment. - 17274

About the Author:

Dr. Edelson is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine. His clinic, Sports Medicine Oregon, focuses on athletes of all ages. Click here to learn more about Dr. Edelson, Portland Meniscus Tears and Athlete Injuries in Portland.

Body Building for Beginners, Do's and Don'ts

By Ricardo d Argence

There are many techniques and routines that you can use to build your muscle mass, if indeed you perform them properly while paying attention to your daily food and water intake. Of course, you also have to make sure that you are taking proper care of yourself and you muscles by resting and recovering from all your hard work. However, there are also many other issues that you should not do, as these things can cause your body harm or provide you with an unwanted unbalance in your physique.

A bodybuilding training exercise should never be started without a plan. Initially you need to buy a writing book and a good writing instrument. Keep this training journal handy and up to date. Write a strategic plan that starts where you are now and identifies the necessary tactics to reach the achievement of your overall goals.

Make sure to clearly outline your workout to fulfill your strategy.

In order to stick to your workouts, you should keep a journal to keep you on track. It's very important never fail to your scheduled workouts when you are a bodybuilder. Track your performance with identifiable measures of success as you progress toward those goals.

Your diet is the key to burning fat and building muscles, so be sure to eat the right foods at the right times and in the proper proportions to achieve the desired results. Remember you cannot starve yourself and build muscle.

Numerous products for bodybuilding can be found on the market. Most of these claims are false, so be sure you don't fall for them. To achieve your intended goal it is better to stick with methods that have been tried and proven. Otherwise, the potential exists that you may be throwing away your time and your resources.

In order to grow muscles, you need to constantly be challenging yourself through constant techniques. Your muscles may get to a particular point where the growth pauses since it satisfies the push you give it from doing the same this weekly without taking on a challenge. Adding weight to your lifting is a great way to surpass your prior accomplishments.

Rest and recovery, in the proper amount, is something else you will need. The best recovery results come from plenty of sleep. - 17274

About the Author:

Don't waste your time, effort and cash on B.S. "Miracle Programs" that don't deliver results! Learn the honest truth revealed by a real Body Building expert and finally start noticing the gains you want. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

Look To Whey as the Optimum Protein

By Dr. Nathaniel Millsby PHD

Whey protein isolate and whey protein powder concentrate is a question that is very commonly asked. This investigation of which whey to take is without a doubt one that has crossed the minds of many weight lifters when they stare at the shelves of the various kinds of whey protein powder available in the health food supermarket.

Which whey protein should you be using; concentrate or isolate?

The most significant difference between the two is that Isolate powder is processed at deeper levels so that the fat and lactose are detached. This more complicated technique provides a better quality of protein. The fact is that over 90% of whey protein powder isolate is protein calculated by weight.

This is precious as smaller levels of fat are an advantage for the standard daily diet of bodybuilders and when whey is utilized for the principle of losing mass.

A decrease in lactose levels will also a help individuals who are lactose intolerant as well as reduce the chance of that bloated feeling that can go along with some protein shakes. There are some side effects to consuming whey protein shake isolate nonetheless.

In view of the fact whey is high in protein ratio, isolate powder will cost you a little more. The filtering procedure isolate goes through is significantly more rigorous as it remove the components that are known as alpha lactoglobulins and lactoferrins which is important immune boosters.

Whey concentrate has lesser protein available and the protein content can range anywhere between 29% in upwards of 89% in some brands. Whey concentrate protein contains higher levels of lactose so anyone who suffers from lactose intolerance should to be very aware.

Whey protein concentrate powder does have an advantage because it cost less so this can be a better substitute depending on what your financial plan is. Whey concentrate protein powder also contains small levels of cholesterol, which is another benefit to think about for your diet.

In general, dietary and medical circumstances call for action to be in use into contemplation when deciding on the kind of whey protein that is best for you.

Isolate may have the minor edge in terms of biological value (BV) and will provide you with more worth for the money if you are requiring a higher dosage per serving of protein. - 17274

About the Author:

For over 25 years, Dr. Nathaniel Millsby PHD has exploredinto all of the benefits of whey protein powder. He currently has an informative site that gives insightful information about everything that is whey protein powder

How to Gain Model Proportions with Body Building

By Ricardo d Argence

More and more women are realizing how important bodybuilding can be. People also want sexy curves in the appropriate spots and to attain wonderful proportions for their body. Body building workouts also tone one's muscles and firm the body making you look younger and fitter. You will not only look great but you will also feel better physically and you will be much stronger. It'll be awesome for your own health and level of fitness generally.

Technically there is no strict distinction between body building workouts for men and women. Why should there be when they both have the same number and type of muscles and bones. The crucial difference between their bodies is that men have a concentration of testosterone in their bodies, which is the muscles-building hormone while the women have estrogen, which characteristically stores fat. This might or might not imply that women gain weight more easily. But the important thing to remember is that weight can be lost, with adequate exercising and diet control.

Women in general are reluctant to consider body building routines because they believe that when they stop the routine they will just regain excess fat again. But this can be safely branded as a myth. Muscles and fat can not be changed from one to another because they are basically different types of tissue.

If you take in more calories than you burn, those calories will turn into fat. This is most often the result of reduced physical activeness and workouts. This happens in everybody, even people who exercise regularly. Bodybuilders who quit exercising or retire will inevitably gain weight when physical activity is reduced because their metabolic rate goes down as their bodies become less efficient at burning calories.

It will be necessary to make some alterations in what you put into your body if you want to improve your musculature. You may experience a bit of a challenge doing this but when it is finished, it is rewarding. Eating smalls meals every two to three hours is much better than eating the traditional three meals a day. Although your work schedule might be hectic, these breaks should be added to it. The meal, which should be small and healthy, will not require much time to eat.

If you want to build muscles you have build your workout with compound exercises. This way you can work on different muscle groups at one go. You can try deadlifts, bench presses or squats, there might be other options but these are the three most popular ones. So you should start your exercise routine with compound exercises. Then you can move on to various other kinds of exercising.

Muscle building is not only about exercising. It's also about catching on your sleep on your regular basis. If you are unable to get a minimum of 8 to 9 hours of sleep every night, your muscle growth won't be what it could. A hard workout while exercising, requires your muscle tissue to need time to build and repair. And this happens when you are sleeping. The muscle your body builds will steadily deteriorate if you do not get enough sleep.

Bodybuilding can be of great advantage to women. The important thing to remember is that if you want that perfect shape for your body you need to work with great focus, determination and patience. You will need to put in a while lot of handwork to get desired results. - 17274

About the Author:

Sick and tired of being weak and underweight? Let us take you by the hand with the best weight training routines to gain on pound after pound of ripped, firm muscle weight in the shortest period of time possible. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

Allergies And Their Restrictions

By Charlie Monaghan Carter

If you are among the ever increasing number of people who must restrict their diet due to food intolerances, you will know that staying within the guidelines can be tough.

Despite the fact that all food that we buy is labelled with the details of its contents, it can still be difficult to avoid certain food ingredients. There are some intolerances that are fairly common such as gluten and dairy and so foods that dont contain them are relatively easily found and the only time its a real problem is when youre eating out. The main problem here is that most of the time, chefs do not understand the full extent of the effects of a particular ingredient on someone who suffers from food intolerances.

Quite often a well meaning chef will add a small quantity of flour to thicken a sauce, believing that it will not be noticed. Indeed, if the intolerance sufferer doesnt implode on the spot, the chef is likely to believe that they have Gotten away with it and that the sufferer is not really suffering at all. They dont realise that sufferers usually suffer as the food is digested and the consequences last for several days.

This makes eating out very difficult for people with food intolerances and its not always easy or possible to give a chef a list of foods to avoid putting into your meal, and you will notice that eating out starts to become something of a gamble and the more foods you are intolerant to, the higher risk the gamble becomes as its more likely that you will eat something that will upset you. Sooner or later, people may realise that its hard to find good food that doesnt contain any of the common foodstuffs people are intolerant to, so dont be surprised if the amount of dinner invitations drop as people tire of trying to accommodate you.

For the sake of your health, it is of the utmost importance that you avoid all foods that you have an intolerance to. It is very hard work for your body to process these foods and so to allow it to recover, you should stick to foods that you know your body can handle. Having said that, if you start eating just a few foods that you know arent going to upset you, you may find that you begin developing intolerances to them as well.

For this reason it is important to maintain as wide a diet as possible. This is sometimes difficult if people have many allergies, a lot of the time people will find foods that dont upset them, and stick to them so as to avoid triggering the intolerances. However, you should try to keep eating as wide a range of foods as you can to avoid slowly but surely becoming intolerant to everything. - 17274

About the Author:

Allergydiet.co.uk offer a wide variety of the best quality gluten free bread recipes online, as well as hints and tips regarding everything to do with gluten free bread recipes

What is Diabetes and How is it Diagnosed?

By Barb Hicks

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes or hyperglycemia is when insulin and glucose levels in the blood are imbalanced. Insulin regulates glucose levels by converting glucose into energy which cells use as fuel. If glucose is not properly converted, damage to organs and other complications can occur.

The proper definition of diabetes is the elevated level of glucose or sugar in the blood. The body naturally regulates these levels by producing insulin which converts glucose into energy for the cells to use as fuel. If insulin cannot perform its job properly, glucose levels rise resulting in complications of this disease. Symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination and excessive thirst.

Here are the two forms of diabetes:

Type 1: This form is genetic. With this type, the pancreas does not make insulin. This form is typically diagnosed in children. Type 2: This form of diabetes is based on metabolism. In this case, the body is performing insulin production; however the body is resistant to it.

Both forms of diabetes create an elevation in glucose levels in the blood and therefore must be monitored daily.

A sedentary lifestyle, being overweight or having family members previously diagnosed with diabetes is at a high risk for contracting this progressive disease.

What are the symptoms?

Diabetes has many varying symptoms and not everyone will experience them. Some of the most common signs include:

- Excessive thirst, frequent urination, headache and non healing wounds.

Due to the buildup of glucose in the blood, the body tries to get rid of it via the kidneys, resulting in polyuria (increased urination). Frequent trips to the bathroom cause dehydration, which explains the extreme thirst and headache. Dehydration is the same reason for the headache of a hangover.

Living a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight are risk factors for development of the disease.

How Can I Find Out If I Have Diabetes?

Knowing the symptoms is the first step, as well as learning what your risk factors are. If you suspect that you may have this condition, there are diagnostic tests that your doctor can administer to determine if you indeed have the disease. How Is Diabetes Diagnosed?

Your doctor will order diagnostic testing that tests your blood for glucose levels. Normal blood glucose is between 70 mg/dl-125 mg/dl.

What are the means of treatment?

Treatments for diabetes include dietary changes, exercise 3 to 4 times a week, daily monitoring of glucose levels and insulin injections by syringe, pump or prefilled pens.

Treatment for diabetes is designed to regulate glucose levels while at the same time stop or slow down the diseases progression to ensure no further complications. - 17274

About the Author:

Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse who loves to share her knowledge about Diabetes Early Symptoms. She has an online classroom at Clivir.com where you can find more of her articles about Hypoglycemia Causes.

Cellulite and Salt Intake

By El Bilson

Many women realize that a good way to reduce the appearance of cellulite is through proper diet. But most do not realize that the amount of salt in your diet can have an impact on your skin. By reducing fat and salt in your diet and increasing the amount of water you drink, you may find a way to reduce cellulite.

Many women that get cellulite are often predisposed to the condition. However the condition can be worsened through poor lifestyle choices. Cellulite can start to appear when the skin starts to lose its elasticity. For permanent reduction of cellulite symptoms, a lifestyle change might be necessary. Dietary changes can help improve the appearance of the skin and give you more energy as well.

Most people know that salt causes fluid retention. However you may not have realized that fluid retention can increase the appearance of cellulite. When your salt intake is high, the areas of cellulite will swell and be more noticeable because of the retention of fluid. Some foods that have high sodium/salt content are easy to identify. These include processed and packaged foods such as potato chips, pickles, soy sauce, and processed meats such as cold cuts.

It's usually a good idea to check the Nutritional Information box on any food product you buy. This way you can check the amount of sodium in the food you are eating. Salt will be listed as sodium and will be measured by portion size. By becoming more aware of the salt contained in the foods you eat, you can gradually start to improve the appearance of your skin.

A reduction of cellulite in the body can be obtained over time with a low sodium, low fat diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. So remove that salt shaker from the table. When cooking, reduce the amount of salt that a recipe calls for. If the recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt, reduce that to one half teaspoon. Most of the time you won't notice the difference!

Invest in a book that lists the sodium count of most common foods. You will eventually get used to food being less salty. Most foods in nature are low in sodium to begin with. Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables have very little sodium. But those two slices of sausage pizza you had at lunch used up about 88% of your recommended daily allowance of salt.

The recommended daily allowance for sodium is around 2,400 milligrams. While this sounds like a lot, it can be easy to exceed this limit within one meal. If you are serious about reducing the appearance of cellulite on your skin, then a change in diet can be helpful. There is no need to starve yourself. Just make an attempt to pick healthier foods. Lower salt intake and increase consumption of water. Dont forget to reduce fat intake as well.

Beautiful skin starts on the inside. And the changes you make will not only reduce the help get rid of cellulite, but will improve your overall health in many ways! - 17274

About the Author:

Are you ready to start feeling confidence about the appearance of your skin? Do you have an upcoming vacation that you want to get ready for? Cellulite is a very common condition among women. At Your Cellulite Solution you will find lots of resources that can help you get rid of your cellulite. You will also find more info on Cellulite and Salt Intake.

Hating Chicken on the HCG Diet

By Amelia Handley

Being on the HCG Diet will make you VERY familiar with chicken. If you just jump in without thinking about how you're going to prepare the food on the very restricted food plan that goes with the HCG diet you'll find that you very quickly get sick of the staples (like Chicken!) There are different options available, but no protein options that are as typical to the average person's daily diet.

Chicken is a main stay when it comes to almost any type of dieting. But the problem comes when you realize that you can't just cook it using any method you stumble upon. When it comes to the very limited caloric intake required for the homeopathic HCG diet you have to really take the preparation of your foods into consideration. For instance, even a little bit of oil can make a big difference in your daily weight loss.

So it's never surprising when someone's on a diet and they just can't stand the sight of chicken! You can try different approved seasonings, but different seasonings can only trick you into feeling you're getting something different a few times. Grilled chicken is grilled chicken regardless of the seasonings you use.

Luckily for HCG Diet Direct dieters the cookbook includes a variety of recipes; a variety that is nowhere to be found in most diets. The HCG Diet Direct Cookbook is one of the most usable and important tools for homeopathic HCG dieters. The recipes presented are quick and easy and accessible and healthy. Dieters can access recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime in between.

When you're eating chicken more than once (or sometimes more than twice a day) you NEED the options presented by the cookbook. Without the options and the inspiration you'll struggle to stick to the limitations required for the extreme weight loss offered by the HCG diet. The cookbook teaches homeopathic HCG dieters to roast, sear, fry, bake, grill and more...and keep it all healthy and HCG approved. And dieters are always relieved to see that the cookbook offers turkey, beef and fish options on top of the traditional chicken.

So unless you're a professional cook specializing in healthy preparation methods, you'll find that thought and effort is required in order to successfully navigate the huge influx of chicken on the HCG Diet. And getting your hands on the HCG Diet Direct cookbook is a great move in the right direction. Having HCG approved recipes that fit into the 500 calorie per day diet creates the illusion that you're not nearly as limited and you'll be happier as you watch the weight drop off. - 17274

About the Author:

Amelia Handley majored in exercise science at university with a minor in Nutrition. Yet she still found herself veering from diet to diet in order to control her size. With HCG Diet Direct she's found a program that allows her to combine her desire to control her own body weight with her education and not feel off balance.