If I were to ask you which foods temp you, most likely they wouldn’t be ones that are very healthy. I bet they would be ice cream, potato chips, pizza, or something along those lines. In fact, in your mind right now as you’re reading, you are probably thinking about a food that isn’t healthy. Well, aren’t you? Stop for a moment and think about it……………….. The point I’m going to make in this article is that you can change what you crave by changing how you think.

Every new client that comes to my office for weight-loss has a “craving problem.” But I don’t see it as a problem at all. I see it as a solution. Cravings are over-rated. They are hodge-podge and we don’t have to be controlled by them. We don’t have to feel temped by ice cream, cookies or 20-ounce prime ribs. Instead, we can be tempted by watermelon, pineapple, oranges or apples; foods like that. Think that sounds crazy? Well it isn’t and you’ll see why.

When I first sit down and talk with a client about their eating habits, I gather everything I need to know about exactly what they eat and how they eat. The culprit to their weight problem always boils down to snacking, picking, eating foods that are unhealthy or just plain over-eating. Then I’ll ask them what fruits and vegetables they like. I’m yet to come across someone who hates fruit or hates every vegetable under the sun. Finally I’ll ask them how often they eat fruits or vegetables and it’s always a lot less often than the unhealthy stuff.

After I’ve gathered my arsenal of information, we do our thing. I’ll have my clients lay back in my recliner and close their eyes. I’ll direct their mind to a peaceful place, and within minutes they’ll be relaxed like never before. Then I start talking about their favorite fruits and vegetables. I’ll ask them to imagine taking a bite of their favorite juicy, ripe fruit and to feel the juices tickling their taste buds. I’ll say to their mind, “from now on anytime you have a craving for food, you will think of a juicy, ripe piece of fruit. And bingo!!! Next thing you know these are exactly the kinds of foods they start desiring. Why? Because anytime you close your eyes and bring yourself to a calm, relaxed place, your subconscious mind emerges, and it is this part of the mind that controls what you crave. Change your thoughts and you’ll change what you crave. Simple.

Let’s look at this from another perspective. Let’s say pineapple is your favorite fruit. Now, if you were sitting with me right now and I gave you a juicy chunk of it, you would enjoy it thoroughly. And you’d want more, right? Of course. Now, let’s say I reached into my refrigerator, whipped-out a piece of chocolate cake and said, “choose one.” Most likely you would opt for the pineapple because you just had a teaser-piece, which would make your mind want more. The fact of the matter is this: you enjoy your favorite fruits just as much as you enjoy your favorite junk foods, you just believe otherwise.

Again, cravings are over-rated. The mere mention of that devilish word always seems to conjures-up images of high calorie, high fat foods only because these are the foods you are most exposed to in our media driven world. Your subconscious gets accustomed to this and just doesn’t know any better. Change your minds images and you’ll change your cravings. Here’s a quick 5 minute mental exercise you can begin doing now to help you start changing the way you crave food.

Step 1: Find a comfortable, quiet place where there are no distractions. Begin breathing deeply until you are quite relaxed. Next, count backwards from 10-1, slowly. With each count, imagine that your mind is drifting deeper and deeper.

Step 2: After you have finished counting, imagine that you are relaxing by yourself in your favorite place. A secluded beach or a log in the woods will do the trick. Imagine yourself feeling so very relaxed and peaceful.

Step 3: Next, imagine a basket full of your favorite fresh picked fruit sitting right next to you. See it clearly in your mind, the color, the feel, everything about that fruit. Imagine taking a bite of that juicy fruit and enjoying it like never before.

Step 4: Repeat the following suggestion to yourself 10 times: “From now on, anytime I think of eating, I immediately feel a craving for fruit.”

Step 5: Count from 1 to 5, slowly, and when you reach 5 open your eyes.

Thomas J. Kersting, LPC, Ph.D is the author of FAT PROOF: Power Programming Your Bodies Weight-Loss Computer (Harbor Press, coming in Winter 2006). Dr. Tom has helped countless people to lose weight with his power programming method. Please visit his website to sign up for his free e-newsletter or to receive a copy of his Power Programming Weight-Loss CD and a special free offer. http://www.fatproof.net.

I get a lot of comments and questions regarding
nutrition. Most of them have to do with time. In
other words, people feel they are too busy to eat
5 or 6 nutritious meals a day, whether their goal
is to burn fat or build muscle.

Another time factor is the preparation of these meals,
especially when you factor in trying to get the proper macro
and micro nutrients in each meal - protein, “good” fats,
the “right” carbohydrates, enough vegetables, enough
fruits, etc.

People get very frustrated with all of this
and end up taking shortcuts, such as eating only 2 or 3
meals a day. In addition, they have no idea if they are
getting enough (or too much) of the vitamins, minerals,
essential fatty acids, protein, etc. that they need.

Then they don’t understand why they aren’t building muscle
or losing fat. While training properly is extremely important,
a lot of people who do so, don’t make the gains they should
because their nutritional program is out of wack.

Here are some tips to help you overcome these nutrition obstacles
and put you on the correct path toward your health and fitness
goals.

Eat 6 Meals A Day

Meal Frequency (i.e., the number of meals you eat each day)
could be the most important aspect of your nutrition program.
If you do this right you will build muscle, burn fat, and
with a proper resistance training program, be well on your
way to achieving the body of your dreams.

The thing is, most people know about it, yet few actually
follow through with it and put it into action because of the
reasons mentioned above.

It takes motivation, persistence, planning, and a little
bit of sacrifice. Sounds horrible, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, it’s
not. But as I’ve stated before, nothing worth achieving comes
easy. Don’t get me wrong, it is simple, it’s just not easy.
But it can be pretty painless, if you have the right mind set.

Reason number two - eating six proper, nutritious meals a day
takes work. It takes a time commitment, among other sacrifices.
And it’s not just the time it takes to make the meals, or the
time to eat them. It also involves other aspects of your life.

For example, socializing, going shopping, playing sports on the
weekends, etc. If you eat six times a day, you need to eat
every 2 or 3 hours, tops. What are you going to do, sit home
all day every day so you can be near your food? Of course not.

But you will need to plan ahead. This could mean shopping and
then cooking most of your food once a week, putting each meal
in a microwaveable container, and then carrying meals to work
with you.

You may need to invest in a high quality thermos (or two or
three) and make your favorite protein shakes to take with you
when you are going to be out and about for a while, or bringing
some protein bars with you instead.

This, more than anyplace else, is where supplementation is an
absolute life saver. I don’t know how I’d get proper nutrition
day in and day out without supplements like meal replacement
powders and protein powders such as Muscle Meals and Pro-Fusion
by Muscle Link and Optimum Nutrition’s Whey Protein.

I know, eating right may not be easy, but it is necessary if you
truly want to achieve your best body, and in the shortest amount of
time possible. If you’re like most people, you already eat breakfast,
lunch and dinner. So, for starters, consider just adding two snacks
to this, preferably a protein or meal replacement shake, or bar. My
favorite bars, that recently one a contest in Men’s Health (for
nutrition and quality as well as taste) are Tri-O-Plex bars.

You could also consider bringing certain foods with you for
snacks, such as fruit, raw veggies (carrots, cauliflower, celery, broccoli
and so on). Seeds and nuts like almonds and walnuts are excellent
snacks while providing the healthy fats we all need. Cottage cheese
and yogurt also make great snacks (preferebly the low fat variety,
so that you keep your calories in check). I usually add a few
pineapple slices (the natural juices variety, not syrup), to my
cottage cheese.

Plan your daily (or weekly) menus. Planning is a crucial
part of success for any goal you want to achieve. Your nutrition
plan is no different.

Yes, it can be a real pain in the you know what to eat 5 or
6 times a day, but it’s not impossible, and it’s simply a
part of the price you pay for a great, healthy body. In fact,
don’t even think of it as paying a price. Intead, think of how
you’l be enjoying the benefits of being healthy and in shape.

However, with these tips I’ve given you, it can become easier
than you think.

If you think planning your nutrition is paying a price, wait
until you start having serious health problems from eating
improperly and being overweight - heat disease, diabetes and
the list goes on. Really, if you think it’s difficult to
be healthy and fit, try being fat and sick for a while!

Gregg Gillies is the founder of Buile Lean Muscle.com.
His articles have appeared in Ironman Magazine. He has written
two books and is a regular contributor to Body Talk Magazine.
He publishes a free fitness newsletter available at his site and see how you can get a customized nutrition
plan at http://www.mynutritionjournal.com. that helps you save time.

Detoxifying the body has become an apparent key preventative measure to all kinds of health problems. Since most of us are busy, and unable or unwilling to maintain a strict diet in order to completely eliminate all the toxins from our body. We have chemicals building up in our bodies day after day. Since these chemicals are not harmful in small amounts, only in larger accumulated amounts, we don’t notice side effects until we are much older. A proper, even if occasional, detox diet is necessary to relieve our bodies of harmful toxins and chemicals, and maintain a healthy, normal, and long-lived life.

The main idea of a detox diet is to eliminate nearly all foods and restrict the body to only water and vegetables for a few days; usually around 5 or 6 days is adequate. Most detox diets then allow for a slow re-introduction of other foods, gradually. The diets generally restrict foods from your diet that are said to have harmful toxins. Along with this a detox diet should then flush the existing toxins out of the body. A detox diet essentially gives the liver and other organs a chance to catch up and remove all the toxins. This is done through our sweat, feces, and urine.

Our bodies simply cannot cope with the normal day to day ingestion of chemicals. Most these chemicals come from foods, as mentioned before, but also have a wide variety of other sources. Although we do not know what foods are the cause of it all, we do know that pesticides, heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, and the chemicals in cigarettes and the air we breath, all enter our bodys via our lungs or stomach and can cause an excessive build up. These chemicals in small amounts are harmless; its the day after day ingestion and build up of them which can lead to degenerative diseases.

One common detox diet is the combination of nothing but fruits and water for a given period. The promotion of chemicals being metabolized by our bodies can be helped with certain vitamins, herbs and supplements. Some supplements will help the mobilization of toxins in our fat and other toxin deposits located throughout the body. Since our bodies rid themselves of chemicals through sweat, sauna therapies can also provide a great benefit. There are many other diets and detox therapies, these are just a few common methods. Regular body detoxification is a good preventative action and promotes a healthier present and future!

Ryan S. Bombard is the owner and operator of Addiction-Spot which features drug detox, rehab and addiction resources and articles.

PROTEIN DEFICIENT? CHANCES ARE YOU ARE!

Did you know that 9 out of 10 people lack the proper amount of protein in their systems in order for their bodies to function properly? Contrary to popular belief, a sufficient intake of protein in the diet does not ensure that the body is getting what it needs. The trouble stems from the body’s inability to properly digest dietary protein and manufacture systemic proteins which keep our bodies intact.

WHY IS PROTEIN IMPORTANT?

Protein is throughout our body, providing structure, function, and organization. It is in our skin, nails and hair. It is in our blood, lymph, and plasma. It enables our muscles to contract. It provides integrity to the walls of our intestines. It fights infection in our body and repairs any tissue damage that occurs. It is in our bone and brain cells. It makes the enzymes that digest our food, repair damaged DNA, and regulate all chemical reactions in our body. It forms lung cells. It carries oxygen to cells. It removes toxins from the liver. It makes 95 percent of all hormones in the body as well as carrying hormones, vitamins, fatty acids and minerals to the cells. The list goes on and on. The point is that when we talk about protein we are not talking about a part of the system, we are talking about the system itself. When we assimilate protein into the system daily, we are keeping the entire system intact.

Because protein is not stable, it is constantly being used up and exchanged for new protein in a process called “protein turnover.” About one pound of protein a day is used up in this process, and so it needs to be replenished from the diet on a daily basis. Here are some examples of turnover times for different body proteins:

enzymes- 7-10 min. - insulin- 30 min. - liver protein- 10 days - muscle protein- 60days. In 1 year all the protein in our body has turned over.

HOW ARE PROTEINS MADE?

When dietary protein is consumed in a healthy system it is broken down by stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes into amino acids, (the molecules from which protein is made) absorbed through the small intestine, and made available to the body for systemic protein production. Literally thousands of different kinds of proteins are being manufactured constantly in our body from 20 different amino acids. The body can make 10 of these, and 10 are considered “essential”, meaning they must be acquired from the diet.

HOW DO AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS HELP KEEP YOU HEALTHY?

When a balanced blend of essential amino acids such as SuperNutrient Corporation’s Platinum Plus formula enter the body and move through the stomach, immediate production of systemic protein begins. Pancreatic cells churn out digestive enzymes which properly break down foods into more amino acids. Amino acids are then carried all over the body to produce the thousands of proteins necessary to sustain the structure and function of our body.

In a well functioning system the body will not over produce any of the 10 non-essential amino acids. The amino acid production process has a built in mechanism to keep this from occurring. The 10 essential amino acids in Platinum Plus Amino Acids are combined in a balanced blend to encourage optimal amino acid activity in the system. SuperNutrient’s clinical studies have consistently found that a well balanced diet supplemented with essential amino acids along with a high quality multiple vitamin blend and the proper blend of essential fatty acids found in Flax/Borage oil, will maintain a healthy system and revitalize a diseased one.

ARE ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS ALL WE NEED?

Essential amino acids must be present and is the key to good health, but it is not everything. In order for a person to obtain optimal health other key nutrients much be present also! Essential fatty acids( EFA) and proper vitamin and minerals are integral to a healthy system.

WHAT ARE EFAs ?

Essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated and super unsaturated acids, which our bodies need but cannot make and so must acquire in the diet. They are considered macronutrients because they are required in significant quantities daily. The two kinds of EFAs are linoleic acid (Omega6) and alpha linoleic acid (Omega3.) Some common sources of Omega 6s are safflower, sunflower, flax, borage and sesame oils. Some common sources of omega 3s are flax and fish oils. These are all readily available in stores, the problem is that most are refined, deodorized, rancid or toxic, rendering them useless to the body.

WHAT DO EFAs DO IN THE BODY?

They make prostaglandins series 1(PGE1) 2(PGE2) and 3 (PGE3.) These hormone-like chemicals have a high turnover rate and play a large part in managing the daily housekeeping of cells. PGE series 1, 2, and 3 are all needed by the body in the proper balance. PGE1 keeps the blood mobile, helps remove excess sodium and fluid from the body, relaxes blood vessels, decreases inflammatory symptoms, regulates calcium functions, and supports the immune and nervous systems. PGE2 constricts blood vessels, promotes inflammation, fluid retention, and sticky, immobile blood. PGEs1 and 3 keep PGE2 production under tight control. Problems occur when over consumption of cholesterol and trans-fats encourage the production of PGE2, leading to a systemic imbalance of the worst kind. When EFAs are digested in the healthy person, they will enter the cell by means of protein transporters, where they will convert to GLA (from Omega6) and EPA (from Omega3) the important precursors to PGEs 1 and 3. EFAs also are involved in, systemic metabolism, cellular energy production, manufacture of hemoglobin, removal of lactic acid from the system, and proper brain development in infants and children.

HOW TO COMBINE YOUR OILS

Omega3 and Omega6 oils must be taken in the proper proportion, 2:1, in order for them to be fully effective. A person who cannot digest their food will also be unable to utilize their EFAs. Sometimes, even if digestion has been improved, other factors will prevent the conversion of EFAs to GLA and EPA, (such as diabetes, viral and bacterial infections, and poor diet). When this happens the symptoms of EFA deficiency occur and systemic balance is upset, eventually leading to disease. For this reason the Omega6 oils should always be supplemented with a source of GLA, such as borage oil, to make sure PGE1 production occurs. The conversion of omega 3 EFAs to EPA is easily taken care of by the regular consumption of cold- water fish (once a week is sufficient) or seaweed, both sources of EPA. The consumption of fish oil capsules is unnecessary and risky because the extremely unstable nature of fish oil promotes rancidity, and the prevalence of toxins such as polychlorinated biphenyls in many fish oils simply creates extra problems for the immune system.

WHAT’S A GOOD QUALITY EFA BLEND?

Through extensive testing Dr. Vickery found that many EFA oils on the market range from ineffective to toxic for most people. This could be due to the oil’s storage, processing, or the genetic state of the source material. Encapsulated oils seem to be the most stable without the need to refrigerate. Flax/Borage Oil that provides an optimal ratio of 2:1 Omega 3 to Omega 6 oils, with 23% GLA for conversion purposes and vitamin E for optimal absorption seems to work the best. They are also less likely to turn rancid since they are derived from vegetable source rather then fish. Dr. Vickery’s testing of thousands of people show that Flax/Borage blends consistently works well for people experiencing a variety of EFA deficiency symptoms, including various arthritis symptoms, gastrointestinal disorders, hormone imbalances, Crohn’s disease and autoimmune dysfunctions.

DON’T FORGET THE PROTEIN!

In order for EFA conversion to PGs to occur you must have protein available in the body to carry EFAs into the cells. If you are protein deficient you 1: will not digest the oils, and 2: will not get them into the proper location for PG manufacture. Therefore, proper supplementation with essential amino acids is crucial for EFA utilization. Zinc, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin C are also necessary for proper conversion. Therefore good vitamin and mineral supplements should be taken as well.

MINERAL BALANCE!

When choosing a mineral supplement, it is important to consider its form. Minerals are not bio available unless they are ionic, water-soluble and angstrom sized. 99.5% of the minerals available are micron sized (which is about ten thousand times too big to enter the cell.) If a mineral doesn’t dissolve completely in water it is micron sized and obviously not water-soluble. An ionized mineral is an unbound mineral such as free calcium, (calcium that is not bound to anything.) Ionized minerals easily disassociate in a watery environment and become either positively or negatively charged. When this happens the protein transporters will easily pick up the minerals and pull them through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. The intestinal wall will let ionic minerals that are micron sized through but once they reach the cells, they will not be able to enter because of their size. They will just roll around the system storing themselves in tissues and along the inside of the blood vessels causing problems such as metal toxicity and plaque. Angstrom sized ionic minerals will be absorbed in the upper stomach (bypassing the intestines) and go directly to the cells where they will be absorbed according to need.

The main thing is that without protein transport mineral absorption doesn’t happen. If you are not creating the systemic protein you need to transport minerals into the cells, no matter how good your mineral supplement is, your body can’t use it. Properly blended essential amino acids lets you make the protein you need to use your minerals!

THE LIVER and ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS… PLUS

The liver is the largest organ in your body and one of the most important. Two of the liver’s most vital functions are removing toxins from the blood (and preparing them to safely exit the body), and manufacturing important blood proteins such as albumin.

The blood detoxification process is a two-phase operation in which the blood is filtered and toxins are broken down and prepared for removal from the body. This operation is known as the Phase I and Phase II detoxification pathways. In the space of a single minute a healthy liver filters and detoxifies 99% of waste material from two quarts of blood. Because the enzyme pathways of a sick or damaged liver will be unable to effectively break down and clear the body of this amount, toxins and poisonous material will end up in the blood or stored in body tissues.

The blood enters the liver and passes through a special filtration system located between the hepatocytes known as the sinusoids. The sinusoids remove waste products and toxins from the blood. Special cells located in these sinusoids (Kupffer cells) break down the toxins in a process known as Phase I detoxification. This process involves cytochrome P450 enzymes, which break down the toxins into smaller particles. This process of chemical oxidation creates large amounts of free radicals, which must be neutralized by adequate intake of ascorbic acid. In fact, safe and effective Phase I detoxification involves adequate amounts of both Vitamin C and all the B vitamins.

Once the blood has been filtered and passes through Phase I it is then ready for the Phase II detoxification pathway. During this phase the reduced toxins are bound to glutathione, glycine and sulfur, making them harmless, water soluble, and ready to pass out of the body in the form of bile or urine. The necessary support nutrients for this pathway are the sulfur-containing amino acids, vitamin E, and vitamin A.

If the body has an insufficient amount of amino acids available for the creation of Phase I enzymes, the toxins will not be sufficiently broken down for Phase II and complete detoxification will not occur. If there are not enough amino acids for the creation of glutathione or if there is not enough sulfur in the body, Phase II will not be effective in neutralizing the toxins. When Phase I and II detoxification do not work effectively, toxins build up in the body, overworking the immune system. The body begins to present symptoms such as rashes, sinusitis, aching joints, dry skin, arthritis, constipation, fatigue, etc.

Another important function of the liver is the manufacture of various different blood proteins, such as albumin. Adequate amounts of albumin in the blood ensure that the body will retain a proper blood/tissue fluid balance. Albumin soaks up excess fluid from the surrounding tissues and keeps them in the blood. If there are not enough amino acids available for the liver to manufacture a sufficient amount of albumin, the body tissues will start to retain fluid and signs of edema will occur.

Albumin is also a major component of the transport system. The transport system is comprised of systemic proteins that carry nutrients into the cell. The albumin-containing proteins carry tryptophan, fatty acids, bilirubin, calcium, hormones, and many other substances. It doesn’t matter how many vitamins or minerals you take, without these transport proteins, nutrients cannot enter the cells. If the liver doesn’t have enough amino acids available to make a good supply of albumin, we will be transport protein deficient.

Molybdenum is one of the nutrients required for the manufacture of several of the Phase 1 detoxification enzymes such as aldehyde dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase. These two enzymes neutralize acetaldehyde, a metabolic byproduct of yeast, fungi, and alcohol. Candida patients are often overloaded with this neurotoxin, which accumulates in the blood liver, organs, tissues and intestines, putting their immune system under large amounts of stress. Molybdenum is also involved in the manufacture of certain Phase 1 enzymes that oxidize the sulfites in preservatives, and neutralize the toxins involved in protein metabolism. Molydenum is also involved in flushing the excess copper from the system as well as preventing dental cavities when adequate amounts are stored in the tooth enamel. When the liver has enough molybdenum, detoxification becomes more complete and the immune system can do a better job at fighting off other infections.

Both of these processes (detoxification and blood protein manufacture) require adequate amounts of amino acids. In times of stress on the system such as illness, the amino acid requirements are even higher. If the digestive process is not producing the needed amounts of amino acids for the liver, these processes will be incomplete resulting in toxin overload in the tissues, malnutrition, edema, and slow wound healing. The liver and the immune system are the two largest manufacturing sites of systemic proteins in the body. If there are not adequate supplies of essential amino acids from dietary sources to build these systemic proteins, the body will begin to break down.

Platinum Plus Essential Amino Acids contains all the essential amino acids and extra molybdenum you need to help the liver manufacture Phase I detoxification enzymes and Phase II glutathione. It also has 800 mg. (per 4 capsule serving) of sulfur to help in Phase II detoxification. When you take Platinum Plus you will also ensure that the liver is getting the amino acids it needs to manufacture adequate blood proteins.

SO NOW THAT BODY IS GETTING ALL THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

With the proper regimen of vitamins, essential amino acids, EFA’s and other important supplements, it is possible to maintain health as well as fight disease and chronic illness naturally. Diseases like Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Hypoglycemia, Depression and even Autism have shown remarkable improvements when certain protocols are followed which include the above mentioned nutrients. For more information on protocols for Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Hypoglycemia, Depression, Autism, Acid Reflux and Hepatitis C you can visit http://www.supernutrient.com.

SuperNutrient Corporation offers a patented Essential Amino Acid formula. This formula is a combination of essential amino acids based on the formula of the egg, a complete protein. This formula provides proportionate amounts of amino acids to the pancreas and small intestine which then manufacture the digestive enzymes needed to digest the daily dietary protein we ingest. The body can then extract the total protein from the meat, eggs, fish, and nuts that should be part of our daily diets.

Similar to the daily diet, the vitamins your purchase for health and healing are absorbed more completely when taken in conjunction with essential amino acids. A perfectly balanced essential amino acid formula, Platinum Plus, helps the body to properly utilize vitamins and supplements.

So for total nutritional health remember it takes more then just eating right you need the proper combinations of vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids.

David Stout/Eve Pekkala

David Stout, Vice President of SuperNutrient Corporation, is a licensed Message Therapist and Health Professional. He has studied nutritional science at the Center of Advance Therapeutics in Denver. For the past ten years he has had the fortunate opportunity to be trained and mentored by Dr Vickery a true leader in nutritional science.

Eve Pekkala is a technical writer for Supernutrient Company. She has a BA in history and has studied exercise science at the University of South Carolina. She has been involved in technical writing for various bodywork and nutritional businesses since 1995.

You may contact David at david@supernutrient.com or call 203 426-6375.

“Just tell me what to eat” is a phrase I’ve heard from many clients during my 12 years as a fitness professional. They, like many of you, don’t have time to think about what to eat. You’ve got fitness goals in mind that you’d like to achieve, but not a lot of time to waste on experimenting with what works and what doesn’t. With 80% of your results coming from a commitment to good nutrition, you’ll definitely need to be eating the right things.

What’s one of the first things we turn to when beginning a health and fitness program? That’s right, a diet. The easiest kind is just to cut out whole food groups (like carbohydrates) or eliminate entire meals altogether. However, this is a very short-term solution that is neither healthy nor long lasting.

Instead of going on a diet next time, try using the following seven strategies for not only eating healthy, but for accelerated fat loss, increased energy and overall wellness.

1. Cut Out Carbonation
If you drink soda pop or other carbonated beverages, you can see and feel definite improvements by changing just this one habit. The problems with it include high amounts of sugar, artificial flavorings and caffeine. Even though these all compromise your health, the largest problem is what it does to your digestion. Carbonated drinks are quite acidic which changes the acid level (pH) in the digestive system and causes your food to not be digested as well. Drink more water instead of carbonated drinks.

2. Get Familiar with Labels
Knowing how to read labels can save you from making the mistake of eating something that should have been left on the grocery store shelf. The list of ingredients will give you a snapshot of the overall quality of the food. Generally, the shorter the list, the healthier it is for you because it’s closer to its natural state.

3. Eat More Raw Foods
A food that has not been cooked or processed will be healthier for you because it contains a full range of nutrients and is easier to digest. Heating food destroys many of its nutrients like vitamins, minerals and enzymes plus places the full burden of digestion on the body. This is why a food that is raw (like an apple) will rot. It’s a living food that contains enzymes to help break it down. When we eat an apple the digestive system has very little work to do except absorb the nutrients.

4. Reduce Sugars
Eating foods with too much sugar causes the body to release an excess amount of insulin, which has a greater tendency to be converted to fat. In addition to having an increased appetite, food cravings, irritability and mood swings. Also be careful of foods that have had sugar added to them, like ketchup. Natural sweeteners such as raw honey or stevia do not have these negative effects and will instead keep blood sugar levels more stabilized.

5. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
This helps to keep hunger and food cravings in check while making it easier on the digestive system. The standard three meals a day often puts too many hours in between so hunger levels can get elevated by the time you’re ready for the next meal. This means it becomes easier to over eat and fall victim to the super size syndrome. Eating more frequently will also help elevate the metabolism and keep your energy levels high.

6. Increase the Intake of Healthy Fats
When it comes to fat, your goal should be to become knowledgeable about the differences between the good fats (which you need more of) and bad fats (which you should drastically reduce). The target amount you should aim for is about 20% of your total calories coming from fat. Just make as many as possible come from the healthy fats like cold pressed oils, raw nuts and seeds or avocados.

7. Avoid White Flour
During the refining process, many of the nutrients in wheat are removed and discarded. Sure, a few are added back through enriching or fortifying, but the bulk of the nutrients are still missing like the wheat germ and wheat bran. When choosing flour or any other food, remember to choose foods that are as close to nature as possible. Doing so will give your body more nutrients and better health.

Michael Cordon NSCA-CPT

Michael invites you to receive his FREE e-zine that gives “how to” tips on becoming Healthy, Fit and Lean. A Free Report and Newsletter subscription to move you to action can be found at MakeYourBodyLean.com. Learn how to lose body fat, gain strength, eat right and look great by following natural, principle based fitness programs.

Copyright Michael Cordon 2005. You have free reprint rights to this article. Feel free to post it on your website, emails, etc. as long as the resource box is included with all active links and do not edit the article in any way.

Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life. Studies show American’s are living longer and enjoying more active lifestyles. Due to advances on food technology, we are only just beginning to discover the health secrets Mother Nature placed in simple everyday fruit.

Recent studies have indicated the phytonutrients found in fruit provide a whole host of natural health benefits: the anti-aging power of blueberries, the joint pain relieving properties of cherries and a whole host of powerful antioxidants in pomegranates.
As daily consumption of fruit is fast being recognized as a vital component to maintaining a healthy body and enjoying an active lifestyle it makes sense to consume fruit on a daily basis. However, with hectic days and busy nights eating fruit everyday may not be easily achieved.
The multitudes of health components found in fruit are truly a gift from Mother Nature. Here are a few everyday fruits for healthy living:

Cherries – The Supercharged Fruit:

Are cherries truly fruit for a healthy you? Recent studies have revealed that cherries offer an assortment of health benefits including the ability to offer natural relief from joint pain caused from gout, arthritis and joint inflammation. Many are choosing to drink cherry juice, eat cherries or consume tart cherry dietary supplements to enjoy the natural benefits of this tiny red fruit.

Linda L. Patterson is a living testimony of the soothing affects of cherries on her joint pain. “I enjoy crocheting and lately my hands have been so painful, I couldn’t crochet for more than about 30 minutes.”, says Patterson. In an attempt to find relief from her pain, a friend recommended Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry, (www.fruitadvantage.com)
a dietary supplement made from red tart cherries. “Within the first week of taking the tart cherry capsules my hands felt so much better.”, says Ms. Patterson. “I am now able to crochet without the pain in my hands.”

Blueberries – Nature’s Top Antioxidant Fruit:

Blueberries emerged as the top antioxidant capacity fruit in a laboratory testing procedure called ORAC - Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity developed by the USDA*. ORAC has become the definitive measurement of antioxidant capacity.

James Joseph, Ph.D, Chief of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, is working with blueberries to examine their potential to help improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging.

“The blueberry has emerged as a very powerful food in the aging battle,” said Joseph. “Given the possibility that blueberries may reverse short-term memory loss and forestall other effects of aging, their potential may be very great.”

Terry Johnson, a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan, munchies on dried blueberries for the convenience and taste. “I work behind a computer for eight hours a day and I like to snack. I began eating dried blueberries instead of a candy bar from the vending machine. Now I feel good when I snack because I am eating fruit instead of candy.”

Strawberries:

Studies have shown that strawberries can help promote a healthy digestive system and may help lower cholesterol. A handful of strawberries can go a long way to a helping you
maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Michigan-based company Traverse Bay Farms (www.traversebayfarms.com) offers free shipping on all three pound orders of dried fruit including organic dried blueberries.

If you are interested in learning more about the natural health benefits behind simple everyday fruit, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll though the Orchard of Health (www.orchardofhealth.com) Orchard of Health is the Internet’s first directory devoted exclusively to the natural health benefits of everyday fruit.

When you were growing up your mom may have fought to get you to eat your vegetables. Or maybe you’re the parent fighting with your kids to eat the right foods. What many of us don’t know is that our food also fights for us.

My mom used to dress the dinner plate in full matching regalia; yellow squash nestled next to green asparagus. Red and yellow peppers tossed around the salad added spectacular color. Now dear mom knew these foods were healthy and she loved to decorate my plate with the colors of the season, but did she know that these wholesome foods contain phytochemicals?

Phytochemicals are the active substances in plants that give them their color, flavor, odor, and protection against plant diseases. Phytochemicals work as powerful antioxidants, which can increase our resistance to disease and boost immunity.

While most research focuses on the anti-carcinogen effects of phytochemicals, the results are equally important to those who just want to boost their immune system or help reverse the aging clock.

Scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRC) rated 60 fruits and vegetables for potency of antioxidants, which stabilize cells and help fight the damaging effects of free radicals, molecules that weaken the immune system. Antioxidants can help keep cancer, heart disease and other degenerative conditions at bay.

The top scoring fruit in the HNRC study was blueberries followed by strawberries, prunes, black currants and boysenberries. The deeper the color, the better for you. Many of these antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory properties, and some naturally reduce blood cholesterol.

It’s important to fill your diet with all the colors of the food rainbow. Eat the blues, reds, purples, oranges, yellows, and greens.

Fresh or Frozen Produce?

It’s okay if you don’t have time to steam your own fresh veggies, studies by the FDA and the University of Illinois show that frozen fruits and vegetables are nearly as nutritious because they can wait to be picked until they’re at the peak of freshness.

Fresh produce is usually picked early, before it’s ripe and fully nutritious, so that it ships well.

But if you’re lucky enough to grow your own fruits or vegetables, or you can buy straight from a farm - then that’s where you’ll find the most nutritious fruits and vegetables!!!

What about supplements?

The value of most supplements is, at best, ineffective. The power of phytochemicals seems to be lost when removed from food, except if you’re fortunate enough to find a high quality ‘greens drink’.
Drinking one glass of a quality ‘greens drink’ supplies more than 5 servings of powerful, phytochemical rich nutrition.

Other Phyto Foods :

Phyto foods come in many varieties and for all palates. Among the most common sources are:

FRUITS: Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, grapes, kiwi fruit, lemons, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, plums. GRAINS: Barley, cornmeal, whole grain, quinoa, brown rice, wheat germ. NUTS and SEEDS: Flaxseed (a small brown seed used in cooking), macadamia, pecans, sesame seeds, walnuts. VEGETABLES: Asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, dark leafy greens and lettuces, mushrooms, onions, green and dried peas, sweet and hot peppers, white and sweet potatoes, pumpkin, soybeans, watercress, winter squash, tomatoes, and a host of others.

Christopher Guerriero is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning ‘Maximize Your Metabolism’ system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleseminars, visit: Maximize Your Metabolism.

Mmmm - sugar! Who can resist those sweet, satisfying crystals of joy? Some people try to stay away from sweets, and some are quite successful. But for those of you who want to be a true sugar addict, here are my top seven strategies for increasing your sugar cravings.

1. Skip meals. You have only about four hours worth of blood sugar (glucose) stored in your body. And if you skip meals, your blood sugar level will steadily decrease, until you feel tired, depressed, and anxious, and you will do ANYTHING to feel better. And what’s the best way to quickly feel better when your blood sugar is low? Eat sugar! A true sugar addict will make sure this happens by skipping the most important meal, breakfast. Skipping breakfast gives you plenty of time to get your blood sugar really low!
2. Eat lots of pasta and bread and white rice. When you eat pasta, bread, and rice (especially the “white” varieties), your body quickly converts them into sugar. The effect is basically the same as eating straight white table sugar. And the more you eat the white stuff, the higher your blood sugar level rises. When your blood sugar rises too high too quickly, your pancreas releases a lot of insulin, and the result (if insulin is doing its job) is that you then suddenly have very low blood sugar. And what’s the best way for a sugar addict to quickly feel better when blood sugar is low? Eat sugar! (hmmm, that sounds familiar!)
3. Don’t drink water. Yes, that’s right, DON’T drink water. When we are dehydrated, we tend to crave carbohydrates. And when we crave carbohydrates, and most often we reach for sugary treats. So don’t drink water and boost your sugar addict status.
4. Eliminate protein from your meals and snacks. Protein slows down the rate at which sugar enters your blood, which means you won’t experience the high blood sugar - high insulin - low blood sugar phenomena described in point #2. So if you eliminate protein from your meals and snacks, and instead feast solely on simple carbohydrates, you will once again hop aboard the sugar-insulin train. And you know what that means - Sugar Addict!
5. Make sure your foods include hidden sugars, such as dextrose, fructose, and maltose. The true sugar addict will seek out ingredients that ends in “-ose.” Don’t let sugar hide from you! Find it by reading those labels carefully!
6. Tell yourself you are NEVER going to eat sugar again. Try to use willpower and deprivation to keep yourself away from the sweet goodness of sugar. It’s like this - don’t think of pink elephants! No matter what. Ok, did you think of pink elephants? In order for your brain to process that command (”don’t think of pink elephants”), it has to think of pink elephants. This works for sugar too. So tell yourself you will never eat sugar. This is the sugar addict’s favorite trick!
7. Distance yourself from friends and family. Family and friends are a great source of inspiration and warmth - don’t let them get in your way. Don’t let ANYTHING compete with your quest for sweet!

If you follow these simple strategies, you will be on your way to becoming a sugar addict for sure! If, on the other hand, you know being a sugar addict is not for you, contact me at 703.283.7810 or julia@innervoicenutrition.com for your free consultation. We can discuss the role sugar plays in your life, answer any questions you might have, and develop ideas for getting sugar out of your life!

Julia Kalish is a Certified Nutritionist and Health Coach, specializing in women’s nutrition. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and Yale University. Julia is the founder and Director of Inner Voice Nutrition, LLC, and has trained at both the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and American Health Science University. Julia is certified by the National Institute for Nutritional Education and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She is the expert Nutrition Coach for Unlimited Growth Potential, a national coaching firm for women. You may reach Julia at julia@innervoicenutrition.com, or visit her site at http://www.innervoicenutrition.com

The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Finding simple ways to reduce my waistline is always a personal objective. I am by no means a health expert, and I have not always been too concerned with what I put into my body. But as I get a little older, I fear that if I don’t concern myself with health, my doctor will have to. And regardless of the good that they do, I don’t like doctors and clinics that much.

I do a lot of my own research, and the internet has been a blessing. What I have learned in my research and life experience is that the crap that I used to eat made me fat. I could tell you that fast food, chips, and beer are bad for you, but you know that.

The information I have to share may be more important than that. It’s about the rewards of cooking. There are many, and they are easy to attain. You might find some of them to be true in your life as well.

1. Working with your hands. I love working with my hands, and I don’t get to that often. Cooking has become somewhat of an art to me. I appreciate working with the food and manipulating it in my favor.

2. Solace. Many people will not bother you in the kitchen and you will be able to forget what has happened during your hectic day. It is a time to have a glass of wine and appreciate what the earth has provided for you.

3. Family and friends. My wife and I thoroughly enjoy cooking for our friends. We come from opposite corners of the country and have wonderful contrasting tastes to share. It beats sitting in front of the television waiting for the microwave to finish. Surrounding yourself with good people and sharing meals with them is an amazing stress reliever.

4. Taste. They say that it always tastes better when somebody else does the cooking. I disagree. I know what I like, and I cook what I like. Sure it is nice to enjoy the cooking of others on occasion, but I don’t mind the task.

5. Healthy, healthy, healthy. Since I discovered more departments of the grocery store, I have started to eat better. It helps that my interests in cooking have expanded. Meals I enjoy now, I would have never tried in the past. I began shopping at a whole foods market, and stay away from processed foods. In a couple of weeks, I lost fifteen pounds with no change in my exercise routine. Funny what the food manufactures put in ready-to-eat foods.

My secrets are no secrets at all. People cooked for many years before the creation of fast food and take-home dinners. Sometimes with our limited time to eat the very best, but eat the very best when you have time. Don’t feel guilty when you eat something you shouldn’t. It will only make you feel bad, nothing else. But take pride in your body: get a good night’s sleep, do some exercises that you are comfortable performing, and take a cooking class. Life will become less stressful and you might find some tasty healthy dishes to share with your friends.

Robb Ksiazek is a successful author and publisher for http://www.body-mass-index-4u.com/diets.htm. He has researched and written hundreds of articles and can simplify your online search by recommending merchants for the best value and selections in diets, exercise equipment, and personal physical and mental fitness.

There are many factors that determine which of the many juicers out there is the correct juicer for you. Some of the factors that you need to consider are:

• Juicer Type
• What produce you are most likely to juice
• Cleaning
• Power
• Noise Level

Juicer Types: There are six main types of juicers that are available today. They are Centrifugal Juicers, Citrus Juicers, Manual Press Juicers, Single Gear a.k.a. Masticating Juicers, Twin Gear a.k.a. Triturating Juicers and Wheatgrass Juicers.

Centrifugal Juicers: Centrifugal juicers are the pretty much the most affordable and popular choice available to people looking to buy a juicer these days. These juicers use a shredding disc to spin out the juice and a strainer basket to hold the pulp in the machine.

Citrus Juicers: A citrus juicer provides the convenience of juicing citrus fruits at home so you can enjoy the benefits of fresh squeezed citrus juice any time.

Manual Press Juicers: Since the juice is pressed through cheesecloth, the juice is virtually pulp free, but can be a slow process. Requires produce to be shredded in order to be pressed and squeezes the juice out of the produce with pressure.

Single Gear a.k.a. Masticating Juicers: These produce less foam, and can be utilized to make baby food, sauces, & sorbets. A slow turning single auger is used by these types of juicers to crush the produce into the walls or screen of the juicer.

Twin Gear Juicers a.k.a. Triturating Juicers: These juicers have two gears that shreds then presses the juice out of the produce. These types of juicers are liable to be more expensive than other types of juicers, but twin gear juicers are the most efficient and can extract larger volumes of juice from fruits and vegetables.

Wheatgrass Juicers: Wheatgrass juicers can extract the juice out of the blades of wheatgrass either manually or automatically. Wheatgrass is a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and enzymes. This is a specialized type of juicer since normal fruit and vegetable juicers will not juice wheatgrass.

Produce most likely to be juiced: If you are likely to be juicing fruit and vegetables in equal quantities then a centrifugal juicer is your best option and some models also feature attachments that will allow you to juice citrus as well, should you wish to do so. However those juicers do not juice leafy vegetables well. If citrus or wheatgrass are going to comprise the majority of what you are juicing then buying a juicer specifically engineered to juice those products would be your best option. For juicing mainly vegetables a single auger juicer would be the best option, but they produce rather thick juice from fruit, almost sauce-like, since they are designed for juicing stalk-like vegetables.

Cleaning: The time it will take to clean a juicer after you used it will depend on the complexity of the juicer as the average juice has between 4 and 7 parts requiring cleaning. This means that while a citrus press can be cleaned with a quick wipe down, a juicer with more functionality will take longer to clean. Also a check should be made as to whether the components are dishwasher safe, unless you are happy to hand wash the parts.

Power: The amount of power you need depends on the hardness of the produce you are juicing. The harder the produce, the more power you will need, but anything over 400 watts should be more than sufficient. The stronger the motor is the longer it is likely to last. Also a check should be made as to whether the motor is guaranteed by the manufacturer.

Noise Levels: This is dependent on the power of your juicer’s motor. The more powerful the motor, the higher the noise levels produced. The importance of this factor is guided by personal preference and your situation. If you have no one around to complain about the noise and you don’t mind the noise then it is unimportant but if you mind a loud noise or people around you do, then it is a consideration, but it must be weighed up against the effectiveness of your juicer.

Cost is not seen as a factor when buying a juicer because there are so many juicers available at so many different prices, but the higher quality juicers are likely to cost more than average. Ultimately your personal preferences will determine which juicer you buy.

Juicer information provided by Juliette Pickup
Juicers