Life is Healthy

The ingredients in Sassy water are so healthy, you should experience absolutely no side effects. Prevention editor-in-chief, Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, and author of the bestselling book, The Flat-Belly Diet, recommends Sassy water as a means to jumpstart the Flat Belly diet, guaranteed to show results in just thirty-two days. Given the extreme interest, and the healthy benefit of the Flat Belly Diet, here is the Sassy water recipe, as near as we can find. We cannot completely guarantee the accuracy.

The study out of Tufts University focused on women aged 22 to 55 engaging in low carb diets similar to the Atkins Diet. Participants were found to have significantly diminished memory scores than the control groups consuming a normal diet. Their scores were lower when tested for reaction time and visual spatial memory. The decline was short lived however as memory scores returned to normal upon resumption of a regular balanced diet.

"If people could cut down on their portion sizes, this would be the single greatest way to combat the creeping obesity epidemic," said Madelyn Fernstrom, founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center.
"It's such a simple concept, but it's hard to do. There's so much hidden fat in food, it's hard to know what a serving size is.


"It may seem like cutting back on one's portions wouldn't have much impact - until you realize that just "100 calories a day more than you need adds up to 10 pounds in one year," said Miriam Pappo, clinical nutrition manager at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "That's only one or two tablespoons of salad dressing."

In a recent study, 120 healthy adults were divided into two groups, with equal numbers of men and women in each. Both groups were educated about healthy eating and given a target of consuming 1,700 calories daily for the men and 1,365 calories for the women. They were also told to eat 55 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein and 20 percent fat. One group, however, was given prepackaged portions of meat and rice for daily consumption, and was told to include two large salads, fruit and two glasses of skim milk a day. The other group was allowed to choose its own portion sizes.

After two months, the "prepackaged" women had lost 12 pounds, as against eight pounds for the self-selected-portion women. The men who ate prepackaged portions lost 16 pounds versus 11 pounds for the other group.

What we can learn from this, Fernstrom said, is that prepackaged frozen meals might be a good weight-loss option.

If you like your meals home-cooked, you can save the containers from frozen meals to measure your portion sizes.In addition, she said, eat from a salad plate, not a dinner plate, which is unnaturally large to hold a proper portion. The food on your plate, Pappo said, should be half vegetables and a quarter each protein and starchy food.

Source: Empowered Doctor

Low-carbohydrate diet might help you shed those extra pounds, but it can have an adverse impact on your cognition skills, says a new study. Tufts University researchers found that when dieters eliminated carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks. "This study demonstrates that the food you eat can have an immediate impact on cognitive behaviour," said Holly A. Taylor, professor of psychology at Tufts and corresponding author of the study.

"The popular low-carb, no-carb diets have the strongest potential for negative impact on thinking and cognition," Taylor added. While the brain uses glucose as its primary fuel, it has no way of storing it. Rather, the body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is carried to the brain through the blood stream and used immediately by nerve cells for energy. Reduced carbohydrate intake should thus reduce the brain's source of energy.

The study included 19 women ages 22 to 55 who were allowed to select the diet plan they preferred. Nine women chose a low-carbohydrate diet and 10 selected the low-calorie diet. They were asked to complete five testing sessions that assessed cognitive skills, including attention, long-term and short-term memory, and visual attention, and spatial memory.

The first session was held before participants began their diets, the next two sessions occurred during the first week of the diet, which corresponded to the week when low-carb dieters eliminated carbohydrates.

The final two sessions occurred in week two and week three of the diets, after carbohydrates had been reintroduced for those on the low-carb diet.
Low-carb dieters showed a gradual decrease on the memory-related tasks compared with the low-calorie dieters. Reaction time for those on the low-carb diet was slower and their visuospatial memory was not as good as those on the low-calorie diet.

However, low-carb dieters actually responded better than low-calorie dieters during the attention vigilance task. "The data suggest that after a week of severe carbohydrate restriction, memory performance, particularly on difficult tasks, is impaired," Taylor said. The study appears in the February 2009 edition of the journal Appetite.

Source: MedIndia

If you're struggling to shift a few extra pounds, you might want to add afew of these metabolism-boosting items to your shopping list.

GREEN TEA
If the celebrities, such as Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow, swear by it for weight loss, then who is going to argue? It's long been believed that green tea extract may boost the metabolism - and it does a good job of enhancing the mood, too. No wonder sales of green tea have soared in recent years.

APPLES AND PEARS
These fruit contain a fibre called pectin, which is thought to limit how much fat your cells can absorb. They have the added benefit of suppressing the appetite, too.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Long heralded as a health tonic, it's thought that apple cider vinegar may also be an aid in the battle against the bulge by burning fat. There is even an apple cider vinegar diet that involves taking one to three teaspoons of the vinegar or apple cider vinegar pills before each meal.

CAYENNE PEPPER
This is a super fat-burning spice and eating it with lean protein foods, such as chicken or turkey, could boost your metabolism for hours afterwards.

CINNAMON
Studies show that just a pinch of the sweet-smelling spice will force your body to metabolise sugar at 20 times the normal rate. Try sprinkling it on your morning porridge or cereal, or on top of a cafe latte.

CITRUS FRUITS
A US medical study found that participants who ate half a vitamin C- packed grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6lbs. The research indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which may promote weight loss. Others claim that oranges, lemons, limes and tomatoes are great for boosting metabolism.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
These are a must for slimmers. The best sources of these fat-busting beauties are pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and oily fish. The essential oils are said to stimulate the removal of stored body fat and have powerful moodenhancing qualities.

GARLIC
Already shown to be an effective blood thinner, garlic may also have the ability to break down fat. Garlic can be taken in capsule form or added to pasta, stir fries and soups.

GINGER
Some researchers believe that the spice will increase your internal body heat, boost the circulation of blood and removal of toxins, as well as elevating metabolism and improving digestion. You could add ginger to stir fries or even soups.

HOT PEPPERS
The fiery pepper is claimed to speed up metabolism and cool your food cravings, researchers in Canada have found. It's believed that capsaicin - a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers - temporarily stimulates the body to release more stress hormones, which can speed up the rate at which calories are burned.

LOW-FAT DAIRY
Research in America revealed that people on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of low-fat dairy foods, such as yoghurt and cottage cheese, lost significantly more weight than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. It's believed that the combination of lean protein and calcium can increase fat metabolism and maintain muscle mass.

SOYA BEANS
This versatile foodstuff contains a potent fat blocking compound called lecithin, in addition to protein and essential minerals. Try a handful of roasted soya beans as a healthy snack. Or you can buy soya bean milk and use instead of dairy milk.

TURKEY
Many studies show that protein can help to boost metabolism. It's proven that the higher the lean muscle to fat ratio in your body the more efficient you'll be at burning calories. And, after all, lean meats are a body builder's favourite.

WATER
A German study found that metabolic rates increased by up to 30 per cent when participants drank 500ml of water. It has been found that many people confuse hunger pangs with a need to drink more water. So there are double the reasons for drinking water to aid weight loss.

Source: News Now

Dr. Agatston believes that excess consumption of so-called 'bad carbohydrates', such as the rapidly-absorbed carbohydrates found in foods with a high glycemic index, creates an insulin resistance syndrome—an impairment of the hormone insulin's ability to properly process fat or sugar.

In addition, he believes along with many physicians that excess consumption of 'bad fats', such as saturated fat and trans fat, contributes to an increase in cardiovascular disease. To prevent these two conditions, Agatston's diet minimizes consumption of bad fats and bad carbohydrates and encourages increased consumption of good fats and good carbohydrates.

The diet has three phases. In all phases of the diet, Dr. Agatston recommends minimizing consumption of bad fats.

Phase 1
The diet begins with Phase 1, which lasts two weeks. Dieters attempt to eliminate insulin resistance by avoiding high or moderately high-glycemic carbohydrates, such as dairy, sugar, candy, bread, potatoes, fruit, cereals, and grains. During this phase, Dr. Agatston claims the body will lose its insulin resistance, and begin to use excess body fat, causing many dieters to lose between 8 and 13 pounds. For the first two weeks, dieters eat normal-size helpings of meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, cheese, and nuts. This phase includes three meals a day, plus snacks, encouraging the dieter to eat until their hunger is satisfied. No alcohol is allowed (though red wine will be introduced later in small amounts). The dieter loses weight, changes body chemistry, and ends cravings for sugars and starches.

Phase II
After two weeks, Phase II begins. Whole grain foods, fruits and dairy products are gradually returned to the diet, although in smaller amounts than were likely eaten before beginning the diet, and with a continued emphasis on foods with a low glycemic index. Sweet potatoes are also now permissible, as is red wine, both in moderate amounts.

Phase III
After the desired weight is obtained, the diet calls to move into Phase III, a maintenance phase. In Phase III the diet expands to include three servings of whole grains and three servings of fruit a day.

South Beach diet products

Source: Wikipedia

The grapefruit diet is not a myth. That's what a new study by the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic confirmed. Researchers there found that the simple act of adding grapefruit and grapefruit juice to one's diet can result in weight loss.

The 12-week pilot study, led by Dr. Ken Fujioka, monitored weight and metabolic factors, such as insulin secretion, of the 100 men and women who participated in the Scripps Clinic 'Grapefruit Diet' study.

On average, participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost 3.6 pounds, while those who drank a serving of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 3.3 pounds. However, many patients in the study lost more than 10 pounds.

'Our study participants maintained their daily eating habits and slightly enhanced their exercise routine; the only dietary change was the intake of Florida grapefruit and grapefruit juice.'

Additionally, the research indicates a physiological link between grapefruit and insulin, as it relates to weight management. The researchers speculate that the chemical properties of grapefruit reduce insulin levels and encourage weight loss.

The importance of this link lies with the hormone's weight management function. While not its primary function, insulin assists with the regulation of fat metabolism.

Therefore, the smaller the insulin spike after a meal, the more efficiently the body processes food for use as energy and the less it's stored as fat in the body. Grapefruit may possess unique chemical properties that reduce insulin levels which promotes weight loss.

Obesity continues to plague the American public and the health system.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 64 percent of U.S. adults are considered overweight or obese. Overweight or obese people stand a greater likelihood of developing life-altering and/or life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, arthritis, liver problems, and many others.

'Our study shows grapefruit can play a vital role in overall health and wellness, and in battling America's ever-growing obesity epidemic,' stated Dr. Fujioka.

'Whether it's the properties of grapefruit or its ability to satiate appetites, grapefruit appeared to help with weight loss and decreased insulin levels leading to better health. It's good the 'Grapefruit Diet' never lost its popularity among the public.'

Source: Medical News Today

A high protein, low carbohydrate diet is most effective at reducing hunger and promoting weight loss, at least in the short term. Healthy, obese men were given two different diets during their stay in the Rowett’s specialised Human Nutrition Unit. Both diets had a high protein content (30% of total energy value of the diet) but they differed in the amount of carbohydrate: One diet was low in carbohydrate (4%) and the other contained a moderate amount of carbohydrate (35% total energy value).

“Our volunteers found both diets to be equally palatable, but they felt less hungry on the high-protein low-carbohydrate diet compared with the diet which contained high-protein but moderate amounts of carbohydrate,” said Dr Alex Johnstone, the Rowett’s weight-loss expert who led the study.

“Weight loss during the two four week study periods was greater on the high-protein low-carbohydrate diet, averaging 6.3 kg per person, compared with 4.3 kg on the moderate carbohydrate diet,” said Dr Johnstone.

An important part of this study was to unravel the physiological mechanisms behind this type of diet. It is known that when people eat low carbohydrate diets, within a relatively short time their body has to switch from using glucose as a fuel to using something different called ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are appetite-suppressing and they may have an effect on the appetite centres in the brain. It’s also well known that protein itself is very good at making people feel full-up.

“In this study, we showed that on the high-protein low-carbohydrate diet the volunteers became ketogenic within 1-2 days of starting this diet and so it may be that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are particularly effective because of the combined effect of the protein and the ketone bodies,” said Dr Johnstone.

“We showed that the volunteers on the ketogenic diet reduced their energy intake without increasing their hunger and this was a very important factor in their ability to stick to the diet.”

Dr Johnstone sounds a note of caution about her findings: “A paper published last year from the same study showed that low carbohydrate diets may have consequences for the health of the gut by dramatically reducing the numbers of particular types of bacteria. So we will be looking in more detail at the complex way in which we respond to changes in our diet before we can say whether low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets are a suitable tool for everyone who wants to lose weight.”

When the phase of the study which involved the volunteers finished in October 2004, it attracted considerable interest because of its celebrity volunteer, Cameron Stout, who lost just over 12 kg during his nine week stay at the Rowett Institute. At the time, Cameron mentioned his surprise at not feeling hungry during the study and said he had adjusted to eating smaller portions.

Source: ScienceDaily

The cabbage soup diet is a short-term weight loss diet rich in fiber and low in fatty substances. It helps to lose your body weight rapidly. The main emphasis of this diet is simply plain cabbage soup. Dieticians recommend that the more you stick to this diet, the greater will be see a reduction of weight in your body. The cabbage soup diet is a seven-day diet plan, aimed to achieve rapid weight loss. On each of these seven days, you can taste a new nutritious food along with the soup. Unlike other dieting plans, the cabbage soup diet is not a long run weight loss resolution.

However, you can witness the effectiveness of the diet within a short period of its commencement. This diet offers quick weight loss and at the same time, it lacks nutrition, variety and flavor. During the 7 day diet plan, you mostly will have soups of onion, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Dieticians say that most people gain weight due to the dramatic intake of calorie food. This diet plan avoids the consumption of high calorie food and helps you to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Cabbage Soup diet is extremely easy and economical diet. You are able to enjoy having as much as soup you desire during these seven days, to avoid gaining extra weight. Avoid continuing the diet plan for more than seven days or else you may lose essential minerals and vitamins from your body.

Cabbage Soup Diet - 7 Day Diet Plan:

The one week diet plan of cabbage soup diet involves:
• Day-1: All you can have is soup and fruits (avoid bananas). Drink plenty of cranberry juice, water, and sugarless tea.

• Day-2: Take all the vegetables and soup that you desire (avoid peas, corn and beans). Consume a buttered grilled potato at dinner. Avoid taking fruit.

• Day-3: Consume all the fruits, vegetables and soups you desire and nothing else.

• Day-4: Consume soup, not more than 8 bananas and have skim milk.

• Day-5: Have not less than one cup of soup. You can have 10 to 20 oz. of skinless beef or chicken and not more than 6 tomatoes. Drink plenty of water.

• Day-6: Have sufficient vegetables and skinless beef. At the sixth day, you can go ahead with the animal protein. Be sure to add vegetables and salad and avoid mainly carbs. Do not fry the meats and potatoes.

• Day 7: Consume at least one cup of soup. Eat only brown rice, sugarless fruit juice and vegetables.