TNP-organic meat and organic dairy products

Consume organic meat, organic dairy and fish-certified European organic farm raised in small quantities is healthy.

Why we eat organic meat and fish farm raised? all meat contains fat. Even if cut off excess fat, fat is combined within the muscle fiber, although you may not be able to see it. In addition if health issues related to fat intake, fat is where stored toxins. Growth hormones and antibiotics fed to cattle accumulate in beef, while emissions of heavy metals that pollute the ocean creates ocean fish, particularly when taken near the shore.Eating organic meat ensures that you do not receive an unexpected dose of antibiotics and growth promoters in meat. Eat fish certified by the European organic farm raised ensures that you do not eat heavy metal pollutants.

As with anything else, there are some concerns in exaggeration. Eat meat too, even if it's organic meat can cause several health problems. Excessive intake of protein can cause acidosis, a condition where the body's acidity increases outside the normal range.

Despite this concern, eat organic meat and fish-certified European organic farm raised in suitable quantities is healthy.In order to ensure that the meat you eat is contaminated, make sure you buy organic, or much less all natural Organic label products. the farm and processing to achieve organic certification levels. If the label all natural is not regulated (so far) generally refers to meat be raised without the use of growth hormones and antibiotics. All natural meats are generally less expensive than organic meats.

In the case of fish, try and eat certified by the European organic farm raised fish or fish caught in the deep ocean.Why can I specify "certified by the European organic" is that the United States is now a standard for organic seafood. It is unclear what use standard companies when they advertise their fish farm raised as organic; however, recent studies have shown that the so-called "biological" farm raised fish in the us contains both antibiotics and heavy metal impurities.Europe, however, have standards for organic seafood for years. Therefore, find seafood, i.e. "certified by the European organic" is a way to ensure better eating healthy seafood. The alternative is to find the fish caught in the deep ocean.

Looks like meat, non-organic milk products should be avoided.Growth hormones and antibiotics are present in milk particularly milkfat. Organic milk consumption will help you to avoid undesirable contaminants.

Purists will tell you that raw (non-pasteurized), organic goat or cow's milk is preferable. However, unless you live near an organic farm or are willing to pay a pretty penny to your local health food store, it is difficult to get fresh, organic milk. In addition, if you want to avoid fat and I would like to receive low fat or fat milk, it becomes almost impossible to find sources of fresh, organic milk. Therefore, do your best to consume organic milk.

Another ongoing debate about the milk is homogenization. Homogenization is the process of combining the fat milk with in such a way as to distinguish it. Initially, this procedure was executed, because it would separate milk and milk fat.This caused some milk containers (those with more fat) to be purchased first. of course, retailers did not like this because this makes it more difficult to sell milk contain less fat (ironic considering how popular low-fat and non-fat milk, is today).Thus, the dairy industry amounted to homogenization.This process normally includes the pulverization of fat molecules by forcing them through a sieve.The controversy concerning whether or not it is actually healthy homogenization and Homogenized milk is harder to digest than its counterpart non-homogenized.I was once throughout the study where Homogenized milk was feed for calves, where the outcome was that the calves were undernourished people seriously.Well, again pragmatism must hold that it is difficult to find non-homogenized milk containing fat.The simplest solution is to drink milk organic, non-fat content that does not require homogenization.

By far, healthier milk format is also known as soured yoghurt milk. made Yogurt by the cultivation of certain types of beneficial bacteria found in the milk bacteria easier for us to digest the milk and milk products, always buy organic yoghurt also when buys yoghurt you need to make sure you yogurt with live cultures in order to increase the shelf life of yoghurt, some vendors will kill active yoghurt cultures in yogurt. While the effect is similar to active yoghurt cultured yogurt, lost nutritional benefit from active cultures.

Healthy animal products
Game meat (deer, elk, pheasant)
Organic beef, chicken, Turkey, lamb and Buffalo
Organic free-range chicken eggs
Farmed fish scales and fins
Organic fresh goat or cow milk (if available)
Organic pasteurized milk, nonfat
Organic soured milk products (e.g. yoghurt sometimes spelled yoghurt)
Organic cheese
Organic butter

Avoiding Animal products
Lunch meats (frankfurters, pepperoni, cold cuts)
Non-organic beef, chicken and pork
Non-organic eggs
Non-organic milk and milk products
Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops)
Bay water fish
Shark meat
Catfish and other scavengers

Eating organic meat, organic dairy and farm-raised fish is
The Natural path to good health.

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TNP-Glycaemic index of Popular Foods

The following table provides the glycaemic index popular food.

Low Glycaemic food provides information about why you need this chart and how you can use to reduce your risk factor for heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes; also provides information about other natural ways to control your blood sugar and insulin levels to your balance.

Extrapolation from The GI factor: Glycaemic Index "solution, by Dr. Jennie Brand Milles, Kwye Foster-Powell, Dr. Stephen Colagiuri.

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TNP-Organic Produce

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Organic fruits, organic vegetables and grains (organic produce) are by far the healthiest for our bodies. These foods contain all of the protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals our bodies need for good health.Therefore, your diet should consist primarily of organic fruits, vegetables and grain only supplemented by animal products such as organic meats and organic dairy products.

Why isn't all produce Crown organically?
The majority of commercially available produce is not organic produce. It has been treated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, fungicides. The reason is simple mass farming techniques consist of creating large fields of a single type of plant. With such a high predicted no effect of plants, the soil becomes depleted of nutrients that the specific plant requires. Additionally, such a high no of single types of plants attracts pests from far and wide that like to feed on the specific plant. Organic produce growing techniques have not matured quickly enough to keep pace with this challenge. If all farms were to grow organic produce, the demand for organic pesticides and fertilizers would far outstrip the supply. Moreover, given the bulk and no of these organic products, our shipping infrastructure would be inadequate to move the necessary fertilizers and pest control products to their destinations.Therefore, in order to preserve the large fields, growers have relied more and more on chemicals to grow fruits, vegetables and grain. These toxic chemicals accumulate in the produce and we consume these chemicals with our food. As with other chemical toxins, these contaminants build up in our bodies and increase the load on our internal cleansing and detoxification organs.

A long-term solution to this is to votes with your wallet. By this I mean buy organic produce. If you do not have the luxury of living near a year-round organic farmer's market, then many grocery stores are starting to stock organic produce. Look at the tiny sticker on the fruit or nuts, and see if there is a 5-digit number starting with 9. This indicates that the item is organic.A 4-digit number indicates that it is commercially's Crown.While it may cost more to do buy organic, remember you are what you eat. This will ensure that you are reducing the toxins that your body is exposed to, while also supporting the improvement in organic farming research necessary to solve some of the problems limiting the consumption of organic produce today. This will further encourage the use of organic growing organic fruits, vegetables and grains.

Organic Fruits and Organic Vegetables
You may have heard of something called a Raw Food Diet. Raw fruits and vegetables contain certain enzymes that are altered by heat. In addition, heat kills nutritional value.Therefore, the longer you cook something, the more nutritional value is lost. Eating a portion of the organic fruits and vegetables you consume in a raw form helps boost your nutritional intake and gives your body the enzymes it seeks from those foods. Of course, plant products such as grains and certain types of vegetables must be cooked in order to allow your digestive system to process them. However, most fresh organic vegetables and organic fruits are good sources of these necessary enzymes. So whenever possible, try and eat a portion of your organic fruit and organic nuts, intake in raw form. Juicing is a great way to increase your intake of organic fruits and organic vegetables in a raw form.

Organic fruits are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Fruits are generally easier to digest than other types of foods. If fruits are eaten with other foods, they tend to become partially digested sooner than the other food and can putrefy in your digestive system. Therefore, organic fruit should generally be eaten separately from other foods, and on an empty stomach. In general, wait at least 2 hours after eating any other food, before eating organic fruit. However, you can eat other foods as little as half an hour after eating organic fruit.

Maximize Availability and Minimize Cost
One of the major issues with organic produce is that it is sometimes hard to find.Moreover, when you do find it, it is ' substantially more expensive.So, make your money go farther.Here is a chart on the fruits and vegetables that are most and least contaminated.For the types of fruits and vegetables that tend to be most contaminated, make sure to consume organic produce.For those types that are less contaminated, it may be safer to compromise to increase availability and reduce cost.

Organic Beans, Nuts and Seeds
Beans, nuts and seeds are sometimes overlooked, when organic produce is discussed.However, beans, nuts and seeds are excellent sources of fiber, protein and essential fatty acids.

Examples of Beans, Nuts and Seeds to Eat *
Garbanzo beans/Chick peas
Pinto beans
Black beans
Pinto beans
White beans/Cannelini beans
Navy beans
Almond
Sesame
Pumpkin janick seed
Sunflower seed
Filbert/Hazelnut
Chestnut
Walnut
Black walnut
Brazil nut
Cashews
Pecans
Peanuts
Pistachios
Macadamia nuts
Florida
Pine nut
* Remember to eat organic vegetables whenever possible

Getting Enough Fiber
A new focus has been placed on fiber intake in our diets.Fiber acts like our internal scrub brush.It binds to toxins and outward our bodies do not need and helps our bodies eliminate them.Organic grains are an excellent source of fiber.A breakfast consisting of a variety of organic grains will give you the fiber you need to help cleanse your colon and keep your body healthy.Additionally, certain grains, such as oats, have been proven to reduce cholesterol.Information on fiber will help you better understand the types of fiber, its benefits, and the fiber content of certain popular foods.

Examples of Grains with rain Fiber *
Whole wheat
Oats (groats, steel cut oats or rolled oats)
Brown rice
Corn
Barley
Millet
Amaranth (high protein)
Buckwheat/kasha
Rye
Quinoa
* Remember to eat organic vegetables whenever possible

Produce to Avoid
Non-organic produce
Dried or dehydrated fruit that has been bleached or sulfured.
Canned fruits and vegetables
Packaged fruits and vegetables that contain artificial additives
White flour
Acclaim decrepit white rice

Eating organic fruits, vegetables and grains is organic
The Natural Path to good health.

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TNP-food additives

Many packaged, canned and processed foods containing food additives, which help to preserve the life of the product. On average, a person who consumes more than 100 pounds of additives per year. Many, like refined sugar, corn syrup, salt, MSG may have negative effects on your health. The most harmful is chemically made by man. Your body has difficulty processing and eliminating them from your system. Therefore, some accumulate in fatty tissue, leading you to toxic reactions over time.

However, not all add-ons are toxic. Those from healthy, natural products is the least risky, but recruitment should continue to be kept to a minimum. The following are lists of food additives that are used frequently.The first list contains general safe additives and the second of those who should be avoided and the two lists contain names usually found on food labels.

Generally safe for use
Annatto
Beet Juice
Beet Powder
Beta-carotene or carotene
Citric acid
Gelatine
Herbs and spices
Lactic acid
Lecithin
Inorganic substances
Natural oils and extracts (e.g. almond oil, vanilla extract)
Natural sweeteners (follow this link for more info)
Pectin
Sea salt
A natural mineral salt
Sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda)
Sorbic acid
Vegetable Glycerin
Vitamins
Yeast

Those to avoid
The aluminium salts
Artificial colors
Artificial flavorings
Artificial sweeteners (follow this link for more info)
Bisulfate
BHA
BHT
BVO
Caffeine
Carrageenan
EDTA
Hydrogenated oils (follow this link for more info)
Metabisulfite
MSG
Smoke Flavor Natural
Olestra
Processed and refined carbohydrate (follow this link for more info)
Propylene ether
Propyl epigallokatechini
Sodium benzoate
Sodium nitrate or nitrite of sodium
Sorbitol
Sulphur dioxide
THBQ
Xylitol

Avoidance of food additives is dangerous and artificial
The Natural path to good health.

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TNP-understanding the importance of phytonutrients

Phytonutrients (pronounced '-o-nutrients), also called, is a natural phytochemicals, bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables that works with vitamins, minerals and fiber for promoting good health.

The National Institute of cancer recommends eating at least 5 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Other reputable sources constitute at least 9 servings for men, 7 servings for women and 5 servings for children.

Research shows that fruits and vegetables are strong supporters of our health.Research supporting a critical role in fruits and vegetables with good health is growing stronger all the time. scientists now agree that fruits and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet. In addition to helping you to feel better eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can also help reduce your risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and other diseases.

The sad part is that, despite these benefits, only 10 percent of us are able to follow this advice., it is difficult to eat this many servings of fruits and vegetables on a consistent basis. For those of you that my situation, we would probably not take the necessary dose of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to remain healthy, unless we receive some form of vitamin supplement. However, the traditional vitamin supplements do not provide us with phytonutrients.

Bioactive tasks phytonutrients or how that work in your organization is an ongoing area of research; Some studies suggest that can act as phytochemicals,: antioxidants Stimulate detoxification enzymes stimulate immune system Positively affects hormones act as antibaktiriakoy or antiviral agents

General coumarins phytonutrients contain carotenoids, flavonoids, indoles, Lignans, isoflavones (including genistein and daidzen) organosulfurs and phytosterols. Hundreds of other phytonutrients are discovered, usually associated with the color of the fruit and vegetables, green, yellow-orange, red, blue-violet and white leads the recommendation that you should eat fruits and vegetables varied color each day.

Phytonutrient rich foods: red, green, yellow and orange vegetables (apricots, peaches, melons, Squashes, sweet potatoes, Pumpkin, carrots, ignama) cruciferous veggies (Kale, broccoli) dark leafy greens (spinach and romaine) (citrus fruits and berries) tea flaxseeds whole grains and pulses of garlic and Leek soya green and other herbs

Your concerns about how to obtain the necessary phytochemicals,? Juicing provides a large, natural way to get phytonutrients you need.Remember to fruit juices and vegetables which have a variety of colors to maximize your phytochemical intake.Despite the juicing, if you are difficult to find 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, especially in sufficient variety to give you a wide range of phytonutrients, recently I found an amazing source of phytonutrients from 24 fruits and vegetables, packaged in a convenient approach to on-the-go.Find out more.

For more information about phytonutrients and the recommended daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, you can refer to the website of the Government called eat 5 to 9 a day for better health.

Antioxidants behave like scavengers of free by radicals, neutralizing them before you can do any damage to a data cell s. free radicals are by-products of metabolism, Yes, everyone has them which is unstable because of the lack of an electron (remember the negatively charged particles from the class science). Unstable compounds shall be submitted in the process of oxidation to receive and transfer electrons, leaving behind a radical new free. this process can cause huge damage to your body's cells and will continue unless an antioxidant is interrupted While the agency process. has its own defence against oxidation process, foods rich in vitamins a, c and e significantly contributed to the cause, however, remember that under certain conditions, or taken to the extreme, any antioxidant can have negative side effects. as with the General diet, to maintain balance and don t excesses! Get sufficient phytonutrients is
The Natural path to good health.

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TNP-fats and oils

 

Natural oils and fats is really good for you, despite the fact that these days, many people think fats as bad. Labels on food advertising low-fat or non-fat, thereby helping to strengthen the belief. To be sure, too much fat intake as redundant anything-bad for you. However, by eliminating all fat from your diet is just as bad. Certain vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin a and beta-carotene, are fat soluble and consumed as a result, through the oil-rich plant and animal foods. Therefore, ensuring a reduced fat intake of certain oils and fats is the right solution for achieving good health.

Natural oils and fats which come in three varieties monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Commercially available food oils is generally processed and refined during the process of losing color, taste and the most significant nutritional value. Saturated fats tend to be less reactive than unsaturated fats.Therefore, your body has a more difficult time breaking down, and as a result they tend to accumulate, clog arteries and increase the level of cholesterol. remember that the unsaturated fats saturated when heated (such as when using oil for frying).

Hydrogenated oils are normally-liquid at room temperature-polyunsaturated oils altered in solid form in order to make them easier to use or more palatable.Margarine or shortening used for cooking are good examples of hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenation converts these monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils in artificially saturated fats called trans fatty acids. Recent studies have shown that trans fat has little nutritional value and creates an increased risk of heart disease.

In General, the best kinds of oil to use as monounsaturated oils (e.g. extra virgin olive oil). What is predominantly Use extra virgin olive oil and add a little butter, peanut oil, sesame oil or other petroleum to add a specific desired taste. Look for the cold Pressed oils because heat treatment generally kills nutrients and can convert the olive oil in a saturated fat.

Natural fats, in is good for your health; indeed, some fat is so important that they are classified as essential fatty acids. The reason they are called essential is that our bodies do not produce what fats. Therefore, they must be consumed.These fatty acids, can be classified as an Omega-6 fatty acids generally found in fresh products, vegetable oil and meat, and Omega-3 fatty acids in fish, green leafy vegetables and some nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed and walnut).

There are estimates that 100 years around 60 percent of American polyunsaturated fats was in the form of Omega-6 oils, while the remaining 40 percent consisted of Omega-3 oils.Because of the obsession with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, this balance has been changed to 95 percent Omega-6 oils and oil Omega-3 5 percent. experts believe that this shift can contribute to the increased rate of heart disease.Consume more Omega-3 oils is expected to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Natural fat that is best for your Coconut (non-hydrogenated) Organic butter extra virgin olive oil-proved to increase levels of phenol (antioxidant) in the blood, preventing oxidation damage to arteries. oilseed flax-good source of Omega-3 fatty acids

Oils and fats which may be used occasionally non-hydrogenated vegetable oil (cold Pressed)

Oils and fats to avoid non-organic animal fats (lard, butter, beef tallow Hydrogenated vegetable oils, margarine fall vegetable oil is cold Pressed Fake fat moderate amounts of natural oils and fats, Consuming (Olestra)
especially essential fatty acids, is the Natural path to good health.

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TNP-vitamin and mineral supplements

Vitamin supplements, dietary supplements in General, is an important part of getting our nutrition needs. Why? Taking into account our diets and lack of access to healthy food, and the dwindling nutritional quality of foods generally available today, our bodies should vitamin, mineral and other dietary supplements to fill this gap nutritional.

Background
There are at least 13 vitamins and mineral 15 information deemed essential to good health. Vitamins are organic compounds, which means that they contain, and are of course only in living things. Minerals is simpler, inorganic compounds and are all foods. Four of these vitamins A, D, E and k is meaning fat soluble ones can be stored in the body.(C) vitamins and eight forms of the water-soluble vitamin B, which means that surpluses eliminated by urination.Minerals are also classified into two categories-major minerals (makrostoicheiwn), such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, located in relatively high concentrations in foods, and minerals (microdata), such as copper, iron, zinc, and chromium, which are usually only found in minute amounts of all these vitamins and minerals play an important role in your body's ability to create cells, releasing energy our food, and to maintain the good health of our organs, bones and the immune system by taking vitamin and mineral supplements can help target shortcomings in our diet, for filling the gaps.

Your supplement is right for you?
You can find help to determine if your mineral and vitamin supplements are meeting your daily requirement of vitamin and is available in terms of nutritional value in your organization.On this basis, if you are satisfied with your mineral and vitamin supplements, which is great.However, if you're not, I found a good mineral and vitamin supplement that is well absorbed by the body and also provides phytonutrients.Even if you are happy with your mineral and vitamin supplements, you should make sure that you receive the phytonutrients that your body needs to maintain good health.

Your concerns about obtaining sufficient phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals; a very natural method of increasing our recruitment of phytonutrients are regularly start juicing. Despite the juicing sometimes the day and eat a balanced meal containing fruit and vegetables, it is still difficult to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. This is even more difficult when they travel, and do not have access to fresh juice on a regular basis if you feel that you receive the amount of phytonutrients, which is great; however, if you have the same concern, as I have, I found an amazing source of phytonutrients from 24 fruits and vegetables, packaged in a convenient approach to health-in-the-go.

Taking good mineral and vitamin supplements
The Natural path to good health.

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Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts

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Eating Healthy During the Holidays

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Trans Fats at Root of Health Problems

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Donuts or Low Carb Diets

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Grapefruit Your Way to Weight Loss

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World Health Organization says Reduce Sugar

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Think Eating Fat Will Make You Fat? Think Again

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Hoodia

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Want to Lose Weight? Think Simple

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Low fat, no fat, bad fat...what about good fat?

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Trimming Flab Away with CLA

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Cutting Cancer Risk with Fewer Carbs

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The Perfect Snack Food

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A Natural Sugar Substitute

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No Weight Loss Miracle Pill, But...

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Sleep More, Get Slim

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Staying Satisfied With Garcinia

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Healthy Snacking is Possible!

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Fast Food Fat - Bad For The Heart

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How Can I Lose Weight Without Losing Muscle Mass? [Forum]

Hi,
I am a male, 5'10", 147 lbs., exercising 4-6 times a week for approx. 2 hrs per exercise. My workouts are very intensive, since I train for mountain biking races. It is not unusual for a 2 hr ride to have an altitude gain of 3,000 ft, which, when combined with technical terrain such as rocks and high altitude makes up for quite a calorie expenditure.

I do some basic strength training: pull-ups, push-ups, etc, no heavy lifting involved. My question is: what is the best approach to lose a couple of pounds without losing any muscle mass.

The reason why I am asking is because last summer I was 2 lbs lighter and that really did help on long ascents, however it had a drawback of feeling weak sometimes when overtaking a big rock or another obstacle which required raw muscle power for a few seconds at a time.

Thanks for your input!

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Poll: Kirstie Alley Loses 50 lbs on Organic Liaison

Former Jenny Craig spokeswoman and program failure, Kirstie Alley, recently tweeted that she lost 50 pounds using Organic Liaison.

She helped develop this program and is the face of the diet which uses supplements and a mystical organic formula to help people lose weight.

Our line of organic weight loss products contains formulas and ingredients not commonly found in the marketplace to effectively assist with weight loss and maintenance. These products take the "toxic" out and rejuvenate your body with pure, healthy nutrients to help you lose weight.

What's a washed up, overweight actress to do in an industry that is obsessed with body image? Well, get out of the acting business and plunge into the multibillion dollar diet and supplement industry. With the help of Oprah, it couldn't be any easier.

It's great that Kirstie is getting to a healthy weight, however, she has a lot of motivation to succeed in the form of sales to generate from her success on her own program. Organic Liaison starts at $129 a month for the very basic 1 month plan which includes;

Rescue Me™ Kit including the first USDA certified organic weight loss productProven, expert weight loss system you can do at homeOnline tools with Daily Journal, Success Graph, Menu Planner and more!Organic recipes from Kirstie's KitchenAccess to certified specialistsOrganic Network Locator with instant access to organic grocery stores, restaurants and farmers markets in your area

It basically looks like most of the money is paying for the supplements as the other services could be found for free on sites such as SparkPeople.com.

What are your thoughts on Kirstie Alley and her new Organic Liaison program? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Sources: Organic Liaison, GossipJackel.com

Does Kirstie Alley really care about weight loss or is she just out to make a buck?

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Belly Fat Cure

The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise has found its way to the New York Times Best Seller List, and is one of the latest diets hoping to appeal to the millions of people who struggle with obesity.

Jorge Cruise is also the author of the popular 3 Hour Diet, which instructed dieters to eat every three hours to lose weight.

So, what does Cruise's new diet promote in order to help dieters lose belly fat and the promised "4 pounds a week"?

The basic premise of Jorge Cruise's new diet is based on keeping insulin levels regulated in the body. The Belly Fat Cure states that high insulin levels cause the liver to turn sugar into fat, which ultimately gets stored in the belly.

If a dieter wishes to keep insulin levels within a healthy range he/she must get rid of simple sugars from the diet. Jorge says that The Belly Fat Cure isn't about counting calories, but about paying attention to what kind of calories are being consumed.

Jorge claims that eating less and exercising more doesn't work, and he guarantees if the dieter sticks to his plan "to the letter", he/she will lose 4 pounds a week, and results will be "almost instant".

Cruise offer's prospective dieters a free 7 day plan and promises to be with the dieter every step of the way.

Breakfast 2 or 3 eggs any style with one slice of whole grain toast with a pat of butter or cream cheese. A cup of coffee with cream or half and half; but not milk, its full of hidden sugarSnack LunchSnack Dinner Salad with baby spinach, grilled chicken, crushed black pepper, and olive oil dressing. A side of either broccoli or zucchini, sauteed in butter and topped with melted mozzarella.Dessert Decaf espresso with a dollop of heavy whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon and sweetened with a packet of stevia.While cutting out simple sugars isn't really anything new, and has been shown to be effective in helping people not only lose weight, but to have better health as well, many of Cruise's claims in The Belly Fat Cure aren't based on solid research, and are more or less marketing hyperbole.

Statements such as "results are almost instantly", "eating less exercising more doesn't work", as well as "flavoring each of your three main meals daily with a pinch of salt will also aid in digestion and accelerate your weight loss", are simply not factual.

I signed up for the 7 day sample plan, which was really just a ploy to get me on Cruise's mailing list. It contained very little information, apart from a couple days worth of menus that to me seemed to be quite high in saturated fat, and was designed for a 40 year old woman, which I am not.

In Cruises automated email he claims to be with me every step of the way, yet when I replied to his email with a question, it instantly bounced back saying email quota was exceeded.

Although Cruise is a pretty savvy marketer of his products, by getting attention from Oprah and Dr. Oz, his Belly Fat Cure teaches nothing new and actually encourages dieters to consume high amounts of saturated fat and salt. Not to mention the widely disproved notion that belly fat can be targeted by a certain diet or certain exercises.

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American's Still Not Eating Enough Veg: Your Solutions?

We all know that vegetables are good for us. So, why is it that the world over, refrigerators contain a sad mess of limp, wilting vegetables week after week?

Are we just to busy to cook these days?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have issued their behavioral study on America's fruit and vegetable consumption, and the results are pretty bleak.

Only 26 percent of American adults eat vegetables three, or more, times per day.

This is actually less than half of what public health officials had hoped for.

But, according to Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst for the market research company, NPD Group:

There is nothing you can say that will get people to eat more veggies.

I wholeheartedly don't agree with Harry, but I suppose some of the main issues hindering people, include:

TasteExpenseHassle -- i.e. you can grab a banana and go, but veg is less convenientHow to cook them

For some, eating vegetables is always going to be less fun than a bag of potato chips, but how can this issue be solved?

What would you say/do to get the nation eating more vegetables? Have you been successful in encouraging someone in your own family to have a healthier diet? Share your tips below...

Photo source: damil

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Would This Amount of Exercise Be Considered "Moderate"? [Forum]

today I did a "guts, butts, and thighs" class

It felt like a pretty good workout, but I'm in shape so I wasn't sure, I did hear others say how much it made them sore but idk if I will be feeling that.

the class was an hour and afterward I talked to the instructor and asked her how many calories she estimated it burned. she said of course it depends on weight, which I know, but she she estimates it around of 600 because it is an anaerobic class which mixes cardio and strength.

after the class I ran 3 miles, 2 were a jog and 1 was a six minute mile

then i did some more ab workouts and a little more leg workouts for about 20 minutes

would you consider this moderate exercise or hard exercise?

this will probably only be 1 day a week cause the class is only one day a week

tomorrow I will probably run about 5 miles and do about 30-45 min of strength training

wed. i have a soccer game for an hour

thursday: will be a cardio kickboxing class for an hour then probably run 2 miles, then a hip-hop class
after i will do strength for 30 min

fri-sat are usually breaks
but i might go to a club where i dance for at least 2 hours nonstop and thats gotta be some exercise

and another day i'll probably go for a 3-5 mile walk

but overall the weekends are rest days

the main point is would you considerate my exercise moderate or heavy?

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Help Me End My Calorie Obsession Without Gaining Weight [Forum]

I am 5'7 almost 5'8 and I weigh 110-112 pounds. I know its thin and considered "underweight" but it is where I am comfortable being, I do not look too thin, I just look very lean and muscular.

However, I am terrified of gaining weight. My family is NO where close to the thin side, and I love them but sometimes it makes me cringe looking at them. I'm afraid that might happen to me.

I work out 3 times a week burning about 700-800 calories in the gym. I usually spend about 2 hours in the gym, and one day of the week I play 7 on 7 soccer. During the week I eat about 1000-1200 calories

I know this isn't healthy but I don't want to gain weight...

I did the harris benedict equation thing and it said just by existing I burn about 1367 per day, then with moderate exercise that number increases to 2119 (I don't know if what I do is considered moderate exercise)

So i guess if i consume 2119 calories a day I won't gain weight, is this true?
I have a hard time believing it and I doubt I could get myself to consume that many calories, I would feel so fat, and have a huge guilt trip. I count everything I put into my mouth. I often feel guilty consuming 1500 calories.

for instance today I did a cardio kickboxing class, ran 3 miles, did some strength training, and did a little rock climbing I burned about 1000 calories and ate 1133 today, and I'm kind of afraid to eat anymore

I know that if I eat to little my body will actually go into starvation mode and store fat, but for some reason my mind doubts that. I don't feel that hungry but it could be my guilt just telling my brain that.

On the weekends I try to eat a little more, I might have a treat like a mini blizzard or a burrito, something I will never allow my self during the week, but i feel really guilty afterwards... On the weekends I consume about 1500-2000 calories which might be bad cause I don't work out as much.

how much should I be eating to not gain ANY weight and how do I get over the guilt of consuming more than 1200 calories? Please help!

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The Twinkie Diet: Eat Junk Food and Lose Weight?

It's been dubbed "the Twinkie diet" by the media: Mark Haub, a professor in Kansas State University's Department of Human Nutrition, has been surviving on junk food for the past month.

And, he's lost weight.

This might seem to fly in the face of conventional nutritional wisdom. After all, junk food results in weight gain, right?

Haub started the "Twinkie Diet" on 25th August. Since then, he's been eating mostly swiss cake rolls, blueberry muffins, cinnamon rolls, Peanut Butter Oreos, and hot dogs.

As well as the junk food, Haub has milk (for protein), and vegetables (for vitamins) with dinner.

By sticking to 1,800 calories a day - around 600-800 fewer than he'd need to maintain weight - Haub lost 10lbs in the first three weeks of his "diet".

It shouldn't come as such as surprise. After all, you could lose weight eating two candy bars a day: it's the calories-in verses calories-out which matter.

Haub isn't doing this because he's a junk-food addict - he admits missing salads and blue cheese. He's trying to open up debate about how people on a low income can't eat healthily (on the diet, his food costs have dropped to around $5/day):

It's unrealistic in some areas of society to expect that you can find fresh broccoli, tomatoes at a price that is affordable. If somebody can get their nutrients from a supplement and then they get their fuel from whatever is available, does it matter that they're not getting fruits and vegetables and whole grains? Is that okay?

Of course, there are big nutritional questions to be asked about a diet which relies so heavily on sugary, salty, processed products. Nutrition is about a lot more than calories. Plus, most folks on a junk food diet would find themselves so hungry (due to sugar crashes and lack of fiber) that they'd be hard-pressed to stick to a calorie restriction.

What do you think? Is Haub's experiment an important one in a world where processed, packaged foods are often much cheaper than fresh ones? Or is this a dangerous way to diet?

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Can We Legislate Photoshop Use?

To those who aren't aware: EVERYTHING is photoshopped. Every image you see on a magazine cover is not real.

"I don't think there's a single photograph in those (magazines) that's not retouched. They're all manipulated to hell." Hany Farid, Dartmouth College

A number of countries are beginning to discuss how they might legislate against the practice.

Can we really ask governments to stop what we as consumers (apparently) desire?

UK organizations are beginning to talk about what initiatives could be introduced to curb the practice of digital manipulation.

The magazines defend the practice: "Sometimes readers want hyper-reality in a way - they want to be taken out of their own situation." - Jill Wanless, an associate editor at Look Magazine.

Gabourey Sidibe on Elle - complete with wig and lightened skin.
Image from movie Precious on right.

Australia have recently introduced voluntary guidelines for fashion and media industries. The code of conduct requires:

Disclosing when images have been retouched and refraining from enhancing photographs in a way that changes a person's body shape by, for example, lengthening their legs or trimming their waist or by removing freckles, lines and other distinguishing marks.

Photographers will not be putting their hands up to 'volunteer'

"Do politicians really so underestimate the populace that they think a warning ought to go on a fashion image?

"Maybe every woman who uses makeup ought to have a warning tattooed on her neck.

"The entertainment media, in general, traffic in fantasy. In that respect, the manipulation of images is a legitimate part of the job of entertainment producers." (source)

Can we really rely on 'voluntary' codes? Or even legislation? Do we as the consumer have a part to play here? Research (and anyone with eyes to see) shows that the size and shape of our bodies are increasingly at odds with media images.

See our exposé on Female Body Shape in the 20th Century if you need more convincing. Or even Wired's infographic on the decreasing size of playmate models.

Does anyone really know how 'hyper-reality' affects us?

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There's a Skinny Person Inside of Me...

But I Shut the Bitch Up with a Cookie..... Is a funny book about the week in the life of a yo-yo dieter.

The world of dieting and fitness can often be very serious so it's refreshing to see how the book's author, Arleen Mavorah, has found the lighter side of how ridiculous the quest to find the perfect diet can be.

There's a Skinny Person Inside of Me is written in "Dr. Seuss" style and is an easy, humorous read. I'm not a yo-yo dieter so I couldn't relate to much of her experience, however, I imagine someone that has walked in Mavorah's shoes will love this book.

If you're looking for a little comic relief in your quest to weigh less check out this book.

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Kindergarten Lunches Get a Failing Grade

A lunch box audit performed by dietician Shannon Crocker in 4 Ontario kindergarten classes, has left much to be desired.

Cold hot dogs, gummy treats, sugary fruit beverages and packaged cookies were par for the course in those Dora and Diego lunch pales (do kids have lunch pales anymore?).

Here are some other undesirable findings from this survey of 82 lunches.

85% of lunches had no vegetables at all.Almost every container had one sugary treat and some up to five.Only five lunches included milk, but most of them had at least one sugary fruit-flavoured drink of little or zero nutritional value.Most children had only one drink to get them through the day, while some had nothing to drink at all.92% did not have a cooler pack - despite some lunches containing spaghetti and meat sauces that would be prone to bacteria, if left to get warm. Many lunches did not provide enough food for the long day the children were at school. Crocker's has a theory on this one though;

If a child doesn't eat much, parents might pack small amounts of food, or busy mornings allow little time to assemble lunches, money may be a factor, or there may not have been much food in the fridge that day. Source

Obviously this is concerning on several levels. It highlights the need for education and access to healthy foods for children. The socioeconomic status of the schools in question was not mentioned, but it goes without saying that children need access to healthy foods.

This is further complicated by the issue of big food sponsors, and a resulting skewed perception of what is considered "healthy".

I think parents can take some very simple and inexpensive steps to boosting the nutritional quality of their children's lunches. It takes only seconds to include some baby carrots or other sliced veggies (with hummus or red pepper dip for example), an apple, whole grain crackers with cheese, and a tuna sandwich on whole grain bread. And, it takes no time at all NOT to include a sugary drink.

If all else fails, get Detective John Kimble to teach your class.

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

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Interview With Ben Davis: "My 120 Pound Journey"

In January of 2009, a young man by the name of Ben Davis had had enough. He was 358lbs, and his weight was taking its toll on his health and his personal life. Then one day he started to run...

If you haven't seen this incredibly inspiring video, do yourself a favor and watch it. Then watch it again, and share it with others. Ben Davis' journey is a true testament of the human spirit and what one can accomplish with dedication, hard work (and some nipple band aids!)

Here's the video:

Determined to get into the head of such a determined and fearless human being, I caught up with Ben Davis, and had the privilege of picking his brain about his amazing journey.

MH: Hello Ben!

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time out to do this.

BD: It's my pleasure; I'm honored.

MH: I was really struck by the line in the video that says "and then I got inspired". Was there a moment/event/epiphany that occurred that sparked you into action? Describe if you can what the turning point was.

BD: There was absolutely a moment for me. It was Christmas of '08. I was spending the break with my grandmother in Massachusetts. She's always been a big supporter of me, but has always been concerned with my health and obesity. Throughout my life, she had always offered me advice and tips on how to become healthy, but where I appreciated it, I had also always kind of dismissed it. Then, this particular Christmas, in one of our many conversations she just asked me if I was happy. At the time, I just nonchalantly told her I was. Later that night, though, I started to think about it, and realized I wasn't happy. I also had the luxury of being able to pinpoint my sadness to my obesity.

So the next morning was Christmas and, being the irresponsible grandchild, I hadn't gotten her a gift. I woke up early and made the website. I wrote the address on a card for her and told her it was my commitment to her, that it was finally time to get my life together. She loved it.

MH: When you decided you were going to start running, did you have a specific goal in mind? Did you ever imagine when you started this journey less than 2 years ago that you would have undergone such a drastic transformation?

BD: There wasn't really any goals at first other than, "lose weight, get fit." But I knew running would be a means to that end, so my brother, Jed, and I signed up for a 5K to kind of kickstart us and give us something to work towards. He had about 50 pounds to lose (and has, by the way) so it was a perfect time for us both to be getting our act together.

But finishing the 5K 17 days later lit a fire in me. I loved the race atmosphere and loved seeing my times improve, so I never looked back.

MH: People start these kinds of endeavors all the time with the best of intentions, but very few of them accomplish what you did. What was it that kept you going, Ben?

BD: A few things, actually. First of all, the fear of going back to the dark place of depression. I knew how sad I was back then and never wanted to go back. I actually wrote a letter to my future self on the blog. It basically said, "Dude, if you're thinking of giving up, just remember, you've never been as happy as you are now. Keep going." And any time I would have a bad run or eat bad for a week, I would remember that letter and keep going.

Second thing was the running scene and the constant races. Having races and goals for those races really keeps the motivation up. I probably wouldn't have been successful if I had gone in just trying to have random workouts each day. With races, you're always kind of on a set schedule, training wise, and always wanting to improve your times, so you're always motivated to keep hitting the track.

MH: You've accomplished such an amazing feat to this point. What are some of your personal and athletic goals for the future?

Being bigger, I'm not really built for speed. I'm more into the long distance, endurance stuff like triathlons and long road races, so my goals are more marathonish type things. Of course, it would be fantastic to run a marathon in all 50 states. That's one of our big goals. More Ironmans, no doubt. And recently we've been toying with the idea of a 100-miler, but nothing set on that. The main goal, though, is to keep going. Just keep doing it. If nothing else, just make sure to stay with it.

MH: Lastly, what message do you have for people out there who may find themselves in a situation similar to yours of 2 years ago?

BD: My four commandments!

1. Be public
If you keep this to yourself, it will be easy to quit. The thing about having a health problem/addiction, is that the natural impulse is to hide it and keep it secret that you're trying to better yourself. But, it's also easier to quit if it's just you that knows about it.

And here's a secret: Unlike some addictions like alcoholism or drug use that are hideable, obesity is different. People know you're obese. It's not your little secret; you're not fooling anyone (no matter how much black or vertical lines you wear). So if you want to change, tell people. It seems embarrassing, I know. And it's hard, but you'll find that the people that love and care about you are going to be excited for you.

2. Get involved in something official
The feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself will keep you motivated to keep going. Join a local fitness movement (running club, cycling group, weight watchers, etc...) If you have a group of people with likeminded goals, you'll keep coming back. As a bonus, if you join a running club, you'll have official races (Crazy scary, at first, but really no big deal) that you can work toward to keep you having goals. Get involved. You won't regret it.

3. Do something that you enjoy
Running isn't for everyone, so don't do it if you don't want to. Do you enjoy rollerblading? Good. Do that, but do it enough for it to work. Love cycling? Perfect. Did you swim in high school and kind of wish you could get back into it? Great.

If you hate what you're doing, you won't be doing it for very long. If I had said at the beginning, "I'm going to get really freaking good at doing the elliptical," BenDoesLife would have lasted two weeks. Find something that works for you and kill it. You can do it.

4. Be a smarter eater
And I don't mean you have to find a popular name-brand diet thing. If you want to, fine, but they aren't for everyone. But you have to eat better and, more importantly, smarter. Are you and your friends going out for pizza? Ok. Have two slices instead of seven (which was my number of choice.) Want something easy for breakfast? Toast an English muffin rather than a Pop-Tart.

And, if nothing else, learn portion control. Our portion sizes are completely out of whack these days, and what you think is a small meal is probably still more than you should be eating. It's going to take a month or two before you're used to the smaller portions but you'll get there, and it's imperative that you do. Give it time.

MH: Well, Ben I'm sure I speak for many when I wish you a very heartfelt congratulations and all the best in your future pursuits.

Be sure to check out Ben's blog - documenting his continuing journey and sharing thoughts, tips and other musings.

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Poll: Hugh Jackman May Bulk Up Vegan for Wolverine II

A few weeks ago our weekly poll focused on how a vegan diet almost killed Angelina Jolie.

Now it's been reported that Hugh Jackman is considering using a vegan diet to bulk up for his next movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine II. If a vegan diet almost "killed" Angelina will it produce a ripped, fierce, yet vegetarian wolverine?

In a recent interview with VegNews, Brendan Brazier, (a vegan nutritionist, athlete, author, and founder of vegetarian based Vega), said that he has been working with Jackman to prepare for his up coming movie.

Although the Wolverine bulked up eating a lot of chicken for his previous movie, Jackman has since switched to a mostly vegan diet for environmental and health reasons. Brazier isn't certain if the actor will go completely vegan for his bulk up, but will most likely be primarily vegan.

Will a vegan diet contain enough protein to produce the muscular Wolverine we saw in the first X-Men Origins movie or will we see a punier version in Wolverine II ?

What do you think? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Can a vegan diet be used to produce bulky muscle mass?

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Bangkok Street Fruit Can Be Downright Dirty

I guess any food you buy outside comes with inherent risks. It's outside after all.

Eat at any barbecue and you'll spend half the time swatting flies away from the sun-baked, mayonnaise-based potato salad.

Wait, what? Eww...

And it seems Bangkok has a big problem with food served from street carts, especially fruit and fruit drinks. That stuff can be contaminated with bacteria.

A Thai survey of Bangkok's fruit carts, selling fruit and exotic treats, found many contain unsafe levels of bacteria and chemicals, masked by Bangkok's tropical heat, which keeps the fruit looking fresh.

Researchers tested 153 samples of fresh fruit from 38 vendors across Bangkok, and discovered 67% had unsafe amounts of coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria is common in bacteria and not necessarily unsafe, but the report says its presence in poop may indicate other stuff, like E. coli.

So, the Prime Minister's Office has launched a one-month campaign to encourage fruit vendors to improve hygiene. Oh, and if a vendor fails to clean up their act, they face a fine, and up to two years in the slammer.

Here's a look at what a Bangkok street-fair is like. I don't know, the fruit looks pretty good. Hard to believe it might be crawling with nastiness.

If fruit isn't your thing, but crazy is. You can fly all the way to Bangkok and satisfy your masochistic hunger with fried bugs, ticks, and jiggers.

As an American, or anyone from a Western or "developed" country, street food in foreign countries can look a little scary, especially when that food is crispy beetles, water bugs, and giants ants.

But, I'd still love to go on a trip with Andrew Zimmern, even if it meant a nasty case of dysentery. Just no big bugs, I'm freaking terrified!

Image credit: positiveworldtravel

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More Teenage Girls Getting Questionable Weight-Loss Surgery

When you hear weight-loss surgery, you think image obsessed celebrities, and the morbidly obese - not teenage girls.

Aren't teenage girls only concerned with the latest trends at Hot Topic, and that Justin Beaver character?

No, many teenage girls spend a lot of time worrying about their weight and now more, and more teens are opting for risky lap-band surgery to lose weight.

Even though gastric banding is not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, a new study in the journal Pediatrics found the rate of gastric banding between 2005 to 2007 rose five-fold.

Researchers say most of the patients were young white girls, despite adolescent white girls only making up less than half of overweight youth.

Gastric banding places a silicone loop around the top part of the stomach, unlike gastric bypass which divides the stomach into an upper and lower pouch; both procedures facilitate dramatic weight-loss.

Among California teenagers, the rate of gastric banding increased from 0.3 per 100,000 kids to 1.5, whereas bypass surgery, which is considered the "gold standard" of weight-loss surgery, decreased from 3.8 per 100,000 to 2.7.

Gastric banding occupies two-thirds of an estimated $400 million weight-loss surgery market; intense marketing is helping the lap-band industry grow. Not being FDA approved makes this massively unethical.

And, many health experts are alarmed by the raise in gastric banding, finding fundamental and potentially dangerous problems with the surgery; placing a rigid ring around a moving organ could erode the area over time.

To me, this is a no-brainer. Weight-loss surgery is extreme, and should only be used in extreme cases where everything else has failed; i.e. no amount of nutritional intervention or exercise rehabilitation is going to save a severely obese person's life in time. But teenage girls? No, always no.

Teenagers aren't lost causes. Well, except for the 17 year old boy who is still eating paste. If you're younger than 18, your support system is probably stronger than it will ever be. So, between family, friends, school, and your doctor - there has to be a better, safer why to lose weight.

If you start taking the easy way out at 15, 16, 17, you're not exactly setting a good precedent for the rest of your life - are you?

Image credit: Lap Band Gastric Surgery / band bypass ballon

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PETA Mad at Joe Biden's Hotdog Cart

Oh boy, PETA is growling about something stupid again. The anti-meat, anti-fur, anti-animal testing crusaders are mad. And, this time they're ticked on a Presidential level, actually, a Vice Presidential level.

PETA is mad that United States Vice President, Joe Biden, stopped by The Colbert Report to show support for American servicemen and women... with hotdogs.

"You can't expect the troops to be lean, mean fighting machines if you're stuffing them with fattening, artery-clogging meat, eggs, and dairy products every day," said PETA Executive Vice President, Tracy Reiman, in a very, very crazy statement.

PETA also sent Joe Biden a letter expressing the group's disappointment, and suggested next time he should pass out veggie dogs.

Sorry PETA, hotdogs are gross and unhealthy, and probably made with cow feet, but veggie dogs are nasty too; processed junk loaded with sodium.

Here's what PETA is up in paws - err, arms - about, Joe Biden fulfilling the other of his two Vice Presidential responsibilities. "Giving hotdogs to returning warriors," said Mr. Vice President. That day, Stephen Colbert was saluting American troops returning from Iraq who were in the studio enjoying free beer and real grass under their feet.

When the news broke about PETA's outrage and their suggestion that Joe Biden hand out veggie dogs and vegan food instead, Stephen Colbert fired back, mocking PETA with kitten pie and calling them "PUTA."

PETA is a little kooky, okay, a lot kooky. I don't eat meat, and yes, world health would be much better off if we all ate more fruits and vegetables and less meat, but nitpicking a goofy sketch on a fake news show is just plain silly. If PETA ever wants to be taken seriously, this is hardly the way to do it. Fail.

Image credit: The Colbert Report

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Building Self-Esteem to Conquer Your Goals

All the traps and pitfalls in life, self esteem is the deadliest and hardest to overcome. For it is a pit designed and dug by our own hands, summed up in the phrase: It is no use, I cannot do it ~ Maxwell Maltz

According to some psychologists, self-esteem is the center of it all - THE most prominent factor when it comes to success in any health pursuit.

In any case, a struggle with self-esteem may be the sticking point you need to get past in order to succeed in your health goals. So, here are 10 ways to flex your self-esteem muscles.

Stop comparing yourself to others: This can be detrimental to your self-image and only serves to de-value who you are as an individual - a unique and wonderful individual.Always accept and appreciate compliments: Try not to downplay or reject compliments from others. The ability to receive is a hallmark of self-efficacy. Accept VALID criticism from those you trust: This may sound counterintuitive, as criticism can be the source of self-esteem issues, however feedback from those who are close to you should be accepted and appreciated just as compliments should. Make a list of a) Your good qualities (kind, thoughtful, organized, etc.) b) Your hobbies (knitting, scrapbooking, decorating, etc). c) Things you are good at (car maintenance, scrabble, Sudoku, etc). This exercise will help re-enforce your qualities and aptitudes, which will in turn infuse some confidence. Avoid making your problems the centerpiece of your conversation: Talk positively about your life and what you are working towards. Try and be aware of negative self-talk, take notice of how often you complain. Set achievable goals: Write them down and take small steps towards achieving them. Celebrate and reward your successes along the way (not with food, though).Use positive affirmations and tools: Ingraining positive thoughts often means repeating them often. Write them down and put them somewhere where you'll see them. Say things such as; "I am loved", "I am positive, motivated and liked", "Today is a great day to be alive", etc.Help others: Volunteering your time to help others in some way just plain feels good. Use these feelings as a motivator for your other actions in life.Surround yourself with positive and uplifting people: Misery loves company and negativity begets negativity. Find circles of friends who love to laugh, keep things positive and are generally pleasant to be around. Peer groups are important for adults just as they are for children and teens. Take responsibility: While negative self-esteem can be very limiting at times, taking a "woe is me" approach will only serve to keep you in the spiral of negativity and inaction. You and only you can choose to take action to better yourself, so commit to it, and take the necessary steps to reach your goals.

Do you have any tips for building self-esteem? How do you stay confident? If you feel you lack self-esteem, what do you think is holding you back?

Important note: Negative self-esteem may be a symptom of depression or other psychological disorders. Seek appropriate help if needed.

Image Credit: schadenfreude

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Do You Lack Motivation to Exercise?

One of the best ways to overcome a lack of motivation to exercise, is to find a healthy role model.

But forget Angelina Jolie, or Hugh Jackman, this is Carol Burns... and she's the real deal!

So, what's Carol's advice to the slackers amongst us?

Hey, get off your duff, and get over here and workout... it works for me!

This was Carol celebrating her 90th birthday at the Curves Gym. Yes, you read that right, she is 90 years old... wow!

I love Carol's ethos:

I'll grow old someday, just not today. So, I keep working out, so I don't have to.

Can you see yourself still working out when you're 90 years old?

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Drinking Milk Helps Weight Loss

We've got all sorts of things for weight loss: pills, diet books, surgery, and even vibrating machines you strap around your belly. But, who would have thought the answer would be as simple as drinking milk.

A new study claims consuming milk and calcium helped people lose more weight, regardless of diet.

But, before you go out and buy your own personal dairy cow, take a look at who sponsored the study.

Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, experts found study participants (300 overweight men and women, ages 40 to 65, on either a low-fat, Mediterranean, or low-carb diet) with the highest dairy calcium intake, 12 ounces of milk - equal to 580 milligrams of dairy calcium - lost 12 pounds at the end of two years, regardless of the diet style.

On the flipside, people with the lowest dairy calcium intake, 150 milligrams of dairy calcium, about half a glass of milk, only lost seven pounds.

The magic might not just be in the milk or the calcium. The researchers say vitamin D levels were higher in the people who lost the most weight. Vitamin D is a nutrient that acts like a hormone, and helps facilitate calcium absorption. Other sources of vitamin D include fatty fish like salmon and algae supplements.

But, the research has a fatal, and sadly all too common flaw, it was supported by the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Research Foundation, i.e. a fad diet company. Atkins advocates a high-fat diet for weight-loss, eating foods like bacon, steak, eggs, and of course milk, so you've got to raise an eyebrow. It's the same as a cigarette maker backing research that claims inhaling tobacco smoke actually improves lung health. Fail.

When a fad diet, activist group, or pharmaceutical company sponsors a study the findings can't be trusted. It's like a mafia don buying a judge.

Image credit: [ henning ]

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