Video - Five Best Sugar Substitutes

Do you have a sweet tooth? Dr. Axe offers you some excellent sugar replacements that are so healthy for you. Watch, learn and see what suits you best.



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Video - Apple Cider Vinegar. How it Helps Busy People with Crazy Schedules

Want one easy dietary change to help make a big impact on your health, shape or weight? Watch and listen to Thomas DeLauer explain the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.

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The Benefits of Lemons on Blood Sugar

American Diabetes Association lists citrus fruits, including lemons, as a top 10 diabetic superfood. Lemons are best known for their vitamin C content, but their fiber and acidity also slow digestion, causing a steadier rise in blood sugar levels. By getting key nutrients through foods rather than supplementation, you have a better chance of improving your blood sugar. It’s easy to get in the habit of adding this tasty and inexpensive food to your dietary regimen.

Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar

Carbohydrates are macronutrients found in grains, beans, vegetables and dairy foods. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into a simple sugar called glucose, which is then transported to the cells of your body. All carbohydrates, whether pasta or soda, are made up of sugar molecules, but they affect your blood sugar levels differently. How quickly a carbohydrate-containing food increases your blood sugar depends on the sugar molecules present and the rate at which you digest them.

Lemon Juice

The glycemic index is a scale that compares how rapidly a food increases your blood sugar. A variety of factors affect a food's glycemic index, such as acid. Lemon juice is acidic, and it slows how quickly your stomach empties food so your body takes longer to break apart sugar molecules, causing a steadier rise in blood sugar levels. For examples, sprinkle lemon juice on white rice to lower the GI of the rice, or drink lemon water with your meal. One to two tablespoons of lemon juice may reduce the impact of a meal on your blood sugar by as much as 30 percent, according to an article in "Reader's Digest."

Soluble Fiber

Lemons are on the American Diabetes Association’s superfood list because of their soluble fiber content. Fiber is a carbohydrate, but your body can’t break it down so it does not impact your blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber in particular stabilizes blood sugar by slowing the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream. The Joslin Diabetes Center recommends you consume between 20 and 35 grams of fiber daily. The juice from one medium lemon contains 2.4 grams of fiber, or between 7 and 12 percent of that recommended amount.

Recommendations

Add lemon slices to water to sip on throughout the day, or add fresh lemon juice to hot and cold unsweetened teas. Splash lemon onto rice dishes, onto pasta with fresh vegetables or as a seasoning for poultry and fish. Incorporate lemon juice and zest into salads and salsas. Buy fully ripe, heavy, thin-skinned lemons, which have more minerals than thick-skinned lemons. Keep them at room temperature away from sunlight for up to one week and then store them in your crisper drawer.

Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/472840-the-benefits-of-lemons-on-blood-sugar/

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See What Happens To Your Body When You Start Taking Fish Oil Everyday

Would you like to improve your health in many ways by increasing one thing in your diet?

Anti-ageing, improved fertility, fat burning, muscle building, improved skin and better memory to mention a few. Watch this short video now and improve your life.

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The Myth about Blood Sugars and Diabetes - Dr Berg

Diabetic or not, understanding blood sugar is essential if you want to reduce your body fat and keep it off. Dr Berg is great at explaining how blood sugars work. Watch not and take control of your body.

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New More Simple Measure Of Body Fat

Could we all be saying good-bye to BMI? Waist to height ratio might be a better measure of body fat than the more widely used body mass index (BMI) for predicting health risks - so says new research.

The team of researchers examined 31 studies that included over 300,000 subjects belonging to a variety of ethnic groups, finding that waist to height ratio was far more accurate than either BMI or waist circumference at predicting specific health risks - things like hypertension, diabetes as well as heart disease.

In another report saw experts take the research to the next step. They reported that a man, aged 30 who did not smoke would have a lower life expectancy (by up to 14%) if the circumference of his waist was over half his height.

Keeping that waist trim is key, and could help many people the world over according to researchers. The great thing about waist to height ratio is that it can be used across all genders and ethnic groups. As this method also accounts for different heights, it can be used in any nation and on any population.

In the U.S., the findings are welcome news, as there are many professionals who are not happy with relying on BMI. Other nations, including the UK. Australia, Japan, India and Brazil are also coming to support this approach.

Experts suggest that all of us take out that tape measure and check your own waist measurement. Pay attention to the ratio between your waist measurement and your height - your true height, not the one listed on your driver's license or that you were in your 20s.

The problem with the more widely used BMI is that it's based on your height and weight, without considering muscle mass. This means that a very muscular person's BMI might classify them as obese, even though clearly that weight is not fat, but muscle. Waist circumference, considered an improvement over BMI, shows just how much weight you're carrying around the middle, the most dangerous place on the body for fat to be, as it increases your risk of heart disease, a stroke, diabetes and even a few cancers.

To get your waist measurement, put a tape measure around your waist at the belly button and rest it against your skin, not pushing in, and being sure you have the tape measure in the same place all the way around. The measurement you want is the one where the end meets the tape beginning. See... easy and affordable, though more research is required to show experts how to use the information.

As a rule of thumb, when assessing your measure of body fat try to keep your waist to less than half of your height; you'll likely live longer. Or at least keep your waistline measurement to under 60% (0.6) of your height. Even a small weight loss can have a big impact. You can do this by eating a healthy, balanced diet that's low on fat and sugars, being active on most days of the week and making sure you get a good night's sleep most of the time.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more effective ways to measure of body fat than BMI.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kirsten_Whittaker/10824

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Are You Thinking About Exercising?

A recent survey by the British Heart Foundation has revealed that approximately half of all adults, 47%, do no exercise at all. This sedentary lifestyle is described as a silent killer, massively impacting on the efficiency of businesses and the resources of the NHS (to the tune of £1.2 billion), as well as our individual health and quality of life.

Lack of exercise contributes to heart disease, diabetes, obesity as well as mood and mental health conditions like lethargy, lack of motivation, laziness and depression. It's calculated that some people spend 78 days per annum sedentary.

And yet exercise doesn't have to mean running a marathon or climbing a mountain. No one wants to experience the humiliation of turning up at a gym feeling like an inelegant blob amongst a room full of lycra-clad fitties. Exercise can be fun and really add value, friends and a breathing space to your life.

Let's look at how exercise can become an enjoyable part of life;

- At home, simple things like going upstairs to put something away, rather than waiting until a pile's accumulated at the bottom of the stairs can start the commitment to exercise and becoming more mobile. It's too easy to settle, unmoving for hours in front of the TV. Go outside as soon as you need to put something in the recycling bin, walk to speak to a family member rather than shout across several rooms; all simple ways to become a little more active.

- Another option could be to put dinner on slow-cook and go for a walk with your partner. It allows you both to talk and freely discuss your days, share your thoughts and enjoy the opportunity for a conversation, rather than hastily exchanging updates about the children or that you need more toothpaste. A regular walk could give you time to reconnect in a loving way.

- Encourage the children outside for a game of football or rounders. Maybe even invite neighbours or friends to join in. Children need breaks from studying and from their computer games. It's important for them to exercise and interact with others, be reminded that they're part of the family and have to spend time some together. Social skills, learning to de-stress and unwind as well as staying fit are all important parts of their education and life skills.

- At work, try to take regular water-cooler breaks. Get up and go for a drink. Try to get fresh air at lunchtime and include a walk around the local park. Some offices are introducing standing desks, regarding sitting as 'the new smoking'.

- Set off for work a little earlier so that you can cycle in, or disembark from the bus a stop sooner, both great ways to start the day feeling energised and alive. Many people like to beat the rush hour traffic, exercise before work and grab a quick shower. It can start the day with a buzz.

- At the gym, it can be motivational and indeed some people feel committed as soon as they've handed over their membership fee. They like the routine of regular classes or meeting up with the same people and working out together, but a gym can feeling daunting to some people.

- If a gym doesn't work for you, how about independent fitness classes? They're often held in community centres or village halls and frequently operate a pay-as-you-go system. They may offer yoga and pilates, dance classes like zumba or more high energy aerobics sessions. A bonus to attending fitness classes regularly is that you'll see the same faces, gradually get to know people and potentially enhance your social circle. Independent fitness lasses can be fun, sociable and supportive, chosen to suit your needs. Definitely an added bonus.

- Joining a team sport can be a great way to exercise regularly. Knowing that others are relying on you to turn up so that they can have a game can provide motivation, responsibility, as well as close relationships to enjoy. Watch how the runners in the Marathon supported each other. They had individual dreams and positive mindsets, whilst encouraging others to achieve their goals.

If you're tentative about exercise remember that there's no need for expensive memberships or kit. Use what you have; the local park, beach or countryside, maybe arrange with family or friends to walk or play games. Even if you're on your own you can go for a walk or join a local club and exercise with other like-minded people.

Two and a half hours of exercise each week, at a level where you breathe faster, feel warm and raise your heart level is enough to make the difference to your health and wellbeing, both mentally and physically. And those times when we don't feel like exercising? Most times if we persevere we feel better afterwards. The endorphins, or feelgood hormones, kick in to lift our spirits.

Susan Leigh is a long established counsellor, hypnotherapist, writer and media contributor who works with clients to help with relationship conflict, stress management, assertiveness and confidence issues. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.

She's author of 3 books, 'Dealing with Stress, Managing its Impact', 101 Days of Inspiration #tipoftheday', and 'Dealing with Death, Coping with the Pain'; all self help books with lots of easy to read sections, tips and ideas to help the reader regain control of their life.

To order a copy or for more information, help and free articles visit http://www.lifestyletherapy.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Susan_Leigh/399535

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The Hidden Monsters

There are some scary hidden monsters - not in your kids' closets, or on the television but right in the foods we eat - what makes our food so sweet, flavorful, and tasty? These additives that make food cheaper, also aide in making us sicker, or less healthy. Today we will focus on two major monsters. Let's come together and get rid of these monsters for GOOD!

Sugar

While we all have an idea that sugar is not the best for you, many of us do not know how many items have sugar in them. To sum it up- pretty much EVERYTHING!! Sugar weakens the immune system, it takes oxygen away from the cells breeding disease and sickness, it aides in diabetes, and it causes a rapid rise and fall of energy that is not healthy for us just to name a few.

Fortunately there are some products that do not have sugar in them you just have to know how to look. Here's how- look on the back of any food package and there is a nutrition label. The label gives various percentages of different nutrients. Directly below that are the actual ingredients. Start paying attention to the first five ingredients- that is what is used most in the product. If you see sugar or one of its code names in that first five, the product has an abundance of added sugar. Below are some of the names that sugar has:

Brown rice syrup 

Fructose 

Sucrose 

Corn syrup 

High Fructose Corn Syrup 

Cane Juice 

Evaporated Cane Juice 

Dehydrated Cane Juice 

Malt Syrup 

Glucose 

Lactose 

Sorbitol

These are just a few sugar code names, there are many more. So how do we avoid or take in less sugar?

Pay attention to the labels and try to by items that do not have added sugar- not sugar free- artificial sugar is worse.

Try to prepare foods at home or use your own sauces. 99.9% of the items you buy to eat out have sugar in them and a lot of it.

Eat more natural sugars and leave the sweet cravings to minimal times throughout the week. Maybe you treat yourself on the weekend to a dessert or something of that nature.

MSG

The second monster is MSG which stands for monosodium glutamate. It is used as a food additive in many food items. The inventor of MSG was Asian which is why it is associated with Asian foods but it is used in so many more items. It enhances flavor, makes salad taste fresher, meat taste more tender, and overall food taste delicious. MSG does this by "fooling" the tongue with an unknown taste that we like called umami. While we may see products that have MSG free on them unfortunately some may still have MSG in them.

Why is MSG so harmful? Let's take a look:

Once eaten, it over excites our cells causing them to damage or kill themselves. It triggers or adds to Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's, and Parkinson's disease just to name a few. Regular consumption of MSG can also lead to:

Obesity 

Eye Damage 

Headaches 

Migraines 

Fatigue and disorientation 

Depression 

Numbness 

Burning sensations 

Tingling 

Facial pressure or tightness 

Chest Pain 

Difficulty Breathing 

Drowsiness 

Rapid Heartbeat

If you have experienced one or more of these symptoms they could very well come from the food that you consume with MSG. Now that people are aware of the harm that MSG may cause, companies have come up with other names-let's expose some of them:

Autolyzed yeast 

Calcium Caseinate 

Gelatin- which is also pork 

Hydrolyzed Protein 

Monosodium Glutamate 

Yeast Extract 

Natural Flavorings 

Citric Acid 

Maltodextrin 

Corn Starch 

Pectin 

Some types of foods that have MSG: 

Bouillon 

Natural Chicken Flavoring 

Flavors and Flavorings 

Powdered Milk 

Natural Beef and Pork Flavoring

What do I do? 

The best way to avoid an abundance of sugar and MSG is by eating whole foods and plant based foods the majority of the time. If you are at a restaurant you can request that no MSG is added to your food but the only way that you will be certain is if you eat less processed foods, more plant based foods, and less eating out at restaurants.

Challenge: Work towards less processed foods and more whole foods one step at a time. Do not be overwhelmed, you can do this!

Take small steps, and make small changes. Remember, it's not a diet... it's a lifestyle!

If you like this article and would like more healthful information, visit http://www.nakeeshasnutrition.com and sign up for the mailing list to receive your free gift!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nakeesha_Harris/1847403

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Why Belly Fat Is The Most Dangerous Body Fat

No matter what you call it, spare tire, pot belly or beer keg, having excess fat in your abdominal area is not a good thing. As a matter of fact, it presents a very serious danger.

Belly fat is not like the fat on other parts of your body. It is far more serious. When you have excess belly fat it increases your risk for things such as:

· Sleep apnea

· Metabolic syndrome

· Diabetes

· Cardiovascular disease

· Breast cancer

The fat that rests between your skin and abdominal wall is known as subcutaneous fat. The next layer of fat, the fat that surrounds your internal organs is known as visceral fat. This type of fat is nothing to play with. It is biologically active and can produce an excess of hormones.

Researchers often describe it as an active organ in the body that creates hormones and inflammatory substances.

This type of fat turns into fatty acids that can get into the liver and muscle of the body, according to Lewis Kuller, MD, DPH.

This type of drainage causes various changes, such as, an increase in bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Along with this reaction, insulin stops being as effective in controlling blood sugars, which, results in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance often leads to Type 2 Diabetes and other conditions such as, heart disease.

Belly Fat In Men

One of the reasons men are more likely to have heart disease is because they tend to collect more belly fat than women, and, also earlier in life.

One study showed that too much of this type of fat in men is a risk for "all-cause mortality", which means death from any kind of cause.

Too much belly fat in men has also been linked to erectile dysfunction in men over age 60.

Belly Fat In Women

The hormonal imbalance caused by this type of fat, can also leads to breast cancer in women, where the risk is 1/3 higher than that in women without it.

It can also cause inflammation in the body. And if you know anything about inflammation you know it is the cause of a variety of different health conditions and diseases.

According to one Danish study, women are five times more likely to die from heart disease when they have lots of belly fat, large waists and high levels of fat in the blood stream.

What Causes Belly Fat?

Genetics

There are a lot of different factors that can cause someone to have an excess of belly fat. One such factor is genetics. If your parents have a lot of belly fat you are more likely to have belly fat as well. The sad truth is it can move down from generation to generation.

Hormones also play a huge role. For example, after a woman goes through menopause the hormonal changes that take place can cause fat to gather in the belly.

Poor Diet

The most common cause of belly fat is poor dietary habits and a lack of exercise. These days people live on a fast food diet and never take the time to go to the gym. This not only leads to belly fat but it can also lead to obesity. So now the question is how can you get rid of belly fat?

The first thing you need to do is get your diet in check. No more eating unhealthy fast food 5 nights a week. It's time to start cooking. You need to eat lots of fresh veggies, fruits and proteins. Things such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, oranges, pineapples, mango and chicken are all great for losing weight.

Exercise

But it's not just enough to get your diet right. You also need to start exercising. Exercising and eating right help keep your metabolism revved up. And the best part is you don't have to workout a long time to see the results.

All it takes is 30 minutes a day of intense exercise and you would be surprised how fast your body starts to change.

When you workout be sure to incorporate resistance training. The more muscle you build the more fat you will burn during a 24 hour period.

So, ladies don't be afraid to increase your muscle mass. It will go a long ways towards helping you shed those extra pounds.

Russell (Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club, an online network of websites devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness. The sites encompass a wide variety of health and fitness activities including, pilates, yoga, crossfit, treadmill training, equestrian, running, kettlebell, swimming, and more. Also covered are Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Positive Thinking, the Law of Attraction and related topics. Those interested can visit the HF & S Club home site at [http://www.healthfitnessandsport.com] and [http://www.healthyhabitsmatter.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/J_Russell_Hart/278755

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Sleep Deprivation - A Hidden Cause for Obesity

Obesity has been the recent popular "epidemic" to cause havoc among the people in recent years, with the zero figure becoming the new In-Thing. The duality of this issue is that on the one hand, the world is getting fatter and fatter with the growing popularity of junk food in the market, and on the other hand fitness standards that are acceptable have grown increasingly rigid in order to sustain the increasingly vulnerable human body. With a lot of research and analysis being put in to understand and counter obesity, many contributing factors have been found:

less physical activity

high caloric intake

genetic interaction with environment

cultural influences

sleep deprivation

Recent research conducted by various scientific groups, in order to fight obesity has shown that sleep deprivation, to a certain extent, does affect our weight. To understand this, we must look at our history. With electricity and other technology allowing us to expand our day, we sleep almost 27% less daily as our ancestors. This has also been factored with the rise in obesity over the last century, and the resulting prognosis is as follows: Getting less than 6 hours of sleep in a day can increase the likelihood of obesity.

Studies supporting this statement have demonstrated that 1.1 million people worldwide have recorded an increase in their Body-Mass Index (BMI) when their sleep cycles fell to below 7 hours daily over a period of time. For those who aim to lose weight, this is definitely something to keep in mind.

Studies have shown all kinds of trends, such as when a person's sleep pattern falls below 8 hours, the increase in that person's BMI would be directly proportional to the decrease in the sleep. A test done on 45000 children showed that the lesser the child sleeps, the more he or she is at risk of becoming obese. The explanation has been found in that lack of sleep leads to impaired glucose tolerance, which is a marker of the following: 

Diabetes and insulin resistance.

Reduced Leptin, a hormone that usually suppresses appetite.

Increased Ghrelin, a hormone that increases a person's appetite.

Knowing that a good night's sleep is the easiest way to stop gaining weight is a stride forward at shedding it. It proves that simply making lifestyle changes such as a longer sleeping schedule can lead to a better metabolic health free of the risk of obesity. 

CMS is a community of medical fraternity who reaches out to people fighting obesity. Obesity and diabetes consultation and Bariatric surgery is our prime focus. Get in touch with our experts on our Facebook page - Centre for metabolic surgery, if you have weight problem, and we will get back to you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paushali_Sahu/880625

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The Sitting Disease - Maybe This Is the Smoking Gun?

As a physiotherapist I am well aware of the effects on a joint that has been immobilized in a cast for several weeks or the deconditioning that results from weeks or months of bed rest due to illness. Last week I was listening to the CBC radio station and there was an excellent interview conducted by Anna Maria Tremonti, with a medical doctor named Mike Evans. Doctor Evans spoke about relatively new research, which is shining a light on another major contributor to obesity and heart disease - the Sitting Disease. Doctor Evans has a campaign and an excellent YouTube video, which encourages people to make their day a little harder. Like many researchers into obesity, diabetes, and heart disease Dr. Evans points out that when you look at middle-aged and younger people living in the 1960′s and 1970′s, they were rarely overweight by more than 5 pounds. With our current state of ballooning rates of obesity and diabetes in all age ranges, it begs the question, "What was different then compared to now?"

The easy answer is to say that we are not as active and we consume too many calories. While this is most definitely true, it is worth noting that there is a new group of people who are overweight yet follow the recommendations of getting sixty minutes of exercise everyday and watch their caloric intake. In fact, in the sport of triathlons, it is estimated that one third of all recreational triathletes are overweight! People researching the Sitting Disease tell us that even if you are exercising 60 minutes a day before or after work, a sedentary work life puts you at the same risk for diabetes as the person not exercising at all! Researchers have found that no matter how active people are, most of us sit for nine hours a day. It seems exercise does not change the overall time spent sitting. Genevieve Healy, Ph.D., coined the term "active couch potato" to describe people who exercise regularly and then sit most of the day at work.

What is clear is that our bodies are meant to be moving. We have not yet evolved to sit in our car to commute to work to sit at work to sit during lunch to again sit in our cars only to get home to sit at the dinner table and finally relax while sitting in front of the television. Marc Hamilton, Ph.D., says that when we sit our metabolic rates slow down and our sugar burning ability slows down leading to chronically elevated blood sugars. A recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports that a man who sits more than 6 hours a day has an 18% increased risk of dying from a heart attack and a 7.8% increased risk of dying from diabetes! It is clear that exercise is good for us but if we then spend 6 or more hours a day sitting, it completely negates the benefit. A 12 year study of 17,000 Canadians found that the more people sat, the earlier they died and this was regardless of: age, body weight, or how much they exercised. Adding to the weight of evidence of the perils of the Sitting Disease is that a key gene which prevents clotting of blood and inflammation of the cardiovascular system is almost shut off when you sit for a couple of hours and even more startling is that this gene is not turned on with exercise if you sit most of the day!

So when we look back at pictures of people from the 1970′s and earlier and we notice how svelte they are, we have to wonder if the fact is that sitting less made all the difference. While it is tempting to consider the culprit to be consuming too many carbohydrates or too many soft drinks, it might be that the truth is a little harder to bear. It might be that as Doctor Mike Evans tells us, "We need to make our days a little harder." Instead of emailing the person down the hall, try the 1980′s style of getting up and going to talk to that person. Maybe instead of driving to the store to pick up a bottle of wine, consider walking. Perhaps the French paradox is simply that the French move around a bit more? 

I find this research on the Sitting Disease compelling. As somebody who sits at least 6 or 7 hours a day, I am concerned enough where I have decided to change my work environment and home environment. I have now started reading while spinning on my exercise bike instead of sitting in a comfy chair and I am going to try one of those goofy exercise bike/desks - it can't hurt? I suppose the easiest way to deal with this at work is to simply stand every 30 minutes or so. If the bike/desk is too difficult to use with my computer, I may try just setting an alarm to go off every 30 minutes. I will keep you updated on this latest experiment.

Read more and discover your Base Frequency at http://www.ekahimethod.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Brett_Wade/1646122

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