Archive for February, 2010

Green Tea for Weight Loss



Author : Mike Roussell

Green tea is an extremely effective tool in weight loss Is it a miracle cure? No, there is no such thing, however the use of green tea is worthy of regular and consistent consideration in your nutritional diet, as its benefits and contributions to weight loss are both unique and considerable Let’s take a closer at the benefits of green tea to your overall health in this section and then in part two, focus more specifically on the exact benefits that green tea has in the quest of weight loss and healthy weight management

Green tea finds its roots in China, Asia, Japan and the Middle East Its health benefits date back centuries, as far back as 1911 when Zen practitioners reported the healing properties found in the regular consumption of green tea Over the last 10 years, green tea has migrated and found its way into the Western world With health benefits dating back centuries, it serves us well to closely examine and consider the use of this simple and enjoyable addition to our diets

Below you will find a list of the long purported health benefits associated with regular (daily) ingestion of green tea Many of these have been scientifically researched and proven effect to the applicable claim Others have not yet been academically signified, however they are widely accepted as true due to the lack of need to scientifically prove these claims; the benefits have been so long-standing and evident in regular users of green tea for centuries, thus the validity of the claim is acceptable

*Anti-Cancer Properties- In 1996, New Scientist Magazine performed a study that indicated positively that green tea protects against a range of cancers; most specifically, prostate, breast and lung cancers

*Increased Metabolic Rate- The University of Geneva as well as the University of Birmingham conducted trials and research on green tea and its relationship to metabolic rate Conclusively, they found that green tea raises the metabolic rate, speeds up fat oxidation and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance All this translates to quicker and absolute weight loss They also found green tea increases energy and endurance thus leading to more productive lifestyles and exercise routines All this equates to weight loss for green tea users

*Improved Fat Metabolism- As suggested in the study above, it has been proven that green tea increases endurance by improving fat metabolism Clearly this translates to greater weight loss with less, yet easier, effort

*Possible Anti-Diabetes Effect- As of January 2008, there is epidemiological (study of controlling and preventing diseases) evidence that suggests strongly that regular drinking of green tea may help in preventing diabetes

*Boosts Mental Alertness- The amino acid L-theanine found in green tea diligently alters the attention networks in the brain resulting in a calmer, yet more alert, state of mind This was proven scientifically in September 2007 by a research team at The City University of New York

*Boosts the Immune System- Studies in 2003 at the Brigham and Women’s Hospitals showed that green increases the anti-bacterial proteins that fight infection up to five times greater than those in the study who did not regularly consume green tea

*Lowers Chance of Cognitive Impairment- A 2006 Japanese study showed that elderly Japanese people who drank two cups of green day a day had a 50% lower chance of developing cognitive impairment in comparison to those who either drank fewer amounts of green tea, or none at all This is believed to be the result of the amino acid EGCG found in green tea

*Lower Stress Hormone Levels- Stress levels have been found to be lower in green tea drinkers due to the lowering of cortisol, which is a hormone linked to stress and stress symptoms

*Inhibition of HIV Virus- A June 2007 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that green tea can lead to the inhibition or repression of the HIV virus Many doctors today recommend that those individuals suffering from HIV complement their medicine with regular green tea consumption

*Inflammatory Bowel Disease- Various amino acids found in green tea have been shown to decrease the inflammation found in this disease

*Decreased Bad Breath-Certain polyphenols found in green tea assist in inhibiting the growth of bacteria that causes bad breath This has been shown by researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago

With all these health benefits provided by green tea it is no wonder that we all do not regularly consume green tea; for to aid in our overall health, without question, it is an addition to our diet that needs to be strongly considered In regard specifically to weight loss, a few important aspects were touched upon above

Green tea increases the rate of the metabolism, increases endurance and increases energy by accelerating fat metabolism These elements are all critical in the quest of weight loss

Further, in assisting in managing healthy weight, green tea has been shown to lower cholesterol which is vital in healthy weight maintenance

Green tea may not be a miracle cure for weight loss, however with all the other health benefits it provides, green tea needs to be a part of anyone’s nutritional diet that is serious about maintaining a high quality of life while looking their absolute best!

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Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint created by nutritionist Mike Roussell. You can learn more at http://www.warpspeedfatloss.com

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Taking the Guess Work Out of What is For Dinner



Author : Art Gib

Restaurant dining guides area great way to find exactly what type of food you are in the mood for in whatever city you find yourself in Users of restaurant guides can easily search a city for a particular type of food, from traditional dishes to the exotic to many ethnic varieties of cuisine Broken down by category, restaurant guides provide listings of restaurants that appeal to every appetite

To make selecting the right restaurant for the right occasions easier, some restaurant guides go as far as to include their listings restaurant menu and customer reviews This information can be very helpful for large parties and groups that may have people with varied tastes and budgets To further assist the adventurous diner, guides will usually include a rating system that gives stars based on the quality of food and the services of the wait staff

Other symbols appearing within a restaurant guide indicate the scale of luxury a restaurant has, this information can be particularly useful to patrons seeking a more upscale dining experience Recommendations appearing in a restaurant guide may also express a restaurants policy, such as jacket required, suggesting that the restaurant is fro fine dining and will probably require guests to call ahead for a reservation

Restaurant guides rank restaurants in one of two ways, either compiling comments from professional food critics or by soliciting comments from the restaurants customers In some cities across the United States newspapers publish a best rated guide where participating restaurants solicit votes from the general public about where the best places to eat may be found

Reader polls determine the winners through a series of qualifying questions regarding service, wait times, atmosphere, as well as quality of food and presentation These form of Best Of contests carry great prestige and the winners are awarded a special plaque that is proudly displayed by the owners near the entrance to the restaurant The Best Of guide appears annually in a special section of the newspaper promoting the competition and restaurant owners often include the accolade in other restaurant dining guides that they appear in

Restaurant guides can be found in every major city in the country and can be very useful to the traveler that finds himself in a strange city desiring a new or unique dining experience Restaurant dining guides are available in printed formats or for added convenience can be researched online by city and state

Real Arizona Reviews (http://realarizonareviews.com) is Phoenix’s best restaurant dining guide for finding food and restaurants in and around Phoenix, Arizona. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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Put A Little Fire In Your Food With Spices And Peppers



Author : Aydan Corkern

If you are a cook that usually just throws whatever you can that is the fastest when you get home from work at night, then you are probably sick and tired of meals that come from a box, out of the freezer, or sometimes out of a can When you are always short on time it can make cooking a family meal just one more chore you only want to get done finished The choices are limited when you need to get it done in a hurry, but you also want it to be good and different

Using fresh ingredients when you cook can sometimes be just as easy as using boxes of things that have to be added together and then cooked The thing is, if you keep fresh ingredients on hand like garlic, peppers, onions, and a variety of spices, you can cook up some quick dishes of your own just as fast with fresher additives There are so many spices and peppers to choose from, some are hot and some are not If you are worried about the preparation time, investing in an electric chopper will cut down on that prep time

Spices and ingredients that have a little kick to them are great to add to meats like chicken, chops, or hamburger You can count on your dishes having a little extra zip and how spicy or hot you choose to make them is up to you Just by adding seasonings that have a little zing can make all the difference in a plain old meal All kinds of ethnic foods are spicy and originate from countries all over the world Foods from Spain, Italy, Africa, and Mexico are just a few countries that make certain foods with peppers and hot spices

If you are looking for recipes that are a little more than the traditional meatloaf, get on the internet and just type in recipes You will automatically have access to thousands and if you want specific dishes, you can type in what you are looking for and get a world of variations for it Why make your family eat out of a box or can when you can use fresh ingredients, whether you want something spicy or not, there are literally thousands of quick homemade meals you can prepare in less than an hour and will probably be cheaper and healthier for your family in the long run

Aydan Corkern is a writer of many topics, visit some of her sites, like
orlando water damage restoration and new york water damage restoration.

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Detox Diet 4 Top Reasons Why You Should Avoid Wheat



Author : Sandy Halliday

Most detox diets recommend that you exclude products made with wheat yet we are always being told that wheat fiber is good for the bowels So why do you need to exclude it when on a detox diet?

1 Overload

Wheat is probably one of the most consumed foods Many people eat wheat three times a day Wheat cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, pasta or pizza for dinner with snacks of muffins, cakes and cookies in between

Wheat is a relatively new food for the human race Ancient man, the hunter-gatherers, lived on meat from the animals they hunted, fish and wild vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds that they gathered It was not until the agricultural period that began about 12,000 years ago that wheat and other grains were introduced

Genetic testing has discovered that people have simply not adapted to the introduction of wheat into the diet

With so much wheat in our diets it can become a toxin and the detox diet aims to reduce toxins

2 Gluten allergy

Wheat contains gluten, a family of proteins, that as many as one in three people may be sensitive to Gluten is also found in rye, barley and oats The gluten in oats, however, is very different and can be tolerated by many people who react to the other gluten grains

3 Gliadin & leaky gut

Researchers have detected gliadin, the principle type of wheat gluten, in the blood of 15% of people they tested Your digestive system provides a barrier between the foods you eat and your blood stream but if this barrier breaks down gliadin gets into the blood stream

Many things can cause the intestinal barrier to” leak” Drugs, alcohol, food allergies or sensitivities, constipation, gastric infections, aging, nutritional deficiencies are some of the things that can cause damage to the sensitive and delicate lining

Once gliadin leaks across the barrier the immune system reacts to it and it becomes a toxin Your detox system then has to deal with this particular toxin instead of the other toxins you want to get rid of So all gluten grains including spelt, an ancient wheat, kamut and triticale as well as wheat rye and barley are best avoided on a detox diet

4 Hard to digest

Wheat because of its complex structure is also hard to digest and almost all normal people fail to absorb a large amount of starch from wheat These starches get fermented by the bacteria in the digestive system Fermentation produces gases and acids that damage the lining

People with many intestinal conditions like Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, diverticulitis, Celiac improve when they avoid wheat and other gluten grains Many people are surprised to find that they do react to wheat or that it causes digestive problems when they start eating it again after being on a detox diet

What to eat instead

As so many people have wheat and gluten allergies or sensitivities it has become much easier to find products that do not contain them Manufacturers have produced cereals, pasta and bread made with non-gluten grains

Other grains or grain like seeds that can be eaten include brown rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, gram flour (garbanzo or chickpea flour) and maize

The detox diet is high in fruit and vegetables, seeds and other grains which will provide enough fiber for the digestive system to function well

So although excluding wheat when on a detox diet may take some planning you will still be able to eat tasty meals It will be well worth it when you find that many niggling symptoms like gas and bloating disappear and you feel so much better

Sandy Halliday is a nutritionist and health researcher who is passionate about detox and nutritional therapy for the prevention of disease and aging and the improvement of many health conditions.
Learn more at
The Detox Specialist

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Slow Cooker Recipes Part 1



Author : Patrick Carpen

The slow cooker is perhaps one of the most useful yet underappreciated small kitchen appliances around Not only can you toss in a bunch of ingredients to cook while you go about your daily chores, but the meal will be bursting with flavor that has had hours to simmer Most people tend to wait until the weather takes a turn for the cold season before digging the “crock pot” out of the back of cabinet, but the versatility and convenience the crock pot offers makes it a terrific cooking tool year round!

This article is the first in a series that features some of my favorite slow cooker recipes I hope you enjoy them and continue to read the series!

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 (14-oz) can beef broth
3 lbs boneless pork ribs
1 (18-oz) bottle barbeque sauce
Burger buns or rolls (makes about 12 sandwiches)

Directions:
Pour the broth into the slow cooker, then add the pork ribs Set the cooker to a high heat, cover, and cook for four hours (or until the meat shreds easily with a fork) Remove the meat from the cooker and shred it Transfer the shredded meat to a Dutch oven and add the barbeque sauce Stir well, then bake at 350 degrees F for about half an hour Spread the barbeque pork meat onto one of the bread halves, sprinkle a bit of pepper on it, then cover with remaining bread half

Taco Soup

Ingredients:
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1 can chili beans
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 (12-oz) can or bottle beer
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 package taco seasoning
shredded Cheddar cheese
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips

Directions:
Combine the chili beans, black beans, corn, beer, onion, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes in the slow cooker Add the taco seasoning and stir well Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and spoon a little of the mixture on top Set the slow cooker to a low heat and allow it to cook for five hours Remove the chicken from the soup and shred with a fork Return the shredded chicken into the soup and cook for another two hours Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips

Pot Roast

Ingredients:
5 1/2 lb pot roast
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1-oz) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 cups water

Directions:
Add the cream of mushroom soup, water, and dry onion soup mix into the slow cooker Add the pot roast and ladle the soup mixture over the roast Set to a high heat and cook for about four hours If you want a more flavourful roast, cook on a low setting for eight hours Serve with a ladle of soup mixture and veggies of your choice

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp butter
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely diced
2 packages refrigerated biscuit dough

Directions:
Put the soup, butter, onion, and chicken into the slow cooker Top up with water until the chicken is covered Cover the slow cooker and set to a high heat setting Cook for about five hours Half an hour before serving, place the biscuits in the slow cooker Ensure the dough is thoroughly cooked before serving

If you’re looking for recipes, take a look at the Platinum Recipes Collection.
The Platinum Recipes Collection is the Internet’s Most Comprehensive Recipes Collection.

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Foods That Speed Metabolism Needn t Break The Bank



Author : Fraser Baillie

Looking for foods that speed metabolism? I have some suggestions for you, as well as a bit of other advice Let’s start with a question How much time do you have?

There are several reasons that people give for their unhealthy eating habits One is time The other is money

They don’t have time in the morning to prepare the food that they need to eat every day They believe that healthy food costs more

So, first, let me tell you how you can start eating healthier and buying more foods that speed metabolism, without wasting time or money But, I warn you, you may have to give up a few things

First of all, stop buying diet foods, protein bars and energy drinks If you eat out often, try to cut back Make your own convenience foods at home

I know that you don’t have time to do that every day, but everyone has a day off Everyone has at least one night a week that they spend watching TV or doing something unproductive

On Sunday, or whatever one of your days off is, prepare all of the food that you will need for the next three or four days On the evening of the fourth day, prepare enough to get you back to the seventh day

If you can commit to spending two hours per week on meal preparation, then you can start eating healthier

It’s tougher if you have a family They have preferred foods and may balk at changing their eating habits But, foods that speed metabolism are healthy foods and the whole family should be eating more of them

I can’t give you a complete eating plan in the space of this brief article, but I can share a few of the things that I do to keep everyone happy

I am lucky in that everyone in the family likes to munch on carrot sticks So, twice a week, I chop up a bunch of carrot sticks and put them in plastic bags, so that they are easy to grab Carrots are relatively inexpensive, any time of the year

So are eggs I used to try boiling eggs ahead of time, but that doesn’t really work So, I only have eggs on the days when I have time to boil them It doesn’t take much time and I can do something else, like walk the dogs, while they are cooking

Most of the foods that speed metabolism are rich in dietary fiber The body actually has to burn calories to digest them, so they are almost like “negative” calories

Boiled eggs and other sources of lean protein are important, because your body needs protein, and lots of it, to build new cells, whether the cells are for the muscles that you eventually plan to build or to replace cells that get damaged on a daily basis

A complete plan for weight control must include exercise Foods that speed metabolism can only help, if you also move around a little more

Fraser Baillie is a passionate advocate of living a healthy lifestyle and a researcher of foods that speed metabolism. Visit his site now at http://www.quickweightlossexposed.com to discover which foods that speed metabolism Fraser recommends after extensive comparisons.

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Author : Sandy Halliday

There are many healthful benefits to a fruit and vegetable detox Nutritionists recommend eating at least five servings per day in order to improve your health and reduce the risk of certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease One of the best ways to accomplish this is with a fruit and vegetable detox

You can challenge yourself to have a healthier lifestyle by changing some of your eating habits For example, when you get the urge to snack, replace potato chips with raw vegetables Replace that caffeine and calorie laden soda with fresh fruit or vegetable juice Eat a salad for lunch instead of the fast food combo meal

Before you know it, you are participating in a fruit and vegetable detox diet that will improve your health and restore your body’s natural detoxification process

Years of unhealthy eating habits have contributed to a build up of harmful substances in the body that are not easily removed through the natural process You may be experiencing loss of sleep, anxiety, loss of energy and weight gain as a result

A fruit and vegetable detox which includes raw and unprocessed foods will cleanse your body and help to improve your sleep, bowel movements and build a resistance to diseases

A rich diet of almost any type of fruit that is fresh or frozen and full of fiber is much better than eating junk food Apples, bananas, pears, lemons, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi and melons are just a few sources that you can eat to detox your body Some of the best vegetables are carrots, turnips, cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli Brussels sprouts and green leaves

The importance of fiber for your digestive system cannot be stressed enough Scientific studies have repeatedly shown the lasting benefits of a fruit and vegetable detox The following list describes the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases

* Fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes

* Eating fruits and vegetables which contain lots of potassium will decrease bone loss and the development of kidney stones

* Protection against stomach and colon cancers with a fruit and vegetable diet

* Fruits and vegetables are a low calorie way to maintain a healthy weight and body mass index

A fruit and vegetable detox diet should not be seen as merely a weight loss fad, but rather as a way of life Once you see and feel the difference in your body and the improved performance of your digestive system, eating the right foods will become more than a habit It will become a way of life

Sandy Halliday, a former nurse, is a nutritionist and health researcher. She publishes a weekly detox newsletter and is the author of a new eBook
The Definitive Detox Diet

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Losing Weight The Safe And Natural Way



Author : Glenn Downer

Losing weight is probably one of the hardest tasks a person can face, but it doesn’t have to be It is a simple formula of eating healthy, getting some exercise, and drinking plenty of water That’s it!

I know, I can hear all the moaning from here, but that really is the formula for losing weight By the way, I am not some skinny person who found this information in some book, and decided to pass it on

I struggled with a weight problem my whole life, and one day while looking in the mirror after a shower, I joined a weight loss clinic

All they did was give me some photo copied menu’s to follow, told me to exercise, drink water, gave me a dietary supplement, and had me come in every week to get weighed No it wasn’t weight watchers

I was upset to say the least when I left their office because I paid a fairly large sum of money (up front), and this was it Where are the specialist, the doctors?

When I got home I read their menus They wanted me to eat chicken, CHICKEN, I don’t eat chicken, I eat pizza They wanted me to drink water WATER, I don’t drink water, I drink soda This is not good!

But then reality set in, and I realized that eating pizza and drinking soda is what got me where I was, and it wasn’t a good place, so I knew I had to do it The foods were basically what we should all be eating anyway Lean meat, poultry, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains

The enemies are flour, sugar, and salt If you can keep most of your meals to the foods above, and stay away from the enemies, you have a very good beginning for losing weight

A good idea is to buy a cookbook that has recipes for losing weight and eating healthy Try to stay away from store bought foods that are already prepared They are usually not a good choice

If you need to buy store bought, learn to check ingredient labels, because they can be very deceiving See how many serving they say are in the package

That’s a favorite trick of food packagers, to say there are 4 or 5 servings in a package, that anyone can see is for one or two people

Now when you read the label, and it says 25 grams of carbs, you say, gee, that’s not too bad But that’s 25 grams per serving, and your package has 5 servings Ut O That’s how they get you

The bottom line is if you make a commitment to follow this weight loss plan, it will work! Just slowly work your way into it Don’t decide to start losing weight Monday, or next Tuesday, or the first of the year, or whatever, start today

But start slowly, this is not a diet, this is a life style change Get the word diet out of your head You are going to lose weight by changing your eating habits forever

To finish my story, I followed the plan that the weight loss center put me on to the letter, and started losing weight quickly I was losing two to three pounds a week, eating three meals a day

After six months the weight loss place I was going to wanted me to renew my membership, but because of the price they charged I dropped out

I knew the plan, and could do it on my own The only problem was they would not give me the weight loss supplement any more, and that really slowed down my results, to about a pound or less a week

It’s hard to find a good safe supplement, and that took me some time, but I finally did and got back on track When I started this program I was 305 pounds, and I got down to 188 pounds and still holding Looking back, it was all worth it because I feel so much better, and I know I am much healthier

My mother always had two sayings that I would run through my head whenever I was having a weak moment, “A minute on the lips, forever on the hips” and ” Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels”

She was right The few minutes of enjoyment aren’t worth the long term consequences Try this natural way of losing weight It may be the best thing you ever do for you!

After losing over one hundred pounds, Glenn Downer started writing articles on how to lose weight, the safe and natural way, and keep it off. He has written several articles for various newsletters and websites. You can visit his web site at:
Losing-Weight-Reviews.com

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