Sue-Schlaiffer Blog

Herbal Foods Are Superb For Health.

Would You Like To Lose Weight?   Why Not Use More herbs In Your Diet?

These days, there is a great  need for overweight people to lose those excess pounds, or kilograms depending on where you live.  Being healthy would not only lead you to have a healthier lifestyle but it will also literally lighten your load,  and improve your overall well-being.

There is a long  list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills - there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe, although it would be a great way to get into shape,  I suspect that there is little scientific evidence of the latter method!!

But there is another great option for losing weight and improving your general well-being, and that is to  go herbal. Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way.  However, when you take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs. Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:

1.   Herbal weight loss products. There are a lot of herbal weight loss products available on the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products. Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but some actually have  side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products. Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some  herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:

Senna. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.

Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level.  However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.

St. John's wort. This supplement increases the production of a chemical in the brain. If not used properly, it may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.
Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and  research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.

2. Organic food. In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. Organic food devotees  believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment. A  person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.

3. Green Tea.
Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat. This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea. These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an emmediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.

 3. Caffeine.
Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn.

4. Immortality Herb.
This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:

 Increases healthy blood flow
 Reduces artery blocks
 Aids healthy blood pressure
 Increases the rate of fat burning

5. Apple Cider Vinegar
There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:

Weight loss
Improved cholesterol level
Improved high blood pressure
Helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis

But like with anything connected to health and diet, it is always better to check things out with an expert in the field before embarking on new forms of exersize or diet. Ask your doctor or a dietician, or you could even go to your local health food shop if it is a good one and ask there. But the main thing to bear in mind is to not go to extremes with changes to diet, as it could cause stomach upset if not introduced gradually.

Make The Right Food Choices For Fitness.

A Look at Diet and Fitness.

Many people nowadays are very much conscious about their own health and fitness. In addition to that, many people are now having that desire to sculpt their bodies to ahieve that magazine-cover look.  As a result, gyms, health spas and other fitness centers have proliferated all over to cater to the needs of the fitness buffs and afficionados.

Even on television exercise machines, weight loss products, and other paraphernalia to improve fitness have more or less gained control over the airwaves, and they have made their way into our homes. But exerise is not the only way to build that body beautiful. It also entails a certain amount of care and planning with the foods one chooses to eat. Being healthy and fit requires one to observe diet fitness too.

Diet fitness is as essential as exercise itself. Diet for fitness provides the essential nutrition one needs to restore worn-out muscles and for healthy growth. Diet fitness should never be taken for granted. With the popularity of keeping fit, many different views, methods, programs and dieting strategies have been formulated by many professionals. Among these are high carb diets and high fat diets. Which one is more effective and which one should one choose to follow?

The first thing to consider would be the fundamental differences between these two diet approaches. As the name implies, high carb diets concentrate on taking in carbohydrate-rich foods, while high fat diets endorses fat-rich foods. High carb diets are utilized to glycogen stored in the liver and muscles. Glycogen is a glucose complex that provides large amounts of energy ready for use in anaerobic exercises.

Fats, on the other hand are well known for being the highest  source of calories. Fats actually contains 2.5 times more calories than carbohydrates and proteins alike. Studies also show that it takes the body 24 calories to metabolize carbohydrates while it only takes 3 to burn down fat. So which one to follow? A person can follow a high carb and low fat fitness diet or the other way around. It is absolutely not recommended to follow both at the same time; unless of course if you want to gain body fat!

But then diet fitness is not all about losing fat, one must also consider his diet in order to keep fat away. Research shows that sustainable loss of weight can only be achieved on a diet which suits the individual food preferences, lifestyle, medical profile and satiety signals.

Diet programs all over can help you shed off excess pounds, but only one diet can help you stay sexy, and it is the one that satisfies you most. Other important aspects of having a fit diet are moderation, balance and variation. One must be careful not to leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for healthy body functioning. Health organizations are clear about the amounts of nutrients an individual should have in the body.

Low fat high carbs, high carbs low fat; the question is not which diet program will work out but which is it that will work for you. Striving for a fit and healthy body does not have to burden an individual, diet fitness does not have to mean sticking to the same kind of food for life. One may even try to be adventurous and try out new foods that you have never tasted before. Who knows? You may even discover spinach to be an interesting  choice for you!

How Activity Can Keep You Healthier.

Here is a few tips to help with your health and fitness. Being active makes a person healthy and strong, but it is not just for people who have a weight problem but for everyone who likes to stay fit too.

There is a lot a person can do to help their levels of fitness, such as  jog or walk every morning, play basketball or any other sport you like with your friends, but if a person wants to have strong muscles and look lean, then one can sign up and workout in a gym.

People workout for 3 main reasons:

The first reason is to lose weight and the only way to lose those extra pounds will be to reduce ones calorie intake and at the same time workout in the gym, or of course begin another form of activity regularly.

The second reason  is because an individual is underweight, and the only way to add on those extra pounds is to have more calories in ones diet and workout and exersize.

The third reason  is just for fun and to keep the body in shape.
The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and gain or lose weight.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise. Here are some benefits of exercising. It is the easiest way to maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death. Studies have shown that it makes a person feel happier and it increases ones self esteem, thus helping to prevent one from falling into depression or anxiety.

An active lifestyle makes a person live longer than a person who doesn’t. Working out for someone who has not done it before should be done gradually. Endurance will not be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be beneficial to the person. It is advisable to workout regularly with a good healthy diet. A person can consult with a dietitian or a health professional to really help plan a good diet program. It starts by evaluating the lifestyle and the health of the patient before any program can be made. Afterwards, this is thoroughly discussed and recommended to the person which usually consists of an eating plan and an exercise program that does not require the use of supplements or one to purchase any expensive fitness equipment.

A good diet should have food from all the food groups.This is made up by 2 things. The first is carbohydrates. The food that a person consumes should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot of this can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet.  The second is fat which can come from mono and poly saturated food sources rather than animal fats. Since fat contains more than double the number of calories in food, this should be taken in small quantities to gain or lose weight.

Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

If you would like to take more exersize but you would like to begin with a more gentle form of exersize, then why not try walking?  Take a look at this short video of Russ Melgar, Fitness Instructor to see how pleasant it would be to walk with family or friends either gently strolling or step it up a bit faster.

 There is a great free report all about walking and it's benefits, and to get your copy just enter your first name and email address in the form at the top of this blog.

More great tips coming soon.................