"EAT TO GET SLIM"

Dieting usually involves abstaining from food. Fortunately, there are certain kinds of food that actually help you lose weight and lower your body's fat content. These foods raise your metabolism, curb your appetite and burn calories. Some of them are listed below.
Foods that are rich with appetite-suppressing fiber are a good place to start. Grapes, peaches, plums and strawberries pack a lot of these, as well as cancer fighting carotenoids. In addition to its fiber content, grapefruits contain less sugar, and therefore, calories, than oranges. Yes, weight loss can taste good.
Harder fruits, like apples, can also help you lose weight. These fruits take a longer time to be chewed and digested. This will give your stomach a feeling of fullness, so you won't be looking for your next meal too soon.
Black beans, chickpeas and other protein-rich legumes will leave you with a similar feeling. The low fat and high fiber content of these foods are slow to digest. Your blood sugar levels are also kept steady by eating lentils and the like. All these factors contribute greatly to your weight loss.
Certain bulky foods won't leave you with a massive waist line. Raw spinach, thanks to its high water content, will leave space in your stomach. Other, less healthy foods will have a hard time finding space there. Spinach is also filled with calcium and foliated iron. Along with vitamins A, B, C, and E, these nutrients help your body lose weight.
The very act of eating celery burns more calories than it contains. Additionally, Vitamins C & E (crucial nutrients that help you lose weight) are present in celery. You can also speed up your metabolism by eating certain foods. Food that is rich with calcium, as well as drinks like low fat milk, help greatly. It has recently been discovered that women and girls who have dairy products in their regular diets are prone to greater weight loss(along with lesser body fat) than those who don't include dairy in their diet.
Tuna, mackerel and other fatty fish contain Omega-3. When Omega-3 is added with the mix of fat and protein in these fishes, your appetite will be significantly reduced. The fight against fat gets easier.
It's important to keep things in perspective. Eating right is crucial, but it is merely one facet of any weight loss program. However, if a proper diet is coupled with the appropriate exercise program, your ideal weight will be reached in no time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Mahon

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"GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE BENEEFITS OF POMEGRANATE"

(NaturalNews) Emerging research continues to strengthen the evidence that pomegranate extracts can be used to treat chronic inflammation, and the diseases that go along with it.

Short-term inflammation is a normal immune response, but chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, dementia and autoimmune disorders. Scientists are increasingly coming to believe that pomegranate helps combat inflammation, in part due to its exceptionally high content of antioxidants, particularly those in the ellagitannin family, such as punicalagins and punicalins.

Prior research has already suggested that pomegranate may help prevent a number of inflammation-linked diseases. It has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer, to slow or even stop the formation of prostate tumors in mice, to increase the amount of oxygen available to the heart and to fight the onset of heart disease by preventing LDL ("bad") cholesterol from oxidizing. Long-term consumption of pomegranate juice has also been linked to improvement in the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

A research team from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland was the first to demonstrate that pomegranate extract can act directly to combat inflammation. In a 2005 study, they showed that when injected into human cells, pomegranate extract lowered inflammation and levels of enzymes that can cause cartilage to break down, as in arthritis.

The researchers followed this up with a study, published fall of 2008 in the Journal of Inflammation, in which they fed 175 milliliters of pomegranate extract to four rabbits, then compared them with two rabbits who had been given only water. All the rabbits were experiencing chronic inflammation.

The researchers found that the levels of antioxidant markers significantly increased and the levels of inflammation markers significantly decreased in the rabbits after they were given pomegranate extract.

Compared with the rabbits that had been given only water, the animals in the pomegranate extract group had 7 and 26 percent lower levels of the inflammation markers COX-1 and COX-2, respectively.

In addition, the levels of inflammatory compounds produced by cartilage cells also decreased.

"Consumption of pomegranate fruit extract may be of value in inhibiting inflammatory stimuli-induced cartilage breakdown and production of inflammatory mediators in arthritis," the researchers wrote.

The study was particularly significant because it demonstrated that pomegranate extract can reduce inflammation even if digested, and not just when injected directly into cells.

Most recently, researchers from Case Western Reserve University teamed up with researchers from the University of South Carolina to carry out the first study on whether the same effects could be observed in human cells. This study was also published in the Journal of Inflammation.

"No studies have been undertaken to investigate whether a polyphenol-rich pomegranate fruit extract (POMx) inhibits the inflammatory activity of activated human mast cells and basophils," the researchers wrote. "The aim of this study was to examine whether POMx modulates inflammatory reactions using human basophilic cell line KU812."

Mast cells play a role in immune function and in healing the body from injury.

The researchers first stimulated these cells with a chemical known as PMACI in order to produce an inflammatory response. Then they dosed them with pomegranate extract.

They found that after receiving pomegranate extract, the cells began producing significantly lower levels of the inflammation-linked cytokines IL-6 and IL-8.

"POMx or POMx-derived compounds may be of value for the treatment of inflammatory diseases in which mast cells play an active role," the researchers wrote.

Pomegranate extract also appeared to inhibit activation of a gene complex known as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB).

NF-kB plays a role in regulating healthy immune responses, and malfunction of the complex has been linked to autoimmune disease, improper immune development and viral infection.

Sources for this story include: www.nutraingredients.com; www.foodnavigator-usa.com.
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"HOW GOOD IS THE QUALITY OF YOUR FOOD"

Research Shows Mass-Produced Foods are Weak on Nutrition and Taste

If time travel ever becomes a reality, and if you ever find yourself back in the 1950s, you've got to try the tomatoes. And while you're at it, try the strawberries, peaches, broccoli, and onions too. They'll be so delicious that you might not want to return to the 21st Century.

Taste won't be the only difference. A colleague recently sent me an article that makes this claim: You'd have to eat more than half a dozen 2009 peaches to equal the nutritional content of a single 1959 peach.

The article features a 2004 study in which United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers compared nutrient data published in 1950 with similar data published in 1999. The match-up included more than 40 garden crops, including broccoli, carrots, spinach, corn, tomatoes, and strawberries.

Results showed overall declines for several nutrient factors, including protein, calcium, iron, riboflavin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). For instance, the representative ascorbic acid value per 100 grams of spinach in 1950 was 59. In 1999 that value dropped to 28.

The USDA team believes that changes in cultivated varieties are responsible for the sharp decrease in nutritional value, adding: "...there may be trade-offs between yield and nutrient content."

Trade-offs? That's a nice way of saying that varieties have been purposely cultivated to create extra hardy fruits and vegetables that withstand long-distance shipping with minimum damage or spoilage. And you can see the result in the average supermarket: beautiful unbruised fruits and vegetables...with bland flavours and dense textures.

Mineral infusion

The article about the USDA study appears in an online magazine called Natural Foods Merchandiser. And a couple of readers' comments about the article are worth noting.

A reader named Cyndi points out another reason why mass- produced garden foods are weak on nutrition and taste: Fertilizers increase water uptake, but not vegetable matter. She advises sticking with heirloom varieties of foods – that is, the same varieties found in gardens in 1950. Those varieties didn't ship well, but they were packed with nutrients and had rich, satisfying flavours.

Another reader, Joanna, participates in a wider strategy to promote nutrient-dense produce: soil remineralisation. She's involved with an organization called Remineralize the Earth (remineralize.org), which works with farmers, scientists, retailers and other groups to replenish farm soils with mineral nutrients.

Meanwhile, what steps can you take to ensure a nutrient-rich diet?

You can use heirloom seeds in mineral-rich soil to grow your own fruits and vegetables. Next best: If you're fortunate enough to have a farmers' market in your area, that's a likely place to find organic heirloom produce.

Of course, dietary supplements provide a nutrient insurance plan for millions of people who don't have ready access to nutritious foods. Beyond multivitamins there are a number of supplements designed to naturally boost your nutrient intake.
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"The benefits of eating raw foods"

It seems like most folks who begin a raw food diet are not fully aware of how easily pounds can seem to melt off when eating this way.
However it is not a big secret to folks who have been eating the healthy raw food diet for years. In fact it is a well known reality that eating raw tends to help most people lose weight pretty easily in a natural healthy way.
So how does the raw food diet help you lose weight fast? Common sense really.
Raw healthy foods tend to have higher water content than cooked foods. Think of fresh fruits and vegetables like watermelon and cucumber for example. In fact all uncooked foods have more moisture (more water content) than cooked foods. Cooked foods tend to be more dry and heavy. When you eat lots of raw fruits and veggies you get filled up on lower calorie foods and so you end up eating less than when you eat cooked foods.
Raw foods also have a lot of fiber. Processed foods and cooked foods have much less fiber content. So if the bulk of your diet is raw foods you will naturally have diet that is much higher in fiber than the standard American diet. This additional healthy fiber will help you feel more full so you end up eating less food. Fiber also reduces your blood cholesterol levels and helps to keep your colon and digestive system healthy.
Raw foods are also packed with lots of nutrients and when you eat nutritious food your body gets satisfied more quickly and feels much better. Think about how you feel when you eat a plate of delicious fruit - you usually feel energized after you eat it. Now think about how you feel after you eat a big candy bar or a bowl of ice cream and cake. Do you feel energized? Or do you feel lethargic? Think about it. When you eat processed food you usually feel more tired and lazy. But when you eat lots of healthy food you feel like you can easily be more active.
So when you think about the raw food diet - remember that is a diet that naturally and easily encourages quick weight loss. And it can never hurt you to add more water, more fiber and more nutrition to your diet, right?
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"5 FOOD CHOICES TO HELP YOU TO LOSE WEIGHT"

If you want to lose weight successfully it's important to make healthy food choices, as well as to avoid foods that make you fat.
In this article you can find 5 tips on food that helps you burn fat.
1. Oatmeal.
Oatmeal is great to have as breakfast. This is also something that bodybuilders and fitness-models eat on a regular basis. The reason why oatmeal is so great is because it consist of a good combination of carbs, protein and good fat. So try to have oatmeal every morning if possible, and replace sugar with for example applesauce or cinnamon which tastes great together with oatmeal.
2. Potatoes.
Potatoes contain fiber, vitamins and mineral, and are a natural type of food. Potatoes also contain a low amount of calories. So try to have more white potatoes if possible, which makes a great addition to your meals.
3. Brown Rice.
Slow-cooked brown rice is another good choice when it comes to losing weight. Contrary to white rice, brown rice is digested more slowly in your body. This is also why you usually can see bodybuilders crunch on brown rice, which also makes a good complement to your meals, as long as you remember to steam or boil the rice instead of eating fried rice.
4. Use 100% Whole Grain Bread.
Avoid white bread and instead use whole grain types of bread, which will add more fiber to your body, and help you create a proper digestion.
5. Green Vegetables.
Green vegetables contain hardly no calories, and could be eaten basically as much as you want to. It's almost impossible to overeat on vegetables, and types of green vegetables you could use are, broccoli, green beans, lettuce and asparagus. A diet of green vegetables & lean meats, is one of the best methods to get lean as quick as possible.
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"10 WAYS TO SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS"

Need to shed pounds fast? Uninterested in getting all of the wrong info from all of the wrong sources? Well, continue reading because we are going to be going over ten crazy fat loss tips to help get the maximum out of your work. Most of the people steadily despair and begin
to feel that they will never lose fat just because they have been given the incorrect sort of facts, or are simply on an approach that's never going to work. These pointers may help solve issues like that, and supply you with an useful base from which to work from, so let's start :
One - Eating more meals every day is good for you. But each of those meals should be smaller compared to a 'regular' meal. By consuming five 'small' meals per day versus 3 'big' ones, you are rather more likely to feel full and thus not over-eat. Also, you are going to give your body a simpler time of absorbing the energy that you gain from the food, and so not store it as fat!
Two - Attempt to plan your meals ahead as much as humanly possible. That way you will not risk being caught out and having no choice except to eat some famously bad and unhealthy meals that just pack on the calories.
Three - Drink water as frequently as possible as it'll help you to remain hydrated and will also help make sure that you do not feel ravenously hungry and finish up overeating.
Four - Exercise as much and as frequently as you can. Even something as easy as ascending the steps to work rather than taking the lift is far better than nothing, but if you can, put aside forty mins a day for a fast workout.
Five - Set your goals and stick to them. Make sure they are practical goals, but challenging enough that they keep you galvanized.
Six - Try differing kinds of 'healthy' food so you do not get bored of eating the same sorts of greens consistently. Nowadays there are a lot of options out there, so be certain to exploit them.
Seven - Mix cardio exercise with resistance training so that you are better able to start toning up your body muscles, look good, and have a quicker metabolism.
Eight - Don't, ever, go on extreme diets which will just doubtless finish up backfiring on you.
Nine - Eat as many fruit and vegetables as you would like, but try to cut back on consuming too much fat. When eating beef, be certain to take away the skin if feasible.
Ten - Avoid late night nibbles or having 'supper'. If you eat before you sleep, your body will not get the opportunity to work off all of the energy it becomes and is much more likely to finish up storing it.
All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!
All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!
All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!
All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!

   All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!
 All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!All that sounds simple enough doesn't it? Everything asserted and done, fat loss truly can be as straightforward as following these ten tips, and they are definitely going to serve you well when you make a decision to put them to use. Nothing may be easier!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_S_King

"EATING YOUR WAY TO WEIGHT LOSS"

Eating healthy food is the first step in figuring out how to lose weight fast. The food you eat is actually the key to success in weight loss. Looking at what a bad diet does to your body does to your body can show you why it's important to change the way you eat.
Eating foods that are not healthy drains your energy. Foods that are fatty require more work to break down, which in turn means your body requires more energy to process junk food than healthy food, which in turn causes you to feel exhausted for no good reason.
Bad fat takes longer to break down since it's unhealthy to the body, and due to the amount of time it takes to break down, it begins to store if you continue to eat unhealthy foods. This means the vitamins and proteins you ate prior to the junk food are now required to break down the fat that has been stored.
There is no magic pill that can stop this vicious cycle that junk food starts. The only way you can lose weight is to make some sacrifices and changes in your diet. You could exercise five days a week to lose weight but make no progress with the wrong diet, or you could just change your meal plan and lose weight quickly with little effort on your part. In the end your weight loss has to deal primarily with what you put in your body.
Unhealthy junk food has consequences and if you acknowledge these consequences and change your meal plan you'll begin to understand how to lose weight fast.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Borne 

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