Size Zero 0 Anorexic Chic Horror of London Fashion Week

 Anorexia chic returns to the catwalk as Size Zero models return - mirror.co.uk:

"I FIND it shocking the fashion world has gone back to this look. Super-skinny models today look pale and ­emaciated as if they should be in a ­hospital ward." Says Yvonne Bishop-Weston Nutritionist London in The Sunday Mirror today

The biggest risk is to young girls, it fuels their weight obsessions adding to their delusions that this is 'normal' and healthy

The designers that choose these girls and encourage this look may just as well be putting up alcoholics swigging from a bottle of vodka or heroin addicts smoking crack up their on the catwalks - it's totally irresponsible!.

Yvonne says"I see recovering anorexic girls in my Harley street clinic and it's a nasty, vicious and spiteful disease that rob's girls of their self esteem and chances of long term health.
Young women come in with pictures of models and they say “I want to look like this.” They aspire to look like the people who are chosen to show off clothes.
A recovering anorexic would see women like these as a healthy body weight. And the tragedy, of course, is that not all anorexics recover."

Most of us could do with losing a few pounds to reduce the risks of heart disease, Diabetes, cancer, stroke, but by going to the other extreme these girls are risking all those usual chronic diseases plus osteoporosis , infertility and any chance of ever being mothers, Alzheimer's, arthritis and as soon as the bloom of youth runs out their skin will look likes it's been peeled off, screwed up and tumble dried and then stuck back on with blue tack

Lets face it there are only 4 ways to achieve a size 0 body that looks like this

1. Obsessively starving yourself - Anorexia or bulimia, depriving your body of nutrients
   
2. Dangerous drug abuse - depriving your body of nutrients
   
3. Obsessive exercise - Stressing the body and depriving the body of nutrients
4. Disease - A muscle wasting disease, parasite infestation or cancer that deprives the body of nutrients
   

The restrictions placed on calories mean it is very difficult to get adequate nutrients into the body for it to function properly - typically the reproductive system is first to go (as non essential) then the digestive detox system as the body goes into emergency short term crisis management mode to try and keep the brain and heart alive at least.

If the models drink alcohol, take drugs or smoke in addition to starving themselves then they are pretty much doomed despite Kate Moss's best efforts to prove otherwise.

The only way to remotely healthy on this low calorie level would be a dangerously low fat diet of vegan raw food but then only nutrient rich vegetables and no high sugar fruits such as bananas and no nuts. However without the essential fats from nuts and seeds they would still risk heart disease and hormonal problems and brain function as essential fats are needed for every cell membrane in the body. Vegans can get these from nuts, seeds and algae but these size zero models are often fat phobic so are likely to avoid essential fats along with detrimental saturated animal fats.

Get a 45 Minute Workout In 4 Minutes

Shedding For The Wedding trainer Jennifer Cohen tells you how to get a workout that's just as effective as 45 minutes on the treadmill in just four minutes.

11 Foods That Speed Up Your Metabolism

It is believed that certain foods and spices can help you boost your metabolism which in turn makes you into a fat burning machine. These eleven foods may give you the extra edge in weight loss, says Edward Group.

While there are no short-cuts to losing weight, there are a few things you can do to boost your metabolism. Exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep are two of the best things you can do. However, there are also plenty of foods that speed metabolism, so adding them to your diet may give you the extra edge to lose more weight.

Below is a list of eleven foods that speed metabolism. Think of these foods as support mechanisms on your path towards fat loss, as any diet that keeps the pounds off requires sustained effort and exercise. Read more

Your Lifestyle Equals Your Health

Do you want to cure a chronic condition or just feel and look better? Margaret Durst explains that lifestyle changes account for most of the success of any natural health program.

Natural health is a lifestyle. All too often I meet someone who just wants a pill to fix this or that. Occasionally there is something that works that way, but usually a diet or lifestyle change is an important part of restoring health.

Natural health is about a lifestyle of healthy habits. When I give advice to someone about their health, it may include nutritional supplements to help balance their diet, but it always includes recommendations about what to eat and drink and what not to eat and drink.

America is plagued with deteriorating health. Look around you. The sick just get sicker. Does anyone ever get well? By well, I mean really well as in feel good, with all their organs and glands intact and don’t need prescription medications. Read more

Your Weight Loss And Body Shape--Be Realistic

You will never reach your weight loss and body toning goals if they are unrealistic. Some of us just don't have the genetic makeup to look like cover models. That's okay! You can set a goal to look and feel the best that YOU can. That's a realistic goal.



Weight loss motivation usually begins when you have become motivated to improve in other areas of your life.

I'm not a psychologist, but I am a human. I know that when I am "messed up" in other areas of my life, it can sometimes be hard to exercise regularly and lose weight or maintain weight. Its also easier to eat those fatty "comfort foods" that pack on the pounds quickly.

Here are 4 tips for you:

1. Fear is a huge obstacle for some like fear of setting goals because of fear of failure. According to experts, setting low goals or no goals means you don't have to live up to high expectations.

2. When you have tried everything and nothing has worked, its easier to just give up. Don't give up. Keep trying. All it takes is the right exercise and nutrition program to help you succeed.

3. Remember, weight loss is about improving your health. In an About.com poll, 65% of site visitors said they were losing weight for appearance. And, only 35% said they were losing weight for health. That's why quick weight loss programs (with no long-term benefits) continue to sell out.

4. You can't be perfect. Consistent (and smart) exercise and healthy eating will give you a healthy, toned body. Period. Don't stop no matter how long it takes!

Here's some other motivational tips.

You can reach your weight loss and fat loss goals! Stay with it---YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Super Abs 400 Rep Burpee Workout

This workout is loaded with burpees, including some variations I guarantee you've never seen before. For the workout breakdown, click here.

Your Fitness Assessment--10 Reasons You Need One

You need a fitness assessment if you have been inactive for a while. You need to know where you are with fitness and how to begin taking steps to improve your health.

If you are overweight or have too much body fat (a skinny person can have too much body fat), your body is not as healthy as it could be. Start making changes today!

Here are 10 reasons you need a fitness assessment:

1. Identify your fitness goals and determine why your fat loss and weight loss efforts have failed or succeeded in the past. You also have to get your motivation right for your exercise program to work for you. This step takes you being "very honest" with yourself! Sometimes it is a painful process.

2. You will learn your body composition (body fat % vs. lean mass %). You will also learn "where you are fat." Excess abdominal fat has been shown to be a precursor to diseases such as cancer.

3. When's the last time you had your body measurements taken (chest, arms, neck, hips, waist, etc.)? This is part of your fitness assessment.

4. What's your health history? You might need a doctor's clearance before you can begin an exercise program.

5. What are your eating habits? Part of your assessment will look at what you are eating, how you are eating and changes that you need to make.

6. What is your basal metabolic rate? Don't know? You will after your fitness assessment. This rate helps you set the daily calories you will need.

7. Have you had low back pain for some time? If so, you probably have postural problems that need to be corrected. And, yes, a postural assessment is part of your fitness assessment.

8. Had any muscle spasms or "knotted muscles" lately? Then, you need to improve your flexibility. The fitness assessment will tell you where your muscles are tight, lengthened or weak.

9. When's the last time you checked your resting pulse rate? Your resting pulse rate will tell you how hard your heart is working in a resting state. For instance, my resting pulse rate was 58 beats per minute the last time I checked it. That's pretty low. When I was at peak condition as a college athlete, my resting pulse rate was 54-56 beats per minute.

10. How ready is your body for physical activity? You don't know? You will after your fitness assessment!

What are you waiting for? Schedule your fitness and nutrition assessment today! It won't cost you anything but your time (about 45 minutes)! Call (512-289-8879) or email me at the bottom of this post! Don't put it off!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Burn Body Fat To Lean And Tone

Did you burn fat and reach your fat loss goals so far this year? You didn't set fat loss goals? If not, get your body fat percentage checked and start tracking it.

You should use your body fat percentage to determine whether your body is really changing. If you are burning fat and losing inches, you are on the way to being successful with your weight loss and fat loss program.

You can weigh the same amount and still be successful! How? Burn body fat. If you weigh the same but your body fat percentage decreases by 10%, your body is changing to more lean and toned. Soon, you will begin to lose weight and it will stay off! As you build muscle mass, your body will shrink and your metabolism will speed up.

Here are some weight loss and fat loss tips to determine if you are on the path to success:

1. Check your body fat percentage every week to see if your body is shrinking. If the weigh scale doesn't change, you are doing the right things if your body fat percentage decreases.

2. Seek expert guidance if your way is not working. Personal trainers can be great sources to help you visualize goals, individualize workout programs and give you valuable feedback to make improvements.

3. Make sure you are eating enough food. Many of you have wrecked your metabolisms by eating too few calories during the day. If you have been eating 1000 calories a day for months and months, your body has shifted into survival mode and is storing body fat.

For instance, my basal metabolic rate (how many calories my body would burn if I did nothing all day) is about 2000 calories. If I eat 2000 calories and burn 500 calories through exercise and daily activity, I will still lose weight and burn fat (500 calorie deficit).

If I starve myself and eat 1200 calories (1300 calorie deficit) day after day, my body will rebel and store body fat. A 1300 calorie deficit is too large (severe calorie restriction).

4. Is your workout program adequate. Are you working out hard enough? Are you over-training? You need the right mix of exercise and rest to be successful with weight loss and fat loss.

Two to 3 days of weight training (30-40 minutes a session) and 2-3 days of interval cardio (20 minutes a session) will give you the workouts you need to be successful.

Circuit weight training is a proven fat-burning method. Change up your workouts every 2-3 weeks to keep your body guessing.

5. Are you getting enough sleep? More and more, I am seeing clients who are not sleeping enough and resting too little (over-training). You need both for your metabolism to work properly. Most of us need 7-8 hours of sleep every night. And, you should not workout every day. Take at least 1 day off from working out.

Make the needed changes to reach your weight loss and fat loss goals!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

How to Benefit from Hemp Seed Nutrition

You may already know about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, but did you know that its legal cousin hemp is a highly nutritious food?

Hemp seed is the basis to legal, non-drug hemp foods around the world. Hemp foods include non-dairy milk, snack bars, pasta, sauces and more. Its nutritional content is second to none. So why is this "super-food" not enjoyed at everyone`s dinner table?

Hemp is a legal cousin of "cannabis" or the illegal/ medicinal form of hemp that contains the drug ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol or THC for short. Hemp seed contains none of this THC, but what it does contain is worth having. 24% protein includes the full range of amino acids as well as a balanced source of Essential Fatty Acids or EFAs#1. EFAs include omega-3 and omega-6, which help us keep a healthy immune system, and are responsible for shiny healthy looking skin, hair and nails. A reduction in the craving for junk foods is also noticeable among many regular consumers of hemp seed and hemp food products. Read more

Energy Drinks Or Food For Your Energy?

If you routinely don't have the energy to do what you need to do, check up on your habits before buying energy drinks. There's a new report out warning against energy drink use by children and teens. I would expand that recommendation to include adults too. No one needs energy drinks.

Here are some things you should check:

1. Are you getting enough sleep? Four or 5 hours of sleep a night is not enough rest. The sleep debt will catch up with you. Be sure and register for the Free book, "Master Your Sleep."

2. How nutritious are your meals? Are you eating enough? Get your nutrition primarily from food. And, I recommend taking supplements such as multivitamins, fish oil and green tea.

If you want “The TRUTH” when it comes to losing fat with proper nutrition, you have to check out my friend's site: Isabel De Los Rios is one of America’s top nutrition experts and educators.

3. When's the last time you had a complete physical exam? There could be medical reasons for your low energy.

4. You might be dehydrated. “Water serves as a medium for the body to perform its life-sustaining functions, such as regulating body temperature and eliminating waste,” says Toby Amidor, a registered dietician in New York City. “If you don’t ingest enough water to help these metabolic reactions occur, you’ll become tired or lightheaded.”

Drink about half your weight in water each day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink about 75 ounces of water each day.

5. Maybe you are too caffeinated. Because it is a stimulant to the central nervous system, caffeine can make you tired. Cheryl Forberg, a registered dietician says, "a once-a-day dose in the morning in tea or coffee is fine."

"But people can create a vicious cycle when they keep ingesting more caffeine to counteract the exhaustion they feel after the previous dose wears off." And, she adds, "the cumulative effects of the day’s caffeine—such as increased heart rate and a rise in blood pressure—can also keep you from getting a good night’s sleep."

6. You don't get enough exercise. You know how energized you feel after exercising? Enough said.

As for the report: "We would discourage the routine use by children and teens," said Dr. Steven Lipshultz, pediatrics chairman at the University of Miami's medical school. He wrote the report with colleagues from that center.

The report says energy drinks often contain ingredients that can enhance the jittery effects of caffeine or that can have other side effects including nausea and diarrhea. It says they should be regulated as stringently as tobacco, alcohol and prescription medicines.

"For most children, adolescents, and young adults, safe levels of consumption have not been established," the report said.

I say, get your energy primarily from food and you will have what you need to live an active life.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Neotame: A More Toxic Artificial Sweetener Than Aspartame?

Joseph Mercola reveals the dangerous science and politics behind Neotame.

Since 2002 an artificial sweetener called neotame has been approved for use in food and drink products around the world, although so far its use appears to be very limited.

Neotame is a chemical derivative of aspartame, and judging by the chemicals used in its manufacturing, it appears even more toxic than aspartame, although the proponents of neotame claim that increased toxicity is not a concern, because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect.

Neotame is bad science brought to you by the Monsanto Company.

If Monsanto truly had nothing to fear with either of these artificial chemical sweeteners, they would have funded rigorous independent testing for safety. To date they have not, and they won't, because virtually every independent analysis of aspartame not conducted by Monsanto partners has revealed a long list of disturbing side effects, mostly neurological in nature.

Monsanto also has now sold the NutraSweet Company to someone else, but the approval of neotame came under Monsanto's ownership, and was most likely a result of Monsanto's cozy relationship with the FDA. More about that in a minute.

My recommendation for neotame is the same as that for aspartame, which is: it should be avoided if you care about your health.

Why is Neotame Dangerous? Read more

Plantarians Hope to Set a Record for Earth Day

Plantarians and vegans hope to set a new world record of sustainable healthy eating by getting people to pledge on the Earth Day website.

A spokesperson from the One World Day campaign said "It's a simple concept, helping to save the planet by eating meat and dairy free on One World Day November 1st

I will eat a sustainable healthy plantarian, pure vegetarian, vegan diet | Billion Acts of Green:

Forty Minutes Of Interval Cardio? Don't Do It

Yesterday, I did 40 minutes of running interval cardio on the treadmill. I recommend, and usually do, 20 minutes of intervals. On some days, I will do 20 minutes, rest 10 minutes, and do another 20 minutes. I have also done 20 minutes in the morning and another 20 minutes at night.

Doing 40 minutes of running interval cardio is, well, too much at one time. I was quickly running out of energy at about 30 minutes. Why did I keep going? Three reasons: I was feeling pretty good, I was running on a treadmill (easier than running on land, which I usually do) and I was watching "The Office" (Michael falls into Koi Pond episode). Don't do 40 minutes of intervals in one session!

Twenty minutes of running cardio intervals is enough to burn plenty of calories during and after your workout. Doing two separate 20 minute cardio sessions is even better.

Research proves that two 20-minute workouts will burn more fat and calories than one 40 minute workout. Doing a second workout during the day (even a short one) keeps growth hormone levels high throughout the day. This will give you even more body fat burning.

So, here is how I usually do a 20-minute running cardio interval session on a treadmill:

--Run fast, 1 minute
--Walk, 1.5 minutes
--Do this rotation for 20 minutes

When I run intervals outdoors on grass or astro-play turf:

--Sprint 60 yards
--Walk back to starting line
--Sprint 60 yards
--Do this rotation for 20 minutes

Running outdoors is much tougher because you do all the work and you have to go against wind and generate your own momentum. My preference is to exercise outdoors. Run hard, run safe.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Sleep Well, Live Healthier, Manage Your Weight

If you don't sleep well, your day will not go as well as it could. Your workouts are less effective when your energy is low. Too many sleepless nights can contribute to weight gain. If you continue to pile up sleep debt, it will eventually cause your health to suffer.

Psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Tracey Marks, has written a great book entitled, "Master Your Sleep: Proven Methods Simplified." Dr. Marks specializes in the interplay between your mind and body and how it shapes your quality of life. She has treated many patients suffering from burnout, depression and stress. Many times, sleep problems are at the root of their woes.

As a personal trainer, I see more and more clients who have sleep problems. This affects their metabolisms and hinders their efforts to reach fat loss and weight loss goals. I am using this book to help me first and my clients. I don't know anybody who hasn't had sleep problems at some point.

"Master Your Sleep" is well worth reading and it will help you regardless of your circumstances.

My favorite chapters are "Why Can't I Sleep" and "Behavioral Therapy--Things You Can Do." The book is helping me already. In particular, my busy lifestyle can sometimes affect the quality of my sleep. You'd be surprised at how many disorders there are that can hinder your sleep patterns.

Here's your chance to win a free copy of the book! It is paperback, only 125 pages and includes a sleep diary and problem solving worksheet. I have 3 copies to give away over the next week.

Just register at My Fitness Hut Blog.

If you don't win, be sure and buy your copy here. Peaceful sleeping to you!

Mark Dilworth at My Fitness Hut

Is There a Healthy Alternative to Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners?

Is there a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners? Mark Sisson discusses stevia.

After last week's article many of you asked about a natural alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners: stevia. It is widely used in the low carb community to satisfy sugar cravings or simply add a touch of sweetness to a hot beverage or dessert, but should it be? What is stevia? Is it safe? What is its effect on insulin, if any, and does it have a place in a Primal Blueprint eating strategy? Let's investigate.

Stevia is an herbaceous family of plants, 240 species strong, that grows in sub-tropical and tropical America (mostly South and Central, but some North). Stevia the sweetener refers to stevia rebaudiana, the plant and its leaves, which you can grow and use as or with tea (it was traditionally paired with yerba mate in South America) or, dried and powdered, as a sugar substitute that you sprinkle on. It's apparently quite easy to grow (according to the stevia seller who tries to get me to buy a plant or two whenever I'm at the Santa Monica farmers' market), and the raw leaf is very sweet. Read more

Burn Fat With Medicine Ball Exercises

Burn more body fat with medicine ball exercises. These exercises are definitely underused by people I see working out.

Medicine ball exercises will help you do more than burn fat. Medicine ball exercises will also help you improve your speed, power and core strength.

Medicine ball exercises also allow you to exercise with natural movements. Your movement is not restricted by weight machines or barbells. Every one moves differently and you can even be a little creative with medicine ball exercises. Doing these exercises at full speed will give you maximum fat-burning potential.

Here are some top fat-burning medicine ball exercises:

1. Medicine ball diagonal chop (pictured above) - The diagonal chop helps you work multiple muscle groups in different planes of motion (at the same time). Injuries of the torso (such as oblique strains/pulls) hurt like crazy and are hard to recover from....its better to avoid these types of injuries!

2. Medicine ball front chop - The medicine ball front chop is a great full body core exercise that also works your lower body. Do this exercise at a moderate pace before progressing to full speed.

3. Medicine ball squat jump - The medicine ball squat jump will shape your legs, improve your speed acceleration and power. Bodyweight squat jumps should be mastered first. The fastest runners usually have the highest vertical jump heights.

4. Medicine ball rotational throw - This exercise will train your body in the transverse plane of motion and help you prevent twisting injuries of the torso. Do this exercise at a moderate pace before progressing to full speed.

5. Medicine ball soccer throw - The medicine ball soccer throw is a great power exercise to help burn upper body fat and improve your core strength.

It is hard to limit this list to just 5 medicine ball exercises. Medicine ball lunges with rotation and medicine ball side lunges are two exercises that come to mind.

Add medicine ball exercises to your workouts more often. It will help shape and tone your body faster.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Natural Remedies for Joint Pain

Do you suffer from the number one chronic illness? Margaret Durst has a long list of natural remedies for joint pain.

Joint Pain or arthritis is the number one chronic illness in America. One person in 7 suffers from it.

Many people are successfully using glucosamine, chondroitins and MSM to manage pain and to supply building materials for joint repair. While these are very helpful, particularly with osteoarthritis, I would like to mention some other natural remedies for arthritis. Read more

Sleep Deprivation Hinders Fat Loss and Weight Loss

Sleep deprivation, or sleep debt, will hinder your attempts to reach your fat loss and weight loss goals. You need to exercise smart, eat healthy and take care of your body. That includes getting enough sleep each night. Sleep debt takes a toll on your health and appearance.

Being "too busy" all the time is not good. Sometimes we use it as an excuse to not do the things we should---like exercise!

When you wake up during the night because you can't sleep, you are likely to eat when you should be sleeping. And, you will throw your metabolism "out of wack."

Researchers have found that the less sleep the test subjects got, the higher their body fat. The shorter sleep time altered the subjects hormone levels, energy decreased and appetite increased.

And we already knew that decreased energy affects your workout performance. What's enough sleep? The general rule is 8 hours of sleep a night. Some may need more sleep or a little less than 8 hours. Don't sabotage your exercise program and fat loss goals by not getting enough shut-eye.

If you do happen to wake up at night, eat an apple instead of ice cream!

Exercise consistently, eat healthy and get the sleep you need to keep your body healthy!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Don't Buy Girl Scout Cookies, Just Donate Money

If you have a "sweet tooth" and are trying to break bad eating habits, you don't have to buy those Girl Scout cookies! Just donate the money instead. They will happily take it. That way, you won't feel guilty saying no to the cute little girl at her table.

I have donated money at least 3 times already this year instead of buying the cookies. I love sweets and its one way to say no. Use every tactic you can until you get your eating habits under control.

Break bad eating habits "one habit at a time" if that's what you must do. Replace bad, unhealthy foods with better alternatives. You will feel better (literally) and it will help you reach your fat loss and weight loss goals.

Keep your daily food journal to track what, how much and why you are eating! This will help hold you accountable during the day.

Don't ruin great workouts by eating bad food with a million calories! Its possible to hide those hard-earned muscles with thick layers of fat! Don't fight against yourself!

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get a FREE Special Report: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips" and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Vegetarian / Vegan Diets & Depression

Avoid Depression with Plantarian Style Diet

Bad eating can give you depression: study :

Plant based vegetarian and vegan diets are certainly healthier than average but have no automatic protection against depression. There must be a focus on a Plantarian style foods to glean the full health benefits of plant based diets says UK nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston.

Without a focus on whole foods that have natural nutritional synergy the health benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets are harder to argue.

You can be vegan or vegetarian and still have a diet laden with refined foods and foods rich in processed saturated and trans-isomer fatty acids that the body struggles to recognize and properly process.

Vegetarians and vegans should take note to include wholefoods rich in essential fatty acids
Authors of a Spanish study on mental health, from the universities of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, followed and analyzed the diet and lifestyle of over 12,000 volunteers over six years.
At the beginning of none of the participants had been diagnosed with depression; by the end, 657 of them were new sufferers.
"Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food...) presented up to a 48 percent increase in the risk of depression when they were compared to participants who did not consume these fats," a key study author said.
Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, also noted that in the event "more trans-fats were consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced in the volunteers."
The research team found, at the same time, that after assessing the impact of polyunsaturated fats -- composed of larger amounts of fish and vegetable oils and olive oil, these products "are associated with a lower risk of suffering depression."
The report, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, noted the research was performed on a European population that enjoys a relatively low intake of trans-fats -- making up only 0.4 percent "of the total energy ingested by the volunteers."
"Despite this, we observed an increase in the risk of suffering depression of nearly 50 percent," said researcher Miguel Martinez.
"On this basis we derive the importance of taking this effect into account in countries like the US, where the percentage of energy derived from these fats is around 2.5 percent."
The report pointed out that the current number of depression sufferers in the world is around 150 million people, and has increased in recent years.
This rise is attributable, according to the authors, "to radical changes in the sources of fats consumed in Western diets, where we have substituted certain types of beneficial fats -- polyunsaturated and monounsaturated in nuts, vegetable oils and fish -- for the saturated and trans-fats found in meats, butter and other products such as mass-produced pastries and fast food."
Further fuel to add strength t the argument to include more plantarian foods in one's diet and move towards a new world record of health and sustainability for One World Day

Heart Health in Vegans and Vegetarians

Further evidence to follow a Plantarian rather than a Vegetarian or Vegan diet for health reasons is found in a review in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry  Jan 2011 *

The  review summarizes the effect of a habitual vegetarian diet on clinical complications in relation to chemistry and biochemistry. Omnivores have a significantly higher cluster of cardiovascular risk factors compared with vegetarians, including increased body mass index, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, plasma total cholesterol (TC)  triacylglycerol and LDL-C levels, serum lipoprotein(a) concentration, plasma factor VII activity, ratios of TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and TAG/HDL-C, and serum ferritin levels. 

However in the review, compared with omnivores, vegetarians, especially vegans, have lower serum vitamin B(12) concentration and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels in the tissue membrane phospholipids, which are associated with increased collagen and ADP stimulated ex vivo whole blood platelet aggregation, plasma 11-dehydrothromboxane B(2), and homocysteine levels and decreased plasma HDL-C. 

Increased homocysteine and imbalances in HDL / LDL and omega 6 and 3 levels are factors in meat eaters that are associated with an increased thrombotic and atherosclerotic risk.

The author suggested that vegetarians, especially vegans, should increase their dietary n-3 PUFA and vitamin B(12) intakes.

Leading UK Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life Health and Nutrition Consultancy says  "This review will bolster the argument that vegetarian and vegan diets don't grant you automatic immunity from heart disease. Some would deem it pedantic, but to get the full health benefits of vegetarian and veganism one needs to follow a predominantly Plantarian diet based on natural, wholefood plant based principles rich in a natural synergy of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fibre and essential fats."

"With recent increased availability of vegan sources of omega 3 fats in echium oil and algae there is no need for vegans, vegetarians and plantarians to miss out on high levels of essential fats and these plant based fats have the advantage of avoiding the complications of toxicity, un-sustainability and undesirable saturated fats in fish oil. Chorella is a potential source of vitamin B12 for vegans" she adds.


* Chemistry behind Vegetarianism. Li D Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, China