This One Nutrient could change your LIFE!

The website Green Med Info has assembled a list of studies that found evidence of over 40 conditions that chlorella can help to prevent or ease.

The conditions include:
•Hypertension
•Anemia
•Diabetes
•Acute Stress
•Fibromyalgia
•Liver Cancer

According to one of the studies on the subject:

“Chlorella vulgaris (CV) has been reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties ... Our study shows that CV has definite chemopreventive effect by inducing apoptosis ... in hepatocarcinogenesis [liver cancer] induced rats”.

Sources:Green Med Info

Chlorella, a single-celled fresh-water algae, is one of the most heavily researched algae in the world. It's often referred to as a near-perfect food as research through the years have identified an astounding range of health benefits. While being well known for its ability to detoxify your body by binding to toxins and carrying them out of your system, that's certainly not all it's good for.

Chlorella's Impressive Range of Health Benefits

As you will see, chlorella seems to fit the description of a "wonder nutrient" that serves far more than just one function. Here's a sampling of some of the health benefits associated with this green algae:

Repairing nerve tissues

Increasing your energy levels

Enhancing your immune system

Normalizing your blood sugar

Improving digestion

Normalizing your blood pressure

Promoting healthy pH levels in your gut, which in turn helps good bacteria to thrive

Removing potentially toxic metals from your body

Enhancing your ability to focus and concentrate

Eliminating bad breath

Not interested in eating algae try this to get your chlorella


Chlorella can also be of benefit to vegetarians and vegans looking for proteins and B vitamins from a non-animal source. About 60 percent of it is protein, and because it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs, it's considered to be a "complete protein."

Chlorella also rich in:
•GABA
•Folate
•Vitamin B12
•Iron

Six Health Conditions Chlorella May Help Prevent or Treat


As mentioned earlier, chlorella has and still is being researched for a number of health conditions. Here's a list of six common health problems and diseases where chlorella may be of particular benefit:
•Insulin resistance—Earlier this year, researchers discovered that chlorella has the ability to improve fructose-induced insulin sensitivity. As I’ve discussed on numerous occasions, excessive fructose consumption is the number one cause of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this animal study, after being fed fructose-rich chow for four weeks, the rats were then given chlorella three times a day for five days, which brought their elevated glucose-insulin values back to normal.

The authors concluded that: “Oral administration of chlorella has the ability to improve insulin sensitivity, which may be used as an adjuvant therapy for patients with insulin resistance.”
•Detoxification. Is particularly helpful when used in conjunction with an infrared sauna and taken two hours before you go in the sauna. This way the chlorella will be in your intestine and read to bind to the toxins that are released when you are in the sauna. It will bind irreversibly to the toxins and be safely excreted when you have your bowel movement.
•Diabetes—Additional evidence supporting the theory that chlorella can improve insulin sensitivity can be found in an earlier study. Here, the algae was found to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in the liver in type 1 diabetic rats. The authors suggest chlorella’s hypoglycemic effects may be due to improved glucose uptake in the liver and the soleus muscles. Another mechanism may be related to decreased levels of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), since insulin sensitivity is usually blunted by elevated NEFA in type 1 diabetes.
•Hypertension—The results from a placebo-controlled, double-blind study published two years ago suggest that chlorella can significantly decrease high-normal blood pressure and borderline hypertension. The authors proposed that it may be a beneficial dietary supplement for preventing hypertension, with no apparent adverse side effects.
•Anemia, proteinuria and edema in pregnant women—Pregnancy-induced hypertension and anemia are common, and potentially dangerous. One of the primary causes for these conditions is the woman’s nutritional status. A study published last year found that chlorella may help improve both of these conditions in pregnant women, likely due to its high folate, B12 and iron content.

Subjects took six grams of chlorella per day, starting somewhere between the 12th to the 18th week of gestation, until delivery. The chlorella group had significantly lower rates of anemia compared to the control group. They also had fewer incidences of proteinuria and edema; two symptoms associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Here too, the authors concluded that: “Chlorella supplement may be useful as a resource of natural folate, vitamin B-12 and iron for pregnant women.”
•Fibromyalgia—Although the individual results were varied, it may be worth considering chlorella if you suffer with fibromyalgia. A study published in 2000 tested the effectiveness of two commercially available chlorella-based products on patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and the overall results showed a 22 percent decrease in pain intensity. However, while seven patients reported improvement in their fibromyalgia symptoms, six reported no effect at all, and five claimed their symptoms had worsened during the trial... So keep that in mind if you decide to try it. While it may help some, it might not work at all for others.
•Liver cancer—A study published in 2009 discovered that chlorella triggers cell death (apoptosis) in rat liver cancer cells, which suggests it may be useful in the prevention of liver cancer. The authors concluded that: “Our study shows that chlorella has definite chemopreventive effect by inducing apoptosis via decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the expression of caspase 8 in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats.”

To get your chlorella click here

Have a Healthy and Successful Chlorella Enriched Day!

Migraines Making Your Life Miserable? STOP the Pain!

Don’t know what to do?

You are not alone. There are many types of migraine headaches. If you suffer from migraines, then you probably know they all share one thing in common – they cause pain, a lot of pain. They also create other unwanted symptoms.

Migraine pain usually appears on one side of the head, 30-40% of migraines occur on both sides. Throbbing pain is usually present. More than 80% of people will feel nauseated and have some vomiting. About 70% become sensitive to light and sound. This phase may last 4-72 hours.

Unfortunately, the exact cause of migraine headaches is not clearly understood, this is why it is so difficult to cure them. It is believed to be due to the constriction of blood vessels located in the brain.

Migraines can start to occur for no apparent reason and at any age.

You may feel indicators known as auras coming on before a migraine hits. These auras can take the shape of broken lines, flashing lights, blurry vision or spots. It’s important for you to understand how auras feel. Once you become aware of these indicators, they will help you avoid or minimize the pain in the future.

Various triggers are thought to bring on headaches in certain people such as:

Certain foods, especially chocolate, dairy products, nuts, alcohol, fried foods, diet sodas (aspartame) and MSG
Missing meals
Increased emotional and physical stress and tension
Smoking
Excess caffeine
Inadequate sleep
Jet lag
Changes in the weather
Hormonal imbalances
Lack of food
Birth control pills
Side effects from medications

Prevention is the best cure

Migraine triggers should be identified and avoided when possible. Making individual lifestyle changes is very important, as well as being aware of the warning signs. When you notice the warning signs, stop what you are doing, relax, do some deep breathing and hydrate with plenty of water. The earlier you catch a migraine, the easier it will be to reduce the symptoms.

Tips to help prevent a migraine:

Drink plenty of quality alkaline water
Eliminate caffeine intake
Keep organized and reduce stress
Exercise regularly
Incorporate Magnesium for brain health, other helpful supplements that have been known to give relief are Feverfew Leaf Extract, Butterbur Root Extract, Ginkgo, OPCs and B12
Sleep consistently
Eat a balanced diet incorporating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole rains
Eliminate diet sodas (aspartame)
Increase oxygen to the brain- google deep breathing to learn ways to implement deep breathing into your life.

In clinical trials in both Germany and the United States, butterbur reduces the incidence of head cavity discomfort by up to 61%.

Magnesium deficiency is also very common among migraine suffers.

I have many testimonials from migraine sufferers who have implemented magnesium, butterbur, OPC’s and B12 into their diets and have had great results.

The first step is to determine the reason for the migraine. Then you can narrow down treatments potions. Whether it is stress, diet, medications, hormones or sleep, start eliminating the reasons and you will be closer to finding some answers.

I will only recommend products that are pharmaceutical grade and have been proven to work. To find out more about how you can find these quality supplements, CLICK HERE.

Have a Healthy and Successful Migraine Free Day!

Vitamin B Complex

6 Great Reasons Why You Need Them In Your Diet

Can you relate to ever being tired or scatter-brained? Stressed or irritable? Feeling old or unattractive? Welcome to the real world! We all have felt one, if not all, these feelings at some point in our lives. Now don’t get too depressed, there is help. It may be easier than you think. Giving your body the proper nutrients it needs can make all the difference in the world. Think about this: would your car go very far if it didn’t have gas in it? Well your body works the same way. We often overlook the most obvious solutions, thinking, “that would be too easy.” When, in reality, we just need to fill up with premium or change the batteries. Do something good for your body everyday and do it consistently- you just may be surprised.

Have you heard about B vitamins? B-Complex is a combination of the essential B vitamins with magnesium and potassium, which work synergistically to promote a myriad of health benefits and biological processes in the body. B-Complex works to promote healthy red blood cell formation, increase energy, promote normal cognitive performance, promote cardiovascular health, help maintain healthy levels of serotonin, decrease stress and improve mood. B vitamins are necessary for proper functioning of the nervous system, bone marrow and intestinal tract. Vitamin B12 and folic acid facilitate steps required for cell division. Vitamin B5 is involved in the Krebs cycle of energy production. It is needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, as well as producing, transporting, and releasing energy from fats. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and biotin participate in different aspects of energy production. Because many vegetarian diets are lacking in the essential B-vitamins, B-Complex meets the need for B-vitamins for vegetarians.

This is a lot to take in. So, in a nut shell, you NEED the B vitamins to maintain health so you can function with a good quality of life.



A B-complex vitamin is a mixture of the eight essential B-vitamins, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid (B5), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12) and biotin. B-vitamins are needed for the proper functioning of almost every process in the body.

Primary Benefits of a B-Complex Vitamin:

Promotes normal red blood cell formation

Essential for many key functions in the body

Helps decrease stress and improve mood

Helps maintain healthy levels of serotonin

Increases energy

Involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates

Meets need for B-vitamins in a vegetarian diet

Necessary for proper functioning of the nervous system, bone marrow and intestinal tract

Promotes cardiovascular health

Promotes healthy levels of homocysteine and supports normal endothelial function

Promotes normal cognitive performance.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid facilitate steps required for cell division.

Vitamin B5 is involved in the Krebs cycle of energy production.

Vitamin B5 also essential in producing, transporting and releasing energy from fats.

Vitamin B6 is essential for amino acid metabolism.

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and biotin help give you more energy.



A deficiency in folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 or biotin may result in feelings of fatigue.

The B Vitamins work so closely with one another that a deficiency in any one B Vitamin can lead to poor functioning of any, or all, of the others even if they are in good supply.

Deficiencies of any of these B Vitamins can lead to dry, grey skin, dermatitis, wrinkles, acne, rashes, falling hair, weak and splitting nails, feeling depressed, anxious or stressed, impaired digestion, lethargy, fatigue, irritability, lack of focus and ambition.



Extra Tip

B Vitamins are water-soluble, which means any excess will be excreted through the urine. This also means that B Vitamins need to be taken on a daily basis, as the only one we can store is Vitamin B12. Taking a high dose of Vitamin B Complex (50mg - 100mg) daily can turn urine a bright fluorescent, this is perfectly safe and normal. So don't be alarmed!



Why are B-vitamins so important in the aging process?

The ability to absorb B Vitamins naturally decreases with age. Various indicators of cognitive impairment are associated with reduced B Vitamin levels. The elderly, in general, suffer from a reduction in sense of taste and thus appetite. They may use many acid reducing medicines that predispose them to B12 deficiency. According to Robert M. Russell, of the U.S. RDA’s Human Nutrition Center on Aging at Tufts University, vitamin B12 is probably the single most important nutrient adversely affected by aging.



I am young and healthy. Why should I take B-Complex?

Health experts estimate that one in five adults is deficient in one of the B Vitamins. Absorption of vitamin B12 is a complex process, which can lead to B12 deficiency. Keep in mind that even in a healthy person’s gastrointestinal tract, there are always other proteins and vitamins competing for absorption alongside vitamin B12. B12 is so large and complex that it very often must struggle for entrance into the bloodstream. Specifically at risk for deficiency are vegetarians, heavy alcohol drinkers, those who take a lot of prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs, those with digestive disorders, pernicious anemia, recipients of gastric bypass surgery, and those with poor diets. A vitamin B-complex is great for athletes, especially endurance athletes, needing a natural boost of energy before a workout, due to its beneficial effects promoting the oxygenation of red blood cells.

After reading this article you now know that getting enough vitamin B is vital to good health. Now you need to take this information and utilize it. For a high quality B-Complex vitamin that offers maximum benefit click here.

If you want a complete wellness solution click here

Have a Healthy and Successful Vitamin B Filled Day!

Benefit from Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting, Part II

(NaturalNews) Part I reviewed the latest findings in longevity research. In a word, dietary restriction (DR) creates physiological changes that slow down aging and protects against age-related diseases. It is now known that these effects are related to insulin and that reducing insulin secretion plays a major role in extending life.

Therefore, one must learn to efficiently burn foods that do not provoke insulin secretion - fats. Fats are stable, slow burning sources of energy that do not create advanced glycation end-products and that naturally satiate. They have many roles in the body and are the only macromolecules that can carry the fat-soluble vitamins that build healthy bone, teeth, and nervous system. Some fats are essential and therefore must be supplied by the diet regularly.

On the other hand, carbohydrates provoke insulin secretion, have a very limited structural role, are glycating, and can only briefly satisfy the appetite. The body has multiple ways to manufacture them from amino acids and parts of fat (gluconeogenesis).

It is also important to consume enough high-quality, complete protein to meet the body's daily requirements. Amino acids are required to make enzymes, antibodies, clotting proteins, hormones, transport proteins, muscle, hemoglobin, and other cellular components. However, protein intake beyond the amount required for cellular building, repair, and maintenance up-regulates an important kinase called mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). mTOR is a highly conserved enzyme that synthesizes the messages from various pathways that feed into it to regulate cellular growth, proliferation, survival, metabolism, and angiogenesis.

The signaling pathways upstream of mTOR send activating or inhibitory signals based on the presence or absence of nutrients, growth factors, hormones, and oxygen. When protein (and insulin) is in high supply, mTOR is up-regulated, which may accelerate aging and cancer development. mTOR signaling is the focus of current longevity and cancer research.

So how many calories should one consume to reap the benefits of DR? It depends. Age, level of activity, sex, BMI, quality of diet, and level of health will determine what one's body is able to tolerate. As a general rule, adjust the caloric intake to meet the body's most basal needs. Calorie restricted (CR) diets usually reduce calories by about 30%.

Here are some guidelines:

- There are multiple permutations of intermittent fasting (IF). For instance, every other day (EOD) fasting is a cycle of 24 hours of fasting followed by 24 hours of not fasting. Eating only one meal a day is another form of IF.

- Carbohydrate-laden foods, like bread, pasta, grains, and sugar, provide very little nutrition, are poorly sustaining, and provoke the secretion of insulin. Cut out the calories from easily digestible carbohydrates because humans have no dietary requirement for them. Moreover, a carbohydrate-based diet drives obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

- Replace the carbohydrates with enough fats in the diet to provide fat-soluble nutrients and long-term satiety.

- Eat nutrient dense foods such as grass-fed/wild organ meats, wild fish, seaweeds, wild foods, dark green vegetable juices, grass-fed butter, etc.

- Include plenty of antioxidants in the diet. Antioxidants have been shown to enhance the anti-aging effects of DR.

- Eat just enough high-quality protein to meet your daily needs (usually about 50-60 grams a day according to the DRI).

- Supplement with anti-glycating nutrients (Vitamin B6, R-alpha lipoic acid, acetyl L-carnitine, L-carnosine).

Combining DR with optimal nutrition can be very powerful. By consuming a nutrient dense diet and learning to burn fats instead of carbohydrates (ketosis), one can obtain maximum benefits from DR without much will or suffering.


Have a Healthy and Successful Fasting Day!

Benefit from Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting, Part I

(NaturalNews) Seventy-five years of research shows that dietary restriction (DR) is the one tried and tested means to extend lifespan and to improve many markers of health.

One form of DR is a calorie-restricted (CR) diet with optimal nutrition. The idea is to provide adequate nutrition with the least amount of calories (in other words, under-nutrition without mal-nutrition). Intermittent fasting (IF) is another form of DR. Intermediate fasters eat about the same amount of calories as non-fasters on a carefully restricted schedule. This implies that the episodic deprivation, irrespective of the caloric count, produces the physiological effects of IF.

In almost every species studied, including yeast, fish, rodents, dogs, and primates, DR seems to mysteriously slow aging, extend youth, and postpone diseases associated with old age. In laboratory experiments, some animals have been able to expand their healthy life spans by up to 400% with optimal DR.

The rationale behind the DR theory of longevity is that organisms become stronger and more resistant to diseases in response to the stress of a continual state of mild hunger. Some scientists believe that this could have been an evolutionary adaptation, which allowed our ancestors to survive periods of food scarcity.

The physiological effects of IF and CR are similar. Both CR and IF prompt cells to set up defenses against stress, which protect against aging and degenerative diseases. However, since IF fasters are allowed to eat as much as they want when given access to food, IF is usually more appealing than the continual self-denial of CR.

Many mechanisms of DR induced life extension have been proposed. One of the most prominent is the discovery that DR up-regulates autophagy, or what is called the repair mechanism of the cell. This effect is related to the down regulation of insulin and insulin-related molecules.

Studies indicate that insulin's role as the body's blood sugar regulator is simply a consequence of its major role of regulating cellular reproduction, and therefore lifespan. Insulin -predominantly secreted in response to dietary carbohydrates- signals to the body that it is well nourished and conditions are prime for cellular reproduction. On the other hand, when insulin level is low, the body senses famine, down-regulating reproductive pathways and up-regulating cellular maintenance and repair.

The beneficial effects of DR are plenty. They include:

-Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease
-Improved learning and memory (via increased brain derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF)
-Insulin sensitivity
-Lowers body mass index (BMI)
-Cardio-protective effect (protects heart and brain cells against injury and improves outcomes in stroke and myocardial infarctions; increase levels of circulating adiponectin).
-Less expression of age markers in the liver and brain
-More youthful appearance
-Less inflammation
-Resistance of neurons in the brain against excito-toxins
-Prevention of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation under stress
-Reduced vascular endothelial (inner lining of blood vessel) damage
-Reduce oxidative stress
-Less chance of developing/improvement of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, brain degeneration

Part 2 will discuss practical ways to take advantage of the latest findings in DR/longevity research


Have a Healthy and Successful Fasting Day!

6 Ways to Help Prevent Alzheimer's

While the exact cause of Alzheimer's remains unclear, the greatest known risk factor is increasing age: the chance of developing Alzheimer's seems to double every five years after age 65. After age 85, the risk of developing Alzheimer's is about 50 percent. While you can't do anything about getting older, there are some simple measures that can help:
•Challenge yourself. A growing body of medical evidence suggests that lifelong stimulation is the key to building and maintaining brain cells, staving off memory loss and maybe even preventing Alzheimer's disease. Try doing interesting work (paid or volunteer), pursuing hobbies, engaging in an active social life, taking music or language lessons, or learning a new computer program.
•Take a daily anti-oxidant like OPC's. OPC's are a natural anti-inflammatory which studies show a reduced risk of Alzheimer's when taken daily.
•Use healing spices in your cooking. Turmeric, ginger and red pepper can add zing to meals and are all natural anti-inflammatories.
•Eat a diet rich in omega-3s, including wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, freshly ground flaxseed and walnuts.
•Incorporate plenty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables in your meals.
•Reduce your intake of polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as sunflower, corn and safflower oils), replacing them instead with extra virgin olive oil.

Have a Healthy and Successful Forgetful Free Day!

Beat hypothyroidism naturally

(NaturalNews) One of the fastest growing health conditions in the US is hypothyroidism. The most common symptoms experienced are lethargy, depression and weight gain. Some of the newest reports are estimating that 15-30% of the population may have thyroid problems. An anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle provide natural solutions to boost thyroid function.

The thyroid gland is one of the most sensitive regions of the body to environmental toxins. The most common environmental toxins affecting thyroid function include:

Industrial Pollutants in Air & Water
Ionizing Radiation from medical devices and microwaves
Heavy Metals such as Mercury, Lead, & Aluminum
Perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and other chemicals in non-stick pans
Fluoride in water, toothpaste, & many processed foods
Inflammatory foods and food allergens

Whole house air & water purification devices should be used in home and work settings. Microwaves should not be used to avoid the potential effects of ionizing radiation and irradiated foods. Silver (mercury) filling removal is critically important and should only be done by a biologically certified dentist who is trained in safe amalgam filling removal. Provoked metal challenges can be used to assess heavy metal toxicities, and oral chelation strategies can effectively remove these particles. All non-stick pans should be replaced with high quality ceramic, stainless steel, or cast iron cookware.

Certain foods must be avoided or prepared properly in order to minimize exposure to potential thyroid toxins. One of the major thyroid toxins is gluten. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein found in wheat, barley, rye, kamut & spelt. Nearly all processed foods contain gluten. Other foods such as oatmeal are often contaminated with gluten.

The gluten molecule closely resembles that of the thyroid gland. Individuals with dysbiosis, leaky gut syndrome and gluten intolerances are at risk for an auto-immune reaction to gluten that triggers inflammation into the thyroid gland.

Goitrogens are naturally occurring anti-nutrients in certain foods that interfere with the production of thyroid hormones. Unfermented soy products contain a tremendous amount of goitrogens. The only process that has been shown to remove these thyroid toxic components is a deep fermentation cycle that produces products such as miso, tempeh, and natto. All other soy should be avoided. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale also contain goitrogens although in smaller quantities. Cooking these vegetables has been shown to effectively remove goitrogenic compounds. Lightly steaming is the most effective way to consume cooked vegetables as it maintains a large quantity of the nutrients. Anyone with a thyroid disorder should eat the majority of their cruciferous vegetables lightly steamed.

People with thyroid issues commonly have food intolerances. Different nuts (especially peanuts), eggs, and heavy proteins are often not tolerated well. All processed and man-made foods need to be avoided at all costs. Other common allergens include those of the nightshade family such as eggplant, tomatoes, & potatoes. Specific blood work and/or elimination diets can more accurately assess these intolerances.

An anti-inflammatory lifestyle is critical for full recovery from hypothyroidism. Anti-inflammatory foods help to modulate the immune system and give it a more accurate pair of eyes so as to not over-inflame when stimulated. To effectively de-inflame one must completely avoid man-made foods, sugars, and food allergens as listed above.

This nutrition plan is rich in phytonutrient dense vegetables, healthy fat and clean protein sources. Non-starchy vegetables, herbs, & teas are great sources of anti-oxidants. Healthy fat sources include coconut products, avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, & purified omega-3 fish oil supplements. Healthy protein includes wild-caught fish, grass-fed red meat and free range chicken, turkey, and eggs. Be careful to watch for any hidden food intolerances.

Have a Healthy and Successful Monday!

Four principles accelerate fat loss

(NaturalNews) It is true that one must maintain a state of negative energy balance for a period of time in order to lose body fat. Though, there is a bit more to the story. Burning fat and losing fat are always occurring simultaneously to some degree. The underlying premise of fat loss is to create an internal environment that favors fat burning in favor of fat storing. Simply put, if the net flow of fat is into the fat cells, weight gain results. If the net flow of fat is into the muscles (to be burned), weight loss results. Fat loss requires four steps.

The mainstream stepwise, clinical treatment of overweight/obesity begins with lifestyle changes, moves onto drugs, and ends with bariatric surgery. Most patients invariably fail the lifestyle phase and ultimately move onto the drugs and surgery. The lifestyle approach is uninspired at best and does not apply the principles of fat tissue metabolism in order to accelerate fat loss and increase muscle gain.

According to the CDC, over 65% of adults and 13-14% of children are overweight or obese in the U.S. These conditions have become major health concerns, as approximately 300,000 deaths are associated with obesity every year. In fact, as one`s body mass index (BMI) increases, so does one`s risk of disease and death from all causes.

Obesity is a disorder characterized by an accumulation of excess body fat to an extent that impairs health. To be more specific, a person is classified as clinically obese once his BMI reaches 30.

It is important to understand that many hormones and enzymes - the activity of which are ultimately determined by genes interacting with the environment - fundamentally control fat regulation. Therefore, it behooves the fat loss seeker - to the extent that is possible - to control the secretion of these hormones and activity of these enzymes to maximize fat mobilization and burning.

Fat loss requires four steps:

1.Lipolysis: Triglyceride (storage form of fat) breakdown and release.
2.Partitioning of fatty acids into the muscles in favor of fat.
3.Fatty acid oxidation (fat burning). The technical term is beta-oxidation.
4.Increased basal metabolic rate (BMR).

Lipolysis (step 1) is accomplished by an intracellular enzyme called hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), which is available abundantly within fat cells. The hormones that stimulate HSL are secreted in response to fasting, under-eating, intense exercise, and stress.

The fat partitioning step (step 2) is controlled by the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL). LPL - as its name suggests - acts on circulating lipoprotein particles whose role is to transport fats in the bloodstream. LPL liberates fatty acids from the lipoprotein particles so that they can be herded into the cell on which the LPL resides. LPL distribution is determined by the balance between insulin and glucagon (which is determined primarily by blood sugar levels) as well as by sex hormones.

Beta-oxidation (step 3) is regulated by all of the hormones mentioned above. The most prominent one is glucagon. Glucagon - secreted in response to high protein foods and low blood sugar - increases the shuttling of fats into the mitochondria so that they may be burned for energy.

The thyroid gland is the primary regulator of BMR and accomplishes step 4 by secreting hormones that increase the metabolic rate of every cell in the body. An underactive thyroid gland almost always leads to weight gain.
So, how does the fat loss seeker consolidate all of these factors involved in fat tissue regulation and create a plan that maximizes fat burning? That will be the topic of the article "How to Accelerate Fat Loss."


Have a Healthy and Successful Fat Burning Day!

6 Sunscreen Tips

If you want protection from the sun, avoid its rays (particularly between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. standard time from April through September in the northern hemisphere); wear a wide-brim hat and sunglasses (make sure your sunglasses block at least 99 percent of UVA and UVB radiation); and use sunscreen. When it comes to the latter, consider these six guidelines for getting the most out of your sunscreen:
1.Use it liberally. You need at least an ounce (the amount that would fill a shot glass) to cover your entire body.
2.Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors so that it can be absorbed into the skin.
3.Be sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours and after every swim. No matter what the label says, one application of sunscreen won't last you all day and won't stay on if you're in and out of the water.
4.Choose sunscreens that offer "broad-spectrum" protection - that means it will block UVB rays and some UVA. Look for zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and Parsol 1789 among the ingredients, but do not use "micronized" or "nano" formulations.
5.Buy sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. This will block about 93 percent of UVB rays. Higher SPF numbers won't necessarily give you that much greater protection, but tend to remain effective longer.
6.Remember that solar exposure is one of the best ways to maintain optimum vitamin D levels, so don't entirely avoid sunlight on your bare skin. Learn how to safely raise your "D" levels via sun exposure.

Have a Healthy and Successful Sun Filled Day!

Burn 100 Calories in 10 Minutes!

People often say that they don't have time to exercise, but I disagree. Everyone can spare 10 minutes a day to work out. One of my personal goals is to do something active every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. So even on my busiest days, I won't make excuses. And I definitely won't convince myself that 10 minutes is too little to really matter. Ten minutes DOES matter—and it really does add up to big benefits for your body. If all you only did 10 minutes of exercise per day, that's 70 minutes and potentially 700+ calories that you could burn over the course of a week.

So when you're short on time and can only muster a short workout, intensity is key. Work harder for the most benefit and the biggest calorie burn for your buck. Really make those minutes count! Here are tons of workouts that burn around 100 calories (or more) in just 10 minutes, while also strengthening your heart and lungs and helping your blast stress. Now THAT is a worthwhile way to spend a few minutes of your time.

20 Ways Burn 100 Calories* in 10 Minutes
1. Cycling (12+ mph) or mountain biking
2. Racquetball
3. Running (at least 12 minutes per mile)
4. Swimming laps or treading water
5. Playing basketball
6. Spinning class or stationary biking
7. Rowing
8. Boxing
9. Martial arts
10.Digging (heavy yard work)
11.Jumping rope (continuously)
12.Jumping jacks
13.Rock climbing
14.Walking on the treadmill (at least 4 mph with a 5% incline)
15.Water jogging
16.Kettlebell training
17.Jump Start Cardio workout
18.Bootcamp Cardio workout
19.Kickboxing workout
20.Jump Rope workout

*Calories burned estimates based on a 160-pound woman. Men and people who weigh more will typically burn more calories for the same activity.
What's your favorite way to burn a lot of calories in a little bit of time?

Have a Healthy and Successful Calorie Burning Day!

Green Smoothies - Make the diet transition today

(NaturalNews) A lot of people are realizing the importance of upgrading their diets, but sometimes it's the change part where people get a little stuck. If that's what is going on with you, why not start adding green smoothies to your diet as a first (or second) step in the right direction.

Greens are important blood builders and detoxifiers. They're also vitamin and mineral dense, but let's face it: most people don't eat anywhere near enough of them. Green smoothies are an easy and delicious way to change that.

Bananas are often at the base of green smoothies, and if they're peeled and frozen first, they can add an ice cream like consistency. Of course, you can also add whatever other fruit you like. Apples, pineapple, Mexican (but not Hawaiian) papaya, watermelon, strawberries and grapes are all good options.

Then, just add a cup or so of greens like spinach, parsley, or stemmed dinosaur kale, water, and a little of a natural sweetener. Then, blend and you're all set. A little stevia or organic honey can go a long way in making your green smoothies taste more like a dessert than a health food drink too.

Many people find that adding green smoothies to their daily routine also boosts their energy levels - without coffee. Plus, it's an easy, delicious way to upgrade your diet - without even trying very hard.

Greens are also chock full of chlorophyll, which helps us rebuild our blood, and it goes without saying that healthy blood is critical to healthy people. Clean and healthy blood also seems to add a vibrancy to people - so if you or your life is feeling a little dull, it's one way to start addressing a root cause of the problem.

You can also power up your green smoothies with other super foods, like maca or the insides of a fresh aloe vera leaf. But, for taste and simplicity reasons, if you're just getting started on the health kick, it might be better to start slowly and add in more later, after you're already in the routine. Along with other fruit, or maybe soaked nuts, green smoothies make a great breakfast.


Have a Healthy and Successful Green Day!

5 Ways to a More Productive Walk

Walking is an ideal way to get daily exercise - it strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes heart health and boosts the immune system. But have you considered how to best put one foot in front of the other? Your walking habits can have an impact on how much benefit you get from each outing. Keep the following in mind when walking:
1.Walk with your head erect. Look ahead and train your sight 10 to 20 feet ahead of you. If you need to check the ground to avoid obstacles, lower your eyes, not your head.
2.Keep your back straight. Stretch your spine so your shoulders are level and square, and tuck your buttocks in.
3.Bend your arms. Flex your elbows at close to 90-degree angles and let your arms swing at waist level.
4.Take shorter, measured steps, with your feet striking the ground with the heel and pushing off with the toes. Too long a stride can throw you off balance.
5.Avoid lowering your head, thrusting your trunk forward or letting your arms dangle listlessly at your sides.

Have a Healthy and Successful Walking Day!

Gluten then and now

(NaturalNews) Over the past decade, the frequency of conversations about gluten intolerance (GI) and celiac disease (CD) in the United States has gone from almost unheard of to commonplace. Chances are your local supermarket sells dozens of items labeled "gluten free" where none existed five years ago. Restaurants and school lunch programs frequently offer gluten-free alternatives. What happened?

Before I dive into that discussion, I want to clarify some terms to minimize confusion. "Gluten" is the general term for a mixture of tiny protein fragments (called polypeptides), which are found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, faro, and kamut. Gluten is classified in two groups: prolamines and glutelins. The most troublesome component of gluten is the prolamine gliadin. Gliadin is the cause of the painful inflammation in gluten intolerance and instigates the immune response and intestinal damage found in celiac disease. Although both conditions have similar symptoms (pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea), or sometimes no gastrointestinal symptoms at all, celiac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten that can cause severe degradation of the small intestine; whereas, gluten intolerance/sensitivity is an inability to digest gliadin with no damage to the intestines.

The medical community's use of improved diagnostic tools (saliva, blood, and stool tests; and bowel biopsies) as well as self-diagnosis by aware individuals has certainly contributed to the swelling ranks of people afflicted with these maladies; however, that's not the whole story. A combination of hybridized grains, America's growing appetite for snacks and fast food, and the genetics of gluten intolerance and celiac disease have brought discussions of these once uncommon conditions front and center.

New evidence indicates that the hybrid versions of grains we eat today contain significantly more gluten than traditional varieties of the same grains. Experts such as Dr. Alessio Fasano, medical director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, believe this recent increase in the amount of gluten in our diet has given rise to the number of people suffering from gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

According to Fasano, "The prevalence of celiac disease in this country is soaring partly because changes in agricultural practices have increased gluten levels in crops." He further states, "We are in the midst of an epidemic."

For example, the ancient wheat that Moses ate was probably very different from our wheat today. Moses lived about 3,500 years ago, when wheat, spelt, and barley were all popular grains. Modern wheat varieties, however, have been bred to grow faster, produce bigger yields, harvest more efficiently, and bake better bread. The downside to today's hybridized cereal grains is that they contain more gluten.

Celiac disease was once considered a rare malady and was estimated to have afflicted approximately 1 in 2,000 people in the United States. According to research done by the Mayo Clinic, CD is four times more common today that it was five decades ago. This increase is due to increased awareness and diagnostics, and the estimate today is that 1 out of every 133 people in the United States has celiac disease. To read more facts and figures please read The University of Chicago Celiac Disease center at http://www.uchospitals.edu/pdf/uch_...

Here are estimates for other parts of the world:
· 3 in 100: United Kingdom
· 1 in 370: Italy
· 1 in 122: Northern Ireland
· 1 in 99: Finland
· 1 in 133: United States
· Once thought rare for African-, Hispanic- and Asian-Americans, current estimates in these populations: 1 in 236
· 1 in 30 are estimated to have gluten intolerance in the United States.

More than 6,000 years before Moses was born, an agricultural revolution took place in the Middle East that allowed humans to embrace farming (sowing and harvesting wild seeds), herding, and other forms of agriculture and move away from our hunter-fisher-gatherer ancestors. This was the first major introduction of gluten into the human diet.

According to Dr. Loren Cordain, PhD, author of The Paleo Diet, "The foods that agriculture brought us -- cereals, dairy products, fatty meats, salted foods, and refined sugars and oils- proved disastrous for our Paleolithic bodies.... studies of the bones and teeth early farmers revealed that they had more infectious diseases, more childhood mortality, shorter life spans, more osteoporosis, rickets, and other bone mineral density disorders than their ancestors thanks to the cereal-based diet. They were plagued with vitamin and mineral deficiencies and developed cavities in their teeth."
In other words, people traded their health for sustainable food sources and a less nomadic way of life.

Two hundred years ago, the global diet received another big injection of gluten with the birth of the Industrial Revolution and steam-powered mills that were able to produce refined-grain flours that had significantly longer shelf lives, making flour (aka: gluten) more accessible and available to an almost global market. "We were able to mill and process grains for consumption and eat them in larger quantities than we had ever done in the past," writes Cordain.

Jack Challem, "The Nutrition Reporter," offers a different long view of human consumption of gluten: "Look at in another way, 100,000 generations of people were hunter-gatherers, 500 generations have depended on agriculture, and only 10 generations have lived since the start of the industrial age, and only two generations have grown up with highly processed fast foods. This short period of time in the course of man's existence that grains have been around has proven that many of us are not physiologically able to tolerate gluten."

Historical evidence of people having trouble digesting gluten was first documented in the 2nd century A.D. when the Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia, diagnosed patients with celiac disease. The symptoms included "wasting and characteristic stools." Since Aretaeus' time, the disease has gone by a variety of names, including "non-tropical sprue," "celiac sprue," "non-celiac gluten intolerance," "gluten intolerance enteropathy," and "gluten sensitive enteropathy."

Fast forward to 1950, when the Dutch pediatrician Willem-Karel Dicke proposed wheat gluten was the cause of the disease. His theory was based on observations that celiac children improved during World War II when wheat was scarce in Holland.

As Challem points out, today, thanks in large part to the fast food and snack food industries, gluten is in just about every kind of food imaginable.

So Why Can't Everyone Handle Gluten?

People who that carry any of the genes for CD and GI (expressed or not) are more susceptible to developing either condition. You can carry two dominate genes for celiac disease and perhaps end up developing CD or you can carry one dominant gene and one recessive gene and develop only GI. Your genes determine the body's immune response in the presence of gluten, and many different health problems may result from that response. Some people may have their brain affected and develop cognitive problems such as depression or impaired brain function, while others suffer pancreatic problems and develop diabetes. Research still needs to be done to answer the question as to why these maladies affect different parts of the body in different people.
When populations that are genetically predisposed to CD and GI are exposed to cereal grains with higher gluten content, there's little wonder why more people are having these genes "turned on" and develop gluten insensitivity on a much larger scale -- especially now that the flour made from these grains are part of the "hidden ingredients" in foods from ice cream to lunch meats.

OK, Now What?

So, gluten has changed, and we have changed, and it appears not for the better. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, identifying and eliminating the foods and ingredients from your life that do not work for your body is the only answer. There is no magic pill to take to make it all go away.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing major health issues that aren't getting better, enlisting a knowledgeable physician who understands the complexities of CD and GI testing is an excellent idea; however, on average, it takes the medical community 10 years to diagnose people who are suffering with severe health problems from undiagnosed CD and GI.

The Bottom Line

Gluten intolerance is not a fad diet. I have seen countless cases display miraculous improvements in long standing ailments -- simply by adapting this lifestyle. Even if you have a test for CD and it comes back negative and medical community clears you to continue eating gluten, but you feel better without it,listen to your body. You know yourself far better than anyone else and you deserve good health. If you have doubts about your diet, try going gluten-free for two weeks and see how you feel. Those with more advanced illnesses (autoimmune diseases and such) will usually not experience changes until they have been gluten-free for six months to a year.


Have a Healthy and Successful Gluten Free Day!