Author Archives: Kirsten

Weight Loss

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The healthy way

 

 

The Diet Solution Program promises a complete and comprehensive weight loss program that will not only help you lose body fat, but guarantees you increased energy, health and vitality all at the same time.
With so many weight loss programs out on the market and on the internet today, what makes this program any different than all the rest?

Before we get to the program, let’s take a look at the expert behind this program. Isabel De Los Rios is a nutrition and exercise specialist with 10 years of experience helping clients reach their ideal weight and tackle conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Isabel has a very extensive educational background in nutrition and exercise physiology. Her personal experience with her own weight struggles and her mother’s severe diabetes led her search for the BEST nutrition information available today. The Diet Solution Program is a result of her 15 year study and research.

I’ve also talked to Isabel about her training and education background, and I’ll be honest, it was impressive, unlike other so-called “health experts”, who are just following main stream nutrition programs. Isabel provides her readers with the truth: the facts most people have never taken the time to research, read and decipher.

Plus, Isabel has been a nutrition and exercise specialist for the past 10 years and has personally worked with hundreds of clients in her own private facility, overseeing successful weight loss programs. This hands on experience with real people solidified the facts and principles she had learned in books, journals and from other health professionals. The proof was really in the results of real people.

In fact, Isabel’s articles are pretty radical when it comes to her nutrition principles which is why her approach works when main-stream nutrition fails. So if you are looking for the same old nutrition theories taught in every other book and program on the market today, this is not the program for you.

Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, “What is The Diet Solution Program?” Well according to Isabel, it is the most comprehensive and detailed nutrition manual available on the market today. Not only does it teach you exactly what principles you need to follow to finally reach your ideal weight, it gives you the meal plans, shopping lists and recipes to do so. It does not push some extreme, unreasonable way to lose weight. It actually teaches you how you can make this healthy way of eating into a lifestyle. And if you have ever attempted to lose weight in the past, you know that the only way to maintain it is to make it a way of life. The best part about Isabel’s program is that this new way of life is not some torturous eating regimen. She really shows you that you can eat delicious food, combined the right way, to lose weight and maintain it.

One of the best side effects of the whole program is the increased health and vitality that every participant experiences. Decreases in blood sugar levels, lowered cholesterol, increased energy, elimination of digestive discomfort and cleared skin conditions are just some of the few benefits other people have already experienced.
Frankly, I’ve used the program myself and recommended to many others. Why? Because I was sick and tired of following nutrition plans that either did not work or made me lose weight but feel terrible. Yes, I want to be at my ideal weight but I also want to maintain a healthy body at the same time and not have to resort to extreme, radical methods. The Diet Solution Program helped me lose weight and feel healthy and energized at the same time.

Now realize that some effort from you will be required, but Isabel has really done all the hard work for you. Included in her program is:

  • Step by step action steps telling you exactly how to put the principles in place
  • Detailed daily meal plans that make everyday eating easy
  • Shopping Lists to make food shopping a snap
  • Delicious Recipes to make everyday meals tasty

The manual is comprehensive. Jam packed with incredible and valuable information. But you don’t need to wait to get through the whole thing before you can start. You can use Isabel’s Quick Start Guide to start the program ASAP. Some people have even just used the quick start guide and lost 10-15lbs in a little as 6 weeks.
The Diet Solution Program is not just another weight loss scheme or extreme diet. It is truly the only way to lose weight and enjoy a lifetime of health. The Diet Solution Program is perfect for people who have struggled with their weight their whole life and are sick and tired of programs that just don’t work long term. The DSP is also perfect for people who want to take control of their health and reverse health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

If you’re in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Isabel’s program. I was very impressed with all of The Diet Solution Program meal plans, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Isabel’s expertise. For the money, it’s the best deal in the weight loss industry – so much better than diet pills! And remember…
Isabel De Los Rios’s The Diet Solution Program is backed by a 60 day money back guarantee. And this is a real guarantee… if you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.” So you really have nothing to lose.
The Diet solution Program

I would love to know how you get along with this program or if you have tried the program. Share your thoughts in the comments

Avoid Sugar

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Written by Stephanie

 

Sugar:  Enemy Number One

My favorite food used to be these addictive soft sugar cookies with white icing.  Truth is, I saw no harm in including sweet treats in my daily diet.  But then I was persuaded by a friend, a health enthusiast, to take a really close look at the damaging effects of eating refined sugar.  Finding motivation for avoiding sugar has been a key to enjoying greatly improved health for the long-term.  I’ve come to understand that a poor diet is the biggest enemy to good health.

There’s no denying that sugar tastes great.  But sugar has zero nutritional value; in fact, one of the primary foods associated with illness is refined sugar.  Eating sugar can cause the following health problems:
* Obesity
* Heart attack
* Stroke
* Diabetes
* Tooth decay
* Abdominal pain
* Pancreatic damage

I know I’m not alone in my love for sweets.  But with all of the problems sugar causes, why do we eat so much of it?  For one thing, the shelves of supermarkets are full of foods that should be avoided because of their sugar content.  It’s important to take the time to check labels and be intentional about choosing the right foods for the sake of our health.

Odds are that true sugar addicts have a systemic fungal infection called candida, which creates a craving for sugar.  Researchers estimate that, in fact, 70% of Americans have candida, which in most cases is harmless but can be life-threatening for people with low immune systems.  The way to get rid of candida is to starve it out; this yeast infection feeds chiefly on sugar. There are questionnaires available to help you determine if candida is diminishing your health.

 

 

There are many good reasons to do ourselves a favor and avoid eating refined sugar, and here are a few more.  Refined sugar:
* Is almost as addictive as drugs
* Drains our energy
* Promotes wrinkling
* Can cause arthritis
* Can cause hypoglycemia
* Robs our bodies of minerals
* Tends to suppress the immune system
* Can lead to osteoporosis
* Can cause cancer
* Weakens eyesight

Obesity is a growing problem in America, especially among children; and, again, sugar is one of the main culprits.  I myself have struggled with obesity largely because of my addiction to sugar.

To round out my argument for avoiding sugar, I want to share what the results have been of my change in diet, to cut out sugar as much as possible and choose healthy foods.

I began drinking more water, and I added protein-rich foods to my diet.  I also began a regular walking routine, averaging 20 minutes every other day.  I committed to enjoying my beloved sugar cookies only on major holidays.

After a short while of eliminating sugary treats from my daily diet, the cravings stopped.  I’m now satisfied with the sweet taste of fruit and don’t feel a constant craving for refined sugars.  So far I’ve lost 20 pounds, and I now run regularly.  My energy level is way up; and, looking at me, I actually glow with health.  My face no longer has a pasty appearance.

I’ve said bye-bye to sugar; and if I can, anyone can!

 

 

 

Stephanie is a runner, blogger, and proud mother of the two greatest kids ever. When she’s not watching Gray’s Anatomy, she reads up on Velashape Cellulite Treatment and follows Sono Bello on Twitter and Sono Bello on Facebook.

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Blogging to success

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I would like to share with my readers been it casual or regualer, that I will be taking part in a bootcamp been run by Celestine Chua from The Personal Excellence blog. This is going to be a journery on which this blog is sure to sky rocket to success in the next 4 weeks or so.

Blogging Intensive Bootcamp – The layout as quoted from The Personal Excellence blog

  1. Lay down the strategy and plan for your blog (Clarifying your blog mission statement, KPIs, Target audience, Title, Slogan, Assessing your blog’s landscape, Identifying the players in your niche, Analyzing them, Understanding their proposition, Ideating topics that match your audience’s needs, etc) – Week 1
  2. Get the foundational pillars in place (Researching different layout options for your blog, Structuring your site, Creating the essential sections, Layout out the right categories/Tags, Getting your blog prepped for sharing, Essential plugins to install, etc) – Week 1
  3. Learn how to write quality content (What it takes to create top content, Different article types, Creating your articles list, Practice in writing different article types, Analyzing competitor content, etc) – Weeks 2-3
  4. Cover traffic building fundamentals (Different traffic building strategies, Key social media channels and how they work, Identifying guest post blogs, Networking with bloggers in your niche, etc) – Week 4

 

Unfortunallty the registration has closed, so if you had not registed you will just have to wait for the next one.

Watch this space for great content done by myself for the first time.  I hope to be learn a lot from this experience and produce a highly successful blog with the help of the BIB members and anyone else who may visit.

 

Wishing me luck as I begin the master plan for living the healthy way, it is going to be great, so visit often.

 

You can follow me on twitter and facebook – links in sidebar. You are more then welcome to subscribe to my feed.

 

Live Now, Not Later

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How the promise of a bright future can cause a dull life today

 

Many of us live with the belief that working hard today means reaping benefits tomorrow. I, myself, subscribe to that same philosophy. A committed work ethic is a virtue and it’s the people who put in 110% that make it to the top – after all, it’s the American way, isn’t it? And once you get to the top, man, that’s it. You’re set. You’re golden, life is good.

 

Yes, it is the American way and I think it’s a good way to be. What is not good, however, is when that ‘work hard today and enjoy tomorrow’ mentality morphs into something entirely different and takes on new significance in our day-to-day lives. I think that many of us (again, myself included) have expanded the definition of this American way to mean today is reserved for suffering, happiness is for tomorrow.

 

Really? Yes really. I think more of us have quietly adopted this expanded definition than we may realize. I would argue that we passively work our way through each ‘today’ with most of our minds’ energy spent on the thought of the future. Once I get that pay raise, things will be better… I’ll start going out as soon as I lose these 5 pounds … As soon as I’ve made it in the world, people will see what I’m worth.

 

I challenge any of you to start listening to your mind’s thoughts for messages like these. Start paying attention to the things you say and think to yourself. How much of it is centred on denying yourself simple daily pleasures? How much of those thoughts say “As soon as X happens, I’ll let myself Y.”? Start listening to the words floating around in your head. With all of these empty messages flying around, when do you have time to focus on the moment at hand?

 

Corinne Maier, author of “Bonjour Laziness” believes that how you view your future has a great bearing on how you live your current life. She says the difference between the French and Americans is that French people believe today is in fact better than what tomorrow will bring, and fill their days with small indulgences. Americans, conversely, think tomorrow is actually better and … well, you already know.

BELIEVE
Image by spitfirelas via Flickr

It’s a simple observation but I think it’s incredibly astute – not because one country’s view is better than another’s, but because it illuminates powerful this difference in belief can be.

Let’s be clear here. I’m not saying you should live it up. I’m not saying you should move to Paris and lounge in cafes all day. I am certainly not saying hard work is overrated and the apocalypse is upon us. What I am saying is that we need to reassess our understanding of a better tomorrow.

 

The fact is a better tomorrow is not exclusive of a better today.

 

Tada! That’s the golden nugget hidden in this rant. Don’t be disappointed. It’s actually more profound than you think (and not because I’m saying it. I am only repeating something many others have already said anyway.) The only thing you have in full is the day at hand. It’s here. It holds all of the same beauty, wonderment, and possibility as tomorrow. Maybe its time you started appreciating it a little more.

 

Find something you’ve reserved for later than you can in fact do right now. Everyone has something they’re denying themselves. A night out with your friends. A single weekend without taking your work home. Calling a long lost friend you might be embarrassed to reach out to. You keep waiting to do it later and it may never happen .. you keep chasing the perpetual ghost of tomorrow, you will find yourself living a string of unhappy and unfulfilling todays. Simply find something you can do now, and do it now.

 

Too much for you to handle? OK then, baby steps for you. Spend a little time each day being fully aware of the moment. When you wake up in the morning, take all the thoughts about your workday, your gas bill, the laundry, and push them aside. Spend a few minutes just being hyper aware of where you are right then. Really look at the color of the sky, be conscious of how your skin feels, what the air smells like. Really observe yourself and your surroundings. Revel in the fact that your day can go in an infinite number of directions, and its starting right now.

 

Don’t gag. It’s cheesy but not that cheesy. Think about this – when was the last time you stopped working your way through the day and paused to dwell within it? Isn’t it a bit sad to think so many days have gone by, one after another, hardly distinguishable from each other? A series of just another work day, just another Sunday cleaning the house, just another night watching TV in bed. The day has to offer more than just these meaningless routines.

 

Let me add one last thing. Living today is not an easy thing, especially if it means tuning out the rampant thoughts that draw us to the future. It’s not easy to really disconnect from the movement of your surroundings, and quieting your mind for a few moments is next to impossible for some people. For most people the vision of tomorrow is paramount. It’s makes all of today’s crap bearable and gives us hope, drives us to keep achieving. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stopped myself from screaming at an incompetent boss or kicking a broken dishwasher by calming myself with the thought “It’s OK. One day I’ll have more money/ a better job/ higher status in life … and never have to deal with this bull again.” You and I, my friend, are dealing with the same kinds of troubles and annoyances.

 

So to you I say “No kidding. Living now is a lot harder than living later.” We’re ingrained with the conviction that our future is in our own hands and we can shape our own destinies. It’s an immense source of freedom to know you accomplish whatever you set your mind to do and it only makes sense aim for the horizon. I wouldn’t give that up for the world. But looking at the horizon shouldn’t blind you from everything else. The scenery is just as interesting along the way.

 

 

 

 

By J. Bina

Learn more about J. Bina here. (linked to http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top)

 

Start Surfing Rainbows for a healthier life

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Written by Dale Brunner and Pam Sullivan, co-authors of The Promise of Surfing Rainbows

 

In life, we do not achieve what we are capable of; we achieve what we believe we are capable of, and it is the thoughts we think that set up these beliefs.

 

In other words, our beliefs are created by what we think about. When someone says they want to be healthy yet their thoughts are preoccupied with their illness, they are defeating their chances of regaining full health. Every subject or topic, such as health, is really two topics: the “having of something” (presence) and the “not having of something” (absence): being healthy and not being healthy (sickness).

 

When we think about what we want, it feels good; but when we think about what we don’t want it, does not feel good. The more we think about something, the more our beliefs become fixed, and the more we either feel hopeful or hopeless, which impacts our life experiences and our health.

 

The body rebuilds itself every day. Broken bones, cuts and bruises all heal; many cells die and are replaced with new ones. Your skeleton is completely renewed every three months. The entire lining of your stomach is replaced every 72 hours and your skin renewed every five weeks. Even if 75 percent of someone’s liver is removed by surgery, it can regain its original mass in two to three weeks.

The body naturally heals itself except when there is an interruption of energy flow due to the physical side effects of stress coming from negative thoughts and feelings.

 

Spending time anxiously focusing on an illness or condition generates additional stress hormones and only serves to aggravate problems. If you are ill, but make a commitment to take your mind off your symptoms by finding things to focus your attention on that will make you feel good, even laugh (such as funny films, being with great friends, etc.), your immune system will be boosted, and the cells of your body will start to relax and so begin to heal themselves naturally.

 

When you are in so much pain or are really worried about your health problems, this may seem a frivolous idea to try – but it does work. It’s how people have spontaneous remissions of serious illnesses and ‘miraculous’ cures that the medical profession can’t always explain.

 

Surfing Rainbows is a new project that offers a free program to help anyone wanting to lighten up their way of thinking to help ease their energy flow so they can achieve greater health.

 

“The Promise of Surfing Rainbows offers the medical profession a valuable way of inspiring patients to tap into their internal wisdom to heal themselves and live an all-round healthier life,” says Dr. Desiree Cox, PhD, a medical doctor with more than 20 years of international experience in healthcare and humanities, a Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University with a master’s degree from Cambridge University.

 

Life is like a spiral of good and bad experiences.

You are never static.

You are either moving up or down the spiral.

The choice of direction is yours.

Surfing Rainbows will keep you on the upward spiral of life.

 

We often think that for a concept to be of any value, it has to be very complicated. Most of us do not understand what exactly happens when we breathe or how an airplane stays in the air, but we can benefit from both of these.

 

Likewise, Surfing Rainbows is as easy as breathing, and it can help you even if you don’t fully understand how it works.

 

Colorful Night Fountain of Rainbow Colors

Image by epSos.de via Flickr

Are you aware of your moods changing through the day? Are you aware of how your thoughts are affecting your life experiences? If you are used to worrying about certain things and all of a sudden try not to, it can be quite hard. Surfing Rainbows’ free program has been turned into a fun treasure hunt to your deepest desires and offers some amazing prizes weekly with extra support as an incentive to help you keep going until (and beyond) you reach your ultimate prize: more of the health, happiness and success you want in life.

 

“The Promise of Surfing Rainbows is one of the most fabulous metaphors for mindfully manifesting miracles I’ve ever seen, instantly leading you into the flow of life,” says The Barefoot Doctor, renowned expert in the field of Energy Disciplines.

 

We would love to run a follow-up article for all blog readers who take this free Treasure Hunt with prizes and report back to us how this has helped them boost their self-confidence, create more self-empowering beliefs and help them to live the healthy way. To join the treasure hunt and learn more, visit www.SurfingRainbows.com.

 

 

Pam Sullivan

 

 

 
Dale Brunner

Living the colorful and lively life

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This view of Earth's horizon as the sun sets o...

Image via Wikipedia

Written by CJ Golden

If you’re quiet you’re not living. You’ve got to be noisy and colorful and lively

—Mel Brooks


Last September, while walking down a scenic trail outside of Philadelphia, I encountered the most majestic sight I’d ever seen. The unusually warm, bright day had been all the more glorious for the wooded scenes I’d passed; an abundance of brightly colored autumn leaves clinging to their branches in their last flashes of life, a serene brook sailing alongside of me suddenly thrust into a flurry of tumultuous activity as it cascaded down several steep rocks. Yet the vision that pulled my total focus and stays with me still, was the frail-looking, elderly woman walking toward me. Obviously enjoying the same exhilaration I was experiencing that morning, and perhaps at the objections of children or grandchildren left behind at home or in the car, she was traversing the level but rocky path – pushing a walker in front of her.

This amazing woman embodied the philosophy that I follow in my own life: one which combines the principles of Taoism (the ancient Chinese philosophy of acceptance) with a healthy dose of defiance (defying stereotypes, negativity and self-defeating attitudes).

Through the years I’ve studied and learned a bit about the ancient philosophy of Taoism, which teaches that all of life follows a prescribed path. Just as the seasons come and go, the transitions of our lives are a natural part of the Universe. But I’ve also come to realize that as we follow our own paths, we need to remain active in mind and body. This is essential – for to truly “age gracefully” we need to not sit back in our rocking chairs and merely let the wrinkles and gray hairs materialize. Aging gracefully is a product of aging happily and vitally. To do this we need remain as active as our bodies and minds will allow. We need to be Tao and defiant. In short, we need to acknowledge the changes in our bodies as we transition from one stage of life to another. But we need to embolden that acceptance by defying old stereotypes, limitations and self-defeating attitudes.

The state of our health may diminish: our muscles weaken, our immune systems wane, we become less resilient and our hormones play tricks on us. This is all a natural part of the process of being one with nature.

True, this “being one with nature” business can be a bit disheartening. It is definitely not fun to find your body incapable of performing as it once did. You might have suffered an accident and injured your leg or neck or back; perhaps you are now dealing with a difficult health issue. Maybe the passing years have stolen some of your flexibility or strength. However, by making peace with your situation, you can rise above these setbacks. Instead of “why me?” and “I hate this . . .” (you fill in the blank), you can turn your thinking around to “Okay, this is me” and “I can deal with this.” It can be done. People all around us provide living, breathing examples of this philosophy of acceptance and actions.

I have made it my goal to try a new physical activity each year. It is amazing; I have discovered how far my limits can truly stretch. I’ve been following the examples of women and men I know and admire—women who have over the last few years learned how to golf, started playing basketball, participated in lengthy walks for charitable causes, and forced away fears by going hot-air ballooning or parasailing. These folks refuse to allow the passing years and, perhaps, physical ailments to deter them. We need to remember that as we grow older we do not have to accept limitations. Our abilities may wane in one area, but there is always another direction which we can follow with enthusiasm.

If your knees no longer allow you to jog, walk. When your back refuses to allow you to play at the club, swim. If you don’t know how to swim, learn.

As a Tao and defiant woman, you deal with the physical detours along your path. They don’t grind your journey to a halt, because you have strengths and attributes that will take over for those that need recharging. And you use those strengths to forge a new path—one that can be just as exhilarating and fulfilling as the last one was.

We live our best when we are vital and active. No, we might not be able to climb

a mountain or surf the waves of the Pacific. However, when we remain vital because of, and in spite of, whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, that’s when we are truly experiencing this amazing adventure called life.

Back to my walk in Philadelphia last September: The leaves understood they were going to fall yet showed their glorious colors to the bitter end. The stream happened upon an unexpected detour yet met the rocks head on and continued, vitally, on its way. And that beautiful elderly woman joyfully pushed her walker along the trail. What a picture they all make in my mind’s eye. They will stay with me forever and serve as a constant reminder that no matter what my physical state, I can, should and will always stay active and vital. How about you?

 

 

C.J. Golden, author of TAO OF THE DEFIANT WOMAN, and the award winning TAO-GIRLS RULE! (for pre-teen and teen girls), is a motivational speaker who travels the country inspiring all with her dynamic spirit and vision

as she helps others explore their unique journeys through life. She is an increasingly important voice in the field of women’s studies as her message resonates with women and girls everywhere.

 

Golden’s unique, personal approach combines Taoism (acceptance of changes that occur naturally in life) with a good dose of modern day defiance (defying stereotypes, negativity, and self-limiting behaviors).

This balanced combination helps the reader walk the ever-evolving paths of life with more ease, joy and vitality.

 

Golden’s voice is one of a kind that imparts wisdom while staying completely accessible to her audiences; like a spunky fairy-godmother with the occasionally red or green tipped hair, she is a shoulder to lean on and a ‘rock on’ motivator all in one.

 

You can visit CJ at taogirl

 

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The Sweet Science Behind Dark Chocolate

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What Eating Dark Chocolate Can Do for You

by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN

 

Dark chocolate — with a high content of nonfat cocoa solids — is the new guilt-free super food! The scientific evidence is stacking up linking daily consumption of deep, dark chocolate with phenomenal health benefits, especially on your heart and blood vessels.

Studies show that people who eat generous amounts of superbly-heart-healthy and flavonoid-rich cocoa rarely develop high blood pressure and have a very low death rate from heart disease.

Eating dark chocolate is key to heart health because it is loaded with powerful plant antioxidants called flavonoids. That is why is it included as a bonus in a plan I developed to reverse heart disease, and/or to build good heart health to hopefully avoid heart troubles. My full program is detailed in Prevent a Second Heart Attack: 8 Foods, 8 Weeks to Reverse Heart Disease (www.PreventaSecondHeartAttack.com). The eight key food groups that form the core of my plan are extra virgin olive oil, leafy greens, figs and other fruits, salmon and other seafood, lentils and other legumes, walnuts and flaxseeds, oatmeal and other whole grains, and red wine.

Eating your daily sweet treat will make a significant contribution to the antioxidant potential of your diet, as dark chocolate has a higher antioxidant quality/quantity than most heavy hitters — red wine, black tea, and green tea. Consumption of the dark, flavonoid-rich type of chocolate can improve your blood vessel health by increasing your endothelium’s production of that crucial blood vessel relaxation chemical nitric oxide, rendering your dysfunctional endothelium (the damaged inner arterial layer that instigates and promotes heart disease progression) healthier and more functional. In fact, research shows that consuming a small daily dark chocolate treat reduces inflammation and promotes more relaxed and dilated blood vessels, especially if you’re diabetic.

To sum it up, consuming just one or two squares (up to one ounce) of dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa) every day can help:

· Boost your blood antioxidant level

· Lower your blood pressure

· Make your dysfunction endothelium more functional

· Fight inflammation

 

Here are a few ideas to eat chocolate daily — for you and your heart.

• Try a nightly cup of steaming, decadent homemade hot chocolate. For my Quick, Healthy (and sinfully satisfying) Dark Hot Chocolate, put 2 tablespoons of dark unsweetened cocoa powder into a mug, add a touch of sweetener (you might consider a sugar substitute), and mix together with 12 ounces of soy milk and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract. Microwave till warm, stirring at least once. Top with fat-free whipped topping and you have a delicious, chocolaty, super-heart-healthy sweet treat.

• Remember, to satisfy your chocolate craving and fortify your heart disease defense strategy simultaneously, think real cocoa. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder has the highest concentration of flavanols compared to other chocolate products (followed by unsweetened baking chocolate), plus is low in sugar, fat and calories, so favor this chocolate choice over solid bars when possible. And don’t forget that milk chocolate and chocolate syrup rank lowest on the antioxidant scale, so avoid choosing them for your heart-healthy chocolate splurge.

• Look for dark chocolate products derived from single-origin countries or areas. Note that Madagascar and Java cacao beans have been shown to contain double the flavanols compared to beans from other areas.

• If you prefer a small piece of chocolate, purchase one of the new high-flavonoid chocolate bars (not milk chocolate or Dutch processed) — at least 70 percent cocoa, and limit yourself to one to two small pieces a day. Be sure to check the ingredients list and choose a bar where the first ingredient is cocoa solids or chocolate (not sugar) such as Lindt® Excellence 70% Cocoa Bar.

• Add a couple of tablespoons of dark cocoa powder to your banana and soy milk smoothie — a luscious addition to a heart-healthy drink.

Isn’t this the best nutrition news to come along in decades? In addition to my Quick, Healthy (and sinfully satisfying) Dark Hot Chocolate (see above), try my Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts (see below).

So this Valentine’s Day, or any day, enjoy your chocolate…just make sure it is dark chocolate in the appropriate quantity only. It isn’t so hard when you remember that a healthy heart is the best treat of all.

______________________________________________________

Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN, is a leading diet, nutrition, and fitness expert. She is the author of Prevent a Second Heart Attack and Cholesterol Down. Learn more at drjanet.

_____________________________________________________

Recipe below for Dr. Janet’s Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Janet’s Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts

Serves 16 — A dark, moist chocolaty treat.

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup packed Splenda ® Brown Sugar Blend

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1 tablespoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place black beans in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, oats, cocoa powder, olive oil, espresso powder, flax seed, vanilla, and salt. With an electric mixer blend the ingredients until the black beans are mushed up and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape batter into the prepared pan, top with walnuts, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the middle of the brownies is firm. Let cool before slicing into 16 pieces.

NUTRITION PER SERVING (1 brownie):

Calories: 140

Fat: 6 g (0 g EPA, 0 g DHA, 1 g ALA)

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 1 mg

Sodium: 89 mg

Carbohydrate: 16 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sugars: <1 g

Protein: 3 g

Excerpted with permission from Prevent a Second Heart Attack by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN ©2/2011.

 

Everything is the result of something else

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“Everything is the result of something else. To have, what you have not; you must do, what you do not.”-Zor

Like most of the Zor’s advice, the quote mentioned above is simple enough to understand yet extremely difficult to apply.  The problem lies in the basic structure of our minds, for it is the mind which controls our actions.

The mind is divided into two parts, the conscious and the subconscious.  Our conscious mind has three primary functions.  First it recognizes and interprets the immediate environment, (the smells, the sounds, the colors, the temperature, everything that stimulates the five senses).   Second, it is responsible for all future thoughts, (“I’ve got to do the laundry…prepare for a business meeting…file my taxes…make the kids’ lunch for school, etc.”).  Third it processes our memories, (“That song brings me back to an old girlfriend…falling leaves remind me of high school football…holidays with the extended family,” etc.).

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These three functions occupy our conscious mind 95% of the time.  Incredibly that means our actions are controlled on a conscious level about 5% of the time.  The subconscious manages the rest.  This explains why we often pull into the garage after our nightly commute without remembering the drive home.  It’s not our fault, 95% of the time we are unaware of what we are doing.

This in and of itself would not be a problem, but for selective breeding.  Since the beginning of mankind, we have been bred to develop a subconscious that is fearful, anxious, and negative.

Think about it.  Two troglodytes spy a spring-fed stream near a large boulder. Both are thirsty and the cool, refreshing water beckons. The first caveman, only seeing opportunity, sprints to his reward. The second, though equally entranced, has a more apprehensive nature and thinks, “I’ve better be careful, this place is new. This may be a trap.  Is something evil lurking behind the boulder? Why would such an inviting oasis be uninhabited?”

Sure enough, his questions are answered as a saber tooth tiger springs from behind the boulder and devours his friend. The prehistoric world was a dangerous place, and this scenario was often repeated. The cave dwellers that survived long enough to procreate were the ones that rarely strayed from the chosen path and developed a pessimistic outlook towards life.

Now we see why it is so hard to follow through with positive changes in our lives today. Our subconscious has been hardwired to be repetitive and negative.

We may be committed to eating healthy and losing weight on a conscious level but that will only impact our actions 5% of the time.  As soon as our conscious mind is otherwise occupied our subconscious, the part of the mind controlled by a negative, repetitive neuron network, immediately leads us down familiar paths, committing familiar failures.

If the subconscious mind equates eating with a certain emotion or thought, every time we have that emotion or thought, we will eat. Regardless of what we say we want to accomplish on a conscious level; lose weight, stop smoking, seek better relationships; we are doomed until we address our concerns at the subconscious level.

To do this we must restructure our thought process and be more attentive.  We must recognize negative desires before they become negative actions and resolve them consciously.  Fortunately, every time we bring forward a subconscious thought to our conscious mind we reinforce a process which eventually becomes automatic.

Training ourselves to live in the moment is the answer.  We can change our lives but to do so we must be aware of what we are doing, when we are doing it. Imagine how successful dieting would be if every time we mindlessly reached for more food, we stopped and cognitively evaluated the situation.

This is the solution to creating the life we want. We must be vigilant in our efforts to remain aware of the characteristics we intend to change. As we consciously recognize and change our bad habits, new networks of thought are developed in our subconscious.

Over time the new, preferred network gathers strength and becomes dominant. We are now able to have, what we had not; because we can do, what we did not.  —Ray Clements

Bio of guest poster Ray Clements

I was fortunate to attend the cultural melting pot of Boston University in the early 70′s. As senior class president I graduated with both a major in Business Administration and a concentration in Philosophy/Religious Studies. Since graduation I have spent 30 years trying to balance compassion and morality with corporate success and capitalism; finally succeeding with the publication of my new book, “Zor”. “Zor” explores the relationship between philosophy, spirituality, and science by asking one simple question; where do you turn when life’s core beliefs become suspect? That is the dilemma confronting Jonathan Brewster, a middle-aged money manager from Boston, whose “chance” meeting with a Haitian dwarf named Zor, spirals out of control. Forced to defend his life in a series of intense debates concerning negative ch’i, emotional addictions, neuron networks, placebos, vipassana meditation, the collective unconscious, laws of attraction, sub-atomic entanglement, Nietzche, metta, God, and happiness; John is reluctantly drawn to a new reality.  Rising above his crisis of conscience he restructures his life for the greater good, only to be challenged by the ultimate betrayal.
Currently living seaside, in a picturesque New England community with my wife and son, I am convinced the movement that captured a nation in the late 60′s is still very much alive. “What’s so wrong with peace, love, and understanding?”

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My fitness journery

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I made a decision on the 21st January 2011 that I need to get fit. I figured that I would giving running a go. Now, I knew that it was going to be tough and i would need to get a pair of running shoes and the right clothing and in time I would have to look at a running watch, which I have just found.

The shoes I found are great and I have not had any

problems with them. I also brought a running skirt which is easier to run in then the traditional running shorts. I am sure to get another one, they are rather expensive though.

I have been running every 2nd day for 20mins – 40mins. I plan to increase that this week, meaning I will run two days on and one day off,starting today.  Running is a great exercise that anyone can do no matter what your fitness level.

How I eased myself into running was by walk/jog till i felt

comfortable to jog for longer. That first day I only managed 20mins, and was also the day I realised just how unfitness i was, but it is improving now.  I have found a 5km route in my local town which I gave a go on Saturday,which I enjoyed as there where hills and flat sections. The route I do is also very safe as there are other people exercising and it is in a populated area.

Another exercise I began at the same time was Yoga, which is great for the mind, body and soul. It is also helps you to be more flexible and may even slow down the ageing process. If you have not yoga before i would suggest going to a class so as the teacher can show you the correct way to do the poses. Then from there read books, try DVDs there are plenty out there to help you get started.

When I started yoga I had no idea what I was doing so I went to a few classes and learnt the basics. I have some DVDs that i used for a while but now i just use the wii balance board and NewU yoga and Pilates workout programme. I am happy with it as you can do a complete yoga class or custom class. Which is what i am doing now and i am just concentrating on the sun salutations.

Now, I am sure you wondering where to start and could you combine these two exercise together? Well, from my experience I would say yes, you can.  As  with starting any new exercise routine, it is best to consult your doctor, if you have any health problem. I do have to say that i did not consult my as I did cycling before but i hurt myself once to many times, meaning i broken two bones in my hand.

Running gear:

Shoes: New balance

A Balanced walk

Image by tuis via Flickr

Clothing: Addis and local sports brand


 

 

Watch : Hoping  to get the Garmin FR60

Garmin FR60 LTD

Image by Nicole Lee via Flickr

 

 

 

 

Music: ipod shuffle and podrunner

iPod Shuffle 2G on his dock

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Yoga:

Clothing:  anything comfortable

Traveling for Yoga - 5

Image by lululemon athletica via Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

Wii balance board and wii remote

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

Yoga mat and blocks

The Pink Panther's Yoga Mat

Image by christianyves via Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, was exactly a month since deciding to start running and be a healthier person. I ran my 5km route in 35mins, it was also the first day that i did without walking.

Links

Runners world

UK

USA

SA

Yoga network

Wellsphere

Advice and comments are always welcome.

A new excerise programme

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So, I have finally started exercising everyday.  Good for me.

The programme consists of Running

Woman running

and

yoga posture forward bend variation. I took th...

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Yoga

on alternative days, I started this on the 21 January 2011 so

I have been doing this for two weeks now and I feel good about it, it does feel longer though.

The other day I went brought myself the right running gear and tested it out yesterday, what a difference it made. I  also found out that running with ipod classic is not good idea, so I got the shuffle which has my running music that I picked up from itunes (Podrunner), this music gets you going. For yoga I am using the NewU yoga and pilates workout for the Wii, its a great workout and you are sure to enjoy it.

I will let you know how it goes.