FEATURED ARTICLES

• diet
• Weight Loss

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

You've gone the whole nine yards and yet you're still seeing little or no results on your weight loss program. While losing weight seems to be a breeze for some, others find it to be a constant uphill battle they just can't win.

Medications

Medicines have a direct effect on our body's many processes including our body weight. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs (aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen), corticosteroids and high blood pressure medication causes fluid retention. Female hormone pills for example hinder weight loss and could actually contribute to weight gain.

If you're currently under medication, the best thing to do is to discuss this with your physician. Try asking for alternative medications which doesn't have this side effect. If this is not possible, switch to a low fat diet and a more aggressive exercise program to offset weight gain. But of course this should first be consulted with your doctor to avoid complications.

You've reached your normal weight

A Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 25 is considered normal. Losing weight after reaching your ideal weight could be difficult since this could face opposition from your body. BMI is computed by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters).

If you still believe that your are “fat” even if you've reached your normal weight, then this could be a  symptom of a psychological or eating disorder. People suffering from Anorexia nervosa for example, go into extreme diets and exercise programs just to have a thinner figure.

Hormonal Changes

There are many factors that cause hormonal changes in our body. Any change in the level of hormones has a direct effect on our body's normal processes including weight gain. Aging, medication, medical conditions, menopause and menstrual periods are just some of the factors affecting hormone levels.

This is a condition that affects women more than men. Female hormone pills, menstrual periods and menopause for example are just some of the conditions that affect the levels of hormones in the body. The best way to lose weight is to tailor your weight loss program accordingly. Consulting a dietician could help you develop a personalized program could make dieting healthier and more effective.

Extreme diets

If your weight loss program requires extreme dieting then this could actually cause your body to store more fats or reduce the amount of fats being burned. Undergoing prolonged periods of “starvation” causes your body to turn into its own defense mechanisms in an attempt to compensate for such extreme measures. It reaches a point where human nature takes over and you are mentally unable to resist eating. Rather than losing weight in a gradual and healthy pace, suddenly depriving your body of its basic needs could lead to sickness. Our body requires its share of daily supply of nutrients. And that includes fats to power our daily activities.

Stress and Anxiety

Major stumbling blocks to any diet program or any life changing decision is a person's mental condition. Stress, anxiety and unrealistic expectations leads to self doubt undermining any weight loss program. Any changes to your normal daily routine and eating habits can be very stressing. Having a positive disposition, getting the right support (friends and family) and having realistic goals is your best defense when things are not going your way.

• dehydration
• signs of dehydration
• dehydration signs

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Water makes 60 percent of our body's weight, and this simple fact makes drinking water an essential part of keeping our body healthy. We can survive without food for weeks but it only takes days or even a couple of hours for our body to shut down from dehydration.

It is recommended that we drink eight glasses of water a day and drinking more is better. But we don't have to strictly follow the eight glasses rule since 20 percent of our water intake comes from solid food such as fruits and vegetables.

Water is essential in our body's normal functioning. It is a natural lubricant that keeps our joints and muscles moving smoothly. It is also a natural antioxidant that helps flush out body waste. Water also function in regulating body temperature, it helps release internal body heat through perspiration. Drinking a glass of water before meals also helps you lose weight. Just like solid food, water takes stomach space helping you feel fuller even when eating less.

Signs of Dehydration

Prolonged dehydration can lead to serious health problems and even death. And this can be very dangerous for toddlers and infants who are not able to verbally express their condition. Diarrhea especially in infants can be very dangerous and life threatening. Fluids are easily lost through the stool this along with vital nutrients and electrolytes.

Headache, delirium and light headedness

An ominous sign of dehydration especially for athletes or those participating in physical activities are those that affect their mental condition. Long distance runners for example might feel confused when too much water is lost through perspiration.

Other symptoms include dizziness, weakness and even nausea as not enough fluid is circulating in the body. The brain suffers because not enough nutrients or fluids are reaching it. The brain is one of the hungriest organs and when it is not fed our mental condition suffers.

Dry mouth and extreme thirst

We crave for food when we're hungry and thirsty when there is not enough water in the body. The body sends clear signals when something's wrong. And the sooner we identify these signals, the quicker we can remedy the condition.

Water can be lost through the skin when exposed to extremely hot temperatures. Drinking water is highly advised during extreme physical activities or prolonged exposure to the sun.

Fatigue or sudden tiredness

Dehydration affects us physically and mentally. With more than half of our body composed of water, the mind and muscles would not work as efficiently. Without the right amounts of water, we become less alert and confused. This holds true even while we're exercising or resting.

Muscle Cramps

Muscle cramps can also occur with dehydration. Water is not only loss during perspiration, salt and electrolytes are also released. Go the extra mile by drinking sports beverages loaded with electrolytes and sodium. The sodium or salt helps your body retain more water.

• Healthy cooking
• Cooking vegetables
• Vegetable preparation

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

When it comes to eating healthy, vegetables certainly come on top on our list of must eat foods. It comes as no surprise since this food group are some of the best natural sources of all essential vitamins and nutrients the body needs to function optimally.

But are we getting the most out of our vegetables? Aside from getting our daily dose of vegetables, we should also consider how these are prepared. Cooking food in general creates a chemical reaction which breaks down or even destroys the nutrients contained in our vegetables.

Proper food preparation helps us get the most of the food we eat. While we don't recommend eating our vegetables raw, we should definitely consider how we cook our vegetables. Cooking actually helps break down the nutrients making it easy for use to digest and take it into our system. And there is no sure fire way to prepare all types of vegetables.

Sauté versus Frying

Frying causes fat to enter the vegetables and dehydrates it in the process. A healthy way to go around this is to sauté the vegetable and use healthy types of cooking oil such as virgin olive oil. Using virgin oil actually helps increase the absorption of nutrients. Aside from preparing the vegetable for digestion, virgin oil gives an extra kick of flavor.

Baking or Roasting

Baking or roasting involves intense heat over a predetermined amount of time. And how healthy we prepare our vegetables depend on these factors. The amount of available nutrients after baking or roasting also depend on the type of vegetable.

Eggplants, asparagus, broccoli, artichokes and celery for example works great with baking. Tomatoes are best prepared by roasting. The act of cutting tomatoes and heating it makes lycopene more available for digestion. Lycopene is fat-soluble pigment that is found in rich amounts in tomatoes. It is a powerful antioxidant that reduces our risks for cancer. But technically, tomatoes are fruits.

Microwave

Nutrients found in vegetables are often lost through heating and water. Microwaving does not require water to cook and heats the vegetables internally. This is a great way of preserving the Vitamin C content in vegetables. Phytonutrients contained in vegetables such as carrots and beans are also preserved when microwaved.

• health benefits of avocado
• avocado nutrient content
• avocado superfood

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

What does it take to be called a superfood? For one, it should be packed with nutrients almost making it a must eat for a healthy body. And if this is one of the yardsticks used for measuring superfoods, it seems that avocado makes a strong case since it is definitely loaded with essential nutrients.

Before you go overboard and start grabbing avocados every time you have the opportunity you must first understand that a single avocado contains approximately 215 calories. And when you mention calories into the mix, especially with this amount people might start thinking weight gain. Yes, avocados do contain more than the average calorie content for most fruits but this is of the healthier kind.

The recommended daily intake for avocados is 30 grams or a fifth of the fruit. But consuming half the fruit or 68 grams is still considered to be within healthy limits. On average an avocado contains:

Amount per 100 grams

Avocado Health Benefits

1. Keeps the heart healthy : avocados do contain a healthy share of fats but most of these are of the healthy kind. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats which prevent the development of arteriosclerosis or the hardening of arteries.
2. Healthy, glowing skin : avocados are nature's answer to moisturizers. It can be used to keep our skin looking young and healthy. It is also rich in antioxidants which fights against toxins and helps protect our skin against harmful UV light. Avocados are also rich in monounsaturated and fat-soluble vitamins that helps the skin and hair glowing.
3. Helps you lose weight : diets low in carbohydrate and high in healthy fats actually improve weight loss. Fat rich food helps you feel fuller longer. These make you feel fuller and decreases the frequency of meals.
4. Lowers your risk for cancer : some studies have suggested the correlation between phytochemicals in avocado and cancer. Phytochemicals in avocado help prevent further growth of cancer cells. Avocado is also rich in antioxidants that prevent unhealthy toxin buildup which reduces further risks for cancers.
5. Helps improve digestion : avocados are rich in fiber. This helps improve digestion and reduces risk for colon cancer. It also helps get rid of toxins in the intestines keeping them healthy.

• anti-aging
• healthy aging

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Remember those times when we could almost get away with eating anything and still manage to keep our figures slim? It seems that each year brings more and more hurdles making it difficult if not impossible to keep those fat deposits at bay.

The easiest solution is to deny ourselves the pleasures of eating often opting to take a small bite of our favorite cake. Keeping slim has become so difficult that even our best efforts seem futile. Each year we grow older seems to add a corresponding inch to our waistline making weight gain synonymous with growing old.

Accept this change

The first step towards keeping a slimmer body is to accept these changes and plan accordingly. Preparing yourself mentally for the difficult tasks ahead will give you a better perspective of your condition. In the past, aging did not mean gaining weight. This was because people were actively had more active lifestyles and the food was generally healthier.

With all these modern conveniences that makes people soft and all the abundance of processed foods and sugary drinks keeping our body slim has become a challenge. Be conscious about the changes that aging brings and live your life accordingly.

Medical conditions

Weight gain may not be the direct result of aging. An underlying medical condition such as metabolic related diseases could be the culprit. Years of abuse on our body caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits can be responsible for weight gain in our advanced age.

Metabolic conditions such as those associated with the thyroid makes it almost impossible for people to lose weight. One of every five people over the age of 40 suffer from hypothyroidism. This tiny gland is responsible for regulating metabolism or how effectively we digest food. Visit your doctor regularly and have a thorough medical exam. You might never know if your weight gain is the symptom of a medical condition.

Eating Schedules

Living a healthy lifestyle is not denying or starving yourself. If you've already switched to a healthy diet and don't see any results then eating small frequent meals could do the trick. Accept that your body might not be as efficient in digesting food. Eating small frequent meals makes it easier for your body to convert food into usable energy rather than converting it into fat deposits. A light breakfast followed by a healthy snack before lunch is recommended. Just remember to keep this within 3 to 4 hour intervals.

Keep yourself satiated, extreme dieting could lead to binge eating which only makes your weight condition worse. Food taken after 8 pm is more likely to go into in your waist or belly. Never skip breakfast. It still remains the most opportune time for our metabolism. Breakfast fuels our body for the rest of the day.

Aging and our Body

Reaching 40, our body undergoes numerous physical changes which can affect how our body works. This is evident not only in our outward appearance but more importantly our internal processes. The changes are subtle and are not readily seen. This is mainly due to hormonal changes, other factors that affect digestion and metabolism.