Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Healthy.

Citrus Fruits Could Help Prevent Obesity-Related Heart Disease, Liver Disease, Diabetes

Oranges and other citrus fruits are good for you — they contain plenty of vitamins and substances, such as antioxidants, that can help keep you healthy. Now a group of researchers reports that these fruits also help prevent harmful effects of obesity in mice fed a Western-style, high-fat diet.

The researchers are presenting their work today at the 252nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

“Our results indicate that in the future we can use citrus flavanones, a class of antioxidants, to prevent or delay chronic diseases caused by obesity in humans,” says Paula S. Ferreira, a graduate student with the research team.

More than one-third of all adults in the U.S. are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Being obese increases the risk of developing heart disease, liver disease and diabetes, most likely because of oxidative stress and inflammation, Ferreira says. When humans consume a high-fat diet, they accumulate fat in their bodies. Fat cells produce excessive reactive oxygen species, which can damage cells in a process called oxidative stress. The body can usually fight off the molecules with antioxidants. But obese patients have very enlarged fat cells, which can lead to even higher levels of reactive oxygen species that overwhelm the body’s ability to counteract them.

Citrus fruits contain large amounts of antioxidants, a class of which are called flavanones. Previous studies linked citrus flavanones to lowering oxidative stress in vitro and in animal models. These researchers wanted to observe the effects of citrus flavanones for the first time on mice with no genetic modifications and that were fed a high-fat diet.

The team, at Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) in Brazil, conducted an experiment with 50 mice, treating them with flavanones found in oranges, limes and lemons. The flavanones they focused on were hesperidin, eriocitrin and eriodictyol. For one month, researchers gave groups either a standard diet, a high-fat diet, a high-fat diet plus hesperidin, a high-fat diet plus eriocitrin or a high-fat diet plus eriodictyol.

The high-fat diet without the flavanones increased the levels of cell-damage markers called thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) by 80 percent in the blood and 57 percent in the liver compared to mice on a standard diet. But hesperidin, eriocitrin and eriodictyol decreased the TBARS levels in the liver by 50 percent, 57 percent and 64 percent, respectively, compared with mice fed a high-fat diet but not given flavanones. Eriocitrin and eriodictyol also reduced TBARS levels in the blood by 48 percent and 47 percent, respectively, in these mice. In addition, mice treated with hesperidin and eriodictyol had reduced fat accumulation and damage in the liver.

“Our studies did not show any weight loss due to the citrus flavanones,” says Thais B. Cesar, Ph.D., who leads the team. “However, even without helping the mice lose weight, they made them healthier with lower oxidative stress, less liver damage, lower blood lipids and lower blood glucose.,”

Ferreira adds, “This study also suggests that consuming citrus fruits probably could have beneficial effects for people who are not obese, but have diets rich in fats, putting them at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and abdominal obesity.”

Next, the team will explore how best to administer these flavanones, whether in citrus juice, by consuming the fruit or developing a pill with these antioxidants. In addition, the team plans to conduct studies involving humans, Cesar says.

Cesar acknowledges funding from the Support Program for Scientific Development of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UNESP and by Citrosuco, an orange juice production company in Matão, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

SOURCE…www.sciencedaily.com

0 This Is What Happens When You Drink Only Water For 30 Days

The body—each molecular cell, tissue, and organ—relies upon water to remain alive and workable. Water provides a kind of health therapy, along with sustaining your life. It greatly impacts specific body operations and the maintenance of good health.

When you only drink water as your primary beverage, outstanding things can happen. Undertaking a special water regimen is not easily achievable for some, but positive consequences are possible. Here’s what can happen when you drink only water for 30 days, without changing your diet or exercise routine.

Your mental creativity and performance will be boosted

When you drink only water for 30 days, your brain reacts faster, according to the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Journal. As the brain needs tons of oxygen to operate efficiently, and water is one of the great sources, your brainpower will be boosted. It helps you think and help you focus. Also it makes you keen, clever, and quick. Ingesting 8 to 10 cups of water per day can improve your cognitive performance by as much as 30%.

You’ll age more slowly than your peers

Drinking water helps decelerate the aging process by keeping your skin adequately hydrated. It moisturizes your skin, keeps it healthy, soft, plump, glowing, youthful, and wrinkle-free. It helps maintain muscle tone, also. To realize these benefits, you must drink pure water.

In an article published by the Daily Mail, a 42-year-old mother managed to make herself appear 10 years younger in 30 days by drinking only water. She started by drinking three liters of water a day to overcome her long-standing headaches and poor digestion dilemma. After only one month, she was absolutely stunned by the spectacular results. Both of her problems were resolved, and she fully recovered from the effects of chronic dehydration.

She announced, “I genuinely can’t believe the difference in my face. I look like a different woman. The dark shadows around my eyes have all but disappeared and the blotches have gone. My skin is almost as dewy as it was when I was a child. The transformation is nothing short of remarkable… I’m feeling leaner and fitter, too, which is amazing, since the only thing I’ve changed is the amount of water I drink.”

Your immunity will be strengthened

A Slovakian Proverb says “Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine.”

That is no exaggeration! Water behaves as a catalyst for the renewal of optimal body functions. Drinking adequate amounts of water supports the performance of your liver and kidneys. These organs eliminate toxic substances, waste, and salt from your blood.

FullFitSure asserts that sufficient water consumption neutralizes pH levels, strengthens your immunity against kidney stones and other illnesses, and supports pain management (body aches and headaches), too.

You’ll have a stronger heart

Water helps you become heart healthy. It decreases the threat of a heart attack by preventing your blood from thickening, and by lowering your blood pressure.

One glass of water an hour before bed is said to prevent a heart attack or stroke. It makes it easier for the heart to send freshly oxygenated blood to the organs. The American Journal of Epidemiology published asix-year study that found that people who drank more than five glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack than those who drank less than two glasses a day.

Your bones will be strengthened

Water helps rebuild shock absorber cartilage, so joints can move smoothly, curtailing joint damage triggered by tension. Testimonies give evidence that joint flexibility improves with adequate intake of water.

You’ll lose fat

When you drink only water for 30 days, your body removes irritable, harmful toxins and waste products from your vital organs. This makes your body cleaner and helps trim belly fat.

In the beginning, an increase in pounds could become a concern if your body is retaining water before adjusting to the higher intake consumption. Even so, acting as an appetite suppressant, water comes to the rescue. You’ll soon begin to consume fewer calories, lose weight, and keep it off, because the water flushes out your system, cleansing your body and reducing your hunger.

Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD, and spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, submits that drinking one or two glasses of water before a meal can fill you up so you naturally eat less. Consuming water at regular intervals will assist with your weight management.

Your metabolism will be enhanced

Studies suggest that consistently drinking water during each day stimulates a more dynamic metabolism, regardless of your diet. Consuming 16 ounces of water just after awaking in the mornings raises your metabolism by 24%, according to the Health Fitness Revolution.

SOURCE...www.lifeghack.org

Research Reveals a Simple Trick That Doubles Your Chances for Success

We all have goals. And what’s the first thing most of us think about when we consider how to achieve them? “I need to get motivated.” The surprising thing? Motivation is exactly what you don’t need. Today, I’m going to share a surprising research study that reveals why motivation isn’t the key to achieving your goals and offers a simple strategy that actually works. The best part? This highly practical strategy has been scientifically proven to double or even triple your chances for success.

Here’s what you need to know and how you can apply it to your life…

How to Make Exercise a Habit

Let’s say that – like many people – you want to make a habit of exercising consistently. Researchers have discovered that while many people are motivated to workout (i.e. they have the desire to workout and get fit), the people who actually stick to their goals do one thing very differently from everyone else. Here’s how researchers discovered the “one thing” that makes it more likely for you to stick to your goals.

In a study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers measured how frequently people exercised over a two week period. The researchers started by randomly assigning 248 adults to one of three groups.

Group 1 was the control group. They were asked to keep track of how frequently they exercised over the next two weeks. Before they left, each person was asked to read the opening three paragraphs of an unrelated novel.

Group 2 was the motivation group. They were also asked to keep track of how frequently they exercised over the next two weeks. Then, each person was asked to read a pamphlet on the benefits of exercise for reducing the risk of heart disease. Participants in Group 2 were also told, “Most young adults who have stuck to a regular exercise program have found it to be very effective in reducing their chances of developing coronary heart disease.”

The goal of these actions was to motivate Group 2 to exercise regularly.

Group 3 was the intention group. After being told to track their exercise, they also read the motivational pamphlet and got the same speech as Group 2. This was done to ensure that Group 2 and Group 3 were equally motivated.

Unlike Group 2, however, they were also asked to formulate a plan for when and where they would exercise over the following week. Specifically, each person in Group 3 was asked to explicitly state their intention to exercise by completing the following statement…

“During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].”

After receiving these instructions, all three groups left.

The Surprising Results: Motivation vs. Intention

Two weeks later, the researchers were surprised by what had happened in the three groups.

In the control group, 38% of participants exercised at least once per week.
In the motivation group, 35% of participants exercised at least once per week.
In the intention group, an incredible 91% of participants exercised at least once per week.

Simply by writing down a plan that said exactly when and where they intended to exercise, the participants in Group 3 were much more likely to actually follow through.

The study in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that 91% people who planned their intention to exercise by writing down when and where they would exercise each week ended up following through. Meanwhile, people who read motivational material about exercise, but did not plan when and where they would exercise, showed no increase compared to the control group. (Graphic by James Clear.)

Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that having a specific plan worked really well, but motivation didn’t work at all. Group 1 (the control group) and Group 2 (the motivation group) performed essentially the same levels of exercise.

Or, as the researchers put it, “Motivation … had no significant effects on exercise behavior.”

Compare these results to how most people talk about making change and achieving goals. Words like motivation, willpower, and desire get tossed around a lot. But the truth is, we all have these things to some degree. If you want to make a change at all, then you have some level of “desire.”

The researchers discovered that what pulls that desire out of you and turns it into real–world action isn’t your level of motivation, but rather your plan for implementation.

How to Follow Through With Your Goals

“Deciding in advance when and where you will take specific actions to reach your goal can double or triple your chances for success.” – Heidi Grant Halvorson, Columbia University professor

This business about planning your actions and achieving your goals isn’t a random, one. For example, similar studies have found that…

Women who stated when and where they would perform a breast self–examination, did it 100% of the time. Meanwhile, those who didn’t state when and where only performed the exam 53% of the time. (1)
Dieters who formulated a plan for when and how they would eat healthier were significantly more likely to eat healthy than those who did not. (2)
People who wrote down when and where they would take their vitamins each day were less likely to miss a day over a five week span than those who did not. (3)

In fact, over 100 separate studies in a wide range of experimental situations have come to the same conclusion: people who explicitly state when and where their new behaviors are going to happen are much more likely to stick to their goals.

You can apply this strategy to almost any goal you can think of, and certainly to most health goals. For example, if you want to start a daily meditation habit this month, then you’ll be more likely to stick to your goal if you plan out when and where you’ll meditate each day.

What to Do When Plans Fall Apart

“The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” – Robert Burns

Sometimes you won’t be able to implement a new behavior – no matter how perfect your plan is. In situations like these, it’s great to use the “if–then” version of this strategy. You’re still stating your intention to perform a particular behavior, so the basic idea is the same. This time, however, you simply plan for unexpected situations by using the phrase, “If ____, then ____.”

For example…

If I eat fast food for lunch, then I’ll stop by the store and buy some vegetables for dinner.
If I haven’t called my mom back by 7pm, then I won’t turn on the TV until I do.
If my meeting runs over and I don’t have time to workout this afternoon, then I’ll wake up early tomorrow and run.

The “if–then” strategy gives you a clear plan for overcoming the unexpected stuff, which means it’s less likely that you’ll be swept away by the urgencies of life. You can’t control when little emergencies happen to you, but you don’t have to be a victim of them either.

Use This Strategy to Achieve Your Goals

If you don’t plan out your behaviors, then you rely on your willpower and motivation to inspire you to act. But if you do plan out when and where you are going to perform a new behavior, your goal has a time and a space to live in the real world. This shift in perspective allows your environment to act as a cue for your new behavior.

To put it simply: planning out when and where you will perform a specific behavior turns your environment into a trigger for action. The time and place triggers your behavior, not your level of motivation.

This strategy ties in nicely with the research I’ve shared about how habits work, why you need to schedule your goals, and the difference between professionals and amateurs. (For a complete discussion on habit formation, check out this free guide I put together on transforming your habits.)

So what’s the moral of this story? Motivation is short lived and doesn’t lead to consistent action. If you want to achieve your goals, then you need a plan for exactly when and how you’re going to execute on them.

READMORE...www.lifehack.org

37C17C8C00000578 0 image a 8 14726544466241 e1472758381912

Why you should NEVER eat after 7pm

Eating late at night is putting millions of people in danger of heart attacks and strokes, experts warn. A late-night meal keeps the body on ‘high alert’ when it should be winding down, researchers found. Heart experts last night advised that adults should never eat within two hours of bedtime – and ideally nothing after 7pm. In a healthy person, blood pressure drops by at least 10 per cent when they go to sleep .But the results of a study of more than 700 people with high blood pressure found that eating within two hours of bedtime meant their levels stayed high. Experts think this is because eating releases a rush of stress hormones when the body should be starting to relax. People who do not see their blood pressure fall at night are known as ‘non-dippers’ – and have a much higher rate of heart-related death. Late eaters were nearly three times more likely to be non-dippers, the Turkish researchers found. Researcher Dr Ebru Özpelit, presenting her results at the speaking at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Rome, said: ‘If we eat late at night, the body essentially remains on high alert as during the day, rather than relaxing for sleep.

Stress hormones are secreted, causing blood pressure not to decrease during sleep, which should normally happen. ‘Dr Özpelit, from Dokuz Eylül University in Turkey, tracked 721 on people diagnosed with high blood pressure, with an average age of 53. She found that those who ate within two hours of going to bed were 2.8 times more likely to retain high blood pressure overnight. Some 9.4 million people in the UK are diagnosed with high blood pressure, which is also known as hypertension.They are already at a higher risk of heart disease, but if their blood pressure does not fall at night, that risk increases to a far higher level. Experts estimate that 40 per cent of patients with hypertension are non-dippers – potentially 3.76million people in Britain – putting them at serious risk of major heart problems. Dr Özpelit said: ‘It is more dangerous. If blood pressure doesn’t drop by more than 10 per cent this increases cardiovascular risk and these patients have more heart attacks, strokes and chronic disease.’

But even healthy people with normal blood pressure should take note of the findings, Dr Özpelit said. ‘How we eat may be as important as what we eat,’ she said. She advised that people do not skip breakfast, eat lunch, and keep dinner to a small meal. ‘Eating breakfast and lunch is important but dinner must not be later than seven o’clock in the evening,’ she said. The findings add to a growing body of evidence which suggests keeping all meals to within a fixed period of time – and fasting at night – can have a wide range of health benefits. Previous research has found that an early dinner reduces the risk of breast cancer, lowers blood sugar levels, and helps burn off calories. Experts think part of the reason is that the body evolved to expect meals much earlier in the day – because people went to sleep when it got dark. Dr Özpelit said the invention of electricity changed that – introducing ‘erratic’ eating patterns. With the advent of affordable artificial lighting and industrialization, modern humans began to experience prolonged hours of illumination every day and resultant extended consumption of food,’ she said.

Late night eating and skipping breakfast is such an erratic eating pattern which is becoming more prevalent day by day. Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘This research suggests that eating a meal late at night may contribute to the failure of their blood pressure to reduce. ‘It is normal for blood pressure to reduce overnight, even in people with high blood pressure. ‘However, in some their blood pressure remains elevated throughout the night putting them at potentially higher risk of future complications.

READMORE…www.dailymail.co.uk

Sugar And High Fructose Corn Syrup Both Are The same… “Bad For Your Health!”

These two industries are literally both full of trash and not natural at all. In the below article we detail the battle between the two as they battle for brain damaging and free radical supremacy as both destroy the body.

The sugar industry and high fructose corn syrup producers are meeting in a Los Angeles federal courtroom in their struggle over whether sugar and high fructose corn syrup are essentially the same. Corn refiners say that high-fructose corn syrup is natural and “nutritionally the same as table sugar.” A lawsuit brought by sugar processors’ say those statements are false. The trial is expected to last about three weeks.

In 2008, corn refiners launched an advertising campaign calling high fructose corn syrup “corn sugar.” The advertising also claimed that the body cannot tell the difference between the two. In 2011, the Western Sugar Cooperative and other sugar processors sued a group of corn refiners to stop the campaign. The corn refiners filed a countersuit arguing the sugar industry was pushing misinformation about high-fructose corn syrup to protect their market share. The sugar industry is seeking $1.5 billion in damages from the corn refiners. The corn refiners are seeking $530 million in damages from the sugar industry.

The advertising was described by the attorney for the corn refiners as an effort to combat falsehoods and junk science pushed by the sugar industry. Corn syrup producers say the sugar industry has been engaged in a campaign of misinformation for years. After high fructose corn syrup became commercially available in the 1970s, sugar began losing its hold on the sweetener market. Roughly 10 years ago, the sugar industry began pushing unsubstantiated claims about corn syrup being worse for health than sugar, according to the attorney.

According to the corn refiners’ position, both sugar and corn syrup are processed,with the only difference being that corn sugar is made from corn. The corn refiners claimed that the Sugar Association falsely claimed in its newsletter that corn syrup causes obesity and cancer. The outcome of the billion-dollar battle could have wide ranging effects on both the sugar industry and the high-fructose corn syrup industry. The case has been delayed by years of legal wrangling.

The Corn Refiners Association also complains that sugar growers benefit from generous U.S. government subsidies and they will be challenging sugar’s protected status with the help of a Washington lobbyist hired earlier this year. Both sugar and high-fructose corn syrup have been blamed for contributing to a host of health issues, ranging from diabetes and obesity to tooth decay. In 2004, a report by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked corn syrup to obesity. In 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled that high fructose corn syrup could not be called sugar.

READMORE…newsonwellness.com

Post-Workout Behavior, Why It Matters

Do wonders for your workout.

Follow these after-exercise tips … Often, we feed the “fitness meter” its daily investment only to exit the Center and overcompensate for our healthy activity. Suddenly, we may feel entitled to eat that cheeseburger and fries, followed up with a couple hours on the couch watching mindless TV. Use your post-workout actions to enhance your fitness efforts. A healthy lifestyle goes beyond a daily exercise session. Follow these tips to maximize your fitness efforts:

EAT Well.

An intense workout does not justify a junk-food binge or even a big meal. We often assume we burned more calories than we actually did. An effective solution: Focus less on food’s calories and more on how much activity it actually takes to burn off that food. For example, a popular fast-food grilled chicken ranch BLT sandwich (approximately 440 calories) would take a 154-pound, 5’10” male about an hour of weightlifting to burn off. One post-workout indulgence can cancel the benefits of an entire fitness session. After your workout, keep the healthy vibe going with a nutritious snack or meal packed with the protein and carbs needed to replace essential nutrients used during exercise. Smart post-workout food choices also help the body recover better from the physical exertion expended—and increase your fitness success.

Rehydrate.

Water consumption is essential before, during, and after a workout. Experts suggest drinking 24 ounces of fluid for each pound lost during exercise. This can be determined by weighing yourself before and after a workout.

Drink beyond your thirst. Thirst is not always an accurate indicator of hydration. Monitor urine frequency and color to assure you are consuming enough fluids. After an intense or lengthy workout, consider a sports drink to replenish lost electrolytes as well.

Stretch.

Your future self will thank you a thousand times for stretching regularly, especially after exercise. Those who skip this essential part of their workout, including young athletes, live to regret it. The negative effects appear in joints and muscles later in life, causing everything from decreased range-of-motion to chronic aches.

Schedule 10 to 15 minutes at the end of your workout to complete a full-body stretch. Muscles will be warm and flexible then, allowing for easy, deep stretching. This post-workout habit helps prevent injuries, and maintains healthy joints and muscles. It also acts as an overall cooldown for the body, which helps the heart and circulatory system transition.

Keep Moving .

How we spend time beyond the workout has a significant impact on health and weight loss goals. Research continues to reveal the importance of movement throughout the day. Physical activity helps burn calories and improve overall health. Formal fitness is a positive and essential element of a healthy lifestyle. Yet, the benefits can be negated by sedentary habits the rest of the day.

Regular exercise definitely improves your health. However, avid exercisers can unintentionally increase their risk for heart disease, obesity, and other health issues by how they spend the rest of their waking hours. By staying mobile, you improve your health and continue to burn a bunch of calories beyond what you accomplish at the Center. Easy, ongoing movement also helps keep joints and muscles flexible.

Don’t sabotage your workout efforts. Complement them! Follow through fitness with the healthy habits your body deserves.

READMORE…Fitnessandwellnessnews.com

« Previous 1 … 32 33 34 35 36 … 53 Next »