Painful Breasts

Painful Breasts During Lactation – Prudent Guide to Natural Remedies

Painful breasts & nipples are among the highly pervasive lactation-related issues encountered. Many a breastfeeding mom would require assistance for this matter on at least one instant. Breast & nipple soreness could dampen or thwart breastfeeding, leading to decreased milk flow & interfering with maternal-infant bonding.

Poultice & Soak Tips for Painful Breasts

The superlative first-aid for treating painful breasts is compress, soak & poultice. Poultices consist of freshly picked or post-cooking herb forms that are topically applied over the breast. Compresses are made by steeping washcloths & applying it. Soaks are basically soaks in warm water.

Searing water single-handedly has favourable effects on breast tenderness, irrespective of the reason. The heated water helps in stimulating blood supply & relieves strain in breast tissue having tautness & swelling. Herb infusion in water tends to enhance the efficacy of soaks or compresses.

One needs to bear in mind that during applications of such topical cures frequency, consistency & succinctness of use proffers greater benefits as compared to intermittent, drawn-out therapies, i.e., 6-7 therapies of 5 minutes each spreading out throughout the day would have greater efficacy as compared to a single therapy that lasts for half an hour. In case infection exists then throw away any plants matter & all the substances in the poultices be washed following every usage to avert spreading infection.

The breasts must be soaked in a basin filled with tepid water, filling the basin, leaning over & immersing one’s chest breast-deep into it. The milk could be massaged out when one soaks for additionally relieving any engorged feeling & allaying pains.

Placing a fistful of freshly picked or desiccated parsley foliage into a diaper & tying it shut using rubber-bands and then put in a vessel full of water & simmering for ten to fifteen minutes. Applying the searing (freshly picked) parsley as poultices or using the arid herb yet bundled together into the diaper as compresses for easing swelling & pains in breasts.

Preparing freshly selected or dry comfrey foliage in the analogous manner alike parsley. Heated poultices or compresses made by using comfrey helps in soothing nipple soreness, softening tissue engorgement, allays pains due to swelling in breasts & aids in unblocking any milk duct or tube. Usually, it could be safely used in case of external application, however breastfeeding moms might be justifiably distrustful of using them due to concerns about it harming their baby’s liver.

A cooled poultice comprising of raw potatoes post-grating could help in mopping up heat due to inflamed condition, localizing infections & unblocks any clogging in milk ducts. Direct application of the potato grate is to be done on the breast & then a cleansed washcloth placed over it. Once dried, remove & replace it with freshly prepared batch of potato grate.

The root part of marshmallow is a potent soak which allays tenderness in tissue & nipple soreness, de-clogging ducts, strongly drawing out infections & diminishing pains arising from breast engorgement & inflammation. Duo oz. of dry marshmallow roots is to be steeped through the night in ½ gallon water after boiling it. The feel of the final concoction must be slithery & slime-like. Heating as per requirement and then pour the searing fluid inside a washbasin & then soaking your painful breasts in it.

Herb infusion oil varieties like ones prepared from blossoms of elder,

calendula or dandelion or optionally by using the root part of yellow dock could allay pains arising from sore breast & nipple areas. They could be procured readily in the market or try D.I.Y. recipe – In a gentle manner warming a fistful of desiccated or freshly collected flowers to be placed in olive oil just sufficient for covering them, keeping warmed for twenty minutes, straining, cooling it & then rubbing it on the breast & nipple areas when pains or sensitiveness arises.

Best Green Tea

Locating the Best Green Tea to Drink

Today probably the most popular beverages in America is fast-becoming green tea and for good factors. Green tea is known for its flavor as well as many benefits far and wide, including weight loss help, reducing most cancers dangers as well as adding anti-oxidants to your diet plan. It is something of a challenge to select the best green tea, especially if you tend to be a new comer to the actual green tea world. A few of the best green tea examples available on the market these days are found below. There are also some excellent methods to enhance the actual wonderful flavor via making.

Sencha green tea is one of the most widely used kinds of green tea. Being an introduction to the green tea family this is perhaps the actual best green tea since it is very economical and it has probably the most recognizable flavor of all green tea available.

Kabusecha is yet another choice and it regarded as among the best green teas today. This remains a popular along with clients throughout the world since it is obtained from the foremost and best harvest. It has a signature scent that’s a grassy aroma linked to the best green tea.

A Japoneses green tea choices Myou-Kou which is a green tea that is deep steamed. This tea includes a thicker, the much more bold taste when compared to lighter green tea and is regarded as the most unique and best green tea available.

Making Your Mug of Green Tea

How green tea is made is actually half the actual satisfaction every enthusiast associated with green tea will explain. In contrast to your normal oolong as well as dark teas it is unfermented therefore the brewing method is a little various for green tea.

When making the actual best green tea the one thing you need to remember is that the tea simply leaves need room to expand as well as add their own health advantages towards the drinking water that they’re implanted in. To the flavor from the resulting tea can be hindered by tea totes or tea golf balls. Permitting the tea simply leaves to sit losing in the water as well as high for a few moments is the best way to brew green tea after which is should be strained if preferred.

Dependent on flavor as well as choice is the best way to find the actual best green tea. Try a a few different types to see which is your favorite green tea.

Fasting

Fasting with Fruit and Vegetable Juices for Detox

What is Fasting?

A fast is the act of reducing or eliminating all or certain foods from your diet. Many detox diets contain a fasting component where foods high in fats, chemicals and toxins are eliminated for a specified period of time. This fasting period of a detox diet serves the purpose reducing burden to the body and allowing the body’s natural detox organs time to recover. Generally, these fasts do not require complete abstinence from food and includes recipes for fruit and vegetable juices as a supplement to the fasting.

Fasting is practiced not only by detox enthusiasts but also by numerous religions for its spiritual aspect. This is because in the early stages of a fast, the body burns off excess calories and you may feel healthier, more energized and have a clearer state of mind. It is also this reaction that lead many to think fasting is an excellent way to lose weight. As good as this may sound, it is not the case. The body burns excess stored fat when it consumes less calorie than it spends, so it is natural for weight loss to occur during the fast. However, a fast does not increase our metabolism so right after our fast ends, our body will absorb extra nutrients to make up for lost time. You can learn more about detoxand weight loss in our article How Detox Affects Weight Loss.

Does this mean there is no reason for fasting? The answer lies in the purpose of fasting during a detox. During the fast, the body burns stored body fat due to the reduced calorie consumption. It is also within these fat cells that toxins and unprocessed chemicals are stored. Therefore, it is during the fasting component of a detox that the body extracts and expels the built up toxins. This process of eliminating toxins and reducing future toxinsfrom entering our body is known as detox. By clearing our body of built up toxins, we are giving it a new start. In, this way, you can think of fasting as a spring cleaning for our body; although the direct benefits of the fast is a clean and healthy body, we still need to continue taking care of it after the fast or we will go right back to where we found it.

How Often and How Long You Should Fast

How often and how long you fast are generally dictated by your health status, age and purpose for fasting. Most detox programs calls for fasts in the following ranges. Please consult your health care provider for more details on fasting and what your specific physical limitations are.

• Once a week for 1 day (24 Hours)
• Once a month for 3 days
• Four times a year for 1 week (experienced fasters only)

Who Should Not Fast

Fasting is highly not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers. Others individuals that should not fast or should only fast under strict monitoring by their primary health provider are: underweight, low immunity, poor heart health, low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, are in a pre- or postsurgery period, cancer patients, peptic ulcers or those with nutritional deficiencies. Remember, although fasting is important, it is possible to replace the fasting component of a detox with long-term healthy eating habits. You may also refer to our guide Who Should Detox for more on information on detox limitations.

Fruit Juice Fasting

A general rule is that using fruit juices as a supplement for detoxfasting speeds up the cleaning reactions. This is especially useful if the purpose for the fast is a quick cleanse for yourdetox. The cons for using a fruit fast is that by speeding up the detoxing reactions, you are also releasing toxins at a quicker rate into your body. Therefore, we only recommend fruit juice fasting if you are already in moderate to good health. Below are some excellent fruits and their function for fasting.

Apple Juice – Good for constipation, cleansing the gall bladder and kidneys, reduces inflammation in the body, lowers cholesterol.

Cranberry Juice – Excellent for bladder infections, cleansing to the kidneys, controls diabetes by lowering blood sugar, some report that it is helpful for some cancers.

Grape Juice – Good for edema (swelling), detoxifying toxins from the body and blood, an overall blood cleanser, also helpful for cancer.

Papaya Juice – Great for digestive disorders, ulcers and heartburn; treats inflammation and may reduce back pain.

Lemon Juice – Fantastic overall body cleanser, purifies the blood, cleanses the digestive track of mucus, stimulates production of liver enzymes, supports the liver in its detoxifying functions, restores pH in the colon.

Watermelon – A natural diuretic and great blood cleanser; reduces inflammation and good for canker sores. Many nutritionists like to juice the rind as well.

Vegetable Fasting

Vegetable juices as a supplement for detox fasting slows down cleansing reactions. This is effective if your goal is a slow and long-term cleanse. You can juice your vegetables in a blender and adding water as needed. Below are some vegetables commonly used duringdetox fasts and their function.

Carrots – Carrots are, perhaps, the most valuable vegetable for juicing because of their healing properties. It is the usual base to which other juices are added. Although it has a high sugar content, the blend of ingredients in carrot juice cannot be excelled for balanced nutrition.

Celery – Celery is high in minerals and is a significant source for magnesium. It does not stand alone as a palatable juice for drinking, but it is an excellent flavor enhancer for other juices. Chopping the celery stalks into short pieces will help to prevent the long celery strings from clogging the juicer. Be sure to juice the leaves as well.

Cucumber – Cucumbers are an excellent addition to a mix of vegetables for juicing. They are high in potassium and contain other minerals as well.

Parsley – Parsley an excellent source of chlorophyll. Juice it with other vegetables in order to prevent clogging the juicer with the dense pulp that forms when it is juiced alone.

Spinach – Spinach juice is very mellowing to a strong flavored mix of vegetable juices. It is rich in minerals and vitamins.

Important Information for Your Fast

You don’t have to use just vegetable or fruit juice for fasting. In fact, it is usually beneficial to use a mix of vegetables and fruits for your fasting juice. You can refer to your specificdetox program for more information on what mix of fruits and vegetables are best for your specific needs.

One thing you will need during the fasting component of your detox is time to rest. Don’t plan a lot of activities for when you will be fasting. Doing otherwise is missing the point. The idea is to give your entire body time to catch up on its cleansing activities. If you’re running around, or under pressure, then you are creating extra stress and you are better off with a transitional diet that mixes healthy eating with reduced meals for the detox.

There are a lot of written articles and resources on fasting and fasting for a detox in particular. However, a fast is something you must experience for yourself as it is a different experience for everyone. We hope this article has provided you the resource to start a safe fast for your detox.

Juice Fasting to Lose Weight

Some Tips on Juice Fasting to Lose Weight

If you are planning on juice fasting to lose weight then reading this will benefit you. There are some things that you will need to be prepared for if you decide to go on a juice fasting diet, and the more that you know, the better your chances will be of succeeding. Follow along and write down some of these tips because I guarantee that they will help you out.

Give yourself a variety of different juices. If you are going to be using juice fasting to lose weight then it will be quite easy to get bored of using the same flavor. Give yourself some time before you set a date to start your fast, and write down and record some of your favorite flavors. Variety will make it much easier to stay on the diet, and therefore will improve your chances of success. If you are planning on making your own juices then browse and explore some recipes. There are so many different options that are available to you, so do yourself a favour and explore them all. After all, if you don't like a certain juice then it will be very hard to keep drinking it.

Before the date that you start juice fasting to lose weight, try to not overindulge on solids. Some people will cram foods into their mouths before they start their diets thinking that it will somehow hold off their cravings, but I can tell you that the opposite is actually true. Instead try to wean yourself off of solid foods. As the date approaches closer try to cut down on the amount of solid foods that you are consuming. This will help you to better adjust to your fasting lifestyle. So instead of going crazy as the date is getting closer, try to adjust your body and prepare it for the date. Positive thinking is your friend when you are starting a new diet and this is especially true when you are juice fasting to lose weight. A juice fasting diet can be a different lifestyle for you and it will be hard if it is the first time that you have tried it. Use positive thinking during the process, and before you have started the diet try imagining yourself doing it. The mind is a powerful tool in helping us to succeed and diets as we all know can be very hard to stick to.

Many everyday people have had success by juice fasting and it can help you too. The hardest thing about fasting to lose weight is getting used to not consuming solid foods.

Eat to Diet

When you are served with a seemingly delectable meal, what do you do? Would you immediately experience the food or do you stop and start counting the calories of each of the ingredients? Dissecting the food before devouring it can make you end up having no appetite for it, especially when you realize that its calorie content is more than you are allowed to have. This is such a pity; to have something you really want at your midst yet you cannot have it because you want to lose weight.

Then again, the situation should not be like that. There is a way that you can eat to diet in such a way that you will lose weight even when you have luscious dishes generously every meal time. This is not to pull your leg, this is a fact that many people tend to ignore because they cannot see the sense. How can eating make you lose weight? Well, it is not plainly eating but it is eating the right stuff that makes this possible.

What are the things that you should avoid when you eat to diet?

1. Sugar - this translates to fat when the body turns on to insulin as a defense mechanism against starvation.
2. Bad Carbs - bad carbs can turn to unwanted fats that accumulates in the body
3. Bad Fats - just like carbs, bad fats are stored in the body and are not easily burnt. When you often have it, you will end up bulky
4. Processed Foods - the chemical contents found in these foods make the liver function less efficiently. Thus, instead of having more time to burn fat, it will focus on filtering harmful substances.

When you refrain from the above and when you learn which the good stuffs are, you can stop counting calories and start enjoying generous servings of sumptuous, healthy meals all the time.

Atkins Bars

One of the most popular and successful diets on the market today is the Atkins Diet. Atkins Bars make the diet portable, offering "fast food" that fits the nutritional demands of the Atkins diet. The Atkins Bar helps people deal with lunch at work, and with mid-morning or mid-afternoon "snacks attacks". Some people, however, find themselves making simple mistakes that interfere with their weight loss efforts. Even when they stay on the diet, and think they're eating all the right foods, they stop losing weight. What could cause this?

YOU NEED WATER

Probably the most overlooked aid to dieting is not at all what you eat. It's what you drink. Or, rather, what you don't drink. You may not be drinking enough water. Every time you eat an Atkins bar, you should drink a glass of water. Drink a glass of water with every meal, too, and with each snack. You need 64 ounces of water every day. That's a half gallon of water! Your body needs this much fluid to maintain proper digestive function and absorb nutrients into the bloodstream. It needs water to build blood cells. The fact is, your body may be dehydrated, and the brain registers that as hunger. So, if you're dehydrated, you will not only be able to process and flush foods through your system, you'll be tempted to yield to cravings that defeat your diet.

EAT!

Yes, you must eat. So many dieters don't eat regularly. There are many reasons for this: decision to cut back, don't enjoy eating on a diet, or just not hungry. But whatever the reason, it interferes with your diet success. Don't go more than 5 waking hours without eating. When you skip a meal, your body reads that as a starvation mode, and immediately shuts down the metabolism. By doing this, your body is saving all the fat cells you're trying so hard to get rid of. Your body thinks that, since you did not put food in it, there must be a shortage of food. So, eat small, regular meals. It will keep your blood sugar levels steady, as well, reducing cravings. The Atkins bars help with the need for small regular meals.

AVOID...

Actually, on the Atkins diet, the things you need to avoid are very quiet, subtle items. They are caffeine and aspartame. They are also sneaky, because you don't know how many places these two ingredients hide. They are in many drinks and foods that you would never drink or eat in order to get these ingredients. But, they can affect your blood sugar.

With aspartame, your body reads the chemical as a dose of sugar, and reacts accordingly. So, insulin levels are affected, therefore, affecting your metabolism. Caffeine has similar effects, and should be avoided.

You can follow the Atkins books and diet plans closely. But, if you don't drink enough water, eat regularly, and avoid caffeine and aspartame, you'll find your efforts thwarted. Remember, the Atkins bar and a glass of water may be your best friends in your dieting efforts.

Raw Foods

Raw Foods and Weight Loss
Why do diets fail? Why has every single diet you've been on before never given you the permanent results you longed for?

Because underneath every diet is a hidden fact. They are all the same.

Sure they may seem different on the surface, but when you dig deeper you'll see that they all revolve around the same kind of food.

They are basically recycled versions of each other.

So if you want to lose weight, where should you turn?

The key to experiencing fast and permanent weight loss is through changing the kind of food you eat. More specifically, lowering your consumption of cooked foods, and increasing your consumption of raw food.

And there is a specific reason for this.

Natural foods like raw vegetables and fruits contain active enzymes that improve your overall health and aid in weight loss.

It's the reason fresh food ripens and cooked food decays.

The cooking process of every foods will kill the active enzymes, a large amount of vital vitamins, and destroy the structure of protein. In essence you ruin many of the things in fresh food that are good for you.

These same properties make these naturally fat burning foods. Most people eat too many cooked, heavy foods so their thyroid and adrenal glands are blocked and slow down fat loss.

By eating more raw foods you'll see your fat loss exponentially increase the more you continue the diet.

Ideas on How to Add Raw Foods

Simply eating a fruit or raw vegetables before, after or during a meal is a good start. Also if you have a juicer or a blender, having a morning smoothie made from fresh fruits will kick start your day.

Skyrocket Your Energy

Don't think that fat loss is the only thing these foods can provide you. Because of the natural enzymes and the abundance of vitamins and minerals, you will start feeling a dramatic increase in energy. Suddenly you'll feel like you have more energy to do all your favorite things. Which in turn will help you get out and exercise.

No matter how you look at it, raw foods is a great means to lose weight. If you've tried everything to lose weight, and didn't succeed, this is your answer. Some people say they lost up to 10 pounds their first week by switching to raw foods. How much will you lose? To find a diet plan right for you, you need to see Atkins Diet blog site.

Vitamins

Vitamins (or VItal AMINes) are, as the name suggests, vital for good health. The primary source of vitamins is from our dieat, however due to the excessive processing of modern foods, which destroys or renders inactive many vitamins, plus the chronic problem of depleted soils, many people today are deficient on one or more vitamins, and many modern diseases can be either worsened, or even caused by vitamin deficiencies.

With the exception of Vitamin D, which is manufactured in response to sunlight, the vitamins are an essential part of the diet and play vitally important roles in controlling organ and body funtion.

Click on the links below to find out more about each of the vitamins and its role in health and disease.

Vitamin A ( Beta-carotene)

The B-Vitamins

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)

Biotin

Folic Acid

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin D (Calciferol)

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Vitamin K (Phylloquinone)

Trace elements

Trace elements Small is beautiful!

Whilst, by definition, trace elements are required in minutely small doses (less than 100mg/day) this does not mean they can be ignored. Trace elements are among THE most important factors in maintaining and recovering health.

Boron is increasingly becoming reconised as an essential requirement for health bones.

Chromium is perhaps the one mineral that can aid weight loss and help prevent diabetes.

Cobalt An essential component of Vitamin B12

Copper Essential to zinc, iron and Vitamin C function. Many hormonal effects

Fluorine Important trace mineral often confused with the poison fluoride.

Germanium The secret behind the health benefits of garlic, ginseng and mushrooms.

Iodine Metabolic control, modulation of oestrogen and foetal health

Iron The energy mineral.

Manganese

Molybdenum

Selenium

Silicon

Vanadium

Zinc

back from trace elements to minerals

Protein

Protein and Weight Loss - The Basics

Consuming an adequate amount of high quality protein while on a weight loss program is critical to success. Protein can help reduce cravings, enhance calorie-burning, and preserve muscle – all key elements to a rewarding weight loss program.

There is a large abundance of information on protein and weight loss. Most of this information seems far too technical and confusing. This article is intended to provide the basic, essential information that you need to know about protein if you are on a weight loss program or are thinking about going on a weight loss program. I address the critical issues in this article including the benefits of consuming protein, how protein can help you, and when, what kind, and how much protein you should consume while on a weight loss program.

Benefits of Whey Protein During a Weight Loss Program

Consuming enough protein through your diet while on a weight loss program can have a dramatic effect on the effectiveness of that program. A study of 32 women and 95 men who replaced two meals with a 15 gram whey protein supplement each day for six months showed the effectiveness of protein on improving weight loss. Although 15 grams is a small amount of protein, the results were still very positive. On average, during these six months participants lost 20 pounds while cholesterol and triglycerides – key health parameters – also improved.

Getting adequate protein can help to lose fat instead of muscle, increase calorie burning, and keep you feeling full rather than starving and struggling to maintain your diet. In addition, protein also helps to improve muscularity, build HDL (“good”) cholesterol, improve antioxidant function, support blood sugar metabolism, and improve immunity.

During weight loss, our bodies can easily lose a lot of muscle mass and even bone mass due to the restricted calorie diets. You can largely prevent this from happening by eating more protein while on your weight loss program. If you consume an adequate amount of protein while losing weight you can do your best to make sure that you are losing fat as opposed to muscle. This redistribution – less fat and the same or more muscle – will result in a shapelier and more ideal body figure.

Consuming protein can also enhance calorie burning – improving the results of your weight loss program. Protein can directly benefit muscle function and health – including improving calorie burning by muscle which enhances your weight loss regimen. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet helps to burn more calories when the body is converting protein to glucose. Therefore, to maximize the effectiveness of your weight loss program’s ability to enhance calorie burning, consume plenty of high quality weight protein.

The third and arguably most immediate benefit to consuming whey protein during weight loss is its ability to improve your feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating. Whey protein is helpful in improving your brain’s feeling of satisfaction after eating; there are elements in protein that regulate appetite, a benefit derived only from consuming a high amount of whey protein. Research has even hinted that whey protein might be more effective at satisfying hunger than carbohydrates or fats.

In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants reported greater weight loss and less hunger when on a higher protein diet. Protein appears to act like an appetite suppressant resulting in less binge eating between meals. An especially important time to eat protein at breakfast, this will help you control cravings for starches and sweets throughout the day.

Protein has innumerable benefits for the body and it is especially important for dieters on a weight loss program. Consuming an adequate amount of whey protein will help you preserve muscle mass, enhance calorie burning, and improve your feeling of fullness – all of which will lead to a more successful weight loss program.

How Whey Protein Helps Weight Loss

This is not meant to be a technical article about the bodily processes that create the benefits listed above through consuming whey protein. But, I will mention a few basic items to provide a bit of background information about how whey protein helps weight loss.

Protein is comprised of amino acids. Scientists have found that branch chain amino acids are the most important amino acids. If you consume enough of the right kind of protein, you will get a lot of leucine – one of the most important amino acids – which can activate a slow metabolism and improve your body’s ability to lose weight. Leucine can signal your muscle and help prevent muscle loss during weight loss. Therefore, with adequate amounts of this amino acid, your weight loss will come from fat instead of muscle.

Additionally, protein helps ensure that you are making quality HDL (“good” cholesterol) at an ideal rate. A high protein diet can help to lower triglycerides and support HDL formation. Both of these results will help weight loss.

Nitrogen, contained in protein, is preferred by the body; therefore protein is more likely to be converted to carbohydrates rather than fat. This uses up energy and helps us burn more calories. Protein is the main metabolic activator of the liver. When your liver is working in an optimal state, you can dramatically increase your metabolic rate much more than through carbohydrates or fat.

In conclusion, the body has specific processes for using the protein you consume. For the most part, these processes result in favorable outcomes superior to the consumption of carbohydrates and fat – hence the popularity of high protein, low carbohydrate, and low fat diets.

When, What Kind, and How Much Whey Protein to Consume

Now that you know the benefits of consuming whey protein while on a weight loss program and a bit about how it works you need to know when, what kind, and how much whey protein to consume. With the over-proliferation of information available on these topics, I will only provide the essential information for you to evaluate your protein supplementation needs while on your weight loss program.

When is the best time to consume whey protein?

The body has varying needs for protein throughout the day. There are basically four main times that are optimal for consuming protein: in the morning, before a workout, after a workout, and before going to sleep. The last option, before going to sleep, is not ideal for those on a weight loss program because you should not really be eating anything for a few hours prior to going to sleep. Protein, although not as bad as fat, is still calories that you should avoid eating too late while on a weight loss program. Eating protein at night is likely only necessary for those involved in strength training who want to minimize protein breakdown while sleeping.

So, we are left with three choices. Consuming some protein before a workout can be beneficial for energy (good a couple of hours before working out). Right after a workout your body goes into a stage of growth and recovery, having the amino acids that make up the protein is key at this point. But, the most important time for consuming protein is at breakfast or first thing in the morning.

In the morning, your body has just gone through a full night of not having food and your protein levels are low. A high protein breakfast wakes up the liver and gets it active. A high protein breakfast can increase your metabolic rate by 30 percent for as long as 12 hours – equal to the calories burned during a 4 mile jog. In a recent study, individuals who ate a high protein and high carbohydrate breakfast lost nearly 23 pounds on average in the first 4 months of an 8-month study. Those who ate the high protein and high carbohydrate breakfast reported having fewer carbohydrate cravings and felt less hungry, especially before lunch. Even eating just two eggs for breakfast instead of consuming the same amount of calories from carbohydrates has been shown to boost weight loss by 65%.

To summarize, breakfast is the ideal time to consume protein when on a weight loss program, but before and after workouts are also good times. Having a high protein breakfast is needed to maximize the benefits of your weight loss program.

What is the best source of protein?

Protein is contained in a lot of foods, but you need to be careful while on a weight loss program because many of the sources of protein are high in fat. Some of the highest sources of good protein are animal and dairy sources including cottage cheese and red meat. Other sources include eggs, chicken, pork, nuts, vegetables, and seeds.

There are two kinds of protein: complete and incomplete. Soy and animal proteins are called complete proteins because they contain all of the essential amino acids. On the other hand, plant products, including vegetables and nuts, are called incomplete because they do not contain all of the essential amino acids. Your body needs complete proteins, but that does not mean you cannot get what you need without eating meat or soy products. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, eat a combination of plant proteins that complement each other such as rice and beans to make sure you are getting all of the amino acids your body requires.

You want to look for protein sources that are low in fat and calories, yet are nutrient-rich. Sources of animal protein are usually higher in fat than plant-based sources. But, there are lean complete proteins such as seafood, lean beef, egg whites, and skinless chicken. Other protein sources that have a lot of protein and are low in fat include beans, nuts, and seeds.

Here are some good sources of protein and their approximate protein content (in grams):

3.5 oz roasted chicken: 27g

3 oz broiled ground beef: 21g

3 oz roasted ham: 18g

1 large egg: 6g

4 ounces milk: 4g

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese: 14g

½ cup cooked kidney beans: 7g

1 cup vegetables: 4g

1 ounce nuts: 7g

One easy way to get the best benefits from protein without any fat is to use high quality whey protein. The best whey proteins used advanced filtration techniques to remove saturated fat, cholesterol, and lactose while leaving all the protein molecules intact.

Another consideration when choosing a protein source is the absorption rate of that source. The better a protein is absorbed by the body the higher it’s “Biological Value” (BV) the protein source is said to have. The following are some of the BV’s of a few of the popular sources of protein:

Whey isolate: 110-159

Whey concentrate: 104

Whole egg: 100

Fish: 83

Beef: 80

Chicken: 79

Casein: 77

Soy: 74

When compared to whey concentrate, casein, fish, eggs, beef, and chicken, whey protein isolate has a superior absorption rate – you are getting more protein for less consumption. Not all protein sources are created equal, but you can get a lot of good protein from a variety of sources. The greatest value (price and quality) in protein are products that contain a combination of whey protein isolate and concentrate, these sources both have a superior absorption rate and low fat content. But, you should still be eating a variety of sources of protein while on a weight loss program.

How much whey protein do you need?

Researching the answer to this question will provide you with a barrage of apparently contradictory recommendations and “facts” regarding how protein your body actually needs. Everyone – even the government – seems to have a very opinionated answer to the simple question of how much protein do you need in your diet? But, nobody really knows the true answer at this point, we are only able to speculate and draw logical conclusions from the mountain of data and research available.

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 56g for men and 46g for women. RDAs are published by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Science, that establishes goals for healthy persons. The RDA is the “average daily intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (approximately 98 percent) healthy individuals”. But, ideal protein intake is probably higher than these suggestions during weight loss as long as carbohydrate intake is decreased. The RDA does not take into account the amount of protein needed to preserve muscle during weight loss and facilitate fat burning.

There are many, often contradictory, methods for calculating your daily protein needs. Therefore, I will present two methods, one simple and one calculated, for determining your approximate daily protein needs.

Simple Method

Formula: your weight (in pounds) x 0.7

This means that a 200lb person would need 140g of high quality protein per day and a 140lb person would need 98g of high quality protein per day. This method is simple, easy, and requires no additional information other than your weight.

Calculated Method

Formula: (BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) x Activity Level Indicator x 0.2)/4*

The Calculated Method takes into account your BMR which is an indicator of how many calories you burn at rest. This gives a personalized component to calculating ideal protein consumption that weight alone does not give. For example, two people may weigh exactly the same, but have two completely different metabolic rates meaning they should probably be consuming two different amounts of protein each day.

The activity level indicator is an additional component to personalize the protein calculation based on your activity level. The following are the indicators:

Mildly active (exercise 3 or less times per week for 30-60 minutes): 1.25

Moderately active (exercise 4 to 6 times per week for 30-60 minutes): 1.50

Highly active (exercise daily for 60 minutes for more): 1.75

Example: a 140 lb highly active person with a BMR of 1250 would need to consume 109 g of protein each day ((1250 x 1.75 x 0.2)/4* = 109).

*The amount of calories must be divided by 4 to get the accurate amount of protein in grams because there are approximately 4 calories per gram of protein.

Phytonutrients

Adding More Phytonutrients To Your Diet Provides Big Benefits

Adding more phytonutrients to your diet might just seem like a prescription for more food, more confusion, more to worry about. But in reality, making sure you get enough of the phytonutrient benefit is as easy as adding color, freshness and variety.

Phytonutrients are found naturally in a variety of foods, such as legumes, nuts, teas, fruits, vegetables and grains, but are not considered necessary to sustain life (as are fats, protein, vitamins and minerals). Many people choose to increase phytonutrients in their diet by improved diet as well as nutritional supplementation. Read More About------->proper nutrition

Phytonutrients are thought to have a variety of beneficial and significant benefits to our health. Eating more whole foods in the form of fruits and vegetables and the like can benefit you by protecting you from cancer and certain diseases. In addition, it’s believed that phytonutrients can improve cell-to-cell communication within the body, possibly repair DNA damage from smoking and other toxic substances, and strengthen the immune system.

So how do you add more phytonutrients to your diet? It’s as easy as adding color, variety and freshness.

Color – When you think of phytonutrients, think color. Think of the bright red of a perfectly ripe tomato, or the rich redness of a summer grape. Although fruits and vegetables are the best source of nutrient-dense phytonutrients, most Americans get woefully low amounts of fresh produce in their diets. According to the USDA, while it’s recommended we get at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, most Americans get little more than 3 servings. Of that, deep yellow and dark green vegetables account for only 0.2 daily servings on average.

Yet it’s the richly colored vegetables and fruits that provide the best sources of phytonutrients. If your grocery cart isn’t full of color (and that doesn’t include colored Goldfish crackers), add some next time you’re shopping.

Variety -- Although fruits and vegetables are the best sources of phytonutrients, they aren’t the only source. So while you want to add a lot of color to your diet in the form of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables like berries, grapes, tomatoes, peppers, spinach and the like, think about adding other sources of phytonutrients as well. Consider adding a glass of tea at lunch or dinner or some chopped pecans or slivered almonds to your oatmeal in the morning.

Freshness – There is much debate on the value of fresh vegetables versus frozen. It’s fair to say everyone agrees that canned holds little nutritional content, so adding can of veggies to your cart isn’t the best plan (this excludes canned tomatoes which retain the freshness and nutrient value of fresh). But in a pinch, or in the off season, frozen vegetables can certainly be included in your daily diet. Frozen fruits are always fine, as long as they are whole, unprocessed and without added sugar.

Minerals

Minerals, the ignition key for vitamins and controllers of many processes.

Minerals are the keys to the engines we know of as vitamins. NO vitamins can be absorbed or carry out their intended functions without the presence of specific minerals in very particular amounts.

Minerals are fundamentally metals and other inorganic compunds that not only provide much of the structure of, for example, bones and teeth. In additin they are critical to countless body processes and can be separated into two main groups, major minerals - which are required in amounts greater than 100mg per day and trace elements, of which less is required.

Major minerals include:

Calcium

Chloride

Magnesium

Phosphorus

Potassium and

Sodium

Trace elements include

Boron

Chromium

Cobalt

Copper

Fluorine

Germanium

Iodine

Manganese

Selenium

Silicon

Vanadium and

Zinc

Review each mineral to find out what it is, what its functions are, how much you need in your diet and where to find it.

Fats

Fats - natures way of preparing for hard times and the source of the biggest myth in medicine

Vegetable oil, lard, butter, olive oil, cholesterol and many others too numerous to mention - fats are with us all day, every day - or so it seems. So what are they, what is their purpose and how do they affect health?

Think of fat and you almost invariably think of being overweight and low-fat diets. Fats, however, are an essential part of the diet and the oft-missed fact is that most of us aren't eating enough of them!

Is this too good to be true? Actually no, it isn't. the simple answer is that in the average Western diet, we consume too little fat overall, but actually the wrong types of fat - and before you think "here we go again", modern medicine has got it completely wrong - what most of us need is more natural and saturated fat and LESS of the synthetic plastics known as hydrogenated vegetable oils or trans-fatty acids. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves - first things first:-

What are fats?

Fats (or more correctly, fatty acids) are an essential part of the diet. Contrary to much of what we seem to hear, they are not confined to meat and animal products, but are also present in virtually all seeds, nuts and many plants themselves - think of olive oil for an example.

The way in which we refer to fats often belies their true functions - cholesterol, for example is not only the essential ingredient for both male and female hormones, it also has important healing functions. Other fats, such as the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA are fundamental to brain and nerve function.

What do they do in the body?

The simple answer to this is - lots of different things. The way we traditionally think of body fat is the adipose tissue we gain when we eat too much or eat the wrong things (the second is much more important than the first).

More properly known as "adipose tissue", this type of fat is the body's way of storing excess energy, so that it can be retrieved later. This process is very efficient and is regulated in the liver by the presence of various hormones, but is largely controlled by insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels.

In fact, the reason the body decides to store fat is usually that it has all the carbohydrates (sugars) it needs for its energy supplies and as a consequence, it converts the extra to fat and, at the same time prevents the "burning" of stored fat for fuel. (for more about this, see the chapter on insulin resistance). However, as already mentioned there are numerous types of fats.

Essential Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are the building blocks of fats in the same way as amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Many can be manufactured in the body from other fatty acids and by the conversion of sugar in the liver.

Those that can't and therefore must be provided in the diet are called "essential fatty acids".

Essential fatty acids are divided into two groups, namely Omega-3 and Omega-6. All essential fatty acids are naturally polyunsaturated, and the 3 or 6 in the name tells you that the first double bond on the molecule is 3 or 6 carbons from the end.

Essential fatty acids that MUST be included in the diet include the following:

Linoleic acid (LA) (omega-6)

Arachidonic acid (AA) (omega-6)

Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) (omega-6)

Dihomogamma linolenic acid (DGLA) (omega-6)

Alpha linolenic acid (LNA or ALA) (omega-3)

Eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) (omega-3)

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) (omega-3)

Whilst the Omega-6 essential fatty acids are abundant in all sorts of vegetable oils and meats, the omega-3's are much harder to come by. They can be found in oily fish (salmon, mackerel, trout) as ell as some seeds and nuts, including walnuts, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds. Unfortunately, however, most of us are not including enough of these items in our diet - if we are including any at all!

A recent study discovered that, in the USA, 25% of adults tested had so little Omega-3 essential fatty acids in their blood that they were undetectable.

Hang on, 25 percent of the population in the country with the biggest incidence of depression, other psychiatric "illness", aggression, murder and childhood "behavioural issues" have absolutely NONE of the fat which makes up 50% of the brain and covers every nerve fibre - could there be a correlation here?

You bet there is!

Lack of Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been directly linked to ALL of the above, as well as birth weight of babies, low gestational age at birth (prematurity), incidence of Ischemic heart disease and longevity.

What is worse is that lack of these essential fatty acids in your blood strongly suggests that you are eating the wrong kind of fats, as well as omitting the right ones.

What can you do about it.

Firstly, you can try to add into your diet the foods that contain Omega-3 essenial fatty acids, listed above, to which can be added grass-fed beef (grain-fed beef has NO omega-3 content). In doing this, bear in mind that some Governments, such as the UK are now recommending that you eat no more than 200g of sea-fish a week, due to the levels of the toxins dioxin and mercury in fish, especially fish livers, where toxins concentrate.

Secondly, and this goes for most people, you should add a high-quality omega-3 supplement to your diet. Be sure that the fish oil used to produce it is from sources that filter out all the toxins (we only know of one manufacturer that uses this expensive process, but charges no more for their oil than others), is PURE Omega-3 and is not diluted with other oils, e.g. vegetable oils.

Essential qualities of Omega-3 essential Fatty acids

Make sure it is PURE Omega-3

Check it is undiluted

Ask if dioxin has been removed

Pregnancy warning.

By the time most mothers come to term, their bodies are completely exhausted of the Omega-3 essential fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are the main building blocks of the baby's brain and nerves. For a healthy baby, and to help prevent premature birth you MUST include these supplements in your diet, taking note of the required qualities above.