Some Great Tips Uses for Apples

Health & Beauty.
1. Improve Lung Health. Apples contain several phytochemcials that are thought to promote lung health. Studies have shown that apples help people suffering from allergies and asthma!
2. Treat Your Skin Right. Apples are a great way to give your skin that glow it deserves.
3. Boost Your Workout. Squeeze an apple between your thighs the next time you’re doing crunches to add extra challenge to your workout routine.
4. Get Rid of a Migrane. Take a whiff of a green apple the next time you feel a migrane coming on. Studies have shown that the smell of green apples helps ease the pain and shorten the time they last.

Food.
5. Ripen Other Fruits. It may sound strange, but there’s science to back it up! Apples can help other fruits ripen because they naturally emit a gas called ethylene, a hormone that speeds along the ripening process. If you’d like to ripen fruits like bananas, avocados, pears and tomatos, place them in a paper bag with an apple. It’s the same gas that many commercial growers use to ripen these fruits.
6. Keep Baked Goods Moist. Apples give off moisture, so when you’re storing cakes and other baked goods, store them in an airtight container with half an apple. No drying or refrigerating necessary!
7. Soften Brown Sugar. Has that brown sugar turned into a brick? Soften it back up by putting some of the brown sugar, along with an apple slice, into a sealable bag. Your brown sugar will be good as new in a few days.
8. Sweeten Food the Healthy Way. Apples are a great natural alternative to processed sugars. In baking, applesauce is a way to get the taste you love with fewer calories. You can also add some sliced apple to your morning (plain) yogurt or smoothie, and skip that sugar-sweetened stuff all together.

Projects.
9. Make Stamps. Watch this video for this clever craft project, making stamps out of apple halves!
10. Make Potpourri. Love the smell of apples? Make some potpourri! Click here for a recipe.
11. Make Candleholders. Easiest project ever! Make adorable candleholder by coring out the center of an apple and placing a tea candle in the hollowed out part.
12. Make an Easy & Chic Centerpiece. Flowers are so expensive! If you’re planning a wedding or even just having a dinner party, fill a clear vase with some bright green apples.

Pets & Garden.
13. Grow an Apple Tree! If you dry out apple seeds for a few weeks, you can plant them and, perhaps, have your own apple tree one day. There are a lot of caveats to that, though
14. Give Your Dog a Treat. Many dogs love apples, and they make a great nutritious snack. Just make sure that they don’t eat any of the seeds, and don’t feed them to dogs with kidney problems.
15. Feed the Birds. Apples draw many species of wild birds — put them in your bird feeder and enjoy the show!

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14 Health Benefits to Eat Kiwi

14 Health Benefits
1. Helps Your Digestions with Enzymes

Raw kiwi contains actinidain, a protein-dissolving enzyme that can help digest a meal much like the papain in papaya or bromelain in pineapple.
2. Helps Manage Blood Pressure
Kiwi’s high level of potassium helps keep our electrolytes in balance by counteracting the effects of sodium.
3. Protects from DNA Damage
A study by Collins, Horska and Hotten showed that the unique combination of antioxidants in Kiwi fruit helps protect the cell DNA from oxidative damage. Some experts conclude this can help prevent cancer.
4. Boosts Your Immunity
Kiwi’s high vitamin C content along with other antioxidant compounds has been proven to boost the immune system.
5. Smart Carb for Weight Loss
Kiwi’s low glycemic index and high fiber content means it will not create a strong insulin rush like other fruit with high sugar contents — so the body will not respond by storing fat.
6. Improves Digestive Health
Kiwis are a great source of fiber. This prevents constipation and other intestinal problems.
7. Helps Clean Out Toxins
The fuzzy fiber of Kiwi helps bind and move toxins from your intestinal tract.

8. Helps Fight Heart Disease
Eating 2-3 kiwis a day has been shown to reduce the potential of blood clotting by 18% and reduce triglycerides by 15%. Many individuals take aspirin to reduce blood clotting, but this causes many side effects including inflammation and intestinal bleeding. Kiwi fruit has the same anti-clotting benefits with no side effects, just additional health benefits!
9. Suitable For Diabetics
Kiwi is in the ‘low’ category for glycemic index, meaning it does not raise your blood sugar quickly. It has a glycemic load of 4 which means it is safe for diabetics.
10. Protects Against Macular Degeneration and Other Eye Problems
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. A study on over 110,000 men and women showed that eating 3 or more serving of fruit per day decreased macular degeneration by 36%. This is thought to be associated with the kiwi’s high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin — both of which are natural chemicals found in the human eye. Although both fruits and vegetables were studied, this same effect was not shown for vegetables.
11. Create Alkaline Balance
Kiwi is in the ‘most alkaline’ category for fruits, meaning it has a rich supply of minerals to replace the excess of acidic foods most individuals consume. A few of the benefits of a properly acid/alkaline balanced body are: youthful skin, deeper sleep, abundant physical energy, fewer colds, less arthritis, and reduced osteoporosis.
12. Great for the Skin

Kiwis are a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant known to protect skin from degeneration.
13. Exotic Taste and Look for Food Variety
Kiwis look and taste great. Kids often love them because they are so different from most fruits.
For nutritional balance it is always good to eat a variety of foods. Each food has its own unique qualities and powers. The trouble with most people’s diet is that we eat such a limited number of foods. It increases our chances of not getting enough of important nutrients.
14. Naturally Organic
Kiwi fruit is on the list of foods that are generally safe from a lot of pesticide residues. For 2012 it came in with the top 10 safest foods. While it is always good to support organic when you can as a matter of principle, it’s also good to know whether there is a big danger if organic is not available or viable for you.
Interesting Facts

• Kiwi fruit was named after the New Zealand Kiwi bird – an unusual flightless bird- because they are both small, brown and furry.

• Not all kiwi fruit is fuzzy! The most popular species of kiwifruit is appropriately called Fuzzy Kiwifruit, but there is also Golden Kiwi with a smooth bronze skin. The Golden Kiwi is actually sweeter and more aromatic in flavor

• Although Kiwis have been native to China for centuries, practically no one in the North knew what they were 50 years ago. They were first introduced to the U.S. in 1962. They caught on fast!

• Although kiwifruit can grow in any temperate climate, most of the world’s kiwi are grown in Italy, New Zealand, and Chile. It is grown much like grapes.
• YES, you can eat the fuzz if you want.

How to Use:

• If a kiwi does not yield a bit to finger pressure, it can be ripened by storing it at room temperature away from the sun.
• This ripening can be hastened by putting it in a paper bag with a banana, apple, or pear.
• Once a kiwi fruit is ripe, keep away from other fruit (even in the refrigerator) since the kiwi is very sensitive to the ethylene gas given off by those other fruits and it will over ripen.
• The actinidain in raw kiwi makes them unsuitable for desserts and other dishes that are not eaten right away because it can make the dish too mushy or stop it from setting. This applies to proteins but also to other fruits.

Cautions:
Kiwifruit contain a measurable amount of oxalates, a naturally occurring substance in many plants and animals. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. People with kidney or gallbladder problems may therefore want to avoid eating kiwi. There is a lot of controversy about the amounts needed to be significant, particularly from plants.
Kiwis also contain enzyme substances associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome. If you have a latex allergy, you may be allergic to kiwi also. Since ripening the fruit with ethylene gas increases these substances; organic kiwi not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds. Cooking also deactivates the enzymes.

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Popular Diet Plans Can Be Vegetarian Weight Loss Program

Although cutting meat from your diet is often promoted as a good weight-loss strategy, it’s no guarantee of dropping pounds. After all, sugar is both vegetarian and vegan, and the explosion of vegan cupcake cookbooks is proof that you can cut all animal products out of your diet and still eat a lot of dessert.
We all know that vegetables make up the basis of a healthy diet, but finding a plan that you can stick to may be a challenge. Vegetarians who want to lose weight may turn to the structure and support of a commercial diet plan. And while it’s not openly promoted, a variety of popular weight-loss plans do accommodate the vegetarian lifestyle.
Weight Watchers
As most people know, Weight Watchers is organized around PointsPlus values instead of calories. There are no foods that are forbidden on Weight Watchers, as long as you stay within your PointsPlus limit for the day. The way points are assigned to foods incentivizes participants in the program to eat foods that are less dense in calories and more high in fiber. This makes Weight Watchers an extremely flexible plan, and it easily accommodates a range of health and lifestyle needs, including vegetarians. No matter if you choose to follow the program online or sign up for meetings in your area, Weight Watchers has lots of recipes for vegetarians, and also provides information on how to stay well-nourished while losing weight on a plant-based diet.
Nutrisystem
Nurtrisystem is a meal delivery weight-loss program, which means that low-calorie, nutritionally-balanced meals will be delivered right to your home. Nutrisystem offers vegetarian plans for both men and women. There are over 90 meatless meals that feature foods that have a low-glycemic index to help you feel full longer and won’t cause your blood sugar to spike.
If you’re looking for a meal delivery diet that specializes in vegan meals, you may also want to consider Gobble Green. This meal delivery service features foods that are entirely free of animal products.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a three-phase weight-loss program created by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist. It’s often referred to as a low-carb diet, because the first phase eliminates all refined starches and sugars. The diet emphasizes lean protein, which means that vegetarians can expect to eat plenty of tofu, beans and other meat-substitutes, in addition to high-fiber vegetables, low-fat dairy and unsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts and olives. Your options may be a little more limited than on Weight Watchers, but South Beach certainly has lots of ways to accommodate a meat-free lifestyle.
17 Day Diet
Launched last winter, The 17 Day Diet, by Dr. Mike Moreno, is one of the most popular new diets of this year. The diet features four 17-day cycles, which are designed to give users a quick start to their weight loss followed by steady progression towards a goal weight. Of course, with any diet this popular, people want to know if there are vegetarian-friendly options. Like the South Beach Diet, The 17 Day Diet places a lot of importance on sources of lean protein. For vegetarians, this will mean tofu, low-fat cheese, egg whites, beans, legumes and low-fat dairy. Veggie burgers and black bean burgers are also great options for people who don’t eat meat and are interested in this diet. In the first cycle, which is the most strict, some vegetarians may feel their options are somewhat limited, but as more foods are introduced in later cycles this is less of a problem.
Dukan Diet
The controversial Dukan Diet gained much attention after rumor spread that it was favored by Kate Middleton before her wedding. This ultra-low carb diet is one plan that would be extremely challenging for vegetarians. It not only excludes most kinds of fruit and grains, but also starchy vegetables. On the FAQ section of the UK Dukan Diet site, the answer to the question regarding vegetarianism begins: “First of all, are you really sure you refuse meat and fish?” Although there are guidelines for soy-based meat substitutes, eggs, and dairy products, more vegetarians would find this diet way too restrictive.

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Vegetarians Gives a Chance for Popular Diet Plan And Health Fitness

Medifast has gained credibility for being a legitimate, clinically-proven method of losing weight. Meanwhile, vegetarianism is seeing an increase in popularity as well. As Medifast becomes more popular, vegetarians wanting to lose weight may seek the meal-delivery system as a viable weight loss option.
Though individuals on any specialized diet may have concerns about the usability of a program like Medifast, the Medifast program does support a variety of diet needs including Kosher, lactose free, and vegetarian. There are enough options available to allow a certain amount of customization for an individual’s diet. According to information from Medifast, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has suggested that fortified foods like the meals from Medifast are valuable for meat-free weight loss and maintenance.
A big challenge vegetarians following the Medifast program will face is the number of carbohydrates they will consume while on the program. Many vegetarians eat a diet high in carbohydrates and could have a difficult time adjusting to the low-carb foods provided in the delivered meals and snacks.
Vegetarians who are thinking about starting Medifast should be sure to check out the vegetarian guide on the program’s website. In recent years Medifast has made an effort to become a realistic weight loss option for these individuals. Vegetarian-friendly changes that have been made include introducing new vegetarian meal options. The guide lists foods that are not only meatless, but also outlines which foods contain no milk, no eggs, or neither. Also included is a list of low-carb alternatives to meat that can be part of the Lean and Green meal prepared by the dieter.

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Organic 17 Essential Reasons to Eat Food

Organic food was the only option for thousands of years.  Now, with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and genetically-modified foods, organic is still the best option.  Here are 17 reasons to eat organic food:
1.  Genetically-modified foods were unleashed on the environment and the public by corporations like Monsanto without prior testing to determine their safety.  In other words, eating genetically-modified foods (which most people in in large amounts) is participating in a long-term, uncontrolled experiment. Choose organic to avoid participating in this experiment.
2.  More and more research is coming in about the health threat of genetically-modified food.  The results range from intestinal damage, allergies, liver or pancreatic problems, testicular cellular changes, tumors, and even death in the experimental animals. For more information, read the excellent books by Jeffrey M. Smith Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette. I’ll discuss more of the problems linked with GMOs in upcoming blogs. Eating third-party certified organic foods or those that are guaranteed to be grown from organic seed helps protect you from the health consequences of GMOs.
4 Potential Health Risks of Eating GMO Foods
3.  Fruits and vegetables are real food, not pesticide factories. Eighteen percent of all genetically-modified seeds (and therefore foods that grow from them) are engineered to produce their own pesticides.  Research shows that these seeds continue producing pesticides inside your body once you’ve eaten the food grown from them! Foods that are actually pesticide factories…no thanks.
4.  They’re free of neurotoxins—toxins that are damaging to brain and nerve cells. A commonly-used class of pesticides called organophosphates was originally developed as a toxic nerve agent during World War I. When there was no longer a need for them in warfare, industry adapted them to kill pests on foods. Many pesticides are still considered neurotoxins.  Learn more about pesticides in The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan.
5.  They’re supportive of growing children’s brains and bodies.  Children’s growing brains and bodies are far more susceptible to toxins than adults.  Choosing organic helps feed their bodies without the exposure to pesticides and genetically-modified organisms, both of which have a relatively short history of use (and therefore safety).
6.  In study after study, research from independent organizations consistently shows organic food is higher in nutrients than traditional foods.  Research shows that organic produce is higher in vitamin C, antioxidants, and the minerals calcium, iron, chromium, and magnesium.

7.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides pollute the primary drinking source for half the American population. Organic farming is the best solution to the problem. Buying organic helps reduce pollution in our drinking water.
8.  Organic food is earth-supportive (when big business keeps their hands out of it). Organic food production has been around for thousands of years and is the sustainable choice for the future.  Compare that to modern agricultural practices that are destructive of the environment through widespread use of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers and have resulted in drastic environmental damage in many parts of the world.
9.  Organic food choices grown on small-scale organic farms help ensure independent family farmers can create a livelihood. Consider it the domestic version of fair trade.
10. Most organic food simply tastes better than the pesticide-grown counterparts.
11. Organic food is not exposed to gas-ripening like some non-organic fruits and vegetables (like bananas).
12.  Organic farms are safer for farm workers. Research at the Harvard School of Public Health found a 70% increase in Parkinson’s disease among people exposed to pesticides. Choosing organic foods means that more people will be able to work on farms without incurring the higher potential health risk of Parkinson’s or other illnesses.
13.  Organic food supports wildlife habitats. Even with commonly used amounts of pesticides, wildlife is being harmed by exposure to pesticides.
14.  Eating organic may reduce your cancer risk.  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers 60% of herbicides, 90% of fungicides, and 30% of insecticides potentially cancer-causing.  It is reasonable to think that the rapidly increasing rates of cancer are at least partly linked to the use of these carcinogenic pesticides.
15.  Choosing organic meat lessens your exposure to antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and drugs that find their way into the animals and ultimately into you.
16.  Organic food is tried and tested. By some estimates genetically-modified food makes up 80% of the average person’s food consumption. Genetic modification of food is still experimental. Avoid being part of this wide scale and uncontrolled experiment.
17.  Organic food supports greater biodiversity.  Diversity is fundamental to life on this planet. Genetically-modified and non-organic food is focused on high yield monoculture and is destroying biodiversity.

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Exercising for Fast Weight Loss And Diet

You can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise,

How to Lose Weight Fast

If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.
If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.
For instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut calories any further -- that's dangerous.
Limiting salt and starches may also mean losing more weight at first -- but that's mostly fluids, not fat.
"When you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get started," says Michael Dansinger, MD, of NBC's The Biggest Loser show.

Diets for Fast Weight Loss

Dansinger recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, he recommends focusing  on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat.

• Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get tempting foods out of your home.
• Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
• Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
• Don't skip meals.

Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.
"Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very effective tool for weight loss,"
Besides jotting down what you ate, and when, you might also want to note how you were feeling right before you ate it. Were you angry, sad, or bored? We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a huge part of our eating habits.
If you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating, please consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other ways to handle your feelings.

Exercising for Fast Weight Loss

It's time to move more! Losing weight requires close to an hour a day of moderate exercise, one study shows.
Plan to do cardio and strength training.
"Cardio burns the most calories, so it is ideal for fast weight loss, but afterward you need to include a few hours a week of strength training," Dansinger says. To burn the most fat, try to break a sweat after your warm-up and keep sweating for the entire hour, Dansinger says.
If you're not exercising now, and you have a chronic condition or a lot of weight to lose, it's wise to check in with your health care provider first. They'll be rooting for you! And they'll make sure that you're ready to work out.
Pace yourself. Don't do too much, too soon -- work your way up to help prevent injury.  
One way to step up the intensity is to do interval training -- brief bursts of high-intensity, followed by a more mellow pace, and repeating that pattern throughout your workout.
"Interval training allows people to work harder without having to spend the entire time at the higher level, and over time, the more you do it, the easier it becomes to burn more calories,"

Fad Diets and Crash Diets

I know how tempting diet crazes can sound, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. You hear about stars who did it and look incredible.
But remember,  if a diet plan sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Also, please skip any programs that promote detoxification pills, laxatives, fasting, or potions, and any that promise weight loss faster than 2-3 pounds per week.
The truth is that cutting calories below 1,050-1,200 per day is counterproductive, because you need strong muscles to be able to exercise effectively.
"When you eat too few calories, you lose fat but also precious muscle, which is the worst thing you could do because it slows your metabolism and makes it more difficult to increase exercise intensity or duration," Dansinger says.
Fad diets also set you up for failure by depriving you of what you want. You can't eat like that for long, and it's too likely that you'll rebel and end up back where you started. You deserve better than that!

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Biggest Loser' Diet Plans

This is a low-calorie diet based on TheBiggest Loser pyramid of 4-3-2-1 (four servings of fruits and veggies; three of lean protein; two of whole grains; and one "extra"), along with good old-fashioned exercise. Eat a diet based largely on fruits, vegetables and lean protein, add a heavy dose of physical activity and you will lose weight, lower cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and become stronger and more energized.

Tufts University obesity clinician and researcher Michael Dansinger, MD, developed the weight loss program accompanied by dietitian and chef Cheryl Forberg, RD, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, working with writer Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, PhD.
Over the course of the 12-week program, you can expect to eat small, frequent meals containing plenty of fiber and protein, for fullness without too many calories.
"We emphasize the quality of the calories so you can meet your nutritional needs [and] enjoy more natural, healthy whole foods and lean proteins that will help you deal with hunger before it happens," says Forberg.
And you won't be eating any "appetite stimulating" white foods like bread, pasta, or potatoes. Keeping daily food logs, watching portion sizes, and drinking 48-64 ounces of water each day round out the basic plan.
You can also count on daily workouts, starting at 30 minutes and increasing to an hour. The book contains a detailed cardio and strength-training program that increases in intensity for a "fat-busting boost." You'll also find plenty of tips and inspiration from former contestants throughout the book.
Sounds simple enough, but when you don't have a personal trainer pushing you, as the TV contestants have, how do you stay motivated? You can join The Biggest Loser club for online support, meal plans, recipes, customized fitness information, a journal, and more for about $5 per week. Biggest Loser cookbooks and fitness books are also available for purchase.

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Worlds Greatest Best Weight Loss Program

Worlds Greatest Best Weight Loss Program

Weight loss programs are beneficial to both men and women to reduce their weight to a considerable amount. Always remember that dieting is not just reducing your food amount from the routine meals, but it a healthy practice. If you follow a best weight loss program, it is certain that you can lose your weight effortlessly. Currently there are wide varieties of weight loss programs available in market to reduce your weight through diet methods.
While living in a fast and unhealthy world, it is important to follow a good weight loss plan to maintain your health. If you are about to choose a weight loss plan, better consult a dietician and fitness trainer to assist you in keeping good health. Now it has become trendy to build up lean muscles along with fit body. Using incorrect methods for weight losing will result in health problems. So pursue only healthy methods in weight losing programs.

A best weight loss program will help the individuals to lose weight keeping the fitness and health of the person. They provide not only just diet tips, but also offer how to select proper eating choices. Moreover, they assist in offering flexible diet that is best to adapt specific needs and lifestyle of individuals such as vegetarians, nursing moms, pregnant women, etc.
The best weight loss programs give emphasize to exercises, and healthy habits along with right eating choices. Simple exercises like walking, cycling etc are suggested by all medical practitioners. Modern weight loss programs include ayurveda therapies with meditation and yoga. Most of the dieticians all over the world recommend yoga practices and meditation for peaceful mind along with healthy body.
While doing weight loss practices, try not to be inactive and engage in any kind of activities always, because sitting idle will increase the fat content of your body. So it is time to start your diet plan for sturdy and healthy body.

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the Controversial Fast Diet And Weight Loss Plan

America’s obsession with the diet began as far back as 1863. That was when a man named William Banting developed the first “low-carb diet”.  It is 150 years later and countless diet plans have followed; everything from low-carb and low-calorie to all out fasting. Today, a new diet is in the spotlight. It’s called the “Fast Diet” and it seems to be stirring up a lot of controversy.

So What’s the Deal With This Weight Loss Plan?

The “Fast Diet” is a weight loss plan developed by London doctor, Michael Mosley. It basically calls for 2 days of very low calorie food consumption and 5 days of eating whatever you want. On the so called fasting days, women can consume no more than 500 calories and a man can eat 600 calories. Some people refer to it as “intermittent fasting” or “alternate day dieting”.  No matter what you call it, literally thousands of people in Europe and the United States say the diet is causing them to drop pounds.

The Debate About Fasting – A Good or Bad Idea?

A lot of eye-brows are raised when the word “fasting” is mentioned in any diet plan. Many nutritionists, dieticians, and doctors argue that any kind of fasting can create gastrointestinal problems. Dehydration, weakness, and fatigue have been associated with fasting. When people devote themselves to a fasting plan they can put themselves at risk of weakening their immune system. As well, they might be depriving their body of essential nutrients and minerals to help their organs function properly.

The Fast Diet Doctor – He Says it Works…

The “Fast Diet” is not your typical fasting technique where you go without food for days, or even weeks.  It is 2 non-consecutive days during the week where you restrict food intake in a very big way. According to Michael Mosley the “Fast Diet” works because you are taking in fewer calories. He estimates that the average person is eating ¼ the amount of calories on the 2 fasting days. Based on this projection, you should then be losing one pound of fat per week. Mosley admits that in the beginning it is mostly water but insists if you stick with the diet, you will soon shed real weight.

This Diet at the Cellular Level – Promoters of the Diet

At the cellular level Mosley, as well as other doctors and scientists promoting the diet say what happens is that your system becomes stressed in a good way. They explain to those who are overweight and looking for a new approach to dieting that as humans we evolved at a time when feast and famine was normal; that our bodies became used to the stress of going without food.  For example, cavemen would hunt for food, gorge themselves and then not eat for days because they could not find sufficient food. During the fasting or stress time, some studies seem to indicate that our bodies go from growth mode to repair mode.

Sensible Eating and This Diet Plan…

Nutritionists with the Mayo Clinic state that fasting is safe on an occasional basis; however they also say that it threatens long term weight-management. They report that when people end their fasting routine they tend to go back to consuming starchy, high fat foods.  The clinic promotes lower fat intake, eating at least five fruits and vegetables per day, drinking plenty of water, getting proper sleep, and walking at least 30 minutes per-day.
If the “Fast Diet” appeals to you, keep in mind that for some people fasting can be dangerous. Pregnant women, people with serious illnesses or immune problems should avoid fasting. If in doubt, discuss your plans with your doctor first.

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Diet high in processed meat 'threatens health Fitness

 The big health news of the week is the claim that eating a diet high in processed meat can increase the risk of premature death due to cancer and heart disease.

The current media scare stems from a large Europe-wide study looking at diet and mortality, involving just under half a million people who were followed for an average of 12.7 years.

One of the main findings was that people in the study who ate the most processed meat (160g or more per day) had a 44% increased risk of dying during follow-up compared to those who ate the least (10g or less).

The link to red meat was less conclusive.

The researchers estimated that if we all ate less than 20g of processed meat (which is around a single small piece of bacon) a day, then 3.3% of all deaths could be avoided – which is where the media reports came from that processed meat is responsible for 1 in 30 deaths.

However, an important limitation (rightly highlighted by the authors) is the possibility that other health and lifestyle factors could be contributing towards premature death risks.

Nevertheless, the study does highlight the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet, containing a high amount of fruit and vegetables.

Processed meat
Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. This includes sausages, bacon, ham, salami and pâtés.

Processed meat is usually high in fat and cholesterol, which can increase heart disease risk. A diet high in processed meat (regularly eating more than 90g a day) has also been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.

This study found that people who ate more than 160g a day had the highest risk of premature death – this is equivalent to eating a full English breakfast every morning.

The Department of Health recommends that you do not eat more than 70g of red or processed meat a day.
Where did the story come from?

The study was carried out by researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and a large number of other institutions across Europe.

Financial support was provided by a range of European organisations including, government, charity and academic institutions.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Medicine, which is available on an open access basis.

The media stories are generally representative of the findings of this research, with most including the common sense advice that eating an occasional bacon sarnie won’t kill you – just don’t do it every day.

The claims that processed meat is responsible for 1 in 30 deaths are based on the researchers’ estimate that 3.3% of the deaths in this study could have been prevented if all those who took part in the study ate less than 20g of processed meat a day.


What kind of research was this?

Many past observational studies have suggested that high levels of red meat and processed meat consumption could be linked to a range of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and various cancers, such as bowel cancer.

However, it can be difficult in such studies to exclude the possibility that the effect is not directly due to red and processed meats as such, but is due to the influence of other health and lifestyle factors. For example, people who eat a small amount of red and processed meat may also be eating higher amounts of fruit and vegetables, exercising more, be less likely to be overweight, smoke, or drink excess amounts of alcohol.
In the same vein, people who eat lots of processed meat may have other unhealthy habits such as drinking lots of alcohol and being heavy smokers.
This was a large cohort study using data collected as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.
EPIC is an ongoing cohort study including more than 500,000 participants from 10 European countries.
The researchers took data from the EPIC study to look at the association between red meat, processed meat, and poultry meat consumption, and the risk of overall mortality and cause-specific mortality.
What did the research involve?
Men (aged 40 to 70) and women (aged 35 to 70) were recruited to EPIC between 1992 and 2000 (depending on the European study centre). After excluding those with self-reported cancer or heart disease, or those who did not report on smoking status at the time of enrolment, there were 448,568 people in the study.

Dietary assessment was performed slightly differently depending on the country:

    seven countries gave self-administered dietary questionnaires (including data on 300-350 food items)
    three countries administered a similar questionnaire by direct interview
    two of the countries (UK and Sweden) also combined the questionnaires with a seven-day food diary

For the purposes of analysis, they grouped food products as follows:

    red meat (beef, pork, mutton/lamb, horse, goat)
    processed meat (including ham, bacon, sausages, or a small amount of minced meat as part of a ready-to-eat product – processed meat is mainly taken to be red meat, but it could be white as well)
    white meat (poultry, including chicken, hen, turkey, duck, goose, unclassified poultry, and rabbit)

Various other sociodemographic, health and lifestyle questions were also assessed at recruitment, including age, education, height and weight, medical history, alcohol consumption, and smoking history (current, past or never, including questions on frequency and type of tobacco smoked).

Follow-up of outcomes was to 2005-09, depending on the country, with an average follow-up of 12.7 years. Information on deaths and cause of death was obtained through record linkage with cancer registries, Boards of Health, and death indices in seven countries, and through active follow-up of participants (for example, mail, telephone, and medical records) in three countries.

Information on vital status could be obtained for 98% of the cohort, which is impressive given the size of the study.

Hazard ratios were calculated to examine the association between different types and quantities of meat and processed meat consumption and risk of death.

They adjusted analyses for the following cofounders:

    age
    study centre
    weight and height
    smoking history
    alcohol intake
    overall energy intake
    physical activity levels
    educational level
What were the basic results?
Compared to men and women who ate lower amounts of red and processed meat, those who ate the highest amounts tended to also eat fewer fruit and vegetables, be more likely to smoke, and less likely to have a university degree. Men who ate the highest amounts of red meat also drank more alcohol than those who ate lower amounts. This result was not seen in women.

During the average 12.7 year follow-up, there were 26,344 deaths (6% of the cohort), of these, 37% were due to cancer, 21% due to cardiovascular disease, 4% due to respiratory disease, 3% to digestive tract diseases, and the remainder due to various other causes.

Overall, there was a link between increasing processed meat consumption and risk of all-cause mortality. In the model adjusted for all confounders:

    people who ate the highest amount of processed meat (160g per day) had 44% increased risk of death compared to those who ate 10-20g per day (hazard ratio (HR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24 to 1.66)
    people who ate 80-160g a day had 21% increased risk (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.28) and those who ate 40-80g a day had 9% increased risk (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.14) compared to those who ate 10-20g per day
    compared to those who ate 10-20g per day, there was no difference in risk with eating 0-10g or eating 10-40g
    overall, eating an additional 50g of processed meat a day gave 18% increased mortality risk (HR 1.18. 95% CI 1.11 to 1.25)
    eating an additional 50g of processed meat a day also gave a 30% increased risk of dying from any cardiovascular disease (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.45), and an 11% increased risk of dying from any cancer (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.21)

The link with red meat was not as strong as for processed meat:

    eating the highest intake of red meat (160g per day) was associated with 14% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to eating 10-20g per day (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.28)
    people who ate 20-160g of red meat a day were at no higher risk than those who ate 10-20g per day
    people who ate the lowest amount (0-10g a day) also had increased mortality risk compared to those who ate 10-20g per day.
    unlike with processed meat, the researchers found no overall significant increase in mortality risk for eating an additional 50g of red meat a day

There was no link between death risk and poultry consumption.

The researchers estimated that 3.3% of all deaths could be avoided if all people ate less than 20g per day of processed meat.


How did the researchers interpret the results?

The researchers conclude that their analysis supports a ‘moderate association’ between increased processed meat consumption and increased mortality, in particular due to cardiovascular diseases, but also cancer.

Conclusion
This is a useful study examining whether there is an increased risk of dying from any cause, and from specific causes, with increased consumption of red meat and processed meat. The link to red meat was less conclusive, but there appeared to be a consistent link between increasing processed meat consumption and mortality risk.

The study has many strengths, including that it followed a large number of adults from across 10 European countries for an average 12.7 years, with almost complete follow-up.

The study used reliable methods to assess mortality outcomes. Food frequency questionnaires will unavoidably include some inaccuracy (for example, inaccurate recall or estimation of intake).

However, the researchers did attempt to validate the information through a series of 24-hour recalls.

The researchers have adjusted their analyses for age, study centre, weight and height, smoking and alcohol intake, overall energy intake, physical activity levels and educational level.

However, as the authors rightly conclude, the main limitation of the study is that it cannot completely exclude the possibility of residual confounding – that is, that the effects of these demographic, health and lifestyle factors, or others unmeasured, have not been fully accounted for.

These limitations apart, the study provides reasonably good evidence to support the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet, containing a high amount of fruit and vegetables. At the same time, it is important to moderate your consumption of foods high in salt, fat and sugar, which includes many processed foods.

The occasional bacon sandwich or full English breakfast probably won’t do significant damage to your health. But these should be occasional treats and not a staple of your diet

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