Pre-menopause age demands right kind of nutrition and care to avoid health risks like breast cancer, heart diseases, osteoporosis and so on. As the child bearing age passes, the production of hormone oestrogen also stops. The lack of female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in the bloodstream is manifested in the form of symptoms of menopause.

The female hormones also play a vital role in keeping the woman healthy by protecting her heart and by keeping her bones strong.

Heart Health

• You should not weigh more than the recommended weight of your age. So watch your calorie intake strictly.
• No to high fat.
• Check your cholesterol with fibre rich foods like oatmeal, fruits and whole grains.
• Include nutritious foods like flax seeds (omega 3, fibre, phytochemicals), and almonds (calcium, vitamin e, magnesium) in your diet.

Cancer

• Lose weight  by a strict watch on what you eat and how much.
• Eat a fibrous diet.
• Reduce alcohol consumption.
• Get an adequate supply of vitamins, folates and minerals.

Osteoporosis

• Ask your doctor about taking calcium supplements. You may need to increase the intake of calcium from 800mg/day during pre-menopause to 1000mg/day after menopause.
• Take vitamin D rich foods.
• Reduce the number of smokes.
• Exercise regularly.

Take care, ladies!

Eating calories and burning more of it will take time to show up on your body. Sometimes it doesn’t show up at all. There are other things than what or how much of food you consume in a meal that determines your weight. So what are they?

The Quantity, The Number And The Time of Your Meals

If you are inconsistent about the food you eat your body will be confused. If you have the tendency to skip your meals and eat in large quantities in odd timings your body will try to hoard the nutrients it receives. This may promote weight gain and work against your efforts to lose weight. You already know the importance of breakfast. In the same way, it is vital to take your meals in adequate amounts at the right times to assure your body of a steady supply of nutrients and in turn for a proper metabolism.

The Dietary Fiber In Your Food

We have learnt that by eating fiber we get a fullness, clean our intestines and prevent constipation. Though fiber is carbohydrate it is hardly absorbed by the body. The nutrients are absorbed and the undigested fiber is excreted. Hence the recommendation on fibrous foods.

The Thermic Effect Of Your Food

You expend some energy/calories to bite, chew, swallow, digest, metabolize and store food. Dietary fat is easily processed in your body while proteins need more calories to be used up. That means proteins have the highest thermic effect of food (TEF).

The Glycemic Index

Glycemic foods are those which have an immediate effect on the blood glucose level. When more sugar (high glycemic foods) enters the blood stream in a faster speed more insulin is quickly needed to break it up. For those without diabetes it is not a big issue. What you need to consider is the fact that when you have more insulin in your body you don’t lose weight. Insulin and weight gain share a deep bond.

• Drink a lot of water and more of hot water. Sometimes you brain fools around making you feel hungry instead of thirsty. If you sip hot water it will curb your ‘hunger’ for water and make you fuller. Water also gets rid of toxins and excess calories.
• Eat smart and more of it. Low calorie foods are your saviours. Peppers, zucchini, celery and the lot are great for the start. They demand more energy for their digestion and you burn more calories without neglecting you general health. Do not forget to throw away starchy veggies like potatoes.
• Exercise in the morning as a must! Musicians practice as early as before sunrise. Meditation also works great if done at 4 AM in morning before the world wakes up. And so does physical work out. Rather than cuddling in the bed, get up and jump ahead in to the day. A few minutes of skipping, high knee lifts and the like can be highly rewarding.
• One of the easiest things you can do is to squeeze your butt as and when you can. Hold your muscles in for a few seconds and release. You can do this glute exercise even while working or doing your daily chores. Just watch your back, though!

• Genes and cells

Genes are the deciding factor for many of us. Fat genes are the culprit behind many of our obesity or weight gain. Some of us owe our fat to the fat cells which make us fat and heavy. Certain fat cells are fed by viruses like Adenoviruses which increase the risk of obesity.

• Mental Stress

We notice a weight gain when we have a tight schedule in the work place and don’t eat or sleep at the right time. Your routine necessarily changes your eating patterns and requirements. Scientists point out that tension and stress increase our desire for carbohydrate-rich foods which serve to appease the stress hormones.

• Lack of sleep

Weight loss encouraged when you sleep for around 7-8 hours a night. Lack of sleep affects your fullness and cause hormonal imbalances.

• Mom!

The lifestyle and health conditions your mother had while you were inside her womb can be a deciding factor of your health too. Fatty and unhealthy foods she may have had before conceiving you are found to have adverse effects on the developing baby’s health. Hence it is important for moms-to-be to eat and sleep healthy before they try to conceive.

Yet, there is no need for you to be disheartened. You can be fat and at the same time be fit. Lean and hungry looking people also fall prey to lifestyle diseases despite their having the right weight. Lean or fat, physical activity for half an hour a days, five times a week is ideal for good health.

MSG, Monosodium glutamate, can be a real reason for your weight gain and obesity. Used as a food addictive and flavor enhancer, MSG is a noteworthy ingredient in many popular processed foods. MSG is a sodium salt made from wheat gluten which was once mainly associated with asthma in some its consumers. When we eat out we are sure consuming a generous amount of MSG in its different variations and brand names. Food manufacturers may intent two things by adding MSG to their product: 1) flavor enhancement and the 2) temptation to eat more.

Its link to obesity is explained thus: MSG is a substance that can overexcite the neurons to the point of cell damage to cell death (excitotoxins). MSG is capable of creating abdominal fat and causing brain damage. Experiments show that it also increased the insulin in the pancreas of the rats. When more insulin is produced, more sugar is broken and you have a low sugar levels wanting to eat more.Ironically, you eat more MSG foods again and more insulin is produced repeating the cycle. If you get diabetes, the scene is then taken over by the drug manufacturers.You don’t have to believe that your favorite restaurant uses very little MSG in their preparations. But, remember that, we, humans are many times more sensitive than rats.

Next time you dine out, make sure that your food is MSG-free. Never hesitate to ask for the ingredient list from your restaurant if you feel suspicious and never dine in there if they do no give you one.

Junk foods are the main culprits behind obesity and other health problems of the generation. Yet, what is life if we can’t enjoy our favorite burger or a slice of pizza?

But that is when colon cleansing or colon irrigation comes to help. It is a holistic practice by which you cleanse your colons literally to wash away the waste products and clogged toxic substances (Mucoid Plaque) which accumulate inside. It is believed to help weight loss and to improve digestion. Holistic approaches believe that bowel movements are the foundation for your health and hence importance of a clean bowel for a healthy body. But modern science does not really approve of this practice of colon cleansing for to help weight loss. Doctors do not recommend colon irrigation with instruments as this can increase the risk of infections and dehydration.

So, here is the good news. You can eat a diet that can cleanse your bowels! Regular exercise and a colon cleansing diet will ensure a healthy and natural weight loss. Fiber-rich foods and green vegetables hold the key to washing away the debris from the colon. Soluble and insoluble fiber (fruits, grains etc.) will prevent constipation and eliminate all unwanted deposits. Green foods with a high chlorophyll content like spirulina will detoxify your internal organs and improve the body’s healing process. Drinking adequate amount of water is also essential for proper bowel movements. This in turn will enable the nutrients and the oxygen to be absorbed well in to the body.

Ask your doctor about colon cleansing today itself!

Have you already made plans for spring? Here is a quick idea. Plan a weight loss program at home all by yourself with nothing else but fruits.

In India, the onset of summer is marked by a jubilant sale of Lassis (version of buttermilk) and Tharbooj (Watermelons). The green exterior and the juicy luscious red interior of the water melon make an appetizing contrast. It not only serves your thirst on a sunny day but also aids your health.

Watermelon contains Arginine, an amino acid which can aid weight loss and prevent obesity. Without the risk of any side-effects, it can also promote lean tissue growth and muscle gain in the body. Arginine is beneficial for the stimulation of the biochemical process of muscle protein synthesis and to reduce serum concentrations of branched-chain amino acids. Red plants, seafood, seeds, algae, meats, rice protein concentrate and soy protein isolate are all good sources of arginine.

Lycopene, an antioxidant present in water melon is a vital component to good health as it is seen to prevent the threat of cancers. Water melon is devoid of any fat or cholesterol and is abundant in vitamins A, B6, and C. It further aids your heart health and disease prevention by his other components like potassium and vitamins along with fruity fiber.

For a healthy body and a sound heart, you need to eat 2-5 cups of fruits a day. Water melon forms a important part of the agricultural sector of the USA. Why not make the best that is available in plenty?

• Are you overeating? You need to sit down and think how your diet patterns have changed or are changing? Are you really stressed out that makes you eat less or more and often? Evaluate your situation and find out what’s wrong. There could be a dozen things that could affect you.
• Are you changed? If you feel your esteemometre is down and that you are diffident about life situations then you need a confidence boost. Self efficacy and weight loss are interrelated according to diet experts. To regain self confidence you can read weight loss or watch inspiring shows on TV. Remember that you need to lose weight and for good reasons.
• Have you been pessimistic and depressed? If you are, then you need a positive outlook towards life. Give yourself a pat on your shoulder and reflect what went wrong. Positive thoughts and talk may work wonders.
• Do you point at others? If you are overweight and cannot stick on to regular physical activity it is you who is responsible and not anyone else. It is not because of your manager who keeps you in the office or your family history. Take up the responsibility. Give due compromises and forgive yourself for failures, yet, work hard.
• Did you think Why? Think about the reason that is de-motivating you and the reason why you want to lose weight. What weighs more? You have to lose weight for a specific reason. Perhaps to prevent the heart disease running in your family. And you have to be clear and concise about your decision. It will help.

These are some suggestions to keep you on track. There are a million creative ways individual to each of us. You can easily find your own comfortable methods.

All of us are familiar with the berry family starting from strawberries running through blue berries and rasp berries. Acai berry was not very popular and not really found along with its siblings in juices or jams. Recently, there began a weight loss revolution (Thanks to Oprah Winfrey) in which people had only two words on their lips “acai berry”. Certain business wizards also took advantage of the innocent obese and came up with acai berry weight loss plans. It is claimed that acai berries regulate your metabolism, boosts your overall energy and helps building muscles.

So, is acai berry a weight loss superfood?

•  Yes, acai berry helps you lose weight naturally and safely. It contains a lot of natural energy essential to the human body.  It is a great source of antioxidants like anthocyanins, phytonutrients, fatty acids, phytosterols, vitamins C and E and fiber. These antioxidants and plant compounds bring umpteen health benefits.
•  When other weight loss supplements help your weight loss by suppressing appetite and starving you, acai berries enable you to burn your calories. They enhance your body’s consumption of calories and you burn more calories than you normally do while doing your daily physical chores.
•  Acai berries give you a good night’s rest and aids you to ward of the negative effects of stress, depression and cleanses you system .
•  So, there is no magic or mystery. Acai berries alone do not help weight loss. You diet has to be descent followed by a good exercise regime. Acai berries give you a healthy frame to work out and trigger off the overall calorie burn.
•  Acai berries can be preserved without losing its nutrition. If fresh acais are not available you can buy them in liquid or capsule form. But choose them wisely.
• Consult your doctor to determine whether acai berries are good for your constitution.

For all those who are on a diet, especially on a raw food diet, here are some interesting facts. For those who do not know what rawism is, here is some food for your thought.

A diet of plant foods in their most natural state, uncooked and unprocessed is termed as raw food diet. To be on a raw food diet means to be on a bone-breaking diet. Since this diet consists of 75% fruits and vegetables raw foodists have to do a lot of kitchen work from peeling to dehydrating their foods. Most raw foodists believe that cooking veggies at a heat of 116 degrees F would destroy their nutritional values and digestion-helping enzymes. Raw and natural foods are also healthy with less sodium and high phytochemicals with no life endangering fats.

1) Not all raw foodists are on a weight loss plan. For some, it is just their lifestyle, mostly a belief.
2) Not all raw foodists are vegetarians. Animal fats are not a part of raw food diet. Yet, some people add cheese, milk and raw eggs to their diet.
3) They never use their ovens but dehydrators.
4) Health experts point out that it doesn’t matter even if the enzymes in foods are destroyed by cooking as the body uses its own enzymes for digestion.
5) And, in order for certain phytochemicals (beta-carotene in carrots) to be absorbed, it needs to cooked.
6) Raw food diet is not healthy for all. Some raw foodists find themselves at a health risk with vitamin B12 (the main source being meat) deficiency leading to anemia and neurological impairment. Some long-term raw foodists may fall prey to Osteoporosis and nutritional deficiencies of calcium, iron and protein.
7) Children, pregnant and nursing women, anemic people and older people are not to follow this diet.

Now what’s stopping you from choosing the best weight loss diet available ?