Learn why Minerals are so Important for your Body!

What Will You Do With All That Halloween Candy?

Amidst all the fun and festivities of Halloween comes some stress. 
No, not the stress of finding Halloween costumes. Stress in the form of nutritional toxicity! Each year, we are inundated with Halloween candy and junk galore as our wee ones are given every Halloween "treat" imaginable.

Back in the day, I can remember receiving chocolate bars, Rice Krispies treats, brownies and licorice. Every once in awhile, a neighbor would throw in an apple or an orange, just to really send us kids over the edge! These days, I can't even imagine what frightening ghouls live inside those candy wrappers - " highly toxic things like high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and colors, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, excitotoxins/neurotoxins and all sorts of chemical concoctions.
Gone are the days when sugar was the worst thing that could happen to a kid!
Our kids have not yet even ventured into the world of Trick-or-Treating. I'm not saying they won't at some point in their childhood! I've just been able to side-step and downplay the issue thus far. It helps that no one goes trick-or-treating in or neighborhood, so it's not in their faces!

That's not to say my children don't end up with their fair share of Halloween candy. Grown-ups find a way to get candy to children at Halloween, no matter what!
We normally attend a party or two to enjoy the costumes and festivities with friends. Lots of "treats" at the party to sample, as well as the always-present goodie bag to take home.
So how do we deal with all the toxicity in our family, and keep the potentially negative side of Halloween to a minimum?
1) We don't call candy or junk food a "treat". We call them "tasty toxins" - tells you exactly what you need to know! Sure, it tastes great, but it's toxic. Why would we call something a treat if it subtracts from our health? Sounds kind of funny to knock on someone's door on Halloween night and say "Trick-or-Tasty Toxin" though!
2) Like any other time of the year, tasty toxins are limited. First, all toxins are handed over to mom and dad for proper care and feeding! Depending on the size and toxicity level of the tasty toxin, as well as the current state of health of toxin consumers, we may say they can have one per day for a few days following Halloween maybe more, maybe less. Depends.
3) I try to steer our kids in the direction of sweets that were made in someone's kitchen rather than in a chemistry lab. No, they don't build health either, but it's probable they don't move us away from health as quickly as the serious toxins in packaged foods. On our end, I'll either bake less toxic sweets and/or purchase simple goodies that lack the serious aforementioned offenders that are the most harmful to our health.

4) They must fill up with Health FIRST. Every other meal and snack throughout the day needs to meet the innate genetic nutritional requirements for health: protein, healthy fats & oils, fresh fiber (veggies & fruit) and lots of pure water. In other words, if they're going to be adding any increased amount of toxins to their diet for a few days, they need to keep things clean and healthy otherwise. If not, the body will always let us know when it has reached its limitations!

5) Finally, we give the kids the option to turn their Halloween loot in for a gift from The Halloween Fairy. After they select one "must-have" item from their goodie bags, they simply hand over the Halloween candy for mom and dad to put out for the Halloween Fairy that night. The Halloween Fairy in turn leaves the kids a special gift they've been wishing for - a special experience with mom & dad, a toy, a book, a game, craft stuff, whatever works!
It's a win-win. No overloading on toxicity, therefore no "sick" kids for days to come. The kids are happy because they were still able to enjoy the spirit of Halloween, sample some of the traditional toxins, and they got something new and fun!

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Why is a Healthy Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?

The Worst Foods That Make You Gain Weight

In your quest for responsible weight loss, knowing what to eat and what not to eat are essential. Aside from physical activity, diet is the second most important thing. In the previous post, I discussed the top foods for weight loss. I also promised that I would let you know the worst foods that make you gain weight.

The list of food below are terrible for two reasons, they have very little or no nutritional value and they are high calorie. Without further delay, here are the worst foods that make you gain weight with an explanation of why they are not good.

Worst Food #1- Avoid any processed foods. There are chemical and preservatives, which the body considers foreign. In many cases, the preservatives are not broken down in your digestive system and actually throws it out of whack.

Worst Food #2 - Refined sugar. This is not to say that you can't have a slice of pie or candy. But be aware that for the same amount of calories, you could eat a much larger quantity of "non- junk food" that actually gives your body more than just a short sugar rush.

Worst Food #3 - Stay away from foods with high sodium content. It doesn't matter if its pizza, pudding, or a steak dinner. Be watchful of any food with a lot of sodium because not only does it swell up the size of the fat cells and it makes you retain water. Not to mention, a high sodium diet also increases your chances of developing high blood pressure.

Worst Food #4 - These next few are certainly no surprise to most of you. High fructose corn syrup, trans-fat and hydrogenated oils. You also want to avoid saturated fats as well. The high fructose corn syrup, trans- fat and hydrogenated oils throw your metabolic system into chaos and can cause you to actually feel hungrier, making you eat more. Saturated fats clogs up your arteries and are total waist busters.

Worst Food #5 - Avoid full fat foods and drinks such as bacon and whole milk. They are loaded with saturated fat and needless calories. Find substitutes for these traditionally high fat foods like turkey bacon, low-fat cheeses or low-fat milk.

Worst Food #6 - Limit your intake of salad dressing and sauces. They are full of useless calories, not to mention that they are loaded with salt and sugars. If you have to have condiments, make sure they are served on the side and not plopped on your food.

Worst Food#7 - Stay away from white flour products because they are refined carbohydrates. They are just another form of sugar. So when you eat them, they will only serve to skyrocket your insulin levels, which leaves you craving for more sugar when you crash. Avoid this endless cycle like the plague.

Worst Food #8 - Anything fried is simply not good. There's tons of fat and breading. A potato, chicken or a zucchini can be just as bad as a red velvet cake if you throw it in the fryer. Enough said on that one.

Worst Food #9 - Alcohol and soft drinks. Aside from giving you a quick flavor thrill and maybe a buzz, it is best to limit these as well. Beer especially is full of calories, fat and carbs and soft drinks are high sugar and high on calories. A special note be careful with diet sodas and fruit juices. In regards to diet sodas, the artificial sweeteners have been known to spike hunger cravings. Fruit juices for the most part tend to be high in sugar and carbs. If you have time, get a juicer and make your own juice or just eat the piece of fruit.

Well, there you have it, the worst foods that make you gain weight. Perhaps, all of these you may have know these. But if you are actually serious about losing weight, it is important that you take this knowledge and apply it to your daily life.

Be healthy and have a fantastic day.





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Stay Away From Vegan Junk Food - Choose Easy Healthy Vegan Recipes Instead!

Even though the vegan diet has amazing health benefits - you could very well be sabotaging these benefits by choosing the wrong foods. These wrong foods have been termed "vegan junk food," and they are the roadblock to success on the vegan lifestyle. Let's look at three factors: What is classed as vegan junk food? Why should you stay away from this food? And what should you eat instead?

What is classed as "vegan junk food?"

The following list of foods are the main offenders on the vegan junk food list.

· Cookies

· Salty crackers

· Packet chips

· Dairy-free "health" bars

· Pretzels

· Hot chips

· Salty, sweet nut mix

· Vegan spreads and dips

· Soft drinks & juices

Why should you stay away from vegan junk food?

Reason #1: If you are hoping to lose weight on the vegan diet, then eating too many of the above foods is a definite NO-NO. Store-bought packet foods are notoriously high in calories and fat, and are generally not waist-line friendly. Also, these foods are addictive and most people find that once they start eating one or two pieces, they cannot stop. This is because of the high sugar, salt and oil content that many of these foods contain, so STAY CLEAR if you want to lose weight on the vegan diet.

Reason #2: There are often terrible ingredients in store-bought junk food. For example: msg, excessive amounts of salt, sugar and fat, preservatives, flavorings, the list goes on. So eating lots of these foods will likely make your skin bad, your energy low, and you will find that you are addicted to them - whether you like it or not.

Reason #3: Eating these foods really defeat the whole purpose of why many people go on the vegan diet. Many folk become vegan for health benefits such as weight loss, lovely hair, skin and nails, and also in an endeavor to reverse or reduce the effects of serious health problems. Vegan junk food will put an end to all of this if eaten on a regular basis.

What should you eat instead?

Opt for making your own healthy, easy vegan recipes instead. If you are not really into cooking, then look for some fast and easy vegan recipes to make and if possible, freeze a large batch of them. If you are into cooking - even better! You can have a blast making your own gourmet concoctions and hunting for delicious healthy vegan recipes to add to your collection.

It's a very good habit to get into - making your own meals and snacks. And they needn't be difficult. Set aside some time each week to make your own dips, brownies, muffins, health bars or dehydrated cookies, crackers and chips. Nothing could make you feel any better than eating clean, wholesome foods that you have prepared yourself!

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How to Lose Weight in a Week With Ease

Is it really possible to lose weight in one week? 

This question may be hovering in your mind given the testimonies of many persons who have been engaged in various weight loss programs without success. Knocking off excess weight could be a challenging task when you consider the discipline that is required. You may find it difficult shedding weight because of a variety of reasons such as your body chemistry, difficulty in keeping your scheduled work out programs, the nature of your job and a lot more. The important thing to note is that you can actually start losing weight right from today. It is a battle that starts up there in your mind. Whether you win or lose depend on the approach you choose to adopt. Some tips on how to lose weight in a week and start seeing results are put together to help you succeed in your weight loss program.

Have a scale at home

This is an invaluable device you must have if you are really serious to take off excess pounds from your body. The only way to know if the program you have chosen to follow is working after one week of trial is to measure your weight with a scale. Your initial weight before the commencement of the program should be recorded. Weekly progress report should also be recorded after the program must have commenced in full swing.

Eat more vegetables

One sure way to lose weight quickly is to watch your eating habit. Taking in plenty of vegetables and reducing the amount of carbohydrate you consume will help you realize your dream of getting a slimmer body. Cutting down your carbohydrate intake makes little room for conversion of the abundance of carbohydrate into fat and keeps your calories low.

Avoid eating out

When you are watching your weight one thing you must try to avoid is eating out of the home. The simple reason is that you have total control of what you prepare at home compared to what is made available when you eat outside. Whenever it becomes unavoidable that you eat out of the home, make sure you cover the lost grounds in the next couple of days cutting down the excess calories you consumed outside the home.

Use fruits for snacks in place of junks

Make provision for your favorite fruits and use them whenever the craving for snacks arises. One way many people add up weight easily is through intermittent intake of crappy snacks. You can get this checked with the use of fruits.

Exercising

Draw up a weekly work out plan for yourself and make sure you stick to your plan. Exercise is a good way to quicken your body metabolism and burn off excess calories.

Join a weight loss forum

No person is an island. It is always good to flock together with likeminded individuals if you wish to get a good result. You can learn quickly through the experiences of other persons like you in such groups.

Losing weight is something that has to do with your mind. It is important that you capture in your mind how to lose weight in a week is possible before even venturing out to accomplish the programs you have set for yourself. Do not despise the days of little beginning. Whatever little improvement you achieve in your first week should be seen as a motivation to do better. With such a mindset the sky can only be a starting point in your weight loss program.

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How to Burn More Calories in Less Time

The key to losing weight and burning fat is to burn more calories than you consume. Although it sounds simple, unfortunately it isn't always as easy as x-y=z. The truth is that there are a lot of biochemical issues that factor in to how difficult it can be for some people to lose weight. Take for instance people that starve themselves or skip meals often. These people have forced their body into a conservation mode, where it will keep everything it gets because it is never sure of the next fuel source. However, on the inverse of that, people that eat 3-5 small meals per day are able to burn fat much easier because they keep their metabolism at a high rate all day long. This leads to decreased fat stores and a better looking body.

So what does this mean to you? Well the first thing that you need to do if you want to lose weight is to examine your dietary habits. You've got to give your body a constant fuel source throughout the day or it will start to hold on to your fat with an iron grip. You've also got to make sure that you aren't doing any late-night gorging or eating too much junk food. This can be a body killer on its own, so make sure you eat what you know to be healthy.

In terms of exercise, my favorite method of burning fat and getting in shape is called high intensity interval training (HIIT) and it consists of short (60 seconds or so) intervals of intense exercise, followed by short intervals (again, 60 seconds) of moderate exercise. This routine will get your body in the habit of burning calories in short periods of time, which will not only teach it how to find energy more efficiently (fat), but will also improve your overall health and fitness level very quickly. The science behind this method is solid too, as research has proven that 20 minute of intense exercise can burn the same amount of calories as an hour of moderate exercise. Now, if you only had to work out 20 minutes a day, even if it was intense, do you think you could do it if it meant a better looking body?

The great thing about high intensity training is that you can use it for nearly any type of exercise. You can use it in a manner similar to circuit training. Regardless of how you use it, the most important thing is to go all out for 60 seconds. It might hurt, and it might make you winded, but it will work! If you just do 20 minutes of moderate exercise and stop cycling through intensity levels, then you are going to be in worse shape then the person doing 60 minutes of cardio. So don't let that happen to you. Simply follow the methods here, and you will be well on your way to a tighter body and a lean Hollywood look.

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