How to Get Rid of the Weight Gained During Christmas

The Christmas Holidays are among the most precious and pleasant ones throughout the whole year. But there is one major disadvantage of the Christmas Holidays and this is the weight we gain during this time of the year. There are several factors that simply cannot be avoided - loads of parties and visits of relatives and friends, skipping exercise, eating much more than you have been used to before the holidays.
Sometimes Christmas holidays even take longer than some days, because most people tend to get their vacations, travel, and forget about strict diet and exercise routines. But don't worry, there are many things you can do to lose all extra pounds you've put on during this period. Just stick to some simple rules and you'll lose the gained weight in no time.
1. Reduce the amount of food you eat
Once the Christmas holidays are over, you don't have to eat the same amount of food as during the holidays. You have to start reducing your portions. At the beginning it could seem difficult to do so, and if it really is difficult for you to accomplish it, don't starve yourself, just eat 2-3 times more, but smaller portions so you don't feel hungry.

2. Change your exercise routine
If you already have an exercising routine, then in the first days after the holiday "season" you would have to change it - not drastically, but for instance doing more cardio would accelerate the results. You can also try exercising 1-2 days more than usual, or simply increase the duration of your training. Try to run or cycle at least 30 minutes, preferably at the end of your training. If you don't do cardio every day of your workout program, then you should start doing so, in order to accelerate your metabolism, or you could simply add one day only for cardio.
3. Drink a lot of water
Forget about alcohol, juices and sweet drinks. It's all about water - increase the amount of water you drink every day. This would accelerate your metabolism, and help your body get rid of the unnecessary toxins easier.
4. Forget about alcohol
Well, we mentioned it in the previous point, however, it is necessary to point out, that alcohol is more than caloric - it stops your body from burning the calories it usually does. Imagine what happens to your body when you eat more than usual, less healthier than usual, and not being able to burn the calories, as the alcohol actually prevents your organism from doing so.
And we all know that we've drunk at least some wine regularly during the Christmas holidays. And besides this, every single diet outlines the lack of alcohol as a necessary measure for you to have a successful weight loss.
5. Reduce the carbs
Well, that may seem the hardest part to accomplish, but do you remember how much carbohydrate rich food you've eating during the Holidays - loads of sweets, loads of bread, loads of cookies. Try to avoid all these only for some time, and you'll notice a significant reduce in your weight.

6. Weight loss supplements
If all of the above tips seem to hard to accomplish, remember you can always use some weight loss supplements in order to accelerate weight loss and get back to your previous routines. There is a great majority of weight loss supplements, that is why it is not hard to choose one exactly according to your needs.
If you follow these basic tips we can guarantee you, you'll get back to your normal weight from before the holidays much faster than you expect. It is pretty certain that the most of the weight you've put on during these days is due to your organism retaining water, which means, that you'll be able to get rid of the extra pounds much easier, when they are not only extra fats.

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How to Lose Weight Fast | Ginger Lemon Detox Water For Fast Weight Loss

Best Drinks For a Detox Cleanse and Weight Loss

Detox Cleanse is basically a method of trying to rid the body of any built up toxins in your body. These toxins can actually come from many different sources not least in the food that we are eating every day of our lives. At least we can change what we eat. But we also have toxins entering our body through the environment. This is something that we can change so readily. So, we must try and cleanse regularly to help our bodies to expunge these toxins. There are several drinks that can be of great help when you want to lose weight or just to cleanse your internal body organs. You should basically make these juices from fresh and preferably organic ingredients mostly being fruits and vegetables. Below are a few of some of the detox drinks.

Lemon drink
Lemon water is perhaps the best fruit juice for any detox cleansing diet or indeed weight loss diet. Making the lemon drink is really simple and requires only two ingredients, lemon and water; you may add sugar or honey to taste. Simply add a half a cup of water to half a cup of lemon juice and the drink is ready.
Apple and celery juice
Apples are great for any detox as they are rich in antioxidants. You will need two apples and two celery sticks, juice them up and add a bit of lemon juice to taste.
Beet juice
Beets are important as they are rich in vitamin A. To prepare the beet juice you will need one beet root, a few celery sticks, and one carrot. Juice them up and add a bit of water.
Ginger and turmeric detox tea

Both of the ingredients in this tea are very good cleansing agents. To prepare the ginger and turmeric detox tea you will need two cups of boiled water. Add a teaspoon of ginger and half a teaspoon of turmeric; you may add a little amount of maple syrup or only so as to improve the taste a bit.
Dandelion detox tea

This drink is very good as it contains several vitamins that are essential for detox like vitamin A, B, D. To prepare the tea you need to add a few teaspoons of powdered or crushed dandelion leaves to boiled water. You may add lemon to taste.

These drinks when taken occasionally are going to help you to detox cleanse your body and will help you to lose weight as part of a calorie controlled diet. For effective results you may want to consider fasting on these drinks for a period of two to three days. Any detox cleansing diet should only be undertaken once in a while.





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How Important are Electrolytes For Runners?

Sodium and chloride

Usually a package deal, sodium and chloride are the major extracellular electrolytes in the human body, sodium providing the positive charge and chloride the negative charge. In addition to providing balance to one another, these ions are essential for maintaining blood volume and pH (Schauss, 1998). 

Sodium and chloride also happen to be the main electrolytes lost in sweat, especially during prolonged exertion in warm and hot environments. Though the average American consumes substantially more than enough sodium chloride, there are some individuals and situations in which these electrolytes should be supplemented. 

Those who experience higher than average sweating, either through recreational activities such as long-distance running, professional athletics, or mining, construction work, and the armed forces, need to replace both their fluids and their electrolytes (especially sodium and chloride) to maintain a healthy balance.

Drinking water alone can sometimes be counter-productive, as it will decrease the osmolality (concentration of ions) of the extracellular fluid, signaling the kidney to let go of even more fluid to find a balance. This “diluted blood” also tends to shut off the thirst mechanism. 

Because strenuous exercise actually requires fluid replacement to be slightly above fluid loss, thirst is a key way to assure that individuals will replace an adequate amount of fluid. 

Eating solid food is an effective way of replacing sodium and chloride, however there are many instances when this would be impossible or impractical. 

Therefore, adding sodium and chloride to the water of individuals who regularly sweat will not only replace the loss of these essential electrolytes, but will also help maintain proper blood osmolality, assuring thirst and kidney mechanisms to maintain adequate blood volume and hydration (Maughan and Shirreffs, 1997).

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Sports Drinks Vs Water - The Ugly Truth

Lucozade, Powerade, Gatorade...
In the 21st century - advertisements for energy drinks are everywhere. You can no longer switch on the television or flick open a magazine without seeing an advert for these glorified potions. It seems that these drinks are taking over the fitness world, and you only have to wander down to your local gym to see just how popular they are.
So what actually are these so called "sports drinks", and what do they proclaim to do?
A sports drink is a beverage designed to increase energy levels, replace electrolytes and and keep you hydrated. So let's look at how they claim to do this:
Increase Energy Levels
Sports Drinks are full of sugar - A 500ml bottle of Lucozade energy contains 21 teaspoons of sugar! To put that into perspective, a can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. When these sports drinks are consumed, our body converts all the sugar into glucose which is released into our blood stream. This glucose provides our bodies with energy - which is what gives us that "alert" feeling.
The problem is - glucose is a very short lived energy source and has detrimental effects on the body. When we drink sports drinks, our bodies have to produce large amounts of insulin to help our cells absorb the glucose from our blood stream. Any excess glucose is then converted to fat in our livers and deposited into our cells. Insulin also inhibits the breakdown of fat within our bodies. Both these factors encourage the accumulation of fat, and are counter productive when you consider the reason people are at the gym!
The counter argument to this is that the sports drinks provide you with the energy you require to perform an intense workout - which provides benefits that far exceed the negative impacts of the sports drink. Well I say that is a terrible argument, and here's why..

The average person that visits the gym performs moderate intensity exercise for around 30 minutes. Let's imagine their chosen exercise is running - in which case they will burn around 250-400 calories in their session. Now let's imagine they consume a 500ml bottle of Lucozade Sport, which contains 140 calories. That is around half the total calories that they are burning by being at the gym, just from consuming an energy drink. So for every 10 minutes they run, they are only burning 5 minutes worth of calories...
What makes matters worse is the sugar in the sports drink - which is bad for two reasons.
1. As explained earlier - consuming sugar causes a surge in insulin levels, which promotes the accumulation of fat within our bodies.
2. When glucose is readily available in our bloodstream, our cells will use this as their primary source of energy. As a result, the energy we require to perform exercise will come from the glucose in our blood. If we didn't drink the sports drink then our cells would not have access to that glucose - which means they would have to get energy from breaking down our fat.
As you can see - sports drinks are a counter-productive method for someone who want's to lose fat. However, those in support of sports drinks will still argue that they provide you with the energy that you require to perform exercise. However again, that is a flawed argument..
The average gym visitor has access to more than enough energy to perform 30 minutes of exercise. They are likely to have glucose in their bloodstream from their meals that day, and if they run out of glucose, they can breakdown fat reserves to power their bodies. The only time when sports drinks are beneficial is for ultra endurance athletes - the kind that are performing intense exercise for hours on end. But even then, there are far better sources of energy - what's wrong with a good old banana? Not only is this far better for your body than sports drinks, but it is broken down far slower so provides sustained energy over a long period of time - as opposed to a short spike that is supplied by glucose. In short - sports drinks are just as bad for us as sweets, and there are far better ways to provide our bodies with the energy required for exercise.
Replacing Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals that can be found in blood and cells, and help to regulate bodily fluids. The most well known of these are Sodium and Chloride.
During exercise - the body's electrolyte balance can begin to shift - and as the body loses electrolytes through sweat, the imbalance can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue and nausea. Sports drinks capitalise on this by promising that they can replace the electrolytes in our bodies and prevent these symptoms Whilst there may be an element of truth in this - it is irrelevant to the average gym visitor. Our bodies lose electrolytes relatively slowly, so unless you are exercising for over an hour, your body will be able to address its electrolyte imbalance without the need for sports drinks.
Hydration
The final promise of the "sports drinks" is that they keep you hydrated. Keeping hydrated is an important part of any exercise routine, as the body loses water far quicker than it loses electrolytes. A lack of water can lead to dehydration which results in fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness and poor concentration.
However - do you want to know the best way to keep your body hydrated? WATER

There is absolutely no better way to hydrate your body than to drink water - and plenty of it. What's more - it's free, contains no calories and has a multitude of benefits to your body.
The other trouble will sports drinks is that they encourage you to drink before you feel thirsty. They claim the reason for this is that once you feel thirsty - it is too late - and dehydration has already kicked in. This is absolute nonsense, and there is simply no scientific research to back up this claim. Our bodies are extremely complex machines that have evolved over thousands of years. Considering water is the single most important element for our survival, I'm sure our bodies have developed the ability to warn us when we need to drink (before we get dehydrated). And how does it do that? It's called being thirsty!
The fact of the matter is, we do not need to drink water until we feel thirsty, as this is our bodies way of letting us know we need to drink. The danger of drinking before we feel thirsty is that it can result in over hydration - which is very dangerous. People very rarely die of dehydration, but it is very common for people to die of over hydration.
So there you have it..
Sports Drinks are completely unnecessary for the average gym visitor:
- They contain a massive amount of sugar.
- They are rich in calories
- They promote fat accumulation in your body.
- They are a short term energy source.
- They are useless in regards to replacing electrolytes unless exercising for 1 hour+
- They are an expensive form of hydration - water is free and more effective.

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The Benefits of Poo - How Many Times a Day Do You Go?

Let's have a bit of fun today and talk about something so rarely spoken of... Poo!

When I ask my clients to talk to me about their daily habits on the toilet, most get embarrassed and wonder why I'm asking.

Simply put... If you are not going to the toilet frequently, you are not releasing toxins.

Let's just say... today, you woke up and had your morning bacon and eggs. Then you go to work, sitting behind the wheel of your car in traffic. An hour later you show up and the food has just sat in your tummy.

Then you have your morning coffee on the way into work because you need that hit of caffeine to get your day started. You get to work and take the lift up to your floor and then sit behind your desk typing away at the keyboard.

You get a bit hungry and decide to have a pastry that the office has brought in for the staff. Then sit back down again.

Off to lunch where you have a sandwich that likely has more bread than fillings and remember the sugary sauce you add to it so that it tastes better.

Then back to the desk.

For your afternoon tea, if you remember to move away from your desk to eat it, is a piece of fruit.

Are you getting the picture? Eat... sit. Eat... sit.

Now, where in the day was the toilet stops? I am amazed at how many people think it's OK to spend even one day without going poo! Never mind the lack of water in people's diets, and consequently a lack of urination.

So why is it important to frequent ourselves at the toilet?

To EXPEL SH#T! Excuse my language but that's what you are doing! You take in all this food and please remember that food is not something we should eat just because it tastes nice and we are emotional beings, so we must eat to suit our cravings.

Food is a source of energy. Once the body has gotten what it needs out of the food, then the rest needs to be eliminated. When you don't eliminate it, then you get a build up of toxins in your body and your colon.

The toxic build up can actually cause decay in your body. This decay can attract viruses and bacteria and all sorts of yucky bugs to the area. When the yucky bugs are there many of the good bacteria that keep our system clean, gets killed off.

Imagine an animal killed on the street with bugs flying around it and eating it from the smell of the decay. That's what your insides can start to look like! YUCK! No Thanks!

All of the build up and bugs can lead to disease and sickness. The first symptoms may be fogginess, forgetfulness, restlessness, fatigue, and lack of endurance and energy.

So, in order to keep your insides healthy, you MUST POO! Going to the toilet a couple times a day is a GREAT thing! Also remember that you must drink water to flush out your system as well. If you don't have enough water in your body, then the fluids that move your food through get sticky and it makes it more difficult again for your body to flush out the toxins.

How can you keep your insides clean?

To start with, eating a diet high in fibre is part of a healthy lifestyle. This doesn't mean go out and buy some high fibre shake to get your bowels moving. Eat things with roughness that will clean you as they move through! Eating fruit and veggies is nature's way of cleaning you.

Exercise!

Get up and move and things inside of you move! You know you should do it. The question is, "Are you?"

To fast or not to fast?

The thought of not eating for some people sounds like the craziest, stupidest thing you can do. I know it did to me when I first heard about it. The more that I have learned about fasting, the more I understand it's wonderful benefits, if it's right for you.

The most common fasts that I have seen are...

Water fast, where you don't eat anything and only drink water and...

Juice fast, where you don't eat solid foods, but can juice anything and also drink water.

They can be done for different durations depending on the results you are after.

If a fast seems like too much for you, then you can do a cleanse.

There are multiple ways to cleanse. All of them should eliminate anything processed. That also means no added sugars to anything. All the ones that I have seen eliminate dairy as well. This leaves you with eating yummy fruits, vegetables and proteins.

The reason for doing your cleanse, will determine how far you take it.

For either a cleanse or a fast, please speak to a healthcare professional before you start to make sure that it is safe for you. Look for naturopaths or dieticians who specialize in this area or who have worked with these in the past.

The benefits to fasting or cleansing are amazing!

You will regain vitality, have glowing skin, can help with eczema, headaches, pains in the body, and respiratory and circulatory conditions, kick starts weight loss, increases your metabolism, boosts your energy and so much more.

I will give you fair warning from personal experience... Although these are the benefits and they do come eventually... The first few days can be horrible. Your body is releasing all the toxins and dead smelly stuff filled with bugs into the system to get it out. By doing so, it's likely you will feel worse before you feel better. Trust me though, it's worth it, so stick with it!

Colonics and Enemas... What the heck are they?

Okay, so this gets into messy territory. I know many of you don't want to imagine something being stuck up your bum filling with you with water so that you can have it all flow back out again. But you just did!

It took me a long time to get the courage up to actually try this. Since doing it, I'm a huge fan!

The difference between the two is simple. With a colonic, there is a tube gently placed up your bum and water is moved through so that it gets all the way through your colon. As it is happening, your faeces is happily moving through another tube and out of you, so you will not see or smell it. This is administered by a qualified practitioner.

You can do an enema at home with a kit that you can buy online or at some chemists. It only gets to the lower part of the colon. You allow the water to go up and let it sit for a while, then you go to the toilet and let it all come out. My husband and I did this together for the first time... Let me tell you it was a bonding experience.

At first it's a bit uncomfortable, having the pressure of water inside of you, but the results are wonderful!

My tummy is flatter, I feel clean, have more energy, my skin gets a glow back, I am more focused and my overall sense of well-being is lifted. It truly only takes 30 minutes at home, if you do an enema, and is well worth it!


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10 Myths OF Homeopathy That Most People Do Not Know

Homeopathy is the second most popular medicine in the world. However, most people really do not know too much about Homeopathy. This article will help clear up some misconceptions associated with homeopathic medicine.

1) Homeopathic medicines are nothing more than sugar pill that contain no measurable substance.

Certain homeopathic medicines have no measurable substance. However, many remedies do have measurable substances. In medicine that is 24X or 12C has no measurable substance. However, some medicine potency such as 6X, 6C, 12X will have a measurable substance.

2) Homeopathy has never been successful in large scale well designed trials. Trials have only worked when homeopaths were doing the trials or poorly designed trials with quite a bit of author's bias.

Trials in Homeopathy is a very mixed bag. Sometimes people are looking at the wrong information source. Many skeptics will take successful trials and point out that when looking at larger trials in the study, homeopathy does not seem to work. Although, the conclusions of the authors were that homeopathy seems to works better than a placebo.

However, some trials that were successful were fairly large. Oscillococcinum trials were quite large and well designed but still yielded a positive result in shortening the flu duration. Similar studies with Osccillococcinum were replicated as well. The idea that homeopathic remedies have never been successful in a large scale well designed trial is not true.

3) Homeopathy should not be used to treat life threatening diseases.

Homeopathy can treat life threatening diseases with the help of a well trained homeopathic physician. Also, the general medical doctor and other specialists involved in treating the disease should be included on the treatment plan. Medical doctors should always be seen if you have a life threatening illness. Homeopathy can not cure all life threatening diseases.

Many people with life threatening diseases have fared well with Homeopathy. Homeopathy malaria trials show that in trials that homeopathic medicine worked as well as conventional medicine in treating people with malaria.

4) Homeopathy and modern medicine can not work together

Homeopathy can be quite complementary to modern medicine.Many patients under going chemotherapy have seen their side effects reduced when taking homeopathic remedies. Trials with reduction of cancer treatments provided encouraging results.

5) Homeopathy, Herbal, and Ayurvedic medicine are similar.

Homeopathy, Herbal and Ayurvedic are forms of alternative medicine but these forms of medicine are not similar in any other way. Homeopathy use diluted substances to treat patients. Every medicine has been diluted in water or alcohol.

Herbal medicine is medicine based on the use of plants. Ayurvedic is an ancient system of medicine started in India that operates with the theory that all materials of vegetable, animal, and mineral origin have some medicinal value.

Ayurvedic use these materials to treat patients. Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicines are used quite a bit in India so that creates some confusion in people thinking they are the same thing.

6) Homeopathy is slow to work

Acute conditions such as flu, colds, motion sickness and pain relief can be treated quickly using homeopathic medicines. Chronic conditions are slow to work because they are complicated to treat. Chronic conditions would be acne, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions will take longer to treat.

7) Homeopathy is only for human use.

Actually, petmeds is one of the fastest growing use of homeopathic products. Homeopathy offers a safe and inexpensive way to treat your pet of acute conditions such as allergies, anxiety and joint stress relief.

8) You can get a book on Homeopathy and treat yourself.

This may be the case in acute conditions such as cold and flu. However, more complicated and chronic cases will require you to see a homeopathic doctor. Chronic cases involve generally taking quite a few remedies in the course of a treatment. A book can not tell you which homeopathic remedies to take and how much to take when your condition starts to improve or worsen.

9) Homeopathic remedies are not widely available.

This may have been true a few years ago. However, many remedies can be found pretty much all over the US. Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Target and larger retailers carry combination homeopathic remedies for acute conditions such as cold and flu and insomnia.

Single remedies which homeopaths claim to work the best are not as readily available. These remedies can be found in health food stores, natural pharmacies or on the Internet. They are more specialized and generally most people taking single remedies have some homeopathic knowledge or a doctor has prescribed that medicine.

10) All homeopathic remedies work the same on all people.

Homeopathy works different on different people. Classical homeopathy treats different individuals with different remedies according to their personality type. One person may use one remedy to treat a illness, while another person would use a different remedy to treat the same illness.

Homeopathy assumes everyone is different so using the same remedy to treat everyone will not work according to Classical Homeopathy principals. Modern medicine generally gives everyone the same medicine for general conditions.



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Health Benefits of Drinking Flavored Water

Drinking plenty of water can cure most of your body problems. A person should at least drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. As water is tasteless, many people find it difficult to drink that much water. Their problem can be solved if they add flavored drops in the water. Nowadays, in a departmental, local or online store you can find flavored drops. Just add a few drops in your water and see the difference. Following water flavors are available in the market and there health benefits are described below:

Blueberry Pomegranate Flavor:

Adding this flavor in water can provide various health benefits. Some Health benefits of Blueberry are it is high in antioxidants, lowers cholesterol, Improves memory and eyesight, slows aging etc. Pomegranate helps in fighting cancer, protects the Neonatal Brain, Prevention of Osteoarthritis, protects from Arteries, lowers Blood pressure the list is endless. Making a fruit juice is a tedious work. By just adding a few drops of this flavor in water you can reap various benefits.

Orange Mango flavor:

You can get good taste when this flavor is added in water. Just add 4-5 drops per 8 ounces of water. Nutritional facts of orange are it is a good source of minerals such as calcium, iron, sodium, copper, potassium, magnesium and sulfur etc. This fruit is known for Vitamin C content. Some health benefits of Mango flavor are it is good for indigestion, dental care, pyorrhea, bone health, respiratory problems, cough, cold, acne etc. Health benefits of Mango are it is good for eye disorders, heat stroke, diabetes, bacterial infections, diarrhea etc. By just drinking one glass of this mixed flavor you can enjoy its benefits.

Peach flavor:

Peach is beneficial for individuals suffering from aliments like Acidosis, Dry Cough, Gastritis, High blood pressure, Poor Digestion, Nephritis etc. Peaches can make your skin look healthy and also add color to the complexion. Many people like to add peach flavored drops in their water to get that taste.

Pear flavor: Nutritional benefits of pear are it is rich in copper, phosphorous and potassium. It is an excellent source of water-soluble fiber. Being rich in vitamin C, pears have antioxidant properties and are said to protect body cells from oxygen-related damage caused by free radicals. People, who like pear fruit, will drink peach flavored water also. By just adding 4-5 drops in water you can enjoy the taste of peach.

Peppermint flavor: Capella peppermint flavor contains certain health benefits. This water is unsweetened and has zero calories.

Capella Flavor drops are a highly concentrated, water soluble pure flavoring which requires just drops per serving. Flavor drops can dissolve instantly. Use them to flavor shakes, smoothies, baked goods, water or even fresh brewed coffee or tea. These flavored drops do not have fats, calories or sweeteners.





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The Health Benefits Associated With Sparkling Water

If you have ever been to an exhibition in Europe, or visited a European company at their stand, you'll know that the water on offer almost invariably include sparkling. The normal question is "Wit-Gas?" (with-gas) or as we commonly refer to it as carbonated water or sparkling water. The law relating to carbonated water was formulated by William Henry in 1803. Known now as Henry's Law it states:

"At a constant temperature, the amount of a given gas that dissolves in a given type or volume of liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of that gas in equilibrium with that liquid"

Probably most people don't know of Henry's Law, or even care, but what they are interested in are the unsung benefits associated with chilled and sparkling water. Increasingly, water dispensing equipment suppliers in the are now offering a sparkling or carbonated option.

Water "wit-gas" also known as soda water, fizzy water, sparkling water and seltzer water has shown it can ease indigestion symptoms, and reduce levels of cholesterol and associated cardiovascular risks.

A study was undertaken which showed that consumers of sparkling water had a higher average drinking water as a percentage of total water intake than non-consumers intake. A number of diet drinks are carbonated because it has been suggested that this is one of the ingredients contributing to weight loss.

A downside is the exacerbating of IBS - irritable bowel syndromes of bloating due to CO2 being released in the digestive tract.

Scientific research suggests that water is a benefit to persons trying to lose weight - that's probably most of us in any January, by supplementing a diet program. The stomach too feels fuller with sparkling water and it is also well- known for allaying feeling of hunger.

The ability to have carbonated water on tap in the home or office is growing rapidly as consumers discover the health and taste benefits.

The visible bubbles seen in carbonated drinks are the gas escaping from the liquid, even though the gas itself is invisible. The word to describe this is effervescence. The same phenomenon can be seen in other drinks such as champagne, beer and some wines as well as non-alcoholic drinks.

Drinking carbonated water actually changed drinking habits as it diluted alcohol and became a recognised mixer back as early as 1965. Throughout the 70s and 80s the market declined and as of today the estimated market domestically for the traditional soda-syphon is around only 120,000 (2009 estimates).

Strangely, demand for this product is now increasing again, and the market has seen the introduction of units supplying boiling, chilled and sparkling water instantly.

Commonly seen more in commercial situations such as office tea points and breakout areas, these taps offer improved efficiency and productivity because of their immediate availability and associated health benefits.

Undercounter boiling, and chilled water units were first manufactured in Australia as recently as 1990. The current range has added sparkling options, mixer taps for hot water and a number of different tap configurations. Aiming at the commercial market, Billi UK LLP has experienced massive growth since being introduced into the UK by Billi in 2013.

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Water, The Elixir Of A Healthy Life

My parents continue to teach me. It seems you never grow out of that role of student with your parents. Lesson: good health and living a green lifestyle are closely linked.

I'm not saying that if you live a green life, eat whole and organic foods, exercise, and get lots of sleep that you'll always be healthy, but I am saying that you can hedge your bets with a few simple routines, and live a healthier life than if you ignore these routines.

Have you ever stopped to consider how infections and dehydration are related? Or how they impact your life, health, and sense of well-being? This is an invitation to stop and consider it. The lesson my parents just gave me was about the dangers of dehydration and infections, especially under-treated infections, and in seniors.

My Bigger Half and I went to visit Rock and No-Nonsense, and help host a family celebration. Upon arrival we learned No-Nonsense was suffering with vertigo, and a UTI (urinary tract infection). Because moving about was disorienting for No-Nonsense she wasn't drinking much water (think about the ramifications of both drinking the water, and the after effects if moving makes you nauseous). No amount of urging her to drink water made a change in her behavior. Not even her doctor could sway her determination to not drink much water!

Ok, fine, she "gets" to live her life her way, a hard lesson for this daughter to accept when she used to be the epitome of healthy habits. I even heard Rock mumble something under his breath about leading a horse to water, so I know I'm not the only one experiencing a bit of frustration here.

The second night of our visit Rock found No-Nonsense struggling unsuccessfully to get into bed, so he called me up to help. That's when we found her disoriented and not acting like herself. I changed from my daughter hat to my EMT hat and started asking her questions while waiting for My Bigger Half to bring the stethoscope and BP cuff up. A low blood pressure spurred Rock to call his medical office for advise, which fortunately agreed with what My Bigger Half and I had concluded: take her to the ER. We thought she was having a stroke.

After a battery of tests all we really know was that she wasn't having a stroke. What we concluded on our own is that between her infection (or infections) and dehydration, she was suffering from AMS -- Altered Mental Status. A fancy phrase to say she was confused, disoriented, and not herself.

In telling a few friends about this episode we started hearing similar stories about other seniors who suffered AMS from either infections or dehydration. I heard so many stories it hit me that this is a fairly common situation.

The simplified discussion I had with No-Nonsense was that it's vital to drink ample water during the day. "Ample" of course is subjective, and varies by location and situation. She felt the 18 oz of water she drank daily was ample, but the results of that practice, with the infection, showed otherwise to me. It's commonly accepted that 8 8-oz glasses a day is about right for most people. Through just normal living you output about 10-10.5 cups of water/day. Your food provides about 20 percent of your liquid requirements, so the balance comes from what you drink. I'm not going to get into the discussion right now about whether just any ol' liquid counts towards water replacement, but I am going to take the stance that the healthiest approach is to drink two liters of water daily.

I went on to explain to No-Nonsense that when you don't drink enough water your blood gets thick. Thick blood strains the heart because it has to work harder to push that thicker liquid through your veins. And thick blood doesn't carry as much oxygen, depriving your brain and heart of the much needed oxygen they require for healthy function. Thick, deoxygenated blood is hard on all of your internal and external organs. Drinking water also helps the body heal from the infection by flushing out their toxins.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include diarrhea, dry mouth, dry eyes, headache, hearth palpitations, muscle cramps, nausea, not sweating, shriveled skin, stinging during urination, thirst, and vomiting. In severe dehydration you start to see confusion and weakness, moving toward coma and death if not corrected.

You can do a few simple tests yourself to try to diagnose dehydration. Check the person's orientation, vital signs, temperature, and skin responses. Orientation for adults means asking questions, assuming they are awake, that will help you judge how aware they are of their surroundings. Checking muscle tone for infants and seniors, listlessness, as well as how awake, alert, and oriented the person is, are also part of testing you can do. For infants, check the fontanel (the soft spot at the top of their head) to see if it's sunken, an indication of dehydration.

You may not have the tools to take a blood pressure, but you can take a pulse; a racing pulse, or at least one that's faster than normal, can be a sign of dehydration. And skin responses are also telling; elastic skin is hydrated skin (lightly grab a bit of skin between your fingers and let go; if the skin "tents" for several seconds the person is dehydrated). Dehydrated skin may also feel warm.

Dehydration also throws off electrolytes. That aggravates muscle weakness and heart disrhythmia, and can stress the kidneys as they strive to compensate for the electrolyte imbalance. The elderly and the young are especially at risk for dehydration.

Now, about infection and how it fits into this lesson I was given. Advanced age, staying still for a long time, and being a woman increased the chance of No-Nonsense getting a UTI. Infections can contribute to confusion, or altered mental status. Oh, by the way, some of the liquids you should avoid if you have a UTI are caffeine and alcohol. And when you have an infection you should drink plenty of fluids. In fact, drinking plenty of fluids daily helps reduce the chance for a UTI. Aha! There's the getting plenty of liquids topic again.

OK, back to the elixir of a healthy life part of this article. I'm a strong advocate of drinking filtered (not bottled) water from glass or stainless steel containers. Lots of it. I think it has magical qualities.

By lots I mean at least two liters every day. People who are in hot climates or are active should drink more than two liters to replace the water lost from the heat or due to the exercising. If you start that practice now you will be in the habit by the time you become a senior (a moving target to say the least).

Staying hydrated will help your body maintain a healthy body, one that will fight germs. Ample water in your system will help all of your organs, from your skin to your heart and brain, to your digestive organs, stay healthy, vital and working well.

When you get sick, be sure to keep drinking lots of fluids to help your body heal. Pay attention to your mental status too. If you notice that you aren't quite yourself get to a doctor or the emergency room.

We can discuss which fluids count toward your two liter per day consumption later. You can't go wrong with pure water, though. Here's to your good health through green living!

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Healthy Lifestyle - Four Not-So-Obvious Signs You May Be Suffering From Dehydration

As you go about your quest to live a healthier lifestyle, it is not only essential you consider the foods you are putting into your body, but also the beverages you are taking in as well. The fact of the matter is even slight dehydration can have a profound influence on how you feel and function on a daily basis.

Learning to recognize these signs before they get too serious may just help you prevent unwanted issues before they start. Most people know thirst as the main sign, but there is more to be on the lookout for.

Below are four key signs of dehydration not so recognisable that you will want to keep your eyes open to...

1. Headaches.

You know the pounding throbbing headache you sometimes have? Perhaps the problem could be attributed to dehydration. Most people are fast to write their headache off as just a normal occurrence, but it may not be. If you are chronically dehydrated, you may be experiencing headaches far more frequently than someone who isn't.

Take in a glass or two of water and see if that doesn't give you relief.

2. Sleepiness.

Chalking your mid-day sleepiness off to only getting seven hours of sleep the previous night instead of your usual eight? Sleepiness can also be a sign of dehydration. Ideally, you will want to start your day off with a large glass of cold water and then keep the water coming in beyond that point.

By doing so, you can ensure you are putting your best foot forward regarding combating drowsiness during the day.

3. Muscle Cramps. 

Feeling those muscle cramp more often? Or perhaps you are getting those annoying muscle twitches as of late. Both can be attributed to lack of sleep. When you are not well hydrated, your muscle cells are not functioning normally, and you may be more prone to experiencing irregularities with contractions.

Muscle contractions are especially common during exercise, so if you have to take a stop during your run because of a bad leg cramp, it may be time to drink up.

4. Lightheadedness.

The last sign you could be suffering from dehydration is feeling lightheaded. Lightheadedness comes on because your blood pressure is low, which is also a sign of not enough fluids entering into your body.

When dehydration occurs, less total blood volume will be circulating throughout your system, which then causes overall blood pressure levels to lower.

Take in a glass of water, and that should fix things almost immediately.

There you have a few of the not-so-obvious signs you may be suffering from dehydration. Are any of these impacting you?

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

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Anxiety: 7 Foods to Reduce Your Anxiety

Anxiety & Food

Foods that reduce anxiety is actually not a new concept. In the health industry and before modern medicine natural products including food have been used for many years to heal all kinds of ailments, but can it really help to reduce anxiety and improve our mental well-being?

Scientific evidence suggests that depression and anxiety can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Serotonin which is a chemical that helps send messages from one brain cell to another is how the cells in the brain communicate. If serotonin levels become imbalanced then communication can be disrupted which leads to depression and anxiety.

Pharmaceuticals have found the solution to this with antidepressants so your brain can perform at its best and there products help restore a fine chemical balance. Interesting marketing, no wonder food and natural remedies are overlooked to improve mental wellbeing.

I do not advocate for people who are prescribed antidepressants to stop taking them. I think antidepressants can be very useful in the right circumstances and for a period of time. However if like me you would like the opportunity to explore all your options you may wish your doctor had told you this before writing a prescription for medication. For some people a healthy diet will need to be part of a holistic plan that considers medication, talking therapies and other help.

Food is the most abused anxiety drug so if you have been suffering for years, struggling to face the day, experiencing chronic tiredness at different parts of the day, beating yourself up and feeling like a failure. Perhaps you are thinking could food really be the cure for my anxiety but I want to show you how changing your food can change your mood.

7 Foods to Reduce Your Anxiety

1) Substitute processed grains for wholegrains. Substitute white bread, white pasta and white rice for Wholegrain pasta, rice and bread. They are rich in magnesium. Magnesium deficiency can lead to anxiety. Wholegrains also contain tryptophan which becomes serotonin a vital chemical for the brain. Avoiding complex carbohydrates like white processed foods will create a healthy energy while reducing your hunger.

2) Increase your super foods. Blueberries & acai berries both contain antioxidants that are extremely beneficial for relieving stress. They are also full of vitamin C which is great stress buster.

3) Omega 3. These fatty acids help keep cortisol and adrenaline from spiking when your feeling tense. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega 3 and spinach is also good too.

4) A handful of Almonds each day. Contain zinc which is good for maintaining a balanced mood and have iron and both healthy fats. Low iron levels can increase anxiety. They also contain vitamin B2 and E which boost the immune system.

5) Drink plenty of Water. Dehydration is known to cause more anxiety. However generally drinks plenty of water is good for you. Aim for at least 1.5 litres a day.

6) Avoid caffeine. Any stimulant will increase you anxiety. Substitute tea and coffee for herbal teas. Valerian and Chamomile are good for creating a calming effect.

7) Treat yourself to chocolate. I bet you thought you would never be encouraged to eat chocolate and yes there is a but. Dark Chocolate reduces cortisol the stress hormone that causes anxiety and it contains other compounds that improve your mood. Preferably dark chocolate with no added sugar or milk.

If you have been in a desperate place for long, then these simple steps could be a life changer, a message of hope. It is hard to believe that something as simple as food can be unbelievably successful in treating anxiety. This really does work to calm your anxious mind but it also will improve your mood and end cravings.

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Is Diet Coke Bad For Weight Loss? Find Out Here

Many people ask me if Diet Coke is bad for weight loss. The short answer is no. Let me explain why. While many may argue that you should avoid soft drinks to lose weight there can be some exceptions. The underlying reasoning behind this is that successful weight loss is a result of calories in vs. calories out.

Calories In vs. Calories Out

Losing weight is a result of a calorie deficit. That means you burn more calories than you put into your body. If at the end of the day you've burnt more calories than you've eaten, you've lost some weight. Coke itself is filled with sugar and therefore one can roughly contains 150 calories. So is Diet Coke bad for weight loss too? Well it only contains 1 calorie. Yes 1 tiny little calorie is all it's going to put in your system. Now this one calorie is not going to make a much difference at the end of day to your total caloric consumption.

So It's Completely Safe?

Even though the calories are low, I wouldn't say that. I also wouldn't say it's bad for you either. While putting those artificial sweeteners into your body won't give you any benefits, they won't make you gain weight. However it's up to you to decide if you're OK with drinking artificial chemicals. While Diet Coke isn't bad for weight loss, it's not exactly natural.

Drink In Moderation

My advice would be to drink Diet Coke in moderation. Given that it only has 1 calorie, it's not going to make you gain weight. However for simple health and well being reasons I wouldn't advice drinking it like water. A few times a week would be an acceptable amount of consumption.

So in short, is Diet Coke bad for weight loss? No but drink it in moderation.

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KISS Diet: The Only Diet You'll Ever Need

So here is the problem. You like millions of other people enjoyed the holidays and what with all the rich calorie laden meals, cookies, cakes and candy canes you put on a few pounds. You probably resolved that as soon as January second rolled around you would lose some weight. Well the second of January has come and gone. You gave dieting a try but after a few days you quit and you gain back the two or three pounds you did lose.

You have tried every weight lost plan there is and never really got any lasting results. You have seen the ads on TV and the internet. You read magazine articles about losing weight and watched celebrities strut their stuff. Weight reduction plans run the gamut from fast, cleansing, detox to Paleo, high carbs and low carbs. What is a person to do? Why can't I lose weight? If only I could find a diet I could live with and actually enjoy eating the meals.

Well there is such a diet! I call it the K.I.S.S. Diet or the Keep It Simple Silly Diet. You see most every diet out there is doomed to failure. Why? Because in order to lose weight and keep it off you need an eating plan that is easy to follow, easy to prepare, uses common everyday ingredients, one that will not break your food budget and that you will enjoy eating.

Most diets out there call for expensive and unfamiliar food items and/or require long prep times. Using exotic spices with unfamiliar tastes may be okay when you are feeling adventurous but not as a regular addition to your meals. The K.I.S.S. Diet uses everyday familiar foods, comfort foods if you will and a few simple principles.

Now I am not a doctor or dietician I am just a regular guy, who with his wife has tried nearly everything under the sun to lose weight and failed! Finally a few years ago I looked at all the highest rated weight lost programs and took the common elements they shared and developed my own system that has worked for my family. This is not a problem you can buy. I do not have a book, DVD or meal plan to sell you. As I said this is a Keep It Simple Silly plan that I freely share. So without further ado here are the key points.

1. Start each day with a lean protein breakfast. It can be eggs. I like mine poached. But a slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, non fat free plain yogurt with fruit or a smoothie.
2. Lunch is a salad or vegetable laden soup.
3. Dinner lean protein either meat or vegetarian.
4. Snacks: Fruit, low fat cheese, handful of nuts, non fat plain yogurt, olives, Hummus, etc
5. Drink plenty of water.
6. Avoid sugar in all its forms.
7. Do not eat any food that is white.
8. Eliminate processed foods from your diet.
9. Move! Walk, walk, walk! Insert five or ten minutes of some kind of exercise every day.
10. Get enough sleep!

Now I admit there is nothing new in this plan. In fact you probably knew all this before you read this article. But sometimes with all the hype out there regarding weight lost and new diets we forget the simple truth about eating. This truth is "Everything in moderation." You probably remember your Momma saying this, right?

My point in trying to grab your attention with my diet was to help refocus you and remind you that you don't need to spend buckets of money, drive all over town searching for strange foods or spending hours in the kitchen preparing unfamiliar meals. The solution was always right in front of you in your refrigerator and pantry. So relax use the simple principles above and rest assure that over time you will lose weight and keep it off for good!

Living a vital, vigorous life is possible. Your journey starts with the first step. Take that step now and start living! Lose Weight I hope this article was healthful and aids you in living a healthy and active life.

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