Archive for April, 2009

The Fat That Makes You Lose Weight

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

A fat that makes you lose weight? Believe it! If you are interested in exercise performance or weight control, you should look into supplementing with MCT oil.

What is MCT oil, you’re asking? Short for Medium Chain Triglyceride, MCT is a special type of dietary fat that was first formulated in the 1950’s by the pharmaceutical industry for patients who had trouble digesting regular fats. MCT fats are more water soluble, allowing them to be absorbed easier.

MCT is made mostly from coconut oil. The good news? You don’t have to worry about negative side effects of this tropical oil, such as high LDL cholesterol.

This fat that makes you lose weight will do many things for you as you supplement your diet. MCT has the ability to increase endurance by its rapid ability to be used as fuel for energy in lieu of being stored by the body. This fat provides 2 times the energy of proteins and carbohydrates.

By taking MCT oil with a carbohydrate source, such as a sports drink, you can boost your endurance during exercise. A diet rich in carbohydrates will trigger weight gain. On the flip side, your body needs carbs for energy. We can safely replace carbohydrates with MCT without the big dip in energy, thus preventing fatigue and supplying more energy for your work out.

How’s that for a fat that makes you lose weight! Along with providing energy and acting as a replacement for a portion of your carbohydrate intake, MCT exhibits other properties as well.

More advantages of Medium Chain Triglycerides would be that it stimulates thermogenesis, peps up metabolism, and burns both calories and fat. Further more, MCT enhances muscle.

As mentioned earlier, MCT oil is burned very rapidly. In fact, it is burned so quickly that it’s calories are tuned into body heat, or more commonly known as thermogenesis. Metabolism, the process that your body converts food to fuel, is boosted with the presence of thermogenisis. Medium Chain Triglycerides stimulates this phenomenon, thus burning more calories.

This fat that makes you lose weight also helps your metabolism along. MCT, when added to a calorie restricted diet has the ability to keep your metabolic rate elevated preventing a sluggish metabolism associated with dieting plateaus. Higher metabolism, more weight loss… sounds good to me!

Did you know that your body burns more fat when there is more muscle present? Muscle tissue even burns fat and calories at rest. During a very low calorie diet, the body actually will be forced to start feeding off its own muscle tissue. MCT, when added to a diet along with strength training, is capable of aiding in the preservation of and preventing the break down of muscle tissue.

Just as a hint…MCT does not supply essential fatty acid. Hence, it cannot be entirely substituted for essential fat. The body will experience an EFA deficiency if EFA is not present.

In conclusion, do your research, consult your doctor, find out more about this fat that makes you lose weight, and perhaps this supplement could be a good tool to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Kellie Hammond-The fat that makes you lose weight Kellie Hammond provides valuable information about weight loss, good nutrition and good health, and quality products pertaining to these topics. Find out how you can optimize your health and loose fat! http://www.tyme2stripthatfat.com

Important Facts About Vitamin D You Should Know

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Vitamin D is constantly in the news today. While we know it’s good for our bone health, now we are hearing that vitamin D is related to a wide variety of health issues and that people are often deficient in vitamin D. To understand the benefits, it is important to understand the basics about vitamin D and why it’s so important to good health.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin that is actually produced in our body. In order for the body to produce vitamin D, it must be exposed to adequate sunlight (about an hour per week). The vitamin D that we get from the sun and from fortified foods must then be converted to an active form in our body. This involves both the liver and the kidneys. The active form of vitamin D is vitamin D3 or calcitriol. As we get older, we may produce less vitamin D. In addition, most of us in the Northwest do not get adequate sunlight to produce vitamin D.

What does it do?

Vitamin D is most well known for its involvement with bone health. It is necessary to absorb calcium. Therefore, people with low vitamin D levels may be more likely to suffer from osteoporosis or joint pain. However, new research is showing that vitamin D has many more functions in the body than just helping our bones.

Vitamin D also effects the neuromuscular and immune systems and can reduce inflammation. Because of these functions, vitamin D deficiency has been related to a variety of disease states including: autoimmune disorders, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Where do I get vitamin D?

The best sources of vitamin D are the flesh of fish including tuna, mackerel and salmon along with fish liver oils. Fortified foods such as milk, orange juice, yogurt and some cereals also contain vitamin D.

How much vitamin D do I need?

The recommended amount of vitamin D for adults per the Institutes of Medicine Recommended dietary levels are: 200 IU for people 50 years or younger, 400 IU for 51-70 years and 600 IU for those over aged 70. This is the amount needed to prevent the bone disease rickets so is most likely not adequate to support the other functions of vitamin D in the body. These recommendations will be reviewed this year and are most likely to increase to at least 400 IU for younger adults and 800 IU to 1000 IU for older adults.

Who is at risk for vitamin D deficiency?

Those at risk of vitamin D deficiency include breastfed infants, older adults, people with limited sun exposure, people with dark skin, those who can not absorb fat and people with a body mass index greater or equal than 30.

How do I know if I am deficient?

The best way is to have your vitamin D level measured. This will give your doctor the tool to help determine the appropriate vitamin D supplement level for you.

Can I take too much vitamin D?

Excessive vitamin D may cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, weight loss, weakness and constipation along with raising calcium levels. If both calcium and vitamin D are taken as supplements in excess, there is more of a risk for kidney stones or soft tissue calcification. Again the best way is to have your levels checked to see what is the right treatment for you.

Lou Kupka-Schutt is a resident doctor at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, WA, a regional hospital specializing in Cancer Care, Orthopedics, Heart and Vascualr Care, and more.

Want to Lose Body Fat? Consider Aerobic Step Equipment

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

With over 1/3 of the adult population struggling with obesity, there are millions upon millions who want to lose body fat – and the quicker, the better. If you’re in a hurry, aerobic step equipment is a great option. Except for jogging, probably nothing is faster – and jogging is much harder on the joints than an aerobic step bench.

If you’re setting up a home gym, an aerobic step equipment is an excellent choice for four reasons:

1. Aerobic step equipment is cheap – especially compared to almost any exercise machine.

2. The ability to work out without getting into the car and traveling down the road is powerful for busy people, especially women juggling a job and kids.

3. You will save money on memberships to gyms and workout classes.

4. And we’ve already mentioned that anyone who is concerned about how to lose weight quick can find the results they seek with step aerobics.

Just What Is Step Aerobics?

Powerfully using your lungs is the corer of all “aerobic” exercise, a term which derives from the Greek word for ‘air’. Aerobics includes fast walking, running, skipping, swimming, cycling, dance and step aerobics. Step aerobics at a gym or exercise class usually involves danciing as well as the movements on the step.

Aerobic exercise is the best way for most people to achieve their fitness goals and weight loss.

Why Step Aerobics Is Powerful

#1. Yes, it’s possible to chuckle at the weather when you have a step aerobics system available for your personal use. Snowing? Hailing? Drenching rain? Who cares when you’re comfortably losing body fat in your bedroom with your step?

#2. Aerobic step equipment is is simple to practice with and easy of the budget. All that’s necessary is a simple step bench. Go shopping for other standard fitness machines like the home gym, treadmill or stationary bike you will understand what a bargain step aerobics equipment truly is.

#3. The aerobic step bench requires almost no space to use and can be placed in confined spaces when not in use, so this equipment is for the tiniest house or apartment. Benches are made to be adjustable so that we can raise the height as we become more fit.

What Is A Step Aerobic Workout?

A step aerobics workout simply involves stepping up and down off a bench.. If you’ve never done such a workout you might be surprised at how strenuous it is. Your legs and buttocks are especially helped by step aerobics since they must raise and lower your entire body repeatedly..

Most folks are greatly benefited by this kind of exercise, but very overweight people should be aware that your joints can be stressed and perhaps refrain from doing it. Be aware that balance is a ‘must’ for successful step aerobics so if this is an issue for you, avoid this kind of exercise.

Common Sense Tips For Aerobic Step Bench Safety

* Don’t just jump into exercise – get warmed up first.

* Too high a bench causes undue stress on your body.

* Stop when you are tired.

* Don’t, don’t, don’t wear bedroom slippers or flip flops to exercise!

* Stand close enough to the bench so that your stretch isn’t uncomfortable or damaging to your body in any way.

* Pay attention when you are about to step onto the bench so that you place your foot accurately. Your entire weight must be supported by the step bench. Never step onto the edge of the bench.

With inexpensive aerobic step equipment you can lose body fat, stay at home, get fit, keep an eye on the kids and have fun at the same time. How can we ever beat that?

Having trouble losing weight (who isn’t?) Let the Internet help you with 160 lose body fat software and program resources – many of which are free. And lose weight safely with one year of no-cost secrets.

Insist Upon Natural Organic Skin Care Products As Though Your Very Health Depends on Them

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Human beings have existed for an unimaginably long time and many people have craved the good feelings and power that come from looking great – really great. However, in our search for beauty, we haven’t had the many chemical options that appear daily on our TV screens. Therefore, many – actually most, of us don’t know that natural organic skin care products are the only smart way to achieve the radiant, taut face and skin that we all crave.

Many in the scientific community know that chronic illness, disease, and infection are often related to long-term use of detrimental chemicals and contaminants. Scientists – and now, you – are aware that using such contaminants and poisons for a considerable time definitely increase your chances of disease, aging and sickness.The entire body is affected by what happens elsewhere and long-term use of such chemicals can only encourages illness and dreaded dependency. Many of the elements used in popular anti aging products have proven to have negative effects on your health, so consider the result of using them day in, day out, for a number of years! Think about the implications of using toxic chemicals, year after year after year! Can anybody truly believe it’s a smart idea to slather poison on your face for years, even to look exquisite?

Take Charge And Have Younger Looking Skin

The motto of ‘The X Files’ was “Trust no one”. Recall that advice when deciding upon your facial care products because no one – not the government and not the manufacturer – is looking out for your health and well being.

The government does not regulate what goes into beauty and skin care products. But even if such regulation existed, that would be cause for suspicion since the FDA (in the US) habitually approves the sale of medicines that turn out to have destructive side effects that damage life and health. And producers use preservatives and chemical additives to make products that are pretty and smell luscious – but at the cost of safety.

The only true safety comes from manufacturing your own individualized natural organic skin care products. By doing this you:

1. Can be sure about what’s in that jar …

2. You forget about dangerous preservatives because you use them up before they have the opportunity to become stale …

3. They are made just for YOUR skin and not the mass market …

4. You have complete control over the amount of active ingredients (the most expensive ingredients of any cream or lotion) …

5. And you save tons of money …

Preparing your private brand of anti aging skin care products is fantastically easy. If you can use a spoon, you are in business!

And we’re not talking about scrumptious – but impractical – recipes like a yogurt and strawberry facial. Terrific? Absolutely! But useless when you’re late for work and running out the door balancing a cup of coffee. Besides, these types of products only have one function – cleansing, for example – instead of performing multiple functions as creams and lotions will do.

While small amounts of these chemicals may not cause health problems, continuous use for a long period of time is damaging and unhealthful. Some so-called ‘experts’ argue that since we only use a small amount, the danger is exaggerated. Coupled with all the other poisons in normal life, it’s definitely a big deal! Yes, it’s true that the amount of chemicals might be small – but we are constantly exposed to gigantic amounts of chemicals in everyday life, so eliminating exposure wherever possible is the only wise course.

Always remember that skin is biologically constructed to absorb the materials it comes into contact with, not protect you from them. Skin is porous and a large percentage of whatever it comes in contact with will emphatically be absorbed into your body. It’s obvious that our skin absorbs our skin care products. If that were not so, they would have no effect on our complexions.

Select your natural organic skin care products wisely, and always use organic ingredients whenever they’re available. Do your homework, inform yourself and reject everything but natural skin products. Your body will thank you – and so will Mother Nature.

Select your skin care products wisely, and always use organic skin care products whenwhenever possiblethey’re available.

Check outDo your homework onInform yourself aboutRead up on the ingredients in your current cosmetics and opt forreject everything but certified organic skin care. Your body will thank you!It’s obviouscrystal clearquite obvious that natural organic skin care products are the environmentally sound and healthywholesomeintelligentsensiblesafe choice that we all need toshould make – for Mother Nature’s sake, as well as our own.

Learn “Why Your Beauty & Skin Care Products Just Might Send You To The Hospital (Or Worse)” and receive free tips on natural organic skin care products that keep your skin young, glowing and vibrant.