Health and Fitness Tips:
."Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself.
He also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.
By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast.
Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master." -- James Allen, "As a Man Thinketh"
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips -Can you overdo it with omega-3 fats?
Let's consider whether it's possible to get too much omega-3 fat. We've all heard that we all need to eat more omega-3 fat in order to increase the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fat in our diet. But can you go too far?
Many people have come to think of omega-6 fats as "bad" fats when, in reality, both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential to good health--playing different but complementary roles in supporting the immune system, cellular functions, and growth. The two work best when there is a relative balance between them.
Many consider the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 to be 1:1. But the average American diet has a ratio of 20:1. (That's twenty times as much omega-6 as omega-3.) This huge imbalance causes problems--in this case, mostly in the form of excessive systemic inflammation.
But if the imbalance were in the other direction, 20 times as much omega-3 as omega-6, we'd be likely to see different problems, such as immune insufficiency or cognitive problems.
While it's theoretically possible to get too much omega-3 (or enough omega-3 to create a significant imbalance), it's not likely. You'd have to eat a diet composed almost entirely of fish, seaweed, and flax.
Consuming excessive amounts of fish oil supplements, and severely restricting your intake of grains and vegetable oils could also hypothetically create an imbalance. But, obviously, neither of these are dietary approaches that any nutritionist would recommmend.
If your omega-3 intake is more than twice your omega-6 intake, you might want to back off the fish oil and be sure your diet is otherwise balanced, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein foods and whole grains.
Let's consider whether it's possible to get too much omega-3 fat. We've all heard that we all need to eat more omega-3 fat in order to increase the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fat in our diet. But can you go too far?
Many people have come to think of omega-6 fats as "bad" fats when, in reality, both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential to good health--playing different but complementary roles in supporting the immune system, cellular functions, and growth. The two work best when there is a relative balance between them.
Many consider the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 to be 1:1. But the average American diet has a ratio of 20:1. (That's twenty times as much omega-6 as omega-3.) This huge imbalance causes problems--in this case, mostly in the form of excessive systemic inflammation.
But if the imbalance were in the other direction, 20 times as much omega-3 as omega-6, we'd be likely to see different problems, such as immune insufficiency or cognitive problems.
While it's theoretically possible to get too much omega-3 (or enough omega-3 to create a significant imbalance), it's not likely. You'd have to eat a diet composed almost entirely of fish, seaweed, and flax.
Consuming excessive amounts of fish oil supplements, and severely restricting your intake of grains and vegetable oils could also hypothetically create an imbalance. But, obviously, neither of these are dietary approaches that any nutritionist would recommmend.
If your omega-3 intake is more than twice your omega-6 intake, you might want to back off the fish oil and be sure your diet is otherwise balanced, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein foods and whole grains.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - How Body Fat Storage Patterns Affect YouAnd Keep Your Abs From Showing:
Think of ab fat like the deep end of the swimming pool. No matter how much you protest, there is no way you can drain the deep end before the shallow end. However, don't let this discourage you.
Lower ab fat WILL come off, it will simply be the last place to come off. First place on - Last place off.
This helps to explain why abdominal exercises have little impact on body fat loss. It's a huge mistake to think that hundreds or thousands of reps of ab exercises will remove lower abdominal fat, except to the degree that it burns calories and contributes to the calorie deficit.
What removes the fat - all over your body - is a calorie deficit and that comes from decreasing food intake, increasing activity, or a combination of both.
You can’t out-train a lousy diet.
It's a monumental error to think that 1,000 reps of ab work a day will make your abs finally "pop" when your diet is a disaster and that's leading to fat storage.
It’s not that ab exercises aren’t important. But all the ab exercises in the world won't help as long as you still have body fat covering the muscles. You can't "spot reduce" with abdominal exercise and YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR ABS THROUGH A LAYER OF BODY FAT.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
Think of ab fat like the deep end of the swimming pool. No matter how much you protest, there is no way you can drain the deep end before the shallow end. However, don't let this discourage you.
Lower ab fat WILL come off, it will simply be the last place to come off. First place on - Last place off.
This helps to explain why abdominal exercises have little impact on body fat loss. It's a huge mistake to think that hundreds or thousands of reps of ab exercises will remove lower abdominal fat, except to the degree that it burns calories and contributes to the calorie deficit.
What removes the fat - all over your body - is a calorie deficit and that comes from decreasing food intake, increasing activity, or a combination of both.
You can’t out-train a lousy diet.
It's a monumental error to think that 1,000 reps of ab work a day will make your abs finally "pop" when your diet is a disaster and that's leading to fat storage.
It’s not that ab exercises aren’t important. But all the ab exercises in the world won't help as long as you still have body fat covering the muscles. You can't "spot reduce" with abdominal exercise and YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR ABS THROUGH A LAYER OF BODY FAT.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
Friday, February 22, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Nutrition Secrets For Great Abs:
Many people say that "abdominals are made in the kitchen, not in the gym," and there's a lot of truth to that. You can do thousands of reps of ab work every week, but if your nutrition is not in order, you can forget about getting a great set of 6-pack abs.
Eat about 15-20% below your calorie maintenance level. If you use a more aggressive calorie deficit of 25-30%, then do not keep calories too low for too long; increase calories to maintenance or maintenance +10-15% 1-2 days per week.
Spread your calories into 5-6 smaller meals instead of 2-3 big ones. Be very conscious of portion size. If you eat too much of anything (even "healthy" food), you can say goodbye to your abs. Period.
Eat a source of complete, high quality lean protein with each meal.
Choose natural, complex carbs such as vegetables, oatmeal, yams, potatoes, beans, brown rice and whole grains. Start with aprox. 50% of your calories from natural carbs and reduce carbs slightly (esp. late in the day) if you are not losing fat.
Avoid refined, simple carbs that contain white flour or white sugar.
Keep total fats low and saturated fats low. Aim for 20% of your total calories from fat (and no more than 30%). A little bit of "good fat" like flax oil, fish fat, nuts & seeds, etc is better than a no fat diet. Essential fatty acids actually assist the fat burning process.
Drink plenty of water if you are physically active.
1000+ reps of daily ab work is an amazing feat of endurance, but that’s not how you get visible, 6-pack abs! If you were to do 1,000 reps of ab exercises every day, you would have outstanding development in your abdominal muscles and you would definitely have great muscular endurance. Unfortunately, if your abs are covered up with a layer of fat, you will never see them even if you do 10,000 reps a day!
You condition and strengthen your abs with specific ab exercises...but the secret to seeing your abs is reducing your body fat.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
Many people say that "abdominals are made in the kitchen, not in the gym," and there's a lot of truth to that. You can do thousands of reps of ab work every week, but if your nutrition is not in order, you can forget about getting a great set of 6-pack abs.
Eat about 15-20% below your calorie maintenance level. If you use a more aggressive calorie deficit of 25-30%, then do not keep calories too low for too long; increase calories to maintenance or maintenance +10-15% 1-2 days per week.
Spread your calories into 5-6 smaller meals instead of 2-3 big ones. Be very conscious of portion size. If you eat too much of anything (even "healthy" food), you can say goodbye to your abs. Period.
Eat a source of complete, high quality lean protein with each meal.
Choose natural, complex carbs such as vegetables, oatmeal, yams, potatoes, beans, brown rice and whole grains. Start with aprox. 50% of your calories from natural carbs and reduce carbs slightly (esp. late in the day) if you are not losing fat.
Avoid refined, simple carbs that contain white flour or white sugar.
Keep total fats low and saturated fats low. Aim for 20% of your total calories from fat (and no more than 30%). A little bit of "good fat" like flax oil, fish fat, nuts & seeds, etc is better than a no fat diet. Essential fatty acids actually assist the fat burning process.
Drink plenty of water if you are physically active.
1000+ reps of daily ab work is an amazing feat of endurance, but that’s not how you get visible, 6-pack abs! If you were to do 1,000 reps of ab exercises every day, you would have outstanding development in your abdominal muscles and you would definitely have great muscular endurance. Unfortunately, if your abs are covered up with a layer of fat, you will never see them even if you do 10,000 reps a day!
You condition and strengthen your abs with specific ab exercises...but the secret to seeing your abs is reducing your body fat.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Ab Workout Routine:
Forget about thousands of reps of sit ups – it’s a waste of time.
Do the folowing routine only twice a week and change the exercises approximately every month so your body doesn't adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing a thousand reps a day.
A1 Hanging leg raises 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
A2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises) 3 sets, 15-20 reps (no rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60 sec between supersets)
B1 Weighted swiss ball crunches (or weighted cable crunches)3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
B2 Incline Bench Reverse crunches3 sets, 15-20 reps(no rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 sec between supersets)
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ab.html
Forget about thousands of reps of sit ups – it’s a waste of time.
Do the folowing routine only twice a week and change the exercises approximately every month so your body doesn't adapt. I prefer slightly higher rep range than other muscle groups, but as you can see, it is far from doing a thousand reps a day.
A1 Hanging leg raises 3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
A2 Hanging knee ups (bent-knee leg raises) 3 sets, 15-20 reps (no rest between supersetted exercises A1 & A2, 60 sec between supersets)
B1 Weighted swiss ball crunches (or weighted cable crunches)3 sets, 15-20 reps
Superset to:
B2 Incline Bench Reverse crunches3 sets, 15-20 reps(no rest between supersetted exercises B1 & B2, 60 sec between supersets)
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/ab.html
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Targeting Your Lower Abdomen Area:
While regular crunches in your ab workouts aim to put definition in your midsection area, they particularly target the muscles in the upper abdomen. This can be quite frustrating for those who want to isolate the lower abdominal region, as the muscles in the area are quite stubborn; lots of basic crunch repetitions sometimes bring unsatisfactory results in the lower abdominals.
Ab workouts that focus the contractions on these problem areas are necessary to achieve more proportionately carved abdominals. The following ones are especially beneficial to women, since they have relatively shorter upper bodies and longer legs than most men, and they are the ones who struggle with that tummy pouch more often.
In order to isolate the lower abdominals, you will need to position your body in such a way that when it curls the midsection during ab workouts, the bulk of the tension is concentrated on this area. To do this, you should lie on the floor with your back flat against it, and then keep your knees bent and your feet together as you raise them at a height of six inches from the surface.
Then place your hands on the sides of your head, as if you were performing your regular crunch ab workouts. Begin by slowly bringing your knees towards your chest as you lift your buttocks off of the floor. Keep your feet close to your hips as you contract the midsection.
When you reach the point that you cannot comfortably curl your body, finish off them by slowly returning to your starting position. Make sure that you hinge your bends from an area just above your pelvis and not at your hips in order to avoid any possible injury. Repeat them until you have completed the number of sets required in your routine.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
While regular crunches in your ab workouts aim to put definition in your midsection area, they particularly target the muscles in the upper abdomen. This can be quite frustrating for those who want to isolate the lower abdominal region, as the muscles in the area are quite stubborn; lots of basic crunch repetitions sometimes bring unsatisfactory results in the lower abdominals.
Ab workouts that focus the contractions on these problem areas are necessary to achieve more proportionately carved abdominals. The following ones are especially beneficial to women, since they have relatively shorter upper bodies and longer legs than most men, and they are the ones who struggle with that tummy pouch more often.
In order to isolate the lower abdominals, you will need to position your body in such a way that when it curls the midsection during ab workouts, the bulk of the tension is concentrated on this area. To do this, you should lie on the floor with your back flat against it, and then keep your knees bent and your feet together as you raise them at a height of six inches from the surface.
Then place your hands on the sides of your head, as if you were performing your regular crunch ab workouts. Begin by slowly bringing your knees towards your chest as you lift your buttocks off of the floor. Keep your feet close to your hips as you contract the midsection.
When you reach the point that you cannot comfortably curl your body, finish off them by slowly returning to your starting position. Make sure that you hinge your bends from an area just above your pelvis and not at your hips in order to avoid any possible injury. Repeat them until you have completed the number of sets required in your routine.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/abm.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - How Food Choices Increase Belly Fat:
Food is not only important for our biological growth but also affects our emotional and social interactions. Unfortunately, the real meaning of food has got lost in the present rat-race which we term as 'life'.
This super-fast lifestyle is taking a huge toll on people's health and
most of them do not realize it until it is too late. A vibrant health is what everyone should have but how many of us actually possess it?
It's human nature to want to look attractive. People spend money on gyms, on fad dieting just so thatthey can possess an enviable figure. Besides looking ugly, fat on the abdomen is a sure sign of a host of diseases which just may attack you making this fat extremely injurious to health.
Nature designed the human body so that it would store fat as energy reserves but along with a leap in technology(cutting our work into half), came increased inactivity and poor dietary habits and this contributed to fat getting accumulated on the abdomen.
A diet high in sodium and fat and sugar adds to the abdominal fat. People now are so pressed for time that they take short-cuts for food and have now substituted good old home cooking with ready-to-eat food packages. Fast food is poor food, no matter what the companies do to advertise their products as healthy. Junk food contains high levels of fat, sugar and salt. It is popular because it is easy to buy, needs no preparation and is convenient to eat and it also increases your waistline.
People don't realize that no matter how much exercise they do, poor food intakes increases belly fat and they should guard against it.Whenever we are too emotionally charged, we tend to eat more and most of the time; we reach out for that packet of chips or that chocolate cake. In our stressed out mentality we don't realize the impact of these high-fat saturated foods and thus our food intakes increases belly fat.
Food high in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals is essential for a balanced diet. These food groups give the right amount of nutrition needed by the body.
Many times people make the mistake of dieting very rigorously in the hope that they will slim down and they remain hungry for long periods.But, this makes the body go into the 'starvation' mode, it decreases the metabolism and fat cells break down less.
Thus, the right kind of food choices is very important for radiant health and an enviable figure.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Food is not only important for our biological growth but also affects our emotional and social interactions. Unfortunately, the real meaning of food has got lost in the present rat-race which we term as 'life'.
This super-fast lifestyle is taking a huge toll on people's health and
most of them do not realize it until it is too late. A vibrant health is what everyone should have but how many of us actually possess it?
It's human nature to want to look attractive. People spend money on gyms, on fad dieting just so thatthey can possess an enviable figure. Besides looking ugly, fat on the abdomen is a sure sign of a host of diseases which just may attack you making this fat extremely injurious to health.
Nature designed the human body so that it would store fat as energy reserves but along with a leap in technology(cutting our work into half), came increased inactivity and poor dietary habits and this contributed to fat getting accumulated on the abdomen.
A diet high in sodium and fat and sugar adds to the abdominal fat. People now are so pressed for time that they take short-cuts for food and have now substituted good old home cooking with ready-to-eat food packages. Fast food is poor food, no matter what the companies do to advertise their products as healthy. Junk food contains high levels of fat, sugar and salt. It is popular because it is easy to buy, needs no preparation and is convenient to eat and it also increases your waistline.
People don't realize that no matter how much exercise they do, poor food intakes increases belly fat and they should guard against it.Whenever we are too emotionally charged, we tend to eat more and most of the time; we reach out for that packet of chips or that chocolate cake. In our stressed out mentality we don't realize the impact of these high-fat saturated foods and thus our food intakes increases belly fat.
Food high in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals is essential for a balanced diet. These food groups give the right amount of nutrition needed by the body.
Many times people make the mistake of dieting very rigorously in the hope that they will slim down and they remain hungry for long periods.But, this makes the body go into the 'starvation' mode, it decreases the metabolism and fat cells break down less.
Thus, the right kind of food choices is very important for radiant health and an enviable figure.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/rightfood.html
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - We Are What Our Habits Make Us:
"All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits - practical, emotional, and intellectual - systematically organized, for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny whatever it may be."-Theron Dumont
Unfortunately, when it comes to habits, it’s much easier to form bad habits than it is a good habit. This is because bad habits are usually easy to do. They take little effort. On the other hand, a good habit requires effort and self-discipline. They are much more difficult to acquire.
Negative habits are time wasting, character eroding, and health destroying. Once developed, a bad habit is difficult to overcome. Once overcome, one must be constantly on guard against slipping back into it.
Unlike bad habits, a good habit is much easier to let go. Maintaining a good habit demands constant attention.It would be much easier to not have formed the bad habit in the first place, but unfortunately, they are often formed in youth, when one lacks the foresight to see ahead the consequences of their actions.Good habits, once developed, are what drive a person toward success and accomplishment.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle
One thing that can help keep you adhering to your good habits is to keep your eye on the "big picture." Keep in mind that each daily task accomplished is moving you toward your goals. It takes about thirty days to form a habit. Once a good habit has been developed, a person feels uncomfortable and ill at ease if he neglects it.
Instead of a burden, a new good habit becomes a comfort and a joy.Don’t be discouraged if you slip up, either by neglecting a good habit or falling back into a bad one. Just pick yourself up and get back on the right track. Admonish yourself to show more resolve but don’t torture yourself and fall into a hopeless depression.
"The greatest glory is in never falling, but rising when you fall."-Vince Lombardi
Don’t let people ridicule you for persisting in your good habits. They are just trying to pull you down to their level. You will soon leave them in the dust.
People who exercise regularly or try to eat healthy are often derided as being fanatics. Those that criticize are just feeling guilty because they lack the resolve to do what you are doing.
Sit down and think for a moment about what habits you may have. What are your good habits? What habits are hindering you?
People of character are the ones who have built good habits into their lives and have eliminated the bad ones. It is your life and your responsibility to govern yourself. You are the master of your ship.
"All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits - practical, emotional, and intellectual - systematically organized, for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny whatever it may be."-Theron Dumont
Unfortunately, when it comes to habits, it’s much easier to form bad habits than it is a good habit. This is because bad habits are usually easy to do. They take little effort. On the other hand, a good habit requires effort and self-discipline. They are much more difficult to acquire.
Negative habits are time wasting, character eroding, and health destroying. Once developed, a bad habit is difficult to overcome. Once overcome, one must be constantly on guard against slipping back into it.
Unlike bad habits, a good habit is much easier to let go. Maintaining a good habit demands constant attention.It would be much easier to not have formed the bad habit in the first place, but unfortunately, they are often formed in youth, when one lacks the foresight to see ahead the consequences of their actions.Good habits, once developed, are what drive a person toward success and accomplishment.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle
One thing that can help keep you adhering to your good habits is to keep your eye on the "big picture." Keep in mind that each daily task accomplished is moving you toward your goals. It takes about thirty days to form a habit. Once a good habit has been developed, a person feels uncomfortable and ill at ease if he neglects it.
Instead of a burden, a new good habit becomes a comfort and a joy.Don’t be discouraged if you slip up, either by neglecting a good habit or falling back into a bad one. Just pick yourself up and get back on the right track. Admonish yourself to show more resolve but don’t torture yourself and fall into a hopeless depression.
"The greatest glory is in never falling, but rising when you fall."-Vince Lombardi
Don’t let people ridicule you for persisting in your good habits. They are just trying to pull you down to their level. You will soon leave them in the dust.
People who exercise regularly or try to eat healthy are often derided as being fanatics. Those that criticize are just feeling guilty because they lack the resolve to do what you are doing.
Sit down and think for a moment about what habits you may have. What are your good habits? What habits are hindering you?
People of character are the ones who have built good habits into their lives and have eliminated the bad ones. It is your life and your responsibility to govern yourself. You are the master of your ship.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Why your fat loss stopped:
If you hit a plateau, the person with the most flexibility in their approach is the person who's going to be most likely to get through that plateau.
The first thing though is to understand what a plateau really is. This is important, because if you were losing weight, but now you're not, there's only one thing that that could mean; you were in a calorie deficit but you're no longer in a calorie deficit. You may be wondering why that happens.
There are four primary reasons you hit a plateau:
First, your metabolism can slow down. If you've been cutting calories, especially if you cut them severely, your body adapts by decreasing the metabolic rate. That's sometimes known as the "starvation response."
The second reason is that after people lose a lot of weight, they tend to keep eating the same way they were eating when they were heavier. So they're feeding a smaller person the way they were when they were a bigger person, but when you're a smaller person, you don't need as many calories, even at rest (basal metabolic rate is lower)
A third reason is that when you move a smaller body, you're not burning as many calories anymore. If you strap on a weighted vestor a heavy backpack and go hike up a hill, you can tell, obviously, that you're burning more calories when you're lugging around the extra weight.
Fourth, and this one requires a little bit of honesty, is that most people either cheat on their diets or they forget to record part of their food intake. Even if they don't do it intentionally and they don't "cheat" per se, unconsciously, we're all terrible at estimating how much food we eat. Some studies have even showed underreporting calorie intake as muchas 50%. In other words, you say, "I'm only eating 1,200 calories a day, but i'm stuck at a plateau" but you're really eating 1,800 calories a day which doesn't give you much of a deficit.
All of these reasons for plateaus get amplified in the later stages of a diet, because biologically speaking, your body is doing everythingit possibly can to get you to go off your diet and to get weight to stabilize.After a long period of dieting and a large decrease in body mass, your body cranks up the appetite, stimulates cravings and your body tries to trick you into eating more.
The leaner you get and the more aggressively you cut calories, the more your body tends to defend its weight, and any remaining body fat. So it's really common to hit that plateau when you're leaner. Usually it's nowhere near as difficult for the overweight person to start losing weight as it is for the lean person to get ripped.
If you think about it, it's pretty unnatural from a biological perspective to walk around with really low single-digit body fat. It's not beneficial from a survival-of-the-species point of viewto have low body fat. So this metabolic adaptation becomes more pronounced the leaner you get.You're also at a higher risk of losing muscle, because extra muscle is not econmical when there's a calorie shortage. It's kind of like a gas guzzler.
The ultimate answer to why you plateau and why it's hard to break into those single digits is that you were in a calorie deficit, but for all of the reasons mentioned above, you're no longer in deficit.
The way to break the plateau then is to:
(1) Re-stimulate metabolism and re-set fat-burning and starvation hormones
(2) Re-establish the deficit, and
(3) Keep after it!
The question was, "How do I do that? More cardio, more weighttraining, manipulate my diet?" You could do all of the above. Eating less or exercising more can both increase a deficit. But one thing you might want to do first, is give yourself a little break. Take your calories up to maintenance level, maybe for a week.
The idea there is not to try to accelerate fat loss, because what you're actually doing is removing your calorie deficit for a short period of time. What you're trying to do is facilitate the fat losswhen you jump back into it. It gives your body a physiological break from the stress of dieting; it resets some of those starvation hormones and stimulates your metabolism so when you go back to the calorie deficit, your body responds again.
You also get mental break from the diet as well, which makes it easier to stick with the program when you go back to it. You could also use a calorie cycling approach, to help prevent yourself from hitting another plateau, and we already covered calorie and carbcycling in the last call.I also recommend, because so many people underestimate how much they eat, that you don't take any chances.
Stop guessing and really get serious about what you're taking in.You've probably been told many times by a lot of different "experts"that you don't have to count calories. But when you're in a plateau, I'd recommend tracking calories or keeping a food journal. Then what you need to do is reestablish that calorie deficitusing every tool at your disposal.
Use nutrition by pulling back your portion sizes. Or use cardio. And by increased cardio, I mean increasing energy expenditure. You could add days a week. You could increase your duration. But increasing energy expenditure is not necessarily doing longer workouts, just burning more calories. So you could also take the same amount of time that you're spending right now and increase yourintensity.
The whole idea is just burn more calories and stimulate metabolism, which gives you your deficit back again, or you can pull back your calorie intake and give yourself a deficit again from the food side. There's more than one way to do it and I don't think that you should lock yourself in to just diet or just exercise. Remember, there are TWO sides to the energy balance equation, not one.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/plateau.html
If you hit a plateau, the person with the most flexibility in their approach is the person who's going to be most likely to get through that plateau.
The first thing though is to understand what a plateau really is. This is important, because if you were losing weight, but now you're not, there's only one thing that that could mean; you were in a calorie deficit but you're no longer in a calorie deficit. You may be wondering why that happens.
There are four primary reasons you hit a plateau:
First, your metabolism can slow down. If you've been cutting calories, especially if you cut them severely, your body adapts by decreasing the metabolic rate. That's sometimes known as the "starvation response."
The second reason is that after people lose a lot of weight, they tend to keep eating the same way they were eating when they were heavier. So they're feeding a smaller person the way they were when they were a bigger person, but when you're a smaller person, you don't need as many calories, even at rest (basal metabolic rate is lower)
A third reason is that when you move a smaller body, you're not burning as many calories anymore. If you strap on a weighted vestor a heavy backpack and go hike up a hill, you can tell, obviously, that you're burning more calories when you're lugging around the extra weight.
Fourth, and this one requires a little bit of honesty, is that most people either cheat on their diets or they forget to record part of their food intake. Even if they don't do it intentionally and they don't "cheat" per se, unconsciously, we're all terrible at estimating how much food we eat. Some studies have even showed underreporting calorie intake as muchas 50%. In other words, you say, "I'm only eating 1,200 calories a day, but i'm stuck at a plateau" but you're really eating 1,800 calories a day which doesn't give you much of a deficit.
All of these reasons for plateaus get amplified in the later stages of a diet, because biologically speaking, your body is doing everythingit possibly can to get you to go off your diet and to get weight to stabilize.After a long period of dieting and a large decrease in body mass, your body cranks up the appetite, stimulates cravings and your body tries to trick you into eating more.
The leaner you get and the more aggressively you cut calories, the more your body tends to defend its weight, and any remaining body fat. So it's really common to hit that plateau when you're leaner. Usually it's nowhere near as difficult for the overweight person to start losing weight as it is for the lean person to get ripped.
If you think about it, it's pretty unnatural from a biological perspective to walk around with really low single-digit body fat. It's not beneficial from a survival-of-the-species point of viewto have low body fat. So this metabolic adaptation becomes more pronounced the leaner you get.You're also at a higher risk of losing muscle, because extra muscle is not econmical when there's a calorie shortage. It's kind of like a gas guzzler.
The ultimate answer to why you plateau and why it's hard to break into those single digits is that you were in a calorie deficit, but for all of the reasons mentioned above, you're no longer in deficit.
The way to break the plateau then is to:
(1) Re-stimulate metabolism and re-set fat-burning and starvation hormones
(2) Re-establish the deficit, and
(3) Keep after it!
The question was, "How do I do that? More cardio, more weighttraining, manipulate my diet?" You could do all of the above. Eating less or exercising more can both increase a deficit. But one thing you might want to do first, is give yourself a little break. Take your calories up to maintenance level, maybe for a week.
The idea there is not to try to accelerate fat loss, because what you're actually doing is removing your calorie deficit for a short period of time. What you're trying to do is facilitate the fat losswhen you jump back into it. It gives your body a physiological break from the stress of dieting; it resets some of those starvation hormones and stimulates your metabolism so when you go back to the calorie deficit, your body responds again.
You also get mental break from the diet as well, which makes it easier to stick with the program when you go back to it. You could also use a calorie cycling approach, to help prevent yourself from hitting another plateau, and we already covered calorie and carbcycling in the last call.I also recommend, because so many people underestimate how much they eat, that you don't take any chances.
Stop guessing and really get serious about what you're taking in.You've probably been told many times by a lot of different "experts"that you don't have to count calories. But when you're in a plateau, I'd recommend tracking calories or keeping a food journal. Then what you need to do is reestablish that calorie deficitusing every tool at your disposal.
Use nutrition by pulling back your portion sizes. Or use cardio. And by increased cardio, I mean increasing energy expenditure. You could add days a week. You could increase your duration. But increasing energy expenditure is not necessarily doing longer workouts, just burning more calories. So you could also take the same amount of time that you're spending right now and increase yourintensity.
The whole idea is just burn more calories and stimulate metabolism, which gives you your deficit back again, or you can pull back your calorie intake and give yourself a deficit again from the food side. There's more than one way to do it and I don't think that you should lock yourself in to just diet or just exercise. Remember, there are TWO sides to the energy balance equation, not one.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/plateau.html
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - How Stress Affects Belly Fat:
Stress, along with diabetes, has rightly beentermed a 'silent killer'. Stress causes deterioration in health and affects every part of the body. People, nowadays are more stressed out than their ancestors. The world has become so fast-paced that whoever does not keep up with the race gets left behind and no one would like that. In the process, health is the main casualty and one of the primary reasons for this, is stress.
Specifically speaking, stress and belly fat are co-related and by the following reasoning we can see how stress affects belly fat.
As one grows older, the metabolism of the body slows down and fat starts to accumulate around the stomach. Along with this natural ageing process, a sedentary lifestyle, bad eating habits and stress contribute to that belly fat. This fat, also called visceral fat is the most dangerous fat in the body. Since this fat is located behind the abdominal wall, it has the fastest access to the heart and other important organs of the body.
This abdominal fat is not content with simply resting on the stomach. It is very active, releasing substances into the organs which are very harmful to the body. Free fatty acids are released into the systems which impair the functioning of the body. Bellyfat is bad for everyone but, it can have dire consequences especially for men. The amount of abdominal fat one carries is asure indicator of heart disease risk.
Although behavioral response to stress is the main cause of weight gain, there are physiological reasons also. Under stress, the body lets go of a hormone called cortisol. In the body, the release of this hormone is a signal to increase appetite and store fat. This means that whenever we are stressed out, the hormone in our brain tells us that we are hungry while simultaneously instructing our fat cells to store as much fat as they can. Unfortunately, most of this fat is stored in the midsection.
In small amounts cortisol is essential for the body to control carbohydrate metabolism. But, too much of it spells doom for the body because it tends to cause a build-up of abdominal fat and thisis how stress affects belly fat.
This hormone is also known as the 'fight or flight' hormone because of its ability in increasing blood pressure and blood sugar to help us run away from or fight a stressful situation. When anyone faces an adverse situation, the immediate response is to overcome it and this is propelled by cortisol. These responses use a lot of energy, so, cortisol simultaneously tells other important physical functions to either slow down or shut down. These functions may be digestion, physical growth, reproduction, immunity and they combine to put fat on the stomach. Cortisol stimulates the production of fat contents in the stomach and this is how stress affects bellyfat.
People who experience daily stress like work deadlines, family demands, traffic, less sleep, very strict dieting are more prone to falling prey to an increased waist line. If workplaces opportunities are increasing, stresses are also increasing side by side. When people get so consumed with their work that they start ignoring their emotional needs, then the stress hormone kicks inand conspiring with other factors contributes to weight gain in the abdomen. In these various ways we see how stress affects belly fat.
When we are feeling low and stressed out, our appetite increases due to the kick-start of the stress hormone which causes us to invariably reach for food without realizing whether what we are eating is right for us or not. If this happens often enough, gradually fat deposits start building up on the stomach and this isalso how stress affects belly fat.
Stress can be controlled by meditation, yoga, good dietary habits, regular exercise and adopting a holistic approach to life. Having a calm and positive attitude in life is the biggest stress-buster and if this is adopted along with sensible eating and exercising there is no reason why the benefits of a fit stomach cannot be enjoyed.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/stress.html
Stress, along with diabetes, has rightly beentermed a 'silent killer'. Stress causes deterioration in health and affects every part of the body. People, nowadays are more stressed out than their ancestors. The world has become so fast-paced that whoever does not keep up with the race gets left behind and no one would like that. In the process, health is the main casualty and one of the primary reasons for this, is stress.
Specifically speaking, stress and belly fat are co-related and by the following reasoning we can see how stress affects belly fat.
As one grows older, the metabolism of the body slows down and fat starts to accumulate around the stomach. Along with this natural ageing process, a sedentary lifestyle, bad eating habits and stress contribute to that belly fat. This fat, also called visceral fat is the most dangerous fat in the body. Since this fat is located behind the abdominal wall, it has the fastest access to the heart and other important organs of the body.
This abdominal fat is not content with simply resting on the stomach. It is very active, releasing substances into the organs which are very harmful to the body. Free fatty acids are released into the systems which impair the functioning of the body. Bellyfat is bad for everyone but, it can have dire consequences especially for men. The amount of abdominal fat one carries is asure indicator of heart disease risk.
Although behavioral response to stress is the main cause of weight gain, there are physiological reasons also. Under stress, the body lets go of a hormone called cortisol. In the body, the release of this hormone is a signal to increase appetite and store fat. This means that whenever we are stressed out, the hormone in our brain tells us that we are hungry while simultaneously instructing our fat cells to store as much fat as they can. Unfortunately, most of this fat is stored in the midsection.
In small amounts cortisol is essential for the body to control carbohydrate metabolism. But, too much of it spells doom for the body because it tends to cause a build-up of abdominal fat and thisis how stress affects belly fat.
This hormone is also known as the 'fight or flight' hormone because of its ability in increasing blood pressure and blood sugar to help us run away from or fight a stressful situation. When anyone faces an adverse situation, the immediate response is to overcome it and this is propelled by cortisol. These responses use a lot of energy, so, cortisol simultaneously tells other important physical functions to either slow down or shut down. These functions may be digestion, physical growth, reproduction, immunity and they combine to put fat on the stomach. Cortisol stimulates the production of fat contents in the stomach and this is how stress affects bellyfat.
People who experience daily stress like work deadlines, family demands, traffic, less sleep, very strict dieting are more prone to falling prey to an increased waist line. If workplaces opportunities are increasing, stresses are also increasing side by side. When people get so consumed with their work that they start ignoring their emotional needs, then the stress hormone kicks inand conspiring with other factors contributes to weight gain in the abdomen. In these various ways we see how stress affects belly fat.
When we are feeling low and stressed out, our appetite increases due to the kick-start of the stress hormone which causes us to invariably reach for food without realizing whether what we are eating is right for us or not. If this happens often enough, gradually fat deposits start building up on the stomach and this isalso how stress affects belly fat.
Stress can be controlled by meditation, yoga, good dietary habits, regular exercise and adopting a holistic approach to life. Having a calm and positive attitude in life is the biggest stress-buster and if this is adopted along with sensible eating and exercising there is no reason why the benefits of a fit stomach cannot be enjoyed.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/stress.html
Monday, February 4, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - The raw food diet & weight loss:
The raw food diet weight loss program is based on the consumption of unprocessed and uncooked foods, preferably organic, whole plant-based foods.
Staples of the raw food diet include:
*fresh fruits and vegetables
*seeds
*nuts
*seaweed
*legumes
*grains
*dried fruits
*purified water
*fresh fruit juices
Foods are not cooked because it is believed that raw (living) foods have more essential enzymes that help the digestive process. Cooking, on the other hand, is believed to destroy these enzymes.
The only cooking allowed in raw food diets is done through a dehydrator, a special machine that blows hot air through food.
In the raw food diet, food is generally prepared from scratch through blending, chopping and juicing; a food processor is also often used to prepare meals.
Benefits of The Raw Food Diet:
*boosting energy levels
*improving the appearance of the skin
*reducing the risk of heart disease
*improving digestion
*lowering weight
Because it contains little to no saturated fat, little salt, and is high in fiber and potassium, the raw food diet has been associated with lowered cholesterol and lowering the risk of some cancers, as well as diabetes.
The Raw Food Diet Risks and Side Effects: A reaction to the detoxification process of the raw food diet can include headaches, nausea and mild depression.
These symptoms generally only last for a few days.
The raw food diet is generally not appropriate for the following people:
*pregnant women
*people with anemia
*people at risk of developing osteoporosis
*children
Always consult your doctor before starting any weight loss programs.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/raw.html
The raw food diet weight loss program is based on the consumption of unprocessed and uncooked foods, preferably organic, whole plant-based foods.
Staples of the raw food diet include:
*fresh fruits and vegetables
*seeds
*nuts
*seaweed
*legumes
*grains
*dried fruits
*purified water
*fresh fruit juices
Foods are not cooked because it is believed that raw (living) foods have more essential enzymes that help the digestive process. Cooking, on the other hand, is believed to destroy these enzymes.
The only cooking allowed in raw food diets is done through a dehydrator, a special machine that blows hot air through food.
In the raw food diet, food is generally prepared from scratch through blending, chopping and juicing; a food processor is also often used to prepare meals.
Benefits of The Raw Food Diet:
*boosting energy levels
*improving the appearance of the skin
*reducing the risk of heart disease
*improving digestion
*lowering weight
Because it contains little to no saturated fat, little salt, and is high in fiber and potassium, the raw food diet has been associated with lowered cholesterol and lowering the risk of some cancers, as well as diabetes.
The Raw Food Diet Risks and Side Effects: A reaction to the detoxification process of the raw food diet can include headaches, nausea and mild depression.
These symptoms generally only last for a few days.
The raw food diet is generally not appropriate for the following people:
*pregnant women
*people with anemia
*people at risk of developing osteoporosis
*children
Always consult your doctor before starting any weight loss programs.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/raw.html
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - How a Weight Loss Plateau occurs & how to reduce its effects:
A weight loss plateau often occurs because the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure gradually balances. The human body must restore energy balance to survive, imagine the consequences if a human kept losing weight because he/she couldn't find enough food. Our body has physiological mechanisms in place which help maintain energy balance relatively quickly.
The Process of a Weight Loss Plateau:
When someone begins a new diet and cuts calorie intake by about 500 per day it does develop what is needed to lose weight, a negative energy balance, less energy consumed than the body requires. It then needs to start using up energy stores to make up for this 500 calorie deficit. However very often the body has adapted to suit a regular lifestyle and the energy system is unconditioned for any change thus cells continue to use carbohydrates and protein to supply the majority of energy, stored fat is used but this often makes up a small percentage.
Metabolic Rate Decline:
As protein and carbohydrates are used from the cells it causes a reduction in the amount of lean mass forcing the metabolism to decrease, this means the individual now requires less energy to maintain the new weight. In other words, the body has gradually adapted to match the new energy intake.
We Burn Less Calories:
There is a second effect, as the body becomes progressively lighter less calories are burned during movements so the overall energy expenditure also reduces.
The reduction in lean mass and the lowered energy expenditure both help restore a balance of energy from any initial reduction in calorie intake and can even slow progress from the extra exercise sessions often undertaken when attempting to lose weight.
The bottom line is the initial 500 calories per day reduction no longer continues to be effective for losing further weight as the body no longer recognizes that there is a calorie deficit. There will always be an adaptation to match any lower calorie intake simply because the body needs to conserve energy for survival.
Limit the effects of the Weight Loss Plateau:
The facts above means it is vital that dieters begin by reducing calorie intake slowly, this limits the loss of lean weight and helps keep metabolism high during dieting. Also, any exercise done within the first 10 - 15 workouts needs to be light and for longer durations to enable the energy system to adapt to the change by "switching its gear" into fat burning mode.
If calories are cut too much too soon the body is forced to burn more and more protein especially when glycogen (carbohydrate) stores run low. This seriously lowers the metabolism and dieters hit a period where they just cannot lose any more weight "the weight loss plateau", then when they give up and go back to the old eating habits the body shoots back into a positive energy balance, which causes many dieters to gain back further weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/plateau.html
A weight loss plateau often occurs because the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure gradually balances. The human body must restore energy balance to survive, imagine the consequences if a human kept losing weight because he/she couldn't find enough food. Our body has physiological mechanisms in place which help maintain energy balance relatively quickly.
The Process of a Weight Loss Plateau:
When someone begins a new diet and cuts calorie intake by about 500 per day it does develop what is needed to lose weight, a negative energy balance, less energy consumed than the body requires. It then needs to start using up energy stores to make up for this 500 calorie deficit. However very often the body has adapted to suit a regular lifestyle and the energy system is unconditioned for any change thus cells continue to use carbohydrates and protein to supply the majority of energy, stored fat is used but this often makes up a small percentage.
Metabolic Rate Decline:
As protein and carbohydrates are used from the cells it causes a reduction in the amount of lean mass forcing the metabolism to decrease, this means the individual now requires less energy to maintain the new weight. In other words, the body has gradually adapted to match the new energy intake.
We Burn Less Calories:
There is a second effect, as the body becomes progressively lighter less calories are burned during movements so the overall energy expenditure also reduces.
The reduction in lean mass and the lowered energy expenditure both help restore a balance of energy from any initial reduction in calorie intake and can even slow progress from the extra exercise sessions often undertaken when attempting to lose weight.
The bottom line is the initial 500 calories per day reduction no longer continues to be effective for losing further weight as the body no longer recognizes that there is a calorie deficit. There will always be an adaptation to match any lower calorie intake simply because the body needs to conserve energy for survival.
Limit the effects of the Weight Loss Plateau:
The facts above means it is vital that dieters begin by reducing calorie intake slowly, this limits the loss of lean weight and helps keep metabolism high during dieting. Also, any exercise done within the first 10 - 15 workouts needs to be light and for longer durations to enable the energy system to adapt to the change by "switching its gear" into fat burning mode.
If calories are cut too much too soon the body is forced to burn more and more protein especially when glycogen (carbohydrate) stores run low. This seriously lowers the metabolism and dieters hit a period where they just cannot lose any more weight "the weight loss plateau", then when they give up and go back to the old eating habits the body shoots back into a positive energy balance, which causes many dieters to gain back further weight.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/plateau.html
Health and Fitness Tips
Life-Changing Words:
Our believing that we are only responsible for how we react to what happens to us, I believe, is fundamental to our peace of mind.
For example, if someone cuts me off in traffic, I have several ways to react.
I can hurry up and speed past them and cut him off. I can use bad language. I can even let it escalate it into road Rage. As one woman did and is now serving 13 years for murder.
Or I can accept that I am not responsible for their behavior and I can continue on my way in peace and harmony. No high blood pressure, no blame. I can arrive at my destination calm and in control or I can process what a stupid $%#% person that was. This now makes me free of tension, stress, and anger and lets me continue doing the best I can do and being the best I can be.
It means I can look in the mirror and say, "Today I have hurt no one. I have done no harm and I have done the very best I know how to do." What more can you ask of yourself?
If someone strikes me I can strike back or I can remind myself that I am a better person than that. For whatever reason a person does what he does, he is responsible for his act and he will pay the price for that act if it is wrong.
If a person's behavior is good, he is responsible for what he did and he will get the rewards due him/her.
The Golden Rule?
Yes.
Is it simple?
Yes.
Is it hard to do?
Yes.
Am I capable of doing this?
Yes.
If it is to be, it is up to me.
Our believing that we are only responsible for how we react to what happens to us, I believe, is fundamental to our peace of mind.
For example, if someone cuts me off in traffic, I have several ways to react.
I can hurry up and speed past them and cut him off. I can use bad language. I can even let it escalate it into road Rage. As one woman did and is now serving 13 years for murder.
Or I can accept that I am not responsible for their behavior and I can continue on my way in peace and harmony. No high blood pressure, no blame. I can arrive at my destination calm and in control or I can process what a stupid $%#% person that was. This now makes me free of tension, stress, and anger and lets me continue doing the best I can do and being the best I can be.
It means I can look in the mirror and say, "Today I have hurt no one. I have done no harm and I have done the very best I know how to do." What more can you ask of yourself?
If someone strikes me I can strike back or I can remind myself that I am a better person than that. For whatever reason a person does what he does, he is responsible for his act and he will pay the price for that act if it is wrong.
If a person's behavior is good, he is responsible for what he did and he will get the rewards due him/her.
The Golden Rule?
Yes.
Is it simple?
Yes.
Is it hard to do?
Yes.
Am I capable of doing this?
Yes.
If it is to be, it is up to me.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Health and Fitness Tips
Health and Fitness Tips - Useful Herbs and Phytonutrients for Immune Support:
· Carotenoids -boost the immune system
· Cat's claw (Una de gato or Uncaria tomentosa) This herb is believed to accelerate wound healing and to enhance cartilage restoration in joint disorders. A number of case studies also show promise for cat's claw in treating various immunodeficiency states, auto immunological diseases, allergic diseases, tremors, gastrointestinal inflammation and even viral and bacterial infections.
Coenzyme Q10 - Research shows that macrophage activity is increased with CoQlO supplements, and that CoQlO has antiviral, antibacterial and antitumor effects. CoQlO is especially important during viral infections since CoQlO levels in white blood cells fall rapidly as the cell's requirements for the nutrient increase in order to fight off invaders. It is also known to enhance natural killer cell activity and inhibit metastasis of tumors.
Colostrum - may be of benefit in immune and autoimmune diseases.
Fish oils - exert positive effects on arachidonic acid metabolism. Arachidonic acid is responsible for making the prostaglandins that cause inflammation and aggravate certain allergic symptoms.
Flavonoids - are potent antioxidants that prevent the formation of free radicals. They prevent inflammatory leukotrienes from causing joint pain and destruction. They also stimulate T-cell formation and lymphocyte transformation. Food sources include broccoli, grapes, carrots, onions, peppers, green tea, tangerines, elderberries, blueberries, bilberries, apples, all citrus fruits and Ginkgo biloba.
Glutathione - Free radical damage goes unchecked without adequate cell levels of glutathione. Food sources include the cruciferous vegetables, watermelon and avocado.
Green tea - Research shows that several cups of green tea each day have antiviral, anticancer and antibacterial effects.
Magnesium - Food sources are tofu, legumes, seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables, and whole unrefined grains.
Selenium - is is important in detoxifying the body of environmental toxins.
Food sources include Brazil nuts, brewer's yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken, dairy products, dulse, garlic, kelp, liver, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, torula yeast, tuna, vegetables, wheat germ and whole grains.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/immenhancement.html
· Carotenoids -boost the immune system
· Cat's claw (Una de gato or Uncaria tomentosa) This herb is believed to accelerate wound healing and to enhance cartilage restoration in joint disorders. A number of case studies also show promise for cat's claw in treating various immunodeficiency states, auto immunological diseases, allergic diseases, tremors, gastrointestinal inflammation and even viral and bacterial infections.
Coenzyme Q10 - Research shows that macrophage activity is increased with CoQlO supplements, and that CoQlO has antiviral, antibacterial and antitumor effects. CoQlO is especially important during viral infections since CoQlO levels in white blood cells fall rapidly as the cell's requirements for the nutrient increase in order to fight off invaders. It is also known to enhance natural killer cell activity and inhibit metastasis of tumors.
Colostrum - may be of benefit in immune and autoimmune diseases.
Fish oils - exert positive effects on arachidonic acid metabolism. Arachidonic acid is responsible for making the prostaglandins that cause inflammation and aggravate certain allergic symptoms.
Flavonoids - are potent antioxidants that prevent the formation of free radicals. They prevent inflammatory leukotrienes from causing joint pain and destruction. They also stimulate T-cell formation and lymphocyte transformation. Food sources include broccoli, grapes, carrots, onions, peppers, green tea, tangerines, elderberries, blueberries, bilberries, apples, all citrus fruits and Ginkgo biloba.
Glutathione - Free radical damage goes unchecked without adequate cell levels of glutathione. Food sources include the cruciferous vegetables, watermelon and avocado.
Green tea - Research shows that several cups of green tea each day have antiviral, anticancer and antibacterial effects.
Magnesium - Food sources are tofu, legumes, seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables, and whole unrefined grains.
Selenium - is is important in detoxifying the body of environmental toxins.
Food sources include Brazil nuts, brewer's yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken, dairy products, dulse, garlic, kelp, liver, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, torula yeast, tuna, vegetables, wheat germ and whole grains.
More at: http://www.fitnessattitudes.com/immenhancement.html
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