What Does Green Tea Do?

We all worry about getting older and it happens to us all nothing can stop it! But we can help to slow it down and it only takes little changes in your diet and lifestyle to improve the quality of your skin and the overall well-being of yourself.

What does green tea do? Well it's a cheap and cost-effective way to help improve the condition of your skin and contains high amounts of antioxidants and even holds antibiotic properties. Drinking green tea along with other foods that are rich in antioxidants, vitamin E and vitamin C will greatly help in looking younger inside and out in moderation.

Other benefits it possesses are to help towards the fight of cancer and to help towards dieting for that bikini! As it contains polyphenol which helps to oxidise fat cells in your body.

These are just a few of the benefits and the list goes on, here are the benefits it helps to fight off:-

• Diabetes

• Heart disease

• Cancer

• Depression

• Alzheimer's

• Parkinson's disease

• Cholesterol

• Blood pressure

Green tea is beneficial in moderation but there are some possible side effects and cautions to be aware of. There has been small reports of liver problems in people taking highly concentrated amounts, but these cases are very rare and the evidence is not definitive. Some experts say that concentrated green tea extracts should be taken with food and people should discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner if they have liver trouble, abdominal pain or dark urine but cases are rare.

Now a little bit of history and amazing facts! Did you know that it dates back to 4,000 years ago in China!

Leaves are pulled from the Camellia Sinensis plant and are then steamed to produce the tea, common names are Chinese tea, Japanese tea and of course green tea. It also contains amounts of caffeine that can cause insomnia, irritability, anxiety, stomach upset, nausea, diarrhoea so as above should be taken in moderation. Other benefits of green tea are to help improving mental alertness and protecting skin from sun damage.

This is just a brief quick run-down of the properties and benefits but feel free to research more in detail on the Internet to find out more.

Remember little changes in diets and lifestyle can bring many health benefits and start slowly don't rush into something you unfamiliar with. So what does green tea do? It provides a valuable stable alternative in weight loss as well as other beneficial facts listed above.

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Face Muscle Exercises

If you are reading this, you have probably heard of face exercises: the safest and most natural way to get a facelift. What is really interesting about face exercises is that you don't need a doctor to get clearance for this type of exercise.

You just go ahead and do it, and you will reap all of the benefits of your new efforts at looking young and vibrant. The only real requirement for this type of exercise is consistency, because if you want visible results in a shorter period of time, you need to work on those problem regions as often as possible.

Face exercises have been used by countless individuals for many decades now. They are not usually endorsed on television, in magazines, and in other printed publications, but that doesn't mean that they are not effective.

It simply means that face exercises can survive the test of time through sheer effectiveness, and not seasonal hype. Another interesting fact about face exercises is that you can easily perform the movements at home, without the aid of therapists. This is one type of facelift that won't necessitate a visit to the doctor, too!

If you are excited about face exercises, you are in luck, because today I am going to be sharing with you some face exercises that will help tone your face so you will have a more youthful appearance in a few weeks' time. The first exercise that I want to teach you will help tone the muscles surrounding your eyes. These muscles are closely connected with the muscles that animate the forehead, so we are going to limit the movement by positioning the source of resistance at strategic points.

If you have ever seen a bodybuilder before, or even someone who just lifts weights at the gym, you will notice that the focal point of an exercise is usually the source of resistance. Resistance is the element that drives the body to exert effort to counteract the resistance.

Can you use resistance with the facial regions? The answer is a resounding yes. In this first exercise, you will see just how easy it is to utilize resistance, even without fancy weights and contraptions. To begin this exercise, simply place your index finger and middle finger at the center points of your brows. You will find bony prominences at these areas. Just let your fingertips rest on these bony prominences. Press down just a little to add a hint of resistance.

When your fingers are at the target positions, I want you to try to fight the resistance by moving your eyebrows upward. So, the resistance of the fingers is downward, and the movement of your ocular muscles will be upward. Try to fight the upward movement with equal resistance. Perform this exercise for at least ten minutes to really tone and condition those ocular muscles.

The next exercise will help stimulate all of the muscles of the face. Begin this exercise by frowning and, as you frown, let your lips move downward as if they were trying to frown as well. Hold this position for a few moments before relaxing. Performing controlled frowning helps muscle tone and also helps reduce lines on the face.

Sarah is a beautician and a skin specialist who running a website at http://www.exerciseforface.com about face exercises and how it can give a significant results without using any facial care that are available in the market.

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What You Need To Know About Skin Care

I hope we all agree that beauty starts with a beautiful skin. Personally, I believe that skin is our ultimate accessory: it allows us to display physical health, well-being and utter beauty. Who needs make-up when you have a gorgeous, radiant derma? Sadly, some women tend to neglect skin care. Make-up, as exhilarating as it is, can't do its wonders unless it is applied on a clean surface. Therefore, what do you need to do in order to have your skin reflect your inner beauty and send forth that beautiful shine we all long for?

1. Tend to your pores. This piece of advice is addressed especially to those of you who have oily skin. Pores can become dilated around your nose under the effect of heat, sunlight or excessive sebum. Also, dilated pores usually come hand in hand with black spots. Thus, make a weekly ritual out of eliminating black spots using a dark spot remover, and another one out of thoroughly cleaning your pores using a cleanser with salycilic acid. A home-made option would be a solution made out of vinegar and aspirin pills - astringent and anti-acne.

2. Never go to bed without removing your make-up. Leftover make-up can age the skin immensely over a period of time. Use make-up remover and cleanser, toner and moisturizer. If you feel you don't have time for the entire ritual, you can replace the toner and cleanser with thermal water. In combination with natural sebum, thermal water eliminates close to all skin impurities.

3. Sleep and have a balanced diet. A minimum of 8 hours of sleep per day is required if you want your skin to look great ("beauty sleep"). If you can't seem to let go of watching late-night movies or chatting on Yahoo Messenger until 4 a.m think of the gorgeous dark circles you'll have around your eyes the next day. Speaking of eyes, always be extra-tender with the area surrounding them and apply some cucumber on it from time to time. Your diet should include vegetables rich in water (cucumber, spinach, broccoli) and fruits. Avoid saturated fats if you want to stay away from break-outs.

4. Don't smoke and don't drink. I'm sure you know how alcohol can affect your body over an extended period of time - stay away from it. Smoking can create dark spots on the skin and because of the facial gesture associated with inhaling the smoke, premature wrinkles can appear around the mouth area. In addition to the damage it does to your general health, smoking also makes your skin have an unpleasant scent.

There you have it - useful info about skin care. Remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day and go for a jog once in a while!

Visit Wilshire Beauty in order to read more beauty articles and buy skin care products.

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Secrets to Natural Health and Beauty

Makeup can help enhance your looks but there is no substitute for natural beauty that comes from being healthy and happy. Health and happiness shine through and give you a radiance that can't be found in any bottle of makeup. It is something that you can't fake and you can't buy. But you can attain it by using these simply guidelines to a happier, healthier you.

Your health is vital to how you look so it is important to take care of yourself. This means eating right, getting enough sleep, getting exercise and not letting stress drag you down. Fortunately, these 4 things work together for a cumulative effect. Eating properly will make you feel better and help you deal with stress better as well. Exercise will help keep you toned, will help relieve stress and will help you sleep better. There is no makeup available that can give you the effects of a well toned body or a restful nights sleep. All of these things will contribute to a healthier look.

When it comes to makeup, you need to know what type of makeup is best for you. You need to choose a makeup that suits your skin type, whether it is dry or oily. You also need to know the undertones of your skin and whether they are warm or cool. Always choose a foundation that matches your skin because foundation that is too light or too dark will only make you look artificial and as if you have something to hide. You want your makeup to enhance your natural beauty, not cover it up.

Never overlook the little self care things, such as keeping your hair trimmed and grooming your fingernails. Unkempt, unhealthy hair, along with scraggly nails and chipped nail polish all detract from your natural beauty. You don't have to go overboard with a luxury manicure or hairstyle. A simple, healthy and well cared for appearance is better looking than any overdone manicure or extreme hairstyle.

Learn to avoid things that will detract from your beauty and health. Smoking causes wrinkles and dull skin. Too much sun causes skin damage, wrinkles and age spots. Drinking alcohol can dehydrate you, disrupt your sleep and prematurely age you. They are all fine in moderation but should be avoided when possible.

Sticking to a daily routine of beauty can pay off in the long run. Make skin care, exercise, hydration and grooming a part of your daily routine. Little things like always cleaning your face of makeup before bed and applying moisturizer will pay off in a more youthful and healthy look.

Avoid stress and learn how to deal with it. Stress can cause wrinkles and can lead you to make unhealthy choices and make you look chronically unhappy. Deal with stress by exercises or find ways to deal with it that are good for you. Taking care of yourself makes you feel better and exude more confidence.

It is natural to want to look your best. But true beauty is not something that can just be bought in a bottle. It is something that is a reflection of you, something that radiates from your inside. So take the time to take care of yourself and to establish healthy habits and winning ways.

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What Causes Brown Spots and Skin Darkening?

Our skin is one of our dearest belongings. It serves many functions and represents protection, health, and beauty. These are just a few of the reasons that we as humans strive to keep our skin as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, there are many things in our environment and even our diets that cause imperfections that can ruin the look and feel of our skin. Dark patches (underarms) and brown spots (simple pigmentation or freckles) are just a couple of the most common skin conditions we face and sadly, there are many more!

A myriad people from across the planet, regardless race, color, creed, or the environment that they live in, have to face these common problems daily. To know how to efficiently treat these issues and prevent further skin damage, we must comprehend the causes of these issues. Here are a few of the main causes for skin discoloration:

1. The Sun 

If there were only one cause of getting dark spots on your skin, it would be the sun. The reason the sun causes our skin so much grief is due to melanin; the substance in our skin that gives it a rich, dark color. It is created in greater quantities when we give our skin excessive exposure to the sun (that's why sunscreen is so important). The areas of our body that get the most exposure are the areas that are most affected by dark sports and premature aging; face, shoulders, back and chest. Because of this exposure, dark patches, discoloration and spots on our skin are more likely to appear due to the increased production of melanin.

2. Hormone Imbalance 

Another source that leads to dark spots on the skin is hormonal imbalance. Mostly, it is women who face this problem and it happens most often during or after a pregnancy. Having estrogen treatments has caused skin issues with many women as well.

3. Age 

Time is a cruel, cruel mistress. Not only does it cause wrinkles and sometimes dryness, it can also leave our bodies covered in ugly dark spots. Many people have health, glowing skin all of their lives and then boom! Time has flown by and their age causes their skin to change and they suddenly have dark spots on their skin.

4. Acne, Rashes & Bruises 

Another major cause of skin discoloration or spots is caused by acne, wounds, rashes or bruises. These things leave marks on our skin. Scars from these things are usually the underlying cause, but there are also cases where bruises or wounds never fully "heal" and they leave behind dark spots on our skin. Be wary of picking at acne or blackheads. Excessive squeezing plays a major role in changing our skin tone.

The above are just a few the underlying sources which leave our skin with dark spots or discoloration. It is extremely important for you to understand which cause led to the spots on your skin in order for you to know which treatment you should use to remove dark spots from your skin. Each of the causes above has a specialized treatment which you must follow to be successful in ridding your skin from these spots for good!

If you need more detailed knowledge of dark spots, what causes them, and how to treat them, please visit Lighter Skin. You will find all the information you need to know about skin discolorations and how to whiten skin in an all natural, effective way. Lighter Skin has a wonderful article on how a proper diet can help lighten your skin!

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7 Ways To Achieve Skin Pore-Fection

1. Smooth from the start. Makeup primer can make skin look impressively more even. Add a light dusting of powder foundation. It won't clog pores, and will help with excess oil. Tip: Look for bismuth-chloride free mineral make-up. Bismuth-chloride should be avoided because it can be irritating and cause cystic acne. If you choose a liquid foundation, be sure that it is oil-free and non-comedogenic.

2. Get rid of tiny hairs. Sometimes the base of the hair follicles can appear darker, making the pore more obvious. Tip: Hair removal by threading can leave your skin super-smooth. For teeny-tiny hairs, pore strips can be effective, and will also remove clogging impurities at the same time!

3. Know your skin type. Because an oily complexion can lead to oil being trapped in pores. These deposits can oxidize and become dark in color, creating the blackheads that often accompany larger pores. Tip: Keep that skin squeaky clean with a gentle exfoliating cleanser or natural acne treatments that work to keep pores clear. Many of us have an oily T-zone, so we may have to pay particular attention to these areas, which can have larger pores.

4. Power-up you anti-aging regimen. Time and UV rays break down collagen and elastin structures that prop up the pore walls. Tip: Protect rain or shine with an oil-free SPF, and use a product with retinol that boosts elastin and collagen production. Some products are specifically labeled as "pore minimizing", and can be very helpful.

5. Avoid the magnifying mirror. I say this a lot, but this is where you see imperfections that no one else can see - and encourages picking. Picking can lead to a kind of scarring that permanently enlarges the pore. Tip - If you have decent eyesight, the magnifying mirror should be for emergency use only. Don't let that magnifying mirror turn tiny imperfections into bigger ones. If you can't see them without magnification, nobody else can either!

6. Cleansing and moisturizing nightly. Yes, what your mother told you is the best advice. Gentle cleansing and replenishing the hydration helps keep pores unclogged, thus appearing smaller. And, impurities that age the skin are removed so you can get a full, real, beauty rest!

7. Look for products that are ph balanced. Cleansers, serums and lotions can pull your skin off-balance. Look for gentle cleanser, and check the information on your anti-aging and other serums, that they are close to the pH of your skin, around 4.5.

Rebecca Brayton is founder of the Relogy Natural Acne Treatment. Brayton and The Customer Service Team at Relogy take on issues facing acne prone skin every day. Find out more about how to get rid of acne at http://www.relogynow.com

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Are You Having An 'Old Face' Day?

You know the look, right? Bleary eyed, sagging cheeks and droopy eyelids - your double chin is working its way throughout the entire jaw area and that wattle is hanging lower than ever. Wearing an old face can be more than a confidence killer as you try to go about your day hoping that no one notices your stern demeanor and sour expression because, as you know, it's all about your face.

Wishing your old face would somehow magically return to the face of yesteryear isn't enough to help you look and feel your very best. Surgery and injections scare you. Skin care isn't sophisticated enough to correct the sagging and droopy features. So, sagging facial muscles and tired looking skin attributes to you looking older than your years. So what are your choices?

An anti-aging, organic diet helps. Eating salmon, avocados, blueberries, asparagus spears, unsalted almonds and other healthy items can certainly support a superb lifestyle but these items will not lift and tone the sagging facial muscles. Sure, you may enjoy clearer skin as in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles may slightly lessen but does a healthier eating regime promote tighter skin? No.

Will dropping a few pounds and working out at the gym provide the look of a lifted face? No. Seeing a svelte woman in leotards sporting a shapely body does not mean that her face will match her torso. Yes, beginning a better eating plan and learning to love a workout are certainly steps in the right direction but will extra activity produce the desired results of youthfulness or are you destined to be disappointed again?

Developing a younger looking face takes desire and dedication to leave the old, tired face and do something very proactive for yourself, your confidence and your well-being.

Scary injections that plump and paralyze muscles and soft tissue can be over-used and risky surgical procedures can seem barbaric; after all, cutting perfectly healthy tissue can hold dangerous consequences for your face. Maintenance requires that these costly modalities be repeated and refreshed on a regular basis if you want to maintain "the look" created by your practitioner. This type of upkeep and maintenance can cost you several thousands of dollars per year.

So how many years will you allow your face to be subjected to procedures? What happens when you've decided that you've had enough pricks and surgery is no longer a viable option?

There is a procedure that works economically for everyone with fast, proven and sure results - facial exercise.

Facial exercise that teaches isometric contraction with resistance can produce marvelous results; in hardly anytime at all, your facial contour improves, the drooping stops, the lifting begins and your skin appears smoother. Muscle atrophy, the biggest culprit of facial aging, can be remedied by performing easy to learn techniques in just minutes a day.

When you look in the mirror, what disturbs you about your face? Do you have sagging cheeks, a lined forehead, crows' feet, a double chin and more? Facial exercise can change the shape and contour of your face in just a few weeks. This means that day by day, week by week, your muscles tighten and reposition while your skin becomes more radiant and smooth.

Using your thumbs and fingers to anchor muscles you most likely don't even know you possess, allows you take control over your aging face so an "old face day" becomes a distant memory. Imagine your forehead looking taut, lifted and smooth with once droopy eyelids now tighter and eyebrows more youthfully positioned.

Learning the routine is easy and once you know the movements, you have this technology for life. You absolutely free yourself from using harmful substances and risky procedures, opting instead for an all natural solution to sagging facial muscles.

Are all facial exercise programs the same? No. Some exercise routines are twists, contortions and funny faces. The exercises that teach anchoring techniques performed wearing exercise gloves will target the atrophied muscles quickly. As muscles become stronger, your results last longer and longer. The process is easy and the results can be astonishing. Imagine a natural face lift in just minutes a day.

Resistance exercise has been proven to tone and lift muscles in the body. Isometric exercise that teaches resistance training for the face is highly effective and targets the entire face and neck - upper eyelids, the brow, upper cheeks, double chins, a lumpy jaw lines, a turkey neck and much more.

Restoring a youthful vitality to the face is safe and the results are long lasting.

If you see an old, tired face looking back at you, just know there is no reason to panic or to lament your misfortune. Facial exercise will help you look 5, 10 even 15 years younger without pain, drugs or anything harmful. All you have to do is slip on your exercise gloves, walk to your mirror and execute simple, easy-to-perform movements that will have you smiling in hardly any time at all.

Your friends and family will see the differences as you proudly wear your new face while you say goodbye to 'old face days' forever.

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all natural facial fitness. She has appeared on The View, The Today Show, Rachael Ray, The Doctors and other popular shows. Cynthia is the host of The Ageless Sisters on http://www.blogtalkradio.com and author of The Magic of Facial Exercise. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children's inheritance.

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Why Isn't Makeup Good For Your Skin?

Every day we see the ads on TV, billboards and magazines that advertise this product or that product that will magically make you look younger but did you know that many products that may have good short term effects may actually damage your skin and make you look older.

There are many ingredients that are in cosmetics and skin care products that are harsh and do not nourish your skin as they should. Some of those products are petroleum, parabens and PABA. These products form a layer that does protect you from the elements but they dry out the outer most layer of skin and give an older appearance. This type of product also deprives the skin of oxygen and doesn't allow the skin to breath properly. This makes the skin slippery and appears healthy but under magnification the skin cells appear shrivelled from the exposure to the products.

There is information that the European Union has banned the use of all petroleum products in skin care and cosmetics because they say that it could be toxic and cause cancer. What I would like to know is when will it be banned in North America?

On the other hand if you add vegetable glycerine to your skin products the skin cells appear plump and healthy. Vegetable glycerine actually attracts moisture to your skin and helps it to be healthier. Read the labels on you beauty products and see if you can find ingredients that are probably petroleum based and take them out of your cart.

It's crazy to think that they are manufacturing products that may harm your skin and market them as beauty aids. I know that I will now be more aware of the products that I purchase and will try to avoid those with harmful ingredients.

Some names used for petroleum ingredients.

· Mineral oil 

· Paraffin 

· Wax oil 

· Prolatum oil 

· Petroleum oil 

· White petroleum oil 

· Deobase 

· Vaseline

All of these are by-products of the process of producing gasoline from crude oil. There are different grades of oils depending on the amount of filtration is done but it is still a by-product of crude oil no matter how filtered it is. YUK!

Even though it may appear to that these products are lubricating your skin all they really do is form a slippery layer that makes your skin appear hydrated.

Artificial colors and scents can also be unhealthy for your skin. Yes we all want products that smell great but many of the scents can irritate and dry out your skin. Choose products that are unscented to be sure that there are no irritating agents in the products.

Krista McMillan

http://happymakingmoneyfromhome.com/

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The Health Benefits of Yoga Training at Home

Yoga training at home is so revolutionary in that yoga can be practiced by individuals of all ages and all shapes and sizes, as well as by individuals suffering from a slew of complex health problems. This practice is accessible to everyone and can drastically better the life of whomever is practicing; it has even been shown to alleviate the pain associated with pregnancy and even mediate childbirth pains.

How Yoga Helps Women :
Not only has yoga training been shown to dramatically increase flexibility, but the core strengthening exercises associated with the practice have the ability to improve posture. Because yoga strives to make all participants more aware of their bodies and their sense of self, this increased self awareness prompts individuals to recognize when their bodies begin to slump and thus straighten up accordingly.
Currently, with all the stressors of modern living, more and more individuals are faced with high blood pressure. Yoga forces participants to stretch out their entire bodies, resulting in improved circulation and better oxygenation, resulting in lower blood pressure. Not only will yoga get you on your way to an ideal body, but also make your doctor more content during your next appointment.
Yoga has also been scientifically proven to improve the immune system and increase the metabolism. Women in particular are unfortunately faced with a slowing metabolism as they age, but engaging with yoga can help to balance out your metabolism and keep your system in check. This increased metabolism also has the potential to jumpstart your body into weight loss mode - women who practice ashtanga yoga have a tendency to burn more calories and shed any extra weight they may be carrying.
For those who may still be uncomfortable with the idea of practicing yoga in a group setting, consider investing in home personal trainers to get you started on the path to a fresh, svelte you. Do not let the anxieties of group exercise prevent you from drastically improving your health and well being.

How Yoga Helps Men :
The strength training associated with yoga enables men to create the shoulder muscles they have always desired. Yoga can aid in improving bone density and also has been shown to lower cholesterol, something that men are more prone to than women. The practice significantly aids in weight loss while simultaneously producing firm, well defined muscles that men traditionally crave.
Many chronic conditions such as arthritis and back pain can be alleviated, as well as mental health illnesses ranging from depression to bipolar disorder to obsessive compulsive disorder. Many men commonly express concern over the inevitable shrinking muscle mass that is unfortunately a part of the aging process. Yoga can reverse this process by utilizing resistance training.

How Yoga Helps Everyone:
Many times, investing in a diet and exercise program can get tiresome after a month when tangible results on the body cannot be seen. Hiring home personal trainers can provide you with a professional to give you an objective opinion about the progress of your training. Many trainers chart progress using circumference techniques, changes in body mass index, and aerobic testing; therefore, you will be able to specifically see the changes that your body is making. With this approach, if you aren't satisfied with the results, you and your trainer are able to modify your practice to get to a point where you feel happy and healthy.
From a mental health standpoint, many individuals praise the stress-reducing qualities that yoga provides. Yoga training is usually made up of breathing techniques and the occasional meditation tactic, leaving practitioners with an increased sense of serenity. This revolutionary practice has also been shown to improve concentration and mental stamina, as the movements boost the oxygen levels to the brain.
Yoga has also been cited as strengthening memory and the ability to learn, an ability that usually fades with time. Because the practice increases a person's self-acceptance, regular practitioners are able to go through life with a better understanding of themselves and the world around them, something that many individuals spend their whole lives seeking.
Elizabeth Crutchfield is the owner of HomeBodies, a NYC Personal Training Service. Learn more about all the services HomeBodies offers by visiting their website at: NYC-Personal-Trainers.com.
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Weight Lifting Diet

If the question is asked - what do you need in your diet to gain muscle and at the same time, lose fat, then the answer is almost always the same. Protein!
The fact is that protein consumption can add muscle bulk. Protein consumption also means you reduce your appetite, thus no need to stack up on the calories.
In reality however, protein is only one part of the puzzle. A diet for weight lifters and people in general begs a comprehensive intake of more than just a lot of protein.
According to scientific studies, the level of testosterone in men within the western world has dropped by 20% in the last 20 years.
Here are some nutritional basics you should understand in order to craft a hormonal balance that is worthy of a true alpha status male.

Carbohydrates
Carbs are very often the focus for diets, particularly the fat-loss diets. Ever since Doctor Atkins decided that we should not indulge in eating doughnuts any longer, carbs have taken a huge beating. Before Mr Atkins got involved, doughnuts were an accepted form of nutrition, but it had to be the reduced fat type. So, if we decided to partake in the lower fat version, we felt a lot better about ourselves.
Doughnuts aside, carbs tend to get a bad rap - much worse than they deserve. They come to us in a variety of forms - some are not so good, where others are much more beneficial.
The bad carbs come in the form of highly processed foods. In reality, they should not really be considered as foods, other than the fact that they are edible. For some people, they are delicious, but fact of the matter is that they've undergone some crazy scientific process.
Obviously, if you process the good stuff out of our food, then there's a point where it's not healthy any longer.
Getting down to basics, carbohydrates are merely a collection of sugar molecules. Once consumed, your body attempts to break this down into a source of fuel. Fiber, sugars, and starches are all basic forms of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are made up from two main types: simple as well as complex. There is another type, and that is fibrous carbs. Fibrous carbs come from green vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, peppers, and more besides. Nevertheless, for this discussion, we will not focus on fibrous carbohydrates.
Simple Carbs
What are simple carbs? Well, simple carbs include foods such as syrup, sweetened soda, table sugar. In an ideal world, it's best to avoid these types of carbs, other than on the "cheat" days whereby some may indulge themselves.
This type of carb is the "bad" carb that the fitness pros talk about on a regular basis. Included on this list are things like beer, cookies, puppies, snuggles, cakes, candy...
So, for most people, the very idea of fun eating is now off-limits.
So what is allowed, you may be wondering?
Complex carbohydrates such as apples, peas, oatmeal.
A Slightly-More "Complex' Point of View
For a long while most people considered that complex carbs were far better, but now we've changed over to believing that simple carbs are often the ones to fit the bill.
But it's not so much about healthy hormones and healthy metabolism that matters. It is about how quickly the body breaks the carbs down and also about how much the carb intake will spike your blood's glucose levels.
A more sophisticated way to qualify carbohydrate quality is by using the glycemic index (GI).
What the GI does is that it attempts to classify foods in terms of how fast they break down and also by how high they boost sugar levels within the blood.
For some time, people would argue that you could maintain insulin levels at a lower rate even if you eat a lot of carbs.
Well, for sure, this in some ways is true, the fact remains that there will not be too much difference to the size of your waistline if you stick to eating French fries instead of potatoes.
Both low-carb diets as well as low-GI diets are not going to provide a magic pill in order to lose weight. The idea though is that you eat the right amount of the "right" foods, in order to fuel your metabolism.
What's more however, you do need to consume carbohydrates, regardless of what some dieting gurus will tell you. If you don't consume carbs then your body will turn to breaking down muscle tissue in order to fuel your energy needs.
As a general rule, the ideal is to avoid simple carbs and high-GI foods.
The worst thing to do is to eat carbs on their own. Eating carbs with protein will slow down the rate of digestion of the carbs, and also lowers the glycemic or insulin response, as well as off-setting a number of the negative connotations that comes with the consumption of too many carbohydrates.
Fats
For a very long time, fats have been blamed for every food-related health problem you can think of. For almost 20 years in recent times, low-fat was regarded as being healthy. It's how many people determine if food is safe or not - if it's low fat, then it surely has to be good for you. Or, if there's no saturated fat content, then that's about okay.
Oddly enough, within North America, as the word spread around about the "fact" that fats were bad for us, and as the consumption of fats decreased drastically, the rates of obesity increased.
There's no single reason to be piling the blame on here, but there are some reasons that do stand out. Higher frequency of snacks and meals. Larger food portions. Too much sugar consumption - regularly in the form of "low fat" foods and drinks.
What's the bottom line though?
Fat is a necessary part of our diet, and it's very possible that you are not consuming enough fats. Fat in general is good! It's good for the heart, it's good for testosterone production, and it's also good for building muscle.
But these things aside, fat also plays a very important role in your overall body functions. It coats the nerve tissues, thereby making them more "productive" and efficient. Fat also serves as a substrate for a group of hormones termed as "eicosanoids". Eicosanoids help to regulate functions such as blood pressure, blood clotting, and inflammation. Fat is a requirement for basic human physiology, so it's a most thoroughly necessary constituent of our daily dietary needs!
What's more however, not all fats are the same. So here's some info about the different types of fats, and why they should be a part of your diet, with the exception of one - the trans fats.
Good Fat - Monounsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated fats are to be found in nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and also in high-fat fruits like avocados. It's also found in olive oil.
This type of fat helps to raise good cholesterol while lowering the levels of bad cholesterol. They're said to also be beneficial in helping to lessen weight gain.
Good Fat - Polyunsaturated Fat
Similar to monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated help to fight against bad cholesterol. They can be found in foods like sunflower oil, various seeds, fish oil, and salmon. Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are also termed as essential fatty acids, or EFA's.
EFA's have to be ingested because our bodies are unable to manufacture them. The body requires these nutrients in order to remain healthy and function optimally.
Good Fat - Saturated Fat
Saturated fats are one of the most misunderstood substances that we consume. And this is partly because a number of studies linked saturated fat to heart disease.
Nevertheless, in more recent times, it's been concluded that the findings of those early studies were in fact flawed and there is no link between heart disease and saturated fats.
There are several more recent studies conducted on hunter-gatherer tribes that gained 50-70 percent of their daily diets from saturated fats, but yet they did not suffer any health issues. Oddly enough, when the original studies were conducted, these tribes people were totally ignored.
After a 20-year review, the chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard - Walter Willett, publicly claimed that saturated fats have no link to heart disease and are not responsible for the high rates of obesity currently seen in North America and beyond.
Saturated fats are one of the very best sources of energy that your body can get, and that is why carbohydrates are stored naturally in the form of saturated fats.
Research has shown that foods that are higher in saturated fats are often the ones that are actually lower in total calories. And what's more, saturated fats have the ability to boost testosterone levels.
So, assuming that you are not vegetarian or vegan, you should make sure you eat lots of red meat, dairy products, as well as eggs in order to get enough saturated fats in your diet.
Bad Fat -Trans Fats
Trans fats are the only bad fat available for consumption. They are in fact one of the worst types of food that can be consumed. They are found in foods such as potato chips, French fries, in addition to a variety of other fried foods.
You will find trace amounts of trans fats in meats and some other foods - they occur naturally. However, most trans fats to be found are not naturally occurring at all. They are man-made so to speak, and they are manufactured through a process called hydrogenation. What happens is that a good monounsaturated fat, in the form of liquid oil, is packed full with hydrogen atoms, and thus the original oil is converted to a solid fat.
It possesses a high melting point as well as a smooth texture, and may be reused over and over in the deep-fat frying process. And this is what makes it an ideal product for the food industry.
So, the main concept behind trans fats is that they are over-processed foods which offer the vendor and consumer an oil that has a long shelf-life. In reality, you should try to avoid these oils as much as you possibly can. The health risks far outweigh any benefits.
Nevertheless, if you must partake in consuming junk food, then so be it. After all, most of us like the occasional binge on our junk food. And in which case, it's best to also make sure that overall your diet is good, and that you also achieve a good amount of regular exercise.
Protein The Alpha-Macro
Both fats and carbohydrates have been rated as number one and number two in terms of the public enemy, whereas protein has enjoyed a slow and steady rise up the charts and now sits prominently right at the very top.
Definitely a favorite among bodybuilders, and pretty much everyone who is involved in fitness and health in some way, protein is used within the body to repair damaged tissue - muscle, hair, teeth, bone. It has other functions too of course - you can think of it as mortar for which to lay bricks upon - a foundation, in a sense. Without protein, your body will begin to break down.
Protein is also good in aiding fat loss and building muscle. It helps to create an anabolic hormonal environment, and provides "materials" in order to build muscle bulk.
Protein is made from amino acids. From the 22 standard amino acids, only nine can be obtained through the consumption of food, and the body manufactures the remaining 13. The ones that have to be ingested are called "essential amino acids", and these include:

Threonin
Methionine
Valine
Leucine
Tryptophan
Lysine
Phenylalanine
Isoleucine
Histidine

A whole or complete protein will contain some amount of each of these essential amino acids, whereas an incomplete protein lacks one or perhaps more essential amino acids.
Amino acids play another role - they help with the creation of hormones within the body. These hormones aid in the regulation of blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels, which is, in turn, responsible for muscular growth and metabolic rate. Thus, proteins are immensely important, particularly those to be found in eggs, cheese, fish, red meat, and poultry.
In Conclusion
As something of a brief conclusion, do you, if you read through this article, sense some sort of trend going on here? Processed foods that are sold with the words "healthy" or "natural" printed on the side of the packaging - well, it's pretty much downright lies being told here!
Getting back to nature is the way that we should proceed, so it's far better to build your diet (and your health) around nature's own food - whole foods that are unprocessed. Although, the addition of something like whey-protein is not such a bad thing either.
Lift smart at http://www.howtoliftweights.comArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Coggins

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Best Anti Aging Creams

While you can control many of the causes of aging skin, such as using sun protection and not smoking, you can't control everything, and you may need help repairing past damage and slowing natural biological changes. Looking younger is important in today's youth-oriented society, so there is intense pressure to use the best anti aging creams available to combat the visible signs of aging such as sun damage, rough, uneven skin tone and wrinkles. Here's what to look for when selecting an anti aging cream.

As we age, the fibers that support our skin, called collagen, begin to diminish and shrink. This causes skin to lose plumpness and firmness. The best anti aging creams include collagen boosters that slow the reduction in collagen production and help to replenish lost collagen. To ensure that your anti aging cream boosts collagen, look for products that work on the cellular level to boost your body's collagen production. Ensure that your anti wrinkle cream provides clinical proof that it increases collagen, and look for ingredients that include the words "collagen," "kollagen" or "cytokine." Nut oils such as almond oil also help boost collagen production while moisturizing and smoothing skin.

Photo aging, or sun damage, is one of the leading causes of older looking skin. In addition, sun damage contributes to the possible formation of dangerous skin cancers, so it's important to prevent and reverse sun damage whenever possible. You should start immediately to take precautions such as always using sunscreen and wearing a hat that shades your face when you are outdoors, but you also need to take steps to reverse the cumulative effects of years of sun exposure. Rough patches, brown "age spots," loss of brightness and uneven color can all result from sun damage. Retinol is one of the best ingredients for reversing sun damage, so look for "retinol" or "Retin A" on the list of ingredients. Fruit acids or glycolic acids also help to reduce visible sun damage. The best anti aging creams include one or more of these ingredients. As a key benefit, reducing sun damage helps smooth the skin's texture and increases its brightness, making skin look younger immediately.
Dryness makes fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable, so the best anti aging creams include moisturizers and ingredients to plump and smooth the skin's surface. Moisturizers work by preventing the skin's natural moisture from evaporating. Lipids, peptides and nut oils are the ingredients to look for to ensure that your cream has adequate moisturizing properties. The best anti aging skin creams have moisturizers that penetrate the skin to moisturize from the inside, while also preventing evaporation from the outside. Moist skin has a brightness and a natural youthful glow to it, and the increased plumpness of the cells fills in crow's feet and fine lines.
Some anti wrinkle treatments can cost hundreds of dollars for a single jar, and a three to six month supply costs over a thousand dollars if you buy the entire line, including the special eye reams and lip plumpers. The best anti aging creams, such as Kollagen Intensiv, are much less expensive, contain all the key ingredients, and can be used on the face, neck, lip and eye areas, so you achieve maximum anti-aging benefits at a much lower cost.
MyReviewsNow.net offers information regarding selecting the best anti aging creams. For more on anti aging products, please visit us at MyReviewsNow.net.
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Ten Tips to Losing Weight

You can lose weight only when your calorie expenditure is higher than your calorie intake. Dietary changes and regular physical activities are usually sufficient for balancing the calorie intake and expenditure.

The goal of a fat loss diet is to reduce the calorie consumption without causing nutritional deficiency. Exercises help the body to utilize the fat reserve of the body for meeting the energy requirement during activities. Regardless of your age and health condition, you can easily shed the excess flab with the help of appropriate physical activities and diet.

Tips to Lose Weight

1. Reduce Calorie Intake 

We gain weight by eating high calorie low nutrient foods and by eating large portions. To lose weight, count the calories. Reduce the portion sizes and include nutritious low calorie foods in your diet.

2. Eat Complex Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrate is the major energy source of the body. About 50 to 55 percent of your daily calorie requirement is met from carbohydrate foods. To lose weight, add only complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, brown bread, vegetables and fruits to your diet. Complex carbohydrates by keeping you full for a longer time, helps to reduce hunger.

3. Avoid Added Sugar 

Sugar increases the calorie value of your diet. Sugary treats are rapidly digested, making you hungry easily. To lose weight, avoid foods and beverages containing sugar and processed carbohydrates.

4. Limit Saturated Fats 

People on low fat and low calorie diet should stay away from saturated fats. The calorie loaded animal fats increase the fat reserve of the body.

5. Eat Healthy Fats 

However, you can consume a small amount of plant fats such as olive oil and avocado. Fish oil is also good for health. Moreover, the unsaturated fats help to drive away unhealthy fats from the body.

6. Exercise Daily 

Moderate intensity cardio workouts at least for 30 minutes, five days a week, help to burn fats. As you become accustomed to your workout schedule, consider increasing the difficulty level and duration of the workout to lose more weight.

7. Strength Training 

Strength training helps to maintain healthy body weight by reducing body fat and increasing the lean muscle mass.

8. Sleep Well 

The metabolism rate of the body is affected by the quality of sleep. Your body needs sufficient sleep to maintain the healthy metabolism rate that helps it to burn fats.

9. Drink Plenty of Water 

Dehydration can slow down the metabolism rate of the body. Drink plenty of water to maintain the normal metabolism rate.

10. Do not Skip Meals 

The body switches into hoarding mode when you fast or skip meals. To lose weight, eat four to six small meals throughout the day.

Joshua "Coach" Kozak has been a fixture in the world of health and fitness for over 10 years. My favorite website for I Loved This and the best Read Full Article online

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Lack Of Sleep And Weight Loss

Belly fat, and gaining weight is a sign that something isn't working properly in your body. It's so unfortunate that overweight people are blamed for gaining weight by people say it's the result of them overeating and under-exercising.

The thing in common people suffer when they have gained weight is STRESS. It is stress that causes emotional eating. Stress also depressed the metabolism in a normal body, and can make you gain weight while still eating your "normal diet". And stress can also prevent restorative sleep, which in turn, slows down the metabolism.

Sleep and Stress

People under stress are oftentimes sleep deprived. Think about how stress affects your sleep. Even if you are exhausted, oftentimes your sleep is disturbed with thoughts about the issue that is stressing you. This can result in disruption of your normal sleep patterns and keep you from getting restful restorative sleep.

Sleep Deprivation & Weight Gain

Recent findings are showing the relationship between lack of sleep, and weight gain. Research from the American Heart Association showed that even 1 hour and 20 minute difference between two groups of subjects was enough to make the sleep deprived group eat an average of 549 additional calories each day! In another study, it was found that subjects had a correlation of body fat with their sleep patterns. Those who slept the fewest hours per night weighed the most.

Lack of sleep is associated with the hormones that control your hunger and satiation cues. Not enough sleep will turn down your Leptin levels and cause Ghrelin to rise. Increased Ghrelin, stimulates appetite and makes you feel unsatisfied with the amount of food that you eat. Leptin, which is produced in your gastrointestinal track turns off the hunger by sending signals to your brain that you've had enough.

This is a perfect combination to make you over-eat, adding additional calories that you don't need!

Lack of sleep can become part of a vicious cycle. If you are sleep deprived, and have started putting on weight a frequent problem is Sleep Apnea. That's a condition where abnormalities, thought to be caused by overweight cause the soft tissue in the rear of your throat to collapse, closing off air passages many times during the night. It stops you from breathing and causes a tendency to snore. The end result is disruption in your sleep. Even when you've given yourself what would seem adequate time to sleep, you only get half as much actual deep sleep. You not only feel tired all day, but it affects your Ghrelin and Leptin levels, adding weight, and contributing to the sleep apnea!

Cutting back from the standard eight down to four hours of sleep each night also was shown to produce striking changes in glucose tolerance and endocrine function. These changes resembled the effects of advanced age or the early stages of diabetes: after less than one week!

Similar to the problems with Insulin resistance (Metabolic Syndrome, or Syndrome X) some people have been shown to be Leptin Resistant. It's like when your body is telling you stop, but you brain doesn't pay attention. And this is NOT under your control.

Rather than telling yourself that "pushing it" to stay awake longer and work by filling yourself with caffeine; you are sabotaging your efforts at weight loss, AND aging your body and brain!

If you don't get enough sleep because you are working too hard, or playing to hard, your efforts may be "waisted" into belly fat (pun intended).

Best selling author and Coach-sultant, Lianda Ludwig, M.S. works with overwhelmed, frustrated dieters who have been burned out by repeatedly losing weight only to gain it back time after time. For most dieters, she reports, stress has precipitated weight gain and must be addressed before permanent weight loss it possible. Losing weight is not just about what you eat; it's about what's eating you.

Learn about the Mentabolism Mindset Transformation Program < http://www.MentabolismMakeover.com > that creates a successful mindset to eliminate cravings, binging, starving yourself and vanquish the stress, so you can lose weight, and keep it off without naturally, without ever dieting again.

Get her free report: 5 Dirty Secrets the Diet Industry Doesn't Want You To Know at http://www.MakeItSoMindset.com/reportArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lianda_Ludwig

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Smart Eating And Weight Loss

The pounds have piled up; the pants are getting too tight. It is high time to start losing off the extra weight. Planning right from the beginning makes it easier to succeed in your weight loss plans.Keep track of what you eat and the type of exercise you do every single day. Write everything down in your journal. This gets things organized and you will be better motivated to continue on.
Cooking your own meals let you have total control over what to put into your body. No more extra oily, salty or sweet food from cafes and restaurants to tempt you and make you stray from your diet.Get some good cookbooks promoting healthy weight loss recipes, some basic cookware and you are well on your way to healthy cooking. You might be pleasantly surprised at the results.
When shopping for groceries, be sure to check the calories count and list of ingredients listed on the food packages. Do not be misled by advertisements such as natural, sugar-free and non-fried. Look at the fine prints. Every little bit counts towards your weight loss goals.
Eat smaller portions at each meal. Invest in smaller size plates to make sure you are not tempted to eat more. Less food on a bigger plate might give you the impression that you are not eating enough and end up taking more food. Just make sure you are having well-balanced meals, even though smaller portions.
The occasional deviation from your diet is no big deal. Being too strict might lead to stress and this is not good for your weight loss plans. You might get so frustrated and just give up. Stress can also lead to binge eating.
Sticking to the same old food day in and day out can be boring and uninspiring. Try healthy food from around the world right at home. Some of them can be easy to cook in your home kitchen.
Eating your main meals in front of the TV, work table or computer screen is a typical bad habit among some of us. It is difficult to be eating healthily this way and besides it is bad for your digestion. If you must be munching on some food while working, munch on carrot sticks instead.
Poor food choices, unhealthy snacks and too much fast and processed food not only lead to an expanding waistline but also clogged arteries. Taking control of the way you eat can lead to positive weight loss and a healthy body.

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7 Homemade Detox Drinks for Weight Loss

These homemade detox drinks for weight loss are a natural way to melt the fat fast. Detoxification removes toxins and helps you reach your weight loss goals in a relatively short period of time. So naturally it's a good idea to detox your body on a regular basis.It's important to note, if you plan on drinking only detoxification drinks for more than a few days, make sure your current health status allows you to change from your normal diet to a detox diet. Before doing any kind of long-term or drastic detox you should consult with a doctor.With that said, here are 7 homemade detox drinks to help you lose weight:

1. Tea: Tea is a natural detox drink that expels toxins from your system. Dandelion tea, green tea, peppermint tea, and ginger tea are especially effective in supporting weight loss. Drink 3-5 cups of tea daily to support your weight loss efforts.
2. Cranberry Juice: Cranberry juice enhances the body's metabolism, which is essential to converting fats into energy instead of excess weight. Along with eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, drinking cranberry juice is a very effective way to lose weight. Plus, this detox drink also helps clear nicotine and alcohol from your system in just about four days. Drink at least 32 ounces of 100% natural organic cranberry juice every day.
3. Cabbage Juice: Cabbage is very effective for detoxifying your liver. And because your liver is responsible for the detoxification of your body, it is an essential part of your detox and weight loss plan. If you have a juicer, juice up some cabbage, carrots and pears for a deliciously refreshing detox drink.
4. Cabbage Broth: For a satisfying hot drink, simmer a head of cabbage along with carrots, onions and a pinch of salt, then strain and drink. You can also add other vegetables to pack more nutrients into this hot detox drink, which is very effective for detoxifying your liver.
5. Cucumber and Lemon: This might seem like a surprising combination, but the effects of these two ingredients was tested by professional nutritionists and found to be a very effective detox and weight loss drink. All you have to do is use a blender to mix 1 cucumber sliced into tiny pieces and the juice half a lemon. Drink at least 2 times per day. This detox drink boosts your metabolism, which is essential for losing weight quickly, and you'll notice how it loads you with energy.
6. Master Cleanse Lemonade: This is probably the most popular detox drink for weight loss in the industry. It was made famous by celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Beyoncé Knowles because it is an extremely effective detox drink for weight loss and for improving your skin complexion. This is a perfect homemade detox drink to lose weight fast. Mix lemon juice, organic maple syrup and a dash of cayenne pepper into a 10 oz. glass of water. Sip on this drink all day for best results.
7. Salt Water Cleanse: At the start of your detox, you might want to do a salt water detox to cleanse your digestive system and prepare your body for weight loss. Do this on a day when you have plenty of time to stay home near the bathroom as it will run through your body very quickly. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of natural sea salt into one quart of lukewarm water. Do not use table salt; it will not have the same effect. Stir or shake until the salt is dissolved. Drink and then relax. Most people report a bowel movement within 30 minutes to two hours and several more may follow. Once you have cleansed your system, restore it by eating yogurt to replenish the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract, drink juice, and eat fresh, soft-cooked and steamed fruits and vegetables.

In addition to these detox drinks, make sure to eat lots of veggies, fruits and whole grain foods that fill you up and give you the best chance for quickly losing weight.My name is Beth Winter and I am on a mission to help people just like you get healthy and find relief. When my daughter was diagnosed with fatty liver, we were scared. After hundreds of hours of research, we know what works!
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