Health ⯀  

How can you fit into a sexy dress in five months? You began to panic and you thought that the only way to get into shape in just a short period of time is to ask for divine intervention.

Here’s some good news for you: Achieving your ideal weight in a span of five months is highly possible.

You bumped into a high school friend and she has invited you to attend to her wedding that will happen 5 months from now.

Though quiet excited for her, this invitation gave you cold sweats.

How can you fit into a sexy dress in five months? You began to panic and you thought that the only way to get into shape in just a short period of time is to ask for divine intervention.

Here’s some good news for you: Achieving your ideal weight in a span of five months is highly possible.

Simply follow these easy yet effective tips.

1. Set a goal

A popular quote by Fitzhugh Dodson says "Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination"

This quote is highly applicable when it comes to weight management. Once you made the decision to get into shape, your next question would be: What's my ideal weight?

Set a goal so that your effort is measurable. Also, when setting a goal, make sure that it is attainable in a given period of time. Instead of setting one huge goal, make it smaller and increase it as you go along. Say, your goal for this week is to lose 3 pounds. Increase it to 5 pounds the next week until you have fully reached your ideal weight.

2. Exercise to trim and tone

If you want to fit into an old pair of jeans, you would need to establish a regular workout routine. Invest in exercises that would not only burn those extra calories but would also strengthen your core and give you a toned body.

One example of an exercise that will get you into shape in no time is the dip and crunch exercise. It targets your triceps, shoulders, oblique and abs.

Biking is also an excellent way of getting fit. It’s a good cardio exercise plus it’s an overall workout as it focuses on your arms, legs, hips, but and abs. You also get to enjoy the beautiful sceneries and fresh air.

Research first on the best exercise bikes for weight loss before buying one to ensure that you’re getting the best value for your money.

3. Eat a balanced diet

You can't just raid the fast-food restaurants for every meal and expect to lose weight effortlessly.

Compounded with an active lifestyle, eating a balanced diet will help you get to where you want to be when it comes to the weight department.

Have lots of fruit and vegetables every meal as they are low in calorie, plus they are a good source of fiber, protein and carbohydrates. You can eat as much broccoli as you want without feeling the guilt afterward.

Related articles

• New Technology Tracks Carcinogens When They Move Through the Body 
• 7 Unique Ways Technology is Improving our Health 
• High Intensity Physical Exercise Shown To Improve Intelligence 

4. Drink adequate fluids

Did you know that drinking fluids, particularly water, can help you lose weight?

Many people have developed the habit of drinking water after they wake up in the morning. This does not only refresh them but also kicks off their metabolism. Drinking plenty of water will also eliminate cravings and overeating. Before you dig on that plate, drink a glass of water first.

Also, lots of hunger cues are actually not hunger at all but thirst. If you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first before heading out to grab a cheeseburger. If your hunger fades, that means that you weren't hungry in the first place.

5. Include strength training

Strength training does not only make you strong, but it's also the easiest way of burning fats and building muscles. It helps you lose fat faster since you are burning more calories when you have more muscles.

Aside from a toned and healthy body, strength training also makes you healthier. It helps you build a strong heart, increases bone density, improves blood circulation, reduces blood pressure, improves cholesterol level, controls blood sugar and improves your coordination and balance.

6. Cut sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats from your diet

Getting into shape needs more focus and discipline. If you want to strut your toned body in a few months, you have to make a conscious decision to stay away from sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.

It's hard initially but once you've established a healthy diet, your body will no longer crave for these unhealthy foods.

There's no magic pill to get fit. It would need lots of determination, focus and discipline. Getting into shape for just a short period of time is not impossible at all. Apply these tips and you will be amazed at how to fit you have become.

By  Jennifer O'Neal	Embed
Jennifer O'Neal is a writer who loves to write an article on various topics such as health, fitness, exercise etc. She is a lifelong cyclist, enjoying the thrill of an outdoor ride as much as the one on her indoor cycling bikes. She uses exercise bikes for weight loss & fitness.

Diet  

Black pepper is considered the “King of Spices” throughout the world due to its pungent principle ingredient, piperine. Piperine is not only a flavour enhancer, but also has been found to be a natural remedy for many common ailments, and now it is being shown to help another super-spice, turmeric unlock its health benefits when combined together.

Many argue that the best dietary health supplements in the market today come from natural sources. There are a number of reasons for this determination including, safety and cost. This is part of what makes turmeric and black pepper one of the best combinations available. The two natural products have been combined in the supplement known as Bioperine™ which is famous for its properties.

Related articles

• Supplements Used to Slow Aging in Mice 
• Substance Related to Vitamin B3 May Hold Key to Regenerative Medicine 
• Brain Enhancement Pills That Work 

The supplement is made by extracting curcuminoids from turmeric, which are the most active agents when it comes to body healing properties. Curcuminoids help by reducing inflammation and well as boosting the body's immunity providing relief from various ailments, while boosting the immune system. Turmeric is however not as powerful as it is on its own which is where black pepper comes in.

Black pepper is a powerful agent when it comes to dealing with cancers thanks to the presence of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and flavonoids. It also is full of carotenoids among many other antioxidants. These work to reduce the toxic level of substances in the body which is among the leading cause of some cancers.

 

 

Pepper also stimulates digestion by stimulating the stomach walls to provide more hydrochloric acid which is the main ingredient needed to digest food. It is also known to be an effective remedy for colds and flu, because it is loaded with Vitamin C. Many take in extra pepper by adding it to honey or simply by swallowing peppercorns whole. Black pepper also aids in weight loss which is one of the reasons why it is one of the leading additives in most weight reduction supplements in the market.

The reason why black pepper is what it is today is due to a bioactive ingredient known as piperine. Piperine helps in all of the above-named processes and is also one of the main ingredients in Bioperine. Black pepper piperine is combined with turmeric to increase absorption in the body.

Turmeric is not as bioavailable in the body in its raw nature taking agents to get absorbed and work in the body and so piperine increases this ability by over 2000 times. This unbelievable ability makes supplements like curcumins readily available enabling the body to achieve optimal levels in a shorter time when it comes to absorbing important minerals.

Black pepper has also been found to be a powerful antidepressant and that is why this chef’s favorite in the kitchens is making piperine one of the most useful natural extracts today.

By  Maggie Martin

Embed

Author Bio -Maggie Martin is currently completing her Ph.D. in Cell Biology. When she is not busy at the university, she takes interest in a variety of things such as lifestyle, food, health, herbal medicine, and the benefits of turmeric. Follow her on Twitter @Maggiemartink.

Health  

Here are some tips for a healthy colon. It all starts with ensuring that you get at least one bowel movement in everyday.

Ideally, one should have at least one bowel movement daily. Unfortunately, not all of us have a healthy digestive system to promote regular bowel movement. If you experience less than three movements per week, you should seek treatment for constipation. It could be a symptom of many diseases. Constipation can be caused by side effects of medicines, hormonal disorders, and an unhealthy diet, says Wikipedia.org. One way to prevent the symptom is by growing healthy food habits.

How Colon Cleansing Helps

Let’s first understand how our digestive system works. After you take a meal, the food is broken down in your stomach. Most of the nutrients are absorbed by the small intestine. The remains move to the large intestine, and some nutrients are absorbed there. Now the undigested particles enter the last five feet of the large intestine or the colon. How easily the body can release the waste depends on what you eat. 

Related articles Researchers Pinpoint Brain Circuits That Trigger Overeating  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Technology May Be Possible  AIDS Vaccine Off To Promising Start

Fiber rich foods are easy to digest that they promote healthy bowel movements. If, however, you experience constipation for some days, consider undergoing a colonic therapy. One good idea is to get colon hydrotherapy from a reputable wellness center like New Jersey Colonic. This helps to flush out the fecal matters and toxins from the colon, which eventually promotes healthy bowel movements. 

Foods You Should Eat

A lot depends on what you eat and drink. For best results, consider taking around 30 grams of fiber every day. You can opt for fiber rich foods, such as, whole grains, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread. Also, include beans and legumes in your everyday diet. One good idea would be to add beans to salads and soups. Apart from fiber, beans also contain minerals, vitamins and proteins. This means that regular consumption of beans can lower the risk of several diseases. You should also take a whole lot of fruits and vegetables. Consider taking pears and apples, blackberries, and carrots. However, it is advisable that you should increase your fiber consumption gradually. Sudden increase may trigger some negative side effects. Also, make sure that you take a lot of water and other fluids regularly. 

Other Steps to Take

Medical experts also recommend that one should not hold back the call of nature. This could cause dehydration of waste materials.

It is important to get colonic treatment regularly from an acclaimed wellness center.

This eventually causes hardening of the waste materials. You can consider taking colonic treatment at regular intervals for best results. Exercising could also be quite effective. Depending on your age and current medical condition, you can consider doing jogging, walking, running, swimming, cycling, gardening, or dancing. It is important to make the job enjoyable. For instance, you can consider doing exercises while watching television. Another good idea is to take part in exciting outdoor activities, such as, hiking or mountaineering.

It is important to get colonic treatment regularly from an acclaimed wellness center. Make sure that the get colon hydrotherapy under the guidance of an experienced therapist. In order to prevent any chance of infection, you should check whether filtered water and sterilized equipment are used for the therapy.

IMAGE SOURCE  http://www.fivestarcolonic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/conolbg.png 

By 33rd Square

Embed

 Diet Pill  

Researchers have developed a fat-burning compound called fexaramine that leads to weight loss without typical side effects. Fexaramine tricks the body into reacting as if it has consumed calories.

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed a new type of pill that tricks the body into thinking it has consumed calories, causing it to burn fat. The compound effectively stopped weight gain, lowered cholesterol, controlled blood sugar and minimized inflammation in mice, making it an excellent candidate for a rapid transition into human clinical trials.

Unlike most diet pills on the market, this new pill, called fexaramine, doesn’t dissolve into the blood like appetite suppressants or caffeine-based diet drugs, but remains in the intestines, causing fewer side effects.

"It sends out the same signals that normally happen when you eat a lot of food, so the body starts clearing out space to store it. But there are no calories and no change in appetite."

When the researchers gave obese mice a daily pill of fexaramine for five weeks, the mice stopped gaining weight, lost fat and had lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels than untreated mice. The mice also had higher body temperature–which signals metabolism ramping up–and some deposits of white fat in their bodies converted into a healthier, energy-burning beige form of fat. Even the collection of bacteria in the guts of mice shifted when they received the drug, although what those changes mean isn’t clear yet.

“This pill is like an imaginary meal,” says Ronald Evans, director of Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory and senior author of the new paper, published January 5, 2014 in the journal Nature Medicine. “It sends out the same signals that normally happen when you eat a lot of food, so the body starts clearing out space to store it. But there are no calories and no change in appetite.”

Related articles Scientists Develop Drug That Slows Alzheimer's in Mice  Potential Diabetes Breakthrough  Is Brown Fat The Key To A Healthier You?

Evans’ laboratory has spent nearly 20 years studying the farensoid X receptor (FXR), a protein that plays a role in how the body releases bile acids from the liver, digests food and stores fats and sugars. The human body turns on FXR at the beginning of a meal, Evans and others have shown, to prepare for an influx of food. FXR not only triggers the release of bile acids for digestion, but also changes blood sugar levels and causes the body to burn some fats in preparation for the incoming meal.

Pharmaceutical companies aiming to treat obesity, diabetes, liver disease and other metabolic conditions have developed systemic drugs that activate FXR, turning on many pathways that FXR controls. But these drugs affect several organs and come with side effects. Evans wondered whether switching on FXR only in the intestines–rather than the intestines, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands all at once–might have a different outcome.

“When you eat, you have to quickly activate a series of responses all throughout the body,” says Evans. “And the reality is that the very first responder for all this is the intestine.”

“It turns out that when we administer this orally, it only acts in the gut,” explains Michael Downes, a senior staff scientist at Salk and co-corresponding author of the new work. Giving one such drug in a daily pill form that only reaches the intestines–without transporting into the bloodstream that would carry the drug throughout the body–not only curtails side effects but also made the compound better at stopping weight gain.

Evans thinks it has to do with the natural order in which the body’s molecular pathways normally responds to a meal.

“The body’s response to a meal is like a relay race, and if you tell all the runners to go at the same time, you’ll never pass the baton,” says Evans. “We’ve learned how to trigger the first runner so that the rest of the events happen in a natural order.”

Because fexaramine doesn’t reach the bloodstream, it is also likely safer in humans than other FXR-targeting drugs, the researchers think. They’re already working to set up human clinical trials to test the effectiveness of fexaramine to treat obesity and metabolic disease. Ideally the drug, administered under a doctor’s guidance, would work in conjunction with diet and lifestyle changes, similar to weight-loss surgeries or other obesity or diabetes drugs.



SOURCE  Salk Institute for Biological Studies

By 33rd Square

Embed

 Biohacking  

Cristi Vlad has used a ketogenic diet to achieve a healthy, high energy, and according to his research, long-lived body.  In this article, he shares the benefits of the metabolic state of ketosis.

Most people do not know what ketosis means. Those who may know about it often confuse it with keto-acidosis (a high-acidic metabolic state occurring in people suffering from Type 1 Diabetes).

In Type 1 Diabetes the body cannot produce insulin to cleave glucose from the bloodstream and allow it to enter into the cells for energy. Since the body cannot efficiently use glucose for energy, it releases fat from adipocytes to be used for energy.

Some structures in the body cannot use fatty acids directly for energy. One of these structures is the brain (fatty acids cannot directly cross the blood-brain barrier).

That's why some of the fatty acids from the blood stream (which have been released from adipocytes) are transported to the liver, which will engage in ketogenesis: ketone body production (Acetone, Acetoacetate, Beta-Hydroxybutyrate). These metabolites will then be used by the body for energy (especially the brain).

However, in keto-acidosis the body makes too many ketones and along with high-blood sugar can create a potential harmful effect.

Ok, so what is ketosis?

On the other hand, nutritional ketosis occurs when your liver makes ketone bodies from fatty acids in the presence of low blood glucose. So, most people going on a restricted carbohydrate diet (on average < 50g of total carbohydrate consumption/day) will start the process of ketogenesis.

Nutritional ketosis occurs when your liver makes ketone bodies from fatty acids in the presence of low blood glucose.

Your brain can draw up to 70% of its energy from ketones (Acetoacetate and Beta-Hydroxybutyrate), while the remaining energy is provided by glucose (which does not necessarily have to come from eating carbohydrates).

This is the same mechanism that your body uses when being deprived of food. Once the glycogen (glucose storage in muscles and liver) is depleted, your body turns to burning fat for energy (either directly used as fatty acids or by producing ketones). Several studies have shown potential benefits for the brain running primarily on ketone bodies (see references). All these benefits emerge from the same premise: lower inflammation levels (lower oxidative stress).

Your heart can take up to a few weeks to adapt to using ketones for energy, but once it is adapted, it may run much more efficiently compared to when it runs on glucose. Veech and colleagues have done studies and reached this conclusion.

Your muscles can adapt to running on ketone bodies but the process of adaptation can take from a couple of weeks to a couple of months or sometimes years (yes, you wont keto-adapt overnight).

I've been following a well formulated ketogenic nutrition protocol for more than a year now. It's relevent to mention the amount of fat that I've burned throughout the whole time. Once you get keto-adapted (months to 1-2 years), losing fat may be your last concern.

I've written about these benefits on my blog, but I'm going to mention the most important benefits here:

1. Higher energy levels

Related articles  Is Brown Fat The Key To A Healthier You?  Researchers Propose New Strategy To Fight Aging Anti-appetite Molecule Released by Fiber May Help Overcome Obesity

I require less sleep (though I usually sleep 6-7 hours because I do not want to disrupt hormonal activity). I do not feel lethargic or sleepy after meals, the same way that I did when I followed a higher carbohydrate approach to nutrition. I usually wake up at 6 AM and have the same higher level of energy until going to sleep at 10-11 PM. 

2. No hunger - No Cravings

Once you stay in ketosis for a while and start getting adapted to this type of nutrition, you may alter your gut microbiome by lowering the population of sugar craving "bugs". As soon as your body knows that it can efficiently rely on its own fat storage for energy it does not enter in panic mode every couple of hours as your blood sugar levels fall after a meal.

I usually schedule my days around the activities that I have to do and not around the meals that I need to have every couple of hours. There are days when I do not have time to eat because I have a lot of stuff going. I am satisfied that I'm not disrupted by hunger. Besides, as a former sugar addict, I'm very happy that I do not crave fries, pasta, high-carb sweets, pizza, and all the related. I do eat very dark chocolate (very low carb) every day though.


3. Ability to fast for longer periods of time

Sometimes I do intermittent fasting (for hours, or even days). This gives my body extra time away from processing food and it allows it to focus on repairing processes. This also has the potential of increasing longevity because of the lower oxidative stress that it outputs.


4. Higher mental clarity
When your brain does not rely on sugar (after a period of adaptation to ketosis), you feel like you have more mental power, you can go longer hours of intense focusing on a certain task without being disrupted by hunger. I mostly felt this after the first few weeks in ketosis. Now, it feels like a routine.


5. You become a fat burning machine

This is not the magic pill that disrupts processes throughout your body and promises melting fat off in an instant. This is a complete metabolic change that I think one should stick to if they decide that it's best for them. I lost a lot of fat from my abdominal area once I embarked and stuck to this approach and I've finally achieved the abs I wanted to have all my life.

I personally do not advocate for getting in and out of ketosis because I think you're confusing your body and it does know whether to rely on fat or on glucose. A well formulated (nutrient rich - with plenty of greens and healthy fats) ketogenic diet does not have to be cyclical (for no reason).

What's in it for me?

My philosophy for sticking to ketosis is that of targeting lower oxidative stress. This nutritional approach is only one of the interventions that I use for this purpose. Others may include:

- lowering exposure to non-native electro-magnetic-field,

- lowering exposure to blue light,

- optimizing my life around the normal circadian clock,

- using cold-thermogenesis as a means to mitigate ROS (reactive oxygen species),

- using intermittent fasting as a means for caloric restriction which has been shown to promote longevity,

- training under a weight lifting protocol which I do once or mostly twice a week.

- and other interventions that I'm still testing and tweaking.

References:

1. Phinney, S. D., Bistrian, B. R., Wolfe, R. R., & Blackburn, G. L. (1983). The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: physical and biochemical adaptation. Metabolism, 32(8), 757-768. 

2. Westman, E. C., Feinman, R. D., Mavropoulos, J. C., Vernon, M. C., Volek, J. S., Wortman, J. A., ... & Phinney, S. D. (2007). Low-carbohydrate nutrition and metabolism. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 86(2), 276-284. 

3. Volek, J. S., Fernandez, M. L., Feinman, R. D., & Phinney, S. D. (2008). Dietary carbohydrate restriction induces a unique metabolic state positively affecting atherogenic dyslipidemia, fatty acid partitioning, and metabolic syndrome. Progress in lipid research, 47(5), 307-318. 

4. Yudkoff, M., Daikhin, Y., Horyn, O., Nissim, I., & Nissim, I. (2008). Ketosis and brain handling of glutamate, glutamine, and GABA. Epilepsia, 49(s8), 73-75. 

5. Yudkoff, M., Daikhin, Y., Melø, T. M., Nissim, I., Sonnewald, U., & Nissim, I. (2007). The ketogenic diet and brain metabolism of amino acids: relationship to the anticonvulsant effect. Annu. Rev. Nutr., 27, 415-430. 

6. Gasior, M., Rogawski, M. A., & Hartman, A. L. (2006). Neuroprotective and disease-modifying effects of the ketogenic diet. Behavioural pharmacology, 17(5-6), 431.
7. Veech, R. L. (2004). The therapeutic implications of ketone bodies: the effects of ketone bodies in pathological conditions: ketosis, ketogenic diet, redox states, insulin resistance, and mitochondrial metabolism. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 70(3), 309-319. 

8. Phinney, S. D. (2004). Ketogenic diets and physical performance. Nutr Metab (Lond), 1(1), 2. 

9. Volek, J. S., & Westman, E. C. (2002). Very-low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets revisited. Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine, 69(11), 849-849. 

10. Cahill Jr, G. F. (2006). Fuel metabolism in starvation. Annu. Rev. Nutr., 26, 1-22.

By Cristi Vlad

Embed

Author Bio - Cristi Vlad, the author of Ketone Power, is an avid researcher and self-experimenter who wants to gather as much knowledge and experience as possible in approaching higher life span through various interventions.

Most of the people can undertake these interventions as soon as they become aware on how their environment and the stimuli from the environment have a powerful and sometimes decisive influence on their lives.

 Diet  

Researchers have found that small amounts of the short-chain fatty acid acetate, released as a result of the fermentation of dietary fiber in the gut, accumulates within certain neurons in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that helps regulate hunger.

A
 study led by Imperial College London and the Medical Research Council (MRC), an international team of researchers identified an anti-appetite molecule called acetate that is naturally released when we digest fiber in the gut. Once released, the acetate is transported to the brain where it produces a signal to tell us to stop eating.

Researchers have long realized that consuming a fiber-rich diet will suppress appetite and reduce food intake in both mice and humans, a phenomenon previously attributed to the release hormones in the gut.

"Our research has shown that the release of acetate is central to how fiber suppresses our appetite and this could help scientists to tackle overeating."

This work is the first to establish a link between fermentation in the colon with activity in the brain.

The research, published in Nature Communications, confirms the natural benefits of increasing the amount of fiber in our diets to control over-eating and could also help develop methods to reduce appetite.

The study found that acetate reduces appetite when directly applied into the bloodstream, the colon or the brain.  fiber is found in most plants and vegetables but tends to be at low levels in processed food. When fiber is digested by bacteria in our colon, it ferments and releases large amounts of acetate as a waste product. The study tracked the pathway of acetate from the colon to the brain and identified some of the mechanisms that enable it to influence appetite.

Related articles Yale Researchers Find Way To Reverse The Brain's Clock  Tiny Hair Sized Endoscope Camera Can See Single Cells  Researchers Pinpoint Brain Circuits That Trigger Overeating

“The average diet in Europe today contains about 15 g of fiber per day,” said lead author of the study Professor Gary Frost, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London. “In stone-age times we ate about 100g per day but now we favor low-fiber ready-made meals over vegetables, pulses and other sources of fiber. Unfortunately our digestive system has not yet evolved to deal with this modern diet and this mismatch contributes to the current obesity epidemic. Our research has shown that the release of acetate is central to how fiber suppresses our appetite and this could help scientists to tackle overeating.”

The study analysed the effects of a form of dietary fiber called inulin which comes from chicory and sugar beets and is also added to cereal bars. Using a mouse model, researchers demonstrated that mice fed on a high fat diet with added inulin ate less and gained less weight than mice fed on a high fat diet with no inulin. Further analysis showed that the mice fed on a diet containing inulin had a high level of acetate in their guts.

Using positron emission tomography (PET) scans, the researchers tracked the acetate through the body from the colon to the liver and the heart and showed that it eventually ended up in the hypothalamus region of the brain, which controls hunger.

Frost commented, “The major challenge is to develop an approach that will deliver the amount of acetate needed to supress appetite but in a form that is acceptable and safe for humans. Acetate is only active for a short amount of time in the body so if we focussed on a purely acetate-based product we would need to find a way to drip-feed it and mimic its slow release in the gut. Another option is to focus on the fiber and manipulate it so that it produces more acetate than normal and less fiber is needed to have the same effect, providing a more palatable and comfortable option than massively increasing the amount of fiber in our diet. Developing these approaches will be difficult but it’s a good challenge to have and we’re looking forward to researching possible ways of using acetate to address health issues around weight gain.”

The research team is now working to determine whether targeted delivery of acetate could be a viable therapeutic option for conditions like obesity down the line.


SOURCE  Imperial College London

By 33rd Square

Embed