5 Strategies to Up Your Energy Levels Naturally

If you are ever feeling low on energy, the first thing to think about is your nutrition.

Often times we forget about our diet as the key to maintaining good energy levels.

Before you reach for that next cup of coffee or that energy drink, think of these five strategies to increase your energy naturally.

Hydration: This is the number one factor we often forget about. If you're ever slightly dehydrated, you will feel like you are dragging. By simply drinking enough water, you can be sure this is not the cause of low energy levels. Keep in mind that diet sodas do not hydrate. If you're a diet soda drinker, then you're likely increasing your energy artificially.Vitamins and Minerals: If you exclude any food group or are following an extreme diet, you may lack specific B vitamins or minerals that are needed to maintain energy levels. A simple multivitamin will cover anything you might be missing out on in your diet. However, the goal is to get all your vitamins and minerals from foods, and not have to supplement. But, in some cases like following vegan diets, vegetarian diets, and dealing with food intolerances, you may need supplementation.Glycemic Index: The glycemic index is a good way to tell how quickly a sugar will be used and absorbed by your body. There is no need to follow a low glycemic diet for the average person. But, if you feel like you experience sugar crashes, it might be a good idea to investigate the glycemic index of the foods you typically eat. Carbohydrates: Following a low or no carbohydrate diet can leave you feeling sluggish and unable to focus at times. This is because the brain is not getting enough of the carbohydrates it needs to run efficiently and you start to feel fatigued. By simply adding an extra fruit, or starchy vegetable into your low-carb diet, you will get that energy boost you need to hold you over until your next meal.Exercise: To put this simply, exercise gets gets our blood pumping. You may feel sluggish before your exercise, but as soon as you get warmed up that oxygen will be flowing to your tissues. You will feel increased energy for a few hours following the exercise as well.Do you have any tips or tricks to naturally maintain high energy levels?

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Rating the Fad Diets

Your Boss May Hate You If You're Fat

What if you were looking for a job and another candidate snagged the job because she was thinner than you?

Or, what if your thinner coworker was paid more than you? This is a disturbing thought.

Studies in the past have shown evidence of weight discrimination in the workplace for women, but these studies were done in the United States where gender discrimination is more prevalent. Luckily, a new study from the University of Iceland was recently published showing a strong correlation between overweight and a decreased employment rate, especially for women.

Iceland is the perfect place to perform this type of study because there is a low rate of gender inequality. For example, Iceland elected the first woman president. So, the results are disappointing that there is still bias against overweight women in the workforce.

The study also researched men in the workforce and their weight. There was a positive relationship for overweight men--they held more jobs and were paid slightly more. And we are not talking a difference of a small chunk of change. Various studies have shown thousands of dollars difference in salary even if you are 25 pounds overweight (University of Florida, US study).

So, what are we to do about this weight and gender bias?

It seems that even in those countries with little to no gender inequality, there is still fat discrimination. Perhaps it is a subconscious discrimination on the employer's part, but that still doesn't justify it.

Do countries need to have laws against weight discrimination?

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Coffee for Cancer Prevention?

Coffee has been repeatedly studied for its antioxidant benefits.

Studies have increasingly shown positive results that drinking four cups per day may help reduce cancer risk. However, there have been conflicting results on whether or not coffee is a true health beverage.

The latest research on coffee was published in the Journal of The National Cancer Institute this May. The research was a large, ten year study following over 40,000 men and over 5,000 that had prostate cancer.

Men who consumed six or more cups of coffee had a lower risk for prostate cancer. Researchers noted that the risk rate was not associated with the caffeine in the coffee. Even lower risk rate was shown in those with more lethal prostate cancer. These results are significant and bring to mind the health benefits of coffee. Reduced Alzheimer's riskReduced Parkinson's riskReduced risk for Type 2 DiabetesReduced Heart Disease riskReduced Stroke riskImproved liver health and reduced risk of liver cancerReduced risk of various cancersAntidepressant effectReduces appetite temporarilyIncreased LDL risk (the "bad" cholesterol)Increased acid reflux or GERD riskInterferes with iron absorption, and therefore has a negative impact on those with iron deficiencyHeadachesHypoglycemia and increased stress hormones for someDecreased fertility for those trying to get pregnant
So far, with all the research out there, it's likely that the positives of drinking coffee outweigh the negatives at this point, so it's up to the consumer to decide. Some recommend green tea as an alternative which is known for its high antioxidant potential. Although for some, coffee is one of the highest antioxidant sources in their diets. It is also important to remember not to load up your coffee with cream and sugar.

For me, I will continue to stick with my coffee. How about you?

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Quick Trim: Popular Diet Supplement Review

Quick Trim has become internationally popular in the last year thanks to the popular celebrity endorsement of the Kardashian sisters.

The supplements were released in 2009 and two years later many people all over the world are using them to lose weight. However, is Quick Trim worth all the hype?

The Quick Trim product line consists of four products: Extreme Burn, CelluSlim, Fast Cleanse, and Burn and Cleanse. You can buy the products online or at your local drugstore from $25 to $50 for a one month supply of each product. This is one of the pricier supplements, but they do have to pay the celebrities for their endorsements. Caffeine (200 mg), Vitamin C, Niacin, Chromium, Amino Acids, Banaba Leaf Extract, Sage Leaf Extract, Willow Leaf Extract, Cocoa Extract, Black Pepper Extract, Fruit Extracts, Green Tea, Aloe, Oat Fiber, Various Seed and Root Extracts Cleanse and detoxifyBurn fat and boost metabolism (burn up to 8,000 calories per month)Reduce cellulite to shape and tone your bodyBoost energy levels and increase moodDecrease bloating and water retentionMaintain blood sugar levelsCurb cravingsThe caffeine (which you can find in two cups of coffee), acts as a mild stimulant, a temporary diuretic, and a mild appetite reducer. The niacin may make your face feel hot and flushed to give you the sensation that the product is working. Chromium has been heavily studied and researchers are still unsure if it may help promote stable blood sugar. All of the other ingredients in Quick Trim are fairly insignificant. A few may act as a mild laxative or add a few grams of fiber to your diet.

Mainly, Quick Trim could likely calm your appetite for about 15 to 60 minutes and act as a mild laxative. However, I don't believe it is going to help you shed pounds. This supplement is likely safe, but every person is different and those allergic to caffeine or who have low caffeine tolerance should be cautious. Quick Trim is not FDA approved. As always, proper diet and exercise is the key to safe and long term weight loss.

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Is Eating Fruit Making You Fat?

If you've read the most popular diet books for the past decade, then the answer is a resounding YES!

But is there scientific rationale for the demonization of something we've been told to eat daily?

The ever-popular Dukan diet shuns them - too high in carbs, says the good doctor.And no surprise that the darling of low carb, Gary Taubes recommends eschewing fruits.Ditto for Tim Ferris, author of "The 4-hour Body" who includes the avoidance of fruit as one of his "slow carb" diets 5 rules. And another new kid on the diet book block, "The 17-Day Diet", recommends not eating any fruit after 2:14pm, Eastern Standard Time (or something equally ridiculous).And let's not forget the scads of books based on the glycemic index scale - with a variety of fruits higher in glycemic index strictly verboten - the equivalent of drinking a blended snickers bar.

Before looking at the data, we must apply context. Any category of food can be "fattening" in high enough amounts. Gorging on mangos, bananas and apples all day long will hinder any fat loss goal.

Also, having said fruit in the form of juice adds copious amounts of sugar and calories to the diet without yielding much in the way of nutrition - even though they count as "servings" of fruit.

While studies that examine strictly fruit intake and body composition are hard to come by, you know what's impossible to come by? Studies that show fruit consumption CAUSES weight gain.

Here's a study that showed a net fat loss with 3 apples or pears per day.

Add that to the multitude of studies showing vegetable and fruit consumption boosts health in many ways and you'd be hard-pressed to convince me to ditch my daily apple.

And if these authors are trying to play the "fruit-drives-insulin-and-insulin-makes-you-fat" card - wrong again! Doesn't happen when calories are kept in check and protein is adequate.

Eating a variety of fruits will give you a broad range of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that serve to lower disease risk. There is absolutely no need to eliminate them from your diet, not eat them after 1:18pm during a crescent moon when the dew point reaches 2.780, or in any other situation. Just don't go overboard.

Has fruit been part of your weight loss diet?

Image Credit: Flickr

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Obese Women Have More C-Sections

An often overlooked risk of obesity in women is the effect on childbirth. A study of almost 12,000 woman found that doctors are 2.5 times more likely to perform a Caesarean section on obese women.

The underlying issue here is whether the C-Sections are really warranted.

Researchers suggest that many doctors are afraid to deal with obese women. Labour can be slower and physicians fear that a heavier woman means a heavier baby and hence a higher likelihood of getting stuck on the way out.

Of course C-Sections are quite minor compared to other potential complications of being obese and expecting. Other risks include; A higher risk of death to mothers and a near doubling in the odds of a baby dying in the womb or within the first year of life (about 8 more per 1000 according to one study).Increased risk of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and preterm birth.Obese women are less able to fight infections such as chorioamnionitis - a potentially serious condition that can lead to blood clots in the mother's pelvis and lungs, and to meningitis, blood infection or respiratory problems in their newborns.Babies of obese moms are at higher risk for iron deficiency, which can impair brain development.Obese women have a 2-3x greater risk of delivering a baby with a neural tube defect (defects of the brain and spinal cord) than women of normal weight, and the heavier the woman, the worse the risk.

Everybody is uncomfortable when you're dealing with a very big woman "You're sort of damned if you do and damned if you don't. The caesarean is going to be difficult, and so is the vaginal birth."

-Dr. Lawrence Oppenheimer, site lead for obstetrics at the General Campus of the Ottawa Hospital.

The surgery itself is technically more difficult on a heavy woman... We need to use a standardized protocol for the management of labour, and instead of saying, 'I think it's going to go bad,' actually try to give the woman the proper time to labour".

-Dr. Haim Abenhaim, maternal and fetal medicine specialist and director of perinatal research at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital.

It makes sense to make calls on an individual basis and sound research rather than assumptions and fears when it comes to delivering babies from obese mothers.

At the same time, more education is warranted when it comes to the health risks for both mother and baby of carrying too much weight. Canadian pregnancy specialist call current attitudes "laissez-faire" when it comes to addressing pre-pregnancy weight.

Source: Montreal Gazette
Image Credit: Flickr/Falcon

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5 Great Food and Nutrition Tools

Making smarter food choices is half the battle when it comes to losing weight and getting healthy.

With an overwhelming amount of food choice in our modern superstores, this can be a daunting task.

Here's a few food and nutrition tools that you can use to plan your meals and grocery lists before stepping foot into the danger zone and a few tools that can help you stick to the particular weight loss method you're using.

1. Do you have trouble choosing between two foods? Sometimes what we think would be healthier actually isn't. TwoFoods allows you to enter both foods and then compare the two based on calories and nutrition.

2. A few months ago we mentioned the site FoodFacts.com that allows you to analyze exactly what's in your food before you buy it. Now you can take FoodFacts with you on your iPhone with their new app.

3. Are you on a low carb diet such as The 17 Day Diet? Here's a great tool that allows you to see how different foods compare carb wise. This will make carb counting a lot easier.

4. If you're trying to figure out exactly what ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats you should be eating according to your weight loss method, then this calculator can help with planning your daily meals.

5. Do you love Weight Watcher's new Points Plus or Pro Points? Here's a handy points calculator that allows you to figure out the points of any food, based on its macro-nutrients.

There you have it, a few food and nutrition tools to make life a little easier. Hang in there and all the best on your journey to be healthier.

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Do Celebrities Hurt The Vegan Cause?

We all know the drill. Some celebrity watches a video of animals being mistreated on farms.

This produces an emotional response and a vow to never eat meat again, but because they are famous, this proclamation is usually made from some national talk show. They appeal to their adoring fans to join in the cause.

What happens when the celebrity falls off the vegan wagon?

Ginnifer Goodwin from the popular show Big Love recently told Jimmy Kimmel that she had to give up being vegan for "health reasons". She stressed that she was still against the poor treatment of farm animals, but loves free range eggs and only has burgers in restaurants.

Last year we mentioned that Angelina Jolie gave up a vegan diet because she said it almost killed her and this caused quite a heated debate about what it really means to be vegan. Also, who could forget Gaga's meat dress? (although it wasn't really about veganism)

I wonder if having celebrities endorse anything is a good idea, as we have seen time and again celebrities fall from grace and take their endorsements down with them. After all, celebrities are just people and many have personality types that would lean towards being a tad flaky. Does being in a movie or a TV show really make someone so special that they get to tell everyone else what to buy or what cause to believe in?

I imagine the veganist movement isn't very happy with Goodwin's latest about-face, declaring that veganism wasn't healthy for her. I would imagine that after watching that interview there were a few vegans that made a late night run for Taco Bell.

So what do you think about celebrities endorsing things like vegan diets? Should celebrities just shut up about their diets and instead just focus on promoting their work?

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How to Eat More Greek Yogurt in Your Healthy Diet

Greek yogurt is perhaps one of the best foods to use for losing weight and eating healthy.

Not only does it provide great nutrition and beneficial probiotics, but it's also a very versatile ingredient. There are some great ways to begin eating more Greek yogurt everyday that you may have never considered.

When many people think of yogurt or Greek yogurt, they automatically think sweet and fruity. However, I'm an advocate of using all natural, plain Greek yogurt instead of the sweet varieties as I think sugar and/or artificial sweeteners negate some of the health benefits that yogurt offers.

I usually use regular Greek yogurt, but the low-fat variety is good too, just be mindful of which thickeners are used in the low-fat varieties. I had to "retrain my brain" to think of yogurt as a savory food and not just a sweet food, but once I did, it opened up a whole world of possibilities. Here are a few of my favorites.

Use it instead of sour cream. Think of all the ways sour cream is used in/on foods such as Mexican, bake potatoes, dips and soups. Greek yogurt gives food the same cool, but zingy flavor with less calories and fat, but a lot more protein.Use Greek yogurt as a salad dressing. Combine one cup Greek yogurt, the juice from 1/2 a lemon, garlic, sea salt, some chives, and you then have an easy, but very tasty, salad dressing.Use it in your oatmeal. Add a couple tablespoons of plain yogurt on top of your oatmeal. I don't sweeten my oatmeal, but just use some dried fruit and nuts in it. The zing of the yogurt contrasts nicely with the light sweetness of the dried fruit.Use Greek yogurt on Indian curries. I love Indian curries and especially my lentil curry which has become a staple of my muscle building diet. The coolness of the yogurt contrasts well with the spiciness of the curry.Discover Turkish Cuisine. Turkish food is full of healthy Mediterranean flavors and spices. Greek yogurt is a staple in Turkish recipes.

There you have it, a few suggestions on how you can incorporate more healthy Greek yogurt into your diet without adding more sugar or artificial sweeteners. Of course, these are just some of the ideas that I've discovered. Perhaps you can add to the list?

Add your Greek yogurt ideas in the comments below.

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6 Easy Ways to Reduce Colon Cancer Risk

Colorectal cancer kills 950 Americans, 320 Brits, 73 Australians, 175 Canadians and 24 Kiwis on average each week.

An ongoing project that has analyzed and compiled the data from 749 scientific papers to date, has established 6 ways people can reduce their risk of being another bowel cancer statistic.

A few easy dietary and lifestyle changes can make a lot of difference in reducing your risk.

The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research are behind this effort and common sense would dictate that the sooner that these recommendations are put into practice, the greater impact they will have on a person's overall risk.

Reduce body fat, especially around the waist.
Cut back on alcohol consumption.
Eat fiber rich, plant based foods such whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses as the majority of your diet.
Limit red meat intake to no more than 500 grams a week.
Avoid processed meats entirely.
Get adequate exercise.
This is an ongoing effort and there's much more to learn about colon cancer. However, the research to date identifies the above 6 as being simple ways you can reduce your bowel cancer risk.

Personally having two grandparents die of colon cancer, I especially am concerned with reducing my risk as it has also been shown to have hereditary links. While colon cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, it is also believed to be the most preventable.

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