Are you sleeping through the night?
Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” all day?
Do not fear, I have some great tips (and an amazing recipe) for you!
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Category: Weight Loss
6 Reasons Why Your Metabolism is Slow | And What Can You do To Increase it?
You may feel tired, cold or that you’ve gained weight. Maybe your digestion seems a bit more “sluggish”. You may be convinced that your metabolism is slow.
Why does this happen? Why do metabolic rates slow down?
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Everything You Think You Know About Healthy Eating is Wrong
Oh my gosh – nutrition and diet info is everywhere! And each expert and association tries to lead you in their direction because they know best and their advice is going to help you. Right?
Well, maybe…but
Everyone has heard the intense focus on how much you eat. This has gotten way too much attention because while this does affect your weight and energy level, it’s certainly not the “holy grail” of health.
Let’s focus a bit more on the often overlooked (and proven) benefits of what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink it.
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Three Ways to Avoid Overeating at Meals
Sometimes those holiday feasts are just amazing, right? And it’s not just the abundance of delicious food but also the people, the decorations, and the ambiance.
It is way too easy (and common) to indulge on those days. But it doesn’t always stop there. Sometimes we overeat on regular days. Or at regular meals. Or All. The. Time!
Here are three tips to avoid overeating at meals.
(hey! turn these into habits and forget about willpower!)
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Metabolism and Calories – What’s the Connection (and do I need to worry about it)?
This word “metabolism” is everywhere these days, right?. You only know that if yours is too slow you might gain weight. But what exactly does this all mean?
The Sugar Effect in Our Diet | The Cause of the Obesity Epidemic
Recently I watch a lecture done by UCSF endocrinologist Robert Lustig to the UCSF extension students. He made the point, with proven data, that the cause of the Obesity epidemic over the last 30 years is one single factor: increased amounts of sugar in our diet. You can watch the lecture of Dr. Lustig’s here, and I recommend you take the time to watch it. His lecture has become viral since it was uploaded on YouTube in 2009, it’s been viewed almost five million times.
This documentary opened my eyes even more about the problems that we faced due to the overconsumption of sugar and process food. Dr. Lusting proved that over the last 30 years people all over the world are gaining weight not because they eat too much, but because we are consuming too much sugar in our diets and not eating the right foods. He proved that our food system is broken and the cause of all the epidemic is not laziness or gluttony. Continue reading “
FIBER in Your Diet | Essential Nutrient for a Healthy Live
You have probably heard or read that is highly important to include Fiber in your diet, right? But what is Fiber? In which foods can you find it? What are the benefits to include Dietary Fiber in your diet? In this article I want to help clarify these common questions.
What is Fiber?
Fiber is not a nutrient itself. It helps your body eliminate toxins, prevent diseases and even help you lose weight. It has very important functions, especially in the intestine.
Dietary fiber (DF) is included between the classification of carbohydrates. The definition of fiber is still not entirely clear yet. We can say that it is all the material from plants that escapes intestinal digestion by action of enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. This does not mean that fiber is not degraded or metabolized, in fact much of it is fermented in the colon producing compounds that the body absorbs and uses.
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Nutrition Myths | Don’t fall into these myths!
Nutrition has always been a topic of great interest and concern to a large percentage of the population. There is a variety of nutrition myths and misconceptions that are widely spread throughout the history. In many cases these issues are dealt with ignorance.
Very often people want to group foods into good and bad; the ones that make you fat or thin; useful and harmful to cardiovascular health, etc. But nutrition is a complex science and any simplification is wrong. Nutrition as a science is relatively modern and is hidden in an apparent simplicity; however it is a complex matter that requires study and continuous updating.
In the following lines I will uncover some Nutrition Myths and controversies that have been spread throughout time:
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My Super Foods Guide | Part I
In this first post of Super Foods Guide I will list the foods you should always have in your kitchen, ready to prepare delicious and nutritious meals:
1. Nuts:
Walnuts are the best sources of vegetable protein. They are rich in Fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Nuts are also high in plant sterols which help block cholesterol absorption in the intestine. They are also full of omega-3 fats we know are our favorites. Nuts have a high fat content of these compared with other nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc.. Of course, we should always eat them in moderation as they can easily add many calories to your meal. A handful is enough of daily portion.
2. Oats:
A cup of oatmeal contains:
- 147 Kcal
- 2.3 g of fat
- 25.3 g of carbohydrates
- 6 g Protein
- 3.98 g Fiber
A cup of oatmeal in the morning not only satisfy you for a good part of the day, but also gives you many benefits. They are rich in vegetable protein, Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium and Manganese. They are also packed with Fiber. That if you remember to choose the whole grain kind. It has been concluded in many studies that eating a bowl of oatmeal daily decreases by 29% the risk of cardiovascular events.
Include oats in your breakfast, mix in recipes of biscuits, cakes, pies, breads, etc. to enhance their flavor and nutrients.
3. Olive Oil:
In the last post we talked about the benefits of Olive Oil. We have seen that monounsaturated fats help reduce bad cholesterol, the same fat is present in olive oil. That is why now I recommend to change the cooking oil you are using now for olive oil. This oil has been more studied and proven to help prevent cardiovascular disease through its effect on cholesterol. Always look for the Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it contains polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that protects our bodies from free radicals. The more virgin is more oil contains polyphenols.
4. Quinoa:
Quinoa is another grain, besides oats, you should include in your diet. It contains lots of protein for a cereal, about 8 g per cup. This helps to keep you full longer, stabilizing blood sugar levels. This cereal is also rich in Vitamin B12, Iron, crucial for metabolism. Many of the grains we eat are fortified but Quinoa contains Vitamins B in high amounts naturally. It also has a Low GI index hat helps you control Metabolic Syndrome.
5. Salmon:
Salmon is the perfect food to replace red meat in your diet. It is an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fats. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as salmon. Choose wild salmon instead of farmed.
6. Dark Chocolate:
Woo! I love chocolate for dessert! One square is enough and it should contain 70% cocoa or more, not chocolate bars full of fat!. Studies have shown that dark chocolate helps lower blood pressure in people with hypertension and also helps decrease LDL cholesterol (the bad guy), it is also rich in antioxidants and magnesium. Remember, the idea is to eat more chocolate, just include it in your diet in moderation.
In subsequent parts of my Super Foods Guide I will continue talking about essential foods that you must keep in your fridge to keep you healthy!!
Remember, Nutrition is Wellness!!
Healthy Eating Habits Key To Wellness
Today, millions of people around the world seek a “magic” formula or “diet” that will effectively help them lose that extra weight once and for all. However, after finding the “ideal diet” and achieving the desired weight, in most cases, people return to their previous diet, which results in the recovery of the weight lost. Has this ever happened to you? The key is creating Healthy Eating Habits!
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