The benefits of becoming a vegetarian

These are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of benefits from becoming a vegetarian. You`ll find yourself definitely a lot healthier and happier, with a significantly improved quality of life!

Diet plan to lose weight

                                                                   1. Moderate coffee intake. No more than 2 cups a day.

                                                                        2. No bread and other doughy foods.
                        

                                                                                                    3. Salads.

4. Fewer carbohydrates.

5. Less sugar in any form.

6. Lean proteins.

7. No red meats. 

Carotenes and heart disease

Just as with cancer is with heart disease: people who eat beta-carotene-rich foods definitely have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. One of the main studies of women, for example, shows that those who eat more beta-carotene foods reduce the risk of heart attack by 22 percent compared to those who take small amounts. In addition, people who supply themselves with a lot of beta-carotene with food are even better when it comes to stroke - they get it 40 percent less. A study of older people shows that the higher the intake of beta-carotene from food, the lower the risk of getting a heart attack. But taking beta-carotene supplements does not give you the same protection. In the physical health study, for example, people who take beta-carotene supplements do not have a lower risk of heart disease than those who do not take them. What does that tell us? You need all the carotenoids, not just beta-carotene. And the best way to get them is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. If you want to take supplements, take mixed carotenoids. Source: "Vitamin A" - by Dr. Alan Pressman and Sheila Buff

Things to do when you are bored

1. Solve Sudoku puzzles. Great training for your brain.

2. Listen to music. Music relaxes and uplifts your mood. 

3. Take up a new hobby. For example, start collecting things. 

4. Watch a movie with a friend. Go to the cinema. Even if you think there won`t be anything interesting to watch, give it a second thought, and you may be surprised.

5. Go on a hike in nature. Spending time in nature will definitely recharge your batteries. 

6. Play games on your computer. This advice is obvious but do not spend too much time doing it as this can backfire on your health.

7. Take up a new sport. While some sports might be out of your league, you should consider mild and enjoyable sports such as yoga, running and weightlifting. It`s a great way to train both your body and mind. 

8. Consider switching your diet to a healthier one. But mind you should consult with a dietician first.

9. Change your appearance. Go to a salon for a new haircut and perhaps a manicure. You may even think about changing your hair colour. And why not? The result might be very fun and transformational. 

10. Organise a party for your friends. Invite your friends over for a dinner party. You can also choose another place rather than your home for the gathering. It is up to you.

11. Use your time to get your legal affairs straight and organise your documents at home. 

12. And last but not least, use the time to do some shopping therapy. It is indeed one of the most therapeutic things you could do but also be careful not to overspend. 

Food you should stop eating

 Today I embarked on a very hard task. I am changing what I eat drastically. I believe the unhealthy food I`ve been eating so far has made my body very sick. I won`t get into much detail about that but I want to show you why you may feel sick as well. This article is dedicated to all the food which is extremely unhealthy and you should stop eating right away.

 1. Processed meat. All kinds of meat. 

 I`m not saying you should become a vegetarian overnight. But meat nowadays is full of all kinds of antibiotics which cause very unpleasant problems for the human body. You may experience antibiotic resistance as well later on. My bet is that the meat you buy from the store is what causes your health issues. If you don`t own a farm and you have no idea what the cows or the pork you`re eating have eaten before that, you better not taste it at all. This is why I decided to become a vegetarian. 

2. White bread!!!

 I probably can`t stress this enough, but white bread is bad not only for people with diabetes. It is hardly such a portion of food with which you can fully satisfy your hunger. Why? Because it fastly rises your blood sugar levels and then they drop again very fast which makes it impossible for you to feel really full. It also contains gluten which is yet another unpleasant thing. Gluten sticks in your stomach and stays there for longer than you would prefer. 

3. Coffee!?

 If you want your health back, stop drinking coffee! If you are taking any kind of medication and drinking coffee at the same time, it`s almost like you haven`t taken any medication. It negates all the positives of the other things you`re eating and drinking too. It uses up your vitamin C and other minerals in your system. Being addicted to caffeine is not a joke and you should consider quitting on time.

4. Sugar and sweets.

 While dark chocolate with a high amount of cocoa in it is considered somewhat healthy, all other types of sweets are not. Again, it is especially bad for people with diabetes, and also for anyone else. Drink your tea without sugar. Use honey instead. 

5. All types of sauces. Ketchup, mayo, etc. 

 They contain chemicals. Enough said. If you want to spice your food up, use natural spices and prepare what you think your food is missing by yourself. It is a great bonus that nothing beats the taste of a homemade sauce. 

6. Carbonated drinks.

 I don`t even feel the need to explain myself to that obvious point. I haven`t been drinking such drinks for years and I feel a lot better without them. 

Why don`t diets work?

 Most people who try all kinds of diets for losing weight, gain kilos again. But the worst is that way a person remains an eternal hostage of one of the biggest industries in our modernity, taking advantage of people`s weaknesses. If you are suffering from being overweight, this article will help you make your choice in order to get rid of this problem.

 So, you`ve decided to finally shed those unwanted pounds. This is wonderful. But even in the beginning prepare to face the accompanying phenomena: restricting freedom, constant hunger, compulsive calculation of each gram and each calorie. And also you`ll regularly have to spend a lot of energy and means. Quite obvious are the facts for the industry of the diets: the sum of 10 billion dollars and the sad 2 to 5 percent efficiency for their clients.

 Do you want to know why don`t diets work? It is very simple. The body is successfully fighting the loss of weight and fastly recovers it the first chance it gets. Think about it. You, a.k.a., your brain, armed with the limited life experience, is fighting against one beastly machine - your body, having millions of years successful fight for survival. Diets provoke great losses in your body and they are interpreted by it as a threat by death by hunger - very stressful conditions.

 Shortage of food leads to "saving mode":

1. The exchange processes slow down.

2. The brain reduces the production of endorphins - the most important neurotransmitters.

3. All the incoming food is stored in stock in the form of fat disposition - just in case it gets worse! Diets make the body store at every cost.

 So eat healthy food. You know what this means. Eat little and regularly. Instead of missing the breakfast and compensate it during lunch, eat more times a day. When the food is portioned, it gets assimilated more completely and effectively and it doesn`t load you with unwanted calories. Good luck!

How You Can Stop Overeating

What is setting you off?

Always identify your triggers. If a place sets you off, you want to avoid it. If a feeling sets you off, you need to find a plan B to avoid invading your cabinets for food. Emotions are usually a culprit when it comes to overeating. When were happy, we eat, when we are sad, we eat. Our emotions have a way of taking over all our inhibitions. There is why researchers found that 75 percent of eating comes from dealing with emotions. When you feel a negative emotion ride it out until it leaves and without going to food. Usually, the feeling will retreat.

Start eating better.

The single most important action to take to stop overeating is to eat healthier. This means to stop eating processed foods and eating more vegetables, nuts, whole grains and lean meats like chicken or fish. Cutting back sugar and caffeine will help you from being ravenous. Sugar gives you a high and then you crash. The next thing you know it, you are looking for more sugar to help build you back up. When there is sugar, there are calories! Snack on carrots with organic peanut butter, instead of sugary packed granola bars, candy, and crackers.

Portion your food better.

When you portion your food for the week, it can help you refrain from overeating. People who do this are able to keep track of their portions a lot better. This will also help you from skipping meals on the run. Additionally, it will help you resist snacking on foods high in calories. If time is not on your side, you can order meals or purchase meals that are portioned out already. 

Drink water.

"Filling your belly with water will naturally make you less likely to overeat," the author of the Flexitarian Diet Dawn Jackson Blatner explained to Health.com. She said that water helps you feel fuller, but it may be a sign of "symptoms of dehydration may actually be what's causing your rumbling belly." Before a meal, aim to drink up to a glass of water. Try this trick when you are dining out. This will help you avoid overeating and help you skip the appetizers.

Get adequate rest. 

A lack of sleep could be causing you to overeat. What happens when you are tired? You go for the sugary foods and for the caffeinated beverages to get through the day! These are the foods and drinks that pack on the pounds. Don't discount the importance of sleep as it is nutrition for the brain, WebMD explained. They went on to share that you need at least 7 hours of sleep. If not, the body will react and go for high-calorie foods to counterbalance the fatigue.

Stay away from the kitchen.

When those commercials come on, stay away from the kitchen except for mealtimes. How many times do we find ourselves wandering into the kitchen when we are not even hungry? Also, leave the food in the kitchen as eating meals in front of the television will make you consume more. When you feel the urge to go browse the pantry, go for a walk or play with the dog for a wholesome distraction.

Source for reference: http://www.beliefnet.com

How to lose weight without exercising

 For those of you who don`t exercise (like me), and yet want to lose some weight, there is good news. There are a few tips you can use to help you shed some pounds. There are certain lifestyle and diet changes you need to do in order to achieve this goal.
 Disclaimer: In no way I`m a professional dietitian and have no claims to be one. If you`re having health issues because of your current weight, you might want to consult with a doctor. 

1. Stop eating junk food. 

2. Drink more water. 

3. Don`t eat breakfast soon after you slept. Do it a few hours later.

4. Don`t eat after 7 PM.

5. If you`re taking medication that causes weight gain talk to your doctor to switch it or reduce the doses. 

6. Don`t overeat. 

7. Don`t drink and eat at once.

8. Eat less bread and pasta. Gluten is not your friend. 

9. If you`re a binge eater detect what triggers you to binge eat and take care of the problem some other way - not with food.

10. Stay clear of the kitchen. 

11. Start buying food of higher quality. This doesn`t necessarily mean bio foods. When you give more money, you`ll start buying less and eat less. Not to mention the benefits of healthier food.

12. Be sure to consume many fruits and vegetables throughout the day. This will do miracles with your body as well as your immune system.

13. Don`t mix a lot of different foods at once. For example - sour and sweet.

                                          14. Drink vervain tea for faster metabolism. 

15. Never drink coffee on an empty stomach. It will boost your appetite unnecessarily. 

16. Eat slowly or with normal speed. 

17. Start taking natural supplements that will help you lose weight. The stress is on 'natural'. After all, you don`t want to endanger your life.

Reasons to become vegetarian

 First reason I stopped eating meat was because I wanted to cleanse myself both physically and spiritually. Mind that I only stopped eating meat, not eggs and dairy. I also don`t eat fish. I intend to keep this up for at least the end of the month. We will see how that will go.

Eating vegetarian style can benefit you in a lot of different ways. It lowers your blood pressure. It may improve your mood - that`s right, not stuffing yourself with animal fat makes your brain function better. It is beneficial for those diagnosed with Diabetes. It lowers cholesterol. It also lowers the risk of stroke and obesity. It reduces the risk of developing kidney stones.

Did you know that around 30% or all the world population is vegetarian? October 1st is the official celebrating day for vegetarianism.