How to Lose and Keep Off Weight Naturally

It seems like every day there's another new weight loss product on the market, and just as quickly some pill or supplement is being recalled — either because they don't work or they're not safe. One of the key reasons for this is simple: money.

These fly-by-night diet companies create "new" products that they say will help people lose weight, but they don't always conduct proper research on what they're putting into them. They instead go for the latest "fad" weight loss ingredients.

That's not good for two key reasons:

1. Many of these ingredients haven't undergone any kind of real testing to see if they're effective for weight loss.
2. Many tout the benefits of research studies from specially formulated proprietary standardized ingredients all the while adding cheap, non-branded, and non-standardized ingredients to their products.

Enter Slim Science®, a new weight-loss product that's getting a lot of industry attention —even being picked up exclusively by GNC stores within three days of its release. Slim Science comes from the Boston-based nutritional specialists behind such top-selling, highly-respected products as Nugenix, Beneflex and Instaflex. These researchers carefully selected key ingredients with clinical research showing significant results to create the powerful Slim Science formulation.

Slim Science contains Super CitriMax, a proprietary extract from the south Asian fruit Garcinia Cambogia standardized to 60% Hydroxycitric Acid. A clinical study on Super Citrimax shows that, due to its unique biochemistry, this ingredient can help curb your appetite. Super CitriMax is also clinically researched to reduce calorie intake.

Other key ingredients in Slim Science come with strong backing. There's Tyrosine, an amino acid that many people have used as an appetite suppressant, and Vitamin D3, which plays a role in overall health. There's also Gymnema Sylvestre, which can reduce sugar-related cravings due to the presence of gymnemic acids.

According to WebMD, one of the key ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight is through portion control: "Research has shown that Americans often underestimate how many calories they are consuming each day by as much as 25%."

To that end, Slim Science contains Satiereal®, a proprietary saffron extract, which has been shown in a double-blind clinical study to provide a "satiating effect" and reduce the urge to snack between meals. There's also Mucuna Pruriens, a tropical legume that contains serotonin, which can act as an appetite suppressant because it helps with overall mood support.

Psychology Today called serotonin, “Nature's own appetite suppressant. This powerful brain chemical curbs cravings and shuts off appetite. It makes you feel satisfied even if your stomach is not full. The result is eating less and losing weight.”

And, right now, the company behind Slim Science® is giving away 14-day trial kits to qualified participants.

Eat More, Weigh Less

Seriously! By packing your diet with nutrient-dense foods you will keep your snack-a-tite in check, and your metabolism revved up.

What to expect: Fast-prep meals . . . options for eating out . . . pasta . . . ice cream! We've mapped out a healthy eating plan that delivers an average of 1,500 balanced calories per day— enough for most active women to maintain energy and still lose weight.

Tip: If you find yourself getting hungry, go on a blitz in the produce aisle. Think outside the celery stick: fresh veggies come in all colors, flavors, and crunch levels. Better yet, they fill you up without packing on pounds.

This Week's Featured Food: Miso Salmon

Salmon is a nutritional all star. Not only is this tasty fish a lean source of protein, its Omega-3 fatty acids can lower bad cholesterol and boost your mood. Another reason we love it: Eating salmon helps your body produce wrinkle-fighting friends, like collagen and keratin. Score.

Your Best Body Meal Plan: Week 1

Monday

Breakfast
3 Scrambled Eggs
1 large grapefruit
Snack
25 almonds
Lunch
Turkey Wrap
1 apple
Snack
1 piece of string cheese
Dinner
Spicy Chicken and Pasta
Side salad and 2 Tbsp olive oil/vinegar dressing

Tuesday

Breakfast
2 Tbsp of peanut butter with 1 piece of toast
1 banana
Snack
2 small boxes of raisins
Lunch
Leftover Spicy Chicken and Pasta
Snack
0% fat Greek yogurt
Dinner
Miso Salmon
2 cups of broccoli

Wednesday

Breakfast
Lean Eggs and Ham
1 large grapefruit
Snack
25 almonds
Lunch
Black Bean and Cheese Burrito
1 apple
Snack
1 piece of string cheese
Dinner
Veggie Burger and bun
Salad with 4 Tbsp olive oil/vinegar dressing
1 serving of sweet potato fries

Thursday

Breakfast
Berry Wafflewich
0% fat Greek yogurt
Snack
15 snap peas
2 Tbsp of hummus
Lunch
Gobbleguac Sandwich
1 apple
Snack
1 banana
1 piece of string cheese
Dinner
Steamed Snapper with Pesto
1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of broccoli

Friday

Breakfast
0% fat Greek yogurt
1 large grapefruit
Snack
1 Luna Bar
Lunch
The I-Am-Not-Eating-Salad Salad
25 almonds
Snack
30 baby carrots
4 Tbsp of hummus
Dinner
Chicken Spinach Parm
1 cup of brown rice
2 cups of snow peas

Saturday

Breakfast
Loaded Vegetable Omelet
1 banana
Snack
1 piece of string cheese
Lunch
Turkey Wrap
1 apple
Snack
10 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp of hummus
Dinner
Quick Lemon Chicken with Rice
2 cups of broccoli
Snack
1 Sugar-Free Fudgsicle

Sunday

Breakfast
Loaded Vegetable Omelet
1 banana
Snack
15 baby carrots
2 Tbsp of hummus
Lunch
Eat Out
Snack
0% fat Greek yogurt
Dinner
Penne with Chicken Marengo
2 cups of broccoli

Healthy Diet: Eating with Mental Health in Mind

You’ve probably heard the expression, “you are what you eat,” but what exactly does that mean? Put simply, food is fuel, and the kinds of foods and drinks you consume determine the types of nutrients in your system and impact how well your mind and body are able to function.

Drinks

Avoid: Sugary drinks and excessive amounts of caffeine. Sugary drinks have empty calories and damage tooth enamel. Caffeine dehydrates you. Studies show that even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes1, in addition to physical effects like thirst, decreased or dark urine, dry skin, headache, dizziness and/or constipation.

Try to: Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (about 2 liters) to prevent dehydration. If you feel like you need some caffeine, limit it to one cup of coffee, or try tea. Tea has lower amounts of caffeine than coffee and has lots of antioxidants-chemicals found in plants that protect body tissues and prevent cell damage.

Breakfast

Avoid: Skipping breakfast. Breakfast is needed to fuel your body (including your brain) after going without food during sleep and also jump starts your metabolism for the day. Skipping meals leads to fatigue and feelings of “brain fog.”

Try to: Incorporate a healthy breakfast into your routine. If you’re tight on time in the mornings, grab a whole grain granola bar, yogurt and a piece of fruit to get you off to a good start.

Lunch and Dinner

Avoid: High-fat dairy, and fried, refined and sugary foods, which have little nutritional value. In addition to contributing to weight gain, and conditions like diabetes, research shows that a diet that consists primarily of these kinds of foods significantly increases risk of depression.2

Try to: Eat a diet that relies on fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and unsaturated fats (like olive oil). People who follow this kind of diet are up to 30% less likely to develop depression than people who eat lots of meat and dairy products.3

Tips for the Grocery Store

Try to concentrate your shopping on the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh, refrigerated and frozen foods are, rather than in the center aisles where foods like chips, cookies and candy can be tempting. If fresh veggies tend to expire before you get a chance to eat them, buy frozen ones instead. Stores carry an assortment of steam-in-bag vegetables that keep well in the freezer and cook in the microwave in a matter of minutes. Choose whole grain pastas, breads, cereals, granola bars and snacks instead of those made with white flour. Whole grains are a good source of fiber, which promotes digestive health, and also provide folate (or folic acid).

Mind and Body Boosting Nutrients

Folate (Folic Acid, Vitamin B9)

Increased intake of folate is associated with a lower risk of depression.4

Folate is especially important for pregnant women, but everyone needs folic acid for production of cells. It is especially important for healthy hair, skin, nails, eyes, liver and red blood cell production.

Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, fruits, nuts, beans and whole grains have high amounts of folate, or folic acid.

Vitamin D

Rates of depression are higher in people with Vitamin D deficiency compared to people who have adequate levels of vitamin D.5 Lack of Vitamin D is thought to play a role in Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is depression that commonly starts in the fall, lasts through winter and subsides in the sunnier spring and summer months.

Vitamin D is needed to help the body absorb calcium for strong teeth and bones, and the health of muscles and the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with heart disease and increased risk of heart attacks.6

Most foods do not naturally have Vitamin D, but many are “Vitamin D fortified.” Fatty fish like salmon and tuna have the most naturally occurring Vitamin D. Other foods like milk, orange juice and breakfast cereals have Vitamin D added.

Our bodies also produce Vitamin D as a result of being in the sun. Five to thirty minutes of sun exposure twice a week generally produces enough Vitamin D, with lighter-skinned people requiring less time than those with darker skin.7 Time in the sun beyond the suggested amounts above requires use of sunscreen to prevent skin damage and reduce risk of skin cancer. Vitamin D supplements may be used in fall and winter months.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Some studies suggest that omega-3s may be helpful in the treatment of depression and seem to have a mood-stabilizing effect. Omega-3 essential fatty acids may also help boost the effectiveness of conventional antidepressants and help young people with ADHD.

Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to be important in reducing inflammation, the primary cause of conditions like arthritis and asthma, and play a role in heart health by reducing triglycerides (blood fats). They may also reduce risk for certain kinds of cancer.8

Oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel, anchovies and sardines) are the most highly recommended sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and the American Heart Association suggests eating these types of fish at least twice a week. Omega-3s can also be found in walnuts, flax (or flaxseed oil), olive oil, fresh basil and dark green leafy vegetables.

Sources

1Nauert, R. (2012). Dehydration Influences Mood, Cognition. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 12, 2014, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/02/20/dehydration-influences-mood-cogn...

2Akbaraly TN, Brunner EJ, Ferrie JE, Marmot MG, Kivimaki M, Singh-Manoux A. Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age. Br J Psychiatry. 2009;195:408-413.

3Sánchez-Villegas A, Delgado-Rodríguez M, Alonso A, et al. Association of the Mediterranean dietary pattern with the incidence of depression: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra/University of Navarra follow-up (SUN) cohort. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66:1090-1098.

4University of Eastern Finland. (2013, September 16). Diet is associated with risk of depression. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 5, 2014 fromwww.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130916103530.htm

5Anglin R, Samaan Z, Walter S et al. Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 2013.

6Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Hollis BW, Rimm EB. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Men: A Prospective Study. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(11):1174-1180. doi:10.1001/archinte.168.11.1174.

Daily Health Paln

Break a sweat every day

Challenge yourself every day to participate in a physical activity that causes you to get out of breath or sweat. To change your body, you must train outside of your comfort zone. If you like your body the way it is, then don't stress it. But if you want to build strength, get a six-pack or lose fat, then work hard.

When exercising, you should not be able to carry on a conversation with your buddy. (Don't get me started on people reading a magazine on the treadmill.) Next time you're at the gym:

• Increase your weights
• Hit the incline on your treadmill or run hills
• Add a plyometrics workout
• Combine strength training with various rounds of conditioning; for example, perform a Overhead Shoulder Press, then sprint on a treadmill at nine mph on a six-inch incline for 30 seconds. Rest for 90 seconds and repeat four times.

Go back to grade school

You did it all when you were younger: jumped rope, climbed trees, went bike riding and ran sprints around the playground. You couldn't sit still long enough to stay at a desk or computer like you do now.

Become more active. Go for a walk or jog in the morning before starting your day. Join a group fitness class, recreational league, swim club, ski or bowling team.

Use what you have

Look around and take a quick inventory of what's available to exercise with. Do you have a bike, rope, old tires to flip, chains to pull, balls to throw, boxes to jump on or paint cans to carry? If you have some of this stuff and a creative mind, you can put together a great workout. You don't need a expensive gym membership to look expensive. (Got a rope? Five Reasons to Go Back to Basics With the Jump Rope.)

Eat clean

By eating as clean as you can, you'll automatically avoid foods loaded with sugar, trans fat, and saturated fat. Eat foods that display a variety of colors more frequently, and keep everything in moderation. Plan time to go to the grocery store so you are not rushed. Also, plan your weekly meals ahead of time. (See What's Fake and What's Real? The Ultimate Food Survival Guide andNo, Really—Don't Shop When You're Hungry: A Study.)

Rest as hard as you work

There's a fine line between the amount of work you do and the rest that you allow yourself. Rest can take the form of physical rest, or, for most of us, mental rest. Exercising, deep breathing, and vacations will take care of your mental rest. If you feel physically exhausted, try switching up your workout routine or take a week off. You will come back fresh and ready to do more.

Home Remedies to Treat Skin Diseases

Our skin is the protective layer of our body. It protects our innards from heat, cold, sunlight, and germs. Any issues on the skin can be a signal to internal unbalance. Luckily, there are many medicinal creams available in the modern marketplace to treat skin diseases. In addition, there are many home remedies and natural products, which can be helpful.

Below are a list of common skin diseases or ailments and how to properly take care of them

Itching: Itching happens due to poor personal hygiene or contact with a contaminated environment. It can occur after coming in contact with a person suffering from itching, by using their clothes or eating with them. Itching can be dry or pus can be involved. It can be contained to a particular area or spread over the entire body.

• To relieve itching, take pure coconut oil and mix it with tomato juice. Massage the affected area and wash it off after an hour. Use only neem-based soap.
• You can also massage the area with chameli oil and lemon juice. Scrubbing the area with orange peel can also help. Having a tablespoon of neem oil daily helps prevent itching before it begins.

Pimples: Pimples are a very common problem for youngsters. Young people aged 12 to 25 years undergo multiple hormonal changes. Do to these fluctuations, the body’s oil glands become more active, which can lead to an eruption of pimples. Sometimes applying medicinal creams can treat them, but tend to leave ugly marks.

• To treat pimples, take a cup of raw milk and add four drops of lemon juice. Apply this to the face each night and wash it off in the morning
• Take 100 grams of masoor dal, 250 grams of milk, and 10 grams of camphor. Grind the camphor and masoor dal, then add to the warm milk. Add a tablespoon of desi ghee and apply this to the face everyday. Wash it off once dried. Avoid ingesting oily or spicy foods, meat, or alcohol. Avoid smoking.

Eczema: When suffering from eczema, the affected skin turns red, develop small boils becomes extremely thick. It is usually dry, but sometimes contains pus. To treat eczema one of the following methods can be used:

• Take 500 grams of til oil and boil 125 grams of kaner bark for 20 minutes. Let it cool and apply it onto the affected area 3 to 4 times daily.
• Take harhar powder and mix it into vinegar. Apply to the affected area and leave on for one hour. Wash off and apply basil juice.
• Take 100 ml coconut oil and mix 20 grams of camphor. Massage the mixture onto the affected area and wash off after 3 hours. Make a paste of tamarind seed and lemon juice to apply to the area.
• Mix 10 grams of camphor with 10 grams of gandhak in 125 ml kerosene oil, and apply twice daily.
• Take a bath in dettol water, use only neem-based soap.
• Boil pipal tree bark in water and drink it for a month.

Be Safe In the Rainy Season

The rainy season is enjoyed by many as it brings freshness after a scorching summer, but the rainy season also brings many viral and bacterial diseases, the problem of washing and drying clothes, as well as waterlogged lanes and roads that prevent us from going out to work or sending our children to school.

Here are some useful tips that can save you from some of theses problems:

• If you get drenched, try to take off wet cloths as soon as possible, wash your hands and feet with antiseptic solution, dry your body, and change into fresh clothes. This will save you from catching a cold.
• During the rainy days, drink a cup of ginger tea, or boil a few basil leaves, ginger, and black pepper in a cup of water. Add sugar and ½ tablespoon of cow ghee, then drink it. This is known to keep the body warm and help us fight against viral and bacterial diseases.
• If your shoes or sandals are wet, wash them with clean water and leave them to dry. Try to wear flip flops or plastic sandals instead of leather ones in rainy season, as they are easy to remove, wash, and dry. Never wear the shoes or sandals until they are dried, as they can cause skin infections. Try to keep them in sunlight before wearing them again.
• Keep your clothes in a cupboard until they are completely dry, as wet clothes attract germs and give off a bad smell.
• Similarly, try to use thin towels, pillow covers, and bed sheets that are easy to dry. It is a good idea to spread a thin mat over your bed sheets so they don’t get dirty as quickly.
• If you are coming from outside, keep your umbrella and raincoat hanging in the washroom for some time, then spread them out on a balcony or over a window.
• Keep watch of any leakage from the roof, window, or balcony. Such leaks will bring rainwater inside your home. Similarly, look for any live wires or loose connections inside your home and in the neighborhood as well. If found, try to rectify the problem immediately.
• It is also important to ensure there is no stagnant water inside or near your house. Stagnant water is the breeding ground for mosquitoes, which help spread malaria, dengue, and other viral diseases. If there are any such accumulations of water, clean them immediately.
• If you are driving a vehicle, make sure to keep a check on your speed and breaking. Roads become waterlogged and slippery, thus driving at high speeds can cause accidents.
• For parents, keep a raincoat in your child’s school bag and wrap their books in plastic.
• Always drink purified or boiled water during the rainy reason as the water can get contaminated very easily.
• In the rainy season always wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating or cooking them.

Live a healthy lifestyle by changing a few habits

A recent survey conducted on lifestyle pattern of young people between age group 16 – 30 years has revealed interesting relation between their life style pattern and health problems. Wrong food habits, lack of exercise, dependency and overuse of phone, computers and laptops all are affecting their health and are major causes of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure early in life. Small changes in these habits can promote a healthy lifestyle and healthy living.

• Avoid chewing gum – youngsters today find chewing gum a cool thing to do. Chewing gum has high content of sugar and sweetener sorbitol which produces acidic reaction in stomach. So avoid chewing gum and if you find it difficult then replace chewing gum with cardamom or fennel seeds. They will keep your mouth fresh and will improve digestion.
• Avoid sleeping with your mobile – Many of us have a tendency to keep our mobile phones with us while sleeping either next to the pillow or under it. Many also keep on chatting and messaging or surfing or listening to music to put them to sleep. Mobile phones emit radioactive waves which are harmful and a prolonged exposure of mobile phones can affect your brain. As per experts late night use of mobile phone can stress your mind and you feel tired after getting up in the morning. Changing this small habit of sleeping with mobile phones can make you feel fresh and stress free in the morning.
• Brush your teeth before having anything in the morning – Many of you have a habit of having bed tea and have it without brushing teeth. Even if we brush our teeth before going to sleep, millions of bacteria germinate throughout night and when you have anything without brushing your teeth in the morning, it goes inside your body and create health problems.
• Do not use excess sunscreen – youngsters have a habit of applying loads of sunscreen to protect themselves from tanning but overuse of sunscreen can devoid you from getting Vitamin D from sun rays. Spend at least 10 minutes in sunlight everyday and then apply sunblock.
• Avoid wearing tight belts – As a formal attire many of you are required to wear belt for 10-12 hours. Wearing belt specially very tight belt is bad for stomach. It put excess pressure on stomach and cause digestive problem. Moreover wearing tight belt also affect normal respiration. During respiration our diaphragm goes up and down and when you wear a tight belt, you have difficulty every time you inhale and exhale. So avoid wearing belt continuously or wear a loose belt.
• Avoid wearing skin tight clothes – many wear body hugging and or skin tight jeans and shirts to look slim but wearing tight clothes is bad for skin. Our skin needs to breath just like we do, wearing tight clothes makes it difficult for our skin to breath. Moreover when you wear tight clothes, due to sweating, you can develop rashes and infection.It also affects the body movement. By wearing tight clothes you cannot freely move your legs and other part of body and this put pressure on entire body and it might lead to slight body ache or pain.
• Avoid drinking tea, coffee or alcohol too late in the night – Due to job pressure or socializing pressures many work till odd hours of night and to remain awake drink tea, coffee and alcohol. Consuming excess tea , coffee or alcohol is bad for health and when it is consumed in night it is worse. It may cause acidic reaction and affect your natural sleep and leave you feeling drowsy whole day.
• Avoid headphones – Many use headphones to talk while they drive or while doing any work or to listen to music. Using headphone more than 1 and ½ hour in a day is harmful for ears so avoid using headphones continuously.
• Avoid painkillers – Due to lack of exercise and work and career pressures most of the youngsters neglect their health this results in frequent body pain, headache and back pain and to get rid of it they have painkillers. It is important to consult doctor if you have frequent pain and take appropriate medicine than to be dependent on painkillers.

These minor lifestyle habit changes will go a long way to bring back your healthy lifestyle.