Things to know if you are wanting to loose weight (and slow the aging process):

Sugars

The most important step in any weight management or weight loss plan is to severely restrict sugar and fructose from your diet.  There is evidence that a little bit of fructose may actually help your body process glucose however consuming too much overwhelms the bodies capacity to process it. Fructose in the form of fresh fruit is much better than having fructose as an ingredient in a drink (including sports drinks) or prepared meal.

Therefore the first step to a healthier you is:

• Decrease or cut out sugar, this includes foods which turn to sugar in your body such as anything made with white refined flour such as breads, pastas, muffins, pastry etc.

• Cut out foods with added fructose especially High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). HFCS has been well documented in many health problems, including:
  • • Diabetes
    • Metabolic syndrome (syndrome X – insulin resistance)
    • Damages your immune system
    • Speeds up ageing
    • Often contains mercury
    • Contributes to fat deposits in your liver
    • Leads to plaque build up and narrowing of blood vessels

 

• You should avoid all fructose and sugar before and after exercise. Having fructose or sugary foods within two hours after exercise will cause your body to stop production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and affect your insulin sensitivity. Ideally you should have a high protein low carbohydrate meal after exercising. HGH helps to burn fat and slow aging, so it is a great hormone to allow to work to its fullest potential.

• The best carbohydrates to eat are high quality vegetables that are fresh, minimally processed, ideally locally grown and organic with a majority of them consumed raw.

• Even though it is important to avoid sugar, it is more important to avoid sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners). Artificial sweeteners have been linked to weight gain, research has shown that artificial sweeteners can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In fact, diet sodas may actually double your risk of obesity!

 

FATS

The second area to look at is the consumption of saturated fats. Contrary to what we have been told for the past few decades, saturated fats from grass fed animals and tropical plant oils are vitally important to optimal health. They provide a concentrated source of energy which are better for you than the energy dense sugars and grains that western diets are overloaded with.

Saturated fats are essential to your health as they provide building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones. They are also necessary to transport the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as assisting the absorption of minerals.

Saturated fats slow down the absorption of your meal which means you feel satisfied for longer.

Unhealthy fats are the trans fats. These are the fats which have had there original structure altered, such as margarines and rancid vegetable oils.  These fats cause chaos in your body on a cellular level.

Trans fats have been linked to :

• Cancer -  as they interfere with enzymes your body requires to fight cancer
• Diabetes – because they interfere with the insulin receptors in your cell membranes
• Decreased immune function – they suppress your immune response
• Fertility problems – they interfere with enzymes needed to produce sex hormones
• Obesity – they increase weight gain and abdominal fat
• Heart disease – they cause major clogging of your arteries

 

Healthy Fats include:

• Olives and olive oil (heating will change the oil to a trans fat)
• Coconuts and coconut oil (fantastic cooking oil, packed full of health benefits)
• Butter made with raw, grass fed organic milk
• Raw nuts
• Organic pastured egg yolks
• Avocados
• Grass fed meats
• Palm oil (beware of where it comes from, as often Orangutans are loosing their habitats for the production of palm oil)
• Unheated organic nut oils
• Krill oil

 

PROTEIN

It is important to choose high quality protein sources. Ideally you want animal protein to come from free range and organic sources rather than being grain fed beef, pasteurized dairy products and farm raised fish. Raw organic nuts, whey protein and raw brown rice protein are other excellent protein sources.

Nuts are high in fibre, protein and as well as the good fats which may increase the bodies sensitivity to insulin therefore aiding weight loss.

 

Some Great Natural Weight loss help:

Curcumin has become well known for its many health benefits. One of the many benefits that curcumin has is it’s ability to reduce the formation of fat tissue therefore supporting healthy weight in those who consume it. Curcumin is the main constituent in Turmeric that gives it the spicey taste and yellow colour. If you don’t want to add turmeric to all your meals, you can take curcumin in supplement form.

 

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a very powerful, naturally occurring polyunsaturated fatty acid which has been linked to increased health and maintaining a normal body composition. CLA maybe helpful in preserving lean body mass and lowering body fat. The best sources of CLA are grass fed beef and grass fed raw dairy products. You can also get CLA in supplement form.

 

Chew your food for as long as you can. Taking longer to eat has been shown to help you feel more satisfied and ultimately eat less.

 

Balance Emotional Eating, use healthy stress management tools to reduce stress and the tendency to emotionally eat. Some good techniques include meditation, yoga, gentle exercise, Neurolink or counseling.

 

Probiotic supplementation has been shown to help people with obese tendencies, Specifically Lactobacillus gasseri. Studies have shown that increasing probiotics in obese people will decrease abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat. Fermented foods, such as Kefir, Lassi and sauerkraut are great sources of beneficial bacteria. You can also get some great supplements which contain different strains of bacteria.

 

Water is very important for weight loss. There are two main thoughts why drinking water may help weight loss. It maybe that the consumption of water may initiate the body to produce more heat, boosting metabolism and burn more calories. Or, it may simply be that drinking water may decrease the need to drink high calorie drinks and full you up before you eat. Dehydration also mimics feelings of being hungry, therefore if you are eating plenty of nutritionally balanced foods and you still feel hungry, it is very likely that you are actually needing water.

 

Vinegar taken before a meal can reduce insulin and glucose spikes in the blood caused from the meal. A study that had people consume two table spoons of vinegar before 2 meals during the day lost weight over a four week period.

 

Sleep has been shown to effect weight. Research from the University of Chicago showed that dieters who slept for 8.5 hours lost 55% more body fat than those who slept 5.5 hours. Those who slept less felt hungrier throughout the day. It is important to be in a deep sleep between 10pm and midnight for your body to produce Human Growth Hormone, which is a valuable hormone to increase metabolism and slow aging. Sleep is also important to increase your Leptin levels which is a hormone that helps to control cravings and suppress your appetite. A lack of sleep tends to interfere with your bodies ability to metabolize carbs, increases insulin resistance, increases the fat your body stores as well as increasing your blood pressure and risk of heart disease.

 

Cinnamon helps the body balance blood sugar levels which helps to avoid the body converting food to fat storage. Cinnamon has also been shown to help suppress the appetite if taken after meals. Studies have found that having between 1 to 2 & 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon a day were enough to see results. You can add cinnamon to cereals, smoothies, yoghurt, tea, coffees or just sprinkle it over some fruit.

 

Chromium is an essential trace mineral which aids insulin to transport sugars into our cells for energy rather than to store them as fat. Many people are lacking this mineral due to food processing methods and farming methods. The highest sources of chromium include raw onions, ripe tomatoes and romaine lettuce as well as brewers yeast, oysters, liver, egg yolks, prunes, shrimp, asparagus, apples and potatoes. However, it is hard to get the level of chromium required and supplementation is often advisable.

 

Coleus Forskolii is a herb grown in the mountains of Asia. Among a number of wonderful benefits this herbs has, it has also been found to increase metabolism and to assist the body to burn fat. It is recommend that you take 50 – 100mg once or twice a day.

 

Green Tea contains polyphenols and caffeine, and both have been well documented in their ability to increase metabolism and therefore, fat burning ability in our bodies. Research suggests you should drink at least 4 cups of green tea a day which should contain around 300 – 400mg of polyphenols.

 

Yerba Mate is a herb grown in the rainforests of paraguay which contains 196 chemicals including vitamins, minerals and polyphenols. The most important in the case of its benefit in weight loss is Mateine. Mateine is a xanthine alkaloid similar to caffeine however Mateine has a calming effect on the nervous system. When taken, the combination of chemicals in Yerba mate produce substantial increased energy and fat burning in our bodies. Ideally you need 500mg two to three times a day. Research has shown the best times to take Yerba Mate is upon rising and before cardiovascular exercise.

 

Do a home thyroid test to check if your thyroid is under active. It may come back being in the “normal” range from a G.P. blood test, however it may still be needing support to function to it’s best ability. If this is the case you maybe struggling to loose that extra weight.

 

Essential Fatty Acids like those you get from Fish oil, Krill oil and coconut oil help with serotonin levels, which is the feel good hormone. Serotonin is involved with several processes within your body including; depression, mood, emotions, aggression, sleep, appetite, anxiety, memory, and perception. Low serotonin has been linked to obesity.

 

Eat Breakfast as it has been shown that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day than those that skip it. Skipping breakfast  is a great way to slow down your metabolism!

 

Weight Training is important to include into your exercise regime as it helps to speed up your metabolism as well as strengthen bones and give you a better shape. The more muscle mass you have the faster you will burn calories.

 

 

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=4271246&page=1

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080210183902.htm

http://www.lewrockwell.com/mercola/mercola116.html

http://fat-burners.realsolutionsmag.com/fat-burner-Green-Tea.html

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=51

www.bodhifitonline.com