dimanche 20 février 2011

Can We Really Lose Weight with Virgin Coconut Oil ?

Over the years, people have been struggling to lose weight and how to take that weight and unwanted fats out of the way. A lot of people have done unimaginable things that they are supposed to do but do no avail. A lot of people tried souping just to get rid of those bellies and flab. Eating nothing but soup for how many days or even can reach weeks with soup diet. Well, that is amazing because of the endurance and the determination that one has to put in just eating nothing but soup, right? However, the question is “is it healthy?” Well at least with the soup, we still get nutrients that the body needs because of the ingredients it has. But there are some who would really go without food for days and even weeks. This can be very harmful to the health. It will not also do any good to losing weight.
Well, there are many ways to lose weight. With the fast-paced modernization of the world nowadays, we can see in the internet, in the media and in the books the proper ways and safe ways to lose weight. The most common thing that this weight loss and diet plan is using natural way or the fruits and vegetables to lose weight. I would say that it is very good because it will not just target the losing weight but also helping the body to restore to its healthiest state.
Coconut oil offers benefits. Coconut oil or virgin coconut oil is has a lot of benefits for the body and furthermore it also has a lot of benefits for the health. It is not just good for the skin especially for dry, flaky skin but it is also good for the hair; it is also good to use for massaging to relieve stress and body pains and aches. Health wise, it is good for lowering and maintaining the cholesterol in the blood which affects most of the overweight and obese people. This virgin coconut oil is also good in increasing the immune system because it is high with lauric acid which is good in fighting bacteria, virus, fungus and other microorganism that can cause infection in our body. The virgin coconut oil is also good in lowering and maintains blood pressure or used to treat hypertension. Not only that, it is good for the blood sugar as well, which used to control and manage diabetes. Virgin coconut oil is also good for the heart, kidneys, bones and it can also help prevent cancer.
Coconut oil helps in weight loss. As for the weight loss, coconut oil is said to help a lot in losing weight. It aids in proper digestion which helps in getting rid of the toxin built in the colon and also in the body. If all these toxins will be eliminated from the colon then there will be proper digestion and absorption of nutrients and it will rise up the metabolism. The triglycerides and fatty acids prevent liver disease. These substances can be easily converted into energy when they reach the liver. This will reduce the work load of the liver because easy conversion into energy and it will prevent the accumulation of fats and increases the metabolism.
It may sound very unusual because we know that coconut oil is bad for the body and can make the body really fat. These are hydrogenated coconut oils but the virgin coconut oil is different because it really aids in losing weight and the body will benefit from it greatly. It contains no cholesterol and it is very for the heart.
Coconut oil curbs out craving. It is a very good notion that when we deprive ourselves with fat our body will crave for it. It is essential to supplement the body with healthy oils to prevent the food craving for food rich in unhealthy oils. The virgin coconut oil is rich in essential oils that will not only stop you from munching those foods that are fried with hydrogenated oil but also helps the health along the way. Virgin coconut oil is considered as one of the healthiest and has a lot of medicinal use for the body. It is also the best and healthiest way to lose weight without depriving yourself.

Ludovic Beraud

Can Lack of Sleep Lead to Obesity?

Obesity is equivalent to having a weight that is 20% more than the normal and is usually rampant in countries where there is an abundance in food supply and decreased physical activities due to automation. It is a serious threat in someone’s health because it can eventually cause a number of other health complications like heart attack, and even influence the very life expectancy of a person. Aside from that, it is simply undesirable and inconvenient for someone to become overweight. But the conscious overindulgence in food may not be the only underlying cause of this public dilemma.
It has been long known to us through experience that small amount of sleep can leave us feeling tired, thus making us less productive and less attentive the next day. Now, it is found that sleep deprivation can also have a hand in the growing number of overweight people. A simple connection might be, when someone has sleep problems and does not get enough eye shut, he or she tends to have little motivation or energy for exercise.
Having frequent sleeplessness is shown to disrupt metabolism and hormone levels. Adults who get insufficient sleep during the night have hormone levels different than normal. Studies show that those who have deprived sleep has increased ghrelin levels, an appetite stimulant, while leptin levels, needed for appetite control, are reduced. Certain research even shows that short-sleepers tend to have increased appetite because of the decreased leptin production in their bodies. And because the manifestations of sleep, hunger, and fatigue are almost alike, people confuse them sometimes – eating when they’re in fact sleepy.
Also, it has been found that the body’s ability to process blood sugar has been significantly reduced. So to keep blood sugar in normal levels, people who sleep inadequately should make 30% more insulin.
But those studies do not clearly identify if obesity causes sleep deprivation or sleep deprivation is the one really causing obesity. There are statistics showing that people who only sleep below 8 hours have increasing weight patterns while more then 70% of adults who are overweight are found to have some sort of sleep problems. Therefore, it is also possible that obesity can cause sleep problems. Scientific evidence of weight loss due to extending sleep hours should first be available to help resolve this issue.
The good news is, there still things that people can do for improving their sleep and avoiding obesity. One is to avoid processed or fast foods rich in fats or carbohydrates and choose healthier options instead. Nothing beats a diet packed with vegetables, fruits and fish for energy and overall nutrient requirements of the body.
Another trick is to begin a regular exercise habit which will improve one’s sleep quality. At the end of the day, having a balanced energy intake and expenditure is plays a major role in maintaining a fit and healthy body. However, it is not advisable to do your exercise routines a few hours before sleeping for this will render your body more alert, making it hard for you to fall asleep . The recommended hours of sleep for children 3 to 10 years old is 10-13 while those who are already on their teens should at least get 8 hours of sleep.


Ludovic Beraud

Brown Rice Will No Longer Be the Food for the Poor

Asia is known for meals having rice. Almost every country in Asia uses this good rice as source of the starchy sugars. It is indeed the source of sugar in the body yet there are those that eat too much and have the unwanted fats in the body. Some also think that to eat, means to eat rice. For some, a meal is not complete without rice. There are two colors of rice in the market today. The first is the white or refined rice and the second, with the different shades and the most popular, is brown rice. It is known for the healthy benefits of the brown rice in the body. It promotes faster metabolic processes and it can also help those who want to have slimmer bodies.
The food for the poor is believed to be the brown rice during the wartime. The color of the rice is the reason people believe it is the food for the poor. Thus, the nutritional content of the brown rice is incomparable. It is very healthy and it can also help people in losing weight. The rich in fiber brown rice can help the metabolic processes work faster avoiding them to clog the digestive system. It is regarded as the cure of constipation. This is also the reason that makes it one of the most popular foods for those who want to lose weight. Constipation is always associated with unwanted fats. The most regular bow movement will help one to have a great digestion and the wastes from the body will be eliminated faster.
The husky rice is very helpful with the body because it is a good source for manganese. It is necessary to make it a habit to eat brown rice every breakfast. You are ensured of the great energy for the day yet you are also guaranteed that fats will not form in any way in your body. This is true as long as you eat only the right amount of rice every day. You can add the mouth-watering vegetables and fruits to make your breakfast full of tastes. It is a good source for the sugar that the body needs to produce the good insulin. Science-based research is conducted to make sure that the help of brown rice is not a fake notion. It is relatively significant on the studies that it helps the body reduce the fat and get that slimmer body.
It may sound impossible at first, but with the continuous intake of healthier brown rice can help you have the desirable weight you dream. It is undeniably the best of the foods you can eat to give you enough energy needed by the body to keep it going. The poor nutrition can cause weight loss but it is more important to get the best nutrients while doing it. It is necessary to give the body a treat for the healthy foods. It is good for the organs to have the enough nutrients to get them work at their best.
There is no better way of losing weight than getting the correct nutrients for the body. Losing weight is possible when you have taken the challenge of giving your body the right nourishment. It is good to eat brown rice not only because you need to lose weight but because your body needs the right foods for proper nourishment.

Ludovic Beraud

Breakfast and its Impact to your Weight

As we always hear it, breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day. But, many people overlook the importance of breakfast to our system. Some people opt to go to work with empty stomach. Some take breakfast by drinking a cup of hot coffee only. Others just buy some burgers or hash browns in fast food chains. With our busy lifestyle, breakfast can only interlude in our scheduled activities for the day.
Aside from hectic schedule that even eating breakfast can’t fit into, there are also other reasons why most people don’t appreciate the importance of taking breakfast every day. Admit it or not, we prefer to sleep a little later than preparing breakfast. With this, we believe that taking brunch, which is a combination breakfast and lunch is a better option. Sometimes, we need to rush, get the kids off to school or simply forget to take breakfast. Another reason which is common to dieters is the belief that skipping breakfast can lose weight quickly.
For all you know, when morning comes our digestive system has already finished digesting whatever we ate last night. If at 7 a.m. we haven’t taken our breakfast yet, then our stomach has been empty for the last 11 hours after the last meal. Even when it’s empty, the stomach muscles still continues to work as it is involuntary. Then, try to imagine, what would it digest? Well, it’s nothing else but your stomach lining. Worst, with an empty stomach till afternoon, it will surely backfire on us.
As we sleep, the body passes through a period of starvation for almost 12 hours. After this period, the body needs to refuel in order to compensate this. Therefore, taking breakfast halts the starvation period. It’s a vital activity before starting your hectic day. Breakfast fuels up the energy and sustains us for the activities of the day. Full breakfast is even recommended for those who are engaged in more physical activity.
If you are on a weight loss program, skipping breakfast is definitely a no-no. In fact, it is required to eat breakfast so as to avoid overeating at lunch. Lack of breakfast will only inhibit hunger pains which may lead to uncontrolled cravings that might lead to weight gain. It kicks up metabolism process to a higher level, too. Breakfast every morning will help avoid fatigue, headache, sluggishness and nausea. It also boosts mental alertness and increases the energy needed for the day.
Similarly, we can also take breakfast as a great chance for losing more weight. Aside from all the mentioned above, breakfast can also lose more weight when foods are healthy and organic. It’s necessary that during breakfast foods are balanced which simply means that there should be carbohydrate, protein, fiber and no fat.
Some foods to enjoy every morning include whole wheat bread, organic eggs, tea, cereals and fruit slices or juices which are simple yet sumptuous for a great start. It is necessary to keep track with the foods you eat. It helps you evaluate the foods you have taken and later on make some adjustment by adding variations. It’s also important to prefer less refined foods because it contains more nutrients. Furthermore, avoid taking those pre-processed food and instant food because they have higher sodium content.
When losing weight, breakfast is considered as one of the secret methods to continue weight loss. Skipping your breakfast may only lead to becoming overweight.


Ludovic Beraud

Boost your Self-Confidence and Lose Belly Fat

Whether we like it or not, physical appearance greatly contributes to a person’s level of self-confidence. Oftentimes, the more good looking a person is, the higher is his self confidence. Having a great body with the right curves will surely boost one’s self-confidence and will most likely spell success in one’s career and personal relationships. Through time, factors like aging, a busy lifestyle and chronic diseases may make you gain weight and may create belly fat in your abdomen area. It is not yet too late. You can still reduce or totally remove belly fat and regain your self-confidence. How do we lose belly fat then?

Avoid processed food and less fatty foods. There are days when our daily tasks, whether in the workplace or at home, are becoming so toxic that it takes away your time to prepare and cook good and healthy foods. Some express foods and fast foods are also cheaper and more convenient thus we are tempted to feed on them despite our knowledge that they contain lots of salt and preservatives. These foods are mostly deep-fried with saturated fats thus contain less or no nutrition at all. When you eat fast food, you are more likely to drink soda as well. Again, soda contains unhealthy sugars and empty calories.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fiber is the key to a faster metabolism of extra belly fat. You can eat larger portions of fruits and vegetables without getting fat. Moreover, foods rich in fiber controls your appetite and makes you feel full for longer hours. You may also want to substitute fruits in addressing your hunger in between meals. With a little creativity, you can create salads and juices to make them extra special.

Have enough sleep and rest. Sleep is a good aerobic exercise that helps metabolize body fat. Cortisol, a hormone produced when our body is stressed, affects greater fat storage in our system. We may be deprived of sleep because of deadlines but we must think that this is unhealthy. Make sure that you sleep at least seven hours a day to sustain your body’s needs. Stick to the idea that a body needs 7-9 hours of sleep a day. Aside from this, you should also have more relaxation and avenues for aerobic exercises like yoga.

Undergo a high intensity exercise program. Crunches and sit-ups are not enough to lose belly fat. You need to have the so-called intensive aerobic exercise that requires high levels of oxygen to be used in your body. First, you need to have warm-up exercises, say for example, running in a treadmill. For sure, you are out of breath and needs to cool down a bit. It is in these moments that oxygen exchange is at its peak. Once you recover your breath, you have to undergo other sets of aerobic exercises like running, jumping and cycling. You do not need to do this intensive exercise program at once. One step at a time will lead you to your goal.

Drink a lot of water and fruit juices. When you diet and exercise, your body will most likely lose lots of fluids that may lead to dehydration. This may lead to other problems like skin dryness, hair fall and other health complications. Replenish those lost fluids by drinking lots of water. Soda and caffeine are strongly discouraged.

Ludovic Beraud

The Basics of Bodybuilding for Beginners

Muscles that are Lean and strong are just some of the assets a body builder must have. It includes six-pack abs, firm butt and toned leg, too. The sexiness and masculine appearance of bodybuilders are definitely what sets them apart from other ordinary shaped men.
You might have decided to join in the growing number of body builders nowadays, now what? I bet, you are wandering what and how. Beginner body builders have plenty of things to know before securing a gym membership. I must tell you, there are many things that need to be considered before starting any body building workout.
Type of Exercises
Basically, body builders have gone into two different types of exercises, the isolation and compound. Isolation exercises focus on specific muscles and even muscles while compound exercises work on supporting muscles and the over-all strength gain. Basically depending on a specific body builder’s unique needs, these exercises are intentionally combined to achieve better body shape. At first, it can be a compound exercise followed by isolation exercise for sculpting those muscles into its desired shape. However, in some cases, it can be the other way around.
Muscle Composition
It is a must that bodybuilders must have more muscle mass than fats. Fats must be burned off first before gaining muscles. However, weight training is not sufficient to dissolve fats. In order to lose fat you need to engage in aerobic exercises and other cardiovascular exercises. Remember, you can never lose fat on a specific area only such as stomach area. It is impossible because aerobics and other cardiovascular exercises work on every part of the body. However, greater muscle mass can always burn off more fats. Calorie intake can’t avoid fat gain, but with proper combination of aerobics and weight training, fat gain would be lessened. Thus, these two essential aspects must be worked out evenly.
Repetition Technique
Also referred as pyramid technique, it pertains to the number of repetition a certain weight training must have to achieve the desired outcome. Usually, below 5 repetitions can increase strength but lesser muscle while 5 to 10 repetitions can enhance muscle growth. On the other hand, 10 to 15 repetitions promote endurance. It is very basic to start with lighter weights along with lower repetitions then increase the heaviness and repetition as you progress.
Steroid
With the popularity of body building, everybody wants to get an amazing body less the intense workout and disciplined habits. It is with this phenomenon that steroids were used by bodybuilders to achieve faster results. In fact, these drugs were used to maintain the body shape without the need for intense work out. Anabolic steroids are classified as class III schedule drugs. That means it is harmful on the body in the long run. Steroids can’t be prescribed to bodybuilders as it is opposed to the law. In reality, these illegal drugs can be purchased on a street or internet. Human steroids such as anadrol, anavar, sten, and veterinary steroids such as norandren 200 and laurabolin were among the popular steroids used by some professional bodybuilders.
Clothing and Gears
Unless you are in private gym, it is encouraged that you wear shirts as a respect to other gym members. Proper clothing must allow freedom of movement and not restrict the body. Similarly, gears such as hand gloves are also encouraged for beginners. Often overlooked, these gears are important to protect the hand from minor scratches and direct impact of lifting weights.
Body building had become so popular that there is an increasing number of body building enthusiasts. Beginners should be knowledgeable on some aspects that are part of this activity in preparation to their training.


Ludovic Beraud

Blueberries: Part of the Four Most Powerful Fruits

There are four fruits that are considered to be powerful because of the properties they have in promoting good health among people who will consume them in the right amount and in the right time. Among these fruits are kiwi, cranberries, strawberries and blueberries. Blueberries are loaded with anti oxidants and Vitamin C that ensures freedom from diseases such as cancer and cardio related. Let’s take a look on the properties of blue berries and be a personal judge if it is worthy to be called one of the power fruits for man’s health.
• Blueberries belong to the health family that also includes cranberries, azalea and many others. Vitamin C is the most abundant content of blueberry followed by manganese, Vitamin E, dietary fibers and the least is calorie content.
• All forms of blueberries may it be dried, fresh or frozen are abundant with antioxidants. It repairs damaged cell, tissues and compounds that are vital. Due to these free radicals, cell destruction will be repaired and diseases will be prevented. Some life threatening diseases derived from the destruction of body cells and tissues are cancer and heart related diseases.
• Anthocyanidins are the antioxidant phytonutrients which can be found in blueberries. It repairs and improves the integrity of veins and all of the vascular system. Anthocyanidins also plays an important role in the enhancement of the effects of Vitamin C which is also a component of the berry.
• Another antioxidant compound found in blueberries is ellagic acid. Ellagic acid helps block the metabolic pathways that will soon be the cause of cancer. In addition to the ellagic acid found in blueberries, there is also a high content of fiber pectin which are mostly found in fresh fruits which makes metabolism better. It has also an action which makes the person feel fullness and satisfaction in their stomach. This is the reason why some people claim that blueberries are used for weight loss. Fiber pectins also help in the reduction of cholesterol therefore avoiding the body to acquire diseases related to increased cholesterol.
• Blueberries are good for the stomach. This is because it will relieve diarrhea and constipation. Astringent called tannins found in blueberries reduce inflammation inside the stomach. Blueberries also promote urinary tract health like cranberries. They prevent the bacteria E. coli to adhere avoiding causes of inflammation in the mucosal lining of the bladder and urethra.
Blueberries could be consumed in several ways. You can add it to your favorite menus or you can simply eat it during your break time. It is a healthy breakfast, snack, lunch or even dinner.


Ludovic Beraud