Exercise Easier, Lose Weight Faster and Be a Healthier Person

Even the Native Americans hundreds of years ago knew that the Cranberry had substancial health benefits, even thinking that it could treat illnesses. And now for certain through thorough scientific research  that Cranberries can help you live a healthier and longer life. Yes, they may be a little on the tart side, but trust me in the long run they are worth it. And here are some solid reasons why...

Research into how the cranberry is in helping you become a more healthier person has shown that there are compounds found within the cranberry  can help with the prevention of Urinary Tract Infections.

Interestingly enough studies have shown that powerful antioxidants called proanthocyanidins, or PACS for short, are like the bullies that show infections who's boss. And it seems as though it is a very effective way of preventing Urinary Tract Infections because recent studies done at Rutgers University suggest that by just drinking one glass of cranberry cocktail twice a day the benefits of said cocktail starts within only 2 hours of having drank it and can last up to 10 hours.  In fact it effort has been put into extracting the PACS so as to offer people a more condensed, pill form, and less tart way of warding off and bullying their infections into place. Oh, and I almost forgot, but the PACS are not only good for infections but also have been shown to help with preventing plaque build up on teeth.

Also recent research that has delved even further into the beneficial properties of the Cranberry has shown that Cranberries have certain anit-inflammatory properties. So what that means it that by consuming Cranberries you are preventing and protecting yourself from chronic and life threatening diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and many types of cancer.

Now, yes the Cranberry can be very beneficial if we make it a habit to consume it regularly, but note something that is of great interest. And that is even though scientists have recently tried to extract and condense the different parts of the Cranberry that make it so good for our health, recently a study done at Worchester Polytechnic Institute showed that it is, "not just one certain part or component of the Cranberry that makes it so beneficial to consume", and that in fact we are far from truly understanding what components make the Cranberry beneficial for us.

So in a way I gues we can say that the Cranberry is not just something good for you, but something that when eaten whole, in juice or even as a sauce can prove to be a super food that makes you a healthier person, for
life.

Have you been eating food that tastes like cardboard with the hope that you will be shedding off the pounds? Well most likely you have been trying to consume products like green tea, soy milk and ground turkey with the hope that these "healthy foods" will help you lose weigh. But the scary truth is that the green tea you are buying at your local grocery store in fact could be making you pack on the pounds.


For example, even though green tea is a healthy choice for anyone, the one you are buying at your local grocery store could very well be loaded with sugar. And the same thing goes with soy milk, because many varieties that are sold in grocery stores are being sweetened with evaporated cane juice. While, on the other hand, that ground turkey you cling to because it is "healthier" in many grocery stores is really in fact loaded with saturated fat even when you compare it to lean ground beef.

Now what about chocolate? Well dark chocolate has been proven to help with the elasticity of red blood cells which can help you maintain good blood flow. Also dark chocolate can help you if you are at risk of a stroke and even maintain that blood pressure problem of yours in check.



Also, coffee it seems is almost constantly being studied and tested and the truth is we are constantly seeing benefits for people who drink black coffee within moderation. For example, coffee has been proven to help retain memory and provide necessary antioxidants for the body. Also coffee has been proven to help with cardiovascular problems and even type 2 diabetes. So yes, that first cup of coffee in the morning really is he best part of waking up.

And now what about beer? Well if you are watching you calories you should chose a light beer but nonetheless consuming beer can provide your body with essential B vitamins. Also, if you drink a dark lager beer your body is receiving lutein, which helps with eyesight, and soludable fiber, which is good for your heart.

So really, why torture yourself with food that could actually be hurting you instead of helping you. Of course by no means you should go overboard and eat without moderation, but nonetheless chocolate, coffee and beer really can help you be a healthier person.

What has more nutritious value than an apple, orange or a banana?

They are small, bright red and when compared to apples, oranges and bananas they prove to be more nutrient packed, fat free and lower in calories than any of the before-mentioned. Yes, the strawberry is truly a super food that you should be eating.


In fact pound for pound, I mean ounce for ounce, the humble strawberry has more vitamin C than an orange does and being a great source of pectin the super strawberry can even help you lower your cholesterol.

Also the strawberry has proven effective even in people with liver problems. In fact eating strawberries has been proven to help stimulate liver cells and the renewal of hepatic tissue.

But wait we are not done yet, because the strawberry can also help people with arthritis because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Treat skin burns and even aid in weight loss because of high fiber and aspartic acid content which aids in the removal of excess toxins in the body. So why aren’t you eating your strawberries?

Now I know that I will have to explain this title to. So first things first you cannot lose all the weight you want by just thinking. BUT you can lose weight fast by only thinking. What do I mean? What’s the difference? Well I mean if we could only stop to think about the things that we are about to eat before we eat them we can lose weight a whole lot faster. Keep reading and I will give you 3 solid reasons why this is…

Do you know how many “hidden calories” there are? How many hidden calories have you had today? Well personally I am sure you probably don’t even have a clue. Why? Well let me put an example, which has more caloric content: a serving size of Häagen-Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding or a Dunkin Donuts corn muffin? Well I was floored when I found out that a simple “corn muffin” had a caloric content of 510 in comparison to the Häagen-Dazs coming in at a 300 on the calorie scale. Now I have no idea what kind of corn they use to in those muffins but that is a lot of hidden calories, or in other words, the calorie “sticker shock” you get from foods that are seemingly harmless (what you would think of a corn muffin, YIKES!).

There aren’t any hidden calories but are you really going to be able to “work it off”? Usually when someone is dieting and trying to lose weight and they start using that phrase, “Don’t worry I will work it off”, it usually is a sign of trouble in fact it is a blaring ALARM! Before we even think about uttering words even similar to those THINK about if you really are willing to do it. Think about what you are about to eat and what you will have to do to work it all off. You do not want to backpedal. We want to reach our weight loss goals. You can do it!


Ok no hidden calories, I’ll work it off but do I REALLY NEED it?  So we have gotten through the really big hurdles. You have made sure there is not one calorie unaccounted for. You’ve calculated off of all the running and jumping jacks you’re going to do. Now there is only one more question you have to think about. Do I REALLY NEED it? Yes I know that we are grown adults and we don’t need mommy telling us what to eat and when to eat it, but still do you REALLY NEED it? Especially now in such a fast paced society in which we make numerous decisions in matters of seconds it is important to stop and think especially when it comes to our health. So the question is: to lose weight fast will YOU stop and think?

1. A baby will not be able to sleep better than you. Have you ever been really tired? Well of course you have I do not doubt it but the thing is you were probably tired from work, the kids, the family and what may have you and that tiredness has the effect of a very bad sleep quality. Yet on the other hand have you ever been tired from exercise? Try it out sometime because physical exertion does have the great aftereffect of a great night’s sleep. (And if you are worried about the wife, kids and job well keep reading…)
2. Serene will not begin to describe you. Exercise has shown to improve mood, help relieve anxiety and even have positive effects for people with depression. Keep in mind that of course benefits will vary from person to person.
3. Ever need to get away but couldn’t? Well not anymore. Like we mentioned before the stresses of life may and will get to us every once in a while. Yet a very good thing to do to counteract that negative effect is nothing short of e-x-e-r-c-i-s-e. Exercise puts our minds on something different. That is why it is so important that we enjoy the type of exercise that we do. When we enjoy exercising and truly focus on it and give it the importance that it should be given  we not only benefit our bodies physically but mentally as well. Of course we  NEED to give our families the time they DESERVE too, but if we ever need to there is nothing wrong with running around the block every once in a while.
4. Ever needed to feel good about something? Go ahead now’s the time. Ever feel down in the dumps? A little sad? Have you ever needed a little pick me up? Well the truth is exercising is one of those things that if you do it today by the time you are done with your first work out well you will already feel better. Just the fact that we were able to exercise maybe 30 minutes or something is enough to usually make someone want to tell others. In fact I am sure that we all have been there where as soon as we are done exercising and have rested a bit we want to tell others what, when and how we are exercising. So really exercise gives us immediate benefits.
5. You will be at the top of your class, again. Not only do the passing of time have an effect on our health but also on our mental abilities. For example as we age memory problems along with a decline in cognitive ( cognitive - the process of knowing and, more precisely, the process of being aware, knowing, thinking, learning and judging ) function effects a truly extensive number of older adults. So how can we age with finesse, so to say? Well once again exercise has proven to help older adults retain their mental abilities even as they age but is that all? Well, no because similar positive effects can be found even in children. In fact University of Illinois researchers have found that physical activity may enhance the academic achievements of children by improving their attention and working memory skills. So as we can see the benefits mentally of exercise can be seen across the board from older adults even to children. So the question remains, why haven’t you started?

What if I told you that one of the most important things to a great exercise regiment was: good ol’ fashioned rest? Would you believe me? Ah, come on I thought that you guys would believe in me more. Besides the point I am not that crazy anyway. But really, getting back to the point, how much effect does resting well have on our, not only exercise regiment, goal of achieving better health? Well let’s see…

You’re not going to be as sharp as you used to be. Now of course starting a exercise regiment will have its respective physical and mental toll. Now imagine adding to that burden by getting to bed later, waking up earlier and basically cheating your body of much needed sleep. How will you be feeling then? But wait, that is not it, it is 9 o’clock time to exercise. Well personally I do not think so. So pretty much if you want to see results and be consistent with your exercise program get some good ol’ shut eye…

Physically you’ll be a slug. Now I am going to be very positive and say that yes you got to bed very late and woke up super early this morning, you don’t feel as bright as a daisy, but your ready to do your morning workout. Sounds great right? Did I just prove myself wrong? Well just remember this depriving yourself of sleep is also depriving your physical body of much needed rest and relaxation. And all this directly affecting you for example, one of the first things that a tired sleepy person feels are body aches. Imagine that you have not even started exercising and your body is already telling you that it is finished. 


You cheat your “bestest” friend. Of course I imagine by now we are getting the picture of the importance of sleeping well. But now it is time to keep another tidbit in mind. When you are depriving yourself of sleep you are cheating the best friend you can have while your trying to loose weight, and no I am not talking about your exercising buddy, I mean you slow your metabolism. I mean really think about it if you are moving slow everything, and I mean everything, will move slow along with you. 

Exercise to lose weight stay awake to put it back on. Another reason why not sleeping adequately just robs you of your efforts at being healthy and losing weight is that by not having good sleeping habits you simple just pack on the pounds. For example recent research by the University of Bristol has shown that people who sleep a average of 5 hours a night have 15% more ghrelin than those who slept for 8 hours and they were also found to have 15% less leptin. Now translated to english? Well in other words sleeping 5 hours a night on a habitual basis causes hormonal imbalances that INCREASE the sensation of hunger. Once again sabotaging your better health efforts. Although you may think that this has not or will not happen to you well, food for thought, the same study showed that “over the last 50 years we have reduced the amount of time we spend asleep by up to two hours a night because of increasing pressures on our time (work, school, family, television, computer games and the internet)”.

1.             Try to stay busy.  Now I know that this is not anything new. But the thing is it is one of the best. Now when I say stay busy I am saying DO ANYTHING whether it be  exercise, scrapbooking, talking to someone or at the least play with your kids. I DO NOT KNOW! Think about something or do my favorite thing take a nap…
2.             Try brushing your teeth. Now this is one that I like because when you think about it it is something that is sort of a double good thing. Because one thing that is good about brushing your teeth is that you are maintaining very good dental hygiene and your dentist will be super proud of you and on the other hand for some strange reason when you have those pearly whites nice and clean you really do not want to mess them up too soon. 
3.             Do you like cinnamon? Well it’s time to like it more.  Studies are now showing that sprinkling cinnamon capsules on to your food will curve your appetite.  Also keep in mind that cinnamon is also very good for your overall health to for example: U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland showed that cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells, Cinnamon spice contains anti-inflammatory compounds which can be useful in reducing pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, Cinnamon is a blood thinning agent which also acts to increase circulation. This blood circulation helps significantly in removing pain. Good blood circulation also ensures oxygen supply to the body cells leading to higher metabolic activity. You significantly reduce the chance of getting a heart attack by regularly consuming cinnamon and not only that but you get fresh breath too (expect  another blog post just about cinnamon). Regularly taking cinnamon is good for you take the time and use cinnamon more often. Nature's Bounty Cinnamon 1000mg, 100 Capsules (Pack of 3)
4.             Drink WATER!  Yes I know that everyone knows this but a friendly reminder is always good….
5. Massage those cravings away. I like this one and I think that you will too, try massaging some of your troubles and cravings away. Because really think about it when your getting a message what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about the bills, that appointment at 10, the kids or that chocolate cake that looks so good? No, right? Well that is the point massage all those troubles away along with those cravings.     
6. Try not to be alone.  This is important because really when you have someone there looking over your shoulder that has the true intention of helping you in the long run well maybe you’ll think twice about satisfying that craving.
7.             Think about the consequences, and I mean really think. This is probably the most important step anyone can take and probably the one step that everyone should take. Starting a diet plan is no easy and usually those killer cravings will not come the first day. Usually they come after we have seen some progress.  To really halt those cravings a little bit think about what you are about to do and how it will affect you. Think about how it will affect your family and friends your fitness buddy if they every found out. Think how you will feel after eating that big huge piece of chocolate cake. Will it REALLY make you feel better? Will it TRULY put an END to your craving?