Reduce Your Risk of Cancer, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure By Drinking Water in This Way

Japanese have a crazy habit of drinking water right after they wake up in the morning. Well, it may not be that crazy, as science backs up this ‘trend.’

You can read more about the power of water and the best way to use it further in this article.

According to Japanese medical society, water treatment works well against stubborn ailments and modern diseases.

Moreover, water is the only remedy and cure for headaches, aches, cardiovascular issues, arthritis, tachycardia, epilepsy, obesity, bronchitis, asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine malfunction, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, vision problems, womb, cancer, menstrual disorders, and last but not least, ear, nose and throat issues.

Water treatment

1. Drink 4 glasses of water, 160 ml each, right after you wake up. You may want to do this before you brush your teeth.
2. Brush your teeth and rinse your oral cavity as you usually do. Do not drink anything for the next 45 minutes.
3. Have a normal breakfast, and drink your favorite juice or tea. Plain water works well, too.
4. Do not drink or eat anything for 2 hours after you finish your meals.
5. If you cannot manage drinking 4 glasses of water in the morning, start off with a glass or two, and increase this amount gradually.
6. Water treatment helps both healthy and sick individuals. It helps you enjoy a healthier life.

Here is the proper duration of your water treatment, depending on the ailment you are treating:

1. Hypertension – 30 days
2. Gastritis – 10 days
3. Diabetes – 30 days
4. Constipation – 10 days
5. Cancer – 180 days
6. TB – 90 days
7. Arthritis – Patients should do the water treatment for 3 days in the first week, and do this on a daily basis from the second week.

Water treatments have no side effects, and of course, frequent urination does not count here. Stand strong during the treatment and make sure it becomes your favorite daily routine.

http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/

YOU DON'T NEED NEW YEAR TO MAKE A CHANGE... ALL YOU NEED IS MONDAY!

PS. THIS MONDAY!

Why Are Muscles Sore After A Workout?

Explaining the Effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

We’ve all had those days after an intense workout where all you want to do is curl up into a little ball and never move. Your muscles feel tight, stiff and make getting out of bed feel just plain terrible. So what causes our body to become sore after a workout?

Soreness results when you workout or do physical activity that is greater than normal. It is known that you body’s eccentric muscle contractions, cause more soreness in the days following the workout than either isometric contractions or concentric contractions. Okay, that was a quite the mouthful! So, what do those things even mean? Let’s take a step back for a moment and break it down.

• Eccentric Muscles: The muscles that lengthen when you are lowering a weight for example.
• Isometric Muscles: The muscles that does not change length. For example, like when you are holding a weight.
• Concentric Muscles: The muscles that shorten like when lifting a weight for example.

You’re probably asking “why do your eccentric muscles cause the most pain?” I’ll be getting to this in a moment, first, let me explain more about what you are experiencing. The soreness you are feeling in the days after your intense workout can be referred to asdelayed onset muscle soreness or “DOMS.” Your muscle mass is always being broken down, and is also always being synthesized at some point. When you work out, the stress that you are putting on the muscles activates chemicals that causes your body to build up your muscle tissue. If you feel soreness or the “tearing” as some refer it as, you are noticing one of the signs of this chemical process. There are many other things that affect the way your body responds to physical activity. Some of these include metabolic, hormonal, and dietary changes that function in various ways.

If you’re currently looking for ways to massage your muscles or relax them after an intense workout, I’d suggest checking out the Trigger Point Total Package. With the Trigger Point Kit’s patented design mirroring the feeling of a human hand, you are able to massage almost any part of the body safely and effectively on your own. If you’d like to learn more about this product, click the image on the left or visit the Fitness Town website.

“No Pain, No Gain” Misconceptions.

One of the biggest misconceptions is the saying “no pain, no gain.” Some believe you need to workout until your muscles feel sore or exhausted. I definitely disagree with this belief, I believe you do not need over-do it for them to grow. While working your muscles until they’re achy means you technically did tax your muscles, which helps them get stronger, it’s actually not beneficial in the long run. So why do eccentric muscles hurt more than others? DOMS tends to begin 24 to 48 hours after exercising and you can feel the discomfort peak between 48 to 72 hours. Studies have shown that eccentric muscle activity, which is actively resisting lengthening of the muscle (like raising or lowering a weight), gives the most discomfort. When overworked, DOMS could be due to high tension on muscle fibers and connective tissues which is less common in isometric, concentric, or static tension activity.

Consistency is Key!

At Fitness Town, we believe that keeping active on a daily basis is important. Pushing your muscles past your comfort line on one day means your muscles are going to feel extremely exhausted for days after. This means when you go to workout the following day, you’ll be more likely to skip your routine. I find more often than not that many people struggle with keeping up with their fitness routines overtime. This is why it becomes a very big issue! Why? Well, because when getting back into shape, consistency and determination is key! Personally, I believe it is about developing and learning how to maintain a different lifestyle. It is easier to do this by working out less intensely every day, than to go all out on one day and dread every second of the few following days. Ultimately, if you dread the effects of your workout, you are going to be less motivated to continue on with your fitness goals. If you’re looking for something that will speed up your recovery time and give you that extra “umph,” I suggest looking into PurePharma.

Cons of Over-doing It.

Picture this, you have overdone your previous workout to the point you feel like you’re in a full-body cast. You then decide to lay on the couch while muttering all sorts of “I-hate-exercise” and swear words. Like I said previously, you can’t justify to yourself “I went hard a few days ago so I’ve done my time for the week.” Unfortunately for some, working out requires commitment. You can’t be a couch potato for the following 6 days of the week, that’s like one step forward and two steps back! Your muscles will respond better when they’re being constantly worked which allows them to gradually get used to your workouts. By doing this method, you’ll find that is will prevent your muscles from becoming weak and sore.

How Can You Tell You’re Over-doing It?

So, how can you tell when you’re overdoing your workout? If you are into weightlifting and find yourself starting to shake, twitch, get restless, or numb during your reps, that’s a sign you might be hurtin’ tomorrow! If you do find yourself in this situation, I suggest you step farrrrrr awaaay from the weights. Instead of continuing to workout that area of your body, move on to a different area of your body. As soon as you start feeling noticeably exhausted, I would suggest you end your workout session. This way you ensure that DOMS does not get the best of you and instead, you can workout comfortably the following day or so. Remember, the key to successfully reaching your fitness goals is to…

http://blog.fitnesstown.ca/muscle-soreness

10 Healthy LATE NIGHT Snacks (Under 100 Calories)

10 Foods That Make You Look Younger

You can head off a lot of your most common beauty concerns simply by downing the right foods. That's right—eating well not only does wonders for your waistline and bolsters your immune system but can also provide some very real get-gorg benefits, such as smoothing wrinkles, giving hair a glossy shine and strengthening flimsy nails.

"Your diet directly affects your day-to-day appearance and plays a significant role in how well you age," said Dr. Joshua Zeichner.

The smart approach, Zeichner said, is to create a plan that includes what he calls "the building blocks of healthy skin and hair"—nutrients, minerals and fatty acids—as well as antioxidants to protect your body from damaging environmental stresses.

Get ready to nab some beauty-boosting perks by tossing these essential face-saving edibles into your grocery cart.


Coffee
Grabbing some java every morning doesn't just jump-start your day—that cup of joe has bioactive compounds that may help protect your skin from melanoma (the fifth most common cancer in the U.S.), according to a recent report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers found that the more coffee people downed, the less likely they were to get the disease: Those drinking four cups daily had a 20 percent lower risk of developing malignant melanoma over a 10-year period than non-coffee drinkers.

Watermelon
The summertime fave is loaded with lycopene.

"This antioxidant compound gives watermelon and tomatoes their red color—and helps skin stave off UV damage," said nutrition pro Keri Glassman, RD, founder of NutritiousLife.com.

Researchers believe that the melon contains as much as 40 percent more of the phytochemical than raw tomatoes; that's the equivalent of an SPF 3, so use it to bolster (not replace) your daily dose of sunscreen.



Pomegranates
The seeds of this wonder fruit are bursting with antioxidants, like vitamin C, that prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness by neutralizing the free radicals that weather skin. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher vitamin C intake lessened the likelihood of dryness and wrinkles in middle-aged women. Also in the fruit's arsenal: anthocyanins (which help increase collagen production, giving skin a firmer look) and ellagic acid (a natural chemical that reduces inflammation caused by UV damage).



Blueberries
Boost radiance by popping some of these plump little beauties. Blueberries supply vitamins C and E (two antioxidants that work in tandem to brighten skin, even out tone and fight off free-radical damage), as well as arbutin, "a natural derivative of the skin lightener hydroquinone," Zeichner said.



Lobster
High in zinc, shellfish has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat a range of skin annoyances, acne included.

"Zinc accelerates the renewal of skin cells," said Dr. Whitney Bowe, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "That's why you find the nutrient in many acne medications."

In fact, research shows that people with acne have lower levels of zinc than people with clear skin.


Kale
On the long list of this leafy green's nutrients are vitamin K (it promotes healthy blood clotting, so the blood vessels around the eyes don't leak and cause Walking Dead-like shadows) and loads of iron.

"Insufficient levels of iron in your diet can cause your skin to look pale, making it easier to spot blood vessels under the skin," explained Dr. Howard Murad, associate clinical professor of medicine at UCLA. To max out the benefits, eat the veggie cooked, not raw.




Eggs
Your fingernails (toenails, too) are made of protein, so a deficiency can turn those talons soft. Keep yours thick and mani-pedi-ready by cracking smart: "Eggs are a good source of biotin, a B complex vitamin that metabolizes amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein," said Dr. Frank Lipman, director of Eleven-Eleven Wellness Center in New York City.



Walnuts
Omega-3 fatty acids (found in the natural oils that keep your hair hydrated) and vitamin E (which helps repair damaged follicles) are two secrets behind strong, lustrous strands—and these nuts are full of both, Lipman said. All you need is 1/4 cup a day. What's more, walnuts are packed with copper, which will help keep your natural color rich: Studies show that being deficient in the mineral may be a factor in going prematurely gray.



Avocado
Like you need another reason to love them: These rich fruits are high in oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that helps skin retain moisture in the outer layer to keep it soft, plump and supple, Bowe said.



Cantaloupe
The sweet melon contains beta carotene, or vitamin A, which is believed to regulate the growth of skin cells on your scalp and sebum in the skin's outer layer, Zeichner said. This keeps pores from getting clogged and causing flakes.


http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/07/11/10-foods-that-make-look-younger.html?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_1235920

How to Spot a Fad Diet?

Stronger Stories | From black sheep to global fitness star

7 Things You Don’t Want to Learn Too Late in Life

We should never regret too much in our lives. However, there comes a time when we realize there are things that, if we had known them earlier, could have benefited us a lot in our younger years. Maybe we only come to these realisations through personal growth and experience, but sometimes we can go through life not being fully aware of situations until we hit a crisis point that leads us to question whether we truly did or cherished things to the best of our ability.

How often have you thought to yourself I wish I’d known this when I was younger? There’s an overwhelming feeling that if your younger self-had just been more enlightened or aware, then you could have dealt with emotions and situations more readily or just moved forward with a more knowledgeable mindset and perspective on life.

With this in mind, here are 7 important life lessons that will change your perspective and mindset to enhance your experience of life for the better.

1. Be Present In The Here And Now

We spend so much time rehashing the past or planning for the future that we forget to experience the present moment. The present moment is what is happening to you right now. Happiness can only exist in the present moment ‒ the past has gone and the future hasn’t come yet so the present moment is all we have.

Our minds have a habit of running at a hundred miles an hour and this means we are rarely just being in the here and now. Try stopping and looking around you, see what is happening right now, be mindful of where you are right in this moment, or simply be aware of your breathing. Once you do this, your mind will start to open up and appreciate what you have right now and you will even start to feel like time is no longer slipping away.

2. Don’t Rule Your Life By What You Think You Should Or Shouldn’t Do

Society or our family’s expectations tend to make us think there are things we should do ― I should go to university and get that degree or I shouldn’t pursue my dreams because I won’t make the same money as I would working in this dead-end office job. We all have these niggling ‘shoulds’ and ‘shouldn’ts’ circling our minds, but when we make these statements, who exactly are we making these statements to? Who exactly are we trying to get permission from? And why is this acceptable? Living your life the way you want to is the only way to be happy. Stop limiting yourself because of other people’s expectations. It’s your life and no one else’s.

3. Don’t Make Things Bigger Than They Are

Our minds can work against us and through mindsets we develop and fears that take over. We can often make problems much bigger than they actually are. It’s all about perspective. How many times have you thought something was a huge deal but a day, week, or month down the line you don’t even think about it anymore? That’s because your mind likes to focus and blow-up worries and problems that aren’t actually problems.

Next time it happens just take a moment to ask yourself: realistically, will I still be thinking about this tomorrow, next week, next year etc.? Most of the time the answer will be “NO” so eliminate all the unnecessary worry you put yourself through.

4. Face Your Fears More

We all have fears ― some are justified and some are not ― but to grow and really get as much out of life as you can, you need to face your fears more often. Remember that many of your fears are only a product of your mind; they don’t actually exist. When you start to realize this, doing things you find intimidating and scary will actually become easier. The feeling you’ll get from facing your fears head on will be the best and most rewarding feeling you will ever have and, 100% guaranteed, it will always never feel as scary as your mind thought it was going to be.

5. Slowly But Surely Wins The Race

When we’re younger, we tend to aim high and want everything quickly. When we set ourselves goals, we can give up easily when we don’t get the results immediately. Our modern world has conditioned us to expect and obtain anything in a blink of an eye which has led us to believe this can be the same for our dreams, goals, and ambitions.

The secret to success is small steps for big changes. Our goals are there to help us achieve and grow and we can’t do this if things happen quickly with no area for learning or getting a sense of achievement from it. Remember to set yourself small attainable goals that will help towards your dreams and know you are on the right path no matter how long it will take.

6. Stop Assuming What Other People Are Thinking

We can often make huge assumptions about what others are thinking whether they are judging you for something or thinking badly about an opinion you had. The bottom line is the world doesn’t revolve around you. Everyone around you is dealing with their own problems, worries, and insecurities and the chances are, they aren’t paying as much attention to you as you may think. So stop caring and, even worse, assuming what others are thinking. You wouldn’t want anyone to assume what you’re thinking so why do it to others?

7. Appreciate Everything In Your Life

One of the most important life lessons is appreciation. The older we get, the more we appreciate the things in our life including people, experiences, lessons we’ve learned, and even our possessions. Establishing this habit early on the better, because gratitude and appreciation is the true key to happiness. The sooner you can be enlightened to this and integrate this into your everyday life, the more you’ll be able to live in the present moment and be thankful for what makes your life a good one―no matter how small the thing is you’re appreciating.

So, whether it’s the shower you get to take every morning, the nature around you, your pet, that one person who you can talk to about anything, the food in your refrigerator―appreciate it all and realize the abundance that’s really present in your life. This will transcend into the rest of your life and establish the positive mindset needed to live a happy and healthy life; your older self will thank you for it!

http://www.lifehack.org/446724/7-things-you-dont-want-to-learn-too-late-in-life

Is Organic Food Worse For You?

Is Organic Food Better for Your Health?

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JUICING

Can fruit and vegetable juices really sharpen your edge and turbocharge vitality? Experts weigh in on the trend—and tell you how to do it right.

 

With the influx of health nuts and fitness junkies slamming back cold-pressed juices, you'd be hard-pressed not to think about juicing. But, is it healthy and beneficial enough to be storming the juice bar or cranking out your own concotion; or is it just a health fad?

Well, you already know that diets packed with fruits and vegetables reduce your risk for chronic conditions and diseases that can lead to an untimely death; but produce also plays a key roll in weight management. And odds are good you're not getting the five servings a day recommended by the USDA. (In fact, CDC data shows only a third of US adults eat two-plus fruits, and about a quarter get three-plus veggies, daily. Yikes.) So to close up that gap, most experts agree that juicing can help pack more nutrients into your day. There’s some research (like this study in the journal Nutrition) that supports that recommendation as well.

Still, it’s not as simple as chugging juice. Here’s what nutrition experts say you need to know.

Can Fruit Make You Fat? >>>

1. Supplement, don’t cleanse. Nutritionists largely agree that juicing can offer a low-fat, nutrient-rich jolt of energy when added to already healthy, balanced diets—but as far as the cleanse-for-weight-loss meal replacement trend? Skip it. Juice digests quickly, and can cause the type of extreme hunger that leads to overeating and binging. “Drinking juice in lieu of eating food is not healthy or sustainable, no matter how nutrient-packed,” says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Juice cleanses (read: fasts) can also lead to unstable blood sugar, headaches, and lightheadedness. So, yeah, your workouts aren't going to happen; or you'll be so exhausted during them you won't have the energy to keep up and can up your odds for injury.

2. Pick the right ingredients. Certain vitamins are more easily absorbed as juice, like vitamin C and Bs, while others, like vitamin A, E, K are best taken through the full digestion process, says Cohn. And some vegetables, such as tomatoes, actually provide more nutritional value when cooked, points out Kelly O’Connor, RD, LDN, a registered dietician at Baltimore-based Mercy Medical Center. Keeping all this in mind, these best bets that will maximize nutrition: leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens), kiwi, papaya, grapefruit, red bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, asparagus and garlic. Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, author of The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices & Green Smoothies also favors parsley, blood-pressure-lowering beets (combine with carrot or apple to enhance taste), inflammation-fighter ginger root, potassium-packed cucumbers, and antibacterial lemons. Avoid overly mushy or tender fruits, like bananas (if craving potassium, use half) and peaches, which can make your juice too thick and mushy, says Cohn.

The Most Powerful Protein Shake Ingredients You’re Not Using >>>

3. Find the perfect mix. Warning: Vegetable juice might not knock your socks off at first, so you’ve got to experiment. Plot how you'll keep a variety of produce stocked, then have fun with it. Start with two cups of greens, which can taste bitter, balanced by one piece of fruit. Then, play around with the ratio, adding cayenne pepper or cinnamon for extra seasoning if desired. (Still not sure where to begin? We asked the experts for their favorite combos—grapefruit-orange-kale-cucumber for Cohn and carrot-apple-ginger for Calbom.)

4. Sip fast. Whipping up batches of liquid vitality for the week, or even day, isn’t most potent. “Guzzle that juice immediately,” says Cohn. “By changing the texture and integrity of fruits and vegetables from solid to liquid and removing protective skins, the foods quickly start to lose nutrients.”

The Fruits Lowest in Sugar That Will Help You Lose Weight, Ranked >>>

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/should-you-be-juicing

"WHY DON'T I HAVE LOOSE SKIN"?

Binge Eating Story And How to Stop?

How to Eat to Build Muscle?

In order to get bigger, it only stands to reason that you need to eat more—food provides calories, which are the building blocks of new muscle. But how much more and what?

For most men, you won’t need much more—300 to 500 calories per day and you’re looking at roughly a pound gain per week. Of course, there are mitigating factors: If you’re overweight, you’re better off at a calorie deficit (meaning you might eat the same number of calories but you’re working out more, or you may also reduce what you eat) until you lean out. However, “if you’re in too much of a caloric deficit, your body will not have the nutrients it needs to recover from the training, re-build the muscles, and support muscle growth,” says Adam. On the other hand, if you have trouble putting on mass, you will need to boost those calories, but only to the point where you gain muscle, not fat. In either case, it can be
a process of trial and error; seeing a sports nutritionist might be worthwhile if you’re serious about hypertrophy.

Now, to the “what.” Contrary to popular belief, a bodybuilding diet is not all protein, all the time. A growing body needs carbs, too, which are the primary fuel for being able to work out that intensely in the first place. “I stick within 50 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fats, and aim for 1.4 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram (note: not pound) of bodyweight,” Gochnour says. For a guy who weighs 175 pounds, that works out to 111 to 135 grams of protein per day. For reference, a 5-ounce chicken breast contains 44 grams, a cup of Greek yogurt contains 17 grams, and two large eggs contain 12 grams.

There’s also the question of when to eat. You’ve probably heard a lot about pre-workout meals and even more about that post-workout “anabolic window,” in which if you don’t eat, you might as well have skipped your workout for a Netflix binge instead. Good news: Unless you’re an elite athlete or bodybuilder training for competition, this is largely rubbish. “If you want an intense workout, having fuel in the tank leads to better workouts, but if your last meal was within one to two hours, you are probably primed fine,” Gochnour says. “In my experience training recreational athletes, people make gains just fine eating three meals
a day and having snacks without worrying about rushing home to have their protein drink.”

That said, if you like (or need) the energy boost that comes from a carb-focused pre-workout snack or drink, go for it. Ingredients like caffeine and creatine can also provide benefits, for energy and for recovery, respectively. As for post-workouts, if your next meal is many hours away, a pre-made bar containing both protein and carbs is convenient for replenishment.

How to Eat to Get Strong

As you might expect, you don’t need as much of a surplus of calories to build strength as you do size, most likely no more than 300 extra per day. And oftentimes when you’re starting
a strength workout, there may be some leaning out to do, which means a slight calorie deficit instead. A lot of the guidelines here are the same, in terms of carbs and fat (50 to 65 percent and 20 to 35 percent), but you can err on the lower side of the protein input, at 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight—and frankly, that alone might account for reducing the surplus of total calories.

7 Foods You Should Eat Every Day >>>

How Much Cardio Should I Do to Build Muscle and Burn Fat?

If your aim is to put on muscle and you’re eating to sustain growth, it’s counterproductive to break a sweat on the treadmill or go for a bike ride, right? Actually, no. “Cardio holds many major benefits for people who wish to build a lean physique and there are very rare circumstances in which you should avoid it completely,” Adam says. Your personal circumstances will dictate how much you need, though. For example, if you have some fat to shed, you’ll want enough sessions to facilitate that—up to three 45-minute steady-state workouts (like running, biking, or swimming at a consistent pace) or 15-30 minute high-intensity interval (HIIT) sessions. On the other hand,  if you’re a hard-gainer (a.k.a., skinny), you want just enough cardio to strengthen your heart and get the blood pumping to those hard-worked muscles to facilitate recovery. That might mean moderate-intensity 10-minute steady-state bouts as a closer to your lifting routines.

As another option to get it all in, Adam recommends “cardioacceleration,” in which you perform one minute of HIIT exercises, such as jumping jacks, during your rest between sets in your lifting session. “Studies have also shown that performing cardio between sets allows for better recovery due to increased blood flow,” he says. This brings more oxygen and nutrients to those working muscles and a better muscle “pump,” which physically stretches the muscles and can lead to actual growth. “You may see a slight decrease in your ability to perform your next lifting set when you first start adding cardioacceleration into your routine, but after you get used to it, you’ll see the opposite effect start to happen due to the aforementioned benefits,” Adam says.

http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/how-build-muscle-basic-guide-beginners-0

10 Amazing Tips On How To Eat Healthy

Learning how to eat healthy is something many people are interested in but also something that all of us have been frustrated with at some point in our lives. I’m sure you’ve wanted to throw your hands up at some point, and who could blame you? With all the advice out there surrounding dieting and learning how to eat healthy, it’s inevitable that we end up confused at some point or ready to give up. However, when it comes to eating healthy, sometimes we need to take a step back from the diet books, trends, and just keep some basic principles in mind. We also need to remember why eating healthy is important in the first place.

Why Healthy Eating is Important

A healthy diet filled with real food can mean better blood sugar levels, a longer life, better focus, less risk for disease, a healthier heart, better digestion, and a naturally healthy weight that we don’t always have to feel the need to manage. However, the term healthy eating means many different things to just about everyone and not one set meal plan will work for every single individual out there.

I’m a nutritionist who has experimented with a variety of diets, studied nutrition for over 10 years, and worked with clients from across the country. Here are 10 Amazing Tips on How to Eat Healthy that I advise to everyone I know and practice myself on a daily basis:

1. Always Start With Fresh Food

Fresh foods and produce should be a part of every single meal you eat. Going all day and subsisting on diet bars, shakes, fast food, and caffeine will set you up for nutritional deficiencies and leave you unsatisfied.  Select one, two, three or more produce items to add to each meal you eat, and remember that vegetables, greens, and fruits contain vitamins and minerals that other foods don’t offer. They also help hydrate us and satisfy us despite that they’re low in calories.

Experiment with different produce options at each meal to see which ones you enjoy the most, and don’t be afraid to try new things!

2. Listen to Your Hunger

This may sound obvious, but most people miss this key part of the puzzle. If you’re hungry, eat. If not, don’t eat. While you should not go over 5 hours during the day without eating when you have a busy schedule, if you’re not hungry when you first wake up, wait until your body tells you it’s ready to eat. Have lunch at the time your body tells you it needs some mid-day fuel. Come dinnertime, don’t feel as though you need a huge meal to unwind after a long day or feel as though you need to restrict portions if you’re a little hungrier than others some nights.

Fill your plates with fresh foods and listen to your body’s hunger signals. This is one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy mindset around food, relationship with your body, and a healthy metabolism for life.

3. View Food as More Than Calories

There are plenty of low-calorie diet items you can buy at the store these days, but packaged diet foods are not the key to living and eating healthy. Yes, calories do matter and just because quality calories are better than processed calories, it doesn’t mean you can overeat and stuff yourself. However, food is more than calories, and it’s ten times better to eat 200 calories from fresh foods and clean sources of protein than it is to eat a 100 calorie snack pack for lunch.

Give your body real food and learn to view food as more than calories. If you’re listening to your hunger signals, everything else will eventually take care of itself.

4. Remember the Importance of Blood Sugar

Your blood sugar can make or break your health. Refined carbohydrates like refined grains and all added sugars can spike blood sugar levels and lead to health issues like Type 2 diabetes or weight gain. When you eat each meal, keep your blood sugar in mind. Insulin spikes when we eat, and to keep insulin working properly, we need a balanced intake of lean protein, fiber, and some healthy fats. Think veggies, greens, lean protein, and moderate intake of fruits and healthy fats. If you tolerate grains, always go for whole grains like oats or quinoa for optimal blood sugar levels since they digest more slowly than processed carbs like bread or cereal.

Here are 10 powerful foods that are great for blood sugar levels.

5. Skip Sugar

Many people believe that sugar is harmless, however, I’m not one of those people. Refined sugar—and even many natural, added sugars—usually lead to overeating as well as blood sugar issues. They also age the skin and trigger overeating or more sugar cravings. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your birthday cake or dessert on Thanksgiving, it just means that sugar in most all forms should not be a part of your healthy eating routine.

Throw out the packaged foods with added sugar and learn to read labels. There are over 57 hidden names for sugar that can appear on a label, so once again, fresh food is always the best choice when planning your meals. Natural sugars from fruit are fine in moderation, and if you need some sweetener for your coffee or desserts, try liquid stevia which is more natural than artificial sweeteners and free of calories.

6. Remember Fat is Not the Enemy

Dietary fat is something that most of us have been confused about. I’ve eaten a low-fat diet and a high-fat diet and neither felt so great in my body, however, I know many people that thrive on both styles of eating. No matter what way works for you, we need to remember that fat is not the enemy. Fat can satiate the body, keep the hair and skin healthy, and it also boosts mood and energy when we eat it in the proper amounts for our body. We don’t need to eat a stick of butter a day or tons of coconut oil to get enough fat, but we do need some sources of fat in our diets to thrive.

Focus on adding a little fat to each meal and see how you feel. Many healthy foods like wild salmon, avocado and eggs have fats as do sources such as flax, chia, hemp and a variety of nuts and seeds. My personal favorite sources of healthy fats are raw coconut butter, ground flax, and the occasional local egg. See which ones work for you, and don’t fear fat—it can be your friend!

7. Keep it Simple

One thing that really helps most people I work with as well as me personally is to keep things simple. There’s no need to eat a different meal every single night or feel the need to spend an hour preparing it. Keep your meals simple and stick to the lean protein, fresh produce (veggies, greens, and fruit), and healthy fats at each meal. Experiment with whole grains and legumes as well which can be healthy options if your body tolerates them. Rotate your favorite meals through the week, and take advantage of kitchen appliances like a blender and slow cooker for quick meals and easy meal prep each day.

Remember, real food can be simple and quick to prepare. Don’t overcomplicate things!

8. Eat Mostly From Your Fridge

A pantry can be your best friend for storing canned items and some others like whole grains or herbs and spices, however, most people eat out of their pantry and their fridge is always bare. Your fridge should be what you eat from the most, but this doesn’t mean you should fill the fridge with processed foods or fill the freezer with frozen pizza.

Focus on filling the fridge with fresh foods, not reaching in the pantry when you’re ready to eat each meal. Skip the cereal, bars, and processed options which all usually have added sodium, processed fats, and added sugar. Ready-made foods are not as nutritionally dense as fresh foods are, so attempt to quit reaching for them every time you’re hungry. When it comes to condiments, they can be fine to add to fresh meals to make things more interesting. Just be mindful of the sodium, fat and sugar content in each one you buy. Some good options include mustard, hot sauce, no salt seasonings, and apple cider vinegar.

9. Purge the Pantry

Speaking of the pantry, do a little pantry purge. Make it a goal to only have whole foods in your pantry such as canned tomatoes, beans, lentils, whole grains, herbs and spices, and maybe some jars of nut butter (refrigerate after opening). Get rid of the chips, canned soups and sugary cereals, and donate those or throw them out. You’ll feel so much better without them in your life! Remember that processed foods are not the key to eating healthy. While they’re fine on occasion, they aren’t the solution to long-term health.

10. Remember that One Size Doesn’t Fit All

One of the best pieces of advice I can give to anyone is to remember that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to health and what diets work best. All of us would benefit by eating less processed foods, eating as many plants as possible, eating a variety of nutrients at each meal, and being mindful of where we get our protein. However, after that, we need to remember that what works wonderfully for our parents, significant other, or best friend may not work for us. Just because someone you know thrives on one style of eating doesn’t mean that you will.

At the end of the day, our individual hormones, current health issues, our activity levels, gut health, sleep habits, and stress levels all affect our health just as much as food. Many of us will need more of certain foods while others will need to eat completely different diets. One size doesn’t fit all in the jeans department or the food department. Keep that in mind, choose real food, and do the best you can.

For more tips on how to eat healthy, here are 20 foods you can fill your fridge up to help you get started, and here are some tips for eating healthy on a budget.

http://www.lifehack.org/385278/10-amazing-tips-on-how-to-eat-healthy

What makes muscles grow?

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE?

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE: THE BASIC GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

Want to know how to build real muscle quickly? That all depends on whether you want to get big or get strong. Both involve lifting weights and getting the right nutrition, but the ways of going about them are slightly different. Here, we’ll let you in on the right methods for you, whether you’re just looking to increase your overall size or strength.

LIFTING WEIGHTS TO MAKE GAINS

People often expect that they’ll have to spend all day and night at the gym in order to get big. That’s not really true. Experts recommend training just two or three times a week to make decent sized gains, but a lot of routines out there are based on a five-day program. Shorter bursts of more intense training are better than prolonged periods of light exercise when it comes to building muscle.

Intensity is key to getting bigger muscles quickly. The quantity or sets and reps you do is of paramount importance: the more intense and rapid the workout, the faster you’ll see results. Your muscles begin to grow whenever their cells are placed under “metabolic stress”- and if you’ve ever felt your arms bulging after a workout, that’s exactly what’s happening: your muscles are producing the extra chemical by-products needed to lift the weights. So, what does all this mean? Basically, you’ll need to do a whole lot of lifting. A good example of
a routine would be 3 to 5 sets of between 8 and 15, where you’ll be struggling to compete by the end but could maybe manage one or two more. You need to push yourself hard, but not to the point of failure. And getting rest between the sets if extremely important- though it shouldn’t be more than a couple of minutes- because muscle tiredness if what we’re looking for.

This brings us back to the question of: “how often should I be training?” The five-day routines mentioned above- where one day is for your chest, another for your legs, etc.- is still the preferred way of gaining muscle, but you can definitely get enough done in just three days if the workouts are intense enough.

Below I’ve included an example of a chest routine that I prefer when making gains:

Around 4×12 reps of:

Decline press

Incline press

Bench press

Remember not to break for more than two minutes between sets. This is vital to increasing muscle mass.

LIFTING WEIGHTS TO BUILD STRENGTH

The only way of getting your body to become stronger is to show it that it has no other choice. That means, unlike lifting to build muscle, you need to test your body to breaking point. You’ll be using much heavier weights with far fewer reps, and expecting to fail a few times as you push your body to the max. Of course, you’ll need to take longer rest periods between these exhausting exercises, but your body simply won’t be able to recover properly without them.

For this type of routine, you should be using rep ranges of around 3 to 6. Your weights should really push you hard, so that you can’t lift anymore after completing your set. Because the workload is so much more, you’ll need to give yourself at least four to six minutes between each set, giving your body enough time to get ready for the next challenge.

Because you’ll be lifting a lot more weight at about half the amount of reps required for building muscle, you should first use some lighter weights in order to get used to the movements involved. This practice could be used as part of a warm-up routine before you start increasing the loads. When it comes to reps in a set, you should start off with, for example, 3 reps, then move down to 2 and so on, as your body becomes more and more tired.

Resting periods are crucial if you’re looking to build strength. That’s because your muscle groups need to fully recover before you start training  them again. Typically, you’ll need one or two days for your muscles to get back to normal, but you definitely shouldn’t wait more than three days to start training again if you want to see real gains.

Strength training really requires you to use all your muscle groups in coordination rather than just isolating one or two at a time. For this we’d recommend doing upper/lower body groups on different days, either that or back/front groupings instead. We’d recommend doing this four times a week but you can definitely get away with just three.

Here’s a quick back workout that focuses on the whole body :

(All have a rest period of 2-3 minutes between sets)

5 deadlifts (5, 5, 3, 3, 1)

5 T-bar rows (4-6)

5 single-arm dumbbell rows (5, 5, 3, 3, 1)

5 seated cable rows (4-6)

5 Hammer Strength rows (4-6)

BY AMY ROBERTS http://clik6.com/how-to-build-muscle-the-basic-guide-for-beginners/