Green Tea Weight Loss

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As menopause begins women often find many less than ideal images entering their minds. One typical concern is that menopause will make you pile on the pounds like never before.

Indeed, as people age and start to enter their forties and fifties their metabolism does begin to slow down. What is very important to remember is that there is no concrete evidence as yet that menopause its self causes weight gain.

Any weight issues experienced during menopause, e.g. bloatedness, are often be blamed on the menopause it’s self, typically wrongly. Menopause diet pills are not the solution to people’s particular weight gains.

Pills specifically aimed at reducing weight during menopause are misleading. The phrase ‘whilst experiencing hot flashes and mood swings you exercise, you barely eat, and you still pile on the pounds in areas you never had before’ can often be seen on menopause diet pill containers. These are pure marketing trash designed to prey on women’s insecurities in order to make sales. Often someone with the title of doctor will have supposedly helped to create these wonder pills that have been tried and tested for up to more than two decades. Pills such as these are typically the standard dieting pills from one of the many manufacturers, simply with a different name on the front of the packet. In no way are they specific to menopause.

Other pills on the market may have more of an effect with burning fat but should not be taken by menopausal women due to various substances contained therein actually potentially increasing the wide ranging uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.

Any product which contains caffeine or a similar caffeine shaped chemical compound should ideally be avoided. Many additives on pill box labels contain this type of ingredient e.g. kola nut, guarana, green tea extract, yerba mate and bitter orange (citrus aurantium).

Caffeine acts to heighten menopausal difficulties, but also can create another set of irritating side effects. Not uncommon are nervousness, elevated blood pressure, cases of the jitters and palpitations of the heart.

If pills must be taken for anything, unless approved by your doctor, they should be vitamin-specific pills used to increase certain vitamins and minerals in your diet.

If you want to loose weight whilst undergoing menopause then standard fitness advice is what is required. Consume a moderate quantity of healthy and varied food whilst also frequently exercising at the appropriate pace for your level of fitness. A healthy diet lowers your blood cholesterol levels, provides just the right energy required for the day and has been known to improve your positive outlook on life. Regular exercise has been seen to raise your metabolic rate, aiding weight loss, and lower stress and the risk of a multitude of serious diseases, such as osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer.

Green tea and Hoodia are the major ingredients of Phenocal which help in increasing metabolic rate. Low metabolic rate can contribute in weight gain.

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Healthy adrenal glands…something we rarely think about, but our fast-paced lifestyles push these little organs to the limit. Overtaxed by stress, stimulants, sugar and a variety of habits, our body’s energy control centers are easily maxed-out, resulting in fatigue, depression and even weight gain. In a holistic health, wellness and fitness program, awareness one’s lifestyle and its effect on these important hormone regulators is worthy of attention.

The adrenal glands are each no bigger than a walnut and weigh less than a grape. They sit like a tiny pyramid on top of each kidney, their name ‘ad’ + ‘renal’ means ‘over’ or ‘above’ the ‘kidney’. The glands are important control centers for regulation of many of the body’s hormones, either secreting directly or controlling the release of cortisol and adrenaline, DHEA, estrogen, and testosterone, which are essential to ones health, vitality, and overall well-being. The adrenal hormones support and affect every tissue, organ, and gland in your body. Their primary purpose is to enable the body and mind to deal with various forms of stress including injury, disease, and other pressures. The adrenals largely determine the energy response of your body to every change in one’s internal and external environment, in fact, every cell in your body responds to signals from the adrenals.

An estimated 75-80% of Westerners suffer from ‘Adrenal fatigue’ at some point in their lives. Adrenal fatigue is a described as a collection of signs and symptoms classically known as a “syndrome” that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level. Signs and symptoms may include severe fatigue, lightheadedness upon standing, depression and irritability, lack of sex drive, exhaustion and general malaise, loss of appetite, food cravings, and dark circles around the eyes. Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, various other situations contribute to adrenal fatigue including life crisis, trauma, lifestyle, and chronic illness. Other factors that contribute to the depletion of adrenal health include certain lifestyle choices such as improper diet, substance abuse, too little or irregular sleep or rest and increased or other on-going life-style pressures.

One of the essential functions of your adrenal glands is to draw all your body’s resources into “fight or flight” mode by increasing the production of adrenaline and various other hormones. When the adrenals are healthy one’s ability to respond to situations appropriately is enhanced. This renewed freedom allows for a whole host of possibilities given a stressful situation. When healthy, your adrenals can instantly increase your heart rate and blood pressure, release energy stores for immediate use, sharpen your senses, slow digestion and various other secondary functions. This function is extremely important in emergency situations - poorly functioning, overtaxed adrenal glands can lessen your ability to deal effectively with crisis situations. Another aspect of healthy adrenals is the ability to endure long periods of physical exertion such as seen in marathon running, swimming, long distance cycling, and similarly, the day to day responsibilities of parenting. When supported by healthy adrenals, one’s natural energy supply is balanced. It is your adrenal glands job to react to stress in a balanced manner so that one’s response is appropriate to the situation and not injurious.

The hormones produced by the adrenal glands closely affect the utilization of carbohydrates and fats, the conversion of fats and proteins into energy, as well as the distribution of stored adipose (fatty tissue) on the body (especially around the waist), blood sugar regulation, and healthy cardiovascular and gastrointestinal (digestive and absorptive) function. Interestingly, at mid-life (menopause in women), the adrenal glands become the primary source for sex hormones circulating throughout the body in both genders. So in essence, overworked adrenal glands pretty much put a damper on your sex life - quashing your interest and putting a spare tire around your belly. Maybe their health is worth looking into!

The following are some natural suggestions for nourishing and rejuvenating adrenal health: We’ll start with an easy one; an adequate intake of water. This is a must in all natural health, wellness and fitness programs as it helps keep the kidney flushed and cleanses the body so it has less toxins to deal with, hence less stress. I use the formula .6 x body weight = ounces of water per day for my clients. This is a number that should be moved towards over time. For example if weigh 150 pounds your daily water intake would be 90 ounces. .6 x 150 = 90 ounces. If you are currently drinking 40 ounces of water per day and your (ideal) daily ounce intake is 90 ounces, increase gently to your ideal ounces of water over the next month or two.

Next is peace and quite. Take 10 minutes of time to sit in silence at both the beginning and the end of each day. Find a quiet place in your home or outside near a tree or natural source of water. Sit in a comfortable position and gently follow the rhythm of your breath. Allow yourself this sacred quiet time each day as an opportunity to nourish and assimilate, ground and rejuvenate your energy. Adequate fresh air, deep breaths, and movement. Spend time in nature-walking along the ocean, at a park, on a well traveled trail. Take full deep breaths and inhale in the healing power of the natural world. Take time to look at the trees and flower as well as the sky and various birds and so on. Enjoy this time outside as healing and nourishing. All this will give your adrenal glands a break and let them build reserves for future needs.

As for dietary recommendations, decrease (or preferably eliminate) intake of processed sugars and increase intake of natural earth sugars from root vegetables such as yams, carrots, turnips, and beets. Processed sugars truly poison the body every time they are eaten and causing stress to the system. Sweets are a hard habit to break, but you’ll notice a significant increase in balanced energy when you’re able to reduce their intake. Next, ingest adequate amounts of essential fatty acids. Various sources include fish oils, evening primrose oil, borage oil, hemp oil, coconut oil, and flax oils. Research which sources are best for your needs. Essential fats are precursors to many hormones in the body and will support your overall well-being. Finally, do your best to cut out caffeine from all sources. Even green tea, which is wonderful for you in moderation, can upset sleep patterns and add pressure to an already stressful lifestyle. Coffee is high in other stimulant compounds which seem to truly aggravate those already in tense situations, and cola and so-called ‘energy’ drinks may be the worst contributors to adrenal fatigue of all with their combination of processed sugars and refined caffeine.

As for some soothing treatments, taking time for baths using Epsom salts or apple cider vinegar (a tablespoon of either is sufficient) will help to pull out fatigue and ‘acidity’ from the your mind and body. Light a candle and read a book or simply soak in the warm water imaging your worries and stress washing away as you renew, strengthen, and ‘purify’ your energy. Consider adding a few drops of pure Lavender essential oil to your bath and allow the relaxing aroma to help you relax and refresh. A favorite essential oil bath blend: 4 drops Lavender essential oil, 1 drop Rose essential oil. Rose oil is often used for the decreasing stress and depression, while Lavender has a calming and mood lifting effect.

The following essential oil blend used directly over the adrenals first thing in the morning and then again in the (early) evening can help to nourish, strengthen, and rejuvenate the adrenals. This is described in Advanced Aromatherapy, by Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, one of America’s leading medical aromatherapists. In a 30 ml (one ounce blue cobalt or amber glass bottle) add Black Spruce 2 ml, Pine essential oil 1 ml, Cedarwood essential oil 1 ml, and fill the remainder of the bottle with Hazelnut carrier oil (unless allergic to nuts-then choose another appropriate carrier oil). Use about 1 ml (20-30 drops) at a time and rub into the adrenal area at the bottom of your ribs on your back.

Finally, get some real deep sleep. The two hours before midnight is consider essential time for sleep for rejuvenating sleep. Start consciously moving your bedtime towards the bewitching hour of 10 pm and notice the shift in health. A couple of drops of Lavender essential oil on your pillow can help with sleep, as been show in many studies. If you need, try an herbal formula to help you rest, or a small dose of melatonin. Try finishing your last meal as early as possible, too, as going to bed on a full stomach lessens the quality of rest.

Your adrenal glands are a crucial part of your health and a positive outlook and approach to your life. By considering these few lifestyle factors and natural remedies, you can significantly improve your adrenal gland health, and perhaps remove yourself from the majority of the Adrenal Fatigue statistic!

Customer Testimonial about Swanson Health Products. www.swansonvitamins.com

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Are you still struggling with abs exercise to lose belly fat
without seeing results? Stop for a moment and check your weight
loss diet. Are you consuming enough dairy products? Dairy
products are full of slimming nutrients, such as protein,
calcium, selenium and fatty acids. You can lose 5 to 10
pounds, including from belly fat just by adding dairy
products. Hence, you can get rid of that fat belly by making
simple changes in your weight loss program today!

However, if you are lactose-intolerant, there is still a better
solution. You can switch to cultured dairy, such as yogurt,
kefir, and hard and soft cheeses. You might be able to lose
about 80 percent more belly fat and around 5 to 10 pounds of
water weight by consuming cultured dairy products than your
regular processed cow’s milk because these products will help
you stabilize your digestive system faster. In addition, calcium
helps you maintain bone density, lean muscles, and increase your
fat loss.

Cultured dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir, have live
cultures, which are good bacteria and cause less body bloating
because the sugars and protein complexes have been broken down
and improve your digestive system. Moreover, protein can
boost your metabolism, help you burn more fat, and make you
feel satisfied longer avoiding excessive cravings.

You will be consuming good fat to get rid of your bad belly
stored fat. Fatty acids are good to help you lose belly fat.
For example, cheese and other dairy products contain friendly
fat, known as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a good fat that helps reduce body fat and
increase lean muscle mass, and lower your bad cholesterol.

Still not convinced about increasing daily dairy products to
lose belly fat? The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism published a study revealing that, “Women who consumed
higher intakes of calcium from dairy foods experienced more
significant losses in weight and body fat than those women who
consumed calcium from nondairy sources.”

Hence, if you are trying to get rid of belly fat reach for
low-fat and non fat dairy products as your friendly belly fat
burners.

If you still want to know how to get rid of belly fat,
other products that can boost your metabolism to burn more belly
fat include drinking green tea for weight loss; adding ginger
and fennel to your meals because it fights bloating symptoms,
eliminate gas, and improve your digestive system; consuming
anise seed; and preparing a leek and celery soup to cleanse your
metabolism naturally.

Tofu is another great product to help you burn belly fat.
A serving size (3 oz) has only 70 calories, 8gr protein, 3.5 gr
of fat, and only 2 gr of carb. You can eat it grilled, in
salads, soup, shake, BBQ kebabs, use your creativity. Most
important, make sure you are consuming your 8 glasses of
water dairy to keep your body hydrated and help your body to
eliminate wastes and flush toxins.

In a nutshell, these 3 steps will help you lose belly fat
faster:

1. Combining your current abs exercise.

2. Adding 30-45 minutes cardio exercises at least 3 times a
week.

3. Adjusting your weight loss diet can lead to a successful
weight loss program and finally get rid of that belly fat.

Listen, targeted exercises alone are not enough to burn fat, you
need to combine cardio exercises to burn general stored
fat, especially belly fat and those accumulated in the lower
body.

Make sure you are also sleeping enough and not consuming too
much alcohol, especially men drinking too much beer and creating
that beer belly. While a regular beer (12 oz) has about 143
calories, 16 gr alcohol, a light beer version has about 108
calories and 14 gr alcohol.

However, a glass of red wine (4 oz) has about 90 calories and 14
gr alcohol, while the light white wine version has about 52
calories and 8 gr alcohol. Imagine, the US Department of Health
and Human Services, which publishes a guidelines every 5 years,
considers “moderate drinking” a daily intake of one drink for
women and two for men. Now, no wonder why men usually develop
that beer belly if drinking not only one but 3 or more
beers in one sitting!

Therefore, make your calculations when drinking alcohol and
think about your belly fat. The more extra empty calories you
consume, the more you will have to burn, meaning doing more
cardio exercises. Besides, try to eliminate regular soft drinks.

A regular soft drink has about 150 empty calories, including 15
teaspoons of sugar, and cause gases and bloated feeling. On the
other hand, drinking diet soft drinks might have 0 calories but
still they cause gases. If you must have a soft drink, then go
for diet ones… but preferably avoid both.

Therefore, you can finally unveil that trimmed abs by eating
healthy and applying the above tips. Losing weight should not
be a burden experience, but a healthy and happy experience
towards your new figure.

Eat every 3 hours healthy food and small portions, especially
having protein in the morning and dinner. Believe me, your
abs will say, “thank you.” Hey, although I believe there is
no standard diet, these simple tips are working for me, and it
might work for you too. Give it a try and get ready to wear
those tight jeans and show your flat abs.

Certainly, let me hear from your belly fat and weight loss
success story. In the meantime, let me get my cup of yogurt
to get rid of my belly fat. Cheers to our no more fat
belly!

==============================================

Before starting any nutritional program, exercise or diet
program, we advise you to consult with your physician.

NOTE: This article may be freely reprinted in your ezines,
ebooks, off-line publications, or on your websites. We only
require that the entire article - including the links, and the
resource box “about the author” at the bottom of each article
remain unchanged.

Griff and Matt show you different kinds of Japanese Green Teas!

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Government regulatory agencies are usually not big fans of weight-loss supplements. In January 2007, for example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined four supplement companies a total of $25 million for making what the FTC said were unscientific claims about their weight-loss products.

I’m sensitive to such a slight (even if I think the FTC was right in this case) because I’m the co-author of a book about science-backed vitamin and herbal supplements that can aid weight loss, The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy (Broadway, 2007).

I wrote the book with Harry Preuss, MD, a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center, a researcher with more than 300 scientific studies to his credit, a nutritionist, and a world-class expert in using natural remedies for weight-loss.

Dr. Preuss and I were very careful to present only the vitamins, herbs and food factors that study after study shows can safely and effectively help you lose weight-by gently boosting metabolism…or slowing the body’s fat-making machinery…or reducing appetite…or building calorie-burning muscle…or blocking the absorption of fats and carbohydrates.

The natural remedies featured in the book include (get ready for a barrage of acronyms):

Â? EGCG (green tea extract)
Â? CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)
Â? HCA (hydroxycitric acid)
Â? MCT (medium-chain triglycerides)
Â? Chromium
Â? Chitosan and other soluble fibers
Â? 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan)
Â? HMB

And there’s one more weight-loss remedy on that list. It’s a natural substance so effective, that the FDA has given permission for products containing it to include on their labels the fact that the supplement works.

The ingredient is a carbohydrate digestive enzyme inhibitor, or what is more commonly known as a starch-blocker.

Extracted from white kidney beans, it works by blocking the action of alpha amylase, the digestive enzyme that breaks down starch in the intestines. The result: it prevents a portion of the carbohydrates in any high-carb food (like pasta, bread or potatoes) from being absorbed.

And that’s a good thing if your diet includes lots of refined carbohydrates from white bread and white flour, which are often stored in the body as fat. With carb-blockers, you can have your cake (or at least an occasional slice) and eat it too.

In 2005, Dr. Preuss helped conduct a 1-month Italian study on carb-blockers. The researchers gave either starch-blockers or a placebo to 60 overweight but healthy people, aged 25 to 45, who ate a carbohydrate-rich diet of 2000- to 2500-calories a day. Their weight was measured at the beginning and end of the 1-month study.

The people taking the starch blockers lost 10 times more weight than the people taking the placebo-6.6 pounds, compared to 0.6.

A year earlier, researchers at the UCLA School of Medicine found that dieters taking a starch-blocker lost twice as much weight as people taking a placebo.

In both cases, the researchers were studying Phase 2, a starch-blocker ingredient used in many brands, like Carb Intercept from Natrol, Carb Shredder from Vitamin Shoppe, Carbo Tame from Jarrow Formulas, Phase 2 from Now, and Starch Blocker from CVS.

In November 2006, the FDA told the manufacturers of Phase 2, Pharmachem Laboratories, Inc., they could use the following two statements on products containing Phase 2:

May assist in weight control when used in conjunction with a sensible diet and exercise program, and

May reduce the enzymatic digestion of dietary starches.

If you decide to take a carb-blocker, here are a few helpful tips from Dr. Preuss. Take it with 8-ounces of water to help absorb the supplement. Take it with a meal, either right before or right after. And follow the dosage recommendation on the label.

And remember that carb-blockers are not miracle pills. (There are no miracle diet pills.) You can’t eat a couple of doughnuts every day and take carb-blockers and not gain weight.

If you’d like to know more about carb-blockers or any of the weight-loss supplements mentioned in this article, please take a look at my book, The Natural Fat-Loss Pharmacy. You can find out more about it-and my other books on health and healing-at www.drugfreehealing.com.

http://www.greenteahp.tv - This is a short intro to our health benefits of Green Tea section. In this section we will be discussing several articles on the health benefits of Green Tea.

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We’ve all been told (or told someone else) that finishing all your veggies or eating fresh fruit every day is a good way to keep your body healthy and fit. But there are some other surprising foods (drinks too) that we can add to our diet that bring impressive health benefits, and (in moderation, of course) might just help us reach our weight loss goals.

Here are the five, good for your surprises:

1. Tea – 3 cups per day of any type that comes from the leaves of the plant Carnellia sinensis, which includes black, green, white and oolong varieties. There is strong evidence that tea might just reduce your risk of heart disease, and offer other less researched benefits such as protection from cancer and cutting your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Tea appears to have a type of flavonoid from that same family of antioxidants found in fruits, veggies and red wine. To get the most out of your cup of tea, make it strong and steep it a good long time-but if you’re watching your weight, keep an eye on the milk and sugar you add to your cup.

2. Dark Chocolate – a little goes a long way, but just like tea, this delicious treat is believed to have an ample supply of the same flavonoids in red wine, fruits and veggies. Small amounts of dark chocolate have been shown to improve blood vessel flow, and may stabilize blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, thus reducing the risk of diabetes. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa so you get more of these healthy antioxidants, and fewer calories from the milk and sugars used to make milk or white chocolate.

3. Fatty Fish – two servings per week of fish such as salmon, trout, herring, tuna, sardines or mackerel. These fish are rich in omega – 3 fatty acids, shown to reduce cholesterol, which helps to keep clots from forming and causing heat attacks. The research is so compelling that the American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish on a regular basis. Be sure you choose grilled or broiled recipes as frying removes many of the beneficial substances in the fish and replaces them with calories and saturated fats.

4. Coffee – despite its bad rap, used in moderation, your first cup of morning coffee may have health benefits you haven’t heard about – including stimulating the brain and nervous system as well as lowering your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, mood disorders and headaches. Coffee has a compound from the antioxidant family and is a good source of magnesium, both are believed to help improve sugar metabolism, help with insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. And while black coffee is a tasty zero calorie drink, adding cream, sugar, or other toppings adds calories that you might not want.

5. Avocados – even though these fruits are full of fat, most of it is the heart healthy monounsaturated kind that is believed to lower cholesterol. Avocados have carotenoids, vitamin E and potassium, plus fiber to fill you up. Be aware though, that just because the fats are “good” ones, they still add calories if you aren’t careful about portions. Slice them onto salads, add them to a soup or spread them on bread to keep the potion sizes under control while still getting all the taste and health benefits too.

Adding one or more of these surprisingly healthy options is a great way to improve a diet that could use some help, or boost the healthfulness of one that’s already on the right track. Along with regular exercise, eating a balanced and nutritious diet is still one of the best ways to maintain your weight and your health.