Friday, 10 July 2009

"Why You Need Nutritional Supplements", by Award-winning health writer, Hazel Courteney

Having spent last five years helping people fight their weight problems as well as helping them enjoy healthier lifestyle with more energy and vitality through healthy eating as well as taking Herbalife's high quality nutritional shakes and supplements, I have always felt some resistance when it comes to taking supplements as a way of health insurance. It was interesting to come across this article by Hazel Courteney and would like to share it with you. The way she starts her article is identical to the questions being asked myself...

How many times have you heard people say "Surely if I eat a healthy balanced diet, I will not need to take vitamins and minerals". "Expensive pee!" others claim.

When I started writing about health almost 15 years ago, I thought "Oh, it won't take long for people to change once they know the facts." I was wrong. The Government's campaign encouraging everyone to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day has fallen mainly on deaf ears. A few people have changed but the fact remains that as little as 5% of the Western population eats a truly healthy, balanced diet. The majority talk about healthy eating, but in reality continue to eat too much pre-packaged, refined junk foods that are often packed with salt, sugar, additives and saturated fats. A few people still do not comprehend that the human body is literally made of food molecules, so your body is largely made up from what you have eaten during the last year.

Also, during past five years, most commercial growers, especially from overseas, are harvesting more and more of their fruit and vegetables long before they are ripe. Research in Spain and Oregon State University in America have found that when, for example, cherries are picked before being ripe the vitamin C content is halved. When blackberries were picked early, the green ones contained 74mg of anthocyanins (the blue pigment that is great for your eyes and immune system) compared with 317mg in the naturally ripened fruits. Add to this that most fresh produce is flown half way round the world - and then stored for long periods, which itself hugely depletes nutrient levels - the message is obvious: as much as possible buy more fresh, ripe, locally grown foods.

To survive, the human body needs 50 factors, these are 13 vitamins, 21 minerals, 9 amino acids, 2 essential fatty acids, plus carbohydrate, fibre, air, water and light. As our bodies cannot manufacture these substances, we must take them in from external sources - through our diet and by taking the right supplements. If the body becomes deficient in nutrients, negative symptoms will eventually result.

We can all have treats and really enjoy them - but we must stop living on them. Many times I watched people fill their supermarket trolleys with white bread, pre-packaged meals, cakes, chocolate bars and fizzy drinks. Almost all this refined, pre-packaged and processed food contains virtually no vitamins, essential fats, minerals or fibre. We are bombarded with food advertisements claiming that products are "packed with added vitamins". Have you ever asked yourself why the manufacturers need to add vitamins, if the food is supposed to be nutritious in the first place?

Dr Richard Passwater, who has worked as a research scientist in Maryland, USA, for 40 years, states that refined sugars have had 99.9% of all their natural nutrients removed, and the only reason that there is 0.1% nutritional value left is because the manufacturing companies cannot figure out how to remove the last 0.1%. White and mass-produced oils are the same. Tinned foods are sterilised at high temperatures to kill any bacteria. How many nutrients do you think are left after those processes.

Without doubt I advocate organic farming and the more farmers who switch to organic methods, the fewer the pesticides and herbicides (known to deplete even more nutrients from our food) will be in our food, water and air. And organic food has been proven to contain more nutrients than non organic produce. Fewer chemicals means less acid rain, less pollution and less sickness. GM foods to my mind are another BSE/CJD-scenario waiting to happen - I would never knowingly eat GM foods. Intensive farming methods still use far too many antibiotics for their livestock - which definitely add to our health problems.

Natural mineral levels in soil in many countries, including the UK, are dropping, and if vital nutrients such as selenium, known to reduce the incidence of cancer and heart disease, are not in our soil they are never going to make it into our fruits and vegetables. This is why, in countries such as Finland, selenium has been added to all the fertilisers since 1984. As a result sperm counts have risen and incidence of heart disease are falling.

Unfortunately, some people still compare vitamins, minerals and essential fats in capsule forms to prescription drugs. - but remember that essential nutrients are essential to life.

All these nutrients work synergistically, or together, inside the body. In a perfect world it is always preferable to ingest all the nutrients we need from a varied diet. But most people do not.

Our eating habits have changed drastically during recent years. As little as 50 years ago, it was routine for the family to sit and eat home-cooked meals with freshly picked vegetables and fruits from local farm or allotment. Today, this tradition seems to have all but disappeared. The longer fresh food is stored and cooked, the more nutrients are lost. If you leave an orange in a fridge for more than three days, up to 50% of the Vitamin C content disappears. And, because the modern diet is less than perfect, we need to come to a compromise - hence I take nutritional supplements.

Many governments suggest minimum amounts of nutrients, called RDIs - Recommended Daily Intakes. In Europe there are RDIs for 19 nutrients and yet there are 45 essential nutrients required for health. Confusion is rife as RDIs vary from country to country, so whom do we believe? Initially, the idea of RDIs was to prevent obvious signs of deficiency, such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) in soldiers in the trenches in 1941. However, the do not represent the quantities of nutrients we need for optimum health. Nor do they represent the levels of vitamins and minerals we need to protect our bodies from the pollutants and toxins in our modern environment. What is more, RDIs take no account of individual requirements such as age, gender or the health status of a person. For example, the current RDI for vitamin C is 60mg - but to ingest this amount from your diet, you would need to eat 10 apples, 3 kiwi fruits and 2 large freshly picked oranges (and 60mg amount is only just sufficient to prevent scurvy). In the US, the RDI for the mineral chromium, which has been proven to halve the incidence of late-onset diabetes, is 120mcg; yet in the UK or Europe no RDI exists. An to add insult to injury this is one of the minerals that the EU has excluded from its guidance list. This is lunacy. But there is hope. A few years ago, I met a man aged 73 who had been refused heart surgery as his arteries were so blocked. He was deemed a lost cause, totally breathless, he could not even walk across the room. A nutritional physician friend took him on. First, she completely changed his diet, then gave him supplements proven to thin blood naturally, lower cholesterol levels and to help clear some of the plague that had built up in his arteries. Under medical supervision he was also taught yoga. After several months he slowly but surely regained his health. Today he climbs Alpine slopes as a hobby. It's never too late to change. And as Western doctors are now seeing plague in the arteries of children as young as 10, change is imperative.

We all need to start eating food that is as unprocessed and unrefined as possible. Natural, locally grown organic food, without pesticides and additives, plus taking the right supplements is the way forward. There are now more than half a million clinical research papers showing that taken in the right amounts nutritional supplements can, and do, work..."


Sue Croft, a director of CHC Consumers for Health Choice, spends her life lobbying MPs and regulators both in the UK and Brussels., to help us retain our freedom to choose: "... What most people do not understand is that our nutritional products are sold under Food Law: they have to be 100% safe - as safe as a loaf of bread or a tomato. And just because a medicine has a product licence (which allows the makers to make specific beneficial claims, and can cost millions of pounds that vitamin companies just do not have) it does not make them safe. Vioxx, the arthritis drug, was granted a medicinal licence and has been taken by 20 million people. Unfortunately, many are now dead and others are bringing massive law suits against the makers of this drug. There has only been one recorded incidence of death from anyone taking supplements, and that was a small child who swallowed a whole bottle of his mother's high-dose prescription iron tablets. In the past 11 years there have been only eleven reported cases of people claiming symptoms such as tingling fingers and toes from taking certain nutrients to excess, which rapidly recede once these supplements are stopped. Yet more than 40,000 people die annually thanks to prescription drugs."
(Source: "500 of the most important health tips you'll ever need", Hazel Courteney)


Supplements taken regularly in the long term almost always produce beneficial effects, but don't expect miracles in a week. They are not magic bullets, but stimulate body's natural healing process, giving long-term health benefits. Generally speaking, supplementation with nutrients produces improvements in health more slowly than prescription medication, which normally just supresses symptoms. If you start a course in supplements, take them regularly for at least two months in order to see the benefits. Any changes to your health may be subtle.

Some supplements on the market have less than optimum quantities of beneficial ingredients. In general you get what you pay for. The better quality and usually more expensive supplements generally provide better value for money in the long term.

Not all supplements are created equal when it comes to absorption. Some supplements can not be absorbed properly and they can remain undissolved in the colon and can never really be used by the body. So, again, you get what you pay for. The term you want to see is Cellular Nutrition, which many high street supplements are not.

Herbalife is proud to have it's products certified as Cellular Nutrition. One of the main differences between Cellular Nutrition and other nutritional supplements is that supplements are rarely enough! Simply consuming good food and adding nutritional supplements will not make any difference to the way you feel if your body is unable to fully digest and absorb all the nutrition you eat!

Cellular Nutrition makes use of knowledge gained from the botanical world's 6,000 year history and incorporates health building nutritional herbs with the best modern technology to help our bodies cleanse and detoxify so that the cells - the tiniest living units - can be as fully nourished as possible. This allows the cells to grow, repair and to perform their functions with the best possible efficiency so that we feel and look better and are more able to prevent and fight disease. Once the body begins to clear itself of toxins it can more efficiently absorb nutrition.

Herbalife has a range of nutritional products that have been targeted to correct specific nutritional deficiencies. Saying that, the one product worth mentioning is our Formula 2 Multivitamin and Mineral Complex tablets, also certified as Cellular Nutrition. Most health experts recommend taking a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement, with good reason: depleted soils produce harvests with reduced nutrient content, modern fast foods typically have all the goodness "processed out", poor diet, smoking, alcohol, stress, pollution, excess weight, all create a demand for a higher intake of vitamins and minerals. The kindest habit you can adopt for your health is a daily multi-supplement; it's the most authentic all-year-round form of health insurance and Herbalife's Formula 2 is one of the best quality multi-supplement you can find around!

Enjoy health!

The Power of Alkalinity: Friendly Foods and Foods to Avoid

For good health the body needs to maintain a certain acid-alkaline balance and keeping this balance is one of the crucial keys to remaining healthy and also slowing down the aging process. Everything we swallow, once metabolised within the body, breaks down into either an alkaline or acid mineral based ash or residue.

More information about The Power of Alkalinity: Creating natural balance in your body...

Foods to Avoid
• It is important to realise that just because a food is acid forming, it is not necessarily unhealthy. Proteins are acid-forming, but they are also essential for good health.

Protein shakes are great as a healthy and balanced breakfast (see Herbalife's Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix as a fantastic healthy breakfast that can be enjoyed from babies to elderly or Herbalife's Protein Powder that can be added to dishes or soups or even a shake to increase their protein content;

avoid intake of red meats to once a week;

eat chicken or turkey or fish or tofu (which is very alkaline) instead for the other two meals together with plenty of live vegetables and fruit throughout the day.

Also, for protein, eat pulses such as soya, aduki or pinto beans.

• Basically, all animal produce and egg yolks are acid-forming. Duck, venison, grouse and pheasant, lamb, beef and pork are all acid-forming. Fish, turkey and chicken are also acid-forming, but do not contain high levels of uric acid as red meat.

• Milk and yoghurt are alkaline before digestion but become acid-forming once digested. This is why milk products are calming to an over-acid oesophagus if you suffer from an acid-type reflux after food. But in the long term this would exacerbate arthritic type conditions. It's just a case of getting a balance.

• All nuts are acid forming except almonds, fresh coconut and chestnuts

• All grains are also acid forming with the exception of millet, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa. Wholegrains are a healthy food and remember: these foods are not to be eliminated per se, you just need to be aware of what is acid-forming.

• All refined sugars found in cakes, biscuits, pre-packaged deserts, whips and so on are acid-forming. Chocolate is a truly acid-forming treat, it's high in oxalic acid which is linked to kidney stones. So, don't overdo it!

• Wine, beer, spirits, coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and sweetened fruit juices are all highly acid-forming.

• All drugs, prescription and social, such as cannabis, are also acidic.

• Cranberries, plums, prunes and rhubarb are highly acid-forming. But again, I reiterate, these foods are healthy - in fact prunes (dried plums) are very anti-ageing. Everything in moderation.

• Mass-produced malt vinegar, a waste product of the brewing industry, is also acid-forming in the body.

Friendly Foods
• Honey and brown-rice syrup are alkalising. But do not overdo these foods - as they are sugar! If you eat too much of them, the sugar converts to fat (and lives on your hips!). Again, just a balance.

• All vegetables are alkaline but the best are wheat grass, alfalfa, kelp, seaweed, parsley, watercress, carrots, endives and celery. All green foods are high in chlorophyll, which is rich in magnesium, a major alkalising mineral.

• Cabbage, kale, broccoli, spring greens, green beans and asparagus are all great alkaline foods. Spinach contains oxalic acid, but it breaks down into an alkaline residue.

• All fruits are healthy, and you should eat them freely, but be aware that cranberries, plums, prunes, and rhubarb are highly acid-forming and to a lesser degree so are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

• The most alkalising fruits are melons (and all melons), papaya, dates, especially dried dates, mangoes, lemons, limes and figs. It is the alkaline mineral content and not the sugar content that determines whether a food is acid or alkaline forming in the body.

• Oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, cherries, kiwi and tomatoes contain acid, but they make an alkaline ash within the body after they are digested. People who suffer indigestion immediately after a meal, they may have an over acid stomach, often say these types of foods make their problems worse, this is because they are acid on contact and until digested. However, they make an alkaline residue once they reach the small intestine. This is why apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, with a little honey and warm water, help to re-alkalise the body and reduce symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory conditions. Take 1 tsp of each twice daily.

• Use a little organic sea salt, which is rich in alkalising minerals.

• Drink more green tea...

Here is a detailed Alkaline and Acidic Food Chart

Helpful Hints
• Stress, smoking and anger contribute to an over-acid system.

• Breathing deeply and regularly helps to re-alkalise the body. This is because when you breathe more oxygen into the body, it has an alkaline effect. When we are under stress, we tend to shallow breathe, which leaves more carbon dioxide, more acidity, in the tissues.

• Meditation also re-alkalises the body

• When you first wake, body is very acid, so, have some water first with lemon, or some fruit, or wheat grass or cucumber tonic, or some apple and carrot and celery juice with added fresh ginger, which is all very alkalising.

• Cornflake type of breakfasts and toasts are very acidic as they are all sugar, and if having a salad for breakfast sounds very unrealistic to happen, Herbalife's Nutritional Protein Shake is an ideal balanced and alkaline breakfast that will help you start your day right!

(Sources: "500 of the most important health tips you'll ever need", Hazel Courteney and "Alkalize or Die", Dr. Theodore A. Baroody.)

THE POWER OF ALKALINITY - CREATING NATURAL BALANCE IN YOUR BODY: GO GREEN!

Nutritionists and health professionals have long understood the importance of maintaining a healthy acid/ alkaline balance, which your body needs to maintain as one of the crucial keys to remaining healthy and also slowing the aging process. Every cell functions more efficiently when it is predominantly alkaline. Whether a substance is alkaline or acid is determined by its pH (potential Hydrogen).

Just as the body needs to regulate its temperature at 36 degrees C, it is also even more important that body regulates it's acid-alkaline balance, pH balance. There is a scale that measures how acid or alkaline anything is.

The human body is made of about 75% water, which is necessary for the transportation of nutrition, oxygen and other important biochemicals. It is important for this water-based medium to be pH balanced. Maintaining this slightly alkaline state is a constant challenge for the body because of all the acid producing foods and beverages we consume.

In general, the body needs to be around 70% alkaline and 30% acid. But in the West the average person is 80% acid and 20% alkaline, hence why we are suffering so many acid conditions such as arthritis. Many people confuse the term acid-forming with acidic. Everything we swallow, once metabolised within the body breaks down into either an alkaline or acid mineral based ash or residue.

Stomach acid can be as low as pH 1.5, very acid, whereas saliva after eating could be as high as pH 8, which is very alkaline.

Your blood has a pH which is slightly alkaline - between 7.35 and 7.45 - and this level needs to be maintained at all costs. If it becomes too acid, the blood (via the kidneys) withdraws alkalising minerals from anywhere it can find them; beginning with the hair, skin, and nails and then moving on through the body until it begins drawing minerals from the bones, which, in time, contributes to conditions such as osteoporosis.

If your blood’s pH rises or falls one tenth of a pH unit, it’s cause for a visit to a hospital’s intensive care unit. If blood pH moves two tenths either way, it’s lethal.

Alkalinity and Overall Health

Unfortunately most modern lifestyles and diets are almost all acid-forming and if the body remains in an acid state for too long, this acidity triggers degenerative diseases. A high acid forming diet also has a negative effect on tooth enamel - especially prepackaged concentrated fruit juices. Acid-forming foods, deplete calcium from the body, while alkaline foods increase the body's ability to absorb calcium from the diet.

Emotions greatly affect this balance: stress and anger trigger more acidity within the body whereas feelings of being in control, in love and breathing deeply through the nose re-alkalises the body. So, harmony alkalises, disharmony acidifies.

Practically every major degenerative disease, including some cancers, is triggered by an over-acid system. When the pH is out of balance, your skin, your hair becomes dull, the nervous system is affected and you may suffer insomnia, arthritis, rheumatism, aching joints, skin conditions, candida, fungal infections, muscle pain and gout, which are all common symptoms of an over-acid system.

Most Westerners maintain high acidity because of “acid-causing” lifestyle characteristics that include, but are not limited to, diet, stress and a toxic environment. Therefore, “alkaline input” (supplements, foods, lifestyle habits) is essential to insure a healthy level of balance. Prolonged pH imbalance decreases the body’s ability to absorb protein, minerals and other nutrients, decreases energy production in the cells, decreases the body’s ability to repair damaged cells and detoxify heavy metals.

Foods that contribute to an acidic level are meats, white rice, cheese, coffee, alcohol, pasta, breads, sugar and chocolate.

Foods that help reduce acid levels are vegetables, fruits, potatoes, almonds, pine nuts, flax, honey and plain yogurt.

We can help our bodies maintain the proper pH level by ensuring that we ingest more alkaline foods. It is not just essential to ensure our good health, but to ensure we live at all. To answer the question, what is pH balance in layman’s term, pH is the balance of our bodies, which must be accurate for us to have life.


Alkalinity and Weight Loss

When your body has higher acidity levels in it amazing things begin to happen. The body wants to survive and will do anything to ensure that survival. One of its defense mechanisms is to produce extra fat cells in your body as fat cells absorb acid. In the opinion of your body, it is better to have extra fat cells to store the acid than to let the acid get to vital organs, which would eventually kill it. This explains why so many people have such a hard time with losing weight. When you take your body back to a more alkaline state, the weight will literally melt off. The body will no longer need the extra fat cells to combat the acid, because the acidity level in your body will be right where nature intended it to be.

Acidity and Disease
Another negative point to high acidity levels in the body is the fact that it hurts our inner terrain. This opens us up to all sorts of health problems, such as impotence, head aches and cancer, just to name a few. This is all a direct result of premature aging. Again, you may be 30 years old, but you may look like you are 50. That is because your body is working too hard to combat the effects of high acidity levels. But the body can only do so much and eventually begins to break down. It is this break down of the body that is premature aging. Some of the signs of premature aging are fatigue, depression, constant illness like colds and flues, muscle pain and joint pain. All this just because our lifestyles dictate an unhealthy and non-alkaline diet.

Why Do People Try Alkaline Diets?
According to some alternative practitioners, the shift to an acid-producing diet is the cause of a number of chronic diseases. Some practitioners recommend the alkaline diet if a person has the following symptoms and other illnesses have been ruled out.

Lack of energy
Excessive mucous production
Nasal congestion
Frequent colds and flu
Anxiety, nervousness, irritability
Ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries, benign breast cysts
Headache

More symptoms caused by acidity...

Although conventional doctors do believe that increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables and reducing one's intake of meat, salt, and refined grains is beneficial to health, most conventional doctors do not believe that an acid-producing diet is the foundation of chronic illness. In conventional medicine, there is evidence, however, that alkaline diets may help prevent the formation of calcium kidney stones, osteoporosis, and age-related muscle wasting.

Furthermore, an alkaline diet is followed quite easily if fruits and vegetables are the main food eaten daily. This should also help to curb any illnesses that may be taking effect and also help to decrease the aging process or at least slow it down a bit. If specific points about the pH diet are understood then it should be easy for you to follow and maintain an alkaline diet which will give you a balanced pH. This should become a lifelong quest for a pH balanced through diet. The good news is that it is not that hard to do with a little help.

Both water and citrus juices are alkalizing foods. This means that when on an alkaline diet you can easily squeeze a little lemon into your water or iced tea as frequently as possible. Green Tea is very alkaline by nature and Herbalife's Thermojetics Herbal Beverage is not your regular grocery store green tea - it is a special blend of green tea and other botanicals and promotes antiaging, increased metabolic rate & fat burning, gives energy and, enjoyed with some lemon makes it a wonderful alkalising tonic.

One of the easiest ways to follow an alkaline diet or a diet with a good pH is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and to balance your lean animal protein intake with those foods. No matter what type of meals you enjoy, don't forget about the fruits and vegetables. Have an apple and a banana daily and maybe some salad for dinner. This is a good method to helping keep the pH balanced in your blood.

For instance, instead of filling up on carbohydrates like bread, try a salad with some cabbage and have an apple instead of potato chips. Also, you can try broccoli and kelp for some of the alkaline greens. These things are all difficult to do at first, but after time you will wonder how you ever ate those other foods so consistently.

Having a pH diet does not only makes sense, but can surely be a life changing event. You will slowly but surely begin to change your diet habits, and don't try to change all of your habits at once. This is not suggested because you may rebel against your new pH diet after a few months if you go extreme. Just try to slowly add some alkaline greens and other pH healthy foods into your diet and you will be on your way to a pH diet that will help you feel more invigorated and energized every day.

You can check how acidic you are by doing an Acidic Self-Test!

(Sources: "500 of the most important health tips you'll ever need", Hazel Courteney and "Alkalize or Die", Dr. Theodore A. Baroody.)

Acidity Self-Test

Use this checklist to get a sense of how acidic you may be. Determining your acidity levels isn't an exact science, but this Self-Test can help you get a better idea of how urgently you need to begin alkalizing your body.

Make a mark next to any of the symptoms listed here, if you have them.
Count the total number of symptoms in each category. The idea is this: the more symptoms, the more acidic you may be, and the more urgent it is for you to begin an alkalizing program. The easiest way to check your acidity is to do regular acidity tests using litmus paper bought from the health stores. That way, you can keep yourself in check and be in control...

Beginning Symptoms

Acne
Agitation
Muscular pain
Cold hands and feet
Dizziness
Low energy
Joint pains that travel
Food allergies
Chemical sensitivities to odor, gas heat
Hyperactivity
Panic attacks
Pre-menstrual and menstrual cramping
Pre-menstrual anxiety and depression
Lack of sex drive
Bloating
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Constipation
Hot urine
Strong smelling urine
Mild headaches
Rapid panting breath
Rapid heartbeat
Irregular heartbeat
White coated tongue
Hard to get up in morning
Excess head mucous (stuffiness)
Metallic taste in mouth


Intermediate Symptoms

Cold sores (Herpes I & II)
Depression
Loss of memory
Loss of concentration
Migraine headaches
Insomnia
Disturbance in smell, taste, vision, hearing
Asthma
Bronchitis
Hay fever
Ear aches
Hives
Swelling
Viral infections (colds, flu)
Bacterial infections (staph, strep)
Fungal infections (Candia albicans, athlete's foot, vaginal)
Impotence
Urethritis
Cystitis
Urinary infection
Gastritis
Colitis
Excessive falling hair
Psoriasis
Endometriosis
Stuttering
Numbness and tingling
Sinusitis

Advanced Symptoms

Crohn's disease
Schizophrenia
Learning disabled
Hodgkin's Disease
Systemic Lupus Erythematosis
Multiple Sclerosis
Sarcoidosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Myasthenia gravis
Scleroderma
Leukemia
Tuberculosis
All other forms of cancer

Source: Alkalize or Die, Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, 2001.

Top 4 Alkaline Diet Weight Loss Tips

When your body has higher acidity levels in it amazing things begin to happen. The body wants to survive and, as protection, will produce extra fat cells in your body as fat cells absorb acid. In the opinion of your body, it is better to have extra fat cells to store the acid than to let the acid get to vital organs, which would eventually kill it. This explains why so many people have such a hard time with losing weight. When you take your body back to a more alkaline state, the weight will literally melt off. The body will no longer need the extra fat cells to combat the acid, because the acidity level in your body will be right where nature intended it to be.

Tip 1: Drink, Drink then Drink some more! By far the most important and yet the easiest way to accelerate your alkaline diet weight loss results is to hydrate consistently. Water with some lemon juice is ideal Green tea is very alcaline and Herbalife's Thermojetics Herbalife Beverage is not your regular grocery store green tea - it is a special blend of green tea and other botanicals and promotes antiaging, increased metabolic rate & fat burning, gives energy and, enjoyed with some lemon makes it a wonderful alkalising tonic.

Avoid Coffee, tea, soda and other acidic drinks. Thermojetics Herbal Beverage is a healthy, alkaline substitute.

Tip 2 - Avoid Foods with preservatives, food coloruing and additives. The body wasn’t designed to digest these chemical substances, so it must either: eliminate them, neutralize them or park them away where they can’t damage your body.

Tip 3 - Avoid artificial sweetners like the plague. If you have been trying to lose weight, chances are you have relied on artificial sweetners to cut calories. You are shooting yourself in the foot on an alkaline diet. They are toxins as in tip 2

Tip 4 - Always have cut veggies, salads, nuts ready in your fridge as a healthy snack. Herbalife's Roasted Soya Nuts are high in protein and fibre and low in fat and sodium and are a very healthy alkaline snack! So, you never have to come home and wonder what to eat or snack on...

Wednesday, 8 July 2009

Five Hot Foods To Help You Keep Your Cool

LOS ANGELES: (BUSINESS WIRE): Jul. 2, 2009: Air conditioning. An ocean breeze. Food? Yes, food can play a role in helping to keep your cool as the temperatures rise. It’s also important to stay hydrated, as heat increases the rate at which we perspire, causing us to lose fluid - along with minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium - in the process.

“Drinking the right liquids and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can really make a difference in helping you to beat the heat,” says Luigi Gratton, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Herbalife. “Not only do these foods help to replace fluids and minerals that are lost through perspiration,” Gratton notes, “but fruits and veggies also contain antioxidants that can help protect your body against sun damage, too.”

Next time the heat is getting you down, here are some of the best foods to help you keep your cool:

Cantaloupe: Nothing says summer like melons. They’re all great sources of potassium, but cantaloupe has nearly three times the potassium found in watermelon. And, cantaloupe gets its orange hue from a beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant.

Berries: Too much sun? Sweet, delicious berries naturally contain compounds related to aspirin that can reduce inflammation, and may help take the sting out of sunburn. They’re also a great source of antioxidant vitamin C.

Spinach: Leafy spinach has lots of water and is a terrific source of magnesium. Further, spinach gets its green color from lutein – an antioxidant that helps protect the skin and eyes from sun exposure.

Chili peppers
: Hot foods during hot weather? You bet. Those vitamin-C laden spicy peppers can stimulate perspiration – which, as it evaporates off the skin, helps to cool you off. If you’re not a chili pepper fan, other pungent foods like garlic and ginger have similar beneficial effects.

Sports drinks: Plain water is a great fluid replacer, but if you are exercising in hot and humid conditions, sports drinks might be a better choice. They help replace valuable minerals and electrolytes and they’re specially designed to help maximize fluid absorption. And, their light, sweet flavor might encourage you to drink a little more.

Source Herbalife Investor Relations: Press Release 02 July 2009

Saturday, 6 June 2009

Controlling Diabetes naturally: Is Insulin Condemning You to a Premature Death?

Diabetes Type 2 is one of today’s most devastating epidemics and Dr Mercola's shocking article on the devastating effects of Insulin makes this article a must-read for anyone who has diabetes or knows someone who does...

Type 2 Diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing not only the UK, but the world today. In the UK, since 1996, the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has increased from 1.4 million to 2.5 million. By 2025 it is estimated that over four million people will have diabetes. Most of these cases will be Type 2 diabetes, because of our ageing population and rapidly rising numbers of overweight and obese people. In America the statistics are even more shocking as one in four (25%) of the population have either diabetes or pre-diabetes!

It’s an epidemic of epic proportions that just keeps getting worse, and yet it’s one of the most avoidable chronic diseases there is. According to Dr Mercola, the conventional medical treatments currently being provided are killing people, however, there are natural, effective treatments that can control, and in the case of type 2 diabetes, even reverse the disease.

First, it’s important to realize that there are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is insulin-dependent diabetes, also commonly referred to as juvenile diabetes. Type 2 is insulin-resistant diabetes, which is far more common of the two.

90-95 percent of all diabetics have type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is diagnosed by a fasting blood sugar test. For most people (Source: Government), good blood sugar levels are (measurememnt used is mg/dl - milligrams per decilitre of blood):

On waking up (before breakfast): 80 to 120 mg/dl
Before meals: 80 to 120 mg/dl
2 hours after meals: 160 mg/dl or less
At bedtime: 100 to 140 mg/dl

In the U.S., if your fasting blood sugar is above 125 mg/dl, then you have full-blown diabetes. If your blood sugar is between 110 to 125 mg/dl, you’re considered pre-diabetic.

However, Dr Mercola firmly believes that these criteria are not rigid enough and that your blood sugar should not be in the triple digits. Ideally, you’ll want it to be about 80 mg/dl to prevent health problems. Once you reach triple digits, you have a problem even though you’re not officially diagnosed as diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Why Conventional Treatment is Dead Wrong


According to Dr Mercola, even though you’re diagnosed as diabetic by a fasting blood sugar test, blood sugar is NOT the problem. It’s merely a symptom that arises as your body attempts to keep itself in balance.

The real, underlying problem is insulin resistance, along with faulty leptin signaling. This is caused by miscommunication within and between cells -- usually related to the communication between the cellular receptors for insulin and leptin.

When your blood sugar becomes elevated it is a signal for insulin to be released to direct the extra energy into storage. A small amount is stored as a starch called glycogen in your body, but the majority is stored as your main energy supply - fat. Thus, in this regard insulin's major role is not to lower sugar, but to take the extra energy and store it for future times of need.

Insulin lowers your blood sugar as a side effect of directing the extra energy into storage.

This is why treatments that concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar for diabetes while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication.

Please understand that if you only implement strategies to treat your blood sugar level, you are destined for premature death. Taking insulin is one of the WORST things you can do, as it will actually make your insulin and leptin resistance worse over time.

Dr. Ron Rosedale, an expert on leptin physiology and one of my early mentors in this area, has written several great articles for Dr. Mercola's site on this subject. He also developed the appropriate acronym: D.I.E. to illustrate what’s happening in conventional diabetic treatment.

Doctor Induced Exacerbation.

Yes, most doctors make diabetes worse and accelerate the death process.

Diabetes Can Significantly Reduce Your Lifespan and Quality of Life

Not only does type 2 diabetes increase your overall risk of heart disease, the condition can also bring on fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events an average of 15 years earlier than in those without diabetes.

And, aside from the potentially deadly side effects of diabetes drugs, the additional health complications that diabetes fosters are numerous, and quite serious, including:

Heart disease and stroke – Death from heart disease and risk for stroke is two to four times higher among people with diabetes
High blood pressure – 75 percent of diabetics have high blood pressure (130/180 mm Hg or higher)
Blindness - Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years
Kidney disease – Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.
Nervous system disease - About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage such as: impaired sensation or pain in hands or feet, poor digestion, carpal tunnel syndrome and erectile dysfunction
Amputations – In 2004, 71,000 lower limb amputations due to diabetes were performed in the U.S.
Dental disease - Almost one-third of people with diabetes have severe periodontal disease
Pregnancy complications - Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy among women with type 1 diabetes can cause major birth defects in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies, and spontaneous abortions in 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies

Fortunately, nearly 100 percent of type 2 diabetics can be successfully treated - meaning you will no longer have the symptoms of diabetes, or the high risk of developing the above health complications -- if you are willing to implement the recommendations that Dr Mercola provides below:

Type 2 Diabetes is Curable in Nearly Everyone Without Drugs!!

If one is compliant with these recommendations the likelihood of successfully going off of drugs and having normal blood sugars is close to 100%. Treating type 2 diabetes is simply a matter of implementing some basic strategies to improve your insulin and leptin resistance:

Exercise. Exercise is an absolutely essential factor, without which you’re highly unlikely to get this devastating disease under control. It is clearly one of the most potent ways to lower your insulin and leptin resistance.

Typically, however, you’ll need large amounts of exercise, until you get your blood sugar levels under control. You may need up to an hour or two a day. Naturally, you’ll want to gradually work your way up to that amount, based on your current level of fitness.

Eliminate grains and sugars. For the last 50 years, many people have been following the nutritional recommendations dictated by conventional health agencies, which advise a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet. The end result has been a 700 percent increase in diabetes in the same time frame and many have come to view diabetes as an incurable chronic disease…

This is clearly not true, but it’s the inevitable result of seriously flawed dietary recommendations.

Instead, you’ll want to eliminate foods that your body will react to by creating insulin, which includes all types of sugars and grains -- even “healthy” grains such as whole, organic grains. This means avoiding all breads, pasta, cereals, rice, potatoes, and corn (which is in fact a grain). You may even need to avoid fruits until your blood sugar is under control.

Eat right for your nutritional type. Even doing all of the above steps might not be enough unless you balance your protein, carb and fat ratios for your unique and specific genetic biochemistry.

What can be added here is an undeniable amount of testimonials from the users of Herbalife products, our nutritionally balanced Formula 1 shakes in particular, where users have gone from increased blood sugar levels to normal to be even cleared from Type 2 Diabetes - simply because they would have been put on the high protein and fibre and reduced sugar and fat diet with 1 or 2 shake meal replacements with personalised protein levels for their unique body composition.

All that with an aim not only to manage their calorie intake to help them lose body fat and weight, but to also give body the right kind of energy to eliminate cravings and body storing food as fat as their regular simple carbs breakfast (toast, cereals, ...) will cause an immediate surge of blood sugar levels and substantial insulin emmission, which turns the sugar into fat and the cycle repeat itself during the day a few times. Shakes helps to balance the blood sugar levels and stop insuling working overtime.

What Dr Mercola is claiming goes hand in hand with our experience and what Herbalife doctors have been claiming for years. Again, our products are not there to cure but, once your body experiences balanced nutrition that we provide it's natural tendency is to heal naturally, by itself, and, in many cases, better than conventional medicine and treatments can as good food has no side effects and treats the cause not just simptoms of disease.

Monitor your fasting insulin level. This is every bit as important as your fasting blood sugar. You’ll want your fasting insulin level to be between 2 to 4. The higher your level, the worse your insulin receptor sensitivity is.

The recommendations mentioned above are the key steps you need to achieve this reduction.

Optimize your vitamin D level. Interestingly, optimizing your vitamin D levels can not only help improve type 2 diabetes if you have it, but can likely eliminate the risk of type 1 diabetes (along with autoimmune diseases and autism) in your children if you are pregnant. It’s also vital for infants to receive the appropriate amounts of vitamin D in their early years for these same reasons.

Ideally, you’ll want to do this by exposing a large amount of your skin to appropriate amounts of sunshine (or a safe tanning bed) on a regular basis, year-round. Your body can safely create up to 20,000 units of vitamin D a day this way.

However, if neither of these options are available, you clearly want to use an oral vitamin D3 supplement. But remember, if you chose to take an oral supplement it’s essential that you get your levels tested regularly by a proficient lab to make sure you’re not reaching toxic levels, and are within the therapeutic range. Maintaining your vitamin D levels around 60-80 ng/ml can significantly help control your blood sugar.

Read full Dr Mercola's article on Diabetes and watch a fascinating video!

Friday, 24 April 2009

Do You Have a Heart of a Champion?

By Luigi Gratton, M.D., M.P.H

Want to enjoy a long, active life full of energy and vitality? You’ll have to put your heart into it. Maintaining a strong, healthy cardiovascular system is essential to your overall health and quality of life. So why wait? Start making life choices today that will give you the heart of a champion–and the life of a winner.

There are nearly 100,000 miles of arteries, veins and capillaries in your body. They allow nutrient-rich blood to nourish the cells and organs of your body. But when they’re blocked, it can result in heart attack or stroke.

Obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Your heart health alone is reason enough to lose any extra weight you’re carrying. But is there anything else you can do to support your heart health?

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. STEP UP YOUR GAME
Get your body moving. Studies show that moderate physical activity can strengthen the heart. Regular exercise–jogging, weight lifting, playing sports–is key to a healthy heart and a rich and fulfilling life. Not interested in playing sports or joining a gym? Try walking. Taking 6,000 to 10,000 steps every day is terrific for your heart. A pedometer, available at any sporting-goods store, can help you keep track of your steps throughout the day. Try different types of exercise, find the ones you really enjoy, and make them a regular part of your life.

2. EAT LIKE A WINNER
Forget the fast food. Junk the junk food. Create a heart-healthy diet. That means healthy protein, healthy fatty acids like Omega-3s found in fish, lots of water and plenty of fruits and vegetables. The way you eat is important too. So don’t skip meals. Schedule regular times for meals and snacks. And try not to eat anything within a few hours of going to bed.

3. REST, RECHARGE AND REJUVENATE
And speaking of going to bed… it’s time to get some shut-eye. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of heart problems. We’re busy people, and it can be tempting to shave off an hour or two of sleep to “be more productive.” Resist that temptation. Think of it this way: For eight hours of every day of your life, the most productive activity you can engage in for your health is sleeping. So, have a good night–and you’ll have a great life.



CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Q & A with Lou Ignarro, Ph.D.


Q: WHY IS CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH SO IMPORTANT?


A: Your cardiovascular system is literally at the heart of your overall health. Maintaining it is crucial for a variety of reasons. It gives you energy and the ability to keep up with the daily demands of life. A healthy cardiovascular system is also essential for mental clarity and protecting you against stress. Additionally, cardiovascular health contributes to overall vitality.

Q: WHAT KINDS OF THINGS CAN I DO TO IMPROVE MY CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH?


A: There are several things you can–and should–incorporate into your life to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Exercise is crucial. Brisk walks, sit-ups, light weight training, swimming and biking are all excellent, low-impact and efficient exercises for any fitness level. The important thing is to do something every day. Another important factor is proper eating–and that means getting the right amount of essential vitamins and other nutrients, as well as antioxidants.


Q: WHAT IS ALPHA LIPOIC ACID, AND HOW DOES IT SUPPORT THE HEART?


A: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), an ingredient in Herbalife’s Niteworks®, is a potent antioxidant first discovered in the 1950s and later recognized in 1988 for a variety of health-promoting activities. ALA works in the mitochondria, the body’s energy-producing cells, where it has been shown to protect the DNA from damage. Many antioxidants, like Vitamin C, work well in areas of the body where there is water, while others, like Vitamin E, work well in areas of fat. ALA has the unique capability to work in both water and fat, and, moreover, helps to recycle our natural Vitamins C and E. In the heart, ALA helps protect the cardiovascular system from free radical damage.

Q: IF NITRIC OXIDE IS A GAS, WHY DOES NITEWORKS® COME IN POWDER FORM?


A: Herbalife developed Niteworks®, informed by the research of Dr. Lou Ignarro, a Nobel Laureate in Medicine. Dr. Ignarro’s research showed that Nitric Oxide helps to keep blood vessels toned, flexible and youthful for improved circulation. His research further showed that Nitric Oxide enhances blood flow, supporting function of the heart, brain and other organs. His additional research has shown that the combination of two amino acids, arginine and citrulline, helps to support Nitric Oxide production in the body. Herbalife developed Niteworks® as a powder with these two amino acids. This product also contains alpha lipoic acid and Vitamin E for antioxidant protection.

Q: HOW DOES GARLIC CONTRIBUTE TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH?


A: Garlic has long been recognized as a high-quality supplement to support healthy circulation and a healthy heart. One of the key active components is called allicin, which helps to support cholesterollowering, antioxidant, blood-thinning and antimicrobial activities.

Wednesday, 18 March 2009

Here is one truly inspirational story:
Jo Cantle: "My weight loss journey"

I am delighted to be able to share Jo's story with you as this is probably one of the most inspirational stories I have come across as Jo has put so much thought into this in order to really inspire those that are ready to take action. She has shared not only her results and how she achieved it, but the entire mind set one needs to have to achieve long term weight loss and health. Thank you so much for allowing me to share your story, Jo, you are an inspiration on many different levels and your determination will never fail you!
('Not to be copied without prior permission')


"I've written this for information purposes only and hope that it may help or inspire others to take action. Plus it has always been a personal goal of mine to write my own weight loss testimonial, like I've read and admired in so many magazines over the years that I've been trying to lose weight.


I have been overweight for as long as I can remember and always would have described myself as 'the wrong side of slim' as I was always the slightly bigger one than my friends at school. When I was 7 my parents moved my sisters and I from Birmingham to Weston-super-Mare, where they bought a business....a General Stores called The Chocolate Box - so it was mainly sweets they sold, as you can imagine for a 7 year old - I was literally a 'kid in a candy store' and I feel that this was possibly where my weight issues developed.

As I got older and became aware of being larger I of course tried various ways to control my weight, although I'm happy to say, that I was always sensible enough (or was that I just liked my food too much) that I didn't go the dodgy route of starving myself or purchasing unsafe pills etc - my first real diet that I can remember was at 14 where I think I lost about 7lbs and felt fabulous - however it soon came back on and then what followed for the next 10+ years was some serious yo-yo dieting.

While at Art College, I ate and drank all the wrong stuff as many students do. I ate on the run and drank copious amounts of alcohol and knew little about a healthy diet and continued that style of eating after I left college and moved back to Weston with my husband Colin.

Once in Weston my weight steadily progressed up to a size 22. My husband is naturally quite slim and seems to be able to eat a lot (however I have studied his eating patterns and actually what he does is manage his weight naturally through eating when he's hungry - now there's a revelation!). Anyway, I used to match his portions and ate what he did and I got steadily bigger. By the age of 26 I was at my biggest and my doctor was warning me about high blood pressure - having lost my Dad 4 years earlier to a heart attack, I knew I had to take control of my lifestyle.

Colin & I decided to get married in 1998 and I was determined not to be a fat bride, so I joined a club and lost 5 stone - looking back it was not the programme, it was my determination that helped me succeed. I do remember feeling hungry most of the time, which caused a ricochet effect once the wedding was over, as I then made up for the lack of eating during the previous year by making sure I ate everything and proceeded to regain 3 stone.

One positive thing that came from that programme was I became seriously passionate about exercise - in particular running, and had trained myself from running for 5 mins around the block (and then collapsing in a heap) to running over 10 miles at a time. So we then set ourselves a target of running the London Marathon which we did in 1999 in just over 5 hours. This controlled my weight gain to a certain extent, but as any avid runner knows, they advise you carb-load prior to long races - and if you continue to carb-load after racing (which I did) - you gain weight!

Fast forward to 2002 - I was probably at the end of my tether with my weight and certainly an emotional low point, I had tried hypnosis, magazine plan after plan, I had a pile of diet books each discarded as I felt hungry, tired and just completely fed up and really felt I was destined to be fat all my life. I had also become an Aerobics Instructor - but as my eating was all wrong - I was never going to be the shape and size I really dreamed of being.

It was at this point I went searching not for a weight loss solution one day, but a work from home solution, as I was in a personal situation which meant I had to find a way to make more income. This is when I came across Herbalife, now I was very sceptical because it was something that I hadn't considered before, but once I understood that it was a programme that was built on a very sound nutritional philosophy of over 20 years - it made sense to join the company and use the programme.

So I got started on the programme at which point I was a size 18/20 - within a month I had dropped to a size 16 (sometimes 14 depending on where I shopped). I continued to use the products for weight management, good health and sports nutrition, but the truth is, I got too relaxed with my result and was so busy running our business I forgot that my results ARE my business. Colin & I are fortunate to be asked to be guest speakers and train quite a lot at the Herbalife seminars and when you're up on stage - you are a representative of the brand, and I was not confident that I was representing the brand that I'm so very proud of.

So in August last year I took some steps to correct this...here is my 4 point plan.

1) I made a decision to lose 30lbs, I didn't have a time scale in mind, but I knew I wanted to lose 30 lbs and I had also been inspired by friend & fellow distributor Tina Garrett-Clarke who I'd seen lose over 49lbs the previous year (and she's a Mum of 4, so if she could do it I could too!)

2) I visualised my outcome by getting pictures of bodyshapes I could aspire to and pasting my head onto them, and also wrote out some positive statements.

3) I worked out a plan for myself based on all the knowledge that I have about protein, carbs, calories, exercise and water. I used the Herbalife products (Formula 1, 2 and the Thermo Beverage + others as it makes it easier than trying to work it all out for yourself - this way it was done for me!)

4) I gave myself accountability in the form of agreeing with my dear friends Ian & Karen Goulding that we would set ourselves a challenge and over a 12 week period we emailed each week our results. We then started another 12 week stint straight after.


By Christmas I'd lost over 25lbs and then Christmas, New Year and my birthday got in the way and I 'relaxed' a bit - but due to the plan I was following and the control that the Herbalife programme gives me I only regained about 2lbs.

I've just got started with a 6 week Distributor Weight Loss Challenge, which is keeping me on track. So I've now lost over 2 stone and 55 cms - and I'm fitter and healthier than I've ever been.

I've increased my exercise as I also had given myself a target of competing in the 2009 London Triathlon with one of my team members, Becky Reeve, and I'm doing the running section which I want to complete in a respectable time :-) So I run or go to the gym 4-5xs per week - which I just LOVE!

Key Things I've learned - Which I Hope will Help Others....

1) Loving yourself is one of the biggest gifts you can give to yourself and those around you - and if you're not sure where to start then I recommend Louise Hay "You Can Heal Your Life"

2) Change starts with making a decision and backing it up with a plan of action

3) Giving yourself accountability is important to help you in those times when you feel like giving up (that's why we do follow up with our clients)

4) Guilt about eating something doesn't serve you, it's more likely to send you bingeing, so get over it, enjoy it and forgive yourself, and be better tomorrow.

5) Balance is the key, if I want to have a meal out or enjoy a slice of cake that my Mum has made, I'll eat it, the Herbalife programme is designed that you can still do that and enjoy yourself.

6) You have to rethink your bodyshape and think of yourself as slim (hence the visualisation), because otherwise your brain will always sabotage your results, by returning you back to your original state of being overweight.


So thank you for reading, I hope you have found it of interest, I continue on my journey, but it's now a highly enjoyable road, I now truly feel I will be slim for life!"

If you would like to contact Jo regarding her story, here are her contact details:
Jo Cantle, Tel 07984 471 271, Email Address healthy_future@btinternet.com or visit her site at www.future-slim.com

Thursday, 12 March 2009

The Power of Protein: Understanding Protein

Protein is the basic material of all living things. Our bodies are made up of 25% protein. Protein itself is made up of small building blocks called amino acids. There are nine essential amino acids, needed by the body for optimum function, and several non-essential but beneficial amino acids.

Recommendation for protein intake are often based on animal food sources such as meat, eggs and milk. However, a high consumption of animal protein often equals a high consumption of fat.


Soy, on the other hand, is the highest quality plant protein available. Soybeans are the only vegetable cource that contain complete protein. This means that soybeans provide all nine essential amino acids. And the quality is equal to that of milk, meat and egg protein, but with no extra fat. Soy protein is long-acting and slowly metabolised.

Whey protein provides amino acids and mixes well with milk to create smooth, creamy shakes. Whey protein is fast acting and quickly metabolised.


Why do we need protein?
We need protein to stay strong and healthy. If we don't eat protein our bodies will steal it from our muscles and organs. In fact, protein is essential for the development of our muscles, which lead to an increase in the burning of calories. Our muscles could be described as "fat furnaces" as they keep our metabolism running high.

The Carbohydrate Confusion
Traditionally, we were taught that carbohydrates should provide our body with its primary supply of energy. However, many people have confused fast-releasing carbohydrates (pasta, cakes) and slow releasing carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables), eating too many of the former - the tempting, convenient, tasty variety! Most of us lead sedentary lives, so any excess energy (from carbohydrate-rich food) is stored as body fat.

Today's over-consumption of fast-releasing carbohydrates on a daily basis is creating a global population of "overweight" carbohydrate-eaters!

Our bodies need a balanced diet for optimum health. The right daily intake of protein, carbohydrates and fats are determining factors when we try to achieve optimum health and weight.

It makes sense then to reduce your carbohydrate intake, choose "good "unsaturated" fats that provide research-proven health benefits, ensure you eat plenty of fresh wholefoods such as fruit and vegetables, and increae your protein intake in line with your body's needs. Remember to use lean protein that does not contain significant levels of fat.

Protein helps to satisfy!

When you eat a balanced diet with the right balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates for your body, your appetite is also satisfied, reducing the desire to snack!

See how well this method works for you if you are trying to lose weight while battling hunger-pangs between meals:

1. Optimise you protein and nutritional intake with Formula 1 and lose weight!
2. Choose slow-releasing carbohydrates foods (whole grains)
3. Increase you intake of "live" foods (fresh fruit and vegetables)
4. Eat regular meals spaced throughout the day
5. Identify your body's protein needs and consume the amount you need!

How much protein do you need?
On average:
• Women need 100g protein per day
• Men need 150g protein per day


Soy! All the goodness of high quality protein, with minimal fat!
Soy protein is one of the highest quality plant proteins available. It is an excellent source of amino acids, in addition to containing antioxidants.

Herbalife's Personalised Protein Powder or Formula 3 helps you to match your ideal personal protein intake in line with your body's needs. Its neutral flavour means you can add it to your Formula 1 nutritional meal replacement shake!

Personalised Protein Powder supplies a special blend of whey and soy proteins, and allows you to customise your diet with the right amount of protein, and minimal additional calories. Each 6g serving contains 5g of protein.


How do I include protein in my diet?
If your target protein intake is 100g per day, here is an example of how you can consume 100g every day:

Breakfast: Any flavour Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shake with2 scoops of Formula 3 (Personalised Protein Powder (29g)
Lunch: Any flavour Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shake with2 scoops of Formula 3 (Personalised Protein Powder (29g)
Snack: Herbalife's chocolate covered Protein Bar (12g)
Dinner: Balanced Meal with lean chicken, wholegrain rice, vegetables and salad (30g)

Total protein: 100g

If one needs over 100g of protein per day, you can have additional 1-2 protein snacks: choose from our Protein Bars of Soy Beans (12g of protein per serving) and you can also add an extra spoon of protein powder to your shake or meal.

Formula 1 Nutritional Meal Replacement Shakes are loaded with heart-healthy protein. They include essential vitamins and minerals to provide all the nutrition of a meal with a minimum of calories.

Sunday, 8 March 2009

Keep Fit with Fit Foods!

Why should you bother to exercise? What should you do and how would you squeeze it into your busy lifestyle, where would you go?

Questions, questions... and everybody else is "doing it" except you, so you'll feel silly and look out of shape... won't you?


Wrong! It's NEVER too late to start a fitness plan, activity isn't just for under 30s! In fact, your body is probably aching for you to get lively and shake off some human "rust", after all, the body is designed for activity. If it's allowed to get too comfortable, it begins to seize-up, fatten-up and generally degenerate.

Think long-term!

Whatever age you are, moderate exercise can only increase your physical well-being. It builds and strenghtens muscles, improves skeletal density (helps keep osteoporosis at bay), gets your heart pumping and oxygenates the body, helps to shift plaque from the arteries, helps mobilise toxins trapped in fat cells, uses up stored fat reducing body weight and many more incredible benefits.

Your commitment to a long-term fitness routine is the best way to avoid an old age ruined by poor health. On top of all this, activity is fun, you meet new people, you discover talents you never knew you had, and, you will look and feel GREAT!

You only get one body so start today!

It is not a science, but having the right information before you start will help you get off to a good start!

Poor fuel= poor performance!
To maintain, or gain, a fit body, the quantity and quality of the fuel you use for energy affects not just your size (excess fat), but your health. Just like a car, good fuel burns clean and bad fuel leaves toxins behind when it burns (in your body!). Fast foods and junk stresses the body with toxic deposits. You need to combine correctly balanced, optimal nutrition with regular activity - the reward - improved long term health!

The importance of optimal nutrition...
People who exercise on a regular basis need to ensure that their body is provided with an abundance of quality nutrients. This is because your nutrient intake is shared between growth, repair and energy output.

Strenuous exercise naturally streses body cells, and this results in increased cell damage and destruction, which therefore need additional nutrients for recovery and repair. In a healthy body, with every second that passes, around 5,000,000 cells die through wear and tear. These are immediately replaced through the body's continual cell division process. However, a poor nutrient supply coupled with intense training puts pressure on this process, because food is divided between all other bodily functions too.

WATER
Before anything else, ensure you have consumed enough water to prevent dehydration during exercise. Water should also be consumed regularly during and after exercise.

• Muscles are approximately 75% water
• Water is lost in perspiration and through breathing
• Dehydration raises body temperature and energy is then drawn away from the muscles to cool the body down, affecting overall performance.

Aloe Vera makes plain water even more refreshing, with the added bonus that it possesses soothing and cleansing properties beneficial to the digestive tract. Remember to take a water bottle topped with Herbal Aloe Concentrate before you leave...

• Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, and for each molecule of carbohydrate, nine molecules of water are bound, when the glycogen is released for energy, so is the water.

Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread and cereals, pasta, potatoes, beans, fruit) are easily assimilated and made available by the body for energy. The fibre in these foods helps to slow the release of sugar providing longer-lasting energy.

• Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram
• Fat provides 9 calories per gram

By cutting out saturated fats and fatty foods you can enjoy additional energy in the form of carbohydrate fuel.

Protein
Dietary protein supplies the body with 25 amino acids, commonly referred as "building blocks", which are used for repair and growth. Every cell in the body uses protein.

• Protein is a third source of energy if carbohydrates/ fat stores are depleted.
• Protein comes from both vegetable and animal sources.
• Protein assists in maintaining muscle mass and when combined with over-load training, it assists in building muscle mass.
• No two people have the same protein needs - your weight, muscle to fat ratio, health status, dietary intake and the quality of protein you choose, determine how much you need as an individual.

Protein as an energy source can dehydrate the body, so, if you are on a high protein low carbohydrate diet, remember to drink plenty of water!

As with carbohydrates and fats, if you eat more protein than your body needs, the excess will be converted and stored as fat.

Fat
There are two "good" fats vital to health: Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids. Saturated fats and monosaturated fats are not essential though can be used for energy.

Good fats are converted into prostaglandis, which are dynamic hormon-like substances that help keep the blood this preventing clogged arteries, lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation, control blood cholesterol and fat levels, support the immune system and brain function, improve nerve function and regulate blood sugar. We can not survive without good fats!

Fat Loss - Muscle Gain!

Muscle fibres are heavier than fat, so, if you are trying to lose weight and exercise 3-4 times a week, don't be surprised if you actually put some weight on! This naturally occurs as the stored fat is used as fuel and lean muscle tissue is gradually formed.

Regular exercise helps to increase and sustain an efficient fat-burning metabolism.

Aerobic Exercise
Jogging, tennis, swimming, walking, cycling are all examples of this less strenuous, sustained form of exercise. To benefit, the heart rate needs to reach 80% of its maximum for a minimum of 20 minutes. Aerobic exercise reduces blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, supports cardiovascular health and helps stabilise blood sugar levels.

What happens when you exercise?
When you exercise, the stressing of the muscles causes muscle tissue to break down, this is known as "catabolism". The body then has to rebuild the muscles fibres, known as "anabolism". Both processes use up energy. With regular exercise routine, muscles fibres multiply, gow larger, increase in growth, have more access to oxygen, and consequently, need more fuel (increasing their fat burning potential). The key to a fat-burning exercise routine is to maintain aerobic activity at a constant, comfortable level where the heart rate is sufficiently increased without unnecessary stress on the body, ideally 30-40 minutes, three times a week, taking a day's break for repair between each session. Doing less than this amount of exercise will not encourage the body to use stored fat, as fat is stored away from muscle tissue and is not tapped into until glycogen stores in the muscles have been reduced.

Doing more than this can over-work and stress the body. To avoid muscle and joint injuries, always do a 10 minute warm-up and warm-down (stretching) before and after each session.

Supplementation
Exercise requires more than just fuel for energy, many micronutrients are also used up in the process. To help minimise oxidative stress, neutralise free radicals and top up the body's daily needs for vitamins and minerals, include a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement, and antioxidant supplement.

The Ultimate Superfood
If you are considering an exercise routine, Formula 1 is the perfect partner. It provides the ultimate clean-burning, easily absorbed and assimilated fuel. Formula 1 has been scientifically formulated to supply balanced protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre, to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimum performance.

Think long-term fitness
So, in a nutshell, avoid saturated fats, drink water before, during and after exercise; exercise every other day, exercising on a full stomach can impair digestion and cause cramps; eat both animal and vegetable protein; supplement with Herbalife Multivitamin and mineral complex and antioxidants; to avoid injury, always warm-up and warm-down before a workout with a 10 minute stretching routine; ensure you balance activity with relaxation and quality sleep!

Be consistent!

Boost your Immune System and ward off common viruses!

Like at any other change of season, end of Winter days and start of Spring can make your Immune System vulnerable, especially if you have not properly recovered from those witer colds and flu. To avoid getting ill, taking valuable time off work and spreading your germs to those you love, there are a few things you can do. You need to: exercise, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink six to eight glasses of water a day, stop smoking, get plenty of rest and sleep and, finally, taking a few Herbalife products could make all the difference...


Why should you exercise?
To keep colds and viruses at bay, it is very important to get active and start a healthy exercise programme. As well as looking after your immune system, exercise also has these great benefits:
• More energy.
• Reduction in stress.
• Stronger bones and muscles
• Better Sleep.
• Improved strenght, balance and posture.
• Great social opportunities and new friends; gym classes especially are great ways of meeting likeminded people.
• Pride and achievement when meeting your goals.
• Helps depression.
• Weight Loss/ Management and a toned body.
• Encourages healthy competition. Training with a friend can help you try even harder!
• Alleviates period pain!
• Reduces high blood pressure and the threat of coronary disease and a stroke.

Stop Smoking!
We all know the facts now. As well as death, smoking leads to many serious illnesses such as lung disease, so start cutting back now!

Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables

A nutrient-rich diet is important as a lack of nutriends can lower your immunity. You should eat at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, as they are rich in vitamins, nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and immune-boosting substances known as phytochemicals, which help protect you against disease. Try to eat them raw to preserve their nutrient content.

Eat oily fish such as salmon, mackerel or sardines at least twice a week, or take an Omega-3 supplement such as Herbalifeline. It contains essential fatty acids which are important for good immune function.

You can also try live bio yoghurts and probiotic drinks, containing friendly lactic-acid-producing digestive bacteria such as Lactobacilli, which can boost your immune system. Why not try our Florafibre; friendly bacteria with extra fibre - all the goodness you need without the sugar and calories!

Avoid stress and get plenty of sleep!
When you are stressed, yoy may start to feel run down, and are more likely to develop a cold. Make sure you get into regular sleeping pattern. Don't stay up too late - it will catch up with you the following day! Make sure you have 7-8 hours sleep a night! Sleeping lets you relax and regenerate!

Take Herbalife Supplements!

Many natural herbs are known to boost your immune system. Herbalife's Immune Health range of products are great multi-nutrient supplements that offer great support to your diet and you can rest assured that with our Cellular Nutrition, you are getting the best nutritional support possible and will feel the difference.

Happy and Healthy Spring time!

The Dynamic Colourful Diet: They are live, colourful, fresh and raw - fruits, vegetables and salads!


To increase your energy and give your body an invigorating year-long treat... Upgrade to colourful Foods and enjoy mountains of delicious, fresh food!

Let's look at the positives:
• Colourful foods have no preservatives, no added colour!
• Provide an abundance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, water and trace elements.
• Have a high water content - an excellent source of hydration for the body.
• Are visually appetising.
• Their firm textures demand a good chew, so we eat them more slowly and feel full up afterwards.
• Are quickly and easily processed and assimilated by the body - less work for the digestive system.
• Are safer - contain less undesirable man-made chemicals.
• Are as nature intended (unlike processed, pre-packaged modern fast foods!)
• Are pure energy - living food!

And the negatives:

• Colourful Foods have no negatives.
• They are 100% good for you!

Compare the above list to consuming cooked foods:

• Heat destroys the vitalising nutrients in colourful foods. So much so that sometimes, you may as well be eating cardboard for all the good it does your body!
• The effectiveness of fibre in cooked fresh foods is reduced - vegetables that are floppy and overcooked pass through the body with reduced "cleansing" action. If you cook vegetables, always steam them lightly and aim to retain their "crunch"!
• Cooked vegetables tend to turn out soft and therefore require less chewing, which means they are usually eaten more quickly, so are less satisfying.
• Heat also destroys the enzymes in fresh foods, which are essential for digestion. This means the body has to tap into its own precious supply of enzymes to support the digestive process.
• Nature did not intend her beautiful colourful foods to be ruined by heat... just look how pale they look when cooked, isn't that enough of a clue?

Eating colourful fruits and vegetables each day is a great start... But there's more!

The next step is to make sure that you are eating the correct carbohydrates!


Good carbs and not-so-good-carbs!

Your body converts carbohydrates into sugar, which you need for energy. But not all carbohydrates are "equal"... some turn into too much sugar, too fast, with too many calories. You can identify which carbohydrates are good for you and which to avoid by checking their "glycemic index" rating.

The Glycemic Index provides a guide to how fast the carbohydrates in a food turn into sugar in the body. Foods with a high-glycemic index convert into sugar rapidly, causing blood-sugar peaks and troughs, mood swings and weight gain. Foods with a low glycemic index turn into sugar gradually, releasing their energy steadily, avoiding undesirable peaks and lows.

Glycemic Load measures the amount of sugar a food actually releases in the body. Foods with a low-glycemic load usually have a low glycemic index. They are good choices for your meal plan. Foods can have a high-glycemic index, yet still have a low-glycemic load. Other foods have both a high index and a high load. It is best to avoid high-load foods as a regular part of your meal plan.

The chart below lists some low, medium and high carbohydrates. Choose the medium and low carbs to help regulate your energy levels and body weight. Easy!


*Low glycemic-load foods

Congratulations on Upgrading to the Colourful Diet!

A colourful diet is rich in energy, nutrients, and those welcome anti-aging antioxidants. We have three final components to complete your conversions:

...Add the Essential Superfood to your palette...

Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix provides the perfect nutrient-rich "fast food", scientifically formulated to supply balanced protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre, to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs for optimum performance. A delicious, nutritios, meal-in-a-glass it can be prepared in minutes, with the minimum of fuss. Formula 1 is an absolute must-have for wellness and weight management and maintenance.

...Then boost your Vitamin and Mineral consumption with a finely-tuned, full-spectrum supplement...
Every tablet is bursting with those essential nutrients that are present in a healthy, varied diet. But physical and mental stress can deplete the body's "nutrient bank", while environmental pollution further stresses the body. Include Herbalife's Formula 2 Multivitamin and Mineral supplement in your daily diet to help top-up your "nutrient bank" and support your immune system.

... Finally, make sure you achieve balance in your diet with a high-quality source of Protein...
Protein builds, repairs and maintains 24-7. Maintaining a healthy body weight is key to lifelong wellness. Lean body tissue - muscels - are your "fat furnaces", essential for burning stored fat. This superb product supports your body's potential muscle mass rather than gain body fat.

Personalised Protein Powder is also perfect for vegetarians, who may not be getting enough daily protein; anyone trying to manage their weight; those on a High Protein eating plan, and sporty people who need extra protein to increase and maintain muscle mass.

Colour is IN!

How to Eat the Right Foods at the Right Time: Advice from Herbalife: Business Newswire, 26 Feb 2009

March is National Nutrition Month – a good time to do a quick check-up on your dietary habits. Sometimes the resolutions we make at the beginning of the year start to fade as spring approaches.

“This year’s promotion from the American Dietetic Association suggests that we ‘Eat Right,’” says Luigi Gratton, M.D., MPH and VP of medical affairs and education at Herbalife. “That’s always good advice, but easier said than done. Eating right means not only making the right food choices, but also eating the right foods at the right time.”

To keep your mind and body properly fueled, here are some tips to help you to ‘Eat Right’ at the right time:

Eat right after you exercise. After a good workout, your body might be low on fuel. The best time to fill up is 30-45 minutes after you finish your exercise. Your hungry muscles are looking for healthy carbohydrates – like fruits, vegetables or whole grains - and a shot of protein. (Herbalife's Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix is an ideal healthy, quick and easy to make option to help with refuelling and recovery.)

Eat right when you get up. You don’t need to eat immediately upon awakening, but it’s important to eat in the morning. People who skip breakfast often over-compensate on calories during the morning hours or at lunch, or they may rely on caffeine or sugary foods to power through the first few hours of the day. A light breakfast – a bowl of oatmeal with a bit of protein powder stirred in or a bowl of berries with a dollop of cottage cheese – can be followed a couple hours later with a piece of fruit, a handful of soy nuts or a stick of string cheese. Or try a protein shake with some milk and fruit. (Again, our Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix is an ideal breakfast option)

Eat right when it comes to fats. We need small amounts of fat in the diet, but most of us eat too much fat. And, some fats – like the ones naturally present in fish, tree nuts, olives and avocados – are healthier than others. Read labels to curb your intake of saturated fats and trans fats that can raise cholesterol levels. Healthy fats add flavor, so add avocado or nuts to your salad, or a dab of flavorful olive oil to steamed veggies.

Eat right before you work out. Depending on the length and intensity of your workout, plan your eating accordingly. You need to fuel up before your exercise – especially if you work out first thing in the morning. If you don’t have much time to eat beforehand, easy-to-digest foods like smoothies, soups or yogurt do the trick. If you have a few hours to digest before you hit the trail, have a regular meal with plenty of healthy carbs – whole grain breads, brown rice, pasta, fruits and veggies – to keep you going strong.

Eat right when you eat out.
We eat more than half our meals out, so dining out isn’t the special occasion it used to be. Resist the urge to splurge when you’re out. If you’re trying to cut your calories, split an entrée with a friend and order an extra salad. Or, skip the starchy sides and double up on veggies. Ask for dressings and sauces on the side so you can control how much you eat.

Eat right before you grocery shop.
If you do your shopping on an empty stomach, you’ll be like a kid in a candy store – everything will look good to you. Grab a protein bar, a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts before you go out the door so you’ll be less tempted. Try to plan meals ahead of time, make a list – and stick to it.

Eat right from the garden. Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods around, but we often eat the same ones day in, and day out. Visit your local farmer’s markets to find new foods or new varieties to add to the menu. Eating locally and seasonally will add a spark to your menu, and foods are usually much fresher.

Eat right at night. Many people eat the majority of their daily calories during the hours stretching from dinner time to bedtime. Those who eat lightly or skip meals during the day, only to indulge at night, aren’t providing their brains and muscles with the fuel that’s needed for daily activity. Spread your meals and snacks over the day, and eat light at night. If after-dinner snacking is piling on the pounds, try pre-portioned puddings or frozen fruit bars, a handful of nuts or a cup of tea. Or, brush your teeth right after dinner to deter you from eating.

Source: Herbalife Int.

Thursday, 26 February 2009

HOW TO REV UP YOUR METABOLISM

In order to control your weight, you need to get your metabolism to work for you! We eat food for fuel, which we use to burn for energy in order to run our bodies. The following tips can help you rev up your metabolism:

• Engage in 30 minutes of activity every day to help minimize weight gain and to raise metabolic rate.

• Tone your muscles by weight training three days a week.

• Start small–try walking with one- to two-pound weights.

• Do not eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day. Eating too little may slow your metabolism.

• Never skip breakfast. It may slow down your metabolism.

• Nutritional supplements, such as Herbalife’s Thermo complete® and Herbal Tea Concentrate, can help boost metabolism.*

• Have a supply of protein-powered healthy snacks on hand as an alternative to Carb-loaded junk food.


METABOLISM: TRUTHS AND MYTHS
By Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.


We hear a lot about metabolism–and often blame our “slow metabolism” for our inability to keep our weight under control. But what is metabolism, exactly? And is there anything we can do to change our metabolic rate?

Metabolism basically refers to all the chemical processes that take place in the body in order to sustain life–allowing you to breathe, pump blood, keep your brain functioning and extract energy from your food.

When you hear the term metabolic rate–more accurately called basal (or resting) metabolic rate – that refers to the number of calories your body at rest uses each day, just to keep all your vital organs functioning.

You burn additional calories through your daily activities and formal exercise, but by far, the majority of the calories that you burn each day are your basal calories.

The number of calories that you burn every day is directly related to your body composition. Think of your body as divided into two compartments. In one compartment is all the body fat; in the other compartment is everything that isn’t fat (e.g., bone, fluid, tissue, muscle)– that’s the fat - free compartment. The size of your fat - free compartment determines your metabolic rate, with every pound of fat - free mass burning about 14 calories per day.

If you weigh 150 pounds (10st 7lbs) and 50 pounds (3st 5lbs) of you is fat and 100 pounds (7st 2lbs) is fat-free, then you would burn about 1,400 calories per day at rest. If you don’t get much activity, you won’t burn much more than this throughout the day. But if you weigh 150 pounds and 25 pounds of you is fat, and 125 pounds of you is fat free, then you burn 1,750 calories per day at rest. And if you get some regular exercise and burn a few hundred calories more per day, your total calorie burn for the day might be 2,000 calories!

Since the fat-free compartment contains muscle tissue, one of the best things you can do to boost your metabolic rate is to strength-train to increase your muscle mass. If you build up 10 pounds of lean body mass, that’s another 140 extra calories that you burn per day–not to mention the calories that you burn through exercise.

Here are a few truths and myths about metabolism:

MYTH: AGING SLOWS YOUR METABOLISM.
Truth: People do tend to put on weight as they get older, but it isn’t inevitable. People have a tendency
to exercise less, or less vigorously, as they age–and that means fewer calories burned per day. As activity levels and intensity go down, loss of muscle mass can occur. This then shrinks the body’s fat-free compartment and leads to a lower metabolic rate. Cardiovascular exercise will burn calories, and resistance training to preserve or build up muscle are great defenses against age-related weight gain.

MYTH: YOU’RE STUCK WITH THE METABOLISM YOU HAVE, AND YOU CAN’T CHANGE IT.
Truth:
We all seem to know people who can “eat whatever they want and never gain weight” or those who “just look at food and put on 10 pounds.” But lifestyle plays a big part in determining the calories you burn per day. While it may appear that there are people who eat all the time and never seem to gain, chances are they make healthy, relatively low-calorie selections naturally. And many of these people burn more calories through what is called Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)–basically, they move around a lot during the day. They might fidget more; get up from their desks frequently during the day to stretch, or walk down the hall to talk to a colleague instead of emailing. Next time you’re in a public place–say a coffeehouse–become an observer. You may notice that heavier people sit very still and hardly move. Leaner people may use more hand gestures, or wiggle a foot or a crossed leg. The point is, build more muscle and then use it by moving around more throughout the day.

MYTH: EATING A GRAPEFRUIT WITH MY MEAL WILL SPEED UP MY METABOLISM.
Truth:
There’s nothing special about grapefruit that will speed up your metabolism. Sometimes it’s recommended that you should eat half a grapefruit with each meal for this purpose. But the reason this may work is not because of anything magical about grapefruit. It’s simply a watery, low-calorie food that takes up space in the stomach that might normally be taken up by higher-calorie foods. It may help weight loss, but it doesn’t have any effect on your metabolism.

MYTH: IF I CUT CALORIES, MY METABOLIC RATE WILL SLOW DOWN, SO WHAT’S THE POINT OF EXERCISING?
Truth:
It is true that your metabolic rate can slow a bit when you cut calories. After all, your body’s natural inclination will be to try to conserve calories as best it can. But these decreases are relatively small, and if people become more active as they lose weight, this can offset these small changes. By dieting and exercising, you can help to preserve the rate at which your body burns calories.

POWER YOUR METABOLISM WITH PROTEIN

Your muscle mass works like a furnace, burning calories and stored fat for energy. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, the faster you burn calories. Eating plenty of protein daily is essential to maintaining your muscle mass for good health, energy and effective weight management. Our clinically proven Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix is an ideally nutritionally balanced, low calorie, meal-in-a-glass that can help you lose weight while getting all the nutrition necessary, including all important protein in your diet.

Saturday, 31 January 2009

This morning, for a moment, I panicked...

There was a pit of a panic in the kitchen this morning. For the past five years, today happens to be one of those totally rare occasions when there was no milk in the fridge. Or juice. Or oranges to make a juice. Well, basically, there was nothing I could make my shake with. Apart from water, but I was just not ready to go that far. Not today. Hey, it is a weekend afterall and, if I was not going to have a smooth, delicious, nutritious chocolate mocca shake, I'll try to make the most delicious but equally nutritious breakfast. Regular breakfast that is.

I set off on the quest to feed my body with something as nutritious as my shake would be and this is what I came up with:

100gr of low fat Cottage Cheese: 12gr of protein/ 114 cal (low fat cottage cheese is an excellent dairy option as it contains a fraction of fat compared to other cheeses and is high in protein)

2 medium Scrambled Eggs
in a pan sprayed lightly with olive oil: 15 gr of protein/ 200 cal (Eggs can significantly contribute towards intake of B2, E, Nicotinic Acid. Iron is present, but not well absorbed. High in cholesterol, but most experts agree that this should not be a problem for those who watch their diet, limit weekly intake of eggs and whose blood cholesterol is normal)

Medium 1/2 Avocado: 75 cal (very good source of vitamin E and monosaturated fats, and contains many other vitamins and minerals)

Slice of granary bread: 5gr protein/ around 200 cal (for people following a calorie restricted diet, dark rye bread is a good choice as it has medium glycaemic index, unlike wheat loaves which have a high glycaemic index, and so keeps hunger at bay for longer. I was not concerned about that as long as it is wholesome)

1/2 a Red Pepper (While green peppers are one of the best vegetable sources of vitamin C, red peppers are much higher in beta carotene and are also very high in vitamin C. I have recently read that they contain natural painkiller capsaicin, clinically proven to be effective when rubbed on joints as a cream; the same effect may be gained by eating peppers and may be useful against arthritis pain)

1 long Celery Stick (a phytochemical in celery can lower blood pressure)

5 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes (Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, the antioxidant phytochemical which is important to prevent heart disease and cancers. Tomatoes also contain the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E.



Naturally, I also had my Formula 2 Multivitamin supplement, 1500mg Vitamin C Tablet, 2 x Omega 3 Herbalifeline Tablets and XtraCal Tablets.

All in all, I consumed just over 600 calories, which would mean that after regular lunch and dinner on top and after a few days of that regime, I would definitely start puttinf on weight, which is what happens to the most of the people. Without bread and avocado, I could have had breakfast with 400 calories, but my aim was not to eat low calorie meal as the only such meal I would attempt to have is Herbalife meal replacement shake. If you cut on calories, you cut on nutrition too. How can anyone think that a bowl of porridge has even closely enough to FEED your body, or a couple of toasts, etc? I say FEED, i.e. nourish, not just fill up the stomack! No wonder one already feels peckish by mid morning!

I then went and compared what I have consumed with what one gets from one shake:

Vitamin A = (equivalent to) 120g cheddar cheese (47% EU RDA)
vitamin C = 100g boiled cabbage (29% EU RDA)
Vitamin D = 50g tinned tuna (50% EU RDA)
Vitamin E = 50g dry roasted cashew nuts (51% EU RDA)
Vitamin B6 = 100g cooked lentils (33% EU RDA)
Vitamin B12 = two raw eggs (154% EU RDA)
Calcium = 80g tofu (52% EU RDA)
Zinc = 85g cooked crab (32% EU RDA)
Magnesium = 248ml carrot juice (18% EU RDA)
Iron = 155g cooked beef steak (38% EU RDA)
Potassium = 100g cooked soya beans (NA)
Copper = one avocado (NA)
Selenium = 90g cooked liver (NA)
Dietary Fibre = four slices wholemeal bread (20% EU RDA)

All that for 220 calories! It really has everything your body needs in the morning, energy, nutrition, hydration!

One of the recent comments I had when mentioning the shake was that they prefer to eat "normal" food and have something to chew. Well, we definitely are on different planes of existance. There is nothing one can say to that (and I will not repeat what my husband's comment to that was), perhaps apart from - "I value my health very much and appreciate the nourishment I get from the shake." No, there is no point saying anything...

When people say that, they obviously enjoy food as I do, but they think of immediate pleasures that food give them, while I, on the other hand, always project what my health will be when I am fifty or sixty and beyond and I am prepared to invest whatever it takes in my health and make healthy choices at any given time to make sure I have healthy heart, enjoy healthy digestion and, eventually, that I age healthily.

On the other hand, there are people I mention the shake to and they automatically switch on and see it as a brilliant replacement for one of their meals they most struggle to get right. Sometimes it is breakfast for busy mums, sometimes lunch for busy professionals.

One thing I do know - You can not say the wrong thing to the right person!


OK, I hope I made my point. I really had to get this one out as it was a different breakfast and a whole new experience for me in a long time, I am talking years now. It is good to make a change every once in a while, although, I think I will stick to my morning shake for a long while now. Because, for me, it just makes the whole lot of sense. That is all!

Off to stock up on milk now, I know what I'll have for lunch!

P.S. By the way, it is past midday and I am still full after that breakfast. So, protein and complex carbs combination works, shake or otherwise, but I prefer to save on breakfast calories and be able to "go wild" with my lunch or dinner, or both! I really LOVE my food, can't you tell?

Monday, 26 January 2009

Bath Weight Loss Challenge: losing weight with a difference!


Inspired by the latest Government initiatives to cut obesity, exciting new, revolutionary initiative, 12 Week Weight Loss Challenge Workshop, comes to the City of Bath, and there could be one around you too!

Eating healthily and lowering the risk of obesity related diseases does mean that each of us need to take personal responsibility. However, it is easier said than done as getting into the weight loss balance is a science as a long term weight loss is only achieved through understanding how our body works and what constitutes a nutritionally balanced diet. It is exactly through applying that knowledge it is possible to make the right changes to our diet to ensure not only long term weight loss, but also healthy digestion, healthy heart, healthy aging, healthy immune system etc.

At the same time, it is exactly that knowledge that the majority of people who need it the most lack making it difficult to make any real, long term progress. Many weight loss programs around do not offer this sort of support and concentrate solely on weight loss ignoring nutritional demands of the body, causing well known yo-yo dieting effect. Media could be doing even more damage by allowing those programs to be promoted in the first place...


Weight Loss Challenge is a 12 week workshop conducted by professional weight loss and wellness coaches, initialised by Herbalife International, world leader in weight loss and nutrition, where participants, regardless of what weight loss program they follow, meet weekly to follow up their weight loss progress, are empowered with advice on nutrition and healthy food choices covering topics like Importance of Protein, Reading Food Labels, Good and Bad Fats, Good and Bad Carbs, Understanding Metabolism, Importance of Exercise, Heart Health, Healthy Breakfast, Importance of Water, etc.

The cost of 12 week Weight Loss Challenge workshop is an equivalent of £3.75 per week, making it very affordable. Majority of the registration fee goes back to the participants in terms of Weekly Gift Prizes, Free Healthy Beverages and Snacks and Cash Prizes to the three biggest losers at the end of 12 weeks.

Three biggest losers will have a chance to win up to £800 between them, final winner's pot depending on the number of total participants. Participants are free to use any method of weight loss they wish, but those who best apply the information we give in our weekly training sessions are likely to be the ones who win the competition.

Most of all, it will be FUN and we envisage it to be the place where participants will feel comfortable to come together and compete in a friendly atmosphere with one another, keep track of their progress, share knowledge and experiences, get advice on healthy eating, get necessary recognition and earn some much needed cash in this financial climate!

Next Bath Weight Loss Challenge Workshop start date & venue details: Monday, 16 February 2009 @ 7PM, The New Oriel Hall, Larkhall, Bath.

Call Sanela on 01225 313 218 to Register or text "WLC" to 07737 053 498.

The WLC is where the "Biggest Losers become the Biggest Winners!"

Friday, 16 January 2009

Herbalife Dispels Five Myths about Metabolism...

LOS ANGELES: (BUSINESS WIRE): Jan. 15, 2009: We often blame 'slow metabolism' for our inability to keep our weight under control. But what is metabolism, exactly? And, is there anything we can do to change our metabolic rate?

"Metabolism refers to all the chemical processes that take place in the body in order to sustain life - processes that allow you to breathe, pump blood, keep your brain functioning and extract energy from your food,"
says Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D. and a consultant to Herbalife. "Your basal metabolic rate refers to the number of calories your body uses each day, at rest, just to keep all your vital organs functioning."

The metabolic rate is directly related to your body composition. Every pound of body fat you have burns only about 2 calories a day. But the rest of you - your lean body mass - burns about 14 calories per pound each day. A big portion of your lean body mass is made up of muscle, so one of the best things you can do to boost your metabolic rate is to build up muscle through strength training. And, make sure to take in adequate protein from the diet, which helps to build and maintain lean muscle, too.

Here are the facts surround five myths about metabolism:
Myth: Aging slows your metabolism.

Truth: People do tend to put on weight as they get older - but it's typically because they tend to exercise less, or less vigorously, than they used to - and that means fewer calories burned per day. As a result, loss of muscle mass can occur which reduces the body's lean body mass - which results in a slower metabolic rate. Cardiovascular exercise to burn calories and strength training to preserve or build up muscle are great defenses against age-related weight gain.

Myth: You're stuck with the metabolism you have and you can't change it.

Truth: While it may appear that there are people who eat all the time and never seem to gain, chances are they make healthy, relatively low calorie selections naturally. Many of these "lucky" people also burn more calories simply because they move more - they might fidget more, or get up from their desks frequently during the day to stretch, or walk down the hall to talk to a colleague instead of e-mailing. So, once you've made the commitment to boost your metabolism by building more muscle, use those muscles more by moving around frequently throughout the day.

Myth:
You burn more calories digesting ice-cold foods and beverages than foods that are room temperature or warmer.

Truth: In a laboratory, very slight increases in calorie burn have been measured in people who drink very cold beverages. But the change is too small (amounting to about 10 more calories burned per day) to have any meaningful impact on weight loss.

Myth: If you cut calories, your metabolic rate will slow down, so what's the point?

Truth: It is true that your metabolic rate can slow a bit when you cut calories - your body's natural inclination is to try to conserve calories as best it can. But, these decreases are relatively small, and if you become more active as you lose weight, you can offset these small changes. With a combination of diet AND exercise, you can help to preserve the rate at which your body burns calories.

Myth: If you stop eating at night, when your metabolism is slower, you'll lose more weight.

Truth: When people lose weight because they stop eating after a certain time of day, it's only because they've cut their overall calorie consumption - not because they are eating their calories earlier in the day. Consuming all your calories before the sun goes down won't speed up your weight loss unless you also eat fewer calories than you need.

Source: Herbalife Ltd., press release

Herbalife Nutrition with Dr. David Heber: Map out your personal weight loss journey with personalised protein programme...


David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.N.
Chairman, Nutrition and Scientific Advisory Boards


David Heber, M.D. serves as chairman of Herbalife’s Nutrition Advisory Board made up of leading health and nutrition experts, and the company’s Scientific Advisory Board comprised of world—renowned scientists whose work furthers the field of nutrition science. The boards support the company’s internal product development team by providing expertise on obesity and human nutrition and educating and training Herbalife independent distributors on the principles of nutrition, physical activity and healthy lifestyle.

Heber’s main research interests are obesity treatment and nutrition for cancer prevention and treatment. He is the director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California, Los Angeles*. Heber has been on the faculty of the UCLA School of Medicine since 1978, and is currently professor of medicine and public health and the founding chief of the division of clinical nutrition in the department of medicine.

He directs the National Cancer Institute (NCI) funded clinical research unit and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) nutrition and obesity grants at UCLA. For five years, he also directed the NIH-funded UCLA Center for dietary supplement research in botanicals.

Heber is included in “The Best Doctors in America” and “Who’s Who in America.” In addition to writing over 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles and two professional texts, he has also written four books for the public: “Natural Remedies for a Healthy Heart,” “The Resolution Diet,” “What Color is Your Diet?” and “The L. A. Shape Diet.”

Heber holds a B.S. in chemistry, Magna Cum Laude, UCLA, 1969; M.D. from Harvard Medical School, 1973; and Ph.D. in Physiology, University of California, 1978. He is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and metabolism by the American Board of Internal Medicine and in clinical nutrition by the American Board of Nutrition.

(* The University of California as a matter of policy does not endorse specific products or services. Dr. Heber’s credentials as a Professor are for identification purposes only.)

Herbalife ShapeWorks™ Program
Herbalife ShapeWorks™ Program is a reduced hunger, hassle-free, healthy program personalized for your unique shape. A breakthrough in weight loss, ShapeWorks personalizes a diet for your body by providing you with the right balance of hunger-stopping protein and healthy carbohydrates.

Is Weight Loss Surgery for You? Take a look at the benefits and the risks of weight loss surgery procedure...

Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is indeed very difficult to treat. For some people, weight loss surgery helps by restricting food intake or interrupting digestive processes. But keep in mind that weight loss surgery is a serious undertaking. You should clearly understand the pros and cons associated with the procedures before making a decision.

In order to understand how weight loss works, you need to first understand how the normal digestive process functions.

Normally, as food moves along the digestive tract, appropriate digestive juices and enzymes arrive at the right place and at the right time to digest and absorb calories and nutrients. After we chew and swallow our food, it moves down the esophagus to the stomach, where a strong acid continues the digestive process. The stomach can hold about 3 pints of food at one time. When the stomach contents move to the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, bile and pancreatic juices speed up digestion. Most of the iron and calcium in the foods we eat is absorbed in the duodenum. The jejunum and ileum, the remaining two segments of the nearly 20 feet of small intestine, complete the absorption of almost all calories and nutrients. The food particles that cannot be digested in the small intestine are stored in the large intestine (made up of the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum) until eliminated.

Obesity surgery involves making changes to the stomach and/or small intestine.

How Does Weight Loss Surgery Work?

The concept of gastric surgery to control obesity grew out of results of operations for cancer or severe ulcers that removed large portions of the stomach or small intestine.

Because patients undergoing these procedures tended to lose weight after surgery, some doctors began to use such operations to treat severe obesity. The first operation that was widely used for severe obesity was a type of intestinal bypass. This operation, first used 40 years ago, caused weight loss through malabsorption (decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food because the intestines were removed or bypassed).

The idea was that patients could eat large amounts of food, which would be poorly digested or passed along too fast for the body to absorb many calories. The problem with this surgery was that it caused a loss of essential nutrients (malnutrition) and its side effects were unpredictable and sometimes fatal. The original form of the intestinal bypass operation is no longer used.

Surgeons now use other techniques that produce weight loss primarily by limiting how much the stomach can hold. Two types of surgical procedures used to promote weight loss are:
Restrictive surgery: During these procedures the stomach is made smaller. A section of your stomach is removed or closed which limits the amount of food it can hold and causes you to feel full.

Malabsorptive surgery:
Most of digestion and absorption takes place in the small intestine. Surgery to this area shortens the length of the small intestine and/or changes where it connects to the stomach, limiting the amount of food that is completely digested or absorbed (causing malabsorption). These surgeries are now performed along with restrictive surgery.

Through food intake restriction, malabsorption, or a combination of both, you can lose weight since less food either goes into your stomach or stays in your small intestine long enough to be digested and absorbed.

Benefits and Risks of Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss surgery is a serious undertaking. Before making a decision, talk to your doctor about the following benefits and risks.

Benefits:
Weight loss: Immediately following surgery, most patients lose weight rapidly and continue to do so until 18 to 24 months after the procedure. Although most patients then start to regain some of their lost weight, few regain it all.
Obesity-related conditions improve: For example, in one study, blood sugar levels of most obese patients with diabetes returned to normal after surgery. Nearly all patients whose blood sugar levels did not return to normal were older or had diabetes for a long time.

Risks and Side Effects
Vomiting: This is a common risk of restrictive surgery caused by the small stomach being overly stretched by food particles that have not been chewed well.
“Dumping syndrome:” Caused by malabsorptive surgery, this is when stomach contents move too rapidly through the small intestine. Symptoms include nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness and, occasionally, diarrhea after eating, as well as the inability to eat sweets without becoming extremely weak.
Nutritional deficiencies: Patients who have weight-loss surgery may develop nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, osteoporosis, and metabolic bone disease. These deficiencies can be avoided if vitamin and mineral intakes are maintained.
Complications: Some patients who have weight-loss operations require follow-up operations to correct complications. Complications can include abdominal hernias, infections, breakdown of the staple line (used to make the stomach smaller), and stretched stomach outlets (when the stomach returns to its normal size).
Gallstones: More than one-third of obese patients who have gastric surgery develop gallstones. Gallstones are clumps of cholesterol and other matter that form in the gallbladder. During rapid or substantial weight loss a person’s risk of developing gallstones increases. They can be prevented with supplemental bile salts taken for the first six months after surgery.
Need to temporarily avoid pregnancy: Women of childbearing age should avoid pregnancy until their weight becomes stable because rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies can harm a developing fetus.
Side effects: These include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, excessive sweating, increased gas and dizziness.
Lifestyle changes: Patients with extensive bypasses of the normal digestive process require not only close monitoring, but also life-long diet and exercise modifications and vitamin and mineral supplementation.


SOURCES: WebMD & Department of Nutrition Therapy at The Cleveland Clinic. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.