Category Archives: weight loss

Sleep Well to Eat Well

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Alena Hall
Research has linked too little sleep to a decrease in productivity, weaker immune system, and increased risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. It also affects the ways we eat — in major ways and not for the better.
Here are five ways sleep deprivation could be negatively affecting your dietary health.

Sleeping less? You’re probably eating more.

A 2012 Mayo Clinic study  found that subjects who were sleep-deprived ended up eating an average of 549 extra calories each day (which could led to the gaining of one pound per week if the habit persisted).

You snack more often — especially late at night.

Sleep deprivation can lead to a decrease in physical activity and an increase in excessive snacking behavior, which typically leads to additional, unwanted weight gain.

You crave extra carbs and fatty foods.

overeating

We not only crave unhealthy, high-carbohydrate, and high-fat fat foods when we’re tired, but also fail to mentally register the consequences of such food choices over time. A single night of poor sleep can lead to increased cravings for fatty foods the following day.

Your disrupted sleep cycle will change your eating patterns (for the worse).

Late sleepers tend to experience a delay in their meals throughout the day, eating a late dinner and consuming more calories than average at that meal. And those late-eating habits prevent the body from drifting off to sleep the next night, perpetuating the cycles of sleep deprivation and poor eating habits.

You could be missing out on key nutrients.

full plate of food

Just because you overeat when you’re sleep-deprived doesn’t mean you’re providing your body the nourishment it needs. In addition to over-consuming unhealthy foods, sleep-deprived subjects consumed half the fruit and vegetable servings of a normal sleeper, losing key nutrients from their overall diet. This can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which affect the regular functions of the body.

Sleep Well. And Stay Healthy.

Drink up!

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We’re talking of water here, obviously!

 

Woman Drinking Water

Water Helps to Maximize Physical Performance

Losing as little as 2% of your body’s water content can significantly impair physical performance and staying hydrated can help maintain function.

Hydration Has a Major Effect on Brain Function!

Studies show that even mild dehydration (1-3% of body weight) can impair many aspects of brain function.

Girl Leaning on Table With Glass of Water

Isn’t it simple? Any time you feel mentally exhausted, drink up!

Drinking Water May Help to Prevent and Treat Headaches

Several studies have shown that water can relieve headaches in those who are dehydrated .

Drinking More Water May Help Relieve Constipation

Carbonated water shows particularly promising results for constipation relief, for reasons not yet entirely understood.

Drinking Water May Help with Kidney Stones

Bottle of Water
Higher fluid intake increases the volume of urine passing through the kidneys, which dilutes the concentration of minerals, so they are less likely to crystallize and form clumps.

Also, a small stone can get flushed out without resorting to a surgical option.

Drinking More Water Can Help With Weight Loss

Weight Scale

Drinking plenty of water can help you lose weight.

This is due to the fact that water can increase satiety and boost your metabolic rate.

In two studies, drinking half a liter of water was shown to increase metabolism by 24-30% for up to 1.5 hours.

This means that drinking 2 liters of water every day can increase your total energy expenditure by up to 96 calories per day.

The timing is important too, and drinking water half an hour before meals is the most effective. It can make you feel more full, so that you eat fewer calories .

In one study, dieters who drank half a liter of water before meals lost 44% more weight, over a period of 12 weeks.

It is actually best to drink water cold, because then the body will use additional calories to heat the water to body temperature.

Simple. Stay Healthy!

How Cancer, Diabetes, and Other Health Concerns Can Be Addressed by Changing What You Eat

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Adapted from Heather McClees

WHO recommends that we eat 9 to 13 servings of vegetables and fruit daily. A serving equals 1/2 cup, cooked, or 1 cup uncooked. A cup being 250ml capacity. Another blogpost, ‘What should I eat’ explains serving size with illustrations.

Why should we eat so much of vegetables – preferably organic?

Simple, because we can avoid the following chronic illnesses. That’s it. No medicines, no costly investigations, no fear of illness. Safe and low cost, low maintenance.

1. Cancer

Let’s start with a biggie, shall we? Plant-based nutrition is now something the American Cancer Society promotes as the smart way to go. A whole foods, plant-based diet is full of all the right foods to fight cancer right where it starts: at the cellular process where what you eat is literally what you become.

2. Diabetes

Another biggie to tackle is Type 2 diabetes. That doesn’t mean those with Type 1 should ignore the research either. A plant-based diet can normalize blood sugar levels due to the high amounts of fiber and reduce inflammation, weight gain, and arterial plaque that comes from diabetes and is now promoted as the way to eat by many medical organizations.

3. Obesity

Plants like whole grains, beans, greens, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and fruits all promote a healthy waistline, heart, and fill you up so you’re never hungry and resort to unhealthy eating patterns. A plant-based diet has helped people all over the world lose weight, and has been shown to be the most effective at helping individuals overcome food addictions and overeating.

4. Heart Disease

Whole grains lower cholesterol and clear the arteries, beans and legumes do the same while providing protein and antioxidants, and veggies, leafy greens, and fruits all contain powerful antioxidants such as vitamins and minerals for the heart. Nuts and seeds also contain healthy fats that happen to be free of cholesterol and that are also rich in anti-inflammatory protein and beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. Studies have confirmed that a diet high in whole foods, plant-based fibers reduces cardiovascular disease and has even been found to completely prevent and reverse heart disease.

5. Chronic Inflammation (Arthritis, Gout, Joint Pain)

Greens,vegetables, herbs, seaweeds, some fruits and grains, and raw nuts and seeds are some of the best foods to eat to combat inflammation.

Stay Healthy!

Why We are Getting Fat

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Obesity, and diabetes are now reaching epidemic proportions in prevalence. Here’s a look at why:

 

The Obesity Epidemic Started When The Low-Fat Guidelines Were Published

Source: National Center for Health Statistics (US). Health, United States, 2008: With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults. 2009 Mar. Chartbook.

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In the 20th century, scientists believed fat, especially saturated fat, to be the main dietary cause of heart disease (although this has since been disproven).
This led to the birth of the low-fat diet. Interestingly, the obesity epidemic started at almost the exact same time the low-fat guidelines first came out.

There are massive long-term studies showing that the low-fat diet does NOT cause weight loss, and does not prevent heart disease or cancer.

 

We Are Drinking More Sugary Soda and Fruit Juices

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The brain doesn’t “register” liquid sugar calories in the same way as it does solid calories. So if we consume a sugary drink, the brain doesn’t automatically make you eat fewer calories of something else instead.

Studies have shown that a single daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage, including natural juices, is linked to a 60.1% increased risk of obesity in children.

Sugar is bad… but sugar in liquid form is even worse.

 

We Have Become Sedentary

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Although leisure time physical activity (exercise) has increased, it is also true that people now have jobs that are less physically demanding.

We are now burning around 100 fewer calories per day in our jobs, which may contribute to weight gain over time.

 

We Are Eating More Vegetable Oils, Mostly From Processed Foods

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Processed foods contain trans fats, inflammation-causing refined oils, sugar, preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial flavors, coloring agents and a host of other chemicals to increase the shelf life or appeal of these artificial foods, increasing their addictive nature.

The vegetable oils we use in our home, irrespective of original source, goes through intense heat and chemical processes, stripping it of all benefits. Colors and flavors are then added to make them appealing.

All these are harmful in various ways.

 

We Are Sleeping Less

Source: Cauter EV, et al. The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism. Medscape, 2005.

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In recent decades, average sleep duration has decreased by 1-2 hours per night. The reasons for this are numerous, but increased artificial lighting and electronics are likely contributors.

As it turns out, short sleep duration is one of the strongest individual risk factors for obesity. It is linked to an 89% increased risk in children, and a 55% increased risk in adults.

 

Increased Calorie Intake

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Calorie consumption has increased dramatically over the past few decades.

But it’s important to keep in mind that it is not some collective moral failure that drives the increased calorie intake. Xenobiotics from toxins such as from plastics and heavy metals disrupt our hormones, altering the way our brains and bodies work.

This is the underlying reason for the increased calorie intake and weight gain, NOT a lack of willpower, as some people would have us believe.

 

Now that we know, we can easily take steps to Remain Healthy.