Healthy Eats: A Glass of Orange Juice to Keep the Doctor Away

The many health benefits inside of oranges and orange juice.

It’s pretty safe to say that we Americans love our oranges. Not only are they so well-liked because of their easy availability and absolute deliciousness, but there is simply no shortage of ways to incorporate them into our daily diets: freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning with breakfast, sliced up wedges placed on top of a delicious summer salad, blended together to make a healthy, hearty fruit smoothie.

Add all this together and it’s easy to see why this delicious fruit consistently ranks third among our nation’s favorite fresh fruits according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, it’s not only the physical moist, round fruit that we enjoy―orange juice is the number one choice for fruit juice among Americans and is consumed two and half times more than the next runner up, apple juice.

However, before you head to your refrigerator to grab a big, tall glass of tasty OJ to quench your thirst, you may also be interested in knowing that our taste buds are not the only things that orange can benefit.

One glass of orange juice is not only packed with our entire daily requirements of Vitamin C intake, but they are also very rich in nutrients such as fiber, folate, calcium, vitamin B6 and much, much more. These little miracle fruits are one of the best ways to protect against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, heart disease and can also help to lower both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

So, drink up because one thing is for sure―oranges do the body good:

What Are The Healthy Benefits of Oranges?

Oranges are not only a great way to up your daily fruit intake and improve your diet, but they also have several benefits on your overall health. Here are just a few examples of the ways in which oranges can benefit you and your body:

They Help To Digest Food: Orange juice can help to undo the damaging effects that an unhealthy meal can have on your body. This is because oranges contain more than 60 flavonoid antioxidants that help to counteract your bodies reflexive inflammatory effects.

They Can Reduce Cold Symptoms: Oranges are packed full of vitamin C which can help to reduce the severity of a cold. While the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C for adults is between 75-90 mg. per day, upping your intake when you have a cold will help to shorten the amount of the time that a cold’s symptoms will affect your body.

They Increase Fat Burning: A recent study in Arizona looked at  various people with a low-blood concentration of vitamin C that were walking on a treadmill for a 60-minute session. The participants were found to have burned 25% less fat than the other participants with adequate amounts of vitamin C. This is because vitamin C is necessary to create the compound carnitine, which helps turn fat into fuel for your body.

They Promote Healthy Skin: Eating oranges and other citrus fruits that are high in vitamins and nutrients can help to prevent wrinkles and skin lines as you age.

While a glass of orange juice or a sliced up orange is a welcome addition to any breakfast meal, including these simple tasty treats will not only help to improve your diet, but it can also help keep you healthy in the long run. So, whether you prefer it in a glass, on a plate, or straight out of the peel, be sure to include a little more orange into your next meal.

How to Get Fit Using The Weight Loss Program Diet

Understanding the many benefits of this proven weight loss treatment.

The summer season brings with it a change in many people’s daily activities: traveling every other weekend to exciting vacation spots, soaking up long afternoons in the sun at the beach, switching out the sweats and Ugg boots for short shorts and flip flops and, as many people have surely noticed, a massive increase in the amount of bodies at the local gym.

The one thing that many people strive for each and every summer is a body that will look great in a bathing suit at the beach. Nothing is better than walking alongside the water, feeling healthy and happy, and radiating confidence in your favorite bikini.

However, while getting in shape and shedding some pounds may be a common goal for many people, it can be difficult to do if you’re not following a proper diet. No matter how much you run, crunch, lunge or bench, if you are not putting the right amount of food and substances into your body, you will never achieve the look that you want.

Luckily, there are many successful weight loss diets on the market, such as the Weight Loss Program Treatment, that have been proven to shed pounds and get the body in prime condition for bikini season.

What is Weight Loss Program?

Weight Loss Program, which stands for human chorionic gonadatripin, is a hormone which is produced naturally in the body and is secreted by pregnant women to ensure that their fetus is getting all of the proper nutrients it needs to develop properly. Because of this, Weight Loss Program has appropriately been dubbed “the pregnancy hormone.”

When a women becomes pregnant, her body will naturally produce and secrete Weight Loss Program as a way to both support her body as well as her child’s by utilizing her stored areas of fat if she doesn’t get an adequate amount of nutrition.

How Does Weight Loss Program Assist With Dieting?

Doctors and nutritionists have found that small doses of Weight Loss Program (in men and women alike) can help to decrease appetites and shave inches off of a patient who is struggling to lose weight. This is because Weight Loss Program treatments “trick” the body into thinking that it is pregnant, therefore opening up areas of stored fat to ensure that the body is receiving adequate nourishment.

Weight Loss Program has been used successfully as a weight loss treatment for over 30 years and it completely safe for men and women since it is a naturally occurring hormone in the body.

What Does the Weight Loss Program Diet Consist Of?

In combination with a very low calorie diet, Weight Loss Program helps candidates achieve significant weight loss goals in just a short span of time. By utilizing the bodies stored fat the way that our bodies would utilize calories, you are able to reset your metabolism, suppress your appetite and burn significant amounts of body fat.

However, before you begin this rigid diet, it is important to talk to a health and wellness expert who can help to keep you on track and maintain your goals in the future. The entire process of the Weight Loss Program diet should last over a few months and should be closely supervised by your medical doctor throughout the entire process. In the end, this beneficial diet will leave you feeling much happier and healthier than before.

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The Importance of Staying Hydrated in the Summer

Feel stronger, healthier & more powerful this summer by staying hydrated.

All month long in July, we will be touching on many health and wellness exercises and treatments that can help to make you a healthier, more powerful individual―both physically and mentally. While many of the articles we are going to be featuring will teach you how to stimulate your mood, your wellness and your mind, there is one vital factor that we feel it is important to cover first: hydration.

Without proper hydration, no matter how much you work out or how positive you may want to feel, your body will not be able to achieve the healthy, powerful results that you are looking for. This is because the human brain is made up 75% from liquid and requires constant rehydration and fluids. Therefore, even the slightest amount of dehydration can cause a person to feel lazy, sluggish, unmotivated and tired.

Staying hydrated is even more important and difficult during the summer months. When you combine the heat from the sun with fun summer activities such as hiking, swimming, walking and gardening, it can result in dangerous heat-related problems and an extreme loss in bodily fluids.

Why Is Water Important to Our Health?

Every single cell in the body requires constant water in order to function correctly. Just 10 minutes out in the hot summer sun can lead to sweating, a dry mouth and a feeling of thirst, which are all signs that your body is already dehydrated.

Also, not only does staying hydrated play a vital role in your cognitive performance and general well being, but it can be a helpful factor in maintaining and losing weight. This is because water helps carry out the toxins in your body which, in turn, increases your metabolism and causes you to feel full.

How to Stay Hydrated in the Summer

So, now that you know all about the positive benefits of staying hydrated in the summer, how can you ensure that your body stays stronger and healthier through the warm weeks ahead? There are several things you can do to ensure that your body gets the correct amount of water that it needs to function properly:

Drink lots of Fluids: Obviously the most efficient way to get a large amount of water back into your body is to drink water. Doctors recommend that the average person drinks at least eight cups of water a day, but each body type needs a different about of hydration. To find out how much water your body needs daily, divide your body weight by 2 and that will determine the number of ounces needed.

Water is not the only fluid source that can help you stay hydrated; juice, skim milk and sports drinks are all great ways to increase the amount of water in your body. If you don’t like drinking plain water, you could also try adding certain elements to change the taste―Lemon is a beneficial add-in that helps keep your liver healthy. Also try adding flavors such as mint, citrus fruits, cucumber, or strawberries for a different taste with the same hydration levels. However, be sure to avoid alcohol, caffeinated and sugar-filled drinks, as these can ask as a diuretic and actually may cause you to lose more fluid than you are consuming.

Eat Hydrating Foods: Often times, water-rich foods can help supplement your water intake better than just drinking water by itself. Many fruits such as watermelon and cantaloupe can help to greatly replenish the amount of water in your body. Vegetables such as celery and cucumber are also very helpful when avoiding dehydration.

No water what your favorite summer activities are―working out, swimming, walking outside, laying out in the sun―it is important that you stay cool and avoid overexertion during hot summer weather. Making simple changes in your water intake can help you to remain healthy, strong and fit all summer long.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Healthy Dieting

How to maintain a healthy diet that will lead to positive results.

While many people love the warm weather and weekends at the beach that come along with summer, this season also brings with it a love/hate relationship in many people, all surrounding one particular topic―bathing suit season.

Breaking out the bikinis and swimsuits often triggers a unique response in many people, and a surge in popularity at every gym in town. There is an invasion of “quick, simple diet” articles in every magazine and everyone seems to be looking for their own fool-proof answer for looking great at the beach and losing weight fast.

However, when beginning any type of diet or weight-loss program, it is important to understand the many do’s and don’ts of proper nutrition. Here are a few tips for losing extra pounds, maintaining a healthy weight and managing a safe diet routine this summer:

1. Do Understand That Dieting is Not a “Quick-Fix.”

One of the biggest reasons that people typically fail when they begin a new diet is because they expect to see noticeable improvements in a very short amount of time. However, dieting and weight-loss is a long-term commitment, not a simple, “quick-fix” weeklong program.

When beginning any kind of new weight-loss program, it is important to set realistic short and long-term goals for yourself. Making gradual changes to your overall lifestyle typically means that you are a lot less likely to give up on your diet, compared to jumping right in to a heap of unrealistic expectations.

It is also important that you are losing weight in a healthy amount of time. You should never lose more than two pounds per week. This could mean that not only is your body losing fat, but there is a good chance that it is also losing water, electrolytes and muscle. This is a surefire way to slow down your metabolism which could set you up for yo-yo weight cycling.

2. Don’t Resort to Crash Dieting or Weight-Loss “Fads.”

Dieting results that sound too good to be true usually are. While a drastic crash diet may help you to reduce weight in the beginning, it can cause dangerous problems later down the road. It can also cause you to feel week, tired and moody.

When considering a new diet, always ask yourself these questions:

• Does the diet promise quick, easy results?
• Does the diet require little or no physical activity?
• Does the diet follow rigid menu plans and strict eating methods?
• Does the diet use terms such as “miracle diet,” “guaranteed success,” or “newly discovered” resources?

If so, there is a good chance that you are looking at a fad diet.

3. Do Listen to Your Body.

You should never force your body to do something that is not healthy for it. Therefore, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full and never, ever starve yourself. Research has shown that while you may lose weight from not eating, this weight loss is coming from your muscle tissue, not from fat. Think of it as trying to see how far your car could make it while coasting on empty. You may be able to get to where you want, but it’s not going to be good for your car in the long run. Always be sure to give your body the daily fuel and energy that it needs.

4. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Many reasons that people decide to try quick-fix diets or extreme weight loss programs in the first place is because they are trying to look a certain way. Unfortunately, most of the time, it is a form or figure that is either unrealistic for their body, or unrealistic period. Just because clothes and bathing suits are made in a size zero doesn’t mean that you should try to fit into that size. For many people, achieving this size would lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Your body is your own and it works in the way that is best for it. While it may seem frustrating that some people have an easier time losing weight than others, you have to focus on what is healthy and realistic for you. However, it is important to remember that while your body may control a large fraction of your figure and size, you control a fraction as well.

If you are thinking of going on a weight-loss diet, be sure to speak with a healthcare provider for a professional perspective on which weight-loss method is best for you and your body type. No matter what size you are, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being happy with your body will help to ensure that you look glowing and healthy this bathing suit season.

Outdoor Exercise Can Improve Mind, Body & Spirit

“Green” fitness has positive effects on your mind and your overall well being.

There is no debating the numerous health benefits that come along with daily fitness and exercise: improved health and form, a reduced risk of illness and disease, and a significant decrease in stress and anxiety levels.

However, daily fitness is not the only way to improve your overall well being. Spending time outdoors, in the presence of nature, can also have many positive effects on the mind and the body. So, what happens when you combine the two and exercise outside?

Recent studies have found that green exercise―physical activity outside in the presence of nature―can lead to positive short and long-term health benefits on your mind, body and spirit.

Benefits of Green Exercise

Compared to exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments has been shown to decrease tension, anger, anxiety and depression. Many scientists believe the reason for this lies in the fact that, for many people, nature is a “restorative environment.”

Restorative environments are best described as places that can help to relieve people of stress and boost energy. Many scientists also believe that these environments can help to bring people more in touch with themselves and enhance a person’s feelings of “oneness” between their body and nature.

While all natural environments have beneficial health changes for those working out, individuals who exercised near a body of water generated the greatest effects.

A Little Goes a Long Way

One of the most surprising conclusions that came from these studies was the fact that people don’t have to spend a long time exercising outdoors in order to experience these benefits. In fact, research found that just five minutes of simple green exercise helped to make people happier, less fatigued and more relaxed.

While it is important to exercise for more than five minutes if you are looking to improve your health, many people will be happy to know that a simple five-minute walk around the block is enough to improve your overall mood. This can be especially helpful for those who only get a short break from work during the day and are looking for a way to improve their self esteem.

Quick Ways to Exercise Outdoors

It can be difficult for many people to escape from their hectic work day and get in some quality exercise. However, even five minutes outside can change your outlook and feelings towards the rest of the work day.

Here are some simple ways to get your daily dose of five minute green exercise:

• Take a walk or jog around your neighborhood when you wake up in the morning or get home from work each night
• If you live near your workplace, consider walking or riding your bike to and from work
• Create a simple stretching routine that you can do outside during your lunch break
• Take your pet to a local park for a walk each morning
• Create an outdoor garden in your backyard

Outdoor exercise is an effective way to get in touch with your mind, body and spirit. Even just five minutes of outdoor fitness in the presence of nature can help to improve your mood, self-esteem and mental health.

Fun Family Fitness Activities

Outdoor activities that will keep the whole family healthy this summer.

Children today live a very different lifestyle than those that came before them.  Instead of playing neighborhood tag on the weekends or walking to their friends house, kids are now spending more time inside on their laptops and catching rides to their favorite hangouts. Recent studies have shown that child obesity rates in America have tripled over the last three decades, and today, nearly one in three US children are overweight or obese.

With nationwide cuts in gym classes and after-school sports, it’s important that kids are still learning about the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle at home. This summer, why not make fitness a family affair? Here are four of our favorite summer activities that will not only encourage family bonding, but will also keep your family healthy and happy this season:

Fitness For a Cause

In addition to walking to improve your own families well-being, why not also walk to help to improve someone else’s? There are many walking, running and biking events in the summer that help different charities and foundations. The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is a multi-city walk that raises money for breast cancer research. Another large summer charity walk is Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Walk and Run for Wishes.

Not only will participating in these events help raise money for great causes, but they usually take some time to prepare for, giving your family a great excuse to start exercising far in advance.

Backyard Sports

The easiest and cheapest way to keep your family active this summer is by playing sports in your own backyard. A simple game of tag or Frisbee is enough to get your adrenaline up and your heart pumping. Traditional sports game such as flag football, soccer and baseball can also stir up some friendly competition. Invite some of the other families in the neighborhood over if you really want to get a good game going.

Explore The Outdoors

Camping is a great way to spend some quality time with your family and get a scenic workout. Getting the entire family to pitch in when setting up the tent or collecting wood for a campfire is one easy way to get active.

During the day, there are plenty of fun activities you can try: If you’re near water, why not go canoeing, kayaking or rafting to cool off in the summer heat.  If you’re near the mountains, take your family for a hike. Let your kids pick out the trails that they think are the most exciting and set off for a fun day spent soaking up the outdoors.

Swimming

Whether it’s in a pool, a lake, or an ocean, swimming is a summer favorite and also provides a great workout. Pools are the perfect place to play fun games such as Marco Polo or water volleyball.

If you’re lucky enough to live near a lake or ocean, simply swimming in the waves and running through the water is exercise in itself. However, no matter where you decide to swim, make sure that there is a lifeguard on duty and young children have proper flotation devices.

While family fitness can often take some encouragement and commitment, it’s a great way to get healthy and spend some quality time together this summer season.

What’s on Your Plate?

What’s on Your Plate?

A healthy diet can be overwhelming to most people.  We are surrounded by temptation all around us; the decadent cupcakes at the party, the mouth-watering hamburger Chili’s advertises, the salty bag of chips at the checkout line.  It takes a tremendous amount of will power to not cave to those cravings.  Just when you get a handle on what is healthy, another headline will limit the quantity you may consume of that item.  The standard American diet (SAD) is high in processed foods, high in unhealthy fats, low in fiber, low in complex carbohydrates and low in plant-based foods.  Interestingly, cultures that eat opposite of the standard American diet have lower rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

We are celebrating National Nutrition Month the entire month of March.  As you consider lifestyle modifications, a basic understanding of nutrition is the most important concept to begin with.  The calories, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals we consume from our foods are essential to our overall vitality.

Calories

Each person should consume a set number of calories per body size and activity level to meet the metabolic demands our body requires on a daily basis.  If we consume additional calories outside of our metabolic demand, the body will store this as fat.  In order to lose a pound of fat we must then burn 3500 calories.  Therefore, being aware of calories is essential to maintaining a healthy weight.

Balanced Diet

It is important for us to consume foods that are nutrient dense.  Plant-based foods are full of the fiber, vitamins and minerals that we require to function properly.  A rainbow of colors on your plate will supply a greater source of the required nutrients our body’s need.  Increase whole grains; examples include quinoa, brown rice, spelt, couscous, oats & whole wheat.  Eat an assortment of vegetables including dark green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach and collard greens) as well as eggplant and carrots.  The average person requires over 2.5 cups of vegetables per day.  Add two servings of (in-season) fruit to your daily diet which may include mangos, blueberries, strawberries and kiwis.  It is important to include healthy fats with each meal such as olive oil, avocados, coconut oil, nuts, etc.  Also, include a lean protein source at meals such as beans, chicken, bison, lean beef, turkey, or fermented tofu.  We must not forget to mention to drink plenty of water.  A great formula to calculate the water needed per day is to divide your weight by two. This equals the amount of water in ounces your body requires on a daily basis.  Your daily requirement increases with the addition of any physical activity.  A well balanced diet will give us the foundation for a healthy body.

Organic vs. Non-Organic

There are a lot of opinions surrounding this question.  The nutrient content starts to decrease after the vegetable/fruit is picked.  So if an organic apple was picked weeks before a non-organic apple then it is possible that the non-organic apple could have more nutrients.  However, there are many benefits to choosing organic produce such as decreasing one’s exposure to pesticide residues while supporting safer farming methods.  When trying to decide which items to purchase organic, the Environmental Working Group publishes a dirty dozen list.  The foods with the highest pesticide residue include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes and imported grapes.

Hippocrates once said, “Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.”  Nutrition is ideal for maintaining a healthy body.  In preventive medicine, we evaluate a patient’s nutrient levels in several ways.  One direction is through performing micronutrient testing; this provides an easy to read report of where the patient is deficient or lacking in certain nutrients.  Another direction is by testing for food allergies and food sensitivities.  This provides the basis to incorporate more of certain foods or subtract certain foods from one’s diet.  The use of these reports helps customize one’s nutrition plan.