Friday, August 31, 2007
 3 Secret Weapons to Win the Battle of the Bulge
By Jon Benson
"How do I control my sugar cravings at night?"
I am asked this question quite often. Most of us can relate to food cravings, especially sugar, during the nighttime hours. We all tend to crave sweets at night more than during the day, especially if we are dieting.
There are many reasons for this, ranging from poor mental programming to poor "literal" programming--disempowering television that is flooded with ads for food. Yet there is only one consequence: a thicker waistline.
It is hardly news that the world is more obese now than at any time in recent history. Nighttime binging, whether it is large meals or sugary treats, is one of the primary reasons for our obesity pandemic. Research done at the University of Texas at El Paso demonstrated that Americans currently consume about 40 percent of their total calories at night. Unfortunately, this is the time when the metabolism is beginning to slow down. More of that food can be stored as fat and healthy sleep patterns can be disrupted, thanks to the drain on the digestive system.
But asking, "How can I control sugar cravings?" will not deliver a satisfactory response. You cannot “control” anything. Your subconscious knows this. A great "power question" (as I call them) is to ask, "How can I manage my desire for sugar in a healthy and enjoyable way?" This question implies many wonderful things and does not suggest that you have cravings or that you can control anything.
Just know this: There are weapons you can use to overcome food urges at night--sugar or otherwise--that can help you win the battle of the bulge!
Weapon Number 1: Manage Your Blood Sugar
You will find that as you control your blood sugar throughout the day, the craving for sweets diminishes at night. This is a biological response, as sleep is psychologically linked to hibernation from our great, great, great (keep going) grandparents. They were accustomed to having very sweet fruit before going into periods of fasting and hibernation.
You can manage your blood sugar (assuming you are healthy) by following a nutrition plan that is centered on low-insulin foods. For some, this means high protein, moderate fat and low to moderate carbohydrates. Some of us can get by with medium carbohydrate and protein and lower fat, just as long as the carbohydrates are unrefined and unprocessed. Flours, so-called "white carbs" and boxed cereals will not cut it.
Weapon Number 2: Give the Boob Tube a Break
Try to schedule your nightly television time around your meals in a strategic fashion. Do something active immediately after your dinner meal. Take a walk or ride your bike. Then (if you wish) eat a healthy, planned snack later in the evening before you resume watching television. That helps you avoid the temptations of food commercials, since you will be nice and full while you are watching them.
Better yet, try a "television fast" for a week just to see what happens. That means doing without television or other forms of media for a full week. I guarantee you will notice a huge difference in your nighttime cravings after the first few days, especially if you occupy yourself with more constructive activities.
Weapon Number 3: L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine is an amino acid that helps the body regulate digestion and protein synthesis. However, I discovered another use for L-Glutamine: It is a natural appetite suppressant. Simply place a bit of the powdered form of L-Glutamine on the actual taste buds that sense sweet, on the very tip of your tongue. This can help offset your body's desires for sugar. You may end up "craving" protein instead, which is usually a much better choice.
I include many other tips for managing food cravings in a free Special Report for my "Fit Over 40" members. You can learn more by clicking on the links below.
[Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a life coach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of post-40 fitness and mental empowerment has helped countless thousands rediscover their youthful body and positive outlook. Discover how you can do the same by clicking here or here.]
Healthy Healing:
The Cancer-Fighting Fat That Vegetarians Are Missing
By Shane Ellison |
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 Researchers have uncovered an extremely potent cancer fighter in the form of a naturally occurring fat: conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). It has been shown to slow the growth of a variety of tumors, including cancers of the skin, breast, prostate and colon. On top of that, it helps your body shed fat and promote lean muscle mass.
So, where can you get this beneficial nutrient? Don't bother with the synthetic version promoted as a diet aid or muscle builder. Mother Nature is the absolute best source.
The most abundant sources of natural CLA are the meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals. But grass-fed only. As soon as you feed grain to cattle, they lose their ability to produce CLA. Pasture-grazed animals have up to 400 percent more CLA than animals fed a diet of grain.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is known as "The People's Chemist." He holds a Master’s degree in organic chemistry and has first-hand industry experience with drug research, design and synthesis. He is the author of Health Myths Exposed and The Hidden Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs. Get his FREE Life-Saving Health Briefs by clicking here.]
Mind/Body/Soul:
Attitude, Gratitude and Emotional Well-Being
By Dr. Douglas Ramm |
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 Do you have an Attitude of Gratitude? You should. Let me tell you why.
Research on happiness, contentment and satisfaction with life reveals a correlation between emotional well-being and a number of mental factors. Chief among these psychological processes is what we can refer to as an attitude of gratitude.
Studies show that there is a positive correlation between people who appreciate what they have and those who report being happy, content and satisfied with life. Knowing that this relationship exists, we are able to enhance our emotional well-being. This helps us cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
One way for assessing whether you have an attitude of gratitude consists of looking at how you view the proverbial half-filled glass of water. If you see it as half empty, then you are approaching life with a negative attitude. You are paying attention to what is not there, to what’s missing and to whatever fails to meet your expectations. There is a good chance that you look at things, interpersonal interactions and events of your life in terms of how they are defective, disappointing or in some other way unsatisfying. You are also probably to some degree unhappy, discontent and dissatisfied with life.
If you see the glass half full, you are paying attention to what is present, to what you have and to what is satisfying in life--even though it may not measure up to your expectations and ultimate desires. You tend to look at the things you have, your interpersonal interactions and the events of your life in terms of how they contribute to your happiness, contentment and emotional well-being. Chances are pretty good that you also describe yourself as being a fairly happy person.
To change a negative attitude or maintain a positive attitude, one technique you may find useful is regularly engaging in a value review. This involves looking at the things, interpersonal interactions and events you encounter each day in terms of how they contribute to your pleasure, your satisfaction and your overall contentment with life.
You can do a value review in the morning before you begin your day or just before drifting off to sleep at night. You may find it useful to actually write a list of what contributed to your happiness during the day you just finished or the one that is coming up.
Another technique involves going through a value review with a friend or family member on a daily basis. You can do this during a meal or at some other time when there is a regular opportunity to talk.
As you develop the practice of doing a daily value review, you should begin to notice an improvement in your overall emotional well-being.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Douglas Ramm is a psychologist, philosopher, author and leading researcher in the field of emotional well-being, contentment, and life satisfaction. He has appeared on numerous radio and television talk shows where he shares insights for enhancing quality of life. To discover how to enhance yours, click here.]
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Exercise & Fitness:
5 Ways to Burn Fat -- Starting Today!
By Craig Ballantyne |
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 Today is the worst day to start a fat-loss program. You’re busy. You have a special dinner tonight. And you left your workout clothes at home.
But you know you’ll find excuses like that every day. So while today is the worst day, it’s also the best day to start changing your health and body. Here are five ways to start burning fat today.
1. Start Strength Training. A recent study showed resistance training boosts metabolism by 10 percent and increases fat burning by 100 percent! If you don’t have a gym membership, start with some beginner pushups and bodyweight squats at home. You’ll be done in less than 10 minutes.
2. Try Interval Training The latest research from Australia shows interval training leads to more weight loss than long, slow cardio workouts. So if you are doing traditional cardio, switch to interval training. Strength training and interval training are the one-two punch that can blowtorch fat off your body.
3. Eat 6 Small Meals of Whole, Natural Foods. Fruits and vegetables, protein, nuts and healthy fats--it’s that simple. Don't spend another dollar on the latest fad diet. You already know what to do!
4. Avoid Booze, Sugar, Trans Fats and Inactivity. Plan ahead to avoid eating poorly or drinking too much at cocktail parties. Substitute a glass of sparkling water for alcoholic beverages. And avoid processed foods and late-night eating.
5. Do Something You Love. If you’re a beginner and you hate the idea of exercise and big nutritional change, just do something you love! Don't make healthy lifestyle a prison sentence. Enjoy what you eat and do. Just don't eat garbage and don't look at exercise as punishment.
[Ed. Note: Craig Ballantyne is an expert consultant for Men's Health magazine. If you're looking to burn fat, build muscle and quickly step into the body you have always wanted with just three workouts each week, check out Craig's fat-loss system by clicking here.]
Weight Loss:
Are You a Death Row Diner?
By Dr. Matthew Anderson |
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 The inmate on Death Row is always offered anything he wants for his last meal. He never orders diet food. He never worries about cholesterol, fat, sugar or portion size. He eats whatever his fantasy will allow. He has one day to live. What does he care about health?
How often do you eat like the convict on Death Row? How often do you throw caution to the wind and stuff in whatever sits before you? How often do you forget the fact that 10 or 20 or 30 years from now, you will still be alive?
Your life is going to continue, so it makes sense to stop Death Row dining. But how?
You must be willing to face your future and commit to caring for yourself. You must take your life seriously and realize that your future is based on what you choose now. You must realize that the time you have left is a gift--and an obligation.
Most important, you must decide to get off Death Row and begin to really care for your body and your future.
Here’s how to get off Death Row. I did it myself 12 years ago, and you can too. Decide for yourself that:
- I want to live as fully as possible in every moment I have left.
- I want to make a difference in the world.
- I want to take myself and my gifts seriously.
- I want to learn to care for myself in a new and mature way.
- I want to look in the mirror and have real compassion for the person I am.
- I want to develop habits and attitudes that are good for me, the quality of my life and all those I relate to.
Once you decide these things, you will naturally learn, as I did, to drop self-destructive habits and replace them with the life-supporting attitudes above. As you do, you’ll find that life is better and more fulfilling. You will like yourself better.
And, as you might expect, you’ll eat better, with more consciousness, with more care.
There is much to do in this amazing and mysterious world and you have time to explore it. Decide to get on with it. Your life is worth it!
[Ed. note: Dr Matthew Anderson is an author (The Prayer Diet), counselor (35 years) and national columnist/expert on weight loss, motivation, self-management and relationships. Find tough-minded, outside-the-box guidance for taking charge of your life and/or your weight including Eating to Kill, Wake-Up 101 and Weight Loss as a Spiritual Journey by clicking here.]
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Recipes & Nutrition:
Clams Oreganata
By Kelley Lunsford |
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 Summer is the season for clambakes. Try this time-saving recipe with a Tuscan twist. It makes a delicious first course chock full of vitamin B12--a vitamin that helps to protect against cancer by ensuring proper cell division.
Serves: 8
Time to Table: 20 minutes
Healing Nutrient Spotlight:
- Omega 3, lycopene
- Excellent source of vitamin B12, iron
- Good source of selenium, protein
Ingredients:
1/2 cup organic, whole-wheat breadcrumbs, toasted
1 16-oz can organic plum tomatoes, chopped and drained
2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1/4 cup organic chicken or vegetable broth
3 pounds small (1 inch) hard-shell clams, scrubbed
2 cloves organic garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon zest from an organic lemon
Preparation:
Sauté garlic in broth in a deep 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Stir in tomatoes and 1 tablespoon oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down--about 5 minutes. Add clams and mix well to coat. Cover pot tightly and increase heat to moderately high. Cook, stirring once, until clams open, 5 to 7 minutes. (Discard any clams that have not opened after 7 minutes.)
As the clams cook, toss together breadcrumbs, lemon zest and remaining tablespoon oregano. Divide clams and pan juices among 8 shallow bowls, then sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
60 calories, 0.8 g total fat, 0.14g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0.1 g monounsaturated fat, 0.3 g polyunsaturated fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 152 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1.3 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 5 g protein
[Ed. Note: Kelley Lunsford is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet, a multimedia company that educates on how foods promote health and protect against disease. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click
here.]
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