Due to the popularity of recent findings, green tea has almost become synonymous with weight loss and diet. The addition of green tea diet into diet pills and weight loss supplements is perhaps spurred by reports of harmful side-effects of other drugs like ephedra.

Why Choose the Green Tea Diet?

For four thousand years, green tea has been used all throughout Asia as a beneficial health and medicinal drink. It is different from all other tea diets because its liquid is extracted by steaming the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant as opposed to full oxidation. In this way, the green tea diet manages to preserve a lot more antioxidants and keep them intact for the body to use.

The green tea diet is an excellent source of polycatechin polyphenols, a group of antioxidants that act on free radicals. These free radicals have harmful effects on the body since they are the major causes of diseases and aging. With polycatechin polyphenols, a person has a better chance of avoiding ailments and keeping himself healthy for a much longer period of time.

Another antioxidant in the green tea diet is also being studied as a potential cure for cancer. Epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG found in the diet has been discovered to destroy cancer cells while keeping surrounding healthy cells unharmed.

The EGCG also acts with another compound, caffeine (a small amount of this is found in green tea). The interaction of these two compounds causes the diet to promote thermogenesis in the body.

It has been noted by a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that with the consumption of the green tea diet, the body’s total 24-hour energy expenditure is increased by up to four percent. This is roughly equivalent to losing more than 10 pounds of weight a month.

The diet helps increase the body’s metabolic rates. With its thermogenic properties, it is only natural that it can also promote faster metabolism of fats and sugars. Excess glucose found in the body is turned into fats by the hormone insulin. Because green tea has an inhibiting effect on insulin, it therefore helps keep sugar from being stored as fats and instead, send them directly into the muscles for immediate use.

The Downside

Although the diet has a reputation for boosting health, scientific proofs of its health benefits are still somewhat mixed. However, in an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, American researchers collaborated with their Chinese counterparts to discuss the beneficial effects of green tea diet on cholesterol levels.

Using 240 men and women (average age 55) who possess mild to moderately high LDL cholesterol levels, the researchers instructed them to retain their usual low-fat diet, green tea diet intake, and activity levels. After twelve weeks, it was found that those who consumed the green tea diet extract with their regular meals lost more than fifteen percent of their total LDL cholesterol levels.

Although the researchers never explained how the green tea diet may influence cholesterol levels, previous studies have shown that certain compounds play a role in reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body, increasing amount of cholesterol excreted, and thus keeping cholesterol from being stored in the liver.

Subsequent studies were made to test the findings of the first group of researchers. Their results were contradictory. They found there was no significant effect on the cholesterol profiles of their subjects.

There is no such thing as a miracle diet. The green tea diet like all other diets needs a lot of work and input from those who enroll in it. It requires both discipline and determination for it to make any significant impact on your weight loss goals.

Article Source: http://www.dietarticles.info

Julie Health writes about weight loss with green tea. Feel free to learn more benefits of drinking green tea.

With the new year usually comes new promises to be fit and lose weight. So the pantry is cleared of junk, the gym membership is renewed, and those worn jogging shoes are replaced with the latest in running technology, for added spring to your step. You are determined that this is the year things are going to change for the better, and keeping that positive attitude is one way to see your goals to success.

Yet, different bodies require different things in order to successfully lose weight. While regular diet and exercise is good for everyone, the methods may not necessarily be applied the same way for everybody. Some people may benefit more from weight lifting than aerobics, and vice-versa. In terms of nutrition, what may be considered a healthy diet for one person may actually hinder another from losing weight!

When you decide to begin a weight loss program, whether as part of a New Year’s resolution or for any season, it is important to know all the facts before you begin. The root of this knowledge starts with your own body. If you go into an exercise or diet program unarmed, chances are you may do more damage than good. As a result, you may become frustrated and quit.

That does not have to happen. By listening to your body and knowing what works and what does not, you can craft a diet and exercise program guaranteed to take off the pounds.

Diet

Do you have any known allergies or other bad reactions to certain foods? Do you have diabetes or any other ailments that may be affected by what you eat? Before you decide to give up dairy or meat, or dive into an all-protein regimen, find out first what your body can handle. Let your doctor suggest a meal plan best suited to your body, that what you eat is burned as energy and not stored as fat.

Exercise

Are you prone to injury? Do you suffer any ailments that may prohibit you from doing certain exercises? Do you take time to stretch your muscles before engaging in any strenuous activity? Believe it or not, exercising improperly can impede weight loss and result not only in physical pain but emotional as well. In today’s fast-paced world, we are often led to believe that if results are not immediate, we have failed. Where weight loss is concerned, there is no overnight solution. To exercise means to train your body to a healthier lifestyle, and as you learn to move properly and regularly you will see the weight disappear.

Consult with your doctor before embarking on any type of exercise, find out what your body can do. If you are unable to afford a gym membership, you can still get the exercise you need. Look for free courses at your local community center, or just take a walk in the park, it will do wonders for you and your circulation.

Make wise choices before you begin your resolutions to better health. Losing weight doesn’t have to be a chore. If you listen to the experts, and your own body, the results will be well worth the wait.

Article Source: http://www.dietarticles.info

Kathryn Lively writes for Compuslim, custom fit weight loss for busy lifestyles.

How does high cholesterol come about? Sometimes, it’s a predisposition you are born with. It does run in some families, in which case, even more care is necessary to bring it down. It can also be a result of smoking or eating a high fat diet. Lack of exercise and being obese could also see your cholesterol levels spiraling! The reason high cholesterol is a source of worry is the fact that it is, very often, the cause for serious complications like cardiac ailments.

Most people look at a low cholesterol diet as a diet restriction. It is not, in fact so. It just is a healthy diet. It just requires a little bit of tweaking as regards your regular everyday diet. It can also add a lot more variety to your diet if you allow yourself to look around and experiment.

The first rule is to lower the fats in your food. Look at the labels on the supermarket shelves for fat content and pick the lowest. Put in a lot more fruits and vegetables into your cart. Walk past the products that are fried in or contain trans fats. Today, a lot of manufacturers are putting this information on the label. When your problem is high cholesterol, trans fats can be lethal. These are basically partially hydrogenated oils and they are used in so many products because they are supposed to add taste! And it is ubiquitous – you’ll find it in cookies, cakes, potato crisps, etc. When you are in the snacks area, choose baked over fried products.

Try and avoid the “white” refined stuff. Whole grain flour is definitely better that white. Substitute some of the sugary items with dried fruits or use natural sweeteners like honey or molasses. Skim milk is preferable to full-fat milk as is lean meat like chicken and turkey to the regular red meats. Try and poach, boil, broil, saute or bake instead of frying. Choose oils like olive oil which is high in unsaturated fat, which actually helps lower cholesterol levels.

Make mealtimes colorful and appetizing. Just because you’ve cut down on the fat, the meats and the sugar is no occasion to mourn. Dress up whatever you serve so it looks good to eat. Make sure you have large helpings of vegetables and fruit and serve them so they look great. A vinaigrette dressing can spice up a salad. A fruit salad topped with honey and chopped nuts makes a great dessert. So does a fruit ice.

Alcohol and smoking are best avoided. Cut down on the salt you use as well. Do remember to check the labels of all your food items so they are “low” in everything – fats, carbohydrates, calories. If you eat out a lot, choose restaurants that specialize in low fat food. Most of all, don’t be too hard on yourself. Make the lifestyle change slowly but surely. If you cut everything you love out of your life, you’ll hate the new diet. Let yourself get used to it and you’ll find you begin to love it!

Article Source: http://www.dietarticles.info

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The recent craze on maple syrup seems to have caught the fancy of those who are trying to lose weight and rid themselves of some flab. There are mentions of this maple syrup diet aiding in the detoxification of the body as well.

Though the role on effectiveness of the maple syrup diet per se in ensuring weight loss can be contested on the grounds of the fact that any liquid diet will ensure reduction in calories and therefore, loss of weight, the claims of this maple syrup diet helping in detox are even more baseless.

Maple syrup contains a high concentration of glucose, creating a conducive environment for candida and fungi to flourish and thrive. The high concentration of sugars in the system actually fuels the growth of candida and other fungi in the body enabling them to settle deeper into the intestinal lining. This paves the path for production of more toxins that in turn ensure an incremental and rapid movement of the toxic cycle.

Half-baked and shortcut measures can be dangerous since they actually achieve completely opposite results than those that one started to achieve. These quick methods can be alluring and can take you up a garden path especially since they do deliver short-term results like clearing the mind and the colon, making you feel light and healthy for a certain period of time. One is only likely to be frustrated in the long run with a relapse or resurfacing of similar symptoms and ailments that one faced before the diet.

What one needs to realize is that unless there is a concerted effort to cleanse the system of all the contributing factors that add to the toxic cycle, the task is yet unaccomplished. Only by ensuring that each and every link in the toxic cycle is addressed can we break the toxic cycle. To start with, the body needs to have an internal environment that is not conducive to the survival of fungi and candida. This environment can be created by consuming a healthy diet that is low in glucose content (with no intake of added sugar as well) and has a right balance of acid and alkaline foods.

While choosing the right detox program, try not to fall for seemingly easy options that promise great results almost instantly or in a few days. If the toxins have been building up in your system for a fairly long time, getting rid of them totally to reach a state of true health is bound to take time. It is important to realize that there are no shortcuts to success.

However, with a careful and systematic detox program that addresses, not just the diet but all the factors that contribute to the toxic cycle, you can ensure that your efforts shall not feel wasted after a few months!

Article Source: http://www.dietarticles.info

Calvin Newstead is a committed health writer that knows first hand about chronic and minor illness and how to overcome it through natural detox methods. Take the first step to detox and Visit www.thecompletedetox.com/

Losing weight can be done, but it never seems to be easy. While the basic facts – eat less and exercise more – are pretty straight-forward, getting started can be rough. How can a person get motivated to get started? And perhaps even more important, how can you stay motivated to keep working at it even when the pounds are stubborn about coming off?

Sometimes a special event, like a wedding or a class reunion at which you expect to see people who you haven’t seen in years, will motivate a person to start a weight loss program. This can help on the short term, but it isn’t a lasting reason. If you manage to lose a few pounds this way, there’s still a good chance you’ll put them right back on after the event.

A severe method of motivation happens when you have a heart attack or other life-threatening health event. Such a trauma often motivates people to lose weight, but hopefully you can find your motivation before it goes that far. How can you motivate yourself to reach this goal that can make the entire rest of your life more comfortable and rewarding?

First of all, focus on the comfort and rewards losing weight promises to you. Take time to focus on how you would feel at your goal weight. How would you feel in your clothes? (Dare I ask how you would feel out of them?) How would your feet feel? Imagine feeling light and having a spring in your step. If you are a writer, write down your thoughts. Try to keep things positive, though.

Now list all the health problems that are exacerbated by overweight. Obesity is linked with a host of ailments, including diabetes, cancer, gall bladder trouble, and much more. Not only this, your legs are likely to feel the strain and develop varicose veins. You might even develop sleep apnea as the area around your lungs becomes more clogged with fat. Hiatal hernias are another real risk for the obese.

Another tip for motivating yourself to lose weight is to find a slogan you can live by. One reported by a successful loser was “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.” This reminds you that your life must be different if you want to lose weight and keep it off. Another motivating slogan is “No food tastes as good as being thin feels.” Say this to yourself when you are tempted to eat something that will not build health.

Be patient with yourself as you go. If you flub up, you have the choice of giving up or dusting yourself off yet one more time and getting with your weight loss program. If you give it up, you will stay fat, barring some sort of unforeseen miracle. If you get back with the program, you might flub up again, but at least you are still in the running.

Finally, do it for yourself. While falling in love can take a few pounds off for a while, the high won’t last and the pounds might come back on. Similarly, a guilt trip doesn’t work very well. Get committed to a weight loss plan because you are worth taking care of!

Article Source: http://www.dietarticles.info

Terence Young – For more personal growth articles visit: www.personalgrowthunlimited.com