Vegetarian Weight Loss - What is it?

Obesity is a growing problem. Two thirds of Americans are overweight. More and more people are searching for natural weight loss options and vegetarian weight loss programs fit that bill.

The commercial market is overflowing with a large number of diet supplements and weight loss options. But natural options are the safest way to shed pounds. Dieticians and nutritionists recommend natural weight loss diets to people who are health conscious. This is because natural options do not advocate the use of chemicals or supplements to speed metabolism or reduce your appetite. They rely on natural products, such as fiber, to do the same things.

People who follow a diet of raw fruits and vegetables for weight loss are less prone to heart disease, stroke and cancer. Vegetarian weight loss programs can be structured using a point system so that vegetables are a “0”, fruits are between 1-3 points and nuts and seeds rank higher because they are higher in calories and fats.

The desire for a lean healthy body must include regular intake of water, the right foods and regular exercise. Like in any other program large helpings of high-fat protein sources such as peanut butter, nuts and cheese can cause vegetarians to gain weight.

Instead of using peanut butter or nuts as snacks, use whole grain snacks, fruit and vegetables during the day. Using a vegetarian weight loss program does not ensure automatic weight loss. Keep a written record of everything you eat during the day to keep a handle on your eating habits. Keep watch on everything that isn’t raw fruit and vegetables.

Plan your meal choices during the day since last minute choices are usually higher in calories. Those chips, cookies, power bars and candy, although meatless, are higher in calories, sugar and fats. Use a daily multi-vitamin to fill in the gaps.

There are convenience foods sold in the grocery store that fit a vegetarian weight loss program. Check out the health food store and watch the calories, sugars, fats and oils in the products. Do not resort to junk foods. When all else fails apples and bananas are convenient, filling and full of good nutrition.

You can also put together pre-made bags of your own trail mix. Include almonds, raisons, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds for a healthy nutritious snack. Try to eat only raw and organic nuts and seeds for the best flavor and fuel.

Preparation of your vegetarian weight loss program can be just as important as the foods you eat. Grocers now carry vegetarian burgers that can be microwaved as opposed to fried. Frying foods is just as dangerous as eating meats because of the increased animal fats and the processing that vegetable oils and lard go through to make them palatable. Try to eat as much raw foods as possible to help your digestive system.

Vegetarian weight loss is a healthy and natural weight loss option to add to your weight loss arsenal. Done right you’ll see some fast weight loss initially and you’ll feel better and have more energy.
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Best Sports Nutrition For Vegetarians - Success Has To Follow

Vegetarian athletes have special needs to be able to perform at a higher level of energy than those who don’t exert themselves athletically each and every day. Sports nutrition and calorie intake are very important to consistently help your body to perform at it’s best.

Most nutritional challenges of sports nutrition can be met by planning ahead and having a variety of foods available at home. Variety in your vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds will assure the correct vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids in the diet.

Vegetarian sports nutrition must meet the energy needs of the athlete. Energy sources can simply be your favorite fruits, root vegetables, whole grains and green leafy vegetables.

Proteins, needed for repair of tissues, building and repairing muscles, red blood cell production and just running your body, can be received from fruits, green leaves, nuts and root vegetables. Some excellent sources of protein include avocados, dates, bananas, and almonds.

Protein requirements are not different for vegetarian athletes than for athletes who don’t eat a vegetarian diet. Athletes should take 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilograms of body weight.

Our bodies also require minerals to repair and replace muscles and hormones. There are several factors that are important to the absorption of minerals and vitamins. How the foods are combined, use of microwaves and incorporating the occasional fast all impact how minerals and vitamins are absorbed into the body.

Individual sources of plant protein do not supply all nine essential amino acids that meats and animal proteins do. However, eating a variety of vegetables during the day will supply all nine amino acids; what one vegetable is missing another will supply.

Calcium is also essential to nutrition. Vegetarian sports nutrition should plan for sources from plants or add supplements since athletes who are low may have increased risk of bone and stress fractures.

Athletes also are at risk for iron deficiency, especially females. Iron loss is increased during heavy training. Smart sports nutrition should incorporate spinach, a good supply of iron, into the diet. Vitamin C also improves iron absorption. The main symptoms of iron deficiency are weakness and rapid fatigue during exercise.

Low zinc levels can also be a problem for vegetarian athletes in heavy training. Zinc sources are pumpkin seeds, pecans, split peas, Brazil nuts, rye, whole wheat, oats, peanuts, walnuts and almonds.

Vegetarian nutrition should include appropriate amounts of energy, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals is critical for optimal performance. Athletes who practice a vegetarian lifestyle must do a little planning to ensure the correct balance of nutrition in their diets.
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Vegetarian Soups - Why It is So Important

Scientific research shows that a vegetarian lifestyle improves your health and increases your life. Vegetarian soups and meals are becoming more popular in both the home and restaurant settings. Restaurant owners and franchises are responding to the increased demand by their customers for a healthier alternative.

Becoming a vegetarian decreases your risk for heart disease, stroke and cancers. And preparing soups and meals are not difficult. Incorporating vegetarian soups and meals into your lifestyle not only improves your health but also doesn’t require a long-term adjustment.

Vegetarian soups are a great option when you are entertaining or when you are preparing a meal for your family. Warm soups are great for appetizers and sophisticated chilled vegetarian soups are a wonderful addition in the summer months. Soups can be a great one-bowl meal with plenty of crusty bread. You can even use a dense crusty bread as the bowl itself.

Traditional soups and meals often include meats and animal by-products such as sour cream, gelatins or cheeses. But vegetarian soups can be hearty and delicious without the addition of meat and animal by-products.

Soups can also be inexpensive, high in protein, high in fiber and very nutritious. Because of the food combinations you can often have a soup that is filling, mouth-watering and is full of the nutrients you need. Vegetarian soups can be served as an appetizer, snack, side dish, main course or over rice as a large meal. Try using these principles when you prepare a soup such as Lentil soup.

Lentils are inexpensive and a great protein. They are are versatile enough to be turned into a vegetable stew. You can use vegetable stock instead of water to add a rich taste without overpowering the flavor. Vegetable stock can be made when you are soaking and boiling beans or vegetables and then saved for use later when you are making vegetable soups.

Just remember that the stock is the base for the soup and the richer and more flavorful the stock the better the soup will taste.

Next come the vegetables. Green beans are an addition that should be snapped and not cut. Also, do not use frozen or previously cooked beans because they will become mush. Potatoes should be diced into large pieces so they don’t cook too quickly. Although potatoes do add texture to vegetarian soups on two levels; they thicken the broth and add some contrasting firmness.

Other vegetables you can add to vegetarian soups are diced eggplant, diced onions, medium cauliflower florets or medium broccoli florets. Don’t grind broccoli into the soup and don’t add until the last 15 minutes of cooking. Cauliflower florets hold up better in soups than does the broccoli.

When you consider the vegetables for your soup don’t add delicate things like peas, celery or lettuce. The goal is to add texture to the soup and contrasting firmness.

Vegetarian soups are robust and full of flavor. They are an addition to your meal or the meal itself. Either way soup adds nutrients to your diet and you don’t even know you’re eating healthy!
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Healthy Vegetarian Cooking is Actually Easy

People chose to live a vegetarian lifestyle for a variety of reasons. There are strict religious, financial, health and cruelty to animal issues that motivate us to move to a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian cooking is less difficult and complicated than cooking the Standard Western diet, full of fats, sugars and processed foods.

There are some basic techniques to cooking a vegetarian meal. First you have to determine which vegetarian lifestyle you’ll be following. Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarians don’t eat red meat, fowl, or fish but do eat dairy products and eggs; Lacto-Vegetarians eat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream; and Vegan vegetarians are the strictest and eat only fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Wherever on the continuum you fall, you want your food to be nutritious and delicious. If you are preparing a meal that originally required meat you should NOT substitute textured protein vegetables for the meat. You’ll ruin the taste of the dish and it never tastes quite right. The textured vegetables are expensive and not much better than organic meat. So you can either eat organic meat or make something else.

One key to good vegetarian cooking is a good flavorful oil. Your brain requires fat for metabolism. But, not fat that is high in animal oils but plant based oils that will feed your brain so you aren’t foggy. Fats also enhance the quality and flavor of foods. Only use oils that are liquid at room temperature like olive oil, grape seed and sesame oils.

Olive oils are the most healthy and contain fats that help to level your cholesterol levels. Olive oils come in a variety of flavors from very strong to mild. The best oil is extra virgin cold pressed oil. You can use the olive oil in any dish that you would normally have used butter, lard or vegetable oils. Vegetable oils, no mater what the advertising says, are manufactured using processes that leave them not much better than eating straight chemicals.

Another critical ingredient to vegetarian cooking is sea salt. Sea salt doesn’t have the chemicals of regular processed table salt and contains minerals that will enhance the flavors of the food. Sea salt is formed from the natural evaporation of sea water and has 98 percent sodium chloride compared to the 99.9 percent purity of regular table salt. Salt manufacturers make extra money reselling the mineral by-products during the processing of salt.

Using high quality ingredients makes a difference in the final quality of the food. Cooking is basic chemistry and the outcome is only as good as the quality of the ingredients you use. You won’t be making a silk purse from a sows ear.

Another tip for vegetarians is to use lots of vegetables! A variety of color will give you a full range of Vitamins and minerals. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and lettuce; root vegetables like yams, carrots and potatoes; and stems and seed carriers like celery, peppers and eggplant should all be included in your diet.

Test these principles by making a vegetable or bean soup. Sautee the vegetables in good oil, use sea salt to taste and use plenty of vegetables. Vegetarian cooking is only limited by your imagination. By incorporating lots of legumes, vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts will give you great variety in flavor and nutrition.

Vegetarian cooking is simple, nutritious, and makes a positive impact in your health and wellness. Your diet is only limited by your imagination. Test your imagination and increase your energy levels for a whole new you!

DETOX DIET - Why it is so Important?

Detoxification occurs in our bodies daily. Our internal organs, the colon, liver and intestines, help our bodies eliminate toxic and harmful matter from our bloodstreams and tissues. Often, our systems become overloaded with waste. Today’s over processed foods and environmental pollutants can easily overwhelm our delicate systems and cause toxic matter to build up in our bodies.

Detox diets are designed to help your body rid itself of the toxic matter buildup and lose weight.


Detoxification occurs in our bodies daily. Our internal organs, the colon, liver and intestines, help our bodies eliminate toxic and harmful matter from our bloodstreams and tissues. Often, our systems become overloaded with waste. Today’s over processed foods and environmental pollutants can easily overwhelm our delicate systems and cause toxic matter to build up in our bodies.

Detox diets are designed to help your body rid itself of the toxic matter buildup and lose weight. If you feel sluggish, have frequent colds, digestive problems or just aren’t feeling your best, you may have a toxicity issue. A detox diet will help you clean the harmful matter from your body and lose weight.

A detox diet will help your body by increasing stamina and energy, making the digestive process easier, increasing mental clarity and decreasing allergies. Most detox diets don’t involve weird or unhealthy foods, simply fresh and whole foods like fruits and vegetables. Eat plenty of fresh fruit, except grapefruit. Enzymes in grapefruit interfere with the proper functioning of enzymes in the liver, so they should not be used during detox diets.

Fresh vegetables are also great on the detox diet. The best vegetables for detoxing are broccoli, garlic, artichokes, beets, cauliflower and red and green vegetables. Avoid corn products, as corn often contains allergens. Rice is also acceptable on a detox diet, and beans, nuts and seeds are great as well.

Drink plenty of water, about 6 to 8 glasses a day to aid the body in flushing out toxins. A hydrated body helps your body organs to function in an optimal fashion.

A simple detox diet plan may just involve staying off meat for a couple of days. For a more detailed plan, consult a professional on what to eat for each meal during the detox period.

Using a detox diet plan can help maximize your health, reduce your weight, and help you feel more energetic and rested. Try a detox diet for a few days. You’ll be surprised how much lighter you’ll feels
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How Does A COLON DETOX CAN Make You Healthy?

If you would like a healthy colon then you need to read about the best colon cleanse methods.

A healthy colon is a vital part of a healthy body. The colon, along with the small and large intestines, are a major area where the nutrients in food are absorbed. If the colon is not clean, it cannot fulfill this important task. Not only that, the impacted fecal material that builds up in the colon and intestines releases toxins into the bloodstream. You are in effect getting toxins instead of nutrients – not a very good trade.

Symptoms that a colon detoxification might be in order include tiredness, PMS, headaches, and of course, constipation. There are a variety of ways colon cleansing can be done, including colonic irrigation, enemas, dietary fiber, and laxative herbs. These methods can help, but each has negative points.

Another natural option for colon health is to use an oxygen based colon cleanser. This method uses magnesium oxide that has been treated with oxygen and ozone. This substance will react with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach to release oxygen. The oxygen gets into the bloodstream to nourish all parts of the body, but it does more than that. It also nourishes the favorable bacteria that live in the digestive tract.

Unfavorable bacteria in the digestive tract will give you vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps. Favorable bacteria compete with the unfavorable ones for living space. An oxygen based colon detox will encourage those good microbes, for better all around health. So how exactly does it work?

An oxygen based colon health product creates a chemical reaction that releases oxygen and melts the impacted material in the intestines and colon into gas and liquid. It will make you need to stay close to a bathroom for a day or so while you eliminate the material from your colon, but you will feel much better afterwards.

Look for an oxygen based colon detox product that is available in a capsule form. Make sure it does not include ascorbic acid among the ingredients because ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. An antioxidant will undo the good that could be done by the oxygen. A good ingredient to look for, however, is GE-132. This is the germanium-132, which is good for the health of the immune system. It also facilitates and adds oxygen. It is considered to be a nutrient that is helpful for many ailments.

Cleansing the colon can help with weight loss. Many people who have eaten an average diet for years have accumulated ten to twenty pounds of impacted fecal matter in their colons. An oxygen based colon cleanse will help the body eliminate this material, resulting in a quick loss to jump start your weight loss plan. Follow up the cleanse with reasonable portions of healthy natural food. You should have enough energy after the cleanse to start an exercise program, too.
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The Power OF DETOX FOR A Healthy Life

It seems to be a little disgusting when you are detoxing or cleansing. Your body shows some signs that you have built up toxins. These toxins can affect your whole body fitness and health.

There are times that you feel sluggish and feel the stressful. Your body may experience continuous aching, diarrhea, constipation, and feeling of clumsiness. Rapid weight gain and the incapacity to lose the excess weight can also be signs of having toxins in the body.

Moreover, the toxins found in the body are found and stored on your fat cells. For Americans who are taking the usual American diet, a person may consume 70 trillion garbage cans for each cell. In detoxing your body and cleaning that unwanted garbage in your cells, you should pay attention on your elimination organs.

There are particular organs in your body that deal on cell waste management. These organs play a major role in the detoxing process for a fit and healthy body.

1. Your liver is the organ that recycles the unwanted chemicals in the body. It sorts out the toxins and places them to the organ for elimination during the process of circulation. The principal elimination organs will back up the liver on where these toxins will be stored and then eliminated.

2. The lymph glands also play an important role in eliminating the toxins. A network of tubing brings out the excess waste of the cells from the body and to the final eliminating organs. The appendix, thymus, tonsil, and spleens are major lymphatic glands that help the major organs of the body in cleansing and detoxing.

3. The kidneys help in the water management of the body. They are the ones that keep the good chemistry of the blood alkaline by eliminating the dissolved acid waste. You can help your kidney to function very well by drinking plenty of water. It is much better if you drink fresh alkaline juices and purified water. You may take 1/2 ounce of alkaline everyday to see positive results on your body weight.

4. The lungs are the organs that keep the blood air purified. They allow the oxygen to go directly to the bloodstream. It is also responsible in removing waste gases that are found in every cell of the body. Deep breathing and fresh air is very helpful in keeping the lungs healthy and free from toxins. If you are in the urban area, it is recommended that you find an oxygen rich area where you can perform deep breathing.

5. The colon is a solid waste management organ in your body. Medical practitioners have found many peolpe that may have an 80-pound mucus and rubber like solid waste that are found on the walls of the colon. Detoxing and cleaning the colon can be a real tough thing to do. However, having a free waste colon can certainly provide you good benefits of having a clean and healthy body.

If you are experiencing some signs of detoxification, you may try doing a regular walking exercise. Exercise is a good key in having a fit and healthy body. Many diet doctors also suggest that you drink plenty of lemon water. This is an effective way of maintaining a very good circulation and can increase the rate of detoxification inside the body.
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Does DETOX TEA Really RELIEVE STRESS?

What effects do today’s toxic pollutants and impurities have on the body? It becomes sluggish, fatigued, over stressed and defenseless against today’s disease. Environmental toxins hidden in our air, food and water are also hiding in us.

Is your body sending out warning signals? Taking health care into your own hands can be as complex as the intricacy of your own system. Your body sends out warning signals to tell you when it is weakened, over stressed, tired and sluggish. These warnings should not be taken lightly, your body is slowing down and needs help. Your body needs to work at its fullest potential without unneeded stress.

In today’s stress-oriented, industrialized world, the environment takes a heavy toll on our bodies. Pollutants in the air, in our food and in our water build up in our tissues. Sometimes we need to give our bodies a chance to clean out, to detoxify. In Ayurvedic tradition, this is done by using diet, exercise and herbs to rebalance the body’s generative and eliminative forces. The blend of detox herbs used in the formula is mild but effective and based on Ayurvedic principles. Herbal ingredients included are Ginger, Dandelion and Burdock which are known for their cleansing effect on the body. Drinking Detox Tea can be an important part of re-balancing and renewing body and mind.

The body does most of its detoxifying at night while the body is at rest so by taking Detox Tea in the morning, the body can continue its cleansing process throughout the day for a more consistent and complete cleanse.

Some signs of an overtaxed Liver are PMS, headaches, indigestion, hayfever, acne, bloat, Hepatitis, boils, carbuncles, fertility concerns,digestive disturbances, immune deficiency, chronic debilitating diseases, nervous system conditions, gall bladder concerns, kidney concerns, menstruation concerns, endometriosis, poor fat and protein digestion, fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome. Obstruction of liver energy can cause intense feelings of frustration, rage, anger, and these emotions in turn further disrupt liver energy and suppress liver function, in a vicious self destructive cycle.

Most ingredients in Detox teas are 100% herbal and these Detox Teas and Capsules have been known for their cleansing and detoxifying qualities. We urge you to gather more information on Detox Teas and find out how detox tea can benefit you!
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8 BENEFITS TO JUICE FASTING - Get It Right

There are many benefits to juicing, especially if you prepare them yourself:

1. If drank fresh, the juice is full of live enzymes, which is helpful the body.

2. Unlike coming out from a packet, the juice is fresh and not pasteurized. Pasteurization many have its conveniences but it has resulted in nutritionally dead foods. During pasteurization, high heat is used and this destroys the vital nutrients within the juice.

3. You consume more vegetables by drinking than by eating. As you probably have experienced, it’s not always possible to eat as many vegetables as you would like. Drinking fresh vegetable juice helps take care of this problem.

4. Digestion and assimilation of the vegetable nutrients is much easier. Your body is in fact, like a juicer. When you eat a celery, your body will digest the celery by extracting the juice to get the nutrition. The fiber is eliminated via the colon and bowel movements. However, if you juice, you have already extracted the juice for the body thus making it easier for your assimilation. Nevertheless, it’s still important to eat whole vegetables and fruits because you need some amount of fiber as well.

5. Fasting gives your digestive system a rest. Since fresh fruit and vegetable juices require little digestion, and are quickly assimilated into your body. Most of the 10% of bodily energy normally involved in your assimilation, digestion, and elimination is freed up. The end result? You feel a sense of renewed energy after the fast.

6. A fast helps to also break down toxic materials – fat, abnormal cells and tumors–and releases diseased tissues and their cellular products into the circulation for elimination.

7. In addition, new cell growth during fasting is stimulated and accelerated as the required proteins are re-synthesized from decomposed cells (during autolysis). Your serum albumin reading, that is blood-protein level, remains constant and normal throughout your fast, as your body very smartly uses protein and other stored nutrients where needed.

8. Juice fasting is a much gentler process of detoxification as compared to water fasting. For a juice fast, a broad variety of fruits and vegetables should be used in combination and that is necessary to enhance health during the fast. In this manner, the body still gets its daily calories from the easily-digested juices as compared to the more extreme water fast. Thus, the release of toxins from the fat cells in a juice fast is much more gentle and gradual.
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