The common advise to those who suffer a depressive order due to the lack of sunshine, is to go where there is sunshine.  Well, wouldn’t we all love to live in Hawaii or some other tropical Island?  I once tried one of those special light bulbs that was supposed to help, but I don’t know if I didn’t spend enough time under it or what.  Needless to say I didn’t find it very helpful.  I am not sure if that product is even still around or not.  Personally, I wish I was a bear and could hibernate all winter long.  If winter days give you the blues, you may want to read the post and comment at this blog:  http://www.thevoicemagazine.com/blog/uncategorized/seasonal-affective-disorder-dealing-with-sad/

When I was a little girl, I remember my parents giving me honey when I had a cold.  For some reason I had forgotten about that, until I came across this article:  http://paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?207467.  Now as a grown up I like my honey with some tea and some say you should add some fresh lemon juice as well.

 I’d be very interested to know if any one else uses honey as a remedy (especially if it’s a specific type).  My daughter swears that it needs to be local honey.  I will write a post later about the different types of honey.  If any one is interested in any specific information about honey, just leave a comment and let me know and I will see if I can find the information for you.  I guess most of you know honey can be processed and refined just like oils, etc.  This is part of the reason why some honey has a different color than others (some darker).

Any way, drop a comment and let me know what you would like to learn about.

Believe it or not Coconut and Coconut oil has been used in many traditional forms of medicine.  The most well known is Ayurvedic and Indian folkloric medicine.  It has been used to treat a variety of conditions such as burns, wounds, ulcers, lice, kidney stones and choleraic dysentery.

Since Coconut oil consists of medium chain fatty acids (which are more easily digested than long chain fatty acids), it’s fat gives cells the energy needed to carry on their metabolic functions.  Both long chain fatty acids and glucose require the hormone insulin to transport them through the cell walls which creates a problem for those who are insulin resistant.    For this reason coconut oil has been used in special food preparations for those who suffer digestive disorders, infant formula and for the treatment of malnutrition (remember you need fat to absorb fat soluble nutrients).

Coconut oil has also been known to help with Crohn’s disease.  It has some anti-infalmmatory effect and its antimicrobial properties also help by killing microorganisms that may cause chronic inflammation.   Coconut oil has also been used for the purpose of enhancing the absorption of calcium and magnesium.  Dietary fats not only play a role in the formation of our bones, they can also actas antioxidants and protect the bones from destructive free radicals.

More on the benefits of Coconut oil later this week.

Coconut oil is known to boost metabolsim and has less calories per gram than most fats (which have 9).  You should cut back on the sweets, eat more fiber and use butter instead of margarine.  Unlike many other fats, coconut oil produces energy rather than fat.  Not only is coconut oil burned for energy production, it also encourages the burning of long chain fatty acids.  Research indicates that a diet consuming 40% long chain acids versus one consuming 40% medium chain acids has a different thermogenic effect.   By consuming medium chain acids rather than long chain acids, you double the thermogenic effect (burning twice as many calories).

A follow up study demonstrated that medium chain fatty acids given over a six day period can increase diet induced thermogenesis by 50 percent.  The key is to keep the calories the same, just change the source of the fat.

I am writing an article about coconut oil and will post it at Go Articles and Ezine Articles.  Then I will follow up with additional information shortly thereafter.

Over the past several years, the public’s image of fish oil has evolved. It used to be a

mysterious, (though widely-praised) supplement of questionable value. Now, doctors are

saying it should be a quintessential part of our daily diet. Experts used to scoff at it,

arguing that it was a thinly-veiled attempt to sell an unwary public a useless product. Now,

a lot of those same experts not only recommend fish oil, they take it themselves.

That depends upon how much value you place on fatty acids. Experts tell us that the oil

found in fish contains eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA,

respectively). We also know that our bodies need both of these fatty acids but can’t produce

either of them. So, we need to get them from eating fish or taking fish oil supplements.

While fish can taste delicious when prepared correctly, they also tend to have a high level

of mercury. Fish oil supplements are purified of mercury. So, your body gets the fatty acids

it needs without the toxins.

What do the fatty acids do for you?

Scientists have found that EPA and DHA provide us with a host of benefits. They can prevent

the development of heart disease. They increase your blood circulation. It can even help

reduce the severity of arthritis. There are plenty of other benefits, as well (we’ll talk

about them some other time).

Back to the original question: should you take fish oil?  You should at least consider it if

you’ve never tried it.

Acceleration training can be used for both weight loss and physical therapy. It’s the antithesis of fad diets and conventional exercise routines. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong about treadmills and exercise bikes. They’re fantastic tools for quickening your metabolism and keeping in shape. But, you can lose weight more efficiently through acceleration training.

Let me explain how it works. When you’re on a treadmill, your body goes through a slow, monotonous cycle (again, there’s nothing wrong with that). By contrast, acceleration training throws your body into an aggressive routine that leverages and speeds up your metabolic processes. It does it through targeted vibrations. The vibrations are calibrated to cause muscle contractions that exceed those from a normal exercise regiment.

The reason this helps you to lose body fat quickly is due to the vibrations’ effect on your metabolism. As your muscles experience quick contractions, they burn calories more efficiently than would be possible by simply walking on a treadmill or powering an exercise bike. As long as you’re not gorging yourself on food, you’ll likely find your weight dropping quickly.

Here’s another benefit to think about: it takes far less time than a traditional workout. A lot of people spend up to 10 hours a week at the gym. Vibration training can accomplish the same results (better results, actually) in about 1 hour a week.

Is this type of training well-suited for everybody? That’s hard to say. Each person’s body is different. And some folks have health issues that others don’t. Like any exercise routine, you should speak with your doctor. That being said, using vibrations to leverage muscle contractions, accelerate your metabolism and ultimately, to shed extra body fat is a proven weight loss strategy.

I take vitamins. I’m a  believer in them. It’s not because I was taught to take them when

growing up. Nor is it because conventional wisdom recommends taking them. The reason I take

vitamins is the same reason I’m proactive about everything I share with you on this blog:

because of my experience.

I take vitamins because my body functions better when I do.

Now, it’s not my goal to convince you that you should take them. That’s your choice.

Instead, my goal is to give you helpful information so you can make the best choice for your

life and your health.

So, here’s what we (scientists, actually) know about vitamins…

First, they help your metabolism function properly. That’s important when you’re trying to

lose weight. Second, they help your blood clot when necessary. It’s not pleasant to think

about, but if you sustain an injury, clotting helps to prevent excess blood loss. Third,

they’re a rich source of antioxidants. That prevents the spread of free radicals and fends

off heart disease.

Looking at it from another perspective, a deficiency in vitamins can lead to nerve damage,

fatigue, a feeble immune system and even depression. For the record, I don’t experience any

of those things (well, maybe a little depression when I listen to politicians).

While my being healthy may have nothing to do with my taking vitamins, evidence suggests

otherwise.

Now, you don’t need to take a bucket of vitamins each day. Your body only needs so many.

Think of it like filling your car with gas. Once it’s full, it’s full. Your body works

similarly. I take a few vitamins daily. Most vitamins are reasonably priced and can choose

to customize your intake or take a multi-vitamin.

Your body needs water. It craves it all day, even if you don’t feel like drinking it. While

everyone should be drinking 8 glasses each day, it’s even more critical for those who are

trying to lose weight. In fact, weight loss without sufficient water is a platform for

failure. Let me explain how water can help you shed the extra pounds.

We gain weight based upon our caloric burn rate. If we consume more than we burn, we pack on

the pounds. So, we exercise. We try to burn calories to slim down. Ideally, we’re burning

more than we’re consuming each day. Over time, we end up losing weight.

Now, keep that in mind and consider what water does for your body. First, it helps you

digest food. This is important because the more quickly your body can turn food into energy,

the more efficiently it can burn through the calories. And remember, losing weight is about

burning more than you’re consuming.

Second, water helps your body eliminate what it doesn’t need. By helping the elimination

process, water flushes the waste matter from your system, thereby lowering your body’s

toxicity.

Third, dehydration leads to hunger. That may sound counterintuitive, but it’s true. When

you’re feeling dehydrated, your body begins to crave food. Drinking water helps to sate that

hunger and avoid excess eating.

Diving In

Now, let’s review. Water helps your body turn food into energy to accelerate your caloric

burn rate. It also helps flush waste matter from your system. And it regulates your hunger.

These are some of the reasons why doctors, nutritionists and other experts recommend

drinking plenty of water.

Let’s talk about fiber. You’ve heard about it. You may even know how it helps your body. For

the benefit of those who aren’t familiar with it, let’s start at the beginning.

Fiber is good for you. They say your body needs about 30 grams each day. Unfortunately, most

people eat less than 12 grams a day. That may be a problem. First, let me explain the

benefits of fiber. That’ll help you understand how a deficiency can lead to health issues

down the road.

One of the most common conditions that people cope with is constipation. According to some

estimates I’ve read, 20% of the population is constipated. Fiber moves matter through your

gastrointestinal tract. That is, it prevents constipation.

Another benefit of fiber is that it helps your body manage its blood sugar levels. That

prevents Type 2 diabetes from developing.

There’s yet another reason to eat fiber: diverticulitis. It’s a condition that occurs when

your colon develops small pouches. If they become inflamed, they’re painful. And it’s more

common than you may think; it’s estimated that over 30% of people who are 45 years old and

older have diverticulitis. Doctors insist that dietary fiber can reduce the likelihood of it

occurring by 40%.

That makes fiber pretty important, doesn’t it?

Let’s assume that you’re convinced. You’ve decided that you’re going to eat more fiber each

day (good decision). Where can you get it? You need both soluble and insoluble fiber. I eat

apples, almonds, whole wheat bread, black beans and tomatoes.

That’s enough to get you started. For those of you who are already getting the 30 grams per

day that you need, let us know the foods you’re eating in the comments.

Acceleration training can be used for both weight loss and physical therapy. It’s the

antithesis of fad diets and conventional exercise routines. Now, there’s nothing inherently

wrong about treadmills and exercise bikes. They’re fantastic tools for quickening your

metabolism and keeping in shape. But, you can lose weight more efficiently through

acceleration training.

Let me explain how it works. When you’re on a treadmill, your body goes through a slow,

monotonous cycle (again, there’s nothing wrong with that). By contrast, acceleration

training throws your body into an aggressive routine that leverages and speeds up your

metabolic processes. It does it through targeted vibrations. The vibrations are calibrated

to cause muscle contractions that exceed those from a normal exercise regiment.

The reason this helps you to lose body fat quickly is due to the vibrations’ effect on your

metabolism. As your muscles experience quick contractions, they burn calories more

efficiently than would be possible by simply walking on a treadmill or powering an exercise

bike. As long as you’re not gorging yourself on food, you’ll likely find your weight

dropping quickly.

Here’s another benefit to think about: it takes far less time than a traditional workout. A

lot of people spend up to 10 hours a week at the gym. Vibration training can accomplish the

same results (better results, actually) in about 1 hour a week.

Is this type of training well-suited for everybody? That’s hard to say. Each person’s body

is different. And some folks have health issues that others don’t. Like any exercise

routine, you should speak with your doctor. That being said, using vibrations to leverage

muscle contractions, accelerate your metabolism and ultimately, to shed extra body fat is a

proven weight loss strategy.