Why You Should Substitute White Foods for Whole Grain

With everyone being more nutritionally conscious nowadays, we decided to take a look at why more and more people are swapping white refined flour for wholegrain.

White Flour 

Everything that we remember as a child from buttery toast to our birthday cakes and muffins have always been made with white flour. In fact as adults when we taste these tastes again it’s just like being kids again. (Unless we had particularly nutritionally enlightened parents!) It’s no wonder that we have an addiction almost to these white flour goods but did you know how damaging these foods are to our delicate systems?

The thing with white / all purpose / enriched flour is that our bodies process it like sugar. Enriched sounds lovely but in reality the flour actually gets completely stripped of all its goodness during this process. Yes white bread and related products taste amazing but the actual flour is created by stripping the most nutritious parts of the wheat berry. In fact this is the only starch left in white flour. Not good!

 White flour and digestion

White flour is just no good for your digestion. The starch is digested mega quickly thus causing a spike in insulin production. This then throws your whole body out of balance and can create a whole host of problems. In fact with the constant fluctuation of blood sugar which manifests through eating white flour products you could be potentially setting yourself up for diabetes and weight problems too!

Whole Grain 

Whole grain and whole wheat flour is so much better for you than its white counterpart. This is due to the fact that whole wheat flour uses the whole wheat berry. This means that you are intaking all the goodness – the bran, the starch and the germ. When you eat the whole berry, there are no peaks and / or lows in insulin levels and your body stays healthy and balanced. Another great aspect of eating in this way is that you will stay full for longer than you would if you were eating white bread! No more rumbling tummies in the middle of the afternoon!

Whole grain is great for you if you have stomach and digestion difficulties and there are even studies to say that there is a link between whole grain and the prevention of cancer of the colon. When you buy your products always look for the word, “whole”. That way you know that you are getting the best; there are many brown products which don’t use the entire wheat berry and won’t be as good for you as “whole” products.

It might be hard in the first few months to wean your family, especially the youngsters off white bread and white flour products but over time it can be done. A trick is to make a half and half sandwich, half white bread and half whole grain, this will give your kids time to get used to the different taste and texture. It’s worth making the change for the health of both you and your family.


Eating whole grain foods instead of white foods is a great way to ensure your general nutrition levels remain healthy consistently.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Many people have heard of the benefits of fasting. Is intermittent fasting any different than the fasting used in religion or by those that detox? More importantly, what are the benefits of intermittent fasting? The following will give you a better idea of what to expect now and in the future from this type of fasting.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is exactly like it sounds. People spend periods fasting followed by periods of eating. It is recommend to fast for 24 hours, but 16 hours will provide some results. It is also recommended that you fast 1-2 days per week for the best results. And, what are those results? Actually the results that that come from intermittent fasting are very similar to those of calorie restriction. The plus is that you aren’t required to watch your calories every day. Instead, you eat what you want one day and then fast. However, those foods that you do eat are based on a primal diet consisting of meat, vegetables and animal fat.

How Can It Help Me Now?

Those using intermittent fasting have experienced increased energy. One of the biggest benefits though is that people find this diet easier to follow because it allows them to eat fat, which can be tasty and satisfying. Intermittent fasting can also improve brain functions and help the brain stay sharp for longer. This type of fasting also helps muscle mass by more quickly removing waste from the body. You may even experience better workout results when exercising during a fasting phase. Last, but not least, intermittent fasting can offer improved memory and mental clarity. This means you’ll have an easier time remembering names, concentrating on your work and better enjoying life as you age.

What About Later?

Intermittent fasting has many benefits that may not be easy to see immediately. Not only does intermittent fasting reduce the chances of cancer, but it may help you live longer. More importantly, the extra years that you do tack on will be more enjoyable.

Intermittent fasting may be a great option for some people trying to lose weight or just be healthier. However, you should speak with your doctor before beginning the plan. This is especially true for those that have diabetes or nutritional deficiencies that could be worsened while fasting. For those that can do intermittent fasting, you may see an increased value of life in which you’re better able to enjoy your food and quality of life.

About the Author: Darrick Berntsen is a personal trainer and nutritionist. While he doesn’t recommend intermittent fasting for those with certain health conditions, he does find it to be a reasonable method for those who are healthy and simply looking to modify their diets.

Popular Fat Loss Pills

Fat loss is a very popular matter these days and every single day, a multitude of people search the net for methods to get rid of excess weight. The standards of modern times frown upon having any trace of belly and you are bombarded in media with images featuring very slim people. This is one of the reasons crash diets that work and diet pills are so inviting.

Among the diet tablets made by a big pharmaceutic company there is Alli. It’s found in drug stores and broadly promoted in the media. You may be confronted with some unwanted effects, like loose bowel movements, but it is advisable to see the prospect carefully and check how your body responds to it. Alli is quite expensive, so you should find out if it fits the budget you are considering.

There are certain foods which can be of help in eliminating unwanted fat. Eggs offer for instance high quality proteins, in addition to extra useful nutrients. Foodstuff loaded with iron aid shed fat. You can acquire iron from meat, but if you can’t consume meat, some spices or herbs and veggies also contain it. One more ingredient which has a good effect on your metabolic process is potassium. Green tea extract is another fat burner working with the metabolism. You can find suggestions out there to drink up to 5 glasses of green tea, nevertheless, you should see how you feel and find your own strategy.

Thermogenic fat burners may be powerful, nonetheless they put a great deal of stress on your body. They shouldn’t be utilized by those with high blood pressure or migraine headaches. A good example of such a thermogenic is Ephedra, which became seriously popular but had to be removed from marketplace due to safety problems. These metabolism boosters contain caffeine and synephrine.

One other superstar within the diet pills is Hoodia Gordonii. It functions as an appetite suppressant. Thyroid activity boosters are other products employed by people who need to lose excess weight. You’ll find individuals who have a lazy thyroid gland and this can lead to extra weight for no reason for instance.

What you need to remember is that weight loss supplements are designed to be employed only on a temporary basis. Folks ought to go off of them periodically, allowing the body to do the work. Staying on food that reduce fat should be in the eating plan. Regular exercise and healthy diet would be wise to come on top of utilizing weight loss supplements, as these aren’t miraculous potions and will not function otherwise.

There are numerous Internet sites that have performed the analysis on weight reducers and those that they propose. Needless to say, you do not need to spend extra money on pills or supplements when mother nature offers fat loss foods like eggs.

Simple Tips on How to Get Fit

For the most part, getting in shape is tough as there are so many obstacles that hinder even the most highly motivated people from achieving the type of body they want. While you are bound to encounter so many suggestions on how to get fit, it is always best to start with the basics in order to get the best results. Here are some of the simplest tips on how you can get fit and start a healthier chapter of your life:

Cut Out Junk Foods from Your Diet

Everyone needs to indulge their palate once in a while but if your goal is to lose weight and be on the leaner side of the spectrum, you need to learn how to control your cravings especially for junk food and processed treats. In order to make the transition easier, make sure that you learn to whip up quick and healthy snacks just in case you get the hankering for small and tasty bites.

Contrary to what most people believe in, you do not necessarily have to deprive yourself of the god stuff just because you decide to get in better shape. For instance, you can still enjoy nachos and cheese as long as you eat home baked chips as opposed to the store bought ones and opt for a low fat cheese.

Eat Home Cooked Meals More Often

People these days put too much premium on the convenience of take out meals that they completely forget about the simple joy of eating home cooked meals. One of the most effective ways on how to get fit is to start eating at home most of the time as opposed to frequenting the local greasy spoon for fat laden meals. This set up might seem daunting at first but once you learn to cook basic meals, you will see that it is not at all a bad idea.

Pick Out the Right Workout Routine

Many are wondering about ways on how to get fit but they often fail to see the obvious. Exercise and physical activity in general is very important in the process of losing weight and keeping all the pounds off. A cardio routine is one of the best choices considering it provides great results as far as burning calories is concerned. Spending at least an hour on the treadmill or elliptical machine everyday would make a great deal of difference not just on your body but your general outlook on fitness as well.

Looking for more tips on how to get healthy? Visit Increase Fitness for more.

Winning The Battle Against Obesity With The HCG Pellets Diet Protocol

You might have heard about the HCG diet protocol and might have been intrigued by this approach to losing weight. If you are one of those who seek to better understand this weight loss program, it is about time that you start learning more about it. Perhaps one of the questions you have is where to start knowing more about it. Before you look into different brands of HCG pellets and other forms of HCG diet products, it is best that you learn more about what HCG really is. You might know that it stands for  human chorionic gonadotropin but does this mean anything to you?

HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin is a glycoprotein hormone that is normally produced during pregnancy. Its primary use to give nourishment to the developing embryo through efficiently burning stored fat in the body of the mother. Certain research studies have shown that the hormone can influence the body to improve metabolism. It is believed that taking small daily doses of HCG pellets, along with a low calorie diet, can help people safely and effectively lose weight.

Many people deem that the HCG pellets diet program is quite a good option for those who want to finally gain better control over their weight. While results do not come as fast as surgical methods do, noticeable changes can be observed a couple of weeks into the program. It is believed that this weight loss protocol attacks the common causes of obesity, specifically psychological hunger and binge eating. This is made possible by the hormone working with the hypothalamus to suppress hunger. But there is nothing to worry because the program promotes a well balanced diet that is low on calories and void of junk food.

Several people have already found success in this relatively old diet protocol. We can learn more about them by going through HCG diet reviews. However, let us not believe in each and every one of them hook, line, and sinker. We must still remain wary so we do not get scammed or ripped off of our money. Our best bet would be to double check the information we read with our doctor.

Winning the battle against obesity can be a reality through the HCG weight loss program. Look into HCG pellets today and take your first step towards a better you. All it takes is for us to have the determination and discipline to follow through on what we have started.

Health Benefits of Cod Liver Oil

Due to an abundance of evidence supporting omega-3 intake as an important factor for health, many health enthusiasts have begun to take various forms of fish oil supplements. Fish oil in general is one of the best-supported health supplements in terms of research, which is notable because most health products are characterized by a lack of supporting evidence.

Given these facts, it’s safe to say most people would benefit from some kind of fish oil, but it’s still unclear which is most beneficial to overall health. Relatively recently, cod liver oil has begun to gain momentum, as it seems to be a very good alternative to conventional fish oils.

Cod Liver Oil in Comparison with other Fish Oils

The first thing to note about cod liver oil is that it clearly comes from the liver, rather than various other parts of the fish. Liver in general is virtually the most nutrient-dense food available and it’s extracts follow suit. It is high in vitamin D, which is important for the regulation of hormones and increasing bone density, as it regulates the absorption of calcium. Moreover, due to it’s effect on hair-growth cycles, a link has been established between vitamin D deficiency and hair loss.

Cod liver oil is also high in vitamin A, which has various functions including determining visual acuity and many other processes in the body. The article What Does Vitamin A Do? Highlights some of it’s key functions and it’s general importance in diet.

Finally, cod liver oil is rich with omega-3s, which are the primary reason most people choose to take fish oil supplements. These are particularly effective because – as with vitamin A and D – omega-3s in cod liver oil occur in their natural form rather than a processed imitation. This makes the nutrients easier to absorb and eliminates the chance of missing out on key components of the nutrient.

In conclusion, fish oil supplements are generally a good bet as long as you get them from a reputable source, and cod liver oil is definitely worthy of consideration when choosing a fish oil supplement.