Month: March 2018
Water Fasting to Combat Crohn’s Disease
Water fasting has been around for thousands of years, and while it is not to be taken as a cure any type of disease or illness, it does provide a resting period for the body to heal on its own. The difference between fasting and eating is that in fasting all of the body’s resources work toward healing, whereas digestion takes up most of the energy when eating food.
Crohn’s Disease is one of many chronic illnesses that benefits from the healing process of water fasting. In addition, it will help people who suffer from high blood pressure, allergies, chronic headaches, asthma, inflammatory bowel diseases and even some cancers, diabetes and heart disease. In addition to the prolonged resting and healing period, water fasting also allows the body to cleanse or detoxify, ridding itself of accumulated toxins and waste. It also enables the mucus lining of the gastrointestinal tract to heal and strengthen itself. This prevents leakage of bacteria and infections into the bloodstream.
Water fasting should be done under the supervision of a physician or expert in the field because going from solid foods to taking in only fluids is a massive adjustment for the human body. The adjustment to the change can take anywhere from a week to a two weeks. During this time, the body will be fatigued, and there will be headaches as well as other symptoms that the body has begun to detoxify. Once the period of adjustment is over, Crohn’s sufferers usually experience more energy, healthier skin, healthier teeth and gums, better sleep quality, a dramatic reduction in the amount of pain in the muscles and joints, less stress and anxiety, weight loss, and a stabilization of bowel movements. All this while continuing to throw off toxins.
Water fasting can provide a cleaner and revitalized foundation for maintaining a healthier body and lifestyle. It is important to set goals before embarking on a fast. Because of the difficulty sometimes encountered, it is necessary to be clear as to why you are doing a fast. If your mind is not clear and your goals not defined, more than likely your fast will not be successful. Fasting is a way to jump start your journey to the road to recovery. How long you fast should be determined by how healthy you are going in and what it is you want to accomplish.
The average fast lasts between 3 and 30 days. The longer the fasting the more necessary it is to have a health care provider supervising to watch for abnormal adverse reactions. The health care provider will also help the person fasting ride up the rough spots so to speak, until the situation takes an upward swing toward better health. It is not unusual for people to experience vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, and an itchy rash among other symptoms as part of the detox process. These problems are temporary and will go away. The main idea is to fast only as long as is necessary to restore health.
Not everyone can or should fast. However this is a very small portion of the general population. During a water fast, only water is consumed. A juice fast is exactly what the name says, fruit and vegetable juices. Experts say both types of fasts are beneficial in allowing the body to heal itself. However water is said to work more quickly than a juice fast.
The human body is perfectly capable of detoxifying itself naturally. However, with all the unnecessary additives you consume in your fast moving life your body will find it increasingly difficult to detox fully. What you need then is the best detox diet that will allow you to feel healthier without having to spend large amounts of money.
A detox diet is not just about losing weight; it is about flushing away all the impurities from your body, creating a new and healthy lifestyle pattern to follow and finally keeping to the regime so as to prevent a new and unhealthy build up. There is an enormous number of recipes to choose from for your plan and you can indeed design them to fit perfectly with your body.
Before you start on your detox diet you need to be sure of just what your targets and aims are. Once again it cannot be stressed enough that a detox is not a quick solution to lose weight and you need to concentrate on the diet plan as a way to improve your health in general. You may wish to start on a full body detox, or you might wish to experiment with recipes for specific areas of the body.
There are many different individual parts of the body that can benefit from a deep cleanse and these include the kidneys and the colon. If you are experiencing frequent stomach upsets then a colon detox recipe is what you need to concentrate on; for your kidneys a recipe suited especially for them is necessary.
As well as addressing the areas that you would like to improve on with a detox diet, next you should decide on a time scale for your plan. Depending on the severity of your problems you may choose to detox everyday, or you may choose to limit a colon detox to a twice weekly event. Depending on the general state of your body and the time since you last detoxified, results will be quicker or slower; once you are feeling no stomach pain at all is a great time to move on and concentrate on a different area of the body.
Lastly, decide on the recipes you will use for your detox diet, there being a wide range to choose from. Some people swear on a detox of pure vegetables and fruit immersed in large quantities of liquid, others prefer a recipe that involves bath recipes using sea salt or Epsom salt. One of the quickest and most popular detoxifying diet recipes is lemon mixed with syrup, cayenne pepper and water.
Always remember to treat with caution if you are new to detox; if your body is used to unhealthy food intakes then you should cut back slowly rather than starting with a full body detox. A detox diet is a great way to get healthy, lose some weight and start feeling good about yourself, but the true key to success is to dramatically change your lifestyle and stop damaging your body with the introduction of nasty chemicals and toxins in the outset.
Vegan diet consists of purely foods derived from plants. The people who are vegetarians tend to also eat eggs and milk products. One should not confuse a vegetarian diet with the veganism, since these two vary considerably. The difference is that most vegetarians eat other than just vegetables, they also use dairy products and eggs from chickens. The vegetarian diet is supplemented with eggs and milk, even though meats of all animal flesh is totally avoided. The vegan diet also prohibits the use of dairy products and eggs.
Vegan Diet Guidelines
The tenet of the vegan diet is not to consume any foods produced from animals whether processed or otherwise. So eggs and dairy products, including milk that are unprocessed foods from animals are out. Therefore, dairy products, eggs and milk which are unprocessed products from animals are avoided.
The Many Myths About Vegan Diet
The restrictive and boring diet of only nuts, vegetables and fruits makes the vegan diet really hard for many would be vegans to adhere to. It is said that avoiding meat, milk and eggs from one’s diet diminishes any real interest in eating. There is some concern that the vegan diet could be short changing on the nutrition provided Many believe that vegans do not get the bodily requirement of calcium and protein for the maintenance of proper functions.
Improvising for Your vegan Diet
Animal derived foods are the only kinds that are excluded from the vegan diet plan, all other foods are eaten. All products such as cereals, breads, pasta and rice that do not contain eggs are part of the vegan diet plan They will also eat eggless pastries, pies and cakes. Animal milk is replaced with rice and or soya milk or any other that is not animal derived.The vegan diet replaces meat with tofu, an excellent choice. Vegans replace Gelatin, a thickening agent with seaweed, which does the same thing. Basically, you need to look for non animal replacements for the common food ingredients for effectively continuing your veganism. And this does add a sense of adventure to mealtimes.
Vegan Diet and Nutrition Adequacy
Grains, tufo, nuts and roots supply the bulk of the protein on the vegan diet plan. Some studies have claimed that a higher than normal protein level leeches calcium from bones fostering the risk of bone disease The protein supplied by vegan diet is quite adequate. The vegan diet, through the widespread us of plant foods like spinach, cabbage, broccoli and other greens which are rich in calcium, the body is adequately supplied with all the calcium it needs for optimum health.
Also the body absorbs calcium from these foods more effectively than traditional sources like milk. Cereals and fortified soya milk supply the bulk of vitamin B12 nutrients to the body through the vegan diet plan. The absorption of iron from all these plant food sources is helped along by vitamin C from the same sources. Conditions like anemia and others can be prevented by including lots of oranges and other citrus fruits to the vegan diet.
The vegan diet is not merely about what to eat. A lifestyle choice is what it is. Obviously, because it focuses more on fresh fruits and vegetables, this diet is very healthy and even helps you lose weight. The vegan diet keeps you away from synthetic additives that can lead to scores of health problems including cancer.
Many individuals of late have been trying to start and remain on the vegan diet principle. Getting animals ready for human food has been tainted with some of horrible tails of cruelty, drug induced growth etc for market readiness. Humans and animals feel pain just about the same way, even though we don’t understand their language. Two things are accomplished by way of the vegan diet, contributing in a small way to reduce production of animal meat and creating better human health.
Get Health with a Plant Based Diet
What if one simple change could put you on a path to better health? And what if that change could even save you from obesity, heart disease and cancer? You have the power to transform your life by maintaining a plant based diet no ifs about it.
While many omnivores feel that a meal without meat just doesnt feel like a meal, the vegan and vegetarian plant based lifestyle is growing in popularity just the same and with good reason. A plant based diet moves away from animal-based foods like meat, eggs and milk, and incorporates more fruit, vegetables, legumes and grains. The less meat and dairy you eat the less fat you take in. This goes a long way when it comes to maintaining healthy weight and cholesterol levels.
If youre wondering whether you should try out a plant based diet, consider the top five benefits listed below. Keep in mind that you dont have to jump into a full-on vegan diet or vegetarian diet. Just limiting your intake of meat, poultry and dairy, and increasing vegetables, fruit and grains can do wonders for your health.
Top Five Benefits of a Plant Based Diet
1.) Lower Cholesterol
Going green can dramatically lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood the bad kind that can lead to heart disease and stroke. Avoid butter, cut out fatty meats and opt for plant-based foods. Dairy and animal products are loaded with fat and have no fiber. Plant based foods contain no cholesterol whatsoever. That means vegan nutrition is much better for your heart and your health. Its even been proven by a recent study out of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, which found that a low-fat plant based diet can lower LDL cholesterol by 28 percent.
2.) Lower Blood Pressure
When you eat fatty meats and dairy products, the viscosity of your blood increases, placing more pressure on the blood vessels. A plant based diet fills you up with veggies and fruit, which are high in potassium. Higher intake of potassium modulates blood viscosity. This is why vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower rates of hypertension, “the silent killer,” according to observational studies published in the Nutrition Review.
3.) Prevent Cancer
High-fat diets have been linked to higher rates of cancer. In fact the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicines Cancer Project showed vegetarians to be 40 percent less likely to develop cancer than meat-eaters. Meat tends to be high in saturated fat and low in fiber. Fiber plays a key role in keeping your digestive system clean and healthy, removing cancer-causing compounds before they can create harm. A vegetarian diet and vegan diet are high in fiber, low in saturated and trans-fats and typically include more fruit, vegetables and other cancer-preventing phytochemicals.
4.) Avoid Heart Disease
The American Heart Association says 83 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease, and many of the risk factors, such as obesity, are at all-time highs. But you reduce your risk. Research has found that a balanced, low-fat, plant based diet can help reduce cholesterol, contribute to weight loss and lower blood pressure. All of which lead to heart problems.
5.) Maintain Healthy Weight & Fitness
Those who follow a plant based, vegan or vegetarian diet generally consume fewer calories and have lower body weights than those who don’t, according to the Mayo Clinic. Still, a plant based diet doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Youll want to keep your intake of sweets and fatty foods low, choose whole grains, eat a variety of fruit and vegetables, and choose fat-free and low-fat dairy products. Also remember that cooking method counts. Steam, boil, grill or roast instead of frying. Your new diet will even give you renewed energy for physical exercise.
How to Transition to a Plant Based Diet
Aside from simply avoiding meat, there are ways to ease the transition to a primarily plant based diet. Increase the amount of grains, fruits and vegetables on your plate gradually until the meat is the smallest portion of your meal. An online vegan delivery service can make the process simple.
Tips For Fast Weight Loss
Check out our 10 tips for fast weight loss if you want to lose a few pounds quickly. There’s no need to starve yourself or go hungry. Simply be more aware of what you eat, reduce your intake of fat and sugar, and fill up with vegetables and fruit. Here’s how:
1. Write down everything that you eat or drink that contains calories, even if it’s just a splash of milk in your coffee. You don’t need to count the calories. Simply writing everything down will help you to see when those sneaky high calorie foods are creeping in and sabotaging your fast weight loss.
2. Make your own meals instead of relying on TV dinners and other packaged foods. Food manufacturers add salt and sugar to almost everything to make us want more and more.
3. Include at least two servings of vegetables in every main meal (not counting potatoes), or add a large salad with low fat dressing. Aim to eat more green, leafy vegetables. Fresh vegetables will help you to feel full and satisfy your body’s need for vitamins and minerals, reducing cravings.
4. Cut your fat intake in half. Since you’re not eating packaged foods any more, it’s easy to do this. Measure the oil that you use for cooking and only use half as much. Spread butter very thinly. Switch to low fat milk. Cut visible fat off meat before cooking, and don’t eat the skin.
5. Have sweet treats containing sugar no more than three times a week. If you are a sugar addict you may find this difficult at first but you will soon have much more appreciation for the sweetness in fruits and vegetables, and fast weight loss may be your reward.
6. Indulge yourself with plenty of fresh fruit. Grapes, cherries, berries, apples, mangoes and bananas are delicious replacements for the unhealthy desserts that most of us eat. Try them chopped into low fat sugar-free yogurt.
7. Try grated carrot for a snack. Mix in a chopped apple if you want. Grated carrot takes longer to eat than a whole carrot and because of this, it’s way more satisfying.
8. Choose food that you can chew, and eat it slowly, putting down your fork between bites. Go for brown rice instead of white, whole fruit instead of juice, chunks of whole foods in your soup. The added fiber will fill you up and help the body to eliminate waste, and the act of chewing will make you feel more satisfied with your meal.
9. Plan your meals and your shopping. Think ahead and make a list of what you will need, then stick to it. To make this easier, never go to the grocery store when you are hungry. Or order your shopping online for delivery.
10. When you eat, just eat. Sit at the table, even if it’s just for a snack. Don’t eat while doing something else at the same time (watching TV, driving, reading, checking email). If you eat with others, of course you may talk, but try to avoid bringing up heavy or contentious subjects at meals. Arguments are not good for anybody’s digestion and won’t help your fast weight loss.