Dropping the Carbs - The Pros and Cons of Ketogenic Dieting Part Two

OKAY, SO ARE THERE ANY GOOD CARBOHYDRATES?? The good news for carbohydrates is that they can claim HEALTHIEST of foodstuffs amongst their number. Here is where a simple view of Atkins diet and other strict no or low carb diets flounder. Not all carbs are created equal as we know and carb group that is utterly essential to our survival? VEGETABLES! Low carb diets have often been seen as lacking in vegetables as people carefully trim away all excess carbohydrates, effectively throwing baby out with dirty bathwater. On subject of vegetables you won’t find much dissension amongst medical experts of any standpoint. These wonderful foodstuffs not only contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals, but also are often chock-full of fibre, water and a host of exotic cancer-fighting substances unique to vegetables. The important thing about vegetables is that they are nutrient dense and calorie sparse. In plain English, they contain a lot of good stuff in a very small package. You can eat virtually enough vegetables to fill you up and still have eaten only a tiny percentage of calories a normal diet would confer. One of arguments for regular grain consumption is necessary vitamins and minerals they contain, not to mention essential fibre for our digestive tract. But guess what? Vegetables make grains seem pretty redundant. A small handful of organic vegetables will contain more vitamins and minerals than virtually a day's worth of grains, all in an easier to digest package, with extra water and no danger of insulin overload. Even on a low-carb diet you can stuff yourself silly with vegetables without fear. The primary advantage of a low-carb diet is insulin control and vegetables won’t interfere with that. Remember organic vegetables have a much higher vitamin and mineral content, also darker green or red a vegetable higher amount of beneficial Chlorophyll inside plant. Try to eat your veggies raw and fresh and often. A regular supply of varied veggies is like nature’s most perfect multivitamin pill. OKAY, SO WE EAT VEGGIES BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER FOODS YOU NEED? So low-carb dieters are shedding pounds by avoiding insulin spiking grains and sugars. In process they’re moving over to eating other stuff though right? You stop eating bread and pasta and you’ve got to eat something! We see Atkins dieters especially loading up proteins and fats, burgers, sausages, bacon, full double cream, fried eggs and a host of other tasty but controversial foods. So, fine, we can accept that somehow these people still seem to shed weight much faster and more consistently than their carbohydrate munching friends but surely, surely, that can’t be HEALTHY? Too good to be true? Some Doctors definitely believe so. We’ve been warned about saturated fat and our rising cholesterol problem for a number of years. Suddenly a diet comes along that seems to throw all that conventional wisdom out of window. As it happens, American Medical Association was forced to declare Atkins diet ‘heart-healthy’ after a number of university studies came up with surprising findings that Atkins dieters were actually lowering their blood fat deposits and sparing hearts much more than those on a regular higher carb diet. That being said, heart isn’t only thing we have to keep healthy, so is there a third option? A kind of best of all worlds diet? A low-carb plan that works for your health as well as your waistline? You bet! First we know basis of that diet is our good friend, organic vegetable. But moving on, it seems our bodies were designed for a much greater range of essential nutrients than those found in vegetables alone. First up Fats. Yes, it may have finally begun to infiltrate mainstream press but its old news to many of us. Fat is essential! We need to eat fat. There’s no getting around it, our bodies don’t merely tolerate stuff, they absolutely need it to function. When you remember that our brains are over sixty percent fat, our organs require it and our very nerves are built from it, you begin to see how important it is. However much like our friend Carbohydrate, all fats are not created equal either. Our bodies need a small group of fats that we call ‘Essential Fatty Acids’. Our body cannot produce these from any other substances and needs a regular supply or it begins to see shortcomings in its internal workings. We can get by for a while on diminished supplies but our health begins to suffer greatly in long run. These healthy fats come in form of well-publicised fish and cod-liver oils, flax and various other nut oils and foods like avocado. (Although not essential organic coconut oil has a host of special benefits) Simply be ensuring that a large percentage of our daily fat intake comes from clean, healthy oils will go a long way to improving our health, from defending our brain against degenerative diseases to protecting our skin from harmful rays of sun. To be a healthy low carber you need to investigate healthy fats a little more and remember that high quality, preferably organic oils are a better choice than others. There are a host of books on this subject and a host of great products out there. Unfortunately due to mass pollution of seas, fish may no longer be healthiest option, although carefully filtrated fish-oils (by Companies who are clued up on science of keeping these oils in a health-giving state) are widely available and a must-buy for everyone.

You Are Fat! Want to Know Who’s Really to Blame?

You Are Fat! Want to Know Who’s Really to Blame? The Government, our Health and Education Systems. Believe it or not, The Diet Industry… even The Nutritional Supplement Industry can be blamed! The system, our North American Lifestyle, The Dollar… Blame our Parents… after all, it’s their genes we carry, and most FAT people are fat because of genetics right? Well, here’s just a thought… There is a degree of truth to all these statements… a degree… and certainly, you could add dozens more. While you think up everyone you can, let’s say over next hour, day, week, month, etc… be sure to check that list for one and only that makes real difference… “The Mirror”. YES! When was last time you looked in mirror? Who did you see? WoW!!! That’s Right! YOU!!!

Unless you are one of truly unfortunate folks that are Fat due to genetic or other medical reason… It’s Your Fault that You Are FAT, Period! Oh, BTW (By The Way)… Less than 2% of Obese and Overweight individuals fit into above mentioned category. So, as you are likely part of 98+% of folks that have created your own dilemma… You Need Help! You Need Help… so where do you turn? There is so much information available. The Internet, co-workers, friends and family… Everyone knows someone, who knows someone else, that has done Atkins diet (or Adkins diet), or Weight Watchers diet, Scarsdale diet, Zone diet, or some other popular diet program with great results. So, who do you trust… which diets right for you? I mean there has to be 20-30 fast easy diets to lose 15-20 pounds of fat, maybe as much as 40 pounds of fat, over next few weeks, before your next party or vacation! I read those news flashes all time too! What a load of BS! Diets have been around for decades, and with all success stories, surely there must be good ones. Well news for you… if diets were answer, percentage of population classified as “Obese” or “Overweight” would not be on rise each and every year since assassination of JFK. Diets don’t have long term success. Diets typically create deficiencies one or several areas. Pounds lost, always include lean tissue an essential fluids as well as some stored body fat, this due largely to a brain produced enzyme “Lipoprotein Lipase”. We’ll discuss this enzyme in more detail in a detailed article later. Many diets do have some points of merit, and if followed to letter, can produce impressive short-term benefit and real reduction in overall body fat, which is goal. A big problem with diets is that most people going on a diet, are “ON” or “OFF a diet, never really changing life long habits that made them fat in first place. An even bigger problem, is that over 95% of these people diet, without ever understanding underlying cause/effect of diets they are doing. OK, now you kind of get message, diets don’t work. Diets are not long-term answer to a slim healthy you! How about weight loss supplements? Well Yes, there are plenty of those being sold by reputable companies “In The Know”. You’ve seen “Before and After” pictures. You’re convinced there are real people getting real results, but… then you’ve heard all those stories of folks dropping dead, and these very supplements being blamed. This must be all very frustrating… almost enough to get you back on couch with a bag of chips or pretzels and a couple of nice cold beers. NOT So Fast! There is an answer, and I’m sure you’re starting to realize… “There is No Majic Pill”, that will give you body of your dreams either. Here is Secret…