Evening Primrose

Recently there has been a major buzz in herbal and Natural products market about Evening Primrose. I would like to give you a general overview, history, and benefits of product.

The botanical name for evening primrose plant is Oenothera Biennis, belonging to plant family Onagraceae. Other common names are The Fever Plant, Field Primrose, King's Cureall, Night Willow-herb, Scabish, Scurvish, Sundrop, Tree Primrose. It is found throughout North America, east of Rocky Mountains to Atlantic Ocean. It got its name Evening Primrose from unusual time that it opens its bud, which is normally around six to seven in evening.

The plant, when taken internally has been used to treat a very large variety of ailments, however most general and widely sought after effects are for following: Menopausal symptoms, depression, spasmodic asthma, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, relieve menstrual cramping, stimulate digestion, stimulate liver and spleen. When used externally it has also been used to treat rashes and minor skin irritations.

A Healthy Diet Plan

Get into a Healthy Eating Mindset:

If you are going to lose weight or gain weight you must believe that you can do it. If you are discouraged, you will not be able to do it. You must think, I CAN LOSE WEIGHT. I WILL LOSE WEIGHT. I WILL GET HEALTHY STARTING RIGHT NOW!

This may seem a little over top - but it's not. You need to get yourself into a healthy mindset. You need to give yourself positive reinforcement and pump yourself up.

You may need some help to get into a healthy mindset. It is not a weakness to admit that you need help. In order to be a healthy person, you have to admit that sometimes you just can't do it by yourself. You may need help of a trained professional (a doctor, a dietician, a personal trainer) or simply a support network of friendly people. If you have tried to do it on your own and have failed, then it is time to get help that you need - start with your family physician.

Your support network can be composed of people that are available for you to talk to, they should be positive people and they should believe in YOU.

If you don't want to count on your friends and family - you may need to go out and pay for a diet plan - Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem are a few of programs that also provide a support network of actual people you can talk to and find encouragement from.

Find Motivation, Set Goals, and Reward Yourself:

Motivation to lose weight or get healthier is going to be completely up to you! Whether you are just trying to lose a few pounds to go to your high school class reunion or you are trying to lose fifty pounds so that you can be a healthy person and play with your children... You need to find a motivation.

Once you have a motivation, set attainable goals. Set goals that you know you can achieve. In other words, don't try to lose five pounds in one week. One or two pounds per week is a small, attainable goal.

Also, plan to reward yourself when you've reached your goal. For instance, if your motivation is to shed ten pounds to go to your class reunion, then reward yourself with a new outfit to wear to reunion. Or, if your motivation is to lose 50 pounds so that you will feel healthier, plan one fun day going to an amusement park when you've reached your goal weight.

Take little steps. Motivate yourself using rewards every step of way. Set goals and rewards. For instance, "When I lose 5 lbs, I will reward myself with a new pair of shoes."

Set your own rewards based on what you really, really want. Follow through - don't just say you will reward yourself and then conveniently forget because there are more important things to buy or do - GO THROUGH WITH YOUR REWARD PLAN.

Plan to Eat Healthy Foods and Healthy Serving Sizes:

The US government has provided us with a healthy "food pyramid." This plan works! So don't be afraid to use it. It's simple, too. If you are an adult, each day you should have following allotment:

1. Fats, Oils and Sweets - use sparingly.
2. Milk, Yogurt, Cheese - 2 to 3 servings.
3. Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Nuts, Eggs - 2 to 3 servings.
4. Vegetables - 3 to 5 servings.
5. Fruits - 2 to 3 servings.
6. Grains, Bread, Cereal, Rice, Pasta - 6 to 11 servings.

6 to 11 servings is a wide range. The amount of servings you need per day will be based on your daily activity and special needs:

A breast-feeding mother will need highest amounts - 3 servings of milk and cheese, 3 servings of meat.

A middle aged woman who has a desk job will probably need lower servings suggested - 6 servings of grain/bread group, 2 servings of meat.

6 servings of grains may seem like a lot of food - but - you must be careful on serving size. A pasta meal at a restaurant may equal 6 servings of pasta. Watching amount of food is as important as kinds of food. Serving sizes follow:

• milk group - - 1 cup 2%, 1 cup yogurt, 1 1/2 oz of cheese
• meat group -- 2-3 oz. of meat, 1/2 cup cooked dry beans,
• vegetable group -- 1/2 cup of cooked or raw cut up, 1 cup raw leafy
• fruit group -- medium sized piece of fruit or 1/2 cup cut up, 3/4 cup of juice
• grain group -- a serving is 1/2 cup of cooked pasta or rice, 1 slice of bread, 1 oz. dry cereal.

Do not assume that serving sizes on packaged products are same as above. Use common sense. Be honest with yourself about serving sizes.

Here is a cool visual chart that makes for great printing. Print it out and tack it up on your refrigerator! Another great motivator is tacking up a picture of yourself on fridge - as you are now or as you would like to be.