Detoxification diet

There are many reasons people may choose a juice fast diet over another type. Juice fasts can be used for losing weight, religious reasons, or to assist in weaning oneself from possible unhealthy habits. These could include overeating, caffeine addiction or smoking – to name a few. Then there are fasters who are a little more serious about their routines with juice fasting. They use it as an alternative healing technique to many conventional treatments. It may be used as a healing method for pain management, arthritis, infections resistant to antibiotics and other ailments as well.

There are certain people for whom juice diets aren’t recommended. This group of people includes pregnant or nursing women, children, diabetics, or people with anemia. Anyone with an impaired immune system, low blood pressure, terminal illness or epilepsy should also stay clear. People with any chronic illness or condition should steer clear of a juice fast unless they doing so under strict medical supervision. Never try a juice fast before or after surgery.

When considering how long your juice fast is going to last, there is an easy rule of thumb to follow. Continue with the juice fast until you have two days without any symptoms of detoxification. If you wish, you can also stick to a juice fast three or four days a week while eating a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables the other days. Along with sipping your juice during the day, it is recommended you also consume approximately six glasses of water at room temperature.

Some ingredients which can be used in juice fasts are:

Vegetables: celery, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes.

Greens: parsley, beet greens, chard, kale, dandelion leaf and spinach.

Herbs: fennel, spearmint, yucca root, basil, ginger, peppermint, green onion, chili pepper.

Fruits: grapes, apples, citrus, Açai berry.

Extras : wheatgrass juice, spirulina, complete vitamin & mineral supplement, psyllium husks.

Some side effects of a juice fast need mentioning here. Some common but temporary side effects include headaches, hypoglycemia, acne, tiredness, bad breath and an increase in body odor. Others could include dizziness or fainting, low blood pressure, weight loss, hunger, heart palpitations, vomiting and kidney problems. If you experience any of these side effects or any situation worsens contact a medical professional immediately.

During a juice fast the stomach shrinks to its original size, about the size of your fist. After only three days of simply ingesting raw organic and fresh juices and water, you will lose those cravings for solid foods. Your mind might try to tell you differently; however, your body doesn’t need more at this time. While just drinking your food, your stomach is able to get some well-deserved rest, allowing your colon to shed old compacted material which could be waiting there to cause future disease.

If you are considering a diet which is more than just counting calories, this extreme detox diet could be the one for you. Using juices in this diet beneficially provides the antioxidants and vitamins required to keep you healthy for the duration.

Eating disorders are not new and neither is their existence in the male population. The reason you may not have heard about it is the stigma attached to having a problem controlling your food. According to a Harvard study (2007), as much as 25 percent of those in the study were anorexic males and 40 percent were binge-eating males. For a condition that has been decidedly “female” these are high numbers.

The effects of eating disorders are more readily noticed among girls. Wearing tight-fitting clothing or other outfits that show their shape reveal the skin and bones that mortify parents and friends. Girls are also more likely to confide in a friend about their “new diet” than guys are.

Men and boys can hide the results of their eating disorders better than women and girls. Furthermore, changes in their body are quickly attributed to anything but an eating disorder. Parents don’t even think that an eating disorder can affect their son.

Even the males themselves are not likely to admit that they have an eating disorder. Being associated with a “girl’s disease” can be seen as unmanly or feminine. For fear of being called names, they hide their pain and their obsession with food.

Think about advertising. The female population is inundated with photo after photo of the “perfect body” according to modeling agencies and style magazines. Especially during the teenage years, the pressure to fit in and be liked by the opposite sex can lead to an unrealistic view of their bodies.

The same goes for men. Seeing rock hard abs on models and male actors has them wondering if they need to look like that to attract girls. This jaded thinking can lead to unhealthy eating and exercising habits that ruin a boy’s health and his self-image.

Men are still hesitant to come forward and reveal themselves as having a problem with eating disorders. It is still thought of by some professionals as a “female” disease and they are not diagnosing it as much in males. To help raise awareness, a few Hollywood actors have stepped forth and admitted that they suffer from eating disorders.

To heighten awareness, parents and others have to become familiar with the signs and symptoms of eating disorders not only for their daughters but also for their sons. The first step is acceptance of the disorder in men and boys to shatter the stigma that is keeping them from getting the help that they need.

Alkaline Acid Diet Explained

The basics

Acidity and alkalinity are measured on the pH scale. Numbers from 1 to 6 are considered acidic with 1 being the most acidic. On the other end, numbers from 8 to 14 are considered alkaline with 14 being the most alkaline. The body maintains a neutral internal environment which corresponds to a pH of 7. The stomach contains a weak hydrochloric acid but it is maintained within the organ.

Your food

Have you ever had to take a Tums® for a sour stomach? The formulation in acid indigestion pills is designed to be alkaline to neutralize the overabundance of stomach acid. Each cell in the body has to operate in a neutral environment. When the environment is acidic you can become more prone to diseases like cancer, digestive distress, obesity and heart diseases.

The culprit is the diet. Fast foods, processed foods, sweets and lots of meats can contribute to an unbalanced internal environment. The foods we eat contain sugar alcohols and other substances that tend towards the acidic side when they are digested.

Proponents of the alkaline acid diet contend that if the acidic environment is counteracted with more “alkaline” foods, disease and other chronic conditions can be avoided. This is the basis of the diet. By testing your saliva and/or your urine, you can determine the pH within your body. Normal levels for a homeostatic environment are around pH 7 ± 0.25.

What to eat

Changing the script is the way to combat an acidic internal environment. Most of your diet will be composed of alkaline foods. One of the most alkaline types of food is vegetables. You already know that vegetables are good for your body due to their low caloric content and high fiber and water content.

Other alkaline foods are fruit and grains. It’s no coincidence that all of these foods are also good for you normally. Early settlers survived on these types of foodstuffs before processed foods came into existence.

Let’s look at some of the alkaline foods you have to choose from:

* Tomatoes
* Lettuce
* Legumes
* Watermelon, lemon, lime and avocados
* Olive oil

Foods to avoid

On the other side of the pH scale are the acidic foods. These foods unbalance the delicate internal environment of your body. If you eat them, and most of us can’t do without them, eat in moderation and in combination with mostly alkaline food.

You’ll be surprised at what is on the list and how much of your diet it already makes up. This is only a partial list but you get the idea.

* Red meat
* Milk and other dairy products
* Saturated fats
* Drinks
* Processed foods

The alkaline acid diet attempts to restore the neutral pH of your body. Many foods we eat contribute to a more acidic environment which can lead to disease. Eating alkaline foods in abundance can help you return to normal.

Origin of apple cider vinegar

Origins of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple juice. Once you have created apple cider, you could stop there and enjoy this refreshing fall drink. But yeast and sugars are added to the apple cider to create a more acidic environment leading to the production of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is used as an ingredient in many recipes and as a condiment for foods like cabbage or fish. It can also be a reducing agent when creating sauces.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

For many, many years, people have used apple cider vinegar to treat conditions of the body. These benefits are still viable today. Apple cider vinegar contains many minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis, including vitamin A, C and the B vitamins. Important minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are also present.

Apple cider vinegar has been known to lower cholesterol levels. Because it is made from apples, this liquid contains the fiber found in apples. Fiber helps remove fat and cholesterol from the system before it is excreted from the body.

This vinegar is also good for intestinal health. It is a fact of life that we will eat something that doesn’t agree with us. Diarrhea removes harmful substances from the body but also good flora from the intestines. The pectin in apple cider vinegar can help to replenish the good bacteria as well as protecting the intestines from other harmful substances that led to the diarrhea in the first place.

If you have diabetes or are at risk, swallowing a little apple cider vinegar each day can help your blood sugar. Blood sugar levels can be out of control in the diabetic person. Fiber in apple cider vinegar functions in the absorption of excess glucose in your bloodstream to help avoid sugar spikes that lead to problems with diabetes and also food cravings that lead to weight gain.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

The diet consists of drinking up to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before each meal. It is said that this process will rev up your metabolism and help you to lose weight. Apple cider vinegar can control blood sugar levels and this can hinder those bothersome sugar cravings that derail your diet.

One drawback is that ingesting so much of an acidic substance can harm your mouth and throat. In your mouth, acid can damage the tooth enamel. This is the outer protective layer on each tooth. Once it is gone, it doesn’t grow back. And just like vomiting, excess acid in the throat can burn the lining and cause strictures.

Are you looking at the apple cider vinegar diet? While you look at the health benefits of this vinegar, consider using in moderation for the health benefits and to avoid any negative effects.