7 Foods for Better Sex

Enough about oysters, already!

If you want to put some sizzle back into your sex life, food can help you set the mood. There’s nothing better than a romantic, home-cooked dinner, featuring some R-rated foods to help turn up the heat. “There’s a growing body of evidence that some of the vitamins and components in foods can enhance sexual function and sexual experience,” says Jennifer R. Berman, MD, the director of the Berman Women’s Wellness Center, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Here are some of the food ingredients (and my own favorite recipes) that have been major players in aphrodisiac history and lore, and also have modern-day science to back up their claims.

Avocados

The Aztecs referred to avocados as, ahem, testicles, because of their physical shape. But the scientific reason why avocados make sense as an aphrodisiac is that they are rich in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fat, making them good for your heart and your arteries. Anything that keeps the heart beating strong helps keep blood flowing to all the right places; in fact, men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED).

 

 

 

Almonds

Topping my list of feisty foods, almonds have long been purported to increase passion, act as a sexual stimulant, and aid with fertility. Like asparagus (another one of my favorite sexy foods), almonds are nutrient-dense and rich in several trace minerals that are important for sexual health and reproduction, such as zinc, selenium, and vitamin E.  “Zinc helps enhance libido and sexual desire,” says Dr. Berman. “We don’t really understand the mechanisms behind it, but we know it works.”

 

 

 

 

Strawberries

The color red is known to help stoke the fire: A 2008 study found that men find women sexier if they’re wearing red, as opposed to cool colors such as blue or green. Strawberries are also an excellent source of folic acid, a B vitamin that helps ward off birth defects in women and, according to a University of California, Berkley study, may be tied to high sperm counts in men. This Valentine’s Day, try making dark-chocolate-dipped strawberries. And while we’re on the subject, there’s a reason we give chocolate on Valentine’s Day: It’s full of libido-boosting methylxanthines.

 

Seafood

Despite their slippery and slimy texture, oysters may be the most well-known aphrodisiac. They’re also one of the best sources of libido-boosting zinc. But other types of seafood can also act as aphrodisiacs. Oily fish—like wild salmon and herring—contain , which are essential for a healthy heart.

 

 

 

 

Arugula

Arugula has been heralded as an arousal aid since the first century. Today, research reveals that the trace minerals and antioxidants packed into dark, leafy greens are essential for our sexual health because they help block absorption of some of the environmental contaminants thought to negatively impact our libido.

 

 

 

 

Figs

These funny-shaped fruits have a long history of being a fertility booster, and they make an excellent aphrodisiac because they are packed with both soluble and insoluble fiber, which is important for heart health. Plus, high-fiber foods help fill you up, not out, so it’s easier to achieve that sexy bottom line—or belly.

 

 

 

 

Citrus

Any member of this tropical fruit family is super-rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and folic acid—all of which are essential for men’s reproductive health. Enjoy a romantic salad that incorporates citrus, like pink grapefruit or mandarin oranges, or use a dressing made with lemon and lime.

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How to Lose Weight Fast: A Proven 3-Step Plan That Works

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.

However, most of them require you to be hungry and unsatisfied.

If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The 3-step plan outlined here will:

• Kill your appetite.
• Make you lose weight fast, without being hungry.
• Improve your health at the same time.

Step 1 – Eliminate Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to remove sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet.
These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.
When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.
Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight (1, 2).
It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.
This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women (3).

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.
Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger (4).
Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on “autopilot.”

Bottom Line: Removing sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet will lower your insulin levels, kill your appetite and make you lose weight without hunger.

Step 2 – Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

• Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
• Fish and Seafood – Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

The importance of eating plenty of protein can not be overstated.
This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day (5, 6, 7).
High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day… just by adding protein to your diet (8, 9).
When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients. Period.
Low-Carb Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Full list here.

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-50 net carbs per day.
A diet based on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.
Fat Sources:

• Coconut Oil
• Butter
• Olive Oil
• Lard
• Tallow

Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.
Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.
The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly (10, 11).
There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fat doesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all (12, 13).
To see how you can assemble your meals, check out this low carb meal plan and this list of low carb recipes.

Bottom Line: Assemble each meal out of a protein source, a fat source and a low-carb vegetable. This will put you into the 20-50 gram carb range and drastically lower your insulin levels.

Step 3 (Optional) – Exercise 3-4 Times Per Week

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.
The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.
If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.
By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight (14, 15).
Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat (16).
If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.

Bottom Line: It is best to do some sort of resistance training like weight lifting. If that is not an option, cardio workouts work too.

Optional – Do a “Carb Re-feed” Once Per Week

You can take one day “off” per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.
It is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc.
But only this one higher carb day, if you start doing it more often than once per week then you’re not going to see much success on this plan.
If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.
Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones (17, 18).
You will gain some weight during your re-feed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1-2 days.

Bottom Line: Having one day of the week where you eat more carbs is perfectly acceptable, although not necessary.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.
However, if you really want to, then use this calculator.
Enter your details, then pick the number from either the “Lose Weight” or the “Lose Weight Fast” section – depending on how fast you want to lose.
There are many calorie counters you can use to track the amount of calories you are eating. I like Cron-O-Meter – it is free and easy to use.
The main goal is to keep carbs under 20-50 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

Bottom Line: It is not necessary to count calories to lose weight on this plan. It is most important to strictly keep your carbs in the 20-50 gram range.

Other Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

Pretty much all you have to do is the 3 steps:

1. Eliminate high-carb foods.
2. Eat Protein, Fat and Veggies.
3. Exercise 3-4 times per week (optional, but recommended).

However, there are a few other tips that you may find useful if you want to speed things up even further.
None of these are old wives’ tales, they all have scientific evidence to back them up.
Drink Water: One study shows that drinking water half an hour before meals helps you eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight. It can also boost metabolism slightly (19, 20).
Drink Coffee or Tea: If you’re a coffee or a tea drinker, then by all means drink as much as you want as both can raise your metabolism (21, 22).
Eat Eggs For Breakfast: Studies show that people who replace a grain-based breakfast with eggs feel more full for the next 36 hours, and lose up to 65% more weight (23, 24).
Eat Viscous Fiber: Viscous fiber supplements like glucomannan can help you lose weight, especially around the belly area (25).
Choose Weight Loss Friendly Foods: Certain foods are particularly useful for losing fat. Here is a list of the 20 most weight loss friendly foods on earth.
Use Smaller Plates: Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works (26).
Sleep Like a Baby: Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain and obesity, taking care of your sleep is important (27, 28).
Over the years, scientists have come up a number of weight loss methods that are effective. This article lists 26 weight loss tips that are actually evidence-based.

Bottom Line: It is most important to stick to the three rules, but there are a few other things you can do to speed things up.

You Will Become a “Fat Burning Beast”

You can expect to lose 5-10 pounds of weight (sometimes more) in the first week, then consistent weight loss after that.
I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I do this strictly.
If you’re new to dieting, then things will probably happen quickly. The more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it.
For the first few days, you might feel a bit strange. Your body has been burning carbs for all these years, it can take time for it to get used to burning fat instead.
It is called the “low carb flu” and is usually over within a few days. For me it takes 3. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.
After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and energetic. At this point you will officially have become a “fat burning beast.”
Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the low-carb diet also improves your health in many other ways:

• Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets (29, 30).
• Triglycerides tend to go down (31, 32).
• Small, dense LDL (the bad) Cholesterol goes down (33, 34).
• HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up (35).
• Blood pressure improves significantly (36, 37).
• To top it all of, low-carb diets appear to be easier to follow than low-fat diets.

Bottom Line: You can expect to lose a lot of weight, but it depends on the person how quickly it will happen. Low-carb diets also improve your health in many other ways.

You Don’t Need to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight

If you have a medical condition then talk to your doctor before making changes because this plan can reduce your need for medication.
By reducing carbs and lowering insulin levels, you change the hormonal environment and make your body and brain “want” to lose weight.
This leads to drastically reduced appetite and hunger, eliminating the main reason that most people fail with conventional weight loss methods.
This is proven to make you lose about 2-3 times as much weight as a typical low-fat, calorie restricted diet (38, 39, 40).
Another great benefit for the impatient folks is that the initial drop in water weight can lead to a big difference on the scale as early as the next morning.
Here are a few examples of low-carb meals that are simple, delicious and can be prepared in under 10 minutes: 7 Healthy Low-Carb Meals in 10 Minutes or Less.
On this plan, you can eat good food until fullness and still lose a ton of fat. Welcome to paradise.

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Correct Food Combining Principles

It is not what we eat but what we digest and assimilate that adds to our health, strength and usefulness.

An unhampered or unimpeded digestion may be guaranteed only to the extent to which we guard our stomachs against food combinations and mental and physical conditions which disturb and impair digestion. A stomach that is reeking with decomposition will not supply to the body the "calories" and "vitamins" originally contained in the food eaten.

The specific action of the digestive enzymes, the careful timing of their secretion and the adaptation of the strength and character of the digestive secretions to the character of the food upon which they are to act was seen in our study of the processes of digestion. The more these facts are studied, the more it appears to be utterly impossible to digest the conglomeration that makes up the usual meal of the average man or woman.

Following Proper Food Combining Rules will allow you to make excellent Food Combining Recipes that would constitute a very healthy Food Combining Diet. A Food Combining Chart is available for easy referencing.

Acid-Starch Combinations

1. Never eat carbohydrate foods and acid foods at the same meal.

Do not eat bread, potatoes, peas, beans, bananas, dates, or other carbohydrates with lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, pineapples, tomatoes or other sour fruit.

The enzyme, ptyalin, acts only in an alkaline medium; it is destroyed by a mild acid. Fruit acids not only prevent carbohydrate digestion, but they also favor their fermentation. Oxalic acid diluted to one part in 10,000, completely arrests the action of ptyalin. There is enough acetic acid in one or two teaspoonfuls of vinegar to entirely suspend salivary digestion.

Dr. Percy Howe, of Harvard, says: "Many people who cannot eat oranges at a meal derive great benefit by eating those fifteen to thirty minutes before the meal." It appears that Dr. Howe does not understand why people cannot take oranges with their meals. I have put hundreds of patients, who have told me that they could not eat oranges or grapefruit, upon a diet of these fruits, and they found that they could take them. Such people are in the habit of taking these foods with a breakfast of cereal, with cream and sugar, egg on toast, stewed prunes and coffee, or some similar meal.
Tomatoes should never be combined with any starch food. They may be eaten with leafy vegetables and fat foods. The combination citric, malic and oxalic acids found in tomatoes, (which are released and intensified by cooking), is very antagonistic to the alkaline digestion of starches in the mouth and stomach. They should not be used on salads at a starch meal.
In cases of hyperacidity of the stomach, there is great difficulty in digesting starches. Much discomfort is caused by eating them. They ferment and poison the body. Acid-starch combinations are very rare in nature—the sour apple coming nearest to being such a combination.

Protein-Carbohydrate Combination

2. Never eat a concentrated protein and a concentrated carbohydrate at the same meal.

This means do not eat nuts, meat, eggs, cheese, or other protein foods at the same meal with bread, cereals, potatoes, sweet fruits, cakes, etc.
The Earl of Sandwich is credited with having invented the sandwich—a modern dietetic abomination. The hamburger, a similar abomination, is also a modern dietetic innovation. Egg sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, ham sandwiches and similar protein-starch combinations are of recent origin. Dr. Tilden used to say that, "Nature never produced a sandwich." How true are his words!
The digestion of carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and of protein is so different that when they are mixed in the stomach they interfere with the digestion of each other. An acid process (gastric digestion) and an alkaline process (salivary digestion) can not be carried on at the same time, in an ideal way in the stomach. In fact, they cannot proceed together at all for long, as the rising acidity of the stomach contents soon completely stops carbohydrate digestion, and this is followed by fermentation.
Dr. J. John Marshall showed that undigested starch in large amounts in the stomach absorbs pepsin and, thus, prevents the acid from entering into combination with the proteins, thereby increasing the free hydrochloric acid.

Beans contain about 25% protein and approximately 50½% carbohydrate or starch. This, doubtlessly, accounts for their difficult digestion and the readiness with which they ferment. Prof. McCollum says that, navy beans have a peculiar and indigestible carbohydrate. But McCollum knows nothing of combinations. Beans are a "bread and meat" combination, and each of their two principle constituents requires entirely different processes for digestion. The starch of the bean lies in the stomach, while its protein is being digested and, except under the most favorable of circumstances, ferments, producing gas and toxins.

One of the best rules for eating, which I can offer you, is to eschew all beans. This does not include green beans, which contain little starch. Matured or "dried" beans, of all types, are known by everyone to quickly ferment when eaten, and produce much gas. The strong gastric juice of the stomach, which is engaged in digesting proteins, impedes starch digestion. Pythagorus advised that, "We eat no beans." We subscribe to that plan, making an exception only in the case of green beans.

Candy, sugar, etc., greatly inhibit the secretion of the gastric juice and markedly delay digestion. Consumed in a large amount at a time, candy is very depressing to stomach activity.
Whatever may be true with reference to the effects of the starch-protein combination upon the digestion of protein, it is certain that this combination is disastrous to starch digestion. There is no doubt that the gastric juice destroys the ptyalin of the saliva and stops salivary digestion.

Protein-Protein Combination

3. Never consume two concentrated proteins at the same meal.

Do not eat nuts and meat, or eggs and meat, or cheese and nuts, or cheese and eggs, etc., at one meal. Do not use meat and milk, or eggs and milk, or nuts and milk at the same meal. Indeed, if taken at all, milk is best taken alone. Dr. Gibson well expresses it thus: "The best way with milk is either to take it alone or leave it alone." An exception may be made to this in the case of acid fruits. The popular superstition that lemons, berries, cucumbers, etc., with milk is dangerous, has no foundation.
Two proteins of different characters and different compositions, which call for different types of digestive juices, each of different strength and character, and being poured into the stomach at different times, should not be consumed at the same meal. One protein at a meal should be the rule.
There is protein in everything one eats, but in most foods there is such a small amount that we ignore it when in combinations. All the rules for combining foods should be recognized and applied only to the concentrated starches, sugars, fats and proteins.

Protein-Fat Combination

4. Do not consume proteins with fats.

This means do not use cream, butter, oil, etc., with meat, eggs, cheese, nuts, etc. Fat depresses the action of the gastric glands and inhibits the pouring out of the proper gastric juices for meats, nuts, eggs, or other protein. Fats, mixed with foods, delay the development of appetite juice and diminish its quantity.
The presence of fats in the stomach diminishes the production of chemical juice. Fatty acids lessen the activity of the gastric glands, the gastric juice, and lower the amount of pepsin and hydrochloric acid. It may also lower the entire digestive tone more than fifty per cent. This inhibiting effect can come even from fats in the intestine. Oil introduced into the rectum decreases the amount of gastric juice, though it does not alter its quality. (Oil enemas are bad.)

Acid-Protein Combination

5. Do not eat acid fruits with proteins.

This is to say, oranges, tomatoes, lemons, pineapples, etc., should not be eaten with meat, eggs, except with protein fats such as avocado, cheese or nuts.

Prof. Pavlov positively demonstrated the demoralizing influence of both, fruits' acids, and the acid results of fermentation upon digestion. Acid fruits, by inhibiting the flow of gastric juice—an unhampered flow which is imperatively demanded by protein foods—seriously handicaps protein digestion and results in putrefaction. Nuts and fresh cheese are about the only protein foods that do not quickly decompose under such conditions, and these have their digestion delayed. Acids do not inhibit the flow of gastric juice, any more, or any longer, than does the oil of nuts or the cream of cottage cheese.

Instead of orange juice, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, etc. assisting in the digestion of proteins when taken along with these, as is taught in certain quarters, these acids actually retard protein digestion.

Sugar-Starch Combination

6. Do not consume starches and sugars together.

Jellies, jams, fruit butter, sugar, honey, syrups, molasses, etc., on bread, cake, or at the same meal with cereals, potatoes, etc., or sugar with cereal, will produce fermentation. Hot cakes with honey or syrup are an abomination.
The practice of eating starches that have been disguised by sweets is also a bad way to eat carbohydrates. If sugar is taken in, the mouth quickly fills with saliva, but no ptyalin is present. Ptyalin is essential to starch digestion. If the starch is disguised with sugar, jellies, jams, syrups, etc., the taste buds are deceived, and carbohydrate digestion is impaired. Monosaccharides and disaccharides ferment quicker than do polysaccharides, and are prone to ferment in the stomach while awaiting the completion of starch digestion.

Sugar combined with starch results in fermentation. It means a sour stomach. It means discomfort. Those who are addicted to the honey-eating practice and who are laboring under the popular fallacy that, honey, which is a "natural sweet" that may be eaten indiscriminately, should know that this rule (not to take sweets with starches) applies to honey as well.
Honey or syrup, it makes no difference which, with your hot cakes or cereals, or honey or sugar to sweeten your cakes — these combinations spell fermentation. White sugar, brown sugar, “raw” sugar, imitation brown sugar (that is, white sugar that has been colored), black strap molasses, or other syrup with starches means fermentation. Soda will neutralize the resulting acids; it will not stop the fermentation.

Starch-Starch Combination

7. Eat but one concentrated starch food at a meal.

The rule to consume only one starch food at a meal is probably more important as a means to avoid the over-consumption of various starches, than as a means of avoiding bad combinations. While the overeating of starches may lead to fermentation, there is no certainty that the combination of two starches will do so.

Sugar-Sugar Combination

8. Eat sugars (fruits) and starchy foods at separate meals.

The rule for combining various sugars, resulting from various food classifications such as starch or fruits, may result in indigestion, due to bad food combining practices that would lead to fermenting some of the sugars from these food classifications. The major reason for this fermentation process would simply be due to the various digestive times required to break these foods into sugars that the body would accept.
An example of this rule would be the combination of acid-fruit sugars, which must be digested within an hour, with sweet fruit sugars such as cherries, dates, figs, raisins, and grapes, that require up to three hours to be properly digested.  The sugars from the acid-fruits would be held up, waiting up to three hours or more to be digested, and would ferment, because they were not properly digested within their allotted time frame of one hour. Starchy foods require two hours or more, before the various digestive stages convert the starch to a sugar that would be accepted by the body cells as nutrients. Again, the sugars from the acid-fruits would be held up while waiting to be digested for up to two hours or more, and would ferment. In addition, the acids from these fruits would destroy the starch enzymes, and whereby starch digestion would be suspended.

Take Melons Alone

9. Do not consume melons with any other foods.

Watermelon, muskmelon, honeydew melon, pie melon, casaba melon, cantaloupe, and other melons, should always be eaten alone. I know of no physiological reason for this rule. We do know that these foods decompose very quickly in the stomach and are almost sure to cause trouble if eaten with other foods. If eaten alone—a meal made of them—so that they are quickly passed out of the stomach, they form excellent and delightful foods.
People, who complain that melons "do not agree" with them, will find that, if eaten alone, but not between meals, they can enjoy them without an aftermath of discomfort. Because of the ease with which melons decompose, they do not combine well with any food, except, perhaps, with certain fruits.

Take Milk Alone

10. Milk is best taken alone, or let alone.

Milk is the natural food of the mammalian young, each species producing milk peculiarly and precisely adapted to the various needs of its own young. It is the rule that, the young take the milk alone and not in combinations with other foods. Milo Hastings once objected that calves will take milk and, a few minutes later, eat grass. But, we are not to forget that the calf has a few more stomachs than we and can do this without difficulty.
Milk acts as a gastric insulator. Its cream inhibits the outpouring of gastric juice for some time after the meal is eaten. Milk does not digest in the stomach, but in the duodenum, hence, in the presence of milk the stomach does not respond with its secretion. This prevents the digestion of other foods introduced along with the milk. Perhaps milk could be taken with starch, if it was pure starch, but no starch food is pure starch. The use of acid fruits with milk does not cause any trouble, and apparently does not conflict with its digestion.

Food Combinations In The Intestine

Bearing in mind the facts known about intestinal digestion, it seems probable that, proper combinations are important even in intestinal digestion. In other words, a properly combined meal is properly combined throughout the whole course of the digestive tube; while, an improperly combined meal is probably wrongly combined throughout the whole course of digestion. A few facts may help to make this clear. Prof. Pavlov says, "the existence of fat in large quantities in the chyme restrains in its own interest the further secretion of gastric juice, and thus impedes the digestion of protein substances; consequently a combination of fat and protein-holding food is particularly difficult to digest."
While the processes of digestion in the intestine all take place in an alkaline medium and it is ostensibly logical to assume that combinations make little or no differences in the intestine, Dr. Cason states that the digestion of starches in the small intestine when accompanied by proteins produces a distinct stasis. This would indicate delayed digestion. It seems certain that the putrefaction and fermentation that begins in the stomach as a consequence of wrong combinations will continue in the intestine. Good salivary and gastric digestion would seem to be essential to good intestinal digestion.


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5 ways to fat-proof your home, no willpower necessary

Think you're immune to temptation? Let's be honest: Even the most disciplined healthy eater will occasionally give in to "runger" (running hunger). One minute you're walking past a box of granola sitting on the kitchen counter; five minutes and 500 calories later, you probably wish you'd hidden that box in a cabinet instead.

DailyBurn: What 200 calories of nuts looks like

Staying a step ahead of yourself by keeping food out of direct sight is just one of the many ideas in Brian Wansink's new book, "Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions For Everyday Life." He's the founder of Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab, a think tank dedicated to promoting better nutrition by using psychology to outsmart human nature.

Weight Loss Apps

"[Willpower] hasn't worked in the long run for 90% of people," explains Wansink. "It's a lot easier to change your environment."

How diet soda confuses your body

Who knew you could make weight loss more effortless, just by doing a little strategizing? Try these easy tricks to get started.

How to lose weight if you're short on willpower

1. Put fresh fruit on the counter.

"Make it a rule that it's the only thing allowed on there," says Wansink, who's done research showing that having a fruit bowl on the counter doubles the amount of fruit people consume. But make sure that bowl isn't hidden behind the toaster, or covered with your kid's field trip permission slip. The key, he says, is to place your fruit within 2 feet of a heavily traveled pathway in the kitchen, so it's easy to grab a banana — as opposed to a Snickers bar — on the way out the door. "At my house, we have the bowl right by the key rack," he says.

DailyBurn: 19 ways to add flavor for 10 calories or less

Man shows loose skin after weight loss

2. Serve meals strategically.

Here's how to survive dinner with your diet intact: Serve an appetizer — as long as it's a salad or grilled veggies. They'll fill you up, so you'll eat fewer high-calorie foods throughout the rest of the meal. Serve your appetizer course at the table, but then sit back and ask your family to help themselves to more food in the kitchen. "Don't put the main dish or starches in the middle of the table because people are too prone to [eat] seconds and thirds," explains Wansink. His research found the trick decreased the amount of food eaten by 30% for men and 10% for women.

Woman loses over 200 pounds doing what?

3. Skillfully stock your fridge.

It's not enough to make sure you've got healthy food in your fridge. How it's displayed matters, too. Remember Wansink's principle: "First eaten, first seen." Keep precut fruits and veggies in clear containers in the middle of the fridge and at eye level so you consider eating them every time you open the door. Studies show that moving the veggie crisper higher causes you to eat more of the good stuff, too. Plus, it always helps to have hunger-busting high-protein snacks, such as yogurt, string cheese and sliced turkey, within easy reach.

DailyBurn: 5 intermittent fasting methods: Which one is right for you?

When it comes to storing the pad thai from last night's takeout, wrap it in foil or put it in an opaque container so you're not constantly reminded that it would make a delicious snack.

4. Buy smaller dishes.

The jug-sized wine glasses you just bought may be fun, but they're making your 5-ounce serving of Merlot look like just a swig. Smaller is better for dishes, too. Wansink invited his colleagues to an ice cream social and found that those with a 3-ounce spoon dished out 14% more than those with a 2-ounce spoon. He also found that people think they're eating a lot more if they eat their meals on plates no bigger than 10 inches in diameter, as opposed to 12 inches, which is the standard size in American kitchens.

How to really lose weight

Low-carb vs. low-fat for weight loss

5. Make single servings easy to grab.

Even healthy snacks can go awry: We all know it can be tough to eat only a few nuts when you have the whole jar in front of you. Divvy up that supersized tub of cashews into single-portion packs to avoid accidentally downing a gazillion calories worth of your favorite nut.

Interestingly, the same tactic can increase your consumption of healthy, low-calorie fruits when snacking. Wansink and his team found that placing cut-up fruit in small bags encouraged elementary school children to triple their fruit consumption, as opposed to when they were offered whole fruit. Because the kids could clearly see the fruit, and the bag was convenient to carry around, healthy snacking increased.

Want more tips? Download Wansink's scorecard. "Even small changes make a big difference over the long run," he says. "Try out a few of these, and you'll notice you're dropping pounds within a few months, and it's not that hard."

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Take 3 Actions To Fight The Flu

Flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. 
CDC urges you to take the following actions to protect yourself and others from influenza (the flu): 

Take time to get a flu vaccine.

• CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
• While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the three or four viruses that research suggests will be most common. (See upcoming season’s Vaccine Virus Selection for this season’s vaccine composition.)
• Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations and deaths.
• Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine as soon as the current season's vaccines are available.
• Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.
• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
• Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to high risk people.
• Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for them should be vaccinated instead.

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
• See Everyday Preventive Actions and Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) for more information about actions – apart from getting vaccinated and taking medicine – that people and communities can take to help slow the spread of illnesses like influenza (flu).

Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

• If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can treat your illness.
• Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter.
• Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For people with high risk factors, treatment with an antiviral drug can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.
• Studies show that flu antiviral drugs work best for treatment when they are started within 2 days of getting sick, but starting them later can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high-risk health or is very sick from the flu. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking this drug.
• Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

Source : http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

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Your 15 min wake-up workout

According to fitness experts, just fifteen minutes of exercise a day in the morning is all you need to boost your energy, improve your mood and sculpt your waistline.

In fact, exercising little and often has huge benefits.
Apart from being a great start to the day, moving blood around your body and bringing fresh oxygen to the brain will make you feel more alert and improve your mood.
This is because exercise releases endorphins - our body's own natural feel-good chemicals, making you feel calmer, happier and more relaxed.
Regular amounts of exercise will also help tone your muscles. 'Challenging your muscles will stimulate blood flow,' says personal trainer Vicky Mahony of Holmes Place Training Academy. 'Over time this will increase the number of blood capillaries in your muscles, making you feel stronger and more toned.'
Even better, after around four to six weeks of short bursts of exercise, you'll develop stronger abdominal muscles - the part of your body that gives you that much coveted look - a waist.
If you can't bear the idea of trading in your snooze, the good news is that exercising little and often soon becomes second nature and an essential part of your daily health and beauty routine.
Femail.co.uk's exclusive wake-up workout
Vicky Mahony a personal trainer at Holmes Place Training Academy has designed a wake-up workout exclusively for femail.co.uk. It takes just 15 minutes and no specialist equipment is required.
Before you start, wake yourself up by splashing water on your face and drinking a glass of water.
Warm up by working your transverse abdominals (TAs) by drawing your navel towards your spine. Imagine stopping yourself while mid flow on the toilet. This should be a subtle, gentle movement - rather than a forceful exercise - and should be around 30 per cent of what you consider to be a full contraction.
This movement is important for office workers, because it improves posture, bringing awareness to your posture - and giving you a taller and slimmer appearance.
EXERCISE ONE: WALKING ON THE SPOT
Stand up with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your side. Break into a brisk walk by marching on the spot. Try to bring your knees up as high as possible and swing your arms by your side.
For how long?
Do this exercise for three minutes. Gradually build up to one-and-a-half minutes walking and one-and-a-half minutes jogging. After two weeks, for a better cardiovascular workout, try jogging on the spot for three minutes, rather than walking.
What are the benefits?
The aim of this exercise is to wake you up, bringing fresh oxygen to your upper body and brain. As well as working your calves and legs, this exercise also opens the chest, tones up your arms and strengthens your abdominal muscles, helping to prevent your lower back from becoming weak after sitting at a desk all day long.
EXERCISE TWO: SQUATS

Stand behind a chair - or in front of your bed - about two inches from the base. With your feet hip-width apart, stand with your toes slightly pointed out - about five degrees. Keep your arms outstretched in front of you if that helps you to balance. Breathe in, pulling your navel towards your spine.
Now, lower your body down towards the bed or floor - as if you are about to sit down. Before your buttocks touch the bed or ground, breathe out and push up from your feet, back to your starting position.
For how long?
Two sets of twelve repetitions. This exercise should be done methodically without too much rest between each set - around 15 seconds at the most. This will start to work your muscles aerobically - and your body will start to use up some fat.
What are the benefits?
Because you are working against your own body weight and gravity, this exercise is good for your hamstrings, buttocks, hip flexors, calves, legs and abdominal muscles

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-110929/Your-15-min-wake-workout.html

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