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Reducing carbohydrate intake to a minimum is one of the key factors in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. This is precisely what the Atkins diet teaches you to do. Although the concept of using low carbs to lose weight is not a new approach, the Atkins way is a very specific method. It will teach you how to stick to a plan that is proven effective, and easy to use. You will still be able to eat tasty foods, and satisfy your craving for carbohydrates. The best thing about the Atkins way is this: once you have reached your target weight, you are not left wondering what to do next. The Atkins program is tailored in such a way that you can use it for your entire lifetime.

There are two phases to the Atkins program. The first phase is especially important if you have a lot of weight to lose. It is the jump start or introductory phase. For approximately two weeks, you will be limited to an intake of about 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. During this phase your diet should include protein rich foods such as chicken, whole eggs, cooked beef, and a variety of fish. You also need foods that are high in the ‘good’ fats such as dairy products and olive oil. For your carb meal you may have a green salad with a low carb dressing. You may also have foods such as green beans and broccoli.

Phase two of the Atkins program is what they call the ongoing weight loss phase, or the OWL. During this phase, you must keep on eating the foods that are high in protein and fat. The primary difference in phase two is that you begin to re-add carbohydrates to your diet in 5 gram intervals. The objective is to add 5 grams of carbohydrates per week until you stop loosing weight.

If you are satisfied with your current weight, then you stay with the current amount of carbohydrates. If you want to lose more weight, you need to drop 5 grams per week until you are back down to 20 grams, or you reach your desired weight.

Although this yo-yo effect may at first seem confusing, it makes perfect sense. During the first two weeks of a diet, you aren’t getting rid of fat tissue. Instead, you are getting rid of water. After that, your effort to burn fat becomes complicated by your body’s tendency to want to hold onto the fat stores. It will seek to accomplish this by lowering your metabolism. Therefore, when you alter the amount of carbohydrates, your body cannot adapt as quickly, and will utilize the fat stores instead of changing the metabolism.

The Atkins way is one of the best forms of low carb diet. Not only does it allow you to see immediate results, it takes into account the homeostatic tendencies of your body. Finally, once you have reached your target weight, you will be able to continue on the regimen in order to maintain healthy nutrition habits. If you want to adjust your weight again later on, the Atkins way will help you achieve it safely and reliably.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Nutrition & Health.

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Tags: atkins diet, low carbs, Nutrition & Health, olive oil

Alcohol is a staple at most adult party’s. While the responsible drinker won’t drink themselves into a stupor, everyone is entitled to a little irresponsibility now and then (just do not drink and drive). If you do end up going overboard then you are probably going to face the inevitable hangover the next day.

The scenarios behind a hangover tend to be pretty similar – too much to drink, mixing drinks, etc. The symptoms are often the same: migraines, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and a general feeling of discomfort. Here is a look at how you can prevent yourself from feeling this way should there be a next time.
Never drink on an empty stomach. Eat something with greasy, fatty foods loaded with oil or butter. Others will swear by having a couple of tablespoons of olive oil before leaving the house. Remember to wash it down before going to bed with a couple of glasses of water.

Drinking water, in general, before bedtime will help with dehydration along with something to dull the pain.
If you need help waking up in the morning, you can try a red eye. Take some whiskey, fresh coffee, Tabasco sauce, a raw egg, pepper, and orange juice and blend it together in a blender. If you are able to choke it down, fans say that you will start feeling better within 15 minutes. If you need a faster cure, try a Black Mary. Mix coffee with tonic water, honey, and orange juice. Again, it might be a little rough to get down, but there are those that swear by its effectiveness.

Some other preventatives have to do with when you are actually out drinking. Following these rules can help keep you feeling good the next day.

First of all, avoid mixed drinks. If you prefer the harder drinks, take them straight or over ice. Avoid drinks that have colas or juices mixed in, since these will often get you drunk faster and without realizing it. This leads to more toxins needing to be flushed from your system, and a higher likelihood of a hangover the next day.
Do not mix low alcoholic drinks with highly alcoholic ones. For example, drinking both beer and hard liquor is a thing to avoid. Choose one or the other, otherwise, your body gets confused and you end up taking in more alcohol. And, the more alcohol that gets absorbed, the more likely you are to have a hangover.

Avoid dairy when you are drinking. Milk, cheeses, ice cream, and cream sauces can really upset your stomach when you mix them with alcohol. So unless you enjoy the view of your toilet bowl, stay away from them until afterwards.
Always keep in mind that while hangover “cures” can help to alleviate the symptoms of your hangover, only time and your metabolism will officially end it. So keep that in mind when you are out drinking, particularly if there is somewhere that you want to be the next day.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on Hangover Cures.

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Tags: coffee, dehydration, Hangover Cures, honey, olive oil, toxins

Sunflower seeds are not just fun to eat; they are also very nutritious to the body. While sunflower seeds contain approximately the same amount of polyunsaturated fats as their counterpart nuts, they are much richer in antioxidants that ward off cancer, cataracts and heart disease. Sunflower seeds are also high in vitamin E content. It has been shown by research studies that consuming high amounts, which is to say in the area of 100 IU (the RDA is presently at 15 IU on a daily basis) of vitamin E on a daily basis helps to cut the risk of developing heart disease by approximately 40 percent.

Fish and fish oils contain the very important omega 3 fatty acids that the body requires to help lower the blood fats, and in particular triglycerides. It is believed that high amounts of triglycerides in the blood are more dangerous for females than they are for males. Eating regular portions of fish is also beneficial for lowering blood pressure and for easing many of the discomforts that arthritis brings with it. The fish highest in omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, blue fish, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring and lake trout. It is recommended that an individual eat two to three servings of fish per week. It is not recommended that you start taking fish oil supplements unless you first discuss it with your physician.

Nuts are very good for the heart. In particular, walnuts have been found to lower levels of bad cholesterol a great deal. By getting rid of saturated fats in the diet and instead substituting polyunsaturated fats that are contained in nuts you can do a great deal of good for your heart. Nuts, listed in order of those containing the highest levels of monounsaturated fatty acids to the least include macadamias, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pine nuts and walnuts.

Olive oil is very rich monounsaturated fat, which helps to decrease the level of cholesterol in the blood. Olive oil is a mainstay of those living in the Mediterranean region. Oliver oil can be purchased in regular, light tasting, virgin and extra virgin. If you do not particularly like the taste of olive oil then reach for canola oil as it contains plenty of monounsaturated fats and is low in saturated fat content. Other types of oils that are healthiest because of their monounsaturated fats include flaxseed oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, grape seed oil, soybean oil and walnut oil. If you want to decrease your bad cholesterol (LDL) by anywhere from seven to ten percent then substitute either olive oil or canola oil fro butter or margarine (more so if you are replacing butter which contains more fat than margarine). Be aware however that all oils have at least 144 grams of fat, not to mention 120 calories for every tablespoon.

Flaxseed oil is another oil that is beneficial for health. This type of oil comes the flax plant and is an “oilseed.” Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of omega -3 fatty acids as well as lignans. Eating a diet rich in lignans helps to decrease the risk of developing many different kinds of cancers, not to mention osteoporosis and circulatory disease.

Seeds, nuts, fish and oils have many health benefits and if you are looking to live a healthier life they should become a staple in your diet.

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Scott Meyers is a staff writer for It’s Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more informaton on Food Cures.

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Tags: fish oil, flaxseed oil, Food Cures, lowering blood pressure, monounsaturated fats, nuts, olive oil, omega 3 fatty acids, saturated fats, sunflower seeds, vitamin E