Top Wellness advice and information!

1. Grapefruit: In a 2004 study at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California, researchers investigated the effect of grapefruit on weight loss and found that eating half a grapefruit before a meal can help us lose weight. The researchers studied the effect of grapefruit capsules, grapefruit juice and real grapefruit. All three seemed to help, but eating the real grapefruit got the best results. Grapefruits also contains cancer-fighting compounds like liminoids and lycopene, and red grapefruit has been shown to help lower triglycerides. Half a grapefruit has only 39 calories. This makes it a great breakfast food, a super snack between meals or make it a dessert!

2 Sardines: Sardines are high in protein, which helps stabilize blood sugar, making you feel full and helps stimulate metabolism. They’re a great source of omega-3s, which not only strengthen the cardiovascular system but also are helpful in boosting mood. Sardines are also free of contaminants, such as mercury and heavy metals.

3. Pumpkin: is considered one of the greatest weight-loss foods ever. Canned pumpkin is absolutely loaded with fiber and has only 40 calories. Dozens of studies show that high fiber intake is associated with a many health benefits, including weight management. Pumpkin is also among the easiest food in the world to prepare. You can sweeten it with your favorite low or 0-calorie sweetener, sprinkle it with blood-sugar- lowering cinnamon and nutmeg for good measure, throw in some healthy almonds and make it one of the best tasting weight-loss treats around. It’s filling and delicious. Makes a great dessert, snack or side dish.

4. High-protein diets are associated with weight loss for a variety of reasons: Protein stimulates metabolism, helps you feel full longer and helps decrease the desire to overeat. Protein is important because it allows the brain to synthesis the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which help keep your mind attentive and alert. Excessive protein levels make the organs of digestion work much harder to process this food and robs your energy stores. Find the balance for YOU. Listen to your body! It will tell you what makes you feel good and what does not. Especially in the long term. Consider these great protein foods such as lean beef, lean pork, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, and sardines.

5. Carbohydrates provide glucose for energy. Excessive carbohydrates can increase blood sugar levels to dangerous levels, which then makes your body shut down to protect itself. Again, find the balance that is right for YOU. Listen to your body! It will tell you what makes you feel good and what does not.

6. If you have issues with excess heat, (sweating, red face, red skin, inflammation) look at eating foods that have a cooling nature. If you have excess cold (cold fingers, toes, hands, feet, cold abdomen, especially below the navel), look at eating foods that have a warming nature. Neutral foods help to regulate our system.

7. Green Tea is a natural weight-loss stimulant and is a great slimming solution Green tea is rich in antioxidants, promotes heart health, assists digestion and regulates blood sugar and body temperature. It raises the metabolic rate and speeds up fat oxidation, and therefore helps people lose weight. Drink it daily to boost your metabolism. Some research has shown that five cups a day is the magic number for fat loss. As an added benefit, the theanine in green tea is also a great natural de-stressor.

8. Apples and Pears are both great foods for boosting metabolism and weight loss. Apples contain naturally-occurring chemical compounds known as phytochemicals, polyphenols, or flavonoids, some of which have been proven to have antioxidant activity that inhibits, or scavenges, the activity of free radicals in the body. Cell damage from free radicals can be a factor in certain cancers, heart disease, strokes, and other conditions. The major antioxidant components in apples are polyphenols contained mainly in the skin known as quercetin glycoside, phloretin glycoside, chlorogenic acid, and epicatechin. Water rich fresh fruits such as pears, will dilute the calories in your foods, so you can eat more and not overdue the calories. This high fiber fruits is nutritious and keeps the digestive system on track as well as helps to steady the insulin levels, which is going to prevent fat storage. Overweight women who ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t add fruit to their diet, according to researchers from the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Fruit eaters also ate fewer calories overall.

9. Soups are super! According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger- satisfying combination of liquids and solids. In the study, women chose one of three 270-calorie snacks before lunch. Women who had chicken and rice soup as a snack consumed an average of 100 fewer calories than those in the study who opted for a chicken and rice casserole or the casserole and a glass of water.

10. Low-Fat Yogurt has shown to boost weight loss efforts, according to a study in the April 2006 issue of Obesity Research. People on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of dairy foods lost significantly more weight than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss- friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8- ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein. It includes calcium, protein and a ton of other nutrients as well as good bacteria for you digestive tract.