People have become more health-conscious the last few years, and now want healthy choices whether eating at home or at their favorite restaurants. Luckily, the restaurant industry has been quick to accommodate the demand, so you'll find you have many options to "eat healthy" these days.

Whether you're eating at home or dining out, the same rules for watching your weight apply. You need to eat more vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Choose smaller portions of lean meats, fish and poultry. Eat a variety of foods, and fresh, raw foods are better. Cut back on salt, sugar, saturated fats and alcohol. Drink plenty of water, and include exercise every day as part of your daily lifestyle choice.

So whether you're having lunch with the gang, or enjoying a romantic dinner for two, you can enjoy delicious-tasting foods that are low-in calories and good for you, with just a little forethought and planning.

Here are some easy tips to remember when ordering out that will help you to lose weight even when eating at your favorite restaurants:

1. If you know the menu from the restaurant you're going to, plan what you're going to have ahead of time. This will help save you from making a last minute decision that could result in high-calorie choices.

2. Drink at least one full-glass of water or iced tea before eating your meal. This helps your digestive process and because you'll feel full sooner, you will eat less.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for the "senior citizen" special or kid's-sized portions. Most restaurants will accommodate you -- and often you'll pay less as well!

4. Order first. That way you're much less likely to be influenced by the choices of your companions.

5. If you're not sure how something is prepared, don't be afraid to ask. And if the dish is cooked in oil or butter, you can always ask if they have a "fat free" option.

6. If everything on the menu is high in fat or calories, ask if the chef could prepare a plate of fresh fruit and vegetables. Many restaurants offer a vegetarian selection, so if you don't see it on the menu, ask.

7. When ordering meat or fish, ask that it be grilled or broiled and prepared without oil or butter. (When you eat it, use lemon or herbs and spices to give it flavor rather than heavy sauces).

8. Order an appetizer and a salad as your meal. Or a soup and salad. For dessert, choose fresh fruit.

9. When choosing soup, remember that cream-based soups have many more calories than broth-based ones.

10. If you're having a full meal, split the appetizer and desert with your companion.

11. If you decide to order pasta, tomato sauce has fewer calories than cream-based sauces, just like soup.

12. Choose breadsticks over bread, or if you eat bread, don't add butter. Stay away from muffins and croissants, and choose whole grain over white.

13. Choose steamed vegetables instead of baked potatoes or other starches. Again, use lemon and herbs and spices rather than butter to flavor them with.

14. Whenever possible have your biggest meal at lunchtime. Not only will you save money, but you'll cut down on calories at the same time!

15. Take the time to enjoy your meal. Savor the flavors and textures of your food and enjoy the company you're with. When you eat slowly, you give your body's internal clock the time it needs to know when you've had enough. When you're full, stop eating. Ask your server to remove your plate so you're not tempted to keep eating while you wait for your companion to finish.

16. Ask for salsa on your baked potatoes, rather than sour cream and butter. Not only is salsa much lower in calories, but it adds a "spicy" flavor to potatoes.

17. Order salad dressings and sauces "on the side." This gives you more control of how much to use. Another tip for salad dressing -- rather than pouring the salad dressing on your salad, dip your fork into the dressing first, and then into the salad. You'll get the same amount of flavor, without all the added calories!

18. Choose brown rice over white rice (or french fries), whole grain breads and rolls over white. Not only are they lower in calories, but they are better for you.

19. Stay away from "all you can eat" buffets and salad bars. It's too easy to lose track of the amount of food you're eating, even when it's salads. If that's your only choice, then stay away from the pasta, marinated salads, cheeses and fruit salads with whipped cream. Stick to soups, raw vegetables and fresh fruits.

20. Have your soup first. It will help to fill you up and most soups have fewer calories.

21. If you're craving something sweet, and don't want fresh fruit, choose sorbet. If you absolutely HAVE to have the chocolate sauce, use the same trick as you did with the salad dressing -- dip your fork into it first, then your dessert.

22. Split your dessert with your companion. You'll still feel like you got to be indulgent, and you'll only have to exercise half as long to burn off the extra calories!

23. When ordering sandwiches, order them with mustard only, rather than mayonnaise. Not only does mustard have almost no calories, but you won't miss the mayo!

24. If the portion you were served is large, only eat half of it. Take the other half home. Not only will you get two meals for the price of one, but you'll cut the calories in half as well!

25. Go for a walk after eating. Stroll along the beach, walk through a park, visit a zoo. You'll burn calories and get your exercise at the same time!*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

2. How Does Pilates Help Your Body?

Although Pilates has been around since the early part of the 20th century, it is only beginning to get the attention it deserves.

Pilates is a unique set of exercises that relies on certain muscles that include your back, your abdominals (also known as your Core), your buttocks and your inner thigh muscles. Each exercise flows into the other and requires you to perform them precisely and repetitiously. By performing the exercises exactly, they will eventually help you to have a stronger; more balanced physique and will help to correct any weakness in your body.

If you have always admired the long, lean look of a dancer's body then Pilates is perfect for you. However, beyond a well-sculpted and balanced body, Pilates has many other health benefits as well.

One of the benefits of Pilates is stress management. We live in an extremely stressful world. We all need to learn how to deal with stress. Often, unbridled stress can lead to disease or even death and is commonly called the silent killer. Many people find that by practicing Pilates they learn how to breathe properly and to focus their minds on their form. By learning to focus the mind and engaging it with the body, this helps to release tension and stress.

Another benefit of Pilates is that it gives flexibility to your body. In our modern world, most of us lead very sedentary lifestyles. We do not get enough exercise. As a result, our muscles and joints become very stiff and our bodies begin to age quickly. Stretching, however, is one of the key components of Pilates. By engaging in Pilates on a regular basis, you will have increased flexibility and range of motion. This will help you in many aspects of your life including being able to perform all of your daily activities more easily. Having a flexible body also means better blood circulation as well. This will lead to the blood being able to reach your muscles to bring nourishment to your cells.

Body alignment is another benefit of Pilates. Most of us are more aligned or developed on one side of the body than the other. For example, the left side of our body may be stronger and more flexible than the right side of our body. By practicing Pilates on a regular basis, you can change this by helping your body to become more balanced. Pilates will help you to strengthen, tone, limber, and stretch all of your muscles and joints. This will give you a much more balanced and aligned body and physique.

Additionally, by practicing Pilates on a regular basis, your body will become more streamlined. The exercises are designed to stretch and lengthen your muscles. This will give a longer, leaner look to your body and overall posture.

Lastly, another benefit of regular participation in Pilates is more mental alertness. Performing the Pilates postures and breathing exercises will not only increase the circulation of your blood, it will also bring more oxygen to your brain, thus increasing your mental alertness.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

3. What? A Supper with NO Meat?

With more and more of the population becoming obese, it has prompted many people to look at healthier ways of eating such as diets which include the five fruits and veggie theory, becoming a vegetarian or even a flexitarian. An odd word used to describe people who eat meat or fish occasionally.

Flexitarians include the health conscious, who eat two or three meatless dishes a week and those who are vegetarian inclined, that is those who replace meat dishes for meatless alternatives and maintain a largely vegetarian diet eating four or more meatless dishes a week.

In recent years the market for vegetarian type foods has increased dramatically. More consumers are turning to a flexible diet for health, animal and environmental reasons. Grocery stores and supermarkets also carry more ethnic type foods making it easier to buy vegetarian products.

Vegetarian type diets tend to be healthier with flexitarians more likely to eat the recommended daily intake of fruit and veggies. The only difference is flexitarians do not give up piece meat, poultry or fish entirely.

So how do we wean ourselves onto a flexible or meatless diet, when we are so used to having meat with every meal? Well studies have shown that meatless meals are lower in fat and cholesterol and include more of the foods containing the nutrients needed for good health, namely Vitamin A and C, potassium and fiber.

The main thing however is to start gradually as for many people, meat tends to be the main focus of any meal with a smattering of vegetables dotted around the plate. To switch suddenly to meatless meals can leave one craving meat and this is where being a flexitarian really comes into its own. Here you have the advantage of not only eating a vegetable based diet which is nutritious, but by adding a little meat or poultry to a mainly vegetarian dish you are adding flavour as well as satisfying that desire for meat.

Try eating a vegetarian meal once a week to begin with and building up from there. Buy a vegetarian cookbook and try new dishes until you find one that suits your palate.

If you still need meat, try a recipe which combines both meat and vegetables or grains. Use smaller meat portions in your meals. With the surge of new shops catering to the various palates of the world, there is a wide variety of foreign and meatless foods to appeal to your taste.

Finally test and tweak foods until you come up with a healthy food plan that is right for you, while bearing in mind that consuming less meat is important in reducing your fat intake and lowering your chances of developing diseases such as heart disease and cancer. These steps though small contain big rewards to enjoying a much healthier way of life.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters- Natural Vitamin Supplements

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

4. Your Do You Know Multi-Vitamin?

A multivitamin is a nutritional supplement containing many different types of vitamins, as the name suggests. However, many brands of multivitamins also contain minerals, trace elements, and other nutritionals. Multi-vitamins are convenient because it is not necessary to take dozens of individual vitamin pills each day. Instead, these all-in-one vitamin pills contain many vitamins in controlled dosages.

The controlled dosage of each individual vitamin in the pill is provided for your protection. Dosages are usually measured and presented in a percentage of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), in micrograms (mcg), or sometimes in International Units (I.U.). Most vitamins in the tablet are included at the 100% RDA dosage, meaning that the capsule contains all of that particular nutrient you would need for a day. For nutrients listed in the ingredients as less than 100% of the RDA, the vitamin manufacturer expects you to get the remainder of those vitamins from your daily diet.

Multivitamin pills are not a replacement for a healthy diet, however. Instead, they are a supplement to healthy eating. Today's fast paced lifestyles, and the correspondingly fast paced fast foods, do not typically supply all the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs for good health and nutrition. Instead, these rather unhealthy diets are more likely to provide you with large amounts of only a few essential vitamins, and little or none of others. Taking a daily multivitamin by a reputable manufacturer helps even out the nutrient deficits in your diet.

Do not be alarmed if the combination of your daily diet and your daily vitamin provide you with more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance of one or more nutrients. First of all, different people have different nutritional requirements, and may need more of that particular supplement. Secondly, the extra amount of the nutrients you consume are not likely to be large, and the unused part will normally be flushed out of your system with other bodily wastes. Be aware, however, that deliberately taking mega-doses of certain vitamins can be unhealthy. Almost any material can be toxic to the body if taken in excessive doses!

Remember to take your multivitamin tablet on a daily basis. Taking a pill once a week, or once every two to three days, will be helpful. However, most nutritional supplements containing Vitamins C, D, E, B6, B12, Niacin, Thiamin, and the other recommended nutrients provide the most health benefits when taken daily. If you forget to take your daily pill, don't take two the next day. Instead, simply take your next scheduled single pill. Taking multivitamins on a daily basis can supplement your diet and improve your overall health.

If you want a comprehensive nutritional product, try a vitamin pack. How about a product that has a complete vitamin mineral complex in one pill, a B & C complex in another, a Carto E-omega complex and a Priobiotic complex in the last pill all package in a daily travel pack? these vitamins a re coated for optimal delivery in your body where they are needed most. Does such a product exist? Sure, Shaklee has the Vitalizer. Be sure to get yours today!*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

5. Your Body Is Not Designed for Junk Food

The human body was built to eat natural whole foods. Your meals were meant to be eaten slowly - not eaten on the run. Your body was meant to breathe in fresh air and drink in clean refreshing water.

Unfortunately if you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) you are probably filling your belly with so much processed food that your body may be experiencing toxic shock. With all the chemicals and fillers we are putting into our bodies it is sometimes a miracle that our bodies even function as well as they do.

Did you hear about the movie "Super Size Me" by the film maker Morgan Spurlock? He is the guy who wanted to evaluate just exactly what the fast food industry was actually doing to our health. So for thirty days he ate three meals a day at McDonald's restaurants. The results he experienced were frightening. In just 30 days of McDonald's meals, he gained 24 pounds, began to experience heart palpitations and caused damage to his liver. All of these horrible results were due to a diet of mainly fries, burgers and soda.

The sad thing is that the movie is not that far off from the way that people really eat on a daily basis in America. Junk food makes up a huge part of our country's diet. Even when we do not want to admit it, we still consume loads of sugars, starches, artificial ingredients, chemicals, and fats. No much really healthy stuff makes it way on to our plates.

You may say you are eating healthier because you are eating more salads. And in fact, it is great to add salads and lots of fresh raw vegetables and fruits to your diet. However, if your salad if just slathered with high fat salad dressing, cheeses, bacon bits, croutons and other toppings then you may have been better off just eating a burger.

Americans consume a lot of processed foods that are filled with artificial ingredients used to enhance the flavor and add to the shelf life of the product so it can sit on the store shelf for a long time before a consumer finally buys it.

Try this experiment. Take a bite of a fresh carrot or sweet crunchy apple and chew it for about 30 seconds. Notice the flavors? Can you taste the natural sweetness? Did the taste last until you swallowed it? Now try the same thing with a potato chip. After only a few seconds, the taste is not very good. The crunch is definitely gone. You may taste grease that is now coating your mouth and throat.

Now let's get real about this. If you are honest you will find that natural foods just taste better and because they are so good for you - you may find that you will have a positive sense of well being every time you care about your body and feed it something that will energize you for the next task you need to undertake.

Help your health out and start switching away from processed foods and fast foods and start working in more healthy natural whole foods into your diet. Your body will thank you!*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

6. 5 Tips For Boosting Metabolism

Boosting your metabolism will help you lose weight and burn more calories. So if weight loss is your goal you will be interested in these five ways you can boost your metabolism.

Eat more fish

Every where you look people talk about the benefits of taking fish oil capsules to get those good for you omega-3 fatty acids. You can find omega-3's in fish like sardines, herring, tuna, mackerel, trout, and salmon. Studies have stated that if you consume fish you can boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories a day!

Eat more dark green leafy vegetables

Dark green leafy vegetables like arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, chard, and spinach are full of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and lots of fiber. These vegetables are packed with loads of antioxidants and they are healthy for you, but what really helps you increase your metabolism is the fiber content in these vegetables. Your body is going to burn a lot more calories because of the work it takes to digest the fiber in these foods.

Eat more tomatoes

Tomatoes are really great for you because they have lycopene. Lycopene is the antioxidant that has been found to have natural cancer fighting qualities. Tomatoes are also a good source of fiber. The key ingredient for eliminating fat, however, are the acids in tomatoes that help your body get rid of fat from your system.

Eat more fruit

Whole fresh fruits have actually been said to have "negative calories." this means that your body will burn more calories digesting the food than it stores from eating the food. To ramp up your metabolism you may want to try adding fresh fruits like blueberries or strawberries or bananas to your cereal or your smoothies every morning.

Eat spicy foods, chilies, and curries

Have you ever eaten a spicy meal and felt your body break out in a sweat? The capsaicin in many hot peppers and other spices literally fire up your metabolism due to the "fire" it creates inside your body. Some studies have said that there is a 50% increase in metabolism after eating a spicy meal that contains capsaicin. So you may want to keep a bottle of hot sauce on your table and add it to your dishes at meal time.

Now you have five ways you can boost your metabolism and burn more calories. Tonight, you just might want to have some spicy Cajun blackened salmon for dinner, a big salad with lots of dark green leafy vegetables and tomatoes. And for dessert a fresh fruit salad.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Weight Loss Supplementation and Support

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

7. Whey Based Meal Replacement Shakes

Do High Protein Meal replacement Shakes work?

Many diet programs use Meal Replacement Shakes as part of their plan. You will find Protein Shakes for sale at most Gyms. What are they? How do they work? Are they safe?

Medical scientists and nutritionists have determined that the body needs an appropriate intake of the following items every day to keep the body healthy.

Proteins, Carbohydrates, Vitamins, Minerals, Healthy Fats, Fibre, Herbs (botanical factors) and water.

One of the problems with our food today is that while you may get some of these items in the correct quantities, we get some in much higher amounts than we need. Some of the nutrients may be less than we need or even missing entirely. Even if we try to eat healthy, many of the food choices we make are too highly processed or mass-produced with more thought to visual appeal on the supermarket shelves than vitamin content. Then they get harvested early, chilled, stored, transported, artificially ripened... you get the picture. How can we ensure that we eat everything every day that our body needs to be healthy?

The simple answer is, we can't.

If you are eating processed foods every day..you know the food that is easiest to grab..then you might be missing out on some the essential vitamins and nutrients. Plus, you are getting a lot of preservatives and chemicals needed to make the food last longer on the shelves. Sounds yummy huh?

Everyone knows that we should eat a healthy breakfast to give us the energy and nutrients for the day. How many of us actually do? To many people, breakfast means a cup of coffee and a bagel or a doughnut - or just the coffee!

Starting the day with a Healthy Meal replacement shake that provides all the necessary nutrients for our day in a low-calorie shake is an ideal breakfast. We are now equipped with a good start ready to face whatever the day throws at us.

How about weight loss?

By having a healthy low calorie breakfast with a meal replacement shake, you have just consumed around 250 calories - nothing like the 1000 calorie breakfast you can buy at a fast-food outlet - or a sugar laden breakfast cereal.. You get the picture. If we assume that you need to be eating around 1500 calories a day to lose weight, then you have just removed 750 calories fro your day's calorie overload.

On top of that, by making sure that your breakfast shake is high in protein, you won't be hungry either - and you are better able to resist the temptation to snack!

If you add a lunchtime shake as well - your total calorie count is now about 500 calories. This leaves you with 1000 calories for an evening meal - plus a healthy snack or two during the day.

1000 calories is a great allowance for a healthy evening meal - You can enjoy the foods you love - just remember to watch the portion sizes!

Are they safe?

Be careful about what is in the shake mix. Make sure it isn't just "flavored protein powder" as you can find in many Gyms for body builders - It needs to have all the vitamins and minerals and fibre as well.

Fibre and Water - Make sure that you are eating enough fibre rich fruits and vegetables and drinking enough water (8 glasses a day is recommended). This will prevent some of the digestive problems occasionally associated with a dietary shift onto meal replacement shakes - You will want to get regular..you know what I mean right?

That's how easy it can be. Meal replacement Shakes feed your body everything it needs - and cuts out the extra calories it doesn't need. It's your choice and your body, but remember it is the temple for your soul.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Protein Shakes with Leucine

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

8. How Much Protein Do You Need?

Do you need protein daily? Does it have to be red meat?

Protein is essential for muscle development as well as being a source of 22 amino acids which are necessary for the production of enzymes and hormones in the body.

How much protein you do need every day? The Institute of Medicine of the National Institute of Science has concluded that daily protein intake should be 10-35% of our total calorie intake. Men need more protein than women. So, if you are dieting, then forget the lettuce leaf and celery stick diets! Get your daily protein intake!

Protein has a major impact on our level of hunger. If you don't get enough protein in a meal, you will be hungry again soon even if it contained thousands of calories. Did you realize that the number one reason people failed at dieting was because they got hungry? Makes sense really. If you are hungry, then you are more likely to eat the first snack you come across which is likely to be one of those high calorie junk food items! If you maintain good protein intake during the day, you just won't feel as hungry and are less likely to cheat!

Muscle Mass. By increasing the protein levels in your diet, you are also helping to build muscle mass which in turn raises your "resting metabolic rate" - that is the number of calories your body burns even when you are sleeping. This helps the Calories Eaten vs. Calories burnt ratio without increasing your exercise! So you can either eat more calories during the day and still maintain your weight, or it can help burn fat so you lose weight faster if you are dieting.

Good Protein vs Bad Protein? Protein from animal sources (meats, dairy, eggs) typically contains high levels of saturated fats which are both high in calories as well as being the bad fats. Eating white meat (poultry, not pork) and deep sea oily fish are good, but by far the best are the vegetable proteins. The most plentiful and probably the best is Soy protein.

A Balanced Diet Completely removing non-protein foods from your diet is not good either; you do need to eat a balanced diet that contains all the other nutrients your body needs. For weight loss (fat burning), you should be eating a daily calorie intake approx 500 calories less than your RMR (Resting Metabolic rate). Have a Colorful meal containing fruit and vegetables from all the color groups except White. White foods are typically the high energy starchy foods like wheat flour, rice, pasta, corn etc. Make sure you have enough whole grains and nuts as well. An important note is that simply adding Cocoa powder to a White food - like wheat flour, to make it chocolate colored and flavored does NOT mean it is safe to eat!

Don't over do it! There is some evidence amongst athletes that having too much animal based protein can cause problems in people pre-disposed to certain medical conditions relating to kidney and liver function. Typical commercial bodybuilding protein supplements are 90%+ whey based. Another reason to concentrate on protein supplement systems that are primarily soy based!*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Plant Based Protein

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

9. What The New "Low-Carb" Study REALLY Says

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

www.BurnTheFat.com

A news media feeding frenzy erupted recently when a new diet study broke in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Almost all the reporters got it wrong, wrong WRONG! So did most of the gloating low carb forumites and bloggers. Come to think of it, almost everyone interpreted this study wrong. Some valuable insights came out of this study, but almost everyone missed them because they were too busy believing what the news said or defending their own cherished belief systems …

The new study, titled, “Weight Loss With a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet” was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in issue 359, number 3. I quickly read the full text of the research paper the day it was published. Then, I shook my head in dismay as I scanned the news headlines.

I found it amusing that the media turned this into a three ring circus, putting a misleading “low carb versus high carb,” “Atkins vindicated” or “Diet wars” spin on the story. But that’s mainstream journalism for you, right? Gotta sell those papers!

Just look at some of these headlines:

“Study Tips Scales in Atkins Diets Favor: Low Carb Regimen Better Than Low Fat Diet For Weight And Cholesterol, Major Study Shows. “

“Low-Carb and Low-Fat Diets Face Off “

“The Never-Ending Diet Wars”

“Low Carb Beats Low Fat in Diet Duel.”

“Atkins Diet is Safe and Far More Effective Than a Low-Fat One, Study Says”

“Unrestricted Low-Carb Diet Wins Hands Down”

Some of these headlines are hilarious! I wonder if any of these reporters actually read the whole study. Geez. Is it too much trouble to read 13 pages before you write a story that will be read by millions of already confused people suffering the pain and frustration of obesity?

Here’s a quick look at the study design.

The low fat restricted calorie diet was based on American Heart Association guidelines. Calorie intake was set at 1500 for women, 1800 a day for men with 30% of calories from fat, and only 10% from saturated fat. Participants were instructed to eat low fat grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes and to limit their consumption of additional fats, sweets and high fat snacks.

The Mediterranean diet group was placed on a moderate fat, restricted calorie program rich in vegetables and low in red meat, with poultry and fish replacing beef and lamb. Energy intake was restricted to 1500 calories per day for women and 1800 calories per day for men with a goal of no more than 35% of calorie from fat. Added fat came mostly from nuts and olive oil.

The low carb diet was a non-restricted calorie plan aimed at providing 20 grams of carbs per day for the 2 month induction phase with a gradual increase to 120 grams per day to maintain the weight loss. Intakes of total calories, protein and fat were not limited. However, the participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of protein (more on that bizarre-twist shortly). The study subjects were mostly male (86%), overweight (BMI 31) and middle age (mean age 52)

Here were the study results: There were some health improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and other parameters in the Mediterranean and low carb group that bested the high carb group. That was the focus of many articles and discussions that appeared on the net this week. However, I’d like to focus on the weight loss aspect as I’m not a medical doctor and fat loss is the primary subject matter of this website.

All three groups lost weight. The low carb group lost 5.5 kilos, the Mediterranean group lost 4.6 kilos and the low fat group lost 3.3 kilograms…. IN TWO YEARS! Whoopee!

My conclusion would be that the results were similar and that none of the diets worked very well over the long term!

Amanda Gardner of the US News and World Report Health Day was one of the few reporters who got it right:

“Diet plans produce similar results: Study finds Mediterranean and low-carb diets work just as well as low fat ones.”

Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times also came close with her headline:

“Long term diet study suggests success is hard to come by: In a tightly controlled experiment, obese people lost an average of just 6 to 10 pounds over two years.”

Even this headline wasn’t 100% accurate. The study was HARDLY tightly controlled. Tightly controlled means metabolic ward studies where the researchers actually count and control the calorie intake. The problem is, you can’t lock people in a hospital or research center ward for two years. So in this study, they used a food frequency questionnaire. Sure, like we believe what people report about their eating habits at restaurants and at home behind closed doors! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

“No! I swear Dr. Schwarzfuchs! I swear I didn’t eat those donuts over the weekend! I stayed on my Mediterranean diet. Honest!”

One of the most firmly established facts in dietetics research is that almost everyone underreports their food intake BADLY, sometimes by as much as 50%. I’m not saying everyone “lies,” they just forget or don’t know. In fact, this underreporting of calorie intake is such a huge problem that it makes obesity research very difficult to do and conclusions difficult to draw from free-living studies.

Another blunder in the news reports is that this study didn’t really follow Atkins diet parameters OR even the traditional low fat diet for that matter, so it’s not an “Atkin’s versus Ornish” showdown at all.

If you actually take the time to read the full text of the research paper it doesn’t say ANYTHING like, “Atkins is the best after all.” That’s the spin that some of the news media cooked up (and what the Atkins foundation was hoping for).

It says, “The diet was based on the Atkins diet.” However, the sentence right before that says, “The participants were counseled to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein.” Vegetarian Atkins?

The chart on page 236 says the low carb diet provided 40% of calories from carbs at 6, 12 and 24 months. If I’m reading that data properly, then the only low carb period was a brief induction phase in the very beginning.

Does that sound like Atkins? 40% carb sounds more like the Zone diet or my own Burn The Fat program to me.

The Atkins Foundation, which partially supported this study, told reporters, “We feel vindicated.” HA! They should have paid the reporters and told the researchers they felt ripped off and they wanted a refund for misuse of their research grant!

After carefully reading the full text of this study, there are many interesting findings we could talk about, from the differences in results between men and women to the improvements in health markers. Here’s what the study really says that stood out to me. It’s what I would have talked about if the newspapers or TV stations had called me:

1. “Mediterranean and low carb diets may be effective alternatives to low-fat diets.” I can agree completely with that statement. All three diets created a calorie deficit. All three groups lost weight. Low carb lost a little more, which is the usual finding because low carb diets often control appetite and calorie intake automatically (you eat less even if you don’t count calories). Also, if body composition is not indicated, there’s an initial water weight loss that makes low carb diets look more effective in the very early stages.

2. “Personal preferences and metabolic considerations might inform individualized tailoring of dietary interventions.”

Absolutely! Nutrition should be individualized based on goals, health status, body type, activity level and numerous other factors. Different people have different phenotypes. Some people are more predisposed to thrive on a low carb approach. Others feel like crap on low carbs and do better with more carbs or a middle of the road approach. Those who dogmatically follow and defend one type of diet or the other are only handcuffing themselves by limiting their options. Iris Shai, a researcher in the study said, “We can’t rely on one diet fits all.” Hmm, far cry from “Atkins wins hands down,” wouldn’t you say?

3. “The rate of adherence to a study diet was 95.4% at 1 year and 84.6% at 2 years.” THIS was the part of most interest to me. When I read this, immediately I could have cared less about the silly low carb versus high carb wars that the news reporters were jumping on.

I wanted to know WHY the subjects were able to stick with it so well. Of course, that’s boring stuff to journalists… adherence? What does that word mean anyway? Yawn - not interesting enough for prime time, I guess.

But it was interesting to me, and I hope YOU pay attention to what I found. The authors of the study wrote:

“This trial suggests a model that might be applied more broadly in the workplace. Using the employer as a health coach could be an effective way to improve health. The model of group intervention with the use of dietary group sessions, spousal support, food labels, and monthly weighing in the workplace within the framework of a health promotion campaign might yield weight reduction and long term health benefits.” Hmmmmm, lets see:

* Dietician coaching

* Group meetings

* Motivational phone calls

* Spousal support

* Workplace monitoring (corporate health program)

* Food labels - calorie monitoring

* Weigh-ins (required and monitored)

Wow, everything helpful to long term fat loss that sticks. Can you say, ACCOUNTABILITY? These factors help explain the better adherence.

By the way, the adherence rate for the low carb group was the lowest.

90.4% in low fat group

85.3% in the Mediterranean group

78% in the low carb group

Here’s the bottom line, the way I see it:

First, please, please, please learn how to find and read primary research and take the news media stories with a grain of salt. If you want to know who died, what burned down or what hurricane is coming, tune in to the news – they do a GREAT job at that. If you want to know how to lose weight or improve your health, look up the original research papers instead of taking second hand information at face value.

Second, those who prefer a low carb approach; more power to them. Most studies, this one included, show at the very least that low carb is an option and it’s not necessarily an unhealthy one if done intelligently. I also have no qualms with someone claiming that low carb diets are slightly more effective for weight loss, especially in the short term, free living situations. Is low carb superior for fat loss in the long haul? That’s STILL highly debatable. It’s probably superior for some people, but not for others.

Third, low carb people, listen up! Even if low carb is superior, that doesn’t mean calories don’t count. Deny this at your own peril. In fact, this study shows the reverse. The low carb group was in a larger negative energy balance than the high carb and Mediterranean group (according to the data published in this paper), which easily explains the greater weight loss. Posting the calories contained in foods in the cafeteria may have improved the results and helped with compliance in all groups. When energy intake is matched calorie for calorie, the advantage of a low carb diet shrinks or disappears. For most people, low carb is a hunger management or calorie control weight loss advantage, not metabolic magic (sorry, no magic folks!)

Fourth, choose the nutrition program that’s most appropriate for your personal preferences, your current health condition, your genetics (or phenotype) and most important of all… the one you can stick with. Then tend your own garden instead of wasting time criticizing how the other guy is eating. Your results will speak for themselves in the end. Take your shirt off and show us. If I were forced to choose only one approach (and thank god I’m not), I would recommend avoiding the extremes of very low carb or very low fat or very high fat or very high carbs. Balance makes the most sense to me, and the research suggests that this helps produce the highest compliance rate. That’s not rocket science either, it’s common sense. If you have a serious fat loss goal, as when I compete in bodybuilding, then a further reduction in carbs and increase in protein makes perfect sense to me as a peaking diet.

If an extremely low or extremely high carb diet worked for you, great. But generalizing your experience to the entire rest of the world makes no sense. Arguing from extremes is the weakest form of argument

.

The reason I have THREE nutrition plans (three phases) in my own fat loss program is because programs with flexibility and room for individualization beat the others hands down in the long term. In fact, I wrote an entire chapter in my e-book about unique body types, how to determine yours and how to individualize your nutrition – it’s THAT important.

If you have more choices, you have more power. The people who are shackled by dogma and narrow thinking are stuck. They also risk missing what’s really important. Things like:

Personalization

Adherence

Long-term Maintenance

Accountability

Social Support

and…

CALORIES!

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Fat Loss Coach

www.BurnTheFat.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Thanks Tom for another excellent article!

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Weight Loss Supplementation and Support Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

10. Listen to Maintainers, Not to Losers: 5 secrets to keeping the weight off for good

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

www.burnthefat.com

I have very little interest these days in all the media-hyped stories of dramatic, rapid losses of body weight. “Big losers” don’t impress me, for numerous reasons. For example, weight is not fat. “Weight” could be composed of mostly lean tissue, or it could be mostly water weight. In fact, I would go a step further and point out that rapid loss of bodyweight correlates very highly with a greater chance of relapse, weight re-gain and long term failure.

So what does impress me? What gets my attention?

I pay attention to what the “long term maintainers” have to say - those are the people who have maintained an ideal weight for over a year… preferably even 2-5 years or more.

The difference between losers and maintainers

As I was researching the subject of long term weight maintenance recently, I was surprised at the huge amount of research that's already been done in this area.

One paper that caught my interest was published by Judy Kruger and colleagues in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, titled,

“Dietary and physical activity behaviors among adults successful at weight loss maintenance.”

This was not an experimental study, but a compilation of data from the “Styles Survey” which was representative of the U.S. population and asked respondants questions about strategies to aid with maintaining an ideal weight.

In this particular survey, only one-third (30.96%) of the respondents said they were successful at keeping their weight off. The researchers wanted to know the difference between the small group that was successful and the majority that were not.

Both groups reduced the amount of food they consumed, they ate smaller portions, more fruits and vegetables, fewer fatty foods and fewer sweetened beverages.

Not really any surprises there, but what we want to know most is not what losers and maintainers have in common, but what the maintainers did that the losers didn't.

Some major differences emerged between losers and maintainers:

First, a significantly higher proportion of successful maintainers reported exercising 30 minutes or more daily, and they also reported adding other physical activity to their daily schedules (recreation, sports, physical work, etc). In addition, more of the successful maintainers included weight training in their exercise regimens than did the losers.

Reducing sedentary activities (TV watching, etc) was also a significant difference between those who successfully maintained and those who did not.

The next big difference that separated the successful maintainers from the unsuccessful was in their “self-monitoring behaviors” including:

* tracking calories

* tracking body weight

* planning meals

* tracking fat

* measuring the amount of food on their plate

Unfortunately, these types of self-monitoring behaviors, especially weighing and measuring food and counting calories, are among the most avoided and even criticized weight control techniques. Some weight loss “experts” even claim that it's detrimental to count calories, weigh yourself or measure and weigh your food.

However, these self monitoring behaviors are being identified more and more frequently in the research as part of “the difference that makes the difference.” I agree, and they have always played a major role in my own Burn The Fat program.

A final difference was that people who reported self-perceived “barriers” to their success were 48-76% less likely to be a successful maintainer.

For example, they said they had no time to exercise, they were too tired to exercise or it was too hard to maintain an exercise routine. I interpret this as: the unsuccessful losers were excuse makers!

THE TOP 5 STRATEGIES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MAINTAINER

So let’s recap and turn these research findings into some practical action steps you can apply today.

1. Increase your total daily activity level, including formal exercise as well as sports, physical work or recreational activity. Exercise improves weight loss, but more importantly, it is critical for weight maintenance.

2. Decrease sedentary recreational activities by cutting back on TV watching, computer games and web surfing. Take up physical recreation such as sports, boating, biking, walking, hiking, gardening, physical hobbies and playing with your kids, if you have them.

3. Include weight training as part of your formal exercise program, throughout the fat loss phase and even more seriously during maintenance.

4. Track and monitor everything! Count calories and nutrients, measure your portion sizes, weigh your food, plan your menus in writing and monitor your body weight and body fat percentage.

5. Avoid excuses and maintain positive beliefs and attitudes towards your environment and what you perceive as “barriers.” For example, say, “I can always make time for what is most important to me” instead of, “I don't have time to exercise.”

If you're currently on a fat loss journey, and you want to know how good your odds are for being a successful maintainer, it's pretty easy to predict using these 5 strategies. If you're not using all 5 of them yet, then when would be a good time to start today?

There are limitations to survey results such as these, including the fact that they are cross sectional, and therefore cannot prove causality. However, I believe these findings are important and significant.

Not only do they confirm previous similar studies and agree with the findings of other groups of successful maintainers (such as the National Weight Control Registry), I found that these results match precisely what I've seen among my most successful “Burn The Fat” clients.

THIS is the type of advice I'd suggest you listen to the most: Advice about how to lose body FAT, not body WEIGHT, and how to maintain an ideal bodyweight and body composition over the long haul, not how to lose weight as fast as possible.

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto

Fat Loss Coach

www.burnthefat.com

P.S. There was one more “difference that made the difference,” in this study, and this one may surprise you (although it didn’t surprise me). Successful maintainers were LESS likely to take over the counter diet products (pills, etc).

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

11. Treadmill Retrains Body and Brain of Stroke Victims

People who walk on a treadmill even years after stroke damage can significantly improve their health and mobility, changes that reflect actual "rewiring" of their brains, according to research spearheaded at Johns Hopkins.

"This is great news for stroke survivors because results clearly demonstrate that long-term stroke damage is not immutable and that with exercise it's never too late for the brain and body to recover," says Daniel Hanley, M.D., professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The study's results, published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association, suggest that patients' brains may retain the capacity to rewire through a treadmill exercise program months or years after conventional physical therapy has ended.

The research was conducted by scientists at Johns Hopkins, the University of Maryland, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Maryland VA Medical Center at their Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC). Researchers at the GRECC, led by Richard F. Macko, M.D., and Andrew P. Goldberg, M.D., have developed treadmill therapy for stroke patients over the past decade. Investigators at all three institutions combined efforts to recruit 71 patients who had a stroke at least six months earlier, with an average time lapse of nearly four years. At the study's onset, half of the subjects could walk without assistance, while the rest used a cane, a walker or a wheelchair.

All of the subjects, separated into two random groups regardless of disability, were tested for mobility and aerobic capacity (also known as VO2 peak), a measure of cardiac fitness. Thirty-two patients drawn equally from both groups underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain activity linked to moving their legs in a walking motion.

One group then participated in an exercise program that principally involved walking on a treadmill three times a week for up to 40 minutes, assisted by a supporting sling and tether if needed. Physical therapists assigned to each subject increased the intensity of the workouts over time by increasing the treadmills' speed and incline, though the workouts never taxed the patients beyond a moderate level of 60 percent VO2 peak.

With the second group of patients, therapists assisted the patients in performing stretching exercises for the same period of time.

After six months, patients were again tested for walking speed and VO2 peak, and the same group who had undergone fMRI was rescanned. Walking speed for the treadmill group increased 51 percent compared to about 11 percent faster for those in the stretching group. Ground walking speed among the treadmill exercisers increased 19 percent, compared to about 8 percent for the stretchers. The treadmill exercisers also were significantly more fit at study completion, with VO2 peak increasing by about 18 percent. VO2 peak decreased slightly in the stretching group.

Hoping to find evidence that improved brain activity was responsible for the results, the investigators analyzed the brain scans and found markedly increased metabolic activity in brainstem areas associated with walking among all the treadmill exercisers. Brain scans of patients in the stretching group showed no such changes.

"This suggests that the brain is responsible for the improvement we saw in patients' walking ability. It seems to be recruiting other regions to take on the job of areas damaged by stroke," says Andreas Luft, M.D., a visiting researcher who worked with all three institutions who conducted this study. Luft is currently a stroke attending physician and professor of neurorehabilitation at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.

Those patients with the most improvement in walking showed the strongest change in brain activity, though the researchers don't yet know whether these brain changes were caused by more walking or whether participants walked better because brain activity in these key areas increased. This question will be the focus of a future study.

"Many stroke survivors believe there's nothing to be gained from further rehabilitation, but our results suggest that health and functional benefits from walking on a treadmill can occur even decades out from stroke," says Macko, professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, noting that one of the patients in the study had significant improvement 20 years after a stroke. "We believe exercise gives individuals a way to fight back against stroke disabilities."

Article provided by www.newsmax.com

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Live Life to the fullest while you can. That is why I am proud to represent Shaklee. We provide products that help with the quality of people's lives.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

12. Old Soul?

What if there is a way to look and feel younger naturally? What if nourishing your soul was a part of your anti-aging treatment?. Usually, when you think of anti-aging and staying youthful, the focus is primarily given to nourishing the skin and body and not enough importance is given to nourishing the soul.

The soul tends to be something that is not understood by many people and that is why it isn't given much consideration in the pursuit of youth and youthfulness. Nourishing the soul shouldn't be a vague and abstract concept. The challenge will lie in trying to consciously connect with our being.

The soul is that part of ourselves that give us the ability to experience depth in our daily lives. It is the part of us that allows us to appreciate beauty, makes us fall in love and permits us to feel deep joy and contentment which are all important aspects of staving off growing old. It is also that indefinable part of us that feels inexplicably empty or hollow when we are unable to properly nourish it.

Often times, even though everything seems to be going smoothly in our lives we experience a disconnect and a sort of restlessness. Just maybe that is your soul trying to let you know that you are taking it for granted.

Feeding the soul will allow us to embody the characteristics of youthfulness that is very important in the mindset needed to help combat premature aging. This is why it is very important to not neglect this essential aspect of our being. If we are unable to promote a healthy being in all its components such as the body, mind and soul, then a part of us remains stressed and uneasy and this will reflect in our physical appearance.

That is why combined with the proper lifestyle that ensures proper nutrition and health and the right anti-aging products that help us fight anti-oxidants known to speed up aging, we need to ensure that we connect with our soul. Best of all, it is quite simple to achieve the adequate nourishment of the soul. We need our families, ourselves and God. Prayer has brought many a miracle. Maybe a prayer or two for yourself and the bright light of the Heavens will light up your life. I pray that it is so for you.

We need to do things that make us happy and fulfilled. We need to allow ourselves some pampering. Taking on the task of nourishing the soul has made anti-aging and staying youthful obtainable.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

13. Vivix-Revolutionary Breakthrough in Cellular Anti-Aging*

Is it possible to feel 25 years younger and live 25 years longer? Maybe you can with Vivix. Vivix was developed after years of research by the Shaklee Corporation. In laboratory studies, Vivix ingredients have been shown to impact the 4 key mechanisms of cellular aging.*

Scientists at Shaklee have worked for years to isolate unique polyphenols shown in laboratory studies to fight cellular aging.* Shaklee has now filed patent applications and has contracted with growers to be the only company with access to a key ingredient.

One 30 day supply of Vivix has the equivalent amount of resveratrol as 3,000 glasses of red wine. Vivix is 10 times as powerful than resveratrol alone in slowing a key part of aging.*

Just one of the ingredients in Vivix has been referenced in over 2,000 research publications.

Ok, there is much, much more. Hopefully you are starting to understand that we have one block buster of a product here. Who doesn't want to feel and look younger??

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

14. Rusted Cars and Trucks

Here in Michigan we have all four season. That brings with it big tempature changes along with high humidity. Of course winter brings snow, ice and mud. The inevitable freeze and thaw creates a real mess. The people who maintain our roads use a salt mixture to clear them.

Last winter was a big year for snow and ice here in Michigan. Our roads and the vehicles we drive on them received a big dose of salt. The salt and moisture combination creates oxidation or rust. Almost all of my vehicles have some rust. I just noticed a new rust spot on my truck.

Now, why am I talking about rust on a natural health supplements blog? Well, isn't sort of the same thing going on in our bodies? All of the free radicals we are exposed to causes a form of oxidation or deterioration of our own bodies. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the weather we are exposed to, ect. all cause our bodies to be bombarded with free radical damage.

How can we limit the damage? Excellent supplements will help. How about Vivix? It helps repair damage at the cellular level. By the way, I received mine tonight and it tastes great. It looks like very thick grape juice and has excellent texture. Just 1 teaspoon a day is all that is recommended.*

I know that if I don't take care of the rust on my cars and trucks they are eventually hauled to the scrap yard. in fact, I hauled one of my old truck's away last weekend. The rust was too bad to save it.

How about you? Going to let the rust win??

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

15. Vivix-Anti-Aging Product Video

I have been sharing the details about Vivix a revolutionary cellular anti-aging product.*

Here is a video to tell you more. Watch the video and then go to Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

Vivix Cellular Anti-Aging Video

Enjoy!

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

16. Star Skin

With thousands of beauty and skin care products on the market, aging skin is an issue for both men and women all over the world. Well, who can blame them? With Hollywood stars becoming younger and younger each year and the likes of young stars like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan dominating society pages (and our TV'S), looking young is in vogue.

Aging, however, is a natural process. And unfortunately, no amount of anti-aging products can stop the years from going by. In fact, there are two things that are inevitably brought on by aging— health effects and skin symptoms.

But although it can't be completely stopped, it can however be slowed down with the right products and the right beauty regimen. After all when you take care of your skin and body, they will in turn take care of you. Here are some of the things that you can do.

Know your skin type.

The first step is to know what your skin type is. This is your way of determining what products will fit your skin. Unknown to many, anti-aging creams and ointments also take into consideration the type of skin that you have. For instance, using a cream for oily skin when you have dry skin will only make your skin all the more drier. If you don't know what your skin type is, better visit your dermatologist.

Drink lots of water.

Water replenishes the body and rids the system of unwanted toxins. It is also one way of hydrating your skin to remove particles that clog the pores. People who suffer from dry skin are also advised to drink lots of water. As a rule of thumb, drink about 6-8 glasses of water in a day.

Block the sun

Another must when it comes to taking care of your skin is to make sure that you protect it from ultraviolet rays of the sun. You can do this by always wearing sun block when going out. Use it even on cold or cloudy days as UV rays are still present and the fog or the clouds can do nothing about it. Avoid the sun from 11 am to about 3 pm. In addition to darkening the skin, the sun may also develop in your skin sunspots and discolorations that may be hard to get rid of.

But..what if there was a product that had the ability to repair damaged cells? A new product was developed at Harvard and brought to the market by Shaklee. Check it out and make your own decisions.* Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

17. Anti-Aging With a Wholesome Life?

The proverbial “Fountain of Youth” is an illusion because aging is a natural process. There are many ways to be exposed to aging very rapidly. We can increase or decease the physical tolls on our bodies by our behaviors.

The modern day human has many more choices with the latest innovations of how to control or slow down the aging process. There are manys ways to maintain that youthful looking face and overall appearance, such as liposuctions, facelifts, stretching, or other cosmetic surgeries and external cosmetic applications.

Bone surgeries to straighten and recapturing curved bone lines have been prominently patronized by a number of people, not only in terms of curing ailments; but for restoration of lost posture.

What’s the big fuss to deter the aging process? Women especially are more concerned with aging. It’s so feared because women’s biological make-up and metabolism is more of a concern than to a man.

Natural Ways and Means to Combat Aging

-Avoid the sun’s (ultra violet rays) exposure. It induces the skin to deep wrinkles above anything else.

-Simplest exercise of walking 30 minutes daily.

-Maintain a lifestyle that helps uplift your spiritual, mental, physical well-being.

Eat a healthy diet avoiding processed foods.

-Maintain a wholesome life, free from stresses, clean internal feelings, and external (physical).

-Good posture is of the essence, so you won’t look elderly in a curved body.

-Always do a good massage of your scalp to avoid early graying hairs.

-Keep updated with present innovations in technology to feel youthful. Feelings of contentment on being abridged and coping with time, and accomplishments takes a lot of anti-aging effects.

-The formula for happiness is a fact, if you are always happy, you won't grow old as fast.

-Save money for the “rainy days.” Lacking the means finances steals peace of mind and contentment, complicates the mind, and makes you depressed and insecure.

-Debts make a stressful life, avoid them.

-Get good sleep above all.

-Have a positive outlook in life. Stay away from people with negative attitudes.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

18. Love Your Age

You will grow old. And no amount of refusing to answer "How old are you?" questions can change that fact. Well, you are in good company as all people will eventually age. You aren't alone in this dilemma.

But people are starting to see the aging process in a whole different light. When before, people were scrambling to hide their age, now some are vocal with their age and are embracing their maturity.

Growing old need not be something associated with white hair, wrinkled skin and shrinking bones. You can actually be old but not appear to be as old. Heck, you can even land yourself a younger guy or a girl half your age. Just look at what Demi Moore managed to do!

The secret is to not feel old and to take the aging process as something that you can control. Trust me, it isn't something that you should be ashamed of… that is if you want it to be.

Aging isn't just growing old but also growing up.

Aging need not be something that will give you white hair and a wrinkled demeanor. Aging can actually be something that will make you more mature and more experienced with the world. You can actually use your age to your advantage by sharing what you know and teaching the younger ones based on what you've been through in life.

People who are old are more likely to command more respect. They are more distinguished-looking and appear to be more believable than younger people.

Aging means more relaxation.

Growing old is something that you should actually celebrate because you have reached a time in your life when you can actually relax and not feel guilty about it. That is of course if you have prepared well for your retirement years. This is the time when you can relax and just have fun with your days.

Aging means fun.

Spend the days at home and just read books. Catch up with old friends and hang out with them. Go out and live a little. Play some golf or drag race..you decide. One usual mistake of older people is to think that just because they are old they can no longer have fun. Actually, it's the opposite. Now you can have fun.

Aging means freedom.

This is also the time when you need not worry about any responsibilities. You are no longer pressured to achieve something in your life because you have gone through so much. Now, you can do the things that you weren't able to do before because of duty.

But..what if there was a product that might help you feel and look younger? Would that interest you? It does most people. Check the web site below for more information.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

19. Fountain of Youth Found?

Aging is inevitable. Everybody goes through the process, rich or poor, commoner or royalty. It is this reason perhaps that everybody is on the lookout for what legends call the fountain of youth.

According to a study conducted by the John and Caherine MacArthur Foundation called “Successful Aging, the genes make up 30 percent of a person’s over all aging process. The rest of the percentage is dependent on how a person uses or abuses his body. In short, it is lifestyle-driven.

More than half of the aging process will be dependent on the kind of life that we lead, whether we abuse the body or not. In fact, by taking care of ourselves, we can actually live up to a hundred years old. Even failing organs are not as big a factor as years ago. This is because advancements in biomedicine has made the use of artificial organs possible.

Cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol, inactivity and imbalance diets are just some of the lifestyle factors that can affect the aging process.

Cigarette smoking for instance can result in lung problems. This can rob the body of good circulation, leading to a pale and pasted appearance. Ingredients in a cigarette can also rob the body of vitamins like Vitamin C, which is primarily needed in skin renewal and cell regeneration.

The same goes with alcoholic drinks. Too much alcohol can damage the skin as it dilates the small blood vessels in the body and in the skin surface. This leads to an increased blood flow in some areas. Over worked blood vessels can be damaged over time, resulting in a flushed appearance and the appearance of broken blood vessels.

The lack of exercise is also another factor. Continued inactivity robs the body of the ability to regenerate and flush away toxins. In addition to getting rid of fats and cholesterol that clog arteries, exercise builds the muscles and keeps the body strong. It also aids in circulation.

Another important factor in skin aging is the food that we take into our body. Eating a balance meal often will ensure that your skin will be nourished by the vitamins and minerals that it needs for its growth and renewal. Lots of fruits and vegetables is recommended as these foods have antioxidants that keep aging at bay.

BUT...what if you knew about some “incredible” research on aging and how you can impact the Immune system, Joints, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Energy, Cardio, LDL Cholesterol and MORE...

How about being introduced to Dr. Sinclair, the foremost authority on AGING. He was interviewed and appeared on the Barbara Walter’s Anti-Aging Special. The exciting part is that Dr. Sinclair said Shaklee was a part of the research and work on developing our BREAK THROUGH “anti-aging” product called Vivix.

VIVIX contains the much talked about Resveratrol … each serving…just one teaspoon… is equal to the resveratrol in 100 glasses of wine…. HOWEVER, due to the addition of the plant polyphenols from the “super grape”, Vivix becomes 10 times more powerful than resveratrol by itself!

Everyone will want it. Many will buy it. Vivix is about to be a household name. Be one of the 1st to change your body from the cellular level on out.*

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

20. Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

New Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic is a revolutionary breakthrough dietary supplement in the fight against cellular aging. Developed after years of research by Shaklee Corporation, the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S., we now have the world’s best anti-aging supplement. In laboratory studies, our product's ingredients have been shown to impact the four key mechanisms of cellular aging.*

A 30-day supply of delivers the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 3,000 glasses of red wine, and the ingredients were shown in a laboratory study to be 10x more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone.* One teaspoon of our product supplies the amount of resveratrol found in 100 glasses of red wine.

Shaklee scientists have worked for years to create and deliver a unique blend with polyphenol ingredients shown in laboratory studies to address cellular aging.* Not only have we filed for multiple patents to protect this innovation, we have assured that Shaklee will have the entire output of the largest and best growers of one of the key ingredients so we can deliver these exclusive benefits to you.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

New Cellular Anti-Aging Product Revolutionary New Anti-Aging Product

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

21. Life have You Stressed Out?

I think we all get stressed out at times. I was reminded how mortal we are this past week. A good man past away that I worked with. He was doing a routine task and just past away. He was 53. Way to young.

His passing really shook me up. He was seemingly very healthy, but was called back home.

His family situation is similar to mine. Married 30 years. Kids grown up and on there own. Close to retirement with a civil service pension. Now he is not here..just like that. Know he is still around as I believe in the ever after.

Brought back home to me the simpler pleasure in life. A bird singing..nice gentle breeze..beautiful song..my wife's smile..a hug from my grankids..driving a car..watching a deer or two...you fill in the blank. Seriously..think about it. What have you been missing by getting caught up in everyday life's hustle and bustle?

There is a lesson in everything. Even a loss of a friend. Sure, the grief is there...but it redirected my energy into things that really matter. They always do of course...but sometimes you lose focus. And what you focus on expands.

I focus on love. Love my family, my life, my being, my God..my country..my freedom.

Thanks Gary, I love you and will miss you man.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-It matters to your loved ones. Natural Vitamin Supplements

22. Excercise To Lose Belly Fat- Natural Vitamin Supplements Blog

There are a lot of us that are interested in losing a little bit of weight around the middle. Unfortunately, that tends to be where many of us carry the weight around, particularly if we are men. Far too many of us try to burn this weight off of our body by doing unusually difficult abdominal exercises, and lots of them. The simple fact of the matter is, you are not going to be able to burn belly fat off of your body by doing abdominal exercises alone. As a matter of fact, it is an exercise in futility for you to do so because it is impossible to target specific areas of fat on your body by doing specific exercises.

That doesn't mean, however, that it is impossible to use an exercise in order to burn belly fat off of your body. As a matter of fact, the best exercises to lose belly fat don't have anything to do with your abdominal region at all. If you truly want to have a flat stomach and perhaps even some sixpack abs, it is necessary for you to get at the core of the problem and to fire your metabolism so that the fat will melt off of your body from the inside out. Here are the best exercises to lose belly fat, some of which are sure to surprise you.

The first thing that you need to learn whenever it comes to losing belly fat is that it is necessary to do multi-joint exercises. These are exercises which work more than one muscle of the body. For example, a squat is a multi-joint exercise because it works a variety of muscles in the legs. A curl, on the other hand, is not a multi-joint exercise because it only works the biceps. You can spend all of your time in the gym if you want to, doing single joint exercises but most of us don't have the time to take in order to get this kind of a workout. By doing multi-joint exercises for the largest muscles of your body, your legs, chest and back, you will be getting the most amount of work done in the shortest time possible.

Not only will your workouts be over faster, you will also begin to notice the fat burning off of your body very quickly. This is an amazing thing for many people who have been taught throughout the years that the only way for them to get a flat stomach is through a series of abdominal exercises. The simple fact of the matter is, the larger muscles of our body is what fires our metabolism and this is what will take the fat off of our body. Make sure that you are doing these on a regular basis but also giving your body adequate amounts of rest so that the muscles will have an opportunity to grow. You will end up lean and fit, something that many of us are very interested in obtaining.

Check out LoseBellyFatFaster.com for more of the latest tips, techniques and exercises on how to burn belly fat.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Our Supplements help you retain muscle as you lose weight. Natural Vitamin Supplements

23. Losing Belly Fat-Natural Vitamin Supplements Blog

Many of us have been misinformed for so many years about the best diets to lose belly fat that it is difficult to know what the truth is. The simple fact of the matter is, if you're following diet plans that are ineffective or that only work on a temporary basis, you may be doing more harm to your body than you realize. This is because many of us tend to destroy our metabolism and tear it down over the course of time by going on these yo-yo diet regimes. If you truly want to burn the belly fat off of your body, you need to make sure that you understand the basics of which diet you should really be following.

Believe it or not, the best diet for losing belly fat is not some complicated ritual that you need to follow with drudgery for the rest of your life. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most enjoyable and easiest ways that there is to eat. Although it comes under a lot of different names that include such things as the low glycemic diet and the raw food diet, the simple fact of the matter is that the more simply you eat and the closer to a natural diet you stick, the easier it is going to be for you to burn the belly fat off.

It really boils down to avoiding such things as sugar and even artificial sweetener. You need to eat as many raw fruits and vegetables as you possibly can and to make sure that you are eating a protein that is natural and free of as many antibiotics and chemicals as possible. It is also a good idea for you to make sure that you are eating a legume with every meal because this will help to stabilize your blood sugar and keep you full in between meals.

It is also very important for you to be eating these things on a consistent basis and to do so five or six times throughout the day instead of eating just a few smaller meals. This will keep your metabolism running strong and do the most good for helping you to burn the belly fat off of your body. Believe it or not, you may actually need to increase the amount that you are eating in order to burn fat, especially if you're getting consistent exercise.

It really boils down to trying to avoid as much processed food as possible and eating a healthy diet on a consistent basis. If you do this along with getting some exercise several times per week, you would be surprised with how quickly the fat will disappear off of your body. Even if you slip up from time to time, by eating in this way you are going to guarantee that the weight will continue to come off. That is the best part about eating properly, there really is no guilt involved in it.

Check out LoseBellyFatFaster.com for more of the latest tips, techniques and exercises on how to burn belly fat.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Weight Loss Products and SupplementationNatural Vitamin Supplements

24. Pool Exercise

I am helping out a friend this week. He is on vacation and he asked me to please swim in his pool. Being the gracious friend I am..I agreed to his request. As it has been smoking hot here in Michigan..it was like a gift from above!

I have been dutifully stopping by every day and entering the pool. I decided maybe I could combine my workout along with my mission of stirring up the water so that the pool filter could work.

I did 40 squats today in the pool. It was an interesting experience and seemed easy because the water took off the effect of the body weight.

Then I did high knee lifts for awhile. Took a break and swam a little. I then proceeded to do high knee lift walking in the water. There was some pretty good resistance there. Ever heard the term, " I felt like I was walking under water?"

I did not really get as tired or sweaty as the exercises normally would do to me. After I got out of the pool I realized how sore my legs were.Tthat was quite a workout with low impact on my joints. Pretty neat.

Maybe that's why they train race horse in pools eh?? Something to think about next time you want a different workout.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters Natural Vitamin Supplements

25. Bodily Changes and Healthy Aging

From the beginning of our birth, our body endures many changes. As we reach young adolescence, however the body experiences a series of senescence, or bodily changes abnormal, which the bodily functions start to decline. The body makes these changes, which most people will notice, the difference.

The musculoskeletal system is the first area that most diseases and illnesses start. For this reason once, a person turns 35 years of age regardless of their activities, athletic nature, etc. Still, one can reduce such disease by avoiding injuries to the muscles and joints. You can do this by avoiding accidents when possible, abuse, excessive alcohol, drugs, tobacco and so on. You can increase your health by exercising, eating healthy, socializing with positive people, and avoiding environmental toxins.

Visiting your doctor is essential to prevent disease as well. When you visit your doctor, he takes the time to study your physical status based on the family history you gave to him. The doctor will consider family history, including hereditary diseases. Your doctor will take family history into consideration as he studies diagnostics, cures, prevention, and treatment to help you avoid disease. As noted earlier, our body starts to refuse by age 35, which our sensory organs will also start to take a rain check. At this time, the eyes are affected since they cannot remain focused on objects up close. In medical terms, this condition is known as presbyopia. This is why you see many people in the world over the age 40 wearing glasses, contact lens, bifocals and so on. Still, you see the younger generation with these same needs, which is a clear sign that aging progression is starting earlier for some. This is a note signaling hereditary makeup, or lifestyle based on environment, etc.

Many people as they grow older lose a degree of hearing. In some instances, people go deaf after 40. This condition is called presbycusis, which is a sign of aging. Since this condition is common for those aging, it is natural to dislike things you once liked. For instance, if you enjoyed concerts when you were younger, and now find that you do not enjoy concerts at all, it is because your hearing has changed, which means that the high-pitch of hearing is affected, which slowly wore down the lower hearing tone. When hearing is impaired, it often seems like those talking are inarticulate. Since the hearing is tarnished, the person will hear speech differently. For instance, the use of K may sound distorted, which affects comprehension. In other words, a person older may here the CH in a word, such as Chute Up, and think that someone is telling them to shut-up. The CH is distorted. You can help those with hearing difficulties by learning sign and body languages to help them relate to you. These people can also benefit from hearing aids, or Assistive Listening Devices. The devices act as hearing aids, since it allows a person to block out noise in the background while focusing on the speaker.

We see natural healthy aging in this picture, yet in some instances aging signs are unnatural. For instance, if you incur lung cancer based on your history of smoking, or being around second-hand smoke, then the cause is unnatural.

As a person grows older his or her, weight changes as well and more so for those with family history of obesity. The body fat starts to change up to 30% by the time a person reaches 40. The changes affect the body tremendously, since this is the start of wrinkles and other natural aging signs.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Give Your Body What it Needs-Look and Feel Better Longer Natural Vitamin Supplements

26. Deer Flies and Skeeters

I recently announced I was starting on a new life path. It was my intention to state it publicly to hold myself accountable to my readers and myself.

I have kept a steady pace of walking a mile 3-4 times a week and sometimes more. It has been tough in the heat and tough on the body that has not had steady exercise in awhile. But...my desire to get healthier overpowers the pain. I had been getting sicker and sicker. 6 straight months was enough. I had enough. But....

I had not thought about the deer flies and skeeters.

It is a constant battle. We had a lot of rain the 1st part of summer, so the mosquito population is immense. We have a huge CAFO or mega farm a quarter mile across lots from us. So, deer flies are plentiful too. Is that the proper term? Not sure, but that's what we've always called them.

Everyone knows what a skeeter bite feels like and most have probably experienced a deer fly bite if you live in rural America. If you don't, imagine a mosquito sting times 10. That's about what it's like.

I have been spraying myself down with all kinds of repellant and still swatting away critters. So, the last couple of walks I went out into the wild with no chemicals. It was about the same. Still swatted a bunch of flying, biting bugs. Way it goes. Soon I will have to battle the cold and snow. I try to remember that as I am sweating and swatting.

The good news is that exercise is making me feel better. It is worth the effort. I am worth the effort. How about you?

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-The Best Supplements I have Found Natural Vitamin Supplements

PS. You have got see how this system works. Our team is growing because of it. You could be missing out.http://www.mlm-homebased-business.com

27. Pill Helps You Exercise

There is a news study with mice that has found a pill that helps them exercise. Mice burned more calories and had less fat than the mice who did not take the pill.

Apparently the mice could also exercise longer than the mice without the drug. They had 70% more workout capacity.

I guess the question is..would you take it? There would have to be much more clinical study of course, but if it was proven safe....then what?

I think I would take it. Burn more fat and calories doing nothing extra, but when you did work out you were almost twice the person you were before. That would be simply amazing.

Of course this will cause much controversy and I already heard talk of banning it from all sports activities. This from a drug study with mice. Certainly this has stirred up huge interest and even bigger debate.

This is probably years away if even at all, so I will be happy being me and taking the best supplementation I can find.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-the best Supplementation I have found. Natural Vitamin Supplements

28. Pritikin Diet-Natural-Vitamin-Supplements Blog

With so many diets out there today, the search for the right one can be frustrating. For this reason, doing some research on diets before you get involved is an excellent idea. One diet out there that many people have heard of and tried is the Pritikin Principle diet. Not sure whether or not this could be the right diet for you? Well, let's take a closer look at the diet to figure out whether or not it will really work well for you.

Overview of the Pritikin Principle

The Pritikin Principle Diet is one that was developed by Nathan Pritikin and it has been around for more than 30 years now. This is a diet that is very low fat, and while is mostly based on eating vegetables, fruits, and grains, it is not totally a vegetarian diet. Only 10% of this diet is fat. Nathan's son, Robert, has now taken over this concept and has added to it and tweaked it just a bit. He stresses that you should choose foods that have low calories for their density and then you should fill up on them, since you'll feel really full but won't be consuming as many calories.

People It Works For Best

This diet is one that is a great fit for those who want to change their entire eating habits to lose some weight over time slowly. Also those who want to start using vegetarian principles in their diet will find that this is a great diet to check out as well. Instead of just being a diet, it focuses on becoming an entire lifestyle, so it is great for people who want an entire change of life. However, those who love their meats and sweets from time to time may not find this diet to be the right fit.

Pros and Cons to Consider

As with any diet, the Pritkin Principle Diet has both pros and cons that you should take into consideration. Here are a few of the most common pros and cons that you may want to think about.

- Pro #1 - Focuses on Healthy Eating - One of the key pros of the Pritkin Principle Diet is that it really focuses on healthy eating. The foods allowed in the diet are foods that are full of great vitamins and minerals, so you really get the important nutrients that help to keep your body healthy. Also, the foods that you eat make you feel full as well, which means you don't constantly have to deal with cravings.

- Pro #2 - Allows a Variety of Foods - There are a variety of different foods that you are allowed to eat as well. This makes it a better diet than some diets that are extremely restrictive. When you have a variety of foods to eat, you are less likely to get bored.

- Pro #3 - Starch is Allowed in Moderation - While there are some diets that totally get rid of carbs, this diet allows you to have some carbs as long as it is done in moderation. This is a healthier choice than just totally getting rid of the carbohydrates in your diet.

- Pro #4 - Doesn't Go Crazy with Excessive Calorie Counting - You really don't have to stress about excessively having to count the calories that you eat. It can be a pain to count every calorie, but with this diet you'll know that the foods you are eating are low calorie.

- Con #1 - Large Amounts of High Fiber Foods - One of the main cons to this diet is that you eat many foods that are high in fiber, since it helps to make you feel full and improve the way the digestive system works. However, over time this can cause swelling and bloating and you may not be able to eat enough in one meal to feel satisfied.

- Con #2 - No Cheat Days Available - Many people find that the fact there are no cheat days to this diet to be a huge con. So, some people may find that this diet is really hard to stick to all the time, since they don't get some of their favorite foods.

- Con #3 - Not Enough Healthy Fats - This is a diet that is low in fat, and it can be a con since you may not be getting the healthy fats that your body really does need to be healthy.

Food Do's and Don'ts

The foods that are supposed to be eaten on the Pritikin Principle Diet include foods that have very few calories per pound. So, you are to avoid foods that have high calorie content and stick to grains, fruits, and vegetables that allow you to eat large quantities for relatively few calories. Doing this allows you to fill your stomach so you won't feel hungry and consume high calorie foods. Some of the foods that are really preferred in the diet include oats, brown rice, apples, squash, onions, millet, potatoes, barley, bananas, pears, beans, dark green lettuces, and strawberries.

Opinions from the Medical Community

While the medical community tends to be quite happy about all the nutrients that you'll be getting from the Pritikin Principle Diet Program, the one problem that they have is that the fat in the diet is extremely low and may be a problem for your health. Fat soluble vitamins are also limited in this diet as well. This means that you may have problems with skin health, proper growth, and normal cell functions because you are not getting enough fat in the diet.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Weight Loss Support and Supplementation Natural Vitamin Supplements

29. Carbohydrate Addict's Diet Review

If you're looking for a diet that will truly help you lose weight, there are many out there to choose from. If you don't know much about the diets available you may make a choice that is totally wrong for your body. This is why it is important to learn as much as you can about a diet before you decide to try it. Here is some helpful information on the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet that will help you decide whether or not it is the diet for you.

Carbohydrate Addict's Diet Overview

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet is a diet that was developed by Richard Heller MD along with his wife, Rachael Meller MD. It was first brought to light in the early 90's and the basic theory behind it is that many people who are dealing with weight problems are addicted to carbs. Many times this can lead to insulin levels that are very high, which can make them crave even more carbs throughout the day. This diet works to help people get away from their addiction to carbs while not totally taking them out of the diet.

People it Works Best For

The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, or CAD, is a great diet for those who have not found the Atkins Diet to be successful for them. If people feel that Atkins deprived them, they may find that this diet is more effective for them, since they have the ability to eat whatever they want once each day. The reward meal is definitely one of the enticing factors, which makes it a great choice for people who really have certain foods that they enjoy eating each day. The main group that this diet was developed for though is for people who have an imbalance in the body that is known as carbohydrate addiction.

Pros and Cons

When you take a look at the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, you will find that there are pros and cons to the diet. You need to take a close look at them to figure out whether or not the pros outweigh the cons or if the opposite is true. Here are a few of the pros and cons of this diet to consider.

- Pro #1 - Easier than Atkins - One of the pros is that this diet is a much easier one to follow than the Atkins diet. It is not quite as extreme, which makes it easier for people to follow, which usually leads to more success.

- Pro #2 - Gets Rid of Carb Cravings - Another pro of the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet is that it helps people to get rid of their carb cravings. This is done by the careful portions and choice of foods that are eaten each day.

- Pro #3 - Keeps Blood Sugar on a Constant Level - Since you are not eating so many carbs all the time, this diet helps you to keep your blood sugar levels on a more constant level, instead of constantly having a sugar level that goes up and down throughout the day.

- Con #1 - You May Miss Nutrients - When it comes to cons, one of the big ones is that you may miss out on some of the most important nutrients that your body really needs. Often it is hard to get the fiber and calcium that your body needs when you are on this diet.

- Con #2 - Bad for Those with High Cholesterol - Many times doctors will actually advise against this diet for people who have high cholesterol. The foods that are eaten in this diet are high in fats that are saturated, which can elevate cholesterol, so this is another con of this diet.

- Con #3 - Many People Experience Plateaus in Weight Loss - After a certain time, while people usually lose weight right away during the diet, many people end up hitting a plateau eventually and then they stop losing weight. This can also be one of the big cons to consider before you try this diet.

Foods You Can and Can't Eat

While you are on the diet, there are foods that you can and cannot eat. During the first couple weeks of the program, two of your daily meals must be their special meals that have about 3-4 ounces of meat, 2 ounces of some type of cheese, and about two cups of salad or some type of veggies. Then, for your third meal of the day you are allowed to eat whatever you want and as much as you want, and this is called the Reward Meal. The only restriction on the Reward Meal is that you have to eat everything for the meal within one hours' time.

Once the first two weeks are up, there are a few different plans that you can choose, depending on the weight you plan on losing after this. Some have plans that allow special snacks during the day, and the snacks are limited as well. Also, the diet requires that you drink a lot of water each day as well, which is very important.

What the Medical Community Says

When it comes to the medical community and their opinions, for the most part the Carbohydrate Addict Diet is not really a favorite with them. While obese people often show insulin resistance and high levels of insulin, usually doctors feel that obesity actually causes this. Also, most people in the medical field feel that it can be a bad diet choice because you miss out on some of the best nutrition that your body really does need if you are to lead a healthy life.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Health Matters-Weight Loss Support and Supplementation Natural Vitamin Supplements

30. Town Bans New Fast Food Restaurants

How did we get here as a society? A town has taken it upon itself to ban new fast food restaurants. Since when do we need government to tell people what they can and can't have. If someone wants a certain hamburger or french fry and they have the money to purchase it, then who is city government to tell them they can't?

People need to take responsibility for themselves. Yes, obesity is a huge problem, but do we need laws to fix it? A person is not going to be stopped from eating what they want. They will just go somewhere else.

Until a person suffers enough or they have a life changing moment, most will not be ready to lose the weight they need to. The person has to have had enough pain to change their life...or their desire to lose the weight has to be stronger than the cravings for that..fill in the blank with your sweet tooth here. It is a huge everyday commitment to lose weight.

What we don't need is cities, towns and states banning legitimate business from operating.

It's really a supply and demand issue. As long as people are purchasing fast food they will keep building more outlets. When the population demands healthier alternatives, better food will be offered for sale.

There is a movement afoot in this country and around the world for a healthier lifestyle. The boomers are aging and along with that will be some mega trends towards better health.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Weight Loss Support and Supplementation http://www.my-vitamin-supplements.com

31. Atkins Diet Overview-Natural Vitamin Supplements

Today there are many diets out there to choose from, and if you want to lose weight, it can be a bit difficult to figure out which diet is for you. However, one of the top diet choices out there today is the Atkins Diet. Of course before you start any diet you probably want to know a bit more about it and how it works. So, let's take a look at how the Atkins Diet got started, how it works, who it works best for, and more so you can make the right choice.

Overview of the Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet is a popular diet that was developed by Dr. Atkins. The entire diet is based on the theory of this doctor is that the main problem for people who are overweight is that they eat too many carbohydrates and their body is extra sensitive to them. His idea is that the body and how it processes the carbs you take in each day is what makes you gain more weight. Basically Dr. Atkins feels that many people eat too many carbohydrates, which leads to insulin resistance. In order to remedy this problem, the diet is one that restricts the intake of carbs and focuses on eating a diet that is high in protein. You end up reducing the amount of carbs that you eat each day to make your body start burning off the fat on the body as its fuel.

People the Diet Works Best For

While this diet has been shown to be effective for many people, it seems to work the best for people who really do have an insulin resistance build up in their body. Also, people who are hypoglycemic can really benefit from this diet as well if they are trying to lose weight.

Pros and Cons

You will find that just like any other diet, there are definitely both pros and cons. Let's take a look at a few of the pros and cons you'll find if you try this diet.

- Pro #1 - It's a Simple Diet - One of the main pros that so many people love is that it is a very simple diet to follow. Once you learn what foods you are supposed to be eating, those you should avoid, and learn to count carbs, it really is a diet that is easy to follow.

- Pro #2 - Finding Your Own Level of Carbs - Another great pro is that the diet does focus on finding the level of carbs that works best for you. Some people may be able to eat a bit more than others, but the focus is to figure out what works for you.

- Pro #3 - A Popular Diet - The Atkins Diet is a popular diet as well. This is a pro because it means that you can easily find information on the diet and support as you are trying to follow it as well.

- Con #1 - You Miss Out on Cancer Fighting Fruits and Vegetables - One of the main cons of this diet is that because of the big restriction on carbs, you actually miss out on some of the most important cancer fighting fruits and vegetables that you need. Add to this that you're eating more red meat, which too much of can cause cancer, and you may create a dangerous situation.

- Con #2 - You Always Have to Count Carbs - Many people don't like the fact that they are always having to keep track of the carbs they eat. This means that every single thing that goes in their mouth must be counted, which can get old after awhile.

- Con #3 - Miss Out on Necessary Nutrients - Probably one of big cons to this diet is the fact that you miss out on many necessary nutrients that your body needs, since you cannot eat many foods. While some minerals and vitamins can be taken in a supplement, some of the important phytonutrients that you need cannot be replaced by taking a supplement.

Foods You Can and Can't Eat

There are several different phases of the Atkins diet and each phase affects the food that you can and cannot eat as well. When you are going through the first two weeks of the Atkins plan, you are only allowed to have 20 grams of carbs each day, and the carbs that you can eat include vegetables that are low in carbohydrates, such as tomatoes, lettuce, and broccoli. During this time you can't even eat fruits, potatoes, breads, or yogurt, since they have too many carbs. You can't take in caffeine or alcohol during this time either.

As you go into the second stage of this diet you are allowed to go up to 25 grams of carbs each day. After you get to the weight you want to be, then you can slowly introduce some good carbs into your diet once again, but you have to make sure that you don't gain back the weight that you have lost. Some of the things that you can add to your diet include plenty of proteins, such as various meats, like red meat, bacon, and you can even add eggs.

The Opinion of the Medical Community

So, you may be wondering what the opinion of the medical community happens to be. Well, the medical community often criticizes the Atkins Diet Plan, feeling that there are many dangers to going on a diet that is so low on carbs and so high on protein. Since you cannot eat many fruits and vegetables, doctors fear that people don't get the nutrients that their body really needs to be healthy. Also, all the fat that is taken in on this diet can be very dangerous. The American Heart Association definitely is concerned with the diet because of the high fat, and the American Dietetic Association is also concerned about it because of the lack of nutrition the diet offers.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Shaklee Independent Distributor

Health Matters-Still Love Atkins? Supplementation to Replace the Nutrients Your Body Needshttp://www.my-vitamin-supplements.com

32. Hollywood Diet- Get Skinny on Fabulous Food

If you are trying to lose weight, you may be trying to find a great diet that will really help you out. However, it can be really hard to decide on the diet that will really work for you, with so many out there for you to choose from. There are a variety of great books out there on weight loss as well that have been turned into diet plans and one of those was Suzanne Somers' Get Skinny on Fabulous Food diet. Not sure that this is a great book or a great diet plan? Well, let's do a bit more research and find out all about this diet and whether or not it is a great choice for you and your weight loss needs.

Overview of the Diet

Basically this is a book and a diet that was written and developed by Suzanne Somers and it is developed around the premise that you can actually eat anything and lose the weight you want to. However, it does stress that you have to eat in certain combinations if you want to lose weight. The author points out that she thinks that it is certain combinations of food that make people fat, so she shows how to combine foods in certain ways that are to help you lose weight.

Who Does it Work Best For?

For people who have no will power at all and those who really want to eat all the foods they love, this is a diet that they may want to try. If you don't want to be left hungry all the time feeling deprived because you can only eat protein or vegetables, this is the diet that offers something different.

A Few Pros and Cons

- Pro #1 - Eat Just About What You Want - The main pro that most people find with this diet is that they can finally eat the foods that they want to eat instead of dealing with diets that totally limit them in foods.

- Pro #2 - Recipes Included - Another pro of this diet and book is that there are quite a few recipes that are included in the book, so you do have an idea where to start. However, once you go through the recipes, you may find yourself a bit lost.

- Pro #3 - Don't Count Points or Calories - You'll also find that you will never have to count any points or any calories when you are on this diet. All you have to do is make sure that you eat certain foods together and that you avoid eating foods together that may cause you problems.

- Con #1 - The Author Has No Nutrition Credits - One of the main cons of this diet plan is that the creator, Suzanne Somers really does not have any nutrition credits as well. The only thing she has done in the past is appear in an infomercial for a special exerciser for thighs. So, all that she offers in her book is not based on great nutrition credentials.

- Con #2 - Baseless Claims - Another con of this diet and book is that some of the claims are just baseless. The author advises people not to drink any water with their meal, stating that the digestive juices get diluted and you won't be able to lose weight as you should. There is absolutely no merit found for this idea, so it appears to be a bit off the wall.

- Con #3 - Food Combining is Needed - You'll also find that to follow this diet you'll have to combine foods in certain ways in order to be allowed to eat them. This is not always fun and it's not always easy to get the right combination at the right time as well. Her method of food combining is called Somerizing, but it can be difficult to actually incorporate this into your life.

Foods You Can Eat and Some You Can't

When it comes to eating foods on this diet, you can just about eat anything; however, it is how you eat it that is so important to this diet. When you eat fruits, you are only supposed to eat them by themselves. Proteins and fats are supposed to be eaten with vegetables and when you eat carbs, you're allowed to eat them with vegetables, but not with fats. Fats and proteins are never to be eaten along with carbs. Also, if you want to change the type of meal you're eating, you have to wait at least three hours.

What the Medical Community Has to Say

When it comes to what the medical community has to say about the Get Skinny on Fabulous Food Diet, most of the things they have to say are not really complimentary. You see, most people in the medical field really feel like much of what the author says in the books is not true and that there is not scientific premise for it, such as the idea that drinking water with your meal is bad. So, for the most part, this is not a diet that has impressed the medical field in any manner.

Mark Potes 517-547-3049

Health Matters-Scientifically Based Weight Loss Support http://www.my-vitamin-supplements.com

33. Sugar Buster Diet-Natural Vitamin Suplements Blog

Looking for the right diet for your needs? Well, this is not always so easy, especially with the many diets out there to consider. Today we want to take a closer look at the Sugar Busters Diet and all it has to offer. If you are considering this diet, keep reading to find out how the diet works, the people it does the best for, and all the pros and cons of using this diet in your own life.

Sugar Busters Overview

The Sugar Busters Diet and books has been developed by four different authors, including Samuel Andrews, MD, H. Leighton Steward, Luis Balart, MD, and Morrison Bethea, MD. They published this book themselves and all of them are from the city of New Orleans. Basically the diet focuses on getting rid of anything that has too much sugar content in it, since it can cause problems with the biochemical system in the body. The authors also promise that you will get more energy, lower your cholesterol levels, you'll feel better, and treat a variety of different diseases with this diet.

People Who It Works for Best

Those who do the best with this diet is those who really do need to cut su