Power Up Your Metabolism

What is metabolism?

The rate at which your body burns calories for energy.

Yes it is true, the more powerful your metabolism, the less chances you

have of storing fat in your body.

You can have that slice of pizza or an

ice-cream or chocolate cake and not worry about gaining even a little bit

of fat.

This is because your body's metabolism is powerful enough to break

down what you eat and digest it easily.

If your metabolism is slow, the entire process of digestion slows down, and

that's when you begin to store fat.

People with more lean mass/muscle and who work out regularly develop high

metabolisms. For your body to hold muscle in place, or body tone in place,

it continuously breaks down calories to do this.

Ever wondered why you can

break out into a sweat while holding a simple stretch or just doing simple

yoga? That's because to hold that stretch/muscle, your body is burning

calories.

If you have more fat that's dormant, your body does not need to burn

calories to hold fat in place.

How to build a powerful metabolism:

Exercise regularly, take the steps, stretch during the day, even if it's

for 2 minutes, stay active.

Breathe deeply, let oxygen flow through all your muscles and nourish them.

A little resistance exercise is always great to develop lean mass/muscle. You can use your own body weight
to exercise

Eat several small meals in a day. By doing this, your body is continuously

breaking down calories to provide energy for digestion. But don't over eat.

eat slow and stop when full.

NEVER NEVER NEVER skip meals or miss breakfast. You need breakfast to jump

start your metabolism after you wake up.Try and start of with a fruit

first, then your breakfast.

A fruit is a simple sugar and will digest

quickly, providing you with energy needed to boost your metabolism.

You know your metabolism is good when:

You miss your workout for a few days, eat out of your regular plan, and

your weight still remains the same.

When your tummy rumbles every 2.5 to 3 hours. It's your body's way of

saying "feed me, i need more energy now".

I am listing a few foods that naturally boost metabolism. Try and include

them in your food plans.

Broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, apples, jalapenos, green tea, yogurt,

almonds, grapefruit, channa (gazebo), rajma (kidney beans), turkey,

oatmeal, soy milk, cinnamon,cayenne pepper and chillies, egg( whole)
.

Green Tea is a great metabolism booster and fat burner ( whole leaf variety)

Stretch a lot, it keeps your body and muscles toned and tone equals a higher metabolism.

Sleep sufficiently ( at-least 7 hours)

Don't sit in one place for more than 45 minutes. Get up and move about at regular intervals.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. Even a 1 % drop in your body water level can lower your metabolism.

Do You Really Have Cancer? Power Of Your MInd

For years, people have cured themselves of diseases using the power of the mind. There is no doubt that the power of the mind can be used to prevent and cure disease, to amass wealth, to live a better and wholesome life.

Sounds easy, but yet, with over 60000 thoughts or more crossing ones mind in a day, coupled with stress, pressure, a fast track life and the enormous demands of living, it can seem like a task, to harness the power of your mind.

A client, who over the years became a good friend of mine, resides in the U.S. For several years, she would visit fortune tellers and began to rely heavily on what they told her during these sessions. When confronted with any situation or crisis, she would rely on a fortune teller to forecast how her future looked or would turn out to be.

This lady is extremely fit and healthy, works out regularly, sleeps well and eats in moderation. Perfect lifestyle, happy family and well to do. A few months ago, on one of her trips, she consulted with a fortune teller who told her that she would suffer from cancer. She was alarmed and made random visits to other fortune tellers to discuss the same. Most of them stated that she was likely to get breast cancer.

A few months passed, and i thought something was brewing, because all of a sudden she was asking me for plans that would boost her immunity and prevent the onset of cancer. She swore to me that she was fine health wise, but just wanted to take precautions. So i sent her a couple of plans that would boost her immunity.

2 months ago, she called me up whilst i was in India, and told me that she had detected a lump in her right breast. She was devastated. She made travel plans with her family and wanted to drink and live up before she began her treatment. Once she calmed down, i asked her to explain what the doctor said, and she told me that there was a lump detected, and the doctor would take some time to perform tests on it. In the meantime, she would take off for her holiday. I asked her not to worry or even focus on this, and instead focus on the rest of her that was healthy and on the fact that she had everything else in life that many many others didn't even have. I encouraged her to take her mind of the lump completely and stay away from fortune tellers until her results came in.

She got back a week ago and learnt that the lump was non cancerous. She called up to express her joy, and through our conversation she admitted how her life had changed after fortune tellers had told her she would get cancer. She constantly thought about it all day, and was wondering how she would handle it if she got the cancer, what she would tell her family and friends, and whether she would survive it.

It's clear that she manifested the lump in her right breast through this immense stress and negative energy on her mind and her body cells. The mind is so powerful that it will attract what you think of. It will play on the words you believe or what you hear, and if you are not string enough to curb or ration these thoughts, they can very well manifest into the real thing.

It is so true that our thoughts become actions.

We can dream up success or failure.

We can think and believe health, or sickness

We can think wealth or we can think poverty.

We can think fat or we can think thin.

Emotional stress on the mind is more destructive than that french fry or cake. It lowers and destroys your immunity at a cellular level, making your body susceptible to disease and suffering.

We should not let the negative words or comments of others affect the quality of our lives. We should choose to let go of such sources of ' negative energy' and focus on source of 'positive energy' 

We must learn to be aware of all our thoughts and address them or convert the negative ones into positive thoughts.

It's a process, a slow and stead one, which if practiced daily, will become a habit, and then it's easy to do.

Most cures of all diseases, lies in the power of the victims mind.

Doctors, parents, friends, bosses, should all learn how their words can impact someone’s life, and everyone, all of us, need to learn the same, and be cautious with the words we use with others and the thoughts we think.

I am extremely grateful for her and her family, that the lump was just a non cancerous lump. Let’s always wish good health for everyone we know, or don't know.

It's All In The Chew

What if i told you you could enjoy a bit of dessert and it would not impact your weight?

What if i told you that snacking on a cookie here or there would not impact your weight goals?

What if i told you that you could eat rice / Roti / Bread at lunch and dinner, and it would not
impact your weight or health?

The human body is a miracle. We are living examples of a miracle. The way our brain and body
functions, blood flow, though, smell, 
feelings, emotions, the ability to recover from the deadliest of diseases, and the ability of our cells to heal and repair.

Everyday the trillions of cells in our body work non-stop to fight out germs and bacteria all around us,
which if, infected us, we could fall very sick 
and even die. That miracle is called ' immunity'.

Our stomach produces sufficient acid to melt down a razor blade. Such is the power of our digestive system.

So whats an ice- cream or a chocolate bar or a cookie gonna do when it finds it way into our stomachs?

Our body is made to digest the hardest of foods. Red meat is tough to digest, but the body will break it down.
Vegetarians don't escape either. Cellulose in vegetables are extremely difficult to break down,
but the body breaks it down eventually.
( this is one reason that vegetarians suffer from more flatulence than non vegetarians.)

The body can break down meats and vegetables and that dessert. The secret lies in the 'chew'.

It turns out there’s a reason food tastes so good. You’re supposed to enjoy it—slow down and savor it,
not just get it to your stomach as quickly as possible. Chewing your food thoroughly is actually the first
step in the complex process of digestion, and if you glaze over it, just chewing the minimum amount of times
necessary to get the food down your esophagus, you’re actually compromising this process. And it’s a mistake many people make.

We were give teeth not just to make that smile or picture pretty. The primary function of teeth is to tear down and break up food into small bits.

Saliva mixes with these small bits, further softening them, and guess what? Here's the foremost reason you should begin to chew your food.When
you chew, more saliva gets produced and your saliva contains enzymes that break down FATS and CARBS. Yes!!! Digestion starts in the MOUTH.

When digestion starts in your mouth, by the time your food reaches your stomach, it's already processed by enzymes, and your stomach has no issues
in completing the assimilation/digestion process.

You feel light
You feel full for a longer period of time.
You do away with flatulence, gas, indigestion, burping.
You learn to savor and enjoy the taste of your food.
Your body absorbs all the goodness of your food ( vitamins, minerals)  better.
You eat exactly how much your body needs, to you maintain or arrive at a healthy weight

Imagine all the times you gobble down your food.You have undigested chunks sitting in your stomach, giving rise to gas
discomfort and chances are that most of your food gets converted to fat.

Chew your food. Enjoy a dessert but eat it slow, savor it, enjoy it, and over time you will learn not to abuse it.

The more you chew your food, the cleaner you keep your intestines, stomach and colon, because the body can quickly cleanse itself
when digestion happens the right way. Bye to constipation , fatigue and migraines/headaches.

Try this exercise today:

The next meal, it it really slow. Take a spoon of food, chew it several times, savor the flavor and taste, and then swallow. Put your spoon down.
Then take the next. You will find yourself getting fuller quickly, and then you should stop eating. This way you save on calories you intake, and over time this
will become a habit and you will serve yourself less food. Less food equals less calories, equals better health, longer living and a healthy weight.

Take 1 serving spoon less at every meal, and chew and eat your food. You will find that it is enough and all these saves spoons of food add up to a lot of calories saved.

You will lose fat and you will feel healthier

Diseases are caused in most cases by over eating, and we always think how much we eat is enough, but it may not be correct, if you 
have been eating your meals fast.

Chew your food and you will never have to diet.

Your meal time is more important that your work, respect it. That's your personal time between you and your body, where you feed and nourish it
to keep you healthy and strong to do your work and live well.

This is a lifestyle change, and if you master it, you can enjoy all the foods you like in moderation.

Constipated ? Smelly Poop?

A few days ago i sent out a mail on poop and your health. I received several questions on the same.
I am glad that many of you have actually realized the importance
of how a good poop can do wonders for your health.
 

We should always strive for the healthiest elimination habits possible.
Sometimes, due to things we have eaten, elimination is difficult,
while other times it is difficult to stop. Proper digestion and elimination go hand in hand.

Drinking healthy smoothies is a fabulous way to re-balance your digestive system
and relieve any uncomfortable issues that you may be having with elimination.

If your digestive system is in order, your elimination will be in order.
Rather than reach for over-the-counter aids when things go wrong “down under,”
try a healthier and safer alternative, a smoothie. No matter what your digestive malfunction is,
there is a smoothie to rectify the problem. There is nothing healthier than a fresh smoothie
made with whole food ingredients.

Constipation:

If you have poor bowel movement, and each visit to the loo is a painful struggle,

or you don't feel like going to the loo daily,  chances are you are constipated.
Your poops may be small, hard and very difficult to pass causing you exceptional discomfort.
It is important to understand that constipation is a symptom, not a disease, but chronic
constipation can lead to deadly diseases.

Constipation occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colon’s muscle contractions are weak.
Constipation may also be a symptom of dehydration, lack of fiber, inactivity,stress, medications or irritable bowel.

Combine these ingredients in a blender for relief from painful constipation.
 

• 6 pitted prunes (dried plums)
• 1 cup apple juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
• 1 cup of crushed ice (using filtered water)
• 1 cup of organic Kefir or plain organic yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• Pinch of nutmeg

Put ice in the blender first, followed by other ingredients and blend well. Drink the smoothie right away.
 

Stinky Poop Smoothie

O.K. so you say that all poop stinks, right? Well, not exactly, some poop smells way worse than other poop. The odor of your poop is really dependent on a number of things, including what you are eating, medications, how long it has been sitting in your colon and possibly a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract.

One way to bring balance back to your gut is to be sure that you are consuming plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits and very little, if any, processed foods.

Combine these ingredients in a blender to help improve the overall health of your digestive tract.

• 1 lemon
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup of crushed ice
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice

Put the ice in the blender first, followed by the other ingredients and blend well. Drink right away.

Focus on your elimination. The faster you get toxins out of your system, the healthier you are
with less chances of contracting diseases and cancer.

You will slow down the process of aging and your mental ability and memory will improve.

You will feel lighter, all those headaches and migraines may just disappear and your battle with
weight loss may just change for the better.

Credits: Alternative Daily ( excerpts) 

The Amazing Nutrition in Pure Ghee

Ghee has been used for decades in the Indian kitchen. Today it seems to have gotten a bad name and is linked
to obesity, heart disease and weight gain.

Ghee is a saturated fat like coconut oil. It is a medium chain fat and not a long chain fatty acid, which simply means
that it can be absorbed by the human body. All saturated fats are not bad for the health, and ghee is one of them,

I'm talking about pure ghee and not the vanaspati or refined versions. Those are definitely a BIG NO.

Pure ghee used in moderation is excellent for the health and is also known to reduce cholesterol levels.

Pure ghee lines the stomach linings making your digestive system stronger.

Pure ghee promotes a healthy bowel movement and contributes to great stools.

Excellent for eye health.

Ghee is rich in antioxidants and helps in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods
into the system.

Strengthens the immune system.

Boosts memory retention.

Stimulates the secretion of stomach acids which help in digestion and break down of foods.

Promotes healthy skin.

Is an excellent cooking medium as it has a high smoke point, which means less free radicals when cooking.

Pure ghee in small quantities is excellent, but we must not forget that it is still a fat and fat needs to be used in moderation, 
especially if you already have heart disease or if you are struggling to lose weight.

Modern diets rich in sugars, processed ingredients and refined oils have no place for pure ghee.

if you want to introduce pure ghee into your diet, you need to cut down on your consumption
of other oily foods, aerated drinks, sugar and high salt foods.

Ghee has medicinal properties and forms an integral part of ayurvedic healing.

Use it in moderation and enjoy.

Virgin Coconut Oil - Amazing Health benefits

I continuously coach people on the importance of health fats. Low fat diets are bad diets, whereas low carb diets are
actually better if you are trying to battle triglyceride and bad cholesterol and sugar levels.

The word fat, psychologically makes us think that ' fats' make us fat. The right fat,
those are essential fatty acids ( EFA's) can actually help you melt abdominal fat,and provides your body with a lot of good nutrition.

People across India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam have used coconut oil
in all of their cooking for centuries and it's not a surprise when research shows that communities
that still use coconut oil in their cooking and for medical issues, have the least cases of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Over the years ' saturated fats' like ghee, coconut oil etc, have taken a beaten, making people
believe that their heart disease and increase in body fat is because of these two actually very nutritious and essential fats.

While it is true that any fat, no matter how good or bad it is, in excess will lead to weight gain,
we can still make use of some fats that can actually do good for our body and health. 

Virgin Coconut Oil - 

These are medium chained fats, which simply means that our body can break it down and handle it
appropriately,compared to long chain fatty acids found in other refined oils.

I wouldn't call this oil and oil but would actually categorize it as a super food.

Amazing Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil - 

Cardiovascular Health
Although coconut oil is a saturated fat, several studies have found that eating virgin coconut oil
does not have adverse effects upon the heart. On the contrary, it appears to reduce the risk of
high cholesterol and heart attack. Earlier studies done on coconut oil that found it caused high
cholesterol were done using partially hydrogenated coconut oil and not virgin coconut oil and the studies were done on animals, not humans.

Immune System Support
Consuming coconut oil may help to fight off disease and illness thanks to its antiviral,
anti fungal, and antibacterial properties. If you're battling any kind of virus or infection, try taking coconut oil.

Weight Loss
One study found that women who took virgin coconut oil every day had a significant
reduction in abdominal fat. Even though coconut oil is a type of fat, it may actually
help you to lose weight. Because it contains medium chain fatty acids rather than long
chain fatty acids like some other commonly used oils, the body uses coconut oil for energy
and does not store much of it as fat. In this way, it helps to boost the metabolism.

Digestive System
Coconut oil has been found by many people to be beneficial for digestive problems such
as irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and indigestion. Coconut oil fights unhealthy
bacteria in the digestive system and it also assists in nutrient absorption within the body.

Skin Benefits
Moisturizing your skin is the key to keeping it youthful and healthy and coconut oil can
be used in place of lotion for a healthier moisturizer. When coconut oil is used, it also
helps to fight bacteria and other skin problems including rashes, dermatitis, acne,
wrinkles, eczema, and psoriasis. If you have an area of skin that is irritated,
rub coconut oil on the skin to soothe the inflammation and reduce the symptoms.

Healthy Hair
Coconut oil can also be used to improve the health of your scalp and hair. One way it helps
is by strengthening the strands and reducing protein loss during washing. Try applying a little
bit of coconut oil on your hair to brush out tangles or massage a tiny bit on coconut oil on the scalp for a silky, strong, head of hair.

Stretch Mark Prevention
In Asia, coconut oil is commonly used to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy.
Already have stretch marks? Women have also found that applying coconut oil to
stretch marks after they have formed erases the stretch marks or greatly reduces their appearance.

Thyroid Support
Many people believe that consuming extra virgin coconut oil can help with the symptoms
of hypothyroidism. While scientific evidence is conflicting in this regard, many people with
hypothyroidism have successfully improved or even reversed their hypothyroidism and have
been able to stop taking thyroid medication. Remember that it may not work for everyone
and it is important to consult with your doctor before stopping any medications.

Coconut oil consumption also improves your energy levels during the day and is linked
to an increased sex drive due to it's ability to spike up testosterone levels.

Knee or joint pain? Warm some coconut oil gently and massage it into your knees or the joint that hurts.

I recommend the cold pressed virgin coconut oil compared to refined coconut oil for consumption.

Get this super food into your diet. I usually add a bit to my green shake, as oil also helps the with the
absorption of vitamins and minerals from the veggies in your shake, into your body cells.

10, 000 Steps To A Healthier You

It's a new week. A gift to all of us. A week that is full of opportunity and possibilities for us to take advantage of, if we slow down
the pace of our busy lives and just reflect for a moment, on our goals and the current status of our health.

The sick have the opportunity to heal and feel better.

The healthy have the possibility to fall sick.

It is said that wisdom revolves around seeing and taking advantage of the infinite opportunities and possibilities,
sometimes called "life miracles" a midst our hectic lives.

Here is an opportunity that all of us can dive into this week, to better our health ( physical and mental), 
prevent or cure disease, manage our weight effectively
and actually reduce stress and improve the quality of living.

Walk 10,000 steps a day.

The recommended 10,000 steps a day originated in Japan in the early 1960s. Japanese researchers led by Dr Yoshiro Hatano
determined the average person took 3,500 to 5,000 steps per day, and that if they were to increase
their steps to 10,000 steps per day, the result would be healthier, thinner people!

Dr. Hatano’s calculations also showed that we should walk 10,000 steps a day to burn about 20% of our caloric intake through activity.

Today, the World Health Organisation (WHO), US Centre for Disease Control, US Surgeon General,
American Heart Foundation, US Department of Health & Human Services, and the National Heart Foundation of Australia
all recommend individuals take 10,000 steps a day to improve their health and reduce the risk of disease.

10,000 steps a day is a realistic goal that is achievable by people of all shapes, sizes and ages.

You can invest in an inexpensive to top of the line gadget that counts and tracks these steps for you. 

Keeping your body fit and healthy doesn't have to be an overwhelming task. A pedometer, also known as a step counter,
can help you track your daily activity. These small devices allow you to record the number of walking or aerobic steps you take, 
the distance you travel, the number of minutes you are active and even the number of calories
you burn just by getting up and moving around throughout the day.

Step counters do more than just keep a record of your daily steps. With the best pedometers, 
you can track your progress over a week or even a month. You can add your personalized
information such as your weight and height for more accurate readings. 

Walking pedometers aren't large devices you have to wear each day.
Many of the best digital pedometers are small and weigh less than a pound. 

They strap onto your belt, or you can stick them in your pocket for convenient and unobtrusive carrying.

Don't wanna get this device? Make use of your smart phone. Download free apps like ' Walking Mate' which tracks your steps, 
and provide you reminders, daily and weekly progress charts that become powerful motivating tools for you.
You can sync these apps/devices with your iPad/lap tops/desk tops and actually study your pattern of exercise.



The 10,000 Steps benchmark is about introducing physical activity into your very busy and often hectic workday,
without having to set aside ‘special’ time for exercise. You simply make yourself aware
of opportunities available to you during your normal day.
For example:
·                       Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
·                       Carry the shopping in one bag at a time
·                       Take a 5-minute walk at lunchtime
·                       Step out for 10 minutes with a friend or workmate

And if by dinner time, you are below your target of 10, 000 steps, there is one way to compensate for that.
Make sure your dinner is extremely light.

I strongly encourage everyone to get themselves a pedometer or download a free app. 10,000 sounds easy,
but believe me, there is effort that needs to be put in, but the results are promising
and the feeling on completing 10,000 steps, exhilarating.

Get all your family members a device, your kids too, and compare results just before dinner.
This becomes motivating and a deciding fact whether you should call in for pizza, or just eat homemade healthy 
food.

Maybe you will do just 3000 steps today, but tomorrow is an opportunity to do 3500 and then 4000
and you see the possibility of achieving 10,000 steps and enhancing your health.

This little exercise can continue on holidays, business travel, where ever you are.