Fruits and veggies don't have the meat factor to lure most bodybuilders, but health is about more than muscle! Cover your nutritional basics with fresh fruit!

There's something important you're not doing - and you're far from alone in your torpidity, because most Americans are every bit as lax as you are on this score.

Too many guys aren't filling the recommended half of their plates with fruit and vegetables, and if you're part of this crowd it's something you'll need to address, because your diet is likely deficient in the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals your body needs for optimum health - and no, canned fruit and fruit juices don't count.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, the information on these pages might just put him out of business.

Here are our top eight fruit A-listers.

The Great 8: Fruit's MVPs

1/

Apple

One medium-sized apple is a filling, ready-to-eat snack that is packed with four grams of soluble fiber - 17% of the Daily Value (DV), or the amount you need each day. "This is important for colon health and controlling blood sugar levels," says Elson Haas, M.D., author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition.

"It's also a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C." Apples also contain quercetin, which has antihistamine and antiallergy properties.

2/

Grape

Research has shown that consuming high-glycemic carbs after workouts produces a greater amount of glycogen - replenishing what you've depleted after a hard session - than consuming carbs that are lower on the glycemic index (GI).

"Grapes are a very high-glycemic fruit," says nutritionist and physique specialist John Kiefer, "which makes them an ideal post-training snack."

They're also loaded with vitamins A, C, and B6, and folate, in addition to several essential minerals.

3/

Cherry

Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, says inflammation in the body is the root cause of most disease and discomfort.

"Chronic inflammation can wreak havoc on your vascular system," he says, "but a lot of guys also suffer acute inflammation caused by sports injuries."

Studies suggest weekend warriors can ease aches and pains by eating tart cherries. These have the highest concentration of anthocyanins 1 and 2, which help block enzymes associated with inflammation.

4/

Pomegranate

If you've ever suffered from erectile dysfunction, try adding this "natural Viagra" to your daily diet.

Research shows that the powerful antioxidant agents in pomegranate seeds and juice can help reverse oxidative damage - what nutritionist Oz Garcia, Ph.D., calls "natural rusting" - to the vascular system, which plays a major role in the ability to achieve and maintain erections.

Perhaps this is why some theologians believe the pomegranate - and not the apple - was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

5/

Blackberry

Garcia recommends blackberries for their exceptional phytonutrient power and vitamin K content (36% of the DV).

"This is important for men because it's been shown to help lower risk of prostate cancer," he says. "It's also high in the mineral manganese, which helps support optimal testosterone production."

Blackberries - along with blueberries, bilberries, and raspberries - are also rich in the antioxidant lutein, which helps promote eye health by helping prevent macular degeneration.

6/

Grapefruit

The famous Scripps Clinic "Grapefruit Diet" study showed that participants who ate half a grapefruit before each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks.

"It's a great appetite suppressant," Bowden says. "It also contains pectin, a soluble fiber that's been shown to slow the progression of atherosclerosis."

Avoid eating grapefruit when taking prescription (or over-the-counter) medications, though. "It interacts with liver enzymes in a way that can keep the medication in your system longer than expected."

7/

Lemon

"The citric acid in lemons helps break down lipids and stimulates digestive juices," says Haas, who does a 10-day lemonade cleanse each year to reduce body fat and cholesterol. "Adding the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water every morning supports liver and gall bladder function."

Drink some fresh lemon juice before your next meeting. The energizing scent has been shown to mitigate fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness, and can increase concentration and alertness.

8/

Papaya

Papain, an enzyme in papaya, has been shown to relieve gas from indigestion. Another of its enzymes, chymopapain, has been used to relieve inflammation.

One cup of fresh, ripe papaya has only 60 calories, yet packs a whopping 144% of the DV of vitamin C (88mg). "When buying papayas," Garcia says, "look for ones that are mostly yellow and yield slightly to pressure."

4 Unheard of Exotic Superfruits

His life reads like something out of a popular beer commercial, but adventurer Darin Olien neither plays jai alai nor chases mountain lions out of his kitchen.

Instead, he travels the world in search of underappreciated foods with exceptional nutritional profiles - with a particular focus on sustainability and fair trade.

Here are his top four fruits:

1/

Goji Berry

A staple of traditional Chinese medicine, it's one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.

With 19 amino acids, including all nine essentials, Goji berries also contain polysaccharides - essential for cellular health and boosting the immune system.

2/

Camu-Camu

These purple-skinned berries from the Amazonian rainforest of Peru have a higher naturally occurring concentration of vitamin C than any other food. "The fruit generates vitamin C as a self-defense mechanism to ward off yeasts, molds, and bacteria," Olien says.

"That antioxidant power energizes your immune system, fights off free radicals, prevents disease, and can even lift your mood."

3/

Amla

Also known as Indian gooseberry, Amla has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for 10,000 years to treat ailments from bed wetting to heart disease.

"It's a potent antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial agent," Olien says, "but it also helps lower inflammation, bad cholesterol, and triglyceride levels."

4/

Baobab

This sacred "Tree of Life" fruit, grown wild in Africa, requires virtually no processing.

The pink-orange powder inside its bulbs contains eight essential amino acids, very high levels of fiber (including pectin), and triple the antioxidant agents found in blueberries.

www.healthdesigns.com
Use code 4089008 for 5$ discount

The Changing Face Of The Atkins Diet!

The popular "Atkins Diet" used to be known by many as the steak and eggs diet, where you basically ate as much protein and fat as your body could handle while disregarding carbohydrates from your diet and overlooking where your fat was coming from.

People who were following the plan regularly filled their plates with bacon, cheese, high fat meats, mayonnaise - basically anything that was protein and fat. The more the better.

The theory behind this was that because protein and fat are both more satiating, you wouldn't be as hungry and therefore wouldn't take in as many total calories and would see a weight loss. Furthermore, since you weren't supplying your body with any carbohydrates, you would have a higher chance of staying in fat burning mode (since carbohydrates cause an insulin spike and put a halt to fat burning).

The problem however that came about as a result of this diet, was that many people started worrying about their overall health, particularly with respect to heart disease and high blood pressure as it is well known that high saturated fat intakes can aggravate these conditions.

So now, Atkins has revitalized their approach. They are no longer just focusing on foods that are high in protein and fat, but are taking a more well rounded approach to their diet guidelines and touting the importance of healthy carbohydrates and fats combined with protein.

How The Diet Is Laid Out

The Atkins Diet still is composed of four different phases, the first one being the most strict and intended to kick start weight loss while the last one guides you along the path of healthy weight maintenance.

Phase One:

The first phase starts you out with a total of only 20 net grams of carbohydrates per day, coming from vegetable sources.

The following are the acceptable foods that you are allowed to eat during this stage:


Tuna

Salmon

Chicken

Turkey

Beef

Eggs

Pork

Lamb

Sole

Duck

Other types of fish

Goose

Clams

Bacon

Ham

Seafood

Cheeses (although moderation is key here as they do contain some carbs)

All non-starchy vegetables

Oils

Nuts (again in moderation as they do contain carbs)

Tea

Broth

Bullion

Diet soda

Coffee

The rules of this phase are basically to include a protein and fat with each meal and keep carbohydrates to the minimum of 20 grams. You are encouraged to drink a lot of water and to really read labels and be on the lookout for 'hidden carbohydrates'.

Phase Two:

The second phase of the diet is very similar to the first, also emphasizing weight loss, except that now you are going to add 5 grams of net carbohydrates per week to your diet until you have only 5-10 more pounds that you want to lose. The real purpose of this phase is to learn your body's tolerance to carbohydrates and how many and the type you can have while still being successful at weight loss.

The diet does advise that you should be adding low glycemic carbohydrates, such as more vegetables, berries, nuts and cheese to your diet as you gradually increase the total carb count.
Additionally, they state that if you are an avid exerciser, it is a good idea to bring it up to 60-90 grams of carbs per day as your body will need it to maintain the intensity of your workouts.

Phase Three:

That brings us to phase three of this diet, otherwise known as pre-maintenance. This stage of the diet is designed to help you learn how you are going to have to eat in order to be able to maintain your weight loss in the future. They instruct you in this stage to start upping your carbohydrate intake by 10 grams a week, rather than the 5 grams per week you did in phase two.

You will keep doing this until your weight loss has stopped and you are now maintaining your weight, or are losing at a very slow weight. This would then be considered your maintenance level carbohydrate intake (called Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium - ACE).

They recommend you adding a wider variety of carbohydrates to your diet at this point. That includes such foods as:

Starchy Vegetables

3/4 cup carrots

1/2 cup acorn squash

1/4 cup yams (or sweet potatoes)

2/3 cup peas, shelled

1/4 cup plantain

1 cup beets

1/3 cup parsnips

1/4 cup white potatoes

Legumes

1/3 cup lentils

1/3 cup kidney beans

1/3 cup black beans

1/4 cup navy beans

1/3 cup lima beans

1/3 cup great northern beans

1/3 cup chickpeas

1/4 cup fava beans

1/3 cup pinto beans

Fruit

1/2 apple

11 cherries

1 peach

12 grapes

1 1/4 cup strawberries

1/2 grapefruit

3/4 cup cantaloupe

1 kiwi

1 cup watermelon

1/2 cup fruit cocktail, canned in water

1 plum

1/2 small banana

1 cup guava

1/3 cup mango

Grains

1/4 cup rice (long-grain, brown)

1/2 cup plain old-fashioned oatmeal

1/3 cup corn kernels

1/3 cup whole-wheat cereal

1/4 cup barley

1/4 cup semolina pasta

This will no doubt give you much more selection to choose from as far as your food choices go as well as offering you a chance to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need for proper long term health.They also suggest that at this stage of the game, you can start allowing yourself a few higher carb selections once or twice a week but still keeping in mind that it may be wise to cut back your carbohydrate intake the next day to account for these indulgences.
The diet stresses that you must remember that you are not simply going back to your old ways of eating at this time as that is what made you gain weight in the first place and while yes, you are allowed more carbohydrate containing foods at this point, you are still eating a reduced carbohydrate diet and need to remember this so you stay at your new weight.

Phase Four:

Finally you complete this diet with stage four, maintenance. At this stage the new Atkins emphases an altered food pyramid than what is set as the standards. Whereas the normal food pyramid has grain products at the bottom, the Atkins has the meat and alternatives group there.
Then next you have your vegetables group, followed by the fruit group, then by the oils, dairy and nuts group and lastly you have your grains group - this being the smallest and what you should choose least often.

They recommend that you weigh yourself once weekly to make sure you are not starting to slip back into your old habits causing you to start gaining weight again and remind you that action should be taken immediately if you are.

Who The Diet Is Good For

This diet works particularly well for those who are already suffering from blood sugar problems such as diabetes or hypoglycaemia. Since you are choosing carbohydrate containing foods that have little effect on insulin levels, it makes it very easy to manage blood sugar levels and keep these conditions in check.

This diet is also great for those who traditionally prefer a more meat based diet as meat is what predominately makes up the diet, however you must be willing to sacrifice back on the amount of fat you are consuming as well (which is the change from the old Atkins thinking).

Who The Diet Is Not Good For

The individuals who this diet may not be the best choice for are those athletes that are involved in a large volume of exercise or those who frequently exercise at a very high intensity. Since high intensity exercise relies pretty much strictly on carbohydrates as fuel, if your stores and intake are low, you are likely to see performance losses and have trouble making it through all your practice sessions.

These individuals can still use some of the approaches practiced by the Atkins diet strategy, such as choosing low glycemic carbohydrates but should also increase their total carbohydrate intake above what this diet is recommending. Anything under one hundred grams of carbohydrates (assuming there are no large weekly carb-up periods) is simply not going to be enough to support the kind of exercise these athletes are expecting of their bodies.

Overall Effectiveness Of The Diet

Since Atkins has changed its approach to dieting, it has become much healthier and is a very suitable diet for long term, healthy weight loss. In today's society people are eating way too many refined foods and this diet basically makes you eliminate them. The carbohydrates you are eating are ones that our early ancestors ate back in the day are most natural in state.
The downside to the diet however, is that you are 'counting' in a sense. While it doesn't say anything about strictly counting calories, the fact you still have to track your carbohydrate grams might make some people feel overwhelmed and want to find a diet that has a looser approach.

www.healthdesigns.com
Use code 4089008 for 5$ discount

Three Springtime Detox Diets to Check Out

Many of us consume foods containing high amounts of sweeteners, hormones, pesticides or chemicals. Detox diets are touted as a way to remove toxins from the body, boost your energy and promote weight loss.

There’s a multitude of cleansing and detoxification diets out there – often suggesting some set period of juice fasting followed by a restricted diet. Additionally, according to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, “some detox diets advocate using herbs and other supplements along with colon cleansing.”

If you’re considering a cleansing or detox diet, consult your doctor first, warns Zeratsky. “Detox diets that severely limit protein or that require fasting, for example, can result in fatigue. Long-term fasting can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies,” she adds.

Here’s the rundown on three popular detox/cleansing diets:

Dr. Smith’s Cleansing Diet: This cleanse is outlined in Dr. Smith’s book, “The Four Day Diet.” It has a total of seven phases, each of which last four days. The detoxification process takes place in the first four-day cycle. You consume a diet made up of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, brown rice, beans, nonfat or low-fat yogurt and milk. This cleansing phase is strictly vegetarian, with no fish, meat or poultry. From there, you slowly add more protein and favorite dishes in the remaining phases of the diet.

Dr. Linda Page’s Cleansing Diet: The specifics of your detoxification diet plan depend on what your goals are, according to Dr. Page. Generally, she suggests drinking green tea in the morning for its antioxidant properties. Page also advises spending time in the sun each day to allow your body to produce vitamin D, which helps to cleanse the liver. She adds that ginger root and cayenne pepper facilitate detoxification by improving the functions of your digestive and circulatory systems.

Carole Jacobs and Patrice Johnson’s Detox Diet:According to the book, “Detox for the Rest of Us,” by Jacobs and Johnson, a three-day juice detox may eliminate bloating, relieve constipation and help you drop excess weight. “Detox for the Rest of Us” recommends eliminating grains, meat, fish and dairy for several days prior to starting the program. During the three-day juice cleanse, the authors suggest that you drink juice from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure you’re getting a range of vitamins and minerals. And, you may want to add flaxseed or psyllium husks for extra fiber.

Looking for detox and cleansing products? Click here to see what we have available at iHerb.com. Use Coupon Code 4089008 to get you $5 off any first time order.

DASH Diet

DASH Diet

Type:

Balanced.

Resembles these U.S. News-rated diets:

TLC Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, Vegetarian Diet

The aim:

Preventing and lowering high blood pressure (hypertension).

The claim:

A healthy eating pattern is key to deflating high blood pressure—and it may not hurt your waistline, either.

The theory:

Nutrients like potassium, calcium, protein, and fiber are crucial to fending off or fighting high blood pressure. You don’t have to track each one, though. Just emphasize the foods you’ve always been told to eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy), while shunning those we’ve grown to love (calorie- and fat-laden sweets and red meat). Top it all off by cutting back on salt, and voilà!

How does the DASH Diet work?

First, decide how much you want to read. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which helped develop DASH, publishes free guides on the plan. One (PDF here) is 64 pages while another (PDF here) is six. Both take you through the same process of determining how many calories you should eat for your age and activity level, tell you where those calories should come from, and remind you to go easy on salt. It’s as simple as that.

Will you lose weight?

Likely, provided you follow the rules, and especially if you design your plan with a “calorie deficit.”

Does it have cardiovascular benefits?

Yes. Rigorous studies show DASH can lower blood pressure, which if too high can trigger heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. (In fact, the name DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—hypertension being the medical term for high blood pressure.) It’s also been shown to increase “good” HDL cholesterol and decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a fatty substance that in excess has been linked to heart disease. Overall, DASH reflects the medical community’s widely accepted definition of a heart-healthy diet—it's heavy on fruits and vegetables and light on saturated fat, sugar, and salt.

Can it prevent or control diabetes?

A few studies show favorable results, and the approach is generally viewed as an ideal eating pattern for both. Moreover, DASH echoes dietary advice touted by the American Diabetes Association.

Are there health risks?

No. However, if you have a health condition, check with your doctor to be sure DASH is right for you.

How well does it conform to accepted dietary guidelines?

Fat. You’ll stay within the government’s recommendation that 20 to 35 percent of daily calories come from total fat. As for saturated fat, you’ll stay well below the government’s 10 percent max.

Protein. DASH is within the acceptable range for protein consumption.

Carbohydrates. DASH provides the recommended amount of carbohydrates.

Salt. The majority of Americans eat too much salt. The recommended daily maximum is 2,300 mg., but if you’re 51 or older, African-American, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, that limit is 1,500 mg. DASH has specific meal plans for both sodium caps.

Other key nutrients. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines call these “nutrients of concern” because many Americans get too little of one or more of them:

Fiber. Getting the recommended daily amount—22 to 34 grams for adults—helps you feel full and promotes good digestion. DASH provides more than enough.

Potassium. A sufficient amount of this important nutrient, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, counters salt’s ability to raise blood pressure, decreases bone loss, and reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. It’s not that easy to get the recommended daily 4,700 mg. from food. (Bananas are high in potassium, yet you’d have to eat 11 a day.) Most Americans take in far too little. At about 4,900 mg., DASH more than meets the government’s recommendation—one of few diets that manages to do so.

Calcium. This mineral is essential not only to build and maintain bones but to make blood vessels and muscles function properly. Many Americans don’t get enough. Women and anyone older than 50 should try especially hard to meet the government’s recommendation of 1,000 mg. to 1,300 mg. You shouldn’t have trouble on DASH.

Vitamin B-12. Adults should shoot for 2.4 micrograms of this nutrient, which is critical for proper cell metabolism. DASH provides more than enough.

Vitamin D. Adults who don’t get enough sunlight need to meet the government’s 15 microgram recommendation with food or a supplement to lower the risk of bone fractures. DASH comes up a little short, but choosing a vitamin-D fortified cereal can help. Also, just 3 ounces of sockeye salmon, which packs almost 20 micrograms of vitamin D, will satisfy the requirement.

How easy is it to follow?

While it may be difficult to give up your favorite fatty, sugary, and salty fare, DASH doesn’t restrict entire food groups, upping your chances of sticking with it long-term.

Convenience:

Although recipe options are boundless, alcohol is not. The DASH PDF is packed with tips to make it all easier.

Fullness:

Nutrition experts stress the importance of satiety, the satisfied feeling that you’ve had enough. DASH emphasizes lean protein and fiber-filled fruits and veggies, which should keep you feeling full—even if you’ve reduced your calorie level slightly to support weight loss.

Taste:

Although you may miss salty popcorn and potato chips, your taste buds should eventually adjust. Avoid blandness by getting friendly with herbs and spices.

How much does it cost?

Fresh fruits, veggies, and whole-grain products are generally pricier than the processed, fatty, sugary foods most Americans consume.

www.healthdesigns.com
Use code 4089008 for 5$ discount