What The PCOS Diet Is and What It Treats

in Diet Plans,Medical Diets

The PCOS diet is not a fad diet. It is not even a very well known diet, falling within the category of medical diets. The PCOS diet isn’t a diet that is touted as being the best and only way to lose weight quickly. When a woman goes on the PCOS diet, it is on the recommendation of her doctor.

What Is PCOS? – Just what does PCOS stand for? PCOS is a metabolic disorder affecting about 10% of women to one degree or another. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and while the symptoms will vary, and diagnosis can be difficult, the disorder is usually traced to cysts within a woman’s ovaries. Diet comes into play in the treatment of PCOS since it has been determined that the way the body manages insulin production seems to play a major role.

Why Is Dieting Important? – Nearly 50% of women who are affected with PCOS have an associated weight problem, although there are often other symptoms present. These women either tend to gain weight or have trouble losing weight. That, coupled with the fact that they also sometimes experience the effects of insulin resistance, leads to the possibility of contracting diabetes at some point down the road.

When we diet it is sometimes with the goal of looking better, feeling better, or improving our health. We sometimes go on a diet for another reason though, such as to treat an aliment of some kind. Medical treatments don’t always consist of drugs and medicines, they can consist of medical diets as well. That is the case with the PCOS diet. As part of an overall PCOS treatment plan, a this diet is usually complemented by an exercise program and activities designed to reduce stress. All of this is for the purpose of first, losing weight, and second, avoiding diabetes or heart problems at some future time.

What Is The Diet Like? This diet involves replacing bad carbohydrates with good carbohydrates for the purpose of regulating the endocrine system and the managing the use of insulin in the body. Bad carbohydrates are associated with certain processed foods, including most cereals, breads, and pasta. This diet encourages eating more whole wheat, brown rice, and beans. It’s as simple as that. This is obviously not your grapefruit diet, or lose-15-pounds-in-one-week diet. The PCOS diet is a healthy diet and a necessary one for those afflicted with PCOS.

After reviewing many products on the internet, one I recommend is the Natural PCOS Diet eBook written by Jenny Blondel. She goes over all aspects of what is needed to overcome PCOS and actually includes a cookbook at no additional charge when you order the ebook. If you are interested in getting this fabulous book, click the book cover below to be taken directly to the order page. If you would like to read everything that is contained with thin the ebook please click here.

The PCOS Diet

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If You Reduce Cortisol Levels Can it Help You Lose Weight?

in Health Tips,Women's Health

It is widely known that having too much stress in your life can prevent you from losing weight, especially from your midsection. When your body is under high levels of stress, it cause your body to release high levels of the cortisol hormone into your blood stream based on the effect your body has on the stress. The types of stress really don’t matter, but they could include: psychological or physical stress. It really doesn’t matter as the cortisol will be secreted no matter what kind of stress you are under.

When cortisol is released it is secreted by the adrenal glands. It may sound like cortisol in general is a bad thing for the body, but it is actually very important for the regulation of blood pressure, your immune system and many other functions within your body. In small amounts cortisol can be good, but at high levels it can lead to an increase of abdominal fat which can lead to heart attacks, stroke and increase your bad cholesterol levels yet decrease your good cholesterol levels.

Another bad thing about high levels of cortisol is that it can also decrease your bone density from within your body, leading to osteoporosis and deterioration of muscle tissue. This can also slow down your metabolic rate(Metabolism), and it can increase your blood pressure along with other various ailments.

The thing that most people do not understand is that everyone will react different to stress. Most people think everyone reacts the same exact way to stress, but in actuality everyone has a different reaction to stress especially the different levels of stress. And with the different reactions to stress, some will produce more cortisol levels while others will produce less of the hormone. In many studies it has been found that people who produce more cortisol will actually eat more food, and in particular carbohydrates. So if you know someone who eats as a way to “control” their stress you now know why they do it, they are producing high levels of cortisone and this is how their body is coping with it.

Reduce Cortisol Levels

Well you may ask, what do you need to do to reduce cortisol levels from within your body when you are stressed out?

The first thing you must do is find a way to relax. Relaxing is the best way to calm your nerves down and to get your body from producing those dangerous high levels of cortisol that you and your body especially do not need.

Possibly the easiest way and most obvious way to relax is by simply breathing. This method of relaxation is done by slowly breathing in through your nose and gently expanding your abdomen, then releasing the air through your nose by pulling in your abdomen at the same time. While doing this breathing exercise you need to focus exclusively on the breathe, blocking all thoughts from your mind and just focus on breathing in and breathing out. After several cycles of breathing you should naturally feel your body start to relax and realize that this is a natural way to reduce your cortisol levels. One way to reduce your cortisol levels on a daily basis is to practice this exercise for several minutes a day until you feel calm and relaxed. It is a good idea to do it on a daily basis to sort of unwind from the day because if you don’t do it regularly your body will not be used to it and it will take longer to “calm down”.

Realizing that your body produces high levels of cortisol when you are stressed can be a powerful thing when it comes to battling weight around your mid-section. Now that you know why you go to food when you are stressed out you can now combat that with breathing exercises that will combat your hunger when you are stressed out. Much like when smokers have to have a cigarette when they are stressed, people who do not smoke reach out for the thing that is most available to them and is the easiest to get their hands on. With most people that is food. But, but finding a way to reduce your cortisol levels by creating you are well on your way to combating your stress and living a healthier fitter life.

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The Grapefruit Diet — Most Extreme Diet on the Planet?

in Diet Plans,Extreme Diets

The grapefruit diet is not as extreme as you think. While it was initially based on the idea that grapefruits must have some sort of an enzyme in them that promotes fat-loss when it is eaten with copious amounts of protein, this has never been scientifically substantiated. On the other hand, a study funded by the Florida Department of Citrus in 2006 did find that half a grapefruit with every meal produced an average weight loss of 3-10 lbs over 12 weeks. It was postulated that this was due to reduced insulin levels in the bloodstream from the grapefruit.

Insulin, as we now know, is the main driving force behind fat gain. Obesity is caused by an excess of insulin in the body which tells the sugar in our bloodstream to be stored as body-fat. Because the grapefruit is very low in sugar, it can provide the same refreshing feeling as eating other high-sugar fruits and thus can complement each meal very well without the sugar boost that leads to insulin problems.

How does this extreme diet work?

The diet has been used by a number of celebrities and has also been called the Hollywood diet. Basically, it is another version of the low-carb diet, but with a slight variation. People on the diet eat high fiber and high protein mainly while restricting carbohydrates and fat. The drastic reduction of carbohydrates and the low calories of the diet (800-1000 per day) assure that you are creating a caloric deficit in your metabolism. Additionally, because you are eating a lot of protein and fiber, you are always full. Additionally, fiber is not something the body can digest, so while it does help to fill you up, it also means that your body will not use this for nutrition.

The diet consists of bacon and eggs for breakfast with a glass of grapefruit juice. For lunch, you eat a lot of meat with salad and more grapefruit juice. For dinner, you guessed it, grapefruit juice with a hearty meal consisting of meat and lots of vegetables (but no starchy ones such as carrots or potatoes, only green and red vegetables). If you are getting sick of grapefruit juice you can instead eat half a grapefruit with every meal.

The extreme form of the diet

There was a fad that erroneously believed that eating NOTHING but grapefruit would help you lose weight. The truth is, that you will lose weight, but definitely not in a healthy way. It would be very dangerous to do this to yourself, because you would not be getting all the nutrition that you need daily if you ate only grapefruits for 12 days. You will undoubtedly lose the pounds, but you will also be undernourished and susceptible to illness. Even worse, you have no long-term plan for weight-control and will probably gain everything back and more.

The best way to lose weight is to combine a healthy lifestyle that involves daily exercise with a meal plan that creates a caloric deficit in your daily energy needs. Be careful with extreme diets such as this grapefruit diet!

The Grapefruit Diet Final Thoughts

While many people view this as a “Hollywood Diet” or extreme fad diet, I believe it can be used in moderation and be successful for most people. The diet plan can be followed, but for long term health its not recommended for long periods of time due to the lack of nutrients. The main point here is moderation as I do not believe it can be used as a long term diet plan that everyone can follow.

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Fun Ways To Get In Shape

in Health Tips,Workout Tips

Today, the market is completely saturated with low-fat, low-carb and sugar-free foods yet our obesity rates are at all time highs. Despite our best efforts to come out with the “latest and greatest” diets pills and workout machines that are supposed to “transform” your body in less than 30 minutes a day, most people still struggle with their weight on a daily basis.

For sustained and true weight loss success, most health experts stress the importance of making complete lifestyle changes for long term viability of any weight loss program and also keeping a consistent exercise regimen to keep the weight off for good. With that said, here are a few things we have compiled to help you get in shape in a fun and entertaining way and to fight the battle of the bulge once and for all.

get in shape

  • When traveling make sure to put aside time for fitness. While enjoying a vacation take a little extra time to go that extra mile. I know in many vacations that I take, walking always seems to be the most exercise that I get for the duration of the trip. Instead of taking a taxi or catching a trolley, why not walk to your destination(If its within a reasonable distance). Doing that little bit extra goes a long way in keeping up with your fitness while you are away from your comfort zone known as home.
  • Another method to get in shape is to run or walk for a charity or cause. For example, whenever their are walks or runs for Breast Cancer research or the Susan Komen foundation I feel obligated to participate because of the many women that I have known that have dealt with breast cancer. By participating in this wonderful run I am promoting a good cause and I am also promoting good health for myself and my family by participating in the “Race For The Cure”.
  • One of my favorite ways to get in shape fast is by dancing. There are many dance classes across the nation that you can signup for such as: ballroom, hip-hop, salsa and many more. There are even more racy dance classes for example Carmen Electra’s Aerobic Striptease. But one of my current favorites is a Brazilian dance class called Zumba. These routines involve lots of dancing and aerobic exercise and the music that accompanies them is outstanding!
  • One of the most tried and tested methods of getting in shape and becoming super flexible is by doing yoga. Yoga has been around for centuries and originated in India. With yoga you get peace of mind and an amazing body thanks to the stretching and meditation techniques that are provided. If you can’t find a local place do do yoga one great place that I have found sources is at my local library. In the dvd section most libraries have a decent selection of yoga videos that should help you get started.
  • The last fun way to get in shape is by doing Pilates. This one has also been around for a while, and many people are already doing it(11 million+ to be exact). Here is what wikipedia has to say about Pilates:
    “Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility and long, lean muscles, strength and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing to relieve stress and allow adequate oxygen flow to muscles, developing a strong core or center (tones abdominals while strengthening the back), and improving coordination and balance. Pilates’ flexible system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises. No muscle group is under or over trained.”
    I truly enjoy pilaties as it gives me clarity in my mind and body that I truly never had before and I enjoy doing it immensely.

Well, here are just a few ways that you can get in shape and enjoy yourself while doing it. If you follow these health tips you will begin to see results quickly.  If you want to let us know about ways you like to get in shape in a fun way with your workout tips please let us know. I hope you kick the bad habits this year and make it your best one yet!

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The Dukan Diet

in Diet Plans,Food Diets

One of the latest diet crazes to come out in recent memory is called the Dukan Diet. As it was recently revealed on ABC News that Kate Middleton announced that she had lost her pre-wedding weight on the Dukan Diet.

Other celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchens have also claimed to have lost lots of weight by adhering to this diet plan. Great, celebrities doing another diet, what does that have to do with me? Well before you write off this diet plan lets dig a little deeper to see exactly what it is and what is isn’t.

What The Dukan Diet Is:

The Dukan Diet was created 10 years ago by French physician Pierre Dukan as a treatment for obese people.
Basically, it is a four phase, high protein, low calorie diet plan. There is no weighing foods or counting calories. You eat as much as you want any time of day – as long as what you’re eating is lean protein in the initial part of the program.

The Dukan Diet

Dr Pierre Dukan Courtesy of: Camera Press/John Angerson

Protein is the main part in all four phases, along with: oat bran, lots of water, and a 20 minute daily walk. Vegetables are allowed in the second stage, followed by small amounts of fruit and whole grains. It is much like the first Atkins diet that came out many years ago. Dieters who are on the program lose weight very fast – as much as 1-2 pounds a day during the first phase in which Dr. Dukan says helps to instill lasting motivation to complete the entire program. He promises that hunger will disappear after the third day.

But, some of the drawbacks that the book talks about are: bad breath, constipation, dry mouth, and fatigue. All consequences of low carb, high protein diet.

The Dukan Diet: What You Can Eat (The Four Phases)

Phase 1 The “Attack” Phase: You can eat all you want of lean protein, along with 1.5 tablespoons of oat bran and 1.5 liters of water daily. That’s it. Dieters can choose from 72 lean or low-fat meats (excluding pork and lamb), fish, poultry, eggs, soy, and nonfat dairy.

Phase 2 The “Cruise” Phase: Allows unlimited amounts of 28 non starchy vegetables every other day along with a core diet of unlimited lean/low fat protein and 2 tablespoons of oat bran. Carrots, peas, corn, and potatoes are not on this list of vegetables but appear in the next phase.

Phase 3 The “Consolidation” Phase: This phase allows unlimited protein (including pork and lamb) and vegetables every day, along with one piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole-grain bread, and 1 portion of hard cheese. Dieters can also have 1-2 servings of starchy foods and 1-2 “celebration” meals (in which you can eat whatever you want) per week during this phase. In this phase, you begin the lifetime commitment of eating the core diet of pure protein one day each week, preferably the same day.

Phase 4 The “Stabilization” Phase: This is the maintenance portion of the plan. The author promises you can eat whatever you like without regain if you follow his rules – one day a week, follow the same all-protein diet as in Phase 1, eat 3 tablespoons of oat bran a day, and walk for 20 minutes daily and never take elevators or escalators.

Sugar free gum, artificial sweeteners, vinegars, and spices are allowed on The Dukan Diet. The book encourages dieters to take a daily multivitamin with minerals.

Now that you know what you can eat in the Four Phases let’s look into how the program works.

How The Dukan Diet Works:
Phase 1: Promotes rapid weight loss with a protein only diet. Stay on this phase anywhere from 1-10 days, and expect to lose at a rate of 7 pounds in 5 days.

Phase 2: This phase could last for months, depending on how much weight you need to lose, your body recuperates and adjusts to your weight loss. Dukan recommends sticking with this phase until you reach your goal weight, with the expectation of dropping 2 pounds per week.

Phase 3: This phase is critically important period between weight loss and maintenance, when the plan lightens up a bit but no weight loss is expected. This is a time when your body is vulnerable to putting pounds back on, according to the book. But if you stay in this phase five days for every pound you’ve lost, the book says, you’ll avoid regain.

Phase 4: This is the maintenance part of the plan, is meant to be lifelong. You’ll keep the weight off for good, the book says, if you follow this phase’s requirements for a weekly all-protein day, plus oat bran and exercise.

The Dukan Diet Final Thoughts:
There is no doubt that if you follow this diet you will lose weight. Like the Atkins diet before it, by limiting your intake of carbs and focusing on high protein foods your body will break down the fats and you will drop the pounds. But at what cost? You will be eliminating many healthy foods from your diet that your body needs but you will be without. Dr. Dukan does recommend taking multi-vitamins with minerals, but not nearly as much as your body needs.

So, in conclusion I think this is another fad food diet that for long term viability you should stay away from. If you are looking to lose weight very fast to attend a function hey its worth a shot, but I wouldn’t look to it for long term weight loss.

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Welcome To Perfect Weight Loss Solution dot com

in Diet Advice

Taken Directly From Our About Us Page:

“People today understand the importance of making the correct choices when it comes to their diet and how they take care of themselves, but they often do not have enough time in their busy schedules to sift through the thousands of websites that address these needs such as: diet, health and wellness. That is where Perfect Weight Loss Solution comes in to fill that void.

Perfect Weight Loss Solution dot com is a leading publication that publishes engaging and innovative articles on the topics of: diet, weight loss, men’s and women’s health and much more. We also provide a full compliment of honest product reviews to give independent reviews of the latest and hottest products on the market today. What sets Perfect Weight Loss Solution dot com apart from other websites is our commitment to honesty and unique content. You might find other reviews and insight from other websites, but you won’t have the commitment you will get from Perfect Weight Loss Solution dot com.

The main goal of this site is to keep you, the consumer, as informed as you can possibly be and to provide you with the best quality of information so you can make informed decisions about your life and your lifestyle. Whether it be dieting or exercising routines, we will provide you with the information you need to make those decisions.

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