Proven Cancer Fighting Convenience Foods

Fast, convenient food can actually help fight cancer. Just because you are on the go, doesn't mean you have to ignore your health. The trick is knowing which foods are cancer-fighters and incorporate them into your everyday life. Let's take a look at some of the healthiest convenience foods that help prevent cancer. Chances are, you will be surprised about at least a couple of them.

Beans

Almost every type of bean you can imagine has great cancer preventing enzymes. These enzymes are released when cooked and many of the canned beans you buy in the grocery store have the enzymes preserved. They are canned at the peak of their freshness and cooked to perfection to kill bacteria as well as begin the enzyme breakdown process.

Garlic

The natural health benefits of garlic range from anti-viral properties, to preventing diabetes and even reducing the risk of high blood pressure or cholesterol. Garlic may be too strong in its raw state for some people, but, never fear; garlic still holds much of its nutritional value when cooked.

Lentils

For such a small legume, this guy packs a big punch in the health department. Once again, convenience in a can prevails. Give these fellas a rinse and they're ready to enjoy in a nice chilled salad or cooked in a simple soup. Packed with fiber and able to help reduce heart disease, lentils have strong cancer-fighting abilities.

Brown and Wild Rice

Brown and wild rice have almost 80% more nutrition than enriched white rice. As a matter of fact, the instant brown with wild rice varieties still have more than 75% more nutrition than the instant white rice. If you are concerned about your risk for colon cancer, brown rice not only has enough fiber to minimize the amount of time cancer-causing substances remain in your colon, it also packs a bunch of selenium, which is shown to substantially reduce the risk of colon cancer. Keep the convenience factor by cooking up a batch and keeping small portions individually packaged in your freezer ready to eat when you are.

Oatmeal

According to the American Cancer Society, oatmeal is not a cure for cancer since a cure has yet to be discovered. However, oatmeal is one of the best foods to prevent cancer. With the large amounts of insoluble fiber contained in oatmeal, the body is able to fight against the toxicity of bile acids which helps to lower the risk of cancer. Oatmeal is quick to cook, but you can also enjoy it baked and tossed with nuts for an easy granola treat.

Vegetables

Broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage have a powerhouse of cancer-fighting properties. Also, the dark leafy green vegetables such as romaine lettuce, collards, kale, spinach, and beet greens help keep numerous cancers at bay. Many of the vegetables can be eaten raw or lightly steamed. You can find most of these veggies sold already cut up for you, which is a great convenience factor, or you can cut them up yourself using a food processor such as one of the KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors. Also, look for the frozen or canned varieties for even faster and easier preparation.

Tomatoes

Lycopene is the name of the game when it comes to tomatoes. Lycopene is a phytochemical, which plants use to color their fruits. If you see a fruit with a red coloring, like a tomato, you can be sure lycopene is the reason. Eating lycopene rich foods has a great impact on protecting against cancers of the stomach, colon, lung, throat, breast and prostate. Lycopene can also be found in grapefruit, watermelon, and strawberries. If slicing a tomato doesn't sound convenient to you, throw ripe tomatoes in your food processor and chop them up. Store them in the refrigerator and they'll be ready to throw on a salad or mix into your favorite rice dish. Or, simply buy cans of diced tomatoes for convenience sake.

These simple foods can be turned into snacks or meals in minutes so you can give your body the cancer fighting weapons it needs without standing at the stove all day. The motto to remember is this - keep it simple when planning a healthy diet. Eat conveniently, and eat well, to stay healthy.

Healthy Low Fat Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Even when you are trying to lose some weight, you have to make sure that you eat at least two portions of fruit each day. This is not always easy to fit into a busy schedule. Well, if you have a blender such as one of the KitchenAid 5 Speed Blenders with Polycarbonate Jars, you can make this tasty low fat smoothie recipe and have your fruit on the run,

What You Need:

• 1 C orange juice
• 1 C papaya, peeled and diced
• 1/2 C cantaloupe, peeled and diced
• 1/2 C mango, peeled and diced
• 2 apricots, pitted and diced

How to Make It:

1. Pour the orange juice into the blender.
2. Add the papaya, cantaloupe, mango and apricots.
3. On medium speed puree mixture for 1 minute.

If you like fruit you’ll like this smoothie. This is one way to ensure you get the recommended amount of fruit in a daily diet.

So, no more excuses for not having your two portions of fruit a day. This is quite a big smoothie, so to reduce calories share it with someone.

Is The Dr. Atikins Diet The Right Diet For You?

One of the most popular diets are the Dr. Atkins Diet. This diet is essentially a Low Carbs Diet. So, even before you start wondering about it you have to ask yourself if a low carbs diet will work for you. Keep in mind that even though it works for some it may not be the correct diet for you. People differ and what I do not like about the Dr. Atkins Diet is that it can be classified as one of the Fad Diet Plans. So, consider your health as well before you embark on this diet. Another question is "How Long Should You Stay On the Atkins Diet."

First, evaluate your past dieting history. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a long period of time, you’ve no doubt tried a wide variety of diets. Take note of the different diets you’ve tried over the years. Write down the basics of each diet, what worked and what didn’t. Also, write down why you didn’t stay on the particular diet. Evaluate your experience with high carbohydrate diets. These types of diets include most low-fat and calorie controlled diets. How did you feel while on these types of diets? Were you hungry, obsessed with food or experiencing negative reactions? Or did you feel full of energy and generally good?

If you’ve had experience with low carb diets, write that down as well. Past the negative effects of the first week, how did eating low carb make you feel? Why did you stop using the low carb diet?

The answers to these questions will help you decide whether Atkins is right for you or not. If you’ve had good experiences with low-fat diets and bad experiences with other low carb diets, then Atkins is probably not for you. If other low-carb diets have worked but not without difficulty, then you may have been on the wrong type of low-carb diet and Atkins might work better. If you’ve had bad experiences with both types of diets, then you may have better success with a modified Atkins diet.

Your food and eating behaviors can also give you a clue to whether or not Atkins is a good choice for your weight loss efforts. Carb sensitivities are indicated by a certain set of behaviors. You may be carb sensitive if you feel like eating right after you’ve finished a meal. You will also feel strong urges to eat throughout the day. You may feel dizzy, fuzzyheaded and fatigued without getting a boost from sugar or another carbohydrate. Carb sensitivity is also shown when you feel sluggish after eating. This occurs especially after you eat a meal rich in sugars and carbohydrates. If you experience these symptoms frequently, you may have carb sensitivities. Try paying close attention to how carbohydrates affect you and if you continue to experience these symptoms, try doing a low carb diet.

Your success on the Atkins diet can also be determined by your medical and family history. If you have any pre-diabetic symptoms, or diabetes itself, a reduced carb diet like Atkins may be right for you. Significant weight gain can also be helped by the Atkins diet. Normally, the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high blood glucose.

If any member of your family has diabetes or is significantly overweight, this can also put you at risk for these conditions. Your tendency toward these conditions on a genetic level can mark a necessity for a low carbohydrate diet like Atkins. The Atkins plan has been shown to improve weight and control blood sugar issues. If these are problems in your family history, then you may want to consider the Atkins diet.

There are a lot of good reasons to try the Dr. Atkins Diet. Whether you have responded well to other low carb diets in the past or you have a medical history that warrants a controlled carbohydrate diet, the Atkins diet can meet your needs.

The Truth About BMI Body Fat And Health

 All of us have heard about the BMI and are wondering about it. Should we take notice? Is it a problem for me? We do not all understand it. You want to know if you have excessive fat on your body and wether you should ask the question "How Can I Lose Fat" Maybe you are not fat and your weight is muscle? Well let's have a look at the BMI.

Though one of the most popular tools used today to determine whether someone is at a healthy weight or not is the BMI, body fat and lean muscle tissue don't figure into the equation. This has led many experts to discount BMI as an archaic measurement that isn't accurate for many people. What is BMI, and why is it a good measure for some, maybe, and completely wrong for others?

BMI, or body mass index, was created in the early 1800s by Adolphe Quetelet. Because of that, it's sometimes called the Quetelet index. It's nothing more than a way of comparing a person's weight to his or her height, and determining if his or her weight falls into a healthy and normal range. The BMI is still used today pretty much as it was when Quetelet invented it.

The formula for figuring BMI (body fat, bone and frame size, muscle and body type aren't included in that) is this: Take your height in meters squared (your height times itself) and divide your weight in kilograms by that number. For example, if I'm 5 feet tall, that's about 1.5 meters. To square that number, take 1.5 times 1.5. The result of that is 2.5. So if I weigh 120 pounds, that's about 54.5 kilograms. Divide 54.5 by 2.5 and I get 21.8 as my BMI. The normal weight range is from 18.5 to 24.9, so 21.8 is classified as a normal weight. Underweight is considered 18.5 and below, while overweight people will calculate a BMI of 25 to 29.9. A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity.

BMI, body fat and general health can all be used as signs of how fit a person is. But where general health is pretty self-explanatory and the percentage of body fat clearly shows whether a person gets enough exercise or not, BMI is a bit trickier.

People with a lot of muscle don't show accurate BMI readings. Because muscle weighs so much heaver than fat but takes up less space, a relatively small statured person can carry a lot of muscle weight without looking huge. BMI doesn't take that into account. Football players, professional wrestlers, bodybuilders, and virtually any athlete who has a lot of muscle is going to measure as overweight and even obese according to the BMI. So it's not accurate for them. Is it accurate for everyone else?

The answer to that is yes, and no. It depends on you. The BMI typically doesn't show an accurate result for children. And extremely tall or large-framed people will show overweight or obese classifications more easily because of the extra weight from their bones and muscles. So for very short, tall or muscular people, the BMI appears to not be a good tool.

There's also no distinguishing between men and women in the BMI. Body fat is more natural for women who are supposed to have more than men, so some sort of distinction in the measurement of the sexes would help the BMI's accuracy

So, in the end it also boils down to common sense. Have a look at yourself and you will see if you are fat or not. Be honest with yourself! Take action if you KNOW that you are fat and should lose some weight. Your next step is to look for one of the good Lose Weight Diets and go for it. Keep at it and you will see results.

What Is The Truth About The South Beach Diet And How Does The South Beach Diet Work

If you have been thinking about Lose Weight Diets you may have asked yourself the following question. Does the South Beach Diet work? This is a question many people ask themselves. Will it answer my question "How Can I Lose Fat?" You may also be wondering if you will understand it, but the good news is that it is really very easy to understand. The fact that the south beach diet is broken up into three phases helps you manage the whole process.

The south beach diet is by far the biggest, newest trend in the health industry and has garnered much attention from celebrities and regular day folk alike. The main reason for this is that it just works. No matter what your body type, age, or weight the south beach diet can work for everyone.. This is why we have put together the following information to help you understand exactly how it works.

For those of you who are completely unfamiliar with this diet and are wondering “how does the south beach diet work?” it is quite simplistic. The basic idea of the diet is to abandon untested methods of weight loss and return to the basics. This is achieved by replacing the bad carbohydrates and fats that you consume with good ones. This process is broken down into three phases (below) that all have their own benefits.

How does the South Beach Diet Work?

Phase #1: 

The first phase, like the others, is very easy and will not prove to be difficult when trying to transition from your old dietary routine. The first phase consists of three meals a day and will last for two weeks. The types of meals you should be eating include beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, eggs, cheese, nuts, and lots of vegetables. The meals should be sided with a garden salad using 100% olive oil as a dressing. Unlike other diets, the south beach diet instructs you to eat until you feel full.

Phase #2: 

The second phase of the south beach diet, unlike the first phase, has no set time limit. This means that the second phase will last as long as it takes you to lose your desired amount of weight. The main goal of the first phase was to make your body re-learn what foods are good for it as well as starting to phase out the cravings that are associated with some of the sugary foods that you have cut out of your diet. During phase two you will continue the routine from phase one however you can start to have some sugary foods once or twice a week in small portions. By the time phase two is completed you should feel as if you have complete control over your cravings and thus the food you eat.

Phase #3: 

Phase 3 begins once you have reached your target weight during phase two. Phase 3 will actually become your new diet for the rest of your life. If the first two phases are followed correctly the third phase will just feel like your normal eating habits. No longer should you be wondering “how does the south beach diet work”, instead you’ll be enjoying the benefits of it.

How To Burn Fat Belly - Stomach Exercises!

During the summer vacation most of us indulged a little more than we should have. Now you may be wondering how to burn fat belly. Well, with a healthy balanced diet and these exercises you will get rid of those extra pounds around your tummy without a problem. Keep at it and you WILL see results.

I you prefer to do your training with a machine, a machine such as the Body Champ BRM3671 Cardio Dual Trainer is a good choice. This machine is a 2-in-1 machine which simply means you can use it for toning as well as for cardio. Remember doing cardio exercises at 60% of your maximum heart rate is still the best if you are looking for Burn Fat Exercises.

1. Hip Lift

For this stomach exercise, you will need to lie on your back on a flat surface, such as the floor. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Put your arms at your sides with palms facing up to the ceiling. Put your legs straight up in the air so that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling and your legs make about a ninety degree angle with your torso.

Keep your knees unbent and as straight as possible. Now, contract your ab muscles so that it feels like your belly button is being pulled toward your spine, while at the same time gently lifting your hips off the floor. Raise your hips to a height of a few inches, keeping your legs extended straight upward. Hold this position, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

2. Seated Torso Twist

Stay on the floor for this stomach exercise, getting into a seated position. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Position your feet about hip width apart. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, interlocking your fingers. Contract your abdominals and lean back about forty-five degrees. Holding the contraction, rotate your torso as far to one side as you are comfortably able to. Use your abdominals to control this motion so that your upper body moves as one, do not lead with your arms.

Remember to keep your arms in front of you with fingers locked-- pretend you are aiming an imaginary gun. Once you have rotated as far as you feel comfortable, rotate back to center, then to the other side. Repeat these steps for an entire set. Take care to go slow and keep a controlled movement. Do not allow your momentum to twist you.

Well, I think with these exercises and a healthy balanced diet you will not have to ask "how to burn fat belly" again.

Five Easy Toning Exercises you can Do Anywhere

It is important for everyone to do exercises, but it is almost impossible to lose any weight without it. So, if you are saying "how can I lose fat?" you have to look at exercise as well as a healthy diet. Weight bearing exercises are also important for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age. More muscle also equels faster metabolism and that is what a slimmer needs.

Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising. The problem is where and when to get the job done. With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.

Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders. As you age, especially once you hit the age of forty, you begin to lose muscle mass. For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem. When the body is in need of calcium it can rob it from your bones. Building muscle not only increases their mass but your strength.

You can do the exercises below or you can make use of a machine such as the Body Champ BRM3671 Cardio Dual Trainer that is actually a 2-in-1 machine that you can use for toning as well as for cardio exercises. Remember that doing cardio at about 60% of your maximum heart rate is still one of the best Burn Fat Exercies.

Here are five easy toning exercises that can be done anywhere and whenever you have time. At home, at the office, or on vacation, you can do these easy yet extremely effective exercises.

1. The Bridge Butt Lift

Sounds like a plastic surgery technique but it is an easy way to tone your buttocks. Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart. Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body. Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor. Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

2. Squats

Squats work the butt, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps. If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair. Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted. Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair. Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight. Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release. At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

3. Reverse Lunges

Lunges work the quadriceps muscles. They can be hard for people with knee problems. A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee. Stand with feet together and arms at your sides. Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot. From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor. Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

4. Pushups

This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles. If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees. Be sure your arms are tucked into the body and your back straight as you lower and lift your body.

5. Crunches

Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone. Lying on the floor in sit up position, place your fingers behind your head. Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor. Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position.

These five exercise moves can be done whenever you have time. The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative. Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage.

OK, I agree you will have to take it slow at first. Do what you can and constantly strive to improve. This is really worth the trouble because it does not only tone your muscles to give you a slimmer appearance it is also important to know that fat does not grow on working muscles.