I have never subscribed to nor been impressed with the idea of dieting. Many would say 'it's alright for you' but I have every sympathy with people who have difficulty in losing weight. I see many people really committing themselves to a regime then being utterly demoralized at their apparent lack of success once they return to normal life and their work is rapidly undone.
I have maintained for years that the 'low calorie' diet plans are harmful and ineffective. They don't deal with the root of the weight problem, worse they contribute. It's difficult to penetrate the brainwashing that countless numbers of people have been subjected to. Living an organic lifestyle would not allow me to substitute real food with harmful chemicals, even though I do have a 'sweet tooth' and thrive on foods cooked in fats. According to the diet industry, I should be a colossus, but I am not.
I was delighted recently to encounter the Diet Solution Program. At last, someone who has made available to the masses, the 'permission' to eat fats, eat plenty and not starve themselves. Isabel explains how we have different metabolic typing and provides the formula with which anyone can determine their own. This explains why my husband can enjoy a very physical day and gather enough energy from fruits and nuts, whereas with that same activity, a day eating fruit and nuts would not only make me very uncomfortable, but physically weak and emotionally miserable. We have different metabolic typing. If only everyone could understand this simple fact.
The next very simple fact that the Diet Solution Program covers is that we all need fats and that there are many easy sources of good fats and bad fats. The Canola Oil industry very successfully convinced the public that coconut oil is harmful because it is a saturated fat, which it is, but they persuaded people that ALL saturated fats are bad for us. Most people don't know that some fats become very dangerous once they are heated. It isn't the potato part of the french fries that makes you fat, it's the kind of oil they are cooked in. Change to cooking in olive oil or coconut oil (which I highly recommend - potato wedges will never taste so good to you again!) and you have a very good food. In fact, coconut oil can actually assist in burning unwanted fat off of your body. It goes straight to the liver where it is immediately converted into energy instead of being stored in the body.
Most diets lead to weight loss, which is actually water loss (dehydration) and once you end the diet, you will regain that weight as your body rehydrates. What most people really want to achieve is fat loss and you need maximum hydration to achieve this. It is well known that drinking good, clean water (especially ice cold if you can manage it!) will assist in burning calories. I won't detail all the other needs your body has for drinking water, as it is very aptly and simply discussed in the Fat Burning Furnace.
Simply altering the fats you eat, rather than embarking on a tasteless, unsatisfying, fat free or low fat diet, will radically alter the way your body metabolizes food and actually ASSIST in losing weight or fat. What's more - the weight will stay off, as long as you keep to this simple culinary change. You may not be able to buy fries from McDonalds again, but neither will you continue to look like most of the regular customers there!
The question of artificial sweeteners is also successfully covered in the Diet Solution Program. The idea that dieters can drink alcohol mixers as long as they use low calorie sodas ludicrous and should be punishable for affecting the health of so many. Isabel explains, in simple language, how artificial sweeteners send messages to the brain to retain fat - at all costs! Each time the sensors on the tongue send the message to the brain 'here comes something sweet' our insulin levels go crazy, waiting in preparation for the 'sugar' that never arrives. Eventually, use of these artificial sweeteners destroys our ability to manage insulin levels completely. Have you wondered why diabetes is so prevalent now? Yet people recovering from heart attacks are 'told' they must eat artificial sweeteners and what's the next crisis they have to overcome - yes - diabetes!
The great thing about the Diet Solution Program
is that YOU take control of your health. You feel better emotionally, and I am certain you will feel motivated to make the effort it takes to make the small changes necessary to your food shopping habits.
I know people are tired of the 'lose weight fast' adverts and they are right to be. I am certain that you will understand more about your bodies needs with Diet Solution Program and attain a healthy body/fat ratio.
I was especially impressed that both the Fat Burning Furnace and the Diet Solution Program tell us that we do not have to do those incredibly boring sessions on treadmills. The exercise routines that most professional trainers advise us to use actually work against fat loss. Not only is it better to do a 15 minute workout 3 times a week, it means you can fit this in at home and not have to make the journey to a gym, or set aside one hour each day for exercising.
Both programmes also include recipes and workouts for all levels of fitness with diagrams. For a little extra the Fat Burning Furnace provides videos, which really appeals to me. The Diet Solution Program (the most expensive at $47) also includes a journal, manual and shopping tips.
If you follow either of these programmes, not only will you attain your healthy weight, you will keep it and that makes for happier people. To assist with the emotional aspects of trying to lose weight, I recommend EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), commonly being called Meridian Tapping. I will explain more in my next post.
Henna Hair Blues
I don't suppose anyone has managed to henna their hair blue? If you have, please let me know! I'm certain though, that many of you have experienced the shock and horror of seeing your reflection in the mirror, for the first time ever, with bright orange hair. Did you know...that whilst the plastic shower cap is recommended if using heat to set your henna, it also makes it 'redder' than without the cap. 'Redder' is probably, acceptable to a certain degree, but orange....definitely not.
Two more facts about henna usage: If you mix it the day before application, the colour is stronger and.... Henna continues to work on the hair even after you have washed it off.
The most wonderful thing about henna is that you don't have to colour your hair at all, but simply give it the best conditioning treatment imaginable. Even those grey hairs will sparkle in the most attractive way, reflecting the colour of the hair around them! People pay a lot of money to have their hair professionally highlighted.
Misting - Re-hydration
A misting spray will refresh and hydrate, any time of the year. Mist all over your body after bathing, showering or shaving, or whenever you need an energizing pick-you-up. It will be even more beneficial if you use a refillable dispenser and add a few drops of food grade Vitamin E oil.
Misting is especially effective when travelling by air. Aeroplanes have very low humidity and the forced air ventilators rapidl dehydrate your skin.
Even when you have to remain seated, keep your circulation moving by doing gentle leg exercises. Rotate your feet at the ankles a few times, then lift each leg, alternately, a few inches off the floor.
Dry or Cracked Feet
Our feet work exceptionally hard, every single day, with little or no appreciation for the incredible job they do in our lives. Often, it isn't until the heels crack in the winter that we pay them due attention.
My most favourite health/body treatment is a pedicure and I used to enjoy them weekly. Living in the wilderness means that such pleasures have to be sacrificed. Once a week, I treat myself to a magnesium crystals footsoak for maximum foot health and well being.
Follow this with a foot scrub and every evening moisturize really well before going to bed to allow the skin to soften throughout the night. Wearing a pair of socks in bed will ensure the moisturizer goes into your feet and not the bed linen, especially if your moisturizer is greasy. This massage bar is not greasy at all and is refillable. If your feet are in a very bad way, moisturize during the day too. Only wear natural fibres: wool, silk, hemp or cotton.
Dry Lips
Dry or Cracked Feet
Our feet work exceptionally hard, every single day, with little or no appreciation for the incredible job they do in our lives. Often, it isn't until the heels crack in the winter that we pay them due attention.
My most favourite health/body treatment is a pedicure and I used to enjoy them weekly. Living in the wilderness means that such pleasures have to be sacrificed. Once a week, I treat myself to a magnesium crystals footsoak for maximum foot health and well being.
Follow this with a foot scrub and every evening moisturize really well before going to bed to allow the skin to soften throughout the night. Wearing a pair of socks in bed will ensure the moisturizer goes into your feet and not the bed linen, especially if your moisturizer is greasy. This massage bar is not greasy at all and is refillable. If your feet are in a very bad way, moisturize during the day too. Only wear natural fibres: wool, silk, hemp or cotton.
Dry Lips
Dry or chapped lips can be very painful and licking will only make them worse, removing the protective oils. To keep your lips soft and smooth, particularly during colder weather apply a moisturizing lip salve or balm. It's especially effective if you also apply the balm before going to bed.
Dry Hands
Don’t forget your hands - It is easy for busy people to forget about their hands. Moisturizing is as necessary for the hands as the rest of your skin. Although we know we should use protective gloves, we often forget.In addition to using hand cre
am after working in water, apply a generous amount before going to bed, so it can nourish your hands through the night.Anti-ageing- For those of us over 50 or who work outside, the effects of moisture loss are more rapid. To avoid dry and itchy skin it is even more necessary to use oil based moisturizing creams rather than water based lotions.
It is important to use a gentle exfoliant regularly for the removal of dead skin cells, allowing moisturizers to penetrate and prevent premature ageing
It is important to use a gentle exfoliant regularly for the removal of dead skin cells, allowing moisturizers to penetrate and prevent premature ageing
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Guide to Anti-Ageing Beauty Secrets!
Dry Skin
Baths and Showers - Long, hot baths deplete your skin of oils and moisture that are essential for protection and lead to dry skin or itching. Even though bathing appears to hydrate your skin, it is only temporary, causing greater moisture loss than gain. In winter it is better to avoid bathing/showering every day, if possible. Saunas and steam baths are much less ageing.
Body Scrub - Try using a natural body scrub, which will exfoliate, detoxify, cleanse and moisturize in the one treatment. Most commercial shower gels and bath additives use anti freeze (glycol) as the base ingredient, with additional pearlizing chemicals, just to make it look attractive.
When you bathe use coconut or tea tree based bath salts. Gently pat your skin dry afterward and moisturize immediately with an oil based cream. Oil based creams may feel a little greasy compared to water based lotions, but they are far more effective, sealing in moisture and minimizing loss of hydration.
I have a collection of recipes for beauty and health products, some very old and some very modern. I am working them into an ebook, but in the meantime, here is a link to a book with some wonderful recipes.
Exercise - This is crucial to keep you young and aid cell regeneration. I prefer to exercise in my own home and it doesn't have to involve costly equipment. A tin of baked beans in each hand can very effectively be used as dumbbells, enabling you to exercise anywhere, at any time. Saunas and steambaths will improve your circulation, in addition to burning calories, but should never be considered a substitute for regular exercise. You must work your muscles to keep them toned.
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Health Guide - How to Look and Feel Twenty Years Younger!
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Absorption Through the Skin - Your skin is your largest organ, absorbing upto 80% of whatever you put on it. If you can't eat it - don't put it on your skin! The same applies to the skin inside your mouth. Consider using a natural toothpaste, but as with everything else, beware of what, exactly, is being labelled 'natural'.
Rest and Nutrition - Always ensure you have plenty of sleep and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. It is recommended that 70% of your daily nutrition should derive from fresh fruit and vegetables. It is very easy and inexpensive to grow small green, but highly nutritious leaves in a pot on even the smallest windowsill, all year round. You will find handy tips for easy growing methods on blog for Raised Beds.
Winterize Your Skin
Natural Moisturiser - The winter months are particularly harsh on our skins. This is especially so in drier climates with extremes of cold outdoor temperatures and warm, dry air inside, causing dryness, itching or flaking. Increase the humidity indoors by using a humidifier – even the simple method of keeping a pan of water on the stove will help. You will have to be extra diligent about regular moisturizing applications.
Use oil based, natural moisturizers that absorb quickly into the deep underlying connective tissues to nourish and restore your skin, giving a healthier, more youthful appearance. Natural oil based creams will be far more effective than the water based lotions used during the summer. Moisturizing before going to bed is especially effective, making the most of all those hours for the body to be nourished whilst you sleep. The process of cellular regeneration is most active at night time while you are at rest.
A good tip is to use a refillable dispenser for your moisturizer. This not only makes sense economically, but enables you to add a few drops of food grade, Vitamin E oil each time you refill. Vitamin E is the best aid to regenerating wrinkles and scar tissue.
