1. Fruits and Vegetables that are high in antioxidants – Antioxidants are excellent chemicals that help neutralize free radicals in our body. Antioxidants when not neutralized can cause a condition called “oxidative stress.” It is a condition where there is an imbalance between the factors that causes oxidation and the factors that inhibit oxidation. Free radicals can cause cell damage that results our body’s meta-block system and organ’s system to break down. Here are the top antioxidants that can help you in weight loss:

Blueberries – They are chock-full of antioxidants and fiber, low in sugar and calories. Research shows that blueberries has the greatest anti-oxidants among fruits and vegetables. Aside from that, blueberries has contents that reverse cell degeneration. They also has flavonoids and beta-carotene which helps to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and an effective anti-inflammatory components.

Kale and Spinach – These two vegetables are rich in antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin which help protect against age-related cataracts and macular degeneration.

Broccoli – New medical study shows that eating broccoli and broccoli sprouts reduces your risk of heart disease, high-blood pressure and stroke. Broccoli has high contents of antioxidants called “glucoraphanin,” a chemical which boost the body’s defense system against cancer-forming free radicals.

2. Fiber-rich and low-calories fruits – Eating fruits a day like apple does not only keeps the doctor away but also helps you loose weight. Aside from the benefits of helping prevent cardiovascular problems, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol, the nutrients found in fruits are excellent source of fat burning compounds. Fruits satisfy hunger by taking longer to consume, thus your appetite is reduced.

3. Zero-Fat Vegetables – Vegetables are good source of fiber which helps reduce fat soluble and other fat-causing factors that we have taken making it great foods for weight loss and maintenance. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, brussels sprouts, potatoes, and squash are just some of these vegetables.

4. High-Energy Foods – Great “go” foods has numerous health benefits. Examples of these are oatmeal, yogurt, spinach and canned salmon, tuna or sardines.

Canned Salmon, Tuna, or Sardines – These three fishes are great souce of omega-3 fatty acids, provide extra calcium and protein aside from milk. You can add salmon, tuna or sardines as filling to a whole wheat sandwich with onions, lettuce, tomato, and less-fat dressing for a healthy lunch or heavy snack. You can also add them to your favorite salad. It is much healthier to opt for those packed in water than those in oil.

Oatmeal – Oatmeal balances your cholesterol in the body and an essential heart-protecting food.

5. Foods with Incredible Crunch – Foods that require a good bit of chewing are excellent diet foods because require you ample time to chew and thus the brain’s appestat or appetite is satisfied long before you have the chance of consuming too many calories. Crunchable foods provide healthy benefits because they are high in fiber and promotes good metabolism. Examples of these foods are apple, corn, celery and carrots.

6. Power Foods – Power foods are foods not only packed with vitamins but contain many different types of unique nutrients such as phytonutrients, flavonoids, monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, complex carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrition-boosting compounds. Examples of these are:

Whole grains breads and cereals especially those that contain bran, an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins, and minerals including zinc, iron and magnesium.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, dark lettuces, bok choy, chard, collard greens, and seaweed.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower because they are excellent source of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.

Orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, butternut squash, winter squash, and cantaloupe because they are loaded with cancer-fighting anti-oxidants beta-carotene and vitamins C and E.

Legumes, nuts and seeds are also power foods that help weight loss. Examples of these legumes are beans and lentils. The high fiber content of beans and lentils helps to reduce the absorption of saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories from the intestinal tract, reduces your appetite, and may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Perhaps you’ve heard about colon cleansing and its effects in improving the health and lives of those who have undergone it and came out cleaner on the inside. If you’re interested in doing a colon cleanse too, it’s best to get to know your colon first.

What is the colon?
The colon is a part of the digestive tract that lies at the end of the large intestine. This is where salt and water are extracted from the solid wastes that pass through this on their way out of the body. Unfortunately, not all wastes that pass through the colon are successfully expelled. Some remain stuck to the colon walls and remain there for a long time. The toxins contained in these wastes may also be reabsorbed by the colon and distributed back into the body, ultimately affecting your health and energy as time passes.

What does a colon cleanse do?
Simply put, a colon cleanse removes all that excess waste in your colon and detoxifies you in the process, leaving you cleaner on the inside, healthier, and even several pounds lighter.

When should you get a colon cleanse?
There are no unique symptoms that show up to tell you exactly when you need a colon cleansing, so it’s mostly just a matter of your decision to do this procedure. The effects of having a dirty colon are varied and can easily be attributed to some other possible ailment, but they are definitely more than just a bloated tummy or difficulty in passing. All that excess waste and toxins in your colon can give you more problems that affect your proper function in everyday activities.

Some conditions that can possibly be attributed to a dirty colon includes obvious ones such as constipation, flatulence, bloated tummy, impaired digestion and irritable bowel syndrome. The not so obvious ones include excess weight due to the excess waste, mood swings, bad breath, headaches, fouler-than-usual-smelling stools, inexplicable food cravings, and even skin problems. If you have recurring experiences of one or more of these conditions, it might be a sign to consider getting a colon cleanse.

What are the ways to cleanse your colon?
There are several effective ways in cleansing your colon. One of these is getting a colonic irrigation, a medical procedure that involves having someone else insert a special equipment through your rectum into the colon and introducing copious amounts of water or a water mixture to cleanse and irrigate the colon. Although the process itself will definitely be uncomfortable and tedious, it does not result in a very long recovery period. Aside from a little cramping and the constant discharging of wastes within a few hours after the procedure, there is nothing else you need to worry about after a colonic irrigation and you can go back to your usual activities right away.

Another popular method is using a colon cleanse kit which are easy to find in drugstores. The best thing about using colon cleanse kits is that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home in order to get it, and you don’t need other people to assist you in doing the procedure. The worst thing, however, is that you will be making a lot of trips to the bathroom at unexpected times. Just don’t stray too far when you use this method.

If you’re looking for a more natural way of having a clean colon, there are actually several ways to do so, such as going on a juice fast, or introducing a healthy amount of insoluble fibers into your daily diet.

Now that you’ve gotten to know your colon a little bit better, you’re now ready to take the necessary steps to make it clean and keep it that way. In order to get the most effective results from colon cleansing, it is recommended that you first consult with your doctor and hear what he has to say.

Weight loss programs are very popular nowadays. How many times have we heard of different kinds of advices from different people about speeding their weight loss. But what is real and what is not? There are common myths about weight loss, nutrition and diet.

Myth 1: Fad diet results are forever

Fad diets or popular weight loss program scan help you lose your weight in a short period of time, but it does not help you in keeping the pounds away. Making sure that you would be staying fit and maintaining the weight that you have achieved is by making changes on your lifestyle. There is approximately 95 percent of fad diet followers who would regain their weight after a year or two.

We are what we eat. What we are are based on our food intake, activity or exercise routine. Weight loss is not just about sacrificing unhealthy food that we love once in a while. It is about consistently eating healthy and making nutritious food choices, eating the right amount of food, and increasing physical activity.

Myth 2: There are certain food like grapefruit and celery that could help in weight loss

Unfortunately, scientific studies have found out that these cannot burn fat. Although, it is possible for some food to increase the metabolism of the body, it does not mean that it could burn fat and lead to weight loss. The best way to burn fat is to limit the amount of saturated fat, unhealthy food and calories that you intake. And at the same time, increase your physical activity like exercise and mobility.

Myth 3: Low-fat or non-fat food or drinks means that it has zero calories.

Processed foods are never calorie-free. Sometimes the non-fat or low-fat would have the same number of calories compared with the regular product. Non-fat or low-fat products could contain additional sugar, flour or ingredients which could still add to calorie number of the product. So what you can do to limit your calorie intake? Check the Nutrition Facts label of the processed food to identify how much calorie it is for each serving. You would based how much you eat to limit your calorie intake.

Myth 4: To lose weight faster, miss meals.

This is among the most common myth. Studies showed that if you skip breakfast or any meal it is more likely to increase their weight. Why? Because they feel more hungry throughout the day and eat more in the next meal. It would be better to eat four to five times a day in small proportions. Just make sure that the food you will be eating is healthy, low-fat and low-calorie.

Myth 5: Eating red meat would increase your weight. This is the same for dairy products.

Yes it is true that red meat contains fat and cholesterol, but it also contain protein, iron and zinc which is essential for the body to function properly. When eating red meat, it is best to avoid those that have visible fat. You could choose mead with lower fat like tenderloin, extra lean ground beef, flank steak, and similar kinds of meat.

For dairy products, there are low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheeses which has the same nutritional value but lower in fat and calories.

These are just some of myths surrounding weight loss. Bottomline is, if you would like to lose weight and retain the results for longer period of time, then lifestyle change is the key. You would have to be committed in sticking to a healthy dietary plan and change the bad eating habits that you have learned over the years. This may be difficult since change does not happen overnight. Just take it one-step-at-a-time. Losing weight does not mean how many pounds you have lost in a week, but how successful you were in the long run.