When trying to achieve a weight loss goal, many people will think naturally that a soft drink that is 'diet' will be ok, versus one that is not. Afterall, you're not getting the calories from it so it must be ok, right? Well, actually no. In fact, we've been saying this - along with hundreds of other, even more credible, people - that the diet version is just as bad... if not, WORSE!  Why is that so? Well, there are a number of logical reasons that come to mind - the fact that chemicals are added to fool your taste buds into believing it's almost as good as 'regular'. Chemicals that many studies show to be...mmm, bad. Then there's the part about the mental desire to consume soda but one step down from the utlimate desired drink will be...well, the next best thing. Some day, that isn't going to be the case. The best thing will eventually win...again and again. So, what new study is there now telling us that the diet variety is possibly harmful to you in other ways? Here it is --

Diet soda may help keep your calories in check, but drinking two or more diet sodas a day may double your risk of declining kidney function, a new study shows.

Women who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 30% drop in a measure of kidney function during the lengthy study follow-up, according to research presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in San Diego.

"Thirty percent is considered significant,'' says researcher Julie Lin, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a staff physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. That's especially true, she says, because most study participants had well-preserved kidney function at the start of the study.

Diet Soda and Kidneys: Study Details
The researchers evaluated 3,256 women already participating in the Nurses' Health Study who had submitted dietary information, including their intake of sugary beverages -- sugar-sweetened drinks, sugar-sweetened soda, and artificially sweetened soda. Sugar-sweetened drinks included soda, fruit juices, punch, and iced tea.

Information was also available on measures of kidney function. Their median age was 67.

Lin's team looked at the cumulative average beverage intake, derived from food questionnaires completed in 1984, 1986, and 1990. The women replied whether they drank the beverages less than once a month, one to four times a month, two to six times weekly, once daily but less than twice, or twice a day or more often.

Diet Soda and Kidneys: Study Results
When the researchers compared kidney function of the women in 1989 and 2000, they found that 11.4% or 372 women had a kidney function decline of 30% or more. When they looked at the diet information, they found that the 30% decline in kidney function was associated with drinking two or more artificially sweetened sodas a day. This was true even after taking into account factors such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes, and physical activity. (read more if you like...)

BOTTOM LINE: You can't cut corners when it comes to good health. A diet rich in whole food fruits and vegetables, plenty of water, daily exercise - those are the ingredients to a healthy body. Add grattitude and a meaningful purpose in life and you've got a healthy life.

Yes, already. The Holidays are just around the corner. In fact, many retailers had an early version of 'Black Friday' in order to get sales going and stimulate the economy. Well, there's no better time than the present to start promoting, reminding, and motivating you on the ways to stay healthy when everything and everyone seems to be suggesting otherwise. Here's some suggestions on ways to be healthy and stick to your healthy diet plan --

Have a healthy drink: Drink lots of herbal teas like chamomile, jasmine or herbal infusions made of tulsi, ginger and cinnamon. “Herbal teas help detox the body,” says Brunch columnist Dr Shikha Sharma. “They also help you get rid of that bloated feeling after a heavy meal or an evening of bingeing. Start your day with it and drink it through the day. Also, since you don’t need to add milk or sugar to herbal tea, it is ideal if you’re watching your weight.” Avoid drinks with too much juice plus the sugars will add too many calories. 

Cleanse your system: The main problem with social events is that almost everything you eat is either fried or high in salt or sugar. It is also a fact that we tend to overeat when we’re around family and friends. Another problem lies in the fact that nobody eats at the proper time. “After late nights, most of us feel sluggish in the morning due to toxins in the body. To take care of this, have one teaspoon of triphala powder with water or milk first thing in the morning. This helps combat problems like constipation or acidity,” suggests naturopath Yathaarth Sehajpal. “If you can manage it, eat one or two fresh amlas in the morning or mix amla with a juice. That will provide essential vitamins, keep your metabolism high and help remove toxins.”

Drink in moderation: By all means enjoy your drink, but exercise some control. “Try and prolong your drink so you don’t drink too much,” suggests Ishi Khosla, clinical nutritionist and director, Whole Foods. “Otherwise, after every drink, have either a glass of water or soda. Water will make you feel full and also take care of dehydration.” Khosla explains that when you feel dehydrated, you tend to eat more. “Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day as this will remove toxins, keep you hydrated and take care of hunger pangs,” she adds.

Smart snacking: Snacking is unavoidable at any social gathering. But snacks are usually deep fried or high in calories. So make smart choices. “If there is a choice between fried food and nuts, pick the nuts,” says Ishi Khosla. “Almonds are the best as they are low in cholesterol and provide you with a feeling of satiety. But you can also choose a handful of cashews, pistachios, walnuts or even peanuts. Also, start your day with a handful of almonds. They will give you all essential vitamins naturally.” If you have eaten too many snacks, avoid dinner or just eat salad or something non-vegetarian without the gravy.

Stock up on antioxidants: The easiest way to do this is to make green tea part of your routine. Start your day with it and drink it as often as you like every day. “Green tea is extremely rich in antioxidants, which not only help get rid of toxins but also boost your metabolism,” explains Niti Desai, consultant nutritionist at Cumballa Hill Hospital. “Green tea is also rich in flavanoids that help cut down cholesterol levels. So after a heavy meal, drink some green tea.”

Stay active: After a late night, it is usually difficult to get to the gym or even go for a walk. But experts say that even upping your activity levels will help you stay on course. “Make sure to walk more, even if it’s in the house or office or while shopping. Don’t just sit around,” suggests Reebok master trainer Nisha Varma. “Any activity is better than doing nothing at all. Enjoy your morning tea or coffee while walking. At a party, include games that require you and other guests to move around. Or just dance to Bollywood hits, which is great exercise and also a lot of fun.” Varma also suggests playing games with your kids. “Try frisbee or volleyball or any other outdoor game. This will help burn as many as 200 calories,” she explains. 

Balance your calories: If you are going to a party in the evening, eat light meals during the day. And after you’ve binged at night, balance your calories the next day. Instead of a regular breakfast, have fruit or a poached egg or yoghurt and fruit. Or just go on a fruit and vegetable juice diet for a day. (source)

Bottom line: Don't let the Holidays or any other occassion deter you from living healthy, eating healthy. The journey needs to be enjoyed without the repurcussions of unhealthy choices. Stick to a healthy diet, regular exercise, and plan to have two times when you will have a desert that you wouldn't normally eat otherwise. Or don't at all. The empowerment from overcoming what may be, or at least seem to be, an addiction will make you feel strong and be lasting. Good things come from making healthy choices. 

Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight has probably gone through several diet plans - many not so healthy. For those who have successfully reached their weight loss goal and maintained it, there is no surprise that you have to continue to follow a healthy diet in what really amounts to a healthy lifestyle. The reality is that there is no magic formula for dropping those pounds, just common-sense actions toward building that permanently healthy life.

What’s the secret of success of people who lose lots of weight and keep it off for many years? A new study suggests predictable factors like exercise and control over eating play a role, but so do factors in the home like fewer TVs and more exercise equipment.

“The home environment really came out as a stronger factor than we would have anticipated,” said lead study author Suzanne Phelan, an assistant professor of kinesiology at California Polytechnic State University.

Phelan and colleagues examined surveys of 167 people in different areas of the United States who had managed to lose 10 percent or more of their body weight and keep it off for five years or more. Two other groups — one in Providence, R.I. and one in Philadelphia — were overweight or obese and had a history of dieting.

The researchers wanted to understand those who successfully had lost weight and “see what really set them apart from other obese people who haven’t lost,” Phelan said.

The study findings appear in the October issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

The researchers found that the weight-losers were 3.95 times more likely than the heavier individuals in the Rhode Island group and 2.85 times more likely than those in the Philadelphia group to exercise.

Weight-losers were also 1.63 times more likely than that first group and 1.41 times more likely than the second group to engage in what the researchers called “dietary restraint,” which Phelan describe as “cognitive efforts — thinking about your food, counting your calories, monitoring your intake.”

The successful weight-losers also had fewer TVs, more exercise equipment and fewer high-fat foods in the home.

“You have to pay attention to your home environment if you want to succeed,” Phelan said. “Do you have TVs in every room? When you walk into your kitchen, do you see high-fat food or healthy food?”

One of the groups of overweight people was made up of more minorities, and its members were less likely to eat breakfast and more likely to have TVs, Phelan said. Yet overall, she said she was surprised by how similar the two groups were. One was largely white, while the other was more diverse.

Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University School of Medicine’s Prevention Research Center, said the study leads to “common-sense” conclusions. “The findings here are close to self-evident,” he said.

However, study confirms “what some of us have been talking about for a long time” regarding successful weight loss, he said.

“If you want to choose better foods, keep better foods within reach. Don’t just rely on willpower. If you want to be more active, create opportunities for exercise that are always within reach. Don’t just rely on motivation,” he said.

Katz added, “We should be propagating the awareness that lasting weight control is about skill power, not just willpower.” (source)

Bottom line: We can't expect to consume unhealthy foods and beverages, avoid exercise, and not follow an even 'average' level of healthy actions, and think we will avoid sickness and possibly disease. The best health care comes from a healthy diet and lifestyle, which also translates to the most affordable plan. If you're not eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, you may be more susceptable to getting sick and becoming overweight. Start with a simple diet plan to get you back on the road to good health!

To get more nutrients in your diet, from fruits and vegetables, add Juice Plus+ to your daily consumption.

While we recommend a healthy diet plan and adding Juice Plus+® for more fruit and vegetable nutrients, many people are taking up the road of sans meat - that is, going vegetarian. The benefits to your health AND the environment may make this the diet of the future for best preventing sickness and disease.

Most people have become conscious about the fat content of red meats and many are choosing low fat meat products. It is without a doubt better to eat smaller portions of meat that larger ones. It may be wise to reduce or eliminate the consumption of meat, but that does not mean you need to switch to being a vegetarian. You still have the option of white meats and poultry. Children can get protein from beans and vegetables and reduce the consumption of fat drastically by doing so thus preventing risk of obesity.

Children who grow up getting their nutrition from vegetables rather than meat have a health advantage, although too many consume juice plus other foods and beverages that have lots of sugar. If they eat a higher percentage of fruits and vegetables, they decrease the chances of obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and to some extent cancer as well. Meatless meals also help to keep their bones stronger as the proteins in the meat reduce the calcium in your body.

The environment these days too do not allow for consuming red meats. In the recent years the number of bacteria in meat has risen drastically and health departments are getting very stringent about the production and handling of foods as well as advice on cooking meats well.

How to switch over

It’s not like you are switching over to the dark side. If you serve meat daily reduce it by half to begin with. Introduce white meats, fish and poultry to the table. Try soy burgers and hot dogs. Try different recipes. Make the same dishes as you did with vegetarian options or with white meat and see the difference. Experiment with food in the beginning and your family will begin to appreciate the effort you are putting into introducing this new diet. Please make a gradual shift in diet and supplement the loss of nutrients well (Juice Plus+ does not make up for what you're missing in a vegetarian diet). In the long term, your body will thank you and you will find your taste buds will too.

The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

ADA's position, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, represents the Association's official stance on vegetarian diets: "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutrition-filled and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes."

ADA's position and accompanying paper were written by Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD, professor and chair of the department of nutrition and wellness at Andrews University; and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, nutrition advisor at the Vegetarian Resource Group, Baltimore, Md. The revised position paper incorporates new topics and additional information on key nutrients for vegetarians, vegetarian diets in the life cycle and the use of vegetarian diets in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. "Vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle," according to ADA's position. "There are many reasons for the rising interest in vegetarian diets. The number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade."

Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, according to ADA's position. "Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet."

The position paper draws on results from ADA's evidence analysis process and information from the ADA Evidence Analysis Library to show vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. Additionally, an evidence-based review showed a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

Comments: A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables, specifically ripe and consumed raw, is one that is optimal for health and wellness. There is no better source of nutrients than those that are straight from Mother Nature - fruits, vegetables, berries, etc. You can't be harmed by too many fruits and vegetables, unlike many foods and beverages that contain chemicals. A healthy diet plan is one that has the majority of foods from the fruit and vegetable food group. Make the change to a healthy diet today!

This is no joke - diet pills can cause serious side effects, even be fatal. We don't recommend diet pills for weight loss because of the dangers associated with them. What is recommended, however, is changing to a healthy diet and avoiding the foods and beverages that contribute to weight gain (and most often contribute to poor health, too!) in the first place. A healthy diet plan that focuses on 'living the lifestyle' is going to work out better than trying to crash diet for one of many of life's events. Here's a sad ending from the choice one woman made to try to lose weight before her wedding --

She liked looking pretty and resorted to taking diet pills to shed her excess body weight. But things took a sinister turn last week when 36-year-old Tan Ai Hua suffered from an asthma attack last Monday. The bride-to-be was rushed to Changi General Hospital but could not be resuscitated.

Speaking to reporters to Shin Min Daily News, the deceased's father said that his daughter had been on the plump side since young. However, she liked looking pretty and started taking diet pills around the age of 10. The diet pills caused her to lose her appetite and weakened her physical condition, he said.  His daugher had become extremely skinny, almost as if she was a "bag of bones", he added.

She had been engaged to her fiance for the past seven years but had yet to formalise their marriage, he said. Miss Tan's father also said that she had been unemployed for a period of time due to her poor health. She depended on him for her living expenses and household tasks. She could not even walk for short periods without complaining of extreme tiredness, he said. Worried for his daughter, he advised her to stop eating the diet pills, but she persisted in doing so. (source)

Note: Please don't let your child take diet pills or weight loss drugs that may be dangerous to their health and risk their life. This may be one instance where parental intervention could have saved a life. And if you are an adult considering what you think is an easy road to some quick weight loss, please re-consider. A healthy lifestyle is one that will get you to a healthy weight as a natural side-effect of making good choices - foods to eat, exercises to do, water to drink. It just takes making some simple changes, one at a time, being consistent and having patience. Building those healthy habits and having the patience to stick with it, even when you want the weight to come off in a week and it doesn't... that is going to provide you with the best results, health, and life to come.

With too many people overweight and out of shape, the first and most significant change you can make to your diet is eating more fruits and vegetables. Add Juice Plus+® to get more nutrients from those foods as well. Now a new report suggests that the amount of fat in your liver is more of a warning sign than the fat that exists on your waist. There's a little more to it than that, read on --

WASHINGTON — For years, scientists have warned people that having an apple-shaped figure or a beer belly is a health risk. They said people with wide girths are more likely to have visceral or intra-abdominal fat, which increases their risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.

But new research presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society shows that belly fat may not be the biggest bad guy behind some of the medical issues. "Fat in the liver is a more important indicator of health problems," says Samuel Klein, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Klein and colleagues recruited 31 obese men and women and looked at their visceral fat, which surrounds the organs in the belly, and their liver fat. Some people had high amounts of liver fat; others had normal amounts. A normal liver contains 5% fat or less, but a severe fatty liver may contain up to 50%, Klein says. The latter is referred to as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Using several different medical tests, the researchers found that people with fatty livers:

•Make more triglycerides, which are released from the liver into their bloodstream and can increase the risk of heart disease.

•Are more likely to be resistant to the action of their own insulin, meaning their bodies don't regulate blood sugar properly, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, Klein says. Over time, high sugar levels damage large and small blood vessels, leading to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, amputations, blindness and kidney disease.

"We do not yet know whether the liver fat is causing these health problems or is simply a very good indicator of health risk," he says. "Even though it looks like visceral fat itself might not cause harm, it is often high in people with increased liver fat." About 30% of adults and a third of overweight children and adolescents have too much liver fat, he says. If you are obese, 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight, you are at a higher risk of having non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. (read more...)

Bottom Line: A diet that consists of mainly fruits and vegetables and lean protein sources is best for weight management and supporting good health. If you are seeking weight loss and fitness, understand that the best approach is making improvements to your diet, implementing regular exercise, and just focusing on living a healthy lifestyle. No diet plan is going to be better than your desire and motivation to achieve the goal of healthy living. So, if you want a healthy diet plan that will guide you to that goal, check out The Vice Busting Diet Plan.