Losing Weight the Healthy Natural Way! Farm Fresh, Local, Organic

Well to begin with we must look at ourselves from outside of our normal perspective. Look at yourself from the point of view of someone you passed on the street this morning before you got the paper, or a cup of coffee. What I'm getting at is that we have preconceived notions and thoughts about our physical appearance and our inherent health or state of being.

What I want you to do is wipe the vision of yourself clean from your mind. We are starting with a blank chalk board. Now let's pick up the chalk and get our goals and desires out in the open. Let's be rational and realistic. I'm sure a lot of people would like to be built like Beckham or have the body of Rihanna. Although these are great physiques to aspire to, they are not realistic.

Don't forget that we are all the same species to begin with and healthy living can be an easy choice, not the privilege that some of us make it out to be.

So let's start not by looking in a mirror, but take a virtual step back and look at yourself with fresh eyes.

What it comes down to is a little discipline, mixed with good eating and moderate exercise. Good eating does not have to be torture! Quite the contrary! Don't be scared of FOOD! All the brainwashing and marketing schemes that make us think we need to drink zero-calorie coke and fat-free milk are ridiculous. At the base of this product placement is an angle the ad campaign is trying to wedge you into believing/buying.

I've grown up, with the help of a very health conscious mentor, being shown and drawn the fact of the matter info about foods we consume and ingest. The more processing and chemicals that go into our bodies the more of a problem our body is going to have trying to digest and "deal with" these wastes. Just think about things being close to a natural state, like if you picked a potato from a garden that you grew. You know all that went into that potato. From the spring water you watered it with, to the organic fertilizer you used to give it a jump start. Or if you picked an egg up from a chicken coop next to that potato bed. Those chickens walked around that garden, drank from that spring and shared the same nutrients as the garden and also naturally contributed its eggs and in some cases itself.

Yes this is a somewhat unrealistic ideal, but we have OPTIONS!

I follow a strong belief that farm raised vegetables, fruits, animals (not fish), as local as possible, is the best solution to a healthy and satisfying balanced diet. Finding a local farmer's market is a lot easier and affordable than some may think. Most cities have a well organized market or have one in the works. This also feeds local economies, local farmers, but also cuts down on carbon footprints that quickly accumulate while shipping fruits, vegetables, etc.. around the world by plane and train.

Free-range meats: chicken, beef, pork, etc... whilst considering them to be hormone free are a clear choice to healthy eaters. When you do a little research and find that in "Cow Mills" or Factories they manage to feed Cows fish, they are herbivores btw, by injecting them with hormones that make it possible for them to digest the fish. Whether for meat or dairy production, these hormones are stored in these cows. When you go to McDonald's and order a big mac you are more than likely partaking in a couple doses of those same hormones that helped Bessy choke down that carp. Of course the reason for this is that corn meal and hay adds up to be more costly than the carps. Please verify any of this independently.

So to sum up this portion of my health guide, please buy foods you know to be: organic, grown as locally as possible*, don't contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (It is BAD), chemical colorings/additives (Yellow #5), MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate) or any extra flavor enhancers/preservatives.

Just a quick example of a real life problem in the world caused by over processed and preserved foods. In Europe specifically, cemeteries are having to artificially "turn over" burial plots. What I mean is that bodies in these plots are not decomposing at previously natural rates. The bodies are decomposing slower, presumably due to the higher levels of preservative rich foods in their diets. This means that the cemeteries have to dispose of peoples' bodies artificially where in the past the process was done 100% through natural decomposition.

That is just a small example of how preservatives are clearly having an effect on our bodies and subsequently our health.

In the next addition to this guide I will start scratching at a good way to balance your diet and choose the right things to eat. Things that you LIKE! After that installment we will shift into some good exercise practices.

Jonathan has been writing articles online for many years now. Not only does this author specialize in diet, fitness and weight loss, you can also check out his latest website guide on choosing the right resume templates [http://resumetemplatesguide.com]. Make sure you check out the What is a resume template article [http://resumetemplatesguide.com/what-is-a-resume-template/] if you are not familiar. He has been a technical IT writer since the late 90's.

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Five Reasons You Should Drink More (Fresh, Raw) Juice

Most people begin juicing for the health benefits juicing can bring into our lives. But do you really know exactly what benefits you are getting from juicing raw fruits and vegetables? Let's explore the top five health benefits of juicing:

1. Juicing concentrates the nutrients that exist in fruits and vegetables.

Have you ever noticed that it takes a whole lot of carrots to make one small glass of carrot juice? The juicer discards the fibrous pulp and extracts the juice, which contains almost all of the nutritious vitamins and minerals found in vegetables or fruits. The only thing that is not extracted is dietary fiber, of which only a small amount makes its way into the juice unless you mix some of the pulp back into the juice.

Because of this process, you may only be drinking a small glass of juice but what's in that glass is the beta carotene (and other nutrients) of a whole lot of carrots. Most people find it a lot easier to drink a glass of carrot juice than to eat six whole raw carrots!

One of the top health benefits juicing can offer is that the higher levels of nutrients can have dramatically positive effects on health. Some people are even able to stop vitamin supplements.

2. Juices can promote weight loss.

Fresh juices (as opposed to store-bought juices) can be a healthy choice for weight loss. Some fruits and vegetables are known for helping with weight loss, especially when consumed in their concentrated, juiced form. However, that's not the only way that juice can help you.

Juice is filling and is full of the nutrients you need to support your body's functions, without as many calories or as much fat as the starchy foods we tend to normally consume at each meal. Therefore, it is a great way to replace snacks, supplement meals, or even replace some meals entirely. Juicing can be a healthy part of any weight loss regimen.

3. Fresh juices contain important enzymes and nutrients that are destroyed in the pasteurization process.

Studies have shown that several nutrients, including Vitamin C, are destroyed when exposed to heat. Pasteurization involves heat, which is why store-bought juice is not as healthful as raw juices.

One of the health benefits juicing provides is the variety of enzymes that only exist in raw fruits and vegetables. Some of these enzymes promote digestion, help repair tissues, encourage energy production, and reduce inflammation.

4. Juicing is the definition of "whole foods".

Few food preparation techniques can claim that they use all of the fruit or vegetable being prepared. Juicing, however, generally involves feeding an entire fruit or vegetable into the juicer. This means that the juice extracted contains all of the nutrients and enzymes found in every part of the plant - including the seeds (in some cases), the skin, etc.

The main exception is that juicing removes much of the dietary fiber. If you feel that you are not consuming enough fiber, one easy solution is to mix some of the pulp back into the juice.

Did you know that the skin of the fruit or vegetable is often the most nutritious part? This is the part we are most likely to discard while cooking, yet the part we most need to consume.

5. Your digestive system has less work to do when you drink your fruits and vegetables as juice, allowing for quick nutrient absorption.

Of all the health benefits juicing can bring into your life, the benefit to your digestive tract and to your ability to absorb nutrients is a major one. The digestive tract is so hard working, and is often susceptible to stress or food related illnesses.

By drinking your food in liquid form, you are essentially consuming pre-digested food, thereby giving your gastrointestinal tract a break from the work of digestion. In addition, this allows for very quick absorption of nutrients. Some nutrients may even absorb more easily than when consumed with solid foods.

Want to find out more about the benefits of juicing?

William Paice is Editor and Founder of juicing site MEGAjuicing.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6674954