Using Intermittent Fasting to Burn Fat and Conserve Muscle

Intermittent fasting (reference to: eat stop eat review) largely works because people who do this typically eat fewer calories. A 2014 study determined that intermittent fasting could reduce body fat by up to eight percent across several months. Some studies have also found that intermittent fasting can prevent chronic diseases. You don’t necessarily need to count calories, but restricting daily caloric intake may enhance weight loss.

 

Using Intermittent Fasting to Lose Weight

The major reason intermittent fasting is popular is because it’s easy. Many people usually feel full all day if they eat one very large meal in the afternoon or at night. Some theorize that our hunter-gatherer ancestors only ate when food was available, so our bodies are naturally adapted to go a day or two without food. Intermittent fasting typically involves eating one big meal at the end of the day, but some variations of the diet exist. The “eat-stop-eat” method involves fasting for two 24-hour periods and eating normally the rest of the week. Fasting for just 24 hours can alter your body’s hormone levels. Insulin in the bloodstream decreases, and this causes the body to burn fat. Human growth hormone levels may also increase when a person starts a fast. These help the body burn fat and build muscle. This may explain why people who engage in intermittent fasting typically retain more muscle while dieting.

 

Intermittent Fasting May Allow Dieters to Retain Muscle Mass

The body becomes catabolic when a person goes on a diet. Biological processes start breaking down tissue to fuel the chemical conversions necessary to sustain life. This is the major reason our bodies store fat, but the body will also consume muscle tissue in the process. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting appears to help dieters conserve muscle mass. A study at the University of Illinois determined that intermittent fasting was more effective than normal dieting for lean mass retention. Dieters using intermittent fasting retained 15% more muscle mass than dieters who consumed regular low calorie diets. There were some limitations to this study, but the results appear very promising.

 

Creating an Ideal Intermittent Fasting Diet Plan

People love the idea of intermittent fasting because the variety of foods a person can eat is limitless. You may still want to include a few things to ensure you’re getting proper nutrition. Protein is very important because your body may break down muscle tissue if you aren’t getting adequate amounts. The average sedentary person only needs about 50 grams of protein, so about one cup of chopped meat will suffice. Fiber is also very important. It’s a good idea to eat until you are full. Eating a wide variety of foods in each big meal will ensure you’re getting the right amounts of nutrients. You may also want to take a multivitamin with each meal.

 

Make sure to also check out this incredible TED talk on Intermittent Fasting and it’s vast benefits:

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The 3 Top Infestations That Require Pest Control Companies

Pest control companies have the ability to help you minimize a lot of the issues that are occurring inside of your home. It doesn’t matter how new your home is. There is always a possibility that a different type of bug can invade your home. Three of the most common types are found below.

Roach

It is a dreadful sight to see, but the roach tends to invade a lot of different homes where pest control services are not put to use. These roaches are small and brown, and it seems like they multiply at a rapid pace. There are also some roaches that are big and brown. Some of these roaches can have wings. It becomes very difficult to prevent these roaches from invading the home if there is no pest control service in place.

People that fail to get their home treated for pests will find these roaches getting into cabinets and any areas where there are water sources. These roaches will come in and hideout under sinks because this is where they are able to get a constant water source.

Ants

When one ant finds a way into the home it becomes a springboard for an army of ants to take over. The ant tends to be difficult to get rid of without pest control services because the ants do not need a large entry space. They can come through cabinets and crawl under doors. They have the ability to pick up crumbs and start a trail that leads to what seems like a never-ending army of ants. People buy bug spray all the time and they make attempts to kill the ants that they can see. What they fail to realize is that the ants that are inside the walls that they cannot see are the real troublemakers. These ants can come out time after time and wreak havoc. They can enter cabinets and ruin food sources in the home. This can really make it a nightmare to live inside of the home. You can find yourself in a place where you are constantly dealing with these pests that will even get into areas where there is no food.

Spiders

Another pest that does not need a lot of room to enter the home is the spider. It is hard to get rid of spiders because they have so many different places to hide. These spiders tend to come into a variation of spaces and build spider webs. People that do not clean their homes regularly may see these cobwebs that start to form. It is a good idea to consider a rodent pest control Maroubra company that can help prevent this type of pests from coming into the home. It is one of the most common types of pest that can be seen, but this pest can be controlled if you acquire the right pest control companies.

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5 Things that you should get checked out on your next health checkup.

If you will be having your annual health checkup or hälsokontroll sometime this year, there are five things you should make sure you get checked out. Not just this year, but every year.

 

Your cholesterol — One of the things that can be an indicator of both current and future health problems is your cholesterol. This is especially important for anyone over the age of 45 as cholesterol often increases with age.

Make sure you ask for both cholesterol and triglyceride blood tests the next time you have a health checkup. Both tests will give the doctor valuable information about your health.

 

Your cardiovascular health — While anyone can have heart problems at any age, they do tend to occur more often over the age of 35.

This is why it is important to have BMI measurements taken, an EKG done at least once every couple of years and a urine protein and albumin test carried out. If you are at high risk for heart problems, you should have these tests carried out more often.

 

A diabetes check — It is important to have your fasting blood sugar checked as this will give your doctor an indication about the possibility of you developing diabetes.

This is particularly important for anyone over the age of 40.

 

An osteoporosis check — Osteoporosis is prevalent in older populations, but can develop even in people in their 20s and 30s.

Be sure to have a scan to measure your bone density as this will give your doctor a good idea about your risk for bone fractures long-term.

 

Skin cancer — Skin cancer is so common nowadays, everybody should be checked for it at every health checkup.

This can easily be done with a quick skin check by your doctor, and follow up treatment if he or she notice and pre-cancerous growths.

 

 

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Why are white teeth so popular among young adults and teenagers?

Having white teeth is something many young adults and teenagers think is necessary. So much so they either go to a dentist to have their teeth whitened, or they whiten them at home themselves with whitening products like Tandblekning Hemma.

Why are white teeth so popular among young adults and teenagers, and should you consider having your teeth whitened as well?

 

White teeth look healthier — While white teeth may not actually be any healthier than teeth with a yellow tinge, many people consider them to be healthier.

That is why so many young people have their teeth whitened as they want others to think they have excellent health.

 

Yellow teeth are considered to be low class — While this is not true either, many younger people consider those that have yellow teeth to be of a lower social class than those that do not. Some older people also believe the same thing.

That is why, when young adults and teenagers are looking for jobs, applying to universities or doing anything else where their social level may be judged, getting their teeth whitened is deemed as important.

Considering quite a large number of people do think those from lower social classes have worse looking teeth than those from higher social classes, getting your teeth whitened could be beneficial if it could affect your ability to get a job.

 

Companies are marketing to teens and young adults — As many teens and young adults have more disposable income than those that are older, some teeth whitening products companies and dental surgeries are marketing teeth whitening to them.

As many people do believe what advertisers tell them, they will rush out to buy teeth whitening products if they believe they will make them look healthier, richer or smarter.

As to whether you should have your own teeth whitened, that is entirely up to you. Just know, while whitening your teeth definitely makes them look better, it certainly does not make them any healthier.

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Top 5 Health Benefits of CBD

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, known as CBD for short, is one of those most well known cannabinoids found in the cannabis or marijuana plant. It has become more popular in the last year or so for being a natural remedy for common ailments. Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, is a psychoactive cannabinoid also found in cannabis that is very common and some people may get confused with CBD. But, unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive and you do not get that same feeling of being “high” that is more often then not, associated with marijuana. This makes CBD attractive for those that want the health remedies, but not the effects of marijuana or other pharmaceutical drugs that may affect the mind or give them that “high” feeling. CBD is made from extracting CBD from the plant, then diluting it with an oil such as hemp seed or coconut oil.

Health Benefits of CBD Oil

Pain Relief

The most common benefit of CBD is pain relief and marijuana has been used to treat pain for centuries. In recent news, scientists and researchers have discovered CBD as a component of marijuana that is responsible for the pain-relieving effect. Studies have shown that CBD reduces chronic pain by impacting endocannabinoid receptor activity, this reduces inflammation and interaction with neurotransmitters.

Reduce Anxiety and Depression

CBD oil has shown promise as a treatment for both anxiety and depression. In one study, over 2 people with social anxiety disorder received either 600 mg of CBD or a placebo before a public speaking test. The group that took CBD had less cognitive impairment, less anxiety, and less discomfort with their speech performance compared to the other group.

Alleviate Cancer-Related Symptoms

Cancer patients smoking marijuana is something most people have witnessed if not in real life, but in movies and TV shows. CBD can significantly help reduce the symptoms related to cancer side effects related to the treatments like nausea, vomiting, and pain.

May Reduce Acne

CBD can help treat acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties and ability to reduce sebum production. A test found that CBD oil prevented sebaceous gland cells from secreting excess sebum, and prevented the activation of “pro-acne” agents.

Neuroprotective Properties

Some studies have shown that CBD’s ability to act on the endocannabinoid system and other brain signaling systems may provide benefits for those with neurological disorders. For example, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Sativex, which is an oral spray consisting of CBD and THC, has been proven to be effective and safe to reduce muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis. A study found that the spray reduced spasms in 75% of 276 people with multiple sclerosis who were experiencing some sort of muscle spasms and were resisting medications. Another study was given to 214 people with severe cases of epilepsy .9-2.3 grams of CBD oil per pound of body weight and it reduced their seizures by a median of 36.5%.

 

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Is the Keto Diet Healthy?

Keto Diet

The keto diet has become popular over the last few years because of its endless benefits. This diet involves the consumption of huge amounts of fats and very low amounts of carbohydrates. The number of carbohydrates consumed in a day should not surpass 25 grams and should be above 20 grams. Protein can also be consumed but not on high amounts because they can quickly add up and digested into glucose in the body. The main concentration is on fat, and one should eat foods like avocado, avocado oil, olive oil, butter, cheese, fish, eggs and olive oil. Foods like sugars and fruits are highly frowned upon on the keto diet because they add up the amount of starch in the body.

Keto withdrawals

If the body is used to a high amount of carb intake each day and this is greatly reduced, one will suffer from keto withdrawals. Keto withdrawals can be defined as having carb withdrawals which take a toll on one’s immune system. It is the changes that the body goes through as it tries to switch from burning carbs to burning fats. Remember the body burns carbohydrates as a source of fuel. Once the body is deprived of this because of the keto diet, the body has to look for another fuel source. Through this process, one will experience withdrawal symptoms such as dizziness, stomach cramps, headaches, nausea, and irritability. There is a great guide that can help with that, the 14 days keto challenge – go check it out.

In some cases, some people vomit while trying to maintain a ketogenic diet. Vomiting may be a sign that one needs to stop the diet or reduce the number of carbs slowly instead of drastically. Staying on the keto diet is therefore hard especially if one was used to consuming carbs daily. Carbohydrates are filling and ensure that one is satisfied for long periods while a keto diet is not as filling. At first, people take time to adjust to the diet because it does not fill them as carbs do. One finds themselves looking for snacks in between to satisfy their hunger. It is easy to stray back to carbs at this point because one feels hungry quickly.

Maintaining a keto diet

It is possible to avoid keto withdrawals while on the keto diet. While it is difficult to maintain a keto diet, it is still possible to achieve it with the following guidelines. First, do not reduce the number of carbs drastically. Begin with small amounts and continue increasing the amounts as the weeks go by. Second, drink a lot of water as it helps with the keto withdrawals. Being dehydrated will only make the symptoms worse. Third, ensure the calorie intake does not reduce by eating more healthy fats and avoiding processed or refined fats. Fourth, get enough electrolytes from salt, magnesium, and sodium. Lastly, exercise gently to help in metabolism. If the above steps are followed transitioning to the keto diet will not be as hard and maintain it will be easy. Ask for advice from a professional if the keto diet is difficult to maintain.

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Weight Loss is a journey

Worldwide Obesity is a major problem. A multitude of Weight loss plans promise quick results but, unfortunately, they do not always deliver. The million dollar question is, how to lose weight correctly. Proper Weight loss should to be viewed for the long term. Quick fixes do not last and could actually cause your body more harm than good.

Here are 5 Tips for losing weight.

1. Get Organized. I suggest, before beginning a new weight loss plan, take a few days of jotting down everything you eat and drink throughout the day. This will allow you to analyze your current food intake and make the necessary changes based on facts.

2. Increase Water Intake. How much water should you drink? Well, that is up for debate. Some health professionals say drink 8 glasses of water a day while other say 1 gallon a day. The common denominator is that additional water in your diet is the key. Why is water so important? Water aides digestion. It encourages the food to move through the gut and to breakdown.

3. Eliminate Sugar. All sugars regardless of whether they are white, brown, turbinado or honey elevate blood sugar. Healthier sugars such as honey and turbinado while they may have health benefits because they are not stripped of all nutrients like white sugars, but they should be consumed only in moderation. Sugar tends to be eaten in great quantities today and eating too much sugar throws off your bodies natural chemical balances.

4. Eat Raw. Most people eat cooked food. A raw diet to many may seem drastic. A raw diet will make more sense if we meditation on what the planet produces and what animals consume. When we cook foods the nutrients are destroyed or reduced by way of heating and or boiling. Make an effort to include several raw foods in your daily meal intake.

5. Reduce Meals and Reduce Portion sizes. After a large meal, most people are tired and need a nap. This is because our bodies have to work hard to break down the food. Eating smaller portions helps alleviate the stress a large meal puts on your digestive system. Spacing out meal times can be beneficial. There is good reason that Fasting has been practiced since the beginning of time. Fasting, similar to when we sleep and do not eat, gives the body rest. It frees it up from processing food. The body will work more efficiently when our meal portions are smaller. Supplements (Caffeine, Phen Q, etc.) can potentially help too, you can check out MairaNutrition for that.

A word of caution consult your doctor before beginning any new routine that can affect your health. Your doctor will be in the best position to provide meal plan advice since he is aware of your current health status. Approach weight loss as a journey and not a quick fix.

For more tips, simply visit youtube and you find incredibly helpful videos like this one from AthleanX:

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Perks of Getting Wellness Treatments and Spa Pampering

For some people, getting skin treatments is seen more as a luxury than a necessity. Keeping up with our hectic lifestyles, it might get difficult to set apart some time to pamper ourselves and get any kind of medical spa treatment, such as facials, skin laser removal, massages, etc. The truth of the matter is that allowing ourselves to have that time and improve our appearance can also help boost our confidence and therefore enhance our overall performance in everyday activities. Not only does it makes life easier for us by getting certain personal care done for us, leaving us care free to just enjoy the moment, but it’s also convenient getting stuff done by a professional that will work wonders on us.

Visiting a Spa Skin and Laser Center has numerous benefits. One of them being that not only do you find services such as facials and massages that are absolutely needed and appreciated, but also laser hair removal, sophisticated skin treatments that improve your appearance and sometimes even skin injections. All these get to rejuvenate your skin and help you get your best version. The best thing is that not only are these improvements visible for everyone (especially you) to enjoy, but most of these methods release serotonin and stimulate the lymphatic system, which brings all that goodness in the inside as well as the outside.

It is also all about the toxins. Most spa treatments work as a detox process in your body, getting rid of all the unwanted fluids and toxins that your body tends to hold on to. Although there are certain things you can do at home that can also help you accomplish all of this, going to a professional and letting them do all the hard work for you will most definitely give you better and long lasting results.

When we think of Laser and skin care, we often just think of laser hair removal. But laser treatment has much more to offer. For example, laser skin resurfacing is a practice that helps reduce wrinkles, blemishes, age spots, acne scars and also tightens skin and helps even out your skin tone. It is not much to say that all these services must be done by a certified professional to get not only the best results, but also make it a safe experience for you. Laser procedures give us a great advantage on prevention for any skin condition as well as maintenance. Many of the results we always hoped to see from skin creams and lotions are made possible with laser treatments.

If you are interested in many of the services that are usually offered at skin spas or laser centers, there are a few things you should keep in mind: laser practices are the most convenient and up to date and should be considered as replacement for conventional procedures (like waxing, for hair removal), make sure you get a consultation before getting anything done to make sure you’ll get what you expect, make sure it is operated by a physician for best quality services and last but not least, their equipment should be FDA approved, that will guarantee that you will be treated with the best of the best. See Ethos Spa, Skin and Laser Center for more information.

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Spine Surgery – Its Dangers And Complications

What Everyone Should Know About The Dangers And Complications Of Spine Surgery

There are three main types of spine surgery, Spine Fusions, Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis, and Bone Grafts.

What Is Spine Fusions?

When the vertebra is damaged or injured, this may be the result of deterioration, and swelling of the disk connecting the vertebra, and a maladaptive arc of the spine. Injury to the spine includes instability or vulnerability of the spine. This is due to tumors, or infections. Spine fusion surgery involves, halting the movement at the traumatic vertebral area, and diminishing pain in the joint. Spine fusions involve inserting screws, and metal rods in the area to stop movement, allowing the bone to fuse together.

What Are The Dangers Of Spine Fusion Surgery?

A risk associated with spine fusion surgery, includes not easing, or stopping the pain after surgery.

  1. After surgery, the vertebrae may not join together. This is known as pseudarthrosis.
  2. Smokers have a low rate of spine fusion success after surgery.
  3. Surgeons, sometimes use a pedicle screw to fuse the bones together when doing spine fusion surgery. There is a possibility, or danger, that the screws may fracture or become slack or free, requiring surgery to extract or adjust the rods and screws.
  4. Sometimes, there is a possibility the cages and earlier grafts could subside, or drift, requiring repeated spine surgery.
  5. Damage nerves could occur, due to spinal fusion surgery.
  6. A rare occurrence from spine fusion surgery is the loss of control over the bladder or bowel.
  7. The patient might experience a loss of stability, and feeling in the legs.
  8. Men may experience not being able to ejaculate.

What Are Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis, (spon-dee-low-lye-sis) occur when someone experiences tension break in one or more of their vertebra that composes the vertebral column. Many years of stress to the vertebra weakens it, causing it to move out-of-place. This type of injury may result from playing sports, trauma, or genetics.

These are the risk of having Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis surgery.

  1. There is the risk that the symptoms may recur after surgery.
  2. The patient may develop clots in the legs.
  3. Infection and inflammation may occur.
  4. The patient may experience pain, at the operation site.
  5. Deteriorating spondylolisthesis bleeding, from the surgery, may occur.
  6. Another surgery may be necessary, due to a lack of bone development. This is prevalent with smokers.
  7. Damage to the blood vessel, and nerve may occur.

What Is Bone Grafts?

There are two areas, in which bone grafts are used. These areas are neurosurgical, and orthopedic. These two areas are essential in stimulating the bone, so they can heal. The other area is to hold up the skeleton, by plugging in openings connecting two bones. They are a vital part of spine fusion.

What Are The Dangers Of Bone Grafts?

Risks associated with bone grafts include:

  1. Bleeding.
  2. Pain.
  3. Infection.
  4. Swelling.
  5. Damage to other areas such as the jaw, and face.

For more information on spine surgery, whether you need it and what kind of risks are personally applicable to you, visit Joshua S. Rovner, MD – Progressive Spine & Orthopaedics.

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Using the right wave brush to get waves in your hair is important

If you have been struggling to have the waves in your hair look natural, as well as stay in the proper shape, you may not be using the right wave brush.

Choosing the right wave brush for your particular hair is important if you want to be able to have the best wavy hair. After all, the tools you use for any hair style perfect it or spoil it.

Choosing the right wave brush for your hair — There are several things you should take into consideration when buying a new wave brush. In most cases, thinking about all six of them when you choose a wave brush will stop you having to struggle, and end up with you getting waves you are happy with.

The right type of bristles — Bristles are important with any wave brush as the wrong kind will make it almost impossible to get the perfect waves you want. In most cases, avoiding extremely stiff bristles will get you well on the way to buying the best brush for your hair.

Contoured brushes — Unsurprisingly, buying a contoured brush tends to be a good move as that means brushing your hair will be easier with a brush that works with the curves of your head.

How durable is that wave brush? — Looking at reviews is important when choosing a good wave brush, especially when the durability of a brush is in doubt.

After all, a good wave brush can be quite expensive. That means, once you have bought one, you will want to be sure it is going to last you a long time, and not snap in half a few weeks after you buy it.

Do your research — The reputation of any brush is key, and reading reviews on any you are thinking about buying will help you make the right choice. Start with online reviews, then look at sites that have been created to specifically look at wave brushes.

The latter are particularly useful, as they can usually tell you quickly which wave brushes are durable, high quality and do a great job, and which are best left on the shelf. Also follow some tutorial on how to get waves – makes things a lot easier.

How much do you want to pay? — If you are not independently wealthy, it really does not make sense to spend a lot of money on a wave brush. Balance good quality with affordable price, and then choose one that is a mid-range brush. That way you get good quality without breaking the bank.

Buying from the right seller — Finally, be sure you will be buying from a reputable seller, as this will magnify your chances of getting a good quality brush.

Also make sure the prices a particular supplier is offering are in line with prices of the same brush on other sites.

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