How to Flatten Your Tummy

BELLY FAT REDUCTION

Too often many people try to flatten their bellies the wrong way and they see minimal belly fat reduction. The two biggest reasons for this is #1, people do not reduce the fat intake they eat and #2 they do one exercise, often an abdominal crunch, over and over again. This is not an efficient way to tone or flatten your belly. Below is the breakdown on the two biggest reasons people cannot attain belly fat reduction.

First, abdominal crunches work only for one area of your abdomen, the part along the front of your belly button. Unfortunately this is the area that is already the most strongest area of the abdomen. So crunches already are making a strong part of the abdomen, even stronger and ignoring important weak spots that are the true source of your problem and doing only crunches will have minimal impact to belly fat reduction. To create a slender waist line and flat belly, you must strengthen your entire abdomen. That means doing exercises that address the following areas:

THE UPPER RECTUS ABDOMINUS

This large muscle forms the much sought after “six pack” long the front of your abdomen. Though it looks like it is made up of 6 small muscles, it’s only one large muscle broken up with striations of connective tissue. The rectus abdominus (upper and lower) starts at your sternum in your chest and runs all the way down to your pubic bone. The upper portion of this muscle ends at your navel. This is usually the strongest muscle in the abdomen.

THE LOWER RECTUS ABDOMINUS

Even though your rectus abdominus is actually one sheet muscle, not two. You must do two different exercises to address them. Your lower area is in the front of your belly below the navel. This area is often particularly weak in women after childbirth.

THE OBLIQUES

Your obliques are located along sides of your abdomen. They start at the top of your hipbones and end at your rib cage. They help you to twist or bend your body from side to side. Strengthening them help to shrink love handles and slim your waist. Strong obliques are the key to reducing your waist line.

THE TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS

This corset like muscle wraps around your pelvis, just below your rib cage. It’s the muscle you use when you suck in your gut or cough or sneeze. It’s also the most neglected abdominal muscle, primarily because few traditional exercises works this area. Your transverse abdominus is very important because it helps to hold your internal organs in place. It also helps support your lower back and stabilize your torso during certain movements, such as heavy lifting. A strong transverse abdominus gives you balance and coordination in all of your daily movements.

REDUCE FAT INTAKE TO REDUCE BELLY FAT

Now that you understand the anatomy of the belly and the important muscles that need to be exercised. The next important step to creating a flat belly  is to reduce the fat intake and eat nutritionally. You need to maximize the foods that will support lean muscle tissue development and minimize the foods that support the growth of fat cells.

FLAT TUMMY TIP : Follow one simple rule, Fill half your plate with vegetables and other half with equal portions of carbohydrates and protein foods, along with a teaspoon of fat. Always remember, you will not maximize belly fat reduction if you don’t reduce the fat you eat. You can do all the exercises and your muscle will tone, but it will tone under your belly fat.

• VEGETABLES- and or salad or fruit
• PROTEINS- lean chicken, egg whites, fish, 1% milk, lean beaf, beans
• CARBS- whole grains, cereal, potatoes,rice, bread, pasta
• FATS- 1 tsp flaxseed oil, olive oil or butter

Eating the right foods in the right portions will help you fuel muscle growth and will help you burn belly fat in a few other ways. For example, it will provide the right balance of carbohydrates to proteins to fats. That will help to normalize blood sugar and insulin levels. High insulin levels have been shown to increase hunger and as well as to promote the storage of belly fat.

MINIMIZE THESE FATS FOR BELLY FAT REDUCTION

These fats should be minimized when trying to flatten your belly

• Processed foods containing “partially hydrogenated fats”.
• Margarine
• Shortening
• Fried foods
• Fatty cuts of beef and pork
• Chicken and turkey skins
• Butter
• Egg yolks
• 
  

BELLY FRIENDLY FATS

Eat more of these fats to help flatten your belly

• Avocados
• Flax seed oil or ground flax seed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Nuts, especially almonds
• Fatty cold water fish like salmon
• Almond butter
• Canola oil

SOURCE: http://flattummyworkouts.com/belly-fat-reduction/

RID THAT GUT FAT: Eliminate These Metabolism Death Foods

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There is nothing worse than starting an exercise program, making some good diet changes, but still not seeing the results you want to see.  Has that ever been you?  It can be really frustrating.

The reason this happens is, even though you think you’re consuming a healthy diet, there is often some hidden food in your diet that is ruining your weight loss efforts.

The foods that keep you from losing the last 10 pounds and keep you stuck at a plateau are what I call the metabolism death foods!

The term may sound scary, and it can be.  Your body recognizes these foods as toxins and puts your body into a fight or flight response.

These foods alter the focus of your metabolism and can cause:

• Weight gain
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Fatigue
• Hormone imbalance
• Digestive disease

And the craziest thing about these foods is that they are often labeled as “health foods”.

Here are the 6 metabolism death foods you need to switch out of your diet to take your metabolism and fat burning potential to the next level!

6 Metabolism Death Foods

1. Fruit Juice – Contrary to popular belief, fat isn’t the first thing that will make you fat, it’s consuming too much sugar.  Drinking fruit juice and consuming too much sugar will absolutely wreck your metabolism!

Fruit juice including most apple, orange and grape juice is basically chemically laden sugar water! I know something like apple juice sounds healthy, but the process of turning an apple into juice is as follows.

First, they press the apple and remove all of the fiber, then they heat it up through pasteurization at 280 degrees, then it’s dried and turned into a concentrate, then finally, they add in sugar, food coloring and flavorings and that is the apple juice you buy today.

One 8 ounce glass of fruit juice contains 30 grams of sugar where a soda contains 28 grams of sugar!

Also, you should avoid other forms of sugar which can hide under names like: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, juice concentrate, maltodextrin, raw sugar and brown sugar.

What to do instead:  To replace fruit juice I recommend making homemade lemonademixing real lemon juice, water and stevia.  Kombucha is another great option as well asherbal tea mixed with raw honey.  Or, drinking coconut water which is nature’s gatorade is another great option!

2. Whole Grains – Whole grains may be the #1 offender when it comes to ruining your metabolism and weight loss efforts.  I know it may seem like “whole grains” like wheat bread are healthy but most are far from helping your metabolism.

Three of the main compounds in grains hurt your metabolism include gluten, starch and phytic acid.  Gluten causes inflammation, starch turns into sugar quickly and phytic acid binds to minerals so you’re not getting most of the minerals and vitamins from whole grains that could have helped your metabolism.

Some of the biggest whole grain offenders include: bread, pasta, cereal, crackers, muffins, desserts, flours, chips and granola bars.

What to do instead: A better option for fat loss is replacing your daily intake of grains with fruits and vegetables or consuming up to 1 piece daily of a sprouted grain bread or sourdough.  Also, the best flour replacement to use instead of wheat flour is coconut flour.  Coconut flour is a dieters best friend because it’s high in fiber which supports rapid fat loss and contains fats your body can burn as fuel.

3. Canola Oil – Using the wrong type of oil can keep you from losing that last 10 pounds and put a halt to any results you might see.  If you use canola oil or other vegetable oils it’s sure to slow down your fat loss efforts and cause you to store unwanted body fat.  Canola oil contains hydrogenated oils which cause inflammation throughout the entire body disrupting your hormones and metabolism.

Also, 90% of canola oil is genetically modified (GMO), which means they are hard wired with pesticides that cause cellular toxicity which destroys your bodies metabolism and overall health.

What to do instead: Replace all vegetables oils with coconut oil and grass-fed butter to boost your metabolism.  I always say, butter is your belly’s best friend.  Grass-fed butter supports metabolism because it is high in CLA and coconut oil supports fat loss because it’s high in MCFA’s.  Consuming these two sources of fat will turn your body into a fat burning furnace!

4. Peanut Butter – Yes, peanut butter is tasty, but it can also kill your gut health.  Peanuts are grown on the soil and stored moist in silos which then cause them to grow a type of fungus called aflatoxins which can effect the health of your gut.

Peanuts are one of the most common allergens today and have been linked to food sensitivities, leaky gut and a slow metabolism.  This aflatoxin in peanuts can compete with probiotics in your gut which we know damages digestive health.

Also, peanuts are very high in omega-6 fatty acids which can cause serious inflammation in the body.  For these many reasons, peanut butter is a metabolism death food!

What to do instead: If you want to start revving up your metabolism then make a switch to almond butter.  Almonds are high in an amino acid L-arginine which increases HGH production in your body.  This is turn causes your body to build lean muscle which sends your metabolism sky high! Just 1 tbsp spoon of almond butter with celery, in a smoothie or with some apples are great snacks to re-ignite your metabolism.

5. Granola - This “health food” has had a health halo around it for years but it’s secretly been hiding as a wolf in sheep’s clothing that kills your metabolism.

Today’s granola has many issues in that it’s made up of whole grains and sugar.  Now what’s most surprising about granola is that the honey in it is a major cause of weight gain.  A study at Texas A&M University tested honey and found 76% of it contained no pollen whatsoever and it had been high temperature pasteurized so it is no better than corn syrup!

The combination of gluten, phytic acid and processed honey is what makes this treat lethal to your metabolism and diet goals.

What to do instead: A great replacement to store bough granola is to make homemade sprouted granola.  Simply soak almonds, pecans, cashews and chia seeds in water for 8 hours then set them out for a day on a paper towel.  Then mix these ingredients with raw local honey, raisins, coconut flakes, cinnamon and sea salt.  Place them in a dehydrator or oven and you have a great tasting metabolism boosting snack.

6. Artificial Sweeteners – Of all the metabolism death foods, artificial sweeteners including aspartame and sucralose are probably the most deceiving.

Artificial sweeteners tell the lie that you can satisfy your sweet tooth, with no calories, no guilt and a thinner waist line.  However, aspartame is actually linked to 92 adverse health effects.

Aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) can stimulate your appetite and increase cravings for carbohydrates. The calorie “savings” from consuming foods sweetened with aspartame ends up not saving you anything due to the increase in appetite and therefore calorie consumption.

The MESA study evaluated the effect of diet soda consumption on rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes in over 6,000 participants. It was found that theconsumption of just one diet soda per day significantly increased the risk for increased waist circumference and weight gain.

What to do instead: Switch out artificial sweeteners for stevia an all natural no calorie sweetener.  Also, raw honey and dates are other great options.

SOURCE: http://draxe.com/6-metabolism-death-foods/

BETTER HEALTH via YOUR ZODIAC SIGN, YOUR ENDOCRINE GLANDS and YOUR CHAKRAS

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LIVING IN RHYTHM with the UNIVERSE

This post encompasses the very essence of all three of my upcoming book(s): 1) INTRO to Herbs are Nature's Medicine; 2) Herbs are Nature's Medicine: Your Handbook for Healing with the Elements; and 3) Living in Rhythm with the Universe: Your Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Emotional Healing with the Elements.

Each one of us can have optimum health 

IF WE SIMPLY LIVE WITHIN THE RHYTHM OF THE UNIVERSE. 

The basic universal elements (water, wood, fire, earth and metal)* were provided by the Creator as blueprints for understanding the Universe and it's relation to our bodies (water=kidneys/fear, wood=liver/anger, fire=heart/joy, earth=stomach/sympathy and metal=colon/worry), and provided remedies for any and everything that might ail man. The rhythms of the Moon, Sun, Stars as well as the three 8-hour cycles of our day are all cosmically, astrologically and cyclically tied into our very breath, pulsing of our very heart beat, and the life cycles that each of us experience: birth, maturity, aging and death.

In the Earth's 24-hour day, during its three 8-hour cycles, it is 1) eliminating (as we should be by the types of foods and beverages we break-fast with during the hours of 4am and 12noon); 2) nourishing (as defined by the intake of healthy nutritive foods during the hours of 12noon and 8pm) and 3) rejuvenating/resting (as we should be finished all eating and strenuous activities, and begin our rest period during the hours of 8pm and 4am).  It is when we don’t follow the Earth’s rhythm, that we suffer with imbalances and disease, weight challenges and inability to sleep well, irregularity and circulation problems, fatigue and low sexual performance.  Because we consume constipating foods and drinks like white flour produces, animal meats, coffee, sugar drinks, etc. in the morning – when we should be eliminating by consuming WATER, eating eliminating foods (fruits) and drinking fruit beverages - we start our day clogging our circulation, energy and brain function.

The Zodiac signs holds profound personal insight to maintaining optimum health and well-being, if we simply follow it. Since the Moon rules the stomach and digestion, it greatly influences your health and eating habits as well.  Exploring the element of your Moon sign can help reveal your most personal tastes, what works and what troubles you in all-things food. (SOURCE: http://www.astrology.com/how-your-moon-sign-influences-your-eating-habits/2-d-d-470901)

The three Air Signs: Gemini (influences our respiratory system), Libra (influences our excretory system) and Aquarius (influences our Meridian System).  Air is the element least connected to the body, and some Air Moon signs literally forget to eat.  Reminding yourself to eat regularly is important, as the typical Air Moon is quite vague about their physical needs.  Focus on smaller meals more frequently, as you don't do well with heavy meals.

The three Fire Signs: Aires (influences our brain and central nervous system), Leo (influences our circulatory system/heart) and Sagittarius (influences our muscular system).  Fire symbolizes heat, so flavorful, spicy foods are preferable for people with Fire Moons. Garlic, ginger and chili pepper add the intensity you crave.  Focus on high-nutrient foods, like fresh fruit and vegetables so you get the maximum energy from the least amount of fuel.  Fire is linked to energy, which come via iron-rich foods, typically meats and dark green vegetables.

The three Water Signs: Cancer (influences our lymphatic system), Scorpio (influences our reproductive system) and Pisces (influences our integumentary** system).  Water is all about feelings, and if you have a Water Moon, you can be a very emotional eater.  If you feel happy, you'll want to share a meal to celebrate with friends.  If you're sad, you can eat in an attempt to drown out your pain.  Good health and eating well comes down to managing your mood.  Explore natural mood-enhancers - such as exercise or wellness therapies like massage or reflexology.  That way you'll rely less on food to soothe you.

And the three Earth Signs: Taurus (influences our endocrine system), Virgo (influences our digestive system) and Capricorn (influences our skeletal system).  Eating based on emotions can be a problem for these Moon signs.  Virgo Moons are especially health sensitive, and processed foods are a no-no for Virgo tummies.  Taurus enjoys the pleasure of eating, and can gravitate toward carbs and high-fat foods.  Capricorn sees foods as a means to an end, and must focus on nutrient-rich foods to make up for a somewhat slow absorption.

And there are herbs, minerals, crystals in the earth to facilitate the healing for all categories of our organs and systems, physical, mental, spiritual and emotional, as outlined above. I have created charts and course curricula to help us live simply and well. Clearly there is a wealth of information to bring you personal healing and bliss, if we just live within the rhythm of the universe.

* Various cultures utilize their knowledge of the power of the forces of nature, but group the elements differently. The Afrikan Universal Elements: Air (represented by the Ntru Hapi and Nbt Ht), Fire (represented by the Ntru Neit and Duamutef), Water (represented by the Ntru Serkhet and Qebsenuf) and Earth (represented by the Ntru Auset and Mset). In our Afrikan culture, the forces of Nature (without vowels) are called Ntr (pronounced Netcher; plural is Netcheru).  Chinese 5 Elements: Water (inherently connected to the kidneys and bladder), Wood (inherently connected to the liver and gall bladder), Fire (inherently connected to the heart and small intestines), Earth (inherently connected to the stomach and spleen) and Metal (inherently connected to the lungs and large intestines). Ayurvedic: Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth – are grouped into the 3 Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Regardless of how they are grouped and defined in various healing systems, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE POWERFUL WISDOM OF THE ELEMENTS DO NOT CHANGE THE HEALING REMEDIES THEY HOLD FOR US IF WE JUST LIVE BY THEM AND USE THEM TO HEAL OURSELVES.
** The integumentary system is the organ system that protects the body from various kinds of damage, such as loss of water or abrasion from outside. The system comprises the skin and its appendages (including hair, scales, feathers, hooves, and nails). The integumentary system has a variety of functions; it may serve to waterproof, cushion, and protect the deeper tissues, excrete wastes, and regulate temperature, and is the attachment site for sensory receptors to detect pain, sensation, pressure, and temperature. In most terrestrial vertebrates with significant exposure to sunlight, the integumentary system also provides for vitamin D synthesis.

HEALING OUR EMOTIONS with HERBS and CHAKRA BALANCING

Balancing Herbal Teas for the Chakras Chakra balancing can do much to help you bring harmony, peace and strength to your emotional and spiritual centers. Activation and balance of energy flow in the Chakras allows the body's systems to function optimally with the higher self. The seven chakras function as pathways for energy that flows through subtle channels in the spine and govern the endocrine system. Each Chakra acts a transformer within the body to bring a higher frequency of vibration for purification into the system and healing of negative energies.

Crown Center: calming tonic for all ailments of the mind, emotional disturbances and nervous disorders: mix 1tsp fu ling, ½tsp gotu kola and ¼tsp valerian to any of the mints/chamomile (2tsp) for taste.

Brow Center: combine ½tsp elecampane to 1tsp ginseng and skullcap, serves as food for the nerves; add 2tsp licorice root as a harmonizer - formula is supportive and strengthening to the entire endocrine system.

Throat Center: blend 1tsp bayberry root, ¼tsp cloves, 2tsp licorice, 1tsp sarsaparilla to harmonize the gland that influences every organ, tissue and cell.

Heart Center: to calm the heart center and enhance circulation, add 1tsp hawthorn berries and lotus seeds, ¼tsp black cohosh, 1/8tsp cayenne, ½tsp schizandra berries.

Solar Plexus Center: combine 1tsp each of atractylodes root, dandelion root, prickly ash bark, 1/8tsp golden seal to strengthen personal power, digestion and circulation.

Sacral Center, to enhance creativity/sexuality, combine 2tsp red raspberry, 1tsp each marshmallow, uva ursi and burdock root, ½tsp gravel root, and ¼tsp slippery elm bark.

Base/Spine Center: to rejuvenate the center of the whole body's energy source, drink haritaki water regularly (see website: http://www.sacredhealing7.com/Haritaki_Fruit.html); combine 1tsp ashwagandha, parsley root, lotus root, and fo ti.

HEALING OUR EMOTIONS with HERBS and CHAKRA BALANCING

Chakra balancing can do much to help you bring harmony, peace and strength to your emotional and spiritual centers. Our human form is divided/linked into multiple aspects of itself, each with a range of its own frequencies or vibrations. Chakras are energy vortexes in our emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. They lie along a linear pathway (along the spine) from the Crown Chakra to the Root Chakra. Though there are actually 22 chakras (see website: http://www.sacredhealing7.com/The_7_Chakras.html), there are 7 primary basic lower body Chakras (six emotional and one spiritual) that we actually can access on this 3rd Dimension Plane on Planet Earth. Activation and balance of the energy flow in the Chakras allows the body system to be at optimal synergy with the higher self.

The seven core chakras function as pathways for energy that flows through subtle channels in the spine and govern the endocrine system through the etheric body. Each Chakra acts a transformer within the body whose purpose is to bring into the system a higher frequency of vibration for purification and healing of negative energies. There are seven endocrine glands, each with a vibration and color, and one is assigned to each of the seven primary Chakras.

7 PRIMARY CHAKRAS, AND THEIR ENDOCRINE SYSTEMS 

(GLANDS), CRYSTALS & HERBS

7th Crown Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the pineal gland, its color is violet/golden white (clear quartz), Enlightenment – Herbs: calamus, nutmeg, gotu kola, valerian

6th Brow Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the pituitary gland, its color is indigo (amethyst), spiritual awareness, psychic power – Herbs: basil, elecampane, sandalwood, skullcap

5th Throat Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the thyroid gland, its color is blue (turquoise), communication, Divine Guidance – Herbs: bayberry, cloves, licorice, ajwan

4th Heart Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the thymus gland, its color is green/pink (rose quartz/unikite), love, Universal Consciousness – Herbs: lotus seeds, cardamom, rose, saffron

3rd Solar Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the pancreas, its color is golden yellow/orange (citrine), intellect, personal power – Herbs: golden seal, cayenne, black pepper, cumin

2nd Sacral Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the the gonads, its color is deep red (red jasper/carnelian/coral), creativity/sexuality – Herbs: marshmallow, uva ursi, coriander

1st Root/Spine Plexus Chakra, is connected to, governs and is governed by the adrenal glands, its color is black (black tourmaline/obsidian), Stability – Herbs: ashwagandha, haritaki fruit, lotus root

SCORPIO / CANCER / PISCES: THE WATER SIGNS ~ Health via Your Zodiac Sign

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The three Water Signs: Cancer (influences our lymphatic system), Scorpio (influences our reproductive system) and Pisces (influences our integumentary** system).  Water is all about feelings, and if you have a Water Moon, you can be a very emotional eater.  If you feel happy, you'll want to share a meal to celebrate with friends.  If you're sad, you can eat in an attempt to drown out your pain.  Good health and eating well comes down to managing your mood.  Explore natural mood-enhancers - such as exercise or wellness therapies like massage or reflexology.  That way you'll rely less on food to soothe you.

SCORPIO ~ October 24th ~ November 22nd

Scorpio is one of the strongest, healthiest signs in the zodiac, partly because you are such a powerful energy to begin with.  Your ability to be strong and persevering is wonderful in many ways, but if you begin to ignore and hide from your intense feelings and emotions, then health trouble is brewing.  One area of weakness for Scorpio is the large intestine, especially the colon region.  Scorpios have an awful problem with constipation.

You can chage your diet to a rule: drink plenty of water (4-6 glasses daily), have a high fiber diet. Get plenty of exercise too.  Just moving around, sometimes, helps.  Most importantly, stay in touch with your feelings and talk about them.  Scorpio's other weak spot is their reproductive system.  Scorpios have a very strong, robust sex drive and consequently, may enjoy many more sexual contact than some other zodiac signs.  So, safe sex is Scorpio's by-word.  If you don't practice safe sex, then because the reproductive region is your weak link, you are open to STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).  Worse, HIV and AIDS is out there.

You can make anything sexy. Your sign is not into the superficialities of fashion - nor into its high price tag, either. You are more into showing your soul through our intense personality than any mere item of clothing. When you do dress up, however, it is to be provocative and highlight your animal magnetism.

Scorpio is the sign that symbolizes strength and power. They tend to obsess about what's precious to them. People who belong to this sign need to protect themselves from blood related and sexual diseases. 

HERBS: Basil, rosemary and berberine are considered to be useful herbs for Scorpio.

~   ~   ~

**The Integumenary System is the organ system that protects the body from various kinds of damage, such as loss of water or abrasion from outside. The system comprises the skin and its appendages, including hair, scales, feathers, hooves, and nails. The integumenary system has a variety of functions, it may serve to waterproof, cushion, and protect the deeper tissues, excrete wastes, and regulate temperature, and is the attachment site for sensory receptors to detect pain, sensation, pressure and temperature. In most terrestrial vertebrates with significant exposure to sunlight, the integumentary system also provides for vitamin D synthesis.