Body acidity is a natural thing. However, the foods we eat add to this acidity and the fat in our body stores the additional acid, which results in overweight problems and an unhealthy body. There are specific foods that are alkaline and help to flush the acid and fat from the body. These alkaline foods replace the acid and rapid weight loss is inevitable.

Here are some foods from the alkaline food list:

Vegetables
Wheat Grass
Fruit (grapefruit, lemon, lime are good)
Nuts (almond)
Fish oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil and liver oil
Grains – Buckwheat, quinoa, spelt
Condiments – red chili pepper, sea salt, most herbs and spices
Goat milk
Beans and legumes
Pumpkin seeds and Sesame seeds
In addition to these foods, water is very essential in our daily diet. We can also supplement our food list with products that already contain all these ingredients above. There is a product called Energy Green that has all these alkaline foods as part of its ingredients so there would be no need to consume each item on the food list – there would be everything all in one product.

The body requires more attention to survive longer and remain in good health. Our health is a product of what we eat. Taking back control of our health and weight requires more awareness of our food consumption.

Here are some strong acidic foods to avoid or eat in very low moderation:

Dried fruit
Mustard
White sugar
Soy Sauce
Cashews and peanuts
Barley, corn and rye
Beef, organ meat and pork
Cottage cheese
Ice cream
Whey protein powder
The key to taking back our health is education and knowledge about food intake and its effect on the body. Weight loss is the primary goal of most people, but pursuing a weight loss diet will not necessarily meet the long-term goal of keeping the weight off. Healthy eating and moderate exercise should become a lifestyle. Taking a supplement is also recommended if the foods we eat don’t contain all the right amounts of alkaline to assist in healthy living.

Learn all you can about the effects of alkaline versus acid in the body. Here are some effects that will give you a head start:

Acid –can cause overweight problems, indigestion, acid reflux, loss of energy, stores the fat
Alkaline- gives more energy, natural and safe weight loss, eliminates chronic digestive problems, regulate blood sugar, strengthen the immune system, gets rid of the acid
Acid overload drains so much of our energy that the body doesn’t have enough energy to fight off viruses and disease. In other words, the immune system is weakened. More so, when the body is overly acid there is more vulnerability to germs, yeast, bacteria, molds and fungi. Why? Because all these microorganisms thrive in acidity! In an alkaline environment they are weakened and cannot multiply as well. Therefore, by keeping the body alkaline it can prevent colds, the flu, and many other illnesses.

To protect against acid buildup, the body begins to create and store fat. Even if you are on a weight loss diet and you exercise, your body will try to hold on to this fat because it is important for protection against acids. That is why many people who restore alkalinity in their body find it incredibly easier to lose weight.

There are so many weight loss pills available today. Hoodia is a very popular one. However, more pills are not the solution. The true way to lose weight is to do so naturally and with permanent results and a healthier body.

This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects

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Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.

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How many times have you tried to lose weight by starvation, diet pills, “fad” diets, or other means? These plans work for a while but fail later, right? Not only is what you eat important, but when you eat is just as important – if not more. You see, our bodies become dependent on sugar intake and, therefore, begin to crave it as we get hungry. This deprivation of food, especially the simple sugars from the food, forces one to stray away from their diet and usually results in overeating.

Boosting your metabolism with mini-meals is the safest way to lose, or at least maintain, one’s weight. This is done by eating 6 to 8 small meals each day and is the best way to boost metabolism when not exercising. The advantages to eating smaller meals are that our metabolism is working almost around the clock in breaking down our food intake while we are only eating the calories that we need to simply get to the next meal. We have all heard that the formula for maintaining weight is calories in versus calories out. Instead of eating the traditional three meals a day – whether we are hungry or not – and storing the excess calories which transform into fat, the mini-meal approach to eating means that we are only eating the calories that we will burn between now and our next meal. In other words, we never overeat and, if we are consistent with our dietary plan, we are never hungry. The safety aspect of boosting your metabolism with mini-meals plays a role is in our glucose levels. Eating 6 to 8 small meals a day assists in maintaining a consistent level of glucose. Sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide energy, so we have to be careful with it.

As an example, consider someone with diabetes. They struggle every moment to maintain the correct level of glucose or insulin in order to have a better quality of life. If you know someone with diabetes and have been around them enough, you will have noticed that they eat several small snacks and meals throughout the day. Depending on what they are eating, they are either trying to balance or offset their body’s natural release of insulin. This is a constant battle for those who have this disease.

Another group of people who can benefit by boosting their metabolism with mini-meals is those who have digestive disorders, such as Gastroparesis. Studies have shown that people with this digestive disorder perform much better when eating several smaller meals each day. However, on some days, it may only be 4 to 5 small meals. Gastroparesis is a paralysis of the stomach muscles and delays one’s food from emptying from the stomach into the small intestine. A person suffering from this condition must rely on the smaller meals, as well as supplements such as Ensure, in order to obtain nutrition.

It really does not matter if we have a health issue, such as one of those mentioned above, or if we are just making a life-style change and want to lose or control our weight. The most common approach presented by doctors, nutritionists, and health professionals throughout the world is by boosting your metabolism with mini-meals.

Also exercise with little weight few times a week and don’t worry, this will tone up your body to make you look tighter and slimmer, if two women both weigh 120 pounds but one of them is toned, she will look a lot slimmer than the other, also if you compare the metabolic rate for two women where one has more muscle than the other, the one with the more muscle would have a much higher metabolism.

Keep these facts in mind as an element when you consider cutting calories as it is only part of the equation, finally to really optimize your weight loss efforts you have to combine your diets with exercises, not only will you quickly reach your weight loss goals but you will also have a healthier diet and better body shape.