How Coca Cola Affects Your Body In 60 Minutes

We all know Coca Cola is laden with sugar and that, at a push, you could use it to clean your toilet. But it's a bit of a mystery as to what it does to your body.

Now, thanks to Niraj Naik, we have the answer to that question.

The brains behind website The Renegade Pharmacist has revealed exactly what a refreshing can of Coke does to your system within the first hour of drinking it. And it's not pretty.

First 10 minutes

10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake.) You don't immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavour, allowing you to keep it down.

20 minutes in

Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There’s plenty of that at this particular moment)

40 minutes in

Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.

45 minutes in

Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centres of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.

60 minutes in

The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.

After 60 minutes

The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (It makes you have to pee.) It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolyte and water.

As the rave inside of you dies down you’ll start to have a sugar crash. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You’ve also now, literally, pissed away all the water that was in the Coke. But not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for things like having the ability to hydrate your system or build strong bones and teeth.

On his site, Naik writes: "I discovered that a trigger factor for many widespread diseases of the west such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes could be closely linked to the consumption of one particular substance found in many processed foods and drinks – fructose in the form of high fructose corn syrup.

"High fructose corn syrup is found in pretty much all processed foods such as ready meals, fast foods, sweets and fizzy drinks and most people are totally unaware of its danger."

The Renegade Pharmacist tells HuffPost UK Lifestyle that he was inspired to teach people about their dietary choices after managing to heal himself of a chronic auto-immune condition.

"I used a combination of different techniques that I discovered by researching others who had healed themselves," he explains.

"My method combines self hypnosis, meditation, special breathing exercises based on Himalayan monks, having a very low-carb diet that's free from factory based foods and taking a special supplement called Colostrum."

When Naik worked as a community pharmacist, he says he was able to successfully wean people off longterm medication - particularly for health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

"Many of them would consume fizzy drinks on a daily basis," he says. "A few, on several medications, would consume between two and three cans a day. In one case a guy was on every heart drug under the sun and taking big doses."

Naik went through the patient's diet and found that he was drinking up to 15 cups of coffee a day with 2/3 spoonfuls of sugar in each cup.

"I was even more shocked to find out his doctor had not asked him about what he ate or drank and just stuck him on strong meds for life," he says.

So, the pharmacist created his own system to help patients overcome their conditions.

"My first piece of advice to them would be to do a simple swap," he explains, "replacing fizzy drinks with water and fresh lemon or lime juice.

"In many cases just doing this would have a dramatic effect on their health.

"This indicates to me that fizzy drinks and sugar are big issues relating to blood pressure and metabolic diseases like diabetes and heart disease."

Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/07/29/how-coca-cola-affects-body-infographic_n_7895304.html?utm_hp_ref=uk-health

Lose Weight And Keep It Off!

Besides winning the lottery, there may not be a more universally shared goal than losing body weight and keeping it off.1 If this is a goal you are after, you may not want to read the rest of today’s piece! That is because brand new research has pointed out that the odds of going from obese to a normal weight and staying there – are vanishingly slim.2, 3 For men, the odds are 1 in 210, and for women the odds are 1 in 124. That’s less than 1% – no matter what gender you are.

So how do we beat these (very depressing) odds? Quite simply, by following a Paleo diet! By consuming foods that are high in satiety and nutrients, we keep hunger at bay, and our body and brain happy.4, 5, 6, 7 Satiety and nutrition are both absolutely vital if long term, sustainable weight loss is one’s goal. As has been seen in scientific studies, a Paleo diet works better than even condition-specific diets (like those seen in patients with diabetes).8 One study sums it up thusly: “The Paleolithic diet might be the best antidote to the unhealthy Western diet.”9

Combining a great diet with a smart exercise routine (like CrossFit) is a great recipe to start stacking these odds in one’s favor.10 As the CrossFit Games are in full swing, we get to see professional athletes at their absolute peak – hopefully inspiring us to spend less time on the couch and more time at the gym. But you do not need to be a CrossFit Games competitor to enjoy a healthy exercise routine. If you are sedentary, just start walking around your neighborhood every day after work. Get your head in the game with baby steps, you’ll feel the difference.11 Once you’ve mastered that, you can progress to higher feats of fitness.

Erickson, Kirk I. et al. “Exercise Training Increases Size of Hippocampus and Improves Memory.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108.7 (2011): 3017–3022. PMC. Web. 27 July 2015.

And even more than exercise, make sure you get plenty of sleep! This overlooked factor allows many to work extremely hard, eat right and still not keep the pounds off. Scientific researchers have known this for years.12 Sleep is an important modulator of neuroendocrine function and glucose metabolism.13Both are usually disrupted when a person becomes obese, so getting them back in line requires eating well, exercise, and plenty of shuteye!

Sleep loss has also been shown to result in metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, increased evening concentrations of cortisol and increased levels of ghrelin.14 Bottom line: With all of this at play, our chances of losing weight and keeping it off are very slim! We want our body to be insulin sensitive, cortisol lower in the evening, and to express low levels of ghrelin (a key hunger hormone).

Beccuti, Guglielmo, and Silvana Pannain. “Sleep and Obesity.” Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care 14.4 (2011): 402–412. PMC. Web. 27 July 2015.

Patel, Sanjay R., and Frank B. Hu. “Short Sleep Duration and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review.” Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) 16.3 (2008): 643–653. PMC. Web. 27 July 2015.

Finally, sleep loss leads to decreased levels of leptin (one of the main satiety hormones) and increased hunger and appetite.15 So, the longer you go without sleep, the hungrier you get. Stop the cycle by hitting the pillow earlier.

With our world in an ever-increasing obesity pandemic, think of all the healthy ways you can lose weight and keep it off.16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Put your mind to it, don’t let anything stand in your way, and you’ll be on your way, to a leaner, healthier you!

Article Source: http://thepaleodiet.com/lose-weight-and-keep-it-off/

10 Reasons Why You Should Use Coconut Oil

Source: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/07/26/10-reasons-why-you-should-use-coconut-oil/

Here Is A Timeline Of What Happens To Your Body When You Quit Smoking

Originally seen on SimpleOrganicLife| If you’re smoking a cigarette right now, I have good news for you: if you don’t ever pick one up again, your body will go through amazing transformations within minutes of finishing your last one.

We all know the negative health effects of smoking cigarettes, but what really hits home is when you look at how your body begins to heal itself right after you stop smoking:

1. 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your blood pressure and pulse will lower and return to normal. The temperature in your hands and feet increase.

2. After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood will lower and return to normal. Blood oxygen begins to increase. You’ll feel more alert, sleep better, and be stronger.

3. After 24 hours, your risk of heart attack drops significantly.

4. After 48 hours, nerve endings begin to regrow and your sense of smell and taste will return.

5. After about 3 months, your circulation will improve, walking will be easier, and you’ll cough less. Lung function will be markedly improved.

6. Between 1 and 9 months, you’ll have less sinus congestion, fatigue, and nearly no shortness of breath.

7. After 1 year, your risk of coronary heart disease is half of what it was when you smoked.

8. After 5-15 years, your risk of stroke returns to normal, as if you never smoked at all.

9. At the 10 year mark, your chance of developing smoking-related cancer is about the same as a non-smoker. Diet and smoking contribute to 60% of cancers.

10. After 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack is that of a non-smoker. Your risk of death has dropped to that of a non-smoker.

Money saved

You will also save $1000-$2000 each year when you quit smoking depending on how often you smoke, which over 10 years can add up to as much as an extra $20,000 you will have at your disposal.

Plus all of the money you will save on lighters, matches, medical bills, dental bills, medications, and any other expenses that would come from illness and sickness resulting from a compromised immune system and bodily damage from smoking.

Not to mention, you will add years to your life, and the years you do live will be filled with more energy, life, and vitality.  You will also look better, smell better, feel better about yourself and will have a better influence over people in your life who look up to you.

Best of luck on quitting! You owe it to yourself and to your amazing body that is working hard to keep you alive.

Article Source: http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/here-is-a-timeline-of-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-quit-smoking/

Rethinking Exercise as a Source of Immediate Rewards

I was going to skip my daily swim the other morning. I had already walked three miles with a friend and taken my dog to the park for his exercise. I was really tired, my back was sore, I had a column to write and lots to do around the house.

But I knew from past experience that I would feel much better after 40 minutes of swimming laps. So in I went. And, yes, I did feel better — not just refreshed, but more energetic, clearheaded and better prepared than I would have been otherwise to tackle the day’s essentials.

Michelle Segar, who directs the Sport, Health and Activity Research and Policy Center at the University of Michigan, would say I had reframed my exercise experience, making it ever more likely that I would continue to swim — even on days when I didn’t feel like doing it — because I viewed it as a positive, restorative activity. Indeed, exercise is something I do, not because I have to or was told to, but because I know it makes me feel better.

Dr. Segar, a psychologist who specializes in helping people adopt and maintain regular exercise habits, is the author of “No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness.” Her research has shown that even people who say they hate to exercise or have repeatedly fallen off the exercise wagon can learn to enjoy it and stick with it.

Three years ago, I wrote about research by Dr. Segar and others showing that promoting physical activity to prevent or control disease, lose weight or sculpt one’s body, and prescribing doses as if exercise were medicine, wouldn’t get most people to do it and keep doing it.

“Health is not an optimal way to make physical activity relevant and compelling enough for most people to prioritize in their hectic lives,” Dr. Segar said in an interview.

Though it seems counterintuitive, studies have shown that people whose goals are weight loss and better health tend to spend the least amount of time exercising. That is true even for older adults, a study of 335 men and women ages 60 to 95 showed.

Rather, immediate rewards that enhance daily life — more energy, a better mood, less stress and more opportunity to connect with friends and family — offer far more motivation, Dr. Segar and others have found.

“I like to think of physical activity as a way to revitalize and renew ourselves, as fuel to better enjoy and succeed at what matters most,” she said.

In her new book, she describes strategies to get even the most sedentary people off their duffs, starting with ways to overcome past failures and negative feelings about exercise that make it feel more like punishment than pleasure.

Instead of the recommended half hour a day or 10-minute doses of moderate exercise three times a day on most days, Dr. Segar suggests focusing on the idea that “everything counts” — taking the stairs instead of the elevator, weeding the garden, dancing, even walking to the water cooler.

“We should count any and every opportunity to move that exists in the space of our lives as valid movement worth doing,” she wrote. She advocates adopting a food marketer’s approach to workouts: Enjoy “snacks” of exercise that can entice gradual increases in how much is “consumed.” And like the calories in food snacks, it all adds up.

Dr. Segar likens the choices to Baskin-Robbins’s 31 flavors: “There are so many options — ‘What do I feel like doing today?’ — then picking the ‘flavor’ of physical activity that feels right for that day and moment.” The neuroscience of reward has shown that this approach can foster and reinforce positive feelings about being active.

Also important is giving oneself permission to make self-care through physical activity a priority. Dr. Segar wrote: “When we do not prioritize our own self-care because we are busy serving others, our energy is not replenished. Instead, we are exhausted, and our ability to be there for anyone or anything else is compromised.”

People who make physical activity a priority don’t necessarily have more time than others. Rather, they make sure to schedule time for it because they know it enhances their performance and the quality of their daily lives. It has been shown, for example, that schoolchildren who are given exercise breaks are better able to to pay attention and learn.

Citing a “paradox of self-care,” Dr. Segar wrote, “The more energy you give to caring for yourself, the more energy you have for everything else.” She suggests viewing physical activity as a power source for everything else you want to accomplish. “What sustains us, we sustain,” she wrote.

To those who feel they are neglecting family to fit in exercise, she suggests taking them along. The routine can help foster a culture of physical activity at an early age. When my brother and I were young, my father took us on his weekend walks. He taught us to swim as preschoolers and launched a lifetime of enjoyment in the water. Now in our 70s, both of us continue to appreciate what physical activity brings to everything else in our lives. We feel like slugs when we can’t exercise.

Even those with the best intentions often set themselves up for failure by establishing rigid exercise goals. They try to do too much, and when they can’t keep it up they give up and chalk it up as another exercise failure. In place of a performance goal, Dr. Segar suggests setting a “learning goal” — learning to be flexible and cutting yourself some slack when needed.

Consistency trumps quantity when trying to establish a lifetime of fitness. When a last-minute task cuts into a planned workout, you should not skip the session altogether. Even 10 or 20 minutes of activity is better than none.

It also helps to anticipate challenges to your exercise routine, using an “if-then” exercise tool. If, for example, you are too tired after work to go to the gym, think about a replacement activity you might enjoy, like taking a sunset walk alone or with a partner, friend, child, dog or even a neighbor’s dog.

Or, in the future, go to sleep and get up a half hour earlier to fit in physical activity before life’s demands get in the way.

Article Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/rethinking-exercise-as-a-source-of-immediate-rewards/?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

The Top 5 Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate

Almost everybody likes chocolate. It is usually thought of as a sinful decadence, something we eat when we are choosing to indulge. Chocolate is also synonymous with happiness; do you ever notice people who are eating chocolate always seem happy to be doing so? There’s a good reason for that! Chocolate has been shown to actually raise serotonin levels (the happiness hormone) within the brain. I should clarify here though, there is a huge difference between regular old, overly processed milk chocolate, and dark chocolate that has little or no milk added and significantly less sugar. The best quality dark chocolate has cocoa percentages ranging from 70 to 99%.

Here are the top five benefits of dark chocolate.

1. High Levels Of Antioxidants And Minerals

Did you know that chocolate has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any other food in the world? Yes, it is definitely a superfood. Antioxidants help to protect the body from free radicals that can cause cancer. Dark chocolate is also loaded with minerals such as: iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, fibre, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium.

2. Relieves Stress

As mentioned above, dark chocolate helps to increase levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which acts as an antidepressant and can lower levels of stress. A study performed by scientists in Switzerland determined that the chemical compounds found in dark chocolate play a key role in improving the stress levels of people who are prone to high stress levels. According to the study, eating 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate daily for two weeks can actually reduce stress hormones. If using dark chocolate to lower stress in your life, make sure it is 85% cocoa or higher.

3. Lowers Cholesterol

The cocoa in dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) levels in the blood – which can clog up the veins and inner walls of arteries – allowing for proper arterial function.

There has also been evidence to suggest that dark chocolate can increase the “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels in your body. Low LDL combined with high HDL levels can significantly reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and heart disease.

4. Improves Brain Power

A study conducted at the University of Nottingham determined that consuming dark chocolate can boost the blood flow to the brain for up to three hours. In turn, this improves short-term memory and alertness for short periods of time. Apparently, the cocoa can also help to improve concentration, response time, and memory recall. You should definitely consider eating some dark chocolate while studying for a test and right before taking one!

5. It’s a Delicious Healthy Treat

Dark chocolate (between 75-99%) is something you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. It is actually good for you, and as mentioned above, has numerous amazing health benefits. Meaning, you can eat it and know you’re doing your body a favour! Just be careful not to overdo it because many brands do contain a lot of sugar. Remember, the higher the cocoa percentage, the less sugar it has.

Have you ever had 99% cocoa chocolate? Now that is intense!  You can eat the dark chocolate in bar form, or use cacoa powder or cacoa nibs in smoothies or baking.

Enjoy, much love!

Article Source: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/07/23/the-top-5-health-benefits-of-dark-chocolate/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Collective-evolution+%28Collective+Evolution%29

The Brazilian Food Guide – Revolutionizing The Way We Look at Food

Last year the Brazilian Ministry of Health did something pretty radical: they created a food guide that actually reflects healthful eating habits. 

The new guide offers a holistic, comprehensive, and ethical approach to diet, and the result is an incredibly refreshing (and quite radical – more on that later) manual for living a healthy life. Rather than dividing foods into subgroups in the typical Western, reductionist manner – carbs, protein, veggies, fruit, protein – and recommending what, in the Canadian context at least, feels like a simultaneously restrictive and unattainable number of servings to consume each day, Brazil’s guide breaks down foods in a much more natural way. Their four food categories are:

1. naturally or minimally processed foods;
2. oils, fats, salt and sugar;
3. processed foods (these include bread, cheeses, cured meats and pickles); and
4. ultra-processed foods.

Foods from the first group are to be consumed the most, foods in the last group the least or not at all. By basing the categories on type of processing rather than specific ingredients, the new guide promotes autonomy in the kitchen and leaves space for the needs of the individual. Everyone will be healthier if they eat natural, minimally processed foods. Not everyone (or even most people) will feel good if they eat 2-3 servings of dairy a day, or 6-11 servings of breads and other carbohydrates.

Given the public’s increasing awareness of healthy eating practices, it may seem that avoiding processed foods is a pretty commonsensical suggestion, but considering that the Canadian Food Guide has been created under direct influence from the food industry, Brazil’s stance becomes significantly more subversive.

Even more surprising, however, is their position on advertising. The guide blatantly warns people against heeding food advertisements, noting that the purpose of these ads is to increase sales, not improve public health – a bold move indeed, and one which seems unimaginable in the current corporatocracythat is the North American political climate.

What I love most about this new guide, however, is its emphasis on the culture and climate of eating. Eating is intimately tied to social activities, family, and tradition, and for good reason. We are more likely to take our time with eating, and eat freshly prepared, home cooked meals when we eat in company with others. Moreover, meals automatically become healthier as a result. This in turn contributes to sustainable modes of food production, which is better for the environment and the people whose hard work leads to that food appearing on our tables. When we prepare meals at home, we keep our cultural practices alive and pass on those traditions to our children, teaching them valuable lessons about family, nutrition, and general wellness in the process.

Truly, the Brazilian Food Guide represents a return to a more natural way of eating and being. It is a return to our roots. And it’s beautiful to see.

Since the guide is quite long, they have broken down the essential elements into ten easy to follow steps. I think we could all benefit from following these simple rules. Enjoy!

Brazil’s 10 Steps to a Healthy Diet

1. Make natural or minimally processed foods the basis of your diet.

Natural or minimally processed foods, in great variety, and mainly of plant origin, are the basis for diets that are nutritionally balanced, delicious, culturally appropriate, and supportive of socially and environmentally sustainable food systems. Variety means foods of all types — cereals, legumes, roots, tubers, vegetables, fruits, nuts, milk, eggs, meat — and diversity within each type — such as beans and lentils, rice and corn, potato and cassava, tomatoes and squash, orange and banana, chicken and fish.

2. Use oils, fats, salt, and sugar in small amounts when seasoning and cooking natural or minimally processed foods and to create culinary preparations.

As long as they are used in moderation in dishes and meals based on natural or minimally processed foods, oils, fats, salt, and sugar contribute to diverse and delicious diets without making them nutritionally unbalanced.

3. Limit consumption of processed foods.

The ingredients and methods used in the manufacture of processed foods — such as vegetables in brine, fruits in syrup, cheeses and breads — unfavourably alter the nutritional composition of the foods from which they are derived. In small amounts, processed foods can be used as ingredients in dishes and meals based on natural or minimally processed foods.

4. Avoid consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Because of their ingredients, ultra-processed foods such as salty fatty packaged snacks, soft drinks, sweetened breakfast cereals, and instant noodles, are nutritionally unbalanced. As a result of their formulation and presentation, they tend to be consumed in excess, and displace natural or minimally processed foods. Their means of production, distribution, marketing, and consumption damage culture, social life, and the environment.

5. Eat regularly and carefully in appropriate environments and, whenever possible, in company.

Make your daily meals at regular times. Avoid snacking between meals. Eat slowly and enjoy what you are eating, without engaging in another activity. Eat in clean, comfortable and quiet places, where there is no pressure to consume unlimited amounts of food. Whenever possible, eat in company, with family, friends, or colleagues: this increases the enjoyment of food and encourages eating regularly, attentively, and in appropriate environments. Share household activities that precede or succeed the consumption of meals.

6. Shop in places that offer a variety of natural or minimally-processed foods.

Shop in supermarkets and municipal and farmers markets, or buy directly from producers or other places, that sell varieties of natural or minimally processed foods. Prefer vegetables and fruits that are locally grown in season. Whenever possible, buy organic and agro- ecological based foods, preferably directly from the producers.

7. Develop, exercise and share cooking skills.

If you have cooking skills, develop them and share them, especially with boys and girls. If you do not have these skills — men as well as women —acquire them. Learn from and talk with people who know how to cook. Ask family, friends, and colleagues for recipes, read books, check the internet, and eventually take courses. Start cooking!

8. Plan your time to make food and eating important in your life.

Plan the food shopping, organise your domestic stores, and decide on meals in advance. Share with family members the responsibility for all activities related to meals. Make the preparation and eating of meals privileged times of conviviality and pleasure. Assess how you live so as to give proper time for food and eating.

9. Out of home, prefer places that serve freshly made meals.

Eat in places that serve fresh meals at good prices. Self-service restaurants and canteens that serve food buffet-style charged by weight are good choices. Avoid fast food chains.

10. Be wary of food advertising and marketing.

The purpose of advertising is to increase product sales, and not to inform or educate people. Be critical and teach children to be critical of all forms of food advertising and marketing.

ARTICLE SOURCE: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/07/17/the-brazilian-food-guide-revolutionizing-the-way-we-look-at-food/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Collective-evolution+%28Collective+Evolution%29