3 Calorie Myths to Ditch Immediately for Good

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

A calorie is a measure of energy, but beyond that, it’s not a complete picture of health. Here are the top three calorie myths, debunked.

Most dieters are eventually introduced to the “calories in, calories out” math. This is where you calculate exactly how long you needed to exercise today to “burn off” last night’s dinner.

While calories themselves are real, they are not the end-all way to measure a healthy diet. In fact, the amount of calories you eat don’t have as big of an impact as we previously thought. There are many other factors about food that matter significantly more when it comes to weight loss and nutrition.

If you’ve been driving yourself crazy trying to count calories, it’s time to loosen up. Here are the top three calorie myths that could be driving your entire weight loss plan, and how to find a better way.

What Is a Calorie?

A calorie is a way of measuring the energy in food. One calorie from food contains 4,184 Joules – which is another method of measuring energy. However, it isn’t just simple math.

Food is composed of macronutrients, micronutrients and phytonutrients that nourish the body. The calorie count of a certain food is just one small aspect of the bigger picture.

The origin of the calorie is unclear. Some argue that two men from France “invented” it in the mid-1800s while others credit a German physician; still others give credit to a chemist from France who mentioned the word as early as 1819.

A man named Wilbur Atwater brought the idea of the calorie to the U.S. in 1887 and was the starting point of nutrition science in the United States.

Calorie Myths Sabotaging Your Health

Calories may have kicked off the frenzy of nutrition science in the U.S., but they aren’t a good health foundation. These are the top calorie myths – and why they’re not true.

1. A Calorie Always Equals a Calorie

All calories are not created equal. You can’t just stick to a 1,200-calories-a-day diet and guarantee weight loss. Perhaps you’ve tried this and know it first-hand. It’s easy to become frustrated at the lack of scale response due to a hard calorie restriction.

However, basing a diet on calorie count alone is destined to fail long-term. Here’s why.

First, if you’re getting those calories from junk food, you’re going to be nutritionally deficient. The body relies on a steady stream of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients to carefully regulate homeostasis: balance within.

If your calorie restricting diet starts putting the pinch on essential nutrients, your body will instead believe that it is in a time of famine, starved of the nutrients it needs, and will go into storage and hibernation mode.

Secondly, your body digests different food at different rates. Different metabolic pathways put certain foods to use in the body. When a pathway is efficient, the food goes right to work energizing the body. When a pathway is less efficient, some energy is lost as heat.

Plus, some foods are packed with nutritional energy, whereas others are void of vitamins and minerals. These factors impact how the body breaks them down and uses them for energy far more than the calorie count.

Both protein and carbs, for example, contain four calories per gram. However, a lot of protein calories are lost as heat while being broken down in the body. This thermic effect means that protein actually requires the body to work harder to digest it and can rev metabolism, meaning less of it is eventually stored as fat.

Carbs and fat require less energy to digest, and don’t energize the metabolism as much, so diets higher in these result in more fat storage overall.

2. Weight Loss is Simply Calories In, Calories Out

Research shows that more than 70 percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight, and over 49 percent of Americans attempted to lose weight over the past year.

If “calories in, calories out” were true, weight loss would be a simple matter of restricting calories.

Unfortunately, this myth doesn’t take into account that numerous other factors affect a person’s weight, including but not limited to:

• Hormones (stress, reproductive, thyroid)
• Stress levels
• Inflammation levels
• Environmental factors
• Health conditions or disorders
• Food allergies
• Genetics
• Side effects of prescription drugs
• Gut health, leaky gut, and the overall microbiome condition
• Digestive health and constipation
• Kidney and liver health
• Heart health
• Sleep problems
• Nutrients in the diet and/or deficiencies
• Mental health and neurotransmitters

An overweight individual can easily be doing “all the right things” for their diet, like restricting food intake and exercising each day, and still not be losing weight. It’s time that we abandoned this narrow view of obesity – it’s rarely a simple matter of self-control.

3. Exercise Only Matters Because It Burns Calories

If you’re in the mindset that calories are king, then you might be driven to exercise to lower your daily calorie count so that you can (a) eat more food or (b) lose more weight.

If your motivation to exercise is only driven by burning calories, you’re misunderstanding the human connection to physical movement.

While exercise has become a chore of today’s overworked, chronically busy society, it is a basic physical need for human health – not just to lose weight. Physical movement is not just good for weight loss but necessary for the health of our muscles, heart, digestion, and hormones.

When you shift your point of view to recognize that eating is about nourishment and exercise is vital for overall health, it becomes a lot more motivating to find natural ways to incorporate movement into your lifestyle.

Watch this calorie myths related video – Dietitians Debunk 18 Weight Loss Myths

The Bottom Line

Calories are a real measure of energy, but have very little bearing on how food is actually impacting your health. When you reduce nutrition to calories only, you lose the depth of value that both macronutrients and micronutrients have on wellness. These calorie myths oversimplify a complex topic that can’t be broken down into a basic “calories in, calories out” equation.

When it comes to losing weight, don’t feed into the calorie myths. It’s more important to focus on the foods that support healthy weight loss rather than counting calories. For more weight loss tips, check out The 10 Best Foods to Eat for Weight Loss!

Written by Aimee McNew

Author Bio:

Aimee McNew is a Certified Nutritionist who specializes in women’s health, thyroid problems, infertility, and digestive wellness. She ate her way back to health using a Paleo diet, lost 80 pounds, and had a healthy baby after numerous miscarriages. She focuses on simple nutrition practices that promote long-lasting results.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

How to Get Rid of External Hemorrhoids for Good?

 

Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Cure Hemorrhoids Permanently by Attacking Its Root Cause

Get Rid of External Hemorrhoids for Good – Hemorrhoids and Heart Disease: Weird Connection

Hemorrhoids occur pretty far from the heart. So, you’d probably think of it as quite a long shot to make a connection there.

But a new study published in the journal Advances in Rheumatology draws this unlikely connection. It also reveals a shocking discovery that may lead to a complete cure for hemorrhoids.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is a disease in which your immune system mistakenly makes antibodies that cause your blood to clot. It can cause blood clots in your legs, kidneys, lungs, and brain, many of which are fatal or severely disabling.

This is obviously a big problem that is not too common, but since this study may also apply to other people who are vulnerable to blood clotting, it is important.

Hemorrhoids are essentially blood vessels inside the rectum or outside the anus that become enlarged, often with blood clots, so you can see why researchers might wonder whether a blood clotting disease can cause hemorrhoids.

They found 41 people with antiphospholipid syndrome, examined them for hemorrhoids, and collected a verbal history from them concerning their history of hemorrhoids. All of the subjects were women between the ages of 36 and 49.

The scientists diagnosed 17 (41.4%) of them with hemorrhoid disease. This means that people with antiphospholipid syndrome are ten times more likely to suffer from hemorrhoids than the general public, where the prevalence is only 4.4%.

But more importantly, you can still do something about your hemorrhoid.

For example, constipation remained an extremely strong risk factor for hemorrhoids.

Those with constipation were 3.92 times more likely than the others to have hemorrhoids.

So, no matter what the underlying cause of your hemorrhoids is, you can completely eliminate them within days, using the simple lifestyle changes explained here…

Get Rid of External Hemorrhoids for Good – Hemorrhoids Co-Occurs with This Pelvic Floor Condition

As if having Hemorrhoids alone wasn’t bad enough, a new study published in the Journal of Women’s Health demonstrates another horrendous condition affecting the pelvic floor area.

But are these two conditions connected or do they just co-occur? That’s the big question.

And an even bigger question is how you can get rid of both.

The researchers noticed that hemorrhoids were more common in women than in men and that urinary incontinence was more common in women than men.

They also noticed that the two conditions seemed to share relatively similar risk factors like obesity, pregnancy, and constipation.

This made them wonder whether these two conditions tended to co-occur, and they decided to find out in a large sample of Korean women.

They used the data of 8,139 adult women collected by the 2008–2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They found that urinary incontinence was significantly more likely in women with hemorrhoids, that women between ages 19 and 39 were most likely to have both, and that obesity seemed to be a contributory factor to both.

They made sure that age, body mass index, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and education and income level did not interfere with their findings.

The researchers recommended that doctors who were consulted for hemorrhoids ask women about urinary incontinence too to ensure that this condition does not remain untreated.

In their literature review, the authors cited many of the risk factors that the two conditions seemed to have in common, and at least some of them are alterable.

While most women would not be willing to change pregnancy and childbirth that are risk factors for both conditions, obesity is certainly one that they can tackle through healthy dieting and exercise.

Smoking is also thought to play a role in both, so quitting is an option if you regularly suffer from both these conditions.

Constipation causes hemorrhoids because of the straining to empty your bowels. It can also cause urinary incontinence because it obstructs your bladder.

The good news is that it’s pretty easy to get rid of external hemorrhoids for good using the simple steps explained here. And, according to this study, that should take care of urinary incontinence as well…

Get Rid of External Hemorrhoids for Good – The Leaves That Heal Hemorrhoids

The medical treatment of hemorrhoids is sometimes considered even worse than the pain itself (and that says a lot).

This leaves many people to tough it out or seek natural methods (that often are actually more effective).

To help with this quest, a study has just appeared in the Pharmacognosy Journal that reveals simple leaves that significantly reduce hemorrhoid swelling and pain.

Most people know soursop is the fruit of the Annona muricata tree that grows in tropical and subtropical regions, but researchers have also become interested in the leaves of this tree, called soursop leaves or Annona muricata L.

When scientists from the Universitas Indonesia in Depok and Jakarta learned that these leaves had anti-inflammatory properties, they decided to test it on hemorrhoids, the inflamed, swollen, painful veins that sometimes occur in the rectum or around the anus.

They first induced hemorrhoids in mice by applying six percent croton oil through the anus.

They then divided the mice into groups that variously received 100, 200, or 400 milligrams per kilogram of body weight of soursop leaves ethanol extract (SLEE), and another group that received aspirin as a control.

They then examined the rectal tissue of the mice to check the amount of cell death, collection of watery fluid, swelling, and inflammatory chemicals in the tissue.

They found that all three doses of SLEE reduced inflammation of the hemorrhoidal tissue, with the larger doses being the most effective.

It also seemed to help by reducing fluid collection and swelling, but these findings were not strong enough to draw definitive conclusions.

Therefore, soursop leaves in an ethanol extract can help to treat the painful inflammation of hemorrhoids and can possibly help with some of the other symptoms too.

These leaves contain phytochemicals like acetogenins, alkaloids, megastigmanes, and phenolic compounds like quercetin and gallic acid. Most of these are understood to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, based on previous studies.

If this soursop-ethanol extract sounds too difficult to obtain, you can always make your own tea from the dried leaves. These leaves are sometimes available from herbalists or natural health stores.

If you are lucky, you may even find soursop tea bags to buy, especially in specialist online stores.

You either want to apply the tea directly to your hemorrhoids with cotton wool, or you can make enough to sit in.

Watch this video – Hemorrhoids | Piles | How To Get Rid Of  External Hemorrhoids for Good| Hemorrhoids Treatment

But while Soursop leaves may reduce the hemorrhoids pain and irritation, they’re not enough to completely eliminate hemorrhoids. For that you need to make the two simple changes explained here…

This post is from the Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol Guide. It is a 3-week plan to get rid of hemorrhoids permanently. As per the creator Scott Davis, the issue of hemorrhoids can be tackled by taking care of two habits. The first habit is food which is directly related to our digestion and bowel movement. The food we eat has its medical benefits and healing properties.

Hemorrhoid mechanism works around unhealthy bowel movement, weak blood vessels, and inflammation according to the Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol review. Many foods are known to relieve and remove hemorrhoids permanently.

In the Hemorrhoids Healing Protocol guide, a list of foods and the plan on how and when to consume is mentioned very clearly. The second habit is related to exercise. Exercises that will nurture the healthy bowel and relieve hemorrhoids are mentioned in this guide. It is nothing related to heavy exercises; it is something to be done with sitting and lying down.

To find out more about this program, click on Completely Get Rid of Your Hemorrhoids for Good

The Handy Guide to Portion Control for Weight Loss + Healthy Living

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Super-sized meals with king-sized portions have become the norm. Here’s how to portion control to keep the pounds off.

Food portions have doubled in the last few years, with modern portion sizes of popular foods packing in an extra 50 to 150 calories per meal.

So, it’s no surprise that most people find it extremely difficult to lose or maintain their weight unless they have a clear understanding of portions. To cut through the confusion and get your portion control back on track, keep reading. You’ll discover the crucial difference between a portion and a serving size, as well as handy tips to know exactly how much you’re eating.

In essence, portion distortion refers to the phenomenon that causes us to believe that super-sized portions of food constitute normal meal sizes. We’ve gotten so used to eating large portion sizes that when we do eat a nutritionally proper serving, we feel like we are barely eating anything at all.

This distorted view of portion size can easily lead to overeating and rapid weight gain as we’re consuming way more calories than necessary.

Now, considering that many portion sizes have doubled or even tripled since the 1980s – which would mean just a couple of these meals every day could send you way above an extra 100 calories per day – at the end of the year, how much will you have gained?

To put this into perspective, you might think that an extra 100 calories a day from a larger portion size might seem insignificant, but those extra calories can add up to 10 extra pounds a year.

Here are some examples (yes, we shouldn’t be eating any of these items since they’re not Paleo, but they are good for comparison):

• A serving of french fries in the 1980s was 210 calories; today it is 610 calories.
• A slice of pizza in the 1980s was 500 calories; today it’s 800 calories.
• A turkey sandwich in the 1980s was 320 calories; today it’s 820 calories.

Portion Size vs. Serving Size: The Important Difference

It’s easy to assume that one portion of a certain food you eat (say, a sweet potato), is equal to a serving size of that particular food. However, this isn’t the case.

A portion of a specific food is the amount you choose to eat for a meal. For instance, you may eat one and a half sweet potatoes as a portion, but that portion will vary based on the size of the sweet potato.

A serving size of food is a measured amount of that food, so it’s consistent every time. For example, one cup of cubed sweet potato.

When people believe portions and serving sizes are the same, they eat a whole bag of chips thinking it’s only one “portion”, when in fact, it contains three servings or 300 calories.

Many foods come packaged as a single portion but actually contain multiple servings. What looks like a three-ounce bag of potato chips (one portion), may contain three actual servings of chips.

Why is this distinction important? Because, when people believe portions and serving sizes are the same, they eat a whole bag of chips or drink a whole bottle of juice thinking it’s only one “portion”, and therefore contains only one “serving” of 100 calories, when in fact, it contains three servings or 300 calories.

This confusion can easily lead to overdoing it on calories, sugars, and carbs, leading to blood sugar spikes and weight gain.

6 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes (Plus the Ultimate Handy Bonus Trick)

1. Read labels like a hawk

Get into the habit of reading the labels on all of the foods you’re eating. Snagged a bag of plantain chips? Make sure that when you see that one serving has, for example, 160 calories that there is only one serving in the bag.

2. Repackage foods containing more than one serving

When you purchase foods that have multiple servings, make sure to individually repackage them in recyclable bags or containers as one serving size. This helps keep the tendency to carry on snacking through the bag in check and also helps you to visualize a single serving size.

3. Be mindful at restaurants

Typically, portion sizes in restaurants are larger than average. This can easily lead to consuming an abundance of calories, even when you think you’re choosing something healthy.

A good way to portion control in this situation is to ask how many ounces of meat are in a dish (3 to 4 ounces equals one serving). You can also get into the habit of eating half and saving the rest for later.

4. Use smaller plates

When you’re cooking at home, plate your meals on small dishes. This is mostly psychological: The smaller your plate, the more “full” it looks with food on it.

Studies show that doubling your plate size can actually increase the amount of food you consume by a whopping 41 percent, so this portion control technique has some power behind it.

5. Leave food on the counter during dinner

Instead of setting food directly on the dinner table, try leaving it on the counter. This allows you to eat only one or two portions, then assess for 10 minutes whether you’re actually still hungry, then (and only then) get up for more. If the food is in front of you, you’ll be more likely to reach for seconds without thinking.

6. Eat slowly and use a napkin

Studies show that the slower you eat, the fewer calories you consume. This may be due to the time it takes for your brain to register it’s full, which is about 10 to 15 minutes.

When you eat your meals, slow down and savor the food. Many people find wiping their mouths with a napkin between each bite helps cut the urge to eat too quickly.

Portion Control at the Tips of Your Fingers (Literally)

Here’s a handy way to gauge portion sizes: Use your hands!

Portion control using your palm, fingers, and thumb to estimate what a certain number of ounces looks like. For example:

• One cupped handful: 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables, chips, crackers
• Palm: 3 to 4 ounces of meat, fish, or chicken, sweet potatoes, or starchy squash
• Fist: 1 cup of fresh fruits or vegetables
• Fingertip: 1 teaspoon oil or coconut cream
• Thumb: 1 to 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce of nut butter, salad dressing, seed butter, or dairy-free cheese

Portion control doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s simply a matter of getting into the habit of reading labels and training your eyes to identify correct serving sizes versus what appears to be “normal” portions.

Watch this video – Weight loss through portion control: Tips to lose pounds and live healthy

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook