Health

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Lose weight easily this summer!

weight loss

Lose weight easily this summer!

We know what happens when we put the wrong fuel into our car. Would you put petrol in a diesel car? Food is fuel for the body, so why eat food and drink that stops our body from performing to the best of its ability. Our bodies are designed to burn fat for fuel. Most of us are however burning sugars, which leads to highs and lows of energy. This in turn upsets our hormone balance, especially Insulin and Growth Hormone.

This process can be quite complicated so I’m going to simplify it. Imagine there is a weighing scale. On one side we have Insulin, on the other we have Growth Hormone (GH). When one goes up the other comes down, for example, when our insulin levels are raised our GH comes down, when our insulin levels drop our GH can increase by up to five fold. Our body naturally producing this hormone (GH), has many health benefits and it is known for its anti-ageing and rejuvenating effects as it stimulates cell regeneration, cell production and cell growth in the body.

Top Tips for weight loss!

1) Be mindful of the GI value of food and drink.
By being mindful of the GI (glycemic index) value of food and drink, we can help reduce the insulin rise produced. The glycemic index was invented to measure blood sugars when food is eaten. Each food is ranked by a number that indicates the food effect on a person’s blood sugar level.

There are many apps and books available which tell you the GI values of food. If under 70 points the insulin rise would not be too high. If you really want to go for it (weight loss, higher energy levels) then I would recommend under 55 points. To make it easier foods are normally ranked under a traffic light system, for example if food is given a green light its low on the GI and ok to eat, if amber its ok, and a red light means a definite no, as its very high on the GI creating a high insulin response and amongst other things inhibiting Growth Hormone secretion.

Here is an example of a typical glycemic table:
Food type Glycemic index
Dates 99
Chana daal 8
Baisen roti 27
Maize Roti 62
French fries 75

glycemic_index

2) Eat Protein with every meal

Proteins are vitally needed by our body, so it’s important to include them in every meal. They are the basic building blocks of our bodies. Proteins are used to repair, heal and build our body. Our muscles, blood, antibodies of the immune system, enzymes and some hormones are all made of protein. Collagen itself, which is vital to keep us looking young is made of protein. Meat, fish, organic eggs, pulses/daal, oatmeal and nuts are amongst many good sources of protein.

An easy way of making sure we are getting enough protein is to drink a good protein shake. I would always recommend a good quality Casein protein powder as it is the only protein powder shown to increase muscle strength, to reduce fat and to increase lean tissue- in every case twice as well as the often promoted whey protein. Casein fuels the body slowly over a seven hour period and does not raise our GI levels. Casein is high in protein and calcium, this combination, makes it very effective for stripping fat off the waist.

Watch out when buying Casein protein powder as some can be diluted with cheap carbohydrates. I would always recommend the EducoHealth Casein protein powders. They have a good variety of different Casein protein powders. All of them will help with building muscle tissue and stripping the fat, however, the most effective one for weight loss is the Proform unsweetened. Take a look here: http://www.educohealth.com?a_aid=Learn2Rest

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3) Eat Good Fats

Over the past year or so, scientist are telling us what we Asians knew all along, that ghee is good for us! Good fats are, for example, ghee, organic eggs, coconut oil, avocado, nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and cashews), Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines). These fats are very good for the body and can even help prevent memory loss. The general rule of thumb when consuming fats is to ensure other foods eaten are low on the GI. It’s important to stay off the sugars when consuming fat as when mixed with sugar (creating a high insulin response), that fat can cause problems in the body.

Best-Nuts-For-Natural-Weight-Loss

4) Carbohydrates
It is good to reduce the amount of starchy carbs in our diet, for weight loss goals and higher energy levels. Some carbs can be high on the glycemic index and can give us that peak and then drop of energy later. To help lose weight and keep our energy steady it’s good to reduce/avoid carbs like potatoes, white bread, white flour. It can be as simple as switching from white bread to brown.

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5) Life force foods
Plenty of low glycemic organic fruits and vegetables! Nature really has provided us with all that our bodies need. As well as having many essential nutrients fruit is good for cleansing our system too. Foods that are fresh and organic have a higher life force in them, which in turn gives us more life force, and affects our wellbeing positively.

heart-fruits-and-vegetables

6) Eat more greens
Greens are high in magnesium which helps to relax the body and purify our blood. When looking for salads I would always recommend “Cos lettuce” as its super packed with vitamins and minerals. For those of you who love your “Saag” spinach is fabulous, as its high in iron, folic acid and vitamin K. Kale, broccoli, green cabbage and parsley are some of many excellent greens to eat.

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7) Sugar
Avoid food and drink with sugar, sucrose, glucose, dextrose, look out for those “ose”. Did you know that South Asians use of sugar has increased 300% since the 1970’s! Incidences of diabetes in Asian communities has shot up drastically. This is mainly because of white refined sugar being mixed in our diets with fats and starchy carbohydrates. For higher energy levels, a clearer body and weight loss avoid, or at least cut down on sugar. Try an alternative like Agave syrup, still sweet but lower on the glycemic index.

Some sweeteners used by the food industry can have equally negative effects on the body. Aspartame is a sweetener that should be avoided and is included in diet soft drinks. Numerous side effects have been reported to the FDA, some of these are migraines/headaches, insomnia and joint pain.

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In short

  • eat low GI foods,
  • increase protein
  • avoid starchy carbohydrates and sugar.

For faster results there are Weight loss packs also available to buy from the EducoHealth website which are natural supplements, helping the body to naturally burn fat while we sleep! More information available on the website http://www.educohealth.com?a_aid=Learn2rest

To book in for our Relatively Easy Slimming Technique #REST session, a personalised nutritional consultation email [email protected]