Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Ssssshhhh.....it's coming!


According to the American Heart Association, 60–70% of Americans are overweight or obese. It’s an epidemic, and it’s becoming a worldwide pandemic. Quick fixes aren’t working. Fad diets and silver bullets solutions cause their own problems.
It’s time for a new approach. It’s time for a XANGO solution. CC4.



Click here for more info...








Distributors / agents urgently required..... 


XANGO wants to deliver on the dreams that all people share. We want to help people feel better, live longer, prosper more fully and become the people they want to be. We use a little word to encompass our big dream: “wellness.”
In partnership with our Distributors, XANGO has improved the lives of people the world over. We’ve saved the lives of children in underprivileged nations, improved the financial conditions of countless people, and assisted in the personal development of every person we’ve touched. We’ve delivered wellness, again and again.
Partnering with the industry’s best Distributors, our future looks brighter than ever. Our wellness opportunity—and responsibility—is growing. We plan to deliver more industry-leading products, save more lives around the globe, help millions more people progress towards their dreams, and have a blast doing it. As relayed by XANGO Founder, Gary Hollister, “We are just beginning.”

Friday, September 9, 2011

Keeping you on track



Hunga-busta-fat-burning soup… 

3 large onions
a bunch of chopped celery
2 packets chicken-noodle soup
2 large green bell peppers
2 tins green beans (or 2 coffee cups frozen beans)
2 tins tomatoes (the basil and garlic is tasty!)
1 tin minestrone soup
1 kg carrots (grated)

Chuck everything into a big sauce pan (if you’re using tinned beans, do not drain). Prepare the powdered soup each with a litre of water, add a tin of water to the tinned minestrone soup and add to the ingredients in the sauce pan. Bring everything to the boil. Add more water if the soup is too thick and liquidize if you prefer a smoother consistency. Eat throughout the day if you feel hungry.

The best method of losing weight, however, is to stick to a normal eating, but simply switching to making healthier choices. 6 smaller meals throughout the day keep your metabolism in perfect, fat-burning mode.

Always start the day with a breakfast. The best is plain old oats with no added sugar (carbs turn to sugar the minute they touch your mouth) If you cut out sugar entirely; do not be tempted with the artificial rubbish; rather try xylitol if you simply can’t go without, but you will be surprised how quickly you get used to it and begin to actually appreciate the taste.

Now what you may not believe is that the good ol’ bacon, egg and toast combo is not as bad as everyone makes out because it is a good combination of protein and carbs and there is not as much fat as you would believe. Just prepare it with very little oil and go for a nice, heavy bread like a good quality seed or rye bread.

Then make sure you have a good mid-morning snack of fruit and a cracker or two (pro-vita or similar) and some good quality protein (a few almonds always a good choice) or cheese, biltong – matchbox size.

Eat a proper lunch combo of salad and protein. Cook a few extra skinless chicken breasts for this, or you can do a tin of salmon or tuna or pilchards – all which are high in Omega3 and very good for the heart.

For an afternoon snack a bit of cheese and crackers will suffice or biltong and a fresh carrot and perhaps a banana. You can have pasta or a small potato around lunch time (fist size) but stay away from carbs after four in the afternoon. (Remember, the coloured veggies – butternut etc. – and fruit also count as carbs)

Supper must be a combination of green veggies such as broccoli, green beans, a big salad with lots of cherry tomatoes and some olives and a protein like steak or chicken or fish fillet – the size of your palm. Try to keep it lean and use olive oil for your cooking. Salad dressing should not be the store-bought type but rather a simple homemade mix of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Italian herbs, a splash of soya, black pepper and salt. No creamy stuff.

Then a bit later you can do a desert which is a bit crazy but works for late night just before going to bed. Make a shake with low fat milk, an egg, a spoon of Milo and zip it in a blender so it comes out thick and creamy. It is comfort stuff but does wonders for a good night’s sleep and will keep your body going till morning.

What all this means is that you end up eating six meals throughout the day and you will find that after the second week your body gets used to this system and will tell you it is time to eat. This means that your metabolism is kicking into gear and has your fat burning system in operation.

A good walk per day or any exercise which you can squeeze in will do no harm. But I would say that 80% of fat burning comes from how you eat. Cut back on salt and lose the sugar. This diet works because you are not really cutting out carbs or proteins and you don’t feel that you’re really depriving yourself of anything.

If you feel like having pizza over the weekend, no problem, just keep it light on the cheese and heavier on tomatoes. Oh and a very important ... no drinking, other than the odd 120ml glass of red wine with that pizza! Have fun! J



Monday, June 20, 2011

Health Risks Associated with Obesity


The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is an average-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including:
  • Heart disease and stroke.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Diabetes.
  • Cancer.
  • Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Gout.
  • Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma.
Doctors generally agree that the more obese a person is the more likely he or she is to have health problems. People who are 20% or more overweight can gain significant health benefits from losing weight. Many obesity experts believe that people who are less than 20% above their healthy weight should still try to lose weight if they have any of the following risk factors.
  • Family history of certain chronic diseases. People with close relatives who have had heart disease or diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese.
  • Pre-existing medical conditions. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of some obesity-associated diseases.
  • "Apple" shape. People whose weight is concentrated around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or cancer than people of the same weight who are "pear-shaped" (they carry their weight in their hips and buttocks).
Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

How Is Obesity Linked to Heart Disease and Stroke?
Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for people in the U.S. Overweight people are twice as likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight. Very high blood levels of cholesterol can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to being overweight. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms.
The good news is that losing a small amount of weight can reduce your chances of developing heart disease or a stroke. Reducing your weight by 10% can decrease your chance of developing heart disease.

How Is Obesity Linked to Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes reduces your body's ability to control blood sugar. It is a major cause of early death, heart disease, stroke, and blindness. Overweight people are more than twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to normal weight people. More than 80% of cases of type 2 diabetes can be attributed to being overweight or obese. You can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by losing weight and exercising more. If you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and becoming more physically active can help control your blood sugar levels. Increasing your physical activity may also allow you to reduce the amount of diabetes medication you need




How Is Obesity and Cancer Linked?
Several types of cancer are associated with being overweight. Being obese also increases the risk of dying from cancer. In women, these include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, cervix, ovary, breast, and colon. Overweight men are at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer and prostate cancer. For some types of cancer, such as colon or breast, it is not clear whether the increased risk is due to the extra weight or to a high-fat, high-calorie diet.

How Is Obesity Related to Gallbladder Disease?
Gallbladder disease and gallstones are more common if you are overweight. Your risk of disease increases as your weight increases. It is not clear how being overweight may cause gallbladder disease.
Ironically, weight loss itself, particularly rapid weight loss or loss of a large amount of weight, can actually increase your chances of developing gallstones. Modest, slow weight loss of about 1 pound a week is less likely to cause gallstones.

How Does Obesity Cause Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a common joint condition that most often affects the knee, hip, and lower back joints. Carrying extra pounds places extra pressure on these joints and wear away the cartilage (tissue that cushions the joints) that normally protects them.
Weight loss can decrease stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

How Is Obesity Linked to Gout?
Gout is a disease that affects the joints that is caused by high levels of a substance called uric acid in the blood. The large amount of uric acid can form into solid or crystal-like masses that deposit in the joints. Gout is more common in overweight people and the risk of developing the disorder increases with higher body weights.
Over the short term, certain dietary changes may lead to an attack of gout in people who have high levels of uric acid or who have had gout before. If you have a history of gout, check with your doctor before trying to lose weight.

How Is Obesity Linked to Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious breathing condition that is associated with being overweight. Sleep apnea can cause a person to snore heavily and to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. Sleep apnea may cause daytime sleepiness and even heart failure. The risk for sleep apnea increases as body weight increases. Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea.