The Brazilian rainforest has some large palms that grow as big as 60 feet. These palms produce a tiny but powerful berry called the acai berry (that is pronounced ah-sigh-EE). The berry has a large and inedible seed but the skin and the surrounding pulp are exceptionally nutritious.

Claims about this remarkable berry in the past few years have included such claims as the acai berry is an excellent metabolism booster, an enhancer for athletes and a remarkable weight loss tool. Acai berry is also considered to be a promising way to prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress such as heart disease and cancer.

The acai berry has an entire complement of macronutrients, micronutrients and trace elements. The acai berry has also boasts a very high antioxidant activity. This tiny little acai berry contains healthy carbohydrates, very little sugar content, a broad range of amino acids, many vitamins and minerals and even essential fatty acids.

It is believed that the acai berry has more antioxidant activity than most of the other healthy fruits that are more common, such as grapes and berries The deep color of the acai berry is caused from an antioxidant called anthocyanins. The acai berry also contains another healthy antioxidant called flavonoids, which are found in the other fruits and also in red wine and dark chocolate.

A variety of high antioxidant foods are recommended for a healthy diet. A combination of blueberries, blackberries and even dark chocolate and red wine are healthy additions to your diet. Acai berries and acai berry juices, smoothies and more can contribute to this healthy diet. Try to eat 5 high antioxidant foods daily.

It has only been in the past 5 years or so that the world beyond Brazil has been able to enjoy the acai berry. This is because the acai berry is extremely perishable. It has only been in recent times that products made from processed acai berries have become accessible to the rest of the world. Before that the only place you could find this remarkable little berry was in the Brazilian rainforest.

While many weight loss remedies have proven to be dangerous to your health the acai berry and acai berry juice are a healthy addition to any weight loss strategy or even any strategy meant to just continue good health. Since acai berries have some of the highest antioxidant levels of any food consuming acai berries and acai berry juices, smoothies and other products can boost your healthy immune system.

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Healthy diet will protect your body from illnesses by providing appropriate nutrients. At the same time you would be able to shed the excess fat gradually in a safe way by maintaining proper balance of the essential constituents; that’s the trick of natural weight loss.

There are many websites that will help you determine what should be your calorie intake, based on your personal details and based on your diet they can also tell you what your present intake is..

A Well-Balanced Diet should include nutrient rich carbohydrates, high-quality protein, and healthy fats.

Carbohydrates:
About 40-60% of your calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. That means if you’re on a 1500 calories a day diet, you should be striving to get about 800 calories a day from “good” carbs. Restrict or avoid white flour, desserts and ice creams. Cut out soda-pop and candy. They contribute to weight gain and add nothing to health. Use oatmeal or whole grain cereal instead. Include whole grain breads, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, whole grain cereals. You will be getting sufficient vitamins, amino acids and fiber too; you will feel fuller longer.

Proteins:
About 20-30% of your calories i.e. about 375 calories should come from “wild” (not processed or farm raised) animal sources such as fish, meat, poultry, yogurt and eggs and from vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and seeds.

Fats:
The balance calorie intake, about 325 in our example, shall come from “good” fats such as “wild” cold-water fish, flaxseed, walnuts, etc. They give Omega 3 essential fatty acid that is very essential for your overall health. Avoid or at least limit use of hydrogenated oils.

A few general comments:
Fish: Fish is low in fat, high in protein (as red meat), and provides omega 3 fatty acids which few other proteins would. Also as a general rule fish has fewer calories. Try to eat at least 2-3 servings of fish per week as replacement to meat.

Spinach: This is the cheapest source of nutrition for your body. It is rich in folic acid, minerals, and vitamins. You can prepare it in a variety of ways. Use it often in your diet.

Olive Oil: It is a “good” fat with loads of benefits to the body. This is a basic source of fat in the Mediterranean diet.

Follow these simple suggestions, and happy dieting!

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The concept of using cabbage soup for dieting is the same today as it was many years back; however, it has been modified in order to make the most out of this dieting concept. Today, you can have various cabbage soup dieting pills that are readily available in the market; all using the same old concept.

If you are really concerned about your health and fitness and really want to reduce weight then most of the doctors would recommend you to try cabbage soup dieting since it really works and really provides you with desirable results, however, cabbage soup dieting is slightly restrictive as well. Cabbage soup dieting is also recommended, by doctors, to those people who have had a heart surgery in recent past. It is also recommended for those people who can’t wait for months and months to get the results.

What’s the reason of using Cabbage soup for dieting or how it works is a common question? Well, it is quite simple; the idea behind Cabbage soup for dieting is that since it is made up of lots of water and vegetables, it fills up your stomach and it helps in feeling you less hungry and the most important is that it helps in flushing the fat stored in your body; hence result in reducing weight.

Sample Days

Let’s discuss a sample five day cabbage soup diet plan for all those who want to reduce weight using the cabbage soup diet plan:

Day 1: take unlimited soup supplemented by various vegetables that you can get. Make sure that you don’t go for vegetables that are rich in starch like corn or peas etc.

Day 2: your second day should again include soup that can be supplemented by all types of fruits you like with the exception of mangoes and bananas.

Day 3: on the third day, you can continue your day 2 plan with the inclusion of some vegetables as well.

Day 4: for all banana lovers, you can have bananas and skimmed milk on the fourth day. Just make sure that you don’t have these bananas or mangoes on the second day of your cabbage soup diet plan.

Day 5: you would definitely like this day as you can have, in less proportion, some grilled meat along with some rice etc.

You must remember that if you are strictly following cabbage soup diet then you make sure that you have to say good bye to pop, tea and coffee. Exercise is another important and integral part of cabbage soup diet plan. So make sure that you spare a consistent amount of time for regular exercises daily. You are not required to spend hours and hours in gym; rather you are just required to spare 15-30 minutes for jogging or a walk, even around your home.

Maintenance Phase

When you go for a cabbage diet plan in order to reduce weight, you must keep in mind that cabbage soup diet is not recommended for longer periods of time. Most of the experts recommend that people should not be on this diet for a longer period of time since this diet can result in clearing your body from essential nutrients. You can try this diet for a week or two and it can bring satisfactory results as well.

One thing that is also important and worth mentioning here is that after seven days, even if you have decided not to go with the cabbage soup diet, make sure that you try to include soup in your daily meals.

If you are interested in dieting and fitness , you might also be interested in weight loss plans . Learn how to pick the plan that is right for you. Could it be Top Secret Fat Loss ? Click on the links and find out for yourself.

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At first reading, Strip That Fat seemed like a pretty silly name. Now, two months into the program we realize that it is totally appropriate for a process that does exactly what it says.

Working together, and we can’t recommend the "buddy system" highly enough, Gayle and I have rid ourselves of nearly 20 pounds of useless fat.

Gayle started out merely overweight. I, on the other hand, fit into the "morbidly obese" category. Between the two of us we had, at the beginning, a total of 125 pounds to "strip".

We knew from our past attempts (many, many, experiences) that we never lasted long enough on any of the highly restrictive (low carb, no carb, low fat, no fat, cabbage soup only, etc) diets to achieve any significant or lasting results.

Determined to someday achieve our rather ambitious weight goals, we kept hoping for the "magic diet plan".

We tried the teas, the pills, the Atkins, the South, North, East and West-sides, even the colon assaulting powders–all to no avail. If you can imagine a 422 pound yo-yo…that’s been us for years. Somehow we always missed, or chose to ignore, the fine print on the sales page of every new diet plan. You know what we’re talking about: the line that reads "These teas, pills, and/or potions are effective when used with a program of eating less and exercising more."

Regardless of any carb, fat, fruit, or cabbage soup intake, EATING LESS…AND EXERCISING MORE will have a desired effect on a weight problem. Of course, we knew that; and so do you.

So why keep searching for the magic? In our case at least, it was a combination of laziness, impatience and frustration. You can fill in your own motivations; but the bottom line is that after all those unsuccessful attempts, each January first when we decided to make this our year to achieve a healthy weight, we found that we were heavier than the previous January… when we had made the exact same vow. Sound familiar?

So, we’re excited. For the first time in years, our January resolution (yep, same one) will be starting at a much IMPROVED level. And we are getting there by EATING MORE (often) and EXERCISING (within our comfort level). We are two months "in" instead of the usual "two weeks and out". And the results are beginning to show.

Just last week our "ever-style-conscious" teen age grand daughter commented: "Gee Poppy and GG, your new diet seems to be working! How much have you lost?"

Just try explaining to an ultra thin teen-ager that we’re not "on a diet"–just a simple and pleasant "lifestyle change"; that we’re not "working" as much as "learning"; and that we haven’t "lost" a thing. Bottom line is that we have "gained" so very much.

Click the following links for a couple of "resources" that helped us to get inspired:

Diet Success and Smart Diet

All the best,

Fred and Gayle

P.S. Read also about how to build immune system inside this post.

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Most often referred to as "quality of life"; and if by taking a few simple steps you could dramatically improve that quality, wouldn’t it be kind of silly to ignore those very steps?

If you live in an area that announces the daily "air quality index" and frequently advises "staying indoors—in a ‘hepa filtered environment’" your options there may already be limited. You can uproot your family and "head for the hills" or a more rural environment; or, you can accept the prospect of ongoing breath ing problems.

If breathing is not your problem, but a healthy diet is, the answers there may be a simple as a trip to the local market. (With Google’s help, of course) Do a quick search for "super foods".

Do several searches as I did, and you will eventually end up with the "basic lists of 14" plus the one that includes CHOCOLATE–dark chocolate, but chocolate none-the-less.

Recent dietary research recommends 14 different, nutrient-dense foods, that very strongly promote good overall health. Coined “superfoods,” they tend to be lower in calories, higher in levels of vitamins and minerals, and to contain many disease-fighting antioxidants.

A diet built primarily, though not necessarily exclusively, around these super foods virtually guarantees a rapid improvement in your quality of life…improved digestion, higher energy levels, lowered blood pressure, the list goes on; but you get the idea.

And just what are these "mysterious, exotic" super foods, you ask?

(1) Beans—Practically any legume fits the bill.

(2) Berries—All are good; blueberries are best.

(3) Broccoli—No surprise here.

(4) Green Tea—Would Oprah lie to you?

(5) Nuts—Walnuts leading the list.

(6) Oranges—And almost all citrus fruits.

(7) Pumpkin—Pie anyone?

(8) Salmon—The wilder the better. Farms are for cows.

(9) Soy—May need to re-think this one; but I may be the only "tofu-phobe" on the planet.

(10) Spinach—Mom and Popeye were right all along.

(11) Tomatoes—You say tomahto…I say tomato.

(12) Turkey—It’s not just for Thanksgiving any more.

(13) Whole grains and oats—The more grains the better.

(14) Yogurt—An acquired taste. Personally, I’m still acquiring.

(15) CHOCOLATE—Dark, but still CHOCOLATE!

Did I mention CHOCOLATE?

And just what improvements to my quality of life can I expect from such "super foods"?
They warrant a list of their own:

(A) Lowered blood pressure.

(B) Diabetes—Reversed and/or controlled

(C) Alzheimer’s—Reduced or eliminated.

(D) Energy levels—Increased.

(E) Mood Swings—A thing of the past.

(F) Fatigue—Delayed till bedtime

(G) Bone and muscles—Improved tone and function

(H) Immune System—Strengthened

(I) Spirits—Watch thenm soar when you fit into your clothes again.

Superfoods can be the basis of a sound, healthy, nutritious lifestyle. Two weeks, or less, will be all the proof you need.

More info available at: healthy dieting and super food

Read also about increase immune system .

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