New Year's Party Recipe - BBQ RIBS!

Ring in the New Year with an amazing dinner recipe that is so easy to cook, you'll be amazed. Either cook these on the barbecue or in the oven. Great finger licking flavors and low in carbs!

Ingredients:

Dry mustard 1 tsp

Ginger root, grated 1 tsp

Ground pepper 2 tbsp

Olive Oil - Extra Virgin 4 tbsp

Garlic raw, cloves 2

Green onions -3 chopped

6 pounds Pork ribs

1/2 cup Soy sauce

3 tbsp Vinegar

Instructions:

Note: For wheat-free, make sure you use wheat-free soy sauce.

Lightly spray grill with Pam or other vegetable oil product. You can speed the grilling process along by steaming the ribs ahead of time in a Dutch Oven with just a little water in the bottom -- less than an inch. Bring it to a boil and immediately reduce the temperature to simmer for about twenty minutes. Grilling will take 15-20 minutes instead of an hour.

Whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions (green onions), mustard, grated ginger and a generous twist of freshly ground peppercorns.

Preheat grill -- lining it with foil is optional, but it does reduce flaring and cleanup afterward.

Douse the ribs in the mixture and arrange them on the grill, basting as you go. Grill until the meat can easily be pulled away from the bone.

Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Breaking Health News: Weight Gain May Lead to Breast Cancer

You’ve heard the many benefits of losing weight: these include looking and feeling better, sleeping more soundly and being more energetic. If you need any further ammunition whatsoever to trim down, know this – losing weight after menopause reduces your chance of breast cancer.

These findings have been reported in a recent research study. WebMD Medical News shared that “Findings from a study involving more than 87,000 female nurses show that weight gain during adulthood is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. Researchers also found that weight loss after menopause helped lower breast cancer risk.”

A direct correlation exists here; the more weight you gain, the more risk you face. On average, “gaining 55 pounds or more was associated with a doubling of breast cancer risk among women who had never used hormone therapy. Gaining 22 pounds or more after menopause was associated with an 18% increase in breast cancer risk for all premenopausal women.”

No matter where you are in life, you can fight the weight battle and win. “It seems from our findings that it is never too late to reduce breast cancer risk by losing weight”, explains project researcher, A. Heather Eliassen, ScD. Given the fact that those pounds are often more stubborn in later years, Elliasen urges women “to avoid weight gain in the first place.”

Cancer, at any level, is a harsh, cruel and widespread condition; if it has not affected you personally; chances are high that you know someone in this situation. Slimming down seems like an easy fix and, compared to radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments, far less painful too.

Be smart - make TODAY the day you take control of your weight. Try the Pink Patch to help you control your cravings and lose weight - for LIFE!

Be Portion Control Savvy Over the Holidays

If there is one secret to losing weight over the holidays, this is it: Be portion savvy! Super-sized meals and all-you-can-eat buffets have become the norm in the last few years, and Americans are used to eating large portions when they sit down for a meal. But the extra large portions are wreaking havoc on the health of both adults and children. By learning to control your portions, you will be pleasantly surprised at how you can keep from gaining weight this holiday season.

You may be surprised to learn what one portion of food really is:

1 cup of fruit
one small apple, pear, or banana
½ cup 100% fruit juice
2 cups raw leafy vegetables
½ cup of cooked vegetables
1 slice of bread
¾ cup dry cereal
½ cup cooked pasta or oatmeal
½ cup cooked legumes or dried beans
1 cup dairy products
1 ounce cheese
3 ounces skinless poultry or fish
1 ½ ounces lean meat
1 medium egg


Just to give you some perspective on the above portions, remember that 3 oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards or the palm of a woman’s hand; ½ cup of macaroni is about the size of an ice cream scoop or a small fist; one cup of fruit is the size of a tennis ball; and 1 ounce of cheddar cheese is about the size of your thumb.

Try these tips to help you control your portions this holiday season:

Decrease your food portions by half. For example, instead of two or three scoops of potatoes, just take one.

If you eat out, ask for a doggie-bag at the beginning of the meal. Take half of your meal and put it away to take home with you. Not only will you be cutting your portion in half, but you will be getting two meals for the price of one.

Eat lots of salad. Since two cups of leafy greens equals one portion, you can eat lots of salad without feeling guilty. And it will help to fill you up before you get to the more fattening part of the meal.

Consider meat as a side dish instead of the main entrée. Eat more veggies and whole grain breads instead to help you feel fuller and get the vitamins and fiber your body craves.

Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes before your brain sends the message to your stomach that it is full. If you eat too fast, you will miss the message!

Choose a small plate or bowl for your food. This makes it much easier to control your portions.

Drink plenty of water. Not only is water essential for your body, but you won’t eat as much if your stomach is full of water.

Learning to control your portions is a perfect way to maintain a healthy weight and feel great. Remember to eat more of the low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables and less of the more fattening foods like meat, dairy products, and processed foods. You will be getting more of the nutrients you need and less fat. And you will be amazed at how great you look at the end of the holiday season!

Deliberate Diet Sabotage - a Weight Loss Key?

According to Lyssie Lakatos, R.D, co-author of Fire Up Your Metabolism, giving in to food temptations once in a while will help you stay focused on your diet. Deprivation and feelings of sacrifice are key reasons so many people don’t stay on their diets. Most people can fit a small burger or piece of pie into their weekly diet now and then, and still feel satisfied and motivated to stay on program for the rest of the week.

Tempation is hard, though, so using something to help curb your appetite and sooth those munchies isn't out of the question! Visit www.curbyourcraving.com and check out the 100% natural supplements. No side effects, gauranteed!

Low-fat Family Style Apple-Cake Pancakes

Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring! This cinnamon apple pancake breakfast recipe is low-fat, yet sweet and delicious. Your entire family will enjoy making them again and again.

Servings: 12
Calories per serving: 87
Fat per serving: 3 gm
Carbs per serving: 12 gm

2 Egg yolk raw fresh, large
1 tbsp Oil
4 Eggs
1/4 tsp Nutmeg, ground,
2 Apples
1 cup Skim milk
2 tsp Double-acting baking powder
2½ tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup Oat bran
1/2 cup Wheat flour
2 tbsp Flax seeds

DIRECTIONS
Mix the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients except egg whites and apples. Beat egg whites until stiff. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until barely mixed. Fold in beaten egg whites until no chunks can be seen. Heat a frying pan and spray lightly with cooking spray or olive oil. Scoop out big chunks of batter and spread onto pan. Cook over medium heat. When brown, turn over and brown other side. Serve with syrup, butter, or applesauce.

How to survive the holiday feast without turning into a Grinch

‘Tis the season to…gain weight? Not if we can help it! The winter season can really do a number on your waistline, but with all the temptations that lurk around every corner, who can blame you? Nearly four months of the year are dedicated to eating—from indulging in that Halloween candy in October to the Thanksgiving pies to even MORE candy on Valentine’s Day. So what’s a dieter to do to avoid the seemingly inevitable weight gain during the holiday season? Muster up your motivation, folks, and check out these 10 ways to help plan for the impending food season:

10. Support, support, support! Encourage a friend to diet smart with you over the holidays (force may be necessary) so that you can help each other stay on track of your weight-loss goals when those extra portions start being passed around.

9. Plan ahead. Keep a food journal of the dishes that will be served at your holiday meals. Then decide what and how much you’re going to eat…and stick to it, so you don’t feel guilty later!

8. Don’t deny yourself your favorite holiday treats. During Turkey Season, it’s not so much about WHAT you eat, it’s about how MUCH of it you consume. So, enjoy your festive meal, but be mindful of those portions.

7. Set realistic goals! Don’t focus on LOSING weight during the holidays. Instead try to focus on controlling your cravings and hunger, and on maintaining your weight. Remember to stay on a smart eating plan. Scheduling your meals and and exercising will boost your confidence and keep that weight off. Speaking of which…

6. …remember to exercise! Make it a point to schedule in some physical activity before and after the big day hits. Not only will it help you burn that holiday fat, but exercise will help you ward off that sluggish and lethargic feeling that you get after one of those huge feasts.

5. A common holiday mistake that many people make is starving before the big meal. The way to avoid eating more than you anticipated is to eat a small, healthy snack an hour or so before you sit down to a big dinner. That way, you won’t be in a mad-rush to eat and will be less likely to over-indulge.

4. Forget fad diets! Experts have been saying for years that the best way to lose weight is to just eat a variety of healthy foods. So during this holiday season, make sure you’re your dinner menu has plenty of healthy (and appealing) alternatives that you can choose from. USE THE PINK PATCH to help you control your cravings and the munchies so you can maintain your weight and even lose weight during the holidays!

3. Have no idea how to cook a delicious holiday meal that doesn’t involve massive quantities of fat and sugar? Get yourself a holiday cookbook that caters to your diet needs! The Cooking Light Holiday Cookbook is a terrific reference with over 350 seasonal recipes that you can pick and choose from to make a hearty and healthy holiday meal.

2. Many families like to put out some snacks or appetizers while they’re sitting in the living room waiting for dinner to be served. It’s perfectly fine to have something to munch on, but make sure that you have healthy snacks around the house so that your appetizers don’t turn into a meal.

1. You’re probably spending a lot of time and money making sure that your loved ones are happy this holiday season, but it’s important to do a little something for yourself. With a fantastic new outfit, you can make sure that all eyes are on your rather than that turkey you just brought out of the oven.

But do you really want to know the best way to avoid gaining weight during the holiday season? Remember that the celebrations are really about spending time with your family and good friends…and not food!

How to survive the holiday feast without turning into a Grinch

‘Tis the season to…gain weight? Not if we can help it! The winter season can really do a number on your waistline, but with all the temptations that lurk around every corner, who can blame you? Nearly four months of the year are dedicated to eating—from indulging in that Halloween candy in October to the Thanksgiving pies to even MORE candy on Valentine’s Day. So what’s a dieter to do to avoid the seemingly inevitable weight gain during the holiday season?

Muster up your motivation, folks, and check out these 10 ways to help plan for the impending food season:

10. Support, support, support! Encourage a friend to diet smart with you over the holidays (force may be necessary) so that you can help each other stay on track of your weight-loss goals when those extra portions start being passed around.

9. Plan ahead. Keep a food journal of the dishes that will be served at your holiday meals. Then decide what and how much you’re going to eat…and stick to it, so you don’t feel guilty later!

8. Don’t deny yourself your favorite holiday treats. During Turkey Season, it’s not so much about WHAT you eat, it’s about how MUCH of it you consume. So, enjoy your festive meal, but be mindful of those portions.

7. Set realistic goals! Don’t focus on LOSING weight during the holidays. Instead try to focus on controlling your cravings and hunger, and on maintaining your weight. Remember to stay on a smart eating plan. Scheduling your meals and and exercising will boost your confidence and keep that weight off. Speaking of which…

6. …remember to exercise! Make it a point to schedule in some physical activity before and after the big day hits. Not only will it help you burn that holiday fat, but exercise will help you ward off that sluggish and lethargic feeling that you get after one of those huge feasts.

5. A common holiday mistake that many people make is starving before the big meal. The way to avoid eating more than you anticipated is to eat a small, healthy snack an hour or so before you sit down to a big dinner. That way, you won’t be in a mad-rush to eat and will be less likely to over-indulge.

4. Forget fad diets! Experts have been saying for years that the best way to lose weight is to just eat a variety of healthy foods. So during this holiday season, make sure you’re your dinner menu has plenty of healthy (and appealing) alternatives that you can choose from.

3. Have no idea how to cook a delicious holiday meal that doesn’t involve massive quantities of fat and sugar? Get yourself a holiday cookbook that caters to your diet needs! The Cooking Light Holiday Cookbook is a terrific reference with over 350 seasonal recipes that you can pick and choose from to make a hearty and healthy holiday meal.

2. Many families like to put out some snacks or appetizers while they’re sitting in the living room waiting for dinner to be served. It’s perfectly fine to have something to munch on, but make sure that you have healthy snacks around the house so that your appetizers don’t turn into a meal.

1. You’re probably spending a lot of time and money making sure that your loved ones are happy this holiday season, but it’s important to do a little something for yourself. With a fantastic new outfit, you can make sure that all eyes are on your rather than that turkey you just brought out of the oven.

But do you really want to know the best way to avoid gaining weight during the holiday season? Remember that the celebrations are really about spending time with your family and good friends…and not food!

How to Talk to your Doctor

It’s much easier said than done, right? But in reality, starting an open dialogue with your doctor can be difficult for some people. It might be the stigma that is associated with physicians, the idea of sitting on a cold table in a white apron might not be so appealing, or you might be hesitant to make a suggestion or ask a question. Whatever the problem is, the fact remains that many people just don’t speak up in the doctor’s office.

You deserve to have the best health care possible! Even though your doctor should be aware of your health issues, YOU are your own best advocate for your body. The key to getting the most out of your health care provider is all about communication. It’s a proven fact that people who are more open with their doctors receive better medical care and consequently stay healthier and heal faster.

Think of it this way—your doctor has an expert knowledge of medical issues. In turn, you have an expert knowledge of your body and its symptoms. Your doctor won’t be able to fully comprehend and address your concerns until you take the initiative and share some of what you know.

Try these five steps to see if you can open up with your physician:

· Ask questions. It is your right as a patient to know what is going on with your body. Come to the doctor’s office with a list of prepared questions, so nothing is left out or forgotten. You can even take notes when the doctor is talking if that will help you to listen better and remember important details for later.

· Prepare for your visit. Doctors are under an incredible amount of pressure to keep their patient visits as brief as possible. Make the most of your limited time with your physician and be prepared to address the health issues that you’re facing. A common mistake to avoid—patients often suddenly remember their concerns and problems as they’re half-way out the door. Talk to your physician when he/she has your undivided attention so you don’t have to schedule another visit.

· Make sure your doctor knows what you want. Getting the most out of your visit means that you should communicate your wants and needs to your doctor. If you have a problem with the care that you are receiving or if you have a concern that is going unrecognized, don’t be afraid to speak up!

· Talk about what’s bothering you. Your doctor should be asking you about your lifestyle and any emotional issues you might have. If topics aren’t being addressed or if you are feeling anxious about your physical condition, you should be talking to your doctor about how you feel. He or she may have some reassuring words that may put you at ease.

· Be an educated patient. Take some responsibility for your own health! By learning everything you can about your condition, you can actively be involved in making some healthy lifestyle changes. After all, once you leave the doctor’s office, the rest is up to you!

To sum it all up…don’t leave the doctor’s office confused and with unanswered
questions! Being an active patient doesn’t mean that you have to be overly aggressive with your physician, but make sure that your needs are met before you leave. If you feel comfortable and confident in your doctor, chances are that you will become motivated to live a healthier life!

Top Five Cold and Flu Remedies

So you have a cold, or worse yet the flu, and you are miserable! What can you do to help you feel better until the virus has worked its way out of your system?

Try one of these five natural remedies:

Echinacea

Echinacea can work wonders to help you fight that cold or flu. It has the ability to raise the levels of properdin, which is responsible for increasing defence mechanisms that help fight viruses and bacteria. It is also a blood cleanser and helps to move dead cells and other particles through the lymphatic system. To get the full benefits that echinacea can offer, make sure you take it as soon as you feel the cold or flu coming on. It is available as a tincture, capsule or tea.

Garlic

Garlic is well-known for it ability to boost the immune system. It contains allicin, which is one of nature’s most powerful antibiotics. If you combine garlic with echinacea, you will have a dynamic duo working on your behalf to fight off viruses and bacteria.

Ginger

Ginger not only has antiviral properties, it offers pain relief, antiseptic qualities and is an antioxidant! Not only will it help to reduce the pain and fever, it is a mild sedative to help you rest easier. You can drink ginger tea, make a tincture by soaking it in water, or add it to a fruit smoothie.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is probably the best know natural remedy for colds and flus. You can either take a supplement or eat a wide variety of citrus fruits because of their high Vitamin C content. A great recipe to try is a combination of oranges, pineapple, seedless grapes, lots of fresh ginger, banana, pink grapefruit, cantaloupe mixed in a blender with orange juice as needed.

Drink Plenty of Water and Eat the RightFoods
Because your body needs all its energy to fight the cold or flu virus, it is best to avoid big meals when you are sick. However, drinking lots of water is imperative to help your body eliminate the toxins and wastes.

You may also find the following foods healing for your body:

Bananas – to soothe upset stomachs

Blueberries - helps prevent diarrhea, may lower fevers and relieves aches and pains (high in natural aspirin)

Chili Peppers - helps break up mucus in the lungs

Cranberries - helps to prevent bladder and urinary tract infections

Onion- phytochemicals can help to clear bronchitis and other infections

Rice - helps with diarrhea.

While it is true that there is no cure for the common cold or the flu, there are remedies you can use to help relieve the symptoms. So next time you feel the sniffles coming on, reach for the echinacea, drink up your Vitamin C smoothie and relax knowing that you are providing your body with the right weapons to fight the battle.

A natural high-potency vitamin can do wonders. Take the guess work out of what vitamins to take by taking Vita-Super vitamin. It contains your full daily need so you stay well day after day.

Keeping off the Winter Weight by Changing Your Workouts!

Just when you thought you had figured out the perfect work-out routine…the cold weather comes along and ruins all your will to get outside (or even muster up enough motivation to get in the car to go to the gym). About this time every year, you predictably trade in your afternoon walks for large glasses of egg nog and hot chocolate. Sure, that doesn’t SOUND too bad, but that winter lethargy can really throw a wrench into your weight-loss goals.

So, make winter the season to shake things up. Tired of the old gym routine? Try a new indoor activity to get your blood pumping, as well as keeping your interest piqued. Check out our top five winter workouts that are guaranteed to keep you in shape during the hectic holiday season.

1) Join a class. If you already belong to a gym, there is no better time than the winter to start taking advantage of those exercise classes and try something new. From yoga to spinning, there’s a class to fit almost everyone’s work-out personality. Group classes are excellent ways to foster healthy habits--after all, if everyone around you is exercising and eating healthy foods, you probably will find yourself motivated to do the same.

2) Take a swim. Indoor pools are marvelous! Swimming is a wonderful physical activity that’s easy on the joints and can help improve cardiovascular strength (and the heated water feels pretty good too). For all you exercise-junkies out there, just because water work-outs are low-impact doesn’t mean that they’re not intense. For a heart-pumping work-out, try alternating swimming and jogging in the pool with leg lifts or squats. The water resistance is a great way to combine strength training with cardiovascular exercise.

3) Spice up the machines. Does the idea of spending 30 consecutive minutes on a treadmill sound less than appealing? Yes, exercise machines don’t have to be boring if you mix up your workout. Try doing a circuit of a cardio machine, then alternate with crunches and squats to keep your heart rate up.

4) Make every little step count. Even if you’re not a member of a gym or fitness club, you can even stay active without leaving the comfort of your home! Make an extra trip or two up your stairs and dance to some music while you’re vacuuming or cooking dinner. You can even make watching television into an exercise if you do crunches or lift small weights during the commercials.

5) Check out your library. Most public libraries have lots of exercise videos that you can check-out for free. You may feel silly working-out to that Richard Simmons tape, but as long as keeps you moving and having fun, you’ll be good to go.

Losing Weight the Mediterranean way

How do they DO it? Residents of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea typically consume a diet that is high in fat, but they are slimmer than their American counterparts. What is more, they generally live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. No, they’re not necessarily genetically-blessed, because there are scientific reasons why the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest meal plans in the world.

One of the secrets of living a longer and healthier life is the olive oil that is an integral part of most Mediterranean dishes. You might think that this oil high in fat, and you’re definitely right. The catch is that olive oil, and the other fatty foods that typify the region, are monounsaturated fats. Unlike the saturated fats that included in the artery-clogging junk foods that Americans love to chow down on, monounsaturated fats are actually healthy for your heart and may play an important role in preventing certain types of cancer.

Here’s the skinny: it’s not just olive oil that helps you slim. There is no one “magical food” that will ward off the pounds, it’s the entire Mediterranean approach to eating that helps keep them svelte and fit. Their diet is typically heavy on the fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and fish. Compared to the average American meal that is often laden with meats and cheeses that are high in fat and cholesterol, it’s no wonder that they’re healthier.

For example, the average person in Greece eats twice as many vegetables as the average American. So, the best bet for a healthier meal is to go Greek— stock up on the veggies and treat yourself to a glass of red wine with dinner, which is loaded with caner-fighting antioxidants. What else can you do? Here are some other suggestions:

Fish is also a great alternative to fatty meats, which is similarly high in protein, but low in unhealthy fats.

Use olive oil instead of other salad dressings that are high in calories. Throw in some bits of feta cheese to a bag of mixed greens and you’ve got a healthy Greek salad.

Have a sugar craving? For a sweet and nutritious dessert, try some baked apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

When buying bread products, steer clear of the processed white flours and look for the whole grains. Those darker breads contain more nutrients and give your body lots more energy than their whole-wheat counterparts.

If you need a quick pick-me-up, have a handful of almonds with some dried fruit.

Of course, you can get too much of a good thing. Even though nuts and olive oil contain healthy fats, they are both high in calories. The key to any successful weight-loss plan is portion control, portion control, and portion control. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your food! Mediterranean eating is delicious and pleasurable, as well as being amazingly healthy! So eat up!

Recipe of the Week: Spicy Chicken Fingers

On a diet and looking for a way to put some kick into your everyday chicken dinner? Try this fast and easy recipe your entire family will love. Serve these tangy chicken fingers for a low-fat, low-carb flavor explosion! Leftovers are great chopped up for a salad the next day.

4 6oz chicken breasts, cut into 3 strips (skinless, boneless)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1/3 cup Lemon juice
1 tsp Vegetable oil or peanut oil
¼ tsp Red pepper or cayenne pepper

Combine the lemon juice, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, oil and cayenne pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Add the chicken strips and toss well to coat.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Preheat the broiler and lightly grease the broiler pan. Arrange the chicken strips on the rack about an inch apart.

Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, brushing once with the soy sauce mixture halfway through the cooking.

Turn the chicken and broil 5 minutes longer, again brushing with the soy sauce mixture halfway through.


Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

The "Day One" Diet

Here’s a scenario that might be familiar to many Americans: you realize that you’ve got to lose a few pounds to stay healthy, but you just can’t get over those overwhelming feelings when you look down at the scale and see how much weight you really need to lose. At this point, you ditch the diet because it looks like it will take forever to reach your long-term goal. Does this sound like you?

Traditional diets seem to fail many Americans. Why? Many diets can have a negative impact on your self-esteem since the emphasis is on losing those big numbers rather than smaller-scale goal setting. Dieticians emphasize that most people who successfully lose weight and keep it off have ditched the diet completely, in favor of concentrating on exercising and eating small, low-fat meals.

If yo-yo dieting does not seem to be working for you, you might want to try a new and different approach – the Day-One method of weight loss. The logic behind this method is that you make TODAY the only day you diet. The catch is that you start over again the next morning, so that every day is Day One of your diet. This breaks down your weight-loss goals into easy, attainable steps so that if you slip up, you can just start over without feeling like you’ve botched your entire diet.

This method is perfect for long-term dieters, who have a significant amount of weight to lose, but see no end in sight. By setting small daily goals for yourself, you will be able to make your path to weight-loss much more manageable, especially since gradual weight loss can become frustrating for those of us who are impatient to lose weight quickly. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take pride in your day-to-day accomplishments that will eventually lead to a complete weight-loss success!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From the team at Healthy Living from Curb Your Cravings, we'd like to with you a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Remember - take it easy on the gravy!

If you managed to eat well and stay in control, post a comment and let's hear how you did it!

The good, the bad, and the ugly: get the REAL skinny on carbohydrates

If the fight against fat were a Midwestern film, carbohydrates would be the bad cowboy in the black hat. Carbs have definitely gotten a bad rap lately, with the advent of no-carb or low-carb diets that promise a complete fat flush in a matter of days. As they say, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The real truth behind the diet fads is that carbs play a vital role keeping you feeling healthy and energized throughout the day.

There is some grain of truth to the “good carb” vs. “bad carb” debate, but don’t throw away that loaf of bread just yet. If you’re looking to gain some physical energy right away, a little bit of pasta and white bread are some instantaneous pick-me-ups. However, if you’re really looking to manage your weight, breads and oats that are high in fiber and low in processed white flour are the way to go.

Why? The fact is that all carbohydrates are broken into glucose, the natural sugar-fuel that your body needs to create energy. Carbs like white flour have very little fiber, so they are quickly processed by the body and turned into energy. The bad news is that since refined carbohydrates break down so fast, your insulin levels spike and fall just as rapidly, so you’re left feeling hungry not too long after you’ve eaten.

On the other hand, the foods that are high in fiber, such as brown rice and whole-wheat breads, take longer to be broken down in your body. This keeps your insulin levels constant throughout the day, which curbs your hunger and helps you limit your intake of empty calories. This also means…you have lots more energy! So pile the oatmeal, couscous, and brown rice on your plates to ensure that your carbs are really packing a punch.

The bottom line is: no carbohydrates = a lot less energy for your body to use. This does not mean that you should go carb-crazy, just be carb-smart. Make sure to eat foods that are rich in fiber to give your body the energy and nutrition that whole-grains provide.

Recipe of the Week: Hot Artichoke Cheese Dip

Anyone who throws a party needs a really good hot party appetizer recipe! This low-fat dip is creamy and gooey and so simple to make, you’ll make it again and again. A great dish for entertaining, it’s guilt-free dining on a cracker!



Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 20 min Servings: 8
Calories per serving: 63
Carbs per serving: 1 g
Fat per serving: 2 g
Protein per serving: 4 g

Ingredients:

¼ cup Chopped white onion
3 cups Artichokes (globe or French), from a jar
Dash Black pepper
½ cup Low-fat Plain (1.5% fat) yogurt
½ cup Mayonnaise - Fat Free
½ cup Grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: You can use a 14oz can or jar of artichokes hearts for this recipe. Drain and chop them.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all ingredients together and stir well. Pour ingredients into a small baking dish. Bake until bubbly. Serve hot with bread or baked chips.

Lighten Up the Holiday Fat

Did you know that the average American gains between 5 to 8 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? It isn’t really too surprising with all the calories that come with turkey, stuffing, pie, candies, and even the delicious holiday drinks. You don’t have to gain weight though if you follow some simple tips for trimming the fat this holiday season.

1. Avoid the high calorie snacks like nuts and cheese balls. One cup of nuts is about 400 calories! Instead look for the fruit and veggie platters or bring your own. Just remember not to overdo the dip.

2. Try to stay away from alcoholic beverages and drink unsweetened fruit juices or water instead. If you just can’t imagine celebrating without a few drinks, remember the calories add up fast. For example, ½ pint of beer is 115 calories, 1 single measure of spirits (gin, rum, whiskey) is 52 calories (plus the calories in the mix), and 1 small glass of wine is 68 cal.

3. Cut the calories in stuffing and mashed potatoes in half by using calorie butter sprays instead of butter or margarine.

4. Trim the skin and fat off the turkey and eat only white meat. If you prefer the dark meat, it will add on about 30 calories for a 3 ounce serving.

5. Skip the cranberry sauce – ½ cup is 200 calories! Or just use a small amount (1 tablespoon) if you just can’t imagine your turkey without them.

6. Instead of making candied yam, which is about 400 calories per 1 cup serving, serve baked yam with a just a bit of butter or margarine. If you are invited out for dinner, offer to bring a low fat yam dish.

7. Choose a fruit salad instead of the pumpkin pie with whipped cream or the pecan pie. If you don’t believe one piece will be that fattening, check out these stats: One slice of pumpkin pie with topping is 450 calories; one slice of pecan pie is 650 calories! If you really must have the pie (or die!), choose the pumpkin pie without the topping and skip the potatoes (about 300 calories per 1 cup serving, if made with butter or margarine).

8. Remember to eat slowly. By slowing down, your body will have time to notify the brain that you've had enough and you'll end up eating less because you'll actually feel full!

9. Plan to eat the big meal for lunch and then skip supper or eat very light. Your stomach will need a few hours to digest that big meal.

10. Use a natural appetite suppressant to help you through the food pressure season. The Diet Patch or Green Tea with Hoodia will help you reduce your food cravings and food consumption by up to 55%!

Trimming the fat doesn’t have to mean no flavor and no fun. You can still enjoy your time with family and friends and not gain unwanted weight. It just takes careful planning and learning to adapt to new versions of the high fat favorites.

Stop Yo-Yo Dieting in 10 Easy Steps

If you’re like a lot of dieters, you’re used to the pattern of losing weight and regaining weight over and over and over. Not only does this yo-yo pattern of losing and gaining do a number on your metabolism and your waistline, it usually leads to feelings of failure and depression. Armed with just a few lifestyle tips, you can stop this crazy ride and be well on your way to permanent weight loss.

Get REAL with yourself. You’re overweight and you not only want to lose weight, you need to lose weight. If you cannot lose weight on your own, join a program, find leadership, follow the plan, and understand that being honest with yourself is the most powerful weight loss tool you have!

Set reasonable goals and be patient. Losing 20-30 pounds in a month is not only unrealistic, it’s unhealthy. No matter how much you want to lose, set a goal of 1-2 pounds per week on average.

Don’t skip meals to trim calories. You need to eat! Skipping meals to cut calories eventually backfires by slowing your metabolism down and creating uncontrollable cravings. Plan to eat three meals per day, and allow yourself 1-2 low-calorie healthy snacks. Need help? Talk to a Registered Dietitian. It's okay to use a natural supplement to help you cut calories, like Calorie Cutter from Curb Your Cravings.

Stop rewarding yourself with food. Had a hard working day and feel you deserve the pizza? Teach yourself to disconnect your emotions from your eating. Need a reward? Look for non-food related ways to deal with your emotions.

Examine your emotions. Most overweight people have some element of emotional eating as part of their struggle. It’s not a matter of what you’re eating; it may be what’s eating you. Journal your feelings, talk it out with a friend and, if need be, reach out for counseling.

Track your progress from day one. Being accountable is important. Write down what you’re eating, your measurements, and your weekly progress. By tracking your stats you will see your weekly progress in front of you and, as a result, inspire and motivate yourself.

Find an activity you enjoy – and do it! You have to move to burn calories and lose those inches. You do not have to spend hours in the gym everyday. Find a way to get in at least 30 minutes of a fun movement-filled exercise 5-7 days per week. Even 15 minutes twice a day will do it!

Read labels and understand portions. Read every label and understand how many calories and how much fat is in each serving you’re eating, as well as how big a serving is. For example, a serving of pasta really is only ½ a cup!

Beware of beverages. Your daily trip to the coffee shop for that tasty, creamy drink may be packing an extra 500 calories and 25grams of fat on to your hips! Instead of juices, sodas, punches, and fancy coffees and instead go for low-calorie sippers instead.

Find support NOW. Yo-yo dieters very often fall off their diet plan because they do not have support to make it through the physical and emotional hurdles. Find a friend, mentor, or diet buddy to talk to when you need that extra boost of motivation.

Losing weight and improving your health is not a race. Day by day and step by step you can lose weight, lose inches, lose cravings – and gain the control and confidence you deserve.

Want to Lose Weight? You Need a Plan!

With 66% of Americans struggling with a weight problem, it makes sense that people want to lose weight, look better, have more energy and be more active. And yet how many times have you heard someone (or maybe even you!) say, “I went on a diet (or exercise routine) and started to lose weight, but I just couldn’t stick with it.” Why is it so hard to achieve your weight loss goals? Because you need a plan! If you want to lose weight, try the following tips to help you plan for success:

Ten Tips for Weight Loss Success

1. Set a realistic goal.
You are setting yourself up for failure, and possible health problems, if you set impossible goals. So to be safe, set a goal to lose about two pounds a week with an ultimate goal of losing 5 to 10% of your weight. Plus remember to set mini goals to help you achieve your ultimate weight loss goal.

2. Keep a journal to note your progress.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states that “record keeping is one of the most successful behavioral techniques for weight loss and maintenance." It not only gives you an opportunity to look back and say, “Wow! Look what I have accomplished,” but you can also note patterns in your eating and exercise habits that you may need to change. It is important to keep track of more than just the pounds you are losing, though. Your journal should include the food you eat each day, the amount of exercise you do, your weight each week, and your measurements (arm, waist, bust, hip and thigh).
By writing down the positives changes, it not only gives you encouragement but it also keeps an accurate record of your weight loss, both in pounds and inches.

3. Find friends and family who will cheer you on.
Making significant changes are always easier with support. Ask your friends and family to support you by:
· Encouraging you as you make positive changes
· Keeping tempting foods out of your sight.
· Making some healthy changes too like snacking on fresh fruit and veggies instead of their usual junk food.
· Help you plan non-food related ways to celebrate when you reach your minigoals.
· Join the “A Year For Me” Weight Loss Support Group – This new online weight loss support group is led by a Registered Dietitian and Community Leader. We’re taking the next year, from Thanksgiving 2007 to Thanksgiving 2008, to concentrate on improving our health & dropping those pounds! .

4. Go shopping with a list (and full stomach!).
Before you go grocery shopping, make a meal plan and a list. Then only purchase the food on your list. And, so you are not tempted to buy goodies and other unhealthy foods, make sure you shop when you are full. With careful planning before you go to the store, you will not only stick to your diet, but you will also save money and time.

5. Develop a plan before eating out.
Decide what not to eat: a bread roll with butter, oil-based salad dressings, a side of fries, cheese sauces, and cream with dessert or coffee. Instead, ask for low fat options like extra vegetables rather than potatoes, grilled steak in place of the pan-fried version, a salad without the dressing, and a fresh fruit salad for dessert.

Don't forget that using a safe and natural appetite suppressant IS OKAY! While there are those who balk at what they call "diet pills", the fact is that there are safe and natural appetite suppressants on the market that can and will reduce your appetite so you eat up to 50% fewer calories in the day. It's a fact!

Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. All you need is a plan and encouragement to stick to it. Success can be yours!

Delicious Moroccan Honey Cardamom Chicken

Low-fat, low-carb and easy to make, the combined fragrance of honey, cardamom and chicken is so amazing that the family will want to eat it all up for dinner, but if there's any leftover, it makes a gorgeous chicken salad for lunch the next day.

Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 20 min Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 220
Carbs per serving: 14 g
Fat per serving: 6 g
Protein per serving: 26 g

1 Lemon
1 tsp Fresh ground pepper
6 4 oz Chicken breasts, skinless
2 tbsp Olive Oil - Extra Virgin
4 tbsp Honey
1 oz Sherry
1 tsp Cardamom, ground


In a large mixing bowl, warm the honey, stir in the cardamom, sherry, and freshly ground peppercorns. Add the chicken bathe with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit at room temperature for a half hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on all sides until nicely browned.

Arrange lemon slices in a roasting pan. Arrange the chicken pieces over the lemon slices. Brush with marinade and give a generous twist of freshly ground peppercorns. Bake about fifteen 15 minutes until done or when juice runs clear when you pierce it with a knife.

Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter; allow to rest for about five minutes before serving. In the meantime, pour the drippings from the roaster into a serving dish.


Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Mindful Eating For Weight Control

What is meal time like at your house? Rushing out the door in the morning with coffee and toast? Gulping down cup-a-soup at lunch while you sit in front of your computer? Grabbing take-out to eat in the car on the way to your kid’s soccer practice? Unfortunately, rushing through our meals has become a habit in many people’s lives. You can learn to slow down, fully appreciate your food and enjoy every bite! In other words, learn to be mindful of your food.

Mindful eating is the practice of paying attention to your food. From buying your food and preparing it to eating and cleaning up afterwards, learn to slow down and concentrate on what you’re doing. And be aware not only of what you are eating, but how much you are consuming when you eat. Try the following tips for mindful eating:

10 Tips for Mindful Eating

1. Pay attention to the preparation of the food. Notice the colors, the aromas, and think about what resources (money, time, love, etc.) have been used to prepare the meal.
2. Set a beautiful table with a tablecloth, flowers, nice dishes and cutlery.
3. Allow an hour for your meal so you can really slow down and enjoy the company of your family.
4. Be mindful of the portions you're taking rather than absentmindedly serving yourself heaping amounts.
5. Focus on each bite and how your body feels.
6. Stop and look at the food, feel the texture, smell it, really taste it, and listen to how it sounds as you chew.
7. Be mindful of your hunger and fullness cues.
8. Avoid distraction while eating. Turn off the TV and remove all books, games, etc. from the table.
9. Plan ahead. Write down what you’re going to eat before you eat it, including your snacks.

10. Put only enough food for your portions and maybe a healthy second helping of veggies on the table.

Mindful eating is a big step in your weight loss success because it helps you to plan meals and snacks with more of a focus on what your body really needs - and when you are really full. You will also have time to remember any vitamins or other supplements that will help you on your journey to better health. So slow down and take time to enjoy every part your meal – from picking out the food in the store (or in your garden), to lovingly preparing it and savoring every bite.

Recipe of the Week: Home Style Chicken Cacciatore

Italian-style chicken -- mouth-watering and soul-warming family meal... but low-carb and lower in fat for anyone who is watching their waistline!

Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 1 hour Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 155
Carbs per serving: 10 g
Fat per serving: 6.5 g
Protein per serving: 13.5 g

1 Bay leave
¼ tsp Ground allspice
1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
1 6oz can tomato paste
2 oz White wine *optional –substitute apple juice
1 Green bell pepper
1 Onion, large
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Whole chicken
1 dash Black pepper
2 tbsp Olive Oil - Extra Virgin


INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut chicken into portion-sized pieces. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper as desired. Don't worry about salt -- there's enough in other ingredients.

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium-high heat. While browning chicken on all sides, slice mushrooms, dice onion, mince garlic and julienne the green peppers.

Remove chicken from skillet, drain and blot any excess oil with paper towels. Add vegetables to skillet and sauté until onions are translucent.

Arrange chicken pieces in the bottom of a covered casserole dish and cover evenly with the sautéed vegetables. In the skillet, combine tomato paste, water, wine, bay leaf and allspice. Mix well and pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Cover the casserole and bake for a half hour. Remove cover for the remaining half hour.

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Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Change your Diet in 7-Days

Small changes in your diet can lead to big results! Practice just one easy tip a day and be on your way to better health and a slimmer waistline.

Plan it! Planning goes a long ways by helping you eat healthier. Sit down every Sunday (or the best day for you) and plan out your meals then hit the grocery store and stock your cupboards. Try to plan in two or more vegetarian based meals for the week.

You bite it you write it! Tracking what and how much you eat is an effective and important part of weight control. All you need is a pen and paper! Don’t forget to pay attention to how mood affects your food intake.

Start your engine! Breakfast is an important part of weight management, in fact studies show people who eat breakfast regularly weigh less. You’ll stay on track and avoid extreme hunger later on!

Sip Smart! Grab a water bottle and re-fill often during the day. Thirst can actually be mistaken for hunger and water helps fight fatigue. Skip sugary beverages such as sodas and fruit drinks which are full of empty calories that do not satiate. And, research shows that we don’t compensate for calories from beverages by eating less later on.

Downsize! Use a smaller plate or bowl for your meals for instant portion control. Stock your home with portion controlled treats to avoid overindulging and resist supersizing your fast food order.

Snack Smart! Do add snacks to your day, especially if you go long periods without eating. Try a carbohydrate and protein combo to get your hunger at bay.
Brown bag it! Make it goal to bring a lunch to work or school most days of the week. You’ll have control over your food choices and save calories and money.

Red Wine - Healthy Heart Benefits and MORE!

Ever wonder why the average French person is slimmer and healthier than the average North American? That question seems to be the mystery behind this “French paradox.” While the French diet is extremely high in saturated fats North Americans are the ones who suffer from an extremely high rate of coronary heart disease.

Could the explanation of the French paradox lie in their heavy consumption of red wine?

A study done at the Northwestern University Medical School has found a chemical in red wine that contains a whole slew of health benefits. Called RESVERATROL, this substance is derived from the skin of red grapes and is one of the primary ingredients in red wine. Research shows that a moderate consumption of red wine greatly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Although one of the functions of Resveratrol is to protect the grape against fungal infections, the benefits that the compound offers to humans are causing quite a stir in the health world. Research shows that drinking a cup a day of red wine will provide your body with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Antioxidants are a type of substance that protects your cells from damage by molecules known as free radicals. These free radicals can wreck havoc on your body, causing injury to your DNA, cell membranes, and proteins, which can lead to certain types of cancers. Resveratrol has actually been shown to decrease the damage caused by the free radicals, thereby reducing the body’s risk of contracting cancer.

The antioxidants found in Resveratrol are particularly exciting to scientists because of all the benefits that they offer to the heart. Red wine helps reduce cardiovascular disease in these ways:

· Reducing the production of LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol in the body
· Increasing levels of HDL (the “good”) cholesterol
· Reducing the amount of blood clotting in the arteries

These antioxidants are also responsible for one of the best benefits of drinking red wine—Resveratrol may offset the effects of obesity. Research shows that although the substance has little impact on your actual weight, it can help to lower glucose levels, strengthen your liver, and improve your heart. In a Harvard Medical School study on obese rats, the rats that were given diets enriched with Resveratrol became considerably healthier than their counterparts who were fed normal diets.

If you’re looking for more reasons to drink wine, here’s another one: Resveratrol may have age-defying properties and have the capacity to increase longevity. Research shows that red wine could slow the onset of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s because Resveratrol helps to prolong the lifespan of cells. However, like all good things, red wine should be consumed in moderation, but it is especially gratifying to know that this little indulgence can be so good for your body!

Resveratrol is one of the primary ingredients in Resvino-A™, the new red wine product by Curb Your Cravings™. Resvino-A™ is the only red-wine antioxidant product in the market that gives you the health benefits of nearly 5 glasses of red wine in one convenient pill. The antioxidants that are found in a single pill have been shown in studies to be even more powerful than both Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Completely natural, Resvino-A™ will provide your body with all of the benefits of red wine without the calories. Helping you to live better, stronger, and healthier, Resveratrol is believed by many scientists to be the new “fountain of youth” that is found naturally in grapes.


Source for study: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/12/971219062019.htm

Go Nuts Over Health Almonds

If you love nuts but avoid them because you’ve heard they are high in fat, you will be happy hear the good news about almonds. The fat in almonds is monounsaturated, which means that, like olive oil, they can reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, studies show that when you substitute nuts for an equivalent amount of carbohydrate in an average diet, you get a 30% reduction in heart disease risk. Even better, you can get a 45% risk reduction if you substitute nuts for saturated fats such as are found in meat and dairy products.

In addition, almonds are rich in vitamin E and therefore act as antioxidants in the body. And when you combine the twenty powerful flavonoids found in the skin of the almond with the nut, you get double the antioxidant power than if you ate nut and skin separately. Plus almonds are also a good source of manganese, riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium, copper and phosphorous.

But that is not all! Almonds are also a good source of fibre and protein. In fact, a ¼ cup contains 7.62 grams of protein, more protein than is provided by one average-size egg (5.54 grams of protein).

Worried about weight gain? Put your mind at ease. A recent study showed that people who consumed an almond-enriched low calorie diet with 39% of their calories in the form of fat (25% from monounsaturated fat) lost more weight and body fat than those who ate a low caloric, high carbohydrate diet. In addition, almonds may actually improve the effects that weight loss has on blood pressure and blood lipids.

So go ahead! Eat some almonds and enjoy better health.

Ways to Use Almonds:
· Add some chopped almonds and dried fruit to plain yogurt.
· Enhance a healthy sauté of curried vegetables with sliced almonds.
· Add some almond butter to a breakfast shake to boost its taste and protein content.
· Almonds and apple slices make a wonderfully simple, on-the-go power snack.
· Make a delightful cold rice salad with almonds, fresh garden peas and currants.
· Add sliced almonds to Oriental Chicken Salad.
whfoods.org

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The PROS of Probiotics

Bacteria – much like the visiting in-laws – is often thought of negatively. Often, we think of our body’s “bad” bacterium which, of course, causes sickness. “Good” bacterium also exists however – this fights to keeps us well. Creating a personal bacteria balance is vital.

The good news is that “good” bacteria (or probiotics) can be found in common foods (most notably, yogurt and other fermented milk products) in addition to supplement form of capsules, liquid and/or tablets. Taking probiotics, therefore, is easy and, with doing so, you can – and will – improve your health, most notably in these ways:

* Strengthening your immune system
* Reducing growth of disease-causing bacteria
* Lowering your risk of allergies
* Boosting your body’s availability of nutrients

Remember, when it comes to bacteria, it is important to understand and differentiate between the two types as being unwanted and friendly. By all means, welcome the friendly bacteria!

The Colon365 System contains healthy probiotics to boost your healthy digestive bacteria for optimal health.

Garlic - good for you - good tasting, too!

Ah, garlic. You either love it or you don’t. Garlic has been reported to have enormous health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, helping lower LDL cholesterol levels, acting as a natural antibiotic, helping to prevent cancer, acting as powerful anti-oxidant and source of selenium and more. So what do you do with it? Peel it and eat it raw? Sure, if you want your eyes to water and people to run away from your breath! Here are some ways to get garlic into your diet, without overpowering your family.


Roasted Garlic

When you roast garlic you actually take away the peppery bitterness taste. What you end up with is a sweet, smoky garlic flavor that everyone loves! Simply peel away as much of the loose papery skin from a whole head of garlic. Slice off the top of the garlic, about ½ an inch down, so that the tops of the cloves can be seen. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the cloves, sprinkle with a little black pepper and wrap the entire head in tinfoil. You can wrap two or three heads of garlic at once if you want. Place on a pan and bake at 350 F for one hour. If you buy a little terra-cotta garlic baker you may find you will have to cook your garlic longer. Remove the garlic from the oven at the end of the hour and unwrap. The cloves will be a dark honey brown and soft. Remove the individual cloves by using a fork to gently pop the cloves out or squeeze the clove out with your fingers.

This makes an amazing appetizer when spread on French bread with soft cheese.

Fat-Free Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing

Looking for a way to perk up a salad without adding calories? Check this out!

1 cup fat-free yogurt
3 roasted garlic cloves
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix together in a blender until smooth. This is great on Romaine lettuce and served as your own special secret dressing!

Garlic Butter

It is a good idea to limit the amount of butter you eat, but when you do have to have a little butter with your dinner, why not make it worth it! Try adding three or more cloves of fresh garlic, minced very very fine, into half a cup of butter. Add in one teaspoon of fresh parsley and mix well. With a spoon dump the garlic onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll to form a log and then refrigerate. This will make the garlic butter easy to cut and serve with your next meal. You can freeze garlic butter logs for future entertaining as well. This is excellent on broiled steak, or on vegetables. Try it on mashed potatoes! Remember, a little butter goes a long way!


Whatever you end up making, remember that garlic may have a smelly reputation, but its reputation for good health is worth it!

Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Portion planning 101

Scenario: you’re sitting in front of a huge meal and you have to decide between indulging in your appetite and following your diet. It doesn’t sound like a fun choice, does it? The solution is that if you plan your portions while you’re cooking and preparing your food, it can save you a lot of anxiety when you actually sit down to eat. In fact, if you don’t over-cook and only prepare what you will eat, you will feel much better about yourself because you can eat everything on your plate AND still be eating in moderation.

Here are some other easy things that you can do to control your portions:

Use the smallest plates that you can find so that you won’t be tempted to fill a large plate with food
Pay attention to food labels because they can be tricky. For example, one single can of soup may contain two or more servings. That’s twice the amount of calories.

Avoid communal serving bowls! Put the appropriate amount of food on your plate before you sit down to eat so that you’re not tempted to take more than you should.

A portion is the amount of food that we eat in one sitting. The most important step to learning how to cook with portions is to learn how to visualize what exactly the recommended amount of food is. So, what’s REALLY in a portion? The answers may surprise you:

- One serving of fruit or vegetables = the size of your fist
- One serving of fish, meat, or poultry = a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
- One serving of nuts or dried fruit = a golf ball or a large egg
- One serving of peanut butter = the size of a thumb tip
- One serving of ice cream = a tennis ball

We all know that constant portion planning can rough. Holidays, hectic schedules, stressful events are all reasons why we tend to over-eat. Remember, that it’s perfectly fine to slip up for one meal! The key is not to lose confidence in yourself, but just get your diet right back on track for the next meal. By establishing a healthy food routine and eating several small portions throughout the day, your body will be able to embrace an eating pattern that is much more natural. The best part is, you will be able to look and feel much better!

Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Breaking News: Green Tea May Prevent Colon Cancer

Is there a cure for colon cancer? Quite possibly. And, you won’t have to search too far as you can find this potential treatment on many household pantry shelves.

According to a recent study, scientific researchers believe that brewing a regular cup of green tea may be the answer. In preliminary tests, the scientists “used mice as a model as a model for colon cancer, and treated the animals with azoxymethane (AOM), a chemical that selectively induces cancer in the colon”, explains a NutraUSAIngredients.com news story. “At the age of eight weeks, the mice were divided into two groups – one to receive water or a green tea solution as the only beverage source for a further four to eight weeks”. The results were promising as “the researchers report that consumption of the green tea solution significantly inhibited the formation of new tumors in the colon”.

Should this be verified, we can add yet one further benefit to the many already associated with green tea. The drink has been previously touted as being nothing short of phenomenal; the many benefits include “lower risk of certain cancers, increased weight loss, improved heart health and protection against Alzheimer’s disease”, explains the news story.

The statistics associated with colon cancer are staggering – an estimated 945,000 cases of colorectal cancer with approximately 492,000 related deaths are reported each year worldwide. We may not have to experience such further tragedy. Boil up some water and make yourself some refreshing green tea – just what could be easier and healthier? It’s important to note that test results show no benefits against any larger, pre-existing tumors.

Buy Green Tea Today!

Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

What do Calories REALLY have to do with your Weight?

Remember when you were much younger and were scared of that monster under your bed? You were frightened of something you had heard about but never seen. The same can be said for calories. When dieting, you count calories, read about calories and steer clear of foods containing high amounts of calories. Calories seem intangible while the results of too many are definitely tangible.

So, just what are these dark, mysterious and frightening things? Calories are a unit of measurement of energy used within your body. This energy, of course, comes from food. A good comparison here could be with a vehicle. When you fill your gas tank, you can drive your car; without fuel, you are immobile. Should you “fill up”, you can leave your car parked in your driveway and the fuel is kept until you need it. “Filling up” on calorie-laden food is slightly different where you must do something to burn it off. If you work out, calories will be stored as muscle; if you are sedentary, calories will be stored as fat.

You can’t avoid calories altogether, but you should be mindful of them. Take care with how many you consume on a regular basis and what you do afterwards. Strive for proper balance with what you take in and how many calories you use. With people being unique, there is no set amount of calories you should burn off. Everyone is different!

Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Go Green with your Diet

There is much talk these days regarding the concerns of climate change, and rightfully so. Our planet – and all those who live on it – is at risk. There are many ways that you can help, which require only modest lifestyle changes … replace light bulbs in your home with more energy-efficient brands, cut down on your driving and recycle. Why not also “go green” in your kitchen?

Buy local, organic food. You be supporting community farmers and guaranteed to get naturally-grown and chemical-free produce.

Choose all-natural supplements to help you reach your best health and weight goals from sources you can trust, like Curb Your Cravings.

Use cloth shopping bags. By forgoing the choice of “paper or plastic”, you can help keep those used bags out of the landfill. Your cloth bag can be reused repeatedly.

Turn off your appliances. Prepare salads or cold meals made with fresh low-calorie favorites!

Walk, bicycle or ride the bus to your grocery store. By limiting your driving, you will cut down on dangerous emissions. Bring along an empty pack or a small wheeled cart to help your transport your groceries back home afterwards. Think of the calories you burn, instead of gas!

Compost your fruit and vegetable peels. Feeding your body will do wonders for your health. Feeding the compost will do wonders for your garden!

Avoid plastic containers and over-packaging. Pre-packaged food is often more of a convenience; however, the extra wrapping, when discarded, isn’t healthy for our environment.

Buy in bulk. Larger quantities often are available with less packaging and at significant savings. This will also help you practice portion control by measuring your food choices.

Recycle any used cans or bottles used in meal preparation.

Use a refillable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water over and over.

Eat green fruits and vegetables for increased antioxidants. Green tea is also very good to reduce cancer risk, increase calorie-burning and fight infections.

Going green means taking care – so why not start taking care of YOU today?

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What are Antioxidants?

Our human bodies are magnificent machines … we are capable of movement, reproduction, transporting and growth. Growth, of course, happens externally with height and weight gain, hair growth and fingernail development. Growth, however, also occurs internally with our body’s cells. Internal cells, in fact, are being constantly replaced and renewed through oxidation. “Oxidation is a very natural process (when cells and oxygen meet) that happens during normal cellular functions,” explains Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, professor of nutrition at Boston’s Tuft University.

But through change, cells can become damaged thus becoming free radicals. “They are ‘free’ because they are missing a critical molecule, which sends them on a rampage to pair with another molecule … free radicals often injure the cell, damaging the DNA, which creates the seed for disease”, Blumberg further notes.

Enter the antioxidant. While free radicals bounce around hither-nither within our bodies, antioxidants limit the potential harm. Without antioxidants, our cells run the similar risk of being involved in a multi-car collision, where one vehicle collides into another, which bounces off a third vehicle and so on and so on. “Antioxidants work to stop this damaging, disease-causing chain reaction that free radicals have started. Each type of antioxidant works either to prevent the chain reaction or stop it after it’s started”, states Blumberg.

Antioxidants, therefore, are a very good thing. You can help antioxidants help you by eating the proper foods. The next time you visit your grocery store, stock up your cart with these top ten antioxidant foods:

• Green Tea


• Berries


• Broccoli


• Tomatoes


• Red Grapes


• Garlic


• Spinach


• Carrots


• Soy


• Whole Grains
  
  With taking the proper precautionary measures, your own human machine will continue to perform at peak efficiency and last for many years.
  
  Copyright © 2006-2009 Curb Your Cravings LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

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Omega-3 – the Super Heart Supplement

Got your tackle box? Bait? Rubber boots? Fishing pole? It’s time to go fishing to improve your health! Your catch of the day will be more Omega 3 fatty acids!

Omega-3 fatty acids may have been medically proven to:


- Improve circulation and flow of oxygen to your vital organs

- Reduce inflammation and joint pain (ie. arthritis)

- Increase oxygen and blood flow to your Heart

- Manage and lower cholesterol for proper levels

- Help prevent heart disease, heart attacks and strokes

- Improve memory and brain function- Strengthen your immune system

One of the best sources for Omega 3 is fish oils. Dietary guidelines, long recommended by the American Heart Association, urge adults to eat a minimum of two servings of fish per week … fish including salmon, Albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and sardines. If cooking fish is a bother, you can always find fish oil supplements and/or Krill Oil to add to your diet.

So, go ahead and drop your fishing line and don’t let those Omega 3 fatty acids be the ones that got away!

Get YOUR 100% natural Omega-3 Fish Oil Here!