Who says losing weight can't be fun? Here's a Yoga exercise that many claim has been the secret of their success to lose weight. It is also supposed to be very good for the heart and all the major organs in the body.
Now, I'd say "don't laugh", but then you wouldn't be able to do the exercise.
Believe it or not people are actually doing this. I've seen people do this in groups because they don't want to look silly doing it by themselves.
What I would do is lock myself in a room where no one can hear me to do this exercise but as in all Yoga exercises, they recommend you do this outdoors.
Exercising in the fresh, outdoor air is the only setting recommended by Ayurveda. This is because the outside air has a lot of "Prana" energy in it. Prana means life-force. The Chinese call it Chi energy.
Vaidya Mishra, an Ayurvedic physician and a Western medical doctor, has done some experiments on Prana Shakti (Prana energy). He has found that in certain places there is a lot more Prana than in others. There is a great, detailed explanation of Prana energy and how it relates to the body, in scientific terms here: Ayurveda And Prana.
Dr. Mishra was doing some consultations in New York and noticed that the people he was seeing had a really low level of Prana Shakti in them. Dr. Mishra has related Prana levels in the air with PH levels in the body. He was noticing high alkaline levels in his patients which indicates a low level of Prana in the heart to head area.
Later on, he was in one of the outlying areas of the city and he noticed that the people there didn't have low Prana type of problems.
After several such instances, Dr. Mishra determined that there is far more Prana in the air where you have lots of trees and water bodies. So, even though Ayurveda says to exercise outside, if you live in an area where there isn't a significant presence of "nature", exercise won't be very effective for you outside. Since there isn't a lot of Prana indoors anyway, you'll have to do the best you can. (I would move).
So! In an ideal situation, you would do this exercise outdoors in a park where there are a lot of trees, early in the morning.
Here's the exercise...it's simple:
What you do is throw your arms up in the air repeatedly and start laughing with a loud HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! As you are laughing you should clap your hands with the fingers outstretched so you stimulate as many pressure points as possible. The recommendation is to do this for five to fifteen minutes.
Yes, they have done scientific research on this. It does help make the heart stronger. Since you are throwing your hands in the air and laughing loudly you are taking in a lot more air so it makes your lungs stronger. More air intake means you are absorbing more Prana energy so you will find that your mind stays sharper throughout the day. Clapping is good for the health because it massages the pressure points in your hands.
You will lose weight because despite how it sounds, you really are getting a good aerobic workout.
This exercise is said to releive depression symptoms. If you do it regularly, early in the morning, on an empty stomach, in a high Prana environment you will start to have experiences of bliss throughout the day.
Actually, there is a growing practice in the UK called Laughology. I think it's kind of funny, but some people are really serious about it...look it up on Google!
If you try this exercise I would like to hear about it. Just leave a comment below so we can all share in your "happiness".
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
11. How To Increase Your Hunger And Lose Weight
I'm still worked up about the article I wrote about appetite suppressants. A strong hunger is the way to losing weight, not appetite suppressants!
Having a strong hunger when you eat means the food you ate before has digested completely and you are now ready for more food. If your food doesn't digest properly it accumulates in your intestines and becomes toxic. It prevents proper elimination and absorption of nutrients. Not being fully hugry is a good formula for getting fat!
If you have a strong hunger you will have great health. Your excess fat will burn off naturally. You will have radiant skin and hair and your mind will be alert and full of bliss.
Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis on hunger. You should be hungry at the right times of the day. You should be fully hungry before you eat. When you eat, you should eat until your hunger is satisfied, not until your stomach is full.
When you are fully hungry your digestive system is ready for food and it digests what you give it, quickly and easily. If you are not fully hungry and you eat, your digestive system is not able to process the nutrients and use them for the body. A lot of the potential nutrition in the food you eat is wasted.
So, if you are going to eat, you may as well be healthy. Getting healthy, losing weight and being happy are as easy as eating at the same time every day. Eat three hot meals with lunch being the biggest meal. Your digestive system is the strongest between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Having lunch at 11:00 a.m. is the ideal time.
One of the most important things you can do is to increase your hunger in a way that burns off the fat in anything you eat throughout the day. The way to do that is to to do deep breathing exercises in the morning.
Ideally, you should go outside in the fresh air and do at least ten deep breaths: Stand up straight and breathe in through your nose as hard as you can for up to three or four seconds. Then breathe out as hard as you can through the nose for up to three or four seconds. This will strengthen your lungs, sharpen your brain and get your digestive system ready for the day.
If at all possible, it is a great idea to go for a walk between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Try this: do ten to 100 deep breaths before you start walking. Then breathe normally while you walk for about 20 minutes... have you heard of runner's high? How about walker's high? I bet you get a real good feeling while you are walking.
Isn't that a great way to start the day? If you do the combination of deep breathing with walking early in the morning you will feel healthy, happy, alert and full of energy all day long! On top of that you will lose fat and stay young looking.
If you try this I would be excited to know your experiences. Just leave a comment below this post. It will inspire others to get healthy also.
In the next article I'll show you a little known Yoga technique to lose weight, increase hunger and prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.
Having a strong hunger when you eat means the food you ate before has digested completely and you are now ready for more food. If your food doesn't digest properly it accumulates in your intestines and becomes toxic. It prevents proper elimination and absorption of nutrients. Not being fully hugry is a good formula for getting fat!
If you have a strong hunger you will have great health. Your excess fat will burn off naturally. You will have radiant skin and hair and your mind will be alert and full of bliss.
Ayurveda places a lot of emphasis on hunger. You should be hungry at the right times of the day. You should be fully hungry before you eat. When you eat, you should eat until your hunger is satisfied, not until your stomach is full.
When you are fully hungry your digestive system is ready for food and it digests what you give it, quickly and easily. If you are not fully hungry and you eat, your digestive system is not able to process the nutrients and use them for the body. A lot of the potential nutrition in the food you eat is wasted.
So, if you are going to eat, you may as well be healthy. Getting healthy, losing weight and being happy are as easy as eating at the same time every day. Eat three hot meals with lunch being the biggest meal. Your digestive system is the strongest between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Having lunch at 11:00 a.m. is the ideal time.
One of the most important things you can do is to increase your hunger in a way that burns off the fat in anything you eat throughout the day. The way to do that is to to do deep breathing exercises in the morning.
Ideally, you should go outside in the fresh air and do at least ten deep breaths: Stand up straight and breathe in through your nose as hard as you can for up to three or four seconds. Then breathe out as hard as you can through the nose for up to three or four seconds. This will strengthen your lungs, sharpen your brain and get your digestive system ready for the day.
If at all possible, it is a great idea to go for a walk between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Try this: do ten to 100 deep breaths before you start walking. Then breathe normally while you walk for about 20 minutes... have you heard of runner's high? How about walker's high? I bet you get a real good feeling while you are walking.
Isn't that a great way to start the day? If you do the combination of deep breathing with walking early in the morning you will feel healthy, happy, alert and full of energy all day long! On top of that you will lose fat and stay young looking.
If you try this I would be excited to know your experiences. Just leave a comment below this post. It will inspire others to get healthy also.
In the next article I'll show you a little known Yoga technique to lose weight, increase hunger and prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
10. Say NO! To Appetite Suppressants
I was skimming through some blogs on losing weight and I came across someone promoting a herb that suppressess the appetite. It sounds like a good idea because you are not using chemicals and you can reduce your food intake without hunger pangs...but it's not right. You'll wreck your digestive system!
According to Ayurveda having a strong hunger is a good thing. When you have a meal you should wait until it has completely digested before you eat anything else. That means you will be really hungry for the next meal.
If your digestive system is not strong the food won't digest completely and you won't feel really hungry. So, not feeling 'really' hungry means that your food isn't digesting properly. Food that is not digested properly is the root of most llnesses, according to Ayurved.
Also, hunger is the way your body tells you it needs nutrition. If you start suppressing your hunger with herbs or chemicals you are depriving your body of essential nutrients that it needs to function.
On top of that, your body's natural rhythm will be thrown out of balance. Your body operates on a natural hunger-food cycle that corresponds with nature. Ayurveda says your body will naturally become hungry from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. That's when your digestive system is the strongest.
Once your body's rhythm is not in tune with nature you start down a destructive cycle where you lose touch with your body, mind and emotions.
Losing touch with yourself is what got you fat in the first place. Using appetite suppressants virtually guarantees you will do it again.
And, as you have already seen, once your body is out of balance it's not easy to get it back into balance.
It IS possible to lose weight working with your body instead of trying to make it do un-natural things. If you have a problem with uncontrollable cravings read articles no. 4 to 8 on this blog. In future articles I'll show you how to regain your natural balance so you lose weight and look good without any struggles!
If losing weight is a priority for you simply sign up for the lose-fat tutorial at the top of the page and you will get results quickly. In addition to the tutorial, if you follow the suggestions on this blog you will not only lose weight, but you will be able to keep it off with virtually no effort.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions, especially if you try the suggestions on this blog. Your participation on this blog will show your commitment to living a healthy, happy life and will serve as an inspiration to others.
According to Ayurveda having a strong hunger is a good thing. When you have a meal you should wait until it has completely digested before you eat anything else. That means you will be really hungry for the next meal.
If your digestive system is not strong the food won't digest completely and you won't feel really hungry. So, not feeling 'really' hungry means that your food isn't digesting properly. Food that is not digested properly is the root of most llnesses, according to Ayurved.
Also, hunger is the way your body tells you it needs nutrition. If you start suppressing your hunger with herbs or chemicals you are depriving your body of essential nutrients that it needs to function.
On top of that, your body's natural rhythm will be thrown out of balance. Your body operates on a natural hunger-food cycle that corresponds with nature. Ayurveda says your body will naturally become hungry from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. That's when your digestive system is the strongest.
Once your body's rhythm is not in tune with nature you start down a destructive cycle where you lose touch with your body, mind and emotions.
Losing touch with yourself is what got you fat in the first place. Using appetite suppressants virtually guarantees you will do it again.
And, as you have already seen, once your body is out of balance it's not easy to get it back into balance.
It IS possible to lose weight working with your body instead of trying to make it do un-natural things. If you have a problem with uncontrollable cravings read articles no. 4 to 8 on this blog. In future articles I'll show you how to regain your natural balance so you lose weight and look good without any struggles!
If losing weight is a priority for you simply sign up for the lose-fat tutorial at the top of the page and you will get results quickly. In addition to the tutorial, if you follow the suggestions on this blog you will not only lose weight, but you will be able to keep it off with virtually no effort.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions, especially if you try the suggestions on this blog. Your participation on this blog will show your commitment to living a healthy, happy life and will serve as an inspiration to others.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
9. Follow Your Taste To Lose Weight Fast
Our society is on a disastrous path to bland, tasteless, unhealthy food. Ayurveda says the best path to lose weight and have good health is to follow your taste.
People are so scared of eating this or that for fear that they will get fat. This type of thinking is at epidemic levels. Everyone is so tuned in to cutting out tastes that they enjoy because someone said it may be bad for you. Ridiculous!
According to Ayurveda if you are not enjoying eating, the food won't be digested properly. It will actually turn toxic. If you are eating something you like and it happens to be salty and all the while you are afraid of the bad it might be doing to you, you are killing yourself. The food probably won't be nearly as harmful as what you are turning it into because of your fear.
One of the key "treatments" in Ayurveda is diet recommendations. If you look at the list of diets in articles number 4 to 8 on this blog you will notice I have detailed out some food groups. If you look at the list in detail you will find that one list contains lots of things you like, another one will contain a few things and the third list will not have very many of your favorite tastes.
Each list corresponds to a mind-body type, as Dr. Deepak Chopra terms it. There are three mind-body types, according to Ayurveda. Most people find that they are predominantly one body type with a close second. You mind-body profile could be all three or just one, but in most cases you will be a combination of two.
So, what you need to do is to look at the three lists and figure out which tastes you like. Once you know which list appeals to you the most, favor the foods on that list when you can. However, don't become religious about it. There is no rule greater than "eat what is appropriate for you at any given time".
You'll find that your taste will change from morning to night. It will be different at different times of the day. It will be different depending on your lifestyle. Your taste will also change with the seasons.
I'll get into lots of "guidelines" as we go, on this blog. However, the most important thing to understand is that you need to start getting in tune with what you like. As you get tuned in, you will find that your preferences will change. As a general guideline, for now, until I give you more information, favour the list that you have identified as containing a lot of your favorite foods.
This list of foods will be most healthy for you. When you eat food that is compatible with your mind-body type (known as Prakriti in Ayurveda) your digestion will be strong, your complexion will be radiant and you will gain good health and peace of mind. You will start to have "bliss" experiences.
To build up the "bliss" experiences, combine tasty food selection with the guidelines in article number 3 on this blog.
If you have a question or comment you can click on the link below to leave a message for all to see. I am especially interested in knowing your experiences if you try out these ideas. Your feedback enables me to provide more relevant information for you.
People are so scared of eating this or that for fear that they will get fat. This type of thinking is at epidemic levels. Everyone is so tuned in to cutting out tastes that they enjoy because someone said it may be bad for you. Ridiculous!
According to Ayurveda if you are not enjoying eating, the food won't be digested properly. It will actually turn toxic. If you are eating something you like and it happens to be salty and all the while you are afraid of the bad it might be doing to you, you are killing yourself. The food probably won't be nearly as harmful as what you are turning it into because of your fear.
One of the key "treatments" in Ayurveda is diet recommendations. If you look at the list of diets in articles number 4 to 8 on this blog you will notice I have detailed out some food groups. If you look at the list in detail you will find that one list contains lots of things you like, another one will contain a few things and the third list will not have very many of your favorite tastes.
Each list corresponds to a mind-body type, as Dr. Deepak Chopra terms it. There are three mind-body types, according to Ayurveda. Most people find that they are predominantly one body type with a close second. You mind-body profile could be all three or just one, but in most cases you will be a combination of two.
So, what you need to do is to look at the three lists and figure out which tastes you like. Once you know which list appeals to you the most, favor the foods on that list when you can. However, don't become religious about it. There is no rule greater than "eat what is appropriate for you at any given time".
You'll find that your taste will change from morning to night. It will be different at different times of the day. It will be different depending on your lifestyle. Your taste will also change with the seasons.
I'll get into lots of "guidelines" as we go, on this blog. However, the most important thing to understand is that you need to start getting in tune with what you like. As you get tuned in, you will find that your preferences will change. As a general guideline, for now, until I give you more information, favour the list that you have identified as containing a lot of your favorite foods.
This list of foods will be most healthy for you. When you eat food that is compatible with your mind-body type (known as Prakriti in Ayurveda) your digestion will be strong, your complexion will be radiant and you will gain good health and peace of mind. You will start to have "bliss" experiences.
To build up the "bliss" experiences, combine tasty food selection with the guidelines in article number 3 on this blog.
If you have a question or comment you can click on the link below to leave a message for all to see. I am especially interested in knowing your experiences if you try out these ideas. Your feedback enables me to provide more relevant information for you.
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Why Do Diets Fail? - I really don’t know why some people seem to be more successful at loosing weight, but I have an idea as to why I’ve failed on a number of weight loss programs. I don’t think it was necessarily the specific program that was at fault - I ...
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
8. Why Cravings Are Good For You
Most people who want to lose weight are very worried that their cravings for food would sabotage their efforts to be thin. Ayurveda has different way of looking at food cravings. If you manage it right, cravings can help you lose weight.
The past four articles focus on how to eliminate cravings for specific tastes. That is all well and good, but you need an overall perspective of the subject to appreciate what is actually hapenning when you crave something.
Ayurveda is a person-centered approach. You are your best doctor. Only you really know what you are experiencing. No matter how hard you try, it is impossible for you to really describe what you are feeling to someone else.
With a basic understanding of Ayurveda you can learn to recognize what your body is trying to tell you and put it in the context of one of the three Ayurvedic classifications. Once you have identified the classification that describes what you are feeling all you do is refer to the list of foods, lifestyle, exercise, supplements, treatments, etc. that apply to your situation and you can solve most problems.
Cravings are the body's way of telling you that you really have a shortage of some nutrients. Nutrients can be food, emotions, activities... Anything in the human experience can create a sensation in the body.
It is important to understand that the body is the ultimate recipient of your thoughts, feelings and actions. Whatever you experience through your senses registers on your body. Whatever you might experience in a spiritual experience (which doesn't register through the five senses) will show up somehow in your body. Ayurveda goes deep into an understanding of how various experiences show up in the body and what to do about it.
The most important thing to understand is that if you are in touch with your body, you can manage your health, be thin and be happy very easily.
Regardless of what the cause of your craving is, you should understand that there is some lack in your life. The lack can be addressed by following the diet guidelines in one of the previous three articles.
People get into all kinds of explanations for the psychological reasons for why they overeat or eat too much of one kind of food or another.
With the Ayurvedic approach you don't have to be an amateur psychologist. All you do is figure out which combination of tastes you are craving and select foods from that group and your cravings will (eventually) be satisfied.
The only thing that could go wrong is that your daily routine is off. This blog will describe good Ayurvedic habits in great detail so you will have all the information you need.
Having an "off" daily routine can cause all kinds of health problems. Doctors will be helpless to resolve health problems that are based on poor daily routine.
If you have a good daily routine, most health problems, including stubborn fat loss problems, can be resolved.
Keep in mind that there are specific fat loss routines that will give you results right away. These are discussed in the "Lose-Weight-Tutorial" that you can sign up for, at the top of the page. So if you want a focused plan for losing fat and gaining a good looking body you should sign up for the tutorial.
If you have any questions or comments, especially if you try out the techniques in this blog, I'd like to hear from you.
Just go to the bottom of this page and put in your comments. It will enable me to address the specific situation you are facing, either in a future article or as a response to your comment, in the section below.
The past four articles focus on how to eliminate cravings for specific tastes. That is all well and good, but you need an overall perspective of the subject to appreciate what is actually hapenning when you crave something.
Ayurveda is a person-centered approach. You are your best doctor. Only you really know what you are experiencing. No matter how hard you try, it is impossible for you to really describe what you are feeling to someone else.
With a basic understanding of Ayurveda you can learn to recognize what your body is trying to tell you and put it in the context of one of the three Ayurvedic classifications. Once you have identified the classification that describes what you are feeling all you do is refer to the list of foods, lifestyle, exercise, supplements, treatments, etc. that apply to your situation and you can solve most problems.
Cravings are the body's way of telling you that you really have a shortage of some nutrients. Nutrients can be food, emotions, activities... Anything in the human experience can create a sensation in the body.
It is important to understand that the body is the ultimate recipient of your thoughts, feelings and actions. Whatever you experience through your senses registers on your body. Whatever you might experience in a spiritual experience (which doesn't register through the five senses) will show up somehow in your body. Ayurveda goes deep into an understanding of how various experiences show up in the body and what to do about it.
The most important thing to understand is that if you are in touch with your body, you can manage your health, be thin and be happy very easily.
Regardless of what the cause of your craving is, you should understand that there is some lack in your life. The lack can be addressed by following the diet guidelines in one of the previous three articles.
People get into all kinds of explanations for the psychological reasons for why they overeat or eat too much of one kind of food or another.
With the Ayurvedic approach you don't have to be an amateur psychologist. All you do is figure out which combination of tastes you are craving and select foods from that group and your cravings will (eventually) be satisfied.
The only thing that could go wrong is that your daily routine is off. This blog will describe good Ayurvedic habits in great detail so you will have all the information you need.
Having an "off" daily routine can cause all kinds of health problems. Doctors will be helpless to resolve health problems that are based on poor daily routine.
If you have a good daily routine, most health problems, including stubborn fat loss problems, can be resolved.
Keep in mind that there are specific fat loss routines that will give you results right away. These are discussed in the "Lose-Weight-Tutorial" that you can sign up for, at the top of the page. So if you want a focused plan for losing fat and gaining a good looking body you should sign up for the tutorial.
If you have any questions or comments, especially if you try out the techniques in this blog, I'd like to hear from you.
Just go to the bottom of this page and put in your comments. It will enable me to address the specific situation you are facing, either in a future article or as a response to your comment, in the section below.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
7. How To Stop Craving Pungent, Bitter And Astringent Foods
Cravings can sabotage the best intentions in a balanced diet plan for losing weight. Ayurveda has an easy and enjoyable way to lose fat by satisfying the cravings in a healthy, natural way.
The previous three articles address more details of this approach for cravings for different tastes.
Ayurveda believes in enjoying your life to the fullest. You shouldn't have to sacrifice what you want to eat because of a weight loss plan. The problem is that we get into bad habits and start craving foods that are not healthy for us.
The core philosophy in Ayurveda is that whenever we crave something, it is our body's way of saying that it needs certain nutrients normally found in foods that taste that way. If you find yourself craving spicy (pungent) foods and just can't get enough, but you know it is bad for you, you can satisfy the craving by eating foods that are in the same Ayurvedic classification or group.
Foods are classified into groups that nourish different parts of the body. Taste is our body's way of telling us what our body needs. If you find yourself craving spicy, pungent or bitter foods and you can't find something healthy to eat with the taste you are craving, you can satisfy that craving with any of the foods from the list below:
FAVOR
REDUCE/AVOID
The previous three articles address more details of this approach for cravings for different tastes.
Ayurveda believes in enjoying your life to the fullest. You shouldn't have to sacrifice what you want to eat because of a weight loss plan. The problem is that we get into bad habits and start craving foods that are not healthy for us.
The core philosophy in Ayurveda is that whenever we crave something, it is our body's way of saying that it needs certain nutrients normally found in foods that taste that way. If you find yourself craving spicy (pungent) foods and just can't get enough, but you know it is bad for you, you can satisfy the craving by eating foods that are in the same Ayurvedic classification or group.
Foods are classified into groups that nourish different parts of the body. Taste is our body's way of telling us what our body needs. If you find yourself craving spicy, pungent or bitter foods and you can't find something healthy to eat with the taste you are craving, you can satisfy that craving with any of the foods from the list below:
FAVOR
Light, dry, warm, cooked
Pungent, bitter, astringent
Size of meal: Small – do not overeat
Dairy: Warm low-fat or nonfat milk
Sweeteners: Honey
Oils: Small amounts only: almond, corn, ghee, safflower, sunflower
Barley, corn, millet, rye
Light, dry fruits: apple, apricot, cranberry, dried fruits, pear, pomegranate
Vegetables: All okay except those listed
Spices: All okay except salt
Nuts: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Beans: All okay except tofu
Poultry (white meat), white meat fish (except shellfish)
REDUCE/AVOID
Heavy, oily, cold
Sweet, sour, salty
Dairy: All other
Sweeteners: All others
Oils: All except for small amounts of oils listed
Oats, rice, wheat
Heavy, juicy, sweet, sour: avocado, banana, coconut, date, fig, grapefruit, grape, mango, melon, orange, papaya, peach, pineapple, plum
Sweet, juicy vegetable: cucumber, sweet potato, tomato
Salt
Nuts And Seeds: All others
Beans: Tofu
Red meat, shellfish
Saturday, April 11, 2009
6. How To Stop Cravings For Sweet, Bitter, Astringent Foods
When you have a craving for something it is pretty tough to keep ignoring it if it doesn't fit into your weight loss strategy. How do you lose weight if you keep having a strong urge to eat foods that are destined to make you fat? Ayurveda offers a simple, effective and enjoyable way to satisfy the craving so you can be happy about the food you are eating and still lose your fat.
Cravings happen because your body is missing certain nutrients that are associated with the taste of certain foods. Taste is the body's way of knowing what to eat and what to avoid. You'll find more details on this in the previous two articles on this blog.
Ayurveda says you should always eat food that YOU find tasty. It identifies groups of foods that address the nutritional components provided by certain tastes. If you find yourself craving sweet, bitter or astringent foods, you can substitute fattening foods with more healthy choices from the list below. You'll find that the foods outlined here will satisfy the nutrient requirements of your body and stop cravings so you can meet your weight loss goals.
The previous article had a different list of foods and was designed to reduce cravings for sweet foods also. You'll find that your tastes fall into one or two categories consistently. With a little experimentation you'll be able to figure out which list is more suitable for you.
Here are the foods to favour and foods to avoid if the combination of foods you crave are sweet, bitter and astringent:
FAVOR
Cool or warm, liquid
Sweet, bitter, astringent
Moderate portions
Dairy: Butter, ghee, sweet lassi, milk
Sweeteners: All okay except those listed
Oils: Coconut, olive, soy, sunflower
Barley, oats, wheat, white rice
Sweet, ripe fruits: apple, avocado, cherry, fig, mango, melon, pear, pomegranate, prune, raisin
Asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, green bean, okra, peas, potato, sprouts, squash, all leafy greens except spinach
Sweet, bitter, astringent spices: cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, coriander, dill, fennel, mint, saffron
Coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Garbanzo, mung, soybean, tofu
Chicken, egg whites, turkey, shrimp
REDUCE/AVOID
Hot
Salty, sour, pungent
Cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt (except salty lassi)
Honey, molasses
Oils: Almond, corn, safflower, sesame
Corn millet, brown rice, rye
Sour, unripe fruits: apricot, banana, berry, cranberry, grapefruit, olive, papaya, peach, persimmon
Beets, carrot, chili, eggplant, garlic, onion, radish, spinach, tomato
Pungent, heating spices, especially chili
Nuts: All except those mentioned above
Beans: All except those mentioned above
Egg yolks, red meat
Cravings happen because your body is missing certain nutrients that are associated with the taste of certain foods. Taste is the body's way of knowing what to eat and what to avoid. You'll find more details on this in the previous two articles on this blog.
Ayurveda says you should always eat food that YOU find tasty. It identifies groups of foods that address the nutritional components provided by certain tastes. If you find yourself craving sweet, bitter or astringent foods, you can substitute fattening foods with more healthy choices from the list below. You'll find that the foods outlined here will satisfy the nutrient requirements of your body and stop cravings so you can meet your weight loss goals.
The previous article had a different list of foods and was designed to reduce cravings for sweet foods also. You'll find that your tastes fall into one or two categories consistently. With a little experimentation you'll be able to figure out which list is more suitable for you.
Here are the foods to favour and foods to avoid if the combination of foods you crave are sweet, bitter and astringent:
FAVOR
Cool or warm, liquid
Sweet, bitter, astringent
Moderate portions
Dairy: Butter, ghee, sweet lassi, milk
Sweeteners: All okay except those listed
Oils: Coconut, olive, soy, sunflower
Barley, oats, wheat, white rice
Sweet, ripe fruits: apple, avocado, cherry, fig, mango, melon, pear, pomegranate, prune, raisin
Asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, green bean, okra, peas, potato, sprouts, squash, all leafy greens except spinach
Sweet, bitter, astringent spices: cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, coriander, dill, fennel, mint, saffron
Coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Garbanzo, mung, soybean, tofu
Chicken, egg whites, turkey, shrimp
REDUCE/AVOID
Hot
Salty, sour, pungent
Cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt (except salty lassi)
Honey, molasses
Oils: Almond, corn, safflower, sesame
Corn millet, brown rice, rye
Sour, unripe fruits: apricot, banana, berry, cranberry, grapefruit, olive, papaya, peach, persimmon
Beets, carrot, chili, eggplant, garlic, onion, radish, spinach, tomato
Pungent, heating spices, especially chili
Nuts: All except those mentioned above
Beans: All except those mentioned above
Egg yolks, red meat
Thursday, April 9, 2009
5. How To Stop Craving Sweet, Sour, Salty Foods
Cravings for food can throw any diet discipline off the rails. Ayurveda provides an easy, practical way to stop cravings and lose weight.
The previous article talked about how cravings are a sign of nutritional deficiency, according to Ayurveda. Every taste you crave is associated with a certain group of foods. You can substitute a craving for fattening foods with healthy foods from the same group. This will eliminate your cravings and help you lose weight by controlling your diet in an enjoyable way.
Ayurveda believes you should enjoy your life. All the foods in a group will provide the nourishment your body needs to satisfy the craving. You will find many delicious choices to substitute for unhealthy cravings in the list below.
I'll cover cravings for the six tastes in three different articles. If you find yourself craving sweet, sour or salty foods, the list below will show you which foods you can use as a substitute and which ones to avoid:
FAVOR:
The previous article talked about how cravings are a sign of nutritional deficiency, according to Ayurveda. Every taste you crave is associated with a certain group of foods. You can substitute a craving for fattening foods with healthy foods from the same group. This will eliminate your cravings and help you lose weight by controlling your diet in an enjoyable way.
Ayurveda believes you should enjoy your life. All the foods in a group will provide the nourishment your body needs to satisfy the craving. You will find many delicious choices to substitute for unhealthy cravings in the list below.
I'll cover cravings for the six tastes in three different articles. If you find yourself craving sweet, sour or salty foods, the list below will show you which foods you can use as a substitute and which ones to avoid:
FAVOR:
Heavy, warm, cooked
Sweet, sour, salty foods
Larger portions are okay as long as you don't overeat
All dairy is okay
All sweeteners are okay in moderation
All oils are okay
Grains: Rice, wheat, cooked oats
Sweet, sour and juicy fruits: avocado, banana, berry, cherry, grape, mango, melon, orange, peaches, plum, pineapple
Most vegetables in moderation when cooked, especially: Asparagus, beet, carrot, green beans, okra, sweet potato
Sweet, heating spices are best, other spices in moderation
All nuts are okay, almonds are especially good
Garbanzos, red lentils, mung beans, tofu
Chicken, turkey, seafood
Light, cold, dry, raw foods
Bitter, pungent, astringent- Grains: Barley, corn, millet, rye
Light, dry fruits: apple, cranberry, dried fruits, pears, pomegranate
Uncooked vegetables, cabbage, sprouts
Large quantities of bitter, pungent or astringent spices: chili, coriander, fenugeek, parsley, saffron, turmeric
All other beans except those listed
Red meat
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
4. Reduce Cravings, Lose Weight Naturally!
You can lose a lot of weight if you can just control your cravings. Ayurveda has several suggestions for getting control of your eating habits without any stress or strain.
You don't have to force yourself to do anything in Ayurveda. If you follow the suggestions in the articles on this blog you will be amazed as to how happy you are while your weight goes down and you become heathier.
The main thing you need to do to lose weight, according to Ayurveda, is to strengthen your digestive system. The digestive system is part of who you are. It is affected by your thoughts, emotions and environment. If you are happy, your digestive system will tend to be strong.
Food cravings happen because there is some "lack of satisfaction". It's an emotional thing (unless you have been starving yourself in an effor to lose weight, which is definitely a no-no in Ayurveda).
In another article I give you several "rules" of how to listen to yourself during the meal so you have more satisfaction. If you've got the basics from the previous article, the next level is to get in touch with your taste. You can reduce cravings by managing the taste of what you eat.
Ayurveda recognizes six different tastes: Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent. Each taste corresponds with different aspects of the physiology. The experience of taste is the body's way of understanding what it needs. In order to feed all aspects of your physiology you need to have all six tastes in every meal.
If you neglect a taste, some aspect of the body will remain deficient and won't get the nutrition it needs. This causes you to have cravings. Cravings for certain foods or tastes is your body's way of telling you that you need certain nutrients.
I'll get into a lot more of the details of this in later articles. For now you just need to understand that you need to pay attention to the taste of the foods you eat.
Each taste is part of a group of foods that correspond to your physiology, as defined by Ayurveda. So, if you find yourself craving sweet foods, instead of eating lots of desserts you can experiment with astringent, dry or cold foods because they are all part of the same group of foods.
Since all these types of foods serve the same parts of the physiology, you can satisfy the craving without worrying about getting fat from eating too many sweets. (I'll list out the details of menu planning in later articles).
With some listening to your body and an understanding of the group of foods that the taste corresponds with, you can reduce cravings while giving the body the vital nutrients it needs to be healthy.
You don't have to force yourself to do anything in Ayurveda. If you follow the suggestions in the articles on this blog you will be amazed as to how happy you are while your weight goes down and you become heathier.
The main thing you need to do to lose weight, according to Ayurveda, is to strengthen your digestive system. The digestive system is part of who you are. It is affected by your thoughts, emotions and environment. If you are happy, your digestive system will tend to be strong.
Food cravings happen because there is some "lack of satisfaction". It's an emotional thing (unless you have been starving yourself in an effor to lose weight, which is definitely a no-no in Ayurveda).
In another article I give you several "rules" of how to listen to yourself during the meal so you have more satisfaction. If you've got the basics from the previous article, the next level is to get in touch with your taste. You can reduce cravings by managing the taste of what you eat.
Ayurveda recognizes six different tastes: Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent. Each taste corresponds with different aspects of the physiology. The experience of taste is the body's way of understanding what it needs. In order to feed all aspects of your physiology you need to have all six tastes in every meal.
If you neglect a taste, some aspect of the body will remain deficient and won't get the nutrition it needs. This causes you to have cravings. Cravings for certain foods or tastes is your body's way of telling you that you need certain nutrients.
I'll get into a lot more of the details of this in later articles. For now you just need to understand that you need to pay attention to the taste of the foods you eat.
Each taste is part of a group of foods that correspond to your physiology, as defined by Ayurveda. So, if you find yourself craving sweet foods, instead of eating lots of desserts you can experiment with astringent, dry or cold foods because they are all part of the same group of foods.
Since all these types of foods serve the same parts of the physiology, you can satisfy the craving without worrying about getting fat from eating too many sweets. (I'll list out the details of menu planning in later articles).
With some listening to your body and an understanding of the group of foods that the taste corresponds with, you can reduce cravings while giving the body the vital nutrients it needs to be healthy.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
3. Lose Weight By Easily Controlling How Much You Eat
Here's an easy way to lose weight while strengthening your digestive system!
Did you know you can improve how well you digest your food by controlling how much you eat? Many people believe that people gain weight because they eat too much. Actually, if a person has a strong digestive system they can eat as much as they want and still lose weight.
The general rule in Ayurveda is that you should eat until you are about 80% full.
I have tried that and I need to be about 90% full or I get hungry soon after the meal. If I eat until I am 100% full, it tends to be too much and my digestive system slows down. Do some experiments to find your ideal level of eating. Overeating will definitely slow down your digestive system and wreak havoc in your body.
If you tend to overeat there are some really simple things you can do to keep your eating habit at your optimum level and you will enjoy eating less. Ayurveda doesn't believe in guilt. The goal of Ayurveda is to make life more enjoyable.
The reason people tend to eat too much is because the food tastes good. Eating makes them happy. So, if we look at overeating as a search for happiness and satisfaction, rather than a greed for food there can be a solution.
According to Ayurveda you should:
Did you know you can improve how well you digest your food by controlling how much you eat? Many people believe that people gain weight because they eat too much. Actually, if a person has a strong digestive system they can eat as much as they want and still lose weight.
The general rule in Ayurveda is that you should eat until you are about 80% full.
I have tried that and I need to be about 90% full or I get hungry soon after the meal. If I eat until I am 100% full, it tends to be too much and my digestive system slows down. Do some experiments to find your ideal level of eating. Overeating will definitely slow down your digestive system and wreak havoc in your body.
If you tend to overeat there are some really simple things you can do to keep your eating habit at your optimum level and you will enjoy eating less. Ayurveda doesn't believe in guilt. The goal of Ayurveda is to make life more enjoyable.
The reason people tend to eat too much is because the food tastes good. Eating makes them happy. So, if we look at overeating as a search for happiness and satisfaction, rather than a greed for food there can be a solution.
According to Ayurveda you should:
- Eat in a quiet, settled environment.
- You should sit down to eat.
- It's good to have pleasant company and eat with someone you enjoy.
- When you eat, look at your food. Eat food that looks good to you.
- Touch your food with your fingers, if appropriate. There is intelligence in your touch senses that helps the body appreciate the "experience" of the food.
- Chew your food properly (the guideline is you should chew each mouthful 32 times).
- Take time to taste the food...don't just gobble it down so you can get back to work!
- Don't eat too quickly or too slowly.
- Finish one mouthful completely and wait until it gets to your stomach before you take the next mouthful.
- Focus on eating while eating. Don't watch TV, read a book or be involved in a "meeting" where you have to be doing some serious thinking.
- Eat food that tastes good. Feel it in your mouth. Enjoy the moment. Have your attention on it as it goes down to your stomach. Smile, because you are enjoying the food.
- Try not to talk while eating. Even if you are with someone, try not to talk too much. You should finish eating in 5 to 10 minutes anyway. You can talk before and after the meal.
- After the meal, sit quietly for 5 to 10 minutes. Light, pleasant conversation is o.k. at this time.
Did you notice how many things in that list are directed toward emotional satisfaction and happiness?
Eating food is about being happy, according to Ayurved. If you are worried about what you are eating, it takes away from being happy during the meal. Just before the meal, during the meal and for a good hour after the meal, don't worry about whether or not the food was right for you. Do your planning in advance and when it is time to eat, just enjoy!
Whatever you do, never criticize the food you are eating. Saying a prayer before the meal and being thankful is very good for digestion, Ayurevedically speaking.
Avoid eating in a negative or "excited" atmosphere...it takes away from being able to appreciate your food.
Always eat food that tastes good. Don't force yourself to eat something just because someone told you it's good for you. If it is really good for you, maybe you can combine it with something or cook it so it becomes tasty for you.
Your body will tell you what's good for you. Learn to listen to your body and follow your own advice.
If you follow the guidelines above you will find that you won't want to overeat. You will be "satisfied" and happy to eat just under a full stomach.
In the next article I'll talk more about how to control how much you eat by combining foods. This is a key principle in Ayurveda.
If you haven't signed up for the lose-weight-tutorial, do it now. The ideas in that series will get you on the right track quickly. What you read here should be treated as a supplement to the fundamental program presented in the tutorial.
I'd like to hear if you tried this approach and the results you got. Please come back and post your comments after you have tried some of these things. Your comments will show up on the blog and it will inspire others to live a happy, healthy life also.
Monday, April 6, 2009
2. Lose Weight With Strong Digestion
Ok! Let's get started with losing weight quickly!
According to Ayurveda your body's digestive powers are strongest between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. If you eat your lunch closer to 11:00 you will have three hours of peak digestive performance from your body.
You can eat anything you want and your body will be able to digest it better during this period. This is a good time to eat "heavy" foods like oily, sweet and other foods that are considered fattening, if you want. During this time period these foods will have the least fattening effect on your body.
I'll get into what foods you should be eating later on, on this blog, but for now if you just start eating earlier, around 11:00 you will be amazed as to how quickly your body will lose fat.
Many people eat lunch around 12:00. That's not bad, but again, if you are trying to lose weight, by noon, you have already lost an hour of your body's peak digestion powers.
Now, if you are used to eating at a certain time it will take some time for the body to adjust to the new system you are trying to implement. So it may not feel comfortable eating at a different time.
However, I suggest you just try it for a couple of weeks. In that much time your body will start to get used to a new habit that your are forming and you should "feel lighter". It may take another two or three weeks to start to actually get skinnier but it will work.
Establishing this new habit is especially worth it for people who eat late in the afternoon...like after 2:00 p.m. A lot of self-employed people have a tendency to procrastinate eating until it becomes absolutely necessary.
If you are one of these people you'll find that by eating early you will have more energy and you will have greater resistance to stress, so your day will go easier. You will accomplish more because you will feel fresh and alert.
Once you get into the habit of eating at 11:00 you won't have that heavy, lethargic, dull feeling during the afternoon that is caused by undigested food just sitting there and the body is having a hard time with it.
So try this for a little while. You will find that your gains are cumulative. You will feel better and better from week to week. Within three months you will have gained as much as you can from this technique alone. Tune in to this blog for more natural ways to lose that extra fat and live a healthier and happier life.
If you do try this, come back and leave a comment to inspire others and share your experiences.
Be sure to sign up for the lose-weight-tutorial if you haven't done so yet. It gives you valuable tips and resources to lose weight that you may not have heard of before.
According to Ayurveda your body's digestive powers are strongest between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. If you eat your lunch closer to 11:00 you will have three hours of peak digestive performance from your body.
You can eat anything you want and your body will be able to digest it better during this period. This is a good time to eat "heavy" foods like oily, sweet and other foods that are considered fattening, if you want. During this time period these foods will have the least fattening effect on your body.
I'll get into what foods you should be eating later on, on this blog, but for now if you just start eating earlier, around 11:00 you will be amazed as to how quickly your body will lose fat.
Many people eat lunch around 12:00. That's not bad, but again, if you are trying to lose weight, by noon, you have already lost an hour of your body's peak digestion powers.
Now, if you are used to eating at a certain time it will take some time for the body to adjust to the new system you are trying to implement. So it may not feel comfortable eating at a different time.
However, I suggest you just try it for a couple of weeks. In that much time your body will start to get used to a new habit that your are forming and you should "feel lighter". It may take another two or three weeks to start to actually get skinnier but it will work.
Establishing this new habit is especially worth it for people who eat late in the afternoon...like after 2:00 p.m. A lot of self-employed people have a tendency to procrastinate eating until it becomes absolutely necessary.
If you are one of these people you'll find that by eating early you will have more energy and you will have greater resistance to stress, so your day will go easier. You will accomplish more because you will feel fresh and alert.
Once you get into the habit of eating at 11:00 you won't have that heavy, lethargic, dull feeling during the afternoon that is caused by undigested food just sitting there and the body is having a hard time with it.
So try this for a little while. You will find that your gains are cumulative. You will feel better and better from week to week. Within three months you will have gained as much as you can from this technique alone. Tune in to this blog for more natural ways to lose that extra fat and live a healthier and happier life.
If you do try this, come back and leave a comment to inspire others and share your experiences.
Be sure to sign up for the lose-weight-tutorial if you haven't done so yet. It gives you valuable tips and resources to lose weight that you may not have heard of before.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
1. Introduction: Lose-Weight--Naturally With Strong Digestion
If you want to lose weight naturally, start with developing a strong digestive system. It's easy to do and doesn't cost anything. You just have to adopt a few simple lifestyle changes and you will find yourself losing fat effortlessly.
I'm going to talk about several different ways to improve your digestion based on an ancient health system called Ayurveda.
According to legend, Ayurveda was given to humanity by the "Sun God" many thousands of years ago. All indigenous cultures around the world use Ayurveda but it has been formally maintained in India through the centuries. Initially, the knowledge was passed down from father to son in an apprenticeship type of format. About 5,000 years ago people started writing down the knowledge in books. Today, in India, students attend universities to get a degree in Western medicine and then they specialize in Ayurveda for another three years.
According to Ayurveda a strong digestive system is the secret to preventing and curing most diseases, so they have spent a lot of time studying how to do it well.
For the purposes of this blog I will talk about how you can lose weight without drugs, naturally.
I invite you to try out these techniques and then come back and leave a comment on how it worked for you. If you had success it will inspire others to be healthier. If you didn't find success, I may be able to tweak the technique with additional knowledge so it works better.
If you want to keep up with the articles in this blog you can click on the RSS feed button and receive the updates directly to your Google, Yahoo or MSN accounts.
Another good thing to do would be to sign up for the free lose-fat-tutorial for some quick ideas on how to lose weight and get better health quickly: http://www.lose-fat-tutorial.com/
Stay tuned... there's some exciting, easy to do techniques coming your way!
I'm going to talk about several different ways to improve your digestion based on an ancient health system called Ayurveda.
According to legend, Ayurveda was given to humanity by the "Sun God" many thousands of years ago. All indigenous cultures around the world use Ayurveda but it has been formally maintained in India through the centuries. Initially, the knowledge was passed down from father to son in an apprenticeship type of format. About 5,000 years ago people started writing down the knowledge in books. Today, in India, students attend universities to get a degree in Western medicine and then they specialize in Ayurveda for another three years.
According to Ayurveda a strong digestive system is the secret to preventing and curing most diseases, so they have spent a lot of time studying how to do it well.
For the purposes of this blog I will talk about how you can lose weight without drugs, naturally.
I invite you to try out these techniques and then come back and leave a comment on how it worked for you. If you had success it will inspire others to be healthier. If you didn't find success, I may be able to tweak the technique with additional knowledge so it works better.
If you want to keep up with the articles in this blog you can click on the RSS feed button and receive the updates directly to your Google, Yahoo or MSN accounts.
Another good thing to do would be to sign up for the free lose-fat-tutorial for some quick ideas on how to lose weight and get better health quickly: http://www.lose-fat-tutorial.com/
Stay tuned... there's some exciting, easy to do techniques coming your way!
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