Enjoy Christmas This Year - Guilt-free!

This Christmas, I am not going to feel guilty about eating all the yummy food around. I am going (and am already!!) to eat and drink whatever I feel like, and really enjoy it!

I am planning another detox early in the new year, followed by a detox diet, which will do 2 things. One , I'll easily lose the extra weight I put on, and two, I will cleanse my system to get back to my optimum health.

Provided you eat a healthy diet most of the time, it doesn't matter if you indulge yourself now and again. In fact, I highly recommend it.

Learn more about my detox diet, and the health benefits of juicing

The Self Improvement Give Away

This is new ! A self help site full of gifts to download.

Heaps of self improvement and health products.

The Help Yourself Giveaway

You can get these gifts for yourself, or give them away as extra Christmas presents to your friends and family.

And yes, I have a product in there too "Uncommon Cure for Everyday Ailments".

All the best!

Urban Living Linked to Higher Bulimia Rates

Living in big cities raises the risk of suffering from the eating disorder bulimia but not anorexia nervosa, Dutch psychologists have said.

They found women in cities were five times more likely to have the binge-and-purge illness than those who live in villages and hamlets but that there was no difference in anorexia rates.
Although the research was done in the Netherlands, Gabriella van Son, of the Centre for Eating Disorders in Leidschendam, believes the findings are relevant to other developed countries.

"Bulimia, which is closely related to anorexia nervosa, is more common in large cities when you compare it with rates in rural areas," she said in an interview. "The number of newly diagnosed patients with bulimia is about five times higher in cities."

Bulimia and anorexia affect mainly girls and women. Both are linked with an obsessive desire to be thin. But while anorexics eat very little, bulimics binge and then force themselves to vomit or use laxatives and diuretics to purge food from their body.

Anorexia usually begins during the teen years and bulimia, which affects about one per cent of women, can occur at the same time or later. Both can be treated with behavioural therapy and counselling.

"Bulimia is also more secretive than anorexia because people are ashamed of their behaviour. They try to avoid telling other people about it," said Van Son.

She and her colleagues, who reported their findings in the British Journal of Psychiatry, said they do not know why there is a difference in the incidence of bulimia between women in cities and rural areas.

"The reason for the association is speculative," she said.

They suggested it could be related to the anonymity of cities, where it would be easier for a woman to conceal her bulimia and use of laxatives than in a small town.

Women may also have symptoms that are not detected until they are older and have moved to urban areas to continue their education and to further their careers.

The findings are based on a study of newly diagnosed cases of bulimia and anorexia by a network of 63 general practitioners between 1985-1989 and 1995-1999. The bulimia rate was 2.5 times higher in urban areas than in the countryside and five times higher in large cities.
Van Son said the findings provide a promising avenue for further research into the causes of bulimia and anorexia.

Source : Reuters

Why do we cause ourselves so much angst? Be good to your body and give it a present! Give it a juice detox. Lose weight and get healthy at the same time!

Ageing and our Quality of Life

The Western medical system has become very good at keeping sick people alive for longer, and life expectancy is high. Studies have shown that the number of people with lifestyle diseases is increasing rapidly, due mainly to obesity and poor diet.

The Report of the Chief Health Officer released today by NSW Health said that NSW residents are not eating their recommended level of vegetables. Only 5% of men, 10% of women, and 20% of children reported eating the 5 vegetables a day recommended for healthy living. Studies in other Western countries would probably have similar results.

Well, I don’t want to spend my old age being sick – who would? The answer to living your ‘extra’ years in a healthy way, is to improve your diet NOW. Don't wait until it's too late.

However, many people have difficulty eating a minimum of 5 pieces of fruit/vegetables each day. That’s why I recommend juicing. In just one glass I can juice 5 different vegetables or fruit, and it only takes a minute to drink this. How easy is that? All done in 1 go. There are lots of juice recipes and heaps more information on how to improve your health in the Amazing Diet.

The Ultimate Energy Drink

Did you know that in a world of energy drinks and caffeinated beverages, WATER is the ultimate energy drink?

Research shows that a lack of water consumption leads to fatigue and headaches and unfortunately most of us are walking around dehydrated without realizing it. The human body is made up of about 70% water; not diet coke or double lattes. :)

Water is the fuel source you need for increased energy and enhanced health. Every one of your body's processes is enhanced with proper hydration. Digestion improves, your metabolism increases and your blood flows easier. Think of water as the oil your engine needs to make every thing run properly.

So how much water should we drink? While we all have heard the 8 cups a day rule, this is actually a myth. Each person, based on their weight and activity levels, requires different amounts of water. We should drink half our body weight in ounces. As an example, a 100lb person would need 50 ounces of water a day to stay hydrated. For those who exercise and sweat a lot you must drink even more water depending on how much you perspire during your workouts. Once you know how much water you should be drinking you can use the following tips to energize.

Here are some simple tips to get energized with water :

Drink a cup of water when you first wake up in the morning. With each sleeping breath you expel water so this will replenish the water you lost through the night.

Sip water every 10-20 minutes through out the day. This keeps you alert, hydrated and energized. A little water at a time adds up to a lot over the course of a day. Carry a bottle of water with you in your car and take water into business meetings. This will keep you hydrated during drives and long meetings.

Drink water instead of soda, juices and energy drinks. You'll feel the difference.

When you feel hungry drink water first. We often mistake thirst for hunger. We eat when what our body really wants is water. When you drink water first you'll eat less and lose weight.

Buy a water filter for your home faucet to remove toxins and chlorine.

Children's Diets

Reprinted from Sydney Morning Herald

CHILDREN'S diets are so salt-laden that even foods not usually categorised as "junk" are tipping sodium levels over the safe limit.

Yet the "hidden factor" in the childhood obesity epidemic is slipping off most parents' radars, a visiting British cardiovascular specialist has warned.

Graham MacGregor, of London's St George's Hospital Medical School, said encouraging children to eat healthy home- cooked meals was difficult because their taste receptors were adapting to processed foods, particularly salty snacks.

Even a common child's intake of cereal for breakfast, savoury biscuits for morning tea and a processed cheese and ham sandwich for lunch meant a pre-schooler had already consumed more than two times the recommended daily intake of salt.

Food manufacturers are coming under pressure to reduce the salt, sugar and saturated fat in products targeted at children.

In the first year after Kellogg decided to change the ingredients in 12 of its products, 235 tonnes of salt was removed from its foods. Yet only five products got the Heart Foundation's tick of approval.

Encourage your children from an early age to eat fresh foods, particularly fruit and vegetables. When juiced in the right combinations, fruit and vegetables can be very sweet and tasty.