LDL HDL Ratio

Posts Tagged ‘Acai’

The Açai (ah-sigh-ee) Berry is found in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. This little dark, purple berry boasts an ORAC (antioxidant) score of about 10 X the power of red grapes and up to 30 X times the anthocyanins of red wine! Its incredible power pack of antioxidants produce high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols. These antioxidants are the substances that protect the cells against the damage from oxidation caused by “free radical” molecules. In addition to the anthocyanin’s potent antioxidant capabilities, anthocyanins are reported to have strong anti-viral properties.

Did you know that the antioxidants in the Açai Berry destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study? According to Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and agricultural Sciences, the study showed extracts from Açai Berries “triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested.” (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, January 2006). “In this type of experiment we look for two things. We try to see if the cancerous cells are dying, and we try to see if the cells release an enzyme known as caspase-3.” Caspase-3 is an enzyme released by cancerous cells as they die.On the Oprah Winfrey Show, special guest Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of the best-seller, The Perricone Promise presented Açai as number one of the Top 10 Superfoods on the planet. He called it, “…one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world!”It’s no wonder people are going nuts over this amazing fruit from the Amazon. The Açai Berry is also loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12, as well as beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, fiber, protein and amino acids. It contains anti-inflammatories, anti-mutagenics and anti-bacterials. This berry is packed with phytonutrients which have been found to have potent antibacterial and anti-viral effects. Its phytosterol elements are made up of sterols which are components of plant cell membranes providing numerous reported benefits to the human body, namely the reduction of blood plasma cholesterol.Unlike other fruits, the Açai Berry also contains essential fatty acids with a ratio that resembles that of olive oil. It has about 60% Omega 9 (Oleic acid) and 12% Omega 6 (Linoleic acid). Research shows that Omega 9 fatty acids can help to lower LDL and maintain HDL (beneficial cholesterol) levels, while Omega 6 can help lower both LDL and HDL levels.Fruit juices are often avoided by diabetics and people watching their sugar intake. Yet, another unique quality of the Açai Berry is its low-glycemic factor, high protein and high fiber content. In The Insider’s Guide to America’s Worst & Best Supplements, Dr. Juliann Whitaker never thought he would ever recommend drinking a fruit juice. Nevertheless, when he discovered the Açai Berry’s contents, he gave it a “thumbs-up!”Buyer beware! Consumers must be careful when shopping for Açai, because this little gem has to be freeze dried within 24 hours or it loses its active properties. Spray drying the berries also destroys most of its nutrients. To make matters worse, most Açai products contain non-organic ingredients, fillers, stimulants, water or chemical preservatives, as well as added sugar, artificial sweeteners, fructose or lots of other fruit juices. When buying Açai, be sure to only purchase products that have passed the 10 Acai Product Quality Tests.

Read How I Lost 45 Pounds with two simple steps

Losing weight is basically expending more calories than you eat. So eat less food. It may not be as bad as you think. Eat less processed and fried foods. Read on, dear reader, seeker of healthy weight.

Eat less trans fats. Trans fats are noted on product labels as “partially hydrogenated oils.” Basically it is a fat molecule with an extra hydrogen. Manufacturers do that to increase the shelf life of their products. Trans fats are found in many margarines, vegetable shortening, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and baked goods.

Trans fats raise bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins LDL), and lowers good cholesterol (high density lipoproteins HDL). High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL increases the risk of heart disease, a leading killer of men and women. Trans fats damages the cells lining the blood vessels resulting in inflammation causing fatty blockages in the arteries of the heart, brain and organs. That leads to heart attacks and strokes. Not fun. Trans fats increase triglycerides which may lead to hardening of the arteries. This also increases the chances of diabetes, stroke, heart disease and heart attacks. You want to lose weight, not die. Cut out the processed foods. Eat less processed or refined carbohydrates. This list includes white flour (breads, pastas, and pastries), white sugar (including sodas, pastries) and white rice. When they refined or process these foods, manufactures take out all the good vitamins and minerals. Then they “enrich” them with synthetic vitamins and minerals. The body doesn’t recognize the synthetic vitamins as well as natural whole food vitamins. Eat less salt. Table salt is refined, meaning the manufactures took out all the vitamins and minerals, then add iodine. The body doesn’t recognize the altered product. Unrefined salt regulates water in the body, pH of the cells, and is essential to regulating healthy blood pressure among many other benefits. When we alter the food by refining or processing, we remove natural vitamins and minerals (occurring in the ratio) that the body needs. The new product is not as recognizable by the body as whole unprocessed food. The body tries to use it. But it can’t. Most of our food is grown with pesticides and herbicides. The body stores these toxins and byproducts as fat. Eating highly processed foods create an internal inflammation reaction. In the arteries fatty deposits and plaque build around the areas of inflammation. This scenario sets creates chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and others. The typical American diet causes changes in the digestive system that allows for bigger particles to pass through the intestines. This stresses the immune system, so that it less able to fight a real threat. The food-manufacturing companies make these salty, sugary, refined products with no or little nutritive value. They buddy up with Madison Avenue with flashy advertising (10 minutes of ads on TV for 6 minutes of programming). And we buy into it. We dip the chips and raise the fork to our mouths. As a country, we are getting fat and sick. You are what you eat. Chose health. Chose your food wisely.

The acai berry fruit is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, essential omegas, fibers and protein. The intake of Acai Berry Capsules is therefore beneficial for weight reduction, boosting sustained energy level, healthy cholesterol management, improvement of digestive system, strengthening of immune system among others. The one of its kind acai berry fruit grows only in the dense Amazon Rainforest. When quickly frozen and converted in the form of Acai Berry capsules this “perfect natural energy fruit” can retain its vast nutritional value and can easily be made accessible to health seekers around the world.Acai Berry Reckoned to have the best nutritional value than any other fruit on the earth, the acai berry fruit is laden with 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries.Constituents of acai berry fruit have been subject of active research in the medical world. It has been found out that 100 grams of Acai Berry contains following constituents:

In terms of nutritional chemistry the acai berry fruit contains -

Acai Berry’s ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity - a measure of its antioxidant properties), is higher than any other edible berry on earth. The remarkable concentration of antioxidants also helps combat premature aging. Besides, the Acai Berry is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. Compared to raw cow’s milk, the Acai fruit pulp contains:

Pure Acai Berry Pure Acai is made from the skin and pulp of 100% organic acai berries, freeze dried to maintain freshness. Acai berries naturally do not last long after they are picked. Freeze drying the fruit is the best way of preserving all the antioxidants and nutrients that this ’superfood’ contains.Pure Acai capsules are emerging as a popular health supplement as more and more people are realizing the inherent goodness of acai berry fruit. Listed here are the key health benefits of Pure Acai -

Acai Berry Fruit The acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) berry fruit is found in Amazon rainforests region in Brazil on acai palm trees. The acai fruit is rather small, round, and blackish purple in colour. It is similar in appearance and size to a grape. This fruit has a single large seed and minimum amount of pulp. The natives of Brazil where the acai berry fruit grows have long since known the amazing health benefits of acai berry fruits and have been using it regularly in their diet. Recent health studies have also proved that consuming acai berry can greatly help in creating healthier conditions in the body that work to slow down aging and promote overall improvement in body functioning. Goodness of acai berry is gradually gaining popularity amongst fitness loving people around the world. Acai berry capsules are seen as an effective and convenient means of fulfilling body’s nutritional requirement. Recently, acai berry was also featured in Oprah Winfrey Show and was described most nutritious and powerful foods in the world.

Health circles around the world have been buzzing with news about Açaí berry. So what is it, and why is everybody so excited about it?

Açaí berries are small round fruits that come from Açaí palms native to Latin America. They have been relatively unknown outside of countries like Brazil until recently.

The exciting thing about Açaí berry is that it has been widely hailed as the number one ’superfood’ - and it’s not an empty claim. Açaí berries contain remarkable concentrations of antioxidants that mixed with high fiber content, omega fatty acids, and other nutrients make it indeed the number one ’superfood’ of the world.

Açaí berries are amazing because they have a very high amount of antioxidants. Ten times that of grapes and twice that of blueberries, the traditional sources of antioxidants. In fact, using the USDA method of determining antioxidant capacity - the Oxygen Radical Absrobance Capacity (ORAC) - Açaí berries are shown to have a higher score than any other edible berry in the world!

Antioxidants, as you may already know, work by reducing free radicals - the nasty molecules that can damage your cells by inducing chain reactions. It therefore strengthens the immune system, and reduces cellular damage (including the effects of aging), and fight cancer. It also contains a certain type of phytosterol that is being used today in modern medicine to treat benign prostate dyperplasia.

The very high amounts of essential fatty acids in Açaí berries and omegas also help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and maintain HDL (good cholesterol), reducing the risk of heart diseases. They are also extremely rich in vegetable proteins which unlike animal protein does not generate cholesterol. The fatty acid ratio of Açaí berries, in fact, resemble that of Olive oil, which has long been associated with the low incidence of heart diseases in the Mediterranean regions.

And lastly, Acai berry is an excellent source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals, leading to healthier digestion and higher energy levels. All of that makes the Acai berry ideal for health-conscious people. And the good news is - Açaí berries, unlike other health products, have a distinct tropical flavor that you can enjoy without feeling guilty.

Tip 1: Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
Fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They fill up your stomach fast so you feel full earlier. They are also low in calories and help to keep your calorie count low. Also, there are certain things that you can eat that actually contain less calories than your body burns while you eat them. So if you want to snack - snack on those foods for easy weight loss! We’ll tell you about those foods in our next article.
Tip 2: Eat small frequent meals
Eat 5-6 times a day with about 3 hrs intervals. Make the meals small. The frequency of meals will tell your body that there is plenty of food and so your body need not store body fat for emergencies. On top of that, your digestive system will be constantly working to digest the food and so that means calories are burned. Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat a breakfast that is sensible and low in saturated fat and your metabolism gets to work, burning off calories for the rest of the day. It is that simple!
Tip 3: Start your exercises early
If you are able to, you should always do your cardiovascular or aerobic exercises in the morning before breakfast. These are exercises that exercise your lungs and heart. Your body has the most energy first thing in the morning, compare that to how you feel after lunch! By exercising first thing, your metabolism gets a kick start and will keep working throughout the day burning fat. Research has shown we can burn up to 3 times as much fat if we workout early than at any other time of the day. So exercis first thing, then you have no excuse to put if off as you go throughout the day.
Tip 4: Build the muscle
Muscles are active cells and they are great calorie burners. The more muscles you pack on, the more body fat you will burn because the calories you have eaten will be burned for energy by your muscles. So go and build muscles to lose weight. Do weight training 3 times a week with rest days in between. Do your weight training workout in the evenings so that you will continue to burn fat. Workout with compound exercises such as bench presses, squats, lunges, dead lifts etc to activate more muscle fibers and so that these large muscles will carry on burning calories for many more hours into the night
Tip 5: Drink!
No not alcohol! Water. Juices, pop, cream & sugar in your coffee or tea all add up. Opt for drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. Firstly, it fills your tummy making you feel full and so less likely to crave food. Secondly when you are dehydrated your brain will try to let your body know it needs water, but this often feels like hunger to us. And so we will eat instead of simply drinking some water. When your body is hydrated your metabolism keeps ticking along, burning fat! And lastly, it is worth remembering that drinking ice cold water actually burns calories! As much as 60 a day!
Tip 6: Go for wholesome fresh foods
If possible, purchase fresh foods and avoid package (processed) and convenient foods such as fast food. Packaged and convenient foods are often higher in sodium and fat content. Many people we spoke to are amazed that they can easily lose weight by packing a home-cooked lunch to work instead of eating out. If you do go for packed food always read the nutrition label on the packaging. A product labelled with a fat-free claim does not mean that it is low in calories. Similarly a product labelled as low-sugar or low-carb does not mean it is low in fat or calories.
Tip 7: Stop eating at 7pm
This obviously depends on what time you go to bed and also on your lifestyle, but as a rule, you should plan to stop eating 3-4 hours before going to sleep. If you’re a very active person in the evening, then 2 hours should be ok, but as most of us are on the couch in front of the television, 4 hours should be the norm. Your body needs time to burn off what you have eaten. Eat late and it won’t have metabloised before you go to sleep. Following this ruile will give your body plenty of time to burn off those calories you have eaten throughout the day and help you to lose weight quickly.
Tip 8: Drink Green Tea
Yea really! Green Tea reduces cholesterol, and has been scientifically proven, which can only be good for you. There is research which indicates that taking Green Tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good cholesterol (HDL) to bad (LDL) cholesterol. It contains polyphenols which is a powerful antioxidant. Take the tea as normal or you can purchase supplements which should work just as well. Just remember that Green Tea contains caffeine, albeit a lot less than cofffee.
Tip 9: Keep a food diary
Keeping a food diary helps you pin point your eating pattern and will enable you to easily modify it. If possible, have your Registered Dietitian review your notes.
Tip 10: Find out how many calories you need
You need to know your BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate to know the amount of calories you burn. This is simply calculated by:
Body Weight [lb] x 15 + (moderate activity [mins/day] x 3.5)
Since you wish to lose weight, your target is your BMR less 500 kcal
For instance, you weigh 140 lb and you perform 20 mins of moderate activity every day. BMR of this example = (140 x 15) + (20 x 3.5) = 2100 + 70 = 2170 kcal. BMR minus 500kcal; it would be 2170 - 500 = 1670 kcal. Therefore 1670 kcal is the target in this example to losing 1 lb per week.
Tip 11: Allow yourself a little indulgence
Having a small treat once in a while can be rewarding to your weight loss experience. Cutting too much of your favorite treats usually leads to an early relapse. Simply allow yourself a little indulgence, but watch out for the frequency and the quantity

The Açai (ah-sigh-ee) Berry is found in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. This little dark, purple berry boasts an ORAC (antioxidant) score of about 10 X the power of red grapes and up to 30 X times the anthocyanins of red wine! Its incredible power pack of antioxidants produce high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols. These antioxidants are the substances that protect the cells against the damage from oxidation caused by “free radical” molecules. In addition to the anthocyanin’s potent antioxidant capabilities, anthocyanins are reported to have strong anti-viral properties.

Did you know that the antioxidants in the Açai Berry destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study? According to Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and agricultural Sciences, the study showed extracts from Açai Berries “triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested.” (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, January 2006). “In this type of experiment we look for two things. We try to see if the cancerous cells are dying, and we try to see if the cells release an enzyme known as caspase-3.” Caspase-3 is an enzyme released by cancerous cells as they die.On the Oprah Winfrey Show, special guest Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of the best-seller, The Perricone Promise presented Açai as number one of the Top 10 Superfoods on the planet. He called it, “…one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world!”It’s no wonder people are going nuts over this amazing fruit from the Amazon. The Açai Berry is also loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12, as well as beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, fiber, protein and amino acids. It contains anti-inflammatories, anti-mutagenics and anti-bacterials. This berry is packed with phytonutrients which have been found to have potent antibacterial and anti-viral effects. Its phytosterol elements are made up of sterols which are components of plant cell membranes providing numerous reported benefits to the human body, namely the reduction of blood plasma cholesterol.Unlike other fruits, the Açai Berry also contains essential fatty acids with a ratio that resembles that of olive oil. It has about 60% Omega 9 (Oleic acid) and 12% Omega 6 (Linoleic acid). Research shows that Omega 9 fatty acids can help to lower LDL and maintain HDL (beneficial cholesterol) levels, while Omega 6 can help lower both LDL and HDL levels.Fruit juices are often avoided by diabetics and people watching their sugar intake. Yet, another unique quality of the Açai Berry is its low-glycemic factor, high protein and high fiber content. In The Insider’s Guide to America’s Worst & Best Supplements, Dr. Juliann Whitaker never thought he would ever recommend drinking a fruit juice. Nevertheless, when he discovered the Açai Berry’s contents, he gave it a “thumbs-up!”Buyer beware! Consumers must be careful when shopping for Açai, because this little gem has to be freeze dried within 24 hours or it loses its active properties. Spray drying the berries also destroys most of its nutrients. To make matters worse, most Açai products contain non-organic ingredients, fillers, stimulants, water or chemical preservatives, as well as added sugar, artificial sweeteners, fructose or lots of other fruit juices. When buying Açai, be sure to only purchase products that have passed the 10 Acai Product Quality Tests.