Double Fat Loss Today








Time to Place Whey by the Wayside









Late Night Snack that Burns Fat & Fights Stress




Sodium Linked To Obesity

Sodium is a natural element that the body needs to function. It’ s important for water balance, nerve function, and countless other physiological functions. However you really only need a small amount per day. About 500 mg is plenty. That’s the amount you’d get just snacking on chips, crackers, various cheeses, salted nuts or eating canned food items like soups and canned veggies. The total daily recommended limit of sodium consumption is around 2,300 milligrams.

However, most Americans are eating too much sodium. WAY too much sodium. On average, 4,000 to 6,500 mg a day. It’s not only hurting their health, it’s expanding their waistlines. In fact, the American Medical Association is campaigning for the FDA to withdraw salts designation as a “safe” food additive. They’re pushing for Americans to cut their intake in half.

This isn’t too surprising. Food manufacturers have known for a long time that salt is an addictive substance. That’s why they pack it into more and more processed foods. People will eat more, and then food companies will make more money. A clinical research has shown that salt shares characteristics with addictive substances (like morphine, cocaine, and heroin) which release dopamine (feel-good brain chemicals) when we eat it. That’s why salt addictions are so common and why people have such a hard time cutting down. Often people who don’t even know they’re addicted to salt will experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut back.

A 2006 Finnish study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases found a link between increased salt intake and obesity. From the 1980s to the mid 1990s, the salt intake in the United States increased by more than 50% as Americans started eating more and more processed foods. In the same time frame, obesity has gone up steadily. Also keep in mind that when people eat more salt, they will naturally have the desire to drink more fluids to maintain water balance in their bodies.

Unsurprisingly, between 1977 and 2001 the U.S. caloric intake from sweetened beverages like fruit juice, soft drinks and energy drinks increased by 135%. It’s pretty easy to see that as food companies make foods more salty, people will drink more and more super-sized sugary drinks to wash it down.

High sodium diets also are the leading cause of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. These diseases also go hand in hand with obesity. To alleviate the high blood pressure caused by salt intake, your body will dump extra water into your blood vessels which causes the overall pressure to increase as blood vessels expand. African Americans, Hispanics, and obese men and women have a higher sensitivity to sodium and are more prone to high blood pressure as a result. If you fall into one of these at-risk categories, you should try to limit your salt intake to less than 1,500 mg a day.

For regular salt use, I recommend using Celtic Sea Salt or pure Himalayan Pink Salt, because these have 84 minerals whereas regular table salt has only 2. They also don’t go through an unhealthy refining process like regular table salt does.

Also try to stay away from fast food, as many items at these restaurants will put you over your daily allowance really quickly. A McDonald’s double cheeseburger with small fries, for example, contains 1,310 mg of sodium. If you’re trying to be healthy at a fast food restaurant, good luck. The mesquite chicken salad at Chili’s has 2,710 mg of sodium. That’s more than most adults should eat in an entire day.

You can limit your salt intake by eating less processed food, getting frozen or fresh veggies instead of canned, buying fresh meats, choosing low-sodium options of canned soups and snacks, and asking for unsalted entrees at restaurants.

Red Meat and Cancer: 6 Tips to Lower Your Risk






Avoid Processed Meat the Vast Majority of the Time


Eat Grass-Fed Organic Red Meat Options


Eat Your Vegetables!


Be Careful How You Cook Red Meat


Be A Healthy Vegetarian


Manage Your Health Holistically



USDA Awards Grants for Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Research










The Best Snack for Satisfying Cravings










Perks of Being a Carbohydrate

  • Carbohydrates are energy-providing nutrients.

  • The human body receives 4 calories per 1 gram of carbohydrates consumed.  Carbohydrates are separated into sugar, fiber and starch. Carbohydrates are also separated into groups based on the how high and how quickly blood glucose levels change after eating them. Side-note: The higher the Glycemic Index, the higher the rise in blood sugar and the longer it takes to return to normal.

  • For a healthy diet, it is best to focus on foods with a low Glycemic Index (e.g., whole grains, oats, and whole wheat pasta).  Foods with a high Glycemic Index have been linked to elevated risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Well here’s thing, contrary to popular belief, we need carbs! Not just for energy… but also because our brains function off of carbohydrates.


Cut out carbs huh? You cant, you need them! Well, unless your mantra is, vegetables all day every day! I am sure most of us are familiar with the main carb players: cereal, bread, and pasta, but also fruits, veggies, and even milk, candy, and sweets. The difference between whole foods and the packaged versions is “you get more of a nutritional bang with the whole versions”.


Example: A banana has about 1/2 gram of fiber and 60 calories, compared to a cup of berries has about 8 grams of fiber and only 65 calories. Essentially, both have the same amount of carbs per serving, meaning either is better than say, a loaf of bread, which offers noting in terms of vitamins, minerals, or fiber.  bloodstream.” It’s this steady sugar drip (compared to a skyrocketing surge) that can make — or break — what you see on the scale. “It’s the quick spike, followed by a crash, that causes you to reach for more sugar for an instant energy boost,” says Shapiro.

assortment of berriesExample B: Think about what happens when you down a pack of sour straws: “They give you fast energy because they are simple carbs”.  Well Simple carbs are bad carbs. Simple carbs = higher insulin levels, which causes you to store and keep fat more easily.

The bottom line: I know we wish there was a blanket statement that could tell us whether carbs are here for good or bad, sadly enough it’s a bit more complicated than that.  The perks of being a carbohydrate, cant live with them… cant live without them!