Diet & Nutrition

Research Study: Can Drinking Tea Help Prevent Heart Disease?

February 1, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Jump Start Your Healthy Lifestyle With a Cup of Tea Researchers in China have concluded a long-term study[1] to determine if drinking tea is beneficial for preventing heart disease. Previous studies had fallen short of providing any conclusive evidence. Using data analysis, they were able to determine that there are certain health benefits to drinking tea. Two of those benefits include a reduction in heart attack and stroke. What the researchers set out to accomplish Over 100,000 Chinese adults participated in the collaborative study. The researchers gathered health history and hospital records from 15 provinces dating back to 1998. Questionnaires regarding the participants’ use and frequency of their tea consumption were also studied. They wanted to find out what effect [Read more …]

Picture of Sardinia, Italy - one of the studied "Blue zones"

What is a Blue Zone Diet?

October 28, 2021 Tim Comments Off

A Danish Twins study on longevity recently completed revealed that genetics only plays a ten percent role in the length and quality of your life–the other 90 percent has to do with diet and lifestyle choices. With findings like this, it is evident that if you find the right diet for your body, you can significantly improve both your health and your longevity. We are constantly bombarded with the latest crazes, fads, and diets that promise to banish bloat and melt belly fat forever, yet many of us are still overweight, tired, and sick; with all of the supposed knowledge and expertise that we have at our fingertips, why are we not seeing results as promised? It seems that simple [Read more …]

A low carbohydrate diet could increase energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance

Study Shows Low Carb Diets Increase Calorie Burn

January 26, 2019 Tim Comments Off

A new study published in the medical journal The BMJ shows that low carbohydrate diets cause people to burn more calories as compared to medium and high carb diets.[1] The study showed that those who eat low carb diets may burn an extra 230 or more calories per day. The purpose of this study was to test the Carbohydrate-Insulin Model. This model theorizes that the increase of the hormone insulin after eating carbohydrates predisposes the body to store body fat rather than using the nutrients for energy. Many foods high in carbohydrates such as simple sugars are known to greatly increase insulin levels. The impact these foods have on insulin can be estimated using the glycemic index and glycemic loads. [Read more …]

Is the Mediterranean Diet Good for Longevity?

September 29, 2018 Tim Comments Off

If you are searching for a nutrient-dense diet that may make you feel invigorated and help you live a long, healthy life, consider the Mediterranean Diet. Studies show compelling evidence that this diet can increase lifespan. But first, let’s review what the Mediterranean Diet is. What is the Mediterranean Diet? Many people have heard of the Mediterranean Diet. Like its name suggests, the premise bases meals on the types of foods traditionally found and eaten in sixteen Mediterranean countries. Picture the growing climate of areas like Spain, Greece and Italy, and you will have a general idea of what may comprise typical diets. The Mediterranean region features rich in plants and olive oil. Carbohydrate sources are whole grains, fruits and [Read more …]

Salmon with Riced Cauliflower and Vegetable Salad at table with hot Tea and castelvetrano olives. This meal is both Whole30 diet and Paleo approved.

Whole30 Diet – Elimination Diet for Improved Health

September 9, 2018 Tim Comments Off

The Whole30 Diet is an elimination diet – you eliminate categories of food that are known to be problematic to health for many individuals. This allows you to find out which of these food categories don’t work for you. Let’s talk more about the Whole30 diet – and let’s contrast with the Paleo diet. The two share a lot of similarities. What is the Whole30 Diet? The Whole30 diet is a challenging elimination diet that is meant to make us rethink food, discover our intolerances and allergies, and to develop better eating habits that remain once the program completes. It promotes and works around whole foods from multiple food groups, except grains. It is not a fad diet or a [Read more …]

Mediterranean Diet Has Longevity Benefits For the Elderly

September 9, 2018 Tim Comments Off

A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition recently shows that the Mediterranean Diet can improve longevity and health even when adopted late in life.[1] The Mediterranean Diet is a diet inspired by the eating habits of people living in the Mediterranean – which includes Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain. The principal aspects of this diet include high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables, high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate wine consumption, and low consumption of non-fish meat products, such as beef. The study shows that: “… closer adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was associated with prolonged survival in elderly individuals, suggesting the appropriateness for older [Read more …]

How To Use If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) for Weight Loss

September 9, 2018 Tim Comments Off

Losing weight can seem like a roller coaster of emotions and struggles clouded by a haze of confusion. That is until you start using something like if it fits your macros, also known as IIFYM. This is a type of flexible dieting, and this article will go over what this type of lifestyle means and how you can use it to your advantage in order to lose weight and eat healthier. Sticking to a restrictive diet (along with a calorie deficit) can be a challenge, and flexible dieting is supposed to make things easier. What are Macronutrients? Calories in food The number of calories present in 1 gram of: Fat: 9 calories Protein: 4 calories Carbohydrates: 4 calories Macronutrients are [Read more …]

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

July 8, 2018 Tim Comments Off

Intermittent Fasting: An Overview of the Benefits If you are wanting to lose weight, maintain your weight or simply want to improve your overall health, you might want to try intermittent fasting, or IF. This approach to eating uses an intermittent schedule so that you might enjoy several research-backed health benefits. There are several different types of IF, allowing you to choose the method that fits you and your lifestyle the best. What is intermittent fasting? People who do IF fast intermittently during the week. It is more akin to an eating schedule than a diet. Some people combine IF with other diets such as low-carb/high-fat or low-calorie diets. Others simply eat normally during part of the week while eating [Read more …]

Paleo Quick Start Guide – 6 Easy Steps to Start Eating Paleo Today

August 6, 2018 Tim Comments Off

The Paleo diet isn’t really meant to be a temporary weight loss regimen. It’s a lifestyle. This nutritional strategy claims to leverage our body’s evolutionary eating adaptations for maximum health. Maybe you want to reap the benefits of this healthy style of eating but don’t know where to start. We’ll give you a quick start guide here. For a full run-down on the philosophy behind the Paleo diet and the benefits, read our article The Paleo Diet – Is It Right For You? Consider this the cliff notes version to get started quickly. Contents Step 1 – Understand food eliminations Step 2 – Clean out the fridge and pantry Step 3 – Load up on what you can eat Paleo [Read more …]

Tips and Tricks for Getting Into Ketosis

January 29, 2019 Tim Comments Off

Have you decided to give the ketogenic diet a try? Perhaps you want to reap the benefits of this low-carb, low-insulin diet of healthy eating habits, but are concerned about the challenges ahead. Here are some tips and tricks you’ll want to use. In this article, we’re going to recommend products and services that will help. We do receive affiliate compensation for recommending these services. These products are proven and best in class – that’s why we recommend them. You will find helpful, quality products and services – and not magic pills, fake shortcuts, and such. The ketogenic diet (or keto) is a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet that forces your body to burn fat for energy – instead of carbohydrates. [Read more …]