Liver Detox, Dieting and Weight Loss

Healthy looking liver

Toxins are broken down by the liver for elimination from the body. Every drug, toxic chemical, pesticide or hormone is metabolized by the enzymes pathways inside the liver cells.

Fat-soluble toxins are attracted to fat cells in which they can be stored for years or a lifetime. These toxins can be released when you exercise, stress or start fasting as the fat cells are broken down. This can be accompanied by headaches, stomach pain, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and heart palpitations. Fatty liver disease, also known as NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), is on the rise and often accompanys persons overweight.

Today, nearly 100 million Americans have a NASH liver, the most common form of liver disease, many not knowing it.  Nearly one third of children (over age 5) and teens are overweight in the USA and could develop fatty liver disease. Many will need a liver transplant by their 30s or 40s. In Canada, childhood obesity and fatty liver disease are also on the rise.  Diets that are rich in unsaturated fats, cholesterol, and sugars (fructose and sucrose) and low in vitamins C and E  are known to cause NASH.

Three ways to lose weight

How many times have you tried to lose weight or know someone who did, only to put the weight back on and in some cases even more than they lost?  There is an old saying about repeating the same procedure and expecting different results.  Repeating what you did that got you overweight will only put you back or worse than you started.

You have to make a decision about not only what you eat, but also how you eat.  There are three paths to eating from which you must chose.

1. Continue eating in the manner that created the overweight and/or poor health in the first place.
2. Eat foods and amounts of foods that maintain a weight target and your health.
3. Eat foods and amounts of foods that reduce your weight and/or provide a path to better health.

Master Cleanse Diet and weight loss

You may have heard about the Master Cleanse. It can be part of a weight management plan. The Master Cleanse program is a modified juice fast that permits no food. This is also called  "The Maple Syrup Diet", "The Lemonade Diet" and "The Cayenne Pepper Diet" by some.  The typical length is 10 days.


There are three phases in the Master Cleanse.  They are: the Lemonade Diet, the Salt Water Flush and Coming Off.
 There are three steps in the Lemonade Diet phase regimen: each morning one drinks a 8 oz of a lemon flavored solution or a cup of herbal laxative tea; this is followed by six to twelve lemonade drinks during the day; and finally a cup of herbal laxative tea in the evening. Diabetics should consult their doctor before trying.

Here is the basic lemonade recipe. Makes 1 liter:

• 3 oz. Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
• 3 oz. Grade B Maple Syrup (the darker the better)
• Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (1/10 tsp)
• Filtered or spring water to bring batch to one litre

Drink 3 of these 1 Liter mixtures per day, as recommended. You can drink more, but should not drink less.  Take a sip every 15 minutes, or more often as desired throughout the day. This ensures your blood sugar stays stable and you don’t experience hunger pains.

Weighing yourself

When and how often should you weigh yourself and under what conditions? In order to track, manage and gauge our success in weight loss we must weigh ourselves.

First we to decide on a few things to maximize and be consistent in our results.

1. How often will we weigh?
2. What will you be wearing when you weigh?
3. What time and day will you weigh?
4. Will you keep a log or journal?
5. Under what circumstances will you weigh?

Since body weights can vary during the week, once a week keeps things fair and easy to do.  Some people like to be naked when they weigh.  Regardless, wear or not wear the same type of clothing each time you weigh.  Morning is usually the best time to weigh. Always weigh in on the same day of the week.  This makes a routine that is easier to follow and makes charting better also. Our bodies are great store houses.  Try to weigh yourself after having a kidney and bowel movement.  The result will be your normal body weight and will prevent you from making excuses about the weight shown.

Any good scale will be fine.  The newer digitals makes read the weight easy. Always make sure the scale is on firm flooring, no carpet.  Try to stand in the same spot on the scale with both feet on the scale.  If it's electronic, allow time for the scale to set or zero out before stepping on.  Weigh your self three times.  This prevents a false weight reading.

Keep a log.  I use a wall chart in my bathroom.  I list the weight and how much I have gained or lost from the last reading.  I also list the date and every two weeks my BMI. The chart gives motivation to say on track.

Diabetes food managment

Have you seen or read the Diabetes guidelines most often published?  If so, you have read that most are recommending a high carbohydrate and low fat diet for Diabetics.  This is not in your best interest.

Breads contain starches.  There are also starchy vegetables such as potatoes. Starch is sugars held together by a chemical bond and as soon as it touches your tongue they start to separate and flood your blood stream with sugars.  The better approach is just the opposite.  High fat and no carbohydrates, or as low as you can go.  This was the traditional way diabetes was treated before about 1935 and the advent of injectable Insulin.  By the 1940's insulin use was on the raise and low carbohydrate diets were falling out of favor. Starchy carbohydrates should not exceed 30% of your diet, 10% or less would be ideal. Results could be dramatic with full or partial reversals in a few months or weeks.

There are several points in the dramatic rise of Diabetes in America, they are as follows:

1. 1940 - The American Diabetes Association is formed.
2. 1966 - The first mass produced french fries are sold.
3. 1984 - Soda manufacturers start using High Fructose Corn Syrup.
4. 1992 - The USDA places bread and grains at the base of the food pyramid.
5. 1995 - Metformin is approved for use in the USA.

Causes of diabetes

Use your head and check out the research.  If you are eating table sugar or eating a compound that is primarily sugars, guess what?  Your blood sugar levels will spike.

You might be curious about what is causing or what happened to create the upward trend represented by the charts.  The charts show the same progression of two events in the American diet.  The steady rise in the number of calories Americans consume and the increasing number of overweight or obese Americans. Studies in 2008 indicate that 72% of men and 67% of women are overweight or obese in America.  This resulted in the USDA issuing out new guidelines RDA's and diet in 2010 (released in June 2011, bet you missed it). What you might miss reading is the footnotes. The recommended amounts are from various studies done as far back as 1997.  Only a small portion of nutrients are reviewed and adjusted each 5 years or as the government puts it "if necessary."

There has also been an explosion of sugar in our diets in all types of foods and beverages. In fact, between 1987 and 1997, consumption of "added sugar" in the United States grew 20%. This trend is also being seen in the developing world, according to WHO (World Health Organization).


That's one reason both the United Nations and the World Health Organization released guidelines in 2003 that say sugar should account for no more than 10% of daily calories. In a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that's just 200 calories -- or eight heaping teaspoons of table sugar at 25 calories each. A single can of regular soda, with the equivalent of 10 teaspoons, would put you over their recommendation. 


What are chances of getting sick?  Let's see . . . for 2008-2010 . . ..

1. 37 percent of the population—have cardiovascular disease
2. 74.5 million Americans—34 percent of U.S. adults—have hypertension
3. Nearly 24 million people—almost 11 percent of the population—20 years and older have diabetes
4. Almost one in two men and women—approximately 41 percent of the population—will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime
5. One out of every two women and one in four men ages 50 years and older will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime

Do yourself a favor and do some old school research, eat less, change your diet and if needed lose some weight.

Daily Water Requirement

How Much Water do You Need
How much water should you drink each day? What is the daily hydration requirement for an adult? How many glasses of water are needed to be healthy?  We all have asked one form or another of these questions.  How much water does our body need?  There is no one answer for everyone.  Location such as a hot climate, age, weight, activity, and the types of food you eat and drink all influence the answer. Studies indicate that daily water turnover is 3.3 liters for sedentary men and 4.5 liters for active men. For more active adults, particularly those living in a warm environment, daily water need can increase to about 6 liters.


Water Studies and WWII
In 1945, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council had advised: "A suitable allowance of water for adults is 2.5 liters daily in most instances. An ordinary standard for diverse persons is 1 milliliter for each calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods." It could be that the last sentence may not have been heeded, and the recommendation was therefore interpreted as eight glasses of water to be drunk each day. (1 glass/cup - approx. 8 ounces = 240ml; therefore 8 glasses = approx. 1920ml).


This is believed to be the source of the misinformation that you should drink 6-8 glasses a day, it ignored the advise that the requirement should be calculated with caloric intake.

The World Health Organization states that "the 'absolute minimum' quantity of water to sustain hydration remains elusive, as this is dependent on climate, activity level and diet".  WHO recommendations for daily requirements of drinking water are men 2.9 liters and for women 2.2 liters.


The advice from the British Dietetic Association is: "In a moderate climate like ours, most of us need around 6-8 glasses of fluid a day; for example, water, milk, fruit juice, tea or coffee, to keep the balance right. However, if we have sweated a lot, because it's hot or we've been exercising, our requirements increase; a good guide is to have an extra one liter of water for every hour of strenuous exercise."


Water Loss
Water is lost from the body as urine, in feces and by evaporation from the skin and lungs (the latter two make up what is called "insensible water loss"). More water is lost from the skin and lungs in high temperatures, at high altitude and when the air is dry. Even in the absence of visible perspiration, approximately half of water loss occurs through the lungs and skin. Water loss through the skin is usually about 800-1000ml per day. In a hot climate, water loss of 500ml per hour is not unusual, but sweating rates can be as high as 2500ml per hour. Expired air is saturated with water vapor and the average water loss from this source is about 300ml per day - this figure may increase if the air is very dry, or during hyperventilation. Urine output can range from 1-2 litres per day, but can be more when large volumes of fluid are consumed. Varying urine output is the main method by which the body regulates net water balance in response to a wide range of fluid intakes and losses.


Daily Water Needed Requirements
So does this lead to an answer?  Yes.  For a general temperate climate for a normally active healthy person (no exercise) in the age range of 19-50 you need an approx amount of fluid around 2600ml or 2.6 Liters.  Assuming 1100ml comes from your food and your body will further metabolize another 250ml from the nutrients and materials, you need app. 1.25 liters (1250ml) a day in the form of drinks.  If you are outside of these ranges (in hot climate or doing more work and/or exercise you need generally another 1-3 liters).


If you are juicing all your foods, your answer is the easiest to calculate.  Measure the amount of your daily juices and then supplement water or beverages until your total liquids equals a minimum of 2.5 liters (2500ml) and then allow a reasonable additional amount (0-3 liters) based upon your level of activity, exercise or climate.  1 cup (8oz.) is equal to 240ml.  

Since water is vital to many functions in the body, including maintaining cell structure, forming a solvent within which chemical reactions in the body can take place, physically transporting other nutrients and oxygen through the body via the bloodstream, transporting white blood cells to fight infection via the lymphatic system, and enabling the body to get rid of waste products via the excretory systems, such as through the formation of urine, I would recommend the overall daily minimum at 3.5 liters.  This would mean that you would consume about 12 cups (96oz. or 2.8 liters) of additional water/fluids as a minimum.

Weight control will power

Elbert Hubbard, an American writer wrote:

‘Self discipline is the ability to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.’

To reap the health benefits on any weight adventure it must be built on self discipline. What ever your reason is or was to control your weight, or by what ever method you chose to obtain your goal, may this simple quote help motivate you. 

Juicing for a better you

Maybe you watched a video or read a book or even know someone who is juicing now.  You might be thinking about doing vegetable and fruit juicing for your health and/or to loss weight.   Some people use juice as a detox diet for their bodies.  Regardless of your reason here is some information on starting juicing that can help you.  Whether or not you use organic vegetables and fruits is up to you.  Wash the vegetables and fruits before use.

Get started with Green Vegetable Juices

Green is THE drink for most persons juicing for health but drank also for other reasons. Some like it and some don't, it's your call. If you have never tasted green juices before you might find them a bit earthy or bitter. Try adding an apple, a few seedless grapes or other fruit. Start off by using the milder tasting green leaves like Red leaf lettuce, Green Leaf lettuce, Romaine lettuce, Lamb’s quarters or Escarole. You can use celery and cucumber too. Try adding watercress or arugula to give it a bit of pep. If you like the spicy life, adding any pepper will do, but remove the seeds and membranes before juicing or they can be overpowering.

Then experiment with green cabbage leaves, Chinese cabbage, Bok choy, spinach, parsley or cilantro. Those videos with people doing full bunches are hard core, try much smaller amounts to start. Add bitter leaves like collard greens, kale, mustard and turnip greens when you get used to the taste. Pep the vegetable juices up even more with fresh ginger (1/4"), garlic (1 clove), a radish (trimmed and peeled) or add a teaspoon or more of your favorite green food.  

Carrots

Your going to see lots of carrots in juice recipes.  This is not only because everyone agrees that they are good for you but also they produce a lot of juice for a little money and universally taste good juiced.  Trim ends before using. There is a dark side. Sugar and carbohydrates have to be watched if your a diabetic or if you count carbs.  These babies can pile them on.

Those other vegetables and fruits

Some of the fruits and vegetables that can be juiced: zucchinis, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, beetroot, parsnips, cucumbers, lettuces, garlic, parsley, ginger, cilantro, greens, melons, spinach, cabbage, endive, kale, watercress, bok choi, carrots, tomatoes, brussel sprouts, radishes, oranges, apples, pears, pineapples and most fruits.

Think about how much you are consuming in a day.  It would be rare for someone to consume 6+ apples a day or 4 pounds of carrots.  A variety of vegetables and fruits in a day is a better approach.

The juicing machine

There are various types and brands of juicers.  There are videos on YouTube and multiple websites all hawking one or the other.  Expect to see prices from around $40 to $400 for a new one.  You can learn about them on the web.  Check Ebay, your second hand store or ask if any of your friends has one you can borrow to save some money and still be able to try juicing. 

Face it, they all have ads or fans saying their brand is the best or gives the most or best juice.  You don't need to go there until you have used one, heard it run, or cleaned the thing. Check the warranty time frame.

Tip:  Use discarded shopping bags and produce bags as a juice pulp container liner, making cleanup much nicer.  Use a kitchen sprayer to rinse the parts first and after each use.  Always clean the centrifuge basket or worm gear after each use or the materials will harden on the parts and become a bitch to get off.  Wash at the end of each day the parts in the dishwasher or well by hand, this saves a lot of time and adds some convenience.

Use a jar lid or small saucer as a drip catcher for your juicer. Juice carrots and fruits that make a lot of juice AFTER the items that make little juice to help was the pulp out.  If your juicing a lot of items (by weight) clean out the machine midway to reduce motor burn out or a clogged basket.

Canned or bottled juices

There are many that yell they are all bad and have "dead" juice in them.  Maybe. You can use them to fill in between your "meals" and to curb the hunger pains.  Check the ingredients and nutrition label.  If not mostly juice (65% or more) pass.  Heavy sugar drinks or heavy fruit drinks will be detrimental and hard to give up later.  

For me, I chose commercially canned tomato juice.  Easy to find, low priced, basically good for me and a drink I don't mind drinking but not something I will over consume. If I am rushed, weak or lazy this fills in and helps keep me on track and from cheating.  Taste varies by maker and so does the can size.  Try to find a "stand by" drink for yourself or bottle some of your own homemade juice.  Homemade juice goes off flavor in a day, so consume in the same day juiced.

Top Diet, Health and Fitness Apps for phones and home

Losing weight and staying fit gets tougher these days, we are bombed with food ads, our daily lives get us out of the sunlight and excersise time keeps getting squeezed. . Counting calories is only a part of maintaining a diet. challenge. Managing your diet and caloric intake and knowing your nutrional intake is more important, you need to know your eating habits, what you eat and you must be able to track it.  Goals are just as important to chart a course of action.

Smartphone apps and computer/web applications are the answer

The number of nutrition and diet related apps available for phones, tablets and compters is mind boggling. Not all apps and programs track the same things. Some components will be more important to you and less to others, so there is no "one size fits all."  Here's my list of good points.  The ability to:

• input your vital statistics
• record/track food intake
• track overall progress
• define goals
• motivation, food/excersise thoughts or other pointer suggestions
• track nutrients
• track and/or suggest excersise with calorie burned information
• food label scanning
• use intergrated social networking
• backup data and/or upload to a server
• enter in custom foods
• enter in supplements or medicines taken
• see your BWI and resting metabolic rate
• reports, charts and graphs
• the ability to print out records for you or health care provider

Where's my list of some of the best apps for healthy living for someone that's interested in diet, nutrition, exercise, bodybuilding/weight lifting. (in no order)

1. Myfitnesspal
2. Jefit
3. Calorie Counter
4. Noom Weight Loss Coach
5. Cardiotrainer
6. Diet and food tracker
7. Fitday (web app)
8. Diet Power 4.4 (desktop)

Best of all . . They are all FREE.

Eliminating fattening foods from meals

I've been working on checking the labels on foods and getting ideas for food to select for the plan.  One thing I must decide like us all, is what do you do with all the fattening foods I have now and love.

Do you trash them?  Eat them as a way of saying goodbye and fond memories? Hope that someone else in the house will eat them and pretend that they are not there?

Clearing out that fridge and the freezer is another mine field. Do I really WANT to stop eating all this? That answer is no. What I want is to better use the foods I have and use them to my advantage.

Diet Plans, do they work?

Well, I have tried a few guru weight loss plans in my day.  Do they help you lose weight? Sure, but then so does a broken jaw.  Now I admit that some of the meals I had were down right tasty.  Some plans were not too pricey either. Still, others were socially acceptable and not thought of badly. If all that was true, then why am I still overweight and am not on them?

For me, the answer revolves around several key points.

Vitamins and minerals Optimum list

The average American diet is simply not as healthy as it should be.  By following four keys to good health – an optimal diet, a vitamin/mineral supplementation, avoidance of ingestion or absorption of chemicals and a reasonable level of exercise – we can unlock the door to a more energetic, enjoyable and healthy life.


Food and  nutrition
We live in an age where much of the nutritional value of our food is lost, due to transporting, processing, and preparing conditions. Foods grown today are not as mineral rich as they once were due to over farmed soil. In addition, chemicals, additives and preservatives impact the wholesomeness of the foods we consume. Did you know that High Fructose Corn Syrup interferes with the absorption of copper (Turnlund, 1999)? By including in our diet a good quality vitamin/mineral supplement and by improving the quality and kinds of foods we eat, we can remedy this condition.   

Today, if optimal health is one of our goals, even if we follow an optimal diet, a high quality vitamin-mineral supplement is no longer an option. It is an essential addition to our meals. Moderate exercise whether it be of choice or by physical exertion can address the sedentary modern life.  The reduction of weight into a more manageable zone reduces stress on our bodies and prolongs our lives.


After scouring various books, scientific studies, various nations RDA's and RDI's (Recommended Daily Amounts and Recommended Dietary Intake), medical doctor recommendations, and other health related sources, I have compiled the following daily nutrient table as to the best balance of all (In my opinion).