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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Does Vitamin D Really Help with Weight Loss?

Shalamar Sibley, MD at the University of Minnesota has done several studies on vitamin D deficiency with weight issues and obese individuals. She has stated that vitamin D deficiency is associated with obesity, but that it itsn't clear whether inadequate vitamin D causes obesity or the other way around.

Her study has indicated that taking vitamin D with a reduced caloric diet will lead to better weight loss.

We gain weight in the winter months due to the decreased level of vitamin D. That is mainly due to the lack of sunlight. Days are shorter and we spend more time inside where we don't get as much sunlight as we do in the spring and summer months. Our bodies get vitamin D from sunlight along with food.

Low levels of vitamin D affect our brain's production of the hormone leptin. Leptin plays a vital role in controlling appetite and metabolism. With low levels of vitamin D in our bodies the leptin levels also decrease, thus causing an increase in our appetite and a change in our metabolism.

Before we start giving ourselves vitamin D therapy, we need to see our health care provider. We see vitamin D on all the milk cartons, thus we think that it's a necessary vitamin to have. It is, but if we start taking large doses of vitamin D without having our blood tested and our health care provider determining the amount of vitamin D we need to be taking, we are running the chance of vitamin D toxicity.

Dr. Sibley has stated that if we have too much vitamin D, into the toxic level, that the damage is irreversible. We certainly don't want that.

There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when we increase the amount of vitamin D we take. The amount of calcium and magnesium we take is important. The amount and types of fats with consume are also important. Our diet and consumption of vitamin D in various foods we eat are also important. With all of these things being important factors into the amount of vitamin D we consume and how much more we should add to our bodies is the prime reason we need to let our health care providers test our blood and tell us whether we even need any additional vitamin D or not. If we need more vitamin D, then our health care providers can tell us the amount he or she wants us to have.

The test to determine whether you have a vitamin D deficiency is simple. Dr. Sebley's study has indicated that if you don't have a deficiency and take more vitamin D than you need, that it won't help you lose more weight. Don't put your health in danger by taking more vitamin D than you need. Make an appointment with your health care provider, have blood work done and follower his or her advise if you feel you have a vitamin D deficiency.

2:55 pm

Sunday, May 2, 2010

How to Create Low Glycemic Index Recipes - More Choices Than You Think

The glycemic index is a valuable health and nutrition tool that can be used in a wide-variety of ways. The GI can be used to help one make smarter choices while eating out or even when dining in. For those who are looking to keep their blood sugar levels from spiking, using the index is an absolute must. When eating at home, low glycemic index recipes are a surefire way to make sure that you will avoid the dangers and highs and lows of spiking blood sugar levels. Fortunately, this is quick and simple. In fact, even if you don't cook, you can incorporate more low GI foods into your diet.

Low Glycemic Index Recipes by Way of Soups and Salads

Even if you don't know your way around the kitchen, you can always make a salad. Salads are loaded down with healthy and nutritious greens that your body is craving. After eating them for just a few days, you will start to wonder why you haven't been eating more of these vitamin packed wonders.

Just as salads take full advantage of the GI, the same can be said of soups. There are many soup recipes that are also low glycemic index recipes. Soups are an easy and potentially tasty, way to bring additional low GI foods into your every day food experience. Soups rich in beans and vegetables are a way to significantly increase the amount of food that you eat that is low on the GI. Consider adding ample amounts of spices, such as red pepper, sage and other nutrient rich spices to increase both the favor of your meal and its nutritional value.

Cookbooks are obviously the place to go when looking for low glycemic index recipes, but some cookbooks will be much better than others. Vegetarian and vegan cookbooks are more likely to have good low GI recipes than most other cookbooks. In particular, vegan cookbooks, due to the fact that so much of a vegan diet

revolves around fruits, vegetables and nuts, are a fantastic idea for anyone seeking low glycemic index recipes.

The Power of Cookbooks

Vegetarian and vegan cookbooks often are loaded with recipes that use good, healthy fats. These are the fats you will find in coconuts, avocados and nuts. By properly utilizing these healthy fats you will be able to keep many of your food cravings as bay and have a nutritious and healthy meal at the same time. When looking for low glycemic index recipes, take full advantage of what these cookbooks have to offer.

Soups and salads are just two of the many ways that one can eat more food, which is low on the index. Vegan and vegetarian cookbooks are full of low GI recipes that will truly help anyone who is looking to avoid high GI foods. With a little time, patience and research, it is definitely possible to eat a diet richer in low GI foods. Low glycemic index recipes are out there... and there are recipes for all tastes and all types of dieters!

6:07 pm

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