Our friendships can have quite an influence on how we live our lives. There’s a tangible link between the way we behave and the men and women we have friendships with. And yet we’re likely to have presumed this commonality concerned our likes and dislikes – for example we enjoy the same musical tastes as our friends, or hold similar political views.

However, it now seems that we also have weight challenges in common with those we associate with and with the friends we spend time. The amount we eat is closely related to how much our best friends eat. An interesting study looking at how young people eat found that over-sized children eat more when in the company of other over-sized friends.

Everyone in the group actually devoured more when they were in the company of friends, regardless of their size. But pairing up overweight friends led to the biggest consumption of all. The study was undertaken by researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo. It highlighted the role friends play in influencing how much youngsters eat.

Frankly, having more relaxed habits when with friends is not a big surprise. Adults would no doubt have demonstrated the same characteristics. It’s possible however that in addition, we assume friends will give their consent. We’re inclined to unconsciously monitor our behavior in relation to their reaction to it.

Young people of all sizes were studied for forty five minutes. A number were teamed up with strangers, and a number with friends. Each pair had a mix of healthy and snack-type food, and entertainment.

12 Week WonderSlim Weight Loss Kit

The familiar couples put away more food than the unfamiliar ones. But overweight friends ate the most of all. Below is an illustration of what was consumed.

An average of seven hundred and thirty eight calories was eaten by overweight teens who paired with a friend. But the overweight youngsters with slimmer friends ate nearly three hundred calories less. The slimmer ones ate a fairly stable five hundred calories whatever the size of their friends. This ties in with the commonly held view that in early teens many kids’ decisions to smoke or drink alcohol are strongly influenced by what their friends do.

A child’s social network then is significant in determining their eating habits. What this means is kids can be influenced to eat less as well as more. Hence the necessity to educate the young.

(C) Scott Edwards. Try WeightLossDietWar.com for intelligent ideas on slimming food and weight management food.

Winter weight gain is a common complaint of many people. It seems that every winter we add a few pounds, and come summer we don’t lose them all again either. A few of them always stick around, making us a little heavier every year. They seem to be very hard to lose extra pounds! Why does this happen and what can we do?

There are many contributing factors. First, it seems likely that we have a genetic disposition to store more fat as winter approaches. Many animals do this and it was probably vital to survival for our ancestors. Extra layers of fat on the body protect us against the cold and then can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. We probably have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is plentiful after harvest time, to help this process along. We may also unconsciously choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.

Hormone levels can also influence our weight gain. The interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain can bring about variations in appetite and cravings. Some neurotransmitters can also influence the way we eat. People who are overweight often have low levels of these neurotransmitters and the results can include excessive appetite, depression and sleep disorders. At the same time, the lack of daylight caused by the shortening days during late fall and winter can bring on seasonally affected disorder or winter depression. One of the quickest ways to give a boost to the energy levels and emotions is to eat high carbohydrate foods including sugar treats, chips and cereals that give us a fast blood sugar ‘fix’. So people who feel low in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

So altogether there are many reasons why we eat more high carbohydrate foods such as cookies, pies and chocolate in the winter, and of course most of these foods also contain high levels of fats. The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrate so that we get what our body craves, but which have low fat content and plenty of fiber. This means potatoes, wholegrain bread without butter, wholegrain rice, cereals, and fresh whole fruit.

It is also important to take more exercise. Often our physical activity levels drop in the winter and we have a tendency to want to stay home and rest. This is natural when it is cold outside. But we are not cavemen! We have heating in our homes and can be sure that there will still be plenty of food in the stores come February. We do not need to stow fat the way that they did. Sign up with a gym or get a stationary bicycle for the den. Transform those carbs into energy now instead of keeping it on the waistline until spring. Winter weight gain is easily avoidable this way.

TAGS: winter weight gain, healthy weight loss, energy foods, losing weight without pain, no weight gain.

What is AFA and why is everyone talking about how powerful this edible food is for preventing and coping with diseases and illnesses. Today there is much talk about swine flu vaccines to prevent the swine flu but it has yet to be tested for long term effects. Swine flu is a virus that can easily be prevented with the right food and supplements.

E3 Live comes from the prestine waters of Klamuth Lake in Oregon which consists of 100 percent Aphanizomenon Flos-aquae or AFA is the main ingredient in a frozen liquid but powerful form of a very special organic super food.

THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT DISEASE-IS TO BUILD YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM:

1) By building your own body’s defense mechanism-you prevent diseases.
2) By taking foods that help your body to repel viruses is the best medicine.

E3 Live contains AFA which is the highest nutritional strain of blue green algae that has 64 balanced vitamins, minerals, aminos, essential fatty acids and is the most powerful antioxidant on earth. It is the perfect food rich in all that your body needs for optimum health.

What does E3 Live Do for You

E3Live is not only an immune builder but it kills germs, bacteria and viruses in your body. No other food does this and by using the AFA natural killer cell activity about 1 billion NK cells enter the blood stream to do their work.

Promoting your attention span and improve brain function is another benefit of E3Live will helping you concentrate on your daily activities. Today we all suffer from “brain burn out” where stress actually harms brain cells. This food actually improves the brain’s ability in memory and mood enhancements.

Other benefits of E3 Live is that it supports your heart and cardiovascular system for a healthy circulatory system. AFA also relieves joint and the inflammation caused by

The Ingredients in E3 Live- All Organic Food

E3 Live contains sixty percent protein and all the B vitamins including high quality of B12, the essential Omega 3 and Omega 6 the very powerful digestive enzymes. E3 Live has definite anti-aging properties that provides nutrients for skin, hair and eyes in combating the aging process.

E3 Live contains: chlorophyll in greater quantity than wheatgrass, amino acids, antioxidants, phycocoyanin which protects against toxic overloads in the body. E3 Live also contains vital minerals, vitamins, enzymes and essential fatty acids than any other food on earth.
If you want to promote a healthy weight loss program, which increases energy, delays aging, strengthens your body and provides the efficient operation of your body E3 Live is the only food to take daily. The most ancient food on earth is a worldwide adult stem cell enhancer on earth that nourishes your immune system on the cellular level.

E3Live is not only for humans but animals as well and it is a versatile food that even your pets can enjoy in a healthy diet.

Scientific Research on E3Live

Boosts the immune system — helps NK cells seek and kill germs and viruses. No other food, drug or substance is known to produce such dramatically positive effects on natural killer cell activity as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). In one study, two hours after eating 1.6 grams of AFA, an average of 40% (1 billion) of the immune system’s natural killer cells migrated from the bloodstream into the tissues to do their work.
1998, Jensen et al, IBC Library Series, Vol. 1911, Chapter 3.1

Promotes attention and improves concentration
1997, Jarrat, C., et al, The Center for Family Wellness, Harvard, MA.

Supports cardiovascular health
1999, Kushak, R., et al, American Chemical Society

Promotes memory
1985, Cousens, Orthomedicine, Vol. 8, pages 1-

For more information and orders see: E3Live for Health the only SuperFood you need all year round fresh to your door.

TAGS: Blue Green Algae, E3Live, cardiovascular health, E3 Live for Health, Super Foods, American Chemical Society, super healthy diets, weight loss with super foods, AFA, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, ancient food, blue green food, food chain.

Type type II Diabetes is an epidemic in North America due to many lifestyle factors and unhealthy foods habits.

Today we are all rushing with very little time to meal plan Diabetes happens when the pancreas does not manufacture enough insulin. If you are overweight you are more likely to become diabetic and possibly it can become life threatening.  Symptoms to look out for are: fatigue, blurred vision, loss in weight, hunger, frequent urination, thirst, and infections.

Diabetes II is a sugar related disease for which there are prevention techniques such as:

Causes of Sugar Imbalances in diabetes

Diabetes Prevention Tips:

1) Lowering sugar sources: cakes, cookies, sugar in coffee or tea, sweets.
2) Eating more meals during the day, and snacks to balance blood sugar.
3) Keeping body fat in check through exercises and walking.
4) Eating more of the foods that have low glycemic factors.
5) Drinking more purified water
6) Eating foods that are low in fat, and more raw vegetables and fruits.
Eat More Meals Each Day:

Spreading out the food intake makes your blood sugar more stable without the high spikes and resulting lows.  Eating 3 or 4 meals a day spread out and 2 snacks to keep the blood sugar at an even level will help avoid diabetes.

Exercise:

Exercise is a Good Prevention to Diabetes

Walking at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night will help you burn those extra calories and help you to sleep better in the evenings.
A bicycle is an easy way to get some exercise or taking up some sport activity like tennis or squash at the gym.

Eat Steel Cut Oatmeal Each Day:

Oatmeal is a wonderful way to keep diabetes in check and whole grain breads – no white bread. The glycemic or sugar content levels in white bread works against diabetes prevention. But slow cooked oatmeal is a low glycemic carbohydrate that is perfect for diabetes prevention. Just consumption of steel cut oatmeal twice a day will keep insulin levels stable for one month afterwards, so pay it forward and keep eating at least one full bowl twice per week.  By using ¼ cup boiled as per the directions is all you need to help avoid diabetes, which is not asking too much.

Drink Lots of Water:

Fill up a gallon jug of water each day and drink all of it during the day to keep lean and flush out fat as you are losing weight. Water always is a the best during a diet plan or just a healthy habit to avoid diabetes.

If these diabetes prevention symptoms are ignored and people and old diet habits continues severe insulin can occur and diabetes II will set in with very damaging effects.

If you know someone who is pre-diabetic or who’s diet is not the best- please take a copy of this article and give it to them- you could save a life. This healthy diet plan will reduce your chances of getting diabetes II in your lifetime.

Eat Vegetables every Day

TAGS: Diabetes Prevention Diet, steel cut oatmeal, avoid diabetes, diabetes prevention diet, diabetes II, diabetes prevention, diabetes prevention tips, super healthy diets, healthy diets, healthy diet plans.

The Latino Diet or Latin American diet is a tradition of corn and beans as the basis for all meals which has been the tradition.  Dating back to the Incas and Aztecs and when Columbus came to the continent corn was a mainstay of the Latin diet.

Today the Latin diet plan has changed and evolved to include more plant based foods at every meal with less emphasis on meat, eggs, and sweets. Different varieties of this diet exists in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands. The Latin diet pyramid illustrates the new personalized diet Latin diet. The new diet gives a blueprint for a diet plan and meal planning especially when shopping for ingredients. New recipes are evolving to provide a renewed interest in Latin dishes and is embraced world-wide for its flavor and the use of healthy foods.

Common Ingredients of the Latin American Diet:

Whole Grains:
Beans: Corn, Rice, Breads, Tortillas, Plantains, Garbanzo Beans, Seeds, Black Beans.
Nuts:  peanuts, pecans,
Fruit:  Limes, Banana, Papaya, mango, guava, oranges, avocados, pineapple, quince.
Vegetables:  Kale, broccoli, okra, lettuce, tomato, peppers, chiles, tomatillos, cactus.
Oils: Plant based oils: olive, corn, soy
Dairy: Milk, cheeses and eggs.
Fish: Salmon, Snapper, mussels, shrimp.
Meats:  beef.
Sweets: various sweet desserts.

The Latin American Diet Pyramid gives great prominence to grains and maize as well as tropical type fruits such as mango and plantains. Quinoa is also a very healthy ancient grain that is still benefiting the Latin American Diet.

While the diet is healthy in its raw state the way food is prepared can be of concern especially if it is fried.  A weight loss program would be a method of helping to curb obesity in the Latino community.

Latinos are far more likely to have diabetes and have related kidney and eye diseases from that disease. Poor eating habits also contribute to diabetes especially amongst immigrants. Latino foods are evolving into a lifestyle and provides good family home cooked meals are a mainstay of the Latin life. Obesity amongst Latinos had risen from 1991 to 2001 with roughly 23 percent of the population in the Hispanic community.

Tips on Improving the Latino Diet:

1) Reducing the amount of fat in the diet by using lighter cooking methods.

2) Reducing the frying of foods and bake or light sprays of oils instead.

3) Eliminating pork fat as a method of cooking and use water instead.

4) Use corn sparingly because of the sugar content and replacing with whole grains.

5) Adding more vegetables and fruit servings and less of the meat selections.

Diet Keys:

personalized diet, Latino Diet, Obesity amongst Latinos, The Latin American Diet Pyramid, Latin American Diet, Common Ingredients of the Latin American Diet, diet keys, super healthy diets, healthy diets, diet, low fat diets, Latin Diet