Multi Vitamins – So Many to Choose From, So Little Time

Let me preface this article by saying that I am not altogether against multivitamins. I do believe that they have a place in some peoples’ nutritional plans because let’s face the facts: a majority of Americans simply do not get the recommended quantities of vitamins and minerals from the foods they are currently consuming.

Now that I have that off my chest, I would just like to say that if more people ate the right foods to begin with, the multivitamin market wouldn’t be the multi-million dollar market that it is today. If you do feel the need to ingest a pill, a potion, or a powder to give your body the vitamins and minerals it craves, then you must abide by these rules:

• Rule #1: Always make sure the vitamin you choose is of the highest quality.
  Do not just grab the cheapest vitamin bottle on the shelf. Take a minute and read what you’re about to take. Some vitamins are bulked up with fillers that are unnecessary for the body. They have no nutritional merit and are simply built into the vitamin to take up space. Fillers also help the manufacturer to keep the costs low because they don’t have to put in high quality ingredients to make up the bulk of the pill or liquid. Read the labels. If you see anything that you cannot pronounce or you aren’t sure of where it originated, write it down and look it up.
• Rule #2: Figure out which type of multivitamin is right for you.
  We all have different needs and our bodies will let us know if it is deficient in a certain area. Look at your hair, your nails, your teeth and your skin. Do they look healthy? Are you deficient in iron? Maybe you are a woman who needs to up her calcium intake to prevent osteoporosis? If so, did you know that you will also need to increase your vitamin D consumption in order to properly absorb the calcium? All of these are important factors to consider when choosing the right vitamin. Again, check the labels and see what percentage of each vitamin and mineral is present. Then, do a little research and see where you need to be.
• Rule #3: Buy only organic or whole-food vitamins.
  These multivitamins will more than likely be manufactured from the best of ingredients available and can ensure the highest vitamin and mineral content. Keep in mind that most synthetic vitamins are created in a chemist’s lab and are full of chemicals that mimic actual vitamins and minerals and help the vitamin to maintain its form and integrity. Whole-food and organic vitamins are created from what their name implies – whole and organic foods. There is no crazy scientist bent over a brewing beaker.
• Rule #4: Don’t buy your multivitamins at the checkout counter or from any old supermarket.
  Most major retail chains aren’t interested in stocking top of the line multivitamins. They are much more comfortable with staying in the middle of the road and at a price point that most people wouldn’t think twice about. Trust me, you are getting what you’re paying for. Again, go online, find some reputable whole-food and organic multivitamin manufacturers and start to compare and contrast their ingredients lists. Yes, you might pay a little more but you will be getting a whole lot more benefit as well.
• Rule #5: Research not only the ingredients, but the manufacturers as well.
  Most legit manufacturers of whole-food and organic multivitamins will have well-fleshed-out websites that can provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. Also, don’t be afraid to check out blogs or vitamin sites to see what others are saying about the multivitamins you’re interested in. If a number of people can vouch for the effectiveness and likeability of a product, it’s probably a good one.

Now, with all that said, I am going to tell you which multivitamins get my recommendation, and those are Prograde Nutrition’s Multi Vitamin, VGF 25+ for Women and VGF 25+ for Men. I have found these to be made of the highest quality whole foods and pack the biggest nutritional punch. The company is also highly respected for their attention to detail and genuine interest in the health of its clientele. After following my own five rules, I think I have truly found the best of the best.  #beyonddiet #healthlifesuccess

           Leaving Stress at the Door

We all know that stress isn't good for our health and can actually contribute to a myriad of health problems. The Huffington Post recently asked its readers to list things they were committed to NOT stressing out about. I've listed a few stressors that Huffington Post readers submitted (and promised they would stop stressing about). See if you can relate to any of the following!

How many of you stress out about what other people say about you? (I think if we were honest we would all raise our hands!) Try not to worry about what other people say about you, as one woman committed to doing.

I know, I know - so much easier said than done, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like your weight. Letting go of what other people say or think about you can be sooo challenging. For instance, maybe people in your life rolled their eyes when you told them you were starting Beyond Diet, or they don't think you can really do it. Don't listen to them! Believe in yourself and don't let what they say affect you.

One person said they were going to try and not stress out about whether anyone else believes in their dream. Ooooh - I love that one!

Some of you may not know that the only two people who really believed in my dream of starting Beyond Diet were myself and my husband. Even family and friends tried to tell me that I would never be successful in helping other people with their weight, because there was already so much diet information out there.

Imagine if I had listened to them! Truth be told, it really only takes one person to believe in your dream: you. Whether your dream is to start your own yoga studio or be a dog trainer or simply drop five pounds, all you need to do is believe in yourself and make it happen.

Another great submission by a Huffington Post reader was to stop stressing out about other people's lives! Even though sooo many of us try very hard to control other people and their lives, the only person you can truly control is yourself. And we can't even control a lot of what happens to us!

The key is how we react to what we can't control and how we act on what we can control, like the food we eat and exercising our bodies.

Another reader is committed to not stressing out about the past: "Whatever hasn't happened yet and the past. Every mistake is a lesson." The past is over, and we can't change was has already happened. Maybe you have struggled with your weight for so many years that you just don't think it's possible to have a better, healthier future. WRONG!

And I totally agree with this reader's point about mistakes being lessons. If you view your mistakes as lessons, they aren't really even mistakes. None of us are perfect, and each day is a new beginning and an opportunity to start over - including retraining yourself how to eat healthy foods that will keep you slim and full of energy!

Striving for perfection - that's another stressor we can all let go of! Newsflash: No one can achieve perfection. Even I am not a "perfect" eater - at Thanksgiving, I relish a piece of pie, and I love my morning coffee!

When you slip up, the important thing is to jump right back on the horse. Don't let one misstep spiral into a week-long binge. Let your mistake go and move on!

Last but not least, stop stressing about "the little stuff." Don't stress about what you can't change, focus on what you can do something about, and DO IT. Yes to this suggestion!

By focusing only on the things you can change, you will feel so much better. And fortunately, choosing how we feed our bodies is definitely something that we can control and change. #beyonddiet #healthlifesuccess

                  Healthy Happy Hour

You'll never hear me say that living a healthy lifestyle is easy. I know how tough it can be. Temptation is always lurking right around the corner, whether it's a coworker's birthday cake, a company potluck, or the woman in the cubicle next to yours who always brings in homemade cookies. Eating healthy in a country where a 16-ounce soda is considered a "medium" is a challenge, especially if the people around you aren't as conscientious about their health as you are about yours.

While it would be great if you could get all your friends to join you on your journey to living a healthier life, I certainly don't expect you to shun them if they don't. Of course, that means you might find yourself hanging out with people who consider beer and onion rings a food group, so the question becomes: How do you stay healthy when spending time at places (and with people) that aren't?

Happy hour is one of the biggest obstacles my clients often face. How do you go out and have fun while still eating healthy? I won't sugarcoat it: Losing weight and keeping it off means you'll have to say goodbye to many of the fruity drinks and finger foods that once defined your Friday nights. But that doesn't mean you have to swear off alcohol - or fun - entirely! Eating healthy is a lifestyle, not a life sentence. Read on for a few tips on how to make happy hour jive with your health and wellness goals.

1. Consider a spritzer. Eating healthy - and drinking healthy - requires a bit of creativity. Although they might bring to mind women with feathered hair and men with unfortunate mustaches, wine spritzers make a fantastic happy hour alternative to the wine you usually drink. While a little wine isn't bad for you, too much can wreck your diet goals. Ask the bartender to mix half a glass of your favorite red wine (organic if possible) with soda water for a light, refreshing treat.

2. Go for clear liquor. When possible, choose vodka, which is probably the "healthiest" of the hard liquors. (Bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!) I recommend Chopin, which is made from potatoes, or Skyy, which is sulfite free. If you can, consider drinking it on the rocks - the strong flavor will help you sip slower. If not, soda water or tonic are your healthiest options.

3. The fewer ingredients the better. What's true for eating healthy is also true for drinking healthy: The more ingredients in your drink, the worse it is for you. That means that Long Island Iced Teas are definitely off the menu!

4. Know what you're drinking. No matter how appealing a drink sounds, remember that to be healthy, you need to know exactly what you're putting in your body. So unless you know all the ingredients in a Bay Breeze or Mai Tai, stay away.

5. Eat first. Drinking on an empty stomach is a terrible idea for a whole host of reasons. The biggest problem is one you've no doubt experienced: People tend to eat more when they drink. Solve this problem by eating a healthy meal or snack before happy hour. Don't even look at the happy hour food menu, which is always loaded with fried foods, cheese dips, and hamburgers. If you can't resist a bite with your drink, opt for hummus and sliced veggies or a salad with dressing on the side.

6. Remember to hydrate. Alternate each drink with a glass of water. It'll keep you hydrated, stop you from drinking too much, and help head off a hangover before it starts.

By http://www.beyonddiet.com   #healthlifesuccess

     The Juice Is Up Never Drink and Diet

I know what you're going to say, "Isabel, why can't I drink my favorite juice? The bottle says that it is 100% all-natural, totally organic, and is free of high fructose syrup, and it says it is 100% fruit juice. That's good, right?"

WRONG!!!

Trust me; I know that adhering to a diet that promotes the healthiest living possible can be tough sometimes - especially in the face of a nice tall glass of juice, but I am here to tell you that there is nothing worse that you can put in your body than store bought juices that add nothing to your overall nutritional makeup. Let's look at what is really in those pretty bottles that adorn most supermarket shelves:

• Sugar, sugar, sugar. Yes, there may not be high fructose syrup in your chosen juice, but there are inevitably copious amounts of sugar that will leave you and your blood sugar levels soaring and then plummeting. If the sugar isn't added during processing, it will already be there naturally from the fruit or vegetable itself which can contribute to an overabundance of yeast in the body (especially in women). These elevated yeast levels have been linked to various diseases and disorders so I highly recommend that you restrict your sugar intake if you are experiencing any health issues.


• A lack of nutrients. I have always advocated eating whole fruits and vegetables to obtain all of the goodness they offer - vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, etc., etc. When you take all of the juice out of the fruit, you leave all of these other necessary and good things behind. While you may read the words "fortified" on the label, the manufacturer can never fully replace what has been officially taken away.


• Unnecessary additives. Things like dyes are notoriously found in store bought juices - both fruit and vegetable - and are only there to make the contents pretty. They do nothing positive for our bodies and can, in fact, be harmful.

Okay, so now that that's all out in the open and I have thoroughly rained on your parade, I have some good news: fresh juice that you run through a juicer is okay, at least in moderation. Like I said, the whole of the fruit or vegetable is always best. And hey, if you're looking for something tall and cold to drink, I highly suggest that clear, life-giving liquid called water to quench your thirst. It's always worked for Me! 

By Beyonddiet.com

Warning: Read your Food Labels

More and more, grocery stores are beginning to resemble labyrinths more than straightforward shopping centers. Not in the way they're designed, of course. Most are set up in pretty much the exact same way. But the labeling on most items on the shelf is enough to get any shopper hopelessly muddled. Before most people learn how to diet, they need a crash course in how to go shopping.

In just the past few years, we have seen the proliferation of dozens of labels jockeying for place in our shopping carts. Among them:

• Low-fat or fat-free
• Sugar-free
• Organic
• Natural

Almost without exception, these are the kinds of things that most shoppers wondering how to diet would love to eat. Unfortunately, food manufacturers know that, and have developed dozens of ways to label foods as healthy, when they're actually anything but.

In 1994, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required all food manufacturers to standardize the nutrition information of all products. When consumers started demanding healthy alternatives to their favorite foods, manufacturers began offering low-fat and sugar-free fare. In 2009, the FDA revised its guidelines for food labeling, strictly laying out the fat and sugar content requirements for foods labeled low-fat or sugar-free.

While the FDA's regulations go a long way to ensuring you aren't being totally lied to, there are still things that you need to keep in mind, if you want to know how to diet effectively, when you feel the pull of foods labeled "healthy."

1. Instead of "low-fat" or "fat-free," think "processed" and "high in sugar." Fat has gotten a bad rap. For years, dieters have been obsessed with limiting the fat content of their daily diets, not realizing that fat is essential to a healthy diet and lifestyle. In food, fat means something else: taste and texture. Foods that are processed to remove fat often taste and look significantly different from their natural counterparts. To make foods both fat-free and appetizing, manufacturers add sugar for taste and additives - gums and fat replacers - for texture and consistency. So while you're getting a reduced serving of fat, you're jacking up the simple carb content of the foods you eat.


2. "Sugar-free" foods are only sugar-free in a narrow sense: FDA regulations say a food can be labeled "sugar-free" if "no sugar or sugar containing ingredient is added during processing." However, the regulation also says that sugar alcohols are not included in the regulation. Know what else isn't? Artificial sweeteners, which, while they aren't sugars, are probably worse for you.


3. Organic: This is one area where food labeling is both explicit and helpful. The regulation of organic foods falls to the USDA, which sets strict guidelines determining what organic really is. Before you purchase anything organic, make sure that it is stamped with the USDA certified organic badge.


4. "Natural" is relative. The FDA doesn't have a definition of what "natural" means when it comes to food, though they're okay with use of the term if the food is artificial color, flavor and synthetic substances free. That doesn't address how the food is harvested or processed, though. Keep in mind, whenever you're lured by a "natural" label, that that designation has been decided by the manufacturer, not an independent agency.

Health foods are big money. Food producers have an interest in labeling their products as "healthy" even if they aren't. The only way to avoid "health" food that sabotages you as you're learning how to diet is to stick to the real, unprocessed, natural (as in real natural) options available at the grocery store. Short of that, keep in mind that foods advertised as low in one thing may be very high in something even worse.

Water: The Key to a Healthy Body

A surprising number of people don't drink enough water each day, even though the risks associated with dehydration are serious.

Insufficient hydration causes:

• Clumsiness and confusion
• Lethargy and dizziness
• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Heat stroke, blackouts and potentially death

And, for people working towards their goal weight, or trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, even a small amount of dehydration has shown a drastic drop in metabolism.

The human body is 60% water. There is nothing more essential to the efficient functioning of our organs. Water flushes toxins from our vital organs, cushions our joints - an important consideration for people living an active lifestyle, and keeps our skin hydrated and smooth. Water also regulates body temperature, preventing heat stroke - another reason staying hydrated during the summer months is particularly important.

Water also plays an essential role in diet and weight loss. While our bodies are generally marvels of mechanics and engineering, there are still glitches in the system. One of those glitches is that our bodies are pretty bad at differentiating hunger from thirst. As a result, we may misinterpret those midafternoon pangs for hunger and grab a snack, when what we really need is a tall glass of water. Drinking water before meals is actually an effective weight management technique. Because of our body's inability to distinguish hunger from thirst, we're prone to eat more during our regular meals than we would if we weren't thirsty.

To ensure you're getting enough water in your diet to enjoy the summer months while also maximizing your chances of weight loss success, consider these steps:

• Drink actual water. Profound apologies, but flavored water doesn't really count. It will certainly provide the hydration you require, since flavored water is still water, but you'll also have to take into account the added sugar and calories that make your water taste like strawberries. If you prefer some flavor to your beverages, consider adding strawberries, cucumbers or lemon to your water. For more fruit-flavored drink ideas, check out the Recipes section.


• Drink a glass of water before meals. In 2010, a Virginia Tech study found that people who drank 2 glasses of water before meals ate 75 fewer calories than those who didn't, which shakes out to about 14 pounds a year.


• Fruits and vegetables are your friend! Fruits and vegetables are almost entirely water, so if you want a little substance with your hydration, fruit and veggies are the way to go.

Again, it's important not to go overboard. Drinking too much water immediately before meals can deplete the acids in your stomach, negatively affecting digestion.

Everyone Wants to Look & Feel Better!

Well, you can't hope to look better without attending to your body's largest organ - and one that takes a whole lot of abuse: your skin.

Everyone is familiar with the effects of aging on the skin:

• Wrinkling and decreased elasticity
• Dryness and flaking
• Bruising and discoloration

Skin breaks down as you age, and there really isn't anything we can do to stop it. But aside from the normal aging process, poor diet is one of the main culprits in making skin look and feel older.

For instance, did you know that excess sugar in your diet can lead to wrinkles? Or that excess insulin (a side effect of being overweight or obese) contributes to the breakdown of collagen, leading to premature aging? Or that following a healthy eating plan is as good for your skin as it is for your heart and your waistline?

If you've been following the Beyond Diet program for long, you've no doubt noticed that a healthy eating plan works wonders not only for your weight, but also for your long-term health and wellness. But eating a healthy, balanced diet also works wonders for your skin.

Far too many people suffer the effects of premature aging because they aren't eating the nutrients their skin needs to thrive. Luckily, those nutrients are already part of a healthy eating plan. Plus, they're absolutely delicious.

To treat your skin right - and save thousands of dollars on botox and skin creams - make sure you're including the following foods in your diet:

• Citrus fruit and kiwi. Vitamin C is absolutely essential for maintaining healthy, youthful skin, and it's abundant in citrus fruits and kiwi. In fact, some studies have shown that vitamin C-rich diets are more effective at protecting the skin than skin treatments. That's because vitamin C aids in the production of collagen, which helps maintain skin elasticity. Just keep in mind that your body doesn't store vitamin C, so you'll need to include it in your healthy eating plan every day.


• Flaxseed oil. Both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have been shown to help reduce skin scaliness and roughness. Since the typical American diet already includes ample sources of Omega-6s, try adding flaxseed oil to beverages or smoothies to get your Omega-3s. You can use flax seeds as well (try them on top of salads or in cereal or oatmeal), but make sure they're ground, as your body cannot utilize the nutrients in whole flax seeds.


• Berries. It's easy to forget that your skin is actually an organ - let alone your largest organ - and that free radicals wreak havoc on it, too. Luckily, the antioxidants in berries fight against the free radicals that damage your skin and cause wrinkles.


• Orange foods. Orange fruits and veggies - think carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes - are excellent sources of vitamin A, which maintains outer epithelial tissue. Deficiencies in vitamin A can cause dry, rough, or bumpy skin.

In addition to following a healthy eating plan, make sure to use sunscreen, stay hydrated, and don't smoke, since cigarette smoking prematurely ages skin.