The Acai fruit is popular among health food enthusiasts because it is high in many important vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and anthocyanin. Traditionally, Brazilians used the fruit to treat stomach disorders and skin conditions. The fruit is highly unstable when picked and rots easily, so it is rare to find the Acai fruit whole when you are not in the region where they are grown. Outside the tropics the fruit is usually found in either juice or pulp form. One popular use of the Acai fruit is to mix it in some sort of beverage. In North America, Acai is often blended into fruit smoothies and offered as a health drink.

Because Acai fruit are such a high source of antioxidants, health food proponents are selling many versions of them. The fruit also acts as a natural form of caffeine. Also, the high levels of Vitamin E in the fruit helps the immune system to function better. Some health food companies even claim that the Acai fruit helps with weight loss. And Acai fruit is a great place to find some of the essential fatty acids, such as Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega-9. The fruit helps blood circulation, and when needed can function as a natural form of viagra. Some people even use Acai as a facial astringent because the fruit has high anti-bacterial properties! Because of all these amazing health benefits, the fruit is sometimes called the “power berry.” It is no wonder this amazing fruit is becoming so popular among health food enthusiasts.

Much study needs to be done about the possible health benefits of the Acai fruit. A recent University of Florida study found that the Acai extracts caused cultured human leukemia cells to voluntarily self-destruct! It is unclear at this time if the fruit has the same effect on cancer cells when they are in the body, but the study had promising results. Labs around the country are starting to test the Acai to find what possible medical uses it has. There is no doubt that this amazing fruit has a promising future in the medical world.

Today, health food stores sell Acai extract that can be mixed in smoothies and drinks, as well as many pills containing Acai. The products promise the consumer everything, from extra energy to anti-aging benefits. While more study needs to be done to prove the effectiveness of some of these claims, there is no doubt that adding Acai to your diet will improve your overall and future health! Check with your local health food store and pick up some Acai today!

With a certain sense of resentment, I tracked down the carbohydrate costs of a wide variety of food, keeping a sharp eye on ingredients, calorie levels, and nutritional values. Certain items were strangely emblazoned with banners announcing low fat: pasta sauce, potato chips, candy bars, and ice cream. I was puzzled: how could certain foods, full of fat to their very core, be low fat? How could all the fat be removed and there be anything left?

I became fascinated with certain labels. Have you ever, for example, read the labels on those flavored coffee creamers? Zero fat. Zero carbohydrates. Zero protein. Zero calories. How can anything we put in our mouths have zero calories? A negligible amount, maybe, but absolute zero? What is in that stuff? Or is it virtual food, existing only in our mind’s eye as a kind of edible hologram?

Mercifully, the low fat craze died its natural death. Atkins and similar regimens took over and the low fat labels were reprinted (corporate recycling at its finest) to read Low Carb. Suddenly, everywhere you looked, there were foods recast as low carb – again with the pasta sauce, the potato chips, the candy bars, and the ice cream.

I was curious. Had the manufacturers taken out all those carbs and put the fat back in? Where did those carbs go? Are there vast dumpsites in the desert where unwanted carbs are buried – next to worn tires, plastic bags, and nuclear waste?

Once more, I wonder: what is left in those boxes, cans, and jars? Why am I paying $1.19 per ounce for something that really isn’t anything?

Then I started to figure it out (sometimes I’m a little slow). The food hadn’t really changed at all, just the packaging. Food labels are like those ubiquitous Internet sales letters. They trumpet headlines that catch our interest because they are in synch with our desires and goals. Is that accidental? Of course not. Highly paid copywriters choose their headlines with great care, buying into the national “obsession o’ the day”, floating on the coattails of the latest fad.

Many of us are so desperate to control our weight that we buy into the promises like the unaware followers we are: bleating sheep heading for a precipice with no thought of questioning our leaders or striking out in a different direction.

The unspoken secret is that the label doesn’t matter. If we want to lose weight, we don’t eat pasta sauce, potato chips, candy bars, or ice cream. Period. No matter what the package says. Deep in our psyche, we know what we can eat (very little) and what we can’t (a whole bunch). Allowing ourselves to be misled is only a fashionably acceptable way to fool ourselves, and we know it. We buy into the hype because we want, so badly, to believe. We want to think that we are doing the right thing, that we’re really trying, that our motivation is pure.

Our weaknesses are being exploited by the packagers and the super store con men. Our ambivalence, and the overwhelming need to avoid the very real discomfort of effective dieting, invests the misguidance of food labels with an illusion of truth.

Like our dimwitted ovine cousins, we, too, are eventually fleeced.

Up until the short-lived ephedra ban, the industry estimated that 12 million to 17 million Americans were taking around 3 billion doses a year. Why? Because, ephedra, when taken as directed works!

In addition to ephedra’s weight-loss benefits, many bodybuilders, athletes and others use this product for its energy properties.

Ephedra also has a diuretic effect and it alters neurotransmission to minimize appetite. The end result is less appetite and a faster metabolism. Some also report that ephedra suppresses appetite.

Recent studies with both humans and laboratory animals have shown ephedrine, the pharmaceutical derivative of ephedra, to be beneficial in promoting weight loss. The main mechanism at work is its thermogenic ability to increase the metabolic rate of adipose tissue thereby enhancing the body’s ability to burn fat. Its weight reducing effects are greatest in those who have a low basal metabolic rate. [Tenney, Louise. Today's Herbal Health, 5th edition]

Ma Huang, a variety of ephedra has been used for thousands of years in the Far East in the treatment of colds. Some have used it for sinus problems.

Ephedra also contains fair amounts of such important minerals as zinc, magnesium, manganese, selenium, iron and potassium as well as the vitamins thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), vitamins A and C. According to Dr. John R. Christopher, the minerals absorbed by ephedra (as well as other plants) are “live, highly vibrating minerals that can be assimilated into the body and used without side effects.”

Ephedra is also a blood purifier, it is a popular folk remedy for such conditions as arthritis, rheumatism, bursitis and other painful muscle and joint problems.

Taken as directed, ephedra is a safe, effective and healthy addition to your weight-loss program.

Well, by taking weight loss pills or diet pills may be convenient for you to lose those unwanted body fat, it certainly is not effective if you want to lose weight permanently. I am sure many of you have already tried taking weight loss pills and once you stopped taking them, your weight starts to creep up on you again didn’t they? That is frustrating and an awful waste of money isn’t it?

There are many types of weight loss pills and diet pills in the market. Some of these pills will curb your appetite, some supposedly speed up your metabolism and some are supposed to prevent your body from absorbing too much oil from your diet or restrict absorption of carbohydrate. But they all have one thing in common. Once you are off the pills, you will put on weight again. Therefore taking weight loss pills or diet pills are only temporary solutions. They do not condition your body to burn unwanted fat forever. On the contrary, your body may even adapt and resist the effects of the pills making you waste even more money and causing you more frustration.

So what is the best solution for permanent weight loss? Well, just do these 3 things:

• Build Muscle – The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn. So when extra calories are being burnt everyday, over a period of time, you would have burnt off massive amount of calories. Furthermore, you will look good with a well toned body and your posture will also improve making you look even slimmer. That means you are a calorie burning machine when you have more muscle.
• Change Eating Habit – Eat your carbohydrate early in the day and restrict carbohydrate consumption later part of the day. This will help your body to regulate insulin level and reduce the chances of carbohydrate turning into body fat. Also avoid starchy carbohydrate and refined carbohydrate like white rice, refined flour foodstuff like cakes and pastries, white bread, pasta etc. Replace these with high fiber and slow to digest carbs like brown bread and brown rice. Carbohydrate turns into body fat quickly if digested too fast.
• Exercise Your Heart and Lungs – Go for regular exercise and perform exercises that will make you puff, pant and sweat such as jogging, skipping or take part in ball games. These activities not only improve your heart and lung health, they also burn massive calories.

When these 3 activities become part of your daily routine, you will be burning extra calories every day. That means you will not put on weight easily and will lose body fat forever. Best of all, it is free. So why spend money on temporary solutions like weight loss pills and diet pills?

While some might opt to take the dangerous turn of acquiring eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia to hasten their weight loss progress, there is a safer and far more pleasant feeling method of achieving weight loss. Exercising at least 30 minutes a day may even be enough to do some significant positive change to your appearance and weight even in just a matter of one to two months. Couple this with the right kind of diet, but never deprive yourself food such that your body is legitimately hungry all the time.

Unfortunately there are people who would really like to lose weight but are either too lazy or impatient for them to make healthy lifestyle changes. It is important to note that while some doctors prescribe weight loss pills or diet pills to their patients, this doesn’t mean that just about anyone could buy them from any drug store or pharmacy and just pop them in their mouths.

Think Before You Act

Before buying diet pills, you must first go to a registered physician or a registered dietician for them to be able to assess your weight and your body mass index (BMI) among other health related information that concerns yourself. These doctors would really have to know your family’s medical history like if your family tends to lean towards the healthy side or are there any cases of cancer, high blood pressure or heart attacks in your family.

Risks Associated With Diet Pills

Hereditary illnesses are an incredibly important reference point for registered doctors and registered dieticians. They need to know this information so they can prescribe to you the correct pill. In addition, some people can have allergic reactions from weight loss pills or a multitude of side-effects.

A popular diet pill that has been around for quite some time called Xenical. This diet pill acts by draining the excess fat through constant bowel movements. This may be a little gross or inconvenient for some (especially those people who are always on the go) but with the proper diet and exercise this weight loss pill promises to help you shed off at least twenty pounds in just a matter of two months. People who have used this weight loss wonder have had nothing but praise for this drug. However, they testify that it was incredibly inconvenient, not to mention a foul smelling experience. Doctors are actually praising this drug for another reason, it also lowers the risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Other diet pills, however, are not as great for our bodies. The notorious Bangkok pill, which has been circulating all over the world, promises significant amounts of weight loss in just a mere 2 weeks. A lot of people fall prey to this unhealthy weight loss drug because it’s a lot faster than the other weight loss drugs and doesn’t require you to go the bathroom every now and then. There are three sets of pills that one must take everyday, these diet pills are labeled as breakfast, lunch and dinner (which contains several more packs of diet pills) and you have to take one or two from each of these packs and take these weight loss pills after every corresponding meal. The weight loss effect from these Bangkok pills are indeed drastic but they are banned and considered as illegal due to their extremely high chance of causing heart attack or stroke.

Fad diets become popular because many of them do work for a short time and a fiend or acquaintance will recommend one or more to you. In many cases, this is because when you stop eating certain types of food or eat certain combinations of foods, you are putting fewer calories than you normally would into your body. You are also paying more attention to what you are eating. However, what people don’t realize is that the weight you lose is from water and lean muscle, not actual body fat. In fact, most people who go on these fad diets are not able to keep up with the demands of a diet that inhibits their food choices or forces them to eat the same foods products over and over again. People who go on fad diets most likely end up gaining back any weight that they lost and gaining much more weight back in addition to that.

Don’t go on any weight reduction plan if the products promise to do any of the following:

1. Claim of 1 or 2 pounds per week to help you lose weight very quickly. Remember, it took time for you to gain unwanted weight and it will take time to lose it.
2. Promise that you can lose pounds and keep it off without giving up “fatty” foods or exercising on a regular basis. If a diet plan or product sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
3. Base claims on “before and after” photos.
4. Offer testimonials from clients or “experts” in weight loss, science or nutrition. Remember that these people are probably being paid to advertise the diet plan or product.
5. Draw simple conclusions from complex medical research.
6. Limit your food choices and don’t encourage you to get balanced nutrition by eating a variety of foods.
7. Require you to spend a lot of money on things like seminars, pills or prepackaged meals in order for the plan to work

Some examples of Fad Diets include the following:

• Controlled Carbohydrates – The Zone
• High Carbohydrate/Low Fat – The Pritikin Principle
• Controlled Portion Sizes – Dr. Shapiro’s Picture Perfect Weight Loss
• Food Combining – Suzanne Somers’ Somersizing
• Liquid Diets – Slim-Fast
• Diet Pills – Dexatrim Natural

Go now and ask a friend or family if they’ve gone on one of these Fad Diets. Then ask them a few weeks later if they were able to stick with it or simply look for the person to get fat again and ask “what the heck happened”. Then you will know that these kind of quick fix diets don’t work in the long run and you are better off following sound advice like limiting food intake, drinking plenty of water and exercising, the way our bodies were meant to do for many thousands of years.

The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that was formulated by Dr. Robert Atkins. It is also known as Atkins and Atkins Nutritional Approach. Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution along with other series of books was authored by Dr. Atkins to discuss his concepts and ideas on the diet. Some of the health benefits are better memory and heart functions to name a few.

Dr. Robert Atkins formulated the Atkins diet to solve his own overweight problem. Based on a theory, overweight people ingest more carbohydrates. Since carbohydrates and fat are utilized for energy and carbohydrates are burned first, eating lesser carbohydrates means that body fat is burned in its stead.

The Atkins diet, even though has many success stories for losing weight is primarily for preventing disease, good health and maintaining weight. Further, it has four phases. The first phase is the induction phase wherein you are restricted to having only 20 grams of carbohydrates in a day. Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks and beverages are prohibited in this phase and mostly 4 ounces of meat, cheeses, 3 tablespoons of cream, 2 cups salad vegetables and 1 cup low carbohydrate vegetables is allowed. It has been reported that weight loss often occur at this stage.

The second phase of the Atkins diet is the ongoing weight loss (OWL) phase wherein 5 grams of carbohydrates is added every week to find the critical amount of carbohydrate intake that is essential for losing weight. If 4.5 kilograms or 10 pounds is reached within the target weight then the OWL phase stops.

Pre-maintenance is the phase succeeding the OWL phase where there is an increase in carbohydrate intake so that the amount of carbohydrate intake for maintaining weight is found.

The last phase of the Atkins diet is the lifetime phase. Under this phase, it is assumed that the habits achieved throughout the other phases are maintained so that you will not go back to pre-Atkins habits and weight. This phase values unprocessed food and it is a choice to go back to earlier stages if weight gain is experienced.

There are some people who are for or against the Atkins diet. It is important to see their views before embarking on the diet regimen right away.

Anti-Atkins:

• Atkins is connected with renal disease, heart disease, colon cancer and osteoporosis.
• Since it is a protein diet (mostly meat products) it is not vegetarian-friendly.
• It is a diet low in fiber but high in cholesterol and saturated fats.
• Calcium, potassium and magnesium are below the recommended daily values for the body.

Pro-Atkins:

• Fat and protein can be taken in.
• There is weight loss (steady and rapid).
• Appetite is reduced.
• Sugars and processed grains taken in are lessened.
• Atkins diet is a life-time diet plan.
• You can never be hungry with this diet plan.

The popularity of the Atkins diet was during the years 2003 and 2004. Statistics also showed that for every 11 adults, 1 was on the Atkins diet in the peak of its popularity. But with Atkins gaining popularity, sales of carbohydrates-heavy products declined tremendously. Soft drink companies even tried their hand in low-carbohydrate products to keep up with the trend. But when Dr. Robert Atkins had a fatal injury in the head which also lead to his death in 2003, rumors circulated that he suffered from a heart condition that was caused by his weight. In the year 2005, the company Atkins Nutritional filed for bankruptcy because of poor sales.

High protein eating is a bit controversial, because some critics claim that it can be too high in saturated fat and cholesterol. This can be true, depending on how you approach the program. It is possible to lose weight on Atkins even if you eat a lot of bacon, butter and eggs, but if there’s a history of heart disease in your family, that’s not advisable. The standard Atkins diet is not nearly as high in fat – it stresses healthier sources or protein such as chicken or fish.

A high protein diet limits your consumption of carbohydrates, such as bread, rice and pasta. Most of us eat too much of these foods anyway; in fact, some experts argue that some of us are even addicted to them. It’s true that when you get used to eating these foods, it can be hard to give them up. The Atkins diet forces you to do so during the early stages of the diet. In fact, even fruits and vegetables are limited. In the later stages of following the diet, fruits and vegetables are added back in, so you don’t end up deprived of vitamins and minerals. Another frequent criticism of the Atkins diet is that it deprives you of fruits and vegetables (which everyone agrees are healthy), but this just isn’t true in the long term.

Why does eating a high protein, low carbohydrate diet make you lose weight? The reasons are complex, and related to individual body chemistry. The fact is that eating a lot of processed carbohydrates is a big problem for many of us, because they raise the body’s glycemic index. Cutting out or limiting carbohydrates reverses this process, switching your body in a different gear – it turns into a fat-burning machine. The fact is that the high protein approach is one way in which many people have lost large amounts of weight. Some of these are individuals who have been unable to lose weight using any other diet or weight loss program.

The Zone is a gentler approach to high protein eating, but it is based on the same principle. Unlike Atkins, the Zone allows you to eat a balanced diet of protein and ‘good’ carbohydrates at every stage. Like Atkins, it limits or eliminates processed carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and baked goods. Over time, the Zone is probably as effective as Atkins, though Atkins can have some rapid, spectacular results when you first start following the diet.

Both of these approaches to weight loss should be lifelong changes, rather than diets that you ‘go on’ for a short period of time. Atkins has a ‘maintenance’ phase that allows you to eat a balanced diet, but maintain the eating habits that you have learned so that you don’t gain the weight back. Some experts recommend that if you start to notice your eating habits slipping and pounds creeping back on, you should go back to the first stages of Atkins for a while, and a eat a more restricted diet until you get back on track. Most experts encourage you to forget the old-fashioned idea of ‘going on a diet’ for a short period of time, and then going back to your old habits. That usually doesn’t work in the long term.

Exercise is also a very important part of this and any weight loss program. You can do any type of exercise you like. The best thing seems to be walking, if you do enough of it. In fact, walking for an hour every day might be a better way to lose weight than running two or three times a week. If you make exercise a part of your life, day in and day out, you have the best chances of controlling your weight for a lifetime.

High protein eating plans are not for everyone, but the fact is that they have worked for thousands of people in the past, even those with extreme or stubborn weight problems. Try Atkins or the Zone, or read about them online, to learn the basics and decide whether this diet is for you.

I have personally tried low carb diets and Atkins diet and these diets made me lose weight very quickly. However not only did I lose body fat weight, I also lost muscle weight. I had very obvious muscle and fat loss because I can visually see my reduced muscle mass in the mirror.

This certainly isn’t healthy. Furthermore, the more muscle mass that you lose, the less toned your body shape is. The end result is that you will end up thin and yet looked flabby with lose skin.

The frustrating part will be that after you are off the low carb or Atkins diet, you will very probably gain back all the weight that you have loss and even more. This is because your muscles are active and they continuously burn calories. Since you have less fewer muscle mass now, your body’s metabolism or capacity to burn calories slows down tremendously.

In other words, when you put on weight again, you are putting on body fat instead of muscles if you do not exercise. You will be fatter and less healthy than before you went on the low carb or Atkins diet. To compound matters, because of lesser muscle tissues resulting in lower metabolism and thus lesser calories being burnt, you are going to get fatter.

Since then I have stayed off both low carb and Atkins diet. Both types of diets are almost similar as they require you to cut down drastically on your consumption of carbohydrates. Atkins diet went a step further by advocating almost no carbohydrate consumption for 2 weeks before adding some carbs to your meals gradually thereafter.

Besides losing muscles, how safe are low carb diets? This is what Dr Lyn Steffen and Dr Jennifer Nettleton from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health commentated in a Lancet report , “Low carbohydrate diets for weight management are far from healthy, given their association with ketosis, constipation or diarrhea, halitosis, headache and general fatigue to name a few.”

The doctors warned that the diet increases protein load on the kidneys and alters the balance of acid in the body. This also results in loss of minerals from the bone stores and affect bone strength. The doctors went on to say that, “Our most important criterion should be indisputable safety and low carbohydrate diets currently fall short of this benchmark.”

Dr Atkins, the creator of the Atkins diet died in 2003 after he was alleged to have slipped on an icy road and hurt his head fatally. However his medical report stated that he had a history of heart attack, hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Were Dr Atkins medical conditions related to his low carbohydrates diet is anybody’s guess. Do you want to take the risk by going on a low carb diet? I don’t think I will. If I ever want to lose weight again, I will rather go on the proven method of healthy eating and regular exercises instead of jumping on any fad diets.

Here’s a couple of recipes for low carb cookies that you might enjoy:

Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies

I reduced some of the fat in this recipe by eliminating 1 egg yolk and replacing oil with apple sauce. You can reduce the fat and calories by about another 25% by using lowfat margarine instead of butter, but watch out for the trans fats in whatever you decide to substitute.

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups Atkins Bake Mix
• 1 ½ cups Splenda
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine Bake mix, Splenda, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl combine margarine and sugar beating until creamy. Add eggs, applesauce, vanilla and mix well. Combine wet and dry ingredients and use a mixer on low speed to blend well. Fold in chips.

Drop dough by level teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. I find they come out better if I flatten the dough down on the sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, let cookies cool on trays for 2 minutes, then transfer to wax paper or wire racks for further cooling.

• Makes 5 dozen cookies
• Serving size = 1 cookie
• Carbs = 5.5 grams
• calories = 40

Ginger Spice Cookies

These cookies are only mildly spicy, but if you want more zing just add more of the spices!

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter softened
• ½ cup Splenda
• 1 1/3 cup Atkins Bake Mix
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F. Beat butter and Splenda until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well, until light and fluffy. Add Atkins Bake Mix, baking soda, salt and spices and mix until well blended.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes.

Makes 32 cookies Approx ½ gram carbs per cookie