Another Tool For Weight Loss Now At WCN

If you needed more motivation to jumpstart a weight loss program, World Class Nutrition just added it. This will put you on track towards a healthier lifestyle.

WCN has reduced the cost of Red Volt from American Sports Nutrition, which is a unique blend of effective ingredients that is reported to trigger fat loss, in order to create a lean fit body, when you combine it with a regular workout regimen and a healthy diet. It’s one of the strongest weight loss products on the market that promises a quality product that gets results for a reasonable cost.

The Ephedra extract used by the manufacturer is a herbal supplement that triggers quick fat loss. It acts like a general stimulant on many parts of your body at the same time and is most often used as a central nervous system stimulant, as a decongestant and an appetite suppressant in a large variety of successful weight loss products.

The ephedra extract in Red Volt has been used for more than 2,000 years to treat bronchial asthma cold & flu, the chills, lack of perspiration, headaches, nasal congestion, aching bones and joints, cough & wheezing, and edema.

In technical terms it is considered to have diaphoretic, diuretic, central nervous system stimulating and anti-asthmatic properties.

2 Ways To Fight The Obesity Epidemic

If you have been waiting to take charge of your personal health. That moment has arrived. Here are 2 new weapons to combat obesity and the associated healthcare costs that impact everyone in one way or another.

Ephedra is one of the most effective supplements in history for losing weight. The purest grade ephedra, containing actual ephedra alkoloids, provides the cornerstone to this amazing formula. With the recent recall of some popular diet pills quality is more crucial than ever to provide proper effectiveness.

ASN and Schwartz are among the finest ephedra manufacturers on the market. WorldClassNutrition.com has added two of the strongest products from these suppliers. One is called Red Volt from ASN, and the other is into Ultimate Burn manufactured by Schwartz Labs. They are names to be trusted for quality results as well as price.

These two products feature a herbal supplement created to trigger quick fat loss. It acts like a general stimulant on many parts of your body at the same time and is most often used as a central nervous system stimulant, as a decongestant and an appetite suppressant in a large variety of successful weight loss products.

The ephedra extract in Red Volt has been used for more than 2,000 years to treat bronchial asthma cold & flu, the chills, lack of perspiration, headaches, nasal congestion, aching bones and joints, cough & wheezing, and edema.

WCN is also proud to announce the return of Ultimate Burn from Schwartz Labs. Excellent research has produced precise weight loss inducing, energy enhancing ingredients into Ultimate Burn.

This powerful thermogenic was designed to fight obesity by burning fat while sparing lean muscle. The powerful energizers and other themogenics compounds help a person workout harder, longer and with better results. Worldclassnutrition with 25 years in the nutritional supplement industry is also known and trusted for effective affordable nutrition supplements at great prices. They tightly control their overhead costs, buy in bulk and pass the savings along to their consumers.

The World Class site itself has over 6000 products, and thousands of pages full of content and information about nutrition, fitness, bodybuilding, health, and exercise.

Growth Hormones (HGH) May Help Aging Process

There has been a lot of talk recently about taking a Human Growth hormone supplement and what benefits it may produce. Human growth hormone, also called HGH has been used by Body Builders for a long time to assist in producing lean muscle tissue while reducing body fat. HGH was approved by the FDA in 1985.

Many studies have documented the positive effects of growth hormone when used properly. Schwartz Laboratories has created a homeopathic formula of human growth hormone mixed with key liver and pituitary extracts.

HGH peaks during your teens and then decreases. There is an 80% decline in HGH from age 21-61. Other hormones like DHEA, testosterone, estrogen and melatonin, also decrease with age.

In older adults between 45 and 86 randomized tests showed those taking the Schwartz HGH achieved a 10.8% decrease in body fat, 4% decrease in weight. In addition there was a 151.5% increase in insulin-like growth factor, which is an indicator of growth hormone secretion. This means that the HGH formula actually stimulated the subjects' natural production of human growth hormone.

The benefits of increasing Growth Hormone levels by supplementation include increased lean mass tissue, better memory, more strength and stamina, increased libido, stronger bones, regeneration of skin proteins and improved skin elasticity, lower blood pressure and body fat percentage. Some also reported an increase in hair growth.
Athletes in training recover and regenerate tissues quicker, and a better use of fat stores as an energy source. Human growth hormone has been studied extensively and usage is safe and extremely beneficial. This formula delivers a safe, legal, low dose which can be taken without a prescription and without injections. Just put 8-10 drops under the tongue three times a day.

There are generally 3 ways that HGH is administered: Injections, Homeopathic HGH (Oral Spray), and Herbal supplements which boost HGH levels

- Evidence from several reputable sources indicates that injectable HGH is effective in treating symptoms such a lethargy, weight retention and diminished sexual performance. There are, however, a few negatives to consider also. HGH is one of the most expensive medicines in the US, ranging from $30-100 per day. You can get it cheaper in China or Mexico but they are not FDA-approved and you may run into legal problems. Studies show that with injectable HGH there is increased risk of liver damage, edema (fluid retention), joint pain and breast development in males. A prescription required and most insurance will not pay for adult HGH therapy in any form.

- Homeopathic hgh is approved for over the counter sales.
You can find it online or at local drugstores. Although somewhat expensive as compared to nutritional supplements, their proponents argue that this is the best form to take hgh in.

- There is ongoing debate surrounding this but studies do show that herbal HGH stimulators do work to naturally stimulate the body's own production of Human Growth Hormone. With herbal supplements the herbs are taken, usually in capsule form, just prior to bedtime. The pituitary gland does its best work while we're sleeping.

The herbs contained are not habit forming and show little or no side effects. Herbal HGH supplements are much less expensive than injectable or spray HGH.

There are homeopathic products available online which contain chemicals akin to HGH along with herbal additives which are said to increase male vitality and up male testosterone levels considerably.

Schwartz Labs Growth Hormones benefit older adults, as well as many other segments of the population, including AIDS patients and the bodybuilding community.

What IS The Difference In Fats Anyway?

I always see articles online and see other stories about fat, obesity, etc., etc. and even though I know some fat is needed in any diet, when I try to figure it out my eyes spin. Here is what I think I know.

Fats are made up of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. A fat with more hydrogen is considered more saturated than those with less hydrogen. Saturated fats are not as healthy as unsaturated.

So how does that translate to our diet?

Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature and is found mostly in meat and dairy products. Coconut and palm oil also contain saturated fat. These fats raise your total cholesterol and your LDL, or "bad," cholesterol, which puts us at a higher risk of getting heart disease. The total daily limit of calories from saturated fats should be less than 7 percent.

Trans fats are vegetable oil with hydrogen artificially added. These are to be avoided as much as possible. Many commercial bakery goods and fried foods in fastfood restaurants have trans fat. These not only raise your LDL cholesterol, but also lower the HDL, or "good," cholesterol. Trans fats should be less than 1 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Monounsaturated fat has less hydrogen than either saturated or trans fat. It lowers total and LDL cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol. Canola, olive and peanut oils are good sources of monounsaturated fat.

Polyunsaturated fat contains even less hydrogen than monounsaturated. It has the same health advantages as monounsaturated fat. The majority of your intake of fats should be from these two. Look for safflower, corn or soybean oils. Omega-3 fatty acids, found mostly in fish, are especially beneficial for heart health.

Unless you have all the fats memorized the best thing to do is check food labels to see what types of fat and how much of each a food has in it. Even if it is a good fat there are calories to be considered also. Remember, each gram of fat has 2 times the calories in a protein or carbohydrate.

We learn over the years that we need to balance our diets with the right combination of fats protein and carbs in order to eat well. Good luck!

Skipping Breakfast A Mistake You Don’t Want To Make

It has been known for a long time that the most important meal of the day is breakfast, but it's the most skipped meal of the day. All you hear is I'm too busy or I'm so late. Did you know that whenever you skip breakfast, you are telling your body "I want to get fat" it's as simple as that. Eating breakfast is everybody's nutritional priority.

Many studies have concluded that breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight, and eating a healthy breakfast rather than pastry, is the key.
So if you have a high fiber cereal for your morning meal rather than a ham and three cheese omelet or even skipping the meal altogether you are off to a better day already. So if you are running late at least have fruits like apples, bananas and grapes.

Another thing to keep in mind is that low calorie breakfast foods seem to lead to better food choices for the rest of the day. This in may help people to control their weight better.

Many people tend to think they are saving time by skipping breakfast. Some think avoiding breakfast would be a good way to reduce calories because they are usually not hungry in the morning but this sets a very bad precedence for your day with negative consequences for your metabolism.

Breakfast got it’s name because it breaks the fast that you went through while you slept. If you skip the first meal of the day, your body gets the message that you are still fasting which slows down your metabolic rate and this is the beginning of a metabolic downward spiral.

Without breakfast, you will start your days activity with very low blood sugar meaning you will be lethargic, have less energy, and will be very hungry. This leads to overeating at the next meal or reaching for an unhealthy mid morning snack, like a candy bar, in order to get extra energy. The other effect is it also makes you eat more during lunch or dinner.

Replace the junk food with natural foods such as fruits are some of the best foods you can have for breakfast. I also try to choose foods that have some protein, good carbohydrates and healthy fats for my first meal of the day.

I have tried Lean Body Instant Breakfast Shakes They are quick, convenient whole-food breakfast solutions when I was in a hurry. They had enough whole food nutrition to keep me going and tasted pretty good also. I also grab a banana or an apple and that beats skipping breakfast.

Growth Hormones Are Not Just For Bodybuilding

There has been a lot of talk recently about taking a Human Growth hormone supplement and what benefits it may produce. Human growth hormone, also called HGH or somatotropin, has been used by Body Builders for a long time to assist in producing lean muscle tissue while reducing body fat.

Many studies have documented the positive effects of growth hormone when used properly. Schwartz Laboratories has created a homeopathic formula of human growth hormone mixed with key liver and pituitary extracts.

HGH peaks during your teens and then decreases. There is an 80% decline in HGH from age 21-61. Other hormones like DHEA, testosterone, estrogen and melatonin, also decrease with age.

In older adults between 45 and 86 randomized tests showed those taking the Schwartz HGH achieved a 10.8% decrease in body fat, 4% decrease in weight. In addition there was a 151.5% increase in insulin-like growth factor, which is an indicator of growth hormone secretion. This means that the HGH formula actually stimulated the subjects' natural production of human growth hormone.

The benefits of increasing Growth Hormone levels by supplementation include increased lean mass tissue, better memory, more strength and stamina, increased Libido, stronger bones, regeneration of skin proteins and improved skin elasticity, lower blood pressure and body fat percentage. Some also reported an increase in hair growth.

Athletes in training recover and regenerate tissues quicker, and a better use of fat stores as an energy source. Schwartz Labs has made a quality supplement product and delivers it at a reasonable cost. Growth Hormones benefit older adults, as well as many other segments of the population, including AIDS patients and the bodybuilding community.

Human growth hormone has been studied extensively and usage is safe and extremely beneficial. This formula delivers a safe, legal, low dose which can be taken without a prescription and without injections. Just put 8-10 drops under the tongue three times a day.

If you would like to see more information on Schwartz HGH Supplement click on THIS LINK

Because Mom Said So

I was just feeling bad because we ate dinner so late Christmas Day. With the meal preparation and people arriving late, being delayed, etc. we didn’t eat until around 8 PM. I remember Mom saying that if you eat late you are going to get fat because the food just lays there, and I never questioned it. Made sense to me. But then I was reading in Seniors Health from my health central an article from Amanda MacMillian.

It seems that I believed in a myth. Actually people eat larger meals, and more desserts for sure, but it’s not the time of day when you eat that causes your weight to increase, but the consuming of mass quantities that does it. I know it’s necessary to eat at set times throughout the day, but the intent is to limit how much you eat, not when. The American Dietetic Association tells us that the trouble with eating late at night is more from the poor choices we make when we snack. Too many junk foods with high calories really cause the extra fat, not eating a late dinner.

Two professors of pediatrics at Indiana school on Medicine, Rachel Vreeman, MD, and Aaron Carroll, MD, published an article in the British Medical Journal recently. They suggested that what your Mom, or even a physician advised may not always be backed up by science. They wanted to highlight that even widely held medical beliefs need to be re-examined from time to time.

It reminded me of a show called Myth Busters. Here are some things they found.

Myth: Sugar makes kids hyperactive. There are at least a dozen studies that conclude that kids who were given different amounts of sugar didn’t react any different than those who had none. This was also true of children with ADD, who would be more sensitive to sugar but found no evidence of behavioral change. In one case when parents assumed their kids got a sugar drink, even though it was sugar free, they thought they were more hyperactive.

So even though there is sugar involved at events where kids misbehave, science doesn’t only lay the blame on sugar, but the occasion or event itself plays a part. A lot of times when children seem out of control, they are over excited and running around, or acting out. Parties, getting presents, and being with their peers are all times when they also get more sugary treats, and everything together contributes to the problem.

Want to cure a hangover? Take a couple aspirins, a hit of some pure oxygen, some hair of the dog that bit you, the list is endless, just google hangover cures and see. In fact no large, well designed studies have found that anything but time, and drinking water to avoid dehydration works. Bummer eh?

What about the increase of suicides during the holidays. A 35-year study on Minnesota residents found that suicides did not increase on or around Christmas or any other major holidays, including birthdays, Thanksgiving, or the Fourth of July. Research worldwide shows that suicides are actually more numerous in warm, summer months.

Have you ever heard that Poinsettias are toxic? Survey says: Not Really. In a 1996 analysis of 22,793 poinsettia cases (reported to the American Association of Poison Control Centers), none revealed significant poisoning. Although you can get sick from eating large amounts of the plant the author of the study says even if your new puppy gets a hold of your plant he would expect nothing more than vomiting or diarrhea.

One belief that I learned in the military, I always believed and told my kids. You lose 30 percent of your body heat through your head. This was true, but experts say that if this experiment was performed with subjects wearing swimsuits, they would have lost heat evenly across all exposed body surfaces, and only 10% from the head specifically. So we need to tell our kids to bundle up and wear a hat, but remember to take care of all the extremities with boots and gloves.

Even though these reviews are lighthearted we can learn something useful from old wives tales that we hear every day. There is a lot of information on the internet that gets passed around, but there is as much bad information, as there is good, and even professionals can pass bad rumors along. If some myths from the holiday season can be busted, other advice might also need to be verified.

Butter or Margarine For Your Heart?

I read an interesting article by Elena Conis in the LA Times about whether butter vs. margarine was healthier for baking and it made me think about the healthier choice for someone with a history of heart issues.

I learned that a tablespoon of butter has more than three times as much saturated fat, as the same amount of margarine -- 7 grams in butter compared with 2 grams in margarine.In addition, butter and margarine contain mono- and polyunsaturated fats, but margarine contains them in far greater amounts: close to 9 grams per tablespoon compared with butter's 3.5 grams.

Margarine's drawback is its trans-fat content. Margarines are made from blends of vegetable oils, such as corn, soybean, safflower or canola. Hydrogenation, is a chemical process that adds hydrogen and replaces double chemical bonds in those oils with single chemical bonds, making the liquid oils solid at room temperature.

When that replacement process is incomplete, the result is partially hydrogenated oil, which is also known as a trans fat. This is what makes margarine solid instead of liquid. The more solid, or harder they are, the more trans fat they contain, and they are even worse for your heart than saturated fats. Trans fats raise bad LDL cholesterol levels, and also lower HDL, or good, cholesterol.

Butter, in contrast is churned milk, which many say tastes better, but has more saturated fat, in addition to cholesterol, which margarine doesn't have.

So which is better for your heart?

Margarine usually wins over butter, unless it has more than 2 grams total fat. The American Heart Association recommends foods fortified with plant sterols for people with levels of LDL cholesterol over 160.

For those who don’t like the taste of margarine and don’t want to give up butter completely, try using whipped butter or light or reduced-calorie butter. I have also seen spreadable butters with have vegetable oils also. These contain less fat and calories than regular butter.

P.S. One other point: Keep moderation in mind. All you need is enough to add flavor, not to change the color of what you eat.

A diet pill that really gets results!

Schwartz Labs Green Stinger

If you're one of the millions of Americans who lost weight using Ephedra supplements, you know about the power-packed boost it lends your body when trying to melt away those stubborn pounds. Schwartz Labs Green Stinger is a maximum strength ephedrine product for ultimate weight loss results.

I have read reviews from all across the country and they agree that Green Stinger is one of the ultimate diet pills with ephedra ever manufactured. Each unique ingredient works together to help lose extra pounds and belly fat fast.

You also know that it's impossible to find a "diet pill" on the market that can replicate the effects of the classic Ephedra-Caffeine supplements. Enjoy the smooth energy, the increased metabolism, and the proven weight loss of these supplements.

These weight loss diet pills deliver the energy you need, day after day, along with a significant increase in thermogenesis. Couple the powerful thermogenetic effects of Ephedra with any sensible diet and workout plan and success is all but guaranteed! If you're sick of diet failure and bored of lackluster supplements that deliver less energy than a cup of your morning coffee, then Ephedra is for you! Don't wait - get started on the fitter, slimmer you today!

No other fat loss diet pills or weight loss supplements work like ephedra. The active ingredient in Ephedra is P57 which works on the brain to let it know that the body is not in need of food. P57 is able to suppress the appetite at a rate that is "10,000 times stronger than the body's natural responses." This means that the person wanting to get rid of excess stomach fat, love handles, etc. will be more responsible in their eating habits without even trying. Cravings and the urge to snack will be decreased. Calories will burn even faster thereby making it easier to drop pounds.

Ephedra is one of the few diet pill supplements that will work even in the absence of physical activities. If you live a sedentary lifestyle and don't get much exercise on a regular basis then this is the best choice for you when it comes to losing weight.

Here is where you can find more ephedra diet pills..

I Think, Therefore I Eat More?

That is basically what a Canadian research team recently discovered. The results were published in a recent issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.

The research team recruited a group of students and measured their spontaneous food intake after completing three tasks: relaxing in a sitting position, reading and summarizing a text, and completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer. After 45 minutes at each activity, participants were invited to eat as much as they wanted from a buffet.

They determined that each session of intellectual work required only three more calories than the rest period. Despite the low energy cost of mental work, the students spontaneously consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text and 253 more calories after the computer tests.

Blood samples taken before, during, and after each session revealed that intellectual work causes much bigger fluctuations in glucose and insulin levels than rest periods. Jean-Philippe Chaput, the study's main author stated "Caloric overcompensation following intellectual work, combined with the fact that we are less physically active when doing intellectual tasks, could contribute to the obesity epidemic currently observed in industrialized countries,” he further concluded that this is a factor that should not be ignored, considering that more and more people hold jobs of an intellectual nature.

As I sit here and think about it the more I am craving a snack. You may not believe this but I just checked my blood sugar and it is up from what it was earlier and I have not eaten recently. I guess that means that it’s possible that all this increased thinking while sitting is helping make us fatter.

So maybe I won’t get rid of the Treadmill to gain space after all!

P.S. If you are wondering how to supplement your weight loss program search Here.

NEW Product Line Announced by World Class Nutrition

WorldClassNutrition.com in partnership with Supplements To Go, announced the availability of a new Product Line called STG Supplements. With over 25 years in the Supplement Industry, they are a name to be trusted for quality results as well as price.

World Class Nutrition is the first official online retailer of these products such as STG Whey Protein Powder, and has committed to have the best on line prices to be found anywhere on the Internet. Their customers have rated this Protein Supplement the #1 best selling and best tasting protein available.

STG Supplements got its Start in Cincinnati Ohio in the early 80's. One time gym owner and weightlifting enthusiast Joe Godar wanted to develop a line of supplements with the weight lifter, body builder, football player and serious athlete in mind.

Joe, who is now located in Cottonwood Arizona, when asked about the roll out of the new product line stated: “This is a dream that has become a reality, and I am almost at a loss for words whenever I stop to think about it”

STG Supplements have been painstakingly researched to develop the optimum nutritional product, to give sports athletes that competitive edge. STG Supplements stands behind every ingredient and every product they make. Each of their quality products will meet or exceed the labels description for potency.

Supplementstogo.com is an interactive website that allows the customer to expand much further than just buying supplements. STG also provides customized nutritional, supplemental & training advice that makes it more than just another online store. You can seek the advice of professionals that know how to get results.

Worldclassnutrition.com With 25 years in the nutritional supplement industry, they are known and trusted for effective affordable nutrition supplements at a great price. The WCN site has over 6000 products, and thousands of pages full of content and information about nutrition, fitness, bodybuilding, health, and exercise.

Year after year these two organizations have grown to be among the largest and most prestigious nutritional websites in the world. Both have also managed to accumulate several awards for customer service and internet excellence along the way.

You may not think of them as you compile your supplement shopping list, but enzyme products can be a smart choice.

Digestive enzymes help the body break down and use the nutrients from fats, carbohydrates, proteins, sugars and fibers. They are produced by the body, mainly in the pancreas, but also the stomach and salivary glands to act on food in the stomach, mouth and small intestine.

Production of pancreatic enzymes is decreased by stress, caffeine, alcohol, illness, pregnancy and simply with aging. Low levels of enzymes can lead to poor digestion, occasional acid indigestion or heartburn, deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals, and low vitality. This means they have numerous benefits, not only to the digestive process, but overall health.

For active individuals or athletes enzymes can help pack on muscle mass. Studies have shown that they also play an important role in recovery from high-intensity training, making them a prime addition to a bodybuilding nutritional program.

Before the protein and carbohydrates we eat can be used for muscle growth, stored enzymes must be released from the digestive system. Three main classes of enzymes break down foods: amylases break down carbohydrates, lipases break down fats and proteases break down proteins. Although these enzymes are naturally produced and stored in our bodies, they can also be obtained from certain foods and dietary supplements. Bodybuilders looking to pack on mass can use enzyme supplements to help their digestive systems handle the large amounts of calories they need to consume; the enzymes help utilize more food so those nutrients can be put to use for muscle building.

Digestive Enzymes have also been shown to decrease the production of molecules that cause inflammation while increasing levels of anti-inflammatory substances. Excessive inflammation can delay muscle recovery and therefore slow down muscle building, by limiting the amount of inflammation that occurs after an injury, the regeneration process can begin sooner.

It is also possible that proteases speed recovery through their role in increasing amino acid absorption, which would provide more available aminos for rebuilding damaged muscles and joints. This means that enzyme supplements may not only aid recovery from an injury, but they may also help muscles recover from intense weight training.

Most enzyme supplements work in the stomach, even though almost all carbohydrate and fat digestion happens in the small intestine.

NextZyme Dual Digestive Enzymes are pH-stable and help break down food in both the stomach and the small intestine. In addition to assisting your body to digest what you eat, it also helps to absorb proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into your system.

So whether you are in need of alleviating occasional gas, bloating and indigestion, reducing that feeling of fullness due to undigested food, like whole grains beans, proteins and fats, or want to increase your energy and vitality, you might want to give a digestive enzyme like NextZyme.

Can You Speak LabelJargon?

My dietition was telling me how to make healthy eating choices. She advised me to read the labels on the food I buy, so I’ll know what I’m getting. It made sense to me, right up until I picked up a package and tried to read the food label. I quickly found out I needed a translator, or a magic decoder ring to decipher the code.

I tried to find out what all the jargon means, and here is what I found about some of the main label claims used on food packages, and what they mean:

Cholesterol

Cholesterol free- Has less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol in a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less in a serving.

Low cholesterol- Contains 20 mg cholesterol or less in a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish- 20 mg cholesterol or less in 100 grams of food, with saturated fat content less than 2 grams in 100 grams of food.

Saturated Fat

Saturated fat free- Means less than 1/2 gram saturated fat in a serving; levels of trans fat acids must be not more than 1 percent of total fat.
Low saturated fat- 1 gram saturated fat or less in a serving and 15 percent or less of calories from saturated fat. For a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner)- 1 gram saturated fat or less in 100 grams of food and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.

Fat

Fat free- Is less than 1/2 gram fat in a serving.
Low fat- has 3 grams total fat or less in a serving.
For a meal or main dish- 3 grams total fat or less in 100 grams of food and not more than 30% of calories from fat.
Percent fat free--A food with this claim must also meet the low fat claim.

Calories

Calorie free- Less than 5 calories in a serving.

Low calorie- 40 calories or less in a serving.

Sodium

Sodium free- Less than 5 mg sodium in a serving.

Low sodium- 140 mg sodium or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish- 140 mg sodium or less in 100 grams of food. Very low sodium- 35 mg sodium or less in a serving.

Words that mean the same thing as free- "no," "zero," "without," "trivial source of," "negligible source of," and "dietary insignificant source of."

Words that mean the same thing as low- "contains a small amount of" and "low source of."

Light

A product has been changed to have half the fat or one-third fewer calories than the regular product; or the sodium in a low calorie, low fat food has been cut by 50 percent; or a meal or main dish is low fat or low calorie.

"Light" also may be used to describe things like the color or texture of a food, as long as the label explains this- for example, "light brown sugar" or "light and fluffy."

Reduced/Less/Lower/Fewer

A food (like a lower-fat hot dog or a lower-sodium cracker) has at least 25 % less of something like calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, or sodium than the regular food or a similar food to which it is compared.

Lean and Extra Lean are used to describe the fat content of meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish.

Lean Less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol in a serving.

Extra lean Less than 5 grams fat, less than 2 grams saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol in a serving.

So now that the secret code is broken, I am ready to go back into the Grocery Store, somewhat confident in my new knowledge.

But wait a minute … What’s all this about portions and/or serving size?

Uh-Oh, It looks like it’s back to the drawing board for me!

It's National Cholesterol Education Month

I just ran across a notice about September being National Cholesterol Education Month. I didn’t know that.

What I do know is that cholesterol is a waxy kind of fat like substance that is present in many of the foods that I eat and can wind up sticking to the walls of my arteries and builds up if I get too much of it. The end result can be a heart attack or a stroke. Your family history also plays a role in determining whether you are more at risk to heart problems. I can personally vouch for that statement, because I have the scars to prove it.

There are two types of the stuff. One is HDL which is usually called “Good”, and the other is LDL which is the “Bad” one. To remember which is which I have memorized a little memory jogger, using the first letter of each type. H is for Healthy, and L is for Lousy.

My point here is that if you keep your cholesterol number low (Usually under 200) it can help lower Your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Check with your doctor about what your individual cholesterol level should be, and then work to keep it at that healthy level.

How do we do that? To summarize what The American Heart Association, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and American Diabetes Association have to say:

Make sure your diet is low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Get regular physical activity. I try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day.
Lose Weight, if you are carrying any extra.
Quit Smoking, If you smoke.

Healthy Eating and Normal Portions

This morning I was looking over some of the healthy diet information I received from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center I ran across some Portion Sizes. I decided to summarize and share them here. I hope they are beneficial to you also.

PROTEIN Portion: the size of the palm of your hand, or about 4 to 6 oz.

CARBOHYDRATES Portion: the size of your fist, or approximately 1-2 cups cooked.

FIBROUS VEGETABLES Portion: the size of your fist, or approximately 1-2 cups cooked.

FAT Portion: Meat and most other protein sources provide the majority of fat you need. Adding healthy fats, like 1-2 teaspoons of flaxseed or olive oil, or even all-natural peanut butter, to a couple of your meals is good for your body and your health.

Here are some popular examples of each type. Make sure you get a portion of protein and a portion of carbohydrate at each of your 5 - 6 meals, and throw in a portion of fibrous vegetables with 1 - 3 of your meals daily.

Mix and Match--find combinations that you like.

Protein: White Meat Chicken, Egg Whites / Eggs, White Meat Turkey, Lean Ground Beef / Steak, Canned Tuna, Protein Powder, Fresh Fish, Protein Bar , Skim or Low-Fat Milk** Yogurt**, and Cottage Cheese.**

Carbohydrates: Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Sweet Potato, Baked Potato, Whole Wheat Pasta, Whole Wheat Bread, Corn, Beans, Strawberries, Apple, and Peas.

Fibrous Vegetables: Broccoli, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Green Peppers, Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, Romaine Lettuce, Celery, Cucumbers, Carrots, and Radishes.

** Milk, Yogurt, and Cottage Cheese are good protein sources but also have lactose which should be factored into your carbohydrate portion. Check food labels for serving size and protein/carb content.