A USDA study done by scientist recently discovered that top foods with the disease-fighting compound of antioxidants were the acai berry, beans and artichokes.

The study also confirmed that widely known highly rich antioxidant foods like cranberries and blueberries were good sources–but surprisingly, research also determined that cinnamon, pecans, and even Russet potatoes contained high sources of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important because they are thought to fight cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease.

“The bottom line is the same: eat more fruits and veggies,” says Ronald L. Prior, Ph.D., a chemist and nutritionist with the USDA’s Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center in Little Rock, Ark., and lead author of the study. “This study confirms that those foods are full of benefits, particularly those with higher levels of antioxidants. Nuts and spices are also good sources.”

The new study is more complete more accurate than previous USDA antioxidant data and includes more foods than the previous study as high tech equipment was used by the researchers. They analyzed antioxidant levels in over 100 different foods, including fruits and vegetables–the new study also includes data on spices and nuts for the first time.

All foods were measured based off of antioxidant concentration and antioxidant capacity per serving. Russet potatoes,artichokes and beans were the best source of antioxidants in the vegetable category. Acai berries, cranberries, and blueberries were tops for antioxidants in the fruit category–while pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts were your best source of antioxidants in the nut family.

Spices usually are eaten in small amounts, even though many have been found to contain high levels of amino acids. Ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground oregano were found to have high levels of antioxidant concentration.

This study should prove helpful for people who are looking to add antioxidants to their diet. Please note that the total capacity of antioxidants found in foods does not indicate necessarily the potential health benefit–this depends on how the food is absorbed by the body.

The government currently has no guidelines for how people should consume antioxidants as part of their daily diet–this is the same dilemma with vitamins and minerals. One big problem is the lack of continuity amongst researchers.

For the time being it is recommended that you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants like cranberries and acai berries.

For the past 30 years, Dr. Jerimiah Crossderd has studied the benefits that antioxidants have on the body. He currently has an acai fruit web site that is loaded with an abundance of information on the high concentration of antioxidants found in acai berry. He also has a acai fruit review site of thew best acai products to buy.

While some fitness enthusiasts relentlessly seek out the latest, trendiest exercise crazes, many others are returning to good, old-fashioned walking to help them feel great and get into shape. Whether enjoying the wonder of nature, or simply the company of a friend, walking can be a healthy, invigorating experience. And thanks to its convenience and simplicity, walking just might be right for you too, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Benefits You don’t need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment.

“A sedentary lifestyle has debilitating influence on people’s health as they age” says Dr. Jerome McAndrews, national spokesperson for the ACA. “Exercise is imperative.” Walking can accomplish all of the following and more:

Improves cardiovascular endurance Tones muscles of the lower body Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4 1/2 miles per hour Reduces risk of heart disease Shoes The first item of business when beginning your walking program is to select the right pair of shoes. Dr. McAndrews recommends the following tips:

Make sure the shoes you purchase fit you properly. The balls of your feet should rest exactly at the point where the toe end of the shoe bends during walking. Avoid high-top shoes, that, often cover the entire ankle, limiting your foot’s ability to move freely and naturally. Opt instead for shoes that offer your ankle a fuller range of motion.

Select shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of your walking.

Getting Started: Walking just 12 minutes every other day can offer many important health benefits. Walking 20 minutes every other day is even better. But in order to increase your longevity, try to eventually work up to 30 minutes, five days per week. The following tips should help you get started safely and smoothly:

Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg. Do not stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly. Don’t carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen. If you do carry weights while walking, be sure that they are light enough that they do not interfere with the “rhythm” of your arms and legs; in order to counterbalance the body, when your right arm moves forward, the left leg should be moving forward, etc. Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your doctor of chiropractic. Walk briskly, with “purpose.” Simply “sauntering,” while relaxing and enjoyable, is not an effective form of cardiovascular exercise. Keep in mind that, if you have not previously been physically active, you should consult your doctor before. Begin slowly with a walk of perhaps half of a mile at a pace that does not cause discomfort. Continue this for about two weeks, then start to increase the pace and length of time walking. Eventually – depending on your age – you can build your “target” heart rate/pulse to either 120 beats per minute or, if younger, as many as 140 beats per minute. For the average adult, a heart rate of 120 beats per minute would require walking at about 2 miles per hour, while a heart rate of 140 beats per minute would require a pace of 4 1/2 miles per hour.

HYDRATION

Drink 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help keep the kidneys active, dilute and remove toxins from the body, and replace lost fluids. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are diuretics/dehydrators. Don’t substitute them for water.) If you perspire during walking, you may need to drink even more.

Surfaces: Some walking surfaces are better than others on your musculoskeletal system.

Walking on a cushioned or rubberized track is ideal, because the cushioning of this type of track absorbs most of the impact of your walking. Many recreation centers offer this type of track for use, free of charge.

Grass is another good surface, but watch out for hidden dips or holes in the ground. Walking on a surface with no give, such as concrete or a mall floor, is not your best choice, because this type of surface will not absorb much of the impact your body will experience. If you choose to walk on such a surface, be extra careful to select highly cushioned shoes.

Pain and Injury: Dr. McAndrews explains that while you may experience pain or injury in a particular area, such as a knee or a hip, the root of the problem may lie somewhere else. “Injuries of this nature are not regional, or isolated, but systemic,” says Dr. McAndrews. “A problem in the foot or ankle can create an imbalance in every step, leading to discomfort or injury that moves to the knees, hips, low back, or elsewhere.” If you suffer from pain beyond typical muscle soreness, your doctor of chiropractic can diagnose and treat your pain or injury and get you back into the swing of your walking routine.

For additional information on health feel free tocontact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

While some fitness enthusiasts relentlessly seek out the latest, trendiest exercise crazes, many others are returning to good, old-fashioned walking to help them feel great and get into shape. Whether enjoying the wonder of nature, or simply the company of a friend, walking can be a healthy and invigorating experience. And thanks to its convenience and simplicity, walking just might be right for you too, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Benefits: You don’t need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment.

“A sedentary lifestyle has debilitating influence on people’s health as they age” says Dr. Jerome McAndrews, who is a national spokesperson for the ACA. “Exercise is imperative.” Walking accomplishes all of the following and more:

Improves cardiovascular endurance Tones muscles of the lower body Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4 1/2 miles per hour Reduces risk of heart disease Shoes: The very first item of business when beginning your walking program is to select the right pair of shoes. Dr. McAndrews recommends the following tips:

Make sure the shoes you purchase fit properly. The balls of your feet should rest exactly at the point where the toe end of the shoe bends during walking. Avoid high-top shoes, that, often cover the entire ankle, limiting your foot’s ability to move freely and naturally. Opt instead for shoes that offer your ankle a fuller range of motion.

Select shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of your walking.

Getting Started: Walking just 12 minutes every other day can offer many important health benefits. Walking 20 minutes every other day is even better. But in order to increase your longevity, try to eventually work up to 30 minutes, five days per week. The following tips should help you get started safely and smoothly:

Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg. Don’t stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly. Don’t carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen. If you do carry weights while walking, be sure that they are light enough that they do not interfere with the “rhythm” of your arms and legs; in order to counterbalance the body, when your right arm moves forward, the left leg should be moving forward, etc. Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your doctor of chiropractic. Walk briskly, with “purpose.” Simply “sauntering,” while relaxing and enjoyable, is not an effective form of cardiovascular exercise. Keep in mind that, if you have not previously been physically active, you should consult your doctor before. Begin slowly with a walk of perhaps half of a mile at a pace that does not cause discomfort. Continue this for about two weeks, then start to increase the pace and length of time walking. Eventually – depending on your age – you can build your “target” heart rate/pulse to either 120 beats per minute or, if younger, as many as 140 beats per minute. For the average adult, a heart rate of 120 beats per minute would require walking at about 2 miles per hour, while a heart rate of 140 beats per minute would require a pace of 4 1/2 miles per hour.

HYDRATION

Drink 10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help keep the kidneys active, dilute and remove toxins from the body, and replace lost fluids. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are diuretics/dehydrators. Do not substitute them for water.) If you perspire during walking, you may need to drink even more.

Surfaces Some walking surfaces are better than others on your musculoskeletal system.

Walking on a cushioned or rubberized track is ideal, because the cushioning of this type of track absorbs most of the impact of your walking. Many recreation centers offer this type of track for use, free of charge.

Grass is another good surface, but watch out for hidden dips or holes in the ground. Walking on a surface with no give, such as concrete or a mall floor, is not your best choice, because this type of surface will not absorb much of the impact your body will experience. If you choose to walk on such a surface, be extra careful to select highly cushioned shoes.

Pain and Injury: Dr. McAndrews explains that while you may experience pain or injury in a particular area, such as a knee or a hip, the root of the problem can lie somewhere else. “Injuries of this nature are not regional, or isolated, but systemic,” says Dr. McAndrews. “A problem in the foot or ankle can create an imbalance in every step, leading to discomfort or injury that moves to the knees, hips, low back, or elsewhere.” If you suffer from pain beyond typical muscle soreness, your doctor of chiropractic can diagnose and treat your pain or injury and get you back into the swing of your walking routine.

For more information on health and nutrition please contact Dr. FowlerDr. Jason Fowler at www.lakestlouisdc.comwww.lakestlouisdc.com

Even though there is so much information available about weight loss, the same diet mistakes are being made over and over every day. We are not talking here about little slip-ups where you ate a slice of pie that was not on the plan, but big mistakes that lead to failure to lose the weight that you want to lose. Understanding these errors can help you develop the attitude that will lead to permanent weight loss for you.

1. It needs to be All or Nothing

The all or nothing dieters often set their personal goals too high – not that that is a problem in it’s own but frequently ends in failure because the very high standard set can so easily be broken. It may be just an evening out with friends or round at a family members home that it proves impossible to maintain the strict chosen diet plan. All too quickly what seamed a success for a few days or weeks has been broken and the feeling of failure has sown the seeds of doubt. Once the discipline has been broken it almost appears to be all over and before long the diet just is not working and the old eating habits are resumed with the obvious consequences.

If you are this kind of dieter you need to ask yourself some tough questions. Do you really want to lose weight permanently, or just lose a few pounds so that you can enjoy putting them back on again? The way forward is to make small changes to what you eat so that you have a slow but steady weight loss.

2. A statement of sacrifice.

Many dieters regard the dieting period as a time of sacrifice. To achieve the diet you have to give up just about everything you enjoy eating and drinking – you know the feeling. If you take this route and successfully reach your target weight then what happens? It is far better to make some compromises and include a little of your favorite items in your diet and gradually educate yourself to eat less of the more damaging items than make drastic changes which are just too much of a sacrifice to maintain.

3. Failure to achieve goals

If the goals you set yourself are un-realistic then failure occurs only too quickly. You own goals should be written down and shared with your partner, family or friends where appropriate. If you and people understand what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to achieve your weight loss goals then you are more likely to have support around you. It is lot easier to set a goal of 1 or 2 pounds a week for say 10 weeks than simply stating that you are going to loose 20 pounds. Inevitably some weeks you will exceed your targets and occasionally (I hope) you may not quite achieve your targeted loss (you may even have a small increase). In addition to writing down your targets also document your progress

If you’ve made some of the above mistakes already then I hope you’ll have understood how to correct the mistakes and not creating an excuse to give up with your weight loss diet. Having the right mind-set and the correct attitude should enable you to more easily achieve your weight loss goals. If you understand the consequences of what you eat and drink then you’ll probably find it easier to make some lifestyle changes resulting in a healthier life and a more appropriate weight.

Getting a perfect set of washboard abs is the ultimate goal of lots of people, and there is no real short cut to obtaining them. The gimmicks sold on TV do not work—they are simply a marketing ploy to part you from your bankroll, and most of them are useless. To get a good set of abs and strong core muscles, you need a good ab exercise routine that includes a sound nutritional plan to go along with your exercises.

The first thing that has to happen in order to develop strong abdominal muscles and your core strength is that you need to set your mind to it as a way of life, develop good nutritional habits, and then start your ab exercise routine. These exercises can be used to develop core strength and endurance if done the right way over a period of time.

The guidelines for a correct ab exercise routine are such that you would do what is comfortable for you over the length of the plan; usually a bevy of 3-5 ab exercises alternated from day to day, and they would be performed 3-5 times per week. As you get more comfortable with the number of reps and the exercises themselves, then you can gradually increase the reps. Make sure you select exercises you like and will stick with, and vary your routine over the months so boredom does not set in.

Some examples of good ab exercise routines that are easy to do and produce definite results are things like side bends with dumbbells, cable crunches, medicine ball situps, or weighted curls with medicine balls. Pick the ones out of the many that are offered for ab routines, and make sure they fit into your comfort zone before starting.

Commitment in this business is the big C word—-you must have it or you will fail. Any good ab exercise routine will get you to your goal, but you can’t stick with it if you are not committed to it. Your mental outlook is all important and that combined with good nutrition and a bevy of multi-joint workouts so your metabolism is boosted by the fat burning hormones that are released; will allow you to achieve the perfect set of abs you are looking for.

Nutritionally sound foods are a must when you are putting together a workable ab exercise program, and by that we mean foods that are nutritionally dense, with a good supply of vitamins and minerals. No fad foods or junk foods allowed when you are developing good muscle tone and strength, and you will find you feel better and have more energy than you did before you started your program. Good food, a positive mindset go hand in hand in your exercise program for success.

The pros know what they’re talking about when it comes to developing a sound ab exercise routine that will work; you just have to follow their guidelines that have been proven to work, and eat right, and stay positive. Stick with it, and those 6 pack abs you have been dreaming about all those nights on the couch, will soon be yours.

A glance in any book shop today is bound to reveal a ton of autobiographies. Successful people explaining how they made it in life. From glamour models to empire builders, they all have a different story to tell. But each has a common thread – they overcame adversity by focusing on the positives. This is the only way to achieve anything we’re aiming for. We have to consume ourselves with positive beliefs, and not allow negative a foot-hold!

And so for someone attempting to reduce their weight, a positive mind-set is fundamental. You can only do it if you think you can! An up-beat, affirmative viewpoint harnesses the right results. On the other hand, a negative outlook blocks us and numbs our ‘can-do’ receptors.

This is because we have a mechanism, called the Reticular Activation System. It tells the brain what to think about. We become familiar with many things over time that don’t continue to stay in the forefront of our minds – as we store all our previous experiences in the sub conscious bit, or the back so to speak.

Then, when we have a need to refer to something, our automatic RAS (reticular activation system) goes through our sub conscious to check if we’re holding anything relevant. So when we’re strolling down a road, things that have meaning to us come to our attention, but everything else doesn’t.

Therefore, if our conscious mind has generally been transferring positive, upbeat messages to our sub-conscious mind, that’s what it will send back. But if our sub-conscious has been given loads of downbeat messages, then that’s equally what will be sent back.

Successful people seem to have developed the technique of ‘programming’ their subconscious with positive thoughts, thereby controlling their RAS. For achieving goals this makes the RAS an essential tool, because the sub-conscious mind doesn’t know what’s real or imaginary.

In other words, as it believes what it’s told, we need to create a very specific picture of our goal in our conscious mind. The RAS will then pass this on to our sub-conscious – which will then help us achieve the goal. It does this by bringing to our attention all the relevant information which otherwise might have remained as ‘background noise’.

The writer Napoleon Hill said that we can achieve any realistic goal if stop dwelling on negative thoughts about it. We must keep a positive focus. Naturally, if we’ve bombarded our thinking with negative and defeat, we can expect exactly that.

I remember reading once that “all diets work” and all diets will assist you to “lose” weight. The difficulty is that rather than maintain the weight loss we often go back to our poor eating habits and gain all of the weight that we lost back again. I disagreed.

As a seasoned dieter who had long been trying various ways to lose weight I knew that this was not true. The fact was that there had been many diet plans that I tried and followed the advice religiously only to see the scale not move at all. True story, the scale did not register the drop of even one pound. My body was completely resistant to losing weight.

It is a biological anomaly for women. Men will always be able to lose weight and gain muscle easier and faster than women because women are biologically programmed to hold onto the fat. In the scarce event of a famine our bodies are designed not only to keep us alive but also to keep any babies that we may be carrying alive. Biologically it is just more challenging for women to lose weight.

But as you go you learn what works for weight loss and what doesn’t. Here are the top five weight loss rules for bodies that are resistant to losing.

The first rule is simple. You must eat. You must eat at least 3 meals and even as many as 6 small meals a day. Eating at regular intervals keeps you blood sugars even and it keeps you from gorging and eating everything in site later. Your metabolism will keep burning calories if it knows there is no lack. If your body thinks it is starving your metabolism will shut down and your body will conserve the fat.

Second is to exchange quality for quantity. Empty calories that provide no decent nutritional value do nothing to fill you up and eating nutritionally empty food is a sure way to pack on the pounds. Cravings are many times caused by a deficiency of vital nutrients so it is important to choose high quality, nutritionally dense foods. Stay away from the “white stuff’, meaning white flour and white sugar.

The third rule is to have protein at every meal. There is a reason why high protein diets tend to be successful. It’s not because they are highly nutritious but rather because protein does not cause sugar spikes and it is digested slower than carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates. Therefore, when you add protein you don’t get nearly as hungry and you don’t eat anywhere near as much.

The fourth rule is to choose your carbohydrates wisely. Simple carbohydrates like sweets, candy and really anything made out of white flour will just spike your blood sugar, make you hungry and add to your fat deposits. Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables. These will give you fiber, which will also keep you fuller and will keep your digestive system running at its highest levels.

The fifth rule is to start moving. Start an exercise plan. Begin walking and take the stairs. You can begin slow and move up to a more challenging program as you become stronger but if you want to lose weight and keep it off long-term exercise is critical.

This is a lifetime commitment. Few people with weight problems master it once and for all. It is a commitment you make everyday. But if you adhere to these rules for the majority of the time you will be on your way to a lean body.