When people talk about detoxification and cleansing the body of harmful toxins, it’s often seen as a fringe element of vegetarians. People really don’t like to think about harmful toxins building up in their colons or in their arteries, but it’s often a by-product of a carnivorous diet. A diet that’s high in fat and processed foods tends to slow down our digestive systems, and our elimination processes are also interrupted.

This can allow harmful bacteria and toxins to accumulate and can create a general feeling of sluggishness, as well as a host of digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or colitis. When we begin eating a more healthy vegetarian diet, we start to get more dietary fiber into our systems, and all of a sudden, our digestive systems start to work better,

When you eliminate high-fat meat and processed foods from your diet, then much of your body’s energy is freed from the intense work of digesting these foods. Everything becomes clearer – your blood, your organs, your mind. You start to become more aware of the toxic nature of the food you’d been eating before.

Toxicity is of much greater concern in the twentieth century than ever before. There are many new and stronger chemicals, air and water pollution, radiation and nuclear power. We ingest new chemicals, use more drugs of all kinds, eat more sugar and refined foods, and daily abuse ourselves with various stimulants and sedatives. The incidence of many toxicity diseases has increased as well. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are two of the main ones. Arthritis, allergies, obesity, and many skin problems are others.

In addition, a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, pains, coughs, gastrointestinal problems, and problems from immune weakness, can all be related to toxicity. When you start a vegetarian eating plan, your body eventually cleanses itself of the harmful effects of these toxic foods.

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Many of the health benefits derived from a vegetarian diet have to do with creating a healthy environment in the bowels and stomach. Our digestive systems, from prehistory on, were designed to metabolize vegetable matter, more than animal products. Fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts provide the kind of dietary fiber our digestive systems need to function properly. The Western diet that’s high in processed and refined flour and sugar, and in animal products that are laden with hormones and antibiotics, are actually anathema to our insides.

When the digestive system doesn’t function and work as it’s intended to, that leads to opportunistic diseases or changes in the DNA of cells in the stomach and colon. And there are more practical considerations as well. When we don’t get enough of the fiber we need, we incur a host of digestion and elimination problems, such as constipation and hemorrhoids that are a result of straining. These diseases and syndromes are much less evident in a vegetarian population than in a meat-eating population.

Other diseases of the bowel that occur less frequently in a vegetarian population include irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic ulcerative colitis, mostly likely due to the increased fiber content in a vegetarian diet. And of course a diet that’s higher in dietary fiber that comes from a vegetarian diet will decrease the likelihood or risk of colon cancer.

When you consider the risks that come with a diet that includes meat and animal products, and the benefits that come from a vegetarian diet, does the prospect of a steak or burger or bacon really sound that good to you? Doesn’t it at least make sense to reverse the portion sizes and proportions of meats to vegetables and side dishes? In other words, if you must continue to eat meat, then make meat your side dish, or just incidental to your meal, such as in a stir fry. Increasing the proportion of fruits and vegetables in your diet can only be good for you.

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If you’ve been looking for a way towards a high octane diet, you’ll find fiber to be exactly what you need. Even though research has shown fiber to be powerful, many people aren’t taking this nutrient seriously.

To help you fuel your health with fiber, here are 10 facts to help.

1. Fiber fights diseases. A diet high in fiber can help to prevent colon cancer and heart disease. High fiber helps the body to eliminate cholesterol by binding it in the digestive tract. For thousands of years, fiber has been used to stop constipation.

2. Fiber can actually help with overeating. All high fiber foods will take longer to chew and digest, making you feel satisfied longer

3. Most popular foods don’t have enough fiber. If you like the more popular foods, you probably need to increase your intake of fiber.

4. Grains offer the most fiber. Dietary fiber is actually plant matter that we cannot digest. The best sources are whole grains and concentrated grain products.

5. Kids need fiber as well. Children that are older than 2 years of age should consume a daily intake of fiber. Kids are most receptive to fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and even fortified breakfast cereals.

6. More fiber needs more water. In order to keep fiber moving through your digestive tract, you’ll need to consume a lot of water. With your diet of fiber, you’ll need eight or more glasses of water every day.

7. Fiber cannot be cooked out. When you cook your fruits and vegetables, don’t worry about cooking the fiber out, as it stays. The fiber found in fruits and vegetables aren’t just in the skin or in the peel.

8. You can get enough fiber. If you eat more than 50 grams of fiber in a day, you can get diarrhea and bloating, which can interfere with your body’s absorption of other key minerals.

9. Getting the right amount of fiber in your diet doesn’t have to be hard. Even though you may think so, getting the amount of fiber you need isn’t very hard to do. All you have to do is eat the right foods and you’ll be well on your way to a fiber
rich lifestyle.

As one of the key ingredients to healthy eating, fiber is something you don’t want to skip. Fiber can serve many different purposes, which were covered above. If you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet – you should do something about now instead of waiting until it is too late.

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The Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan – Six Tips For Success

Working out until your midsection burns but still not seeing enough results? If so, then you are not alone. What may surprise you is that exercise may not be the weak point in your routine. Instead, what you need is a more comprehensive flat abs diet plan. Here are six steps to six pack abs.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #1 – Load up on fiber. Your daily goal for dietary fiber should be at least 25 grams. Fiber helps you feel more full so you end up eating less. It also helps digestion, allowing fat to move through your system faster. Good sources of fiber include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #2 – Go for high-quality carbohydrates. Not all carbs are created equal. Simple carbohydrates are digested too quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Sugar, refined flour, white bread and white rice are common examples of simple carbs. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are much better for you. These are found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. You should still try to limit your carbs to no more than 65% of your total caloric intake.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #3 – Drink plenty of water. The idea that drinking 8 glasses of water per day will help you lose weight is mostly a myth. However, it’s still a good idea to stay well hydrated. Your cells thrive on having enough water, and this includes muscle cells.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #4 – Decrease sodium intake. While having plenty of water in your system is a good thing, water retention is not. Having too much sodium will cause you to feel puffy or bloated. Also, having too much can be a risk factor for developing high blood pressure. The current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend an upper limit of 2400 milligrams of sodium per day, but you can normally go much lower than that without risking your health.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #5 – Don’t eat too late in the day. You need to give your body enough time to digest its food. Therefore, the sooner before bed you eat, the better. If at all possible, try not to eat anything 3 hours prior to retiring for the evening. If you must have something, then go for a light snack of 100 calories or less and perhaps a cup of tea.

Ultimate Flat Abs Diet Plan Step #6 – Reduce stress. That’s right! Stress releases a hormone known as cortisol. The problem with cortisol is that it sends a signal to the brain to store fat (as a sort of survival mechanism). And guess where the brain tells the body to store that fat after receiving its signal? If you said around your abs, then you’re correct.

There you go, six tips to six pack abs. Of course you still need to do your ab exercises, but these tips will give you the edge in your efforts to look your best.

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