Full and Happy

When we think about being hungry, we think about our stomach, especially if it’s growling and rumbling. But that’s not where we actually register hunger. We register it in our heads. The link between the stomach and the brain is called the hypothalamus, a small extension of the brain just above the brain stem.

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Parrillo Belly Fat Busters

You’ve probably heard a lot in the news about foods that may have the potential to decrease tummy flab for reasons ranging from how they might change the way your body processes sugar to the effect they have on fat storage. And maybe you’ve wondered if any foods on the Parrillo Nutrition Program can burn belly fat. Well, the answer is “yes.” Take a look.

Scientific evidence suggests these Parrillo Nutrition foods will help beat belly fat.

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Mineral Magic

By Cliff Sheats

Minerals are inorganic elements; in other words, they are not produced by your body. Like vitamins, they act as coenzymes, meaning that they enable certain chemical reactions to occur. After the minerals have been absorbed, they actually become part of the structure of the body – of the cells, enzymes, hormones, muscles, blood, and bone – and remain in the body for varying amounts of time. Some are utilized pretty quickly, and some are stored and utilized over a period of time.

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More Powerfully Good News About Leucine

By Cliff Sheats

Cutting-edge research published over the past several years bring to light how and why a high-protein diet may be the best for burning fat. A growing mound of proof suggests that eating more high quality protein will increase the amount of leucine, an amino acid, in the diet, helping you maintain muscle mass and burn body fat during weight loss. Maintaining muscle during weight loss efforts is essential because it helps the body burn more calories.

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A Calorie Is Not A Calorie

By Cliff Sheats

Nutritionists used to think that a calorie was a calorie was a calorie. But now they know better. Calories from fat head straight to the tummy and hips. That’s because fat from food is chemically similar to fat in the body and thus easy to store. Many studies have shown that overweight people prefer foods higher in fat and sugar. An excess of these foods can make the pounds pile on.

Let’s say you eat 100 extra calories from a fatty food like candy or French fries. Your body may burn just three of those fat calories and stockpile the rest as body fat. In other words, 97 percent of all fat calories are turned into body fat.

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Mega Benefits of Omega-3s

For well over 10 years, we’ve known the benefits of fish oil, known technically as omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3s help:

● Lower blood pressure.

● Decrease levels of triglycerides (harmful-to-the-heart blood fats).

● Reduce arterial plaques.

● Improve memory and concentration.

● Boost mood.

● Protect against cancer.

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How to Live a Bone-Smart Lifestyle by Cliff Sheats

Used to be, osteoporosis was thought of as a woman’s disease. But in the past few years, its incidence
among men has been climbing. Among the 25 million sufferers in the United States, two million men have
osteoporosis, and three million more are at risk. (Risk factors for men and women are listed in the box at the
end of this article.)

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The Secret Power of Vitamin C: By Cliff Sheats

I talk about vitamin C quite a bit, but what a lot of people don’t realize is that this versatile nutrient has a hand in helping your body absorb iron. (Be sure to see John’s column this month on the importance of iron to athletes.)

Iron absorption refers to the amount of dietary iron that the body obtains and uses from food. Storage levels of iron have the greatest influence on iron absorption. Iron absorption increases when body stores are low. When iron stores are high, absorption decreases to help protect against toxic effects of iron overload.

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Color it Carotenoid: by Cliff Sheats

We’ve all heard of beta carotene, the carotenoid in carrots, but did you know that beta-carotene is just one of many carotenoids, ranging from yellow to green to deep red, that lend color to fruits and vegetables?

The list of carotenoids – which is a type of super antioxidant – is actually quite long and includes alpha carotene, beta carotene, cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and zeta-carotene. More than 600 carotenoids are found in fruits and vegetables and they may be a hundred times more powerful than beta-carotene and other antioxidants alone. Current research shows that carotenoids have various health-giving properties including preventing cardiovascular disease, reducing your risk of cancer, and improving your eyesight.

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Stress-Free Equals Body-Fat Free

By Cliff Sheats

Manage your stress to keep body fat off! Stress is your body’s response to any physical, mental, or psychological demand. What many people don’t realize is that stress can interfere with efforts to stay lean. During stress, the body tries to compensate physiologically by triggering the release of hormones that increase levels of blood sugar and blood fats. If stress continues without interruption, the body enters a state of exhaustion, which can ultimately result in disease. Stress management is thus an important factor in weight control and disease prevention.

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