HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. One of it's functions is to ensure the growing fetus receives enough nutrients to grow and develop normally. It does this by making the abnormal fat stored in the mother's body available for use. The mother's body is then able to use this fat for nutrients and energy despite her intake. This is why women can throw up for three months straight during "morning sickness" and the baby does not suffer. Pregnancy is the only time HCG is found in the body.


Photo: Jthree

Dr. ATW Simeons discovered in the 1950's that small doses of HCG given to overweight individuals (men and women) decreased their appetite, and made them lose inches specifically around their hips, thighs, buttocks and stomachs. The HCG Diet has been used since then for weight loss in obese persons as well as those wanting to shed a few unhealthy or unwanted pounds.

Chinese vegetable recipes are very popular these days because everyone is always on a diet. With the right recipes on hand, you could easily drop a few pounds a month by eating delicious Chinese food a couple times a week. Many people immediately think of things like bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and bok choy. While these are common Chinese vegetables, not that many recipes use them.


Photo: wasatyu

There are many more vegetables you can use to give your recipes a distinctly Chinese flavor. They are just usually prepackaged in the frozen food section with anything that says Chinese on it. Chinese cabbage is one of the best tasting and useful vegetables you can buy. It's not as tangy or large as normal cabbage and has a great flavor.

This isolation exercise helps build strength in you triceps as you pull on the pulley with the use of just one arm. This exercise can be done by beginners and it is a great way to target a weak arm.


Photo: lululemon athletica

Be sure to perform your stretches and warm-ups before you do this exercise. Place enough weights on the machine that does not cause too much strain on your muscles but still heavy enough to challenge your arms. You may need to adjust the weights differently if one arm is weaker than the other. Stand directly in front of the high-cable pulley machine and use a single handle attachment. Balance yourself by placing one foot forward and the other foot back. Hold the handle and position your arm upper arm close to your side with your lower arm flexed to chest level. Your elbow must be in an acute angle and also kept close at your side. This will be your starting position.

Breathe out as you pull on the handle until your arm is fully extended at your side. Keep your arm close to your body and maintain your upper arm in a stationary position. Do not lean forward when you pull the handle and do not bend your knees either. Your body must be kept straight at all times to isolate the action on your triceps. Hold the contraction for a second once your arm is fully extended. Breathe in as you slowly return to starting position while resisting the force of the weights.

Repeat with the number of recommended reps in one arm before going back to the other, alternating sets as you go.

Written by Stacy Allen from the P90X Push Up Stands Store, your #1 online shop to Get Insanity From shaun t.

Home cooks are discovering to a world of cuisines. Our society's growing consciousness about the impact of our actions on the planet's health and well-being is being felt in the kitchen. Increasingly, the trend in recipes and cooking revolves around finding ingredients that are produced locally. Home cooks are recognizing that fruit and vegetables grown in other states and other countries gobble up energy to package and transport them to market. This leaves a big carbon footprint - a consequence that a growing number of families wish to avoid. As a result, shoppers are seeking out fresh food and produce that is locally grown.


Photo: atlnomad

For some, this means regularly visiting farmers markets; for others, it means inquiring about the source of fresh food at the grocery store. Many others have the desire to take steps toward finding recipes and cooking with fresh produce and other ingredients, but aren't sure where to begin. Thank goodness for the Internet! For those ready to take the first steps, there is an abundance of information available on the Web.

Armed with this information, shoppers can learn how to buy fresh produce, discover the types of produce that are in season, read articles about fresh food, and find recipes to prepare everything from delectable fresh fish, seafood, and meat dishes to delicious vegetable courses and dessert treats. Moreover, home cooks are discovering that cooking with locally grown fresh foods opens the door to a world of cuisines - literally.

Today's recipes and cooking trends put a global twist on fresh ingredients. If you're in the mood for Asian food, for example, you don't have to dine out. Instead, you can use the Web to research Asian food culture and find recipes that are easy to make at home. Likewise, resources for French food, German food, Italian food, and Mexican food are only a few mouse clicks away. Vegetarians and those who are health-conscious are truly embracing these recipes and cooking trends.

In the past several years, natural and organic foods have been finding their way onto grocery store shelves, and stores that specialize in fresh and natural foods are now a staple in virtually every city. Whether you adhere to a raw food diet or are simply trying to cut back on butter or sugar, you can more easily find the foods that you need. At its best, cooking is an adventure. It's fun to experiment with different herbs and spices, and to prepare your favorite foods in a new way.


Photo: marantzer

Combining local, fresh foods with global recipes and cooking techniques is a great way to keep your cuisine interesting and tasty. No one would argue that eating only locally grown foods can be a challenge. After all, it would be difficult to find fresh fish and seafood if you live in the desert, or unearth a source for locally churned butter if you live in a fishing village.

By the way, with the plethora of information about recipes and cooking that is available on the Web, putting a global twist on local ingredients can put the adventure back in dining. Just keep in mind that perfection needn't be the goal, even incremental changes in the way we think and shop will help the planet.

These days, we're seeing more and more instances of a variety of autoimmune disorders. Diseases like MS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and a host of others seem to be on the rise. Some say that it's merely due to better diagnostic tools; and others say that it is environmental factors: pollution and the foods we eat that are leading to more people being hit by these maladies. In response to this, many people feel that a raw diet, one that shuns the processed foods, the refined sugars, the high fructose corn syrup, and other additives is the key to good health. Now, an important point to remember here is that the diet is not necessarily made up solely of raw foods. The goal of the diet is for you to eat the foods in as close to their whole state as possible. That means either eating them as they are, or using boiling or steaming to prepare them.



Photo: sheknows.com

In every instance, you want to avoid foods that are highly processed. So, if you want to eat rice, as an example, go with brown rice as opposed to white rice. In terms of what food you'll want to eat, here's just a partial list of foods that are okay to eat on this diet: whole grain cereals, legumes, fermented soy products, fruits, vegetables, sea vegetables - like seaweed, brown rice, soba noodles, all types of beans, and tofu. You may have noticed a lack of meats listed; this is deliberate. By and large, a raw diet does not include meats; only fish and other seafood are allowed. This diet believes in the concept of properly combining your foods.

The belief is that this ensures that your food digests properly. The phrase often used is calling it the: yin and yang of the digestive process. So, a key aspect of this diet is that you do not eat too many yin foods. This means not overloading your meals with too much of the following: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, beets, avocados, and eggplant. Here again, you can see the heavy vegetarian aspects of this diet.

In addition, you need to not partake of beverages that have stimulants like caffeine. So, don't drink a lot of soda or coffee. Instead, certain teas and lots of water are the best drinks. Another to remember about this diet is how you eat each meal. Keep your portions small, and you must chew your food well; this is most helpful in aiding your digestion. Not only does it break the food up into small manageable amounts for your stomach and intestines to handle, but it thoroughly drenches the food in saliva, the first step in digestion. So, when looking to determine what sort of portions you want for your meal, make about half your meal of whole grains, and that includes brown rice.


Photo: notionsandcurios


This is especially important if you have an allergy to gluten, as rice doesn't have that. Next, you'll want about a third of the meal to be vegetables. Beyond that, some beans and legumes can be about ten percent, and then five percent for some kind of soup. To round things out, toss in some nuts, fish, juices and seasoning as you see fit. You really want to avoid red meat as much as possible. If you really like meat, and want some, at least aim to buy local, and thus avoid those with chemicals. In fact, when it comes to all of your foods, try to get only local produce. Follow these guidelines, and you'll see a real improvement in the state of your overall health.

A detox diet provides the simplest way to detoxifying yourself. You probably know by now what detoxification is and the ways that it can be done. A rule of thumb in detox diets as the more fiber and water is better. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits, beans and nuts. On the other hand, steer clear of caffeine, carbonated drinks, sugars like chocolates, alcohol and yeast. The expert recommends going on a monotrophic diet after a three-day fast.


Photo: Prowpatareeya

By monotrophic, we mean eating only one type of fruit for every meal. Example, for breakfast, you can eat guava. For lunch, try out oranges or pineapples. Eat until your hunger is satisfied. You can squeeze in a grapefruit juice at around 4 pm for your snack. And in the evening, eat only apples, pears, grapes or bananas. Of course, this is just one of those do-it-yourself diet plans that you can take on when you’re on a detox program.

For most people, however, detox recipes are the best way to go. These detox recipes are especially designed to provide you with the necessary nutrient in the body and at the same time, providing you with the necessary antioxidants and substances that will cleanse your body from toxins. For more fluid intake, you can try Ginger Healing Tea with Turmeric.

What you need are the following: 2 cups of water, ½ teaspoon of powdered ginger, ½ teaspoon of tumeric, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and lemon extract. To make your special healing tea, add powdered herbs to boiling water and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the tea into a mug and add maple syrup and lemon extract. Stir and whalaaah you can start drinking. For breakfast, you can try the vegetable super juice. This juice gives you the needed energy boost for your senses, wakens your digestive system and can keep you going until lunchtime.

For starters, you need 1 whole cucumber, 4 celery sticks, 2-4 handfuls of spinach, 8 lettuce leaves. You can also add other green vegetables like parsley and fresh alfalfa sprouts. The process is easy and simple, juice all ingredients and add distilled water. You can also add lemon juice for better taste. And now for lunch, try the Alkalising RAW Soup. All you need are 1 avocado, 2 spring onions, ½ red or green pepper, 1 cucumber, 2 handfuls of spinach, ½ clove of garlic, 100 ml of light vegetable Bouillon, lemon or lime juice and Bragg Liquid Aminos for added taste.


Photo: Les Tables Ephémères de Guilène

Just like our vegetable juice, the recipe is simple and easy to do. Blend the avocado and stock to form a light paste. Add other ingredients and blend. And then you can start eating. Our dinner treat is Warm Broccoli Soup. All you need is ½ avocado, 6-8 broccoli heads, 1/3 red onion, 1 celery stick, a big handful of spinach, inch of root ginger, cumin and bragg liquid amino for added taste. Lightly steam the broccoli for 5-6 minutes. After steaming, blend all the ingredients together and add garlic and pepper to taste.

This is perfect for a cold winter night. Feeling hungry still? These recipes are just few of the hundred other detox recipes available on the net. So what are you waiting for? Start eating healthy! The key here is to pack yourself with enough water and nutrients to keep you going without ingesting a plateful of additives, sugars and food preservatives.