A Tik-King Time Bomb

Bright, shiny and almost invincible. This is how tik makes the user feel. Suddenly she’s the most attractive, confident, creative, fascinating woman and has boundless energy to tackle even the most menial chores.

In fact, even washing laundry seems like fun. Sleeping suddenly seems a complete waste of time and what’s even more amazing is how she can eat as much as she wants and still lose weight.

But it soon lives up to its title – ‘the ugliest drug there is’ – and before she knows it she can’t live without it. Soon the toxins seep through her skin and make it crawl and she starts scratching and picking her skin obsessively, so much so that bloody welts and sores
riddle her body. Her skin breaks out in the most awful acne, she looks anorexic and much older than her age, and her teeth start rotting. Deep, dark circles instantly ring her eyes from lack of sleep, and slowly but surely the paranoia and violent behavior that accompany this unique addiction start kicking in.

Previously the drug of choice among young men, tik is increasingly being abused by young women across all socioeconomic classes. Tik is currently affecting all suburbs across the globe, and over the past year there’s been a definite increase in female users.

This increase in female usage is particularly affecting schools as well as middle-class suburbs, where the male-to-female ratio of tik abuse is one to one. In fact, more females have experimented with tik than with dagga, heroin or mandrax. It seems the attraction is that it helps with weight loss and gives them a confidence boost. But what many of these young women don’t realize is that tik, methamphetamine (MA) or crystal meth, is known as one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. It’s highly addictive.

Over six months of use, 94% of those who smoke it become addicted, as do 72% who snort it. It is also the drug with the most negative side effects: it triggers violent and psychotic behavior, and is directly linked to increasing crime levels, sexual risk behavior and HIV transmission. Equally disturbing are its long-term effects, which include irreversible brain damage and even death.

The average user in the US is a rural, white middle-class, blue-collar worker in his/her early 30s, but increasingly middle-class women, the gay population and students are using it.

The Fallout

The high of tik is initially seductive because its duration is much longer than that of other drugs. It can last anything from four to 24 hours. The next closest high is from crack cocaine, which only lasts an hour or so. The high is absolutely fantastic. You feel like you but so much more so. It makes you confident and happy, as though nothing could get you down.

Tik affects the brain’s chemistry, specifically the release of the brain chemical dopamine, which is involved in motivation, the experience of pleasure and motor function. It’s been estimated that while cocaine causes dopamine levels to increase by 400%, tik causes a 500% increase.

There’s no substance on this planet that can give the user the same subjective experience as crystal meth does, and that experience is one of being God-like thanks to the dopamine effect.

And this is specifically why users become psychologically addicted to tik very quickly. But researchers have reported that as much as 50% of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged exposure to low levels of methamphetamine, And researchers have found that serotonin-containing nerve cells may be damaged even more extensively.

MA ‘rewires’ the brain and it takes at least a year of treatment before the brain can return to a semblance of normality. For about a year, recovering addicts experience cognitive deficits such as an inability to concentrate or think clearly, as well as an inability to link what they’ve done to the consequences of their actions. An addict’s brain chemistry can return to normal over time but new research shows that although synapses regrow, they don’t necessarily reconnect in the same way they did before the addicts started to take meth.

Short-term side effects include tremors, insomnia, memory loss, increased blood pressure, decreased lung capacity and irregular heartbeats. Prolonged use can result in severe weight loss or anorexia, severe dermatological and dental problems, and mood disturbances. Fatalities aren’t common but tik abuse increases the risk of strokes and cardiac failure, and it has resulted in deaths.

Although tik users generally recover more successfully than heroin addicts do, tik is more dangerous because it induces psychotic episodes. It’s estimated that the prevalence of psychosis among regular MA users is 11 times higher than among the general population, and 23% of regular users will experience psychosis within a given year.

This psychotic behavior is characterized by intense paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and out-of-control rages that can be coupled with extremely violent behavior.

Women don’t tend to get as aggressive on tik as men do but they are more likely to self-mutilate. Selling drugs to support their habit is the most common type of crime MA users commit but some heavy users do resort to fraud, theft and violent crime. It’s also one of the few drugs that have a big impact on sexual risk behavior. Its intoxicating effects alter judgment and inhibition, and lead people to engage in unsafe sexual behavior. Long-term use increases the risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis C.

There isn’t a quick-fix solution when treating addicts. Traditional drug treatment doesn’t necessarily work and for years many thought it was untreatable. The difficulty is getting MA addicts to access treatment. Heroin and alcohol addicts get obviously sick and have serious withdrawal symptoms but meth addicts can function physically for longer and don’t really experience physical withdrawal. Their symptoms are more mental-health-related -depression, paranoia and aggression – and they’re often misdiagnosed as paranoid schizophrenics.

Relapses aren’t uncommon after treatment. Addiction isn’t a curable disease – an addict could be clean for years and then relapse suddenly. Addicts need constant support such as support groups, many for most of their lives.

A Growing Problem

Young women should be aware of the severe repercussions of tik use. Just because you’re being offered it in a supposedly safe environment, such as a middle-class home in an affluent suburb or an upmarket club, by friends or a good-looking guy, doesn’t make it less dangerous or more acceptable. It’s still the same dangerous drug. You, and nobody else, have to take responsibility for the far-reaching negative consequences of drug abuse.

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Issue or Opportunity??

I recently completed a full range fitness test given by my personal trainer. Based on the results, I had to really choose to what I call, “Work my Process.” What I mean by this is taking the information that I received about my fitness level and consciously use the tools I have in my toolbox to hear the course corrective feedback/information neutrally as a result of taking the test. Sometimes this is easier said than done! I noticed afterwards that I did not focus on all the wonderfully positive feedback. I noticed myself focusing only on the course corrective (and I labeled it negative at the time) feedback. So, in some areas I’m quite fit and my ego was fed (an interesting food metaphor) and in other areas, I had to work really hard to not go into self judgment. Well, let’s be honest, I had to work really hard to not go into “much” self judgment.

It seems that for every level or layer that I release about what my body is and what it is NOT, I get tested to see if I learned the lesson I was to receive. I find this in a lot of areas of my life actually. I might even call it a spiritual principle. Did I really learn the lesson? Let’s check! While in place of feeling really confident that I am very strong physically and work out five days a week generally, it was quite challenging to hear that I don’t actually get enough oxygen to my muscles when working out at my maximum heart rate due only to my physical weight. My trainer recommends me releasing weight! This struck me as quite ironic and downright humorous; as if what I have been doing for the last 20 years wasn’t intending to do just that!

Let’s take a closer look at the metaphor: “I don’t give enough oxygen to myself when I’m working hard.” I don’t give myself breaks. I work too hard. I don’t acknowledge myself enough. The list could go on.

I am amazed by how much we as humans (and I include myself in this embarrassingly enough) seem to feel that we must begin something with as much energy and enthusiasm as we can muster which more often than not tends to then fizzle over as little as a couple of weeks. Does this sound like the way you approach releasing weight? It’s a black/white, on/off, all/nothing game that tends to get played. My experience has led me to believe that this particular method of accomplishing one’s goal or Ideal Scene is just not sustainable.

Have you ever seen a teenager trying to learn to drive a manual transmission car, and they stall the car? I sure did that plenty of times. Have you ever seen one throw their hands up and declare that they’ll never be able to drive (giving up), that it’s the car’s fault (our body), that if only they had premium gas it wouldn’t have done that (different food or supplements), that the driving instructor didn’t teach them correctly (putting the blame outside ourselves – our doctors, our advisors, etc.). Sounds absurd, doesn’t it?

Can you see a teenager saying that they want to learn to drive an automatic because it’s too hard to drive a manual or stick shift transmission? I can picture this more easily. Yet, how many times do we wait for different circumstances to change before we begin something? I know plenty of teenagers that can’t wait to go fill up the gas tank for a chance to drive. It’s about intention. Teenagers learning to drive have a clear intention, however they need to work it in order to go and to do that.

It boils down to choice (yet another food/cooking reference): Am I going to participate in this weight and body image journey of mine in a state of struggle or flow? Chances are if you are reading this, that you or someone you care about are already going through this journey. Most would agree that it would be a much nicer ride to go through it in a state of loving, gentleness, self-nurturing, and flow, than one of self-judgment, not doing whatever enough, and generally being down on yourself.

It’s a simple concept, and all it takes is choosing differently. The great thing about it is that we get an infinite number of opportunities to choose how we are with ourselves as we go through our journey. Let’s face it: how we are with ourselves as we go through the journey is really the issue. So how do you want to continue your journey? What is your intention?

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I Want to Lose Weight Fast! – Okay, Get Your Facts Right First

When it comes to losing weight most people would like to do it in a hurry, even though, somewhere deep down, they realize that nothing will come of following short cuts. In their desperation to lose weight quickly a lot of people fall victim to half-baked truths and myths that have been passed down for generations.

If you want to lose weight, you must begin by sorting fact from fiction. Do not allow yourself to be guided by theories cannot be substantiated or corroborated. It will do you more harm than good. And that isn’t what you want, right?

Myth #1: Carbohydrates make you fat

Well, the fact is that carbs are an essential part of a balanced diet and you simply cannot remove it completely to achieve weight loss. They are the fuel you need to run your body. Unless you have moderate amount of carbohydrates in your diet, you will not have the energy for day-to-day activities; leave alone a workout routine to get slim.

However, I will say that swap simple carbohydrates like soft drinks and sweets in favor of complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat breads, pastas, rice, and cereals since it boosts your body’s metabolism, helping you burn calories faster.

Myth #2: Avoid Fats at all costs

Fats may be twice as fattening as carbs, but that is no reason for you to throw them out of you weight loss diet completely. Remember, any form of diet deprivation isn’t healthy. Just as excess amounts of certain foods can be harmful your body can react if you remove a particular food group from your diet.

Studies indicate that fats are required for a variety of reasons. They protect the organs of the body from shock, promote healthy functioning of the cells, maintain the temperature of the body and have a host of other benefits. Can you imagine what would happen if you removed them completely from your diet?

Myth #3: Eating at Night makes you Fat

To this, I can simply say one thing: calories cannot tell time! What matters is, how many calories you consume in a day, not when you consume them. When a weight loss diet recommends that you don’t eat, what they probably mean is that you should not eat a full meal just before going to bed. That can give you indigestion. Otherwise, there is no reason why you can’t have a light snack at night.

I will leave you with one last thought before I end. The key to weight loss lies in moderation, not elimination. The body needs a balanced diet and you can’t simply throw one thing out without facing repercussions. Anybody who tells you that you need to starve yourself to lose weight quickly needs to be brought face to face with some solid facts.

Eat healthy, avoid junk food, exercise regularly and watch the weight drop from your body in due course of time – the healthy way, the right way

You are free to publish this article without any change in the content electronically, in print, in your e-book, or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author resource details are included.

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How to manage Bland Diet

What is a bland diet? It is a diet specially set to treat certain gastrointestinal or stomach problems such as heartburns, ulcers and gas.

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An answer to a question, what is a bland diet, is that it is a simple treatment for people suffering from any one or more gastrointestinal disorders such as chronic gastritis, ulcer, esophagitis and dyspepsia.

Bland diet is a dietary regimen for people suffering from stomach disorders. Hence, it is quite understood that ingredients of a bland diet are soft food items, which are easy to digest with a capacity to keep the acidity to low levels. Questions about diet may be asked to your physicians and he/she can suggest the diet or recommend a dietician to do it.

Diet medical questions may include the queries about the food stuffs to eat and food stuffs to avoid during the time while a person experien ces any gastrointestinal disorders. However, before a dietician could decide the bland diet for a person, he/she needs to seek answers to several medical questions related to the person such as any food allergies or irritations associated with any food items and emotions medical questions of people.

Bland Diet:

The diet prescribed as a bland diet will include food items that are easy to digest and low in fiber and acid contents. Even giving up alcohol and smoking is advised while patient is on bland diet. Also a patient is advised to have 4 to 6 light meals after regular interval to avoid heavy and large meals.

Chewing food properly and eating slowly helps in the digestion of the food. Adequate sleep, avoiding smoking and controlling anxiety are supportive treatments for the standard treatment of the problem.

Allowed Food Items:

• Dairy Products
Milk, cheese, yogurt with low-fats and other dairy products are easily digested and hence, can be included as a part of bland diet. However, there is no restriction on ice-creams and one may consume even ice creams during bland diet, but it should not have any product such as nuts that are not allowed in bland diet.

• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh vegetables and fruits are allowed to a bland dieter. However, while carrot, squash, green peas are good to eat in a bland diet, broccoli, onions and green peeper should be avoided as it forms gas. In fruits, oranges, grapefruits, and bananas are allowed.

• Proteins
Protein requirement of the body, while on a bland diet should be met with soy products and meat. Fried chicken and greasy hamburgers are not allowed to be consumed, while grilled and baked chicken is allowed.
Low-fat peanut butter and eggs are also efficient to meet the body’s protein requirement in a bland diet.

• Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are contained in whole grain breads, pasta, oatmeal, corn flakes, white rice and sweet potatoes. All these food items are allowed.

Bland diet is designed for treating certain medical circumstances such as gastrointestinal problems. Hence, to answer what is a bland diet, we can say that this is a diet that aims at improving the digestion with the help of a timed-routine diet and soft to digest food items. Once the problem is controlled patients can return to their normal diet.

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A Quick Look at Some of Today’s Most Effective Diets

The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

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The Idiot-Proof Diet

The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

The ‘calorie shifting’ model takes place because you eat every two and half hours. The theory is that because your body is consuming calories (energy) constantly throughout the day, it’s always in ‘burning calories’ mode instead of the ‘saving calories’ mode.

When you sign up for the diet, you get access to a diet handbook, an 11-day diet-plan and a diet calculator. You get to pick what foods you like to eat so don’t think that you’ll be tarving in this diet!

NutriSystem

The NutriSystem way of dieting is all about proper meal planning. People love this diet because it takes away the burden of trying to figure out what to eat during their dieting phase. You see, a lot of people actually get confused as to what they can eat when they want to lose weight. That’s not really surprising because there’s so much information out there and for every yay sayer, there is a nay sayer so it’s really tough to know what to eat.

However, with NurtiSystem, they do all the meal planning and portion controlling for you. You just need to sign up to any of their diet programs (e.g., Women’s Program, Men’s Program, Vegetarian Program, etc.) and order a multi-day (usually for 28 days) diet program.

After you choose your diet program, a menu is presented to you and you simply choose what you want to eat. The meals are then delivered to your doorstep at various intervals during your diet program.

The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is popular because the name alone conjures bikini-clad bodies! Add to that the fact that it was founded by a cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, then you have a sort of ‘doctor recommended, doctor approved’ seal on the diet as well.

At first glance, the South Beach Diet looks a lot like the Atkins Diet in the sense that it restricts carbohydrates during the initial phase of the program (there are 3 phases). The first phase (14 days) encourages ‘normal eating’ in the sense that you can pretty much eat whatever you want but you must NOT eat bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, or baked goods. Fruit is also not allowed. No sugar. No alcohol.

The second phase allows you to SLOWLY introduce these items back into your diet but at lesser levels that you consumed them before of course. The third phase is more about general maintenance.

Weight Watchers

Probably one of the longest running diet programs out there is Weight Watchers. It believes in the overall approach where food, exercise, behavior and support are addressed.

Weight Watchers is known for advocating a point system for foods. Using this system, one calculates the calorie intake of the foods he or she eats. The number of points you can have in a day varies depending on your weight. The beauty of the program is that there are no gut-wrenching food restrictions so you never feel deprived of anything. However, the point system teaches you how to balance your meals so that even if you indulge on one food item, you don’t go overboard and consume too much in a day.

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Get Slim With Atkins Diet Plan

The Atkins’ diet has been a craze for a couple of decades. Here’s how you can gain from it.

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All of you who are reading this article right now have definitely been on a diet at some point or the other of your lives. The battle of the bulge is an ongoing problem and we are always on the lookout for various means to win this war.

Along with exercise, our diet and nutrition also plays an important role in reducing our weight. Hence, this obsession persists in all of us to undertake some form of dieting. But going on a diet is definitely not an easy thing. What to eat and what to stay away from is always a perennial problem.

One of my friends told me that she ate the normal menu which she cooked for the family, but her weight loss recipe is “portion control.” This is a really simple diet plan. In this plan, you cut down on the portion of food you consume. For example, if you usually have two pieces of toast for breakfast, you should eat only one piece. If you normally eat two cups of rice for lunch, cut it down to one cup. In this way, you are automatically reducing your calorie intake by half.

Another popular method of dieting is to stop all intake of fatty foods and sugar. In this diet, you cut down on your oil, butter and ghee intake which automatically reduces your fat deposits.

While I was leafing through a magazine, I read about one of our Hollywood celebrities following the Atkins’ diet. This immediately aroused my curiosity about the diet. Though I have heard about the diet many times, I had no inside knowledge about it. So, I immediately set to work on it and found out certain basic facts’ about the Atkins diet which I want to share with my readers.

The Atkins’ diet made its first appearance in 1972 and was invented by its namesake, Dr Atkins. According to him, this method enables us to lose weight by inducing a change in metabolism. Our body burns both fat and carbohydrates to provide energy. If we reduce the intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body starts burning only fat to provide energy. This method is called “lipolysis”, which in turn induces ketosis. In ketosis, our body burns fat as fuel. Atkins also felt that ketosis will affect insulin production which will result in less fat being formed. And, once your body enters ketosis, your cravings for carbohydrates will reduce significantly which, in turn, will reduce your body weight.

The major difference between Atkins’ diet and other types of diet is that, while most diets restrict calorie, intake, the Atkins’ plan encourages us to eat more. While most of the diets recommend low fat, high carbohydrate intake, Atkins’ does just the opposite. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, this diet wants us to consume plenty of fat and protein.

The core principle of the Atkins’ diet is that, by limiting carbohydrates, our body is forced to burn its stored fat, rather than carbs for fuel.

The Atkins’ diet has a four carbohydrates stage plan induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. With the help of these four stages, you can reduce as well as maintain your weight throughout your life.

Induction – phase 1: This phase lasts for two weeks, by the end of which you can obtain significant results. Another point is that, in this diet plan you can begin at any of the phase. But it is recommended to start with induction. As you cut back on your carbohydrates significantly in this phase, you will jump start your weight loss programme. In this phase, only 20 gm of carbohydrates are allowed and hence your weight loss is significant. As you drastically cut down on carbohydrates your body shifts into high gear and starts burning fat. This takes about 48 hours to occur and you may feel hungry and irritated for the first three-four days. But don’t worry, as soon as your fat starts getting converted to fuel, you will feel fit as a fiddle. Induction will strengthen your immune system and also improve our long-term health.

Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase 2: In this phase, the weight loss pace slows down as you add nutrient-rich carbohydrates to your diet. During this period, you will boost your body’s ability to burn fats as well as understand your body better. You will find the right amount of carbohydrates which you can consume and still lose weight. Your body will also prepare itself for permanent weight management. The amount of carbohydrates which you can eat is increased to 25 gm per day for the first week and increased in five gm instalment for the next few weeks. If your weight loss is significant, you can increase your carbohydrate intake. A person has to be on OWL till he or she is within three-five kg of their goal weight.

Pre-maintenance – (phase 3): Pre-maintenance is a practice run for lifetime maintenance. In this phase, you are fast approaching your target. As long as you continue to lose weight, you can increase your weekly allotment of carbohydrates by another 10 gm. You will be in this phase till you reach your goal and stay on it for one month. The ultimate goal here is to achieve a state of balance called Atkins’ Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). The ACE is your individual level of carbohydrate intake wherein you neither gain nor lose weight.

Lifetime maintenance phase 4: In this phase, you have to focus on your individual ACE and strive to stay within two kg of your ideal weight for the rest of your life. By following a sensible eating plan, you gain energy, better health and confidence in yourself.

By following these four phases, you not only achieve your dream weight but are also able to maintain it throughout your life. You can learn more about this diet by reading the book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. But, as with any other diet, this plan also has its pros and cons. The good point is that this diet recommends exercise as a vital part of the weight loss programme. Another point to be noted is that you cannot start on carbohydrates after you lose weight as this will result in your gaining back all that you have lost.

Medical experts advise that people who have gout, kidney problems, diabetes or are pregnant women should not follow this diet plan. As this diet is very stringent, do consult your doctor/dietician for proper advice.

Your dietician will provide you with a proper menu chart as to what should be eaten, in what quantities, etc, based on your eating habits and general lifestyle.

Happy dieting and hoping to see slimmer and fitter readers.

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5 Diet Plan Saving Tips !

Guilty and frustrated from cheating on your diet plan? These diet plan saving tips will keep you on track!

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It’s nine thirty at night and you have followed your new diet plan perfectly to a tee all day. A pizza advertisement comes on the commercial break of your favorite show and you notice it is close to your next mealtime.
Up to the kitchen you go to eat your next meal. When in the fridge pulling out your nicelyprepared diet plan meal, you notice some left over Fettuccini Alfredo your wife or roommate brought home. Sure looks good you think as you catch a little bit of saliva about to drip on your shirt!

“Just a little taste won’t hurt my diet plan,” you justify…

“ I’ve stuck to my diet plan all day……”

A little taste and before you know it you tell yourself the extra carbs and calories will be a good boost to your workout tomorrow!

An hour later your gut is stretching and Indigestion plagues you from cheating on your diet plan!!

“I should have stuck to my diet plan!” is going through your head as you lay down to have nightmares of a fat ass! “Tomorrow I’ll stick to my diet plan “, you chant in your head!But you fall from your diet plan only a day or two later!

The occasional stray from your diet plan can really add up!And billboards,tv’s, radios and people are everywhere pushing fast foods and junk to sabotage your diet plan!

Here are five diet plan saving tips to arm yourself against the onslaught of the Cheating War!

Diet Plan Tip #1 – Eat Slowly – Take your time when you sit down to eat.

The chances you will stuff yourself or overeat diminish and you will reach the point of satiety much more quickly if you eat slowly!

The more you are satisfied with what you have eaten the less likely you will continue to think of food. That chocolate Black Forest cake won’t be as tempting either!

Diet Plan Tip #2 – Have Delicious Meals That Fit Your Meal Plan Prepared Ahead Of Time.

Having meals prepared ahead of time makes it convenient to eat according to a plan and on schedule.

You can make it more convenient to stick to your diet plan than it is to eat that bag of candy by having your diet plan meals prepared and available when it is time to eat– and when you gethungry.

Diet Plan Tip #3 – Get Used To Eating For Your Purpose Instead Of For Your Taste Buds.

Satisfying your taste buds when you get the urge to gorge down a Big Mac will never develop a healthy, lean, muscular physique! Keep in mind you are eating to develop a lean, healthy muscular physique every time you open your mouth! The temporary taste satisfaction of a jelly-filled donut will be gone real fast but the empty calories you just devoured can defeat a whole day’s worth of bodybuilding effort!

Diet Plan Tip #4 – Be creative with your cooking to make sticking to your diet enjoyable.

Ideally, with proper preparation and some reciperesearch you can create delicious mouth watering meals that meet your diet plan criteria. Learn to cook. Employ spices from other parts of the world. India and China are twocountries with interesting choices to really spice up your diet plan. When you don’t have to force feed yourself with your nose plugged the chances are much higher you can stick to your diet plan more easily!

Diet Plan Tip #5 – Drink Water.

Drinking water between meals can help to reduce your hunger pains temporarily by giving a sense of fullness. For those of you that sabotage your diet plan munching here and there,keeping a water bottle with you wherever you go can really help.Just sip away when its oral satisfaction rather than hunger driving you.

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What is Dukan Diet and its side-effects?

This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects

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Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.

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