WOX-XION

If you’ve been eating right and exercising regularly, but still not losing any weight, your metabolism may not be the culprit. According to a 2006 study done by Arizona State University, participants who increased their intake of vitamin C burned 30 percent more fat than those who didn’t increase their intake. This helps explain why people with higher concentrations of vitamin C in their blood generally have less body fat and lower weight.

How it Works

Your body needs vitamin C to create I-carnitine. I-carnitine is an amino acid that helps the body burn fat. So while you may think you’re metabolism is hindering your weight-loss efforts, it could indeed by a vitamin deficiency. You also need B6 and iron to make I-carnitine, but most people get enough of these nutrients.

According to the study, a daily intake of 1,000 mg. of vitamin C is sufficient in aiding weight-loss. The best way to increase your intake is to eat vitamin C rich foods or take supplements. But please consult your doctor before taking a new supplement. Some health conditions, such as kidney stones and genetic anemia, may respond negatively to extra vitamin C.

To make things easier for you, here’s a list of food and juices that contain generous doses of vitamin C:

1. Your mother was right when she said you should drink your orange juice. One cup of orange juice contains a whopping 124 mg. of vitamin C.

2. One cup of chopped green pepper contains a hefty 120 mg. of vitamin C.

3. One cup of sliced strawberries contains 98 mg. of vitamin C.

4. This fruit may taste bitter, but it’s good for you. Which fruit? Grapefruit. One cup of grapefruit juice gives you 94 mg of vitamin C.

5. Here’s another reason to pile tomato on that salad. One cup of diced tomato contains 23 mg. of vitamin C.

6. While you’re at it, add some broccoli to that salad as well. One cup of chopped broccoli equals 81 mg. of vitamin C.

What are you waiting for? Get out those measuring cups and start chopping. Remember this list the next time you’re grocery shopping. Loading up on delicious vitamin C rich foods may just be the boost your weight-loss plan needs.

You, if you have a special kind of diet. Most vitamins you need, are produced by your body out of the food you eat. If your diet limits certain foods (like vegetables, fruits, meat or dairy products) you run the risk of vitamin deficit. The best way to find out? Don’t go browsing the internet for answers. Ask your doctor!

You, if you are vegetarian. See above.

You, if you have certain medical conditions. Some medical conditions can affect absorption rates. As a result you won’t get enough vitamins from the foods you eat. Supplements may well be the solution you are looking for. Again, go and see your doctor if you think this applies to you.

You, if you can’t eat certain kinds of food because of food allergies. Especially when your body is sensitive to fruits, meat, dairy products and vegetables.

You, if you are 4 feet or smaller. Let’s face it, how many kids like vegetables? Did you when you where a kid? Vitamin supplements can help you achieve peace of mind. Consider multivitamins. The ones for kids of course.

You, if your bookkeeper wonders why you spent so much money in restaurants. Wow, hold your horses! I’m not saying restaurants serve unhealthy food. But eating a burger (in whatever variety) every day supplemented by a coke, isn’t gone do any good to your bodies ability to produce the right vitamins. But you knew that already, didn’t you?

You, if you think you think you don not get enough vitamins. If that’s what you think, you are probably right.

Vitamins can get you far. Not much of a secret. That’s why Mother Nature provided you with your own powerful 24/7 vitamin factory – your body. It produces vitamins from the food you eat. That’s why your mother told you a balanced, healthy diet is important.

However, since you don’t listen to your mom, you take supplements. Right? Cool. But (there is always a but) too many vitamins can do you harm.

Didn’t your mother tell you “Anything ‘too’ is bad for you”? Mine sure did.

If you are taking large doses of some of the vitamins, you will be seeing side effects. Some of these are pretty obvious: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting. Clear symptoms of an overdose. Unpleasant and potential dangerous, but if you recognize these signs as caused by too much supplements (and stop the intake immediately) it will usually not cause you permanent damage.

The best way to prevent an overdose? Use common sense. If you’re wondering if you are going overboard with taking supplements, you probably are. Go and se your doctor. At least listen to him.

Although some food may be extremely healthy for most people, if you have a food allergy, these foods can be deadly for your. Millions of Americans suffer from food allergies, and many, many more suffer from sensitivities to certain foods. The worst part: some don’t know even know there is a problem. They may experience things like rashes, fatigue after meals, spastic colon, mood swings, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, or muscle soreness without realizing it’s caused by eating habits. Blessed are the ignorant? Not in this case!

There is an obvious way to test if you’re diet is part of the problem. Just remove certain foods from your diet. One by one. If your symptoms, disappear, you’ve found the ‘winner’.

This method is simple, but not very time efficient. You’ll have to allow your body to adjust at least a couple of days and sometimes weeks, before you’ll notice results. And when your symptoms are caused by a combination of different foods, it takes an unfair amount of luck the hit the jackpot.

Okay, if that doesn’t work, then what does?

Well, first of all: keep record of anything you swallow for the next four weeks. And by everything, I mean everything. Don’t cheat. Also note when these unwanted symptoms occur. After four weeks you may be able to see a pattern: if I eat this, I feel tired. If I eat this, there’s a rash around the corner. If I drink this… well, you get the picture right?.

Whether your record shows any connection between what you eat and drink or not, the smart thing to do here, is to see your doctor. First of all, he or she is trained to read your diet-diary and may discover connections you didn’t see. But more important: a food allergy or food sensitivity is too important to ignore.

Yeah, I know, I’ve been AWOL for a couple of weeks. Took a (too) short and much needed break. Went into the mountains for ten days of sun, fun and snow. No computer, no internet access. Weird, but refreshing. Try it! It’s cool, trust me…

But, I’m back again and I decided to build myself a Squidoo lens. A what…?

A Squidoo lens! Never heard of Squidoo?

Neither did I. But it’s what everybody on the internet is talking about these days, so I guess I’d better stop being stubborn and see what it is all about.

Well, it ain’t that bad actually. Look what I made: http://www.squidoo.com/signsandsymptomsofdepression Cool huh!

Even if you’ve never ever made a website before, this Squidoo thing is easy. I had this ‘lens’ (why the heck do they call it lenses…?) up and running in 20 minutes. You can probably do it in 15 minutes or less.

They say it brings visitors to your site. Well, we’ll see about that. I’ll keep you posted.