Acid Reflux - Diet and Foods to Avoid

Acid Reflux

The muscle lining the lower esophagus (the tube carrying food from the throat to the stomach) opens for passage of food and liquid to stomach and otherwise remains closed so as to prevent stomach acid reflux from reaching the esophagus. When this muscle with such specialized function for some reasons gets weakened, stomach acid is pushed back into esophagus causing symptoms like heartburn, chest pain and regurgitation. If the stomach juice gets into the respiratory tract, cough, hoarse throat and respiratory problems can occur. This problem of weakening of the esophageal muscle known as Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is caused due to various factors including certain kinds of food.

Diet

The diet to prevent or control acid reflux constitutes basic foods like cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products. Some individuals may not tolerate the citric acid present in foods like tomato and orange and for them use of a vitamin C supplement is recommended. The recommended food groups for controlling acid reflux include all kinds of vegetables, fruits like apple, banana, melon and berries and low fat or fat free milk and yogurt. In fact, the diet should be free from fats and oils and fish, meat, chicken, bread, grains, soups, sweets and desserts in the diet should have low fat content. Among beverages, herbal non-mint decaffeinated tea is recommended besides plenty of water and fruit juices without citrus.

What to Avoid

The esophageal muscles are weakened by nicotine and so avoid tobacco. Hard candy and chewing gum should be avoided as they involve swallowing more air leading to burping and reflux. Whole milk, chocolate, fast foods and oily, creamed, fried or fatty foods aggravate the reflux condition and hence need to be avoided. Taking caffeinated or citrus foods and drinks should also be limited as they irritate the esophagus inflammation. Cream-based soups, carbonated beverages and foods like sausage and bacon need to be kept out of the acid influx preventive diet.

Copyright - James Mwangi 2009.

Quickest Diet

The quickest diet that you can follow, in order to achieve the greatest number of pounds lost in the shortest period of time, with the least amount of sacrifice or dietary readaptation is the calorie shifting diet.

While on this diet, you can expect to lose at least 9 pounds for every 11 days, or upwards of 20 pounds per month. Unlike other diet regimens that require you to reduce your calories, reduce your carbohydrates, reduce your fat intake, or reduce anything else, the calorie shifting diet allows you to eat as much food as you desire until you are fully satisfied, at each meal, but not until you are too full. In fact, you are required to eat four full meals each and every day, as long as those meals are spaced out by at least 2.5 to 3 hours in between each. While on this diet, you will be required to eat a healthy blend of food from all four of the major food groups.

If this type of diet regimen sounds too good to be true, and seems antithetical to the conventional wisdom of "eat less to lose weight", then you would be pleasantly surprised to learn that the calorie shifting diet is based on the principle that it is possible for us human beings to manipulate our body's metabolism at will, simply by restructuring our diet in such a way that we shift the type of calories that we consume, from meal to meal, rather than the quantity. In doing so in the proper combination, you can literally induce your metabolism to switch to "fat burning mode" and begin to tap into your body's fat stores for energy.

Another distinguishing feature of this diet that leaves many people feeling extremely satisfied and maintains a high level of motivation to sustain it, is the fact that you are required to take a mandatory 3-day break from the diet plan every 2 weeks, in order to give your body a chance to rest and stabilize from the rapid weight loss you will have been experiencing.

So what are you waiting for? The quickest way to lose weight is the calorie shifting diet. Generate your personalized meal plan now at http://www.IdiotProofFatLoss.com and you will be 9 pounds lighter in the next 11 days!

Low Carb Diet Side Effects

Many people curious about starting a low carb diet wonder if there are side effects they need to be aware of before getting started. Many also wonder if there are harmful low carb diet side effects too, so let's look at the most common side effects of low carb dieting, and talk about whether any of these are harmful.

Some of these low carb diet side effects can be problematic for people with health conditions, particularly if they're taking medications for those conditions. Often the side effects are good, but you need to be aware they can happen and talk to your medical care provider because they'll need to monitor your progress and possibly change, reduce, or eliminate medications as you progress.

For instance, a very common low carb diet side effect is lowered, or more even blood sugar levels. This is an important low carb diet side effect for any diabetic, particularly ones that take insulin shots or medication. Since low carb diets can drastically reduce your blood sugar levels naturally, your doctor may need to adjust your medication levels to compensate for those changes.

Another low carb diet side effect is of course losing a lot of weight. This by itself is not technically a side effect, but related effects of losing weight can include regulation of blood pressure, easing or disappearance of digestive tract problems, and resolution of breathing problems too.

If you're taking high blood pressure medication, then the side effect of having that lowered from eating a low carb diet will need to be addressed by your doctor or medical care specialist. The same applies for digestive troubles, if you experience resolution to those problems as a low carb dieting side effect, your doctor will need to adjust or eliminate the medications you take.

Now if you don't take medications for conditions such as those listed above, you may still experience low carb diet side effects, but they're likely to be ones you're happy to have.

Common, "good" low carb diet side effects include reduced cravings for sugars and starches; increased energy; reduced bloated and gassy, upset stomach feelings; improved bowel movements; regulated blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels; loss of excess water retention; and of course, loss of excess body fat.

There are some low carb diet side effects that are not harmful, but you need to be aware of them because they are uncomfortable at best. These low carb diet side effects are more common during the first one to five days on the diet, and are side effects of your body adjusting to your eating changes. These side effects can include headaches; nausea; dizziness; lethargy or low energy; severe sugar cravings; irritability; and constipation.

There are also a couple of women specific low carb diet side effects. In the first week or two of your new low carb diet, you may experience oddities with your monthly menstrual flow. Usually this side effect lasts a short time though, and is caused by your body adjusting to the new eating lifestyle you've chosen. A great low carb diet side effect comes later: Women's menstrual flow is usually reduced, and there is generally much less pain or other problems involved while you're on a low carb diet.

Many of those early low carb diet side effects can be reduced by drinking extra water and getting plenty of rest, plus making sure you don't go hungry. In rare cases these initial low carb diet side effects can last as long as ten days, but usually they're present from approximately the third to the fifth day of your low carb diet.

For more information on Low Carb Diet Side Effects visit http://www.lowcarb.healthanddiettips.com

Hospital 3 Day Diet - Birmingham Hospital Diet Review

The Hospital 3 Day Diet, which is also known as the Birmingham Hospital Diet, has become popular due to claims that the diet was created as a means of enabling patients intended for surgery to lose up to 10 lbs in weight over a period of three days. Other sources attribute the origin of this diet plan to the University of Alabama.

It should be noted that these institutions do not make that claim and do not accept any responsibility towards those who follow the diet.

Notwithstanding the uncertainty of its origins, there is little doubt that this simple diet plan has become widespread and that many people have used it, often coming across the weight loss strategy under one of its many names. Apart from the Hospital 3 Day Diet, it is also known as Alabama 3 Day Diet, 3 day Tuna Diet, Tuna Fish Diet, 3 Day Cardiac Diet, and others.

The content of these weight loss diet plans is very similar and will here be treated as essentially the same.

A key element of the Hospital 3 Day Diet is that it contains a low daily calorie level of about 1,000 calories with specified ingredients to provide the protein, carbohydrates, fat (very little) and other nutrients that we need to survive. For a full description of the menu plan, do a quick search for my article "3 Day Tuna Fish Diet - Menu and Diet Plan".

In brief, the plan outlines the foods to be included for breakfast, lunch and dinner over a three day period.

There are many reports of weight reduction from those who have followed the diet. The amount of claimed weight lost during that time varies, as might be expected with so many differing metabolisms and food requirements being involved. However, a minimum weight reduction of at least 2.5 lbs does seem attainable and likely.

Much of the weight loss from a diet of such a short duration probably comes from water loss. As well, with a calorie count of about 1,000 this would be well below normal requirements for most adults, so energy expended would also account for some of the loss.

However, whilst not a 'starvation diet', the Birmingham Hospital Diet is likely to generate user problems if continued beyond the recommended 3 days. For instance, it is normal for our bodies to make adjustments when a food shortage is detected. This is a survival mechanism which protects us when little food is available, as in times of famine. The body slows metabolism and conserves fat stores to enable us to survive longer with less food. This actually makes it harder to lose weight, we have less energy and tire more easily. Not a satisfactory long term condition!

Although there may be some short-term loss advantage, the feelings of hunger experienced by the end of the diet encourage extra food intake after the diet has been completed. A better alternative is a program that does not produce a craving for food, does not cause the body to slow its activities, and takes into account nutritional requirements so that changes in eating habits would allow fat loss to happen over a longer period and be lasting.

Rather than following a simple, low calorie diet plan, losing weight over an extended period allows other tactics to be employed in the plan, such as 'calorie shifting', placing greater emphasis on fat loss and adequate nutrition. This is more likely in the long run to provide health benefits and sustainable weight loss.

Get details of a remarkably successful, natural, quick weight loss strategy that builds body tone and good health whilst burning unwanted fat at Fat Loss 4 Idiots. More information on this carefully designed and widely regarded program can also be found at: http://www.HerbalAndNaturalRemedies.com/FatLoss/

A Foolproof Fat Loss Diet That Will Work For Everybody

People seem to make setting up a fat loss diet more complicated than it
needs to be. A fat loss diet that works every time is to eat less calories than
what you burn. If you do this, you will lose fat! The problem is that people
seem to make this more complicated than they need to.

You Need To Know How Many Calories You Burn to Set Up Your Fat Loss
Diet

Your Basic Metabolic Rate, or BMR, is how many calories you burn each day
just by being alive. This doesn't include calories burned by activities. A rough
estimate of BMR is simply your body weight multiplied by 10. Knowing this number
is crucial in setting up a great fat loss diet. If you want to know a much more
accurate number do a Google search for "BMR calculator".

How Many Calories to Consume on Your Fat Loss Diet.

So to setup your fat loss diet, you will need to eat less than you burn. If
you are active, you will burn more than your BMR. To make sure your fat loss
diet is successful, however, let's assume that you won't burn more than your BMR
number. So if you weigh 150 pounds and your BMR is 1,500, then you will want to
insure your fat loss diet is setup to where you eat less than 1,500 calories per
day.

What Type of Foods to Consume on Your Fat Loss Diet.

Many people get hung up on carbs vs protein and ratios of each, etc. If you
simply focus on total calories consumed each day your fat loss diet will be
successful. A tip I use in setting up a fat loss diet, is to do a Google search
for "calories of common foods". Keep it simple and chose low calorie foods that
you enjoy and include them in your fat loss diet.

How Many Meals Should You Aim for in Your Fat Loss
Diet.

Again, people get obsessive about how many meals to eat each day. Remember
a good fat loss diet is about creating a calorie deficit, so that should be your
main focus. If you naturally like to eat many meals throughout the day, then eat
5-6 times per day. If you do better just eating 3-4 times per day, then setup
your fat loss diet in that manner. A good fat loss diet is flexible, since
people differ in their eating patterns. I do better if I stick to just 3
meals each day and I have been very successful at losing body fat.

If You Get Hungry During Your Fat Loss Diet.

The hardest part of a fat loss diet is the first week or two. You will get
hungry. Some things that have helped me in the past is to eat a Fuji Apple
before a meal. The pectin seems to fill your stomach and it doesn't take
much food to feel "full". I also drink 2-3 cups of green tea instead of snacking
in between meals. The tea gives you energy, is healthy, and is a natural
appetite suppressant.

Stick with the basics and your fat loss diet will be
successful!

About the Author: Rusty Moore is an avid trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a physique that attracts the opposite sex. While most trainers focus on gaining as much muscle mass as possible, Rusty focuses on the lean "sleek model look". For men who want the build of Brad Pitt -or- Matthew Mcconaughey and women who want the build of Jessica Alba -or- Jessica Beil, Visit his Website by Clicking this link... Lean Muscle Fitness

Lemonade Detox Diet

The Lemonade Detox Diet is another name for The Master Cleanser, which was developed by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s. The purpose of the Lemonade Detox Diet is to dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion; to cleanse the kidneys and digestive system; to purify glands; to eliminate waste and hardened materials in the joints and muscles; to build a healthy bloodstream; and to maintain optimal blood pressure. The popularity of the Master Cleanser or Lemonade Diet is growing, especially now that we have celebrities raving about it. The Lemonade Diet remains one of the most effective cleanses and detox diets known.

Cleanse:
The cleanse has helped people regain the control in their eating habits that they felt they had lost.  They feel a renewed sense of health and more conviction to healthier eating habits with every cleanse completed. The Master Cleanser is simple and combines and surpasses many other detox methods. The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs is the fastest and most effective way to regain your vitality and to feel the joy of living again, never mind that it will help you lose weight, detoxify and give you astounding energy.

Diet:
The Lemonade Detox Diet consists of fasting to rid the body of toxins, created by improper diet, lack of exercise and negative mental attitudes. As a reducing diet it is superior in every way, reducing fat at a rate of about two (2) pounds a day for most persons, without harmful side effects. The diet is a 'cleansing diet' but it has the added benefit of being an optimal 'reducing diet'. When dieting a slight headache indicates dehydration and low blood sugar; drink a glass of water mixed with a 1/2 tsp of Maple Syrup. The first thing you need to know is that the lemonade diet is a fasting diet and does not allow solid food.

In conclusion the Lemonade Detox Diet is a reducing diet, with the added benefits that other ailments are also corrected in the process. After going on the diet people have reported losing as much as 20 pounds in a week; having wrinkles, dark spots, acne, and other skin conditions vanish; seeing chronic pain they've suffered with for years disappear; no longer having a desire to continue unhealthy habits in their lives.

http://www.squidoo.com/Lemonade-Detox-Diet-1

Dukan Diet Menu

The Dukan Diet plan is super-popular in France and is now gaining momentum in other countries as well. In France alone, it is estimated that over 1.5 million people have used this diet and there are many positive testimonials about it.

In this article I want to go over the Dukan Diet Menu options to help you see what you can eat while on this weight loss plan. There is no one strict menu that this program uses but it's still important for you to know exactly what you can expect.

The Dukan Diet has 4 distinct phases, each with its own guidlines and purpose. Some of the phases deal with losing weight and others with maintaining it after you're already shed your excess weight. This makes the food choices on each phase somewhat different than those on the other phases.

Dukan Diet Menu Phase by Phase

The first phase on this diet plan is called the Attack Phase. This is a purely protein consumption phase. You have all protein for 3--10 days. The book explains how to determine whether you need to follow this phase for just 3 days or the full 10. It depends on how much you need to lose.

As this is an all protein phase, your food chocies basically amount to: beef, chicken, other poultry, low fat or no fat dairy products, seafood, and fish. As you can imagine, this is not going to be an easy phase to go through due to the low range of food choices.

The cruise phase is the second phase of the Dukan Diet. On this phase you have more food choices. Mainly, you can add vegetables to your diet. However, you can only have them every other day. The rest of the time it's still protein only. You can have practically any vegetable that you want except for the starchy ones such as potatoes, peas, and so on.

On the consolidation phase that comes next, you can add bread, pasta, and fruit to your eating routine. However protein is still the foundation of your diet. You do have 2 free meals each week to eat evening "non diet" things, so you can indulge yourself quite a bit.

On the last phase, the one that's about maintenance and not weight loss, you can eat what you want six days of the week and do an all protein day on the seventh. This is how the Dukan Diet plan works.

For more information about the food on this diet visit Dukan Diet Menu and Tips. To see how well this diet works, click here: Does the Dukan Diet work? John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He now runs a weight loss forum and publishes a diet and fitness newsletter.