Waste your Waistline!

Waste your Waistline!
(Lose that belly fat) 

It has been said that 90% of people would regain health if only they would live consistently what they already know about healthful living!

• Medical studies reveal that for every extra pound of weight around one's middle, an extra four pounds of stress is added to the back.
• They also indicate that there are two key indicators of health:

• Abdominal weight gain and
• Corresponding increase in waist circumference

These two main factors contribute more than does overall weight to the development of "metabolic syndrome" - the combination of abdominal obesity, high triglycerides (types of fat found in the blood), high blood pressure, and poor blood sugar control that increase risk for heart disease and diabetes. (Agriculture Research Services, USDA Research Centre on Aging)

ARS researches found that adults who ate the greatest amounts of white bread, for instance, had three times greater increase in waist circumference in a year than their healthier-eating counterparts.

There are a few factors that can reduce stubborn belly fat:

The Highs: Be consistent in consuming foods rich in fiber and low in refined flour and sugar:

• Whole fruits (melons, mangoes, etc.)
• Vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli and other dark green leafy vegetables)
• Whole grains (Oats, millet, corn, barley, bulgar wheat, buckwheat ) 
• Dark, rich high fiber breads (pumpernickel, whole wheat, mixed grain or oat) for those who are gluten intolerant, good substitutes flours are: sorghum (guinea corn), buckwheat, cassava, sweet potato, breadfruit, green banana, etc.) 
• Peas and Beans
• Foods rich in complex carbohydrates (yellow sweet potatoes, bananas, etc.)

The Lows: Limit and or eliminate your intake of refined, processed foods, sugars and fats. These are the greatest contributors to increased body fat and waistline measurement:

• Processed refined foods (white bread, white flour, white pasta products.)
• Sodas and other beverages high in sugar.
• High fat foods (cheese, red meats, french fries, etc.) 
• Foods and desserts that are high in sugar and fat (ice cream, chocolate cake, commercial baked goods.)
• Fats and Oils: high fat butter, margarine, etc. (frying in oils)   

Get moving: (Work that Waist!) Skip, run/jog, hopscotch , walk a least 20 minutes twice a day,

Soup it Up!

Old fashioned home made soups are a great way to lose weight, especially belly fat. Soup keeps you full longer. Eating a bowl of soup before a main meal is a great way to cut down on calories. It leaves you feeling full so that you can eat less of the heavier foods. 

A few nourishing soups:

Potassium Broth

Soup Base: Blend one cup of raw rolled oats with 3 cups water.  Strain liquid and use as is or as a base in which to cook vegetable and or prepare your favourite soup.  

To this liquid base add:

1 white potato

2 stalks celery

1/3 whole onion

3 carrots

handful of parsley

Cook carrots and potatoes until they are soft enough to mash (optional)

Sweet Potato/Carrot Ginger Soup

1 Tablespoon extra virgin first cold pressed) olive oil

1 small onion or one cup diced

1 lb carrots/yellow sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

4 cups potassium broth

1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

1/2 cup milk (coconut, almond)

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, add oil and onions and simmer 4 -5 minutes until translucent. Add carrots or sweet potatoes, ginger, salt and broth. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes or carrots are tender. Transfer soup to a blender, blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add milk and stir.

Detox Soup:

1 lb green beans/ broccoli

4 celery stalks

1 lb. zucchini

1 lb carrots

1/4 red cabbage

2 bunches spinach

4-6 cups potassium broth

1 yellow onion 5 cloves garlic 1 bunch basil 1 bunch parsley.  

Steam green beans, cabbage, broccoli, celery, zucchini, celery, etc. in broth until very soft, about 15 minutes. Add onion, spinach, garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Add parsley, basil. For very thick soup, drain any excess liquid. Can consume whole or puree until smooth. (Salt and pepper to taste if desired.)