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HOW IMPORTANT IS DIET?

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Weight loss, reduced cancer risk, diabetes management,

heart health & stroke prevention,  strong bones & teeth, better moods, improved memory, improved gut health, and getting a good night's sleep are only a few benefits of eating well. 

Why Should We Eat Healthy?

Since up to 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut, a healthy gut may correspond to a good mood. Fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics that support gut health. You are what you eat! Boost your energy levels and mood by simply thinking twice about what you put into your body. A healthful diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables of many colors, unprocessed whole grains and starches, good fats, and lean proteins. Eating healthfully also means avoiding foods with high amounts of added salt and sugars. 

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There are plenty of small, positive ways to improve diet, including:

  • Cooking meals at home with avocado oil or olive oil instead of butter

  • Swapping soft drinks for herbal tea or water

  • Eating no meat for at least one day a week

  • Ensuring that produce makes up about 50 percent of each meal

  • Swapping cows milk for plant-based milk

  • Eating whole fruits instead of drinking juices

  • Avoiding processed meats (which are high in salt and may increase risk of colon cancer)

  • Eating more lean protein, which can be found in eggs, tofu, fish, and nuts

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A person may also benefit from taking a cooking class, and learning how to incorporate more vegetables into meals.  

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIETS

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn't specify which foods you eat, just when you should eat them. In this respect, its not a diet in the conventional sense but more accurately described as an eating pattern. 

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Common intermittent fasting methods involve daily 16-hour fasts or fasting for 24 hours, twice a week. 

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Fasting has been a practice throughout human evolution. Ancient hunter gatherers didn't have supermarkets, refrigerators, or food available year round. Sometimes they couldn't find anything to eat. As a result, humans evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. In fact, fasting from time to time is more natural than eating three meals a day, everyday. 

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There are several different ways of doing intermittent fasting-- all of which involve splitting the day or week into periods of eating and fasting. During the fasting periods, you typically eat nothing at all, or very little. These are he most popular methods: 

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Methods of intermittent fasting: 

  • The 16/8 method: also called the leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, such at 1-9pm. Then you fast for 16 hours in between. 

  • Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week. For example: not eating from dinner one day to dinner the next day. 

  • The 5:2 Diet: With this method, you consume 200-500 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but eat normally the other 5 days.   

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By reducing your calorie intake, all of these methods should cause weight loss as long as you don’t compensate by eating much more during the eating periods.

Many people find the 16/8 method to be the simplest, most sustainable and easiest to stick to. It’s also the most popular.

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Portion Control 

Increased portions are thought to contribute to overeating and unwanted weight gain. Research indicates that many factors control how much you eat. People tend to eat almost all of what they serve themselves. Therefore, controlling portion sizes can help prevent overindulging. Here are some helpful tips to measure and control portion sizes -- at home and on-the-go: 

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Keto Diet 

The ketogenic (or keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that comes with many healthy benefits. In fact, more than 20 studies prove that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve overall health. Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. 

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The Keto Diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. 

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When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with increased Ketones, has numerous health benefit such as loosing weight, help with diseases such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, brain injuries, and acne. 

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There are several different ways of doing The Keto Diet. 

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Methods of Keto Dieting: 

  • The Standard Ketogenic Diet: This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically consists of 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs. 

  • Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: This diet includes periods of higher carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days. 

  • The Targeted Ketogenic Diet: This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts. 

  • The High-Protein Ketogenic Diet: This is similar to the standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. 

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The Ketogenic diet is a good way to lose weight, and decrease risk of disease. What's more, this diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake. You can eat a wide variety of tasty and nutritious meals on a ketogenic diet.

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Keto Diet Sample Meal Plan: 

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Monday:

  • Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and tomatoes

  • Lunch: Chicken Salad with olive oil and feta cheese 

  • Dinner: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter 

Tuesday: 

  • Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil, and goat cheese omelet 

  • Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and stevia milkshake 

  • Dinner: Meatballs, cheddar cheese, and veggies 

Wednesday: 

  • Breakfast: Coconut milk, almond milk, fresh strawberry, and vanilla extract milkshake 

  • Lunch: Shrimp salad with avocado oil and avocado 

  • Dinner: Pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli, and salad 

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Thursday: 

  • Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion, and spices. 

  • Lunch: A handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa 

  • Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, along with veggies 

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Friday: 

  • Breakfast: Sugar free yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder, and stevia 

  • Lunch: Beef stir fry, cooked in coconut oil, with vegetables 

  • Dinner: Bun-less burger with bacon, a fried egg, and cheese 

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Saturday: 

  • Breakfast: Ham and cheese omelet with veggies 

  • Lunch: Turkey and cheese slices with nuts 

  • Dinner: White fish, egg, and spinach cooked in coconut oil 

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Sunday: 

  • Breakfast: Fried eggs with bacon and mushrooms 

  • Lunch: Burger with salsa, cheese, and guacamole 

  • Dinner: Steak and eggs with a side salad 

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Keto Diet 

The ketogenic (or keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that comes with many healthy benefits. In fact, more than 20 studies prove that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve overall health. Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. 

​

The Keto Diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called Ketosis. 

​

When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets can cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with increased Ketones, has numerous health benefit such as loosing weight, help with diseases such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, brain injuries, and acne. 

​

There are several different ways of doing The Keto Diet. 

​

Methods of Keto Dieting: 

  • The Standard Ketogenic Diet: This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically consists of 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs. 

  • Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: This diet includes periods of higher carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days. 

  • The Targeted Ketogenic Diet: This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts. 

  • The High-Protein Ketogenic Diet: This is similar to the standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs. 

​

The Ketogenic diet is a good way to lose weight, and decrease risk of disease. What's more, this diet is so filling that you can lose weight without counting calories or tracking your food intake. You can eat a wide variety of tasty and nutritious meals on a ketogenic diet.

​

Keto Diet Sample Meal Plan: 

​

Monday:

  • Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and tomatoes

  • Lunch: Chicken Salad with olive oil and feta cheese 

  • Dinner: Salmon with asparagus cooked in butter 

Tuesday: 

  • Breakfast: Egg, tomato, basil, and goat cheese omelet 

  • Lunch: Almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and stevia milkshake 

  • Dinner: Meatballs, cheddar cheese, and veggies 

Wednesday: 

  • Breakfast: Coconut milk, almond milk, fresh strawberry, and vanilla extract milkshake 

  • Lunch: Shrimp salad with avocado oil and avocado 

  • Dinner: Pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli, and salad 

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Thursday: 

  • Breakfast: Omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion, and spices. 

  • Lunch: A handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa 

  • Dinner: Chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, along with veggies 

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Friday: 

  • Breakfast: Sugar free yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder, and stevia 

  • Lunch: Beef stir fry, cooked in coconut oil, with vegetables 

  • Dinner: Bun-less burger with bacon, a fried egg, and cheese 

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Saturday: 

  • Breakfast: Ham and cheese omelet with veggies 

  • Lunch: Turkey and cheese slices with nuts 

  • Dinner: White fish, egg, and spinach cooked in coconut oil 

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Sunday: 

  • Breakfast: Fried eggs with bacon and mushrooms 

  • Lunch: Burger with salsa, cheese, and guacamole 

  • Dinner: Steak and eggs with a side salad 

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Low-carb recipes  

Low-carb diets have been proven to offer various health benefits, including weight loss and reduced cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. 

The below recipes are quickly prepared in under 10 minutes, perfect for a busy, low-carb, lifestyle.

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Eggs and Veggies Fried in Avocado Oil 

This dish makes a great breakfast that you can eat everyday. It’s rich in proteins, and healthy vegetables, keeping you full for a long time. 

  1. Ingredients: Avocado oil, fresh vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli) eggs, and spices to taste. 

  2. Instructions: 

    1. Add avocado oil to your frying pan, and turn on the heat to Medium. 

    2. Add vegetables, let cook until fragrant 

    3. Add 3-4 eggs

    4. Add salt, pepper, and spices to taste 

    5. Add spinach 

    6. Stir fry until ready to serve 

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Baked Chicken Wings with Greens and Salsa 

This one may just become one of your favorites. It takes little prep, and most people love to eat meat straight off the bone — you may even find it meets your kid’s approval.

  1. Ingredients: Chicken wings, spices, greens (spinach, kale, mixed leafy greens), salsa.

  2. Instructions:

    1. Rub the chicken wings in a spice blend of your choice 

    2. Place them in the oven and heat at 360 degrees-395 degreesF for about 40 minutes 

    3. Grill the wings on BBQ or stove top until brown and crispy 

    4. Serve with some mixed greens, and salsa 

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Bacon, Eggs, and Avocado  

Though bacon is a processed meat, and not exactly healthy, it is low in carbs. You can eat it on a low-carb diet and still lose weight. If you keep your bacon intake in moderation and don't eat it more than once or twice a week, there’s nothing wrong with adding/keeping it in your diet. 

  1. Ingredients: Bacon, Eggs, Spices, Avocado 

  2. Instructions: 

    1. Add bacon to pan and fry until ready 

    2. Empty bacon grease from pan

    3. Add avocado oil to pan, and fry 3-4 eggs

    4. If you want to add some flavor to your eggs, put a pinch of sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder on them while frying 

    5. Serve with ripe avocado 

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Ground Beef with Sliced Bell Peppers 

This low-carb meal is perfect if you have some spare ground beef laying around.

  1. Ingredients: Onion, coconut oil, ground beef, spices, spinach, and one bell pepper.

  2. Instructions:

    1. Finely chop an onion 

    2. Add coconut oil to pan, and turn up the heat

    3. Add the onion and stir for a few minutes, until onions are translucent 

    4. Add the ground beef

    5. Add spices to taste - either salt and pepper, or spice blend

    6. Add spinach

    7. If you want to spice things up a bit, optionally add some black pepper and chili powder 

    8. Stir-fry until ready and serve with a sliced bell pepper.

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Bunless Cheeseburgers

It doesn’t get much easier than this: a bunless burger with two different kinds of cheese and a side of raw spinach.

  1. Ingredients: Avocado oil, hamburger patties, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, salsa, spices, spinach. 

  2. Instructions: 

    1. Add avocado oil to pan and turn up the heat 

    2. Add hamburger patty to pan, and sprinkle spices on top

    3. Flip the patties until close to being ready 

    4. Add a slice of cheddar, and slice of pepper jack cheese

    5. Reduce the heat, and put a lid on the pan until cheese is melted

    6. Serve on bed or raw spinach 

    7. To make the burgers even juicer, add salsa 

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Fried Chicken Breast Pieces 

  1. Ingredients: Chicken breast, Avocado oil, salt, pepper, curry, garlic powder, avocado (optional), and leafy greens 

  2. Instructions:

    1. Cut the chicken breast into small bite sized pieces  

    2. Add avocado oil to pan and turn the heat to med-high 

    3. Add chicken pieces, as well as salt, pepper, curry powder, and garlic powder

    4. Brown the chicken until it reaches a crunchy texture

    5. Serve on a bed of leafy greens with avocado (optional) 

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“Meatza”- Meat Based Pizza 

If you miss pizza on a low carb diet, then you're going to love this. You may even find that it tastes better than regular pizza - without the unhealthy ingredients most pizza varieties include. 

  1. This recipe is easy to modify, and you can add any low-carb ingredients you want - vegetables, mushrooms, different cheeses, and so on. 

  2. Ingredients: Onions, bacon, ground beef (or ground turkey or chicken), salsa, spices, garlic powder, and shredded cheese 

  3. Instructions: 

    1. Finely chop onions, and cut bacon into small pieces 

    2. Mix the ground beef, salsa, onions, spices, and garlic powder at the bottom of a baking dish

    3. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, and ass extra bacon slices 

    4. Place in the oven and heat at 360–395°F (180–200°C) for 30–40 minutes, until the bacon and cheese looks crunchy 

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Chickpea Avocado Salad (Vegan) 

  1. Serve this flavorful salad on a bed of greens for a complete meal. I recommend arugula with this dish, but feel free to use your favorite. 

  2. Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the avocado just before serving.

  3. Ingredients: 

    1. 4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed

    2. 1 small red onion, peeled and diced small

    3. 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

    4. Zest of 1 lime and juice of 4 limes

    5. 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (for less heat, remove the seeds)

    6. 1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro

    7. Sea salt to taste

    8. 1 avocado, coarsely chopped 

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