Eat Meat Equals Weight Gain?

Meat and animal products are generally high in protein and saturated fats. Saturated fats were, for a time, considered unhealthy and a cause of many diseases. They were also blamed for obesity. Now, however, they are gradually being recognized by many nutritionists as necessary, if derived from high quality sources (such as organic or natural animal products). Eating a diet with a moderate amount of saturated fats will not make you fat.

A European study of almost 400,000 adults found that eating meat was linked with weight gain, even in people taking in the same number of calories.

The strongest association was found with processed meat, such as sausages and ham, the Imperial College London team reported.

It suggests that high-protein diets may not help slimmers in the long run.

Although it is not clear why meat would lead to weight gain in people eating the same number of calories, one theory is that energy-dense foods like meat alter how the body regulates appetite control.

But there could also be another lifestyle or dietary explanation for the link that was not accounted for by the study.

But researchers still believe there is a link between meat consumption and overall weight gain, especially after discovering that, among people consuming the same exact number of calories, an extra eight or nine ounces of meat consumed every day accounts for a five-pound gain in weight over five years.

"In primates, animal food consumption is inversely related to body weight," explain Michael T. Murray, N.D., and Josephy E. Pizzorno, N.D., in their book Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition. They believe eating meat affects human weight in a similar way to how it affects primates.

Take Steps to Prevent, Control Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control about every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event; about one every minute will die from one.

What can you do to reduce your chances of developing coronary heart disease?

* Recognize the risk factors

* Knowing the signs and symptoms of heart attack

* Live a healthy lifestyle: Watch your diet, get plenty of exercise

People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future.

Be aware of your and your family members' blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Once you know these numbers, you can work to bring them into, or keep them within, a healthy range.

Making lifestyle changes can be hard. But if you make these changes as a family, it may be easier for everyone to prevent or control their CHD risk factors.

Although you might know eating certain foods can increase your heart disease risk, it's often tough to change your eating habits. Whether you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt or you simply want to fine-tune your diet, here are eight heart-healthy diet tips. Once you know which foods to eat more of and which foods to limit, you'll be on your way toward a heart-healthy diet.

Of all the possible improvements you can make to your diet, limiting saturated fats and cutting out trans fats entirely is perhaps the most important. Both types of fat raise your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol level, which can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. Luckily, there are many ways to control how much saturated and trans fats you take in.

Why crash dieting DOES work:

While experts, nutritionists and physicians would advise against them, many people look to crash diets to lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. Some do it because they don't have the patience to take up a regular diet and exercise regimen, and they want to see instant results. Others do it because they don't have a large enough time frame to diet and exercise regularly.

For instance, someone might need to fit into a particular piece of clothing, like a tuxedo or dress, for an upcoming wedding or formal event. Whatever the reason may be, people are aware of the existence of crash diets that can lead to rapid weight loss, but aren't sure if they actually work. Here is a review of four different crash diets that not only work, but also work fast.

Clinical experience shows that somebody with a serious commitment to weight loss can lose up to 20 pounds - and two to three dress sizes - in two months. That's a lot of weight, and an enormous change in appearance for most of us.

Best of all, if a crash diet is done right (and you make permanent changes to how you eat) it can yield results that will stand the test of time just as well as those slow and careful, long-term diets that emphasise depressingly incremental drops in weight.

Conventional wisdom says that rapid weight loss leads to rapid weight regain, but a new generation of science is showing that slow isn't necessarily better.

Atkins. I've tried a lot of diets, and I've seen a lot of people on diets. If you do the 70s version of the Atkins diet - meaning NO CARBS for 4 weeks straight, you will not die. People don't like this diet because they are all brainwashed by the media to think that eating foods that are high in fat and protein, and eating a lot meat is bad for you. Well, they don't tell you how many people lose weight very rapidly, and then they DISCONTINUE the diet once they reach their goal. Its not a lifestyle change. If you follow his steps, without fail, by the 4th or 5th day, you will lose about 1 lb. per day. Give it a whirl. Your appetite will be depressed as well. But you'll crave chips & salsa like crazy (I did!).