Traditional Psychotherapy vs. Emotional Freedom Techniques

Traditional Psychotherapy vs. Emotional Freedom Techniques

With traditional talk psychotherapies you gain insights into the causes of your emotional difficulties and the new behaviors you would like to have. However, you are left needing to use your will power to try to behave in these new healthier ways. You still feel the internal urges in your "gut" to behave in the old ways. The result is an ongoing internal struggle between your gut feelings and your will power. This is very hard and progress can be very slow, sometimes taking years or even never.


The EFT Tapping Therapy Advantage

EFT Tapping Therapy doesn't have this problem. After working through an issue using EFT, you come out feeling different and you actually are different. Your gut is no longer telling you to behave in the old unhealthy ways. New behaviors are now natural because there is no internal struggle—you have changed inside and are a different person around this issue. The struggle is over.

EFT is dramatically faster than other methods and is highly effective (see brief EFT research summary). EFT has been shown to only take weeks to months to get relief and experience deep healing, instead of months to years (or never) with traditional psychotherapy.

EFT has been effective in thousands of cases for emotional and physical healing by balancing the body's energy system (see the following examples):

EFT Tapping Therapy Is Helpful With the Following Emotional Challenges:

Stress and Distress
Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Trauma, Abuse & PTSD
Depression
Shame, Guilt, Low Self-Esteem
Grief & Bereavement
Love Pain
Fear of Rejection
Insomnia
Fear of Public Speaking
Phobias: fear of flying, mice, snakes, etc.
Addictions: alcohol, drugs, smoking, food, gambling, etc.
Weight Loss/Emotional Overeating
Eating Disorders: Anorexia & Bulimia

Are You Ready for Your Own Transformation?
Sign Up for a Complimentary 15 Min. Discovery Session

Let's have a chat about how you can get the deep healing and transformation you desire so you can have the life and success you want. Contact me at: eftcyprus @ yahoo.com and I can set up a free Skype session with you.

All the best,

Craig

Canned Food and Bottled Water Increase Your Abdominal Fat Through Hidden Chemicals

Canned Food and Bottled Water Increase Your Abdominal Fat Through Hidden Chemicals

You may have started hearing in the news about some of the hidden chemicals that might be lurking in your canned foods and bottled water and other drinks.  Some of them are known as xenoestrogens, which have the potential to cause serious health problems over time, as well as increase abdominal fat from the estrogenic effect.

Today, I want to share with you some important details about one of the MOST problematic chemicals that you're being exposed to specifically from canned foods and bottled drinks, etc...

It's called Bisphenol A (BPA).

BPA can be found as a component of some types of plastic bottles, and also in the lining inside of canned foods.

Since BPA is a known "xenoestrogen", it's been linked in animal studies (at surprisingly small doses) to all sorts of various health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, heart disease, diabetes, and fertility problems and birth defects or miscarriages... and of course, any xenoestrogens in large enough amounts can trigger your body to hold onto abdominal fat (aka - stubborn belly fat ).

The major offenders to look for are polycarbonate bottles (some plastics with the #7 symbol on the bottom are polycarbonate, but not all) and also canned foods, since the lining of most canned foods contains BPA, which can leach into food.  The longer that a can of food sits on a shelf and the higher the temperature, the more BPA can leach into your food. The same can be said for polycarbonate bottles that contain food or drinks.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) , BPA was detected in the bodies of 95% of Americans in one CDC study (this is a worldwide issue though, not just limited to the US).  This is nothing to shrug off either... look at this scary finding...

The Environmental Working Group reports, "analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects — permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs ".

If that didn't get your attention, how about this...

The EWG also reports evidence of... "An investigation demonstrating that low doses of BPA spur both the formation and growth of fat cells , the two factors that drive obesity in humans (Masumo et al. 2002). "

This is not surprising, since as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, BPA is a known xenoestrogen, and any xenoestrogens can contribute to what's been referred to as "stubborn abdominal fat" as well as cancer and other health problems.

It's also important to note that any canned tomato products (canned ravioli, pastas, canned tomato pastes, tomato sauces, etc) are some of the biggest offenders with the highest BPA concentrations due to the acidic nature of tomatoes, which leaches more of the BPA.

So what steps can you take to minimize your exposure to BPA and it's negative effects on bodyfat and other health risks?

 1. Try to always avoid canned foods as much as possible and choose frozen or fresh foods instead.  Buy the ingredients yourself and prepare the meal the old fashioned way instead of resorting to canned foods.  Also, a better alternative to canned foods is products in glass containers.

 2.   If you do resort to using canned foods instead of fresh foods, try to find labels that say that the cans are free of BPA.

 3.   If you need tomato products, always avoid canned varieties and search for tomato sauces, pastes, etc in glass bottles instead (unless the can specifically states that it is BPA-free).  Or just make your own tomato dishes from scratch with fresh tomatoes.

 4.   If you use plastic wrap, plastic ziplock bags, plastic containers for food storage, etc, try to investigate on the label if the product is BPA-free or not.  Some brands packaging will label if their products are BPA-free.

 5.   If you for some reason choose to use a microwave with your food (which by the way, microwaved food is thought to have negative health effects ), then by all means, do not microwave the food in plastic containers as it can increase the leaching of chemicals including BPA.

 6.   If you drink bottled water, or water from reusable plastic bottles, make sure that it is not a polycarbonate bottle, or make sure that the label says BPA-free. Plastic that shows #7 on the bottom will sometimes contain BPA, but not always.  If a bottle shows "PC" on the bottom, it is made from polycarbonate, so it will contain BPA.  In addition, sometimes aluminum bottles will contain a lining that has BPA, so avoid these.

 7.   Avoid soda cans, as the EWG states analysis showed that 42% of soda cans contained BPA.  Of course, if you care about your health and your body, I'm sure you never drink soda anyway -- it's pure evil for your body... and yes, that includes unhealthy diet soda too , with it's dangerous artificial sweeteners.

 8.   Never use plastic cups for hot liquids such as hot tea or coffee, as this can accelerate leaching of BPA and other chemicals, depending on the type of plastic.

 9.   As much as you can try to avoid BPA and other xenoestrogens, you will most likely still be exposed to some levels of xenoestrogens from various chemicals in your foods (from pesticide/herbicide residues, packaging chemicals, etc), chemicals in your water supply, chemicals from cosmetics, lotions, etc.

However, you can help to protect yourself and counteract these harmful xenoestrogen chemicals in your body with certain powerful phytonutrients in foods like onions, garlic, chamomile and green teas, and cruciferious vegetables.  In fact, read this article to see how 3 specific veggies can help you to fight abdominal fat  by counteracting xenoestrogens.

If you stick to most of these guidelines, you can help to protect yourself and your family from the health dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA).  And you can also help protect yourself against the issue of "stubborn abdominal fat " that can be caused by the xenoestrogen effect of BPA exposure too... which I'm sure you'd rather avoid!

Please share this article with your friends and family to help them protect their health from BPA exposure.

Tips On How Not To Get Sick

Tips On How Not To Get Sick

Note: The tips in this article can work anytime of the year to keep you healthy, strengthen your immune system, and prevent you from getting sick...not just in the winter months!

First of all, let us clear up a HUGE misconception about why more people get sick in the winter compared to warmer times of the year.  Let's talk about cold temperatures first.  You should realize that there's no such thing as "catching a cold" from cold temperatures.   I can't believe how many people still have this huge misconception that cold temperatures can make you sick...

This is blatantly false... Cold temperatures do NOT make you sick!



 In fact, did you know that there are multiple studies that actually show that exposure to cold increases your immunity?  It's true!  One study I read recently even showed that cold therapy such as ice water baths or other cold water exposure (such as cold water swimming) stimulates an improvement in your immune system.  Other studies also show that cold water therapy can improve your immune system.
What about so-called "germs"?

So are there really more germs and cold & flu viruses floating around in the winter?  No, of course not!   In fact, some medical articles I've read have indicated that there might actually be a slightly larger amount of viruses all around us in the summer due to more favorable conditions for their survival on surfaces.

So then why do more people get sick in the winter?  Well, I'll give you a hint... it's not the temperature, but rather the strength of the suns rays, and how this affects your health ... In winter in the northern hemisphere (Canada, US, Europe, etc) sicknesses spike, but at the same time, it's summer in the southern hemisphere (South America, Australia, New Zealand, etc), and while sicknesses are spiking in the northern hemisphere, sicknesses are at their lowest point in the southern hemisphere since it's their summer.

And then when we're in summer in the northern hemisphere and most sicknesses go away, it's winter in the southern hemisphere, so colds, flu, and other sicknesses spike in the southern hemisphere in July and August.

So is it the warm temperatures that decreases sickness?  Nope... It's actually all about the strength of the sun's UVB rays, and how much vitamin D your body produces due to the UVB rays on your skin!

There are 2 theories that many people pass around as to why more colds, flu, and sickness occur in the winter depending on which part of the world you're in...

Theory 1.   It may have to do with people generally spending more time indoors in the winter and thereby being exposed to more germs in enclosed buildings.  It's a nice theory, but people are generally still in offices from 9-5 all week long whether it's summer or winter.  As you'll see, theory 2 is the REAL culprit!

Theory 2.   The reason people get sick more in the winter is mostly due to a drastic reduction in their body's level of Vitamin D , which is directly responsible for how strong their immune system is.

The suns rays are too weak in the winter generally (depending on the latitude that you live ), and therefore, Vitamin D levels in the body drop significantly, which reduces immunity. Most people don't realize how important sunlight and Vitamin D levels really are towards so many functions inside their body, including immune system and hormone production and balance.

Even for people that get outdoors in the winter often, if you live in the northern hemisphere to the North of an imaginary line from approximately Atlanta to Los Angeles , the suns rays (UVB rays) are not strong enough in the fall and winter months (approximately October through early March) because of the low sun angle in the sky to stimulate any significant Vitamin D production inside your body.  My blog post here describes how to figure out what time frame your "vitamin D winter" runs from at your exact latitude .

This aspect of lack of Vitamin D production and lowered immune strength in the winter months is what is actually the REAL reason why more sickness goes around in the winter.  So you can silently chuckle to yourself the next time that someone tells you to "bundle up" so you don't catch a cold.

So how can you boost your immune system so that your body fights off sickness before it takes hold of you?

So here is my little ritual that I have been using for a few years now and really seems to keep me from getting any colds, flu, or any sickness at all.

As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time I was legitimately sick. I think it's been 15 years since I've actually been sick .  How many times have you and your family been sick in the last 10 or 15 years?  Most people seem to get sick at least once a month in the winters, every winter.  And some people even get sick in the summers too because of compromised immune systems.

Every time I feel a cold or something starting to come on, I do this ritual, strengthen my immune system, and my body always fights off the cold or sickness before I actually get full-blown sick.


Here are my 7 most powerful tips to boost your immune system:


1. Focus on Vitamin D (but NOT in "fortified" foods or synthetic forms in pills)

This is probably THE most important of all of these tips!

If you get your vitamin D levels tested, you generally want to be between 40-80 ng/ml. Once you get above 50 ng/ml, that's where the real benefits start to happen with a maximized immune system and balanced hormones.

You might be surprised to know that MOST people have low vitamin D levels (especially in the winter), and a lot of people are surprised to find that they could be dangerously low.  Some people I know who thought they were reasonably healthy actually had levels below 20 ng/ml (one friend's level was measured at a shockingly dangerous 11 ng/ml ), which is a range that could severely limit your immune system and hormone balance (and explains the frequent colds and hormone problems that they were having).

Personally, I found out that my winter levels a couple years ago were lower than I thought (around 35 ng/ml despite taking cod liver oil a couple times a week) and then after getting a few months of summer sun, my levels had jumped up to 52 ng/ml by the end of July, which is much healthier.  This was without any Vitamin D supplements as I wanted to get a good idea of where my levels stood from just food intake and sunshine as my sources.

Keep in mind though that I'm an avid hiker and mountain biker in the summer, and I live at high elevation (7500 feet above sea level), so I get a good deal of daily sun, which is why my levels jumped from 35-52 ng/ml after a couple months of daily summer sun.  For people that are in offices daily, you'll still most likely need supplemental Vitamin D3 to keep blood levels of vitamin D from dropping too low. 

(Note: it's VERY important to get ample vitamin K2 if you're taking vitamin D3.  The K2 is necessary to prevent inappropriate calcification of certain soft tissues in your body.  This is the vit D3/K2 mixture that I personally use  and think is the best quality)

When it comes to Vitamin D, you need to be careful about artificial forms of vitamin D in many vitamin pills, as artificial vitamin forms are almost always either ineffective or possibly even detrimental compared to natural forms.  Vitamin D2 is generally the artificial version in multi-vitamins, although natural D2 does exist in some foods like mushrooms.  Natural Vitamin D from either cod liver oil and/or an oil-based D3 supplement are the best options in my opinion for the times of the year you're not getting enough sun.

I alternate the oil-based D3 supplement I linked to above with a fermented cod liver oil throughout the winter, so that I get good natural vitamin D from various sources.

Keep in mind that it's best to get your vitamin D naturally from the sun if you can.  The sun is the absolute best source of vitamin D, and leads to a powerful strengthening of your immune system when your body can naturally produce Vitamin D from moderate sun exposure .  When the UVB rays (not UVA rays) from mid-day sun hit your skin, it reacts with oils in your skin to produce vitamin D that is slowly adbsorbed by your body.  Note that sunscreens block the ability of your body to produce vitamin D, and most sunscreens also contain carcinogenic chemicals that absorb into your blood stream.

Here is a previous article I did on how to get sun exposure in a healthy way without damaging your skin

I know not everybody can take a tropical vacation every winter, but if you can, it's best to try to take it right smack dab in the middle of the winter (when your vitamin D levels have dropped to their lowest)... getting even a few days to a week of good sun closer to the equator in the middle of winter can really help increase your vitamin D levels and strengthen your immune system for at least several weeks after the trip.

Remember that this does NOT mean getting burned in the sun... it means getting a moderate amount of sun on large portions of your body (not just your face) for approx 15-40 minutes per day WITHOUT sunscreen on (since sunscreen blocks the UV rays that directly stimulate the vitamin D production in your body).   Also, as a warning about sunscreens, see this article here about why sunscreens can possibly cause cancer and increase body fat .

Everybody is different based on their skin tone... very pale skin tones may only need 10-15 minutes or so in full sun in the middle of the day to get adequate vitamin D before any skin damage occurs, but darker skin tones may need a slightly longer time (sometimes 40-60 minutes) in the sun to produce adequate vitamin D.  To protect your skin, it's essential to get enough sun without sunscreen on, but NOT get burned. 

In general, the UVB rays are only strongest from about 10 am to 3 pm to trigger Vitamin D production in your body (depending on time of year, latitude, and altitude).  For example, in NY city, while you may be able to produce vitamin D in your skin between 9am to 4pm in June or July, that time frame when UVB rays are strong enough might have shrunk to only 11am to 1pm by the end of September... and by late October in NYC, according to charts of sun height in the sky, you can't produce any vitamin D even in mid-day sun as the sun is too low in the sky and UVB rays too weak.  (I explained this in more detail about UVB strength and its relation to your ability to produce vit D3 in this article about your vitamin D "winter" here )

With that said, I understand that a tropical vacation in the winter is not possible for everybody's schedule based on either work or finances, so...

Since you may not be going on a tropical vacation this winter, how can you still keep Vitamin D levels from falling dangerously low in your body?

Well, the best food sources of natural Vitamin D are egg yolks (from hens fed a healthy diet and allowed to get their own sunshine), fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel.

However, keep in mind that it's tough to get enough vitamin D in the winter from food sources alone.

But what I do to make sure I'm at least getting a decent amount of the best absorbed vitamin D is to take a moderate dose of fermented cod liver oil daily in the winter to make sure my vitamin D levels don't fall too low.  Make sure to take only small to moderate doses of cod liver oil, as large doses can possibly give you an overdose of Vitamin A. 

What I've done lately is to only take cod liver oil about 3 days per week, to prevent taking in too much vitamin A.  On the other 4 days per week (only in the winter), I take an oil-based vitamin D3 supplement. It's important to choose an oil-based D3 supplement as it's better utilized by your body.

I'm also a big fan of Prograde Nutrition's natural VGF-25 multi-vitamin , which derives it's vitamin D from natural fish liver oil instead of a synthetic form of vitamin D.  All of the other vitamins in VGF-25 (which stands for "25 veggies, greens, and fruits") are naturally derived too instead of most multi-vitamins that you find at your corner store that are synthetic.

By the way, fortified milk has added synthetic vitamin D, so it is NOT a good source.  In fact, I don't trust any "fortified" foods at all, including terribly unhealthy breakfast cereals which claim to be good sources of vitamin D... not so!  Also make sure to read this article, which explains how our food supply has been modified in recent decades and now lacks the vitamin D that it used to contain decades ago.

2. Garlic to strengthen your immune system!

Garlic is one of the most potent of all superfoods!  Not only does high dose garlic go back thousands of years for treatment of sickness, but recent studies back up the legendary claims for garlic boosting your immune system.

What's best though -- "aged" garlic pills, whole garlic in foods, capsules, etc?  I can't seem to find a consensus on this one, so what I simply try to do is use a variety of sources, including garlic powder on a lot of my foods, fresh chopped garlic in meals, and also a garlic capsule or two each day.

If I feel a possible cold or sickness coming on, I really start loading garlic into my foods heavily and I take a few extra garlic capsules that day too.


3. Kombucha tea, Kefir, Fermented foods (and other sources of probiotics) strengthen your immune system

Kombucha tea is a fermented tea (naturally effervescent) that contains billions of friendly gut organisms (probiotics) that help to strengthen your immune system by bolstering your levels of good organisms in your gut, which provides a first level of defense against pathogens from things you ingest.

Remember that 70% of your immune system lies in your gut flora and the health of the friendly organisms in there to protect you against pathogens and sickness.

You can find bottles of Kombucha tea or other probiotic drinks at health food stores such as Whole Foods.

Kefir is a cultured/fermented dairy drink that's been used for thousands of years as a health elixer in many parts of the world.  Kefir is an even better source of probiotics than Kombucha tea, but keep in mind that variety is best when it comes to probiotics, so use various sources for the best benefits to your digestive system and immune system.  Kefir is also the easiest form of dairy to digest due to the pre-digestion that's done by the probiotic microorganisms, and due to this, kefir is generally 99% lactose free.  Read this article to see why Kefir is a more powerful source of gut-friendly probiotics than yogurt .

When I feel any sickness coming on, I start loading up on Kombucha tea and Kefir, drinking them both throughout the day.  I've started seeing other probiotic drinks on the market recently too, so just make sure to look for one that has very minimal sugar per serving (3-6 grams per 8 oz serving is acceptable, but much more than that is too sugary).  Kevita is one brand of probiotic drink that is really delicious and has minimal sugar, while also containing around 8-10 Billion organisms per bottle I believe.

You can also get beneficial probiotics from fermented foods such as sauerkraut (non-canned), yogurt, kimchi, and other fermented foods.  There are also plenty of probiotic supplements you can take, one of which is a delicious drink called Athletic Greens , which contains 7 Billion probiotics per serving among 76 other superfood ingredients.  I start off every morning with this superfoods drink mixed with fresh squeezed lemon and unsweetened iced tea... Great stuff!

Another probiotic product that I personally take is called Pro-x10 and is one of the most powerful probiotics I've come across yet, with the equivalent of 50 Billion probiotics, and a micro-encapsulation technology that gets more live probiotics to your intestines, so they don't die in your stomach.


4. Green tea, Chamomile Tea, and other teas

There is evidence that green tea and chamomile tea can help aid in strengthening the immune system.

Even if the effect is small, you can't go wrong because both are loaded with powerful antioxidants unique to each tea.

For that reason, I try to drink a couple cups of green tea with a small bit of raw honey early in the day, and then at night, I have a couple cups of chamomile or mint tea.

This isn't a bad idea even for a regular habit, but it's even more important when you feel a sickness possibly coming on.  I also drink a lot of other teas too such as Rooibos tea, which is thought to be even higher in antioxidants than green tea.


5. Loading up on antioxidants

We already know how important antioxidants are to overall health as well as immune system support.

For this reason, I make sure to really load up on antioxidant-rich fruits, berries, teas, red wine , unsweetened organic cocoa (in smoothies, etc), and veggies to help prevent sickness.

Sometimes I make what I call my "Superhuman smoothie", which I believe can really bolster your immune system, with loads of powerful antioxidant-rich berries, a few veggies, raw cacao, maca, spirulina, chia seeds, and any other superfoods I can think to throw in there.


6. Light exercise (yes - light exercise, not hard)



 When you feel a sickness coming on, a super-high intensity workout is not a good idea, as hard training forces the body to do a lot of recovery, this at a time when your body needs all of it's efforts on trying to fight off the oncoming sickness.
Although I usually recommend high intensity training most times... when sickness might be coming on, it's just a good idea to get some light exercise instead.

Personally, I like to get outside for some fresh air and go for a hike or go snowshoeing in the winter. These aren't very strenuous for me, so they won't cause my body to be forced to do a lot of recovery... but just getting out in the fresh air and getting the circulation going I feel is good to help the body fight off the sickness.


7. Avoid ALL processed foods, wheat-based foods, and sweetened soft drinks

If you're serious about your health and getting lean for life, this should be an everyday rule for you anyway (except maybe for cheat meals)...

However, when you might have a sickness coming on, this is no time to bombard your body with processed foods, inflammatory omega-6 oils (soybean oil, corn oil, etc), fried foods, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars, wheat-based foods or chemical additives.

All of these force your body to do extra work to deal with all of this junk and the internal inflammation that they cause in your body.  And by the way, grain-based foods like bread, cereal, muffins, pasta, and bagels are a big culprit in causing internal inflammation and disrupting normal gut function, so avoid grains as much as possible.  In case you're new to the science of Paleolithic nutrition, humans don't actually need grains to survive...grains were never a part of the ancient human diet until agriculture came around only about ten thousand years ago. If you haven't seen this article yet, here are 11 reasons why whole wheat damages your body .

Instead, (especially when you might be getting sick) you need to give your body only wholesome unprocessed foods that are only 1 ingredient and that we were meant to digest most efficiently...fruits, berries, veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds, grass-fed meats , etc.

I also have a daily serving of immune system boosting Athletic Greens , which is surprisingly delicious, plus contains loads of probiotics and antioxidants, and other immune supporting superfoods (76 superfoods mixed into one delicious drink!).

These 7 tips will go a LONG way to helping to ward off that sickness that is trying to get a hold of you... Here's to a healthy strong body!

Note: I'm not a doctor, and none of these tips are prescriptions for any individual person... they are simply the steps I've personally used over the years to successfully fight off sickness pretty much every single time.  Again, I haven't been legitimately sick in at LEAST 9 years now that I use these steps!

Please feel free to share this page with your friends and family to keep them healthy and strong!

2 Pre-Meal Tricks to Control Your Blood Sugar Response

Improve Insulin Sensitivity & Stay in Fat-Burning Mode

These 2 unusual pre-meal tricks could even help diabetics control blood sugar, but can also help non-diabetics to balance hormones via blood sugar balancing - and burn stubborn fat.

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

Millions of people have diabetes and use a test kit to see what their blood level is. If you know someone that does, have them check out this article.

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For more information, Click Here!

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In several other articles, I've told you about some of the really cool experiments that Tim Ferriss has done in his new book that I read recently, "The 4-Hour Body ", and I wanted to show you this one today, because it's pretty cool, and also a simple thing to do...

You may have heard different websites or anecdotes in the past about these 3 substances and their possible effects on reducing the blood sugar response of a meal (taken either before or during a meal), which can, essentially help to keep insulin levels lower post-meal and keep the body from depositing extra body fat.  Maintaining lower and more stable blood sugar levels also helps to prevent cravings and slow the aging process by reducing formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in your body .

These 3 substances that he tested pre-meal are:

vinegar
lemon juice
cinnamon
But do they actually work in controlling blood sugar response from a meal?

Well, that's what Tim decided to test out on himself as one of his experiments that he did in "The 4-Hour Body" .  Tim actually used a blood sugar meter (normally for diabetics) that attached probes into his abdomen to get constant measurements and graphs of his blood sugar and response to different foods and meals.

In his tests, he tested ingesting all 3 of these "substances" before meals in separate tests.

The results?

The pre-meal vinegar:

The vinegar failed!

Tim tested both white vinegar and balsamic vinegar and neither showed any lowering effect on his blood sugar in his tests.  He even drank 3 Tbsp+ of vinegar before meals as a last attempt to see if vinegar could have any blood sugar controlling effects.  But he found no effect.

Tim includes some theories in his book on why the vinegar didn't have any effect.

The pre-meal lemon juice:

Better news with the lemon juice!

In Tim's personal tests, he used 3 Tbsp of fresh-squeezed lemon juice (not store-bought stuff with preservatives and artificial additives) prior to his meals and this lowered his blood sugar response to meals (compared to his controls) by approximately 10%.

Remember that lowering the blood sugar response to a meal can help to control insulin levels and therefore keep your body in fat-burning mode for longer...and prevent cravings too!

The pre-meal cinnamon:

Yet another score!

If you've read my articles in the past, it's no secret that cinnamon can be powerful in terms of helping to blunt blood sugar response to a meal.  In fact, I regularly take 2 cinnamon capsules (approx 1 gram) if I know I'm going to eat a meal that contains moderate or high levels of carbohydrates.  Some studies show that cinnamon can reduce the glycemic response of a meal up to 29%!

But there are different types of cinnamon...so which is best?

Tim actually tested 3 types of cinnamon in how they affected his blood sugar response to meals.

Saigon cinnamon (aka Vietnamese cinnamon) was found in Tim's tests to be the most effective at controlling blood sugar .

Cassia cinnamon came in 2nd place in effectiveness

Ceylon cinnamon came in 3rd place in Tim's tests in effectiveness in controlling blood sugar response to a meal.

Tim did note however that all 3 types of cinnamon helped control blood sugar to some extent.  I personally like to use cinnamon in smoothies, in yogurt or oatmeal, with apples and almond butter, or in capsule form before any meals that are going to have more than 35 grams of carbohydrates.

Keep in mind that if you take medications, you need to consult with your doctor to make sure that cinnamon use does not interfere with the medications (especially with blood thinners).  He also warns that 4 grams per day (about 1.5 teaspoons) is probably the max amount of cinnamon that anyone should take.

So there you go!  Lemon juice and cinnamon are the 2 tricks that Tim revealed through his own blood sugar testing that helped to control blood sugar response, fight cravings, and therefore can help you to maintain lower blood sugar and insulin levels and stay in fat-burning mode longer!

And remember that yet another benefit of maintaining lower blood sugar levels is that you help to SLOW the aging process , since high blood sugar levels over time increase glycation in your body, which ages you faster. 

So what's next?

You just discovered a pretty cool nutrition trick, that’s also really easy, that can help control your blood sugar, which can help with weight loss, mood swings, energy swings, appetite control, etc.

Controlling your blood sugar not only helps with fat loss, but is very important for anyone who cares about their health.   If you want to control your mood and energy, boost fat loss, limit fat gain, or just be the healthiest person possible then you absolutely MUST control your blood sugar.

Which is why on the next page I want to share with you an amazing free report called, "The 4 BEST Foods to Eat Before Bed ."

If you're like most folks interested in fat loss, then you've probably been told countless times to NOT eat before bed because it can cause weight gain, but what you're about to discover in this free report flips that on its head and not only shares WHY you should be eating before bed if you want to burn more fat, but the BEST foods to eat on a regular basis that help BOOST your fat-burning engine.

This information is so simple and effective that you must check it out today... Click Here!

A Depressed Mind Equals A Depressed Head

A Depressed Mind Equals A Depressed Head

The words “mind over matter” are more than just three words randomly strung together to make something that sounds somewhat sensible. “Mind over matter” is more than just a myth, because there are times when a person's state of mind has considerable effects on matters of the flesh. Performance anxiety can make someone do a sub-par job on physical activities, like missing critical free throws and over-extending left jabs. Mental health can have an effect on a person's physical performance, with certain issues having more noticeable effects than others. As an example, there is the connection between depression and sexual impotence.

Impotence is one of those problems that an increasing number of men have difficulty coming to terms with. It takes a significant amount of courage to even consider talking to a physician about the possibility of a problem. It can even be harder to admit to others that the problem is there, whether they are undergoing treatment for it or not. Sexual impotence as seen as being highly damaging to the measure of a man, by modern socio-cultural standards. Fear of failure and extremely stressful situations can wear down a man's ability to “get it up,” but very few can make the problem as long-term as depression can.

In what might be the worst possible case of “mind over matter” than any red-blooded male can imagine, depression can effectively cripple a man's ability to function sexually. The emotional problems caused by depression can have serious effects on the hormones and biochemical transmitters that the body uses to signal or initiate an erection. Obviously, if a man can't attain a proper erection – or has difficulty maintaining it long enough to be of any importance – then he's going to be classified as impotent. Sadly, if the problem is left untreated long enough, there's a very good chance that the condition would just worsen.

Once a man begins to believe he has entered a state of sexual impotence, he may actually become even more depressed. This is because of a psychological loss of gender identity as dictated by socio-cultural factors. With equal rights and women's liberation, men have lost the part of “manliness” that involved being the sole provider for one's family and loved ones, forcing a socio-psychological focus to rest on that other aspect that supposedly defines masculinity. Essentially, society has made men think that to be classified as men, they have to be virile and sexually potent. Once they lose that critical part of their gender identity, then life just starts to go downhill that bit faster for them on a psychological level. This, in turn, not only worsens his relationships but also makes it harder for him to overcome his impotence.

There are drugs to help fight impotence, but those drugs are often best suited to treating men who have problems rooted in the body. Lack of proper circulation, damage to muscle tissue, and a variety of other physical ailments can also cause impotence. Implants and corrective surgery can fix those issues, but they are likely to do little for a man with problems deeply rooted in his own mind. For that, physical repairs may have some appreciable change, but they won't have the same impact that they normally do unless the mind is also given proper treatment and care.

Introduction to Emotional Freedom Technique

Depression of any kind is easily resolved with EFT. To get an idea of how this works, check out this video. For your free, 15 minute consultation, contact me at: eftcyprus @ yahoo.com and we can discuss whatever health issues you have.

All the best,
Craig
EFT Therapist

A Case on Emotional Eating

A Case on Emotional Eating

People normally eat more whenever celebrations arise, such as birthdays and the holidays. We tend to ear more whenever these kinds of events occur. In line with this, a new study found out that people who have the tendency to eat in response to external factors, such as holidays and celebrations, have lesser problems in dealing with their weight loss than those people who eat in response to their emotions (considering internal factors). The study also found out that emotional eating was associated with weight regain for people who lost weight.

Lead author Heather Niemeier of Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center states that they have findings that the more people report eating to respond for thoughts and feelings such as when one is lonely, the less weight they lose in a behavioral weight loss program. The findings also showed that among those who have successfully lost their weight, those who report for emotional eating, were more likely to regain. The authors noted this as important, since one of the greatest challenges in facing the field of overweight and obesity treatment remains the problem of weight regain following the weight loss. According to Niemeier, participants in behavioral weight loss programs lose an average of ten percent of their body weight, and these losses are associated with significant health benefits. Unfortunately, the majority of participants return to their baseline weight within three to five years.

In this particular study, the researchers analyzed the individual's responses to a questionnaire that is widely used in overweight and obesity research called the Eating Inventory. The Eating Inventory is a tool designed to evaluate three aspects of eating behaviors in an individual such as cognitive restraint, hunger, and disinhibition. For a more specified research, Niemeier and her team only focused on the disinhibition aspect of the Eating Inventory. Although, past studies have suggested that disinhibition as a whole is an accurate predictor of weight loss, the scale itself includes multiple factors that could separately forecast outcomes. Niemeier said that the disinhibition scale will evaluate the impulse eating in response to emotional, cognitive, or social cues. Their goal was to examine and isolate the factors that make up the disinhibition scale, and then determine if these factors have a specific relationship with weight loss and regain.

Those included in the study are divided into two groups. The first group was composed of 286 overweight men and women who are currently participating in a behavioral weight loss program. The second group on the other hand included 3,345 members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), an ongoing study of adults who have lost at least thirty pounds and kept it off for at least one year. According to the study, by examining these two different groups, they were able to evaluate the effect of disinhibition on individuals attempting to lose weight, as well as on those who are trying to maintain weight loss. Upon further examination, the researchers found that the components within the disinhibition scale was to be grouped in two distinct areas: external and internal disinhibition. External disinhibition describes experiences that are external to the individual, while internal refers to eating in response to thoughts and feelings, which includes emotional eating. Results showed that in both groups, internal disinhibition was a significant predictor of weight over time. For those people enrolled in weight loss programs, the higher level of internal disinhibition, the less weight is lost over time.

Their research has suggested that attention should be given to eating that is triggered by thoughts and feelings, since they clearly play a significant role in weight loss. Internal disinhibition, however, predicted weight change over time above and beyond other psychological issues including depression, binge eating, and perceived stress. By further modification of treatments in order to address these triggers for unhealthy eating and at the same time help the patients learn alternative strategies could improve their ability to maintain weight loss behaviors, even in the face of affective and cognitive difficulties.

The Answer to Emotional Over Eating

The solution to emotional over eating is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). To find out more how EFT can stop you from over eating, contact me through this blog for a free no obligation consultation to be on your way to losing weight.

All the best,
Craig
eftcyprus @ yahoo.com

10 Top Healthy Foods To Keep You Fit

10 Top Healthy Foods To Keep You Fit

Healthy eating and physical fitness go together, but there are no magic foods that cause you to be one hundred percent healthy by just eating the one food. No, you need a variety of foods from each of these food groups each day. It's also important to watch the portion size so as not to overeat. Make your mealtimes pleasant and relaxed occasions and your healthy foods will work effectively with your healthy emotions to give you a healthy body.

Berries

You may like all types of berries or just one or two favorites, but you can never go wrong by adding a few fresh berries as a quick energy snack or frozen berries made into a luscious smoothie in place of calorie laden desserts. Berries are high in vitamin C across the board, but some are high in other nutrients as well. Choose ripe blueberries for vitamin C and heaps of anti-oxidants for the health of your circulatory system. Gogi berries are less well-known but are wonderfully rich in many of the nutrients your body needs to be nutritionally and physically fit.

Citrus

The foods of the citrus family are widely recognized as a valuable source of vitamin C. Choose fully ripe citrus fruits for the best nutritional value and choose citrus as near to the tree as possible. Tree ripened fruits picked at the peak of perfection and consumed with hours of picking give you the top nutritional rating. Try grapefruit for breakfast. Add a dash of fresh squeezed lime to your salad as a dressing and enjoy slices of orange with coconut in a light honey dressing for dessert.

Vegetables

The variety of vegetables is amazing. For people who are vegetarian or vegan, choosing vegetables to be part of a nutritionally sound diet is a way of life. Your vegetable group provides many of the minerals required in a good diet. For example, you may realize that potassium is necessary for healthy nutrition. Many people claim the benefits of potassium found in a single banana. But did you know, you can also get adequate potassium in your diet by eating a stalk of broccoli? Try a salad of fresh young spinach topped with pine nuts and stirred with lightly cooked penne'. Feta cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing to create the perfect light luncheon meal.

Whole Grains

Like many other of the best foods, choosing only one type of whole grain for your meals doesn't provide all the variety you need to be nutritionally sound. Often, mixing two or more whole grains together will give you complete proteins. For example, brown rice and wheat kernels with a spicy seasoning are a popular dish in many countries.

Salmon

Salmon is lean fish and nutritionally one of the best fish choices. It is rich in Omega-3 oils that are noted as helping improve the functioning of the brain. Salmon baked whole with just lemon or lime as a seasoning makes a fantastic main dish or a hearty luncheon featured menu item. Salmon is also commonly found in chilled seafood dishes.

Legumes

A legume is the name for a variety of fruits with a single dry seed. Legumes are sometimes called pods. Examples of edible legumes are soybeans, peas, dried beans and peanuts, among others. Legumes are rich in iron and high in fiber, making them excellent nutritional choices. Peanuts are a type of legume that have been used to make hundreds of different products some edible and others with various types of helpful uses.

Nuts and seeds

Nature has packed a lot of goodness into small packages. Most everyone has heard of walnuts and pecans which are very good nutritional products, but did you realize that flax seeds are brain food--containing critical non-meat sources of the Omega-3 oil.

Lean proteins

The keyword here is lean. Americans eat far too much protein compared to the rest of the world. Cut down of portion sizes--three ounces will provide all the needed protein needed for your day.  Also, trim all visible fat from your protein source. Alternatively, use non meat substitutes such as the complete proteins found in vegetable dishes like beans and brown rice.

Tea

Depending on the type of tea you prefer, you can get an energy boost from a cup of green tea, or the calming effect of chamomile tea. Get going with mint teas or start your day with Earl Grey Breakfast Tea. Herbal teas are soothing, tasty and good for you. Non herbal teas will help you to stay alert when you need help to function.

Olive oil

Olive oil is probably the healthiest substance you can use to keep fat in your diet. You can use it on your salad, mix it with a little vinegar to create your own, or fry other foods in the hot oil.  Just make sure that the temperature is not too hot so that the oil is broken down.