When you’re sheltering in place, meal and snack times tend to be a bit of blur. There’s always time and opportunity nosh on something throughout the day— and the fridge and pantry is only a few steps away.

“We have lost track of time in many respects. Sometimes, I go into the kitchen and look for something to eat, and then I look at the clock and think, ‘Wow, I just had lunch an hour ago.’ Paying attention to the clock on the wall will help you pay attention when you should eat or have a snack,” explains Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian and creator of BetterThanDieting.com.

To help you avoid mindless munching and prevent cravings in between meals, Taub-Dix recommends consuming snacks with a balance of protein, fat and carbs. These macronutrients not only stabilize your blood sugar, but they also help you feel fuller longer.

Healthy snacks to make in quarantine

If you’re watching your pennies or limiting trips to the grocery store, registered dietitians share the their favorite inexpensive, long-lasting and nutritious snack ideas.

1. DIY trail mix

Taub-Dix likes making her own trail mix with a handful of almonds, dried cherries, raisins and whole-grain cold cereal. “Whole grains provide fiber, which will keep you full and are often fortified with vitamins that you might not get enough of,” Taub-Dix says. Unsweetened dried cherries and raisins give you a hint of natural sweetness while also lending some fiber, and nuts provide loads of healthy fats, fiber and protein. You can buy nuts and dried fruit in bulk, helping you save money and trips to the grocery.

2. Popcorn

“Popcorn is a whole-grain snack, which helps boost fiber intake and satiation, says Jessica Levinson, a registered dietitian and culinary nutrition expert. What’s great about popcorn is that it’s like a blank canvas, so you can transform it into whatever snack you desire. “Adding some healthy fats from nuts boosts the satiation factor and a little dried fruit and dark chocolate chips gives you that delicious sweet and salty pairing that satisfies cravings,” Levinson says.

If you want a snack with some spice, Keri Gans, a registered dietitian and author of “The Small Change Diet,” suggests adding dashes of black pepper and chili powder.

3. Peanut butter protein crunch balls

For a creamy snack with some crunch, Nora Minno, a registered dietitian and personal trainer, swears by peanut butter protein balls, which she makes with natural peanut butter, maple syrup, sea salt, protein powder and puffed rice cereal. “Making a simple peanut butter protein ball is a great way to have a high-protein snack on hand all week. On the plus side, you can make these with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry,” Minno says. “Each serving (one protein ball) packs five grams of protein for under 100 calories,” she adds.

4. String cheese

Mozzarella string cheese is a good example of a snack with a defined beginning and end, Taub-Dix says, making it a solid snack for those who have problems with portion control. String cheese also helps you savor your snack by picking each strand, instead of gobbling cubes of cheese. Simple and nutritious, string cheese offers calcium and protein and has zero carbs — perfect for keto, Paleo and low-carb snackers.

5. Whole-grain toast or crackers with peanut butter

Although you’re more likely to eat it at breakfast, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it as a snack too, especially before a workout. Whole-grain bread and crackers provide essential carbs for energy, while nut butter lends some protein and fat. “Nut butters are also good sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant that may help strengthen your immune system,” Gans says.

6. Smoothies

“Smoothies made with frozen fruit are a delicious snack option and are especially refreshing in the warmer weather,” Levinson says. She recommends adding yogurt or kefir in your smoothie for immune-boosting probiotics.

Levinson also suggests adding peanut butter powder and avocado for protein and healthy fats. “These will help slow the rise of blood sugar from the blended fruit and keep you more satisfied,” she says.

7. Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with fruit

Taub-Dix microwaves frozen strawberries to top cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for a comforting, protein-rich snack that tastes reminiscent of cheesecake. Warming strawberries in the microwave draws out their sweet juices and creates almost a compote or fruit syrup over your yogurt without adding sugar.

8. Greek yogurt with salsa

For a flavorful dip that’s lower higher in protein and fiber, Gans combines plain Greek yogurt with salsa. Pair it with chopped veggies, whole-grain crackers or homemade whole-grain pita chips for a savory snack. Just remember to keep portion sizes in mind, as it’s easy to go overboard with chips, and choose low-sodium salsa with no added sugar.

9. Roasted chickpeas

Just like popcorn, you can enjoy roasted chickpeas in a variety of delicious ways. All you have to do is rinse and dry the chickpeas and toss them in some olive oil, sea salt and your choice of seasonings, such as paprika, chipotle powder, garlic powder and dried thyme. Place them on a lined baking sheet and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until they’re crisp. Eat them as is or add them to salads and soups.

10. Hard-boiled eggs

Unlike toilet paper and meat, thankfully there’s no shortage of eggs, but there is a high demand for them and for a good reason. An excellent source of protein, vitamin B12, choline and selenium, hard-boiled eggs make a satisfying midday nosh. “I make a batch a week in my Instant Pot and keep them peeled in my fridge for quick and easy snacking. I enjoy a hard-boiled egg sprinkled with everything-but-the-bagel seasoning and some veggies or fruit for a mid-morning or afternoon snack,” Levinson says.

11. Hummus with veggies and crackers

Pairing fiber from the veggies and whole-grain crackers with protein-packed hummus makes a crunchy and nutritious snack. If you don’t keep a container of hummus in your fridge, Levinson suggests making your own dip with canned beans. Puree them in a food processor or blender with a clove of garlic, some olive oil, salt, pepper and some fresh herbs if you like.

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Craving for a bowl of sweet potato fries? There is no doubt that sweet potatoes are good for your health since they are loaded with vitamins, fiber, potassium and other nutrients that help your body do its intended functions. 

However, as far as your weight loss goals are concerned, how you prepare and eat sweet potatoes can either boost or negate their benefits. Compared to other vegetables such as leafy greens, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes, sweet potatoes (and potatoes in general) are significantly high in carbohydrates, according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Huggins.

If you are concerned about preparation and consumption of sweet potatoes for guaranteed weight loss, Huggins and registered dietitian Alana Kessler shared the best ways to prepare and eat them:

How To Prepare 

Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes contain resistant starch, but Huggins said that the latter has more antioxidants and fiber than the former and have a slightly lower calorie amount. However, this depends on how you prepare them. Huggins added that “how they are prepared can make or break the nutritional profile of either potato.”

Kessler said that sweet potatoes either in fry form or with added high-calorie toppings such as bacon have little positive effect in your weight loss goals. Instead, she recommended steaming or roasting your sweet potatoes with a bit of cinnamon. 

“Cinnamon is a spice used to help keep blood sugar levels balanced and help manage cravings,” Kessler said. “The combination of these two together with healthy portion control and regular exercise offer a delicious option that is satisfying without compromising weight loss goals.” 

Huggins advised that you should explore using a variety of other warm spices, such as sweet paprika or nutmeg, on your baked, roasted or steamed sweet potatoes for an extra dash of flavor. 

How To Eat 

Since sweet potatoes are higher in carbs than other veggies, it is good to see them as grains when planning your meals. Though they are good sources of healthy carbs, it is best to moderate your servings if you are watching your carb intake. 

Huggins said that sweet potatoes come in various shapes and sizes, and that the size will determine the carb and calorie quantity you’re getting for the day. “An eight-ounce sweet potato is often referred to as medium, while a 12-ounce potato is large – about the size of two tennis balls sitting next to each other,” she explained, adding that once cooked, a plain large sweet potato packs nearly 250 calories and 60 grams of carbs. 

Though your servings might depend on your health goals, Kessler said that a proper serving may be comparable to a clenched fist worth of sweet potatoes, or about 3 to 4 ounces. If you are on a keto diet, Huggins advised skipping sweet potatoes completely since “there is not much room for the carbs from potatoes” on that diet.

Should you practice other types of low-carb diets, Huggins added that there may be room for sweet potatoes on your plate when mixed with other veggies but it depends how low-carb you want to go. “You may be able to include a small amount of them as an accent in a meal,” she said. “For example, you might mix 1/4 cup of sweet potatoes in with a more generous serving of roasted broccoli.”

The post Best Ways To Prepare, Eat Sweet Potatoes For Guaranteed Weight Loss appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A key part of following a ketogenic, or keto, diet is reducing your sugar intake.

This is necessary for your body to enter ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat rather than sugar for energy.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sweet-tasting foods.

Sugar alcohols are sweeteners that have tastes and textures similar to those of sugar, but fewer calories and a less significant effect on blood sugar levels.

As a result, they can be a satisfying option for individuals looking to reduce their sugar intake, such as those following a keto diet.

This article explains whether sugar alcohols are keto-friendly, as well as which ones may be better options for you.

Sugar alcohols occur naturally in some fruits and vegetables. However, most are commercially manufactured in a lab.

While there are many types of sugar alcohols, common ones you may see on food labels include.

• Erythritol. Often made by fermenting the glucose found in cornstarch, erythritol has 70% of the sweetness of sugar but 5% of the calories.
• Isomalt. Isomalt is a mixture of two sugar alcohols — mannitol and sorbitol. Providing 50% fewer calories than sugar, it’s most commonly used to make sugar-free hard candies and 50% as sweet.
• Maltitol. Maltitol is processed from the sugar maltose. It’s 90% as sweet as sugar with almost half the calories.
• Sorbitol. Commercially produced from glucose, sorbitol is 60% as sweet as sugar with about 60% of the calories.
• Xylitol. One of the most common sugar alcohols, xylitol is as sweet as regular sugar but has 40% fewer calories.

Due to their low calorie contents, sugar alcohols are frequently used to sweeten sugar-free or diet products like gum, yogurts, ice cream, coffee creamers, salad dressings, and protein bars and shakes.

When you eat sugar, your body breaks it down into smaller molecules. These molecules are then absorbed into your bloodstream, which causes your blood sugar levels to rise.

In contrast, your body cannot fully break down and absorb carbs from sugar alcohols. As a result, they cause a much smaller rise in blood sugar levels.

One way to compare the effects of these sweeteners is their glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how quickly foods can raise your blood sugar.

Here are the GI values of common sugar alcohols.

• Erythritol: 0
• Isomalt: 2
• Maltitol: 35–52
• Sorbitol: 9
• Xylitol: 7–13

Overall, most sugar alcohols have negligible effects on your blood sugar levels. To compare, white table sugar (sucrose) has a glycemic index of 65. 

Sugar intake is limited on a keto diet, as eating it causes your blood sugar levels to rise.

This is an issue, as raised blood sugar levels can make it difficult for your body to remain in ketosis, which is key for reaping the benefits of the keto diet.

Given that sugar alcohols have a much less significant effect on blood sugar levels, they’re commonly found in keto-friendly products.

Furthermore, since they aren’t fully digestible, keto dieters often subtract the sugar alcohols and fiber from the total number of carbs in a food item. The resulting number is referred to as net carbs.

Still, due to the variation in GIs of different types of sugar alcohols, some are better for the keto diet than others.

Erythritol is a good keto-friendly option, as it has a glycemic index of 0 and works well in both cooking and baking. Plus, due to its small particle size, erythritol tends to be better tolerated than other sugar alcohols.

Still, xylitol, sorbitol, and isomalt are all suitable on a keto diet. You may simply want to scale back your intake if you notice any gastrointestinal side effects.

One sugar alcohol that appears to be less keto-friendly is maltitol.

Maltitol has a lower GI than sugar. However, with a GI of up to 52, it’s likely to have a more significant effect on your blood sugar levels than other sugar alcohols.

As such, if you’re on a keto diet, you may want to limit your intake of maltitol and choose a sugar alternative with a lower GI.

When consumed in normal amounts through food, sugar alcohols are considered safe for most individuals.

However, they do have the potential to cause digestive issues, especially in larger amounts. Side effects like bloating, nausea, and diarrhea have been observed when intake of sugar alcohols exceeds 35–40 grams per day.

Additionally, individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience negative side effects with any amount of sugar alcohols. As a result, if you have IBS, you may want to avoid sugar alcohol completely.The bottom line

Sugar alcohols are low calorie sweeteners that generally have little to no effect on your blood sugar levels. As a result, they’re a popular keto-friendly option for sweetening foods and beverages.

Just keep in mind that some may be better choices than others.

For example, maltitol has a much greater effect on blood sugar levels than erythritol, which has a GI of 0.

The next time you’re looking to add sweetener to your coffee or make homemade keto-friendly protein bars, try using a sugar alcohol like erythritol or xylitol.

Just be sure to consume these sweeteners in moderation to avoid any potential digestive distress.

The post Are Sugar Alcohols Keto-Friendly? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Courtney Smith credits a diagnosis of pre-diabetes with changing the course of her life.

Smith, 40, of Houston, was motivated by the diagnosis two years ago to overhaul her lifestyle. She has since lost 105 pounds.

“I went into my kitchen and threw away all of the things that were bad for me,” Smith told “Good Morning America” of how she started her weight loss journey. “I hit the ground running.”

Smith credits the ketogenic, or keto, diet, which calls for cutting carbohydrates and eating more fat and protein, with spurring her weight loss.

“Within three to four weeks, I noticed that I was losing weight and I felt motivated to keep going,” she said. “I thought to myself, this is something that could work. This is something I can see myself doing long term.”

Smith, who works in the insurance industry, travels frequently for work and would rely on quick foods like pizza, burgers, potato chips and French fries to fuel her.

Now she focuses on eating healthy fats, proteins and vegetables, limiting her carbohydrates and listening intuitively to her body.

“I’ll have Bulletproof coffee in the morning and lunch is a protein like a chicken breast and some broccoli and cheese and a deviled egg,” Smith said. “Dinner would be like a rib-eye and a big salad.”

“I focus on what I can have instead of what I can’t have,” she said.

Smith turned to Instagram for motivation as she was trying to lose weight. She now has her own Instagram following of more than 3,000 who turn to her for motivation and recipe ideas.

“I thought not only will it hold me accountable but it will inspire other people to get motivated and want to lose weight,” she said of sharing her weight loss on Instagram. “I get so many wonderful notes and messages from people.”

Now at age 40, Smith says she has more energy and is in better health, including no longer being pre-diabetic.

Of all the things she has learned in her two-year weight loss journey, Smith boiled them down to these nine things she wants other people hoping to change their lives to know.

1. “Everybody’s journey is their own and no two journeys will be their own.”

2. “You have to make your mind up to be ready.”

3. “Just start one day at a time. Each day is a new day.”

4. “Do your research and find out what lifestyle or diet works for you.”

5. “Be mindful and intentional with the way that you’re shopping and the food that you’re bringing home. Make a list and stick to the list.”

6. “Plan and prep your meals.”

7. “Drink water like it’s your job.”

8. “Don’t starve yourself. If you’re hungry, eat. When I started, I wasn’t eating enough. When I realized that I don’t have to do this, I can eat and enjoy food, that’s when it started to click for me.”

9. “Don’t beat yourself up if you do fall off the wagon. Tomorrow is a new day, give yourself some grace.”

Smith’s weight loss has changed her cooking, too. Coming from a tradition of Southern cooking, Smith focuses on finding ways to make the meals she grew up with low carb.

Here are two of her favorite recipes she has made keto-friendly.

Maple bacon doughnuts

Ingredients:
Swerve vanilla cake mix
1 stick butter
5 T Swerve (or another low-sugar brand) powdered sugar
5 T Swerve (or another low-sugar brand) brown sugar
1 T vanilla extract
1 T heavy cream
Crumbled bacon for topping

Icing directions
Melt one stick of butter.

Add five tablespoons of Swerve powdered sugar and five tablespoons of Swerve brown sugar.

Mix well and stir in one tablespoon of heavy cream and one tablespoon vanilla extract.

Add one tablespoon of sugar-free maple syrup.

Doughnut directions:
Prepare Swerve vanilla cake mix per instructions on packaging (I substituted almond milk for water and butter for oil).

Grease doughnut molds with cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Timing may be different depending on your oven.

Let cool and then add icing and crumbled bacon. (Pre-bake bacon in 375 degree oven for 22 minutes).

Taco stuffed peppers

Ingredients:
Bell peppers
Ground turkey or beef
Taco seasoning
Garlic powder
Himalayan pink salt
1 can tomatoes
1/2 block cream cheese
Shredded cheese for topping

Directions:
Season ground turkey or beef with onion powder, garlic powder, Himalayan pink salt, pepper and taco seasoning.

Sauté/brown the meat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add a can of tomatoes and a let simmer.

Add half a block of cream cheese.

Stir mixture until combined.

Scoop mixture into bell pepper halves. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

The post Woman who lost 105 pounds shares favorite keto-friendly recipes appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A doctor developed a simple weight loss hack over a decade ago, which simply uses a towel to burn belly fat. So we asked an expert if it actually works…   We’d try everything to lose belly fat these days.

From hopping on the celery juice trend, to attempting intermittent fasting or the keto diet, there’s nothing we haven’t tried. And yet, that stubborn belly fat won’t seem to budge.

But one less common method many of us haven’t tried yet, is the Japanese towel method.

Over 10 years ago, a Japanese physician named Toshiki Fukutsudzi developed a unique method to get the body in shape. The method claims to help get rid of belly fat, improve posture and strengthen back pain, simply by using a towel.

The reason Fukutsudzi says it works is because he discovered that that an extra layer of fat around the belly is actually a result of misplacement of your pelvic. By correctly exercising this area and the pelvis placement, your waistline is reduced.

How to do the Japanese towel exercise:

1. Take a medium-sized towel and roll it into a cylinder, no less than 38 cm long and approximately 10 cm wide. Wrap it with some sort of string or band so it stays put.

2. Sit yourself down on a flat, hard surface. A yoga mat on the floor will work best. Put the towel behind you.

3. Gently lie down on your back holding the towel so that it is placed at the parallel to your navel, against the small of your back.

4. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be touching each other.

5. Stretch your arms above your head, palms down, with your pinkies touching. Make sure your toes and pinkies are facing each other.

6. Now hold this position for at least 5 minutes.

7. Afterwards, stand up slowly as your bones and joints may have slightly moved during the exercise.

According to Fukutsudzi, you’ll notice results within a month if performed daily.

Does the Japanese towel method actually work?

But as magical as the method sounds, is this just another weight loss hack we should be sceptical about? And how much truth is behind this technique?

According to personal trainer and yoga instructor Kirsten Scott, it’s a little bit more complicated than just losing belly fat.

“All our organs and limbs, including the intestine and stomach, connect to the brain via the vertebral column,” she explains to body+soul. “It is true that misalignment of the bones, reflected in bad posture, can mean that nerve pathways are constricted.

“The part of the spine between the ribs and the small of your back is where the intestine nerves are connected, so if you slouch or push your pelvis too far back, it may result in digestion issues, such as constipation, bloating, gas and acid reflux.”

So… “while constipation and bloating make your belly appear bigger, it is not fat; it’s just the waste that is not being eliminated.”

Basically, some of the weight you may lose as a result of practising the method every day might just be a result of your food baby disappearing.

The post Does the 5-minute Japanese towel method actually burn belly fat? appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The ketogenic diet which is commonly known as Keto diet is one of the popular diets right now. It is a low-carb and high-fat diet is mostly followed by weight watchers. However, aside from weight loss, as per studies, there are other health benefits of it as well including better blood sugar levels, fight cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease among others. If you are following this diet then you are asked to drastically reduce the consumption of carbs and replace it with fat. As the reduction in carbs puts our body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When we are in the state of ketosis, body burns fat for energy. With increased fat breakdown, there is also a reduction in insulin levels. Also, the liver starts producing high numbers of ketones to supply energy for your brain. So, how, to know whether you are in the state of ketosis or not. As per Healthline.com’s article, there are several signs which can hint about the same. Read on to know about the common symptoms of ketosis.

1. Bad breath 
 bad breath once they reach full ketosis. The specific culprit is acetone, a ketone that exits the body in your urine and breath. Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day or use sugar-free gum to solve the issue.

2. Fast weight loss
As per studies, Keto followers witness a major drop in weight. The reason could be a massive fat loss as stored carbs and water gets used up. After water weight, body loses fat consistently if you stick to the diet and calorie deficit. 

3. Appetite Suppression
Many people experienced decreased appetite after following the keto diet. The reasons are still being investigated. However, experts believe that hunger reduction could be due to an increase in protein and veggies’ intake and also the body’s hunger hormones changes. The ketones may also affect your brain to reduce appetite.

4. Better focus and more energy
Many people initially experience keto flu i.e. they feel sick, experience fatigue, and brain fog by following a low-carb diet. However, long-term ketogenic dieters reported that they experience better focus and more energy. The same could be due to stabilized blood sugar levels and lesser carbs in the body. 

5. Digestion issues 
Major changes in diet happen when we follow the Keto diet so digestion such as constipation and diarrhea happens in the beginning. However, it mostly gets subsided after the transition period. Also, be mindful of foods as chances of nutrient deficiencies are also high along with digestion issues. 

Note: Please consult a doctor before you start following this diet. And ask a dietician to chalk up a custom diet as per your body needs for you. 

The post Keto Diet: 5 signs that prove you are in the state of Ketosis appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Health and wellness have been on everyone’s mind of late, and unsurprisingly, the health and wellness industry has grown. In 2018, the global health and wellness industry was valued at an estimated $4.5 trillion. Additionally, as more people are on-the-go and too busy to spend time on health matters, there is now a growing demand for portable devices that can help them keep their healthy routine and ease their conditions even when they are out and about. In fact, some analysts expect the fitness tracking technologies market to grow by as much 20% annually going forward. With an emergence of these health related gadgets, it begs the question, which technologies provide the most value?

Portable Blood Pressure Monitor

Nearly one-third of deaths in Singapore are caused by cardiovascular disease. For this reason, individuals are often interested in tracking their blood pressure. However, blood pressure tests may seem like an inconvenient, time consuming, and even expensive undertaking. Fortunately, portable blood pressure monitors are now increasingly affordable and accurate, and can be easily purchased online. For example, our research suggests that the Omron Smart Elite blood pressure monitor costs about S$175, which includes free delivery and a 5-year warranty. Meanwhile, a visit to a general practitioner typically costs S$47.25 – S$125 per visit. This means that individuals that plan to check their blood pressure a handful of times a year will easily break even, and those that need frequent checks will save even more. Not only that, the Omron Smart Elite, which is lightweight and can be synced to a mobile app for reviewing past and current records. Additionally by acquiring the monitor, blood pressure tracking can be conducted more regularly, hence ensuring that users can always be well informed about their health.

Fitness Watch with Built-In Heart-Rate Monitor

As mentioned above, good heart health should be a point of emphasis for all individuals. While tracking your blood pressure is a great idea, it is also important to maintain an active lifestyle in order to maintain and improve your general health. Thankfully, new technologies allow us to monitor our fitness goals and even our heart rates. Whether you are working out or doing your usual errands, these devices can track your heart-rates with sensors and algorithms to reveal insights about your body, fitness and health.

Consumers may not know where to start as there are a variety of fitness watches available. For those with a bigger budget, the latest Series 5 Apple Watch could be a good fit. This device features a number of fitness related tracking functions including an ECG function that flags risks of irregular heart rhythms. However, the Apple Watch costs S$599, which may deter those seeking a more affordable option. Alternatively, Garmin (S$299) and Fitbit (S$188) offer competitive products with great features as well. For example, Garmin Forerunner 45 incorporates an easy-to-use heart-rate monitor with GPS to track work-out pace and distance. It also provides training plans that bring personalized coaching information through the watch.

Metabolism Tracker to Optimise Health Planning

Besides heart health, many individuals have the specific goal to lose weight. Keeping your body slim and fit can be a lot easier if you can monitor your metabolism and track it to optimise your diet and fitness plans. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker claims to do all of those things. By breathing into the device, the tracker will be able to track our metabolism, sleep, nutrition, and fitness data. It can also tell if we have enough energy before a workout or whether we need to re-organise our diet for the day to improve our metabolism. Priced at S$490, this portable device has very few competitors in the market that offers such an easy-to-use model. Another metabolism tracker is the Breezing, which is available for pre-order only (~S$355) through a crowdfunding page. The device currently only works with Android, though the creators are actively working on an iPhone version.

However, are these devices really worth their high prices? This depends on your perspective. If we can compare the cost of purchasing a Lumen with taking a 30-day Keto diet, which claims to fix a sluggish metabolism, acquiring a Lumen may help to establish a longer-term method of maintaining wellness if one is self-disciplined enough to follow through with the recommendations provided by the device. Additionally, the Keto method can actually cost significantly more than a balanced diet. In the end, it is best to consult a doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or investing in a metabolism tracker.

Sleep Gadget for More Comfortable Rest

According to a study conducted with 43 cities, Singapore is ranked as the third most sleep-deprived. Chronic sleep deprivation can significantly affect our health, work performance, safety, and even lead to depression. Nursing a sleep disorder can be a costly affair, even a subsidised polysomnogram, which is an in-laboratory sleep study, costs S$708 at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and this does not even cover the treatment. For that matter, many sleep gadgets have been invented to improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety and mood without the need to visit a sleep specialist. One such product is the Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet that uses natural frequency to strengthen the human biomagnetic field and restore the body’s ability to sleep deeply and restfully.

There are also cheaper options like the Philips Somneo Sleep and Withings Sleep Tracking Pad, which promise to regulate sleep cycles and heal sleep disorders. However, given that these devices do cost hundreds of dollars, we recommend that you consult your primary care physician to make sure investment is a good fit for your health needs.

Explore the World of Health Care Technology

Health treatments do not work the same way for all people, similarly, health care technology may need a fair bit of trial and error before you can find the right fit for your needs. The trick is to identify the well-researched and well-developed technological products that can help to improve your health and well-being. When you get the right fit, it can even prevent serious conditions or cure diseases with little effort at a relatively low cost.

The post 4 Portable Health Gadgets That Are Worth Purchasing appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The keto diet has transformed the way hundreds of thousands of people live, unlocking the body’s potential for weight loss, muscle-building, and energy generation. 

But in these times of social distancing, many people are taking extra precautions to make sure they reduce physical contact with others, which can make it difficult to shop for the kinds of high-quality meats that can help fuel a successful keto diet. 

If you want to make sure you can keep doing keto the healthy way, but you are finding it hard to access your regular providers of quality meat, here’s why you should consider shopping for your keto-friendly meats online.  

is an important part of the keto diet. But doing keto in a healthy way means choosing whole foods dense in proteins, and rich in fats and nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.   

If you are looking for ways to get meat-based protein for your keto diet that contain the vitamins you need but don’t require you to go far out of your way to pick them up, ordering a meat box from an online meat delivery company like truLOCAL can be a great way to fuel your keto diet sustainably. 

Online meat delivery doesn’t just give you access to high quality products – because you can sign up for a regular subscription, ordering meat means getting a fresh box of your favourite cuts is delivered to your door every two weeks. This way, you can maintain a healthy keto diet without violating social distancing.  

Most people who try the keto diet do so for health reasons. As awareness of the dangers of a carb-heavy diet become more widely understood, a growing number of people are choosing to cut carbohydrates out of their diets altogether. 

Doing a clean version of keto can be an important first step toward a healthier diet, but if you really want to make sure that the food you’re using to fuel yourself is doing the maximal amount of good, you should also try to eat local as much as possible. 

Local, artisanal meat comes from animals raised in sustainable and environmentally responsible ways, and this makes a huge difference in the meat itself. If you want keto fuel that will build a healthy body and a healthy mind, going local is one of the best ways to do so. 

Ironically, shopping online is often the easiest way to ensure that the meat you’re eating is local, as meat delivery services like truLOCAL source your meat boxes from farmers and producers in your own region.

One of the reasons the keto diet has proven so popular is because it is a comprehensive approach to eating, one that is based in science and designed to deliver results. If you want to build a healthy lifestyle that will give you energy and clarity, however, you need to make sure you fuel your keto diet using high quality meats that contain the nutrients you need. 

Because online delivery helps you connect with local producers and get premium products delivered to your door, meat subscription services are a perfect go-to for social distancing keto-eaters.

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Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian, Adriana Lima … The list of celebrities and celebrities who follow the latest fad diet is almost endless. The Keto diet, which dispenses with carbohydrates, is trending. Its results vary depending on people, but there are those who claim to have lost 15 kilos in just a few weeks. Here are the keys:

The keto diet eliminates – or minimizes – the intake of carbohydrates. Instead, go for fats and proteins. This is a formula that is prescribed to many athletes, especially when it is intended to lose weight.

How does it work? La keto is a ketogenic diet. This “word” derives from ketosis, the name of a metabolic process where the body produces enough energy to keep it going.What happens when you don’t get enough glucose from carbohydrates for energy production. This is when the body then has to use fats to generate energy, also known as beta-oxidation.

For this, what is done is to suppress carbohydrates, thus achieving the “burning” of fats is anticipated. Hence the weight loss. There are also those who assure that this diet favors brain activity.

What there is also scientific evidence for is that this diet is not a miracle for weight loss. It is a diet considered one of the most restrictive, for the limited range of food it allows.

Long-term use is also not recommended, as it can have dangerous effects on the body, especially on the bones.. Alcoholics and diabetics are especially discouraged.
For best results, experts advise combining it with physical exercise. Both activities will increase the weight loss of the user.

If you are willing to follow this diet you will need to know what type of food you can eat. Here are some: all kinds of meats –including red meats–, fish –especially blue meats– and seafood, eggs, dairy products –preferably the most fatty ones, such as cream, cream or cured cheeses–, cocoa, avocado, nuts, coconut and its derivatives, vegetable oils, seeds, creams and vegetable pates.

Therefore, foods such as bread, pasta, cereals, sugars, legumes and some fruits and legumes should be suppressed.

However, experts advise against starting this type of diet on your own. It is recommended to consult a doctor first, because assuming this mode of feeding can be seriously detrimental to health depending on which cases.

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Slow and steady is always your best weight-loss approach, but you can speed up the process.

A slow-and-steady approach to fitness and weight loss is generally your best course of action. No death-march cardio. No extreme, ultra-rigid diets. Enjoy some fro-yo once in awhile—it won’t kill ya. A four-pack and a little fun beats the hell of out of an eight-pack and a life of deprivation.

But now and then, you might get a little desperate. Maybe you’re getting married. Or maybe you’re sick of how things are and need a big change to jumpstart you into that slow-and-steady process.

Instead of diving down the faddish rabbit holes that crop up daily on the worldwide web, start with basic strategies most of us already know–and then do them more aggressively. You’ll shed pounds while maintaining muscle and performance. Here’s how to pull off warp-speed weight loss without losing your muscle—or your mind.

Move More Throughout The Day Instead of Chasing Tons of Cardio

You think cardio’s the answer with all weight loss, so you could spend hours upon hours running and jogging and biking. But the smarter approach is this: Increase your low-intensity physical activity throughout the day. And on alternate days, perform strength training and low-to-medium intensity aerobic work.

Too many guys still think of exercise as “anti-food,” hitting the treadmill in the morning in hopes of burning off last night’s pasta and cheesecake.

Surprise: exercise isn’t the biggest caloric burner in the average guy’s day. That honor goes to walking, housework, hiking with your dog, and other low-intensity movement. “Scientists call it NEAT– non-exercise activity thermogenesis–but it’s really just a fancy term for moving around more throughout the day,” says exercise physiologist Dr. Mike T. Nelson, founder of The Flex Diet, a modular system for maximizing performance and body composition. So step one when you’re looking to lose is to increase those activities.

Add in Weights for Best Results

While exercise certainly burns calories, its primary benefits play out in the longer-term. Strength work helps you build muscle mass, which helps you look better, perform better, and live longer. When you’re dieting—expending more energy than you’re consuming—strength work helps you maintain muscle. Aerobic work tunes up your, heart, lungs, and metabolism, helping you become a more efficient burner of fat.

Both approaches are essential when you’re trying to lose fat and gain muscle, so strive to hit the weights on nonconsecutive days three times a week, and low-to-moderate intensity cardio on three other days. But if you miss a workout, never fear: for all but the most gung-ho athletes, NEAT burns more calories day to day than your gym sessions. It also spares your joints, and might even earn you a few points from the people you live with, Spot included. Score.

Match Your Macros; Don’t Ditch Starchy Carbs

You’ve seen this one before: You cut out pasta, rice, cracks, potatoes, bread, and corn, and basically never eat anything that you might actually want. Carbs are the enemy to swift weight loss, the theory goes, so you have to get them near zero.

The better approach however, is to match your macros. Every few decades, it seems, a different macronutrient gets blamed for all that ails us. In the 80s it was fat. By the 2010s, carbohydrates were firmly in every dieter’s crosshairs, and remain there to this day–though you can start to see the tables turning on protein of late as well.

Don’t fall for any of it. We need all three of these macronutrients for optimal health, performance, and body composition. While there are no “essential” carbohydrates (as there are essential fats and amino acids, for example), carbs are critical when preserving muscle and strength are among your goals.

If you’re going hard, you need carbs!

“For high intensity activities, carbs are your friend,” says Nelson. Not only are carbs your body’s preferred fuel source during strength training, sprinting, and other high intensity activities—they’re essential for basic health as well. “When they fall too low, you’re actually stressing your body and reducing immunity.”

As noted above, regular strength work should most definitely be on the docket when you’re trying to lose fat. While you’re unlikely to gain muscle if you’re dieting hard, you’ll hold onto the sinew you have, thus keeping your metabolism and athletic performance up to par as you drop the pounds.

A smarter choice than cutting all starches, says Nelson, is to “match your macros”: go easy on the starches on your rest days and your cardio days, but include them before and after your strength training and high-intensity sessions. You’ll perform better, feel better, and ultimately lose more fat.

Don’t Go Keto; Chase Animal Proteins

In theory, if you reach a level of ketosis, your body shifts to burning fat as its primary source of fuel, exactly what you want. Thing is, it’s not always easy to get to that level of ketosis. And again, you’re cutting out the carbs, which hurts your muscle fuel.

For people uninterested in strength and power, a keto diet (high fat, moderate protein, super-low carbs) can work fine. But if you’re trying to hang onto muscle and maintain your strength while you burn off the fat, it’s not your best bet: carbs and protein are necessary to perform your best and recover from activities that build and maintain muscle.

Focus on Animal Proteins, and Everything Falls Into Place

A better choice: base each meal around muscle-building animal proteins like fish, chicken, whey protein, and lower-fat cuts of red meat: “Research has shown that it’s almost impossible to overeat protein and get fat,” says Nelson. Compliment that with a wide variety of veggies, some fruit, and whole-food starches around your strength and sprint workouts.

One thing keto devotees get right: healthy fats are a good idea—so eat some nuts, avocados, and fish oil regularly. “Don’t run from fat,” says Nelson. Still interested in going keto? Consult a doctor, he advises: it’s a tough one to get right.

Sleep More, Not Less!

Recommending sleep to someone trying to burn off a gut seems counterintuitive: shouldn’t you move as much as possible? And doesn’t caffeine help in those efforts? That’s why it’s easy and convenient to some people to stay up as long as possible, shot up on caffeine, in their efforts to lose weight.

But that only works up to a point. Sleep and metabolism are joined at the hip. “After just a few nights of poor sleep, your metabolism starts to resemble that of a diabetic,” he says. Blood sugar goes up. Insulin sensitivity—a measure of your ability to metabolize carbohydrates—plummets. Appetite regulation spirals, too, so it’s harder to tell when you’re hungry and when you’re full.

So along with your efforts in the gym and the kitchen, be sure you’re giving your body a break when the sun goes down. Read in bed instead of watching Netflix. Take an early morning stroll (the natural light helps reset your body clock so you’re sleepier at bedtime). You’ll beef up your fat-burning ability—and you’ll be more productive and alert during your waking hours too.

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In the last couple of years, one of the biggest buzzwords in the fitness industry and weight loss forums is keto. We are sure you’ve also heard some of your friends or family members bragging about following a keto diet on a family soiree or at the buffet section of a party and wondered what exactly is this ‘keto diet’? And how is it helping you lose weight if it is allowing you to consume 70 per cent fat as part of your meals?

Well, a keto diet (also known as the ketogenic diet) is a special diet plan that ensures you are eating foods that are high in fat (about 70 per cent), moderate in protein (about 25 per cent) and extremely low in carbohydrates (about 5 per cent). The main purpose of this diet is to help your body achieve the state of ketosis. When in ketosis, your body is constantly burning fat, and at a rate higher than any other diet plan will be able to help you achieve. You can read more about the Keto diet’s merits and demerits here.

But does it actually work? For 25-year-old Luvkesh Chanchlani it did. Chanchlani tells us that at his highest, he weighed a whopping 145 kgs and after trying almost every diet plan available and failing at all of them, he was available to shed 50 kgs in 7 months by following a proper keto diet plan (created specifically for his body type) and working out daily.

“I tried a lot of diet plans and even changed multiple gyms and trainers to lose weight but wasn’t successful at all till I switched to a keto diet. Within 7 months of following a keto plan and working out regularly (6 days/week) I trimmed from 145 kgs to 95 kgs,” he says. “Without sacrificing on chicken, cheese and butter — the three things that I love very dearly,” he adds.

What to eat if you are following a Keto Diet?

While the keto diet needs to be tweaked a little bit for every individual, Chanchlani says that the common keto diet plan consists of chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, mutton and salads. “My keto diet plan for weight loss started with eating 4 meals a day with varied quantity of food, which was also changed every 45 days.”

Which exercises to follow to lose weight if you’re on a Keto Diet?

“As per my body type and diet plan, I was required to workout 6 days a week to tone my body, and due to busy schedule, I could only go to the gym at 10 pm in the nights and indulge cardio (every alternate day) and weight training. When I started working out, I could only do reps of 5 of most exercises, but now, I can do 100 reps of certain exercises. Notably, even while just doing 5 reps and eating right, I was able to lose 6-7 kgs in the first month itself. The initial weight loss gave me a lot of confidence to keep going on.”

QUICK READ: 5 myths you need to know about the ketogenic diet

How to maintain the weight you’ve lost after a drastic body transformation ?

“I have been able to maintain my weight by continuing with both my keto diet and gym routine.”

Any tips for someone who’s trying to lose weight?

“Finding the correct diet for your body type is the key to weight loss as diet is the most important factor.”

Disclaimer: The diet and workout routines shared by the respondents may or may not be approved by diet and fitneTss experts. GQ India doesn’t encourage or endorse the weight loss tips & tricks shared by the person in the article. Please consult an authorised medical professional before following any specific diet or workout routine mentioned above.

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