Wake Up and Work Out in the Mornings!

It may seem impossible, but you can do it!

I can't even count the number of times, the number of evenings, that I've told myself, "Okay. Tomorrow, I will wake up early and exercise before going to work!" I can count the number of times that ever happened in my lifetime: three. Three morning run sessions within the same week...

What if I told you that the seemingly impossible task of waking up in the morning to get your daily workout was actually possible? Shape Magazine has shared their 7 Steps to Becoming a Morning Exerciser that will transform what seems to be the monumental task of moving with vigor and energy first thing in the morning something that can be accomplished, easily!

Don't let your only morning crunches be your efforts to press the snooze button a few times! I now have much higher hopes that the next time I aspire to wake up early for a workout, it will happen!

Image source: Shape Magazine

Wendy Tao explains how to Shape Up by naturally lowering bad cholesterols.

High levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol signal a need for changes in lifestyle and diet. While HDL cholesterol should be above 40–50mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre of blood); your LDL cholesterol should be kept below 140mg/dL. Eating low cholesterol foods is important but additional factors need to be considered.

Increase:

• Fibre Intake. Cholesterol is used (thus lowered) when you digest fibre-rich foods.
• Garlic and Onions. These provide sulfur, B vitamins and flavonoids and promote lower cholesterol levels.
• Antioxidant intake. Antioxidants prevent damage to artery walls where plaque forms.
• Healthy fat intake. Essential fatty acids from fish or flax can improve heart health.
• Exercise. Even small amounts of regular physical activity have great benefits for cholesterol levels.

Decrease:

• Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates. They contribute to high “bad” cholesterol and lower “good” cholesterol levels.
• Bad” fat intake, including trans fats, hydrogenated fats and rancid fats. These can damage and clog artery walls.
• Smoking. It increases free radicals in the body, damaging cells and artery walls.
• Weight. Fat cells contribute to cholesterol levels.
  

Fibre is Important

Fibre is any type of plant-component that the body cannot absorb or digest. While fibres supply no nutrients or calories, they perform many important biological functions.

There are two main types of fibre,

Soluble and Insoluble:

• Soluble fibre dissolves partially in water and its components include pectin, mainly found in fruit such as apples, in vegetable, legumes and oat products.
• Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water and its components include cellulose or lignin, the fibre mainly found in grains such as wheat and corn.
  

A high fibre diet offers many benefits:

• Incorporating high-fibre foods into the diet may help lower the risk of heart disease.
• Soluble fibre helps stabilize blood sugar levels by delaying stomach emptying ultimately slowing the rate of carbohydrate absorption, improving regulation of blood sugar and lowering insulin requirements.
• The water-holding capacity of fibre relieves constipation by adding bulk to stool and speeding its transit through the gastrointestinal tract.
• Fibre increases satiety (the feeling of fullness) by adding bulk to foods without additional calories.

Increase your intake of dietary fibre

• Choose whole grains foods such as whole grain breads, pasta and rice
• Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast
• Consume whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices
• Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars
• Add ground flax seed, chia seeds to cereals, yogurt and baked goods
• When increasing the amount of fibre in your diet, do so slowly, because large, sudden increases can cause discomfort, gas, and bloating. It is also important to drink more water when you increase fibre intake.

Image Source: Profilaxis

This Webber Wednesday, We're Talking About Antioxidants!

Fight free radicals with the antioxidant power of healthy eating!

Anything that can help prevent cancer and help us age gracefully is a good thing. Guess what?! That's what antioxidants can do for us! Research shows that antioxidants can help inhibit the production of free radicals, which when interacting with DNA can cause our bodies harm.

Fortunately, we have multiple and delicious ways to get some antioxidant power working in our systems! Check out this chart of antioxidant-rich and healthy foods!

If these foods are not regular parts of your diet or on your list of favourite foods, check out our list of Webber Naturals' Antioxidant Support Products!