Tag: Essential Nutrients

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Weight Loss Exercise

My Experience with Chlorella




My latest health food supplement is Chlorella. I have heard of Chlorella for about a year now and started looking around for it and reading up about it for the last couple months. Finally a couple of weeks ago I picked up bottle of 150 tablet of 500mg of Chlorella.

If you know nothing about it, Chlorella is a single cell fresh water algae that is sold as tablets or just powder. There are a lot of reasons that people are taking it these days that I will point out below but most important probably is what Chlorella contains. Although popular as a supplement here in North America Chlorella is actually used as a food source in Japan.

What is in Chlorella?

chlorellaChlorella is It is an attractive potential food source because it is high in protein and other essential nutrients; when dried, it is about 45% protein, 20% fat, 20% carbohydrate, 5% fibre, and 10% minerals and vitamins.

Chorella contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. as well as the minerals magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium. Also Chlorella has a balance of all the essential amino acids as well as being really rich in Chlorophyll.

For most people the initial dose of Chlorella as a supplement is about 1 and a half grams a day for the first week and then increasing that to about 3 grams a day after the initial week.

Why take Chlorella?

When I first heard about Chlorella I ws a little surprised at the lack of claims about this algae. It seeme that people would jut say that it was good, it gave them energy, it was a complete food, and that it was a vegetarian option for protein.

I guess all of this is true but there are also some great anecdotal and scientific evidence that this is indeed the newest popular superfood because it is linked to such great healing claims.  The main reason I have wanted to take this superfood is for the detoxification benefits. I figure always that the cleaner and more efficient your body is then the better it will work for you.

Here are some of the claims with links to them as to why Chlorella is really a great superfood to add to your diet.

Detoxification – Chlorella has an amazing ability to bind with toxins like chemicals and heavy metals, and move them swiftly out of the body.


Digestion – Chlorella promotes the production of healthy flora, bacteria and probiotics throughout the digestive system. This is essential for good digestion and overall health, and also makes chlorella effective for fighting candida and yeast

Cancer – Chlorella is known for its remarkable cancer-fighting benefits, possibly because it is rich in natural carotenoids, which can prevent oxidation

Fibromyalgia – Many have reported chlorella reduces pain associated with fibromyalgia. In one study

Heart Disease – Studies have demonstrated that chlorella can improve triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels, and may also benefit those with high blood pressure

My Chlorella Experience So Far

I have now been taking Chlorella for about two weeks now and it seems to be fine. One of the problems that you run into in the first week are “Cleansing like symptoms” by that I mean some diarrhea, lots of gas and bloating, but no other real problems. No hot flushes or anything.

This week has been good. I feel like my energy is up but the trouble with any natural food supplement is that you hae no idea if it is the pill or the lifestyle changes that you are doing that are helping you or hurting you. I can not tell if I am losing any heavy metals out of my system but the fact is that I seem to feel quite good lately and I will have to wait a few weeks to see if there are any good effects from the Chlorella.

One thing that seems to be critically important when shopping for Chlorella is to make sure that it has broken cell walls. Chlorella is a single cell algae but the cell wall is very hard and is very hard for your body to break down and use so making sure that it is taken care of for you is important to get the health benefits.

So as far as whether you should be taking this superfood or not, I think the jury is still out in my house. I know that any kind of pure food is going to help anyone but the fact is that it is far better if you eat a non-clean diet to straighten that our first.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as drinking lots of water, and of course avoiding processed foods as much as possible are going to make a bigger difference to your health and lifestyle. But, if you are interested in trying Chlorella out I hae looked around and it seems to be about $30 for a months supply of Chlorella pills.

If you do end up trying Chlorella or if you have used it in the past then post a quick comment. I would love to hear what other people have to say about it.


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Weight Loss Exercise

Quick Ways to Gain Weight


Most people are desperate to lose a few extra pounds, but there are also many people who are more interested in finding quick ways to gain weight. Being thin is not a good thing, because underweight people often have weaker immune systems, get sick easily, and recover more slowly from an illness. If you don’t want to look thin and malnourished, here’s what you can do to fill out your body in a healthy way.

High-calorie diet to Gain Weight

Quick Ways to Gain Weight

Let’s face it. You can’t gain weight if you don’t eat enough. The fastest way to gain weight is to include calorie-dense foods in your diet. In order to gain one pound per week, you need to consume about 500 calories more than you burn per day. Stay healthy by choosing high-calorie foods that are rich in nutrients.

  • Include healthy fats and oils in your diet. On a weight basis, fats and oils pack twice the number of calories found in carbohydrates and proteins. A tablespoon of fat or oil contains about 100 to 120 calories. Add healthy oils such as olive oil to salads, pasta, grilled meats and vegetables. Canola and sesame oil are also good choices. Nuts and seeds provide calories and heart-healthy oils as well.
  • Eat bigger portions. By eating more of your regular food, you’ll automatically consume more calories, which is a quick way to gain weight. Use a bigger plate so you can pile on more food. Try having second or third helpings.
  • Snack more often. Keep high-calorie foods such as nuts and dried fruits handy so you can snack on them between meals. Nuts provide about 160 to 200 calories per ounce. One-half cup of raisins has about 250 calories. Other high-calorie but less healthy snack options include cookies, chocolates candies, and corn chips. Frequent snacking is a quick way to gain weight.
  • Drink high-calorie beverages. Liquid sources can also add hundreds of calories to your total daily intake. Fruit juices, protein shakes and smoothies provide essential nutrients and calories. Avoid soft drinks; their calories come from sugars and are devoid of nutrition.

Exercise Regularly to Gain Weight

If you think that exercise is only for those who want to lose weight, you’re in for a big surprise. Regular exercise is a quick and healthy way to gain weight. A trainer can recommend exercises that will help you gain weight more quickly. Strength training exercises build muscles and help fill out your body. Extended periods of cardio exercise burn fat, so you may want to limit your cardio workout to no more than 20 minutes at a time.

The best exercises to gain weight are the ones that work multiple muscle groups. These exercises are called compound exercises. Examples of compound exercises are Squats, Deadlifts, Bench presses, and military presses. Doing lower rep sets (5-8 reps) for four or five sets would help to build muscle and your weight as well.

Physical exercise also has a way of increasing your appetite. When you eat more, you’ll gain weight more quickly.

Get enough rest to Gain Weight

You need to sleep and rest in order to allow your body to repair and rebuild itself. Muscle weight gain takes place while you sleep. Give your body sufficient rest so that it can develop muscle and mass.

Eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep are the quickest ways to gain weight while staying healthy.

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Weight Loss Exercise

Healthy Lunch Recipes

What is the problem with healthy lunch recipes. Breakfast and dinner get all the attention but lunch never seems to on the TV shows. Although people often take the time to make sure they have a healthy breakfast and go home to an equally nutritious dinner, they sometimes neglect to plan for a healthy lunch.

Healthy Lunch Recipes

Healthy Lunch Recipes

Healthy Lunch Recipes

When it’s time for lunch and your body is craving for food you may take the easy way out and resort to the most easily available food, that is, fast food that’s high in saturated fat, carbohydrates, and salt. To avoid sabotaging your own healthy diet plan, it’s a good idea to have some healthy lunch recipes that you can quickly whip up and bring to work.

Preparing your own lunch saves money and ensures that your meal is healthy and tasty. There are many healthy lunch recipes that you can take to the office, to school, or wherever you need to go. You’ll never run out of lunch ideas because there are hundreds of lunch recipes for kids and adults that are easy to prepare, pack, and take with you.

Healthy Lunch Tips

  • When looking for healthy lunch recipes, make sure you have a balanced lunch which includes lean meats or low-fat proteins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Include fruits and vegetables for their vitamins and minerals. Make sure your lunch contains all the essential nutrients your body needs.
  • Sandwiches make a healthy lunch, especially if you use a variety of whole grain bread, pita and wraps. Fill your sandwiches with tuna, cheese, skinless chicken breast, lean meats, or sliced hard-boiled eggs. You can also make vegetarian sandwiches or wraps and stuff them with salad greens, bean sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, fresh basil, etc.

Healthy Lunch Pizza

Try this delicious, pizza-inspired wrap. Kids and adults love this healthy lunch recipe.

  • 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla
  • 2 tablespoons prepared pizza sauce
  • 12 leaves baby spinach
  • 3 tablespoons shredded mozzarella

Place the tortilla on a plate. Spread pizza sauce over it. Arrange spinach leaves on top and sprinkle with cheese. Microwave on high until the cheese begins to melt (about 45 seconds). Roll up the tortilla and let cool for 10 minutes before slicing, if desired.

Here’s another quick and easy lunch idea. To make a Dill Egg Sandwich, combine 1 tbsp. low-fat cream cheese, 1 tsp. whole-grain mustard, and 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill. Spread the mixture over 2 slices of toasted whole grain rye bread. Top with sliced hard boiled egg and tomato, salt and pepper. Cover with another slice of bread. Your delicious and healthy lunch sandwich is ready.

So please take this to heart. There are a lot of choices when it comes to lunch and stocking up on a few healthy lunch recipes will keep you richer and healthier