Acne And Diet: Understanding The Connection
Acne, as you may know, affects more than ninety percent of the world’s population at some time in their life. It is in fact the most common skin disorder treated by dermatologist and most of its victims are teenagers and adults.
According to some scientific research, acne is caused by different factors like hormones, bacteria, and some genetic factors. Some even said that acne is caused by a poor diet, to which many did not agree.
Well, the acne and diet issue has been studied for several years. Although some dermatologist claimed that diet has nothing to do with the formation of acne, many still hold that acne and diet has a certain link. Acne and diet are somehow correlated as diet plays a role in the development of acne.
Here’s a common explanation that will show how acne and diet are connected.
Certain studies have found out that eating refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to a surge of insulin as well as an insulin-like growth factor known as IGF-1 in the body. If this forms, it then can lead to an excess of male hormones, androgens, which are deemed as the most potent cause of the acne formation.
The acne and diet connection maintains that if an excess of male hormones is produced, the pores of the skin will secrete sebum or oil, which is a greasy substance that generally pulls the attention of acne-causing bacteria.
In addition, this process triggers the IGF-1 to cause skin cells known as keratinocytes to duplicate and multiply, which in turn is a process related with the acne formation.
Furthermore, the link between acne and diet is shown with the results of certain studies conducted on the acne cases in islanders of Papua New Guinea and hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. According to this acne and diet connection study, the appearance of acne is triggered by some environmental factors to which diet is one.
Many have found out through such acne and diet study that limiting grains is an integral step toward optimizing your health, which led the researchers to think that no-grain diet is somehow beneficial for acne.
Today, the acne and diet link is one of the hottest issues in the medical field. Many have claimed that there is only little research regarding the connection between acne and diet for there is no money in it. Some even claimed that doctors and dermatologists only say that diet has nothing to do with acne since they can’t sell you a healthy diet.
Now, come to think of it, underneath it all, acne just like some diseases is caused by diet, but you can’t cure it by just focusing on the diet since some other aggravators are behind it.
High Protein Diet to Build Muscle
Do you want to build muscle? Well if you do then you must include a high protein diet into your daily food intake to really be able to build muscle. So what diets do bodybuilders use? They use a high protein diet to build muscle.
So the question now is how much protein do I eat and what foods to eat to help me build muscle? Well if you want to know then read on because this article will explain what a diet high in protein is and how much protein you will need, and what foods to eat to efficiently build muscle.
A high protein diet is a diet that is mostly protein, a little bit of carbohydrates and low fat. You see the muscles in the body actually crave protein, and when you eat protein then your body breaks up the protein into amino acids which then help your muscles to grow and when your muscles once were fat and now they are turning into muscle then you are getting rid of the fat. If you want to build muscle and lose fat then this is the right diet for you whether you are a body builder or not.
Basically if you are on this kind of diet then you need to consume a gram of protein per pond of your body weight each day. For example if you weighed 200 pounds then you would need to eat 200 grams of protein a day, no more no less. This will support your muscle growth and give your muscles enough protein to really be able to build muscle.
So what kinds of foods make up a diet of high protein? Well that is a good question besides the obvious answer protein. Well you should eat is lean meats such as fish chicken and turkey, and vegetables and fruits and this is basically all your diet should consist of. Or at least 90% of it should be.
The other 10% can consist of things like protein supplements if you are having problems consuming enough protein everyday, and you can have rice or breads that are whole grain. Stay away from fatty fried meats such as fried chicken and stay away from junk foods these foods will undo what you have already done.
Whether you want to lose weight or build muscle or just lose fat and build muscle this is the diet you need to achieve these results along with exercise of course. Enjoy your high protein diet because this is good for your health as well as your muscles.
Are Diet Sodas Really Healthier Than Regular Sweetened Sodas?
While a diet soda doesn’t contain sugar that’s about the only health advantage it has over regular sodas. Diet sodas contain caffeine, acids that promote dental erosion and artificial sweeteners which have raised some serious health questions on their own.
Most surprising is that diet soda may not even assist with weight loss. Several recent studies have linked a higher chance of weight gain to diet soda drinking. Scientists feel the artificial sweeteners interfere with the ability to regulate calorie intake, thus making diet drinkers more likely to overeat.
Diet sodas also do not promote healthy bones. This usually is a result of drinking a soda instead of a high calcium dairy product thus reducing the overall calcium needed to build strong bones.
Clearly, it’s a myth that diet sodas are healthy to drink just because they don’t have sugar. Here’s a few suggestions if you’re a diet soda drinker:
* Reduce the amount of diet soda you drink and substitute more healthy drinks.
* Even better, switch to nature’s healthiest drink of all: water.
Exercise Can Reduce Risks Of Diabetes
The 2 types of diabetes are type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are prescribed as measures to help with insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.
Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning an exercise program. When training with a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.
Before engaging in exercise, it is important for blood sugar levels to be tested to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.
Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.
As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.
Low Carb Diets for Beginners
You have heard a lot about various low carbohydrates diets and about the great results from these diets. Now you are considering going on such a diet. That’s ok as long as you know how to start.
The first thing to do is to gather some information about the low carb diets in general. There are many books on the subject and a lot of information in internet. The basic thing to remember is that low carb diets change your body metabolism to make it burn fats instead of carbohydrates. To achieve this you will not be consuming foods that are rich in carbs for specific amount of time and afterwards you will be only consuming foods that have really low carb levels.
Of course you will think about the issue if the results are good. Low carb diets are known for their fabulous results that appear quite quickly. Moreover they will not make you suffer a lot because you will be eating most of the foods that you love. However it is important for you to know that low carb diets have one of the highest yo-yo effect levels among all diets. Moreover they are likely to put a great strain on your kidneys.
The next thing to do is to consult with your doctor. A common mistake that many people make is that they start a diet without asking their doctor. Following someone else diet is not good enough since you do not know what are the specific of your body and if this particular diet is good for you. Some diets can do more harm than good so always check with your GP.
After this consultation your doctor will either give you instructions what to eat and what can be taken out of your menu, or will refer you to a specialist dealing only with diet plans. You will have a diet plan made as well as appointments for regular checks. Although that at this stage you may believe you do not need these checks in fact you do. Your body metabolism will go through a lot of changes and you will not be consuming the required daily dose of some essential vitamins and minerals so it will be best if this process is overlooked.
The final thing to consider is if you can be string enough to obey the diet plan strictly. Being on a diet is hard especially in the beginning. You should be committed and get as much support as possible. You can start visiting some support forums or get advice from people you know and who are or have been on the same low carb diet before.