Maqui berry refers to a type of fruit, belonging to Elaeocarpaceae family, which is a native of Valdivian rainforests in Chile as well as adjacent areas of Argentina. Its botanical name is Aristotelia chilensis. The berries are small and purple-black in color and have a diameter of around 4-6 mm. Maqui is also known as Chilean wineberry, apart from several local names, such as maquei, koelon, queldrón, ach, and clon.
Macui is a dioecious tree, which is around 4-5 m tall, evergreen, and features smooth bark and a divided trunk. The branches are flexible, thin and abundant, whereas the leaves are pendulous, simple, opposite, glabrous, oval-lanceolate, coriaceous and have serrated edges, as well as red petioles. The flowers are white and small in size, yielding small edible fruits, which we know as Maqui berry.
With those boring details out of the way, let’s focus on the benefits of maqui berry so that you may learn how using maqui can increase your quality of life.
I view intermittent fasting as more of a long-term lifestyle change as opposed to a quick fix, and as such it should be approached in a way that addresses health as well as body composition. Before I get into more details, I want to express to following tips that will greatly increase the likelihood of you creating an awesome physique.
As you go about your weight loss diet or weight loss program, there are many different factors that go into the diet equation that will all influence how quickly you see results.
If you’re someone who wants to make progress as quickly as possible, one key factor that you cannot be leaving out is meal timing.
While what you eat is definitely going to have a huge impact on the progress you make, when you eat will also influence your results as well.
Let’s have a quick look at the most important reasons why meal timing is something that you absolutely must be paying attention to. (more…)
Justin Woltering of JustinWoltering.com writes today’s guest post. Justin has years of experience perfecting his exercise and nutrition program. He has spent countless hours mastering training flexibility, core strength, power and speed, cardiovascular fitness, and meditation. Having trained, and trained with, powerlifters, martial artists, bodybuilders, and various athletes, Justin knows what it takes to gain muscle, lose fat, or get into peak physical condition.
I just finished a cleansing program, and I am feeling better than ever!
The meals were delicious, and these supplements allowed me to do this as naturally and efficiently as possible. This seven-day plan will cleanse your body so that you can more easily shred unwanted body fat and increase lean muscle mass.
If you are feeling lethargic, slow, bloated, or ill; or if you are experiencing problems with your digestive system, then a 7-day detox might be just what you need.
Acai Berry Not Just For Weight Loss — It Promises Longevity
Today’s guest post was written by Matt Papa, Ph.D. Having worked in biology labs for more than a decade, Matt devotes much of his time reading and researching the scientific literature pertaining to diets and natural weight loss programs. He blogs about research findings in obesity-treatment and gives away a Medifast discount coupon and a Nutrisystem coupon, two leading portion-controlled meal replacement diet plans.
About Acai Berries – Why Are They so Good for Your Health
Botanical-rich diets have been shown to have numerous health benefits, and acai is one botanical product that is garnering a great deal of attention. The acai berry, the fruit of a palm tree indigenous to the Amazon River area of South America, has been praised by experts for its health benefits.
The purple fruit is considered a superfood and is widely consumed as a dietary supplement because of the many therapeutic properties it is believed to possess. Marketed mostly as an effective supplement to induce weight loss, scientific studies are now recognizing other significant health benefits of the acai berry.
Berries, including the acai berry, receive their vibrant red, blue, and purple colors from a phytonutrient known as anthocyanin. In clinical trials, biochemical analysis, and animal and cell-based studies, anthocyanins have been shown to possess several important biomedical functions.
In addition to anti-inflammatory and anti-cardiovascular properties, anthocyanins have been demonstrated to decrease cancer cell growth by more than 50%. They also have significant potential as an anti-aging supplement, as they can reduce the oxidative stress associated with aging, improve neuronal and cognitive brain function, and repair and protect DNA – all of which are associated with aging, especially the accumulation of DNA damage or mutation.
Scientific Study Finds Acai Improves Longevity
The free radical theory addresses the issues of DNA mutation accumulation and oxidative stress mentioned above. This theory postulates that free radicals cause oxidative damage, which results in aging. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules responsible for cell damage, including oxidative harm to macromolecules like DNA. As organism ages, this oxidative stress accumulates in the cell. Based on this theory, treatments that reduce oxidative damage should be effective aging interventions. This has been supported through animal experiments that have shown reducing oxidative damage increases lifespan.
A study recently published in the January 2010 issue of Experimental Gerontology examined acai berry’s potential as an aging intervention. This groundbreaking animal study looked at the anti-aging effect of acai in Drosophila melanogaster, otherwise known as the fruit fly. Acai’s anti-aging effect was evaluated under two different conditions.
Condition 1. Flies fed a high fat diet. Condition 2. Flies pre-conditioned to experience extreme oxidative stress.
Acai Counteracts High Fat Diet’s Damaging Effect
Conjecturing that acai’s beneficial phytonutrients and its robust anti-oxidant activity would reverse the harmful effects of a diet high in fat, researchers manipulated the diet of fruit flies. All flies in the experiment were placed on a diet high in saturated fat; compared to a standard diet, one high in saturated fat is known to shorten lifespan by 19%. The flies were divided into two groups, one of which had their high-fat diet supplemented at 2% with acai pulp.
Compared to the flies who did not receive the acai supplement, those in the supplementation group saw a 22% increase in lifespan. In effect, supplementing with acai restored lifespan to a normal length, counteracting the damaging impact of a high fat diet. The researchers’ search for the mechanism responsible for this positive effect on longevity found that the acai diet resulted in increased activity of anti-aging genes.
In addition to a shortened lifespan, high fat diets are associated with a heightened risk for a variety of health problems. One common result of a chronic high fat diet is the development of insulin resistance, which eventually leads to type 2 diabetes. Dr. Sun, the study’s primary investigator, is hopeful “that acai pulp may be effective in prevention and control of type 2 diabetes,” as the findings seem to suggest. Acai pulp has demonstrated promise as a medicinal food that can inhibit a high fat diet’s detrimental health effects.
Acai Found To Reduce Oxidative Damage
The researchers also proposed that the survival of flies in oxidative stress would be improved by the administration of acai pulp. They tested this by using a model of oxidative stress commonly used in the biological study of aging. The model relies on fruit flies which, as a result of genetic modification, contain a dysfunctional Superoxide Dismutase enzyme (SOD). This enzyme is essential to the flies’ ability to reduce the cellular damage done by free radicals as well as to repair cells that do sustain damage. The genetically modified (SOD-mutated) flies live under constant oxidative stress because they do not have the ability to repair oxidative damage.
The SOD-mutated flies were placed in two groups. One group received 2% acai pulp for the duration of their adult life, while the control group received no supplementation. Comparison of the groups showed that flies who had received the acai supplement lived approximately 18% longer than those in the control group, suggesting that acai alleviates oxidative stress and thereby improves survival.
According to the researchers, the anti-aging properties demonstrated by acai may be due to its high level of polyphenolics, which give it the ability to function as a hunter of free radicals. Another polyphenolic compound shown to have similar anti-aging benefits is resveratrol. Supplementation with resveratrol increased longevity in mice fed a diet high in fat.
Final Remarks
This study, the first to examine the effects of acai’s anti-aging properties in an animal population, joins over 20 other peer-reviewed studies that refer to acai berry’s antioxidant properties and potential benefits to human health. In addition to these benefits, acai is currently being tested for its effectiveness as a weight-loss tool. Although research in this area is still ongoing, the inclusion of berries and other fruits is known to be an important component of any healthy weight loss diet.
Even though research on the weight loss effect of acai is not complete, anecdotal evidence and reports from real-life experiences suggest that it may help shed unwanted weight. The popular fruit is being recognized as a superfood with health benefits that include increased longevity, possible disease prevention, and the potential to aid in weight loss. Read Steve’s article where he clearly explains how the Acai berry speeds up weight loss.
Useful Literature
– Açai palm fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) pulp improves survival of flies on a high fat diet. Sun X, Seeberger J, Alberico T, Wang C, Wheeler CT, Schauss AG, Zou S. Exp Gerontol. 2010 Mar;45(3):243-51.
– What is the açaí berry and are there health benefits? Marcason W. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Nov;109(11):1968
Today’s guest post was written by Matt Paley, the founder and CEO of Share It Fitness, which provides us with a revolutionary new approach to health and fitness. The old model of paying a trainer, or yoga instructor, or golf pro, or you name it, 50, 60, 70 dollars an hour to simply count or re-use a generic workout routine on you isn’t effective nor cost-efficient. What if you could have a dedicated professional with you, not just a few hours a week, but EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE. Motivating, guiding, advising, and supporting you in all your fitness needs. The time has come for a change in the way fitness, health, and sport instruction is delivered.
ShareItFitness.com is the answer. The ShareItFitness blog, has a wide range of health and fitness news. The information found on the blog is only going to be the tip of the iceberg in terms of what ShareItFitness will be able to offer. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook for additional fitness tips. Thanks for checking us out and keep on living well.
Breaking Down the American Diet
While not a “diet” in the sense you may be thinking, the American Diet is one that millions of people follow, mostly unaware, for the majority of their lives. The bad part is, this easily followed “diet” isn’t doing us any good. If anything, it’s contribution to the high rates of obesity and mortality that we are experiencing in this country.
The American Diet has large amounts of sodium, sugar, simple carbs, and bad fats, which include the worst offender, trans fat. We consume these by the plateful almost every time we go out to eat. Unfortunately as Americans, we eat out a lot.
These four things are the major barriers that stand between us and a long, healthy life. If we can learn how to eat less of these bad nutrients, and more of the healthy ones, we will unlock the largest component to a healthy lifestyle. This section is going to break down the health consequences of each of the above offenders so you may have a more practical idea of what’ s going on inside your body. (more…)
Instead of thinking about things you should not eat, consider foods you can add to your eating plan to help fight disease. One disease or condition that is common to all animals and people is called oxidation.
Like rust on a car, oxidation can cause damage to cells and may contribute to aging. Oxidation causes the formation of substances called free radicals, which is the primary cause of age related skin wrinkles and pigment discoloration. This is why we combat oxidation with antioxidants, which help keep wrinkles and pigmentation at bay.
Call it what you like; soda, tonic, pop, or the leading cause of the onset of type II diabetes in middle aged over-weight Americans; the experts agree that carbonated flavored beverages are not good for your health. While regular and diet sodas are both borderline dangerous, diet drinks seem to pose a much greater risk to the body. Still thinking about reaching for a soda??? Here are only 20 reasons not to drink one ever again:
1. Your diet soda could be loaded with saccharin. Saccharin (Sweet n’ Low) is a noncaloric petroleum derivative that has been linked to bladder cancer in laboratory animals. In fact, Saccharin was discovered by Ira Remsen in 1879 at the dinner table after not having washed the coal tar derivatives off of his hands. Coal tar derivatives – it’s what’s for dinner!
Low carbohydrate diets are effective for losing fat. The low-carb approach is more effective than the low-fat or low-calorie approach to dieting, when trying to lose fat.
However, the question we’ve been asking for the last 20 years, or since the birth of Atkins, is – which foods are the healthiest protein sources on a low-carb diet?
Some choices include eggs, chicken, bacon, sausage, beef, salmon, white fish, shellfish, ham, pork, nuts, beans, and tofu. Since tofu is nasty, and can lead to increased risk of cancer and elevated estrogen levels in men, we won’t discuss it. But what about red meat and other meats that are high in saturated fat?
Today I would like to show you some current news articles about healthy topics like Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, the high antioxidant concentration of Black Rice, and a fun little slideshow about the Mediterranean Diet.
We just can’t take old news for granted, because studies are confirming and rejecting some of what we think we know. Myths are created and dispelled on a daily basis. Check it out.
The Project Swole Three Step Full Body Detox Plan is the most effective detox and weight loss plan ever. Combine the supplement plan with a full body fat loss exercise routine for record breaking fat loss results!
For fat loss and good health, acai berries are one of the best foods you can eat.
Using an acai berry supplement will help speed up your fat loss considerably as long as you already follow a proper fitness and nutrition plan. Additionally, everyone can use the high concentration of antioxidants in acai to help stay healthy and young as the years pass by.
I get plenty of questions in various comments throughout the website, but I also get comments and questions via the Project Swole Contact Form.
Generally I address those questions through e-mail, but often I do not have the time to reply to each and every question personally.
From now on I want to take a more proactive approach to answering Your Health Questions by posting them separately in the blog. This way we can be sure that everyone benefits from the Q & A.
Tim wrote:
“How many grams of protein should i take at one time, and how much time should i leave in between drinking my protein shakes in order to get the maximum benefit from it?”
Response:
On average, your digestive system can handle about 30 grams of protein at once.
The Project Swole Three Step Full Body Detox Plan is the most effective detox and weight loss plan ever. Combine the supplement plan with a full body fat loss exercise routine for record breaking fat loss results!
Acai is one of the top 5 foods you can eat for good health and it speeds up fat loss too!
Acai berries help to speed up fat loss considerably when you follow a healthy exercise and diet plan. As a bonus, the high concentration of antioxidants in acai will keep you feeling healthy and looking young as you grow older!
I talk about acai all the time, so constantly I am asked the question:
“Do you know how I can get a free trial of acai pills sent to Egypt?”
Finally I can say to all the Project Swole visitors from Egypt:
“Get your risk-free* trial of acai berry supplements shipped to Egypt using this link:”
I am always recommending athletes to drink a gallon of water a day. That is all fine and well, but apparently there is a better way to calculate your hydration needs.
Based on a post over at FormerFatGuy.com, we should be drinking half of our body weight in pounds, in ounces of water each day. That means if you weigh 150 lbs you should be drinking 75 oz of water each day.
For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight in kilograms by 30. For example, somebody who weighs 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day.
You can drink all the water you want, but if your body can’t use it you will still be dehydrated. Here are some tips to help increase body’s ability to absorb water.
I get plenty of questions in various comments throughout the website, but I also get comments and questions via the Project Swole Contact Form.
Generally I address those questions through e-mail, but often I do not have the time to reply to each and every question personally.
The category, Your Health Questions is a more proactive approach to answering your questions so that everyone can benefit from the Q & A.
EKansas wrote:
“I am at 168lbs, down from 232. I’m female and 5’6. I work out with a trainer twice a week and do weights and cardio kickboxing and other cardio on off days. I work out 5-6 days per week.
I’ve been trying to get below 160 for months. My trainer says to bump my protein from 80grams to 160. I’m afraid of the extra calories. I try to stick to 1500. Is this correct?”
Insulin can be a touchy subject when it comes to fat loss, muscle growth, and weight training. It is extremely important that we understand the role of insulin in the body and how the foods we eat affect our health and physiques.
What is Insulin?
First, we must define what insulin is:
Insulin in a peptide hormone composed of 51 amino acid residues, which is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas and released when any of the several stimuli is detected. These stimuli include ingested protein and glucose in the blood, produced from digested food. Insulin has expansive effects on metabolism and other bodily systems.
What Insulin Does in the Body
Let us look at what insulin does when it is present in the body.
When present, insulin causes the uptake of blood sugar (glucose) by the vast majority of bodily cells. These cells include muscle, fatty tissue, and liver cells.
Insulin is primarily responsible for storing glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles. When insulin is at high concentrations in the body, it prevents the use of fat as an energy source.
The Project Swole Three Step Full Body Detox Plan is the most effective detox and weight loss plan ever. Combine the supplement plan with a full body fat loss exercise routine for record breaking fat loss results!
Acai berry is one of the best foods you can eat for fat loss and good health.
Acai will help speed up your fat loss considerably if you already follow a moderate fitness and nutrition plan, and you can definitely use the high concentration of antioxidants in acai to keep you healthy and young for the rest of your life!
Constantly I get asked the question:
“How can I get a 14 day free trial of acai shipped to France?”
Well now finally I can say:
“Get your free trial of Acai Berry shipped to France using the link below.”
The Project Swole Three Step Full Body Detox Plan is the most effective detox and weight loss plan ever. Combine the supplement plan with a full body fat loss exercise routine for record breaking fat loss results!
Acai berry is one of the best foods you can eat for fat loss and good health.
Acai will help speed up your fat loss considerably if you already follow a moderate fitness and nutrition plan, and you can definitely use the high concentration of antioxidants in acai to keep you healthy and young for the rest of your life!
Because I talk about acai all the time, I am constantly asked the question:
“How can I get a 14 day free trial of acai shipped to Germany?”
Well now finally I can say:
“Get your free trial of Acai Berry shipped to Germany using the link below.”
I found this article today about a woman who started dieting and went under the knife in an attempt to look more like her daughter.
Fifty year old Janet Cunliffe started dieting and spent tens of thousands of dollars to look more like her 28 year old daughter. Honestly if I looked like she did pre-surgery and had the resources to look like she does now, I would diet and get the surgery too. (If I were a chick.)
Self-image issues always come back to celebrities. The pressure by Hollywood and the media to look young, slender, sleek, and sexy.
I find this to be more disturbing for teenage girls who feel the pressure to be something other than who they are, although it is a bit different for a mature, experienced 50 year old Mom who just wants to turn back the clock.
