Harmful Food Dyes~ Haley Oscar

Food dyes. They are in most of the foods we eat today and in the skin and hair products we use every day, many of you may know this, but do you really know how those dyes affect us every time we put them in or on our bodies? I’ve recently become really aware of the dyes in my food, and trust me; my heart has been broken many times because of it. My favorite gum is now no longer being bought by me, goodbye Mac-n-Cheese and many other beloved foods!

The bright side to all these goodbyes is relief of allergies and so many more sicknesses.  Here’s a list of all the dyes and the affects they have on your body.   

Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)

An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.

Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)

Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs.

Citrus Red #2

It's toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. What it's in: Skins of Florida oranges.

Green #3 (Fast Green)

Causes significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet; ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics

Red #3 (Erythrosine)

Recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. What it's in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, candies. Why it’s still allowed in our food and medicine makes no sense to me..

Red #40 (Allura Red)

This is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune-system tumors in mice. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children along with anger and attention issues. What it's in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)

Yellow 5 causes’ sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)

Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. All Yellow dyes also cause environmental allergies in almost everyone, so if you suffer from allergies, check the food you eat or the products you use. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics and drugs.

 

Every year, food manufacturers pour 15 million pounds of artificial food dyes into U.S. foods -- and that amount only factors in eight different varieties, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

These dyes are so common in U.S. foods -- especially kids' foods -- which parents don't think twice about giving their children rainbow-colored cereal or fluorescent blue "juice," and adults don't consider bright orange cheese puffs out of the ordinary, either.

But you might do a double take if these food packages contained warnings detailing what these artificial food colorings may really be doing to your health, and that of your children.

Well, in the European Union at least, they do. As of July 2010, most foods in the EU that contain artificial food dyes were labeled with warning labels stating the food "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." The British government also asked that food manufacturers remove most artificial colors from foods back in 2009.

In the United States, however, consumers are still snatching up artificially colored foods with fervor, as most are completely unaware of the risks involved … and let me just say, hyperactivity in children is only the tip of the iceberg. . CSPI reported:

"The three most widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, are contaminated with known carcinogens … Another dye, Red 3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and Drug Administration to be a carcinogen, yet is still in the food supply.

Almost all the toxicological studies on dyes were commissioned, conducted, and analyzed by the chemical industry and academic consultants. Ideally, dyes (and other regulated chemicals) would be tested by independent researchers.

Furthermore, virtually all the studies tested individual dyes, whereas many foods and diets contain mixtures of dyes (and other ingredients) that might lead to additive or synergistic effects.

In addition to considerations of organ damage, cancer, birth defects, and allergic reactions, mixtures of dyes (and Yellow 5 tested alone) cause hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in some children.… Because of those toxicological considerations, including carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity reactions, and

Behavioral effects, food dyes cannot be considered safe. The FDA should ban food dyes, which serve no purpose other than a cosmetic effect; though quirks in the law make it difficult to do so (the law should be amended to make it no more difficult to ban food colorings than other food additives).

In the meantime, companies voluntarily should replace dyes with safer, natural colorings."

 

When foods are processed not only are valuable nutrients lost and fibers removed, but the texture, natural variation and flavors are lost also. After processing, what's actually left behind is a bland, uninteresting "pseudo-food" that most people would find entirely unappetizing.

So at this point, food manufacturers must add back in the nutrients, flavor, color and texture in order to make them desirable, and this is why they become loaded with food additives.

 

Most commonly, additives are included to:

Slow spoilage

Prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor

Prevent cut fruits from turning brown

Fortify or enrich the food with synthetic vitamins and minerals (which are lost during processing)

Improve taste, texture and appearance

In the case of kids' foods, bright colors are also added to attract kids' attention and make the foods appear "fun."  But in most cases, if a food comes in an outrageous color that is not found in nature, consuming it is not a good idea.

Let me make it clear that your diet should include a range of vibrantly colored foods … but these foods should be the ones that are naturally rich in color. Red bell peppers, purple eggplant, green spinach, blueberries and rainbow chard are all examples of healthy foods whose bright colors are signs of the important nutrients they contain.

These are the food colors you need in your diet … not the man-made varieties found in most processed foods. The good news is avoiding artificial food dyes is incredibly easy -- just stick to whole fresh foods and avoid the processed ones.

Also check your vitamins, vitamin companies use dyes in their products often. Make sure you are aware and always check the labels of everything you buy, don't trust the company with your health and your life. 

You're good if you can remember these:

Blue 1 —— Chromosomal Damage

 Blue 2 —— Brain Tumors
 Red 3 ——- Thyroid Tumors, Chromosomal damage
Green 3 —- Bladder Tumors

 Yellow 5 — Allergies, Thyroid Tumors, Lymphocyte Lymphomas, Chromosomal damage
Yellow 6 — Allergies, Kidney Tumors, Chromosomal damage
 Red 40 —— Lymphomas, Lymph Tumors 

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/popular-food-dyes-linked-to-cancer-adhd-and-allergies/ 

Did you know that Haley is the older sister of Lilies photographer, Cassie?!?!

Top Six Vitamins Every Woman Should Take~ Haley Pscar

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you should know, vitamins and minerals play a huge part in how our bodies work but it can be hard to even know which ones to start with.  Some of you might just pop a multivitamin every day and think you’re good to go, but does your multivitamin really have what you need , and does it have nasty fillers like mercury or artificial flavors and dyes?  

What vitamins you take can make a huge difference on your health!  I personally take a ton of vitamins every day, but I won’t try to shove all of those down your throat today.  I’m just going to give you the basics for a healthier and happier day.

Vitamin C:

Most of us know of this vitamin, it’s simple and easy to find, but most don’t know really how wonderful it is for your health. Vitamin C it a wonderful   antioxidant, and is needed for growth and repairing bones, teeth, tissues, all over your body, it  helps reduce your chances of getting sick (Great to take when sick) . The body is not able to make vitamin C on its own, and it does not store vitamin C. It is therefore important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet. Serious side effects from too much vitamin C are very rare, because the body cannot store the vitamin, but very large doses can lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.

Signs of vitamin C deficiency are:

 Anemia, Bleeding gums ,Decreased ability to fight infection, Decreased wound-healing rate, Dry and splitting hair, Easy bruising, Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)Nosebleeds ,Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism, Rough, dry, scaly skin, Swollen and painful joints, and Weakened tooth enamel.

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D helps your body’s nerves, muscles, immune system, and helps  absorb calcium into the bones.  The sun is one of the best ways to get vitamin D, but since most of us are stuck in school or work all day it’s hard for our bodies to get the needed amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D-rich foods include egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver. Vitamin D is also useful in slowing the reproduction of certain types of cancer cells.

Vitamin D deficiency seems to be common in the U.S. Maybe we are all just spending too much time inside. It is estimated the 25% of U.S. adults have less than 18 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D (severe vitamin D deficiency). Overall, 40% of men and 50% of women are thought to be lower than the healthy level of vitamin D (28 nanograms per milliliter). The people most at risk are anyone who spends a lot of time indoors , and people with dark skin (dark skin absorbs less sunlight). When vitamin D levels are low, your body just doesn’t seem to work as well. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to high blood pressure, insulin problems, diabetes risk, obesity and more.

If you take this vitamin be sure to take it right away in the morning for an extra boost of energy!

Vitamin E:

This wonderful antioxidant is your skins best friend!  Vitamin E helps the skins aging process, reduces the appearance of stretch marks and scars, burns, promotes faster healing, makes your hair shinier, fingernail growth, and the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin E is Fat soluble, not water soluble and can be stored in the body. However, vitamin E doesn't control physical signs of aging like wrinkles and grey hair. It won't make you live longer, either! But it can help you live better.

It isn't always easy to get enough vitamin E in your diet. Oils and margarines made from corn, cottonseed, soybean, safflower, and wheat germ are good sources of vitamin E. You can also get this powerful vitamin from nuts and seeds, like hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, Brazil nuts, and almonds. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains have some vitamin E, but cooking at high temperatures destroys vitamin E. Look for fresh or lightly cooked/lightly processed foods for best vitamin E content.

Vitamin E deficiency symptoms include ruptured red blood cells, abnormal fat deposits, degenerative changes in muscles, skin and nails, and neurological disorders.

Vitamin E deficiency is associated with pancreatic, gallbladder, liver, and celiac diseases characterized by poor nutrient absorption from the digestive tract.

Nervous system problems – sensation loss, pain, and tingling – in the arms, hands, legs, and feet may signify vitamin E deficiency.

Deficiency of vitamin E is a nutritional deficiency and can be overcome by eating a proper diet and taking vitamin E supplement.

 

Vitamin A (beta-carotene):

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, it is also a provitamin,  because it is easily converted to vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A is essential for eye health, skin and mucous membrane health, reproduction and fertility, growth, and immune system function. Beta-carotene is not toxic when consumed in large amounts because the body will convert to vitamin A only what it needs. Side effects of too much beta-carotene include diarrhea and a yellow or orange cast to the skin, especially on the hands and feet. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant, similar to vitamins E and C. Antioxidants protect the body from damage caused by the toxic byproducts of normal cellular metabolism that may cause cancer and other diseases.

The immune system does not function as well with low levels of Vitamin A. A lack of this vitamin affects skin cells, and mucous production in the respiratory, digestive, and urinary tracts, all of which provide barriers against infections. It is also crucial in the development of lymphocytes, or the white blood cells that fight infection. A deficiency in vitamin A adversely affects hormone production in the reproductive systems of both men and women. Low levels of vitamin A can also affect genes that regulate growth, impeding normal development in a fetus, possibly resulting in birth defects or other abnormalities.

B complex with a little extra B12:

Vitamin B complex is made up of eight vitamins, they were initially thought to be one vitamin because they usually co-exist in the same food but were later found to be different with diverse functions. So they retained the ‘vitamin b’ part in their names. These vitamins include vitamin B1, vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B7, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12. Alongside vitamin B6 these are the vitamins that should be taken daily. All 8 are essential for human metabolism, growth, reproduction, general health, appetite, the normal functioning of the digestive tract, nervous stability, and blood cell formation. B Vitamins are so important they are one of the few nutrients the federal government mandates to be added to foods. The problem is, you cannot rely on your food for enough B vitamin. Intense heat, processing, slow cooking, light, baking soda and baking powder all destroy B vitamins.

When was the last time you went through a day without sugar, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine or stress?  Every one of these depletes your body's supply of vitamin B.

Deplete the body of these compounds and you weaken the nerve and muscle tissue which could result in nerve problems and loss of muscle tone. The loss of brain tissue will affect your memory. Phosphorous depletion will weaken muscle and rhythm function, affecting the rhythm of the heart.

Make sure you are taking this important vitamin, it will affect your future!

Calcium and magnesium:

Calcium is crucial for strong bones, especially for women, who are five times more likely than men to develop bone-weakening  osteoporosis.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a problem that many individuals face. With the use of calcium, however, blood pressure may be controlled to some degree. Studies have shown that diets high in calcium result in a decrease in blood pressure and risk of hypertension

A study analysis performed by professors at Creighton University directly links calcium to weight control and fat loss. Data from several observational studies and trials was collected and analyzed to determine calcium's effect on weight. The results led these individuals to the conclusion that "increased calcium intake results in reduced body weight, mainly by reducing fat mass." It should be noted, however, that calcium is only one player in the weight management equation. Many other factors influence body weight.

Calcium and magnesium are two elements that are highly essential for the body. They are mentioned together because they mostly function as a group. Calcium is the most abundant element in the body and is extremely essential for the growth and development of the bones. However, it is not very easy for calcium to get absorbed within the body and hence most of it is flushed out. Magnesium is the element that helps calcium get absorbed within the body. Refined sugar and alcohol interfere directly with the amounts of calcium and magnesium in the body. Both of these substances eliminate more magnesium out of the body in the form of urine. As a result, magnesium is unavailable for the absorption of calcium and its level goes down too. Hence, people suffering from bone related problems must reduce their intake of both refined sugar and alcohol.

How to find the right vitamin:

Most of the best vitamins are the cheapest ones, don’t go looking for the best and most expensive, just look at the back of the bottle. Look at the ingredients if it has sugar, artificial dyes or flavors, preservatives, or any other listed ingredient that shouldn’t be in that vitamin put it back.

 You want to have one that is free from artificial dyes flavors, sugars, gluten, yeast, wheat, milk or milk derivatives, lactose, preservatives, soy, and sodium.

 

Just taking these six vitamins will help your now and in the future. I hope you learned a little something new and consider going and getting some of the vitamins listed above!

 

Did you know that Haley believes that organic is the way to go?!

New Year, New You! ~ Haley Oscar

If you’re anything like me, keeping weight off in the winter time can be hard! With all the pie, cookies, sodas, eggnog, and every other fattening food it’s hard to keep your weight from going up. The average American can gain 5 to 15 pounds in the holiday season alone from all the sugar and fatty foods! Gaining that much weight in that small of a time frame can take a horrible toll on your body, and can be hard to lose! From Halloween to New Year’s Eve we eat and eat and eat like we’re preparing to go into hibernation. Sure some people can lose the weight, but most people don’t, we go out and by a new pair of jeans cause the other ones don’t fit, or we pretend those stretch marks aren’t there. And the older you get the hard it is to motivate yourself to keep off the holiday weight. So why not get into the habit now, how about we lose weight this season instead of gaining even more?!

This holiday season let’s do these things to lose weight together!

1. Skip the soda, or holiday drink for water. You will not believe how refreshed and better you’ll feel if you drink 8-10 full glasses of water a day.
2. Also, try drinking a full glass of water 20 minutes before you eat. This will help you to not eat as much.
3. Take small bits of food and eat it slowly. Did you know that it takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain that it’s full? So take your time there’s no contest to win!
4. Skip the French fries or any other fried food, these are horrible on your heart and take your body forever to digest, and once is does digest is turns straight into fat. Try substituting fried foods for a side of fruit or vegetables, you’ll get more energy from these foods and you’ll feel great and burn fat this way!
5. Have control over your calorie intakes – calories mean energy, and so taking calories is very important so that our body would always have full of energy. But when the amount of calories inside our body exceeds over the maximum, then it is now time to burn them out. Always have a control on your calorie intakes, and through that, you can lose weight fast.
6. Cut down the sugar, try limiting yourself to a sugary treat once a week. Trust me, I personally cannot have sugar that often anymore because of health issues. So if I can hold off on the sugar you can. So try to hold off on the sugar and have a planned day to eat it. But on your set day DO NOT OVER DO IT! Over eating sugar can cause your body to go into shock and you get the sugar high and then the crash. Limit it to one piece of pie or two cookies, whatever it is watch your portions! (I know, it’s HARD!)
7. Work out, the one thing many of us (Even me) are ‘To busy’ or to ‘lazy’ to do. Did you know that your heart needs at least 20 minutes of cardio a day? To keep a healthy weight (or to lose it)many of us need to work out at least twenty minutes each day. I personally like to jog or dance. But since it’s the winter months it’s too cold for many of us to get out and jog (Unless you have a gym membership). If you live in a state or country that gets a lot of snow like mine does, shoveling can make for a great cardio work out! If you’re one of the luckier ones who rarely or never get snow another work out you could do for free or fairly cheap is Pilaties. Pilaties is one of my all-time favorites, it’s easy on the body but it’s one heck of a work out! Pilaties is a lot like yoga but works out the in more ways. Pilaties tones and stretches the body to be more flexible and flat. You can find all kinds of work out videos on Youtube or anywhere else on the web!

     8. Eat more! Yep, you heard me right! Eat more…fruits and vegetables, that is.

     Here are 6 ways to add veggies to your daily food plan:

Try a V8 or Naked Juice for your 3 p.m. afternoon snack. This will count as a full serving of fruits or vegetables!

            Toss extra veggies into your soups, stews, and salads.

Use pre-bagged baby spinach (Organic is always nice!) just like you would lettuce, toss it into your soups, or wilt it on top of pasta.

Buy vegetables that are already cut up. I know it costs more, but if that's the only way you are going to eat more veggies, it's worth it. (Skip the $4 cup of coffee!)

Did you know that vegetable soup counts as a serving of vegetables?

Lettuce, tomato and sprouts--oh my! Pile up layers and layers on your sandwiches. You can add a layer of cucumber, too

1. Keep yourself active any way you can. In the winter a lot of us are content sitting on our butts watching the holiday specials or staring at Facebook for hours on end. Get up and move! Play with your siblings, crack out that Just Dance game that has been sitting on your shelf since last Christmas, go sledding, make a snow man, volunteer at a local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, animal shelter, ect! Point is, DO SOMETHING! You need to move in order for your body to lose any kind of fat!
2. Your weight, your diet, and your exercise plan are from just one slice of your life’s pie. Permanent weight loss is about living a balanced life always. It’s about looking at all areas of your life – health, relationships, finances, career, fun, creativity, spirituality, physical environment – and creating them so that they support you to have the life you want.
3. Focusing only on weight loss will not serve you well. You may lose weight, but you will most definitely find it again later.
4. Make a commitment to YOU, all of you, every aspect of you. Losing weight won’t fix what’s wrong with your social life, relationships or happiness, just like gathering buckets of money won’t help you gain REAL friends or happiness. Seek balance. Enjoy every aspect of your life!
5. The most important tip to losing weight is to truly love your body, make healthy steps to better yourself and body but don’t hate on yourself for gaining weight. Pray to God about struggles you might have with the way you look and ask him to help you see how beautiful you really are! Remember you are fearfully and wonderfully made! Hating your body will only cause depression and stress which will make you gain more weight.
6. Be comfortable in your own skin, love every inch of you and thank God every day for how beautiful he made you inside and out.
7. Every time you look in the mirror don’t look at the things you hate about yourself, but thank God for something you like. After doing this for a few days I promise you’ll have a better outlook on yourself and your body!
8. Have a VERY blessed and happy Christmas and New Year’s you beautiful woman of God!

Did you know that Haley loves super hero movies but hates chick flicks?!

Tricep Workout with Lea

Ask any girl what the most difficult part of the body is to tone and strengthen and most will say... the triceps! Of course, if you work the triceps, you have to work the biceps. These two are partner muscles, and to avoid being muscularly imbalanced, you have to work one as much as the other. But why are the triceps so difficult to strengthen? Because we use the biceps more. The biceps are just stronger because more of our every day movements use more of them than they do the triceps. So, what can we do to work our triceps?

Push-ups: Although everyone knows what a push up is, I'm going to make sure you know how to do it correctly. Your arms should be extended under you, but your elbows should not be locked. Your hands should be placed directly under your shoulders. Make sure that your whole body is in a straight line, that your butt isn't sticking up or your hips aren't dropping. Lower your body to the ground SLOWLY. Slow and controlled movement puts in more work because it allows the resistance to kick in. People who try their hardest to do 10 push ups as fast as they can aren't getting all the benefits of the exercise. Do not go so far down that your elbows are way above your shoulder blades. When you reach your limit, extend your arms slowly until you are all the way back up. If you want to make push ups a little more difficult, then try staying in your down position for a few more seconds than normal before coming back up.

Triceps kick-backs (with weights): These are some of my favorite, because once you really get going, you can definitely feel your muscles burning! Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees enough so that you feel resistance (don't let your knees go past your toes). With your arms at your sides, angle them at 90 degrees and, without moving your upper arms, move your lower arms back. In this position, it should look as if you've just pushed off really hard while skiing. Then move them back to the first position.

Triceps lifts: Another one of my favorites :) With your arms above you, grip your weights and lower your arms behind your head, then raise them again. This move is very simple and easy, yet very effective!

These three moves will definitely give those upper arms a workout, just don't forget to work out those biceps too!

Did you know that Lea has to eat the middle of her foods BEFORE she eats the middle?!

Fit to Serve~ Water and a Ab Workout!

Water. Many of us knows that it's good for us, but how many people really act on that knowledge?

Did you know:

~75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

~In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

~Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3% which can make a HUGE difference if you're trying to keep a weight or lose it.

~One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters (studied in a University of Washington study).

~Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

~Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

~A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

~Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

Studies show that you should be drinking half your bodies weight in water in ounces everyday to be fully hydrated, and our full bodies weight in ounces when we are sick to heal faster. Most people will drink up to one glass of water or less a day, filling their thirst on such things as soda, coffee and tea, which dehydrates you even more than you were to begin with, not to mention soda and such also pulls needed vitamins out of your system. You’ve probably heard those narrators on the National Geographic specials say things like "Water gives life" or "Without water there could be no life." They’re overly dramatic sounding, but they’re right. Water makes up 70% of our bodies; so how do we become dehydrated? It doesn’t take much, It can happen to an athlete who’s competing, to someone who’s in bed with the flu, has diarrhea, in the very hot weather, or even to someone who just doesn’t drink enough (if any at all) water.

So what happens to us when we are even just a little or even horribly dehydrated?

~Your brain won’t work properly – you’ll be groggy, slow, and feel out of it, tired all the time.

~You’ll lose muscle tone

~Your kidneys won’t be able to function; toxins and wastes will back up in your body, making you feel generally crummy or get sick easier.

~You’ll have trouble regulating your body temperature; you make feel overheated, or you may feel chronically cold and unable to get warm.

~You’ll get constipated and bloated often (And not just on your time of the month)

~Fats stored in your body won’t get used up or metabolized (Won't be able to lose weight)

~You’ll think you’re hungry all the time, and so you’ll be likely to eat more. Also known as the munchies!

~Your skin will get dry, itchy, saggy, and acne can get worse or even appear.

A clear sign of dehydration is in the color of your urine. Did you know that urine is not supposed to be a dark yellow or even yellow? If you are properly hydrated, your urine should be clear or maybe with just a slight tint in it.

Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning before eating is especially good for cleansing the liver. Lemons are also a good source of citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. It helps prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria and the decomposition of tissue, It assists in “cleansing the system of impurities” and will help prevent disease. It is effective at dissolving uric acid (often the cause of pain and inflammation in joints) and other poisons in the body. Helps fix oxygen and calcium levels in the liver, which ultimately affects blood oxygen levels. It can help reduce symptoms of malaria, rheumatism, gout, rickets and tuberculosis (Which I hope none of you have!). One of the most important benefits of drinking lemon water regularly is its effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Lemon water assists in the process of digestion and elimination. The digestive qualities of lemon juice help to relieve symptoms of indigestion, such as heartburn, belching and bloating. Lemon assists in lowering high blood pressure, relieves symptoms of asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems, Nourishes brain and nerve cells due to its potassium content, Helps dissolves gallstones, calcium deposits, kidney stones, and pancreatic stones, and in pregnancy, it will help build strong bones in the child. Lemon water will also help to eliminate waste through the bowels more efficiently, thus preventing or alleviating constipation, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disorders.

Amazing what just a little bit of lemon and a lot of water can do for the body, right?! It's no surprise God gave us many clear signs that is all He wanted us to drink. Adam and Eve weren't handed sodas at the end of the day, nor were they handed fresh squeezed orange juice. Water is mentioned in the Bible hundreds of times. That's what they relied on. That was their source of life. It's no wonder why today that we have so much sickness and pain in the world. No one's drinking enough of the thing that over half their bodies are made of!

Try it!

Use a freshly cut lemon and squeeze a little benifits you just read!

I can't stress enough the importance of drinking water, it's not that hard grab a glass and go!

Quick! Your body's counting on you...

More on the importance of water:

http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/health_benefits_of_drinking_water.html

More on lemon water:

http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/benefits-of-drinking-lemon-water.html

All about water:

http://www.waterbenefitshealth.com/index.html

Did you know that Haley ONLY drinks water?! I guess that's not a shocker to you now!


Now unto the abs with Lea...

Fat, flab, pudge, love-handles, muffin-tops... whatever you call it, we can all agree on one thing: We don't like it. It seems like the abdominal area is where most girls struggle with being comfortable. We look in the mirror and see a little bit of a roll there and automatically compare ourselves to the actors on TV or the models in the magazines and suddenly decide to change outfits to try and disguise our stomachs a little bit. Well first I want to say, you are BEAUTIFUL!! But I also want to say, it's ok when there's something about you that you want to change as long as you want to change it for the right reason; like being healthier. Truth is, there is no secret machine or food that will liquidate the pudge-lining. The simple fact is, you just need to eat right, drink plenty of water, and exercise. You might say, "But I do like a billion crunches every day and still have some flab hanging around!" Know what? You probably have a six-pack actually hiding under the love-handles. But you can't just do crunches for nice abs, you need to burn the fat with cardio, strengthen the muscles with strength exercises, and like I said before, eat right (read Haley Oscar's article for eating right).

Whatever kind of cardio you do, as long as it's got your heart pumpin, you are burning fat. But wait! I've had some people say, "I do some cardio on Monday, some strength on Tuesday, and focus on my abs on Wednesday and nothing's changing." That's because exercise requires variety, endurance, and change.

You need to include all the different areas of exercise each time you work out!! Just focusing on one type each day doesn't work. That just gets ur heart racing and ready to go and then saying, "Hey! Why are we stopping?"

The longer and harder you work-out (without working out too long or too hard for your body to handle) the more fit you'll become. I have a friend who works out two hours each day, and another friend who goes for a half hour each day. They both look good, but my friend who works out longer is more toned, conditioned, and firm. It's like running and then reaching a hill. You're working on your cardio, and then strength to get up the hill. You can't just say, "Ok, this hill is in the way so I'm done." You need to keep going.

You cannot do the exact same workout everyday. Your body gets bored of it, too used to it, and that actually sets you up for injury because the exact same body parts are being overworked.

What I Reccommend:

Along with your cardio exercises, you could try some of my personal favorite ab exercises:

Bicycle Crunches: Lay on your back, put your hands behind your ears, lift your legs and "pedal" slowly as you also use your muscles to lift the top of your back off the ground. DO NOT pull on your neck. Your hands should not be jerking your neck up, they are there for support, not to do the work for you.

Trunk Rotations with Boxing: With your legs far apart, bend your legs and punch from side to side. Keep your hips in place, don't let them turn with you.

These two are my favorites but for more exercises, I suggest http://shape.com or http://fitnessmagazine.com.

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