Fat Loss 4 Idiots Opinion

Monday, February 16, 2009

Natural Remedies for Menopause and Weight Loss

By Ricardo d Argence

Menopause is a challenging time of transition from the reproductive years to the post-childbearing years for many women. A woman's body stops causing egg follicles to mature every month and female hormones naturally decline when menopause occurs.

Unfortunately, menopause can be difficult for some women because of its often uncomfortable symptoms. These can include hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, loss of interest in sex, and irritability. Unexpected weight gain is another frequent consequence of menopause.

Sometimes women who gain weight during menopause haven't made any changes in their eating habits or exercise routine. This can be frustrating, prompting women to wonder what caused this sudden and unexpected weight gain. Other times, weight gain is a result of hormonally triggered overeating. Another cause of weight gain is the natural metabolic slow-down that happens as people age. This slower metabolism means excess calories or an unbalanced diet will have a far greater effect on menopausal women.

Body fat and estrogen also have a unique complementary role. Body fat helps regulate the production of estrogen, the female hormone that declines dramatically in menopause. Sometimes, the body will fight to hold on to fat in an effort to stabilize estrogen levels. Hormones and body fat also interact with each other in complex was that affect weight gain through changes in appetite, digestion, and metabolism.

Try using a more natural antidote to increased weight and other the negative symptoms of menopause, instead of turning to hormone therapy that is now linked to problems such as breast and reproductive cancers. Some of these remedies include black cohosh and sage, to regulate hot flashes; St. John's Wort, a natural anti-depressant and stress alleviator; and chasteberry, for moodiness and general hormonal imbalance.

The issue is that the majority of women feel they need nothing but these remedies in order to stop gaining weight and stave off the symptoms of menopause. Truthfully, maintaining a healthy diet and excercising regularly is the best way to reverse weight gain during menopause.

Regulating hormone balance naturally by eating a nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet is a far more effective approach than herbal remedies. While herbal remedies can help supplement a good diet and exercise plan, many women find that a healthy lifestyle will alleviate symptoms without the need to spend money on these supplements and herbal preparations.

It is important for a healthy diet to concentrate on ingesting healthy fats in moderation and not eating bad fats at all. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables should form the bulk of the diet, supplemented by lean protein and dairy foods (or non-dairy foods that contain calcium). Keep away alcohol food, and spicy food, if you are caffeine aggravates symptoms of menopause, and of course, pass up fried and fatty foods, excess sugar, and junk.

Added 8 glasses of water a day for about half an hour several days a week exercise has potential, you can approach your significant weight loss, and even in the face of obstacles to menopause hormones. By stabilizing your hormones with a diet and excersize program, you will see relief from other menopause issues as well. - 17269

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How Much Weight You Should Gain During Pregnancy

By Ricardo d Argence

It isn't the pregnancy most women mind, but the weight gain they experience the nine months during it and then have to endure for a couple months after. It is natural for a pregnant woman to gain weight, as the embryo needs the extra vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy growth.

In years past weight gain was considered detrimental for the pregnant woman, but now it is accepted as a normal part of embryo development. Actually, the huge problem of pregnant women is, how much should they ideally put on weight while they are pregnant.

It is essential to the health of both mother and baby that proper eating and light exercise are priorities. While most pregnancy weight goes to the baby, certain percentages go to the placenta, the breast tissues, water, and other pregnancy fluids.

A good natural weight limit to set for pregnant women would be a minimum of 15 lbs for overweight women who become pregnant. For skinny women who become pregnant, if they gained 45 or 50 lbs it is still considered a good weight.

Usually with the help of a ultra sound some women find out they are going to have more than one baby. Because both embryo's need nutrition, it is natural for the pregnant woman to gain even more weight. Women who tend to maintain their weight usually have problems with the development of the embryo, which in turn can cause problems for the newborn baby and possibly make them quite sickly.

300 calories a day is what a pregnant woman should consume. Junk foods are not really good for pregnant women. Mothers who will be expecting children will most likely see some gain in their weight when pregnancy begins, yet they possibly will not experience a significant amount of weight gain until in a later stage.

Losing weight when you gain too much weight is definitely not a good idea. You should not eat salt while you are pregnant, as it could cause the baby some future troubles.

Women that are obese tend to have higher blood pressure ratings, gestational diabetes, and other issue while they are pregnant. They also increase the chances of having a miscarriage.

With her doctor's approval, the pregnant woman can engage in light exercise, including swimming. Swimming is a great way to burn calories; for further help in proper pregnancy development you can also take short walks or perform some of the exercises that your pediatrician can instruct you on.

Keep in mind that you are now taking care of at least two people now, so it is that much more important to take care of yourself. - 17269

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Your Wedding, A Great Reason to Lose Weight

By Ricardo d Argence

For most people, the wedding day is the most special day of their lives and both bride and groom like to lose a few pounds to look their best. This special day for both of them may only come once in their lives.

It can often depend on the time of year as to whether you would like to lose those excess pounds, those who marry in the summertime may not have a lot of weight to lose. This may be because you have already lost weight because you want to look nice and slim in your bikini.

Since you tend to gain more weight in the winter months, ladies planning their weddings from January to June may have to loose more weight than others. You can lose weight for your wedding, though you should be careful that your weightloss should be appropriate to your body type.

Not all women look good as a size 8, some look healther with a fuller figure without being overweight. Make sure you try to get to a weight that is comfortable and healthy for your build.

All grooms want their future wife to look like a fairy tale princess on their wedding day, and with this in mind it is what gives most brides the incentive to lose weight. The man of your dreams and future husband to be will smile with pride when you walk down the aisle, therefore you can walk down the aisle with confidence looking magnificent from head to toe. All women feel great and confident when they have reached their proper goal in weight for their own size and shape.

Losing weight before a wedding is not only a future bride's wish, the groom may be interested as well. Men also want to look good for their special day and would like to shed a few pounds.

The groom himself will know beforehand if he has gained weight when the waistband on his trousers is getting that little bit tighter. His future wife will no doubt know that he likes a couple of beers with his friends now and again, but she to will like him to make that special effort to shed a few pounds before their special day.

Almost all of the time, the bride becomes the main attraction during the wedding ceremony, but afterwards, at the reception, everyone will be looking at the groom as well as at the bride. Family, friends and all people talk about the wedding. Neither the bride nor groom would be happy if weight were the topic of the conversation.

As added motivation to lose weight before your wedding day, think about your wedding pictures, as the old saying is that a photo never lies. The way you both looked on your special day can soon be forgotten as time goes by, also the way both of you moved around the dance floor. The photographs will be a reminder for you in the present, your children and grandchildren in the future. In a different article, I'll let you know how you can shed the extra weight before The Big Day, or, if you desire to check out my website, simply click on the link below and you can get right to it. - 17269

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Achieving The Body You Want This Year

By Nate Rifkin

Here are 5 secrets to help you get in shape this year:

1. Keep your goals PRIVATE.

If someone isn't as committed to their health or fitness, they might feel negative about you trying to do your best. And you might get some bad energy sent your way for trying to lose weight or get in shape. Don't let this happen.

2. Give your goal a reason.

If you want to exercise every day, decide why. I'm very serious. You must know what drives you emotionally even when times are tough. Do you want more energy throughout the day, or to look more attractive? Maybe you're concerned about heart health? Figure it out because this step is crucial.

3. Use this reason to keep you going when things get rough.

Whenever it gets tough maintaining your new habits day after day or you start to prioritize other things, keep this reason in mind. Focus on it and you'll be back in action in no time.

4. Don't do this alone.

This means avoiding your friends who overeat if you want to clean up your diet. And getting around active people if you want to exercise more. Like it or not, its a lot harder to accomplish something alone.

5. If you screw up, don't worry about it.

If you eat a few too many unhealthy foods for a few days or skip a few workouts, it's not the end of the world. Just remember why you got started in the first place and keep making forward progress.

Use these five secrets and you'll transform your body in 2009 for the better. - 17269

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The Benefits of Wheat Berries

By Scott Davis

Living in our modern cities we have forgotten what farming is. We don't remember what it was like to till and plant and grow crops. And especially what it was to eat simple, wholesome good foods.

But there has been a resurgence reminding us of the importance of whole foods. Reminding us of simpler times when people didn't eat overly processed foods. This whole foods revival has reminded us that things like whole wheat berries, the fancy name for whole wheat kernels, contain a more complete set of nutrients.

Getting Back to Healthy Ways

As a soft or hard grain, wheat berries can be added to bread (baked with) or salads, where they make a satisfying crunch sound while filling our bodies with fiber, iron and vitamins B and C. You can also mill your wheat kernels to make flour which you will then use to make all kinds of satisfying and healthy products, from pasta to bread to cookies to pastries (muffins and cookies). The kernel of whole wheat contains 3 important elements that must be present in order to earn the appellative of whole grain: endosperm, bran and germ. You can even plant the whole grain to grow your own wheat if you have the land, the time and the patience.

All You Need Is Imagination

While it may be strange to start cooking with whole grains initially, with a little creativity you'll be on your way. There are tons of whole foods recipes to choose from. Just pick something that suits your fancy and that your family can enjoy. Getting children who are accustomed to processed foods eating whole foods may be difficult as your getting started. But starting children eating whole foods at a young age will get them into good habits while they are still young.

Eating Whole Foods Regularly

Immediately switching to whole wheat and grains may seem like quite a shock to people who are used to processed foods. But it doesn't have to be like that. This isn't an all or nothing thing. By slowly adding whole wheat and whole grains to your diet you can make it a smooth transition. Start using whole grains by swapping standard items for their whole grains alternatives. Doing it like that will make the process go so much smoother.

Let's Visit The Pyramid

The US Food Guide Pyramid recommends at least 6 servings a day of whole grain, including wheat berries found in cereals, bread and pastas. One serving is equivalent to 1 slice of bread, a cup of cereal, and half a cup of pasta. As mentioned above, wheat berries contain an abundance of fiber and vitamins. A meal with whole grain helps control the level of sugar in the body, an important factor if you have a diabetic in the family. Minerals and anti-oxidants are also present in whole wheat, a component that has been shown to be helpful in retarding the effects of aging. - 17269

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Six-Pack Abs Just from Your Pantry With Only Four Simple Steps

By Rob Molloy

If I were to say to you that you can get six-pack abs straight from your kitchen in four steps, the chances are you'd think I was joking. When I first heard this I also had my doubts but if you think about it, it's absolutely true. After all, you can work out as much as you like and exercise as often as you wish in order to get a rock hard six-pack, but if it's hidden behind belly fat, you won't be able to see it and neither will anyone else. The only way you're going to be able to flaunt your six-pack, is by getting rid of any belly fat you have.

Going back to that phrase, 'six pack abs are made in the kitchen', the key to getting there is going to be through diet and a lot of hard work. To get to a point where six pack abs can be seen you need to have a very low body fat percentage. Your body fat needs to be less than 10% for men and 14% for women. This isn't going to happen for many of us unless we make some serious changes in the way we eat.

So, how is it possible to get six-pack abs straight from the kitchen in 4 easy steps? Let's take a look at calories first. The most effective means of getting rid of fat is by depriving ourselves of calories. Providing your daily calorie intake is less than your body requires in its present state, you'll lose weight. For example, if your aim is to lose one pound of fat each week, then you'll need to ensure you're eating 500 calories less each day than you do presently. This is based on the fact that a pound of fat contains more or less 3500 calories. Also, the more exercise you do, the more energy your body requires and if you're not providing sufficient calories, your body will be forced into burning fat instead, in order to meet the demand for energy.

Here are 4 things that you can do in the kitchen to put you in that calories deficit and make it more likely for you to have your six pack abs revealed.

1. Carbohydrates are a source of fuel for the human body. Likewise, your body will always use the carbs you're providing it with before turning to its fat reserves so the less carbs you provide your body with; the sooner it will start burning fat. The disadvantage of this method though, is that for those trying to build muscle; carbs are a very important and much needed source of energy. However, if your goal is to lose weight, then cutting back on carbs is highly effective.

2. Perhaps one of the most common problems people face when they go on diet, is that they tend to lose muscle as well as fat. Essentially this is because while on a diet, one is most often depriving one's body of much needed fuel. The best way to counter this negative result of carb deprivation is by including a lot of protein in your diet. Of course, as I've mentioned earlier, you need to remember that calorie intake must however still be kept at a level which is less than your body requires, which in essence means that you need to eat less than what your body needs. Under normal circumstances, those who are trying to increase muscle mass would need to ensure that approximately twenty to thirty percent of their diet consists of protein. On the other hand, if you're cutting back on carbs as part of your diet, then you should increase your protein content to about forty percent.

3. Cut back on bad fat and eat more good fat. Of course you need to be cutting the bad fat out as much as possible but you don't need to be cutting out all fats. Bad fats are the saturated and trans fatty kinds which can be used for energy and your body tends to store. The good kinds of fat are monounsaturated fats which aren't stored by your body, aren't used as energy, but are great at increasing your metabolism. Increased metabolism means helps bring about fat loss making it easier for you to see your six pack abs.

4. When one considers that the human body is 70% water, it stands to reason that it requires lots of water in order to remain healthy. Of course, everyone should drink plenty of water as it helps to clean the body and if you're on diet, then you need to also understand that your body will store water for later use if you are not drinking enough in the first place. Of course having water stored is certainly not something you want when you're trying to make that six-pack show through. Another benefit of drinking lots of water when on diet is that it makes you feel full as well. - 17269

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6 Tips to Build Muscle Faster

By Allen Brian

When per suiting a muscle mass body, majority of people are impatient and can't wait to achieve their goal faster. Many people trying hard to find out how to build muscle faster, here is some tips you can apply in your bodybuilding process and you will see results in weeks.

The very first thing you know while you get started build you muscle is not to do many workouts. Logically, it seems as if working harder, doing more reps, lifting more weights will make you see results far faster, but this is incorrect.

If you want to build muscle faster, instead of overtrain your body, there are several right methods out there for you to choose from. Overtraining will damage muscles and it would take weeks to months time for recover. Also, don't take any risk with your body. While lying on your back, you can't build your muscles.

Keep the weights that you lift at about 70% to 80% of your maximum muscle strength. At this stage of muscle damage, muscle is not overtrained and will add more muscles after the muscle repairs itself. If you do workout exercise too fast, it generates lactic acid in your body that have negative effects in your muscle building process.

Cut Out Any Aerobics

Aerobics are good for cardio. But they have nothing good for muscle building. In fact, aerobics not only have nothing good for muscle building but also interfere it.

Eat Meat And Fish

Intake mass fish and lean red meats. Such as, salmon that contains high amounts of Omega-3. In order to grow more muscle, you need the protein in lean red meats.

Rest Your Body!

After finishing you weight lifting workout, taking a day for rest. In other words, you will not have two weight lifting days in a row. You also can train certain part of muscle in day 1 and train totally different part of muscle in day 2. This is fine if you let the muscles worked out the previous day rest. You also need to get enough sleep. Your body requires plenty of sleep in order to heal. As we mention before, our body will add more muscles after the muscle repairs itself.

Proper hydration is also needed for building muscles. The function of suitable hydration is regulating your body temperature, cushioning your joints, eliminating body waste and carrying nutrition. These are tips that you should try out for having healthy body and good working out.

Good Protein Source

Lean chicken, lean red meat eggs, tuna, salmon are good protein source for your meal plan if you are trying to build muscle faster. It's important that you eat lean meats. In order to increase your muscle growth, fat loss and increase muscle strength, you can eat some foods that will stimulate your testosterone level, like red meat and salmon.

Go for Your Doctor

You should consult doctor for suitable rest of muscles. Your doctor will advice you how to stay in healthy.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep 8 to 10 hours daily is important for building muscles faster. The purpose is relaxing. That amount of sleeping will relax your muscle. If you have any chance for sleeping, sleep as much as you can for more muscle mass growth. - 17269

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Lose Weight with a Diet of Your Own Favorite Choices of Foods

By Christine G. Shannon

People's reasons to lose fat vary. Some people might have noticed their weight creeping up and they want to restrict the damage. Other people might be very large and perhaps this is causing other health problems. Quick and easy fat loss diets are highly sought after but losing weight is not always easy. There is a lot of hype about different fat loss diets but most of these diets are disappointing and do not live up to their promise of long term or instant results. It is not always simple to find a fat burning diet that works.

One of the first things you need to understand when it comes to dieting as it will take time to burn fat and calories. It does take a bit of patience to learn how to eat the right foods and when to eat them. You want a weight loss program that does increase your energy. You do not want to feel tired and miserable while you are dieting. Keep in mind that various types of diet secrets involve starving yourself. A starvation diet will never be truly successful for long term results.

It is important that you find a fat loss diet that is easy to understand, stick with and is the right weight loss diet for your habits. A diet can be hard to commit to if you have a hard time understanding it, you will end up getting frustrated and depressed, then quit the diet, or give up dieting all together. It makes it more difficult for you to stick with future diets, as well.

Most pre-packaged diet programs can become boring after a while. It is also nicer to be able to eat normal, everyday foods when you are dieting. Pre-packaged diet programs can be expensive and the majority of them is hard or confusing to follow and does not lead to the desired weight loss you have in mind.

Many people fail at low carbohydrate diets because they are much too strict and your body does require a certain amount of carbohydrates to be healthy. You can regain the weight once you start eating carbohydrates like before the diet.

Low fat diets are often high in calories which can cause weight gain rather than weight loss. Low fat foods can be expensive, especially if you are eating them every day. Just because something is low fat does not mean it is low in calories. Following a low fat diet can be boring and bland because many low fat foods are low in flavor and this type of diet can cause cravings.

To lose weight you need a diet program that will actually work for you and your choices of foods. Something you can incorporate easily into your daily routine.

If you have tried all the easy fat loss diets that you have found and still are not satisfied with the type of results you seek. You should try out another diet that can work for you. When you want to lose weight and are committed to finding a workable diet program, Fat Loss 4 Idiots at the link below may be just what you are searching for. - 17269

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Health Tips - Urinary Tract Infection in Children

By Manu Hagen

Urinary tract infection makes urinating painful. The infected children thinks twice before going to the bathroom and they always get a feeling to go to the bathroom. The urine also smells bad because of the infection. Bacteria are responsible for infecting the urinary track.

The kidney does the major job of cleaning waste from the blood. The waste material is urine which is passed to the bladder through the ureters. The shape of the bladder is very similar to a deflated balloon. When the bladder gets filled two hundred and thirty seven milliliters of urine, the brain sends signals to go to the bathroom. When the person gets ready to pass, the muscles located at the end of the bladder relax which lets the urine rush through the urethra, from the bladder, and out of the body.

When children face any of the symptoms of urinary track information, they should talk about it to their parents as the symptoms are visible to the patient more than to others. Parents can observe the urinating frequency of the children. The child feels terrible pain while peeing. He/she is able to pass only small quantity at a time. He/she also gets up several times during the night to go to the bathroom. There is a strange sensation in the lower part of the belly. Blood can also pass along with the urine. Also the urine isn't a clear solution and is cloudy. The urine smells badly after passing. These are all the symptoms of bladder infection. The child can also feel feverish along with chills. Pain can be experienced in the back or the belly. When the pain is right below the ribs, it is a clear sign of kidney infection.

The doctor will take urine sample for testing. The urine is taken in a plastic cup, into which the child pees. Before passing, the child must wipe the area with special wipes, so that the germs from the body do not confuse with the germs in the urine. Germs in the urine are an indication of infection. Although there are million of germs residing on the exterior of the body, they are completely harmless. Only a few of them actually infect the body. A stick is dipped in the urine sample. The stick is special, that is it is a specially treated paper which changes color upon determination of an infection. Otherwise, the urine sample can also be sent to the laboratory. Incase of a bladder infection, the doctor will prescribe medicine that kills the bacteria.

The child will begin to feel good just few days after starting to consume the medicine. But he/she must stay away from food and liquid which has caffeine in it as it can elevate the bladder irritation and the patient will feel very uncomfortable. After the test, if kidney infection is detected, the child will be hospitalized for few days. He/she will be given a germ fighting medicine which will be administered by a small plastic tube which will be introduced in a vein.

After the child recovers from a urinary tract infection, he/she should try best to refrain such incidents in the future. The most important thing is to maintain cleanliness. The private parts should be washed everyday. It is best to take a shower or a bath daily. The child can use wipes to clean every time after passing urine. Children should never hold the urine. When they feel the urge, they should rush to the bathroom immediately. Fluids intake must be increased. Best fluids are water and cranberry juice. Water washes the bacteria out of the body and cranberry juice prevents another bacterial attack. Bubble baths aren't good as it can irritate the urethra. Cotton underwear will absorb the sweat and body moisture, which will prevent bacterial growth. Underpants must be changed everyday. - 17269

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Pros and Cons of Menopausal Weight Loss Products

By Ricardo d Argence

Apart from the bothersome symptoms of menopause, weight gain is very common during this time in a woman's life. This weight gain is often unexpected, and happens even in women who haven't made any dietary changes or reduced their activity level.

There are number of menopausal weight loss products that are marketed to women as effective aids in fighting weight gain during menopause,as you might imagine. But are these products really worth it? Let's discuss the mechanisms of weight gain during menopause, and the associated risks of being overweight during menopause before delving further into the various products and their pros and cons.

There are number of reasons for weight gain during menopause. One is slowed and inefficient digestion that is a consequence of getting older. This keeps food in the digestive tract longer, ensuring that you absorb more nutrients, including fat and calories, from your food.

The alterations in hormones that accompany menopause, primarily lowered concentrations of estrogen, additionally lead to increased weight. This is because estrogen and fat production are linked, fat cells help regulate estrogen production. As concentrations of estrogen lessen due to menopause, the system might attempt to store the greatest amount of fat it can to counter the plunge in hormone amounts. Hormones along with fat stored in the body perform in conjunction in a complex cycle of biofeedback that impacts hunger, metabolic rate, and deposit of fat.

The risks of weight gain are amplified for menopausal women. Being overweight at any stage of life carries risks, like increased risk of high blood pressure, breast and reproductive cancers, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Since the hormone estrogen is important for preventing cardiovascular disease, the risk of having a heart attack goes up when levels of this hormone drop, even then the menopausal women experience no weight gain. The risk of developing health issues is greatly increased for women who become overweight after going through menopause.

So, should you contrivance menopausal weight loss deficit produces to save emphasizing avail in menopause? Let's take a look into a few of these products:

Estrin-D: There are quite a few of stimulants in this product that will help increase your metabolism. These are xanthine (caffeine) derived formulations like yerba matte, caffeine, and guarana, along with some other innocuous herbal ingredients. There are many risks associated with stimulant-based products, while the product does indeed rev up metabolism. In addition, most percentage of caffeine and other stimulants in this formula may ends with rapid heart beat, elevated blood pressure, feeling 'edginess', and excessive perspiration. Caffeine is also thought to contribute to hot flashes during menopause. Because of this, Estin-D is not a good choice for losing weight.

Zalestra: Zalestra includes a far safer array of herbal ingredients that are designed to create a more gentle increase in metabolism, while treating some of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. This product does not have the negative health risks of caffeine-containing products.

Estrolean: The product is similar to Zalestra, but with a smal volume thermogenic ingredients. It is the estrogen which helps to control some of the hormonal imbalances that often accompany menopausal weight gain.

While some of these preparations may have benefit in reducing menopausal symptoms, they will not cause you to lose weight without eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. At best, they might help a little with weight loss, and at worst they can have dangerous and unpleasant side effects.

During menopause, it is vital to eat a diet rich in fiber, eat whole foods, and keep your fat intake at moderate levels to achieve optimum weight control. Along with adequate amounts of vital nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats,a healthy diet that emphasizes fruits, veggies, grains, and lean sources of protein. There's no better way to lose weight during menopause. - 17269

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Chanhassen Dinner Theater - Dinner and Show Combined

By Doug Schlette

Dinner and a show has been popular in the United States since the first dinner theater opened in 1962. 40 year old Chanhassen dinner theater started only a few years after the first and continues to entertain people in 2009. The theater stages a variety of top notch plays throughout the year.

The theater isn't just a single room. The 90,000 square foot complex boasts multiple theaters and dining rooms. The largest room is the Main Dinner Theater. The capacity is 541 people. That doesn't sound like a lot for a theater, but consider this includes tables and booths where meals are served along with the stage performance. The complex includes other theater rooms such as the Playhouse Theater and Fireside Theater. There is also a Director's Room which overlooks the Main Dinner Theater in what is this facility's version of a sports stadium sky box . Private parties take place in the Main Dinner Theater where people can also watch the play from above the room. Weddings are frequently held in the many dining facilities, and people love to visit the lounge and pub.

The Playhouse Theater has its own special story. That theater began hosting the play 'I Do! I Do!' in 1971. The run lasted all the way to 1993. To top off 22 years of entertaining there, the play boasted the same cast from opening day to the last curtain call. Chanhassen built it's fame on that play with 700,000 total viewers, 125 watching at a time.

Throughout its history Chanhassen has displayed some very well known shows. From May of 2003 to June of 2004 Sound of Music played a repeat performance there. Camelot has been there, as have Annie Get Your Gun and The Music Man. The main theater hosted each of these. Some of the other rooms have their share of well known titles like The Sunshine Boys and On Golden Pond. As the titles show, everything from big productions to smaller pieces show at Chanhassen. Good food and excellent shows make it a landmark in the Twin Cities.

People often travel there specifically to see the Chanhassen Dinner Theater. There are plenty of hotels for visitors. You can find out more information about this historic dinner theater at the Chanhassen's website. - 17269

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Goji Berries to the Rescue.

By Anne-Marie Pannu

Recent studies from a major university in Boston named Tufts says that fruits are high in antioxidants. They rank the antioxidant value of fruits that are commonly eaten. This measurement is called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or for short (ORAC). This test measures the total amount of antioxidants in each fruit or vegetable.

What are antioxidants? They protect agains cellular damage, and oxidation caused by free radicals that are around us every day. They are effective to prevent retinal diseases like macular degen. Some antioxidants that we know of are Vitamin C, E, and beta carotene to name a few. Some people forget that some vitamin antioxidant supplements are very popular but the most important part of the nutrients is in the foods we eat.

Highest Ranking fruits for ORAC units per 100 grams (about 3" ounces) Fruits: Goji Berry- Up to 25,000 ORAC levels, only certain companies look for the best, Prunes -- 5570, Raisins -- 2830, Blueberries -- 2400, Blackberries -- 2036, Strawberries -- 1540, Raspberries -- 1220, Plums -- 949, Oranges -- 750, Red grapes -- 739, Cherries -- 670, Kiwi fruit -- 602, Grapefruit, pink -- 483

In Chinese Traditional Medicine Goji Berries (Lycium barbarum) are believed to enhance immune system function, protect the liver, improve eyesight and improve circulation, among other effects. Goji Berries have long played an important role in traditional Eastern medicine, and are thought to extend the life of a person through their powerful antioxidant action, thereby protecting them from premature aging.

Much attention has been given to the goji berry recently in the West and the traditional health-giving properties of the berry are being confirmed in modern scientific studies. Potential benefits include blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar stabilization, an increase in energy and strength, disease resistance, including cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and improved memory, fertility, and general overall health. Goji berries are thought to be neuroprotective and anti-cancer, and can be used to reduce the toxic side effects of conventional cancer treatments. - 17269

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