This healthy recipe is from the Minnedsota Soybeen Research Council which studies and reports the many health benefits of this excellent source of fiber and protein. Research indicates that people in Japan who eat soyfoods daily are less likely to get cancer than people in Japan who seldom eat soyfoods. Soyfoods may also help to prevent type 2 diabetes or complications the disease, reduce menopausal symptoms, and decrease the risk of osteoporosis. So, enjoy these delicious Sloppy Joes...there soy good for you!

Make 6 servings

1 cup boiling water
1 Tbs bottled chili sauce
1 cup dry TSP (Textured Soy Protein)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/4 cup bottled chili sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp cider vinegar

Combine the boiling water and 1 Tbs chili sauce and pour them over the TSP to rehydrate it. Set aside.

Saute the onion, zucchini and bell pepper in a nonstick pan until tender (add a little water if necessary to prevent sticking). Add the rehydrated TSP and cook, stirring for another minute.

Stir the tomato sauce, 1/4 cup chili sauce, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar into TSP mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.

Alternate Spicy Version: Sloppy Joses

Prepare Sloppy Joes, but substitute tomato sauce or ketchup for the chili sauce and omit Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Increase the chili powder to 2 tsp. Add 1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies or 1/2 cup salsa, if desired. This makes a great taco filling, too!

Our FitBriefing alert for the month of January alluded to lagging New Year's resolutions. It's pretty predictable. We start out strong the first of the year with our get healthy and lose weight resolutions, but as the month goes on, well, life does get in the way.

One thing that goes first for many food and weight strugglers are healthy eating resolutions. And many of us agree that diets often seem easier to follow than eating mindfully, because all the decisions are taken away. Diets tell us what to eat -- and what not to eat -- so we don't have to spend a lot of time thinking about it.

We can marry the eating structure of diets with the concept of mindful eating. It's all in how we think about it. In truth, eating structure goes a long way towards helping us stay on track with healthy eating and start to feel well and lose weight if we need to. Read our FitBriefing "Healthy Eating for Healthy Weight Loss: It May Look Like a Diet but It's How You Think About It" to understand this idea more, and start to put it in place in your life. This concept can make the difference between staying with our New Year's resolutions to eat well and reverting to old eating habits that don't get us where we want to go.

Btw, if you want notice each time we post a new FitBriefing, sign up here (if you don't want our brochure, just say so in the box for comments).

Years ago, the idea of little or no exercise for a prolonged period of time might have really depressed me, especially if I was in one of my ‘exercising periods’.  That sense of dread would come because I never really looked at exercise as a way of life. It was always a means to an end – just like a diet. The more religiously and rigorously I did it, the faster I’d get to where I wanted to be – thinner. Any time missed could be disastrous, sending me reeling backwards.

I can honestly say that today I live without the ‘exercise to lose weight head’.  And it’s liberating. There was an interesting study which proves this very point.  The study was lead by Michelle Segar, a University of Michigan psychology researcher who collaborated with Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, former U of M psychology professor, and Donna Spruijt-Metz of the Institute of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Los Angeles. 

From the study:

• Women exercising with a body-shape motivation reported walking 2 ½ times less than women with non-body shape motives, (16 percent vs. 55 percent).

• Women with body-shape motivation reported taking classes and going to gyms/fitness centers three times as often as women with non-body shape motives (52 percent vs. 12 percent), showing that women with this goal used exercise techniques they might not enjoy more frequently because they thought it would help them lose weight the fastest.

• Women who exercised for body-shaping reasons reported participating in physical activities that are higher intensity. They also selected activities that fit into the more traditional definition of exercise—more formal and structured activities—with the idea that they had to go some place for it to count as exercise.

As we’ve often written here, finding the intrinsic joy in exercise is the key to getting a healthier body, mind and improving your outlook on just about anything. It takes a little practice to get there, but once you get there you feel such joy and accomplishment, nothing feels quite so good.

Source: Joe Serwach – University of Michigan News Service

Tags: mindfulness , fitness , healthy lifestyles , perfectionism .

Reuters - The European Union's health chief wants to introduce tougher food labeling rules to combat the growing problem of obesity across Europe, but is facing stiff political and industrial opposition.

Cambridge scientists, Drs. Oliver Jones and Julian Griffin, believe a link between persistent organic pollutants (or POPs) in the environment and insulin resistance, may lead to type 2 diabetes.

"Of course correlation does not automatically imply causation," says Dr. Jones. "But if there is indeed a link, the health implications could be tremendous. At present there is very limited information. Research into adult onset diabetes currently focuses on genetics and obesity; there has been almost no consideration for the possible influence of environmental factors such as pollution."

What are POPs?

In the 1940s, POPs became popular pesticides along with DDT, but were blamed for harming wild birds,  animals, and possibly humans.  After their discontinuation, they remain in the environment, slowly biodegrading and eventually entering the food chain. Once in the body, POPs can persist in body fat for very long periods of time following exposure.

The POPs Link

In their research, Jones and Griffin reviewed other studies in this area and noted that one conducted by Dr D Lee, et al, demonstrated NO association between obese subjects and diabetes when they had low concentrations of POPs in their blood. In fact, thin people with high levels of POPs were more at risk for developing type 2 diabetes than obese individuals with low levels.

While the exact mechanism by which this link exists remains unknown, it bears further investigation, say Jones and Griffin. POPs may not be responsible for all cases of type 2 diabetes, but if a causal relationship can be found, new treatments for the disease may be possible.

The article by Jones and Griffin, "Environmental pollution and diabetes: A neglected relationship," appears in the latest edition of the "Lancet."

This headline has been splashed all over the Internet and media.  But does this preliminary study take into account health risks associated with weight loss surgery or the percentage of patients who regain weight?

Weight Loss Surgery vs. Healthy Lifestyle Change

The results of an Australian study conducted by Dr John B Dixon and colleagues, of Monash University, Melbourne have been published in the January 23rd issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Over 2 years, a small test group of 60 patients, (55 of whom completed the study), gastric banding was compared to conventional diabetes treatment in people with type 2 diabetes.

Apparently, weight loss in the surgical group was responsible for a remission rate 5 times higher and a drop in blood sugar that was 4 times that found in the control group.

But What About The Long Term?

While researchers acknowledge that a larger, more diverse population and longer followups will be needed to confirm these results, they believe this study shows that "intensive weight loss" rather than "simple lifestyle change" is more effective when combating type 2 diabetes.

Will such a strategy really work in the long term?  Some people regain a significant amount of weight after a success gastric surgery, which would put them at risk for type 2 diabetes again. In addition, a good portion of obese patients who undergo surgery develop gallstones, nutritional deficiencies, have more serious complications due to the operation itself or will require a secondary surgery.

"After 10 years, only 1 out of 5 people have kept the weight off. A review of studies on stomach stapling (vertical banded gastroplasty) notes that 60% of excess weight (the weight above what is considered healthy) was lost, although a large portion of people regained the lost weight after 3 to 5 years.

About one-third of all people having surgery for obesity develop gallstones or a nutritional deficiency condition such as anemia or osteoporosis. And about 1 out of 5 people may need a second operation because the connection between the stomach and the intestines narrows (stomal stenosis), leading to nausea and vomiting, or because of an increase of gastroesophageal reflux after eating." (WebMD)

While surgical weight loss for obese patients with type 2 diabetes may be greater than healthy lifestyle changes in the short term, so are the risks.  Traditionally, surgery has been recommended for the morbidly obese only after conservative measures such as diet, exercise, and medication have failed. With America's growing obesity problem, I hope this and other similar studies won't pressure patients into 'bypassing' careful consideration before undergoing weight loss surgery.

Nowadays, there are lots of delicious foods being introduced to us. More and more people are gaining so much weight.

Obesity is one of the problems that the world is facing right now. Obese people are increasing in number every year. Some people just neglect their condition. But you have to know that obesity can bring that confidence away from you. It can bring other illnesses or complication that can affect your health and it can even lead to death.

There are obese people who want to be alone than to mingle with others. There are a lot of reasons why such as lack of confidence, they are shy and because of being too heavy they can not do their daily activities and so on.
Do not let obesity ruin your life. You have to find ways to fight it. There are heaps of ways to lose weight. But you have to be determined enough to lose weight.

There are pharmaceutical medications that you can use in order to lose weight but these medications can bring adverse reactions, reason why more and more people are switching to healthy alternatives in losing weight. Obese people can use herbal remedies to fight that unwanted weight.

Plenty of herbal remedies are being sold in the market and online. There are masses of websites that offer herb al remedies but of course, you have to do simple research in finding the most effective herbal remedy and the one that doesn’t have side effects.

Hoodia gordonii is one of the herbal remedies which you can purchase online in the market that can effectively lose your weight. Actually, hoodia gordinii is gaining its popularity because it is known without any side effects.

This is a cactus like plant with a bitter taste which can be found in Kalahari Desert of South Africa. For centuries San people have used this plant in suppressing their appetite. They remove the skin and chew it to suppress their hunger and thirst when out for long hunting. For San people hoodia gordonii has proven its effectiveness.

It was just recently that hoodia gordonii was discovered by scientists. They conducted research and tests, they found out that this plant has an active molecule called P57 which work by tricking the brain that you are already full without eating at all.

Because of high demands, there are plenty of manufacturers that produce fake hoodia products. So you have to be careful in finding the real hoodia products because fake ones can affect your healtlh. In order to check if the product is genuine, look for C.I.T.E.S. certification, this can prove that the product came from South Africa.

In taking hoodia gordonii, you need to follow directions so make sure to read the label. Yes, hoodia gordonii can help you lose weight but you have to help out in order to see great results. So you have to combine taking hoodia gordonii with balance diet and exercise.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson
http://www.primeherbal.com/hoodia

A recent study has noted that an alarming number of Americans are turning obese, not by accident, but as a lifestyle choice. According to recent data from US and international health groups, Americans are among the fattest people on earth.

The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past two decades. A former US Surgeon General notes that obesity accounts for an estimated 300,000 deaths per year, as this condition raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and other chronic diseases.

The alarming rise in the number of overweight individuals has fuelled the boom in the sale and promotion of many weight loss products and supplements, and Hoodia Gordonii is one of many weight loss formulas that are competing for a sizable chunk of the weight-loss market.

Tips In Choosing Superior-Quality Hoodia Weight Loss Supplements

In order for consumers to only purchase good-quality and legitimate Hoodia Gordonii products, it would be helpful to know a few extra details about the product and its characteristics.

- There are many types of plant varieties , however only the Gordonii species possesses the active appetite-suppressing qualities. The main focus for consumers here is not to simply buy a product because it's labelled "100% natural Hoodia."

- If you are buying these supplements on the Internet, you need to first ask the supplier to provide you a copy of a CITES certificate issued by the proper authorities. CITES stands for the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species. CITES considers the cactus-like plant to be an endangered one, and has strictly been monitoring the harvest and trade of this natural resource.

* Many so-called supplements are prepared by using the whole plant. The actual plant variety has fibrous material, skin, leaves, flowers, which have no active ingredients that effectively aid in losing weight. Consumers need to look for quality, and not simply for quantity. Check on the product’s concentration and composition.

- On some supplements, consumers will read 10:1. This means 10 grams of plant was used to prepare 1 gram of Hoodia powder to fill the pill or capsule. If you consider this, you will understand why it's better to buy a 500 mg product than buying a 1000 mg product of other brand if first one contains only concentration and the second is prepared by whole plant.

- Some supplements sold in stores contain metabolic boosters that increase the rate of your body burning fat. You need to remember that the supplement work in reducing the amount of food you take, and once you add these stimulants, you lose many of the important qualities of the product, and even endanger yourself by raising your body's blood pressure levels, or by keeping you fully awake at night.

Although hoodia was only discovered by Western markets recently, the native bushmen of the southern African region have been using this for centuries. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the plant's stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. They also used the plant for alleviating severe abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.
Vanessa Arellano Doctor
http://hoodiastore.org

Nowadays, there are lots of delicious foods being introduced to us. More and more people are gaining so much weight.

Obesity is one of the problems that the world is facing right now. Obese people are increasing in number every year. Some people just neglect their condition. But you have to know that obesity can bring that confidence away from you. It can bring other illnesses or complication that can affect your health and it can even lead to death.

There are obese people who want to be alone than to mingle with others. There are a lot of reasons why such as lack of confidence, they are shy and because of being too heavy they can not do their daily activities and so on.
Do not let obesity ruin your life. You have to find ways to fight it. There are heaps of ways to lose weight. But you have to be determined enough to lose weight.

There are pharmaceutical medications that you can use in order to lose weight but these medications can bring adverse reactions, reason why more and more people are switching to healthy alternatives in losing weight. Obese people can use herbal remedies to fight that unwanted weight.

Plenty of herbal remedies are being sold in the market and online. There are masses of websites that offer herb al remedies but of course, you have to do simple research in finding the most effective herbal remedy and the one that doesn’t have side effects.

Hoodia gordonii is one of the herbal remedies which you can purchase online in the market that can effectively lose your weight. Actually, hoodia gordinii is gaining its popularity because it is known without any side effects.

This is a cactus like plant with a bitter taste which can be found in Kalahari Desert of South Africa. For centuries San people have used this plant in suppressing their appetite. They remove the skin and chew it to suppress their hunger and thirst when out for long hunting. For San people hoodia gordonii has proven its effectiveness.

It was just recently that hoodia gordonii was discovered by scientists. They conducted research and tests, they found out that this plant has an active molecule called P57 which work by tricking the brain that you are already full without eating at all.

Because of high demands, there are plenty of manufacturers that produce fake hoodia products. So you have to be careful in finding the real hoodia products because fake ones can affect your healtlh. In order to check if the product is genuine, look for C.I.T.E.S. certification, this can prove that the product came from South Africa.

In taking hoodia gordonii, you need to follow directions so make sure to read the label. Yes, hoodia gordonii can help you lose weight but you have to help out in order to see great results. So you have to combine taking hoodia gordonii with balance diet and exercise.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson
http://www.primeherbal.com/hoodia

A recent study has noted that an alarming number of Americans are turning obese, not by accident, but as a lifestyle choice. According to recent data from US and international health groups, Americans are among the fattest people on earth.

The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past two decades. A former US Surgeon General notes that obesity accounts for an estimated 300,000 deaths per year, as this condition raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and other chronic diseases.

The alarming rise in the number of overweight individuals has fuelled the boom in the sale and promotion of many weight loss products and supplements, and Hoodia Gordonii is one of many weight loss formulas that are competing for a sizable chunk of the weight-loss market.

Tips In Choosing Superior-Quality Hoodia Weight Loss Supplements

In order for consumers to only purchase good-quality and legitimate Hoodia Gordonii products, it would be helpful to know a few extra details about the product and its characteristics.

- There are many types of plant varieties , however only the Gordonii species possesses the active appetite-suppressing qualities. The main focus for consumers here is not to simply buy a product because it's labelled "100% natural Hoodia."

- If you are buying these supplements on the Internet, you need to first ask the supplier to provide you a copy of a CITES certificate issued by the proper authorities. CITES stands for the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species. CITES considers the cactus-like plant to be an endangered one, and has strictly been monitoring the harvest and trade of this natural resource.

* Many so-called supplements are prepared by using the whole plant. The actual plant variety has fibrous material, skin, leaves, flowers, which have no active ingredients that effectively aid in losing weight. Consumers need to look for quality, and not simply for quantity. Check on the product’s concentration and composition.

- On some supplements, consumers will read 10:1. This means 10 grams of plant was used to prepare 1 gram of Hoodia powder to fill the pill or capsule. If you consider this, you will understand why it's better to buy a 500 mg product than buying a 1000 mg product of other brand if first one contains only concentration and the second is prepared by whole plant.

- Some supplements sold in stores contain metabolic boosters that increase the rate of your body burning fat. You need to remember that the supplement work in reducing the amount of food you take, and once you add these stimulants, you lose many of the important qualities of the product, and even endanger yourself by raising your body's blood pressure levels, or by keeping you fully awake at night.

Although hoodia was only discovered by Western markets recently, the native bushmen of the southern African region have been using this for centuries. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the plant's stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. They also used the plant for alleviating severe abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.

Vanessa Arellano Doctor
http://hoodiastore.org