Quitting Caffeine or Coffee: 4 Best Ways to Cope with Coffee Withdrawal Symptom

So it's not happening. Tried to keep everyone update on my April Slim Down Challenge, mmmh... actually posting about it is more about to keep myself accountable with the weight loss challenge, but my bad I just can't keep consistent with blogging schedule. I'm still trying though to become more productive next time.

I only lose 2 kg as a result of April Slim Down Challenge. 2 kg lost is not something to be proud about, because you know...2 kg? You'll no doubt gain it back as soon as you resume to your normal eating habit. Even so, I can't say that I have failed it altogether. During this weight loss challenge I've learnt to change my relationship with food. I no longer want to turn to food for emotional fulfillment, but eating because I'm physically hungry. Only one thing that seem to disturb me was the withdrawal symptom I experienced when I tried to quit 3-in-1 coffee. Coffee withdrawal symptom is no joke. The first few days I had dizziness and headache. I felt sluggish and tired, and lack of motivation...and oh maybe that would explain about this blog slow updates.  :P

4 best ways to coping with coffee withdrawal symptom

1. Staying well hydrated
Drink plenty of water during the withdrawal process will help replenish and rehydrate your body, and ward off feelings of dizziness,

2. Get plenty of rest
When you quit caffeine, it's common to feel tired but not a normal tiredness. You may sit up straight but still can't keep your eyes open. Get extra sleep to combat fatigue and grogginess.

3. . Eat healthy
Eat plenty of fresh veges and fruits to provide your body with the nutrition it needs. Healthy diet deliver natural energy and promote a more positive frame of mind.

4. Get moving
Honestly I won’t feel like exercising, but I've found exercise help minimize caffeine withdrawal symptoms and actually make me feel better.

I heard some people take pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen to help ease headache associated with withdrawal but I prefer to go natural.

Have you ever try to quit coffee or caffeine? How do you endure the whole symptoms of caffeine withdrawal? Share them in the comments below.

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Cupping for Weight Loss: My First Experience with Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy is an ancient medical practice that has been used in China for thousands of years. There are many health benefits of cupping therapy you may never knew, including weight loss.

Circulation is the process of bringing blood, oxygen and hormones to and from cells in the body to nourish it and help to fight diseases, and stabilize body temperature and pH. Poor blood circulation can develop a variety of health problems such as headaches, feeling tired much of the time, feeling short of breath at times, swelling and water retention - especially in the feet, etc. Poor blood circulation caused by a lack of proper nutrition, and acid toxins within the body.  Cupping is not only an excellent natural remedy to relieve muscle pain, practitioners believe this is also an effective way to clear your body of toxins, stimulates energy, relieve constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and encourage healthy blood flow. Healthy blood flow can help you lose weight by encourage nutrients in your body supplied to your muscles in a more efficient manner.

But when I decided to try cupping therapy, weight loss is not my motive. I did this to alleviate headaches. When I first heard about cupping therapy, I was a bit hesitant just like most of people who are afraid of the sight of blood but I decided to give it a go anyway. Nothing to be scared actually. The process isn't painful and quickly goes.

WARNING!!! May contain some disturbing images to some readers.

There are two types of cupping: dry cupping and wet cupping (controlled bleeding). Wet cupping is significantly more effective according to the practitioner. Cupping used are plastic or glass to replace the horn, pottery, bronze and bamboo cups used in earlier times. The cups can be various shapes. RM20 per cup.

Cups used during my cupping session. Made of glass with an extension at the top to accommodate a rubber squeeze ball which when squeeze and released pulls air, followed by skin up into the vacant area.

The cupping therapy process

Step 1 - Massage

The practitioner massage my skin for 2 minutes to find out which points are painful and tender, and especially which points are the tenderest. It's where she will place the cups.

Step 2 -  Air cupping

Massage oil applied to create a better seal as well as allow the cups to glide over muscle groups. I had it done five on  my shoulder and one on my head. I had my hair shaved at the cupping area. My husband was like, why on the head? The trigger points that cause headaches are somewhere at the shoulders area and you can try cupping at that particular area, he merely says. Not necessarily on the head. The practitioner suggested me doing cupping on the head because I told her I need a pain relief from a headache. So I thought why not if it could stop a throbbing headache. Hair grows, anyway. The shaved area on my head can't be seen after some hair trick. So it's not a big deal for me.

Shaved area on my head

The hubs: He got an arm dislocation in a car accident he involved in
not long time ago. He always complained about stiff shoulder.
It looked like the cupping mark on that spot are the darkest. 

The modern version of dry cupping does not include the risk of fire and heat

The traditional cupping use flame to heat the air inside of the cup to create suction. But the more modern version of cupping they used here does not include the risk of fire and heat, so my mind can be at peace. Plus it doesn't hurt! The air is withdrawn by means of a squeeze-rubber balloon attached through a tube. When pinched the balloon expels air so that as it re-expands it draws air out, creating suction to draw skin up inside. The cup is left in place for 3 to 4 minutes. Dry cupping can dispels trapped wind that cause muscle and joint pain. The cups at this process looked steamy believed to be an expelled wind.

Step 3 - Superficial skin incision

The cup removed, then the practitioner usually poked the cupped area with lancet needle, a pricking needle which often use to collects blood sample. Puncture done is just below the skin's surface approximately 0.1 mm depth. But the practitioner where I went to use razor blade instead of needle to create a small skin incision. Between razor blade and needle, I am not sure which is the best. I have no idea that I can choose between this two method. Since this is my first time, I didn't ask further.

The hubs: Right after the small skin incision was made

The hubs asked about this when he had his cupping session the next day. The practitioner explained that using razor blade is better. The process of drawing out blood, according to the lady is much quicker and in most cases of diabetes patients, the cuts heals much faster. Using razor blade method is not painful as it seems. I just felt a little ticklish when she performed this but the things I'm not okay with is it left unwanted incision mark. The mark is actually less obvious except when you take a closer look at it. They completely gone after weeks.

I thought the incision mark may not visible, I was wrong. 

You can choose whatever method that feels more comfortable for you. Don't forget to tell your therapist of which method you wanted to use.

Step 4 - Wet cupping 

Cups are again left in place for 3 to 10 minutes and mild suction performed to draw a small quantity of blood out of the wounds. This process is done twice.

Mild suction performed to draw a small quantity of blood out of the wounds.

Yuck! A clot of dark blood would begin accumulating in the cup

Mine (left) and the hubby's cup (right): I merely tease him saying his blood is thicker than mine because there are too many buildup of toxins in his body 

Mr Hubby's cups are almost full 

Orangish crystal-like "things" that can be seen in the drawn blood
indicate the presence of uric acid

Oily and watery blood indicates high level of cholesterol in the body

The colour and amount of the blood drawn to the surface depending on the degree of toxicity in the muscle tissue. Dark blood is a sign of stagnation, which in many cases in modern terms is the amount of toxins in the blood. People who depend on hospital medicines for years may found his blood black, the practitioner told me. Orangish crystals like colour that found in the blood is a signs of uric acid.

Step 5 - Cupping mark

Although the resulting marks can look alarming, it is temporary and will fade. Mine eventually disappear in about a week. The length of time that cup marks persist usually reflects the level of circulation of blood in each patient’s system and the ability of their body to properly detoxify.

The cupping mark on my skin (left) and the hubby (right): According to the practitioner dark colour of the cupping mark indicates the toxicity level in the body

Skin reaction after cupping

Bruce Bentley, the foremost international expert on the history and practice of cupping said, the marks the cups leave do have a meaning.

"All the changes that arise are pathogenic factors brought to the body surface. And they are certainly not “bruises” as far too many people believe. This is a big question so let’s just cover some issues in brief. Different colours are explicit indicators of the conditions within the body. A dark purple or even black marking always shows that there is deep-seated blood stasis. This will occur over an area with an unresolved longterm injury. Qi deficiency is indicated by the area remaining neutral or paler than the surrounding skin surface, after cupping. Coldness is a light mauve discolouration. Sha also frequently shows up at the skin surface after cupping, though not as much as after gua sha, because it is more thoroughly drawn out and released by the process of scraping. Cups can also draw up dense knotty purple masses, like varicosed lumps, from the body."

"One case where these turned up was on a woman’s scapula. After treatment she had great relief and said that since childhood she’d always had a problem in the area, ever since her mother had yanked her arm very hard and dislocated her shoulder. The cups drew out this old trauma and she has been fine since."

An antiseptic cream will be applied to the incisions after cupping.

Side Effect 
No major side effects aside from skin cuts. One month after the cupping therapy, I had no more headache. I am feeling more peace and relaxed. I am sure to come back for another cupping session.

Cupping Dos & Don'ts
The practitioner lady told me that cupping therapy is perfectly safe and no rules to be followed. However from some of my readings, I learned that cupping should not be done on infants, neither should it be done on the very young or the very old. And cupping is contraindicated in pregnancy, since it strongly activates and disperses the blood.

You can eat whatever you want however it is best to consume low fat and wholesome food in the 2 days prior to your treatment. Just like my husband said, it's a waste of money if you try a detox treatment but pay less attention on what you put in your mouth.

Do not eat and drink anything at least three hours prior to the treatment so that the body is not occupied with digesting food. It is best to eat healthy food 24 hours before and after treatment. Drink plenty of fluids prior to this period.

Cupping vs Blood Donation

Dead and stagnant blood cells accumulate in the capillaries near the surface of the skin. This stagnant blood is pretty much useless and takes up space which could be utilized by fresh clean blood. Cupping therapy is a process to remove this toxic blood and promotes the circulation of fresh blood.

The cuts are very light. The body heals the area very quick and the blood will stops coming out automatically. So don't worry about the possibility of all your blood being pump out. :)

Cupping Therapy vs Blood Donation. Source: alhijamah

Has anybody tried the cupping therapy? Does it work for you? 

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"Bekam" Cupping Therapy: Top 4 Untold Health Benefits of Cupping Therapy

Who are fans of Gwyneth Paltrow here? She caused a stir at a New York film premiere back in 2004 when she arrived with visible cupping marks on her back. And maybe some of you have seen the photos of Jennifer Aniston last year stepped onto the red carpet with what looked like cupping marks on her back? Is cupping just another Hollywood trend? It's normal what celebrities are doing will always gain public attention and no surprise if later it become trends. Cupping therapy has actually been around for hundreds of years. It is an ancient practice of alternative medicine.

History of Cupping 

According to Chinese Cupping site, cupping was an ancient Taoist medical practice and was widely used in the courts of Imperial China back from the year 281 AD. Its administration was first recorded by Ge Hong, a practicing Taoist, an alchemist, and a famous medicinal herbalist during his time. 

During those times, they used animal horns for cupping. Some consider the Chinese to be responsible for cupping, however its true origin still remains uncertain to this day.

Papyrus Ebers, an Egyptian medical papyrus dating around 1550 BC detail the earliest use of cupping for treating fever, pain, vertigo, menstrual imbalances, weakened appetite and helping to accelerate the healing crisis.

Benefit of Cupping

Almost all of us have had a headache some time in our lives. I gets headaches few days just before my period starts. Not really serious but they can be so uncomfortable. As a mom with two kids to take care of, I cannot afford to be sick. I thought it may be just one of the PMS symptom. This is because of the natural drop in oestrogen levels at these times. It will be gone after my period is over. But lately headaches have become more frequent. I have being getting painful headaches right after my period is over. I can describe the pain as throbbing, pounding, or pulsating and at some point make me feel like nauseated. No, it is not migraine if you ask me. I have a friend who have been a migraine sufferer, and I am not feeling the symptom she describe when migraine attack is coming. Maybe the headache caused by trapped wind? Women who already had childbirth experience are more prone to trapped wind, say the old folks. Or perhaps it's a toxic headache?. We are living in a toxic environment. No matter where we live or how careful we are, we cannot avoid.

One day, I decided to try wet (blood) cupping. It was a spontaneous decision. The reflexology saloon I happened to stop by that day did not offer body massage service. I felt so sick that day and I think I needed a massage for some relieve. They recommended me the cupping therapy instead. Out of the blue I said, OK. I am actually afraid of blood. My decision could be under the influence of pain. Haha~ I could not bear to walk further to find the nearest massage spa. A month later: no more headache since cupping!

The other benefit of cupping: 

1. Relaxing

Cupping is much like the inverse of massage. Rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. Once suctioned, the cups are generally left in targets acupuncture points for about ten minutes to provide relief through pressure.

2. Detox

Cupping is an excellent way to perform lymphatic drainage massage. By using suction and negative pressure, massage cupping releases rigid soft tissue and drains excess fluid and toxins.

3. Improve your blood circulation

Cupping stimulates blood circulation to stagnant skin and muscles and relieve muscle and joint pains, sedate the nervous system (which makes it an excellent treatment for high blood pressure). Good blood circulation can also help ease insomnia.

4. Clear your lungs

This treatment is also valuable for the lungs, and can clear congestion from a common cold or help to control a person's asthma. Three thousand years ago, in the earliest Chinese documentation of cupping, it was recommended for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Risk

There are two main forms of cupping therapy: dry and wet (controlled bleeding). According to the therapist, wet cupping is the fastest, most effective method to move congestion and sluggishness in the body compared to dry cupping. While cupping is relatively safe, the treatment may be slightly painful or even cause burns in some cases.

As much as I love cupping and this practice may be hot in Hollywood, not everyone will enjoy it and not everyone is suitable for cupping. Do your research or consult with doctor before undergoing cupping treatment.

Don't forget to read my first experience with cupping therapy in the next post.

Has anybody tried the cupping therapy?

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Detox: How To Do a Salt Water Cleanse

Has anyone ever heard of or tried a salt water cleanse? I just did my second salt water cleanse this week. What is salt water flush, you ask? Salt water flush is an all natural and easy option to detoxifying the body and eliminate waste. I simply need something to kick-start my stalled diet. That's what got me on this. 

Step by Step Guide on Salt Water Cleanse

1. Add 1 tablespoon of the sea salt to 1 Quart (32 oz or 1 liters; 0.946 liters to be exact) of warm (not boiling) water and stir until dissolved. Some people using 2 tablespoon. But I couldn't handle that much. It makes it taste way nastier! Want to tell you it's the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted. I am struggling big time to finish the full 1 liters.

2. You must use non-iodized, natural sea salt. Don’t use processed table salt; you won’t get the same affect. 

3. Add lemon or lime juice for flavoring.

4. Drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

5. Do not eat for at least 2 hours.

6. Drink lots of water and avoid coffee, tea, or anything that may be dehydrating.

7. Drink the entire glass down within 5-10 minutes, then drink another quart of purified water within a half an hour.

What to Expect?

The saltwater solution taste very salty, and makes me nauseous. Once you drink the solution, it comes out of the body within 30 minutes. I feel light headed and bloated for a minute. But from what I read, this is normal as your body is working the saltwater through the intestine at this point. So no worry. You will experience several more bowel movement within 1 to 2 hours. Keep drinking enough water to keep things moving through you until you are expelling nothing but water. OMG the experience was extremely gross! But it worked very well. I feel lighter and so much better afterwards. Do the cleanse on the day you don't have to work, or don't have to go anywhere. DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE for your convenience as you will need to visit the bathroom frequently.

What to Eat BEFORE and AFTER Salt Water Cleanse

The night before performing a saltwater flush, skip one meal such as dinner. Drink a cup or two of herbal tea to help with the elimination of toxins as well.

After saltwater cleanse, it's recommended to eat yogurt to help repopulate the healthy bacteria in the intestines. You can start eating clean at your next meal. Avoid eating food that is too heavy to digest, spicy foods, alcohol and oily food products. Saltwater cleanse is an ideal way to jumpstart more healthful habits.

Salt Water Tips:

1. Never use iodized table salt for your salt water flush.
The common table salt is 99.9% sodium chloride. It is obtained from the terrestrial salt deposits which are mined, heat-blasted and chemically treated. The refining process of table salt strips it of all of its minerals, other than sodium and chloride. This makes it an unnatural substance as compared to sea salt, and contributes to high blood pressure, heart and kidney diseases.

Sea salt on the other hand is the unrefined salt that is obtained by simply evaporating the water from the seas or oceans. sea salt has other minerals like iron, sulfur and magnesium naturally present in them. This increases the nutritive value of sea salt as compared to table salt. The various minerals present in sea salt helps us to maintain a healthy balance of the various electrolytes in the body.

2. Brush your teeth before you drink the solution
The salt water solution taste less nasty after you brush your teeth. Choose minty toothpaste.

3. Use a straw
Drink through a straw and hold nose. Some people find it really helps. But for me I prefer to drink in a chug-a-lug fashion. No stopping, or pausing. If I resting in between, I may won't be able to continue.

4. Moderate exercise such as stretching
Deep breathing and stretching may help speed the process up by stimulating deep muscle blood flow.


Salt water cleanse did worked great for me. But bear in mind, everyone's experience is different. For some individuals this may not work at the first attempt. Try adjusting the amount of salt until the proper balance is found; or possibly take extra water, with or without salt. This often increases the activity. The most important thing, consult a doctor before making any big changes in your diet.

Have your say. Have you tried any kind of detox regime? 

Share your experience in the comments below.

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Detox Diet: How to Detox Your Body After Festive Season

Happy New Year 2013!

Festive season means family gatherings, with parties and lots of food. It's the time of year when one tend to eat mindlessly. (That's me, for sure!) There is no chance of sticking to a healthy diet and not enough time to exercise. So when the holiday is over, it is mandatory to moving over and go back to eating sensibly to prevent too much weight gain.

Overindulging places a lot of stress on our digestive system and liver. Detox diet can be a complete overhaul after all that overeating on a vacation.

5 Things to avoid on a detox diet:

• Avoid oily and fatty food.
• Avoid your exposure to toxins whenever possible: if you smoke, stop smoking; replace household toxic chemicals with safer, organic alternatives etc.
• Cut out sugar, wheat, gluten, dairy and fried foods from your diet. 
• Avoid alcohol entirely.
• Eliminate processed foods and trans fats from your diet. 

5 Things to eat / do on a detox diet:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables should be part of the detox.
• Increase your intake of fibre and whole foods. Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined. We can get fibre from rice, oat, berries, green vegetables, and fruits.
• Drink lots of water. 8 to 10 glasses of filtered water is recommended for it is the perfect drink to cleanse your system and restore the moisture.
• Engage in 30 minutes of moderate exercise (brisk walking or yoga) every day. 
• Get plenty of sleep. Seven to eight hours a day is considered ideal, though it varies from person to person.

Verseo Slim Patches can be a miracle help while you are on  a detox diet. Similar to the Body Shaping Patch I blog about a year ago, it releases a time-controlled blend of herbs into your body via your skin. 

Guarana, its key ingredient is a natural stimulant that increasing your energy level but decreasing your cravings for carbohydrates at the same time. You neither won't feel hungry nor want to eat, even though you have access to delicious foods.

Verseo Slim Patches is easy to use. Instruction: How to use Be-Slim Weight Loss Patches.

If you plan to do a detox diet or already on a detox diet,  how long you plan to stay on this detox diet plan? Tell me about it in the comments.

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How to Be Slim: 5 Best Weight Loss Drink You Can Drink and Lose Weight

Do you feel like you eat all the right foods but still not losing weight as quickly as you'd like? Maybe you need a little help with your weight loss plan. Try include any of these weight loss drink in your weight loss plan.

1. Weight loss tea
Unlike regular tea, weight loss tea contains herbs like senna to stimulate the bowels. A cup of weight loss tea after a meal may help you to lose weight fast.

It's pretty affordable and work like a charm! I used to try Welkumis tea a few years back before switch to Teh Orang Kampung. Drink twice after lunch and dinner, it works within 8 hours. There is actually no difference between the two brands of weight loss tea. I experience a really strong urge to go to the toilet every time it started to work. Though I can feel that my body is lighter, less headache and less tired, I discontinue drinking them because I cannot stand the diarrhea effect and terrible stomach discomfort during the process in the toilet. I don't know about other people, but in my personal experience with drinking weight loss tea, the diarrhea effect lasts for a long time even when you have eat nothing. I usually have to eat something so that my stomach have something to process and only then my stomach cramp will stop. Weight loss tea is very good to relieve constipation. Just bear in mind, using weight loss tea for more than 2 weeks can cause the bowels to stop functioning normally and might cause dependence on laxatives.



2. Fiber drink for weight loss
Fiber is the portion of plant material that the human body cannot break down. Fiber categorized into two types, i.e. soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and turns to gel during digestion. This type of fiber can helps to slow digestion and makes you to feel fuller, help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Soluble fiber is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables.
Insoluble fiber adds bulk to the stool, allowing it to help food pass more quickly through the digestive system, helping prevent constipation. Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains.

Eat everyday at least three servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables not only provide important vitamins and minerals to your body but also fiber to aids to your weight loss plan by keep your bowel movements regular. It may sound like I'm advertising, but my favorite pick of fiber drink to supplement my diet is GC Life Cleanse Plus. It contains dietary fiber such as apple fiber, oat fiber,  oil palm trunk dietary fiber, and also Oligosaccharide and Lactobacillus which essential factors in balancing intestines. Drink twice a day, one sachet in the morning on an empty stomach and one sachet before bed. It makes you feel full, maintain a healthy bowel movement, helps to blocking the absorption of fats and burning the excess fats in body, thus help you to lose weight the healthy way.



3. L-Carnitine

L-carnitine required in body fat metabolism. It helps you to utilize the fat for energy. Red meat is the best source. L-Carnitine is widely available and often marketed as a weight loss supplement. Studies suggested that when used correctly, along with a balanced diet (adequate protein, essential fats, and fiber), it works to lose weight. Studies also show that for carnitine to work effectively, carbohydrate intake should be kept below 50% of total calories consumed daily.

I am currently trying Apple Juice Drink with L-Carnitine. It is said that drink water first thing in the morning on empty stomach is good as metabolism booster, helping you feel alert, refreshed earlier and help your kidneys function more effectively by flushing these waste products out of your system. But I just can't drink water early in the morning because its taste is plain boring. By adding 1 tablespoon of Apple Juice with L-Carnitine into water make the water taste delicious, refreshing and drinkable. I've only been trying this for less than a month. I'll update more when I finish my first bottle.



4. Protein Shake

Anyone who is trying to lose weight should include protein shakes into their weight loss plan. They can help prevent muscle loss when you do cardio so that you only burn fat.

One of the most popular protein shake today is Slim Diet II. It is a weight loss products based on selective and high grade soy protein isolate, soy fiber, fortified with amino acids, vitamins A, B, C, D, E and minerals. Slim Diet II will help you lose weight without going hungry. It is a 'meal supplement' where you have to eat without leaving your daily routine. I finished my 1st tin of Slim Diet II last year. It taste less "beany" and make me full for a long time. When combine with low carbohydrates diet technique protein shake can speed your weight loss rate. Read more about weight loss success story of Slim Diet II users here.



5. Lemon Drink

Many professional nutritionists regarded drinking lemon water helps to speed up weight loss. Beyonce Knowles openly admit that she lose 20 pounds in 10 days on Lemon Cleansing Diet or also known as Master Cleanse diet. The combination of lemon and water is made up of natural ingredients, therefore it adds no calories to your body each time you drink it. If you replace your favorite soda with lemon water every day for months or even a year, it will help you to lose weight. By drinking lemon water regularly, it's cleansed out of your bowels with greater frequency. Lemon water also helps out the digestive system by reducing the chances for diarrhea and constipation, because it promotes fluid bowel functions. Atika Beauty Trimm Lemon Drink is another simple way to get lemon drink supply. It prevent constipation and gives you the energy you need to function strong all day long. It only takes 2 sachet a day, consume after meals.




The Bottom Line
Having try all these, you may wondering why I am not a weight loss success story yet? There's no magic bullet when comes to weight loss. Weight loss drink are meant to aids to a weight loss effort. The rest is about healthy diet and persistence workout. I find out that weight loss drink is very helpful for maintaining regular bowel movement. Poor bowel movement can cause headache and nausea. It can even slow down weight loss process due to accumulated toxin. I am on my way to my ideal weight and am happy so far when a neighbor I haven't seen for weeks notice my 'small' weight loss when we catch up with each other this morning. My monthly goal is to lose belly fat so that I can avoid any awkward situation of being asked when I was expecting when I was NOT pregnant! 

So what is your minigoals? Have you achieve one? Maybe you can share your favorite weight loss drink or share about your weight loss success story here to motivate me. :)

Cheers~

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Day 3 on Juice Diet: 4 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Constipation On a Juice Diet

Today is Day 3 of my Juice Diet 10 Days Challenge. So far so good. Juice diet making me feel alert but my only problem with juice diet is constipation. Though it's been warned that diarrhea is common during juice diet, I have a different experience. I will usually become constipated while on juice diet. But I am glad because my slow-moving bowel is back to normal today.

I believe that it's not just me who's experience constipation on a juice diet. eHow has 4 simple ways to simplify your juice diet to avoid constipation.


1. Drink more water
You can either mix the juice and water in equal portion or drink a glass of water prior to drinking the juice. Water can help alleviate constipation by making the stool soft and easy to pass.

2. Avoid caffeine
During juice diet, it is recommended to avoid smoking, alcohol and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and cola drinks. These are diuretics, which eliminate water from our body and contribute to dehydration.

3. Drink at least four 8-oz. portions of fresh juice each day
If you find yourself feeling hungry, simply drink more juice. Since you are basically consuming raw nutrients and vitamins, there is no hindrance on how much you should have to feel satisfied. Just remember to pair each juice serving with an equal amount of water.

4. Prepare various vegetable juice concoctions in the juicer
Vegetable juice should be the main component of the diet. Carrots are popular for their vitamin content and taste, but greens are essential as well. Just remember that, since you are dealing with fresh juice, it should be consumed immediately after preparation.

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Day 3 on Juice Diet: 4 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Constipation On a Juice Diet

Today is Day 3 of my Juice Diet 10 Days Challenge. So far so good. Juice diet making me feel alert but my only problem with juice diet is constipation. Though it's been warned that diarrhea is common during juice diet, I have a different experience. I will usually become constipated while on juice diet. But I am glad because my slow-moving bowel is back to normal today.

I believe that it's not just me who's experience constipation on a juice diet. eHow has 4 simple ways to simplify your juice diet to avoid constipation.


1. Drink more water
You can either mix the juice and water in equal portion or drink a glass of water prior to drinking the juice. Water can help alleviate constipation by making the stool soft and easy to pass.

2. Avoid caffeine
During juice diet, it is recommended to avoid smoking, alcohol and caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and cola drinks. These are diuretics, which eliminate water from our body and contribute to dehydration.

3. Drink at least four 8-oz. portions of fresh juice each day
If you find yourself feeling hungry, simply drink more juice. Since you are basically consuming raw nutrients and vitamins, there is no hindrance on how much you should have to feel satisfied. Just remember to pair each juice serving with an equal amount of water.

4. Prepare various vegetable juice concoctions in the juicer
Vegetable juice should be the main component of the diet. Carrots are popular for their vitamin content and taste, but greens are essential as well. Just remember that, since you are dealing with fresh juice, it should be consumed immediately after preparation.

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Eat and Lose Fat: The Sample Meal Plan of Fat Flush Diet

Jennifer Hudson co-star in 'Dreamgirls'

Jennifer Hudson revealed in the Daily Mail that when struggling to lose weight with Weight Watchers plan, she initially gained weight. But after three unsuccessful weeks, the 'Dreamgirls' star says she finally followed the plan properly.

Jennifer Hudson's weight loss is inspiring

Jennifer Hudson's incredible weight loss has inspiring so many people. Lot's of people interested to know how she successfully lose weight. But the diet which works on Jennifer Hudson might not be suitable to other people. You have probably tried many different diets to lose weight and failed. It's time to stop putting a high expectation on yourself to lose weight. To lose weight is about a lifestyle changing and needs patience.

Ann Louise Gittleman introduced the idea of Fat Flush Diet

If other diets have failed you, give another try on Fat Flush Diet recommended by Diet.com. This diet may not be appropriate for vegetarians because it specifies animal protein. People who follows Fat Flush Diet should also be aware that the caloric allowance in phase 1 may be too low for some people, particularly men. The low calories may slow down, rather than speed up, metabolism.

Fat Flush Diet created by Ann Louise Gittleman, a certified nutrition specialist with a Ph.D. in holistic nutrition. Her book The Fat Flush Plan became a bestselling diet book in 2002.

Here are the sample of Phase 1 Fat Flush Diet:

1. The two-week phase 1 of the fat flush diet is designed to detoxify the liver so that it can efficiently burn fat.
2. It calls for eight glasses per day of cran-water (a diuretic drink consisting of one part unsweetened cranberry juice in four parts filtered water) to reduce water retention or ‘bloating’, lose fat, cleanse the lymphatic system, and reduce cellulite.
3. Caloric intake is restricted to 1100-1200 calories per day. So-called ‘metabolism blockers,’ such as wheat and dairy, are prohibited.

• upon waking: a long life cocktail
• before breakfast: 8 oz (237 ml) of hot water with lemon juice
• breakfast: ‘vegetable scramble’—two scrambled eggs with spinach, green onions, scallions, and parsley; 8 oz (237 ml) of cran-water
• snack: one-half of a large grapefruit
• 20 minutes before lunch: 8 oz (237 ml) of cran-water
• lunch: 4 oz (110 g) of salmon with lemon and garlic, warm asparagus, mixed-green salad with broccoli florets and cucumber, one tablespoon of flaxseed oil, 8 oz (237 ml) of cran-water
• mid-afternoon snack: 16 oz (474 ml) of cran-water
• 4 P.M. snack: one apple
• 20 minutes before dinner: 8 oz (237 ml) of cran-water
• dinner: 4 oz (110 g) of grilled lamb chop with a pinch of cinnamon and dried mustard, sauteed kale in broth, baked summer squash with a bit of clove, one tablespoon of flaxseed oil
• mid-evening: long life cocktail

Long life cocktail—A drink consisting of one teaspoon of powdered psyllium husks or one tablespoon of ground or milled flaxseed in 8 oz (237 ml) cran-water.

The lean protein may be: .

• any fish or seafood
• lean beef, veal, or lamb
• skinless chicken or turkey
• tofu
• high-protein whey powder for thickening

Allowable vegetables include:

• asparagus
• aubergine
• bamboo shoots
• black olives without oil
• broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• celery
• cucumbers
• green beans
• mushrooms
• onions
• peppers
• radicchio
• spinach
• tomatoes
• water chestnuts

Acceptable fruits are:

• blackberries
• blueberries
• cherries
• cranberries
• grapefruit
• oranges
• nectarines
• peaches
• plums
• raspberries
• strawberries

Allowable herbs and spices are: .

• anise
• apple cider vinegar
• bay leaf
• cayenne
• cinnamon
• cloves
• coriander, cilantro
• cumin
• dill
• dried mustard
• fennel
• garlic
• ginger
• parsley
• tumeric

Forbidden foods during phase 1 include:

• oils and fats, except flaxseed oil
• margarine
• grains
• bread
• cereal
• sugar
• starchy vegetables such as beans, potatoes, carrots, corn, and peas
• dairy products
• most herbs and spices
• alcohol

Discover further about Fat Fighting Foods (here) - It is a detailed information on the foods that burn fat.

After two weeks has end, please come back here and share your experience with Fat Flush Diet Phase 1. Have a great day ahead!

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Gwyneth Paltrow's Diet: 3-Day Detox Diet Plan

Gwyneth Paltrow in "Don't Let Me Down. Image from: Dailymail

Her famously slim figure encourage many to search about Gwyneth Paltrow's diet. Gwyneth Paltrow is hardly seen with a weight gain. She is being said to gain 20 pounds for her role "Love Don't Let Me Down" but she lose it quickly before anyone has notice. Gwyneth Paltrow may be bless with a good genes. But she still work hard for that (beautiful) body.

Gwyneth as Virginia "Pepper" Potts in Iron Man 2

Gwyneth Paltrow has once revealed that she did green juice and salad for 3 days before the Iron Man 2 premier. Now we know what Gwyneth Paltrow's diet, apart from her fitness routine that makes her looking fabulous on red carpet.

Gwyneth Paltrow's diet is an easy diet that works. For a special occasion or as a part of weight loss program, this 3-Day Detox plan is just perfect. This plan is also suitable for vegetarian and vegans!


DAY 1
Breakfast - 2 apples, herbal tea

Morning snack - 50g fresh cranberries

Lunch - 1 cup vegetable soup (broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, etc)

Afternoon snack - lemonade made with 1 lemon, 1 tsp maple syrup, and 1 tall glass of bottled water

Dinner - 85g brown rice with 5 cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil; 60g fresh spinach with olive oil and lemon juice


DAY 2
Breakfast - 2 oranges, herbal tea

Morning snack - 50g fresh cranberries

Lunch - 85g brown rice with 5 cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil; 60g fresh spinach with olive oil and lemon juice

Afternoon snack - lemonade made with 1 lemon, 1 tsp maple syrup, and 1 tall glass of bottled water

Dinner - 1 cup vegetable soup (broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, etc)

Gwyneth Paltrow at the Iron Man 2 premier in an Armani suit.

DAY 3
Breakfast - 2 pears, herbal tea

Morning snack - 50g fresh cranberries

Lunch - 1 cup vegetable soup (broccoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, etc)

Afternoon snack - lemonade made with 1 lemon, 1 tsp maple syrup, and 1 tall glass of bottled water

Dinner - 85g brown rice with 5 cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil; 60g fresh spinach with olive oil and lemon juice

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How to Detox Your Body? Use a Foot Detox Pad. Is it a Scam?

To have a quick fix on detoxifying our body, foot detox pad became a popular choice this day. Detox Foot Patch is claim to fight toxin and restore internal vitality overnight. It's contain Tourmaline, a mineral found in the rainforest in Brazil which is said to improves circulation and detoxification in your body. How far is this true? Ed Zimney, MD in his writing slam a campaign as such.

They make a big deal about how the pads go on clean and white and come off dirty and brown. What else would you expect from applying vinegar-soaked adhesive gauze to the bottom of your feet? It’s bound to pull off dead skin, dirt and debris - but toxins, parasites, cellulite, heavy metals, and the like? No way. I’m sorry, but you can add your comments below if you think I’m closed-minded, unknowledgeable or otherwise deaf to a new miracle cure, but these things are just not coming out of the bottoms of your feet! No I haven’t tried them and no I have no hard data to back up my assertion that they don’t work, but here it is anyway: they don’t work! The skin doesn’t work that way, the lymphatic system doesn’t work that way. The immune system doesn’t work that way. There is just no physiologic mechanism for these types of things to pass through your skin, regardless of what you might apply to it (even “double-distilled bamboo vinegar!) - Ed Zimney, MD for Everyday Health

There are a lot of imitate product this day that will give you the same result. Apply them to the soles of your feet before sleep. The next morning, you wake up you will find the clean and white patch before has turn into a brown and dirty color. The brown color is said to be a toxin extracted from your body. When use repeatedly, it is said that you will soon find the patch is no longer shows a dark color as it was in the first day. It means, the toxin in your body has reduce.

Do you have any experience using foot detox pad? I did tried foot detox pad before for an experience.

On the first day, the patch turn brown and dirty.

On the second day, it was brown and dirty.

On the third day, it was brown and dirty again.

On the fourth day, it produce the same result - brown and dirty again. My husband asked me, why the color isn't changed? Is that mean my body is not cleanse yet?

I am interested with Aidid Mu'addib's experiment in his blog how the detox foot pad works and response in a different circumstances.

Foot Detox Pad

Tap the foot detox pad with the adhesive tape (included)

He fills his baby's cup with a lukewarm water

...and the foot detox pad on top

5 minutes afterwards...TADA! The pad has turn into a brownish color. Is that means the lukewarm water is toxic?

If you have a different opinion or experience with foot detox pad, I would like to hear from you. After all, the best way to detox is by watching what you eat and practice a healthy living.

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