Yerba Mate Tea Zaps Cancer Cells

We already know that yerba mate tea is a great support while on the HCG Diet Program, but did you know that recent studies have shown that drinking it may also zap cancer cells in the colon?

Elvira de Mejia, University of Illinois Associate Professor of Food Chemical and Toxicology, states “The caffeine derivatives in mate tea not only induced death in human colon cancer cells, they also reduced important markers of inflammation.”

Mejia’s study showed that cancerous cells in human colons died when they were exposed to bioactive compounds in yerba mate tea.  Mejia also indicated that many antioxidant enzymes were induced as well from the tea thus possibly boosting immunity. Mejia’s study was published late 2011 in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

The study showed that yerba mate tea may lower levels of inflammation, improve cholesterol levels (elevate the good HDL, lowered the bad LDL), improve digestion, promote weight loss, and cleanse the colon.

Yerba mate is very nutrient dense, containing vitamins A, B1/B2/B5, C, E and niacin, as well as calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and zinc.

Yerba mate comes in a variety of  delightful flavors, and may be consumed either warm during the winter or cool in the summertime. Having the same caffeine content but with less jitters, this nutritious beverage is a great coffee substitute too.

Drink up!

by CathyK

Beauty Product Chemical Toxins Stored in Fat

by CathyK

From morning until night we slather on lotions, fragrances, and makeup, exposing ourselves to chemicals  from our personal care products. Think about it: we use these products both during and after we shower, then layer on makeup, apply hair products and fragrance. We may add sunscreens and more lotions, touch up our makeup and hair throughout the day. We use more chemicals to remove the makeup and add more ‘night’ products to prevent aging. And just about every single product we use is loaded with chemical toxins that are absorbed through the skin and stored in fat.

Our government watchdog organizations are of no help – they simply choose to look the other way unless a company sells over $1 million a year in products, and even then they often consider many toxic chemicals as safe to use on the body. So as far as monitoring goes, we need to educate ourselves and know what to look for.

Personally, I follow a simple rule of thumb – if I can’t pronounce it, I don’t use it. If I can pronounce it and know it’s bad for me, I don’t use it either. I’ve learned to use essential oils and organic food from the kitchen to make my own. What I can’t make, I buy chemical-free. Toxic chemicals don’t stay on the surface of the skin, they’re absorbed deep into the body’s tissues and organs, disrupting the body’s innate ability to detox.

Being overloaded with these toxins can make it difficult to lose weight. This is why we like our patients to do the Phase 1 detox to get the body prepared to release these toxins from the fat when they start the HCG diet program. Most often we see patients have escalated weight and fat loss just from doing this first phase. Preparing the body to release toxins can make for an even more successful loss of fat in Phase 2.

Some of the more common chemicals to watch for are the phthalates, mercury, lead, petroleum and its byproducts, parabens, oxybenzone, and benzophenone-3, and many more. These can cause damage to the brain and neurological system, disrupt hormones and the endocrine system, and prevent us from losing weight no matter how hard we try.

What can you do and how can you educate yourself? The list of potentially dangerous personal products is too long to list here, so check out the sites below for more information:

Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics List of Safe and Harmful Products

You can use therapeutic, high-quality grade essential oils for fragrance and make your own bath and body products (it’s easy and cost effective!). There are many organic, chemical-free products available today as well.

Ch-Ch-Ch Chia Seeds!

by CathyK

We love chia seeds at HCG Chicago! A bit larger than poppy seeds, they’re loaded with calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, niacin, phosphorous and zinc. We recommend them as part of a healthy diet and to assist with keeping body weight normal.

Chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family. These petite seeds are considered to be a complete non-meat protein source, are rich in antioxidants, loaded with omega 3/6/9 oils, and may help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels. They may also help reduce insulin resistance, which is part of the overall goal with many of our patients doing the HCG weight loss program.

Chia seeds can be eaten in Phases 3 and 4, and are a great source of fiber. A 1-ounce serving of chia seeds is packed with 11 grams of fiber, which make them an excellent choice to help keep those bowels moving! When moistened, they absorb 9 times their weight in a matter of minutes, forming a gel that contributes to a feeling of satiety.

Chia seeds have no flavor except when sprouted (they’re a bit spicy). They can be used in smoothies, puddings, sprinkled on cereal, added to smoothies and blended fruit, or ground into a flour for baking. One tablespoon a day is all that’s needed.

Let’s hear it for the chia seed!

Fatty Winter Foods

by CathyK

If you live in a cold climate during the winter season, you may be drawn to fatty foods – those creamy, rich, cheesy, beefy chili and stew meals that warm you to the bone. You know, the GOOD stuff!

In cooler climates we tend to pack on more weight than our warmer climate counterparts since we go from holiday treats and high-fat meals right into the freeze of January and February. Part of the reason is that in colder months we’re drawn to comfort foods and we don’t get outside as much to exercise. Combine that also with the fact that many of us live in our sweat clothes all winter and by the time we put our jeans back on in early spring we’re shocked, disgusted, and angry that we let ourselves eat so darn much. We need to be mindful of what we eat during the entire winter season, not just the holidays,

Most adults need around 1800 calories and 60 grams of total fat every day. The biggest culprits to put on the pounds during the winter:

Mac and cheese – who doesn’t love this homemade casserole? An average 12-oz serving has over 500 calories and 25 grams of fat.

Cheesecake – one slice can have over 400 calories with close to 30 grams of fat. And this is the plain version, not the fancy ones drizzled in chocolate and caramel.

Pies with dairy toppings – any pie a la mode can run close to 1000 calories with over 50 grams of fat.

French fries and onion rings – a single serving can be close to 600 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Pot pies – yes, this small little pie can have around 800 calories with close to 50 grams of fat.

Chili and stew – typically loaded with ground beef, cheese and/or sausage a single serving on average is about 600 calories and 27 grams of fat.

Creamy soups and chowders – not only are these high in calories and fat, but typically there’s a lot of sodium as well. They can have anywhere from 400-900 calories, and 25-65 grams of fat.

An occasional serving of any of the above certainly won’t hurt you but some general guidelines might be especially helpful for those who tend to put on weight easily, or those who rely on a lot of comfort foods throughout the winter.

10 Suggestions to Help Keep You from Tipping the Scale

1. Use spices and a variety of peppers to flavor food, instead of added fats like cream and butter.
2. Eat more broth and vegetable-based soups.
3. Use 2 egg whites for every egg called for in a recipe.
4. Use fat-free or low-fat milk instead of heavy creams. Can also ‘cut’ half and half with water.
5. Keep menus smaller, and more simple, instead of 3 and 4 courses.
6. Apple and berry low-fat cobblers and crisps make wonderful warm desserts (no creamy toppings necessary).
7. Use lean meats like turkey, chicken or fish in chili and stew.
8. Remember to keep yourself well hydrated throughout the winter. Warm, flavored decaffeinated teas are great alternatives to comfort foods and hydrate as much as plain water.
9. Get outside in the sun when you can, and exercise as much as possible.
10. Check with your doctor to see about supplementing with cod liver oil, Vitamin D or krill oil.

Remember, we’re not meant to be like our furry friends and put on weight and sleep all winter long. Enjoy the change of the season and take advantage of healthy winter foods, and keep that body moving!

Willpower versus Want Power

by CathyK

I read an interesting article a couple of weeks ago regarding a woman who used what she calls ‘want power’ as part of her overall plan to lose over 200 pounds.

I’ve never heard of the term ‘want power’ being used when it comes to weight loss, but it makes sense to me. While willpower certainly has helped thousands of people lose weight, for some of us, the word itself translates to an internal battle – and one that can’t be won.

While willpower refers to self-control, want power has more to do with giving back to one’s self – sort of an ‘I won’t submit to that’ thought as opposed to ‘I will treat myself to good health’. For me, the latter is associated more with positivity. One is not better than the other, it just depends on what you resonate with.

It took an extreme health situation the woman was in to realize that she could not continue as she had been, and, rather than continuing to nurture only those around her while soothing her own feelings with food (and losing control in the process), she decided to give back to herself.

Many of us get to that same point – the place of where we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. Of realizing that all our energy is spent day in and day out giving to everyone around us. Maybe we’ve learned that if we always put everyone else first we’re doing the right thing. The issue is, when we give and don’t receive – for whatever reason – it creates internal imbalance, a.k.a. dis-empowerment.

When we finally have that  ‘aha moment’, the mental place where that light bulb goes off in our brain, we can make powerful changes in our lives and never go back to the place of feeling dis-empowered.

For some of us, it takes getting to a place of embarrassment, sadness, anger, or a fear that if we don’t change our habits soon life will never change for us. It doesn’t matter what brings us to that place of want power – it all starts the same – with one step.

That step can be  to stop eating the late night snack, or making a healthy smoothie for breakfast in the morning. It can mean taking the stairs or walking once around the block. It can be adding more vegetables and fruits to your daily diet. It can mean stopping for 15 minutes every day to breathe and say ‘I’m worth it’.

The woman in the article not only lost weight, she got off her asthma medication and feels fabulous, simply by promising herself that she would get healthy and she deserved it. That thought was her first step.

Here’s to taking that first step and want power in YOUR life!

5 Easy Detox Tips to Support You During Phase 2

by CathyK

I like daily routines to be easy, fast, and effective. Without putting too much of a drain on your body during Phase 2, these are some easy-to-implement steps you can take to help move toxins out of the body.

1) First and foremost – water, water and more water! I love mine with lemon or lime in it. I start my day with a tall glass and drink smaller ones throughout the day.

2) Dry brush your skin: Purchase a good skin brush from a health food store and do just before showering. Always brush stroke towards the heart to move the toxins towards the largest lymphatic channels.

3) Take 5-10 minutes and deep breathe! We detoxify every single time we inhale and exhale – it doesn’t get any easier than this!

4) Drink detox teas – there are a number of these available at health food stores. No calories, no bad reactions from drinking them, just nice gentle support for bowel, kidney and liver.

5) Visualize and release negative thoughts – we’re in total control of this – it’s called detoxing the mind. When our mind is clear, everything is clear! As the negative thoughts come up, acknowledge them, replace them with something positive, and release them. Visualizations can also be done simultaneously with tip #3 where you release the negative thought while exhaling.

The fun thing about easy detox tips is that they take just a few minutes a day to implement, they become permanent habits, and they contribute to your well being.

Try Essential Oils to Balance Holiday Moods

by CathyK

The holiday season can trigger the blues and mood swings in many of us – but it can be even more challenging if you’re on a weight loss program since emotions can cause us to eat and sabotage a diet when we’re stressed.

Try essential oils – sometimes just a sniff or two can get you back in the celebrating mood. Use the oils by smelling them in a diffuser in your home or car, by putting drops in distilled water in a small spray bottle, or placing a few drops in a kleenex and inhaling deeply.

For calming oneself – tangerine, basil, geranium, neroli, patchouli, rose, ylang ylang

For fuzzy thinking (brain fog) – eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary

For carb cravings – grapefruit and peppermint

For mood swings – clary sage, rosewood, vanilla

For relaxing – citrus, jasmine, lavender, pine

For stress in general – chamomile, lavender, marjoram, sandalwood

For uplifting a mood – cinnamon, melissa, vanilla

The beauty of using the oils for emotional eating is that you can blend any number of them and balance more than one mood at a time!

Phase 3 Meat and Cabbage Chili

by CathyK  (adapted from a few sources)

Who needs beans when you can use cabbage? If you looooooooove chili, this is one great fiber-filled recipe for Phase 3 and is excellent with beef, chicken or white fish.

Phase 3 Meat and Cabbage Chili

2-3 Tbls olive oil

6 oz. lean ground beef, chicken or white fish

6 oz. cabbage, chopped in bite-size pieces

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 C onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 C water

1-2 tsp chili powder (depending on how much you like it)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp thyme

3/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp paprika

A pinch or two of cayenne pepper to really spice it up

Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste

In the olive oil, cook meat, onion and garlic, add 2 cups water to this mixture, stir, then add all the spices. Stir frequently until cabbage is soft. Add chopped tomato and heat  for a few minutes. Serves 1.

By Roxanne

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, most people tend to indulge in the holiday season. When it comes to the scale, shock ripples can be felt for miles around when people realize just how much they enjoyed the holiday season.

This year, focus on maintaining (instead of gaining or losing weight), so that you can rest guilt-free of a few holiday cookies here and there. Enjoy these holiday tips – and then get set for the New Year!

Keep it in perspective

Yes, there are holiday parties and opportunities to get together with friends and loved ones to celebrate. However, this fact does not give free license to let go of all restraint. Give yourself permission to enjoy a couple of treats here and there, but for the most part, maintain a regular schedule with healthy eating (5 times a day, protein with every meal, 1,200 to 2,900 calories, avoiding sugary treats and foods that spike blood sugar levels) and exercise (a good blend of cardio, strength and flexibility) most days of the week.

Keep stress in check

Just as holidays are well known for their cheer and joy, they are also known for high stress. Instead of focusing on perfection (which is impossible to attain and only drives you and everyone else crazy), opt for filling lower expectations. A pot luck dinner, for example, is just as fun – if not more – than a five course meal you planned, cooked and served all by yourself. Giving others the opportunity to pitch in makes them feel appreciated and gives you a well-deserved break. And remember to exercise – it’s a great stress reliever. Only 15 minutes of a brisk walk around the block has been shown to decrease stress levels and increase productivity.

Keep it real

In today’s age of texting, social networking and email, it’s way too easy to avoid getting to know people in a face-to-face situation and on a deeper level. In fact, most individuals feel awkward with silence in a social situation and will eat or drink anything to fill the space. Instead of relying on food, drink or the latest and greatest high tech toy to fill the gap, make an honest effort to get to know people beyond the polite small talk level.

And above all, remember that the real message of the holiday season is not about food. It’s a celebration of friendships and love.

Happy holidays from all of us at HCG Chicago!

A Great Way to Get Your Fruits and Vegies!

by CathyK

Fruits and vegies are major health players when transitioning to a new eating plan. Whether you eat them raw, steamed, or blended in soups and salads, you benefit from their nutrients.

Two other great ways to get mega nutritional power are from juicing and blending them. Either of these can take just a bit getting use to – from both a flavor and habit standpoint. Both juicing and blending are a bit more time consuming, but the payoff is huge!

Many people start with blending before juicing, and typically with more fruits than green or other vegetables. As long as you don’t make a habit of using a lot of high glycemic fruits on a daily basis, this is fine. Typically people start with bananas for both their flavor and texture, but apples and pears are fast becoming favorites as replacements for them.

Breakfast is usually the first meal people experiment with to make this a daily habit. Get creative – add a bit of almond nut butter or powdered protein mix (depending on which phase of the HCG program you’re in) to your fruits. Then start adding a big handful of spinach or kale to the blend – it’s a great way to get those greens and not taste them!

For those who are more drawn to juicing, the key here is to use as many vegetables as possible and accent the more  bitter flavor with a fruit or two such as a handful of berries or an apple, or both.

No matter which method you choose, knowing that doing so will get you into healthier eating habits. You don’t need to invest in expensive equipment right off the start either. Many have started with lesser expensive juicers and blenders and do just fine. Some critics will argue that the lesser expensive equipment doesn’t extract enough nutrients, or the pulp is wasteful – but does this really matter for the short term? The goal is to get more fruits and vegies into your diet, and blending and juicing are the best way to do so. And one last thing – use organic produce as much as possible.