Sonoma Diet

Sonoma diet is a unique diet system, which has been the darling of the people in the Mediterranean region. The Sonoma diet pattern developed by renowned top dietician Dr.Connie Gutterson has success rates accelerating in leaps and bounds. One may wonder the name Sonoma and for the origin it owes its name to the lush green Sonoma valley in California rightfully symbolizing the greenery required in the diet.

If you feel that the heart which fits into the fist shouldn’t slip out of your hands, embrace the Sonoma diet, for its heart healthy and a traditional diet which testifies its success with live examples – especially from the Mediterranean region Crete, Greece, Italy or any other country on the Mediterranean coast.

They have been found to have a very low risk of heart disease and interestingly the Sonoma diet even allows wine in limited doses. In general, the mantra is to get your waistline trimmed by eating proper food in the right proportion and not to fall into mislead notions like fasting to the core.

Any systematic and established dieting procedure coupled with physical activity bids good-bye to obesity and ill health. The Sonoma diet pattern allows even limited servings of red meat, but gives importance to whole grains, cereals, nuts and fish as part of diet regimen. Unlike conventional dietary procedures, this doesn’t advocate any fasting practices to shed off those extra pounds of flesh.

In fact, the Sonoma diet allows you to go in for a variety of things such as lean meat and other varieties of tastes that satisfy the yearning of the taste buds.

The bone structure of Asians is smaller and therefore the ideal body mass index or BMI calculated as the ratio between the weight measured in kilograms and height in square meters is set at 23 for Indians. The ideal constant for Caucasians is set at 25. If you belong to the fair sex, then you have to see that your hip to waist ratio doesn’t cross 0.85. For men the safety factor is set below 1.0. If the joints are not to nag somebody, hearts are to pump efficiently and for a trouble free insulin secretion among other wellness aspects, better watch out for these obesity indices. The obesity monster is striking big. To quote statistics, it is estimated that about a quarter of a million people have undergone surgeries for obesity in the year 2006. Simple lifestyle changes and change in diet patterns- which contain low calories, will make a lot of difference to our health. Take care.

World Aids Day – Dec 1.

Today is World Aids Day. The World Aids Campaign’s theme for this year is “Stop Aids: Keep the Promise – Leadership”. The advent of a deadly disease that came to light in 1981 because of HIV (Human Immuno Virus) is observed every year showing the symbol of a red ribbon. Started in 1988, Dec 1 continues to remind humankind about the importance of an AIDS free society. It also reminds healthy people the importance of their co-existence with patients battling the syndrome and to offer them a life free from stigma associated with their lives.

According to UNAIDS figures, 33.2 million are living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. Unfortunately, youths before 25 years contract HIV and succumb to the disease before 35 years – the age, when one sees the pinnacle of life in terms of career achievements and other accomplishments. More startling revelation is that 95% of the cases are from developing nations. Beware of AIDS and be aware of AIDS. Be free from needles that induce artificial trance and don’t share them. Not only budding youth, but also entire human race should realize that they should not lose the woods for the trees.

World 'Anti-Obesity Day'

November 26 was Anti-Obesity day. It’s not a sin to be obese, but it’s no fun either. Thin roads in many places all over the world became fat filled with people that created awareness against Obesity. According to WHO statistics, 60% of US citizens and 35% of Indians are obese- the news, which is not worth enjoying. About 310 million or 31 crore people world over are excessively fat, according to figures. Public conducted rallies with placards, banners and funny dresses to spark the fire of fighting obesity. Many carried slogans against fast foods, Pizzas etc. asking public to refrain from such high calorie foods that lead to unhealthy body.

Interestingly, there seems to be a significant relationship between TV watching and Obesity, if results according to practical studies are any indications to go by. Children watching the idiot box for more than 3 hrs have the risk of 4 times suffering form Obesity than their peers who don’t watch Television for long durations. So, parents are to ensure that their children are fit as a fiddle by giving them the right food, making them play lot of games and importantly make them understand that intelligent kids stay away from the idiot box. And tell them not pester you for preserved foods and junk diets. Of course, do take care of yourselves- not to be obese. After all we have to practice before we preach.

Vegetables and fruits are natural sources of health, which is an indisputable fact. Regular servings of green vegetables and fruits can do whole lot of good for our body. As was seen in the earlier postings in the case of groundnuts, ‘Tea’ is also a natural source of ‘Flavanoids’, which shields heart problems. Beans also contain flavanoids, which can prevent heart problems up to 13%.

‘Seeing red’ is a phrase in English, which means to suddenly get angry. But you only need to get happy when you see red coloured vegetables. They contain ‘Lycopene’, a carotenoid, which acts as an antioxidant and helps in several ways including preventing cancer. Several websites on Lycopene substantiate its goodness in inhibiting Prostate Cancer. Antioxidants are substances that helping fighting ‘free radicals’, the agents of bad health. Tomatoes, guava, watermelons, rosehip and grapefruits are classic examples of vegetable and fruits containing Lycopene. Get enough tomatoes and red colored fruits and vegetables in your diet to keep yourself healthy.

An advice to be ‘by hearted’

Going nuts isn’t good and of course going bananas too. But eating groundnuts bestows a whole lot of good health. According to a study by American heart association, including groundnuts in your regular diet reduces the risk of heart disease by 21%. The accompanying good news is good cholesterol also increases with the consumption of groundnuts.

Another study in Israel concludes that people having wine regularly may consume at least half a cup of pomegranate juice daily. This is due to the presence of 5 times the antioxidants in pomegranate, though small doses of wine is advised for a healthy heart. Adherence to this dosage of juice results in reduction of bad cholesterol and there may be chances of a reduction of 44% of heart problems. Regular doses of 6 ounces of pomegranate juice and 50 grams of groundnuts may reduce heart problems to a larger extent. There is nothing to loose much as this is neither expensive not it requires excessive effort to follow this regime. Why not try it? ‘By heart’ this advice for a healthy heart free of any cardiovascular problems.

Did you know September 30 was celebrated as 'World Heart day' and the world heart slogan was 'Team up with hearts'.

Here’s Sweet news… Eyebrows still frown when children demand chocolates lest their teeth get stained and worms infect their bowels. Last but not the least, the sugar content discourages diabetics to lead a sweet life. But if scientific studies are any indications to go by, derivatives of cocoa products into chocolates had a significant impact on lowering blood pressure. According to a study in Netherlands, when surveyed on 470 healthy Dutch men aged above 65 years their blood pressure was significantly normal and the inference was that it was probably due to their consumption of 10 Gms of chocolate a day. A finding as far as Australia is concerned is 2, 50,000 people suffer from Diabetes, out of whom 80,000 are insulin dependent. Blindness, kidney damage, nerve dysfunction and blocked blood vessels are the side effects of Diabetes. Low Glycemic Index foods such as whole grains, bran and cereal fibre may reduce the risk of heart disease in diabetics. But as far as mortality rates are concerned it seems diseases that have played havoc are Malaria, Dysentery, Tuberculosis and respiratory disorders in general. It’s because of these diseases; nearly 75 million have departed this planet which in turn is in the grip of environmental degeneration like Greenhouse gases, global warming and what not. Even before problems can take to cudgels in the form of problems such as Diabetes, Blood Pressure etc. we can prevent it with regular exercises such as walking. Like to have a look at the latest statistics nation wise, so that we can be wary of the facts about the figures regarding exercising. Germans seem to be highly health conscious with 52% of people over 50s taking into regular exercise followed by Spain which is 47%. The third place goes to France at 43% and the last to UK at 28%.

Value Addition for health: What is a Mudra? A Mudra is a form of particular positioning of fingers of our hands. If formed in different combinations coupled with Asanas or seating postures and breathing exercises are carried out, beneficial effects accrue on our health. These are time tested combinations which we would be seeing gradually.

Smart Sniffers

Animals have been perceived to superior as far as understanding nature and geographical changes are concerned. It is common knowledge that rats are employed as guinea pigs for research that leads to conclusions about behavior of medicines in human bodies. When it comes to dog, they not only are faithful to their masters, but also help in detecting certain types of Cancers in humans. Does it sound strange? Not really. The faculty of sniffing in dogs has been found to give them the unique ability to detect Cancers. Doctors and Scientists around the globe are engaged in extensive research on Cancer detection and research on associated drugs. Considerable breakthrough has been achieved by ‘Pine Street Foundation’ of California, which related the sniffing of dogs to bring Cancer to the fore. Significantly, the foundation has been successful in finding the fact based on the theory that cancer cells of patients exhibit certain basic characteristics, while healthy people do not exhibit them. Three Labradors and two Portuguese water dogs were reportedly engaged in prolonged sessions of training with an exposure to samples of exhaled air of healthy people and Cancer patients. Remarkably, dogs were able to sniff the air of Cancer patients.

Dear Dolphins

If you can befriend Dolphins, you are one up. You have a short in the arm and pleasant splash in the water. According to Biophilic research, a discipline which deals with relationship of humans’ health with nature, swimming with Dolphins can improve relaxation and reduce mild or moderate depression. Studies reveal that 9 out of 10 patients who swam with these beautiful and friendly aqua creatures reported lasting improvement. Tail Piece: Elephants are believed to possess instincts to sense earthquakes in advance. In some parts they have been reported to move in herds in advance to safer places.

Go Quizzing: What are Pachyderms?

Scientifically this is agreeable to a larger extent since even as a thumb rule we avoid certain foods pertaining to the corresponding seasons. This means foods which suit one season may not suit another season. A similar principle is applied in Chinese medicine, which propagates the theory that to maintain the balance of ‘Qi’ or the Life Force that flows through the body, the forces of ‘Yin’ (cold) and ‘Yang’ (hot) are to be balanced. The interpretation would be that Yang would dominate in hot season than Yin. The imbalance of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ corresponds to the theory in Ayurvedic medicine which advocates the theory of the balance between Vata (gas), Pitta (bile) and Kapha (Phlegm).This also makes an interesting inference that it’s more of cosmic energy that sustains us than the element of food that we swallow. If it’s the Om or Omkara that is revered in Hinduism, its equivalent ‘Qi’ is respected by the chinese. After all, the names may vary but the divine cosmic energy is one and the same.

Generally for a healthy body, recipes low in cholesterol value is recommended for a low LDL level in the body. As far efficient maintenance of oure health Systems, Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines have a mention on the different seasons that affect the health of human beings. Even some animals go on a long hibernation in some seasons to maintain their wellness. While generally the seasons are spread as summer, autumn, spring and winter, Ayurveda specifies that the seasons are divided into six seasons namely Vasant Ruthu, Sharad Ruthu, Grishma Ruthu, Hemantha Ruthu, Varsha Ruthu and Shishira Ruthu. A detailed study named ‘Ruthu Charya’ or ‘seasonal maintenance’ occupies a place of considerable importance in Ayurveda. Ayurvedic texts testify that human body behaves in a particular way in particular season and accordingly the diets specified also vary.

‘Health is Wealth’, ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ and ‘Prevention is better than cure' are well known maxims that are being used to describe the state of well being of our health. The changing lifestyle in the rat race to making money has given way to lot of diseases- the names of which are too strange to hear in medical parlance and – in a lighter vein- little tough to pronounce. An introspection to this effect would reveal that the predicaments in present day living is taking a toll on health to the extent that problems like ‘Juvenile Diabetes’ have cropped up, which were unheard of during yesteryears of our ancestors. The reasons attributed to diseases of new origin are mainly due to the lack of awareness that health must take precedence over wealth. A light body as good as a Boeing and a wellness unparalleled are attributes of good health. After all, one can enjoy all the pleasures of life only when one’s state of health is sound. Otherwise, what is the point of having tons of money when a person’s health is indisposed to enjoying the fruits of earning? In this context, this website would discuss the different methods as to how one can enhance the state of a person’s health and the different methods and complementary therapies such as acupuncture, low cholesterol recipes containing vegetables and natural ingredients, meditations and alternative methods of healing that would put a person’s health in good shape. Let’s continue to discuss the integral aspects of health that may bring happiness, prosperity and well being – which would give the necessary impetus to earn riches and to enjoy the comforts of life.

Sugar and salt, if consumed in excess can damage the functioning of the vital organs of the body. If this simple fact is seriously taken into account and amends are made to our diet, by adding more of vegetables, fruits and adhering to a herbalife, our health condition will improve for the better. We have to be wary of this important fact while planning our diet. Its better we get to know about the two diet indices namely Low Glycemic Index (LG) and High Glycemic Index (HG) with respect to carbohydrates. While proteins act as the building blocks of the body, carbohydrates provide the necessary energy.

A diet comprising LG index foods are beneficial, compared to foods that contain HG index. Glycemic response is the speed at which the sugar consumed by a person is converted into Glucose and this implies that foods with a high Glycemic index are converted into glucose at a faster rate causing the body to raise sugar to dangerous levels. Sonoma diet comprises eatables with a Low Glycemic Index, which is one important reason for its efficiency in diet planning. Whole grains are examples of LG carbohydrates. Glycemic Index with a value 55 is considered to be low; 56 to 69 is medium and anything above 70 is considered high. This information may help diabetics to exercise caution and may also give some hints on the subject. Information on nutrition and health derived due to herbs/vegetables not only adds years to life, but adds life to years. But how many of us lend our ears to develop healthy eating habits? Mostly we fall prey to the taste buds.

The entry to body is the mouth. The tongue guards the entry. The owner which is the soul had instructed the guard to allow only things that does good to him. Defying the owner’s orders, the tongue allows things that are tasty to his buds and puts the owner in a state of sluggishness. This is what happens, when we eat things as we like, ignoring the health aspect and satisfying only the taste buds- finally putting the life force into stake. Even Adam ate Apple, which is a testifying example that fruit diet was predominant in the dietary pattern since ancient days. Though meat eating is very common, enough caution needs to be exercised as far as the consumption of fat content in animal fat is concerned. Fruits such as Dates, Grapes, and Pomegranates were considered to have their origin from heaven and were even offered to gods as a mark of respect. The more the consumption of carbohydrates and fats, the more the secretion of ‘neuro-peptides, which further trigger the desire to consume more of these items. This conveys the fact that, when the consumption of these items is gradually reduced, the secretion of neuro-peptides reduces thereby reducing the chain reaction.

Which is the room you like most?

Mushrooms neither belong to the herbal kingdom nor the animal kingdom, belongs to the group ‘fungi’ and interestingly they are devoid of the green matter present in plants. The umbrella shaped organic mushrooms grow on decaying organic materials. Beware some of the mushrooms are edible and some are poisonous. The Agaricus bisporus or the button mushroom is a cultivated type that is edible and grown in India. Agaricus bitorquis; Pleurotus spp is also an edible mushroom which is otherwise known as Oyster mushroom. Black ear mushroom:Shitake;Milky mushrooms and Paddy Straw mushrooms are other types of mushrooms. If people who are fat want to give a tough challenge to the fat, consuming mushrooms may be one of the answers.

If there is a cultivable type, there is a wild type too. The Morchellaa spp mostly found in the hills of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal regions in India are exported to European countries. Because of its low fat content, mushrooms are said to aid in shedding off unnecessary flab as also maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. The Kerala Agricultural College in India has reportedly proved that besides enhancing strength it also regulates hypertension. As far as nutrition is concerned, they are rich in proteins, low in fats, high in fibre, Vitamin B12 and folic acid. Along with diets such as Sonoma, mushrooms may be benificial in addition to list of high protein foods. May be, you may now say that the room, which you like most is 'mushroom'.

Note: Get to know in detail and buy mushrooms. The details are a general guideline.

Yours fatfully

Fats are necessary to a certain extent and not something to be loathed. People with fat in alarming quantities should bear in mind that the term obesity is a cause of concern for them.If there is something that the body itself cannot produce on its own it’s the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which fall in the category of essential fatty acids (EFA). Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are better for health than mono unsaturated ones and interestingly the Omega 3 and Omega 6 are required for the production of Prostoglandins, which helps regulate blood clotting, body temperature, blood pressure, reproduction and immune function. Figuratively, western diets have an Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio of 1:10, but for purposes of nutrition the recommended ratio is 1:3 according to nutritionists, which means there is an over intake of Omega 6 variety. Though Omega 3 and Omega 6 contribute to the brain neurons, getting Omega 6 in excess is considered to prevent the body from the effective metabolism of Omega 3 fatty acids. A US study links a high intake of Omega 6 to the growth of Prostate cancer in men. Another UK survey conducted on pregnant women of 14,500 families who consumed less of Omega 3 and more of Omega 6 were found to have an increased risk of depression.

The first Sonoma wave will last for 10 days comprising yummy breakfasts, lunches and dinners made out of healthy whole foods. The second wave which forms the major part of the diet will continue to be with you until the targeted weight is achieved. This second wave is about variety and you can couple it with doses of wine – preferably one glass a day for women and 2 glasses a day for women. Wave 2 can be viewed as the dieting phase of the plan and may run for several months as one gradually loses weight.

Once you reach the targeted weight, you’ll be more than happy that the eatables would include Olive oil, tomatoes, fresh garlic, even limited servings of red meat and vegetables, fish and chicken. Sonoma dieters can eat bread and pasta provided its whole wheat. But wine comes with a rider. It’s allowed only in wave 2, since the wave 1 focuses on calorie reduction.

Wave 3 sets in with specifications on plate sizes apportioned with respect to nutritional values such as carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables in the ascending order. This is a general description as an eye-opener on Sonoma diet. Websites are available dime a dozen on this specific diet pattern and online enrolments are also available to achieve targeted weights. Check out for few good sites and sign up for customized Sonoma diet pattern for a trim waistline.

Lassen’s health food refers to Lassen’s natural foods and Vitamins, a family store at Thousand Oakes California, which offers wide range of natural products.

As far as herbalife health nutrition is concerned, herbs are playing a predominant role as an alternative to conventional medicine. Herbs provide us with safe chances of recovery even from chronic diseases and in this regard, if herbs are used as part of diet in our day to day lives, many a disease can be prevented from snowballing into the system. Herbal life or life lived with herbs fro external and internal applications can be rejuvenating to the system. Several hundreds of herbs are available for the benefit of mankind. The Indian herbal life is synonymous to herbal living as this is the birth place of Ayurveda and Siddha practices, where herbs are quintessential for preparation of medicines. Pertinently, India has been the abode of sages and Siddhas or seers who had formulated various preparations and listed remedies even for chronic diseases. The efficacy of these medicines, especially Ayurveda is deeply penetrating even US markets and lot of patients and tourists are making a beeline to India for Ayurvedic retreats.

Gymnoma Sylvestrae, Androgrophis Paniculata and Withania Somnifera are only some of the few herbs that are highly beneficial to our health and which are used in the preparation of medicines.

Sonoma Diet

Sonoma diet is a unique diet system, which has been the darling of the people in the Mediterranean region. The Sonoma diet pattern developed by renowned top dietician Dr.Connie Gutterson has success rates accelerating in leaps and bounds. One may wonder the name Sonoma and for the origin - it owes its name to the lush green Sonoma valley in California rightfully symbolizing the greenery required in the diet, at a time when most of the people go in for processed and fast foods. If you feel that the heart which fits into the fist shouldn’t slip out of your hands, embrace the Sonoma diet, for its heart healthy and a traditional diet which testifies its success with live examples – especially from the Mediterranean region Crete, Greece, Italy or any other country on the Mediterranean coast. They have been found to have a very low risk of heart disease and interestingly the Sonoma diet even allows wine in limited doses. In general, the mantra is to get your waistline trimmed by eating proper food in the right proportion and not to fall into mislead notions like fasting to the core. People with excess fat are blissfully unaware of the other side of food constituents such as high protein foods subject to daily limited consumption. Any systematic and established dieting procedure coupled with physical activity bids adieu to obesity and ill-health. The Sonoma diet pattern allows even limited servings of red meat, but gives importance to whole grains cereals, nuts and fish as part of diet regimen. Unlike conventional dietary procedures, this doesn’t advocate any fasting practices to shed off those extra pounds of flesh. The main aim is to stop eating for taste and belly stuffing as also to develop an awareness to herbal life and associated health nutrition. In fact, the Sonoma diet allows you to go in for a variety of things such as lean meat and other varieties of tastes that satisfy the yearning of the taste buds. Satisfying the latter alone would just result in eating and stuffing the belly. If it was the French women's diet that was popular last year, it is the Sonoma's turn now. Tsunami waves are dangerous, not the Sonoma waves. On the contrary, Sonoma waves give the best of health. What are these Sonoma waves?

When in a country like India where human resources is considered as an investment, the nutrition statistics seem to be far from satisfactory. A recent study concludes that about 50 % to 58% of men, women and children suffer from malnutrition due to insufficient consumption of micronutrients such as Iron, Folic acid, Vitamin A and Riboflavin. This may be due to the proclivity to consuming more of cereals and sugar, rather than consuming more of fruits& vegetables and carbohydrates. Lack of awareness to healthy style of diets Viz:Sonoma Diet and knowledge about food pyramid, Lassen's Health food of Natural fruits and Vitamins can go a long way in preserving the health. Another study may be an eye-opener for youngsters who go in for fast foods in an unwanted spree. This only creates more fat people. Eating to fill the belly and stuffing them with junk foods will only add fat. For people with flab already, though herbal life weight loss products are available aplenty in the market, please watch out for the efficacy of the products. Magical cure is miles away from truth. This study conducted on 18 Delhi schools found that 16 out of every 100 students were overweight. A group of three of more factors such as Insulin resistance resulting in high sugar levels, raised levels of triglycerides or bad cholesterol and low levels of HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) – the good cholesterol, abdominal obesity contributing to a BMI (Body Mass Index) >23 and high blood pressure - is termed as Syndrome X. 33% of those surveyed were eating fast-foods atleast thrice a week with a sedentary lifestyle, which is a double whammy. Also 70% of students reported that they didn’t participate in any physical activity.

Another study in US also confirmed that consumption of soda by young students was the prime reason for obesity and therefore it was also suggested that parents encourage their children to have their food in home, so that their nutrition and dietary factors are taken care of by the parents. Parents can elaborate about diet patterns such as Sonoma diet and Lassen's health food to keep the youngsters abreast with the changing trends in diet. An awareness about the list of high protein products, urge to be fat free are essential and above all herbal values are not to be treated obsolete. After all, parents not only serve food, but they mix love and care as a potential combination with food. The high salt content used in preservation of junk food such as chips is also believed to play havoc in the health of children. Young buddies, got the message right. I hope parents also take a cue out of these stats.

Food for thought: Which cholesterol is bad for health?

What is BMI? How is it calculated?

In ancient India, Rishis or sages of yore had maintained sound health and exuded a vibrancy and aura around their persona. One of the main reasons for their health and longevity is attributed to their food habits, which was principally a vegetarian style and reflected herbalife that they followed. The herbalife and herbal health nutrition was automatically a part of their diet regimen as they consumed fresh vegetables, tubers and fruits, which were naturally available in the jungle habitats. It would be interesting to observe that they had followed the sonoma pattern of diet excluding the composition of meat and wine and their diet pattern more or less followed a food pyramid, which is being discussed in the present days. Though issues like meat spin was not known and scientific dietary procedures such as Lassen's health food were exlusively not tailor made several thousands of centuries ago, the foresight of the seers regarding dietary procedures was simply exemplary.

Scriptures proclaim that they had lived several hundreds of years with a vegetarian diet. Though their spiritual exercises might have contributed to their well-being partially, it’s of significance to note that the diet was purely vegetarian and which was uncooked. This goes to explain that not only the vegetarian diet kept them in good health, but also it enabled them to keep their passions under control. Though the conventional practice is to use cooked vegetables for our longing taste buds, it’s definitely advisable to eat fresh vegetables daily. This practice promotes fine health and introduces lot of ‘fibers’ to the body. Thus herbal life helps us in maintaining the required intake of natural inputs to the body providing health nutrition. Later on we would be seeing the beneficial effects of fibers in detail, which would certainly make a person to ponder to turning towards vegetarianism. Theory has it that, the acidity of the food increases when eatables are fried. Therefore it becomes essential to weigh the pros and cons of eating habit and make amends accordingly. Coming back to the nutritional part of it, let’s understand that vegetables are rich in fibers, which possess lot of beneficial effects for the functioning of our body. The nutritional values that is being offered by Lassen's health food of Lassen group of stores and other herbalife masters in the present era were derived by the sages down the ages. Of course, the scientific role in explaining to the people, are being effectively done by Lassen's group and other such professional businesses engaged in the food industry.

Basically, there are two types of fibers, which can be classified as ‘soluble fibers’ and ‘insoluble fibres’.While ‘pectin’ is a soluble fibre, Cellulose, Hemi cellulose and Lignin are insoluble fibers. Both these fibers have a role to play in the functioning of our body. These fibers reduce the assimilation of cholesterol from the food we take. Fibres also regulate blood sugar level and hence keep diabetes under control. Insoluble fibers fill thee stomach giving us filed feeling and therefore we don’t feel hungry for a minimum of 4Hrs.This results in the reduced intake of food thereby balancing the body weight. They also prevent constipation in the body and prevent internal ulcers, cancer of the large intestine and piles. The Sonoma diet and food pyramid exactly consists of significant fibre content levels in their formations.

Statistics reveal that vegetarians have the least chances of hosting cancer of large intestine. Though meat and herb or vegetables can go together for a spin of the taste buds, its advisable to limit red meat for improved health conditions. Stuffing the stomach with vegetables, fruits and herbalife health diets more compared to meat diets is one sure way to stay healthy. This doesn't preclude meat diet absolutely from one's diet. One of the Sonoma diet conditions is the restricted consumption of meat. The risk of getting lung cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer is very low for vegetarians. A look at some beneficial vegetables and grains are enumerated below:-

Radish:-
This is rich in vitamin A. Its juice has a detrimental effect on the stomach worms. The presence of Zinc in Radish, gives sheen to the skin and therefore skin infections can be kept at bay. When a mixture of Radish and White onion is crumbled and mixed with buttermilk and taken, it would be a cure for piles. It is also said that Radish promotes good sleep. Why not try a glass of fresh Radish juice then?
Coriander leaves:-
This is not only used to add aroma to the food. It is famous for its rich nutrition in that, Vitamins A, B1, B2, C1, Calcium and Iron are found in these pleasant smelling leaves. It’s a good remedy for ‘Night Blindness’.

Stem and Flower of Banana tree:-
The regular consumption of stem juice of Banana tree drives away Kidney stones and the addition of cooked flower of the same tree gives immense benefits to the body. Curry made out of the stem is also regular recipe of the Indian households.

Onion:-
In 100gms of Onion, 1.3gms protein, 10 gms carbohydrate and 0.4 gms fat is available. O other constituents like Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus and Sulphur are also available. Onion is rich in fiber and controls diabetes and blood pressure. If mixed with curd and taken, it will reduce fats in the body.

Cauliflower:-
This has cancer preventing properties and contains in build composition, which goes into the body to secrete ’Phase II’ compound that is produced in the body , having natural cancer fighting properties.

Bitter Gourd:-
The soup of this gourd is to be taken in empty stomach, which would strengthen the joints and also a panacea for sugar patients.

Fenugreek Seeds:-
It promotes cooling effect to the body and contains about 45% fiber content. Fenugreek powder is a good medicine for sugar patients. This has properties that reduce the harmful LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein)

Soya beans:-
A Japanese study reveals that consumption of Soya beans the chance of breast cancer in women by 60 %. It is high in protein value and can substitute protein of Non-vegetarian food to a greater extent.
The aforesaid benefits are only a few and lot more can be said about in support of vegetarianism. It’s up to the takers to decide when they are going to switch over to the regimen and derive the benefits accordingly. A herbal life in the daily routine curbs many a problem.

A healthy question?

Have you decided to enter the food pyramid?

Do you understand the importance of Sonoma diet?

The passion for Indian food in Britain is an established fact as there are thousands of Indian restaurants serving the taste buds of Britons for good. If Hyderabadi Biryani could attract 28,000 meals a day in the recently concluded Congress session in Hyderabad, the impact of this particular Indian cuisine can be imagined. Each day eleven quintals of Mutton Biryani and 10 quintals of Chicken Biryani were estimated to be prepared for the session. The Interesting information is that each Indian goat or sheep gives 10 kgs of meat and conservative estimates reveal that 350 sheep or goat had to be slaughtered to please the tongues of politicos in three days. Better hold your breath to know the rough expenditure, which was to the tune of 8.4 million rupees gobbled in the form of mutton and chicken. When globally, herbal health nutrition is being debated, consumption of flesh in such huge quantities keeps one surprised. Fat is not fun and people would be happy if they would burn the calories by earnestly toiling for some social cause. If this is the slant towards meat diet at Hyderabad in India, over the seas, fresh fruits and vegetables seem to come to the fore. Though list of high protein foods may be available as a general diet specific diets such as Sonoma diet and a unique geometrical structure, the food pyramid is gaining popularity among other diet patterns such as Atkin's Diet. A study by nutritionists in US establishes that immigrants provide a clue to healthy living in that the latter were consuming 2.5 more servings of fruits and vegetables a day – according to Harvard School of Public Health Study. This has probably invigorated the Dominicans to place a demand to provide fruits and vegetables of their native land. Food stores such as Lassen's health food provide many a natural health recipes for people who desire to make amends to their non-vegetarian consumption. Hope their desire becomes ‘fruitful’.