We’ve all heard commercials and television experts touting the benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids.  Even the renowned Dr. Oz makes a point to highlight the many benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids on a regular basis.  But few of us are getting enough Omega 3s in our diets.  Let’s take a look at what these acids do for our diets and our health, and why we should make sure we're getting enough of them.

When it comes to diet, one of the most important things to understand is that Omega 3 fatty acids are essential to energy production.  ALA, which is the precursor to both EPA and DHA (two other Omega 3s), is a vital source of energy for the body that certainly shouldn’t be overlooked as part of your supplement regimen if you aren’t getting enough of it through things like flaxseed, algae, and fish.

You are hungry, but you don’t have much time. You are in a hurry, so you grab something already prepared. Whether you reached for fast food or something prepared from the store, these choices are almost always filled with sodium, sugar, saturated fat, and preservatives. Exactly what your body needs to store more fat.

It’s a decision we have all faced, but, even when it seems like there are no healthy options, there are ways to eat right while on the go. You just need to know how to make better choices when faced with these decisions, and what all this can mean to your health and well-being.

Most people know that almost all fast food is unhealthy. Many fast food restaurants serve food that is loaded with saturated fat, sugar, and sodium. Even when you think you may be choosing the healthy option, you may be consuming more calories and sugar than you should.

“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” - Alexander Pope

It is a place we have all been before. You have overeaten and regret is setting in. Bullying yourself over a simple slip-up will not only make you feel worse about yourself, but it will not accomplish anything.

Instead, it will be more beneficial to learn what caused your food binge to happen, as well as how to move on while regaining control of your diet goals. This means learning what led to the binge, how to cope with the after affects, and how you will return to your healthy lifestyle.

Keeping a food journal will not only help you keep track of your daily caloric intake, but it can also shine light on the situations and emotions that you experience before your unintended food binge. There is no one right way to keep a food journal, so you should experiment to find what works best for you. Calories consumed, amount of activity, quality of sleep, stress level, and your emotions are all good things to keep track of in your journal.

Sugar, and its related derivatives corn syrup, molasses, maltose, and dextrose, is found in many of the foods consumed in our modern life. This sweet substance is common, but can it really be considered addictive? Let’s look at how we become addicted to sugar, what sugar does to our bodies and health, where it can be found, and ways to end your love affair with sugar.

Most estimates put the average consumption of sugar between 20 and 30 teaspoons a day. While at first this may not seem that bad, it is worth noting that women should be consuming a maximum of six teaspoons a day and men should be consuming no more than nine teaspoons a day.

Sugar, much like alcohol, heroin, morphine, and cocaine, releases hormones in our brain that activates our “feel good” receptors. This means that sugar meets the same criteria as other addictive substances, resulting in a compulsion to consume, a gradual tolerance to its effects caused from continued use, difficulty functioning without it, and withdrawal symptoms when consumption ends.

You want to lose weight but aren’t sure where to begin. It can seem overwhelming when you are first getting started. There are many factors involved in successful weight loss and they each play an important part in a good weight loss program. In order to make the best choices you need to get the best information.

It is essential that you understand how your behavior affects your weight loss results, or you won’t be able to make lasting changes. One thing you will want to consider, according to researchers, is the role that your quality and quantity of sleep plays in losing weight.

Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain

Sleep is a challenging subject, especially in the U.S. where productivity defines many individual lives. It seems the more you get done, the better respected you are. Unfortunately playing around with the amount of sleep you get each night can become a dangerous habit when it comes to your waistline.

There have been numerous studies that examined the link between lack of sleep and weight gain. The following are examples of the many studies that have found a direct link between the two.

Stress has become one of the biggest issues being discussed by experts in the health community. As people try to do more in less time each day, their stress levels increase as well. One area that is greatly impacted by stress is weight loss. The body’s ability to burn fat and function properly is directly affected by stress-related pressure. You can become even more stressed by the results when you’re trying to lose weight.

Does Stress Cause Weight Gain?

Stress affects the way your hormones are regulated, interrupting the way your body processes fat.  It is also often accompanied by anxiety- which causes many people to over-eat and gain weight-or stop eating completely, and lose extreme amounts of weight. Unhealthy eating habits also affect the body’s metabolism, leading to weight gain.

Even people who don’t necessarily eat more food when anxious can gain weight when stress leads them to eat foods high in carbs and sugar. Lack of time often becomes another problem during stressful times. It becomes easier to choose processed foods high in fat when there isn’t enough time to cook a healthy meal.

You have probably heard the adage that people should drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. There is no question that water is essential to good health. After all, the human body is made up of mostly water - some experts say as much as 65 percent. Water also has a substantial effect on weight loss. There are five important reasons why water plays such a significant role in weight loss.
 

1. Reducing Hunger
   
   People who diet will tell you that drinking water can help you to feel full, which can keep you from eating too much. Sometimes you are just thirsty but confuse the signals. Dieticians often suggest drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry to make sure you really need to eat.

    

Ice Chips candy are one of the very few dentist approved candies available. The candy is sugar-free but it tastes like no other sugar-free candy on the market. There are 18 mouthwatering flavors that really pack a punch unlike typically sugar-free candy.

The rich flavor in Ice Chips comes primarily from its main ingredient. Xylitol carries a sweet taste without all the negative side-effects. There is no need to worry about packing on a lot of calories and no need to worry about tooth decay. In fact, all the proven benefits of Xylitol include:

• Reducing tooth decay
• Strengthening teeth
• Fighting mouth plaque and bacteria
• Eliminating dry mouth
• No net carbohydrates
• 40% less calories than sugar
• Promoting stronger teeth in infants of  mothers who consumed it during pregnancy
• FDA approved
• Improving bad breath
• Made from organic ingredients
• Does not contribute to hyper-activity
• Healthy for everyone including: children, diabetics, and dieters

There is no better way to remind yourself about swimsuit season like tropical flavors and frozen drinks! Ice Chips Candy is that rare sugar-free candy that actually tastes the way it sounds. These three island paradise flavors will be exactly what every dieter needs to stay motivated for weight loss.

Ice Chips are made from Xylitol (Zy -li-tall). Xylitol is found in nature in fruits, vegetables, and tree bark. The only Xylitol used to make Ice Chips is the kind that comes from tree bark, specifically Birchwood.

The makers of Ice Chips choose to only use Xylitol made from Birchwood because there is no risk of pesticides or other chemicals used to genetically modify them for faster growth. While these chemicals are approved for use on fruits and vegetables, the makers of Ice Chips do not take that kind of risk with health.

The inventors of Ice Chips are two professional, family-oriented women who have a background in the health industry. Previous to Ice Chips, they created a skin care line. However, both ladies decided it was time the world had an option for a delicious yet healthy candy, and that’s when Ice Chips were created.

That’s right; the world finally has a healthy candy. It is called Ice Chips and it comes in a variety of amazing flavors that freshen breath and clean teeth.

A refreshing blast of clean feeling comes from flavors like:

• Cinnamon
• Spearmint
• Wintergreen
• Peppermint

Ice Chips are NOT made from sugar. They are made from an all-natural sweetener called Xylitol. Xylitol comes from the bark of birch trees. It was once said that a hard candy could not be made from Xylitol, but two working women found a way to make it happen and Ice Chips were born. You may have seen the grandmas from Ice Chips on ABC's Shark Tank, where they got the Sharkand have become one of the biggest Shark Tank success stories of all!