Benefits of Eating Japanese Goya

There is a reason why the Okinawan Diet is so popular. Beyond being one of the reasons why people of Okinawa are said to have the longest lifespans in the world, food eaten by native Okinawans such as Mozuku seaweed and Goya packed full with valued added nutrition.

What is Goya?

Goya is bitter melon in Japanese. Although highlighted in the diet of Okinawa, it is not uncommon to be eaten in most parts of Japan. Unlike other fruits you are used to eating it comes with a peculiar bitterness, hence the name bitter melon.

Goya Health Benefits

Goya among being a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B2, and dietary fiber, gives you Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) that can be found sold in most diet supplement stores like your local GNC.

CLA is said to aid in fat loss especially important when you are trying to lose weigh on a diet. Like other fat burning foods, all you have to do is incorporate it in your diet to reap all the benefits.

You will find more information regarding the pros and cons of CLA in your diet in another article. The purpose of this article is to let you know it's there and that it may help you lose body fat.

Sources of Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Three sources come to mind when trying to get CLA in your diets which include the following.

- Kangaroo Meat

- CLA Capsules

- Goya

- Other notable sources of CLA

I think you would agree that the eating goya is the most preferable way to get CLA in your diet.

Although available in areas near Australia, chances are that kangaroo is not available in your area. On top of that, what you will find is that there are other sources of CLA than eating kangaroo.

CLA capsules may seem like a way to go but when it comes down to it, you don't want to be paying top dollar for a pill when there are natural sources out there that can be easily incorporated in cooking.

Goya in my opinion is the way to go. Not only do you know where the CLA is coming from (assurance that it isn't just being made in a lab somewhere synthetically).

There is more than one way to getting goya with your diet such as eating goya whole, taking goya tablets, or drinking goya tea.

Eating Paleo Food? See Here What Can Be Dangerous

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

The Dangers of Eating Paleo Food

When starting on any new dietary venture, some changes in your usual eating schedule are bound to change. The paleolithic diet is no exception. This diet includes no dairy consumption, which can be bad news for those who need it for their bones. Primarily, aging women who require dairy as a sole source of nutrition. Even if that means drinking only almond or lactose milk, these are still considered processed items, and thus, would be seen as unfit for the traditional paleolithic diet. Of course, there is the alternative of taking medication for your dairy nutrition, but this can become both expensive and abrasive with long-term use.

The type of meat the paleo diet promotes, isn't exactly the same kind of meat that was readily available during the caveman days. Plenty of paleo food followers would suggest that only eating meat that is lean is acceptable, most preferably the meat that is hunted down by their own hands, or at least meat that came from naturally fed animals. Others do not stick to such a strict rule of thumb. The fact of the matter is that most individuals who try the paleolithic style tend to go for regular, only sometimes lean meats, that were purchased in a grocery store. This is usually due to the convenience of obtaining such meats, and of course the cost. Those who eat paleolithic foods and go for the cheaper, lazier route of obtaining their meat, can incur things that were not found in actual paleolithic food. At least, not back in the day.

Since the paleo diet consists of meat, and most people tend to hit up the grocery store for such things, over-indulgence in grocery store meat can prove hazardous. Store bought meats almost always include antibiotics, heavy metals, strontium, growth hormones, an alarming amount of pesticide concentrations, a plethora of omega-6 fatty acids, and toxicity. Such toxicity is caused by more than 100,000 chemicals, all man made. Nowadays, these are found floating around the environment.

Besides over-indulging in red meat consumption, too much fish can also be very dangerous to your health. Even if the fish is caught by hand, you're risking some serious mercury poisoning, Staphylococcus Aureus, sex-altering hormones, or even exposure to Dioxin. Dioxin is a byproduct of certain manufacturers and can easily be exposed to animals, particularly fish, in the form of chemical waste.

As dangerous as eating too much meat may be, eggs are also something that can potentially cause issues with your health. High levels of meat and eggs (including poultry), tend to have acidic effects on the body. When these are metabolized, they produce phosphoric and sulfuric acid. Fats also have the potential to form acetic acid. This is due to the over abundance of proteins, which are found in those certain paleo foods. The body tries to turn this intake of protein into acid salts, in order to avoid those other nasty acids. To convert protein into these, rather harmless acid salts, the body requires other types of proteins to combine with the meat protein. This can be difficult to gain on the paleo diet, since one of the most important protein types this process requires is calcium. Sodium is also an important aspect of proper nutrition, especially when it comes to breaking down meat proteins.

Basically, in order to have the healthiest palette (as far as food goes), it's good to keep it balanced and well-rounded. That means daily consumption of every food group, in their proper amounts. With the paleolithic diet, not only are you exposed to large amounts of meat, but you are also suppressing your body of important nutrients that are found in many grains. In a diet consisting of paleo food, you are not supposed to consume grains. This can be detrimental to your body's development, as many grains are actually very good for you. Cereal grasses, certain cereal grains, grain sprouts, and wheat grass - all have significant health benefits that your body shouldn't be without.

Without balance, the body can be strong in one respect, and very weak in another. This can cause a weakened immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. This is very dangerous. If your diet consists of foods that are acid-forming in nature, your body will eventually start stealing calcium from your very bones. This is to force a balance with your body. Following a strong paleo diet would eventually disrupt such a balance.

If your pH balance is low, your body naturally begins a "leaching" process. This process can also extract what it needs from urine and soft tissues, which can create quite the enriched environment for cancer. Osteoporosis is the eventual result. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium are key to balance, when your diet consists of high meat intake.

If you thought about having a paleo diet or already eating paleo food, you would want to have a good paleo book. See here the new Paleo Cook Book

How to Create Your Own Paleo Eating Plan

In my experience the most effective long term weight loss solution is to eat clean and eat natural... essentially - eat Paleo.

Now, for the uninitiated, eating Paleo simply means eating foods that have been untouched by the hand of man. So if it doesn't swim, fly, walk, or grow, you don't touch it.

As the fitness LEGEND Jack Lalanne said: " If man made it, don't eat it".

Jack Lalanne was one of the great fitness and health minds on the planet throughout his 90+ years and a large part of his success came from his insistence to eat clean as much as possible.

Our diets have become overloaded with artificial man made foods, and this has caused many of the health and weight problems that we currently suffer from. Now, many artificial foods have a very important role to play in the world - providing cheap solutions to help feed starving populations all over the planet.

For those looking to lose weight and run a healthy life, however, artificial and processed foods should only take up a limited space on your shopping list.

Now, I am a firm believer in the 80-20 principle. Frankly, if you are eating well about 80% of the time you'll be fine. For the other 20%, enjoy yourself and don't worry too much about 'dieting' or limiting your intake of certain foods.

In the main, however, you'll want to focus on select groups of nutritious and delicious foods that promote weight loss, health, and vitality and leads to a wealth of health benefits beyond the simple aesthetic pleasures of seeing the pounds melt from your body.

So, to create your own Paleo eating plan, do the following...

1. Understand what's on your 'allowed' list and what isn't

Put simply, paleo dieters indulge in the following foods:

• Lean proteins
• Fish/shellfish
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Eggs
• Nuts/seeds
• 'Good' fats - mainly oils

Its a simple list, but one that is full of awesome foods. Frankly, I could get by for the rest of my life just by digging into various meats, fish, veggies, and fruits without a problem whatsoever. I LOVE these foods and rarely stray away from them unless its part of my own strategy.

2. Go shopping

Once you know what you can eat and what you can't, go out and fill your pantry with all of the lovely nutritious paleo foods you can find. If you're a foodie, variety here is the key. Stock up and all sorts of veggies, fruits, meats, fish, and so on and you'll be overwhelmed by the number of potential food combinations and recipes coming atcha!

3. Find recipes

OK, so you have your food. Now, ask yourself - are you a keen cook or not? Do you like to try out different recipes or just keep things simple?

Personally, I love to try different foods but I'm not much of a cook. That's why I tend to keep things simple. For example, chicken or fish salads with plenty of veg and drissled in olive oil (extra virgin of course!) is a favorite of mine.

If you prefer to mix things up, which most do, then that's even better. Getting a variety of different colours and combos into your meals is beneficial, so get online, get some recipe books, and seek out different ways to make a paleo eating plan that works for you.

4. Prep work pays

If you're going to be committing to paleo eating them prep work becomes a fairly big factor. When you get to work and you haven't prepared, you might find it a bit tricky sticking with a paleo meal when confronted by the multitude of unhealthy lunches all around you.

Always prepare your foods beforehand. Make sure that you write up your list of meals for the entire week. Do this on a sunday and you'll have direction and a strategy. Then prepare your food for the following day in the evening. This might only be lunch if you're going to be getting home for dinner, but always bring along some handy snacks incase you feel peckish in the day. Nuts, snacky veggies like carrots, and perhaps a chicken breast (good snack in my book) are good ideas.

5. Strategise your 20%

Like I said, sticking with a plan infinitum is nigh on impossible for most people and, you know what, thats pretty boring as well. Don't worry about the odd splurge as long as you jump right back on the wagon.

The best way to do this is by using a strategy. Plan in an unhealthy meal, or even a period of indulgence, during the weekend when you want to relax and take a break from your diet. (Beware though if you're a recovering binge eater). Not only does this give you some psychological relief, but it also provided an hormonal boost of leptin which will help you burn fat faster in the following days.

Kind of a win, win really

6. Stick with it

Habits take a while to form so don't expect to find things easy at the beginning, especially if all of this is a huge departure from your normal eating habits. Most people take time to fully integrate a paleo eating plan into their own lives so don't worry if you relapse from time to when outside of your strategic 'cheating'.

When all is said and done, you'll be glad that you kept on going. Not only will you lose weight but your energy levels will increase, you'll sleep better, any medical ailments you have will probably improve, and you'll probably start walking around with a bigger smile on your face knowing that all the previous benefits are taking effect!

Toby is a Certified Personal Trainer, Fat Loss Expert, and Nutrition Specialist. For more information on how to improve your health and lose weight fast, visit his free blog at:

http://www.tobyedge.com/

To your health!
Toby Edge