Too Many Sweets May Bring You Down

It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but if you're overindulging in sweets you may be singing the blues. A recent cross-cultural analysis from British psychiatric researcher Malcom Peet found a strong link between high sugar consumption and increased risk for both depression and schizophrenia.

It's thought that refined sugar's toxic effect on mental health may be the result of its ability to suppress a growth hormone in the brain that boosts neuron health. This hormone called BDNF also plays a critical role in memory function.

Additionally, refined sugar as well as high fructose corn syrup and white, starchy, processed foods promote chronic inflammation in the body, which is also linked to an increased risk of depression and schizophrenia.

Shunning the truffle and cheesecake table this holiday season (and beyond) won't just save your waistline, but it may also bring more joy to your world.

Detoxifying for Permanent Weight Loss

When I am not shopping, baking or wrapping gifts this holiday season, I am spending my spare time reading every book I can get my hands on by Ann Louis Gittleman, PhD, CNS. She's the best-selling author of The Fat Flush Plan,whose latest book Fat Flush For Lifeis just hitting book stands now. Why? Because I think she has the answer to my unexpected weight gain and can help.

After losing every pound I gained from my last pregnancy by eating healthy and exercising daily, I suddenly without warning found five pounds attached to my hips and thighs. Nothing in my routine or diet has changed. It happened over night about two months ago. I'm not kidding! My mom claims it's because the big 4-0 is just around the corner. She may have a point, but I'm still going to fight back for my girlish figure. Anyway, I started researching online for some answers. Gittleman's name kept popping up on my search. I contacted her media person to get my hands on Fat Flush For Lifebefore it was released. Hey, I'm a blogger. It's a perk of the job.

What I like about Gittleman's approach to weight loss is that it isn't just about losing weight, but making your body healthier. While all her Fat Flush books are based on detoxifying the body by cleansing the liver and the lymphatic system, I also like how she emphasizes healthy fats, supplements and foods that help balance female hormones like mine that may be contributing to my unexplained, over-night weight gain.

Fat Flush For Lifetakes a seasonal, year-long approach to detoxing and weight loss. It's based upon principals in traditional Chinese medicine and designed to tap into nature's harmonious cycles.

Gittleman's latest book also contains nuggets of nutritional information that everyone can incorporate into their diet for better health. For example, Gittleman explains that a copper-zinc imbalance can impact a body's ability to eliminate toxins. She notes that our environment and diet can cause elevated copper levels, which can suppress the thyroid, cause hormone imbalances and lead to weight gain. Eating foods that are high in zinc can combat this effect. Needless to say, I'm planning to stock up on zinc-rich pumpkin seeds.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't do "diets", but I definitely plan to integrate her natural detoxifying strategies into my own daily routine. Fat Flush For Lifeoffers a wealth of holistic nutritional advice that anybody looking to start the coming New Year off to a healthier start will want to read.