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A Brazilian Churrascaria is an all-you-can-eat steakhouse, commonly referred to as a Brazilian Steakhouse. Just let that sink in a moment. Steak, all you can eat. And they don't just serve steaks. In addition to bacon-wrapped filet mignon; marinated skirt steak, tri-tip; top sirloin; garlic beef; rib eye; and smoked short ribs, the selection also includes Polish sausage; BBQ chicken thighs; marinated pork loin; and marinated lamb. All you can eat.

The amount of sugar (or really glucose, technically speaking) is tightly regulated in the human bloodstream. A normal blood sugar (glucose) is under 100 mg/dL, and when the sugar rises to between 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/dL the serious medical conditions of glucose intolerance, pre-diabetes are diagnosed. Once above 125 mg/dL diabetes is diagnosed. As more research is done, the optimal blood glucose number goes lower and lower. The bottom line is you want to keep the blood sugar as low as you can for optimal health.

When most people switch to a high-fat/low-carb diet, they dump foods like grains, sugars and tubers and get more of their calories from foods like meats, eggs, butter, cheese and cream. The switch can produce a number of positive effects (lower blood sugar, lower insulin levels, lower inflammation levels), but there is one negative side effect: a diet based on animal products makes vegans really, really mad. Especially the guy that wrote a misinformed rant about William Banting.

Becky Gandy is the cruise coordinator for the annual Low Carb Cruise. Like many, she has tried just about every diet imaginable until she found long-term success with the low carb lifestyle.

Nestled in the Fox Valley of a quiet neighborhood by Lake Winnebago is a small urban farm. For many years my Aunt has grown a rather extensive vegetable garden. We are at the harvest season right now and as always, I am truly amazed. Her garden always produces vast quantities of great produce. Often much better quality than what we can get from the Farmers Market or the local farm stands.

While the topic of “food addiction” remains controversial, scientists have found significant overlaps between the effects of overeating certain palatable foods and drugs of abuse. There are innate biological processes that occur in our brain daily which reinforce the feeding behavior as well as other behaviors that are essential for survival. Dr. Nicole Avena, noted research neuroscientist/psychologist and author of Why Diets Fail explains the science behind the truth of sugar addiction.

I had the privilege of meeting Jonathan Bailor and his lovely wife Angela on the 2013 Low Carb Cruise. I was impressed by Jonathan's passion for helping others and his talk was informative and entertaining. By the end of the cruise I knew I had to read his book The Smarter Science of Slim. I can honestly say this book didn't disappoint.

The population as a whole spends the majority of their waking hours sitting – to the tune of 10 or more hours a day, whether it be in a meeting or in front a computer screen. While the television has been blamed for our sedentary lifestyle, when it comes down to it, leisure time is in short supply but we still need to get up and move!

The Time to Focus on Training Is Now  As fall approaches so does the hustle and bustle of Back-to-school and “mom’s/dad’s” taxi service, the holiday season, cooler temperatures, and a million and one reasons to focus on everything and everyone but yourself. Not one thought of the swimsuit season until …

When someone mentions yoga what comes to mind? Long, lean bodies chanting in the direction of the sun while bent in positions otherwise only mastered by acrobats in Cirque du Soleil? I began a regular yoga practice in February of this year. What I’ve learned is that yoga is built on three main structures: breathing, exercise and meditation. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Yuj’ which means to join or unite. So join me as I examine three common misconceptions about this sacred tradition.