"C" Your Way to a Slimmer You

By Kelley Herring

Getting more vitamin C in your diet can help stave off diabetes. And now here's another reason to make sure you're getting enough of this antioxidant: It helps your body burn more fat.

A recent study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism evaluated the fat-burning rates of two groups of people - those with adequate vitamin C levels and those with a vitamin C deficiency. The researchers found that when the participants with low blood concentrations of vitamin C walked on a treadmill for an hour, they burned 25 percent less fat than those with adequate C.

So how does vitamin help to speed fat-burning? It is essential for creating carnitine - a substance that turns fat into fuel.

Aim for 1,200 mg of vitamin C per day. To achieve this, fill your plate with fat-burning foods like peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, and broccoli, and supplement with a high-quality, whole-foods multivitamin.

It's Fun to Know: About Kris Kringle

Yesterday, we told you about La Befana, the kindly witch who fills the stockings of Italian children with candy and toys. In Germany, the role is filled by a young child with wings - the Christkindl ("Christ Child").

Legend has it that Martin Luther (who jump-started the Protestant Reformation, among other things) created the Christkindl to replace St. Nicholas, whom he felt drew attention away from the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas.

German immigrants in the 18th century brought the tradition to the United States. And eventually Christkindl became Kris Kringle, an alias of Santa Claus. (Sorry Martin Luther.) In recent years, the Christkindl tradition has been diminishing - even in Germany - as the image of Santa Claus spreads throughout the world.

(Source: About.com)

Word to the Wise: Encomium

An "encomium" (en-KOH-mee-um) - from the Greek for "eulogy" - is a formal expression of high praise.

Example (as used by Charles Isherwood in a New York Times article about the Broadway musical Billy Elliot): "Such is the high regard and warm affection most critics have expressed for this smash from London that you may have tired of reading encomiums to its glory."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2547, 12-24-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.