The human body is like a machine: it needs energy in order to work. This energy is known as calories. Often, however, we assimilate more calories than we are capable of burning, often due to lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle. This causes us to put on weight.

Many of us are so desperate to lose this excessive weight that are willing to follow fad diets, which only work in the short run and damage our health. Healthy weight loss is the only option that makes any sense, if you want to lose pounds and keep them off.

So, what is healthy weight loss?

Firstly, eating more raw foods can be a very healthy way to lose weight. "Live foods" can increase vitality, strengthen the defenses of the immune system, regulate your weight and slow down the aging process of the cells. Foods such as millet, quinoa sprouts, alfalfa, aloe Vera, barley grass, wild blue-green algae, flax, parsley, sunflower and stevia can be included in your daily diet and solve many problems like chronic fatigue, gastric pain, bloating, indigestion, nausea, allergies and severe headaches. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, contain the right amount of protein, have lots of complex carbohydrates that give your body more energy, are low in fat and contain lots of fiber that helps to lower bad cholesterol. Cooking these foods will denature proteins, oxidize fats, destroy vitamins and generate free radicals and toxins. But eating them raw forces the body to absorb all the nutrients and nourishes all the organs, especially the endocrine system, pancreas, liver, kidneys and spleen.

More specifically, here are the foods that can help you lose fat the healthy way:

* Seaweed: seaweed has an extraordinary concentration of minerals, including calcium and iodine. Iodine benefits the thyroid gland, which helps in the assimilation of food, regulates water levels in the body and reduces excess fat. Also many studies suggest that seaweed can reduce cholesterol.
* Stevia: it is a South American plant whose green leaves are used as a sweetener. It contains minerals and vitamins A and C. Stevia doesn't raise blood sugar levels, like fructose and sugar and reduces the appetite and the desire for sweet foods.
* Sunflower: the seeds of this plant are rich in vitamins A and E, antioxidants, beneficial fatty acids, and substances that help the liver to remove fats from the blood. Sunflower seeds contain B vitamins that nourish the adrenal glands. People who are deficient in B vitamins, do not produce the right amount of hormones and suffer from low energy.
* Blue-green algae: this algae converts sunlight into chlorophyll. It contains vitamins, amino acids and minerals, particularly beta-carotene and protein. The proteins of blue-green algae are rich in peptides, which are neurotransmitters that nourish the brain and the nervous system by improving mental clarity and memory. Also consuming algae increases the sperm count and improves sexual performance.
* Millet: it is a grain whose taste resembles that of potato. It does not contain gluten, so it can be consumed even by people who have gluten intolerance. Millet is an alkaline food that neutralizes the excessive gastric acidity, a condition that can lead to arthritis or gout. In addition, the enzymes in millet facilitate digestion. Also millet is rich in silica, which is essential for the health of connective tissue, bones and arteries.
* Buds: they are the seeds of legumes and cereals. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes and proteins.
* Aloe Vera: this cactus-like medicinal plant contains vitamins, minerals, salicylic acid and plant hormones. The glucomannan in aloe speeds up the healing of wounds and its plant hormones promote the production of new cells and stimulate the formation of collagen in the connective tissue. Also aloe has an anti-inflammatory action in the stomach and intestines that lasts for up to 48 hours.
* Alfalfa: it contains all the vitamins and minerals necessary for life. It contains 40 bioflavonoids with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and the leaves are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, which is valuable for the immune system. Alfalfa is a good source of Vitamin K, which helps the blood flow and prevents hypercholesterolemia. For these reasons, alfalfa is considered an anti-aging food.
* Quinoa looks like a cereal, but is actually a fruit that is cooked like rice. It can help you replace meat, because its proteins contain all the amino acids that are essential to health. Unlike meat, it doesn't contain saturated fats or harmful nitrogen waste that burdens the kidneys. Moreover quinoa cleanses the liver from chemicals.
* Barley is rich in the antioxidant enzyme SOD (superoxide dismutase). If you eat too many processed foods or have been exposed to smog, toxins and radiation, then barley can help you eliminate all the harmful free radicals from your body. What is more, SOD protects you from the aging that is caused by the radicals. Additionally, the superoxide dismutase has stronger anti-inflammatory properties than cortisone or aspirin.
* Linseeds: they contain a substantial amount of fiber, and are the richest source of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s regulate blood pressure, lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Also the fiber content of flaxseeds helps to fight hypertension.
* Parsley: this herb is very rich in vitamin C, beta carotene and fluoride, which protects the health of the bones and teeth. The chlorophyll is present in abundance inside parsley and can help fight against fungi and bacteria, relieve inflammation, protect the stomach and intestines from harmful organisms, fight viruses and help the lungs to get rid of toxins caused by air pollution. It also helps to eliminate toxins from the kidneys, liver and bladder.

Here are a few more foods that can slow down the absorption of fats and help the body get rid of toxins:

* Apple: they aid digestion and are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium that help the body fight water retention.
* Kiwi is an excellent source of vitamin C that protects the capillaries and stimulates the bowel.
* Carrot regulates the intestinal function and is a diuretic.
* Artichoke facilitates the digestion of fats.
* Yogurt can balance the intestinal flora.
* Fennel is low in calories and can detoxify the body through urination.
* Whole grains help the normal bowel function and have a high satiating power.
* Pineapple aids the digestion of proteins.
* Tomato helps reduce water retention.
* Orange is rich in vitamins and stimulates liver function.

Caralluma fimbriata is another very effective appetite suppressant. Most of the species of Caralluma occur in Africa. Controlled clinical tests have demonstrated its capacity to control food consumption, by affecting the hunger control mechanism of the brain.