Health Giants

The First Steps to Curing Obesity

2006-08-30T12:53:00.000-04:00

Obesity has become an epidemic, especially in The United States. An average of 300,000 Americans die each year and nearly $177 billion is spent on illnesses related to obesity.

Obesity can affect your legs and back. It can raise your blood pressure and even cause diabetes.

We are becoming fat and lazy, but before we can conquer the problem, we have to start accepting responsibility for our own actions. What you are about to read may offend some people, but it needs to be said.

Many people suffer from being overweight. It may result from a stocky build, slow metabolism, or some other physical reason, but it is a fact of life for many people. They will probably struggle with it their entire lives.

But obesity is different. A very miniscule percentage of obese people have medical reasons for their condition. The rest of them just cannot stop shoveling the food in long enough to see the consequences of their actions.

How many times have you been in a restaurant or at a party and watched an obviously obese person shoveling in the food and drinking a diet soda? Do they think the diet soda will make all that fat and calories go away? It doesn't work that way.

Please understand that the following suggestions are only the beginning of a very long and bumpy road to recovery. But even the longest journey begins with a single step.

1. PUT DOWN THAT TWINKIE! Someone, right this minute, is probably reading this article and eating something fattening. If not, it has probably been less that an hour since they have last eaten.

Before they can recover from their problem, they have to admit that they have one. And that Twinkie is the first sign.
If this is you and you feel that you absolutely must eat something, get some fresh fruit or vegetables. They not only contain the essential nutrients that your body needs for good health, but some will actually burn more calories that they replace.

2. See your doctor. If you are more than 50 pounds overweight, only a fool would recommend any diet plan until you are medically cleared by your physician.

Your doctor can also advise you on the best programs to help you get started.

This cannot be emphasized enough. Once you have eliminated the fattening foods, see your doctor before going one step farther.

3. Consider seeing a counselor. Is there a deep seated, subconscious reason for your eating disorder or are you just a pig? The answers may surprise you.

Once you discover the reasons for your self destructive behavior, you will be better equipped to handle them.

If you cannot afford counseling, talk to a trusted friend or, if you are a religious person, perhaps someone at your church.

They may not be able to diagnose your problem, but they can be there for you when you encounter those bumps in the road to recovery.

The bottom line is this. Being fit not only will increase the likelihood of a longer life, it will make that life much more pleasant.

Maybe it's time you stopped looking for sympathy and give yourself a swift kick in the pants.

Emotional Eating - the Dangers and Solutions

2006-08-30T12:50:00.000-04:00

Food is a source of nourishment and energy. Without food we would not be able to perform our daily activities. Our muscles would wither, our nervous system would fail. We all need food.

However, food also has another role in our lives - a role of comfort and entertainment. Culturally and instinctively we prepare and serve foods to comfort those who have experienced loss, to celebrate joy or to show friendship and love.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL EATING?

Seeing food as more than just a source of energy and enjoying it simply for the satisfaction it gives is not wrong. In fact science shows that food can promote good feelings by chemical reactions caused in our brains. What IS a problem is when an individual cannot experience pain, anxiety, joy or even boredom without turning to food as means of dealing with those feelings, or they are obsessed with food, weight and dieting.

Emotional eaters turn to food as a source of distraction from dealing with feelings. However, eating these foods leads to feelings of guilt which can only be soothed with more eating, restrictive dieting, excessive exercise or purging.

Emotional eaters tend to value themselves based on their weight and how closely they've stuck to their 'ideal' diet. Because of this distorted relationship with food, foods are labeled "GOOD" and "BAD". Emotional eating can lead to serious eating disorders and depression.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M AN EMOTIONAL EATER?

Do you turn to food for reasons other than hunger? Are you obsessed with thoughts of food - whether you plan to eat it or are concentrating on restricting yourself from eating it?

Do you regularly try diets and fail - leading to guilt and further over eating? Do you think about or attempt to purge excess food by throwing up or using laxatives? Do you exercise compulsively when you think you've eaten too much?

HOW DO I OVERCOME EMOTIONAL EATING?

Since emotional eating is caused by looking to food as a coping strategy for emotional distress dieting can actually create more problems. When the emotional eater fails to stick to a diet they suffer feelings of guilt that can only be soothed with more food and in turn, more guilt or punishment.

Instead of trying to focus on what they are eating, the emotional eater needs to learn new skills for coping with stressful emotions. Often this requires the help of a Personal Coach or Psychotherapist who deals with emotional eating. It is only by finding replacements for the comfort food provided that the individual can put food into its rightful place and learn healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

Thought and The Law of Attraction

2006-05-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

We have all heard the expression, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." But to carry on without thinking about why you failed only leads to more failure.

The ability to create is a God given gift. A gift given to everyone without exception. Thought is the first step to manifesting any creation. Thoughts are energy, they are real. Your thoughts act as magnets and attract other thoughts, people, and circumstances that harmonize with them.

Thoughts operate and adhere to certain universal laws. Without these laws there would be no order; the universe itself would sink into chaos.

The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like. Much of what was once considered metaphysical, esoteric knowledge in the past is now scientific fact. Physics has shown that the principles involved in the Law of Attraction are every bit as valid as those governing the Law of Gravity. So it should come as no surprise that dwelling only on your problems simply attracts more problems.

The idea of attracting success by thinking about it is very appealing. So appealing in fact, people often get the wrong impression that it's easy. Affirmations can be helpful, but mindless affirmations alone have no real value. On the other hand, once an affirmation becomes part of your belief system the subconscious goes to work attracting opportunities. It is not the success itself we attract, but the opportunity to succeed.

Our world is ruled by cause and effect, yet we often fail to see how this rule applies to the thoughts we think. This happens because the results of our thoughts are so far removed from the cause that we fail to see the connection.

The subconscious mind is working tirelessly 24 hours a day. It doesn't analyze, it doesn't judge, it simply accepts and attracts more of what the conscious mind is focused on. Are you attracting problems or solutions? By focusing on desire and showing gratitude for what you already have, the subconscious mind is given the necessary material to provide a constant stream of opportunities. Whether we take advantage of these opportunities or not is another story.

It's impossible to operate outside the law of attraction. Consciously or unconsciously your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, determine if this law works for or against you. Stay focused on your success and reaching your goals. As one success leads to another, success becomes a habit. Problems and obstacles are seen as no more than stepping stones on the road to your ultimate goal.

Putting a Stop to Food Cravings

2006-05-21T14:24:00.000-04:00

Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the perfect diet
all the time and have our struggles with food, same as everyone
else. But having an awareness of this fact and knowing a little
bit about our health and food nutrition can help when it comes to
making wise decisions.

Many people struggle with food "cravings." Studies tell us that
it's fairly common for food cravings to happen at certain times,
quite often at around bedtime. Your guard may be down, you may
have had an unusually hard day, and off you go on your
not-so-merry way to find that tasty treat. Fatigue and stress
often combine to take their toll on the best of intentions.

When food cravings are unconstrained, what starts out as a
bedtime snack quickly turns into a full blown feeding
frenzy...not something most of us fully understand or appreciate.
We head to kitchen and every other place where food can hide,
clearing a path as we go.

Most food cravings are not about satisfying a nutritional need or
imbalance. They seem to be more emotionally related, or God
forbid, are caused by plain old gluttony. Exactly why we
over-indulge is not completely understood, however our knowledge
about this subject continues to grow.

Listed below are some thoughts and ideas about food cravings:

- If the food isn't available, you can't eat it! Empty the cookie
jar and keep it that way! Keep healthy food choices on-hand.

- Recognize the feelings and emotions that lead-up to a food
craving. Do you have food cravings when you’re bored, lonely, or
stressed? If you can identify a trigger, you can deal with the
emotion that’s making you desire a certain food. Try to deal with
the triggers in the best way you can.

- Sometimes, even recognizing that a craving is about to happen
doesn't seem to help. Don't beat yourself-up. There is always
tomorrow. Call a friend, make good use of your support network
and share your feelings with someone.

- Get enough sleep. When you’re tired, you’re more likely to
crave things.

- Never give-up. When you "slip", press-in, bear-down, get a
grip, do whatever is necessary to re-gain control. Try to
practice restraint most of the time, but don't get legalistic and
un-balanced in your weight loss approach. Think moderation and
not abstinence at all times!

- Understand that self-control and discipline by themselves,
won't cut it! If you depend totally on yourself for control, you
will fail. Forming caring and supportive relationships is
required. If you do not currently have a support network, start
building one TODAY.

- Exercise. It increases feel-good endorphins that cut down on
your cravings. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical
activity every day.

- Use moderation. Instead of stuffing yourself with every kind of
food hoping that your craving will go away, eat 100 to 200
calories of your "craved" food.

- Substitute with low-fat foods and complex carbs. If you’re
hungry for chocolate, eat non-fat chocolate yogurt. Try fig bars
or raisins for a sweet craving.

- Never skip a meal. Eat every three to five hours. Try six
smaller meals or regular meals with nutritious snacks.

- Understand that hunger craving are oftentimes stress related.
Practice other ways to treat chronic stress – a walk in the park,
spiritual connections, a cozy fireplace, baths...all these
stimulate neurochemicals that activate regions of the brain that
stimulate pleasure. Relaxation techniques may work by reducing
the psychological drives on stress output, which can be the root
causes of stress. Bottom line, substitute pleasurable experiences
for comfort foods.

- Beware of certain medications. They can stimulate appetite.
Drugs used for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder
can be appetite stimulants. Other drugs, both prescription and
over the counter, may influence appetite as well. If you are on a
medication, and troubled by food cravings, discuss this with your
doctor or pharmacist. You may be able to find an alternative that
doesn't send your cravings out of control.

- Distract Yourself. What's that old expression...idle hands are
the devils workshop? Get busy. Do anything other than cave-in to
your desire for food, and keep doing it until the cravings
subside.

- One final thought, take a look inside your refrigerator and
kitchen cabinets and do some general "house cleaning." Throw-out
all that unhealthy stuff that is waiting to sabotage your diet,
and start shopping more wisely. A little forethought and careful
planning will go a long way for improving your chances of
success.

Eat wisely, be happy, and live long!

I read a book called 'The Science of Being Well' couple of months ago. It is a GREAT book and it is related to this article. It was written in 1910, and everything in there still works today! Send me an email to alejandro@herryman.com with subject line 'Send me the Science of Being Well' and I will surely send it to you.

Reduce Your Stress: Read A Book

2006-05-19T16:30:00.000-04:00

It will take you to faraway places with white sandy beaches and clear azure skies in the blink of an eye. It will take you back in time to the days of prehistoric monsters or thrust you forward to the Big Brother world of tomorrow. It can even fill your eyes with tears one moment and make you laugh out loud the next.

Reading a good novel or story will open a window to the world and give you a vision of things you never dreamed possible. And the side benefit is, reading is one of the best ways to reduce your stress level and can even help you solve whatever problem is ailing you.

Reading is the great escape and it also works well as a way to relax. When you curl up with a good book, you put the rest of the world and all its troubles out of your mind as you are taken to distant places to learn about different time periods, and to expose yourself to new ideas and philosophies. You are essentially taking a vacation of the mind -- but one that can be virtually cost-free, especially if you live near a library.

Of course, reading is also a great way to reduce stress by gaining the knowledge you need to solve problems. For example, let's say you're overweight and this is causing you stress. You find that the more weight you gain, the more stressed you become, which just causes you to eat more. Instead of getting stressed out, why not read a good book about nutrition that will teach you how to plan meals better, so they're low-cal and low-fat. This could very well result in reducing your weight problem and it could even disappear altogether along with the stress that is bringing you down.

Reading can also be a source of great hope, giving you ideas and inspiration that will relieve your stress. Biographies and rags-to-riches stories about famous people will teach how they overcame their struggles. These stories of triumph might even inspire you to seek ways to overcome the challenges in your life.

Of course, there are also times when reading can increase your stress level. For instance, if you are studying for a test, or reading about tragedies in your local newspaper, you might find your stress levels skyrocketing. That's why it's important to choose your reading material carefully. If you're feeling stressed, why not pick up a book that will relax you. A good travel book, or cookbook, or book of poetry are far better choices than news magazines filled with stories about all the things that are wrong in the world.

Self-help books are also a very effective way to help reduce stress. They encourage you to explore your feelings and they recommend such techniques as listening to soothing music, learning how to play a musical instrument, or just engaging in deep breathing in order to deal with stressful situations.

One of the best stress reliever is reading a good novel. It's the best medicine there is without the side effects of drugs. When you read a good story, whether it is a historical fiction or a mystery thriller or a comic novel, it almost always transports you away from anxieties and frustrations. It allows your imagination to run free and then leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated. When you are reading it forces you to concentrate, to exercise your mind in a way that passively watching TV or a movie can never match.

In the long run, it doesn't matter what you read but how much you read. Try reading while standing in the grocery line, or at the bank, or while pedaling your stationary bike. The more you read, the more you will want to read because you will quickly discover its short and long term stress reducing benefits.

Banish Insomnia -- Sleep Safe with Amino Acids

2006-05-18T15:12:00.000-04:00

There is something most uncivilized about living in a civilized world. What is it? It’s hard to get good night’s sleep.

Some of this punishing sleep deprivation is voluntary. Too much to do. Too much to see. Too many responsibilities. Not enough sleep.

For many people, sleep is a desperate need. People toss and turn, but sleep does not come. Others get to sleep only to awaken later in the middle of the night. In the morning, thousands (millions?) head off to work bleary-eyed, trying to be productive. It’s a vicious cycle.

Eventually exhaustion can get bad enough that a person seeks help from their doctor, who obligingly writes a prescription for some pills. At first, they work well and the sleepless person gets some much needed relief.

However, the real nightmare is about to begin. After awhile, the sleeping pills stop working. Unfortunately, by then, the person is addicted. The doctor has been told the drugs are not addictive by the drug manufacturer. Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests drug manufacturers aren’t giving doctors the whole story. There’s big money in having a “non-addictive” sleeping pill. As the saying goes, “Money Talks.”

It turns out that there is another way, but not one health insurance will pay for. Because there are no large drug companies standing behind this alternative, health insurance companies don’t recognize it as a therapeutic choice.

Contrary to what doctors usually are taught both in medical schools and from drug companies, nutrition plays a large role in getting a good night’s sleep. There are a number of vitamins and minerals that support sleep. An internet search for “insomnia vitamins” and “insomnia minerals” provides a wealth of information about these nutritional supports.

Staying away from nicotine, caffeine and alcohol helps in getting a good night’s sleep, as does having a good diet and getting regular exercise.

Amino acids are lesser known for their importance in being able to get enough sleep, but they are just as vital. L-Tryptophan, for example, is called “essential” for a reason. People can’t live without it.

Without enough L-Tryptophan, or its easier-to-get cousin, 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy Tryptophan), human beings are not able to calm down. Sound familiar? Usually, about 100 mg of 5-HTP provides enough relaxation that sleep becomes an option for an average adult. Experimentation to discover an appropriate dosage is safe and easy.

Sleep becomes an option with enough L-Tryptophan in the brain. This is where L-Theanine, another commonly available amino acid, comes in. It’s a sleep time amplifier, providing more rest in less time. A dose of 100 mg at bed time is a good starting place.

Finally, GABA (yet another amino acid) works for some people. Most sleeping pills work on the same part of the brain that uses GABA. Unfortunately, for technical reasons, just taking GABA does not always work that well. Trying 200 mg at bed time is a good starting place. It may or may not work.

Anyone having trouble getting a good night’s sleep can leave the sleeping pills in the cabinet. Instead, trying some 5-HTP, L-Theanine and GABA is an inexpensive option. These supplements are a safe and non-addictive alternative.

Yet, another option you have if you are having trouble in getting a good night’s sleep is to use the ‘Rest Quiet Patches’ from LifeWave. They will surely help you get a good night’s sleep. The patches contain a patent pending blend including amino acids, water, stabilized oxygen, and natural organic compounds.

All the information regarding these patches can be found on my website: http://lifewave.com/alejo.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Personal Growth through Sacrifice and Discipline

2006-03-08T15:59:00.000-04:00

Sacrifice of self to self. What does it mean? It means letting go of the old self for a new and better self. This is a hard thing to do as we get comfortable with whom and what we are. Our old self is familiar, seems safe, and is relatively effortless to maintain.

Change takes us beyond our boundaries, challenges us to what is not familiar, and forces us to give up well-worn habits. It requires effort and sacrifice of things we have learned to enjoy. Those are things that are pleasant but stand in the way of highest good.

We think we are a mind and a body and do what we can to satisfy the desires of mind and body. Seldom do we step beyond. Being stuck in a limited perception, the selfish do not sacrifice.

Do you want to live forever? Well, maybe you do live forever, but not as you are now. Death means new beginning. Sometimes we are not ready for it. Other times we feel stagnant and embrace it.

What does it mean to die daily? It means sacrificing your immediate wants to affect a future result or metamorphosis. Actually sacrificing of self to self, quite often to the benefit of others as well. Totally surrender your self and you will find your true self.

Giving is a virtue. You've no doubt heard that it is better to give than to receive. But oh, how we all like to receive! Receiving is good too. Exchange cannot take place without both present. One cannot take place without the other, and it is not just a one-way exchange.

There is a law of compensation. If you give, you get. We do not live in a vacuum. Our actions always bring results of one kind or another, whether we immediately realize it or not.

What I am saying is do not ever feel frustration when trying to improve your self. Any efforts you make do not go wasted; so do not think there is such a thing as wasted effort. You are creating ripples and building a store of experience that will eventually bear fruit.

Do a big thing, or do any little thing many times toward your goal. Know that fulfillment will happen through persistence. If you give up and stop persisting then simply start again.

There may be something you want to have or something you want to be. That is your goal. You've no doubt thought about it and how to obtain it. Let's go further and write the goal down on paper to give you more focus. Put it at the top of the page in pen.

Grab a red marker and draw an arrow pointing up toward your goal. Now go back to your pen and write along the line of the arrow. Write things you can do to work toward achieving the goal and how you can make arrangements to put in the work.

Review this paper often. This is your action plan. It has one direction and one intention - your goal. You are the archer with your bow drawn and arrow pointing toward your target. Now let go the string.

Your new self is the you that has attained the goal. The old self may try to stand in the way of reaching it. You sacrifice your old self by keeping discipline, for discipline is what sacrifices require. Goal achievement often is a process of personal growth.

Sometimes discipline means not trying to get the whole thing at once. Anxiousness and impatience are not qualities of discipline, and neither is selfishness. You may have to put in effort a little at a time over a long period. Don't worry about it, worry destroys discipline.

Don't get angry about it either, but if you do get angry, then be happy. Why? Because having anger means you have lots of energy. Channel that energy toward your goal rather than just blowing off steam and maybe you just might get the whole thing at once.

Discipline makes the difference. It means you have an ideal that you are willing to sacrifice for.

Got Discipline? Just keep regularity in your efforts and you will find that discipline builds from there.

Enhance Your Life with Gratitude

2006-02-18T11:31:00.000-04:00

Have we forgotten how to be grateful? Maybe you are asking,
"What do I have to be grateful for?" Be grateful for the small things
in life. If you ate breakfast this morning you are better off
than the 800 million people worldwide who will go hungry today.

Most of us underestimate the power of gratitude. As we constantly
strive to add more and more to our lives it is easy to forget
about being grateful for things and talents we already possess.
Making gratitude a habit will enrich your whole outlook on life,
even in the most turbulent circumstances.

What we focus on grows. The more we focus on what we appreciate,
the more we will have to appreciate!

Gratitude is a learned skill that must be practiced daily to
develop its full potential. Practicing gratitude does not require
elaborate rituals or a huge amount of spiritual awareness; simply
taking a few moments to note every time something goes right is
enough.

At first this may take a conscious effort, but as the habit takes
root, seeing things to be thankful for becomes as natural as
breathing.

Although grateful people tend to be happier people, being
grateful is not the same as being happy. When life is turning out
all wrong, being grateful allows you to focus on that ray of
sunshine coming through. It allows you to take an honest look at
a situation and say, "even in this there is reason to hope."

Do not confuse being grateful with settling for less. Gratitude
should never interfere with your efforts to improve and grow.
Expressing gratitude simply gives you a better outlook on life,
making it easier to attract the true happiness you deserve. By
focusing attention on what is going right, more things work out
for the best.

Be grateful even for the trials in life. Your trials are what
made you the person you are today. It is those very same trials
that you strong enough to cope with the difficulties in life.

A big problem in today's world is that we have been conditioned
to think we have to live a certain way, look a certain way and
have certain things just to maintain a status quo. If we don't
then we should be dissatisfied. While dissatisfaction can be a
great motivator, without action or personal effort it only leads
to frustration, anger and bitterness.

Grateful people have a way of looking at the misfortunes and
failures in their lives and turning them into opportunities.
These opportunities may not be readily apparent at first, but
when the pain and frustration have passed, there they are. Every
cloud has a silver lining if only we take the time to look.

You don't have to wait for good things to occur to express
gratitude. Gratitude does not mean jumping for joy about
everything in your life, but rather, that you see and take note
of whatever is put before you. It means taking advantage of every
opportunity that comes your way, whether presented as fortune or
misfortune.

Enhance your life. Take a few moments right now and actively
notice things you can be grateful for.

Reduce Stress with Exercise

2006-01-17T13:56:00.000-04:00

We have heard it so many times before that there are many benefits to exercise especially when used to lower stress. If everyone knows that exercise is important then why is stress, disease, and fatigue so prevalent in today's society? The answer is simple. We know what to do we just aren't doing it.

Experts agree that one best way to manage stress is through exercise. Exercise has been proven to relax the body and mind, burn fat, improve cardiovascular system, bring in more oxygen, reduce the chance of diseases, lower blood pressure and the list goes on.

During the stress response, many chemical reactions occur in the body preparing it to what is known as the fight or flight response. During prehistoric days as cave dwellers, we had the opportunity to burn off our stress when an animal attacked, as it was a means of survival. We were able to run away or fight the threat immediately. In today's society, we do not have to fight a bear or tiger, so we do not have much of an outlet readily at hand to burn off the stress or pent up negative emotions. Therefore, we carry it with us creating emotional and physical problems. Exercise can help by providing an outlet for negative emotions such as worry, irritability, depression, hostility, anger, frustration, and anxiety. You can dissipate these feelings by simply taking it out on the tennis court, by running, or punching a bag. Regular exercise provides the opportunity to manage the fight or flight response and helps the body to return to a homeostasis or balanced state more quickly.

Exercise can also improve self-esteem and self worth by realizing that you are benefit directly. You may feel more outgoing and social because of the increased energy and also a better physique creating more confidence and positive self image. Your self-esteem may be enhanced by taking on exercise challenges or goals, giving you a feeling of accomplishment and reward.

Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Exercise:
Aerobic exercise is an activity that uses major muscle groups such as walking, running, swimming, and cycling. This type of exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system by increasing your heart and respiratory rate and brings in more oxygen into the body. To reap the full benefits of aerobic exercise, you must be at 60%-80% of your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes, between three and five times a week.

To calculate your target heart rate use the following formula:
Take 220 - (subtract) your age X (multiply 60%, or 70%, etc. intensity rate.) = Target heart rate (divide by six for a ten second pulse count. Take your pulse for ten seconds and gage where you are during the workout. Speed up the pace if you are below 60%.

Aerobic exercise is key to lose weight as it burns calories which are the energy consumed and adds fat to our bodies. Combined with a healthy diet it is a sure way to lose weight. One pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. To lose one pound, you must burn 3500 calories. It is easier to combine aerobics and create a small caloric deficit in your diet than to do one or the other solely.

Anaerobic exercise builds muscle strength and power. Isotonics and Isometrics are two kinds of anaerobic exercises.

Isotonics uses your muscles to contract against an object with movement such as weight lifting (also called strength or resistance training.) The benefits of isotonic exercises are stronger muscles, stronger bones, tone, prevent injuries, and condenses and shapes muscle for better esthetics.

Isometric exercise is contracting your muscles against resistance without movement. Such as lifting an object like a dumbbell and holding a position. You are isolating that muscle.

Use both types of anaerobic exercises to maximize your strength to build healthy, lean, and strong muscles.

Select exercises that you enjoy and can do for at least 20 minutes, three to five days a week. Exercise does not necessarily mean hitting the gym and making an ordeal out of it. It can simply be a walk around your neighborhood or dancing to some tunes. Try to think "activity" verses "exercise". When you are in an active mind-frame, you will purposely park a little farther, do stretches at the computer, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.

Commit that you will begin to be more active and stick to your exercises or activities for 21 days. Why 21? Research has showed that it takes about 21 days to create a habit. Document how your feel after the 21 days. Your stress levels should be lowered, you should feel more energized, and see some physical changes such as a slimmer physique.

You may already know the benefits of exercise but are you doing it? So start by making a decision, begin slowly, then gradually work up to more and longer workout sessions. The point of this article is to help you take immediate action.

In the words of Nike...well, you know.

To your health.

Diabetes and Exercise

2006-01-09T12:11:00.000-04:00

There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance. When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are prescribed as measures to help with insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.

Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning an exercise program. When training with a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.

Before engaging in exercise, it is important for blood sugar levels to be tested to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.

Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.

As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.

Living a Healthy Life!

2006-01-04T13:04:00.000-04:00

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don't believe
me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising...you're instantly
bombarded with the latest diet schemes and "Hollywood" food
fads.

Here in

America

, we have built a thriving industry trying to
control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence.
The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care
treatments is staggering...Americans alone spend around $114
billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing
weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before...

- A whopping 64 percent of

U.S.

adults are either overweight or
obese...up about eight percent from earlier estimates.

- Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine
million are overweight...triple the rate in 1980!

- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy
lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer
calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Think about it for a moment...

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact,
it's usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in
the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our
favorite snack. Whether it's television, computers, remote
controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer
calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal
routine have disappeared...activities like climbing stairs,
pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me...I appreciate comfortable
living just as much as the next person. But, here is the
problem...

With all of our modern day conveniences and "cushy" style of
living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for
our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich
and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of
the following examples comparing what we eat "today" vs the
1970's (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of
them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption
has jumped 45 percent since the 1970's, from 138 pounds of grains
per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat
flour is consumed as whole wheat.

- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but
only because French fries and potato chips are included as
vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our
"produce" choices.

- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our
cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source
of saturated fat in our diets.

- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the
loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so
that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did
back in the 1970's.

- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than
milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice
that of pop.

- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable
oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has
increased 32 percent.

- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding
waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are
consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day,
about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is
found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In
1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11
percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has
ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as
much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and
nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and
eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it's
"OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and
that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It's time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and
time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide
TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a
normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits...
slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and
activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life.
And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so
be patient as you work toward your goal!

7 Easy Ways to Turbo-Charge Fat Burning

2005-12-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

Whether you are trying to lose a few extra pounds, or building a sculpted body; you will need every available technique in your arsenal when you begin to fight f-a-t. If you are only using one or two tactics you may get there eventually, but you will have a long uphill battle.

Are you ready to fire up your fat burning capabilities? The basics of metabolism has everything to do with fat burning. It is the biochemical processes that take place in the body; the breakdown of nutrients in the blood after digestion, resulting in growth of new tissue, more energy, and the release of wastes.

You have billions of cells- nerve cells, muscle cells, fat cells, blood cells, and all kinds of cells. These cells burn up a lot of energy as they get their job done in a well metabolized body, but a person whose metabolism runs slow, a lot of excess fat will be stored because not enough energy is burned up. The good news is that the metabolism furnace can be turned up substantially. There are several things which affect the metabolism such as exercise, the digestion of foods, body temperature, and hormone activity. Here are seven of the easiest ways to burn fat faster.

1. The food you eat. There are several foods that actually burn fat faster than others. Spices is one food that can help you burn more calories by triggering a thermodynamic burn that can last several hours after eating.

2. The time you eat. The best time to eat the largest portion of the foods you eat for the day is before two o'clock. Make sure you never skip a meal, especially breakfast. The process of eating actually starts your burner blasting. Do not skip breakfast, and wait until mid-day to eat because if you do your metabolism will run slower all day. That means you are burning less fat, which is not what you are aiming for. You want to burn fat faster, not slower.

3. The amount of food. If you deprive yourself of food, your body goes into a survival mode and slows itself down to prepare for a possible famine. That means that fad diets are definitely out if you want to burn fat faster. But on the other hand, if you eat more calories than your body uses throughout the day, these additional calories will be stored as fat. Therefore, the secret is moderation. Try eating three small meals and two small snacks daily. It's like throwing another log on the fire whenever you eat, but remember- small amounts of food at a time. If you have too much food in the stomach at any one time, it will slow the fat burn down, totally defeating the purpose.

4. To prevent build up of fat you need to increase your daily activities. The muscles are where all the calories are burned during exercise, and the more efficient the muscles are at burning fat - the quicker weight loss can be achieved. To be an efficient fat burner you need to increase your muscle mass. The timing and various types of exercise also contribute to a turbo metabolism. When you perform any kind of activity your body burns fat and glucose. The good thing is that you do not need to exercise hard to burn fat. It's a good habit to begin exercising every morning. Do as much as you can until you reach an entire hour each day, five or six days a week.

5. Do your strength training before doing any cardiovascular work. It takes the body about 15 minutes to warm up and start burning fat. For example, if you are jogging for 45 minutes, you will only be burning fat for the last 30 minutes of your workout. Instead, try lifting weights for the first 15 minutes, which gives your body the time it needs to warm up. By the time you hit the road, you will be burning fat during the entire jogging session. PLUS - you will have built muscle too!

6. Do not do the exact same workout every day. Your body will start to get used to that exercise, and eventually it will stop burning fat calories. So if you jog one day, try a different activity the next day. Keep rotating the exercises, that way your body will stay at an optimal fat burning state. The best way to burn fat is to work out as hard as you can for as long as you can. But if you are just beginning a program, try varying the intensity from fast, to normal, to fast, to normal. This will help to build endurance, and eventually, you will be able to extend the high intensity periods until your entire workout is done at an ultimate fat burning speed. The fat burning equation is simple. The more muscle tone you have, the more calories you will burn even when you are not active.

7. Inhaling and exhaling through your nose, rather than your mouth also helps to stabilize your heart rate, and increase your endurance. Of course you know this means turbo charged fat burning.

With these seven tips, you should be well on your way to burning fat at an optimal level. If you stick with these techniques, and make them a part of your day - your body will amaze you in a few weeks.

10 Tips To Avoid The Holiday Bulge

2005-12-19T19:52:00.000-04:00

Do you find it almost impossible to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. More than half of all Americans are overweight. All American's are in this together.

You can take heart from a new government study which shows most Americans gain about a pound over the holiday. You're not alone. The study shows that during the holiday period, for the people in the study, two main things influenced the holiday weight gain: level of hunger and level of activity. Those who reported being less active or more hungry had the greatest weight gain.

If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you'll probably win.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain," according to Dr. Samuel Klein. He is Director of the Center for Human Nutrition as Washington University in St. Louis, MO. "Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again."

The answer is simple. Eat less and exercise more.

The good news is that most of the people overestimate how much they had gained. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or over.

The bad news is that although the one pound gained seems like a small amount, that weight WAS NOT LOST during the rest of the year and those single pounds accumulate over the years and add up to obesity.

Here are some helpful hints and tips put together by skinny people to help you avoid the tiny little weight watching issues you face during this joyous season.

1).You SHOULD stay active.

2). Don't let yourself get hungry. Don't arrive at the party starving. Be sure you eat your normal, healthy meals, especially breakfast. A protein rich breakfast "resets" the body and starts it off not hungry. Don't starve yourself, thinking you can "save up" calories. Fill up before the big holiday feasts with healthy vegetable snacks.

3) How can you keep the pounds off at calorie rich parties? Stay away from the food! Literally ... stay on the other side of the room from the buffet table or appetizers tray.

4). Wear clothes which are slightly tight and your favorites. You'll think twice about the third helping if you can't let your belt out a notch. Always remember there's about 8 pounds between dress sizes.

5). Portion size is the real secret. Keep salad portions large and all other portions extra small. When it comes to sweets, think quality, not availability. Just because the candy corn is there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Don't be afraid to cut off "just a bite" of a high calorie treat. Put the rest back on the serving tray. If you're the hostess, pre-cut high calorie items into tiny portions to help your friends. Just a bite may be plenty to satisfy you.

6). You don't need to be stressed. Take Time for You. Get a massage or a nice facial. Sit down and slip your shoes off.

7). Keep up your food diary ... every day of the holiday ... it will help you pinpoint your special weaknesses. Just one 150 calorie chocolate chip cookie each day will add up to an extra pound in only 3 weeks.

8). Only eat things you really want and care about. So what if your neighbor brought okra au gratin everyone's raving about? Use that space on your plate for a homemade roll, hot from the oven. Put real butter on it. Life is choices. Treat yourself to what you want and LEAVE THE REST IN THE SERVING DISH.

9). Drink water instead of alcohol which has empty calories and lowers will power. Avoid sugary sodas which throw your metabolism into pendulum swings.

10). Don't eat while you cook. Those little "tastes" can turn into 1000 calories before you've blinked.

Well, that's all 10 pieces of holiday advice.

Atkins Diet - Good or Bad?

2005-12-12T01:48:00.000-04:00

The Atkins diet, without a doubt, has been the most controversial diet of all time. Seldom does a week go by that the news media does not mention the Atkins diet.

The Atkins diet, first introduced in 1972 by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins, is considered the most extreme of the low carb diets. Hundreds of research studies by universities and research teams throughout North America, Europe, and Asia have been conducted on the Atkins diet.

The Atkins diet, as with any diet program, has it's good and bad points - but, whatever side you are on, one thing is for sure. Dr. Atkins, and the Atkins diet, has done for the diet and nutrition industry what Mohammad Ali did for the boxing industry. Dr. Atkins created new awareness and introduced new concepts that will forever affect how we look at diets for weight loss as well as diets for health. Although the low carb diet was first written about in the late 1800's, low carb dieting truly came to life with the birth of the Atkins diet.

Let's take a look at three good and bad points of the Atkins diet.

Atkins diet - the good stuff.

1. THE ATKINS DIET BURNS FAT FASTER THAN ANY OTHER DIET. The human body is designed to use two different fuels to sustain life - glucose from carbs or ketones from fat. Glucose is the primary fuel, fat the backup. Every weight loss diet is based on the concept of burning fat. Conventional diets generally are designed to burn fat by starvation - by eating less calories than you use every day. This causes the body to dip into it's reserve energy source - the fat surrounding your abdomen and your thighs first.

The Atkins diet approaches fat burning a different way. It limits the glucose (carb) intake so the body adjusts itself to using ketones (fat) as it's primary fuel. Normally within three to four days of starting, your body is literally a fat burning machine on the Atkins diet.

2. THE ATKINS DIET DOESN'T LEAVE YOU HUNGRY. Unlike most conventional diets, the Atkins diet is not based so much on calorie intake. Dr. Atkins does, however, warn that you should not stuff yourself but only eat until satisfied. Also, since you are replacing carbs with protein, and the main protein source is meat, a high percentage of each meal will consist of meat and fat. Meat and fat are more fulfilling and much slower to digest. Not only do you feel more satisfied at dinner, but it will stay with you longer on the Atkins diet.

3. THE ATKINS DIET IS SAFE AND HEALTHY. The vast majority of studies show the Atkins diet to be extremely healthy, in comparison to other conventional weight loss and lifestyle diets. Nearly every study shows the Atkins diet the winner in reducing cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. In addition, many cases of acid reflux, sleep apnea, and diabetes have either had the symptoms reduced or completely disappear while on the Atkins diet.

Also, you'll often hear "we have no way of knowing the long term safety of low carb diets". Fact is, the Atkins diet has been around for over 30 years - longer than most other weight loss programs. Although first written about at the end of the 19th century, the low carb diet has actually been around for centuries prior to that.

How so? The North American Eskimo. Their diet has primarily been no or very low carbs. Yet chronic diseases that are epidemic today, such as diabetes and heart disease, were practically unknown among the Eskimos. At least this was true until they were introduced to sugar and white flour. The Eskimos have been well studied and found to be a healthy and hardy bunch, even after centuries of living on a low carb diet. Yes - a low carb diet much more extreme than even the Atkins diet.

Atkins Diet - The Bad Stuff.

1. THE ATKINS DIET BURNS FAT TOO QUICKLY. The primary concern here is toxic overload. When toxins enter you body, either from environmental sources or from additives in prepared foods, your body's defense mechanism will quickly try to eliminate them through the liver and kidneys. Quite often the overload is such that the body will also hide some of these toxins in your fat cells. When burning fat these toxins are released again into your bloodstream. You can experience toxic overload when you burn fat too fast, as in the first weeks or months of the Atkins diet.

2. THE ATKINS DIET CAUSES FATIGUE. Yes, initially it does - for a couple of reasons. First, switching fuels from glucose to ketones is stressful to the body. It's a drastic change in your metabolism. You might say it's similar to mild drug withdrawal. Many people actually do have a "carb addiction" and not even realize it. Secondly, as we learned a minute ago, your body will quite likely be working hard dealing with toxic overload if burning fat too fast, as early in the Atkins diet.

3. THE ATKINS DIET LACKS GOOD NUTRITION. Plant life is the basic nutritional source for all living creatures, including humans. When an animal eats plants, some of the nutrients, such as calcium and other minerals, are sent to different parts of the body where needed. And even if we eat an animal from nose to tail, including the bones, we are still missing some of these nutrients and essential enzymes that are burned up in the metabolic process. Good nutrition suffers when we drastically limit carbs, particularly with the induction phase of the Atkins diet.

Atkins Diet - Is It Right for You?

The Atkins diet has been proven safe, effective and Dr. Atkins' nutritional concepts are basically sound. This is probably the best choice for fast weight loss for an upcoming wedding or cruise - or to jump start your new life. A lot of water and a GOOD vitamin supplement is strongly recommended with ANY diet, but particularly with the Atkins diet.

The Atkins diet can be adjusted to a less aggressive program if you have a lot of weight to lose and wisely choose to lose the pounds more slowly over a longer period of time. This would be less stressful, much healthier and give the stretched skin a chance to shrink. Skipping the induction phase is one way. You may find this more sustainable over the long haul using the Atkins diet.

One important key to health and success with any low carb diet is to make every carb count by choosing nutrient dense live carbs. These include fresh vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach, and green beans. This is critical where total carbs are very limited - such as with the first two stages of the Atkins diet.

Hands-On Health: The Healing Benefits of Massage

2005-11-20T13:31:00.000-04:00

The healing power of human touch is a positive experience that many people enjoy through therapeutic massage or bodywork. The effects of a good massage go much deeper than the skin's surface. Massage can:

1) Help improve circulation of the blood and lower blood pressure.
2) Act as a detoxification system by propelling toxic waste products through the lymphatic system.
3) Help to improve muscle tone and prevent muscular atrophy resulting from inactivity or illness.
4) Reduce emotional stress and promote a sense of well-being.

How can something as simple as this hands-on therapy have so many positive benefits? A tense or painful muscle is one which is often chronically contracted. In an acute situation such as recent injury, the muscle can be in actual spasm. This contraction or spasm decreases the flow of blood to the muscle, which leads to a decrease in the nutrient and oxygen supply to the cells of the muscle and related nerves. A chronically contracted muscle will build up lactic acid, a sign of fatigue. This oxygen shortage and lactic acid buildup irritates the nerve cells, which perpetuates the contracted muscles. Massage can help remove the lactic acid and other metabolic waste products from the cells and reverse this process, interrupting the vicious cycle of pain-spasm-pain.

There are a multitude of massage styles which are beneficial, depending upon the individual's needs and preferences. They include:

Swedish Massage: this is the basic "relaxation" style of bodywork, which uses long strokes, squeezing and kneading. The Swedish practitioner helps to improve circulation by working to loosen or relax the superficial layers of muscle. This type of massage is particularly useful for muscles which are already sore from stress or a tough workout, as it is often more gentle than other styles.

Sports Massage: this form of massage works on a deeper level of musculature or connective tissue. This style fits more with the "no pain, no gain" philosophy. The therapist uses slow, hard strokes and deep, sustained finger pressure to work deeply into the contracted muscles, fascia and tendons. This technique increases flexibility, encourages muscles to work at their fullest capacity, and speeds up the healing process by reducing swelling following an injury. It is especially indicated for athletes and "week-end warriors" who suffer from tight or sore muscles.

Shiatsu and Acupressure: rather than being simply relaxing, this form of bodywork tends to be invigorating. Fingers, thumbs, fists and elbows are used to apply pressure to points along acupuncture meridians, which are believed to be the energy pathways of the body. The focus of this type of therapy is on relieving blocks in the pathways and rebalancing the flow of energy.

Reflexology and Zone Therapy: reflexology works on the assumption that parts of the feet (as well as parts of the ears and hands) correspond to other parts of the body's anatomy. In other words, stress or illness in a certain part of the body may show up as a painful or sensitive area on a specific area of the foot. Reflexologists apply pressure to the side, top or bottom of the feet to help reduce dysfunction in other parts of the body.

Not all techniques work for everyone, so make sure to inquire about the philosophy and style of the massage therapist you call. If your massage isn't as satisfying as you had hoped, don't give up. Try another therapist! Massage therapy schools are a cost-effective way to test out different styles of massage; senior students generally work for lower fees while they complete their internship.

There are a few conditions in which massage would not be a good option, such as marked inflammation, fever, significant swelling or very severe pain. But for the garden variety aches and pains that most of us experience, as well as for the general stresses of life, massage is an outstanding way to treat ourselves to a positive, revitalizing experience.

Know Your Food Label

2005-11-04T19:47:00.000-04:00

Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or simply losing weight, you want to eat a healthy diet and focus on foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, and balanced in fats, carbs, and proteins.

There is only one way to incorporate healthy foods into our diet and that is to make the decision to do it! Practical information about the nutrition and safety of the foods we consume is absolutely vital in making this decision.

One way to learn more about what we eat is to snoop around the supermarket. Check-out package labels to see what manufactures are adding (or removing) from the foods we eat. Read the information on the package and start making comparisons to determine which foods are the best for YOU. Know about nutritional labeling and the sometimes sneaky ways that manufacturers have of hiding what is in the food. Know and understand ingredient declarations, how they are used, and what a few of the "technical" terms mean. Are the unfamiliar ingredients good or bad for your health?

Since 1994 food manufacturers have been required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include food labels (or Nutrition Facts labels) on product packaging so that consumers have accurate nutritional information about the food they purchase. But food labels are more than just a federal requirement – once you understand the information they provide, you can use food labels as a guide to planning healthier meals and snacks.

Food labels are required on almost all foods, except those that don't provide many nutrients such as coffee, alcohol and spices. Although some restaurants provide information about the food they serve, they aren't required to have labels. The FDA recommends that sellers provide nutritional information on produce, meat, poultry and seafood, but it's strictly voluntary.

What Is a Serving?

At the top of a food label under Nutrition Facts, you'll see the serving size and the number of servings in the package. The rest of the nutrition information in the label is based on one serving.

Calories, Calories From Fat and Percent Daily Values

This part of a food label provides the calories per serving and the calories that come from fat. If you need to know the total number of calories you eat every day or the number of calories that come from fat, this section provides that information. Remember that this part of the label doesn't tell you whether you are eating saturated or unsaturated fat.

On the right side of a food label, you'll see a column that lists percentages. These percentages refer to the percent daily values (%DV). Percent daily values tell you how much of something, whether it's fat, sugar or vitamin A, one serving will give you compared to how much you need for the entire day. It will help you gauge the percentage of a nutrient requirement met by one serving of the product. One way to use this section of the label is when you comparison shop. For example, if you're concerned with sodium, you can look at two foods and choose the food with the lower % DV. Are you trying to eat a low-fat diet? Look for foods that have a lower percent daily value of fat.

The %DV is based on how much or how little of the key nutrients you should eat whether you eat 2,000 or 2,500 calories a day. So if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet, you should eat less than 65 grams of fat in all the foods you eat for the day. If you're eating 12 grams of fat in your one serving of macaroni and cheese (remember that's one cup), you can calculate how much fat you have left for the day. You can use the bottom part of the food label in white to compare what you are eating to the % DV you're allowed for that nutrient, whether it's fat, sodium or fiber. If you need more or less than 2,000 or 2,500 calories, you'll need to adjust this accordingly.

Nutrients

Fat, Sugar, Sodium and Carbohydrate

The sections on a food label shows the name of a nutrient and the amount of that nutrient provided by one serving of food. You may need to know this information, especially if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or are eating a diet that restricts certain nutrients such as sodium or carbohydrates.

Food labels also include information about how much sugar and protein is in the food. If you are following a low-sugar diet or you're monitoring your protein intake, it's easy to spot how much of those nutrients are contained in one serving.

Vitamins, Minerals and Other Information

The light purple part of the label lists nutrients, vitamins and minerals in the food and their percent daily values. Try to average 100% DV every day for vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and fiber. Do the opposite with fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol. Try to eat less than 100% DV of these.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reading a Food Label

Until you become accustomed to reading food labels, it's easy to become confused. Avoid these common mistakes when reading labels:

-A label may say that the food is reduced fat or reduced sodium. That means that the amount of fat or sodium has been reduced by 25% from the original product. It doesn't mean, however, that the food is low in fat or sodium. For example, if a can of soup originally had 1,000 milligrams of sodium, the reduced sodium product would still be a high-sodium food.

-Don't confuse the % DV for fat with the percentage of calories from fat. If the % DV is 15% that doesn't mean that 15% of the calories comes from fat. Rather, it means that you're using up 15% of all the fat you need for a day with one serving (based on a meal plan of 2,000 calories per day).

-Don't make the mistake of assuming that the amount of sugar on a label means that the sugar has been added. For example, milk naturally has sugar, which is called lactose. But that doesn't mean you should stop drinking milk because milk is full of other important nutrients including calcium.

Reading Label Lingo

In addition to requiring that packaged foods contain a Nutrition Facts label, the FDA also regulates the use of phrases and terms used on the product packaging. Here's a list of common phrases you may see on your food packaging and what they actually mean.

No fat or fat free - Contains less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving Lower or reduced fat: Contains at least 25 percent less per serving than the reference food. (An example might be reduced fat cream cheese, which would have at least 25 percent less fat than original cream cheese.)

Low fat - Contains less than 3 grams of fat per serving.

Lite - Contains 1/3 the calories or 1/2 the fat per serving of the original version or a similar product.

No calories or calorie free - Contains less than 5 calories per serving.

Low calories - Contains 1/3 the calories of the original version or a similar product.

Sugar free - Contains less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving.

Reduced sugar - at least 25% less sugar per serving than the reference food.

No preservatives - Contains no preservatives (chemical or natural).

No preservatives added - Contains no added chemicals to preserve the product. Some of these products may contain natural preservatives.

Low sodium - Contains less than 140 mgs of sodium per serving.

No salt or salt free - Contains less than 5 mgs of sodium per serving.

High fiber - 5 g or more per serving (Foods making high-fiber claims must meet the definition for low fat, or the level of total fat must appear next to the high-fiber claim).

Good source of fiber - 2.5 g to 4.9 g. per serving.

More or added fiber - Contains at least 2.5 g more per serving than the reference food.

With a little practice, you will be able to put your new found knowledge about food labeling to work. Reassess your diet and decide what needs to be changed. Start by eliminating the foods that don't measure-up to your nutritional wants and needs, and replacing them with more nutritional substitutes.

And while you're at it, visit the FDA website and learn about the new labeling requirements, including those for "trans" fat. Like saturated fats, trans fats can raise levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and increase your risk of heart disease. The "Nutrition Facts" panel on food packaging must provide this information beginning January 1, 2006, but most manufacturers will start providing it sooner.

The Simple Solution to Weight Control

2005-10-28T09:35:00.000-04:00

It is not too uncommon for adults to find themselves in there 30's and 40's with widening middles and a larger size hanging in the closet. This gaining of weight is brought on by a slowing metabolism, sitting at a desk all day and by the stress of daily life. For woman there is the added weight gain of having children.

When you finally realize that your size is increasing year by year it is a hard reality to deal with. You have to look at all the options and there sure are a lot of options.

Buying into and following the latest diet craze is always appealing. Looking at those young toned bodies running on the beach and remembering when you were once young makes the fad diets hard to resist. The problem with most of these diets is that they are only a temporary fix. You are not curing the problem you are only treating the symptom.

To really fix the weight gain issue you need to take a good look at your life. Are you at a desk job? Are you home with kids all day? Do you pack a lunch or eat out? Do you eat on the road while traveling to work and running errands? All these factors play into weight gain for adults.

The solution is simpler than you think. You have heard it before eat less and exercise more. To do this you do not need to go out and join a gym or buy a scale and weigh every bite of food you put in your mouth. You simply need to put into place and take action upon easy to follow lifestyle changes.

To start with take a look at the food you are eating. Turn over the labels and read what a serving size is and how many calories are in a serving. If you keep in your mind that you want to consume around 1500 calories a day then follow the label you will do fine. At 1500 calories you should loose weight and this is an amount that if you eat an extra cookie you have some room for error.

The next thing you need to do is to get up and move. Remember you do not need to join an expensive gym or invest in dozens of exercise tapes just get up and move. Start with parking farther away from the office. Then put a lead on the dog and go for a walk after dinner. If all you feel you can fit in is 5 minutes start there and move up. In the beginning it may be hard to complete a mile but if you stick to it in a few months you will be walking a few miles with no problem and loosing weight.

Follow these extremely simple steps of paying attention to what you eat and getting up and moving and your waist line and over all health will improve in a sustainable way.

Little Known Facts About Changes In Our Diet

2005-10-20T16:50:00.000-04:00

To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an
understatement! Pick up any magazine, tune-in or turn-on any
source of advertising and you're bombarded with the latest diet
schemes and food fads. More often than not, they are endorsed by
some familiar Hollywood celebrity, or promoted using some other
cleaver technique.

It's no mystery that the weight-loss industry has built a
thriving empire. In

America

, for example, we spend about 35
billion dollars every year on an assortment of weight loss
products and plans. In addition, we spend another 79 billion
dollars for medication, hospitalization, and doctors to treat
obesity-related problems. Even with this, the obesity epidemic
continues to spread. Sadly, we have become the heaviest
generation in our Nation's history.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that we have
some very good reasons to be concerned about our weight-gain.
Americans, for example are packing-on the pounds faster than ever
before and weight-related medical problems are taking center
stage. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and yes...even
certain forms of cancer have all been linked to obesity.

Here are a few of the surprising statistics about our weight:

- A whopping 64 percent of

U.S.

adults are either overweight or
obese. That's up approximately 8 percent from overweight
estimates obtained in a 1988 report.

- The percent of children who are overweight is also continuing
to increase. Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or
almost 9 million are overweight. That's triple what the rate was
in 1980!

- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese. At
present, 31 percent of adults 20 years of age and over or nearly
59 million people have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater,
compared with 23 percent in 1994.

(The BMI is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height.
For adults, a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI of
25.0 - 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 or above, is considered
obese.)

Modern life both at home and at work has come to revolve around
moving from one "seated" position to another: whether it's
television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we seem
to be broadening the scope of our inactive endeavors.

At times, life seems to have gotten almost too easy! For
entertainment, we can now just sit-down, dial-up our favorite TV
program or DVD movie and enjoy hours of uninterrupted
entertainment...

And all those simple calorie burning activities that were once a
normal part of our daily routine not so long ago? Long gone! You
know the ones I'm talking about...activities like climbing stairs
instead of using escalators and elevators. Or, pushing a lawn
mower instead of riding around on a garden tractor. And what
about that daily walk to school? Now, our kids complain when the
school bus happens to be a few minutes late getting to the bus
stop!

Along with the convenience of our affluent lifestyle and
reduction in energy expenditure, have come changes in our diet.
We are now consuming more calorie rich and nutrient deficient
foods than ever before.

Here are a few examples of what we were eating in the 1970's
compared to our diet today (information is taken from a recent
U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of
them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption
has jumped 45 percent since the 1970s, from 138 pounds of grains
per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat
flour is consumed as whole wheat.

- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but
only because the U.S.D.A. includes French fries and potato chips
as a vegetable. Potato products account for almost a third of our
"produce" choices.

- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our
cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source
of saturated fat in our diets.

- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the
loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so
that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did
back in the 1970s.

- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than
milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice
that of pop.

- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable
oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has
increased 32 percent.

- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding
waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. According to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people are consuming roughly
twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons
on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in
junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.

- In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11
percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has
ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as
much as 20 percent for American teenagers.

The days of the wholesome family dinners so near and dear to our
hearts, where we all sat around the kitchen table to discuss
events of the day, are now a part of our sentimental past. They
have been replaced by our cravings for take-out and fast-food. We
have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy
foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving
portions mean better value.

And, since I have been throwing-out statistics, here's one more:
Americans are consuming about 300 more calories each day than we
did twenty years ago. We should actually be eating less because
of our decreased activity level, but instead are doing the
opposite!

Decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits will become
a permanent part of your life!

Begin to explore your values and thoughts and other areas of your
life where change may be required, and then take action. Begin
slowly, but deliberately to make improvements in the areas you
identify. And remember, it has taken a very long time to develop
your habits, and it will take some time to undo them…so be
patient!

Essential Nutrients Missing From Your Diet

2005-10-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

There are several essential nutrients missing from the diets most people eat. Replacing them with vitamin supplements doesn't make up for the synergistic effects of nutrients found in food.

Fiber

Fiber is the indigestible part of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Whole grains and cereal fiber can lower your heart disease risk by 30%. To increase the fiber in your diet to the recommended 14g for every 1,000 calories eaten, have a 1/2 cup serving of Fiber One cereal and add more beans to your diet with lentil soup. Use whole grain bread and add some fruit and vegetables to your meals.

Magnesium and Potassium

Magnesium and potassium are linked to blood pressure control, protection from osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. To add magnesium, have a half-cup of bran and cooked spinach daily. For potassium, eat sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white beans and bananas.

Calcium

Calcium provides the raw material for building your teeth and bones. It prevents bone-thinning osteoporosis, contributes to healthy blood pressure, and can reduce the risk of colon cancer. To have the right amount in your diet, drink three glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk every day, or have eight ounces of fat-free yoghurt and 2-3 ounces of low-fat cheese each day.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A cares for and maintains our eyes, the linings of the respiratory, intestinal and urinary tracts, and the quality of our skin. To add more vitamin A to your diet, add darkly-pigmented foods to your daily diet. These include carrots, spinach, kale, winter squash, and a medium baked sweet potato. They do not include lettuce and french fries.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is necessary for our body to create collagen, a glue that holds our skin, bones, blood vessels and skin together. It also helps to make brain chemicals, neutralize damaging free radicals, and metabolize cholesterol. Vitamin C may also help the heart and reduce arthritis and diabetes. To add vitamin C to your diet, simply add a glass of orange juice or an orange every day. Other helpful foods with vitamin C are kiwifruit, cantaloupe, brussels sprouts, strawberries, red or green bell peppers, and broccoli.

Vitamin E

Sufficient vitamin E also neutralizes free radicals to protect cells from damage, plays a role in the immune system, can help prevent the common cold, and can lower the risk of Parkinson's disease. Foods healthy in vitamin E include almonds, sunflower kernels, and sunflower oil in salad dressings, which helps you gain the nutrients from the vegetables and carries the vitamin E into the bloodstream.

2005-10-07T18:42:00.000-04:00

Technorati Profile

Invest in Your Health

2005-10-03T23:29:00.000-04:00

What if a trusted friend were to tell you about an investment
where you could not possibly go wrong...what would be your
reaction? And what if there was a virtual mountain of credible
information that supported the investment claims...wouldn't you
be inclined to take advantage of the opportunity and not miss out
on the rewards? Although the answer to these questions seems
apparent, when it comes to investing in our health and quality of
life we often choose to ignore what obviously works. Take for
example, exercise...

Physical fitness may be the ultimate investment opportunity.
Think of it this way. If you are willing to make the commitment
(investment), you will feel and look healthier, have an abundance
of energy, be more self-confident, more productive and discover a
more joyous and fulfilling life. These are rewards that money
cannot buy and the substance of high quality living. And, the
investment of exercise becomes even more attractive when you
consider that there is absolutely no down-side risk. You have
everything to gain and nothing to lose. How much better can it
get? How many times can you remember ever having a better offer?
The honest answer is probably never, and yet many of us fail to
act on this extraordinary opportunity. We simply choose to
procrastinate or ignore the proven benefits of exercise!

Here are a few reasons that sometimes inhibit our willingness to
"step out" and make a change or take a chance:

- Sometimes our vision gets clouded. We lose tract of what is
really important. Forget about the less important activities that
tend to clutter our daily routine and focus on exactly what needs
to be accomplished to reach your goal.

- Looking at the "big" picture can seem overwhelming. And the
bigger the task, the more overwhelming it can seem. Break the
task apart into smaller pieces. If you want to lose 50 pounds try
losing 10 pounds and repeat the process five times! Need to start
an exercise program? Begin with short, simple exercises and then
slowly expand your routine. Don't exercise too hard when first
starting-out or you will become stiff, tired, disillusioned and
soon quit.

- Have you ever not wanted to start something for fear of
failure? Take the first step, acknowledge the fear and the next
step will come easier. Once fears are acknowledged, they usually
quiet down.

- Sometimes we start to think that a task is unpleasant or
boring. Just like any other activity, this can also be true for
exercise. There are days when we just plain lack the enthusiasm
and motivation to continue. It's part of human nature. On days
like these focus on 'why' you are doing it. Think about all the
people you care about and who may need and rely on you. What
would happen if you became ill or disabled and was unable to work
for a period of time, or worse, if you were out of the picture
completely. How would things change? If something happened
tomorrow, how would your family or business manage without you?
What do you want your life to be like in the future? There are
many tasks or chores we do, that we may not like, but are
necessary to live a happen and productive life. Focus on the
bigger picture.

- Indecision can be defeating, but doing "anything" is better
than doing nothing. There are no wrong choices and very few
choices that can't be undone or done again. Can't decide on a
particular exercise program or routine? Pick a few exercises and
start with something simple. If you don't like it, go on to the
next exercise.

- When you lack the confidence to start something new, take a
deep breath and try to figure out why. Are you hesitating because
you really lack the skill or is it just imagined? If it's real,
try to find out where to gain the skills you need or find someone
with the right skills who can help. In the case of exercise,
finding a qualified personal fitness trainer can sometimes do the
trick, but be wary...some PFT's are overzealous and tend to start
newcomers on programs that are too strenuous.

- Life just seems too busy to find time for some activities.
Large, uninterrupted chunks of time are very hard to come by. And
if we're honest, when they do come, we'd rather do something
totally pleasurable! Exercise has to become part of your routine.
It can't be an option. Make it a high priority just the same as
your career, and other areas of interest. You will be surprised
at how easy exercise becomes when approached this way!

- Have you ever subconsciously (or otherwise) invited
distractions so that you have a "good" reason not to get
something done? Sometimes it's the simple things like answering
the phone or sitting down to watch that "one" TV program, that
distract us. When you find yourself doing this, take control of
the situation and make a conscious decision to do what you are
avoiding.

To reap the benefits of exercise, or any other health related
endeavor, you must agree to become a willing participant. This
will require due diligence on your part. And remember, as you
embark on your mission you are investing in something near and
dear to your own heart...your life and a future of healthy
living.