Weight loss is the number one "resolution" people make when they decide to improve their health. When weight loss occurs it comes from a loss of body mass: water, fat, lean body tissue and bones. Wouldn't it be great to focus weight loss on fat only? It certainly would. In fact, weight loss that selectively targets fat and preserves or increases lean body tissues and bones is the only way to permanently lose weight.
Sounds difficult, right? Well, don't worry: We have a solution!Suicidal weight loss
Many people lose weight rapidly by starving themselves. I call this suicidal weight loss for three reasons:
Rapid weight loss is water loss; water loss is dehydration and dehydration is death.
Rapid weight loss comes from lean body tissue (brain, heart, muscle, collagen, etc.). Sarcopenia (age-related loss of lean body tissue) is death.
Rapid weight loss comes from bone. Bone loss is osteoporosis; osteoporosis kills more women in North America than breast cancer!
Rapid weight loss by starving yourself is slow suicide.
Lifetime weight controlAn alternative to this kind of weight loss madness is to select a strategy that focuses on weight loss from fat only. This is not done by accident. We must select fat loss by choice.
This choice implies knowledge; knowledge means that we must learn the lesson of obesity and battle it for the rest of our lives.
Calories – Obesity in simplistic terms is about consuming more calories than you burn in a single day. Multiply these extra calories over time and you have what we all see: an obesity epidemic. However, it is not merely the number of calories we eat; we must include the right kind of calories for lifetime weight control. Organizations such as the American Heart Association and the America Cancer Society recommend eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily (5 for children, 7 for women and 9 for men). These are the best calories.
Movement – Our body is made to move. Daily exercise is necessary for lifetime weight control and targeted fat loss. Aerobic training for 30 minutes on most days of the week and weight training (resistance training) 2 to 5 times per week will keep the fires of your metabolism burning fat.
Other tips:
Deep breathing for 20 minutes daily reduces fat-building hormones like cortisol.
Get your sleep: The less you sleep, the more you will weigh.
Eat small meals: Eating more than 400 calories at a single meal causes our cells to suffocate from insulin.
Why supplementation is important
Taking certain supplements can help you lose weight, but you really have to be careful! One supplement that was heavily advertised on television was shown to cause 74% weight loss from lean body tissue. Another supplement that seemed to be the most popular weight loss supplement of the time caused 55% lean body loss. That is suicidal weight loss!Beneficial supplements exist. For example, Leanology Weight Loss Capsules were studied in a top-of-the-line, scientific clinical trial through Arizona State University. They were shown to reduce weight entirely from fat! Yes, 100% of the weight loss came from fat!
Also, the plant antioxidant ECGC (found in Energy Now!) can increase metabolism by over 200 calories per gram.My favorite fat loss supplement to "jump-start" a weight loss program is Vital C. This is primarily because of the nature of fat: a toxic dumping ground for chemicals and poisons your body could not eliminate. Vital C is a pH-balanced form of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Ascorbic acid neutralizes many of the toxins we store in our fat cells. For rapid weight loss that targets fat cells, use a Vitamin C Flush, Energy Now! and, especially, Leanology.
ConclusionGood health only comes from healthy living. Take time to learn the rules of healthy living. Practice healthy habits every day. Soon, the "deposits" you make into your health account will begin to yield real dividends: a lean body functioning at peak efficiency!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Saturday, November 21, 2009
How to Avoid Overeating During the Holidays
In the movie, The Perfect Storm a series of weather fronts plus a hurricane collide off the coast of Massachusetts. The crew of the ship Andrea Gail failed to anticipate how severe the storm was and also didn't heed the warnings of other ships regarding the need for a different course of action. The results were disastrous and now the term ?perfect storm? has come to symbolize multiple, unanticipated stresses leading to personal disasters.
Following this line of thought, winter time in North America (and elsewhere) is a perfect storm of weight management disasters: holiday-related overeating, a seasonal drop in exercise, and a winter-time decline in sun exposure, leading to a drop in Vitamin D.
Seasonal Change Equals Stress
The most accurate definition of stress to our body and mind is change ? any change. This is because changes require us to use our precious resources to adapt rather than to repair. Also, changes in our routine often mean that we make fewer ?deposits? into our physical and emotional wellness accounts in terms of adherence to The 10 Essentials. Fewer deposits and more withdrawals mean a reduced quality of life and health. What?s more, the dietary ?deposits? we often make during holiday celebrations often include foods low in nutrients and high in toxicity.
So, the first strategy to avoid holiday overeating is to maintain your healthy routine in terms of diet, exercise and rest. Why? Because these strategies help us reduce the impact of stress and the squandering of our nutrient reserves. You see, cravings are often a form of communication from your body that it is running out of the vitamins and minerals, proteins and fats it needs to function. To avoid insatiable cravings be sure to take your Healthy Aging nutrients and keep the nutrient density of your foods high and the toxicity (caused by sugar, etc.) low.
Leanology shakes provide high quality proteins and Leanology nutritional chews contain specific fats to help turn off hunger signals and to help thwart cravings. Also fortifying us against the destructive influences of stress are Adaptogens.
These plant-derived nutrients pull us back together as stress pulls us apart!Wintertime Blues
A special weight-loss nutrient is Vitamin D. Most people would make enough Vitamin D with 20 minutes of sunshine morning and evening with 40% of their skin exposed to the sun?s rays. (Never allow yourself to get sunburned.) Vitamin D also acts as a weight loss nutrient by balancing the blood sugar, reducing your appetite and improving human metabolism. This essential vitamin also improves your immune system.
People are exposed to less sunshine during the wintertime. This problem becomes worse the further north we go because of the shorter winter days in northern latitudes. Add the extra sun-blocking-layers of clothes to combat cold temperatures to the use of Vitamin D-blocking sunscreen and it is easy to see why people overeat, gain extra weight and even suffer seasonal illness because of a compromised immune system during the winter.
To combat these very real circumstances that result in weight gain during the holidays we simply must take supplemental Vitamin D. Leanology caps contain 750 IU of Vitamin D per six capsules. I suggest taking six capsules daily to supply a minimum level of Vitamin D during winter and to curb the appetite.
Conclusion
There are stressful realities we must admit that lead us to winter time weight gain. These include less sun exposure, more recreational meals, less exercise and rest and more emotional distress. We can combat these health-threats by keeping a normal, sane routine of sleep, diet and exercise. We can also use Healthy Aging nutrients as well as Adaptogens to combat stress overeating. We can use Leanology protein and the special fats found in Leanology appetite control chews as well as the extra boost of Vitamin D from Leanology caps to control cravings and out-of-control appetite. This strategy should allow us to come through the stressful holiday season with fewer physical and emotional illnesses and greater wellness. It?s the best gift you can give yourself this holiday season!
Following this line of thought, winter time in North America (and elsewhere) is a perfect storm of weight management disasters: holiday-related overeating, a seasonal drop in exercise, and a winter-time decline in sun exposure, leading to a drop in Vitamin D.
Seasonal Change Equals Stress
The most accurate definition of stress to our body and mind is change ? any change. This is because changes require us to use our precious resources to adapt rather than to repair. Also, changes in our routine often mean that we make fewer ?deposits? into our physical and emotional wellness accounts in terms of adherence to The 10 Essentials. Fewer deposits and more withdrawals mean a reduced quality of life and health. What?s more, the dietary ?deposits? we often make during holiday celebrations often include foods low in nutrients and high in toxicity.
So, the first strategy to avoid holiday overeating is to maintain your healthy routine in terms of diet, exercise and rest. Why? Because these strategies help us reduce the impact of stress and the squandering of our nutrient reserves. You see, cravings are often a form of communication from your body that it is running out of the vitamins and minerals, proteins and fats it needs to function. To avoid insatiable cravings be sure to take your Healthy Aging nutrients and keep the nutrient density of your foods high and the toxicity (caused by sugar, etc.) low.
Leanology shakes provide high quality proteins and Leanology nutritional chews contain specific fats to help turn off hunger signals and to help thwart cravings. Also fortifying us against the destructive influences of stress are Adaptogens.
These plant-derived nutrients pull us back together as stress pulls us apart!Wintertime Blues
A special weight-loss nutrient is Vitamin D. Most people would make enough Vitamin D with 20 minutes of sunshine morning and evening with 40% of their skin exposed to the sun?s rays. (Never allow yourself to get sunburned.) Vitamin D also acts as a weight loss nutrient by balancing the blood sugar, reducing your appetite and improving human metabolism. This essential vitamin also improves your immune system.
People are exposed to less sunshine during the wintertime. This problem becomes worse the further north we go because of the shorter winter days in northern latitudes. Add the extra sun-blocking-layers of clothes to combat cold temperatures to the use of Vitamin D-blocking sunscreen and it is easy to see why people overeat, gain extra weight and even suffer seasonal illness because of a compromised immune system during the winter.
To combat these very real circumstances that result in weight gain during the holidays we simply must take supplemental Vitamin D. Leanology caps contain 750 IU of Vitamin D per six capsules. I suggest taking six capsules daily to supply a minimum level of Vitamin D during winter and to curb the appetite.
Conclusion
There are stressful realities we must admit that lead us to winter time weight gain. These include less sun exposure, more recreational meals, less exercise and rest and more emotional distress. We can combat these health-threats by keeping a normal, sane routine of sleep, diet and exercise. We can also use Healthy Aging nutrients as well as Adaptogens to combat stress overeating. We can use Leanology protein and the special fats found in Leanology appetite control chews as well as the extra boost of Vitamin D from Leanology caps to control cravings and out-of-control appetite. This strategy should allow us to come through the stressful holiday season with fewer physical and emotional illnesses and greater wellness. It?s the best gift you can give yourself this holiday season!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Nopalea Provides Powerful Toxic Relief
Recently, a series of forest fires ravaged the landscape in Southern California. One particular fire burned many fine homes. The firefighters worked through the night to extinguish the fire and they were making progress. However, with the dawn came a change in circumstances: an increase in heat, a reduction in humidity and hot, dry winds from the south brought dry air and a fresh supply of oxygen that intensified the fire. Soon, a firestorm erupted creating flaming tornadoes.
That is the perfect illustration of the inflammation that can occur in the human body. What may begin as a single spark of inflammation may erupt into an inflammatory disease that engulfs our entire body and threatens our life. Efforts to combat the inflammation may be affected by external forces that fan the flames until we are consumed.
Causes of inflammationThere are four common causes of inflammation:
Trauma or injury
Toxins and poisons
Deficiencies of various kinds
Emotional distress
Any of these factors may trigger the start of inflammation or increase the intensity of the heat by adding fuel to the fire.
An example of this may be inflammation triggered by toxins and fueled by emotional distress. Gout is a form of inflammation strongly linked to toxicity.
For example, gout may be triggered in susceptible people by environmental toxins like carbon tetrachloride or dietary toxins such as HCFS (high fructose corn syrup) found in soft drinks. Gout may also be triggered by depression associated with loss, or by anxiety associated with chronic emotional distress.
A new round of gout may be triggered by simple trauma to a previously affected toe or possibly a Vitamin C deficiency.Adding multiple sources of inflammation together may trigger a firestorm of inflammation that rages out of control - creating serious signs of disease.
Triggers: known and unknown
The firefighters mentioned above lost that particular battle with the forest fire because they could not foresee all of the influences hampering their efforts. The same is true with us:
We can not always foresee all of the inflammation triggers we face
We can not always tell when we trigger the process of inflammation While we may remember our last soft drink, we may not know when we last breathed carbon tetrachloride, ate fruits and vegetables deficient in Vitamin C, or created micro-trauma by our sleeping position, sedentary lifestyle or choice of shoes.
We may also not readily discern the impact of internalized stress.
I recently encountered three people who had different forms of inflammation. One individual suffered from episodes of gout, the second from chronic colitis and the third from osteoarthritis of the knees. They all experienced fast and profound benefits from Nopalea with its anti-inflammatory Betalains. They also later experienced a flare-up of symptoms when their life changed.
In all three cases the inflammation appeared to be triggered by severe emotional upset: loss of a spouse, loss of a sibling and loss of a job.
Trying to quench the fire of inflammation created by these emotional extremes with a minimum serving of Nopalea was like trying to quench a forest fire with a single pail of water! We need to judge the severity of the inflammation and meet it with the appropriate anti-inflammatory response if we are to be successful. Don't be afraid to use 3 ounces or 6 ounces every day for a real "Betalain-Boost"!
Conclusion
When we experience any sign or symptom of distress we should interpret it as a communication from our body to our mind that something is wrong. The frequency, intensity and duration of the inflammation will determine how we should escalate our response.
As detectives we solve the mystery of pain by analyzing the four causes of inflammation. However, we must also realize that our ability to solve these puzzles is limited by our knowledge. The more we know about how we work, the greater the opportunity we have to discern the causes of inflammation, create an appropriate, strategic response and successfully put out the fire.
That is the perfect illustration of the inflammation that can occur in the human body. What may begin as a single spark of inflammation may erupt into an inflammatory disease that engulfs our entire body and threatens our life. Efforts to combat the inflammation may be affected by external forces that fan the flames until we are consumed.
Causes of inflammationThere are four common causes of inflammation:
Trauma or injury
Toxins and poisons
Deficiencies of various kinds
Emotional distress
Any of these factors may trigger the start of inflammation or increase the intensity of the heat by adding fuel to the fire.
An example of this may be inflammation triggered by toxins and fueled by emotional distress. Gout is a form of inflammation strongly linked to toxicity.
For example, gout may be triggered in susceptible people by environmental toxins like carbon tetrachloride or dietary toxins such as HCFS (high fructose corn syrup) found in soft drinks. Gout may also be triggered by depression associated with loss, or by anxiety associated with chronic emotional distress.
A new round of gout may be triggered by simple trauma to a previously affected toe or possibly a Vitamin C deficiency.Adding multiple sources of inflammation together may trigger a firestorm of inflammation that rages out of control - creating serious signs of disease.
Triggers: known and unknown
The firefighters mentioned above lost that particular battle with the forest fire because they could not foresee all of the influences hampering their efforts. The same is true with us:
We can not always foresee all of the inflammation triggers we face
We can not always tell when we trigger the process of inflammation While we may remember our last soft drink, we may not know when we last breathed carbon tetrachloride, ate fruits and vegetables deficient in Vitamin C, or created micro-trauma by our sleeping position, sedentary lifestyle or choice of shoes.
We may also not readily discern the impact of internalized stress.
I recently encountered three people who had different forms of inflammation. One individual suffered from episodes of gout, the second from chronic colitis and the third from osteoarthritis of the knees. They all experienced fast and profound benefits from Nopalea with its anti-inflammatory Betalains. They also later experienced a flare-up of symptoms when their life changed.
In all three cases the inflammation appeared to be triggered by severe emotional upset: loss of a spouse, loss of a sibling and loss of a job.
Trying to quench the fire of inflammation created by these emotional extremes with a minimum serving of Nopalea was like trying to quench a forest fire with a single pail of water! We need to judge the severity of the inflammation and meet it with the appropriate anti-inflammatory response if we are to be successful. Don't be afraid to use 3 ounces or 6 ounces every day for a real "Betalain-Boost"!
Conclusion
When we experience any sign or symptom of distress we should interpret it as a communication from our body to our mind that something is wrong. The frequency, intensity and duration of the inflammation will determine how we should escalate our response.
As detectives we solve the mystery of pain by analyzing the four causes of inflammation. However, we must also realize that our ability to solve these puzzles is limited by our knowledge. The more we know about how we work, the greater the opportunity we have to discern the causes of inflammation, create an appropriate, strategic response and successfully put out the fire.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Unexpected Sources of Infection
During the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century a typhoid epidemic was traced to Mary Mallon, a professional cook. "Typhoid Mary" infected many people with the bacteria that caused typhoid fever - a debilitating, often fatal infection. Mary never showed any symptoms of infection herself. However, many of the people who contacted her became seriously ill.
Today we face another source of infection from bacteria and viruses: our children and grandchildren. Our little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys bring us the gift of exposure to potential illness from all of their friends at school and in daycare. How does this actually happen and what can we do to protect ourselves as well as our young ones? "Germ-o-phobia"
There is a medical condition called mysophobia which is the fear of germs. People with this disorder take extreme precautions to avoid touching anything that might be considered "dirty" or contaminated with germs. They have a relentless hand-washing procedure that rivals the sterile-field procedure used by surgeons.
Normally, germs and viruses are harmless and may even be beneficial in educating our immune systems. Some bacteria are even good for you, such as the probiotic, acidophilus. This is because "good" bacteria keep "bad" bacteria away and may even become part of a healthy immune system. However, children that grow up without exposure to normal bacteria called "soil-based organisms" or SBOs, have fewer defensive bacteria. That means pathogenic bacteria have a better chance to breed in them, potentially causing illness and spreading infection.
This effect is multiplied when children are kept in close quarters with other children and their germs. Further, their immature immune systems may allow them to become breeding grounds of infection without producing symptoms themselves. Limiting physical contact and washing our hands with soap and hot water becomes a rational defense strategy instead of a phobia.
The best defense...There is an old saying: The best defense is a good offense. Being proactive in protecting ourselves and our family simply makes sense. How can we build a good defense against infection without becoming isolated? More important, how can we build healthy immunity and resistance in our children and grandchildren? Once again we can turn to Typhoid Mary for clues.
First, isolating people with a fever is very important. Usually an infection is contagious when a person has a fever. When the fever breaks, transmissibility of the infection rapidly declines. (This is not true with H1N1 swine flu, which may continue to be contagious for up to 12 days.)
Stay away from sick people if at all possible.
Frequently wash your hands with hot soapy water and dry them thoroughly to help avoid viruses.
Insulating yourself and educating your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients as well as emotional nurturing is critically important.
After all, it is the health of your immune system that determines whether or not you will get sick. And the severity of the illness is dictated by the state of balance in immunity: symptoms become more severe as the immune system becomes more imbalanced.
Finally, become a source of influence in advocating for healthier children. Both children and adults have fewer and less severe illnesses when they take care of themselves.
For example, getting enough rest and eating properly will reduce the frequency, severity and duration of infections. Growing a garden may provide your loved ones with healthier food and also expose the gardeners to healthy probiotic SBOs at the same time.
Just imagine: Time in the garden may help provide your family with better food, stronger social connections and even immune protection from all those little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys. What a great way to defend yourself from this unexpected source of infection!
Take Control of Your Health
Wash your hands with hot soapy water often
Dry your hands thoroughly
Isolate sick people for three days after a fever (12 days after H1N1 Swine Flu)
Sleep between 7œ and 9 hours nightly
Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day
Educate your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients
Today we face another source of infection from bacteria and viruses: our children and grandchildren. Our little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys bring us the gift of exposure to potential illness from all of their friends at school and in daycare. How does this actually happen and what can we do to protect ourselves as well as our young ones? "Germ-o-phobia"
There is a medical condition called mysophobia which is the fear of germs. People with this disorder take extreme precautions to avoid touching anything that might be considered "dirty" or contaminated with germs. They have a relentless hand-washing procedure that rivals the sterile-field procedure used by surgeons.
Normally, germs and viruses are harmless and may even be beneficial in educating our immune systems. Some bacteria are even good for you, such as the probiotic, acidophilus. This is because "good" bacteria keep "bad" bacteria away and may even become part of a healthy immune system. However, children that grow up without exposure to normal bacteria called "soil-based organisms" or SBOs, have fewer defensive bacteria. That means pathogenic bacteria have a better chance to breed in them, potentially causing illness and spreading infection.
This effect is multiplied when children are kept in close quarters with other children and their germs. Further, their immature immune systems may allow them to become breeding grounds of infection without producing symptoms themselves. Limiting physical contact and washing our hands with soap and hot water becomes a rational defense strategy instead of a phobia.
The best defense...There is an old saying: The best defense is a good offense. Being proactive in protecting ourselves and our family simply makes sense. How can we build a good defense against infection without becoming isolated? More important, how can we build healthy immunity and resistance in our children and grandchildren? Once again we can turn to Typhoid Mary for clues.
First, isolating people with a fever is very important. Usually an infection is contagious when a person has a fever. When the fever breaks, transmissibility of the infection rapidly declines. (This is not true with H1N1 swine flu, which may continue to be contagious for up to 12 days.)
Stay away from sick people if at all possible.
Frequently wash your hands with hot soapy water and dry them thoroughly to help avoid viruses.
Insulating yourself and educating your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients as well as emotional nurturing is critically important.
After all, it is the health of your immune system that determines whether or not you will get sick. And the severity of the illness is dictated by the state of balance in immunity: symptoms become more severe as the immune system becomes more imbalanced.
Finally, become a source of influence in advocating for healthier children. Both children and adults have fewer and less severe illnesses when they take care of themselves.
For example, getting enough rest and eating properly will reduce the frequency, severity and duration of infections. Growing a garden may provide your loved ones with healthier food and also expose the gardeners to healthy probiotic SBOs at the same time.
Just imagine: Time in the garden may help provide your family with better food, stronger social connections and even immune protection from all those little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys. What a great way to defend yourself from this unexpected source of infection!
Take Control of Your Health
Wash your hands with hot soapy water often
Dry your hands thoroughly
Isolate sick people for three days after a fever (12 days after H1N1 Swine Flu)
Sleep between 7œ and 9 hours nightly
Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day
Educate your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients
Friday, October 16, 2009
Death of a Generation
In medicine we get so used to dealing with statistics that we don't always remember that there are real people behind these facts. I recently quoted the statistic that children born today will not live as long or as well as their parents. Many of you could well be thinking, "That's my children or grandchildren you're talking about!"
Indeed, these are the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews that belong to all of us. These are the people we love. How did we get this way? What does science tell us about the health of generation Y2K? How can we steer them into better health? Generation lostThe health of the Y2K generation (those born in the New Millennium) is a direct "cause and effect" relationship of the health choices made in the previous 50 years. Since the end of World War II, North American and Western European diets have contained more fat, more sugar and fewer nutrients. At the same time, physical activity has declined and television viewing has increased. People are also getting less sunshine and less sleep - two elements critical for health!The health consequences to our Y2K generation could be compared to planting a seed of "convenience" in the 1940s, nourishing the sapling with inactivity in the 1950s and 1960s, seeing the blossoms on the tree in the 1970s and 1980s (the rapid decline in our own health and the rapid increase in our waistlines), and bearing full fruit of a lost generation beginning in the 1990s until today.
How bad is it?According to popular resources such as The National Post in Canada and esteemed scientific journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, there is a sharp decline of several years in expected longevity and a dramatic rise in disease risk - especially diseases associated with obesity (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes). It is pervasive across all social and economic groups; but of course, the disease rates increase for people in lower economic regions.
Just imagine: The health gains of the past 1,000 years are erased in one generation! It is comparable to a global recession where financial gains and wealth of a lifetime are wiped out in a matter of minutes.Steer a new courseImagine your health is like the voyage of a cruise ship. If that ship is the Titanic you immediately know that it may not have a happy ending. If the captain of the Titanic knew in advance the certainty of losing his ship, he would change his course. Our health and the health of our children, grandchildren and community are on the same dangerous path as the Titanic. Science and our own experience tell us that by staying on a particular course we will have a health catastrophe.
However, by changing that course even a little we can have a successful journey for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.Proper nutrition and nurturing can help us steer a healthier course.
So, eat a balanced diet with healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Select organic when possible - grow your own garden when possible.
Take Healthy Aging nutrients every day (try replacing Sublingual B-12 with Super Sublingual B-12 if you often experience allergies, insomnia, indigestion or muscle aches). Get your sunshine and your sleep.
Turn off the TV, go for a walk and take those Y2K kids with you!
Be an example and be an educator of the simple but profound health principles found in the 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness.
Plant a seed of hope, knowledge and proper self-care in this generation, and we can be content knowing it will sprout, mature and bear healthy fruit for generations to come.
Indeed, these are the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews that belong to all of us. These are the people we love. How did we get this way? What does science tell us about the health of generation Y2K? How can we steer them into better health? Generation lostThe health of the Y2K generation (those born in the New Millennium) is a direct "cause and effect" relationship of the health choices made in the previous 50 years. Since the end of World War II, North American and Western European diets have contained more fat, more sugar and fewer nutrients. At the same time, physical activity has declined and television viewing has increased. People are also getting less sunshine and less sleep - two elements critical for health!The health consequences to our Y2K generation could be compared to planting a seed of "convenience" in the 1940s, nourishing the sapling with inactivity in the 1950s and 1960s, seeing the blossoms on the tree in the 1970s and 1980s (the rapid decline in our own health and the rapid increase in our waistlines), and bearing full fruit of a lost generation beginning in the 1990s until today.
How bad is it?According to popular resources such as The National Post in Canada and esteemed scientific journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, there is a sharp decline of several years in expected longevity and a dramatic rise in disease risk - especially diseases associated with obesity (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes). It is pervasive across all social and economic groups; but of course, the disease rates increase for people in lower economic regions.
Just imagine: The health gains of the past 1,000 years are erased in one generation! It is comparable to a global recession where financial gains and wealth of a lifetime are wiped out in a matter of minutes.Steer a new courseImagine your health is like the voyage of a cruise ship. If that ship is the Titanic you immediately know that it may not have a happy ending. If the captain of the Titanic knew in advance the certainty of losing his ship, he would change his course. Our health and the health of our children, grandchildren and community are on the same dangerous path as the Titanic. Science and our own experience tell us that by staying on a particular course we will have a health catastrophe.
However, by changing that course even a little we can have a successful journey for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.Proper nutrition and nurturing can help us steer a healthier course.
So, eat a balanced diet with healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Select organic when possible - grow your own garden when possible.
Take Healthy Aging nutrients every day (try replacing Sublingual B-12 with Super Sublingual B-12 if you often experience allergies, insomnia, indigestion or muscle aches). Get your sunshine and your sleep.
Turn off the TV, go for a walk and take those Y2K kids with you!
Be an example and be an educator of the simple but profound health principles found in the 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness.
Plant a seed of hope, knowledge and proper self-care in this generation, and we can be content knowing it will sprout, mature and bear healthy fruit for generations to come.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wellness from the Inside Out
The average person in North America lives about 77 years.Imagine building a skyscraper that was 77 stories tall. How sound would it be at the top floor if a beam were mislaid in the foundation?
Healthy aging means that we build a structure (us!) that is sound, habitable and healthy - right to the very top floor. This life-long building process begins at the foundation: our DNA. How cells workThere may be trillions of cells in the human body. Cells are like tiny factories. Each one has a function and a product to produce. Our DNA orchestrates the production of tiny proteins that are made into enzymes, hormones and other products of the cell.Under extreme circumstances the cell will alter its production of basic, life-sustaining proteins and produce whatever is necessary to meet a crisis. For example, when we are under stress our adrenal glands produce large amounts of adrenaline. They don?t normally produce much adrenaline; they usually produce mineral corticoids that help us build healthy bones. Under stress they change their function.Under stress our cells stop producing the things that build us up (anabolism) and start producing things that tear us down (catabolism). Your body does this because the message of stress is that it must sacrifice healthy function - healthy aging - for a time to produce energy needed to ensure our safety. This is an acceptable trade if we are using the energy to get out of oncoming traffic! It is a poor way to deal with constant, chronic, daily stress.
The DNA is sensitive to signals of stress because it is designed to help us survive. We must be very careful of the physical, emotional and mental signals we send our cells. According to Candace Pert, Ph.D., author of the book, Molecules of Emotion every thought we think, every food we eat or drink, and every breath we take washes over our DNA as information. Our DNA responds by either building us up (anabolism) or tearing us down (catabolism) to sacrifice on the altar of chronic stress. Adaptogens carry information that helps our DNA select anabolism to build us up, even under extreme stress.Building healthy cellsHealthy cells make healthy tissues. Healthy tissues of different types are collected together as organs. For example, your liver consists of many hundreds of different types of cells all collected together to make up your liver. Organs work within systems (for example, your digestive system, immune system, etc.). Systems combine to form a healthy, functioning body. Still, the basic unit of life is the cell and the basic "conductor" - orchestrating the function of the cell - is the DNA.
In order for our DNA to accomplish the task of building healthy cells we must provide the necessary nutrients every day. We have specific requirements for health: fats and proteins, carbohydrates and water, oxygen, minerals and vitamins, etc. If we are missing even a single nutrient at the critical moment it is needed, our cells will not be able to carry out their work of creating healthy proteins. Incomplete proteins are produced, cells become toxic and these become the focus for inflammation and disease.We simply must provide our cells with the nutrients they need every day.Toxic DNA
It is important to know that your DNA never produces disease. Instead, it produces proteins with the raw materials it has at that moment and in response to information it receives. That information comes in the form of nutrients and toxins from both inside and outside our body. Healthy application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness and daily healthy aging nutrients send positive (anabolic) messages to your DNA. Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress send negative (catabolic) messages to your DNA.Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress damage your DNA and cause it to produce incomplete, toxic proteins. These proteins become the source of inflammation and disease. Many nutrients help repair the DNA. A special antioxidant polyphenol called ECGC found in green tea and concentrated in Energy Now!® takes the lead in antioxidant DNA repair. CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) adds fuel to the repair process and works in concert with ECGC.
Conclusion
Like a healthy building, we need a solid foundation. The difference between our health and the health of a building is that our cells renew periodically; they are not fixed when manufactured. Therefore, we can correct any building errors by applying sound, healthy essentials. We can improve our health by building healthy cells at any age. We are literally one choice away from improving healthy cellular function: the choice to live the 10 Essentials.
Healthy aging means that we build a structure (us!) that is sound, habitable and healthy - right to the very top floor. This life-long building process begins at the foundation: our DNA. How cells workThere may be trillions of cells in the human body. Cells are like tiny factories. Each one has a function and a product to produce. Our DNA orchestrates the production of tiny proteins that are made into enzymes, hormones and other products of the cell.Under extreme circumstances the cell will alter its production of basic, life-sustaining proteins and produce whatever is necessary to meet a crisis. For example, when we are under stress our adrenal glands produce large amounts of adrenaline. They don?t normally produce much adrenaline; they usually produce mineral corticoids that help us build healthy bones. Under stress they change their function.Under stress our cells stop producing the things that build us up (anabolism) and start producing things that tear us down (catabolism). Your body does this because the message of stress is that it must sacrifice healthy function - healthy aging - for a time to produce energy needed to ensure our safety. This is an acceptable trade if we are using the energy to get out of oncoming traffic! It is a poor way to deal with constant, chronic, daily stress.
The DNA is sensitive to signals of stress because it is designed to help us survive. We must be very careful of the physical, emotional and mental signals we send our cells. According to Candace Pert, Ph.D., author of the book, Molecules of Emotion every thought we think, every food we eat or drink, and every breath we take washes over our DNA as information. Our DNA responds by either building us up (anabolism) or tearing us down (catabolism) to sacrifice on the altar of chronic stress. Adaptogens carry information that helps our DNA select anabolism to build us up, even under extreme stress.Building healthy cellsHealthy cells make healthy tissues. Healthy tissues of different types are collected together as organs. For example, your liver consists of many hundreds of different types of cells all collected together to make up your liver. Organs work within systems (for example, your digestive system, immune system, etc.). Systems combine to form a healthy, functioning body. Still, the basic unit of life is the cell and the basic "conductor" - orchestrating the function of the cell - is the DNA.
In order for our DNA to accomplish the task of building healthy cells we must provide the necessary nutrients every day. We have specific requirements for health: fats and proteins, carbohydrates and water, oxygen, minerals and vitamins, etc. If we are missing even a single nutrient at the critical moment it is needed, our cells will not be able to carry out their work of creating healthy proteins. Incomplete proteins are produced, cells become toxic and these become the focus for inflammation and disease.We simply must provide our cells with the nutrients they need every day.Toxic DNA
It is important to know that your DNA never produces disease. Instead, it produces proteins with the raw materials it has at that moment and in response to information it receives. That information comes in the form of nutrients and toxins from both inside and outside our body. Healthy application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness and daily healthy aging nutrients send positive (anabolic) messages to your DNA. Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress send negative (catabolic) messages to your DNA.Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress damage your DNA and cause it to produce incomplete, toxic proteins. These proteins become the source of inflammation and disease. Many nutrients help repair the DNA. A special antioxidant polyphenol called ECGC found in green tea and concentrated in Energy Now!® takes the lead in antioxidant DNA repair. CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) adds fuel to the repair process and works in concert with ECGC.
Conclusion
Like a healthy building, we need a solid foundation. The difference between our health and the health of a building is that our cells renew periodically; they are not fixed when manufactured. Therefore, we can correct any building errors by applying sound, healthy essentials. We can improve our health by building healthy cells at any age. We are literally one choice away from improving healthy cellular function: the choice to live the 10 Essentials.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Lose a Little Weight... Gain a Lot of Health Benefits
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Setting and achieving worthwhile goals is the key to lasting happiness. Some goals seem so large that they must be comparable to eating an elephant - just too big to even know how to begin. Weight loss can be that challenging for many. There is good news, though. Losing just a little can have profound health benefits.
I want to make a suggestion that I have seen work countless times: If you are overweight or obese, set a goal to lose only 10% of your body weight. That's all - just 10%. Meeting this goal will give you most of the health benefits and much of the energy you will need to improve your life substantially.It is often said that weight loss is simple, just not easy. Many experts tout the "calories in - calories out" formula as if it were Holy Scripture. I first heard this as the prescription for weight loss when I was a teenager. Now, here I am well over 50 years of age and I still hear it almost daily. In those intervening decades we have experienced an explosion of obesity. So, merely repeating the same formula over and over is clearly not working!What does work?
Purpose!Purpose works because it ignites passion. Purpose defines the reason for effort - for example, the reason we want to lose weight - while passion translates that sense of purpose into motion. Granted, some people want weight loss for reasons that do not require much passion. Cosmetic weight loss may be one example and disease prevention may be another. Purpose requires a plan. In a previous Weekly Wellness Report I detailed how we set "SMART" goals:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Take that sense of purpose fueled by your passion and structure a plan that will help you accomplish your mission.
Purpose, passion, plan and mission are successful strategies when it comes to weight loss. We have seen this time and again. Now, this is not as simple as "calories in - calories out." But it is easy. And it works with the way we function as human beings: with purpose!
Even a little helpsTo reach your SMART goals you will likely need better health and more energy. Did you know that even modest amounts of weight loss can provide you with substantial improvements in vitality?
If your BMI calculation is over 25, consider making it a SMART goal to lose 10% of your body weight. Losing just 10% of your body weight as fat can help improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, digestion and metabolism. You will have more energy, better self-esteem and a more optimistic view of life in general.
Remember, the elephant you are trying to eat, so to speak, is not weight loss itself. Trimming down gives you more energy to do the things that matter to you the most. Weight loss is a means to an end: a means to living a life of purpose. So, as a milestone on your goal toward a life of purpose, set a 10% reduction in weight as a SMART goal. Use a body composition scale to make sure that you are losing only fat, not lean tissue like muscles, bones and brain. You will need those as assets in your journey. Our Leanology® body-composition program was thoroughly reviewed in an Arizona State University study. Researchers found that with Leanology, 100% of the weight loss came from fat - none from vital, energy-producing organs.
Maintain balanceSo, do you know how to eat an elephant? The answer is still "one bite at a time," only now we see that there must be a valid reason for eating the elephant in the first place! Don't try to eat the elephant all at once and don't try to do it alone. Purpose, passion, plan and mission are the stuff of life. Yet, life is about balance. As humans, we Love, we Play, we Work and we Worship.
Our manner of life should reflect these priorities.
Setting and achieving worthwhile goals is the key to lasting happiness. Some goals seem so large that they must be comparable to eating an elephant - just too big to even know how to begin. Weight loss can be that challenging for many. There is good news, though. Losing just a little can have profound health benefits.
I want to make a suggestion that I have seen work countless times: If you are overweight or obese, set a goal to lose only 10% of your body weight. That's all - just 10%. Meeting this goal will give you most of the health benefits and much of the energy you will need to improve your life substantially.It is often said that weight loss is simple, just not easy. Many experts tout the "calories in - calories out" formula as if it were Holy Scripture. I first heard this as the prescription for weight loss when I was a teenager. Now, here I am well over 50 years of age and I still hear it almost daily. In those intervening decades we have experienced an explosion of obesity. So, merely repeating the same formula over and over is clearly not working!What does work?
Purpose!Purpose works because it ignites passion. Purpose defines the reason for effort - for example, the reason we want to lose weight - while passion translates that sense of purpose into motion. Granted, some people want weight loss for reasons that do not require much passion. Cosmetic weight loss may be one example and disease prevention may be another. Purpose requires a plan. In a previous Weekly Wellness Report I detailed how we set "SMART" goals:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Take that sense of purpose fueled by your passion and structure a plan that will help you accomplish your mission.
Purpose, passion, plan and mission are successful strategies when it comes to weight loss. We have seen this time and again. Now, this is not as simple as "calories in - calories out." But it is easy. And it works with the way we function as human beings: with purpose!
Even a little helpsTo reach your SMART goals you will likely need better health and more energy. Did you know that even modest amounts of weight loss can provide you with substantial improvements in vitality?
If your BMI calculation is over 25, consider making it a SMART goal to lose 10% of your body weight. Losing just 10% of your body weight as fat can help improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, digestion and metabolism. You will have more energy, better self-esteem and a more optimistic view of life in general.
Remember, the elephant you are trying to eat, so to speak, is not weight loss itself. Trimming down gives you more energy to do the things that matter to you the most. Weight loss is a means to an end: a means to living a life of purpose. So, as a milestone on your goal toward a life of purpose, set a 10% reduction in weight as a SMART goal. Use a body composition scale to make sure that you are losing only fat, not lean tissue like muscles, bones and brain. You will need those as assets in your journey. Our Leanology® body-composition program was thoroughly reviewed in an Arizona State University study. Researchers found that with Leanology, 100% of the weight loss came from fat - none from vital, energy-producing organs.
Maintain balanceSo, do you know how to eat an elephant? The answer is still "one bite at a time," only now we see that there must be a valid reason for eating the elephant in the first place! Don't try to eat the elephant all at once and don't try to do it alone. Purpose, passion, plan and mission are the stuff of life. Yet, life is about balance. As humans, we Love, we Play, we Work and we Worship.
Our manner of life should reflect these priorities.
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