High-fructose corn syrup: What are the concerns?

High-fructose corn syrup seems to be a common ingredient in many foods. What are the concerns about high-fructose corn syrup?

Answer from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

High-fructose corn syrup is a common sweetener and preservative. High-fructose corn syrup is made by changing the sugar (glucose) in cornstarch to fructose — another form of sugar. The end product is a combination of fructose and glucose. Because it extends the shelf life of processed foods and is cheaper than sugar, high-fructose corn syrup has become a popular ingredient in many sodas, fruit-flavored drinks and other processed foods.

 

So far, research has yielded conflicting results about the effects of high-fructose corn syrup. For example, various early studies showed an association between increased consumption of sweetened beverages (many of which contained high-fructose corn syrup) and obesity. But recent research — some of which is supported by the beverage industry — suggests that high-fructose corn syrup isn’t intrinsically less healthy than other sweeteners, nor is it the root cause of obesity.

While research continues, moderation remains important. Many beverages and other processed foods made with high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners are high in calories and low in nutritional value. Regularly including these products in your diet has the potential to promote obesity — which, in turn, promotes conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease.

If you’re concerned about the amount of high-fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners in your diet, consider these tips:

• Limit processed foods.

• Avoid foods that contain added sugar.

• Choose fresh fruit rather than fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks. Even 100 percent fruit juice has a high concentration of sugar.

• Choose fruit canned in its own juices instead of heavy syrup.

• Drink less soda.

• Don’t allow sweetened beverages to replace milk, especially for children.

To view this article at the Mayo Clinic site (and for other fantastic articles) go to:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup/AN01588

The #1 Habit Making You Fat: You Use Artificial Sweeteners

From Dr Oz: 

The average American consumes 24 pounds of artificial sweeteners each year,

a habit that could actually be making you heavier. Studies show how these substances may confuse the body’s regulatory systems that control hunger.

Whenever you eat, your body is trained to expect calories, but it’s not getting them when you eat zero-calorie sweeteners. You end up craving more food and not feeling full. What’s more, artificial sweeteners are up to 7000 times sweeter than natural sugars and this can desensitize taste buds. To learn more about the link between artificial sweeteners and weight gain, click here.

Beyond the commonly used serving packets, artificial sweeteners are often hidden in everyday items not advertised as diet foods such as cereal, vitamins, sauces and even baby food. Look for these key words on food labels to spot artificial substitutes:

• Saccharin
• Aspartame
• Sucralose
• Neotame (used in stable baked goods)
• Acesulfame (found in diet sodas)

Break the Habit

• Consume no more than two servings (two packets or one diet soda) of artificial sweeteners per day.
• Try combining a half a teaspoon of your preferred artificial sweetener with a teaspoon of raw sugar. Then eventually wean yourself off the artificial sweetener.
• Choose natural alternatives such as honey or agave. Or try coconut sap syrup, which has a low-glycemic index and just 10 calories per teaspoon. It also contains B vitamins, potassium and amino acids. Because these are all quite sweet tasting, you’ll find you don’t need to use much of them. Coconut syrup is available at health food stores for about $7.

Read the rest of the post here:  http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/top-5-habits-making-you-fat?page=4#copy

“Loving my body almost killed me”

In Brene Brown‘s post today (her personal website), she introduced Jess Weiner, a successful-in-life woman who was forced to face the truth about her obesity. You can see it here:

For years, Jess Weiner urged women to accept their weight as is. She, after all, was a happy, successful size 18. But when her doctor warned that her weight posed a health risk, she had to ask: Was her body acceptance making her sick? Could yours be?

Read More http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2011/08/jess-weiners-weight-struggle-loving-my-body-almost-killed-me#ixzz1Udjiga5q

Anti-Cancer Foods

Many practitioners of natural medicine, and more Western doctors, are recommending courses of supplements that boost immunity and fight the growth of cancerous cells. These can include vitamins and minerals, as well as extracts of plants and mushrooms, the juices of berries and exotic fruits, and ocean-based supplements.

Source: alive #April 2011 Newsletter

http://alive.com

3 Easy Ways to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Overview

You may have heard about the childhood obesity epidemic and maybe even have some concerns about your own children. If they do not have a weight problem now, that is good news. But, you can be proactive to prevent obesity from ever happening in your family.

Children are impressionable. They learn most of their habits from their parents. This is the time to take your kids under your wing and teach them healthy habits that will help them throughout their lifetime. As they get older (into their teens) their attention will shift from you to their friends. If a life of healthy eating and exercise are already instilled, you have a better chance of them sticking to those good habits.

Start Early

It is never too early to instill healthy habits.  Some studies have shown that children who were breastfed tended to maintain a more normal weight than children who were bottle fed.  One reason for this could be due to our desire to get our babies well fed and sleeping through the night as soon as possible, resulting in overfeeding — something that breast feeding naturally curtails. If you are bottle feeding, resist the urge to add cereal flakes when your baby is crying late at night. Our impulse is to get our baby sleeping longer, and it makes sense that a full tummy will help them sleep.  However, your baby could be getting way too many calories.

Other parents are in a rush to introduce solid foods to their baby. Following most guidelines, your child will probably be fine without solid foods as late as nine or ten months of age. It won’t hurt to hold out as long as possible if that’s what you and your doctor decide. A child’s digestion and fat burning capabilities are built for your breast milk for quite some time. So, don’t rush a solid diet.

Stay as Natural as Possible

The healthiest foods are found around the perimeter of a grocery store. This is where you’ll find the fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy, meat, fish, and eggs. The prepackaged, pre-made foods and mixes in the center of the store are loaded with additives like sugars, salt, and fats.

Introduce a new fruit or vegetable each week to your child. Let them get the natural taste of food without adding any condiments. We often forget that condiments are there to suit our tastes. Children don’t feel that a food is bland without them because they have never tasted the food before. They may like it that way.

Offer healthy snacks. It may be easier at first to grab a prepackaged snack like pudding packs or cookies, but try to get into a routine of preparing healthy snacks ahead of time so they’ll be available as the need arises. Even unsweetened Cheerios are a better choice than snacks marketed for little hands.  Throw a few Cheerios and raisins in a small ziplock bag and your little one will be thrilled.

Avoid sodas and try to prevent your child from acquiring a taste for it. They are loaded with High Fructose Corn Syrup and this chemical is being looked as as possibly the number one reason for the diabetes epidemic we are now facing.

Healthy Stress Relief

Little ones need to learn coping mechanisms. Teach them how to deal with difficult situations so they can use those skills as they get older. This goes well for you, too. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips when you are stressed, show them that you have good coping skills as well. Use your stressed-out energy to chop up some celery and carrots or go outside and hop on your bike. Do some somersaults if you have to. Your kids will see you burning off your frustrations in healthy ways and will naturally want to join you. Be an example for your kids of the right way to fight stress and burn energy.

It is never too early to start when it comes to preventing childhood obesity. Start today and use these simple strategies to ensure that your family will get healthy and stay healthy and avoid the specter of childhood obesity from every haunting your doorstep.

Natural Fat Burning Remedies

Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a supplement and your excess weight would just melt away?

Doctors, scientists and companies specializing in weight loss have been looking for a magic pill for forever. The truth is that there is no magic pill.

The REALLY good news is that there are natural fat burning remedies you can use to help the process along. For example, there’s

Green tea

has long been used as a remedy for inflammation. It also helps with digestion, boosts immunity, and helps detoxify your body.

It is a diuretic, an appetite suppressant, and can help you burn fat. A compound in the tea’s polyphenols raises your metabolism, so that you burn more calories. Drink a few cups of green tea daily (but remember, there is caffeine in it so drink it in the morning).

Tumeric

is a spice found in many Indian foods and in mustard. It’s great for reducing inflammation in the body and when you reduce inflammation you may actually look and feel thinner.

Additionally, the curcumin in turmeric regulates your blood sugar. This means that your energy is balanced throughout the day and your cravings for sweets and starchy carbohydrates is dramatically reduced.

Vitamin D

There have been many studies on vitamin D recently and they’ve shown that people with normal levels of vitamin D lose weight faster than those who are deficient. Get some sunshine and take your Vitamin D, especially if you live in an area of the world where the winters are long and dark!

Vitamin B

is essential for an efficient metabolism and for cellular health. It helps to boost your mood and manage stress better. Try it — you’ll be in a good mood, relaxed,  your metabolism will hum along, and losing weight will be much easier.

Apple Cider Vinegar

contains acetic acid which has been shown to slow the absorption of carbohydrates and the speed of which it pours into your blood stream. The result is that your body may need to turn to your fat stores for energy.

Additionally, you’ll not only be burning more fat, but you have more balanced blood sugar levels. And balanced blood sugar gives you a more even level of energy, fewer cravings and more weight loss.

Sleep

is vital for weight loss and fat burning. A good night’s sleep will keep the leptin levels steady in your body (leptin is the hormone that tells your body that you have eaten enough food),  Without proper sleep, this hormone will not function properly and won’t give yor body the proper messages about food consumption.

As well, when you get a good night’s sleep you have more energy the next day. You can better manage stress and you’ll make better decisions about your diet and health generally.

Sleep regenerates and revives our bodies, so after a night (or many nights with inadequate sleep) you’ll feel hungry and tired, resulting in cravings for sweets and starchy carbs. To add to the already bad results of not enough sleep, your metabolism will slow as well.

And women are particularly affected by inadequate sleep. Studies have shown that women who don’t sleep well will, on average, gain five pounds more than those who get a good night’s sleep. It’s vital that you sleep if you are trying to lose weight. Experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep per night — and eight is better. Make it a goal to get this much sleep.

Losing weight and burning fat doesn’t happen overnight, but with a few simple natural remedies, a healthy diet, and good sleep, you can achieve your weight loss goals.

Is It Time to Get Help Managing Your Obesity?

Are you struggling with obesity?

Have you tried to lose weight and just can’t seem to make it happen? First, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Losing weight is a challenge. The good news is that there are numerous resources to help you manage weight loss and obesity. Here’s how to know when it’s time to get help managing your obesity.

• You don’t know where to start. It’s easy to know you need to lose weight. It’s not so easy to know how to begin losing the weight. If you feel overwhelmed or would just like some guidance then it’s time to get help.Look into meeting with a nutritionist and a personal trainer. Make sure both experts have experience working with obesity and the related health concerns.
• You have a plan to lose weight and exercise – you just can’t seem to stick to it. If this is you then chances are your plan isn’t customized for your personality and basic needs. The best way to achieve big goals is to take baby steps to get there. Small steps are easier to accomplish. Consider seeking help modifying your weight loss plan.You don’t have to lose all your weight at once. A pound a week is a great start. Over the course of a year that’s 52 pounds so it adds up too. Consider consulting a coach to help you create a weight loss plan that makes sense for you.
• You hate to exercise. Okay, so for many exercise is a bad word. This is common and it’s easy to overcome. Consider changing your mindset. Instead of ‘exercise’ call it ‘activity’. Find an activity you enjoy. Perhaps you like to bird watch. Going on a weekly bird watching walk is great exercise. Perhaps you like to swim or dance.Sign up for a dance class or get a pass to your local pool. Exercise doesn’t mean you have to lift weights and run a marathon. Start by doing something that you love. Get help managing your fitness by exercising with friends. Find an instructor that makes you laugh. Make sure you’re having fun and exercise won’t feel like exercise.
• You’re on your own without much support. It’s tough to lose weight without the support of others. If you don’t have a support system at home go out and find one. Join a group online. There are many obesity and weight loss support groups. There are also fun sites where you can network with others who are trying to lose weight too. You can support each other to succeed.Join a group offline. Your community likely has several weight loss programs or fitness clubs. Join one that is designed to help you meet your needs.
• You’re dealing with emotional issues. Often, obesity is caused by or triggers emotional issues. Many people eat because they’re unhappy. If you’re struggling with the emotions of obesity or past traumas consider getting therapy. Once you’re able to come to terms with your emotions you can begin to control your eating habits. You can live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.

Managing obesity is difficult. You don’t have to go it alone. Look for support. Find programs and system that work for you. And remember, you’re not alone with your obesity. Many people all around the world are going through the same struggles. Find those people and connect.

 

Sleep Your Way to Skinny – How Good Sleep Helps You Burn Fat

Sleep affects your weight and people who get better sleep weigh less.

Studies have actually shown that by taking measures to improve your sleep can help you lose weight.

Why Sleep Matters

While we are sleeping, our bodies are recovering from the day. Our organs, hormonal systems and cells take this down-time to regroup. If you’re not getting enough sleep or you’re not getting good quality sleep your body cannot recover. This means your body spends the following day struggling.

Your metabolism is affected. Studies have found that people who sleep poorly eat more during the day. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that these people are turning to food for energy. However, it’s not really food they need– its better quality and more sleep.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation alters the balance of hormones which control the rate at which we burn off calories–in particular the hormone leptin.  It may also be that when you don’t get enough sleep your body switches to survival mode. It stores more fat.

Regardless of the reasons behind the sleep/weight loss correlation the facts are the same. If you don’t get good sleep you’re more prone to weight gain.

How to Get Better Sleep

To lose weight, then, it makes sense to take measures to improve your sleep. Here are some tried and true success strategies:

• Refrain from eating or drinking two to three hours before bedtime. You’ll reduce your body’s need to digest and you won’t have to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
• Create a sleep ritual. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day.
• Create a routine: before bed, brush your teeth, wash your face and read a book for ten minutes before turning the lights out.
• Aim for at least seven hours (but 8 is better) of sleep a night.
• Don’t use electronics in the bedroom. Electronics stimulate your brain and you want to relax. Eliminate watching television, surfing or social networking on your mobile device before bed.
• Avoid stimulants in the afternoon. If you routinely drink a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon, make it decaffeinated. Or move tea time up an hour or two. Caffeine can stay in your system for several hours and definitely affects your sleep. By the way, green tea is caffeinated

If you’re not sleeping well and cannot improve your sleep with these simple steps, consider seeking a doctor’s help. Good sleep is vital for overall mental and physical health. Once you’re able to sleep better you will also find you can lose extra weight and burn fat much more easily.

Are you saying that my iPod or iPad will help me lose weight?

It’s amazing how much technology has changed our lives.

We can communicate with someone halfway around the world via instant message or video chat. We can transfer money from one bank account to another with the click of a button. We can also manage our health, burn fat and lose weight with the help of technology.

Track Your Progress

There are a number of gadgets and software programs that make losing weight much easier. Many people neglect to track their information.  Without this information it’s difficult to make smart diet and exercise decisions.

Additionally, tracking information can be extremely motivating. Many applications and software programs show you via a graph how much weight you’ve lost. If you own an iPod, iPad or iPhone take a look at the tracking applications available. There are some truly excellent applications that are free to download and use. If you spend more time on your computer or laptop check out free software programs or membership sites. Take a look at FitDay.com for one potential solution.

And of course there are gadgets that help you track your efforts. The FitBit tracks the steps you take each day. Combined with a membership site, that’s free, you can enter your daily foods and activities.

Let Your MP3 Player Get Your Heart Rate Up

Tracking information is motivating. However, you can take it several steps further. Use MP3 players designed for workouts to help you keep your heart rate up. Use a heart rate monitor to get your maximum workout. Take advantage of iPod applications that help you track your workout and provide occasional motivational messages.

Log In To Social Networking and Burn Fat

Social networking has also gotten in on the motivational scene. DailyMile is a membership site that enables you to post your fitness and weight loss activities to your Facebook account. The feedback and support you gain from your peers can be really inspiring.

Streaming Workouts

You can find a number of workout programs streaming on your computer or mobile device. That makes working out fun and easy. You can find everything from yoga to dance and strength training. If you’re pressed for time or on a tight budget, look for fat burning workouts online.

If you’re striving to lose weight or want to burn more fat take a look at how technology can help. Use it to motivate. Use it to track your success. Find great workouts online and burn more fat daily.

Green Tea For Fat Burning?

You know that green tea is great for your health.

It detoxifies. It has an abundance of antioxidants. Antioxidants help your cells by getting rid of free radicals (they damage cells) in your body. These are two fantastic health benefits, but you might be surprised to know that Green Tea can help you burn fat too.

How Green Tea Burns Fat

Okay, you know that there are antioxidants in green tea. The antioxidants in green tea are called polyphenols. The catechins in polyphenols have thermogenic properties. Thermogenic properties means fat burning.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that this element in green tea boosts metabolism by four percent within twenty four hours. That means if you drink a few cups of green tea spread out throughout the day, you’re boosting your metabolism around the clock.

There’s also a couple of unique side effects of green tea. It’s an appetite suppressant, and it’s also a diuretic. Diuretic means it stimulates you to urinate and flush fluids out of your body, helping to flush your body of toxins. (Toxins motivate your body to store fat).

When you drink green tea you’re actually receiving three weight loss benefits. Your appetite is suppressed. You’re flushing your body of toxins, and you’re also boosting your metabolism and burning fat around the clock.

How Much Green Tea Should You Drink?

Experts seem to disagree on how much green tea a person should drink. Recommendations range from one cup to four cups a day.

Consider starting with one cup each day. Make it part of your daily routine. Drink it at lunch or as part of a mid morning snack.
As you learn to enjoy green tea you may drink a few more glasses each day.

Green tea can be bitter if it’s brewed too long or too hot. Follow the package instructions. And don’t hesitate to try various types of green tea. If you head to your local Asian market you’ll likely find more green tea options than you can possibly imagine. Choose a few, steep, and enjoy.

One precaution: Take care to not drink green tea in the afternoon or evening. It does contain caffeine. If you’re sensitive to caffeine it can interfere with sleep. Sleep is also an important part of fat burning and weight loss. You don’t want to trade one fat burning benefit for another.

Green tea has been consumed for centuries. It’s been prescribed by eastern medicine as a cure for many ailments and conditions. Scientists and western medicine are only now beginning to learn the powerful health benefits green tea offers. Take advantage of this ancient and delicious beverage. Improve your health and burn fat with green tea.

7 Fat Burning Foods

You have to eat, but if you’re on a diet or trying to lose weight you have to be especially careful about what you eat.

I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that there are delicious foods you can eat that will actually help you fight fat. Here are seven of the winning fat fighting foods.

 

• Eggs An extra large egg has only 78 calories. And it’s packed with protein and nutrients. They’re very filling and will keep your blood sugar even and your hunger at bay for hours.An egg has extra lean protein that fills you up and keeps you satisfied for hours. Combine it with a piece of whole grain toast and you have a very satisfying, fat fighting breakfast. And don’t think eggs are only for breakfast. They make a great snack or mid-day meal too. Keep some boiled eggs in the fridge ready for your next snack.Eggs are excellent sources of protein, and when you mix eggs with a little fruit, a lot of greens, some beans and a little avocado, you are getting a lot of hunger fighting nutrients.

 

• Dark chocolate According to a study conducted by the University of Copenhagen, dark chocolate suppresses appetite. Scientists found that compounds in dark chocolate slows digestion. This means you feel full much longer. It also curbs cravings for other not-so-healthy sweets.An ounce of dark chocolate has about 130 calories and is very high in flavonoids, the substances that are shown to improve blood flow, suppress coughs, improve memory, and give you hydrated, smooth skin. A 1 oz. piece of chocolate per day is now recommended for good health. Just make sure it is at least 70% cacao, but some are recommending 87% cacao. You may find it dry and bitter, but even chocolate shavings in a coffee can curb cravings.

 

• Whole grains Fiber is an essential part of any diet, but especially a fat burning diet and lifestyle. It fills you up. It burns slowly and provides you with an evenly distributed energy throughout the day. Opt for whole grain or rye bread and try whole grain pretzels, crackers and cereals too.

 

• Bananas are a super food. They’re packed with nutrients and fiber. One banana for a snack can help tide you over until your next meal. Add a little natural peanut butter to the banana and you’ll be satisfied for hours.

 

• Nuts are a perfect snack. They’re full of heart healthy fatty acids and they help you feel full. They’re also packed with protein and fiber. Walnuts, almonds, and pistachios are all fabulous for weight loss because they are so filling.  About 12 nuts a couple times a day is all you need to get nourishment and fat burning.

 

• Oranges Interestingly the scent of citrus is an appetite suppressant, but this amazing fruit is also at the top of the list of the most filling foods. An orange is high in fiber and has zero fats.

 

• Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes rock! They’re packed with more nutrients than most vegetables and have amazing amounts of fiber.  They’ll keep you full and satisfied for hours. Sweet potatoes should replace the standard potato.

There are so many really nutritious and delicious foods that will help you lose weight and burn fat. Be experimental. Try adding a new fruit or vegetable to your diet every week and add these fat fighting foods to your grocery list.

Portion Control Issues: Here’s what a portion looks like

Properly estimate your portions:

• tennis ball = 1 fruit serving
• deck of cards = 1 meat, poultry, or fish serving
• 9 volt battery = 1 hard cheese serving
• palm of your hand = 1 grain serving
• half a baseball = 1 vegetable serving
• 4 stacked dimes = 1 fat serving

By becoming aware of portion sizes and therefore eating less, Canadians can greatly improve their health…and reduce their waistline!

alive.com

http://www.alive.com/8168a18a2.php

What is the history of the supersize?

5 Reasons for the Increase in Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is an epidemic. Today more than ever before children are struggling with weight gain and the subsequent health effects. Why is obesity on the rise? The answers are both simple and complicated.

Too much sugar.

Take a look at the foods in your cupboard and refrigerator. Chances are that sugar is an ingredient in most of them. It’s hard to get around it because often sugars are disguised in our foods.

Added sugars in beverages is so unnecessary because there is a lot of sugar naturally occuring. Many children consume several glasses of juice and soda daily which can add up to thousands of calories from drinks alone. An extra thousand calories a day results in one extra pound in less than four days.

Sugars in pasta sauce and condiments like ketchup is are also unnecessary. We picked up a bottle of Hunts tomato ketchup the other day that states boldly on the label that it does not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. this is a good sign because the food manufacturers are starting to see that we know what they are doing.

There are sugars in processed meats and this seems ridiculous if you think about it. Why would there be sugar in meat?

Not enough fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

The truth is that many children don’t eat at home any more. They’re eating breakfast at McDonalds and lunch at Del Taco.  Meals are often coming from a box or bag if they are prepared at home. These foods are shockingly short on vegetables and nutrients. They’re also dangerously high in fat, sodium and sugar. A child eating three of these meals a day will definitely gain extra weight.

Overeating.

Everyone loves a good snack, but if the snacks on hand are full of fat like potato chips are or full of sugar like cookies are, then your  child is consuming tons of calories but are not getting any nutrients. Lack of nutrients spells disaster because the child will be hungry again in a very short  period of time and the cycle repeats.  Children end up consuming way too many calories but never get the nutrients they need.

Sedentary Lifestyle.

Computers, video games, and television access have kids sitting for hours doing nothing with their bodies. Consuming the amount of calories in chips and cookies and then sitting around means that the calories are not being burned. It also means that the child’s  metabolism has slowed, making it next to impossible to burn them. It’s the perfect one-two punch for weight gain. A little physical activity each day does wonders for a child’s weight and attitude.

Depression.

Growing up is tough. Contemporary children face many stressors. And stress can cause depression even in kids. Just like adults, depression can cause overeating when the child is trying to soothe themselves with food. Overeating causes poor sleep, which causes the hormone Leptin to be decreased so their brain cannot tell the child when they are full.  It’s all connected in a scary sort of way and these children need help to retrain their brains and bodies.

So to summarize, the main causes of childhood obesity include:

• Medical issues/hormone imbalance
• Medications (antihistamines taken for allergies can cause weight gain)
• Stress or anxiety
• Peer pressure (teasing, bullying)
• Family history of obesity
• Family lifestyle

Childhood obesity is a growing problem. Parents and caregivers can make a huge difference. Children are adaptable. They lose weight and change their habits much more easily than adults. They’re strong and capable, and with support, can lose weight. If you know someone struggling with obesity or who are on the path toward obesity, help them make healthier choices. Help them live a healthier life.

9 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism to Help You Burn Fat and Lose Weight Fast

If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to take advantage of any and all resources.

One of your best resources is your metabolism. Boost your metabolism and you boost your weight loss efforts.

1. Intervals

When you exercise at a moderate rate with intervals of intense effort, you’ll burn the most calories. You’ll also boost your metabolism.

2. Coffee and Tea

Both coffee and tea have caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that boosts your metabolism. Couple that with the thermogenic, fat burning, properties of green tea and you can really boost your metabolism and burn fat.

3. Hot Peppers

Capsaicin, found in hot peppers, can double your energy expenditure for up to three hours after a meal. That means you’re really boosting your metabolism. Additionally, capsaicin is known to suppress appetite. This means you won’t be hungry for hours.

4. Ginger

Ginger increases your body’s temperature. This boosts your metabolism and the number of calories you burn.

5. B Vitamins

Vitamin B is required for metabolism. It also helps you manage stress and aids in the synthesis of DNA. It’s important to get enough B. Not enough and you’ll feel lethargic and sluggish.

6. Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals your body needs. It facilitates metabolism and proper protein synthesis. If you want to give your metabolism a boost, make sure you’re getting your magnesium. Many supplements combine calcium and magnesium together for a powerful supplement.

7. Eat Breakfast

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It starts your body, your blood sugar and your metabolism off right. Eating a healthy breakfast every day is a surefire way to keep your metabolism humming. Skip breakfast and you’ll actually slow your metabolism down.

8. Eat Protein

Protein aids digestion and helps your body maintain balanced blood sugar levels. Studies have found that when you eat lean protein with every snack and meal your metabolism can jump twice as much as it would with a carbohydrate only snack.

9. Build Muscle

Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn. The more effective and efficient your metabolism will run. When you build muscle you’ll burn more calories when you’re resting, sleeping and/or sitting at your desk at work.

Simple things can help boost your metabolism. With just a little extra sleep, a little more protein in your diet and a little more muscle you can really see results. Embrace a few metabolism boosters. Start losing more weight today.

What Causes Obesity?

You or someone you know may be struggling with obesity.

Many consider the rise in obesity an epidemic.

Fake Blueberries in Cereals, Bagels, and Other Everyday Food Products

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http://naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=7EC06D27B1A945BE85E7DA8483025962

 

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What Exactly Is Obesity?

Obesity and its associated problems are discussed in every major newspaper. You can’t turn on the news or the television without hearing about it. However, many people don’t truly understand what obesity is. They may think they’re obese when they’re really not.

Likewise, they may believe they’re just a bit overweight when they’re clinically obese. The difference is significant.

The Basics of Obesity.

Let’s start with a working definition of obesity. Doctors and medical professionals define obesity as a person who is 20% or more over their normal body weight.

Most physicians use BMI or body mass index to evaluate obesity. It’s a slightly more accurate assessment than simply looking at normal weight. This is because normal weight can range for a person by ten or more pounds. Normal weight varies depending on muscle mass, bone mass and water retention.

BMI is calculated based on a person’s weight and height. It’s a basic ratio of your weight multiplied by 703 over your height multiplied by itself. So if you weigh 150 and you’re five feet four inches your ratio would be 150×703/64×64 (inches). Or 105450/4096. Or 25.74.

The result is then evaluated based on the following scale:

Underweight = <18.5

Normal weight = 18.5–24.9

Overweight = 25–29.9

Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Morbidly obese = BMI is greater than 40

A person is considered morbidly obese when they weigh 50-100% more than their normal weight.

What Causes Obesity?

Slow and steady weight gain over a lifetime.

Many people gradually gain weight over time. By the time they reach their 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s they’ve inched up into the obese category. A pound a month or ten pounds a year can really add on over time.

Inactivity and a poor diet are also paths to obesity.

Some medications and health conditions also lend themselves to weight gain.

Genetics and environmental factors can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

Treatments for Obesity

The treatments for obesity are varied. They depend on the person, the causes for the obesity, and the seriousness of the person’s health.

Treatment ranges from lifestyle changes – diet and exercise to surgery.

It is very important for an obese person to lose weight because it brings with it a whole host of health risks. Many of which are life threatening like diabetes and heart disease.

To treat and manage obesity meet with your doctor to create a treatment plan.

Obesity isn’t a life sentence. You CAN lose weight and regain your health and vitality. The first step is understanding what obesity is. The second step is getting a diagnosis. Finally, create a treatment plan with your health care practitioner and start down the path to your healthier future.

What is the obesity rate?

Obesity is a chronic condition

where a person’s body fat percentage is higher than normal. Men are considered obese if their body is more than thirty percent fat. Women are considered obese if their body is more than twenty-five percent fat.

Most often, a doctor uses BMI or Body Mass Index to determine if a person is obese. Body mass is calculated by comparing the height and weight of a person. It’s a simple calculation. You can do the math yourself.

Multiply your weight by 703. Divide that number by your height in inches multiplied by itself.

At 200 pounds and are six feet tall,  the equation would be 200 x 703/72 x 72. Or 140600/5184 or 27.12. Remember that the obesity ratio for men is defined as someone with a BMI over thirty. This means the person in this example is not considered obese.

While the math is easy to do, losing the weight isn’t always as easy. It takes a lot of hard work and support to get to a healthy weight. People are stressed and tired and eat what they can, when they can.  Often it’s not the best quality food, usually high in saturated fats and sugars. This fact has lead to an obesity epidemic among both children and adults and has become very commonplace.

How Common is Obesity?

You might be surprised at the following rate of obesity in the United States, but one in three adults is obese. That’s more than thirty percent of the adult population!

What’s even more alarming is that obesity is skyrocketing in children. Approximately one in four or twenty-five percent of children are obese. These numbers have doubled in the past ten years!

The Surgeon General reported that about 300,000 people in the United States die annually from conditions  directly related to obesity.

The Center for Disease Control reports that obesity numbers are much higher amongst minorities groups than in caucasions. It’s also reported to be more common in the southern United States and the Midwest than other areas of the country.

However, obesity is not limited to the United States. It is growing at an alarming rate across the globe.

What Causes Obesity?

Obesity is caused by the following:

• Genetics
• Overeating
• Poor eating and dietary habits
• Not enough physical activity
• Medications
• Psychological factors like depression
• Diseases
• Environment – poor role models
• Hormones and metabolism
• Dieting

But studies have shown that no single element affects weight more than diet and activity levels. Burning more calories than you eat trumps genetics, medication, and any other factors.

This is good news. It means that even if the cards are stacked against you, you can control your weight. If you’re overweight and want to avoid obesity and all the resulting health complications, you can take control of your health.

Because obesity is so prevalent, there’s a lot of help available. Consult your physician. Change your habits to support a healthy lifestyle. Join a weight loss group or support group.

Obesity is common but it doesn’t have to be your life.

Technologies to Help Fight Obesity

Technology makes our lives easier. It makes it possible to have a face to face conversation with someone thousands of miles away. It helps doctors diagnose. It entertains us too. All of this amazing technology can also help fight obesity. Here are a few fun and interesting technologies to help fight obesity.

Body fat scales.

Body fat scales have been around for quite some time. However, they’re more accurate now. You can literally stand on your bathroom scale and know your body fat percentage. This is important. As a person adds activity to their life they may not lose weight. They may gain muscle instead. On a regular scale this can be disheartening. However, with a body fat scale you can tell if you’re making progress. If your body fat percentage is decreasing, you’re getting healthier.

Fitness gadgets.

There are now more fitness gadgets on the market than ever before. These gadgets can tell you your heart rate. They can track your steps throughout the day. They can even tell you if you’re getting quality sleep. Many of these fitness tools also integrate with software. You can use this software to track your progress over time. For example, there is a fitness gadget called the FitBit (see video below) that tracks your steps for the day. When you log onto the website you can then enter what you’ve eaten that day. The FitBit then reports how many calories you’ve consumed. It also tells you how many calories you’ve burned. The goal? To burn more than you consume. The iPod/iPad also offers a number of calorie and activity tracking tools. You can sit down at a restaurant. Open your application. Make menu choices based on nutrition information provided by the application.

Games.

Another new technology is fitness video games. You can exercise while you play with your friends and family. The Wii Fit has made quite an impact.

The internet.

There are some truly amazing websites available. Some provide online support around weight loss. Others are information based sites to help guide your diet and lifestyle decisions. There are also membership and social networking sites to help motivate you while you are losing weight. Some of these sites integrate with mainstream social networking. The result? Powerful motivation because you are making your progress public and this can be incredibly motivating. There’s nothing better than being cheered on by hundreds of your online friends and family.

We haven’t even discussed some of the recent advances in the medical field. A decade ago gastric bypass and the Lap Band didn’t exist. These two surgeries have changed people’s lives and technology will continue to evolve. As the obesity epidemic continues to grow, we can expect even more technology devoted to help combat it.

If you’re struggling with obesity, embrace the technology that is so readily available and get the support you deserve while you are trying to lose weight.

Have you gone up 2 pant sizes in 5 years?

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO WATCH THIS VERY IMPORTANT VIDEO:

How Healthy Are You: Gone Up 2 Pant Sizes in 5 Years

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Interesting Facts About Stevia

Pure stevia leaf is a fantastic food source that can be used for sweetening beverages, as well as for baking and cooking. It is:

• rich in over 100 naturally occurring phytochemicals
• rich in terpenes
• rich in flavonoids

Recommended uses:

• as a natural sweetener
• for diabetics diets (diabetics can safely use this product)
• for those with high blood pressure
• for the prevention of cavities because it is not a sugar
• as a weight loss aid

Caution:  natural green leaf ground into a powder is not the
same as the white powder extract commonly found in stores.

And if you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll know that fat does not cause weight gain and bellyfat — sugars do!

Five Surprising Effects of Obesity

What are these surprising effects of obesity?

Most people know that obesity is the leading cause of type 11 diabetes. They may also know that it causes many types of cancer. It causes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and death. All in all, obesity causes a lot of health problems. However, you might be surprised to know that obesity causes some other day to day effects.

1. Depression

Depression and obesity have a very tight connection. It’s theorized that many times obesity is caused by depression. However, it’s also known that obesity causes depression in many individuals. The reasons are complicated.

Often when people are obese, their self esteem and confidence falls dramatically. This usually leads to depression, especially in teenagers and young children who may be facing teasing and bullying at school.

However, obesity also affects a person’s ability to get good sleep. It can actually cause many sleep disorders. Sleep apnea, for example, is often caused by obesity. When a person isn’t able to get quality sleep, their brain chemistry can change. Poor sleep often leads to depression.

Obesity often goes hand in hand with inactivity. Being active and getting exercise releases the “feel good” hormone, serotonin. Inactivity prevents serotonin from being released into the body. The result can be a depression or a chronic bad or low mood.

2. Poor sleep and sleep disorders

Obesity also causes a number of sleep disorders. Sleep is crucial for normal physical and mental functioning. Poor sleep causes irritability and depression. It causes poor functioning. It also causes a weakened immune system. And poor sleep causes a person to gain weight. The good news is that simply getting seven hours of sleep each night can make a world of difference.

3. Poor complexion.

Obesity affects metabolism. It also affects hormone levels and organ functioning. Specifically, it can cause poor liver function, or fatty liver disease. When your liver isn’t functioning well, your complexion can pay the price. It can become yellowed and acne can set in. You may even suffer skin infections due to your weakened immune system.

4. Hair and nails.

An obese body is struggling to function optimally. Several bodily functions are ignored to take care of more important body organs like your heart and lungs.  Fairly early on, you may notice that your hair changes and it may even start to fall out. It may change in texture and become course and brittle. Your nails may also become brittle and yellow as well, due to your weakened immune system and poor liver function.

5. Decreased sexual interest and function.

Libido and sexual function can be drastically impaired in obese people. In fact, many obese people find it difficult to get pregnant. When hormone levels are imbalanced, infertility can be the result. If you’re trying to have children you may also struggle with fertility problems. Fat cells produce hormones. They also inhibit balanced hormone production and your desire for sex will decrease.  Finally, many obese women suffer from gynecological problems like ovarian cysts and endometriosis.

Obesity causes a number of health problems. They range from acne and low libido to depression and death. If you’re struggling with obesity, there’s help. You can regain your health and vitality.

Leave a comment below if you’d like to chime in on the conversation. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Childhood Obesity is an Epidemic

5 Reasons for the Increase in Childhood Obesity

1.   Too much sugar.

Take a look at the foods in your cupboard and refrigerator. Chances are sugar is an ingredient in most of them. And it’s just not necessary.Sugar doesn’t need to be in beverages. It doesn’t need to be in sauces and condiments. It doesn’t need to be in processed meats. Many children consume several glasses of juice and/or soda daily. That can add up to thousands of calories from just drinking. An extra thousand calories a day results in one pound of weight gain in less than four days.

2.   Not enough fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

The truth is that many children just don’t eat at home any more.  They’re usually eating fast food meals, and when meals are prepared at home, they are from a box or a bag.  These foods are shockingly short on vegetables and nutrients.  They’re also super high in fat, sodium and sugar. A child can eat three meals a day and gain weight if they’re not eating healthy, homemade meals.

3.   Overeating.

Most adults and children enjoy snacking. If the snacks you have on hand at home are fatty like potato chips, or sugary, like cookies, then your child is not being nourished with vitamins and minerals. They are being filled with saturated fats and empty calories. Chances are they’ll be hungry again in short time and the cycle repeats.  Your children will just end up consuming way too many calories, yet never getting the nutrients they need.

4.  Couch potato syndrome.

Computers, video games, television, and a complete lack of exercise mean calories just don’t get burned. It also means metabolism slows down. It’s the perfect one/two punch for weight gain. A little physical activity each day goes a long way toward keeping your child’s weight down.

5.   Depression.

Childhood is tough. Many children struggle with stress and depression.  Depression is a common cause of overeating, causing poor sleep. Good sleep produces a hormone called Leptin, and Leptin tells the brain to stop eating once our body has had enough.  Depression and lack of good sleep stops the production of Leptin and this has been shown to directly cause weight gain.

Other causes for childhood obesity include:

• Medical issues/hormone imbalance
• Medications (antihistamines taken for allergies can cause weight gain)
• Stress or anxiety
• Peer pressure
• Family history of obesity

Childhood obesity is a growing problem. Parents and caregivers can make a huge difference. Children are adaptable. They lose weight and change their habits much more easily than adults. They’re strong and capable, and with support they can lose weight. If you know someone struggling with obesity or on the path toward obesity, help them make healthier choices. Help them live a healthier life.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

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Stevia snippets

Why Stevia shows promise in fighting hypertension, obesity, and diabetes epidemics.

• For centuries, the Guaraní tribes of Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil used stevia, which they called ka’a he’ê (“sweet herb”), as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments
• Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets
• Possible treatment of osteoporosis has been suggested by the patent application claim that eggshell breakage can be reduced by 75% by adding a small percentage of stevia leaf powder to chicken feed
• Medical research has found that Stevia shows promise in treating obesity and hypertension, even having an enhancing glucose tolerance.
• 1970s, Japan began cultivating Stevia as an alternative to artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, which were suspected carcinogens.
• It has also been suggested that pigs fed stevia extract had twice as much calcium content in their meat, but these claims have been unverified.

Source:   Wikipedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

PS  Have you also heard that Stevia is dangerous and toxic?  Here’s a report from the WHO.

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) performed a thorough evaluation of recent experimental studies of stevioside and steviols conducted on animals and humans, and concluded “stevioside and rebaudioside A are not genotoxic in vitro or in vivo and that the genotoxicity of steviol and some of its oxidative derivatives in vitro is not expressed in vivo.”

The report also found no evidence ofcarcinogenic activity. Furthermore, the report noted “stevioside has shown some evidence of pharmacological effects in patients with hypertension or with type-2 diabetes”, but concluded further study was required to determine proper dosage.

The WHO’s Joint Experts Committee on Food Additives has approved, based on long-term studies, an acceptable daily intake of steviol glycoside of up to 4 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

7 Fat-Burning Foods That Help You Lose Weight

You have to eat, but if you’re on a diet or trying to lose weight

1 Eggs.

An extra large egg has only 78 calories. And it’s packed with protein and nutrients. They’re very filling and will keep your blood sugar even and your hunger at bay for hours. Consider scrambling one whole egg and two or three egg whites.

2 Dark chocolate.

3 Whole grains.

4 Bananas.

5 Nuts.

6 Oranges.

7 Sweet potatoes.

Just in time for your New Year’s healthy lifestyle resolutions, let me send you these fat burning tips, one per week for the next 15 weeks.

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Superfoods, Ingredients and Recipes for a Healthy Diet

Your New Best Friends

By Celia Barbour and Rachel Mount |  O, The Oprah Magazine |  December 10, 2009

Yes, you know better, but a lot of good that does your taste buds. They still prefer potato chips to beets, fried chicken to canned fish, and pasta to just about anything. But what if you didn’t have to choose between good food and good-for-you food because they were one and the same? That’s what we’ve set out to accomplish.

Here, you’ll find a short list of foods that you really ought to incorporate into your diet—because, frankly, their health benefits are through the roof. But rather than leaving it up to you to figure out what to do with them (sprinkle them on your cereal? push them around on your plate?), we’ve combined these wonder foods into nine dishes that taste great—as in snack-in-front-of-the-TV great, favorite-weeknight-supper great. Because we’re not your mother. We don’t care if you put your elbows on the table. But we do know that eating well is one of the nicest things you can do for yourself, and if you can recruit your taste buds to be your ally, you may just discover that it’s fun to be good.

Meet the 25 delicious, nutrient-packed superfoods by clicking this link:  SUPERFOODS INGREDIENTS & RECIPES

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This video has something for everyone: sugar and insulin, what is driving female cancers, low D vitamins, nitric acid, antioxidants, carbohydrates, bellyfat

Jorge Cruise interviews 4 specialists about the pressing health issues of today:

The drink that will prevent you from gaining weight

CDC: Defining Overweight and Obesity

Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight

that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height.

The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems.

Definitions for Adults

For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI). BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat.

• An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
• An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

See the following table for an example.

Height	Weight Range	BMI	Considered
5′ 9″	124 lbs or less	Below 18.5	Underweight
	125 lbs to 168 lbs	18.5 to 24.9	Healthy weight
	169 lbs to 202 lbs	25.0 to 29.9	Overweight
	203 lbs or more	30 or higher	Obese

It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat. For more information about BMI, visit Body Mass Index.

Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include

• measurements of skinfold thickness and waist circumference,
• calculation of waist-to-hip circumference ratios,
• techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Definitions for Children and Teens

For children and teens, BMI ranges above a normal weight have different labels (overweight and obese). Additionally, BMI ranges for children and teens are defined so that they take into account normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and differences in body fat at various ages. For more information about BMI for children and teens (also called BMI-for-age), visit BMI for Children and Teens.

For more, see Defining Childhood Overweight and Obesity.

Assessing Health Risks Associated with Overweight and Obesity

BMI is just one indicator of potential health risks associated with being overweight or obese. For assessing someone’s likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines recommend looking at two other predictors:

1.  The individual’s waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases).

2.  Other risk factors the individual has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure
or physical inactivity).

For more information about the assessment of health risk for developing overweight- and obesity-related diseases,

visit the following Web pages from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:

• Assessing Your Risk
  
• Body Mass Index Table
  
• Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

The special Dangers of Sugar to Women Over 50

Below is a telephone interview with Jorge Cruise and Dr. Christiane Northrup (the leading women’s health expert and a frequent guest on Oprah).  Dr. Northrup shared some incredibly critical revelations about the special dangers of sugar to women over 40. If you are a woman over 40, or have a mom who is, THIS IS A MUST SEE.

Belly Fat May Make Some Breast Cancers More Likely

Study finds greater risk for ER-negative cancer in premenopausal women

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) –Premenopausal women who carry excess fat around their abdomen or have a large waist relative to their hip size may face a higher risk for breast cancer that is estrogen receptor (ER)-negative, new research reveals.

The research team noted that such body fat distribution was linked more strongly to the risk for developing this particular type of cancer than it was to a risk for ER-positive breast cancer.

Body fat distribution of this kind was not associated with an increased risk for breast cancer generally, according to the study, published Dec. 15 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer means that the cancer lacks receptors for the female hormone estrogen, so the hormone does not stimulate the cancer to grow.

The research team, led by Holly R. Harris of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, pointed out that prior research had suggested that body fat composition (as indicated by body mass index, or BMI) has a complex relationship with cancer risk. For example, having a higher BMI has previously been linked to a rise in the risk for postmenopausal breast cancer, but not premenopausal breast cancer.

On the other hand, the researchers said that premenopausal women who carry excess fat that wraps around organs in the abdominal region are more likely to develop the pre-diabetic condition known as hyperinsulinemia. Lab experiments have shown that insulin receptors can promote the growth of breast cancer cells.

In their latest investigation, Harris and her colleagues focused on data from more than 116,000 women who had been enrolled in the Nurses Health Study II since 1989, including waist and hip circumference, recorded in 1993.

The fact that ER-negative breast cancer was more strongly linked to abdominal fat and the waist-hip ratio than ER-positive breast cancer suggests, according to the researchers, that the means by which body fat distribution influences cancer risk sidesteps sex-hormone pathways.

The findings “may suggest that an insulin-related pathway” related to abdominal fat is involved in the development of premenopausal breast cancer, the authors wrote.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on breast cancer risk.

–Alan Mozes

SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Dec. 15, 2010, news release

Dr Robert H Lustig, UCSF Random Thoughts on Obesity

1. We all weigh 25 pounds more than we did 25 years ago.
2. No one chooses to be obese.
3. Leptin is a hormone that comes from your fat cell that tells your brain, ‘I’ve had enough. I don’t need to eat anymore’.
4. One can of soda a day = 150 calories x 365 days/year + 3500 calories per pound = 15.6 pounds per year increase in weight. It’s not the fats — it’s the carbohydrates that are making us fat.
5. The Coca Cola conspiracy: The first bottles of Coke were 6.5 ounces. They have progressively gotten bigger over time and the norm is now 20 ounces (which is actually 2.5 servings and is = to 26 additional pounds of weight per year), although you can buy a 44 ounce size of soda that will pack on approximately 57 pounds of excess weight.
6. Currently we are all consuming 63 pounds of High Fructose Corn Syrup per year. This product was introduced to food manufacturing in the early 1970′s. Shockingly, most food products today contain HFCS.

Dr. Oz Cancer Prevention Quiz

It’s the most feared diagnosis, but there are steps you can take and foods you can eat to protect yourself.

Take Dr Oz’s quiz here:  Just click this link.  Dr Oz’s Cancer Prevention Quiz

Keeping weight off is harder than losing the weight in the first place

People tend to experience diet fatigue after they’ve been dieting for a time.

They are able to maintain their enthusiasm for a diet in the short run, but after a while, they get tired of paying such close attention to what they are eating and not being able to enjoy whatever they want. What’s more, people who have lost weight need fewer calories to sustain that lower weight.

Generally, for each pound you lose, you need eight fewer calories per day to maintain your new weight. Often, the increased exercise and muscle mass from a good exercise program have increased your resting metabolism to compensate for some of the energy gap.

But chances are that if you’ve lost a significant amount of weight, you are going to need to stay at a lower calorie level just to maintain your new, lower weight

The Ultimate Diet to Reboot Your Body in Just Two Weeks

No High Fructose Corn Syrup

Preventing Childhood Obesity

You may have heard about childhood obesity and have some concern about your own children.

If they do not have a weight problem now, that’s really good news. But, you can be proactive to prevent obesity from ever happening in your family.

Children are impressionable. They learn most of their habits from their parents. This is the time to take your kids under your wing and teach them healthy habits that will help them throughout their lifetime.

As they get older (into their teens) their attention will shift from you to their friends. If a life of healthy eating and exercise are already instilled, you have a better chance of them sticking to those good habits.

Start Early

It is never too early to instill healthy habits. In some studies, children who were breastfed tended to maintain a normal weight more so than children who were bottle fed. One reason could be because of our desire to get our babies fed well and sleeping through the night, resulting sometimes in overfeeding, something that the breast naturally curtails. If you are bottle feeding, resist the urge to add cereal flakes when your baby is crying late at night. I know the impulse is to get the baby to sleep longer, and it makes sense that if their tummy is full they will sleep.  However, your baby could be getting way too many calories.

Some parents are in a rush to introduce solid foods to their baby. Following most guidelines, including your doctor’s, your child will probably be fine without solid foods as late as nine or ten months of age. It doesn’t hurt to hold out as long as possible if that’s what you and your doctor decide. A child’s digestion and fat burning capabilities are built for your milk for a long, long time. So, don’t rush a solid diet.

Stay as Natural as Possible

The healthiest foods are on the perimeter of the grocery store. There you’ll find fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy, meat, fish, and eggs. Those prepackaged, premade foods and mixes in the center of the store are loaded with additives like sugars, salt, and fats.

Introduce a new fruit or vegetable each week to your child. Let them get the natural taste of food without adding any condiments. We often forget as parents that condiments are there to suit our tastes. Children don’t feel that a food is bland without condiments because they have never tasted the food. They may like it that way.

Offer healthy snacks. It may be easier at first to grab a prepackaged snack like pudding packs or individual cookies. But, once you get a routine of providing healthy snacks, you’ll have those little bags of apple pieces available. Even some unsweetened Cheerios are a better choice than those snacks marketed for little hands. Just throw a few Cheerios and raisins in a small ziplock bag and your little one will be thrilled.

Healthy Stress Relief

Even little ones need to learn coping mechanisms. Teach them how to deal with difficult situations so they can use those skills as they get older. This goes well for you, too. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips when you are stressed, show them that you have good coping skills as well. Use your stressed-out energy to chop up some celery and carrots or go outside and hop on your bike. Do a little kick boxing or somersaults. Your kids will see you burning off your frustrations in healthy ways and will naturally want to join you. Be an example for your kids of the right way to fight stress and burn energy.

It is never too early to start when it comes to preventing childhood obesity. Start today and use these simple strategies to ensure that your family will get healthy and stay healthy and avoid the specter of childhood obesity from every haunting your doorstep.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Getting Help for Obese Children

The treatment for children who are obese lies in changing habits and learned behaviors.

Of course, the sooner in life that these changes are made, the faster the results happen.  Some of these steps towards a healthier life are immediate, while others are a lifetime commitment. You, as a parent, may not be able to go it alone.

Let’s look at what you can do for your child and what other support you may need on this road to recovery.

What Steps Should I Take To Help My Child?

With any program to get your body healthy, there are things that you, and the people around you, need to do to make the program a success. Here is a short list of the steps you need to take to help your child:

Give love and support.

First, tell your child that you love him or her. A support system is the one thing that will get them through this painful process. They will be dealing with lots of feelings about being overweight. It’s not as easy as “oh, gee, I’m overweight.” A child’s feelings about being obese go much deeper, affecting how they feel about themselves as a person. They need you to reaffirm that they have worth, at any weight

Get your child under medical supervision.

Involving your child’s doctor is a very important step. Medical support will provide some some amount in protecting your child’s dignity.  Some parents shy away from the doctor because they fear a long harsh speech about ruining their child’s life. Doctors take an oath to “do no harm” and that includes mental harm. Your child’s doctor will likely be relieved when they see you are ready to dig in and get some real help for your child. The blame game is not in their patient’s best interest.

Tell your doctor all of the concerns you have for your child. If you don’t know how to prepare healthy meals or if you don’t know how to help your child to live a healthier life, start with those simple questions.

The doctor will examine your child and determine a course of action. The doctor will order lab tests and these will alert you to any developing problems as a result of the obesity. The doctor will make suggestions on how to lower those risk factors. If there are immediate concerns, for example diabetes, your doctor will be able to address those problems quickly. In other words, do see your child’s doctor immediately as he or she is on your side.

Talk to a nutritionist.

You’ll want to start out with a list of healthy foods and suggestions on how to introduce these foods to your child. A child who has developed a love for sugary foods may find it difficult at first to get “unhooked.” A nutritionist knows the strategies for introducing foods that mimic sugary foods in the body without adding calories.

Their advice will help you when it comes time to stock your pantry with healthy food choices. A nutritionist is also trained to find quality, healthy food that fits every budget, no matter how limited. Even families on very low incomes can eat in a healthy way; it just may take a little extra planning.

Find a fitness program.

If you have the money, hire a personal trainer, even if only to get a program started. It may only take a few sessions with a professional fitness guide to help your child find an activity they like to do and to teach your child how to exercise properly.

You can also sign your child up for kid’s fitness classes at the local YMCA or community center. Along with others their own age and ability, they can jump, skip, hop and dance to gain better physical fitness.

When spending money is out of the question, create an exercise program at home that is fun for the whole family. Go outside and take a walk every day. Get out the bikes and dust them off. Dig out that jump rope, basketball, or anything that’s been sitting in the garage collecting dust.

If exercise indoors fits into your schedule better, there are many free Internet sites that show specific exercises to do, as well as numerous exercise programs on television. Another cheap alternative is to visit your local thrift shop. People get tired of their exercise videos and pack them up to ship off to thrift shops all the time. Your local library may also have exercise videos to borrow.

Medications may be indicated.

I put this last as usually medications are only prescribed to teenagers, and even then there has to be a good indication for it. Those reasons may include management of serious health problems as a result of obesity:

• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• pre-diabetes.

With a change in eating and exercise, your child may not have to take the medicines for long. However, these serious conditions may indicate your child needs help immediately, in addition to longterm health and fitness programs. The initial visit with your child’s doctor will answer many of these questions about medications.

Follow your doctor’s directions and go for followups often.

You are in charge of helping your child find his or her way back to a healthy weight, and life. Use these resources to make it happen. This may not be the easiest thing you’ve every done for your child, but it will be one of the most rewarding.

Family Plan to Combat Obesity in Children

It can hurt to be singled out in the family, especially if you are an obese child. To prevent this from happening, you need to find ways to fight obesity that involves the entire family.

Let your child know that they are not alone. You are in this together. The entire family will be working toward a healthier lifestyle which includes losing weight, eating right, and exercising daily. Every member of the family will pitch in and will make healthy living choices one day at a time. It’s more fun to work on a fitness program as a family, and which one of us can’t benefit from a more healthy lifestyle! Let’s look at the areas we need to change in our family’s quest for fitness:

Eating Habits

Don’t automatically believe what the advertising says on the front of the box of cereal or crackers. Read the nutrition label and the list of ingredients carefully. It will give you the true information on what’s inside that box. Don’t assume anything about a packaged food. There are often added sugars and salts even in the most healthy looking food.

Take the kids with you to the grocery store. Sure, it may be a struggle at first, but your family will learn about food labels and where all the really healthy food is – on the perimeter of the store. Introduce your kids to the concept of “shopping the outside aisles first.” This will have them in the fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein sections and out of the interior aisles that are filled with snacks and sodas. Ask your children to choose items in those food groups and then have fun creating a new recipe with all their choices. Have fun with new foods that are healthy.

It is okay if you treat your kids to sweet or salty snacks every once in a while. Most diet experts agree that if you completely deny your child treats, it will backfire in the long rum, causing binges or, especially in teenagers, sneaking. Sneaking is a sure set-up for self-loathing, which leads to low self esteem, which leads to more sneaky snacking and more weight gain.

A little bag of chips eaten with your permission is a much better way to handle the snack attacks your child will inevitably have. Limit your child’s snacking to the portion size on the nutrition label. If your child eats only a single serving when indulging,  your child has maintained control of his or her diet. This, in turn will help your child feel good about themselves.

Exercise

Sixty minutes of activity can be anything – playing a pickup game of basketball, biking around the neighborhood, playing a game of kickball, running with the family dog, or even playing a game of tag. Kids are missing out on a whole world of exercise if they don’t play these good old-fashioned games. You don’t have to sign your child up for the gym to get exercise!

Many of us are concerned about outdoor safety for our kids, which makes this the perfect time for the family to do something together. When you are outside playing in a group, each person gets the benefit of the exercise AND you can keep an eye on your kids. Make playing outside a daily or weekly habit. Set aside time after dinner to have an hour of fun outside. Look at it this way: if you can spend an hour watching television together you can certainly spend an hour getting fit together.

Therapy

This may be necessary in some cases. If there is an underlying problem that has led to your child to be overweight, a therapist can get to the bottom of it. Your child’s doctor may recognize the symptoms before you do, so talk to him or her about what they think is contributing to your child’s obesity, including family dynamics.

We sometimes miss the obvious because we’re busy protecting our children and believing (hoping) everything will be alright. Having the whole family talk with a professional counselor is a very positive step. You are ensuring that, not only your overweight child is getting the best possible care, but that the entire family is supported as well. A family that’s working together to get healthy has already recognized the signs of their bad health – one or more obese people in the family. You are on the right track when you get professional help to guide you along the journey to healthy living.

The “problem child” is not the problem – the entire family’s lifestyle is the problem. Whether you have one child or an entire family of overweight or obese individuals, you know what you have to do now. Make that first step and commit to a long life of healthy choices – for the whole family!

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

The Power of Antioxidants for Staying Young

The Power of Antioxidants for Staying Young

Everyone wants to grow old gracefully.

Some go under the knife to get that youthful look while others opt for a more natural way to maintain that healthful glow.  The way to make peace with age can be found in the types of foods that we eat and the miracle ingredient they contain.

This hidden “miracle” is called antioxidants.

They have graced the pages of magazines, medical journals and every product from hand cream to supplement pills.

But what are antioxidants and what can they do to keep you looking your best?

Antioxidants are substances that fight the aging process that goes on in your body.  They are not produced by the body so to get the benefit of these power-packed substances you must ingest them.  A variety of foods contain antioxidants.

Let’s go back to the beginning.  The body continually replenishes its cells.  Through a process called cellular metabolism, the body produces energy, more cells and repairs any damage.  One by-product of cellular metabolism is unstable molecules called free radicals.

Free radicals are molecules that damage your body.  They are unstable because they are missing an electron.  To get another one and become stable, free radicals will steal electrons from cells.  That theft damages the cells in a variety of ways. The results are visible and invisible changes to our bodies.

The development of diseases like cancer, diabetes, arthritis and neurological deficiencies may begin to affect you as you age.  Also, thinner skin wrinkles and brittle bones are a problem.  Free radicals enter our body from outside sources as well: cigarette smoke, radiation and the sun’s UV rays.  The more free radicals we encounter, the greater the damage that can be done.

Antioxidants have been shown to be of great help in the free radical problem.  Antioxidant substances combine with free radicals and neutralize them. Once they are neutralized, they can no longer do any damage.  Scientists don’t have any idea of a recommended daily dose of antioxidants to correct free radical damage and the diseases that come with age, but they do know that eating foods rich in antioxidants makes a huge difference in how we live.

Where do you find antioxidants?

They are all around us.  Look no further than your local farmer’s market or produce aisle in the grocery store.  Fruits and vegetables contain the principle sources of antioxidants.

Examples of antioxidants include:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Lutein
• Lycopene
• Beta-carotene

Certain minerals like zinc and selenium also function in the body.  They are not antioxidants but they boost the immune system to fight against free radical damage.

Antioxidants are also found in nuts, legumes, cold water fish, seafood and red meat. So, eating a varied diet of fruits, vegetables and the foods just named will increase the amount of antioxidants in your system and help reduce the incidence of disease.

Eating fruits and vegetables in their natural form instead of juices brings the benefit of other nutrients found in the foods.  Juices also contain a lot of sugar that is not needed by your body.

Food does more than stave off hunger. Natural substances found there can cause us to live longer and stay free of disease as we age.

Bellyfat

Enough said.

Obese Children in Society – How to Ease the Stigma

Being overweight has always been a stigma in society.

Those who are chubby are passed over for jobs, thought to be sloppy or unclean, and the list goes on. Those same unfounded and hurtful thoughts will be conveyed to your children if they are obese.

Society’s Changing Fads

Let’s talk about fads. A fad is something that is here and popular for the moment,  but quickly fades from view. Think of skinny jeans. Think of bell-bottom pants. Think of parachute pants. These fashions come and go.

Many of society’s fads center on more than fashion; they center on body appearance. The fad now is that you need to be super-thin to be “in” and even to be acceptable in the world, not just the world of fashion. This is conveyed in everyday life in spite of the fact that the average woman is a size 14. Even for plus size clothing, some advertisers use skinny models and profess how good these fashions look on women with larger bodies. How does this make sense?

There are two things going on here; society’s obsession with being super skinny to look good, and actual obesity. Our children, and we, need to know the difference. Yes, we need to be aware of a child’s weight, especially when that child is approaching obesity as measured by BMI or Body Mass Index. But, we also need to be aware of the stress that children feel to be “skinny” and what happens to a child emotionally when they can’t maintain their body in the current fad of being stick thin.

Overweight children see this scrutiny by adults who are fad-conscious. Children who are thin have a wider acceptance by adults across the spectrum; parents, teachers, waiters, doctors, shop keepers, etc. Children who are overweight are seen by adults as being lazy, sometimes even less intelligent.

A Jury of their Peers

If adults look at overweight children with these types of societal views or fads, it is only a matter of time before other kids view them that way, too. Children can be cruel because they are so brutally honest. If you’ve ever heard a child get teased on the playground, you know how one child may start, but pretty soon others are joining in.

That sort of teasing or bullying can instill feelings of self-loathing in a child who is overweight. This may set up a lifetime of low self esteem and continued over-eating.

These kids are prone to depression even at a young age. They develop eating disorders as a way to control their weight. They may also retreat further into food, or other mood-altering means to soothe their psyche. Some children may welcome the added weight as a perverse way of hiding within their own body to avoid notice by other children. You can see how this backfires and hurts a child even further.

Obese children are less likely to try out for sports teams or to even exercise in front of others. Their weight and body both are an embarrassment. They are now feeling self-conscious about their body. These children remain on the sidelines, which leads to further sedentary habits. As we adults know, the longer we wait to start an exercise program, the harder it becomes. We don’t like the way we look in our exercise clothes, so avoid them entirely. With young children who are in the midst of discovering their bodies and the angst that brings, this exposure to critical peers is crushing.

Stop the Downward Spiral

Understanding obesity will help reverse this downward spiral in a child’s life, but it is slow to change. We know that ridicule is not the answer to solve the problem of childhood obesity. It only makes matters worse. Adults need to step in where necessary and help an overweight child regain his or her self worth. That is the only way a child will develop a lifelong program of fitness – if they believe they are worthy of good health.

Adults can show a child they are a worthwhile person by being involved with, not only their fitness program, but all that child is interested in; music, art, movies, and yes, cooking. Your involvement helps a child face peer pressure and the scrutiny of society with their head held high. Children with high self-esteem are less likely to suffer from depression, even if they are overweight. A good self worth will also help develop a determination to change their situation. Instilling self worth begins at a young age, and begins with you, the adult.

Get involved with your child. Plan an exercise program together. Teach them about nutrition and cooking healthy foods. Help them find healthy ways to cope with their feelings. Attack the problem of obesity on every level, not just caloric, and you’ll see a happier, more well adjusted child. Weight loss is only one side of this problem – the better outcome for your child is a healthy mind, body, and soul.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Risks Associated with Childhood Obesity

You might dismiss extra weight on a three-year old, thinking they will grow out of it in time.

However, there are risks that come with carrying extra weight, even on a three-year old. To understand how serious a problem it is, study the following risk factors.

A chubby baby may be cherubic and cute, but when they are three or four years old, those same fat rolls begin to have similar responses in the body as adult fat cells. A few extra pounds on a developing child creates conditions that are usually seen in adults. When obesity becomes the issue, even the simplest illness can become complicated, even in very young children.

Childhood obesity occurs when a child weighs more than is needed for their particular age and height. However, growth factors need to be taken into consideration before jumping to any conclusions. The extra weight could be added in preparation for a growth spurt. You know your child, and if this change in weight is an irregular thing, it’s probably growth spurts. However, if the weight gain is something that you’ve noticed for a long time, and it’s not changing, it’s probably time to take action.

As parents, it is our responsibility to raise our children as best we can and to give them the best advantages in life.

We sometimes focus on the monetary aspects, but this is so much more. Good health can go a lot further than riches. When you notice that your child is having difficulty with weight, seek a professional opinion. Your child’s doctor will be anxious to help you provide a healthy life for your child.

Medical and Life Changing Effects as Children

Children who are overweight or obese have a higher likelihood of developing certain conditions such as:

• Breathing problems – The added weight can hinder lung development. This of course depends on the age of your child, but they may be more likely to get asthma and develop certain allergies.
• Sleeping problems – Children who are overweight may find it hard to lie flat on their back and get a good night’s sleep. Children may even develop sleep apnea, which can be a frightening condition that, without intervention, will become very serious, even fatal.
• Pain in the joints – The knees bear the burden of three times your weight with each step. Imagine a child with short developing bones carrying all that excess weight for their frame. It can lead to pain on walking, sitting, standing, and even lying down.
• Puberty issues – Weight gain can lead to metabolic changes and hormone imbalances in the body. Puberty can present itself earlier than normal, possibly with disturbing emotional results, as well as health related problems.

Medical and Life Changing Effects as Adults

Obese children are more likely to become obese adults and, as a result, may suffer conditions such as:

• Type 2 diabetes – A young adult who is obese will be at risk for diseases that usually strike older people. Diabetes is one of those conditions. This occurs when the body either doesn’t make enough insulin for the amount of sugar in the blood or the cells develop a resistance to insulin making it harder for sugar to enter the cells for energy. Diabetics are at risk for kidney disease, heart disease, vascular disease, as well as other conditions.
• High blood pressure – Obese adults are much more likely to have high blood pressure than adults who are not overweight. High blood pressure occurs when the opening of the vessels is smaller than normal, often due to high cholesterol. The heart has to work harder to pump the blood. This puts undue stress on the heart and can lead to stroke or heart attack if the high blood pressure knocks a plaque loose in the bloodstream.

Childhood obesity is not only about getting teased on the playground, or not being able to fit in this year’s fashions. Childhood obesity is a serious, far-reaching condition causing complications that will affect your child throughout their life if not treated. Your job as a parent is to understand the seriousness of your child’s obesity. Plan a strategy today to get your child fit and healthy not only to prevent problems now, but in the future.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

How to Overcome Emotional Eating

Eating is a part of life.  Your body gets its nutrients from food. Sometimes we can go overboard with our eating habits, resulting in weight gain.

One issue with food is emotional eating.

Emotional eating may end with the scale, but it begins in the mind.  Stress takes its toll on our lives.  When your defenses are compromised, your health takes a hit and so do your emotions.   Everyone has good days and bad days.  How we deal with the bad ones brings emotional eating into play.  You look for comfort for your hurts.

People who turn to food for comfort find a coping mechanism that won’t judge them, hurt them, or tell them “no.” To complicate the issue, eating pleasurable foods can stimulate the release of endorphins just like exercise does.  So, after you eat, you feel better.

Emotional eaters use food to relieve stress.

They hide behind the food instead of seeking solutions to the problems.  This is not uncommon when the stressor is something horrible such as physical abuse or a death.  But, how do you know you are using food in this way?  The first sign is obvious.  You will gain weight if you eat too much.  In light of the weight gain, examine other areas of your life:  * Have you been under stress lately at work or at home? * Has anything traumatic happened in the last year? * Are you dealing with a problem but haven’t found a solution?  Answering “yes” to any of these questions could mean that you are an emotional eater.

You eat but you are not necessarily hungry at the time.

The foods that you choose are what we term “comfort foods”:

* High fat foods like French fries, fried foods

* High carb foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes

* Sugary foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies, cake

There is help for emotional eaters.

1.  The first step is recognizing that you have a problem.  You’ll experience feelings of helplessness and guilt.  The guilt is about potentially ruining your health, and the helplessness lies in the fact that you don’t see a way out.

2.  Secondly, seek counseling.  There are many types of counselors out there that can meet your need.  Emotional eating has nothing to do with dieting or changing your eating habits but gaining control over your emotions.    A counselor might suggest things like visualization, practicing problem solving skills, relaxation techniques and family support.  Visualization helps you to see your problems in a realistic way and not blown out of proportion.  You will also learn to see food as nutrition for the body and not an emotional crutch.

3. Thirdly, your family can learn your triggers for stress and be on the lookout for changes in your eating habits.  They can help you be aware of the foods you are eating, assist you in making healthy food choices and exercise along with you.  Proper diet and exercise increases immunity, blood flow and positive thinking.

Yoga enhances the mind/body connection so you don’t eat when you aren’t hungry.  Finding new ways to solve your problems and deal with stress will push food out of the equation.  You’ll feel good about finding solutions which will replace the dependence on food.

Here’s an interesting story of a family trying to go “Sugarless”

Click this link to read the difficulties this family had in trying to cut sugar out of their diet.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Sugar+Fast/3707500/story.html

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Sugar Free Banana Bread?? Really?

I found this recipe online and just took the bread out of the oven. It is heavenly — you’ve got to try it.

HOME-STYLE BANANA BREAD (SUGAR FREE) from COOKS.COM

3/4 c. mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)

1/3 c. vegetable oil

2 lg. eggs

1/2 c. water

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour (I used whole wheat flour)

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. chopped nuts

Beat together mashed banana, oil, eggs, vanilla, and water until creamy. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Beat well. Stir in nuts. Spoon batter into oiled and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Spread batter evenly. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

PS I added some flax seeds, probably about a 1/4 cup and a couple of tablespoons of 7 grain cereal just to have a little extra goodness.

Does Family History Play a Role in Childhood Obesity?

Part of finding a solution to the obesity epidemic that is plaguing our society is to determine the causes.  The first place we often look is within the family itself. Does family history, or genetics play a role in a child’s obesity?

Family Behavior

Let’s examine the parents. Before we go further let’s just say this is not to point fingers, or play the blame game. It is only to find a solution for both parents and their children. No one wants to see their children suffer, and obesity can lead to distress both now and in the future.

Now that we understand why we’re looking at the parents, here are some facts. Children are more likely to be obese if their parents are obese. The reason is simple. Kids are imitators. They do what they see their parents do. If parents are eating all the time or eating unhealthy foods, then children tend to follow suit.

Also, if parents use food as a coping mechanism, children will too. This can lead to emotional eating which has been the catalyst for much adult obesity. If parents are sedentary, their children will more likely to be inactive as well.  If parents reward themselves often with sweet treats, their children may feel the same need. So, as a parent, what are you doing or not doing that could be influencing your children’s eating and activity habits?

Family Genes

Yes, you may be predisposed to certain illnesses or conditions because of family genetics. If your parents or grandparents had certain types of cancers or diabetes or heart disease, your risk increases. The same can hold true if your parents have a disorder that results in weight gain. Body type is hereditary in many instances. If your mother is “pear shaped” and your father is “apple shaped” the chances that you will battle those same issues are likely.

With that knowledge on board, it doesn’t mean that your child will develop those conditions or become obese. Your child’s future is not always set in stone. Modern medicine can keep you and your child one step ahead and away from obesity. Hereditary body types that are prone to weight gain just calls for a more vigorous exercise and diet program. Can you outsmart your genes? Perhaps. It’s worth your every effort to give it a try.

Family Economics

How much does childhood obesity depend on where you live and your income bracket? If you are in the lower income range or poverty level, it can have a lot to do with it. We know that eating healthy can get quite expensive if you’re not the most clever shopper and cook. Fattening foods are often easier to prepare, easier to reach in the grocery store, more prominently displayed, and more often marketed with sales and give aways. You don’t normally see coupons for fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and dried beans, peas and lentils.

Community sports programs can help kids get physically active and ward off obesity. Children living in lower income homes are often unable to participate in sporting or community programs due to the cost involved. The money just isn’t there to fund these activities for low income families.

Family history plays some part in childhood obesity but it doesn’t have to be the most pivotal part. By knowing how your family history and dynamics affects your child’s health, you can challenge these forces and help your child maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Causes of Childhood Obesity – Psychological Issues

Many people jump to an obvious, and often wrong, conclusion when they see a child who is obese. “The parents are letting those kids eat anything they want.  “If those parents would just stay home with the kids they wouldn’t snack so much.”  “A little self discipline is all those kids need.”  “Those parents must be lazy.”  “If that kid would just quit eating so much.”   The reason for obesity may go deeper than what is seen on the surface or insinuated in people’s scathing remarks.

Traumas in Childhood

There is no such thing as a perfect family. We all do what we can for our children but the situation may be less than ideal. Changes in the home not only affect the parents, but also the kids.

Divorce ~

One stress in the house may be divorce. It literally turns a child’s world upside down. If the parents are constantly fighting for the child’s affections, that can be even more damaging. Many children turn to food as a form of rebellion as well as comfort when they can’t seem to get it anywhere else. Eating comfort foods releases those same feel good endorphins that exercise does, but the reality is that children will turn to food first because it’s easier.

Abuse ~

Children are also affected by abuse. It can be sexual, physical, or verbal. Children are looking for acceptance, and when that comes in the form of hurt from those who are supposed to love them, it can confuse a child and destroy their self worth. Food is often a substitute for love and a hiding place from the abuse they can’t stop.

Traumatic injury or accidents ~

Trauma suffered in childhood can also lead to childhood obesity. Living through stressful situations beyond your control like a devastating hurricane, earthquake, tornado, flood, fire, war, or a terrible accident can bring on post-traumatic stress. Children can become withdrawn and prone to unhealthy behaviors like drugs, alcohol, and stress-induced eating. In this situation, food can become a coping mechanism that leads to another unhealthy problem – obesity.

Turning it Around

Children who experience psychological changes in their lives need an outlet for their pain as well as avenues for healing. One solution is therapy. When a family is going through divorce, a therapist can help all parties involved deal with their own feelings, as well as those of the other family members. Kids have a chance to vent and also to understand that the divorce has nothing to do with them.

In cases of abuse whether by a family member or an outsider, healing is crucial. A child needs guidance in how to process their feelings, as well as acceptance and understanding from their family. Eating disorders are commonplace in children of abuse. Therapy can give a child who finds solace in food a healthier way to communicate and deal with his or her pain.

When an injury or accident occurs in a child’s life they can be left to feel helpless. The ingestion of food is one thing they can control. Proper psychological help is crucial in this instance as this could become a lifelong preoccupation with controlling the world through means as futile as what they eat. Besides the control, the whole endorphin through eating comes into play once again, setting children up for a vicious cycle of eating for comfort, then eating to hide from their feelings about being obese.

Obese children are often hiding a deep, psychological pain. Learning to cope constructively with feelings not only produces emotionally well adjusted children, but physically fit children, too. Look beyond the sugary treats if you love a child who is obese and help them find the pain behind the problem.

Causes of Childhood Obesity – Lifestyle Choices

(this is the second post in a series of 8 posts on childhood obesity)

Sedentary Lifestyles

What activities were we involved in before there were videos to entertain us? Whatever it was, we all probably weighed a lot less because of it. Having everything easily accessible and “convenient”, as well as computers to entertain us has led to lifestyles that lead to obesity in both adults and children.

Going from Outside to Inside

Our world is very different than it once was, and it shows on our waistlines. With the advent of computers, video games, and having anything you want readily available on your television screen, we have gradually moved from physical activity done outside to having our kids inside most of the time. As a result, kids are exercising less and eat/snacking more.

Statistics show that, on average, kids spend more than four hours a day watching television or playing video games. And moving your eyes from side to side while watching TV or playing a video game doesn’t burn calories. Also, sitting in front of a monitor encourages mindless munching on snacks.

It’s Safer Inside

It takes two incomes to run a household today, and parents are working longer hours, leaving kids home alone more often. In a society that seems increasingly more dangerous for kids to be out there on their own, parents want their children safe inside. The result is that they are in the house for hours on end and getting no exercise at all. All the while, experts are recommending that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

Tighter Economy

Jobs and money is always going to be an issue with parents, especially when the economy is tight. We have to pay bills to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. Parents are working longer hours, and as a result, are feeling overwhelmed, grabbing as much downtime as they can at home.

Most parents just want to rest when they finally get home after a long day at work.  But kids are less likely to exercise when they have parents who don’t participate in physical exercise on a regular basis. Every time the parents come home and plop down in front of the television is another missed opportunity to help their child fight obesity.

Reward System

We all want to reward our kids when they do something well. The problem with rewards like candy or sugary treats, is that they inadvertently encourage obesity. Children will always strive to win any reward, and when the reward is chocolate cupcakes, the thrill of doing well is associating with high sugar/no nutrient food. This “food-equals-approval” will be confusing later when their weight gain leads to ridicule.

Turning it Around

So what is the answer? Get moving. Although it seems counter-intuitive, when you are tired, get your body moving and your encergy will increase. Once you get started walking, biking, swimming, or even playing hopscotch, your body naturally produces endorphins that uplift your mood. The fatigue and tiredness that you have been feeling will begin to fade away.

Make exercise a family affair. Choose activities that everyone likes to do and get started. Kids are influenced first by their parents so if you get on board with daily activities, your kids will begin to see exercise as a fun part of daily life. They’ll reach less and less for video games and more often choose to go out and ride their bike or play an outside game.

Over time, you can increase your intensity or change your activity. Children will develop healthy habits and get in shape; a habit that will last a lifetime.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

The Link Between Obesity and Pregnancy Complications

Photo: Brand X Pictures/Thinkstock

(I found this really good article on the Oprah site today.  Read the article for some very important information about obesity and pregnancy).

You’ve heard the staggering statistics: Only about one-third of American women are of a normal weight, while one-third are overweight (meaning they have with a body-mass index, or BMI, of 25 to 30) and one-third are obese (with a BMI greater than 30). With so many women carrying extra pounds, our perception of normal weight has been so dramatically skewed that many health providers don’t even notice when a woman is overweight. This carries many increased risks.

The consequences of obesity in non-pregnant women are well-known—diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, joint problems and liver and gallbladder disease.

And now the health risks of obesity during pregnancy are clear as well.

How being overweight or obese puts your pregnancy—and your life—at risk.

Diabetes
An overweight mother is four times more likely to develop gestational diabetes. This can lead to extremely large infants who are more likely to have birth injuries or require Caesarean delivery.

Preeclampsia
Obese mothers are twice as likely to have high blood pressure related to pregnancy. This can increase the chance of blood clots, stroke and premature birth.

Higher Chance of Caesarean
When delivering a baby naturally, my medical partners and I like to say, “It’s all about the push.” Women who are carrying extra weight, especially in the midsection, have less muscle tone and thus less strength with which to push their babies out. In addition, the extra fat deposits within the birth canal make it much more difficult for the baby to slip through.

Do you want to avoid a C-section? Maintaining a healthy weight is high on the list of the best ways to do it.

• For women of normal weight, the C-section rate is 11 percent.
• For overweight women, it increases to 18 percent.
• For obese women, it jumps to 43 percent.

In addition, obese women who have a Caesarean have a higher risk of blood clots, bleeding and infections after surgery.

Higher Risk of Birth Defects
In obese women, the risk of spina bifida is twice that seen in normal-weight women. The risk for cleft lip is 20 percent higher, the risk for heart defects is 30 percent higher, and the risk for hydrocephalus is 60 percent higher.

Inability to Detect Birth Defects
Ultrasound is our best tool in obstetrics, yet this technology is limited by the distance the sound waves need to travel. For overweight women, 3 or more inches of fat on the abdominal wall can limit the detail of what we can see, leaving us unable to detect some subtle birth defects.

Pregnancy Symptoms
Even the more mundane symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy occur far more often in obese mothers. These include heartburn, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, pelvic pressure and headaches.

Maternal Mortality
Public health officials have reported that the maternal mortality rate in the United States has been on the rise in recent years. A major contributing factor in this shocking trend is the increase in obesity rates. Of all maternal deaths, two-thirds are related to complications of obesity.

It is clear that one of the best things you can do prior to getting pregnant is getting your body to its healthiest weight. Calculate your BMI—many women are not even sure where they stand. Then talk to your doctor about a weight loss plan before putting yourself and your baby at unintended risk.

Dr. Yvonne Bohn, Dr. Allison Hill and Dr. Alane Park are the Mommy Docs. While they are doctors, they’re also moms with six kids among them. They’ve welcomed more than 15,000 babies into the world. The Mommy Docs are featured in the TV series Deliver Me on the Discovery Health Channel. For more information on the Mommy Docs, visit MommyDocs.com.

Obesity Rates Keep Rising, Troubling Health Officials (The NY Times)

Americans are continuing to get fatter and fatter, with obesity rates reaching 30 percent or more in nine states last year, as opposed to only three states in 2007, health officials reported on Tuesday.

Click this link to read the complete article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/health/nutrition/04fat.html

Superfoods that fight disease AND help to lose that bellyfat

This is an excellent article I found on MSNBC today.  We all have to eat, so why not make our food that absolute best
and most powerful we can find?

Click this link to check out the article.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38311826/ns/health-cancer/

8 Power Packed Foods

The secret to a long and healthy life is in the food that we eat.  But not all foods are created equal.  Choosing and eating the right foods help increase life expectancy, as well as the quality of your life.

The following are eight power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality and all around good health!

1. Beans – Beans of all kinds (kidney, navy, lentils, chickpeas, Northern) are high in protein.  It is a plant protein, so it contains very little fat, carbs, and calories.  If getting enough fiber is a problem for you, eating a healthy portion of beans each day can keep your digestive system healthy.  Note: the darker the color of the bean, the more protein is inside.

2. Oatmeal – is known for lowering blood cholesterol.  Oatmeal is a filling grain that also provides much needed fiber to keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar constant. You can make it yourself with old fashioned rolled oats, but for even greater nutrition, use stone cut rolled oats.

3. Fruits – Fruits are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A.  Antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and reduce the risk of cancer.  Berries such as blueberries and grapes have the highest amount of antioxidants.  But choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for maximum health.  The antioxidants in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body. Note: grapes have as much resveratrol as wine, but without the alcohol. (Resveratrol, found in grape skins and seeds, increases HDL cholesterol and prevents blood clotting).

4. Allium foods –  includes garlic, onions, leeks, chives, and shallots.  Garlic is known for lowering cholesterol.  Allium vegetables healp guard the body against the risk of cancer and many other ailments.  They also help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots.  Eating these power packed vegetables in their natural state especially garlic increases their health benefits.  Note: when choosing onions, choose yellow for more health benefits.

5. Salmon – Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis.  Wild salmon is a fatty fish, but it contains good fats that have been proven to improve health in both children and adults.  Salmon is rich in protein and helps build muscle tissue after a good workout.  Note: some salmon have been shown to contain high levels of mercury.

6. Flax seed – Like salmon it contains omega-3 fatty acids.  These seeds also contain omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.  You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes with this seed.  Ground flax seed can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal or added to pancake mix to name a few.  Note: our bodies cannot digest and breakdown a whole flax seed.  To get the benefit, grind your flax seeds.

7. Peppers – are colorful and delicious.  They contain antioxidants like beta-carotene and Vitamin C.  Peppers range from mild and sweet, to so hot you’ll be calling the fire department.  All peppers contain a substance called capsaicin.  Capsaicin has the properties of an anti-inflammatory, a pain reliever, and can lower cancer and heart disease risk.  Eat them whole, put them in a salad, add them to a stir fry, make salsa with them, or stuff them. There are a lot of ways to eat peppers.

8. Nuts and seeds – are high in fat, but those fats are the good kind.  Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and pistachios are all providers of good fats and protein.  Crush them into a fine powder and use as a coating instead of higher carb bread crumbs.  Try walnuts on a pizza.  Eat them right out of the shell. Make your own peanut butter and sidestep the additives. Note: eating about 35 almonds per day can significantly reduce your bad cholesterol.

Building a better healthier body begins with what you eat.  Try these super foods to get started on the right foot.

Causes of Childhood Obesity – Eating Habits

The Wrong Foods Lead to Obesity

In order to live, we must eat. Somewhere in our history, we stopped eating to live and started living to eat. This obsession with food has led to not only obesity in adults,  but a rising obesity in children. Let’s examine the eating habits that can lead to obesity in children and the ways to change those habits.

Marketing & Advertising

Advertising makes companies millions of dollars a year. Why? People view the ads or see commercials on television and buy, buy, buy. Unfortunately, this is turning us into a nation of obese people.

On a daily basis, we see numerous advertisements extolling the virtues of some sort of tasty food that is not necessarily good for us. You can probably hum those snack food jingles without thinking.  This marketing and advertising has us spending millions of dollars on unhealthy food in restaurants, very unhealthy fast food, and all sorts of prepackaged meals and snacks. This has lead to poor eating habits for adults, children and families.

Food Choices

Children have access to all types of food. There are snack vending machines, soda machines, and fast food restaurant counters in in school cafeterias. At one time, kids took their lunches to school, but now most kids buy their lunch. It’s fast and easy, and they can eat virtually anything  they want.  The majority of food in malls is non-nutritious such as burgers, fries and soda.

But it’s not just about what we eat – in fact, it’s more about what we drink. According to various studies, drinking one soda per day increases the childhood obesity risk by sixty percent!  This bears repeating, – just one soda a day can increase a child’s risk of being obese by 60 percent!

Sodas are High Fructose Corn Syrup, sugar, and empty calories. A single serving of soda can pack a whopping 120 to 180 calories. And remember: that’s  PER SERVING (with most sodas being 20 ounces, they actually contain 2.5 servings). This adds up to about 300 calories — and 300 calories is almost an entire meal’s worth of calories with absolutely no nutritional value.

“Diet” sodas are full of empty calories, and they give a false sense of security, leaving people thinking they are consuming a healthy alternative. But diet drinks have been shown to cause weight gain because people falsely believe they can have a diet drink (or two) and then eat a donut because they saved those extra calories. But there are a lot of obese people walking around carrying diet drinks – why is that?

Snacking

Kids usually come home from school and are looking for a snack. They just naturally reach for whatever is available to snack on. While doing homework or watching TV, they mindlessly overeat, consuming a lot of calories in a short period of time. Maybe even skipping supper because they have filled up on high sugar snacks.  By then, the damage to our daily caloric intake is done.

Turning Eating Habits Around

Changing eating habits requires changing how you look at food. To save your children from the dangers of obesity, don’t go for convenience; make time to eat the right foods. Purchase and prepare healthy snacks. Cut up an apple to give it to them with a  little peanut butter. Have bananas onhand for a quick snack. Have healthy snacks available for those times when we all naturally snack.

Remove sodas that are loaded with High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Educate yourself on what the foods you purchase really contain. Learn to read the nutrition labels. Get rid of high sugar content foods. A high sugar diet is a high fat diet and the main cause of obesity in children. It is too easy to reach for quick, convenient snacks, and the temptation is everywhere — we are bombarded with unhealthy foods both at home and away. Make your home a healthy atmosphere by removing unhealthy foods from your pantry. Good health and the fight against obesity in children begins in the home.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Childhood Obesity: What is it?

Obesity

(this is the first post in a series of 8 posts on childhood obesity)

is the biggest health crises ever confronting our society. And it doesn’t only affect adults — it affects many children too. Keep reading to learn about the dynamics of childhood obesity.

In simplest terms, childhood obesity is considered a problem if a child has more body mass than is normal or healthy for their age and height. According to the CDC, if a child has a BMI above the 95 percentile for their age, they are obese. But each age in childhood brings with it a different set of growth circumstances that also have to be taken into consideration.  CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO A HANDY BMI CALCULATOR

Addressing Obesity

You can consult your pediatrician if you think your child is gaining more weight than is healthy. Your doctor will examine your child and advise you if there is anything to worry about. Some children gain weight just before they experience a growth spurt. Your child seems to go from skinny to chunky, and then chunky to skinnywith the onset of  a growth spurt.  Overall, it is important to be very careful about diagnosing a child as obese without having all the information., as in the case of a growth spurt.  The child’s weight may in proportion to the soon-to-be added height.

Baby fat can be cute, but some parents use this as a way to deny what’s really happening to their child.  As parents, we need to face the facts when we see our children gaining weight that is out of control. We need to ask for help and look for solutions to solve this serious health problem.

Shocking Statistics

You may have heard the shocking statistics about obesity in this country, and surely you’ve seen it while out.  Our children are bombarded on a daily basis with outside influences, but overall, their habits begin at home.

According to the American Obesity Association, one in three children and teens are obese in this country.  READ THE COMPLETE POST HERE

• Children are more likely to be obese when they have obese parents.

In fact, according to the CNN Health article entitled, “When parent’s good intentions disparage obese children“,

If parents want their children to lose weight, they need to model the behavior they want to see in their children, several obesity experts said.  Parents are responsible for their emotional wellness,” said Perryman, who researches family dynamics related to childhood obesity. “Kids aren’t in charge of their own food intake and their sedentary behaviors. They can’t sign themselves up for soccer.”

• Obese children are more likely to become obese adults.

• Heredity accounts for about one quarter of all the obese children.

Are you shocked by these statistics? If so, now is a good time to take up the cause and do something about childhood obesity.

To learn more about how to deal with childhood obesity, check out this excellent book by Susan Okie. To order the book, click on this image.

What are your thoughts?  Leave a comment or sound off about the epidemic.

Ancient Food Ingredients: What’s Old is New

Newswise — As consumers overseas embrace foods and beverages made with ingredients long known to have health and wellness benefits, American manufacturers can take a cue from their success and add such medicinal ingredients to their foods and beverages, according to a scientific discussion at the 2010 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo®.

Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides, Inc. in Tualatin, Ore., pointed to a growing body of research that supports the effectiveness of a wide range of ingredients from all over the world on various ailments and conditions, from inflammation to digestion to cognitive function. She named several “rock star” ingredients from around the globe, such as kefir from Russia, adzuki beans from Japan and black currant from the European Union, among many others.

Badaracco notes that consumer are more open than ever in discussing health problems such as digestion and dementia and credits the pharmaceutical industry in part with bringing those issues to the forefront. “Pharmaceuticals are breaking down taboos for the food industry and that opens the door – we can talk about digestion, we can talk about cognitive function,” she said.

Carlos Barroso, president and founder of CJB & Associates in Dallas, explained that timing is right for such products, given the ongoing demand for “authentic” foods. Already, probiotic-enriched foods that have been popular overseas for years are a hit in this country. “It’s not a European phenomenon anymore – it’s already a multimillion dollar business here,” he said, adding that traditional incentives like marketplace success are as important as ever. “You can certainly make money from importing health and wellness trends from outside the U.S.”

Barroso says the next step is to use food as a way to deliver health properties. He cited a dietary supplement called triphala, made with a natural extract of three fruits. “Why put it into a pill? What about a natural triphala fruit snack?”

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT  EZEKIEL  BREAD

~
Speaker Kara Nielsen, a “trendologist” at the Center for Culinary Development in San Francisco, Calif., said that food product developers here can easily and successfully incorporate such medicinal ingredient into food products that already have a certain cultural flair: using the Indian spice turmeric, shown to have healthful properties, in Indian-style simmer sauces, for example. “And don’t ignore common wisdom built on folk remedies – like enhanced chicken soup or extra cinnamon in baked goods,” she added. (My note, please see this video about cinnamon to ensure you are using a healthy one:  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CINNAMON: IS THIS TOXIN IN YOUR PANTRY?)

About IFT
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a nonprofit scientific society. Our individual members are professionals engaged in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia, and government. IFT’s mission is to advance the science of food, and our long-range vision is to ensure a safe and abundant food supply, contributing to healthier people everywhere.

For more than 70 years, the IFT has been unlocking the potential of the food science community by creating a dynamic global forum where members from more than 100 countries can share, learn, and grow. We champion the use of sound science across the food value chain through the exchange of knowledge, by providing education, and by furthering the advancement of the profession. IFT has offices in Chicago, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit ift.org.

Eco Vitamin Drink not so Body Friendly

Well, we hit a wall.  What the heck do we drink on hot days now that soda and fruit juices are out of the question (full of Sugars, Artificial Sweeteners, and High Fructose Corn Syrup).

But then we came across EcoDrink Complete Multivitamin at Costco the other day. It cost $19.99 for 30 packets — 15 berry flavor and 15 orange flavor. You mix it with water in the BPA free shaker bottle that is provided, and it gives you enough for two people (or a big dose for one person).

It’s

• Gluten Free
• Full of Antioxidants, Nutritients, and Electrolytes
• Diabetic Friendly
• 100% Natural Flavors and Colors
• 31 Highly Absorbable Vitamins, Minerals, and Nutrients
• And it’s great for the whole family too!

It supports:

• Heart Health
• Eyes and Skin
• The Reduction of Leg & Muscle Cramps

It’s got

• Zero Calories
• Zero Carbs
• Zero Sodium
• Zero Caffeine
• Zero Sugar

What?? Zero sugar. Why is this drink so grossly sweet that we could barely drink it.  Oh, of course! It might have zero sugar, but it’s loaded with Sucralose, the artificial sweetener that is shown to overexcite and kill off our brain cells!  We should know better by now to REALLY look at the labels and not leave it up to the manufacturers to have the contents CLEARLY stated.

As an aside, the side panel has blurbs about how this product helps with heart health, a healthy immune system, healthy eyes, joints, and skin, and bone health.  Then right below that in little tiny print, it says: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration“. Hmm, interesting.

Well, I have to go and return this product to Costco.  See you later.

Are you concerned about the amount of sugar in milk? Here’s a great milk alternative

I’m looking at a container of 2% milk right now and the Nutrition Facts say that there are 12 grams of sugar in one cup of milk.  That is equivalent to almost 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar.  Can you see yourself pouring a glass of milk and then putting 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar in it before you drink it? I sure can’t, and when I realized this I started looking for alternatives. (if you have read The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise or watched THIS VIDEO CLICK HERE then you already know that a high SUGAR diet is really a HIGH FAT diet).

One of the many alternatives I personally use is Coconut Milk.  The brand I am looking at right now is called So Delicious and it is unsweetened (very important). It’s also USDA Organic and Certified Gluten Free if that is an issue for you.

So what are the benefits of using a cup (8 oz) of Coconut Milk over a cup of milk?

• Milk: 130 calories vs Coconut Milk at 50 calories
• Total fat in milk: 8% or 5 grams and total fat in Coconut Milk 8% or 5 grams
• Both contain about the same Percent Daily Values of vitamins and minerals
• Coconut Milk is both Soy and Dairy Free

But more than that, I don’t tolerate milk products very well. But I have no problem with Coconut Milk at all. And it is really like a treat — rich, thick, and creamy.  Since the container of Coconut Milk I’ve purchased isn’t sweetened, I can control the sweetness. I sweeten the whole container (32 fluid ounces) with one packet of STEVIA

The side panel on the container adds that “Consumption of good fats is an important part of a balanced diet”. This is a very true statement. Remember that low fat products will always have sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, or Artificial Sweeteners in them and they are all very detrimental to our health.

To read more about the So Delicious product line, CLICK HERE

Which alternatives to milk do you use? Leave a comment below.

Are breads contributing to your weight gain? Try this one

I found this bread suggestion in Jorge Cruise’s book, The Bellyfat Cure.

I tried it and have to report that it is awesome. Now, I love breads. I have also realized recently that breads often have High Fructose Corn Syrup AND usually about 5 grams of sugars in each slice.

So what is so special about Ezekiel 4:9 (that come from the ovens over at Food For Life)? Well, here’s what they say on the package:

• The Original Flourless Low Clycemic
• Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Bread
• Certified Organic Grains
• All Natural
• No Preservatives
• Complete Protein
• Glycemic Index: 36
• There are 18 Amino Acids Present in this Unique Bread From All Vegetable Sources – Naturally Balanced in Nature

It really does taste good.  It might be a bit of an adjustment if you normally eat white bread, but your health is worth having a quality bread that won’t contribute to illness and/or weight gain.

PS I first bought the bread in a health food store (frozen foods area) for $5.95.  I then realized I could purchase it at Fred Meyer and it is only $3.49

This just  proves that eating “health foods” doesn’t necessarily mean you have to purchase them from an overpriced health food store.

Using Stevia for Sweetening Everything

Since deciding to get off of artificial sweeteners and refusing to consume anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup, I have discovered Stevia.  Personally, I love the taste, although I don’t get the same response from everyone. It seems to be an acquired taste for some…

What is Stevia?

Well Stevia is a herb. It’s really delicious and sweet. And a really good substitute for any kind of sugar.

But to see what the real definition of Stevia is, I tapped into Wikipedia.

Wikipedia says:

Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical regions from western North America to South America. The species Stevia rebaudiana, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia’s taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

So basically what they are saying is that Stevia is a herb, used for centuries for naturally sweetening foods and drinks.  There are no apparent side effects from using it. It is not a sugar so does not pack on bellyfat, and won’t overexcite your brain cells (whew, what a relief that is).

Wikipedia continues with this:

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

So it even helps us lose weight, but more than that, it is used medicinally in some populations.

For medicinal use, Wikipedia says:

For centuries, the Guaraní tribes of Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil used stevia, which they called ka’a he’ê (“sweet herb”), as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments.^[11] More recent medical research has shown promise in treating obesity^[12] and hypertension.^[13][14] Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance;^[15] therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

Look who’s has been using Stevia for decades. Again from Wikipedia:

In the early 1970s, Japan began cultivating stevia as an alternative to artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate and saccharin, which were suspected carcinogens. The plant’s leaves, the aqueous extract of the leaves, and purified steviosides are used as sweeteners. Since the Japanese firm Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. produced the first commercial stevia sweetener in Japan in 1971,^[8] the Japanese have been using stevia in food products, soft drinks (including Coca Cola),^[9] and for table use. Japan currently consumes more stevia than any other country, with stevia accounting for 40% of the sweetener market.^[10]

Today, stevia is cultivated and used in food elsewhere in east Asia, including in China (since 1984), Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. It can also be found in Saint Kitts and Nevis, in parts of South America (Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and in Israel. China is the world’s largest exporter of stevioside.^[10]

Where to buy Stevia:

I have found that Walmart has the best deal on Stevia. Look for it in the pharmacy/supplements area. You can purchase a box of 100 packets for $6.  I paid that for 50 packets in a health food store!

To read the full Wikipedia entry, click this link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

Sugar May Be Bad, But This Sweetener is Far More Deadly

View this incredible video presentation by Robert H. Lustig, MD UCFS Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism. It is about 1.5 hours in duration, but if you want the truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup, this is the presentation to see.

Drugs Cannot Treat the Underlying Cause of Diabetes!

by Dr Mercola of www.mercola.com

In fact, most conventional treatments for type 2 diabetes utilize drugs that either raise insulin or lower blood sugar. Avandia, for example, lowers your blood sugar levels by increasing the sensitivity of liver, fat and muscle cells to insulin.

But you must understand that, ultimately, diabetes is NOT a blood sugar disease.

Type 2 diabetes is actually a disease caused by insulin resistance and faulty leptin signaling, both of which are regulated by diet.

Conventional treatment, which is focused on fixing the symptom of elevated blood sugar rather than addressing the underlying disease, is doomed to fail in most cases.

Virtually 100% of Type 2 Diabetics can be Cured if they are Compliant with Lifestyle Changes

Type 2 diabetes is virtually 100 percent avoidable, and can be effectively treated without medications in about the same percentage of cases.

Leptin, a relatively recently discovered hormone produced by fat, tells your body and brain how much energy it has, whether it needs more (saying “be hungry”), whether it should get rid of some (and stop being hungry) and importantly what to do with the energy it has (reproduce, upregulate cellular repair, or not).

In fact, the two most important organs that may determine whether you become (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetic or not are your liver and your brain, and it is their ability to listen to leptin that will determine this.

How is this done?

Well, that’s the kicker. The only known way to reestablish proper leptin and insulin signaling is through a proper diet and exercise!

There is NO drug that can accomplish this, but following these simple guidelines can help you do at least three things that are essential for successfully treating diabetes: recover your insulin/leptin sensitivity, help normalize your weight, and naturally normalize your blood pressure.

As an aside, none of these will drastically raise your risk of a heart attack the way Avandia will … and in fact will have only positive benefits on your heart and your entire body:

• Severely limit or eliminate sugar and grains in your diet, especially fructose, which is far more detrimental than any other type of sugar.Finding out your nutritional type will help you do this without much fuss.While nearly all type 2 diabetics need to swap out their grains for other foods, some people will benefit from using protein for the substitution, while others will benefit from using more vegetable-only carbohydrates. Therefore, along with reducing grains and sugars, determining your nutritional type will give you some insight into what foods you should use to replace the grains and sugars.

• Exercise regularly — a must for anyone with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Typically, you’ll need large amounts of exercise, until you get your blood sugar levels under control. You may need up to an hour or two a day. Naturally, you’ll want to gradually work your way up to that amount, based on your current level of fitness.

• Avoid trans fats

• Get plenty of omega-3 fats from a high quality, animal-based source.
• Get enough high-quality sleep every night.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels. Recent studies have revealed that getting enough vitamin D can have a powerful effect on normalizing your blood pressure and that low vitamin D levels may increase your risk of heart disease.
• Address any underlying emotional issues and/or stress. Non-invasive tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can be extremely helpful and effective.
• Monitor your fasting insulin level. This is every bit as important as your fasting blood sugar. You’ll want your fasting insulin level to be between 2 to 4. The higher your level, the worse your insulin receptor sensitivity is.

The recommendations above are the key steps you need to achieve this reduction.

So please remember that a drug will never treat the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes the way these lifestyle changes will.

It looks like Avandia is set to go the way of Vioxx, which was also pulled from the market after killing 60,000 people. You don’t need to wait for the red tape to be removed to start looking out for your own health.

Diabetes runs in my family. About 15 years ago, I diagnosed my father with it and gave him these same guidelines to follow. He’s 81 years old and does two hours of exercise every single morning. He’s been able to keep his diabetes under control without taking a single drug by following these principles … and you can too.

Sweet Deception: The Additive Aspertame

100 times sweeter than sugar, Aspertame took 16 years to be approved. The FDA brought criminal prosecution against the makers of this products for deception and distorting the data. Eventually time ran out and the makers were never prosecuted, but that does not mean they weren’t skewing the results.

Obesity & Starvation Forum assesses a recent hypothesis on obesity, and how sugar may trigger a starvation reaction in the brain

Host: Michael Krasny

Guest: Robert Lustig, author of the hypothesis, which was published last week in Nature Clinical Practice: Endocrinology and Metabolism, professor of clinical pediatrics, and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UC-San Francisco’s Children’s Hospital

Click the link below to listen to or download the recording:

http://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/forum/2006/08/2006-08-15b-forum.mp3

UCSF’s Lustig Discusses the Role of Fructose in Pediatric Obesity

9 July 2007

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio National’s The Health Report, with Norman Swan, MD, features an interview with UCSF pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, MD, who argues that

the reason for the obesity epidemic is more than just the calories we eat and lack of exercise. Rather, it’s due to the wide use of fructose by food manufacturers in what Lustig terms the “toxic environment” of Western diets.

According to Lustig,

fructose, a carbohydrate, acts biologically like a fat and a hepato-toxin that worsens obesity, especially in children. High fructose stimulates the appetite and increases overall food consumption.

Lustig is professor of clinical pediatrics and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF.

Related link:
The Obesity Epidemic
The Health Report, ABC (Australia) Radio National, July 9, 2007

Depression Linked with Belly Fat

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor  ~  Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on April 29, 2009

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have shown that depression is linked with the accumulation of visceral fat, the kind of fat packed between internal organs at the waistline.

This type of fat has long been known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The finding may clarify the association between the diseases.

“Our results suggest that central adiposity – which is commonly called belly fat – is an important pathway by which depression contributes to the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” said Lynda Powell, PhD, chairperson of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Rush and the study’s principal investigator.

“In our study, depressive symptoms were clearly related to deposits of visceral fat, which is the type of fat involved in disease.”

The study included 409 middle-aged women, about half African-American and half Caucasian, who were participating in the Women in the South Side Health Project (WISH) in Chicago, a longitudinal study of the menopausal transition.

Depressive symptoms were assessed using a common screening test, and visceral fat measured with a CT scan.

Although waist size is often used as a proxy for the amount of visceral fat, it is an inaccurate measure because it includes subcutaneous fat, or fat deposited just beneath the skin.

The researchers found a strong correlation between depression and visceral fat, particularly among overweight and obese women. The results were the same even when the analysis adjusted for other variables that might explain the accumulation of visceral fat, such as the level of physical activity.

The study found no association between depressive symptoms and subcutaneous fat. The findings were the same for both black and white women.

Powell speculated that depression triggers the accumulation of visceral fat by means of certain chemical changes in the body – like the production of cortisol and inflammatory compounds – but said that more research is needed to pinpoint the exact mechanism.

Source: Rush University Medical Center

Belly fat in women: How to keep it off

Belly fat hasn’t always been your problem — you’ve worried more about hips and thighs. Now your midsection’s making up for lost time. What’s up?

By Mayo Clinic staff

Whether it’s because of heredity, hormonal changes or aging-related weight gain, many women notice an increase in belly fat as they grow older — and especially after menopause. Gaining fat in your abdomen is particularly unhealthy when compared with other locations in your body. Excess belly fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers. The good news is that a few lifestyle changes and some targeted abdominal exercises can help you battle your belly bulge.

When fat gathers in your abdomen

As you age and your metabolism slows down, the amount of fat in your body slowly increases. Women experience an even greater fat percentage increase than men do. Then after menopause, your body fat distribution tends to shift — less in your arms, legs and hips, and more in your abdomen.

You may think belly fat is limited to the stuff out front that you can grab with your hand — but it’s the fat you can’t see that’s really a cause for concern. Visceral fat lies deeper inside the abdomen, surrounding the abdominal organs. Gaining this type of fat has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other health problems. Subcutaneous fat, located between the skin and the abdominal wall, is more visible but also less likely to be a health risk.

While a slowing metabolism and decreased physical activity contribute to overall weight gain as you age, those factors don’t influence visceral fat accumulation directly. Heredity may be the culprit — you may simply have inherited a tendency to gain weight in your midsection. Hormones also play a role. Hormonal changes after menopause may change the way that your body breaks down and stores fat, leading to more fat accumulating in your belly.

Some women even experience a widening waist without gaining any weight. Although you may not be gaining extra fat, your abdominal fat is increasing as limb and hip fat decreases. Even in women of a normal weight, too much fat concentrated in the midsection is unhealthy.

The midsection matters

Gaining weight in your abdomen does more harm than simply making your waistband too tight. While putting on weight in general can have negative effects on your health, abdominal weight gain is particularly unhealthy. Too much belly fat increases your risk of:

• Heart disease
• Breast cancer
• Diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Gallbladder problems
• High blood pressure
• Colorectal cancer

Researchers also have found that abdominal fat cells aren’t just dormant energy waiting to be burned up. The cells are active, producing hormones and other substances that can affect your health. For example, some fat-cell-produced hormones can promote insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes; others can produce estrogen after menopause, which may increase your breast cancer risk. Researchers are still sorting out how the excess hormones affect overall health, but they do know that too much visceral fat can disrupt the body’s normal hormonal balance.

Measuring your middle

You know you’ve gained some inches around your torso, but how can you know whether it’s an unhealthy amount? You can calculate your body mass index (BMI) or waist-hip ratio, but researchers have found that simply measuring your waist can tell you whether you have an unhealthy amount of belly fat. In fact, BMI may not be an accurate measure of body fat percentage or fat distribution, particularly after menopause.

To measure your waist, run a tape measure around your midsection at about the level of your navel. Breathe normally, don’t hold your tummy in, and don’t pull the tape so tight that it presses your skin down. In a woman of healthy weight, a waist measurement of 35 inches or more indicates an unhealthy concentration of abdominal fat. Some research has shown that a measurement of 33 inches or more, no matter what your weight, increases your health risks.

Fight back the bulge

Since visceral fat is buried deep in your abdomen, it may seem like a difficult target for spot reduction. As it turns out, visceral fat responds well to a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet. Targeted tummy exercises can help to firm the abdominal muscles and flatten the belly.

Exercise. Daily, moderate-intensity exercise is the best way to lose belly fat — when you lose weight and tone your muscles, your belly fat begins shrinking, too. In fact, you may notice that your tummy bulge is the first area to shrink when you start exercising. The amount and type of exercise you should get varies depending on your current activity level and your health goals. Talk to your doctor about the right exercise program to promote good health and specifically combat abdominal fat.

Strength training. Some research has shown that exercising with weights is effective in trimming tummy fat. Talk to your doctor about how to incorporate strength training in your exercise routine.

Healthy diet. Changing unhealthy eating habits can help fight belly fat. Read nutrition labels, and replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. Increase portions of complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, and reduce simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta. If you need to lose weight, reduce your portion sizes and daily calorie intake.

Tone your tummy. While you can’t “spot-burn” belly fat, you can firm up your abdominal muscles and get a flatter belly. Traditional sit-ups aren’t the most effective way to firm your tummy, however. Instead, use these exercises to target both deeper and lower abdominal muscles:

• Deeper abdominal muscles. Target deeper abdominal muscles by doing “abdominal hollowing” or “drawing in the bellybutton.” First, get down on all fours. Let your tummy hang down as you take a deep breath. Let your breath out, and at the end of your exhalation, gently draw your bellybutton inward and upward toward your spine. You should feel a slight tightening around your waist — think of it as trying to squeeze through a partially closed door. Hold for 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Work up to 10 repetitions. During each effort, your spine position shouldn’t change and you should breathe freely. Eventually, you’ll be able to do this exercise standing up. It’s so subtle, no one should be able to tell you’re doing it.
• Lower abdominal muscles. Tone your lower abdomen by doing pelvic tilts and pelvic lifts. To do a pelvic tilt, lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Flatten your back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and bending your pelvis up slightly. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Repeat five times and work up to 10 to 20 repetitions.

  For pelvic lifts, lie on your back with your knees bent up toward your chest and your arms relaxed by your sides. Tighten your lower abdomen and lift your buttocks up off the floor, with your knees aimed toward the ceiling. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Repeat five times and work up to 10 to 20 repetitions.

Hormone therapy. Although there are good reasons for some women to try hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause, fending off belly fat isn’t one of them. It’s true that some studies have demonstrated that postmenopausal women who take HRT are less likely to accumulate abdominal fat than are postmenopausal women who forgo HRT. Other studies, however, found no difference. Meanwhile, questions about the risks and benefits of HRT persist. Talk to your doctor in detail about the risks and potential benefits of hormone therapy before trying it.

America’s Silent Killer: Diabetes

If there were a deadly disease raging through your body, wouldn’t you want to know how to stop it? Unfortunately, more than 6 million Americans are walking around with a silent killer eating away at their health—and they have no idea they’re even at risk. That silent killer is diabetes, the fastest-growing disease in history.

It’s estimated that 80 million people in the United States have diabetes or are on the verge of developing this disease. Diabetes is particularly prevalent in the African-American community, where it claims nearly 100 lives every single day. “It’s time to get out of denial,” Oprah says.

Because so many people are affected, the United States is forced to spend $174 billion a year treating this disease—more than AIDS and all cancers combined. “If we don’t fix the problem of diabetes in this country, we will bankrupt our future ability to pay for healthcare in the nation,” Dr. Oz says.

See the rest of the story by clicking here

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Worst Drinks in America 2010

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Worst drinks in American 2010

20. Worst Water

Snapple Agave Melon Antioxidant Water (1 bottle, 20 fl oz)

150 calories
0 g fat
33 g sugars

Sugar Equivalent: 2 Good Humor Chocolate Éclair Bars

While “Worst Water” may sound like an oxymoron, the devious minds in the bottled beverage industry have even found a way to besmirch the sterling reputation of the world’s most essential compound. Sure, you may get a few extra vitamins, but ultimately, you’re paying a premium price for gussied-up sugar water.

Next time you buy a bottle of water, check the recipe: You want two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen, and very little else.