Weight Loss Tips That Work

Weight Loss Tips That Work!

Weight management is all about health. In a culture that has produced Barbie and a media filled with waiflike images of male and female celebrities (who often look way too thin), what's needed is an accurate and realistic assessment of our body-image goals and the fortitude to carry out a healthy weight management plan.

There are 30 to 40 billion fat cells in your body. At times, they may seem like an army of enemies out to sabotage your appearance in a swimsuit, but they saved our ancestors from starving by storing fat to get them through lean times. Trouble is, we have more than enough food available in America in this day and age, and we're usually not trekking across frozen tundra or arid steppes in search of the next encampment.

Combine our hefty calorie intakes with generally sedentary lives -- sitting in front of the computer all day, driving from office to home, plopping down on the couch with the remote control to unwind -- and it's easy to see why too many Americans weigh more than they should.

Being overweight can damage much more than your ego. Overweight people have increased risks of developing high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL ("good") cholesterol, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, gallbladder disease, stroke, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis and various kinds of cancer. Due to these problems, overweight people may have a substandard quality of life and possibly die sooner than their healthy counterparts.

There is good news; however, if you are overweight. Even a five to 10 percent weight loss can lower your health risks. You may find your energy level and confidence increasing as the pounds come off, too. It's also true that genetics plays a role in how your body deals with calories. A family history of obesity increases your odds of ending up obese by 25 to 30 percent, but that just means you may have to work a little harder than those without such a history to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. You're not doomed. You can choose to adopt healthy habits.

Here are some things that can help.

Before you set any weight loss goals, be realistic. The goal isn't necessarily to look like a super model. A good way to assess your weight health is to measure your Body Mass Index, or BMI. This method is better at estimating body fat and health risks than other methods... including the bathroom scale. If your BMI is 19 to 24, there's probably not a health advantage to losing weight. Keep up healthy habits to stay in this ideal range. If your BMI is 25 or more, losing weight might improve your health. If your BMI is under 19, you're most likely underweight.

STOCK THE PANTRY WITH HEALTHY FOODS

Instead of jumping on the diet-of-the-week bandwagon, experts advise eating a diet with 50 to 65 percent carbohydrate (emphasizing whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies); 20 to 25 percent protein; and the remainder from mostly unsaturated fat (olive oil over butter or meat fat, for example). High-fiber foods will fill you up and are not very calorie-dense. They also take a while to chew, giving your body time to signal you that it's time to put your fork down after you've had enough. Instead of potato chips or crackers containing hydrogenated oils, opt for almonds, peanuts, soy nuts, air-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast or mixed seasonings, carrots, grapes, pretzels or other non-fried snacks.

EAT WITH INTENTION
This one seems easy, yet few of us do it in our multi-tasking frenzy. For many people, eating while driving, watching TV or working at the computer is practically second nature. But these distractions take away from our enjoyment and awareness of what we're eating, often contributing to eating too fast and overeating. Make a point of sitting at the table, turning off the TV and computer and setting aside your work for mealtimes. In addition many overweight people feel they have to sneak their food or that they don't deserve to enjoy their food. It's better to sit and really enjoy some of what you really want than to sneak it or end up depriving yourself until you end up bingeing out of frustration.

GIVE UP YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB
As a child, you may have been encouraged to finish every last morsel of food on your plate. While we certainly don't want kids in India to go hungry, stuffing yourself to the brink of exploding won't help anyone, including you. Get used to pushing your plate aside when you've had enough.

PORTIONS
In this age of super-size everything, it's easy to lose sight of what a portion of food actually looks like. To keep portion sizes in check, use small dishes to serve meals and desserts. Instead of a cereal bowl, use a dessert dish for ice cream. Put your pasta in a cereal bowl instead of loading it onto a gargantuan plate.

PLAN AHEAD
The amount of planning you do for the week ahead can make or break healthy eating patterns. Have healthy snacks on hand and bring sandwiches if you'll be away from home at lunch or staying late at the office. Determine whether you'll be walking by a store, where you can buy yogurt and/or fruit during a snack or lunch break.

LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR WORKOUT
It's not always easy to drag yourself out of bed for a morning jog. If that's the case, find some other aerobic activity that you enjoy enough to keep doing. Walking is one easy option.
Take a dance or yoga class, or sign up at a gym and ask a trainer to help you use the weights. Find out if there's a local indoor pool for lap swimmers; it's easy on the joints and a darn good workout. Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days of the week-getting your heart pumping is important. (If you have health problems, be sure to ask your doctor to help you devise an exercise program that is safe, and before beginning an exercise program, become familiar with your maximum heart rate so you don't put unnecessary stress on your heart.)

Why Stress Makes You Eat

Stress is any change in your normal routine or health. Stress occurs when bad things happen, as well as happy things. Getting a raise or promotion is stress, just as getting fired from your job is stress. Speculative changes cause just as much stress as veritable changes. Pensiveness or anguish about whether you will get that new job is stress the same as being offered a new position is stress. Often people use food to comfort themselves, relieve stress and have something to do when they're bored or sad. Many people mistakenly use food to accommodate certain basic needs, such as getting rest, expressing feelings, being intellectually stimulated and receiving comfort. Food isn't going to supply any of that. While many people use food in response to emotions like anger, frustration, loneliness and sadness, stress is felt to be the main cause of emotional eating. Imagine that it is mid-morning and you encounter unexpected stress. Your boss e-mails you about a huge accounting error you've made, or your pediatrician calls to tell you your 6-year-old's lab results are abnormal. Your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. During a fight-or-flight reaction, your cells demand sugar for fuel -- and quickly. Unfortunately, on this particular morning, you skipped breakfast, and supper the night before was ice cream and a diet Coke. You have a minimal amount of circulating blood sugar available to handle your stressful event. So, your liver releases part of its stockpile of stored blood sugar. When the stressful event is over, your blood sugar is low and depleted. Low blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia, causes weakness, anxiety, nervousness, shakiness and confusion. You feel weak, tremulous and irritable. You reach for a doughnut or a candy bar because your body craves sugar. That was not the best choice. Eating simple sugars and junk foods will indeed raise your blood sugar, but only for a short time. As soon as that ingested burst of sugar is metabolized, your circulating levels of blood sugar drops back precipitously low. And, the cycle of irritability and poor mental performance continues. So, What can you do? 1. Understand the Stress Response. When faced with a stressful situation, your brain signals the adrenal glands to release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol, in turn, releases glucose and fatty acids into the bloodstream to provide energy to the muscles. High cortisol levels result in increased appetite and fat deposits, typically in the cervical area, trunk and abdomen. Why Stress Makes You Eat ? 2. Learn How Stress Impacts Eating. Stress can increase your appetite and make you crave foods that contain high calories and few nutrients. Unfortunately, researchers have not yet determined why stress-eaters tend to gravitate toward certain types of food. 3. Don't Worry, Be Happy. So, what can you do to decrease stress? Instead of seeking comfort in food, engage in a pleasurable activity that doesn't involve calories! You might get a massage, visit a friend, read a book, watch an old movie or play games with your child. 4. Take Charge. When faced with a stressful event, ask yourself what you can change to minimize the pressure. Elect to take charge of the situation instead of being victimized by it. In the process, your body will reduce the amount of cortisol it produces, which can minimize the harmful effects of prolonged hormone release. 5. Eat a Variety of Foods. Because stress affects blood sugar, it is important to eat healthy meals throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels. Stress-eaters tend to reach for sugary carbohydrates, so be sure also to include the recommended amounts of protein and fat in each meal. 6. Eat Breakfast. A well-balanced breakfast provides protein, carbohydrate and fat that helps keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, reducing the tendency to reach for a candy bar or soft drink. 7. Replenish Vitamin and Mineral Stores. Stress causes the body to "burn" more vitamins and minerals, specifically vitamin B complex, magnesium and zinc; these nutrients are needed for blood sugar balance. When their levels drop, stress levels increase. Also, the adrenal glands require more vitamin C and pantothenic acid (part of the vitamin B complex) during stressful times. To offset these needs, eat fresh vegetables and fruits daily. 8. Get Physical. Moderate exercise can help reduce the body's production of cortisol during stressful times. Numerous studies have shown that moderate physical activity helps modulate mood, reduce stress, improve self-esteem and program the brain for optimism instead of pessimism. Do aerobic and anaerobic training on a regular basis, but don't overdo it. Taking your frustration out during a vigorous workout will further increase cortisol production. 9. Get Plenty of Rest. Sleep deprivation affects blood sugar levels, increases cortisol and reduces the production of leptin (a hormone that signals that you are full). Go to bed a little earlier each night during trying times and aim for eight hours of sleep. How do you know if you're really hungry or if it's stress induced? There are several differences between emotional hunger and physical hunger. Emotional hunger tends to come on suddenly, while physical hunger occurs more gradually. When you're eating for emotional reasons, you tend to crave a specific food like ice cream, candy or pizza, and only that food will meet your need. When you're actually hungry, you're more open to options. Eating for emotional reasons tends to leave us feeling guilty when eating for physical hunger does not. Since stress is here to stay, everyone needs to develop methods for invoking the relaxation response -- the natural unwinding of the stress response. Relaxation lowers blood pressure, improves respiration, lowers pulse rates, releases muscle tension and eases emotional strains. This response is highly individualized, but there are certain approaches that seem to work, including: exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation and having a good network of social support. Posted by Dr. Nancy Tice, 10:31 AM, Permalink    Comment (0)

 

Weight Loss Tips That Work! Weight management is all about health. In a culture that has produced Barbie and a media filled with waiflike images of male and female celebrities (who often look way too thin), what's needed is an accurate and realistic assessment of our body-image goals and the fortitude to carry out a healthy weight management plan. There are 30 to 40 billion fat cells in your body. At times, they may seem like an army of enemies out to sabotage your appearance in a swimsuit, but they saved our ancestors from starving by storing fat to get them through lean times. Trouble is, we have more than enough food available in America in this day and age, and we're usually not trekking across frozen tundra or arid steppes in search of the next encampment. Combine our hefty calorie intakes with generally sedentary lives -- sitting in front of the computer all day, driving from office to home, plopping down on the couch with the remote control to unwind -- and it's easy to see why too many Americans weigh more than they should. Being overweight can damage much more than your ego. Overweight people have increased risks of developing high blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL ("good") cholesterol, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, gallbladder disease, stroke, respiratory problems, osteoarthritis and various kinds of cancer. Due to these problems, overweight people may have a substandard quality of life and possibly die sooner than their healthy counterparts. There is good news; however, if you are overweight. Even a five to 10 percent weight loss can lower your health risks. You may find your energy level and confidence increasing as the pounds come off, too. It's also true that genetics plays a role in how your body deals with calories. A family history of obesity increases your odds of ending up obese by 25 to 30 percent, but that just means you may have to work a little harder than those without such a history to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. You're not doomed. You can choose to adopt healthy habits. Here are some things that can help. Before you set any weight loss goals, be realistic. The goal isn't necessarily to look like a super model. A good way to assess your weight health is to measure your Body Mass Index, or BMI. This method is better at estimating body fat and health risks than other methods... including the bathroom scale. If your BMI is 19 to 24, there's probably not a health advantage to losing weight. Keep up healthy habits to stay in this ideal range. If your BMI is 25 or more, losing weight might improve your health. If your BMI is under 19, you're most likely underweight. STOCK THE PANTRY WITH HEALTHY FOODS Instead of jumping on the diet-of-the-week bandwagon, experts advise eating a diet with 50 to 65 percent carbohydrate (emphasizing whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies); 20 to 25 percent protein; and the remainder from mostly unsaturated fat (olive oil over butter or meat fat, for example). High-fiber foods will fill you up and are not very calorie-dense. They also take a while to chew, giving your body time to signal you that it's time to put your fork down after you've had enough. Instead of potato chips or crackers containing hydrogenated oils, opt for almonds, peanuts, soy nuts, air-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast or mixed seasonings, carrots, grapes, pretzels or other non-fried snacks. EAT WITH INTENTION This one seems easy, yet few of us do it in our multi-tasking frenzy. For many people, eating while driving, watching TV or working at the computer is practically second nature. But these distractions take away from our enjoyment and awareness of what we're eating, often contributing to eating too fast and overeating. Make a point of sitting at the table, turning off the TV and computer and setting aside your work for mealtimes. In addition many overweight people feel they have to sneak their food or that they don't deserve to enjoy their food. It's better to sit and really enjoy some of what you really want than to sneak it or end up depriving yourself until you end up bingeing out of frustration. GIVE UP YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB As a child, you may have been encouraged to finish every last morsel of food on your plate. While we certainly don't want kids in India to go hungry, stuffing yourself to the brink of exploding won't help anyone, including you. Get used to pushing your plate aside when you've had enough. PORTIONS In this age of super-size everything, it's easy to lose sight of what a portion of food actually looks like. To keep portion sizes in check, use small dishes to serve meals and desserts. Instead of a cereal bowl, use a dessert dish for ice cream. Put your pasta in a cereal bowl instead of loading it onto a gargantuan plate. PLAN AHEAD The amount of planning you do for the week ahead can make or break healthy eating patterns. Have healthy snacks on hand and bring sandwiches if you'll be away from home at lunch or staying late at the office. Determine whether you'll be walking by a store, where you can buy yogurt and/or fruit during a snack or lunch break. LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR WORKOUT It's not always easy to drag yourself out of bed for a morning jog. If that's the case, find some other aerobic activity that you enjoy enough to keep doing. Walking is one easy option. Take a dance or yoga class, or sign up at a gym and ask a trainer to help you use the weights. Find out if there's a local indoor pool for lap swimmers; it's easy on the joints and a darn good workout. Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days of the week-getting your heart pumping is important. (If you have health problems, be sure to ask your doctor to help you devise an exercise program that is safe, and before beginning an exercise program, become familiar with your maximum heart rate so you don't put unnecessary stress on your heart.)

Halt The Hurt: Coping With Pain

At least 34 million Americans suffer from chronic pain caused by conditions including arthritis, lower back problems, neuralgia, or migraine headaches. Some 15 million working Americans have pain on a chronic basis.

Having injured my back this summer, I have come to learn a lot about pain firsthand. Pain can be hard to define. It means different things to different people and your own perception of pain can change over time. For some people, acknowledging pain is a sign of weakness. What most people don't realize is that pain is a medical problem -- and that it can be treated.

How do you measure your pain?

It is difficult. No lab tests or X-rays can convey to your doctor what you are feeling. But even when pain is intense, many people struggle to find the words to describe it to the doctor. It is important to understand whether you suffer from acute or chronic pain.

Acute pain is not related to an ongoing condition and declines when you recover from the illness, injury, or surgery that initially caused the pain. Acute pain usually lasts for no longer than it takes to heal.

Chronic pain is constant or recurrent and is caused by a long-term condition (arthritis) or a progressive illness (cancer). Chronic pain lasts for months -- and it may last a lifetime. Chronic pain takes a psychological as well as a physical toll. It can lead to anxiety, anger, depression, and insomnia. Chronic pain sufferers may find it difficult or impossible to work and hard to do the things they once enjoyed. Chronic pain can even disrupt a person's relationships with family and friends.

Let's consider some of the more devastating psychological effects of chronic pain:

1. Loss of mobility. Chronic pain and suicide ideation have been shown to be strongly related. However, recent research shows that chronic pain is usually a secondary cause of suicide ideation. One of the chief intermediary factors is the severe effect that chronic pain has on limiting mobility. Being unable to move around comfortably, constantly being constrained by pain, being unable to enjoy normal sexual relations with one's spouse or carrying one's children without fear of injury leaves a damaging mark on the sufferer's emotions.
   
2. Depression. Patients with depression are also heightened in their perception of pain, and will very often be reluctant to carry out treatment modules provided to them for fear of encountering more pain. The combination of immobility and depression leads to irritability, nervousness (or anxiety) and an unhealthy desire for isolation. Marital conflicts develop and escalate. As depression sets in, chronic pain patients tend to become angrier, easily frustrated, often moody, and plagued with feelings of hopelessness.
   
3. Sleep Disturbances. Chronic pain also influences the amount of sleep the patient is able to get. Difficulty falling asleep and early night awakenings both contribute to progressive depression, lethargy, and poor memory (especially vigilance tasks). The last effect, that is, the decline in vigilance due to sleep loss often presents other problems, such as proneness to accidents.
   
4. Medications. Medications that limit the effect of pain may also produce nagging side effects such as gastro-intestinal problems or excessive sleepiness that create further irritation. In addition, some patients become dependent on painkillers to sleep or function throughout the day. Although there is evidence that narcotic drugs prescribed to chronic pain patients do not produce physical dependencies, these dependencies are often not biochemical but psychological. In addition, the patient may develop a tolerance to pain medications that are consistently prescribed.
   
5. Anxiety. Pain may also include anxiety disorders because of increased muscle tension or spasms. Tension headaches, post heart attack pain and other pain syndromes affecting the musculoskeletal system may occur. Patients injured in motor-vehicle accidents often suffer flashbacks of the accident, frequent nightmares, fear of driving or crossing the street, and extreme anxiety when returning to the site of the accident.
   

What do you need to tell your doctor?

• Where is the pain and how long have you had it?
  
• How bad is your pain? Use descriptive words to explain it to your doctor: is the pain a throb, an ache, a burning sensation, or a tingle? Is it constant or does it come and go? What triggers it?
  
• What do you think caused your pain? Tell your doctor about any injuries, illnesses, or activities that you believe are related to the onset of the pain.
  
• What medications or other pain-relief methods (including alternative or herbal therapy) have you tried? How effective have they been?
  
• Besides this pain, what other medical conditions do you have? Are you taking medications for any of these conditions?
  
• How has the pain affected your daily life? Be sure to describe the emotional changes in your life as well as the physical ones.
  

Pain patients often encounter numerous obstacles in their attempts to find a healthcare professional educated on current clinical thinking in pain management, pain assessment, and pain treatment. What should frustrated patients do? Be aggressive and, above all, educate yourself so you know the right questions to ask.

Some suggestions:

Become an effective advocate

• Learn what concerns your doctor. One pain specialist advises patients to open a dialogue with the physician -- without getting confrontational. Say, "I get the idea that you're not comfortable about managing my pain." If he or she acknowledges discomfort, ask to be referred to someone else.
  
• Describe your pain in ways a doctor can understand. Put a 1 to 10 number on it. Use descriptions such as sharp, stabbing, dull, aching, burning, shock-like, tingling, throbbing, deep, pressing.
  Find a doctor who can help
  
• Think of pain as a specialized problem which requires a doctor focused specifically on pain issues. In this type of scenario, your primary care doctor may refer you to a pain specialist for specific treatment -- but you will then go back to your primary care doctor once the situation is under control.
  
• Some pain advocates advise changing doctors if your pain remains uncontrolled even after you've tried to discuss or explain the situation to your physician. Advocates suggest networking with other patients to learn which doctors are up-to-date on pain management. Learn about local pain clinics or pain specialty practices. Many larger medical centers have professionals who specialize in pain.
  

Know your rights

• Having your pain adequately relieved is now an official patient right in many healthcare settings. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, a body that reviews standards of care, has started a process that requires all hospitals and nursing homes to specifically ask patients about their pain, assess it and make a plan to treat it, or risk losing accreditation.
  

Educate yourself

• Learn about your disorder and then start to network by joining a support group for people with your condition. Or learn through organizations' websites and chat rooms.
  

Make a pain-relief plan

• Work with a doctor to create a specific plan for you and set realistic goals.
  
• Explore non-drug, non-surgical relief, such as massage, relaxation, meditation, exercise, omega XL, cold and heat treatments. They may not take away your pain completely, but can often lessen the effects.
  

These articles are not intended as Medical advice, and the author assumes no responsibility for actions taken based on the information contained in this article. If Medical advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Are Body Shape, Weight Pre-Programmed At Birth?

Have you ever made the commitment to lose weight and stick to a strict diet, only to watch helplessly as fat loss grinds to a halt and the pounds drift back on in a matter of weeks? People might try to console you by saying "this must be the weight your body is comfortable at." And, while it might sound like a well-worn excuse, there may be some truth to it.
Everyone has a set point. Just like you have no control over how tall you will be -- or what color your eyes and hair will be -- you also have no control over what your set point will be. Your body is biologically and genetically determined to weigh within a certain range. However, this range is a healthy weight.
Nine out of 10 people that lose weight gain it back. Given this fact, it would seem that engaging in a weight loss program is a gamble, in which the odds of winning are very slim to none.
Before you become frustrated and give up, you should realize that one out of those very 10 people DID succeed. What that means is that it can be done! The trick is knowing how they did it.
Whether or not our weight is fixed by a set point, weight loss experts agree that it can be altered by improving eating and exercise habits. Environment has a huge influence. For instance, Americans are fatter than Europeans -- presumably for cultural reasons: junk food is readily available, exercise loses out to driving, portions are super-sized and food is more processed.
So, what can you do? A LOT!
The first step is to look for a weight, in which risk factors like cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. are diminished. This is not necessarily a weight that is arbitrarily dictated by the societal cosmetic ideal.
Pick a healthy meal plan to follow, like one and go on BiosLife Slim. It is life changing and will make the process so much easier!
Make sure you eat every 3-4 hours. Never go without food for long periods of time -- that could lead to a binge! In fact, this is probably one of the most common ways people lower their metabolism and hamper long-term success. A cycle of famine and bingeing leads to disordered eating and interferes with fat-regulating hormones, which ultimately causes an increase in body fat.
Stay away from overly processed foods, white flour and white rice. Instead, go for the whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Eat healthy fats. Shift away from saturated fat calories to omega-6 and especially omega-3 fats. These healthy fats tend to be burned as heat and aerobic work. They inhibit fat-producing enzymes and boost fat-burning enzymes. That's why you should eat more seafood, flax seeds and walnutsAre Body Shape, Weight Pre-Programmed At Birth?
Drink water! Water helps flush out your system and keeps you from drinking empty calories.
Exercise. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even at rest. Exercise also raises your metabolism for several hours after you've finished. The benefits extend well beyond your workout time. Also, when you decrease the amount of food you eat, as in dieting, your body also decreases the amount of calories it burns to try and maintain the balance. This is why you must increase your activity level to maintain your body's rate of burning calories.
Write it down. The key to successful weight loss is to write down the "what, when, where, how and why" of overeating, so you can help avoid these situations. Keep your trigger foods out of the house. If you know there are times of the day you are vulnerable to cheating, keep healthy alternatives readily available. Keep a healthy snack in your car, so you aren't tempted to visit the drive-thru.
Want help? Dr. Tice is available for online counseling and email counseling. Free Counseling for anyone who commits to using BiosLife Slim for 3 months. Why? Because it makes it so much easier!

How to Talk to your Doctor

How do you talk to your doctor? Does he or she do all the talking while you do all the listening? Are you afraid to ask questions?
A basic plan can help you prepare for your doctor visit, whether you are starting with a new doctor or continuing with the doctor you've seen for years. There is no question that your relationship with your doctor affects your care. The best care comes from a good relationship where you share information and work together to decide the best course of action.
The following tips can help you and your doctor build a partnership.
Be prepared: Before going to the doctor, make a list of what you want to discuss and any questions you have. For example, are you having a new symptom you want to tell the doctor about? Mention any changes you have noticed in your appetite, weight, sleep or energy level.
Also tell the doctor about any recent changes in the medication you take or the effect it has had on you. If you have more than a few items to discuss, put them in order so you are sure to ask about the most important ones first. Bring a list of the medications you are taking and the dosages. Bring a pen and paper to take notes.
Consider bringing a family member or friend: Sometimes if you are discussing a serious illness, your anxiety can diminish your ability to clearly take in information. A trusted second person can listen carefully to the discussion and take notes.
Don’t hide anything: If you’re hindered by embarrassment or even denial, you will lessen your chances of being helped. If it’s too difficult to say, try writing it down and giving it to the doctor to read.
Get your medical records: Obtain records from previous physicians. Be familiar with your family history.
Keep a medical journal: Keep a medical journal and include:
1. your history, your family history
2. names and specialties of other doctors you have seen
3. Medications that were prescribed to you
4. Surgeries you have undergone
5. Vaccination history
6. Relevant X-ray and lab results.
Questions to ask your doctor:
7. What’s my diagnosis? What caused it? And how serious is it?
8. What is the name of the tests you are ordering and what is their purpose?
9. How will I get the results of these tests?
10. What treatment options are available?
11. Do I need to take medication? If so what are the side effects?
12. Are there any restrictions in my activity?
13. Is there anything I should watch out for?
What if different doctors you’ve seen disagree?
1. Get a third opinion. You have gotten a second opinion before undergoing surgery or any other risky medical procedure. But what if the opinions differ? If you see three doctors and two recommend a similar treatment approach, it is probably the right decision.
2. Find out which doctor does the procedure most often. A successful outcome for a procedure, and a better informed opinion, are directly related to how many procedures a physician performs.
3. Compare credentials. Physicians who are affiliated with a university teaching hospital, are often more knowledgeable about the latest scientific studies, pros and cons of new treatments and other factors affecting your treatment.
4. Remember that doctors don't know everything -- even the best doctor may be unable to answer some questions. There still is much we don't know about the human body, the aging process and disease. Most doctors will tell you when they don't have answers. They also may help you find the information you need or refer you to a specialist. If a doctor regularly brushes off your questions or symptoms as simply part of aging, think about looking for another doctor.
5. Trust your instincts. If you have gotten different opinions from two or more physicians, and all seem equally qualified, go with the person you trust and feel most comfortable with.
Good health care always depends on good communication with your doctor and other health professionals. I hope this article will inspire you to take an active role in your health care.

7 ways to avoid emotional eating

Weight management is all about health. In a culture that has produced Barbie and waiflike images of male and female celebrities, what’s needed is an accurate and realistic assessment of our body-image goals and the fortitude to carry out a healthy weight management plan.
Most people find themselves reaching for food at times when they clearly aren’t hungry. Oftentimes we are not even aware of our emotions or stressors (or that we are eating in response to moods and emotions) until we get in tune with our feelings.
Stress, the blues, fear and guilt are normal parts of life. Chances are we can't fully rid ourselves of these unpleasant feelings, but we can learn to deal with them more effectively. Our objective reasoning can tell us that eating unhealthy foods isn't relieving our stress or solving our emotional problems. Here are some ways to help change our cues for habitual and emotional eating.
PICK JUST ONE OR TWO BEHAVIORS YOU WANT TO CHANGE, THEN OBSERVE. Do you reach for food when you’re stressed? When you’re tired? See if you can find what triggers you to eat. Write down how you were feeling before, during and after you had food. Knowing your patterns and habits can help you find solutions.
STOCK THE PANTRY WITH HEALTHY FOODS. Instead of jumping on the diet-of-the-week bandwagon, experts advise eating a diet with 50 to 65 percent carbohydrate (emphasizing whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies), 20 to 25 percent protein and the remainder from mostly unsaturated fat (olive oil over butter or meat fat, for example). High-fiber foods will fill you up and are not very calorie-dense. They also take a while to chew, giving your body time to signal you that it's time to put your fork down when you've had enough. Instead of potato chips or crackers containing hydrogenated oils, opt for almonds, peanuts, soy nuts, air-popped popcorn sprinkled with nutritional yeast or mixed seasonings, carrots, grapes, pretzels or other non-fried snacks.
SET A REALISTIC, SPECIFIC, EASILY MEASURABLE GOAL. The more concrete you can get, the easier it is to facilitate change. For example, don’t say: “I will never overeat again.” A more helpful goal would be: “I will think about what I am eating and decrease my stress eating to no more than 4 stress snacks a week.” Find other ways to deal with the stress -- like listening to music or keeping a journal. Break a big goal up into smaller weekly goals.
EAT MINDFULLY. This one seems easy, yet few of us do it in our multi-tasking frenzy. For many people, eating while driving, watching TV or working at the computer is practically second nature. But these distractions take away from our enjoyment and awareness of what we're eating, often contributing to eating too fast and overeating. Make a point of sitting at the table, turning off the TV and computer and setting aside your work for mealtimes.
Many overweight people feel they have to sneak their food -- or that they don’t deserve to enjoy their food. It’s better to sit and really enjoy some of what you really want than to sneak it or end up depriving yourself until you end up bingeing out of frustration.
PLAN AHEAD. The amount of planning you do for the week ahead can make or break your healthy eating patterns. Have healthy snacks on hand and bring sandwiches if you'll be away from home at lunch or staying at the office late. Determine whether you'll be walking by a store, where you can buy yogurt and/or fruit during a snack or lunch break.
KEEP A TEMPTATION BASKET IN THE KITCHEN. Include a good book, your favorite CD, some herbal tea and a list of friends you can call to help talk you out of your urge to indulge. This way you are prepared when the craving strikes.
REWARD YOURSELF ALONG THE WAY. Don’t just focus on the end results. Take time to acknowledge the accomplishments along the way. That’s the beauty of having “mini-goals.” Plan your rewards ahead of time. It can be time by yourself, a warm bath, a massage, a movie or a good book -- whatever it is that will give you something to look forward to!
So, forge ahead and be smart and disciplined about your diet and exercise habits. You too can lose that weight for good.

Chia Seeds-The new Super food!

The Magic of Chia Seeds! The ‘new’ Superfood!
I may be a little bit late to the party, which is nothing new in my life, however when I arrive, I arrive in Style. Today I arrive bearing Chia seeds. If the name ‘Chia’ conjures up images of funny looking figurines I’m here today to reprogram your thinking (though the sprouts from those pets are very healthy!). Chia seeds have been a staple food source for the Native American people for centuries. Aztec warriors would eat Chia during hunting trips, and the Indians of the Southwest would eat only Chia seed mixed with water as they ran from the Colorado River to the Pacific Ocean-and by the end of this article you will understand why! I get my Chia seeds from nutsonline.com. I have no affiliation with them! I only mention them because I am astonished with the speed of service and the quality.
An Amazing Source of Omega 3’s: Chia seeds and oil naturally contain more than 60% Omega-3 fatty acid, this is the highest percentage of Omega-3 of any commercially available source. The body converts Omega-3 from chia into EPA and DHA. Chia has no odor, doesn’t go rancid, is easy to store, easy to use, has very little flavor/taste and is not contaminated with pesticides, chemicals or heavy metals. (Now isn’t that a nice change!)

Built in Dehydration Prevention: Chia's hydrophilic (water loving) structure holds water. The seed can soak up ten times its weight in water. This means when inside your body, the seeds help you stay hydrated longer. Athletes eat chia seeds to stay hydrated during long workouts.
Great Fiber Source: Chia is also a good source of fiber as they produce a thick gel in water, absorbing up to 30 times their weight. This soluble fiber cleans the intestines by binding and transporting debris from the intestinal walls so that it can be eliminated efficiently and regularly. A daily dose of chia seed provides an excellent fiber source.

High in Protein: Chia seed is a complete source of dietary protein, providing all the essential amino acids. Compared to other seeds and grains, chia seed provides the highest source of protein, between 19 to 23 percent protein by weight.
A Diet Food! The gel-forming property of chia seed tends to slow digestion and sustain balanced blood sugar levels, which can be helpful in preventing or controlling diabetes, mood swings and food cravings. It works by forming a gel when becoming wet. This gel, when in our digestive systems, helps prevent some of the food that we eat from getting absorbed making the chia seed a great diet helper. Eating the seeds also helps curb your appetite by making you feel fuller faster.
Random Good Stuff: Chia seeds contain greater alpha-linolenic acid concentrations than any other seed or grain. This substance lowers the risk of heart disease, blurred vision, and numbness. Chia seed contains large amounts of B vitamins and calcium. By volume, one ounce of chia contains 13 percent niacin, two percent B-2 (riboflavin and 29 percent thiamin, and trace amounts of all B vitamins. In roughly two ounces of chia there are 600 milligrams of calcium, contrasted with 120 milligrams of calcium in the same amount of milk. (If you’re doing the math that is 5 times the amount of calcium than a glass of milk!)

Chia also contains boron, which is needed for bones. With much of the nation’s soil boron depleted, we simply are not getting enough boron (or most minerals!) in our daily diets. Boron is needed to aid the metabolism of calcium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus in bones and for muscle growth. Boron also can increase the levels of natural estrogen.

Ok, so what’s the best way to take your Chia?



There is no ‘right way’ to eat Chia, that’s the beauty of it. Chia seeds are very mild tasting which is why it’s so easy to mix it in with anything.
You can mix the Chia gel with: Fruit juices, smoothies, milk, shakes, jams, jellies, preserves, syrups, lemonade, yogurt, nut butters, hot cereal, cold cereal, polenta, grits, pancake and waffle mix (use 1 tablespoon per waffle), mustard, barbeque sauce, dips, soups, mayonnaise, salad dressings, you name it! Or you can use it in baking instead of oil or shortening. Sprinkle them on your salad! You can make a gel and add the gel to foods. You can add the gel to anything you wish for reducing calories, saturated fat and sugar amounts without compromising sensory appeal. The seeds can be used to replace less-healthy fat in just about any recipe. You can use them uncooked in salad dressings, spreads, fruit shakes, ice cream, and just about anything you want. You can also add them when baking to cookies, cakes, muffins, and other baked goods.

Here is how you can make a gel Put nine parts water in a sealable plastic container. Slowly pour one part seed into the water, then mix with a wire whisk or fork. This process will avoid any clumping of the seed. Wait a few minutes and stir again to break up any clumps, let stand ten minutes, and stir again. Store up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Add the gel, between 50 to 70 percent by volume, to any of the above-mentioned foods, mix well, and taste. You will notice a very smooth texture, with the integrity of the flavor intact, but you have added 50 to 70 percent more volume to your food and have displaced calories and fat by incorporating an ingredient that is ninety percent water! Oh! They also taste good ‘as is’. Enjoy!