Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!

The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.

Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:

For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).

I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.

The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.

I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.

Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!

MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:

1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.

2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.

3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.

4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.

5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)

Best Foods for Preventing Disease

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Good nutrition is vitally important for having a healthy life. There are many healthy foods that you should be incorporating into your eating plan each day. However, there are some foods that significantly reduce your risk and can even prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease. These foods contain antioxidants, phytochemicals that protect our cells from damage due to free radicals which over time cause cancer and other diseases.

BLUEBERRIES:

Packed with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins, blueberries neutralize free radical damage that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Blueberries are packed full of fiber, vitamins C, K, and minerals.

BROCCOLI

If ever there was a superfood in the world, it would be broccoli. It has more vitamin C than an orange and as much calcium as a glass of milk. One broccoli spear has three times more fiber than a slice of whole grain bread. As a cruciferous vegetable it contains antioxidants that break down estrogen, reducing the risk of breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers. It is also rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease and other types of cancer.

CITRUS

Citrus fruits contain hundreds of nutrients including high levels of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that helps to support the immune system and prevents free radical damage. Due to the multitude of vitamin C's health benefits, the consumption of fruits high in this nutrient reduces the risk of death from heart disease, stroke and cancer. It lowers cholesterol and helps fight infection. Citrus fruits are the most detoxifying and healthy fruits.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Dark chocolate, the richer in cocoa the better, is packed with antioxidants. Cocoa is rich in antioxidant flavonoids. People with high blood levels of flavonoids have a reduced risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. (Eat in moderation!)

DARK GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, romaine, and collard greens are packed with antioxidants, fiber, lutein, and carotenoids, all cancer-fighting substances.

GREEN TEA

Tea can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, and degenerative diseases. Green tea contains high concentrations of antioxidants.

HAZELNUTS

Hazelnuts are a powerful source of antioxidants. If cancer cells have already begun to form, hazelnuts help to defuse these cells. They are packed with fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and B vitamins. They have no cholesterol, are low in saturated fats but high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats help to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and decrease the risk of heart disease.

TOMATOES

Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers. Tomatoes also help boost the body’s immune system, prevent macular degeneration and assist in maintaining mental functions as we age. (Cooked tomatoes are preferable, since heat allows more desirable antioxidants in tomatoes to be made available to the body.)

WHOLE GRAINS

Whole grains not only contain fiber and traditional nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and iron, but also numerous disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants. A diet rich in whole grains boosts immunity, reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and breast, colon, liver, and prostate cancers.

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