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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.)

Eating for a Healthy Thyroid

6:55 AM  ,  1 comment


An estimated 27 million Americans have thyroid disease, and more than half are undiagnosed. Frequently misunderstood, and too often overlooked and misdiagnosed, thyroid disease affects almost every aspect of health.  Taking care of it with good nutrition is a smart step in the right direction.

The following are foods that can nurture a healthy thyroid, as well as ones to avoid.

COCONUT. Coconut and coconut butter, commonly known as coconut oil, has been used as a food and medicine since the dawn of history. Unlike saturated animal fats found in meats and dairy products, coconut butter is a raw saturated fat containing fatty acids that the body can metabolize efficiently and convert to energy quickly. Research also shows it helps to regulate thyroid function. 

FISH, NUTS, FLAXSEED, and anything else that is rich in healthy fats are great for the thyroid. Have at least three servings of fish a week or one small serving of nuts and flaxseeds each day to help boost your health and metabolism.
 
KELP. Kelp is a nutrient-dense sea vegetable. It contains a natural substance that enhances flavor and tenderizes. Kelp works as a blood purifier, and promotes adrenal, pituitary and thyroid health. Its natural iodine may help normalize thyroid-related disorders like obesity and lymph system congestion. 

SEA SALT. Iodized salt is the worst thing to use if you want to keep your thyroid healthy. Even though the gland needs iodine, too much of a good thing can be a problem. Instead, use sea salt, which has a nice balance of minerals that will help support your body. But don't overdo it--too much of a good thing is not any good at all.
 
TURKEY. Turkey is one of the leanest protein foods and is low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. Turkey also contains selenium which has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone.

 VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS

COPPER and IRON. Both copper and iron are very important for thyroid function. Foods rich in copper are organ meats, oysters, clams, crabs, cashews, sunflower seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole-grain products, and cocoa products. Foods high in iron are leafy green vegetables, beans, shellfish, red meat, and poultry.  

SELENIUM. Because selenium deficiency is a major factor in low thyroid function, you should regularly include selenium-rich foods in your diet. Good sources of selenium are wheat germ, seafood and shellfish, beef liver and kidney, eggs, sunflower and sesame seeds, brazil nuts, mushrooms, garlic, and onions.



VITAMIN C. Make sure you get adequate amounts of vitamin C in your diet from foods like citrus fruits, red berries, tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers to help maximize your body’s iron absorption efficiency.

WHAT TO AVOID. Avoid the consumption of goitrogens, substances that suppress the function of the thyroid gland and can cause an enlargement of the thyroid. Goitrogens are in foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, and canola oil. Soy and peanuts also include goitrogens and should be avoided.

1 comments:

  1. Russell MorisMarch 3, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    I'm 35 years old, battling hypothyroidism and have been on synthetics.I have a slender body and follow a healthy diet but my weight has been increasing incredibly. I think I need to switch to natural thyroid now.

    ReplyDelete