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.)

How to Prevent Gall Stones

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There are many diseases and conditions that can be eliminated by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet and by engaging in regular physical exercise. One example is gall bladder disease which is common among individuals who are overweight or those who consume foods that are high in fat and iron. 


Gall bladder disease is usually caused by gall stones, is usually very painful, and is common with overweight people. The livers of overweight individuals produce too much cholesterol. It is then delivered into the bile and causes it to become supersaturated.

Some medical studies suggest that diets with saturated fat, refined sugar, and are high in heme iron (red meat, sea foods) are the primary culprits in the development of gall bladder disease. In some cases, the genes may play a role. Almost one-third of cases of painful gall stones may be linked to genetic factors.

Other health factors linked with increased tendency to develop gall bladder disease are:

*Female gender – women are more prone to developing gallstones than men.

*Pregnancy and especially multiple pregnancies.

*Age – older people are more inclined to develop gallstone problems than young people.

*Fat deposits in the upper body or trunk.

*Diabetes – patients with diabetes mellitus are more prone to gallstones.

*Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).

*Lipid-lowering medication – patients using statins to lower blood cholesterol levels may be exposed to greater risk of gallstones.

*Rapid and pronounced weight loss by means of gastric bypasses, fasting or severe calorie restriction.

*Habitual high fat intake or use of a high-protein, high-fat, very-low-carbohydrate diet.

The common symptoms of gall bladder disease include abdominal pain, indigestion, vomiting, nausea, bloating, pain and discomfort after eating fatty foods. Persistent bitter taste in the mouth, bad breath, constipation, discolored stool, and headache can also be symptoms of gall bladder disease However, aside from pain and discomfort of the gall bladder, individuals with this disease may feel no pain at all.

About 90 percent of gall bladder disease cause no symptoms at all. Medical studies show that the chance of developing pain is about two percent per year for the first 10 years after the gall stone is formed. Afterwards, the chance of developing symptoms declines. The cause of the decline is still unknown but some doctors suggest that smaller stones may be more likely to cause symptoms than larger ones.

Gall bladder disease can be a serious ailment if not treated properly or if treated in its latter stage. If symptoms do not improve after healthy diets and medication, surgery may be the only option left for gall bladder pain relief. Individuals with gall bladder ailments should bear in mind that surgery for this ailment is simple, involves, minimal risks, and allows patients to recover quickly after treatment.

However, preventing the development of gall bladder disease is better than gall bladder pain relief that can be given by any surgery or medication. Eating a healthy diet and engaging in regular physical activity is a preventive measure against gall bladder disease. Individuals who are overweight or obese should lose weight to prevent gall bladder disease and other conditions linked to obesity.

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