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.)

Tips to Better Health

7:13 AM  , , , , , , , ,  No comments

Now more than at any other time in history, people are aware of how important it is to have the best health possible. Making a commitment to take care of your body, both internal and external, is probably one of the most important decisions you'll ever make so getting it right the first time is critical for your overall health.


Here are a few tips to help you discover ways to maintain a healthier lifestyle, and enjoy the best of health without spending a fortune:

HEALTHY DIET

We all know we should eat healthy foods and reduce fat, salt and sugar intake, but eating well also means eating at the right times. Breakfast should never be missed. Later meals should be lighter and healthy, and eating just before bed is a definite no-no.

The basic lessons we learned as children about the four major food groups (NOT coffee, burger, donuts and fries!) still apply to us as adults. If your are vegan or vegetarian you might consider taking a B-12 supplement. 

EXERCISE

Increase your activity level. Even 15 to 20 minutes of physical activity a day can make a huge difference in how you feel and the health of your body. Exercise reduces your risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer. Take a walk, ride a bike, swim, roller skate or go outside and play tag with your kids. Any activity is better than none.

SUPPLEMENTS AND VITAMINS

The following supplements and vitamins are good for general health: Aloe vera, glucosamine, selenium (said to be a powerful anti-viral supplement), Vitamins D, E, C, B-12, Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium.

ELIMINATE STRESS

Stress is not just a key contributor to poor health, it can prove fatal. Studies have found that stress can be linked to heart attacks, certain cancers, high blood pressure (can result in strokes) mood swings, depression, and broken relationships.

If you live a stressful life or are experiencing a stressful period, find ways to help you relax. Read, listen to music, take a walk (very beneficial for your mind and your body), play with your kids, go shopping, take a long, hot bath or work crossword puzzles.

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture can be traced back more than 2,000 years. This traditional treatment of many eastern countries is said to be beneficial by stimulating zones of the body, known as "Meridians" that have a direct relationship to internal organs and the spirit. Practitioners insert fine needles into the Meridians to promote natural healing, improve bodily functions and give your immune system a boost.
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

Therapeutic massage isn’t used just to make you feel good. Some of the health benefits of therapeutic massage are:

*Pain reduction / elimination
*Stress reduction / elimination
*Improved circulation in the blood and lymphatic systems
*Improved mechanical function

SLEEP WELL

If you aren't sleeping well, you aren't healthy. Sleep deprivation leads to stress (see above), an increase in the likelihood of accidents at home, at work and on the road, and reduced performance all round.

LAUGHTER

When you laugh beneficial things happen to your body:

*Your heart becomes stronger.
*Blood pressure is reduced.
*Muscles relax.
*Your lungs becomes stronger.
*Stress is reduced.
*Pain is forgotten.
*Immunity is boosted.
*You feel better all over!

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