Build your Immune System

Most of us are experiencing exposure to people who are becoming sick due to colds or the flu. More and more info keeps popping up on how to stay well. Honestly though the best way not to get sick is to build your immune system. So here are some tips to do so:

• Get adequate rest, at least 6 to 8 hours each night. This is the time the body rebuilds and repairs itself so allow it to do so!
• Drink enough fluids,1-2 quarts daily, especially water. Water is the universal detox liquid. And, contrary to what you frequently hear about fruit juices they really aren't the best way to go; they are primarily just the sugar of the fruit which can actually deplete the immune system when consumed in excess.
• Consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, offering great vitamin, antioxidants and plant sterols that safeguard the immune system.
• Do avoid sugar, fructose and simple refined carbohydrates. These quickly compromise the immune system.
• Researcher David Nieman, Dr.PH suggests quercetin, green tea extract and fish oil to help immune system. Also, enough can’t be said about vitamin D3 to enhance immunity so get out in the sun when you can! Adding high quality vitamins and minerals to your diet might help as well.  And of course, you want to eat healthy to get nutrients from your food intake.
• Dr. Nieman suggests moderate exercise when you are well but not to overdue it either. Exercise to build your immune system but be cautious when you are just getting over being ill or coming down with something.
• And even though simple washing of your hands more consistently may not build your immune system specifically, it does helps keep those lurking virus bugs from attaching on to you.  Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible too.

For an user friendly, interesting and sometimes amusing video on how a virus enters the body see this!

Is Your Diet Making You Angry?

If you are following a low-carb, high-fat diet (similar to the Atkins diet) then you may be angry according to a report recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

This study which was done in Austraila with 106 obese members participating showed that those with a low-fat, high-carb diet were less depressed and angry after a year than those on a low-carb, high-fat diet.

Both diets did work for weight loss and on average the participants lost 30 pounds.

There are many reasons as to why those who were on the Atkins like diets were not as content as the others on the low-fat high carb diet. One hypothesis was that the participants may have been going through withdrawal symptoms from removing carbs from their diets which shows us how addicting carbohydrates can be to some people.

No matter which diet you chose to incorporate into your life you need to make sure it is something that you can live with long term as it will become a lifestyle change. If you are feeling depressed, or angry, then you might want to find play around with your food to find a diet that makes you feel happy and energized.

What were some of your experiences if you followed a low-carb/high-fat diet or a high-carb/low-fat diet?

Starting to Think About Thanksgiving

It is time to start thinking about Thanksgiving and what you are going to prepare and eat for this wonderful holiday. Some things you should do to start thinking about having a healthy holiday are:

Start making a game plan for the day - what will you eat during the day? when will you fit in your exercise?

How much will you eat at your Thanksgiving meal - will you eat a small breakfast and lunch before as to not overindulge?

What are those special foods that you will eat at this meal - are there 1 or 2 dishes that you love and only have once a year such as pumpkin pie or sweet potatoes with marshmallows? Will you enjoy a small serving of these foods? What foods can you pass on?

Are there foods that make better leftovers - what can you pass on today and eat tomorrow because sometimes leftovers just taste better and this can help you from really over eating.

Will you be the host to have control over the foods prepared or are you the guest who can bring a healthy dish or two for you and the rest of the guests?

Remember that this is just one day of the year so if you do overindulge you know you can get right back on track the next day.

What are some tips you have to help you have a Happy Thanksgiving?

Eating Slowly Can Help With Weight Loss

Perhaps you've heard that eating more slowly can help with weight loss. Here's why: When food enters digestive tract, hormones are released by the gut. These hormones signal the brain that we are full.  But this process takes time.  When you eat too quickly, by the time your brain gets the signal that you are satisfied, you've eaten way more calories than you actually need. Excess calories lead to weight gain. 

A study in an upcoming issue of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism demonstrates this effect. The researchers found that people who took 30 minutes to finish a serving of ice cream had higher levels of certain gut hormones and tended to feel fuller than those who ate the same size serving more quickly.

Eating more slowly can allow you to reduce your caloric intake but still leave the table feeling satisfied.  It can be hard to slow down in such a fast paced society, but here are some tips to help you slow down:

Don't eat in front of the TV, computer, or while reading

Set up an environment where you feel relaxed while eating

Put your fork down between bites

Chew your food completely

Don't eat in the car or on the run

What tips do you have to help slow down eating?

Dirty Little Secrets that Restaurants Hide

I’ve never been a fan of pushing dining out whether in regular restaurants or fast foods but now I’m convinced it’s a downright conspiracy to keep American overweight and unhealthy. In fact the writers of Eat This Not That have started confronting some local chains.  I applaud their efforts to let the public see things as they really are. Here’s just one of many dirty little secrets they found:

“Maggiano's Little Italy doesn't want you to know just how many calories and carbs you're consuming in those massive pasta portions. (As the menu puts it, "Family-style service or individual entrees are available ... Whichever you choose, you'll have plenty to share or take home.") Note In Italy, a standard pasta serving means 4 ounces of noodles with a few tablespoons of sauce. At Maggiano’s, a large order of pasta translates into two pounds of noodles piled high on a hubcap-size dinner plate (15 inches in diameter). A PR rep responded to our request for nutritional information a week later: "Sorry for the delay, I had to wait for corporate approval. Unfortunately, they have declined to participate." - "July 2008 Update: With no New York City locations, Maggiano's is still hiding from us — and you. But we're still watching.”

Do read more dirty little secrets that have been discovered here.  I'm sure there are numerous other resturants besides the ones discovered here doing similar things. These examples are exactly why the public needs to have the nutritional information boldly posted. Ignorance certainly is not bliss when it comes to our health.

Haunted by Halloween Treats?

Halloween is the kick off season for weight gain. Don’t be “tricked” into devilish weight gain! Here are some tips to stay on track:

• Buy Halloween candy the day before Halloween so it’s not sitting around to tempt you. Store it in places where you are not constantly exposed to it.
• Purchase only the candy items that you don’t like.
• Consider passing out non-food treats to the kids.
• If you absolutely must have a Halloween candy, enjoy a moderate amount of it, but only if it doesn’t set you off on a binge. Fruit of course, would be the best choice.
• Emphasize the fun part of Halloween. 
• Halloween night is so hectic sometimes a healthy meal is not even a consideration. Plan on consuming leftovers from the night before or have something you can just grab and eat or assemble quickly.
• Eat dinner a bit earlier so you get that evening meal in. If you miss dinner entirely it’s a set up for over indulging later!
• Offer to buy your kid's candy when it comes in so the leftovers aren't "haunting" you. Then get rid of it. Or keep the extra candy in a spot where you aren't constantly tempted to see it and eat it.
• Enlist your spouse or friend to support you (NOT be the food police).
• Just because those mini candies are so little, remember they can add up real quick.
  
• Tackle this challenge with a positive attitude! Check Dana's blog as well for additional input on Halloween challenges.
  

It won’t be a Happy Halloween if you feel bad about over doing it the next day and you won't feel like the devil made you do it!

Do prescription appetite medications work for weight loss?

Do prescription appetite suppressants work to curb appetite and lose weight? They do and they don’t. Let me clarify. They do reduce appetite but the problem is the minute a person goes off them the same problems still may exist if a person has not properly changed their eating behaviors and addressed any emotional components to overeating, which are frequently the core causes of overeating in the first place.

I’ve also seen situations when appetite suppressants have been given and clients maintain a false sense of confidence in their eating choices. In other words they think nothing will tempt them ever again and they will never gain the weight back and that could be the medication talking.

In the past I have also found clients who were not monitored and/or assessed properly and were given appetite suppressants too freely and irresponsibly.

Lastly if taken for too long of a time the medication may be hard on the adrenal system, especially if a person is highly stressed to begin with.

So, if you do decide to go on a medication for appetite control realize you also need to change any bad eating habits to be successful for the long haul.

Guilt Free Peanut Butter

I don’t know about you but doing most of my dieting in the fat free era of the 80's I still tend to be a bit wary of things heavy in fat. As a result I even gave up peanut butter because it was one of those foods I could literally eat right out of the jar. But at long last I have found a great tasting peanut butter that is almost all protein with very little fat. (Contrary to common thinking peanut butter is mostly a healthy fat not a particularly high protein source.) Anyway the peanut butter I now enjoy is called PB2. Two tablespoons has 52.2 calories, 3.4 carbs, and 5.65 grams of protein.

And yes, it really does taste good! And, because you basically just add water to the pure dried peanut mix you can make up as little or as much of what you want. Incidentally, it also comes with a chocolate version. That I won't tempt myself with!

Boost Your Immune System to Prevent Colds

A strong immune system can help you fight of colds during the autumn and fall. One of the best ways to   boost your immune system is with good nutrition and eating the right foods. Eating a diet of whole foods will help keep you healthy, but make sure you are adding these foods to your diet to keep your immune system strong:

All Natual Whipped Topping

If you have browsed the aisles of your natural grocery store you may have come across TRUwhip  All Natural
Whipped Topping. This topping has no trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, or GMO's.

Enjoy this topping with fresh berries or on top of pie. A serving of this whipped topping is 2 tablespoons and each serving has 30 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 3 grams of carbs.

So if you are a user of whipped toppings that are full of chemicals and trans fats take a look for TRUwhip topping to make a healthy swap in your diet.