I spent the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend in Marco Island with my husband, children and mother. It was a very relaxing couple of days in paradise with perfect weather, lots of laughs and wonderful opportunity to reconnect for everyone.
One of my favorite things to do is walk down the long beach towards the point where it narrows and there is water on both sides of me. I enjoy the quite time, the connection with nature, the peacefulness of the water and the sea life from pelicans gliding to dolphins surfacing. I also enjoy the people watching especially older and younger couples walking hand in hand, exercisers jogging along the sand, young children collecting shells and splashing around in the waves, teenagers trying to fit in and so on. I've been going to Marco Island for 16 years and it's just as beautiful as the first time I went. What I noticed this time is people on cell phones. Some are walking along side their spouse, some are walking with friends or family and in some cases, both are on the phone. I run the whole gamut of emotions when I think of this scene of beauty and people choosing to be consumed by a phone conversation that has an 80% chance of being non-sensensical.
I was in the airport and noticed a couple having dinner at a restaurant. The man had a lap top on the table and was typing from the minute they sat until they left - taking bites in between typing. I see mothers holding babies as they are texting messages. I also see people on the plane keeping their cell phones on to the very last minute to give a play by play of the flight status to the person on the other end of the line - who must not have a life either.
I could go on. I know we all see these examples around us. On this vacation, I brought with me a book called the 4 hour work week. Now I barely got through a few chapters, but what I read combined with my heightened awareness of what I saw made me make some commitments to myself not to be a slave to technology. Technology is suppose to make our lives easier and we are victims of it. I am committed to turning my cell phone off and checking it twice a day - the first will be on the way to camp to see if there are any messages from campers and the second will be at 3:00 - before the kids get home from school and in enough time to respond to any emergencies -which rarely exist!!!
I am also going to check e-mails 4 times a day - which is a big change for me. I usually check e-mail every 4 minutes. I get over 500 e-mails a day and write about 80 e-mails a day. I am going to be in control of my time and I want to enjoy it and be the most productive with work time and the most relaxed with family and personal time.
It's an exercise in progress and I'll let you know how it goes. I am looking forward to eliminating what is not necessary, delegating what ever I can, doing what I am good at with the greatest pleasure, lowering stress, enhancing production and making the best possible choices with the precious time we all have. I have never gotten into bed at night wishing I talked on the phone more or wrote more e-mails or watched more television or played more video games.
I hope you join me in evaluating how technology has sucked up your time and trying an exercise in using technology to free up your time in eliminating what is not necessary, delegating what you can, doing what you love and enjoying your free time.
Finally, here are A Few Simple Tips for Self nurturing:
Have Gratitude
Do not focus on the negative
Find things you enjoy like music
Quiet time, meditate, read, pray
Exercise
Keep surroundings clean and organized
Keep live plants around for good quality oxygen- fresh air
Less TV
Chew your food, take time to enjoy it
Stay on good terms with others, no grudges
Create a positive environment, be open to making new friends, and surround yourself with positive people.
Read a great book
Learn to say no
Plan for some pampering
Enjoy,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Alcohol and Weight Loss - Friend or Foe
Now I may be the wrong person to be writing this as I have never had a serving of alcohol in my life. I will be married 14 years tomorrow and husband who has known me for 16 years can verify that for me (except for an accidental sip at a summer wedding where I was dehydrated and thought I was drinking juice). Anyway I use the same rule for alcohol that I use for all beverages. The ideal would be to drink water and get your calories from food rather than liquids.
For me alcohol is not an issue, however I understand it can be enjoyable and it can be addicting. I don't' think there is anything wrong with having up to 4 alcoholic beverages a week if you truly enjoy it. Some of my colleagues would even stretch it to one serving day. If you are drinking more than 7 servings of alcohola week, there may be a problem beyond hindering your fat loss. Read the following article from sparks people to further empower your self to make the best decisions for your health.
Alcohol & Weight Loss
Can You Have Both?
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer
SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free!
Alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can have a place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, many experts note the health benefits of consuming a single drink per day, including a reduced risk for hypertension and high blood pressure. If, however, you are exceeding one drink daily, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans. Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins that need to be slowly digested in the stomach—but not when alcohol is present.
When alcohol is consumed, it gets special privileges and needs no digestion. The alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall as soon as they arrive and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This reaction is slightly slowed when there is also food in your system, but as soon as the mixed contents enter the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first place and is absorbed quickly. The alcohol then arrives at the liver for processing. The liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. Therefore, the carbohydrates (glucose) and dietary fats are just changed into body fat, waiting to be carried away for permanent fat storage in the body.
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Why not spend your calorie budget on something healthier? Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. While you might be full from a comparable amount of calories from food, several drinks might not fill you up. On top of that, research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likely to overeat—especially greasy or fried foods—which can add to your waistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you're done with your meal. Many foods that accompany drinking (peanuts, pretzels, chips) are salty, which can make you thirsty, encouraging you to drink even more.
To avoid over drinking, sip on a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage. Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. Many drinkers know they'll be having some alcohol later, whether going to a bar, party, or just kicking back at home. Knowing that drinking entails extra calories, it may be tempting to "bank" some calories by skipping a meal or two. This is a bad move. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on the snacks, and drinking on an empty stomach enhances the negative effects of alcohol. If you're planning on drinking later, eat a healthy meal first. You'll feel fuller, which will stop you from over drinking.
If you are worried about a looming night out with friends, include an extra 30 minutes of exercise to balance your calories—instead of skipping a meal. What are more important, calories or carbs? You might think that drinking liquor is more diet-friendly because it has no carbohydrates, while both wine and beer do contain carbs. But dieters need to watch calories, and liquor only has a few calories less than beer or wine. Plus, it is often mixed with other drinks, adding even more empty calories. Hard liquor contains around 100 calories per shot, so adding a mixer increases calories even more.
If you are going to mix liquor with anything, opt for a diet or club soda, instead of fruit juice or regular soda. Sweeter drinks, whether liquor or wine, tend to have more sugar, and therefore more calories. In that respect, dry wines usually have fewer calories than sweet wines. The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholic drinks.
Compare some of your favorites to make a good choice next time you decide to indulge in a serving of alcohol.
Drink
Serving Size
Calories
Red wine
5 oz.
100
White wine
5 oz.
100
Champagne
5 oz.
130
Light beer
12 oz.
105
Regular beer
12 oz.
140
Dark beer
12 oz.
170
Cosmopolitan
3 oz.
165
Martini
3 oz.
205
Long Island iced tea
8 oz.
400
Gin & Tonic
8 oz.
175
Rum & Soda
8 oz.
180
Margarita
8 oz.
200
Whiskey Sour
4 oz.
200
End
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
For me alcohol is not an issue, however I understand it can be enjoyable and it can be addicting. I don't' think there is anything wrong with having up to 4 alcoholic beverages a week if you truly enjoy it. Some of my colleagues would even stretch it to one serving day. If you are drinking more than 7 servings of alcohola week, there may be a problem beyond hindering your fat loss. Read the following article from sparks people to further empower your self to make the best decisions for your health.
Alcohol & Weight Loss
Can You Have Both?
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer
SparkPeople Sponsors help keep the site free!
Alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can have a place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, many experts note the health benefits of consuming a single drink per day, including a reduced risk for hypertension and high blood pressure. If, however, you are exceeding one drink daily, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans. Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins that need to be slowly digested in the stomach—but not when alcohol is present.
When alcohol is consumed, it gets special privileges and needs no digestion. The alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall as soon as they arrive and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This reaction is slightly slowed when there is also food in your system, but as soon as the mixed contents enter the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first place and is absorbed quickly. The alcohol then arrives at the liver for processing. The liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. Therefore, the carbohydrates (glucose) and dietary fats are just changed into body fat, waiting to be carried away for permanent fat storage in the body.
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Why not spend your calorie budget on something healthier? Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. While you might be full from a comparable amount of calories from food, several drinks might not fill you up. On top of that, research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likely to overeat—especially greasy or fried foods—which can add to your waistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you're done with your meal. Many foods that accompany drinking (peanuts, pretzels, chips) are salty, which can make you thirsty, encouraging you to drink even more.
To avoid over drinking, sip on a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage. Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. Many drinkers know they'll be having some alcohol later, whether going to a bar, party, or just kicking back at home. Knowing that drinking entails extra calories, it may be tempting to "bank" some calories by skipping a meal or two. This is a bad move. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on the snacks, and drinking on an empty stomach enhances the negative effects of alcohol. If you're planning on drinking later, eat a healthy meal first. You'll feel fuller, which will stop you from over drinking.
If you are worried about a looming night out with friends, include an extra 30 minutes of exercise to balance your calories—instead of skipping a meal. What are more important, calories or carbs? You might think that drinking liquor is more diet-friendly because it has no carbohydrates, while both wine and beer do contain carbs. But dieters need to watch calories, and liquor only has a few calories less than beer or wine. Plus, it is often mixed with other drinks, adding even more empty calories. Hard liquor contains around 100 calories per shot, so adding a mixer increases calories even more.
If you are going to mix liquor with anything, opt for a diet or club soda, instead of fruit juice or regular soda. Sweeter drinks, whether liquor or wine, tend to have more sugar, and therefore more calories. In that respect, dry wines usually have fewer calories than sweet wines. The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholic drinks.
Compare some of your favorites to make a good choice next time you decide to indulge in a serving of alcohol.
Drink
Serving Size
Calories
Red wine
5 oz.
100
White wine
5 oz.
100
Champagne
5 oz.
130
Light beer
12 oz.
105
Regular beer
12 oz.
140
Dark beer
12 oz.
170
Cosmopolitan
3 oz.
165
Martini
3 oz.
205
Long Island iced tea
8 oz.
400
Gin & Tonic
8 oz.
175
Rum & Soda
8 oz.
180
Margarita
8 oz.
200
Whiskey Sour
4 oz.
200
End
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Monday, May 19, 2008
Cereal - The Breakfast of Champions? Or not?
Breakfast does what it says. It breaks the fast. You probably have not eaten for at least 8 - 10 hours from the night before so you should wake up hungry and looking for a balanced satisfying meal. A lot of people turn to cereal b/c it's filling, tastes good, is quick to prepare and can hold you over until lunch.
It's obvious by fact that an entire isle in the grocery store is dedicated to cereal that it's a breakfast favorite. In fact, cereal know no time of the day! We've all been known to snack on cereal or even have a bowl as dinner. Cereal CAN be a healthy choice, but I caution you that all cereal is not created equal. If it says fortified or enriched, those are actually bad signs. That means that the nutritional value was so low that they had to infuse it with some nutrition to make it edible.
When choosing a cereal look for one that has whole grain ingredients such as steal cut oats, organic milled oats, rolled oats, milled rice, brown rice, oat bran, puffed kamut, barley, nuts, flax seeds, wheat bran, whole wheat meal, etc.
AVOID - any added sugars (which could be listed over 40 different ways from plain sugar to innulin, sucrose, saccharine, high fructose corn syrup, etc). Avoid anything that says "modified" and anything else you can't pronounce that sounds like a chemical or something you do not recognize as being good for your body.
When a person and especially a child starts their day off with a sugary cereal, it sets them up to a sugar high and then a crash, followed by cravings for more sugar. Not only is there no nutritional value in those cereals, but they take good nutrition out of the body to process them.
One of my favorite cereals right now is Optimum Rebound by Nature's Path. It has 10 grams of protein and is flavor full.
Below is an article on the sugary cereals found on our store shelves along with comments from Dr. Mercola.
Sugar Baby
According to this study, one serving of cereal equated to 11 percent of the daily limit of added sugar for active boys, aged 14 to 18 years old, and an astounding 92 percent of the daily sugar intake for sedentary girls aged 9 to 13.
The problem with feeding your child foods high in added sugar is twofold -- they contain little in terms of vitamins and minerals, and the calories they contain are not made up of important micronutrients needed for health and growth.
Reducing sugar intake should be on the top of your list regardless of whether your child is currently overweight or not, because it’s been proven over and over that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to:
High blood pressure and high cholesterol
Heart disease
Diabetes
Weight gain
Premature aging, and more
In fact, sugar is bad for your health in so many ways, I’ve compiled an entire list outlining 100-Plus Ways in Which Sugar Can Damage Your Health!
Now, having said that, completely eliminating sugar from your child’s diet is probably not reasonable, or even necessary. While it clearly will decrease your child’s health, sugar in moderation is likely not going to cause any significant damage.
What do I mean by moderation?
Well, something on the order of five pounds a year. This is considerably less than the average amount Americans consume, which is closer to 175 pounds per year.
Taking a close look at the sugar content of your child’s cereal, which is consumed on a daily basis, is therefore necessary. Just how much sugar are you feeding your child each day?
One 2005 study that analyzed the daily sugar intake of 5,000 toddlers ranging in age from 2 to 5, found that, on average, 2- to 3-year olds consumed around 14 teaspoons of added sugar a day. This number jumped to 17 teaspoons daily among 4- to 5-year olds. That’s WAY too much!
However, I propose you take things one step further than simply switching for a brand with lower sugar content.
Why?
Because of the grains.
How Much Grain Does Your Child Need?
Grains are such common staples that most can’t imagine them not being good for you. But all of these common items really should be avoided when planning your child’s breakfast:
Doughnuts
Fruit juice and other sugary drinks
Waffles and pancakes
Bagels and toast (even whole grain organic types)
ALL cereals (even whole grain organic types)
Carb Types can actually do well with grains, but remember; only about 15 percent of the population are carb types, at best. So for the majority, grains and cereals should be limited or avoided as much as possible.
Why?
Because grains rapidly break down to sugar in your body, stimulating insulin production. So you’re right back to the issue of too much sugar again.
I’ve written an entire book on the subject of children’s health and nutrition called Generation XL: Raising Healthy, Intelligent Kids in a High-Tech, Junk-Food World. Not only does it offer lots of tips for how to get your kids to lead more active lives, it also explains Nutritional Typing and how you can help ensure your child gets the nutrition he or she really needs, setting the stage for lifelong optimal health. It even includes 74 pages of kid-approved recipes that satisfy even your picky eaters.
What Else Can Your Child Eat For Breakfast?
My primary recommendation for Carb and Mixed nutritional types is to prepare and consume fresh vegetable juice, making sure to also eat the pulp. (It’s loaded with so many valuable phytonutrients, it would be unwise to discard it.) Veggie juice is a really simple breakfast alternative, and suitable even for your youngest ones.
Juicing may not be the best option for Protein types (like me), however, so if your child is a Protein type, you’d want to limit them to 10 ounces or less of raw juice each day, and restrict the vegetables to lower potassium varieties such as spinach and celery.
Here’s another option; a kid-approved breakfast recipe, straight from my book.
Vegetable Omelet
1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms1 cup sliced zucchini4 eggs, slightly beaten¼ teaspoon black pepper3 tablespoons water½ tablespoon olive oil½ cup rice mozzarella shredded (optional)
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are crisply tender (4-5 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together remaining omelet ingredients except olive oil and cheese. In same skillet, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook over medium heat, lifting with spatula to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath until omelet is set (3-4 minutes.) Place sautéed vegetables and cheese on half of omelet. Gently fold other half of omelet over filling.
End
For breakfast this morning, my kids had 1/2 of a fresh whole multi grain bagel with almond butter, scrambled eggs and a protein shake with a scoop of superfoods (a powder containing fruits and vegetables with coca).
Bonus - I just received this information although I have not confirmed that it's true yet. When you purchase fruits and vegetables they always have a sticker on them with numbers. Here's how the numbers add up:
Conventionally grown fruits have four digits and do not start with a 9. Most start with a 4. These can and usually are grown using pesticides and non-organic fertilizers.
Organically grown have five digits and start with a 9.
Genetically modified fruits start with the number 8.
Next time you go to the supermarket, get out the magnifying glass and check out your fruits numbers and make the choices that you feel most comfortable with. I will be looking for the number 9 and staying far away from the ones starting with the number 8.
Have a prosperous day
It's obvious by fact that an entire isle in the grocery store is dedicated to cereal that it's a breakfast favorite. In fact, cereal know no time of the day! We've all been known to snack on cereal or even have a bowl as dinner. Cereal CAN be a healthy choice, but I caution you that all cereal is not created equal. If it says fortified or enriched, those are actually bad signs. That means that the nutritional value was so low that they had to infuse it with some nutrition to make it edible.
When choosing a cereal look for one that has whole grain ingredients such as steal cut oats, organic milled oats, rolled oats, milled rice, brown rice, oat bran, puffed kamut, barley, nuts, flax seeds, wheat bran, whole wheat meal, etc.
AVOID - any added sugars (which could be listed over 40 different ways from plain sugar to innulin, sucrose, saccharine, high fructose corn syrup, etc). Avoid anything that says "modified" and anything else you can't pronounce that sounds like a chemical or something you do not recognize as being good for your body.
When a person and especially a child starts their day off with a sugary cereal, it sets them up to a sugar high and then a crash, followed by cravings for more sugar. Not only is there no nutritional value in those cereals, but they take good nutrition out of the body to process them.
One of my favorite cereals right now is Optimum Rebound by Nature's Path. It has 10 grams of protein and is flavor full.
Below is an article on the sugary cereals found on our store shelves along with comments from Dr. Mercola.
Sugar Baby
According to this study, one serving of cereal equated to 11 percent of the daily limit of added sugar for active boys, aged 14 to 18 years old, and an astounding 92 percent of the daily sugar intake for sedentary girls aged 9 to 13.
The problem with feeding your child foods high in added sugar is twofold -- they contain little in terms of vitamins and minerals, and the calories they contain are not made up of important micronutrients needed for health and growth.
Reducing sugar intake should be on the top of your list regardless of whether your child is currently overweight or not, because it’s been proven over and over that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to:
High blood pressure and high cholesterol
Heart disease
Diabetes
Weight gain
Premature aging, and more
In fact, sugar is bad for your health in so many ways, I’ve compiled an entire list outlining 100-Plus Ways in Which Sugar Can Damage Your Health!
Now, having said that, completely eliminating sugar from your child’s diet is probably not reasonable, or even necessary. While it clearly will decrease your child’s health, sugar in moderation is likely not going to cause any significant damage.
What do I mean by moderation?
Well, something on the order of five pounds a year. This is considerably less than the average amount Americans consume, which is closer to 175 pounds per year.
Taking a close look at the sugar content of your child’s cereal, which is consumed on a daily basis, is therefore necessary. Just how much sugar are you feeding your child each day?
One 2005 study that analyzed the daily sugar intake of 5,000 toddlers ranging in age from 2 to 5, found that, on average, 2- to 3-year olds consumed around 14 teaspoons of added sugar a day. This number jumped to 17 teaspoons daily among 4- to 5-year olds. That’s WAY too much!
However, I propose you take things one step further than simply switching for a brand with lower sugar content.
Why?
Because of the grains.
How Much Grain Does Your Child Need?
Grains are such common staples that most can’t imagine them not being good for you. But all of these common items really should be avoided when planning your child’s breakfast:
Doughnuts
Fruit juice and other sugary drinks
Waffles and pancakes
Bagels and toast (even whole grain organic types)
ALL cereals (even whole grain organic types)
Carb Types can actually do well with grains, but remember; only about 15 percent of the population are carb types, at best. So for the majority, grains and cereals should be limited or avoided as much as possible.
Why?
Because grains rapidly break down to sugar in your body, stimulating insulin production. So you’re right back to the issue of too much sugar again.
I’ve written an entire book on the subject of children’s health and nutrition called Generation XL: Raising Healthy, Intelligent Kids in a High-Tech, Junk-Food World. Not only does it offer lots of tips for how to get your kids to lead more active lives, it also explains Nutritional Typing and how you can help ensure your child gets the nutrition he or she really needs, setting the stage for lifelong optimal health. It even includes 74 pages of kid-approved recipes that satisfy even your picky eaters.
What Else Can Your Child Eat For Breakfast?
My primary recommendation for Carb and Mixed nutritional types is to prepare and consume fresh vegetable juice, making sure to also eat the pulp. (It’s loaded with so many valuable phytonutrients, it would be unwise to discard it.) Veggie juice is a really simple breakfast alternative, and suitable even for your youngest ones.
Juicing may not be the best option for Protein types (like me), however, so if your child is a Protein type, you’d want to limit them to 10 ounces or less of raw juice each day, and restrict the vegetables to lower potassium varieties such as spinach and celery.
Here’s another option; a kid-approved breakfast recipe, straight from my book.
Vegetable Omelet
1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms1 cup sliced zucchini4 eggs, slightly beaten¼ teaspoon black pepper3 tablespoons water½ tablespoon olive oil½ cup rice mozzarella shredded (optional)
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are crisply tender (4-5 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together remaining omelet ingredients except olive oil and cheese. In same skillet, heat ½ tablespoon olive oil. Pour egg mixture into skillet. Cook over medium heat, lifting with spatula to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath until omelet is set (3-4 minutes.) Place sautéed vegetables and cheese on half of omelet. Gently fold other half of omelet over filling.
End
For breakfast this morning, my kids had 1/2 of a fresh whole multi grain bagel with almond butter, scrambled eggs and a protein shake with a scoop of superfoods (a powder containing fruits and vegetables with coca).
Bonus - I just received this information although I have not confirmed that it's true yet. When you purchase fruits and vegetables they always have a sticker on them with numbers. Here's how the numbers add up:
Conventionally grown fruits have four digits and do not start with a 9. Most start with a 4. These can and usually are grown using pesticides and non-organic fertilizers.
Organically grown have five digits and start with a 9.
Genetically modified fruits start with the number 8.
Next time you go to the supermarket, get out the magnifying glass and check out your fruits numbers and make the choices that you feel most comfortable with. I will be looking for the number 9 and staying far away from the ones starting with the number 8.
Have a prosperous day
Friday, May 16, 2008
Research - Evidence on How To Keep The Weight off -For Good!!
The National Weight Control Registry published the results of their research of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. It's interesting to see the different ways people lost the weight, the amount they lost and the time they took to lose it. Of course we would all like it to be fast, but dieters primarily put the weight right back on and then some. Thankfully those who exercise have a much better chance of keeping weigh of than those who diet alone.
For those who seek to shed excess fat, the two most common methods used are simply to eat less and exercise more. If it were as simple as it’s stated we would not be a nation with a raging obesity epidemic. Dieting alone certainly can lead to shedding excess fat; however the sad fact is that 95% of those who lose weight through dieting alone regain their weight back plus some. For those who exercise without making any nutritional changes, it’s a very long, slow, painful road to achieving the body of their dreams. With exercise alone, they can expect higher levels of fitness, improved performance, healthier blood chemistries, a more efficient heart and so on, but there will be less than dramatic results to their overall shape and body composition. Combining both a healthy, wholesome and nutritious eating plan along with regular and consistent exercise and seven or more hours of sleep is the guaranteed road to a fit, firm and lean body to be proud of.
Exercise helps to expend calories during the exercise session. For example, 60 minutes on a bicycle or participating in a boot camp class at a moderate to high intensity will burn over 500 calories (Calories will vary depending on the person’s body weight, level of fitness and intensity). It takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of body fat. So if the individual engaged in a 60 minute moderate to high intensity cardiovascular workout three times weekly, they could expect to burn a pound in just over 2 weeks without making any dietary changes. Add in 3 strength training workouts weekly and they would burn additional calories (approximately 250 calories per session depending on intensity, body size and fitness) to accelerate the fat burning process.
In addition to the calories burned during the session, there are two other ways that exercise assists in fat burning. One is called the after burn, referring to the calories burned once exercise has stopped. The number of calories burned while the metabolism is still revved up from activity depends on how hard the person worked during the session, how fit they are and their body size.
Also, people who are fit have bodies that are more efficient at burning fat compared to a non-exerciser of the same size. Fit people will burn more calories at rest, during sleep and during activities. They also have more muscle, which is one of the driving forces of metabolism. Muscle is much more metabolically active. It takes about 25 calories a day to sustain each pound of muscle and only 2 calories a day to sustain every pound of fat.
Overall exercise is your key to living in a lean body. Diet alone will help you lose fat, but will not improve your fitness, give youthful shape to your muscles or help you maintain the weight loss. When you combine diet with exercise, you not only preserve your muscle (which is lost along with fat during dieting and with aging), but you add more lean metabolically active muscle.
NWCR Facts
You may find it interesting to know about the people who have enrolled in the registry thus far.
80% of persons in the registry are women and 20% are men.
The "average" woman is 45 years of age and currently weights 145 lbs, while the "average" man is 49 years of age and currently weights 190 lbs.
Registry members have lost an average of 66 lbs and kept it off for 5.5 years.
These averages, however, hide a lot of diversity:
Weight losses have ranged from 30 to 300 lbs.
Duration of successful weight loss has ranged from 1 year to 66 years!
Some have lost the weight rapidly, while others have lost weight very slowly--over as many as 14 years.
We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished: 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh them self at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
Research Findings
Check out our list of NWCR published studies Here!
END
So, keep up with your boot camp workouts and healthy eating - for life!!!
For those who seek to shed excess fat, the two most common methods used are simply to eat less and exercise more. If it were as simple as it’s stated we would not be a nation with a raging obesity epidemic. Dieting alone certainly can lead to shedding excess fat; however the sad fact is that 95% of those who lose weight through dieting alone regain their weight back plus some. For those who exercise without making any nutritional changes, it’s a very long, slow, painful road to achieving the body of their dreams. With exercise alone, they can expect higher levels of fitness, improved performance, healthier blood chemistries, a more efficient heart and so on, but there will be less than dramatic results to their overall shape and body composition. Combining both a healthy, wholesome and nutritious eating plan along with regular and consistent exercise and seven or more hours of sleep is the guaranteed road to a fit, firm and lean body to be proud of.
Exercise helps to expend calories during the exercise session. For example, 60 minutes on a bicycle or participating in a boot camp class at a moderate to high intensity will burn over 500 calories (Calories will vary depending on the person’s body weight, level of fitness and intensity). It takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of body fat. So if the individual engaged in a 60 minute moderate to high intensity cardiovascular workout three times weekly, they could expect to burn a pound in just over 2 weeks without making any dietary changes. Add in 3 strength training workouts weekly and they would burn additional calories (approximately 250 calories per session depending on intensity, body size and fitness) to accelerate the fat burning process.
In addition to the calories burned during the session, there are two other ways that exercise assists in fat burning. One is called the after burn, referring to the calories burned once exercise has stopped. The number of calories burned while the metabolism is still revved up from activity depends on how hard the person worked during the session, how fit they are and their body size.
Also, people who are fit have bodies that are more efficient at burning fat compared to a non-exerciser of the same size. Fit people will burn more calories at rest, during sleep and during activities. They also have more muscle, which is one of the driving forces of metabolism. Muscle is much more metabolically active. It takes about 25 calories a day to sustain each pound of muscle and only 2 calories a day to sustain every pound of fat.
Overall exercise is your key to living in a lean body. Diet alone will help you lose fat, but will not improve your fitness, give youthful shape to your muscles or help you maintain the weight loss. When you combine diet with exercise, you not only preserve your muscle (which is lost along with fat during dieting and with aging), but you add more lean metabolically active muscle.
NWCR Facts
You may find it interesting to know about the people who have enrolled in the registry thus far.
80% of persons in the registry are women and 20% are men.
The "average" woman is 45 years of age and currently weights 145 lbs, while the "average" man is 49 years of age and currently weights 190 lbs.
Registry members have lost an average of 66 lbs and kept it off for 5.5 years.
These averages, however, hide a lot of diversity:
Weight losses have ranged from 30 to 300 lbs.
Duration of successful weight loss has ranged from 1 year to 66 years!
Some have lost the weight rapidly, while others have lost weight very slowly--over as many as 14 years.
We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished: 45% of registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh them self at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
Research Findings
Check out our list of NWCR published studies Here!
END
So, keep up with your boot camp workouts and healthy eating - for life!!!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Inflammation - The Common Denominator of All Disease.
I learned a long time ago that inflammation is the common denominator of all disease. In the past decade, inflammation is the most studied area of research as the inflammatory process is found in every known disease from cancer to joint pain to migraines to colitis and stroke to heart disease.
It would best serve everyone to try to keep the inflammatory processed low in their bodies to ward of illness. Some inflammation is necessary such as when you cut your finger or when your body needs to heal from an injury. It's your bodies way of bathing an area to help it heal When we take anti-inflammatories we interrupt the bodies natural pathway to heal in which we eliminate symptoms, but not the problem.
With an anti-inflammatory diet you can reduce chronic pain, calm down inflamed area's in your digestive track, reduce swollen joints and so on.
Exercise causes inflammation, but some inflammation is necessary. When done excessively, the body will break down which is why many athletes get sick after an event like a marathon or tri-athlon. I recently saw a story of an Olympic hopeful marathoner who was running a qualifying time trial in NY and dropped dead of an enlarged heart. The heart muscle grows and swells with too much exercise. He was running up to 100 miles a week. That's unnatural and the body was not made for that.
If you are living with joint pain or any chronic inflammatory conditions, you can reduce the pain. I recommend a book called Inflammation Nation which includes an eating plan.
This article is from www.about.com
You may be familiar with the antiinflammatory medications, but have you heart of antiinflammatory foods? The foods you eat really do have an affect on how you feel.
What is Inflammation?Inflammation is defined as a localized reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, swelling, red coloration to the area, and sometimes loss of movement or function. We commonly think of inflammation as the painful component of arthritis. Inflammation is also a component of chronic diseases such as heart disease and strokes.
Medical Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Common medical anti-inflammatory treatments include rest, light exercise, weight maintenance, stretching, and medications designed to reduce the inflammation and control the pain. These medications include Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), steroid medications, and perhaps ultimately joint replacement surgery. The NSAIDs are widely used as the initial form of therapy.
For the most part NSAIDs are tolerated fairly well, although they can irritate the stomach and lead to ulcers. In some instances, long term use can lead to kidney problems.
Avoid Pro-Inflammatory Foods. Pro-inflammatory foods will increase inflammation, increase your pain from the inflammation and may also raise your risk for chronic disease. Loading up on junk foods, high-fat meats, sugar and fast foods will increase inflammation in your body. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, especially trans fats and saturated fats. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease.
Saturated fats are also found in meats, dairy products and eggs. While all of these foods are important source of minerals and vitamins, you don't need the extra saturated fat. These foods also also contain fatty acids called arachidonic acid. While some arachidonic acid is essential for your health, too much arachidonic acid in the diet may make your inflammation worse. Be sure to choose low fat milk and cheese and lean cuts of meat, which will not promote inflammation.
Diets high in sugar have also been associated with inflammation, obesity and chronic disease such as diabetes. Eliminate high sugar foods such as sodas, soft drinks, pastries, presweetened cereals and candy.
Another possible source of irritation comes from the nightshade family of plants. Whole fruits and vegetables are important to eat for their vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants, however some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant may actually make pain from inflammation worse. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine. Solanine can trigger pain in some people. While there isn't any formal research findings that back the claim about nightshade plants, you can avoid them for a few weeks to see if your pain and symptoms of inflammation improve.
Choose Antiinflammatory Foods Adding foods that reduce inflammation will improve how you feel and help to decrease your risk for chronic diseases. Here are some suggestions.
Fats and Oils The right types of fats in your diet will impact pain and inflammation in a positive way. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are very powerful antiinflammatory agents. They are found in cold water oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, canola oil and pumpkin seeds. Adding omega-3 fatty acid supplements from flax oil or fish oil may also help reduce inflammation, just be sure to speak with a doctor or nutritionist before taking larger, therapeutic doses of any supplement, or follow label instructions.
Olive oil is another type of oil that will reduce inflammation. In fact, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and will help to reduce pain. Other healthy oils include rice bran oil, grape seed oil, and walnut oil.
Protein Your body needs protein to build healthy body tissues. Good protein sources include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats. When you do eat red meat, choose lean cuts of bison, venison and other game meats, or the lowest-fat cuts of beef, preferably grass-fed beef.
Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation.
Carbohydrates and Fiber Most of your carbohydrates should come from whole grains, vegetables and fruits. The bread, cereal and pasta in your diet should be mostly be 100% whole grain products. Whole grains are excellent sources of fiber, and a high fiber diet will reduce your inflammation.
Choose green leafy vegetables, green and brightly colored vegetables and lots of fresh whole fruits. You should eat at least five and preferably more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Green vegetables and whole fruits are also important as sources of dietary fiber.
Berries are also a great food choice, especially blueberries and strawberries which are packed with anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. The pigments in brightly colored fruits, vegetables and berries contain many phytochemicals that have antiinflammatory properties. One example is quercetin, which is found in apple and red onion skins and has strong antiinflammatory properties.
Healthy Beverages Your body needs water in the form of foods and beverages every day. The simplest and maybe best form of water is fresh drinking water. Other good fluid sources include 100% fruit juices, herbal teas, vegetable juices and low fat milk. About 20% of the water you need every day will come from the foods you eat.
Antiinflammatory Diet Tips Over all, when you are choosing antiinflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips:
Breakfast could be oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts, with a cup of soy milk.
Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead of cookies and candy.
Eat more fish and less fatty red meat.
Stay away from deep fried foods and bake or stir fry your meals instead.
Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes.
Drink plenty of water, fresh 100% fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas and green tea.Use this Nutrition and Calorie Guide for Men and Women to help you determine how many calories you need each day. Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to reduce your pain from inflammation.
Sources:
Watkins BA, Hannon K, Ferruzzi M, Li Y. "Dietary PUFA and flavonoids as deterrents for environmental pollutants." J Nutr Biochem. 2007 Mar;18(3):196-205.
Hodgson JM, Ward NC, Burke V, Beilin LJ, Puddey IB. "Increased lean red meat intake does not elevate markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in humans." J Nutr. 2007 Feb;137(2):363-7.
Lopez-Garcia E, Schulze MB, Fung TT, Meigs JB, Rifai N, Manson JE, Hu FB. "Major dietary patterns are related to plasma concentrations of markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction." Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):1029-35.
Farooqui AA, Horrocks LA, Farooqui T. "Modulation of inflammation in brain: a matter of fat." J Neurochem. 2007 Jan 25.
Panush RS, Veloso ML, Weiss S, Bielory L. "Mechanisms in adverse reactions to food. The joints and muscles." Allergy. 1995;50(20 Suppl):74-7.
Huang SM, Wu CH, Yen GC. "Effects of flavonoids on the expression of the pro-inflammatory response in human monocytes induced by ligation of the receptor for AGEs." Mol Nutr Food Res. 2006 Dec;50(12):1129-39.
Covas MI. "Olive oil and the cardiovascular system." Pharmacol Res. 2007 Jan 30.
Suter PM. "Positive effect of dietary soy in ESRD patients with systemic inflammation--correlation between blood levels of the soy isoflavones and the acute-phase reactants." Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2006 Aug;21(8):2239-46.
Fanti P, Asmis R, Stephenson TJ, Sawaya BP, Franke AA. "Positive effect of dietary soy in ESRD patients with systemic inflammation--
END
Remember that exercise is medicine and that your body has a natural ability to heal itself.
Have a fantastic day,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
It would best serve everyone to try to keep the inflammatory processed low in their bodies to ward of illness. Some inflammation is necessary such as when you cut your finger or when your body needs to heal from an injury. It's your bodies way of bathing an area to help it heal When we take anti-inflammatories we interrupt the bodies natural pathway to heal in which we eliminate symptoms, but not the problem.
With an anti-inflammatory diet you can reduce chronic pain, calm down inflamed area's in your digestive track, reduce swollen joints and so on.
Exercise causes inflammation, but some inflammation is necessary. When done excessively, the body will break down which is why many athletes get sick after an event like a marathon or tri-athlon. I recently saw a story of an Olympic hopeful marathoner who was running a qualifying time trial in NY and dropped dead of an enlarged heart. The heart muscle grows and swells with too much exercise. He was running up to 100 miles a week. That's unnatural and the body was not made for that.
If you are living with joint pain or any chronic inflammatory conditions, you can reduce the pain. I recommend a book called Inflammation Nation which includes an eating plan.
This article is from www.about.com
You may be familiar with the antiinflammatory medications, but have you heart of antiinflammatory foods? The foods you eat really do have an affect on how you feel.
What is Inflammation?Inflammation is defined as a localized reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection. Symptoms of inflammation include pain, swelling, red coloration to the area, and sometimes loss of movement or function. We commonly think of inflammation as the painful component of arthritis. Inflammation is also a component of chronic diseases such as heart disease and strokes.
Medical Anti-Inflammatory Treatments Common medical anti-inflammatory treatments include rest, light exercise, weight maintenance, stretching, and medications designed to reduce the inflammation and control the pain. These medications include Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), steroid medications, and perhaps ultimately joint replacement surgery. The NSAIDs are widely used as the initial form of therapy.
For the most part NSAIDs are tolerated fairly well, although they can irritate the stomach and lead to ulcers. In some instances, long term use can lead to kidney problems.
Avoid Pro-Inflammatory Foods. Pro-inflammatory foods will increase inflammation, increase your pain from the inflammation and may also raise your risk for chronic disease. Loading up on junk foods, high-fat meats, sugar and fast foods will increase inflammation in your body. This is partially due to the unhealthy fats used in preparing and processing these foods, especially trans fats and saturated fats. Processed meats such as lunch meats, hot dogs and sausages contain chemicals such as nitrites that are associated with increased inflammation and chronic disease.
Saturated fats are also found in meats, dairy products and eggs. While all of these foods are important source of minerals and vitamins, you don't need the extra saturated fat. These foods also also contain fatty acids called arachidonic acid. While some arachidonic acid is essential for your health, too much arachidonic acid in the diet may make your inflammation worse. Be sure to choose low fat milk and cheese and lean cuts of meat, which will not promote inflammation.
Diets high in sugar have also been associated with inflammation, obesity and chronic disease such as diabetes. Eliminate high sugar foods such as sodas, soft drinks, pastries, presweetened cereals and candy.
Another possible source of irritation comes from the nightshade family of plants. Whole fruits and vegetables are important to eat for their vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants, however some vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant may actually make pain from inflammation worse. These vegetables are part of the nightshade family of plants and contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine. Solanine can trigger pain in some people. While there isn't any formal research findings that back the claim about nightshade plants, you can avoid them for a few weeks to see if your pain and symptoms of inflammation improve.
Choose Antiinflammatory Foods Adding foods that reduce inflammation will improve how you feel and help to decrease your risk for chronic diseases. Here are some suggestions.
Fats and Oils The right types of fats in your diet will impact pain and inflammation in a positive way. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are very powerful antiinflammatory agents. They are found in cold water oily fish, walnuts, flax seeds, canola oil and pumpkin seeds. Adding omega-3 fatty acid supplements from flax oil or fish oil may also help reduce inflammation, just be sure to speak with a doctor or nutritionist before taking larger, therapeutic doses of any supplement, or follow label instructions.
Olive oil is another type of oil that will reduce inflammation. In fact, olive oil has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and will help to reduce pain. Other healthy oils include rice bran oil, grape seed oil, and walnut oil.
Protein Your body needs protein to build healthy body tissues. Good protein sources include lean poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, legumes and seeds. Red meats may trigger inflammation, so cut back on fatty red meats. When you do eat red meat, choose lean cuts of bison, venison and other game meats, or the lowest-fat cuts of beef, preferably grass-fed beef.
Soybeans, tofu, and soy milk are three great sources of soy proteins that may help to reduce your pain and inflammation.
Carbohydrates and Fiber Most of your carbohydrates should come from whole grains, vegetables and fruits. The bread, cereal and pasta in your diet should be mostly be 100% whole grain products. Whole grains are excellent sources of fiber, and a high fiber diet will reduce your inflammation.
Choose green leafy vegetables, green and brightly colored vegetables and lots of fresh whole fruits. You should eat at least five and preferably more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Green vegetables and whole fruits are also important as sources of dietary fiber.
Berries are also a great food choice, especially blueberries and strawberries which are packed with anti-inflammatory phytochemicals and anti-oxidants. The pigments in brightly colored fruits, vegetables and berries contain many phytochemicals that have antiinflammatory properties. One example is quercetin, which is found in apple and red onion skins and has strong antiinflammatory properties.
Healthy Beverages Your body needs water in the form of foods and beverages every day. The simplest and maybe best form of water is fresh drinking water. Other good fluid sources include 100% fruit juices, herbal teas, vegetable juices and low fat milk. About 20% of the water you need every day will come from the foods you eat.
Antiinflammatory Diet Tips Over all, when you are choosing antiinflammatory foods to help reduce your inflammation and pain, choose fresh foods instead of heavily processed foods. Here are some tips:
Breakfast could be oatmeal served with fresh berries and walnuts, with a cup of soy milk.
Snack on whole fruits, nuts, seeds, and fresh vegetables throughout the day instead of cookies and candy.
Eat more fish and less fatty red meat.
Stay away from deep fried foods and bake or stir fry your meals instead.
Choose green, orange, and yellow vegetables for your side dishes.
Drink plenty of water, fresh 100% fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas and green tea.Use this Nutrition and Calorie Guide for Men and Women to help you determine how many calories you need each day. Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to reduce your pain from inflammation.
Sources:
Watkins BA, Hannon K, Ferruzzi M, Li Y. "Dietary PUFA and flavonoids as deterrents for environmental pollutants." J Nutr Biochem. 2007 Mar;18(3):196-205.
Hodgson JM, Ward NC, Burke V, Beilin LJ, Puddey IB. "Increased lean red meat intake does not elevate markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in humans." J Nutr. 2007 Feb;137(2):363-7.
Lopez-Garcia E, Schulze MB, Fung TT, Meigs JB, Rifai N, Manson JE, Hu FB. "Major dietary patterns are related to plasma concentrations of markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction." Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Oct;80(4):1029-35.
Farooqui AA, Horrocks LA, Farooqui T. "Modulation of inflammation in brain: a matter of fat." J Neurochem. 2007 Jan 25.
Panush RS, Veloso ML, Weiss S, Bielory L. "Mechanisms in adverse reactions to food. The joints and muscles." Allergy. 1995;50(20 Suppl):74-7.
Huang SM, Wu CH, Yen GC. "Effects of flavonoids on the expression of the pro-inflammatory response in human monocytes induced by ligation of the receptor for AGEs." Mol Nutr Food Res. 2006 Dec;50(12):1129-39.
Covas MI. "Olive oil and the cardiovascular system." Pharmacol Res. 2007 Jan 30.
Suter PM. "Positive effect of dietary soy in ESRD patients with systemic inflammation--correlation between blood levels of the soy isoflavones and the acute-phase reactants." Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2006 Aug;21(8):2239-46.
Fanti P, Asmis R, Stephenson TJ, Sawaya BP, Franke AA. "Positive effect of dietary soy in ESRD patients with systemic inflammation--
END
Remember that exercise is medicine and that your body has a natural ability to heal itself.
Have a fantastic day,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Put a Stop to Emotional Eating
Emotional eating can be as damaging as any destructive habit. We have all eaten emotionally at probably more times than we would care to admit. As a society, most everything is surrounded by food. From a birthday celebration to signing a contract for a big sales deal to a fund raiser to sporting events. Regardless of the emotion 0r occasion, there is food to be had! We grow up associating everything with food. When is the last time you went to the movies with someone and they did not stop at the con session stand or got together with girlfriends to do something other than eat (okay maybe shop too) or went on a date night that food was not the center of?
Of course we need to eat, but it's when eating becomes triggered by an event or an emotion chronically that it becomes a problem. If you think emotional eating is a problem for you, you are most likely correct. If you are consumed by food, find yourself in the same eating patterns of over stuffing yourself when you are not hungry or go to bed every night wishing you had not over fed yourself, emotional eating is likely an issue that needs to be addressed.
Unlike alcohol or drugs or other destructive addictive behaviors, we NEED food. It's not something we can ever totally eliminate from our lives as easily as some other undesirable habits.
Below are some fantastic tips from Tom Venuto, a veteran personal trainer and respected authority on getting lean.
4 Quick Tips And 4 Empowering Beliefs About Food That Help Stop Emotional Eating Dead In Its Tracks By Tom Venuto
Entire books have been written about emotional eating and it can quickly become a deep subject if you let it. I believe however that most people over think it and that the fundamental issue here is to simply realize that people often eat in order to obtain a feeling or in response to a feeling.
(Kelli: People emotionally eat to gain pleasure or avoid pain)
In some contexts, this is appropriate, as in a holiday social gathering. In other contexts, it may be inappropriate, as in a binge at home alone in response to a stressful day or event.In other words, you may be eating for the wrong reasons or dealing with emotions inappropriately by using food. The real "kicker" is that you may not even be aware that you are doing it!
If particular eating behaviors are not serving you in a constructive way and you want to remove this negative emotional connection to food, here are 4 quick tips to stop the negative pattern and change it to something positive:
(Kelli: Do what you have always done, and you will get what you have always gotten. In order to change something YOU need to change. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result)
(1) First you must become aware of it when this negative pattern is occurring, because such behaviors often happen automatically on the non conscious level. Once you have this conscious awareness, then you need to...(2) interrupt or break the pattern immediately when you realize it's happening -- you could simply say "stop" to yourself and ask yourself "am I eating because I'm hungry and need to fuel my muscles and boost my energy level or am I eating for another reason?"
Then start asking yourself some questions that will generate the positive response you want. They can be simple and straight forward, or they can be blunt and outrageous. Ask yourself, "is it worth it?" or "is eating this going to move me closer to or further away from my goal?"
(Kelli: this is why writing goals and focusing on them each day is important)
Personally, I find that playing with the concept that "you are literally what you eat" interrupts the pattern quite well for me. When I ask myself, "If this food is going to become part of my physical cells, do I really want this to become a part of my abs... or my brain...or my eyeball???", then the answer is almost always a resounding "NO!"
(3) If you're eating for an emotional reason, find alternative and more constructive ways which serve you to obtain / satisfy that feeling you are after.
(4) Establish the right reasons for eating and develop strong neural connections and associations between food and those reasons through repetition/reinforcement.The 4 beliefs about food that will serve you the best in creating positive associations to healthy foods are:
1. food is for building muscle and other body tissues (good food is "construction material"... i.e. you are what you eat)
2. Food is for energy (good food is fuel)
3. Food is for burning fat (good food in small frequent meals stokes your metabolic furnace like logs thrown on a fire)
4. Food is for creating optimal health (good food contains every nutrient you need for optimal health) I eat specific (healthy) foods and avoid specific (unhealthy) foods automatically, because I am so strongly connected to the reasons why I eat. The best part is that it's completely automatic behavior - its not difficult, nor does it require will power anymore as it did when I first started, because those beliefs and behaviors are now ingrained at a neural/cellular level.I believe that anyone can break the negative cycle of emotional eating and reach this point of automatic positive eating behaviors, by identifying negative patterns, stopping them dead in their tracks when you become aware of them, by eating for the right reasons, by finding constructive alternatives for responding to emotions and by changing the way you talk to yourself repeatedly over time.
These may seem like simple ideas, but they are very powerful ideas, and they don't even require any physical effort on your part -- all you have to do is change the way you think!
END
I want to stress the importance of setting goals and catching yourself in the act. The more you catch yourself in the act, the more you will be able to catch yourself before you are half way through a candy bar and stop yourself from even bringing one into the house.
Here are a few other questions that work for me:
How is what I am doing now working for me? (meaning if the way I am eating and acting is not moving me closer to my goals, I have to stop and try something different)
Is this wise? Yes, its a simple question, but one of the greatest questions you can ask yourself
Is this moving me towards becoming a better me?
You can obviously apply these questions to anything in your life you would like to improve. Apply it and watch your world change for the better!
Have an incredible day!
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.FeminineFirmandFit.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Of course we need to eat, but it's when eating becomes triggered by an event or an emotion chronically that it becomes a problem. If you think emotional eating is a problem for you, you are most likely correct. If you are consumed by food, find yourself in the same eating patterns of over stuffing yourself when you are not hungry or go to bed every night wishing you had not over fed yourself, emotional eating is likely an issue that needs to be addressed.
Unlike alcohol or drugs or other destructive addictive behaviors, we NEED food. It's not something we can ever totally eliminate from our lives as easily as some other undesirable habits.
Below are some fantastic tips from Tom Venuto, a veteran personal trainer and respected authority on getting lean.
4 Quick Tips And 4 Empowering Beliefs About Food That Help Stop Emotional Eating Dead In Its Tracks By Tom Venuto
Entire books have been written about emotional eating and it can quickly become a deep subject if you let it. I believe however that most people over think it and that the fundamental issue here is to simply realize that people often eat in order to obtain a feeling or in response to a feeling.
(Kelli: People emotionally eat to gain pleasure or avoid pain)
In some contexts, this is appropriate, as in a holiday social gathering. In other contexts, it may be inappropriate, as in a binge at home alone in response to a stressful day or event.In other words, you may be eating for the wrong reasons or dealing with emotions inappropriately by using food. The real "kicker" is that you may not even be aware that you are doing it!
If particular eating behaviors are not serving you in a constructive way and you want to remove this negative emotional connection to food, here are 4 quick tips to stop the negative pattern and change it to something positive:
(Kelli: Do what you have always done, and you will get what you have always gotten. In order to change something YOU need to change. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing and expect a different result)
(1) First you must become aware of it when this negative pattern is occurring, because such behaviors often happen automatically on the non conscious level. Once you have this conscious awareness, then you need to...(2) interrupt or break the pattern immediately when you realize it's happening -- you could simply say "stop" to yourself and ask yourself "am I eating because I'm hungry and need to fuel my muscles and boost my energy level or am I eating for another reason?"
Then start asking yourself some questions that will generate the positive response you want. They can be simple and straight forward, or they can be blunt and outrageous. Ask yourself, "is it worth it?" or "is eating this going to move me closer to or further away from my goal?"
(Kelli: this is why writing goals and focusing on them each day is important)
Personally, I find that playing with the concept that "you are literally what you eat" interrupts the pattern quite well for me. When I ask myself, "If this food is going to become part of my physical cells, do I really want this to become a part of my abs... or my brain...or my eyeball???", then the answer is almost always a resounding "NO!"
(3) If you're eating for an emotional reason, find alternative and more constructive ways which serve you to obtain / satisfy that feeling you are after.
(4) Establish the right reasons for eating and develop strong neural connections and associations between food and those reasons through repetition/reinforcement.The 4 beliefs about food that will serve you the best in creating positive associations to healthy foods are:
1. food is for building muscle and other body tissues (good food is "construction material"... i.e. you are what you eat)
2. Food is for energy (good food is fuel)
3. Food is for burning fat (good food in small frequent meals stokes your metabolic furnace like logs thrown on a fire)
4. Food is for creating optimal health (good food contains every nutrient you need for optimal health) I eat specific (healthy) foods and avoid specific (unhealthy) foods automatically, because I am so strongly connected to the reasons why I eat. The best part is that it's completely automatic behavior - its not difficult, nor does it require will power anymore as it did when I first started, because those beliefs and behaviors are now ingrained at a neural/cellular level.I believe that anyone can break the negative cycle of emotional eating and reach this point of automatic positive eating behaviors, by identifying negative patterns, stopping them dead in their tracks when you become aware of them, by eating for the right reasons, by finding constructive alternatives for responding to emotions and by changing the way you talk to yourself repeatedly over time.
These may seem like simple ideas, but they are very powerful ideas, and they don't even require any physical effort on your part -- all you have to do is change the way you think!
END
I want to stress the importance of setting goals and catching yourself in the act. The more you catch yourself in the act, the more you will be able to catch yourself before you are half way through a candy bar and stop yourself from even bringing one into the house.
Here are a few other questions that work for me:
How is what I am doing now working for me? (meaning if the way I am eating and acting is not moving me closer to my goals, I have to stop and try something different)
Is this wise? Yes, its a simple question, but one of the greatest questions you can ask yourself
Is this moving me towards becoming a better me?
You can obviously apply these questions to anything in your life you would like to improve. Apply it and watch your world change for the better!
Have an incredible day!
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.FeminineFirmandFit.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Your Emotions (positive or negative) Effect Your Health
You've heard me talk about the movie The Secret www.TheSecret.TV before. If you have not seen the movie, I'll spill the beans and tell you that the secret is the Law of Attraction. Everything in your life, good or bad, you have attracted in some way by your thoughts and experiences. If you say to yourself, I'm fat, my arms are big, I have huge hips, you will always be right. You can't trick your brain by saying and thinking one thing and making something else happen. It's not possible.
I learned from my friend Phil to use the word FEAR as an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Some people have a fear of flying. Millions of people fly safely every day. Some people have a fear of snakes or heights. You have some image or emotion in your mind that effects your thoughts, the words that come out of your mouth and ultimately your actions.
Once you believe something is possible you need to put the momentum behind ti to make it happen. You can't just wish for large checks to arrive in the mail (well you can, but you'll be disappointed if you don't deliberately do something to make that a reality).
If you have a FEAR or limiting belief address why it is that you have it and see what you can do to get clarity and over come it. The more fit you are, the more mental clarity you have and the more connected the body, mind and spirit become.
Exercise has so many positive physiological benefits that effect your mind such as slowing aging and onset of dementia. If your thoughts are effecting your physical health, identify them, stop them in their tracks and replace them with thoughts that are more health producing.
Now this is very simplified information. One of our campers is a psychologist so Lisa, please feel free to comment below. My main point is that your beliefs and thoughts supersede your actions and those effect your physical body including strength or pain. Given the choice, I prefer to think positively.
Below is an article from www.FamilyDoctor.org
Mind/Body Connection: How Your Emotions Affect Your Health
What is good emotional health?
People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships.However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress or anxiety. These things include:
Being laid off from your job
Having a child leave or return home
Dealing with the death of a loved one
Getting divorced or married
Suffering an illness or an injury
Getting a job promotion
Experiencing money problems
Moving to a new home or having a baby.
“Good” changes can be just as stressful as “bad” changes.
How can my emotions affect my health?
Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one. The following may be physical signs that your emotional health is out of balance:
Back pain
Change in appetite
Chest pain
Constipation or diarrhea
Dry mouth
Extreme tiredness
General aches and pains
Headaches
High blood pressure
Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
Lightheadedness
Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)
Sexual problems
Shortness of breath
Stiff neck
Sweating
Upset stomach
Weight gain or loss
Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health.
Why does my doctor need to know about my emotions?
You may not be used to talking to your doctor about your feelings or problems in your personal life. But remember, he or she can’t always tell that you’re feeling stressed, anxious or upset just by looking at you. It’s important to be honest with your doctor if you are having these feelings. First, he or she will need to make sure that other health problems aren’t causing your physical symptoms. If your symptoms aren’t caused by other health problems, you and your doctor can address the emotional causes of your symptoms. Your doctor may suggest ways to treat your physical symptoms while you work together to improve your emotional health.If your negative feelings are so strong that they keep you from enjoying life and they don’t go away, it’s especially important for you to talk to your doctor. You may have what doctors call “major depression.” Depression is a medical illness that can be treated with individualized counseling, medicine or with both.
How can I improve my emotional health?
First, try to recognize your emotions and understand why you are having them. Sorting out the causes of sadness, stress and anxiety in your life can help you manage your emotional health. The following are some other helpful tips.Express your feelings in appropriate ways. If feelings of stress, sadness or anxiety are causing physical problems, keeping these feelings inside can make you feel worse. It’s OK to let your loved ones know when something is bothering you. However, keep in mind that your family and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately. At these times, ask someone outside the situation--such as your family doctor, a counselor or a religious advisor--for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health.Live a balanced life. Try not to obsess about the problems at work, school or home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious or upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy.Calm your mind and body. Relaxation methods, such as meditation, are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance. Meditation is a form of guided thought. It can take many forms. For example, you may do it by exercising, stretching or breathing deeply. Ask your family doctor for advice about relaxation methods.Take care of yourself. To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising to relieve pent-up tension. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Using drugs or alcohol just causes other problems, such as family and health problems.
Source
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
I learned from my friend Phil to use the word FEAR as an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real. Some people have a fear of flying. Millions of people fly safely every day. Some people have a fear of snakes or heights. You have some image or emotion in your mind that effects your thoughts, the words that come out of your mouth and ultimately your actions.
Once you believe something is possible you need to put the momentum behind ti to make it happen. You can't just wish for large checks to arrive in the mail (well you can, but you'll be disappointed if you don't deliberately do something to make that a reality).
If you have a FEAR or limiting belief address why it is that you have it and see what you can do to get clarity and over come it. The more fit you are, the more mental clarity you have and the more connected the body, mind and spirit become.
Exercise has so many positive physiological benefits that effect your mind such as slowing aging and onset of dementia. If your thoughts are effecting your physical health, identify them, stop them in their tracks and replace them with thoughts that are more health producing.
Now this is very simplified information. One of our campers is a psychologist so Lisa, please feel free to comment below. My main point is that your beliefs and thoughts supersede your actions and those effect your physical body including strength or pain. Given the choice, I prefer to think positively.
Below is an article from www.FamilyDoctor.org
Mind/Body Connection: How Your Emotions Affect Your Health
What is good emotional health?
People with good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have healthy relationships.However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress or anxiety. These things include:
Being laid off from your job
Having a child leave or return home
Dealing with the death of a loved one
Getting divorced or married
Suffering an illness or an injury
Getting a job promotion
Experiencing money problems
Moving to a new home or having a baby.
“Good” changes can be just as stressful as “bad” changes.
How can my emotions affect my health?
Your body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the “mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one. The following may be physical signs that your emotional health is out of balance:
Back pain
Change in appetite
Chest pain
Constipation or diarrhea
Dry mouth
Extreme tiredness
General aches and pains
Headaches
High blood pressure
Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
Lightheadedness
Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing)
Sexual problems
Shortness of breath
Stiff neck
Sweating
Upset stomach
Weight gain or loss
Poor emotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health.
Why does my doctor need to know about my emotions?
You may not be used to talking to your doctor about your feelings or problems in your personal life. But remember, he or she can’t always tell that you’re feeling stressed, anxious or upset just by looking at you. It’s important to be honest with your doctor if you are having these feelings. First, he or she will need to make sure that other health problems aren’t causing your physical symptoms. If your symptoms aren’t caused by other health problems, you and your doctor can address the emotional causes of your symptoms. Your doctor may suggest ways to treat your physical symptoms while you work together to improve your emotional health.If your negative feelings are so strong that they keep you from enjoying life and they don’t go away, it’s especially important for you to talk to your doctor. You may have what doctors call “major depression.” Depression is a medical illness that can be treated with individualized counseling, medicine or with both.
How can I improve my emotional health?
First, try to recognize your emotions and understand why you are having them. Sorting out the causes of sadness, stress and anxiety in your life can help you manage your emotional health. The following are some other helpful tips.Express your feelings in appropriate ways. If feelings of stress, sadness or anxiety are causing physical problems, keeping these feelings inside can make you feel worse. It’s OK to let your loved ones know when something is bothering you. However, keep in mind that your family and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately. At these times, ask someone outside the situation--such as your family doctor, a counselor or a religious advisor--for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health.Live a balanced life. Try not to obsess about the problems at work, school or home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious or upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy.Calm your mind and body. Relaxation methods, such as meditation, are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance. Meditation is a form of guided thought. It can take many forms. For example, you may do it by exercising, stretching or breathing deeply. Ask your family doctor for advice about relaxation methods.Take care of yourself. To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising to relieve pent-up tension. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Using drugs or alcohol just causes other problems, such as family and health problems.
Source
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
Monday, May 12, 2008
Curving Carb Cravings
Your nutrition is 80%-90% of your results in boot camp. If you show up and go through the motions of camp, you will be stronger and fitter and healthier, but the road to fat loss is a long slow one if you are a victim of sugar cravings.
As children, we start out with breast milk or formula for the first year of life. There is some sugar in breast milk, but it's not particularly sweet. Then we introduced babies to mashed vegetables, which are a little sweeter, then fruit which is sweeter still. Then dry cereal is introduced which is a simple starch. From there, they get biskets, cookies and then on their first birthday, a piece of cake.
I watched a one year old baby have their first piece of cake on their birthday 2 weekends ago. IT was interesting to watch them to from excited, to elated to slowly crashing and eventually into a sugar coma where the baby was just staring glassy eyed - all in a matter of minutes.
There are gummy vitamins, fruit drinks and so on. The sweets just keep getting sweeter and by the time a child is two, they are typically eating primarily simple carbs (dry cereal, graham crackers, pretzels, gold fish, etc). Then it turns into candy bars, sugary drinks (soda, sports drinks, juice drinks, etc), chips, cookies and so on. There is no shortage of junk food and it's replacing fruit, vegetables and lean meat.
The simple sugars are highly addictive. Children and adults don't want to eat a tomato or an apricot b/c they are not sweet enough. Their taste buds have become accustomed to artificial sweeteners. The great news is that your taste buds can change back and you can once again the enjoy the flavorful fruits and vegetables you were meant to consume.
The food logs are a good way to see how much simple carbs and sugars you are eating. The less you eat, the less you will want! I promise! Since sugar is more addicting then heroine, you have to wean off it the same way you would alcohol. Begin by eating less and less and then you will want less and less. You will be shocked to learn how you will begin to crave a salad or fruit instead of a cookie.
If you have specific questions about your diet, email me and I will help you. The following article will give you some more tips on Curving the Carb Cravings.
Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction By Christopher Guerriero, BS, CPT
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main trigger for carb cravings. These cravings are described as a compelling craving, or desire for carbohydrate-rich foods; an escalating, recurring need or drive for starches, snack foods, junk food, or sweets.This is where the cycle of carbohydrates and cravings start. High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods feed the addiction like a drug. This results in high blood sugar and insulin levels which results in more cravings. The situation also results in higher levels of serotonin - a brain chemical that acts like Prozac. People eat sweets to get the "sugar high."
Another contributing factor to overeating and sweet craving is stress. When we are tense, the adrenal gland produces more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol stimulates production of a brain chemical called "neuropeptide Y."This is kind of a carbohydrate craving switch. Aside from this, neuropeptide Y also makes the body hang on to the new body fat we produce. In other words, tension not only triggers carbohydrate cravings, it also makes it more difficult to lose any additional weight. Cortisol also stimulates insulin, which leads to blood sugar dips and fat storage.It's a vicious cycle that feeds on itself, over and over.
Food is not just a biological need; there is also an emotional element to it. Something in our emotional state, particularly a negative one evokes an urge for "comfort" food. By dealing with the issue behind the cravings, it produces emotional relief that can reduce or even eliminate the urge to overeat.
All in all, most experts agree that by eating enough wholesome foods at meals and by having a healthy afternoon snack, people can minimize their cravings for sweets.Here are recommendations to curb carb cravings.
1. Eat less but more often. Eat small meals or snacks containing some PROTEIN every few hours to keep blood-sugar levels steady.Skipping meals causes blood sugar levels to drop, which leaves you yearning for processed carbohydrates and sweets for energy.
2. Be selective about the carbohydrates you eat. Avoid nutrient-stripped foods made of white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly concentrated sweeteners. Look for foods rich in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, which level off blood sugar.
3. Don't skimp on protein to ?make room' for large amounts of carbohydrates. Protein gives the body extended energy, helps balance blood sugar and keeps cravings at bay.
4. Limit your intake of alcohol, fruit juice and caffeinated drinks. These cause abrupt blood-sugar highs followed by troublesome blood-sugar lows, leaving you starved for energy.
5. Eat small portions of seasonal goodies AFTER protein-containing meals or snacks, if at all. If you eat sweets on an empty stomach, you'll experience blood-sugar lows that trigger the desire for more sweets.
6. Avoid becoming famished during shopping trips and while traveling. Carry protein-rich snacks such as nuts, hard-boiled eggs, nutrient-balanced energy bars or "vegetable greens" like those listed. These high-power foods are great when you feel your energy drop.
7. Get enough sleep. When the body and mind are well-rested, cravings for carbohydrates often vanish.
END
These are all good tips. Choose the one you are willing to work on and commit to it today. Let me know how I can help you. Get the momentum going and you will begin to feel better about your choices before long. Get the food cravings behind you and fat loss becomes so much easier. Don't let sugar by a monkey on your back. Think of sugar as cocaine - white poison. Think of fruits and vegetables as nourishing and energizing.
Have an adventurous day,
Kelli
As children, we start out with breast milk or formula for the first year of life. There is some sugar in breast milk, but it's not particularly sweet. Then we introduced babies to mashed vegetables, which are a little sweeter, then fruit which is sweeter still. Then dry cereal is introduced which is a simple starch. From there, they get biskets, cookies and then on their first birthday, a piece of cake.
I watched a one year old baby have their first piece of cake on their birthday 2 weekends ago. IT was interesting to watch them to from excited, to elated to slowly crashing and eventually into a sugar coma where the baby was just staring glassy eyed - all in a matter of minutes.
There are gummy vitamins, fruit drinks and so on. The sweets just keep getting sweeter and by the time a child is two, they are typically eating primarily simple carbs (dry cereal, graham crackers, pretzels, gold fish, etc). Then it turns into candy bars, sugary drinks (soda, sports drinks, juice drinks, etc), chips, cookies and so on. There is no shortage of junk food and it's replacing fruit, vegetables and lean meat.
The simple sugars are highly addictive. Children and adults don't want to eat a tomato or an apricot b/c they are not sweet enough. Their taste buds have become accustomed to artificial sweeteners. The great news is that your taste buds can change back and you can once again the enjoy the flavorful fruits and vegetables you were meant to consume.
The food logs are a good way to see how much simple carbs and sugars you are eating. The less you eat, the less you will want! I promise! Since sugar is more addicting then heroine, you have to wean off it the same way you would alcohol. Begin by eating less and less and then you will want less and less. You will be shocked to learn how you will begin to crave a salad or fruit instead of a cookie.
If you have specific questions about your diet, email me and I will help you. The following article will give you some more tips on Curving the Carb Cravings.
Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction By Christopher Guerriero, BS, CPT
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main trigger for carb cravings. These cravings are described as a compelling craving, or desire for carbohydrate-rich foods; an escalating, recurring need or drive for starches, snack foods, junk food, or sweets.This is where the cycle of carbohydrates and cravings start. High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods feed the addiction like a drug. This results in high blood sugar and insulin levels which results in more cravings. The situation also results in higher levels of serotonin - a brain chemical that acts like Prozac. People eat sweets to get the "sugar high."
Another contributing factor to overeating and sweet craving is stress. When we are tense, the adrenal gland produces more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol stimulates production of a brain chemical called "neuropeptide Y."This is kind of a carbohydrate craving switch. Aside from this, neuropeptide Y also makes the body hang on to the new body fat we produce. In other words, tension not only triggers carbohydrate cravings, it also makes it more difficult to lose any additional weight. Cortisol also stimulates insulin, which leads to blood sugar dips and fat storage.It's a vicious cycle that feeds on itself, over and over.
Food is not just a biological need; there is also an emotional element to it. Something in our emotional state, particularly a negative one evokes an urge for "comfort" food. By dealing with the issue behind the cravings, it produces emotional relief that can reduce or even eliminate the urge to overeat.
All in all, most experts agree that by eating enough wholesome foods at meals and by having a healthy afternoon snack, people can minimize their cravings for sweets.Here are recommendations to curb carb cravings.
1. Eat less but more often. Eat small meals or snacks containing some PROTEIN every few hours to keep blood-sugar levels steady.Skipping meals causes blood sugar levels to drop, which leaves you yearning for processed carbohydrates and sweets for energy.
2. Be selective about the carbohydrates you eat. Avoid nutrient-stripped foods made of white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly concentrated sweeteners. Look for foods rich in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, which level off blood sugar.
3. Don't skimp on protein to ?make room' for large amounts of carbohydrates. Protein gives the body extended energy, helps balance blood sugar and keeps cravings at bay.
4. Limit your intake of alcohol, fruit juice and caffeinated drinks. These cause abrupt blood-sugar highs followed by troublesome blood-sugar lows, leaving you starved for energy.
5. Eat small portions of seasonal goodies AFTER protein-containing meals or snacks, if at all. If you eat sweets on an empty stomach, you'll experience blood-sugar lows that trigger the desire for more sweets.
6. Avoid becoming famished during shopping trips and while traveling. Carry protein-rich snacks such as nuts, hard-boiled eggs, nutrient-balanced energy bars or "vegetable greens" like those listed. These high-power foods are great when you feel your energy drop.
7. Get enough sleep. When the body and mind are well-rested, cravings for carbohydrates often vanish.
END
These are all good tips. Choose the one you are willing to work on and commit to it today. Let me know how I can help you. Get the momentum going and you will begin to feel better about your choices before long. Get the food cravings behind you and fat loss becomes so much easier. Don't let sugar by a monkey on your back. Think of sugar as cocaine - white poison. Think of fruits and vegetables as nourishing and energizing.
Have an adventurous day,
Kelli
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Fit Mom's for Mothers Day
Mothers are typically the ones to put themselves last on the list. We are so into our roles as moms, wives, home makers, daughters, sisters, friends, volunteers and career women that there is not much room left for ourselves.
Just like a financial adviser would tell you to pay yourself first, as your coach I am advising you to take care of your health first. Most moms wake up feeling achy, sluggish, and wonder which train hit them. I want each of you to wake up feeling capable, energized, and excited about the day.
As a nation we are dying longer. Yes the life expectancy is higher than ever, but most people are spending the last decade medicated and feeling lousy.
When mom takes care of herself, she has more patience for her children, has more energy to get her responsibilities completed, is more conscious of choosing healthy meals for her family, is a positive role model for her children, has energy to spare in the bedroom, has clear young looking skin, shiny hair and the list goes on and on.
I'm not suggesting you become obsessed about your appearance, spend thousands of dollars on beauty treatments or become consumed with your looks and health. You will actually spend less time on your beauty and health when you exercise for 30 - 60 minutes a day, sleep 7 + hours a night, drink plenty of water, manage your stress, and eat wholesome natural organic foods. You will look and feel younger. The more you abuse your body with sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol, processed foods and in activity, the more time and money you will ultimately need to keep dis-ease at bay and to appear youthful.
I want to congratulate each of you on making your health and fitness a priority. Many of you have shared the stories of how it has changed your posture, confidence, pain levels, not to mention that you are wearing the skinny clothes in your closet which is priceless.
If dad or the kiddies are looking for something to get mom for mothers day, hint around at some healthy alternatives to a big brunch, candy or jewelery. Ask for another month of boot camp, a new pair of running sneakers, a pedicure to pamper your exercising feet, some workout music clothes or a weekend adventure getaway involving hiking, biking, trail walks, swimming and relaxation.
I wish you all the best for a happy and fit Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day!
Here's a little something my mother passed onto me.
MOTHER
The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it.. But the end will be better than the beginning."But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried,"Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."
Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come." And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary.But at all times she said to the children," A little patience and we are there."So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you." And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness.
Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I 've given them strength."And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. " And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness." And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."
And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent.But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her,for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill,and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."
And the children said, "You will always walk with us,Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence......." Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space... not even death!
MAY WE NEVER TAKE OUR MOTHERS FOR GRANTED
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
Fast Food - Is the Conveneince Worth the Price?
We all know that fast food does not cost much, but is it worth the cost to your health? I understand that we all live in a fast paced world (although Texas is MUCH slower than the North East - which I love) and convenience is key when it comes to eating, but what may save you time now is going to cost you in time, lost wages, anguish, suffering and money later. Fast foods are made from the poorest quality sources. The meat can come from animals that have tumors and are sick. Animals that are fed plastics and given antibiotics and steroids and who have never exercised. Fast foods are mostly genetically modified foods filled with preservatives, additives, fillers artificial sweeteners and chemicals and should be avoided at all costs. If you look at the incidence of cancer and other disease you have to stop and ask what we are doing so dramatically wrong in our environment- including what we put in our mouths.
While this article is not necessarily on the dangers of fast food as much as on the social trends in America lending itself towards fast food consumption, I want to make the point (okay scare you) that it would best serve you to eat fresh wholesome organic foods when possible.
Fat in America -
There seems to be no end to pointing out the obvious when it comes to American obesity.Through news stories and surveys, we’re kept painfully aware of our weight — 300,000 Americans die each year from obesity-related health problems, and we spend $117 billion a year as a country trying to deal with it.Traditional thinking says it’s our own fault, but UNT’s Priscilla Connors says this may not be entirely true.“We certainly have a level of personal responsibility, but it can also be said that we live in a somewhat toxic environment,” says Connors, a nutritionist and assistant professor of hospitality management.
Speed of life
Her UNT colleague Edward Lopez, assistant professor of economics, says even though obesity hurts us on a national level, in some ways it’s beneficial in our day-to-day lives. While obesity costs us millions in health care as a nation, individuals can live surprisingly cheaply on what Lopez calls “one of the more visible contributors to obesity in America” — fast food.“Everyone eats it. And everyone knows it’s not healthy, especially when eaten regularly,” he says. “But it’s cheap and convenient.”Even with added convenience, our lifestyles are still fast paced, Lopez says. And our diet of fast food is a way we’ve adapted.“Along with urban sprawl has come longer commute times and more time spent in the car,” he says. “This increases the demand for fast food because the convenience of it fits with a hurried lifestyle. There’s a demand for convenience, so there’s a demand for fast food.”
Size wars
Connors says that to an extent we’ve all been “super-sized” by fast-food chains competing in a “size war.” Chains sell large amounts of cheap food rather than reasonable portions of high-quality food, she says.A prime example is the size of an order of fries — what was a standard order a few decades ago now belongs in a kid’s meal.But the real question is which came first: Did fast-food chains increase portion sizes, or did customers demand larger portions?Connors believes it’s the latter.“Yes, the fast-food industry is killing us with kindness by providing us with what we want,” she says.
Nutritionists and health experts around the country, many of whom view our obesity as an epidemic, are coming to the same conclusion. And they say laying guilt trips on Americans about their food choices isn’t working.“We’ve tried for 20 years to change behavior, and it hasn’t really worked,” Connors says. “Now we’re looking at changing the environment. Previously we said to the public, ‘There’s something wrong with you and you’re not motivated enough to lose weight.’ Now we’re trying to approach the fast-food industry and work on changing the menu — telling them to stop being so generous to us.”
Instant gratification
But fast-food diets can’t be the only factor in increasing rates of obesity.Karen Cogan, assistant professor of psychology, believes we’ve actually done ourselves in with convenience — as we continue to gain instant gratification through technology, we become less active and more isolated.Our children spend much of their time playing video games, we buy what we want online and we get out to do less than we ever have before, she says.“We’re so comfortable with getting what we want right away and aren’t willing to inconvenience ourselves,” she says. “Typically, diets alone don’t work. The only real way to control weight is long-term changes in our lifestyles. That includes exercise and healthy eating.”She also believes Americans seek comfort in food in times of stress and depression. For example, parents often cheer up children with a cookie or a snack, Cogan says. Early on we learn to eat even when we aren’t hungry.“Quite often when we eat, it’s not about the food,” she says. “We eat when we’re sad to fill an emptiness, and we eat when we’re happy to celebrate the joy. Food is a comfort. When we feel out of control, eating or not eating is one thing we can control in our lives.”
Mixed messages
Americans also receive mixed messages from television and film, Cogan says. The food industry, including the fast-food industry, spends an estimated $30 billion a year on advertising.“Part of the struggle is that we are made really aware of our appearances,” she says. “We’re given these images of how we’re supposed to look when faced with buffets and excesses of food.”Despite how we’re told we should look, the foods that add unnecessary calories to our diet are everywhere. Vending machines in schools bring in millions of dollars but also carry sugary soft drinks, candy bars and other high-calorie snacks at cheap prices. Fast-food restaurants vie for the attention of children with special kid’s meals, toy tie-ins and costumed characters, all for only a few dollars.
Living fat-free
Against all of this, one would think it’s easier to simply accept our fate. Lopez says the fact is that our obesity serves a purpose — it accommodates the American way of life. The only way to change is for consumers to collectively begin making different choices, he says.“Markets can respond in a healthy direction, too,” Lopez says. “Look at movie popcorn. A few years ago it was widely publicized that a bucket of movie popcorn had three or four times the recommended daily fat intake.“Consumers instantly started buying less popcorn, and movie houses started offering air-popped corn. Now butter is added separately.”
Collectively, consumers can change the environment in the long term, but in the meantime we can slowly change our habits, Connors says.“The twin issues of obesity and weight-related chronic diseases will be with us until steps are taken to change an environment that promotes over-consumption,” she says. “Until then, the best approach is to purchase small portions, augment fast-food meals with fresh fruits, vegetables and water, and, when served too much — throw it out.”
End
So now that you are Re-powered with more information, I hope you continue to be conscious of your food choices and make the best possible choices to live longer, stronger more vibrant years.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
http://www.kellicalabrese.com/
http://www.argylebootcamp.com/
http://www.femininefirmandfit.com/
While this article is not necessarily on the dangers of fast food as much as on the social trends in America lending itself towards fast food consumption, I want to make the point (okay scare you) that it would best serve you to eat fresh wholesome organic foods when possible.
Fat in America -
There seems to be no end to pointing out the obvious when it comes to American obesity.Through news stories and surveys, we’re kept painfully aware of our weight — 300,000 Americans die each year from obesity-related health problems, and we spend $117 billion a year as a country trying to deal with it.Traditional thinking says it’s our own fault, but UNT’s Priscilla Connors says this may not be entirely true.“We certainly have a level of personal responsibility, but it can also be said that we live in a somewhat toxic environment,” says Connors, a nutritionist and assistant professor of hospitality management.
Speed of life
Her UNT colleague Edward Lopez, assistant professor of economics, says even though obesity hurts us on a national level, in some ways it’s beneficial in our day-to-day lives. While obesity costs us millions in health care as a nation, individuals can live surprisingly cheaply on what Lopez calls “one of the more visible contributors to obesity in America” — fast food.“Everyone eats it. And everyone knows it’s not healthy, especially when eaten regularly,” he says. “But it’s cheap and convenient.”Even with added convenience, our lifestyles are still fast paced, Lopez says. And our diet of fast food is a way we’ve adapted.“Along with urban sprawl has come longer commute times and more time spent in the car,” he says. “This increases the demand for fast food because the convenience of it fits with a hurried lifestyle. There’s a demand for convenience, so there’s a demand for fast food.”
Size wars
Connors says that to an extent we’ve all been “super-sized” by fast-food chains competing in a “size war.” Chains sell large amounts of cheap food rather than reasonable portions of high-quality food, she says.A prime example is the size of an order of fries — what was a standard order a few decades ago now belongs in a kid’s meal.But the real question is which came first: Did fast-food chains increase portion sizes, or did customers demand larger portions?Connors believes it’s the latter.“Yes, the fast-food industry is killing us with kindness by providing us with what we want,” she says.
Nutritionists and health experts around the country, many of whom view our obesity as an epidemic, are coming to the same conclusion. And they say laying guilt trips on Americans about their food choices isn’t working.“We’ve tried for 20 years to change behavior, and it hasn’t really worked,” Connors says. “Now we’re looking at changing the environment. Previously we said to the public, ‘There’s something wrong with you and you’re not motivated enough to lose weight.’ Now we’re trying to approach the fast-food industry and work on changing the menu — telling them to stop being so generous to us.”
Instant gratification
But fast-food diets can’t be the only factor in increasing rates of obesity.Karen Cogan, assistant professor of psychology, believes we’ve actually done ourselves in with convenience — as we continue to gain instant gratification through technology, we become less active and more isolated.Our children spend much of their time playing video games, we buy what we want online and we get out to do less than we ever have before, she says.“We’re so comfortable with getting what we want right away and aren’t willing to inconvenience ourselves,” she says. “Typically, diets alone don’t work. The only real way to control weight is long-term changes in our lifestyles. That includes exercise and healthy eating.”She also believes Americans seek comfort in food in times of stress and depression. For example, parents often cheer up children with a cookie or a snack, Cogan says. Early on we learn to eat even when we aren’t hungry.“Quite often when we eat, it’s not about the food,” she says. “We eat when we’re sad to fill an emptiness, and we eat when we’re happy to celebrate the joy. Food is a comfort. When we feel out of control, eating or not eating is one thing we can control in our lives.”
Mixed messages
Americans also receive mixed messages from television and film, Cogan says. The food industry, including the fast-food industry, spends an estimated $30 billion a year on advertising.“Part of the struggle is that we are made really aware of our appearances,” she says. “We’re given these images of how we’re supposed to look when faced with buffets and excesses of food.”Despite how we’re told we should look, the foods that add unnecessary calories to our diet are everywhere. Vending machines in schools bring in millions of dollars but also carry sugary soft drinks, candy bars and other high-calorie snacks at cheap prices. Fast-food restaurants vie for the attention of children with special kid’s meals, toy tie-ins and costumed characters, all for only a few dollars.
Living fat-free
Against all of this, one would think it’s easier to simply accept our fate. Lopez says the fact is that our obesity serves a purpose — it accommodates the American way of life. The only way to change is for consumers to collectively begin making different choices, he says.“Markets can respond in a healthy direction, too,” Lopez says. “Look at movie popcorn. A few years ago it was widely publicized that a bucket of movie popcorn had three or four times the recommended daily fat intake.“Consumers instantly started buying less popcorn, and movie houses started offering air-popped corn. Now butter is added separately.”
Collectively, consumers can change the environment in the long term, but in the meantime we can slowly change our habits, Connors says.“The twin issues of obesity and weight-related chronic diseases will be with us until steps are taken to change an environment that promotes over-consumption,” she says. “Until then, the best approach is to purchase small portions, augment fast-food meals with fresh fruits, vegetables and water, and, when served too much — throw it out.”
End
So now that you are Re-powered with more information, I hope you continue to be conscious of your food choices and make the best possible choices to live longer, stronger more vibrant years.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
http://www.kellicalabrese.com/
http://www.argylebootcamp.com/
http://www.femininefirmandfit.com/
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Fuel Like A Champion - For Your Kids Nutrition
My Friend and renowned nutritionist Dr. Chris Mohr created a program to help children eat to fuel their bodies. He has worked with many sports teams, taught at several universities, is an ironman tri-althlete and the author of multiple books on nutrition. This is a DVD program will help your child understand how to best choose foods to nourish and support their bodies weather they are an athlete or unfit.
I can not stress enough the importance for your children to consume healthy foods they are growing up on highly processed, genetically modified foods filled with dyes, chemicals and know plastics, carcinogens and addictive properties. If boot camp can positively influence you to help your children make better food choices, I would be thrilled!!!
Making changes for children when it comes to food, can not be drastic. They should be involved in the decision progress and adapt age appropriate changes. You can not get too strict with your child, but empower them with information. They are smart and naturally should want to be healthy - they are eating out of habit and their bodies crave sweets. Do what you can to involve them in the meal planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, and so on. Encourage them to try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Clean out your pantry of any non-nourishing foods that have empty calories.
Eating junk food is so detrimental to your children. Yesterday Cori shared a story of an experiment she did with her children at night. she took away sugary drinks (soda, chocolate milk) and sweet desserts at night and her children went from waking up during the night to sleeping through the night. One night they had ice cream and sure enough, they both wound up in her bed at 2 AM.
Below is the information on the DVD called Fuel Like a Champion. If you have food concerns, challenges or struggles with your children, consider this as a helpful tool and starting place.
In Fuel Like a Champion - A Young Athlete's Guide on What to Eat, the experts uncover:
The potential dangers of Energy Drinks—there are over SIX HUNDRED brands literally preying on false hopes and dreams of young athletes--and your kids are drinking them!
The exact, science-based carbohydrate recommendations to guarantee more energy on and off the field!
The specific protein requirements to ensure optimal muscle growth and recovery
The truth behind the $16.8 billion dietary supplement industry…trust us, with over 29,000 dietary supplements available, you NEED this information to save your young athlete from falling prey to marketing hype!
Recovery strategies -- breakthrough recovery strategies that will take performance to the next level!
Guidance on safe, effective, and permanent weight loss
Precise, healthy, and LEGAL weight gain strategies guaranteed to pack on muscle and strength (for those who want it)
Exact food recommendations to meet the exact requirements for developing athletes
The top 12 fruits and vegetables to buy organic—they are otherwise highest in pesticides, so you need to protect you and your young athletes!
Specific nutrient timing strategies teaching you when and what to eat before and during games.
The best times to consume sports drinks and when they’re nothing more than extra calories—this information can make or break performance! And much, much more
If you want your child to have a step up on the competition, this DVD will give you every tool necessary to fuel your young athletes properly – as a parent or coach, athletes look to you for the right information.
With nutrition information so powerful, you are sure to leave your competition in the dust. Imagine, every time you feed your athletes using the principles outlined in this DVD, they will take one step closer to peak performance! The only thing worse than not having this in your arsenal to develop the most well prepared athlete possible, is allowing their competition to have it first! Using the tools in the Fuel Like a Champion DVD will ELIMINATE any confusion and marketing hype that most fall prey to by providing every single necessary tool to ensure nutrition is no longer the weak link bringing your performance to a screeching halt. Ever ride a bike with a flat tire? Trying to compete physically or mentally without the right nutrition is like being on that bike and trying to go fast. It’s impossible!!
This DVD leaves no stone left unturned, as Dr. Mohr and Mitzi reveal the absolute best nutrition secrets young athletes need to reach their true potential!
To Order the DVD, click here
End
Again, I believe this can be a great tool for teaching children how to make the best food choices. They are building the habits now that will last a lifetime. You don't want your child to have to struggle with obesity, not be able to be at the peak of their abilities - or worse!
I can not stress enough the importance for your children to consume healthy foods they are growing up on highly processed, genetically modified foods filled with dyes, chemicals and know plastics, carcinogens and addictive properties. If boot camp can positively influence you to help your children make better food choices, I would be thrilled!!!
Making changes for children when it comes to food, can not be drastic. They should be involved in the decision progress and adapt age appropriate changes. You can not get too strict with your child, but empower them with information. They are smart and naturally should want to be healthy - they are eating out of habit and their bodies crave sweets. Do what you can to involve them in the meal planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, and so on. Encourage them to try a new fruit and vegetable every week. Clean out your pantry of any non-nourishing foods that have empty calories.
Eating junk food is so detrimental to your children. Yesterday Cori shared a story of an experiment she did with her children at night. she took away sugary drinks (soda, chocolate milk) and sweet desserts at night and her children went from waking up during the night to sleeping through the night. One night they had ice cream and sure enough, they both wound up in her bed at 2 AM.
Below is the information on the DVD called Fuel Like a Champion. If you have food concerns, challenges or struggles with your children, consider this as a helpful tool and starting place.
In Fuel Like a Champion - A Young Athlete's Guide on What to Eat, the experts uncover:
The potential dangers of Energy Drinks—there are over SIX HUNDRED brands literally preying on false hopes and dreams of young athletes--and your kids are drinking them!
The exact, science-based carbohydrate recommendations to guarantee more energy on and off the field!
The specific protein requirements to ensure optimal muscle growth and recovery
The truth behind the $16.8 billion dietary supplement industry…trust us, with over 29,000 dietary supplements available, you NEED this information to save your young athlete from falling prey to marketing hype!
Recovery strategies -- breakthrough recovery strategies that will take performance to the next level!
Guidance on safe, effective, and permanent weight loss
Precise, healthy, and LEGAL weight gain strategies guaranteed to pack on muscle and strength (for those who want it)
Exact food recommendations to meet the exact requirements for developing athletes
The top 12 fruits and vegetables to buy organic—they are otherwise highest in pesticides, so you need to protect you and your young athletes!
Specific nutrient timing strategies teaching you when and what to eat before and during games.
The best times to consume sports drinks and when they’re nothing more than extra calories—this information can make or break performance! And much, much more
If you want your child to have a step up on the competition, this DVD will give you every tool necessary to fuel your young athletes properly – as a parent or coach, athletes look to you for the right information.
With nutrition information so powerful, you are sure to leave your competition in the dust. Imagine, every time you feed your athletes using the principles outlined in this DVD, they will take one step closer to peak performance! The only thing worse than not having this in your arsenal to develop the most well prepared athlete possible, is allowing their competition to have it first! Using the tools in the Fuel Like a Champion DVD will ELIMINATE any confusion and marketing hype that most fall prey to by providing every single necessary tool to ensure nutrition is no longer the weak link bringing your performance to a screeching halt. Ever ride a bike with a flat tire? Trying to compete physically or mentally without the right nutrition is like being on that bike and trying to go fast. It’s impossible!!
This DVD leaves no stone left unturned, as Dr. Mohr and Mitzi reveal the absolute best nutrition secrets young athletes need to reach their true potential!
To Order the DVD, click here
End
Again, I believe this can be a great tool for teaching children how to make the best food choices. They are building the habits now that will last a lifetime. You don't want your child to have to struggle with obesity, not be able to be at the peak of their abilities - or worse!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The Dangers of Sugar
Sugar is more addicting then heroine. Just like heroine or alcohol or other addictive substances we have to wean off them (or go cold turkey). The more sugar you eat, the more you crave and the sweater the sugar had to be to satisfy you.
I am hoping just one of these many ways sugar harms your health will strike a chord with you and you will begin to ease up on sugar intake for you, your children and loved ones. There are plenty of other natural ways to have a sweat treat such as pineapple or peaches on the barbeque, frozen fruit, frozen fruit pops, natural fruit smoothies, etc.
Counting the Many Ways Sugar Harms Your Health
Contributed by Nancy Appleton, PhDAuthor of the book Lick The Sugar Habit
In addition to throwing off the body's homeostasis, excess sugar may result in a number of other significant consequences. The following is a listing of some of sugar's metabolic consequences from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publications.
Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.1,2
Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 3,4,5,6
Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.7,8
Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.9,10,11,12
Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.13
Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.14,15,16,17,18,19,20
Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.21,22
Sugar can weaken eyesight.23
Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.24,25,26,27,28
Sugar can cause premature aging.29
Sugar can lead to alcoholism.30
Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.31,32,33
Sugar contributes to obesity.34
Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.35,36,37
Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).38
Sugar can cause gallstones.39
Sugar can cause appendicitis.40
Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.41
Sugar can cause varicose veins.42
Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.43
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.44
Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.45,46,47
Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.48
Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.49
Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.50
High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).51
Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.52
Sugar causes food allergies.53
Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.54
Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.55
Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.56,57
Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.58
Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.59,60
Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.61
Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.62,63
Sugar can cause emphysema.64
High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.65
Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.66
Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.67
Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.68,69
Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.70,71
Sugar can damage your pancreas.72
Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.73
Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.74
Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.75
Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.76
Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.77
Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.78,79
Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.80
Sugar can cause depression.81
Sugar can increase your risk of gout.82
Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.83
Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.84,85,86,87
Sugar can lead to dizziness.88
Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.89
High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.90
High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.91,92
Sugar is an addictive substance.93
Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.94
Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.95
Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.96
Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.97
The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.98
Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).99
Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.100
Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.101
Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.102
I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.103
Sugar increases your risk of polio.104
High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.105
Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.106
In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.107
Sugar may induce cell death.108
In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.109
Sugar dehydrates newborns.110
Sugar can cause gum disease.111
References
Sanchez, A., et al. Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Nov 1973;261:1180_1184. Bernstein, J., al. Depression of Lymphocyte Transformation Following Oral Glucose Ingestion. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1997;30:613
Ringsdorf, W., Cheraskin, E. and Ramsay R. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis and Resistance to Disease, Dental Survey. 1976;52(12):46_48.
Couzy, F., et al. "Nutritional Implications of the Interaction Minerals," Progressive Food and Nutrition Science 17;1933:65-87
Kozlovsky, A., et al. Effects of Diets High in Simple Sugars on Urinary Chromium Losses. Metabolism. June 1986;35:515_518.
Fields, M.., et al. Effect of Copper Deficiency on Metabolism and Mortality in Rats Fed Sucrose or Starch Diets, Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1983;113:1335_1345.
Lemann, J. Evidence that Glucose Ingestion Inhibits Net Renal Tubular Reabsorption of Calcium and Magnesium. Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1976 ;70:236_245.
Goldman, J., et al. Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.1986;14(4):565_577.
Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.
Scanto, S. and Yudkin, J. The Effect of Dietary Sucrose on Blood Lipids, Serum Insulin, Platelet Adhesiveness and Body Weight in Human Volunteers, Postgraduate Medicine Journal. 1969;45:602_607.
Albrink, M. and Ullrich I. H. Interaction of Dietary Sucrose and Fiber on Serum Lipids in Healthy Young Men Fed High Carbohydrate Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:419-428. Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Med Hypotheses. Mar 1993;40(3):174-81.
Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Sugars on Metabolic Risk Factors Associated with Heart Disease. Nutritional Health. 1985;203_216.
Lewis, G. F. and Steiner, G. Acute Effects of Insulin in the Control of Vldl Production in Humans. Implications for The insulin-resistant State. Diabetes Care. 1996 Apr;19(4):390-3 R. Pamplona, M. .J., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses. 1990;40:174-181.
Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. "Glucose and Aging." Scientific American. May 1987:90. Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science; 663:63-67.
Takahashi, E., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Wholistic Health Digest. October 1982:41:00
Quillin, Patrick, Cancer's Sweet Tooth, Nutrition Science News. Ap 2000 Rothkopf, M.. Nutrition. July/Aug 1990;6(4).
Michaud, D. Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. Sep 4, 2002 ;94(17):1293-300.
Moerman, C. J., et al. Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer. International Journal of Epidemiology. Ap 1993.2(2):207-214.
The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.
De Stefani, E."Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case control Study in Uruguay." Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7.
Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France. European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65.
Kelsay, J., et al. Diets High in Glucose or Sucrose and Young Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1974;27:926_936. Thomas, B. J., et al. Relation of Habitual Diet to Fasting Plasma Insulin Concentration and the Insulin Response to Oral Glucose, Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition. 1983; 36C(1):49_51.
Dufty, William. Sugar Blues. (New York:Warner Books, 1975).
Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Mar 2002;48;25. Taub, H. Ed. Sugar Weakens Eyesight, VM NEWSLETTER;May 1986:06:00
Dufty.
Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129
Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France, European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11
Persson P. G., Ahlbom, A., and Hellers, G. Epidemiology. 1992;3:47-52.
Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.
Lee, A. T.and Cerami A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science.1992;663:63-70.
Abrahamson, E. and Peget, A. Body, Mind and Sugar. (New York: Avon, 1977.}
Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and Youngmee, K. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force. 1986:39:00 Makinen K.K.,et al. A Descriptive Report of the Effects of a 16_month Xylitol Chewing_gum Programme Subsequent to a 40_month Sucrose Gum Programme. Caries Research. 1998; 32(2)107_12.
Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and K. Youngmee. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force.1986;39:36_38.
Appleton, N. New York: Healthy Bones. Avery Penguin Putnam:1989.
Keen, H., et al. Nutrient Intake, Adiposity, and Diabetes. British Medical Journal. 1989; 1:00 655_658
Darlington, L., Ramsey, N. W. and Mansfield, J. R. Placebo Controlled, Blind Study of Dietary Manipulation Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lancet. Feb 1986;8475(1):236_238.
Powers, L. Sensitivity: You React to What You Eat. Los Angeles Times. (Feb. 12, 1985). Cheng, J., et al. Preliminary Clinical Study on the Correlation Between Allergic Rhinitis and Food Factors. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi Aug 2002;16(8):393-396.
Erlander, S. The Cause and Cure of Multiple Sclerosis, The Disease to End Disease." Mar 3, 1979;1(3):59_63.
Crook, W. J. The Yeast Connection. (TN:Professional Books, 1984).
Heaton, K. The Sweet Road to Gallstones. British Medical Journal. Apr 14, 1984; 288:00:00 1103_1104. Misciagna, G., et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;69:120-126.
Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease. (New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, 1974).
Ibid.
Cleave, T. and Campbell, G. (Bristol, England:Diabetes, Coronary Thrombosis and the Saccharine Disease: John Wright and Sons, 1960).
Behall, K. Influ ence of Estrogen Content of Oral Contraceptives and Consumption of Sucrose on Blood Parameters. Disease Abstracts International. 1982;431437.
Tjäderhane, L. and Larmas, M. A High Sucrose Diet Decreases the Mechanical Strength of Bones in Growing Rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1998:128:1807_1810.
Beck, Nielsen H., Pedersen O., and Schwartz S. Effects of Diet on the Cellular Insulin Binding and the Insulin Sensitivity in Young Healthy Subjects. Diabetes. 1978;15:289_296 .
Sucrose Induces Diabetes in Cat. Federal Protocol. 1974;6(97). diabetes
Reiser, S., et al. Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:151-159.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Aug 2000
Hodges, R., and Rebello, T. Carbohydrates and Blood Pressure. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1983:98:838_841.
Behar, D., et al. Sugar Challenge Testing with Children Considered Behaviorally Sugar Reactive. Nutritional Behavior. 1984;1:277_288.
Furth, A. and Harding, J. Why Sugar Is Bad For You. New Scientist. Sep 23, 1989;44.
Simmons, J. Is The Sand of Time Sugar? LONGEVITY. June 1990:00:00 49_53.
Appleton, N. New York: LICK THE SUGAR HABIT. Avery Penguin Putnam:1988. allergies
Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease: (New Canaan Ct: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1974).131.
Ibid. 132
Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses . 1990:00:00 174_181.
Vaccaro O., Ruth, K. J. and Stamler J. Relationship of Postload Plasma Glucose to Mortality with 19 yr Follow up. Diabetes Care. Oct 15,1992;10:328_334. Tominaga, M., et al, Impaired Glucose Tolerance Is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease, but Not Fasting Glucose. Diabetes Care. 1999:2(6):920-924.
Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. Modifications of Proteins and Nucleic Acids by Reducing Sugars: Possible Role in Aging. Handbook of the Biology of Aging. (New York: Academic Press, 1990.).
Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology 1990:45(4):105_110.
Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. Glucose and Aging. Scientific American. May 1987:00:00 90
Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.
Veromann, S.et al."Dietary Sugar and Salt Represent Real Risk Factors for Cataract Development." Ophthalmologica. 2003 Jul-Aug;217(4):302-307.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI
Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology. 1990:45(4):105_110.
Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.
Appleton, Nancy. New York; Lick the Sugar Habit. Avery Penguin Putnam, 1988 enzymes
Hellenbrand, W. Diet and Parkinson's Disease. A Possible Role for the Past Intake of Specific Nutrients. Results from a Self-administered Food-frequency Questionnaire in a Case-control Study. Neurology. Sep 1996;47(3):644-650.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38.
Ibid.
Yudkin, J., Kang, S. and Bruckdorfer, K. Effects of High Dietary Sugar. British Journal of Medicine. Nov 22, 1980;1396.
Blacklock, N. J., Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):9- Curhan, G., et al. Beverage Use and Risk for Kidney Stones in Women. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998:28:534-340.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI,:
Ibid. fluid retention
Ibid. bowel movement
Ibid. compromise the lining of the capillaries
Nash, J. Health Contenders. Essence. Jan 1992; 23:00 79_81.
Grand, E. Food Allergies and Migraine.Lancet. 1979:1:955_959.
Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. (Berkley Ca; Parker House, 1981.)
Molteni, R, et al. A High-fat, Refined Sugar Diet Reduces Hippocampal Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neuronal Plasticity, and Learning. NeuroScience. 2002;112(4):803-814.
Christensen, L. The Role of Caffeine and Sugar in Depression. Nutrition Report. Mar 1991;9(3):17-24.
Ibid,44
Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129
Frey, J. Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer's Disease? Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257.
Yudkin, J. Metabolic Changes Induced by Sugar in Relation to Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):5-8.
Yudkin, J and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988:32(2):53-55.
The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.
Gardner, L. and Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate on Fasting Levels of Human Growth Hormone and Cortisol. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1982;169:36_40.
Journal of Advanced Medicine. 1994;7(1):51-58.
Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.
Postgraduate Medicine.Sept 1969:45:602-07.
Lenders, C. M. Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake among Pregnant Adolescents. Journal of Nutrition. Jun 1997;1113- 1117
Ibid.
Sugar, White Flour Withdrawal Produces Chemical Response. The Addiction Letter. Jul 1992:04:00 Colantuoni, C., et al. Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence. Obes Res. Jun 2002 ;10(6):478-488. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, June 17, 2001 www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/sugar.htm
Ibid.
Sunehag, A. L., et al. Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition Diabetes. 1999 ;48 7991_800.
Christensen L., et al. Impact of A Dietary Change on Emotional Distress. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.1985;94(4):565_79.
Nutrition Health Review. Fall 85 changes sugar into fat faster than fat
Ludwig, D. S., et al. High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating and Obesity. Pediatrics. March 1999;103(3):26-32.
Pediatrics Research. 1995;38(4):539-542. Berdonces, J. L. Attention Deficit and Infantile Hyperactivity. Rev Enferm. Jan 2001;4(1)11-4
Blacklock, N. J. Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition Health. 1987;5(1 & 2):9-
Lechin, F., et al. Effects of an Oral Glucose Load on Plasma Neurotransmitters in Humans. Neurophychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):4-11.
Fields, M. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Aug 1998;17(4):317_321.
Arieff, A. I. Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco. San Jose Mercury; June 12/86. IVs of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.
Sandler, Benjamin P. Diet Prevents Polio. Milwakuee, WI,:The Lee Foundation for for Nutritional Research, 1951
Murphy, Patricia. The Role of Sugar in Epileptic Seizures. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. May, 2001 Murphy Is Editor of Epilepsy Wellness Newsletter, 1462 West 5th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97402
Stern, N. & Tuck, M. Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus, a Fundamental and Clinical Test. 2nd Edition, (PhiladelphiA; A:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000)943-957.
Christansen, D. Critical Care: Sugar Limit Saves Lives. Science News. June 30, 2001; 159:404.
Donnini, D. et al. Glucose May Induce Cell Death through a Free Radical-mediated Mechanism.Biochem Biohhys Res Commun. Feb 15, 1996:219(2):412-417.
Schoenthaler, S. The Los Angeles Probation Department Diet-Behavior Program: Am Empirical Analysis of Six Institutional Settings. Int J Biosocial Res 5(2):88-89.
Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition. Diabetes. 1999 Apr;48(4):791-800.
Glinsmann, W., et al. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners." FDA Report of Sugars Task Force -1986 39 123 Yudkin, J. and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988;32(2):53-5.
Mercola.com
END
So again, maybe just one of those sentiments will be enough for you to avoid simple sugars and artificial sugars including those found in candy, cake, cookies, diary, condiements, yogurt, etc. Its importnat that you read lables and avoid anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup. I have found over 44 other names for sugar that can appear on labels. You must be savvy when choosing what's going to pass your lips.
Best of health,
Kelli
I am hoping just one of these many ways sugar harms your health will strike a chord with you and you will begin to ease up on sugar intake for you, your children and loved ones. There are plenty of other natural ways to have a sweat treat such as pineapple or peaches on the barbeque, frozen fruit, frozen fruit pops, natural fruit smoothies, etc.
Counting the Many Ways Sugar Harms Your Health
Contributed by Nancy Appleton, PhDAuthor of the book Lick The Sugar Habit
In addition to throwing off the body's homeostasis, excess sugar may result in a number of other significant consequences. The following is a listing of some of sugar's metabolic consequences from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publications.
Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.1,2
Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 3,4,5,6
Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.7,8
Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.9,10,11,12
Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.13
Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.14,15,16,17,18,19,20
Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.21,22
Sugar can weaken eyesight.23
Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.24,25,26,27,28
Sugar can cause premature aging.29
Sugar can lead to alcoholism.30
Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.31,32,33
Sugar contributes to obesity.34
Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.35,36,37
Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).38
Sugar can cause gallstones.39
Sugar can cause appendicitis.40
Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.41
Sugar can cause varicose veins.42
Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.43
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.44
Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.45,46,47
Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.48
Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.49
Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.50
High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).51
Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.52
Sugar causes food allergies.53
Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.54
Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.55
Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.56,57
Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.58
Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.59,60
Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.61
Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.62,63
Sugar can cause emphysema.64
High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.65
Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.66
Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.67
Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.68,69
Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.70,71
Sugar can damage your pancreas.72
Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.73
Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.74
Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.75
Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.76
Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.77
Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.78,79
Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.80
Sugar can cause depression.81
Sugar can increase your risk of gout.82
Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.83
Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.84,85,86,87
Sugar can lead to dizziness.88
Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.89
High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.90
High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.91,92
Sugar is an addictive substance.93
Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.94
Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.95
Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.96
Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.97
The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.98
Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).99
Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.100
Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.101
Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.102
I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.103
Sugar increases your risk of polio.104
High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.105
Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.106
In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.107
Sugar may induce cell death.108
In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.109
Sugar dehydrates newborns.110
Sugar can cause gum disease.111
References
Sanchez, A., et al. Role of Sugars in Human Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Nov 1973;261:1180_1184. Bernstein, J., al. Depression of Lymphocyte Transformation Following Oral Glucose Ingestion. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.1997;30:613
Ringsdorf, W., Cheraskin, E. and Ramsay R. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis and Resistance to Disease, Dental Survey. 1976;52(12):46_48.
Couzy, F., et al. "Nutritional Implications of the Interaction Minerals," Progressive Food and Nutrition Science 17;1933:65-87
Kozlovsky, A., et al. Effects of Diets High in Simple Sugars on Urinary Chromium Losses. Metabolism. June 1986;35:515_518.
Fields, M.., et al. Effect of Copper Deficiency on Metabolism and Mortality in Rats Fed Sucrose or Starch Diets, Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1983;113:1335_1345.
Lemann, J. Evidence that Glucose Ingestion Inhibits Net Renal Tubular Reabsorption of Calcium and Magnesium. Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1976 ;70:236_245.
Goldman, J., et al. Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.1986;14(4):565_577.
Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.
Scanto, S. and Yudkin, J. The Effect of Dietary Sucrose on Blood Lipids, Serum Insulin, Platelet Adhesiveness and Body Weight in Human Volunteers, Postgraduate Medicine Journal. 1969;45:602_607.
Albrink, M. and Ullrich I. H. Interaction of Dietary Sucrose and Fiber on Serum Lipids in Healthy Young Men Fed High Carbohydrate Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:419-428. Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Med Hypotheses. Mar 1993;40(3):174-81.
Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Sugars on Metabolic Risk Factors Associated with Heart Disease. Nutritional Health. 1985;203_216.
Lewis, G. F. and Steiner, G. Acute Effects of Insulin in the Control of Vldl Production in Humans. Implications for The insulin-resistant State. Diabetes Care. 1996 Apr;19(4):390-3 R. Pamplona, M. .J., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses. 1990;40:174-181.
Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. "Glucose and Aging." Scientific American. May 1987:90. Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science; 663:63-67.
Takahashi, E., Tohoku University School of Medicine, Wholistic Health Digest. October 1982:41:00
Quillin, Patrick, Cancer's Sweet Tooth, Nutrition Science News. Ap 2000 Rothkopf, M.. Nutrition. July/Aug 1990;6(4).
Michaud, D. Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. Sep 4, 2002 ;94(17):1293-300.
Moerman, C. J., et al. Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer. International Journal of Epidemiology. Ap 1993.2(2):207-214.
The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.
De Stefani, E."Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case control Study in Uruguay." Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7.
Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France. European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65.
Kelsay, J., et al. Diets High in Glucose or Sucrose and Young Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1974;27:926_936. Thomas, B. J., et al. Relation of Habitual Diet to Fasting Plasma Insulin Concentration and the Insulin Response to Oral Glucose, Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition. 1983; 36C(1):49_51.
Dufty, William. Sugar Blues. (New York:Warner Books, 1975).
Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Mar 2002;48;25. Taub, H. Ed. Sugar Weakens Eyesight, VM NEWSLETTER;May 1986:06:00
Dufty.
Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129
Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France, European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11
Persson P. G., Ahlbom, A., and Hellers, G. Epidemiology. 1992;3:47-52.
Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.
Lee, A. T.and Cerami A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science.1992;663:63-70.
Abrahamson, E. and Peget, A. Body, Mind and Sugar. (New York: Avon, 1977.}
Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and Youngmee, K. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force. 1986:39:00 Makinen K.K.,et al. A Descriptive Report of the Effects of a 16_month Xylitol Chewing_gum Programme Subsequent to a 40_month Sucrose Gum Programme. Caries Research. 1998; 32(2)107_12.
Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and K. Youngmee. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force.1986;39:36_38.
Appleton, N. New York: Healthy Bones. Avery Penguin Putnam:1989.
Keen, H., et al. Nutrient Intake, Adiposity, and Diabetes. British Medical Journal. 1989; 1:00 655_658
Darlington, L., Ramsey, N. W. and Mansfield, J. R. Placebo Controlled, Blind Study of Dietary Manipulation Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lancet. Feb 1986;8475(1):236_238.
Powers, L. Sensitivity: You React to What You Eat. Los Angeles Times. (Feb. 12, 1985). Cheng, J., et al. Preliminary Clinical Study on the Correlation Between Allergic Rhinitis and Food Factors. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi Aug 2002;16(8):393-396.
Erlander, S. The Cause and Cure of Multiple Sclerosis, The Disease to End Disease." Mar 3, 1979;1(3):59_63.
Crook, W. J. The Yeast Connection. (TN:Professional Books, 1984).
Heaton, K. The Sweet Road to Gallstones. British Medical Journal. Apr 14, 1984; 288:00:00 1103_1104. Misciagna, G., et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;69:120-126.
Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease. (New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, 1974).
Ibid.
Cleave, T. and Campbell, G. (Bristol, England:Diabetes, Coronary Thrombosis and the Saccharine Disease: John Wright and Sons, 1960).
Behall, K. Influ ence of Estrogen Content of Oral Contraceptives and Consumption of Sucrose on Blood Parameters. Disease Abstracts International. 1982;431437.
Tjäderhane, L. and Larmas, M. A High Sucrose Diet Decreases the Mechanical Strength of Bones in Growing Rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1998:128:1807_1810.
Beck, Nielsen H., Pedersen O., and Schwartz S. Effects of Diet on the Cellular Insulin Binding and the Insulin Sensitivity in Young Healthy Subjects. Diabetes. 1978;15:289_296 .
Sucrose Induces Diabetes in Cat. Federal Protocol. 1974;6(97). diabetes
Reiser, S., et al. Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:151-159.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Aug 2000
Hodges, R., and Rebello, T. Carbohydrates and Blood Pressure. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1983:98:838_841.
Behar, D., et al. Sugar Challenge Testing with Children Considered Behaviorally Sugar Reactive. Nutritional Behavior. 1984;1:277_288.
Furth, A. and Harding, J. Why Sugar Is Bad For You. New Scientist. Sep 23, 1989;44.
Simmons, J. Is The Sand of Time Sugar? LONGEVITY. June 1990:00:00 49_53.
Appleton, N. New York: LICK THE SUGAR HABIT. Avery Penguin Putnam:1988. allergies
Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease: (New Canaan Ct: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1974).131.
Ibid. 132
Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses . 1990:00:00 174_181.
Vaccaro O., Ruth, K. J. and Stamler J. Relationship of Postload Plasma Glucose to Mortality with 19 yr Follow up. Diabetes Care. Oct 15,1992;10:328_334. Tominaga, M., et al, Impaired Glucose Tolerance Is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease, but Not Fasting Glucose. Diabetes Care. 1999:2(6):920-924.
Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. Modifications of Proteins and Nucleic Acids by Reducing Sugars: Possible Role in Aging. Handbook of the Biology of Aging. (New York: Academic Press, 1990.).
Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology 1990:45(4):105_110.
Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. Glucose and Aging. Scientific American. May 1987:00:00 90
Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.
Veromann, S.et al."Dietary Sugar and Salt Represent Real Risk Factors for Cataract Development." Ophthalmologica. 2003 Jul-Aug;217(4):302-307.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI
Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology. 1990:45(4):105_110.
Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.
Appleton, Nancy. New York; Lick the Sugar Habit. Avery Penguin Putnam, 1988 enzymes
Hellenbrand, W. Diet and Parkinson's Disease. A Possible Role for the Past Intake of Specific Nutrients. Results from a Self-administered Food-frequency Questionnaire in a Case-control Study. Neurology. Sep 1996;47(3):644-650.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38.
Ibid.
Yudkin, J., Kang, S. and Bruckdorfer, K. Effects of High Dietary Sugar. British Journal of Medicine. Nov 22, 1980;1396.
Blacklock, N. J., Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):9- Curhan, G., et al. Beverage Use and Risk for Kidney Stones in Women. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998:28:534-340.
Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI,:
Ibid. fluid retention
Ibid. bowel movement
Ibid. compromise the lining of the capillaries
Nash, J. Health Contenders. Essence. Jan 1992; 23:00 79_81.
Grand, E. Food Allergies and Migraine.Lancet. 1979:1:955_959.
Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. (Berkley Ca; Parker House, 1981.)
Molteni, R, et al. A High-fat, Refined Sugar Diet Reduces Hippocampal Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neuronal Plasticity, and Learning. NeuroScience. 2002;112(4):803-814.
Christensen, L. The Role of Caffeine and Sugar in Depression. Nutrition Report. Mar 1991;9(3):17-24.
Ibid,44
Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129
Frey, J. Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer's Disease? Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257.
Yudkin, J. Metabolic Changes Induced by Sugar in Relation to Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):5-8.
Yudkin, J and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988:32(2):53-55.
The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.
Gardner, L. and Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate on Fasting Levels of Human Growth Hormone and Cortisol. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1982;169:36_40.
Journal of Advanced Medicine. 1994;7(1):51-58.
Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.
Postgraduate Medicine.Sept 1969:45:602-07.
Lenders, C. M. Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake among Pregnant Adolescents. Journal of Nutrition. Jun 1997;1113- 1117
Ibid.
Sugar, White Flour Withdrawal Produces Chemical Response. The Addiction Letter. Jul 1992:04:00 Colantuoni, C., et al. Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence. Obes Res. Jun 2002 ;10(6):478-488. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, June 17, 2001 www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/sugar.htm
Ibid.
Sunehag, A. L., et al. Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition Diabetes. 1999 ;48 7991_800.
Christensen L., et al. Impact of A Dietary Change on Emotional Distress. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.1985;94(4):565_79.
Nutrition Health Review. Fall 85 changes sugar into fat faster than fat
Ludwig, D. S., et al. High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating and Obesity. Pediatrics. March 1999;103(3):26-32.
Pediatrics Research. 1995;38(4):539-542. Berdonces, J. L. Attention Deficit and Infantile Hyperactivity. Rev Enferm. Jan 2001;4(1)11-4
Blacklock, N. J. Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition Health. 1987;5(1 & 2):9-
Lechin, F., et al. Effects of an Oral Glucose Load on Plasma Neurotransmitters in Humans. Neurophychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):4-11.
Fields, M. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Aug 1998;17(4):317_321.
Arieff, A. I. Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco. San Jose Mercury; June 12/86. IVs of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.
Sandler, Benjamin P. Diet Prevents Polio. Milwakuee, WI,:The Lee Foundation for for Nutritional Research, 1951
Murphy, Patricia. The Role of Sugar in Epileptic Seizures. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. May, 2001 Murphy Is Editor of Epilepsy Wellness Newsletter, 1462 West 5th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97402
Stern, N. & Tuck, M. Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus, a Fundamental and Clinical Test. 2nd Edition, (PhiladelphiA; A:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000)943-957.
Christansen, D. Critical Care: Sugar Limit Saves Lives. Science News. June 30, 2001; 159:404.
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So again, maybe just one of those sentiments will be enough for you to avoid simple sugars and artificial sugars including those found in candy, cake, cookies, diary, condiements, yogurt, etc. Its importnat that you read lables and avoid anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup. I have found over 44 other names for sugar that can appear on labels. You must be savvy when choosing what's going to pass your lips.
Best of health,
Kelli
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