Posts Tagged ‘healthy lifestyle’

Stress Less – Tips for a Healthy Holiday

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

‘Tis the season, making the list, checking it twice, some people are naughty, some are nice and most are caught up in the do more, see more, have more, go more, eat more, drink more and stress more mentality. Holidays can be hell if you let them. Here are some of my favorite survival tips to help you thrive and enjoy the holiday season.

STRESS – Less

• Try making room for relaxation and cross some things off of your To Do list

• Do you really need to decorate to the fullest extent possible or can you do with a more moderate, toned down holiday décor?

• Simplify your gift giving; shop locally to support local merchants who are struggling in this economy. The experience can be less time consuming and more personal. Do you want to live in a town where all of the shops are empty?

• Shop online, buy gift cards or personalize items, which can make something ordinary, extraordinary.

Stuffed and Overindulged
• Pour smaller glasses of wine and other beverages and linger longer over them to avoid over drinking

• Use a small plate and choose some lower calorie food to fill up on and limit the amount of high fat, high sugar indulgences

• Choose to go to the parties where you will have the best time and don’t feel obligated to accept every invitation

• If you get too many invitations, ask to push some off until after the holidays or the New Year. Let the good times roll into the New Year when post holiday blues may set in

Take Care of Yourself

Find time to exercise

• Relax and meditate on a daily basis even if it’s only for 5 minutes

• Laugh and enjoy your family and friends

Happy Holidays

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Weight Loss and Green Tea – Will it Make You a Loser?

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Wouldn’t it be nice to indulge during the holidays and either lose or not gain weight? How about green tea? It’s green for the holiday season, warm, has no calories and has a lot of positive benefits. I reviewed the research on green tea for weight loss and the results are mixed. One study showed a possible benefit using a standardized extract containing 25% epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of catechin.

Before buying a green tea supplement, there are a few things you should be aware of. Labels are confusing. ECGC is found in many compounds with various names such as catechins, and flavonols, which are part of a class of compounds called polyphenols. These compounds have antioxidants in them and have shown some antibacterial and anticancer properties but may not have the concentration of ECGC necessary for weight loss. Look for products that state the amount of “EGCG” and use a standardized extract of 25%. More importantly, liver toxicity has been associated with some green tea supplements. A specific extract (Exolise from Arkopharma) has been removed from the market. It may have been due to the extraction process that may have produced toxic compounds. Some products contained hexavalent chromium, which is carcinogenic. Oftentimes, proprietary blends have a significant amount of appetite suppressant stimulants and high levels of caffeine that may have bad effects on your heart rate and blood pressure. Beware of proprietary blends since the dose of ingredients is not included on the label. Use a trusted manufacturer when buying supplements and carefully read the label.

Use caution if you are on blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder when taking supplements. Green tea contains vitamin K, which directly counteracts Coumadin’s blood-thinning action. Drinking green tea would be fine since you would need to drink enormous quantities to provide a significant amount of vitamin K.

With all of the negatives of using green tea supplements, there are many positive benefits to drinking 3 or more cups of green tea per day. It lowers cholesterol, decreases the risk of heart disease, may protect you from developing cancer, reduce inflammation, and provide antioxidant protection. The only drawback is it does contain some caffeine and if you are sensitive, you may need to limit the amount. As far as weight loss is concerned, only the supplement of a purified ECGC extract showed promise. So if you want to lose weight, eat less, exercise and consult with a professional to determine which nutritional supplements are best for you. Go Green and drink to Holiday Health – what have you got to lose?

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Psychology of Weight Loss

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

The weight loss industry is a multibillion dollar industry and the media is flooded with claims of a quick fix, weight loss cures, miracle supplements, a myriad of weight loss programs, food plans, surgery and devices to help you lose weight.

An article in Psychology Today stated: ”Practically anyone can lose weight. But those who keep it off are a rare species. Theirs is not an entirely phenomenon—they stay slim by maintaining the behaviors that got them there. They eat healthier foods, decrease portion sizes and exercise. But how, exactly, do they keep it up? The answer suggests a psychological overhaul as much as a physical one.’

This is the season when my office is flooded with people who want to lose weight, lose it quickly and lose it now. While I can help them reach their goals, I caution them that there is no cure and unless they do a psychological makeover, it may return. A good place to start is to determine why we eat and how we use food. Do you live to eat or eat to live?

Attitude is everything. When you crave something, oftentimes its not because you are hungry, it’s because you are stressed, bored, anxious, or are just thinking about something and want it. Recognizing your triggers is the first step, then asking yourself if you are truly hungry. If you are hungry, choose a healthy option, if you are not hungry; distract yourself with a pleasurable activity. Avoid using food as a reward. Plan how you will respond in social situations when there is pressure to eat larger quantities or unhealthy choices. A good book to read is Dr. Phil,s “Ultimate Weight Loss Solution: the 7 Keys to Freedom” to better understand the psychology of weight loss. Psychology Today also has an excellent article about mustering the motivation and inspiration to stick to your goals. http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200401/weight-loss-and-faulty-thinking
To get the support and validation you need to achieve and maintain your goals and institute the behavioral changes that can transform your life, join a supervised program. Getting back on the wagon every time you fall off and not punishing yourself or giving up is critical to success.

If your cravings, impulses and food addictions are more difficult to overcome, a coach or therapist can assist you. If you have any underlying medical issues or embark on a quick weight loss plan or very low calorie diet, seek ongoing medical monitoring and support. Health is a lifestyle and it starts with your mindset. Breaking old patterns can free you to be slim by choice.

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Fish oil Potion or Poison

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Doesn’t it seem like every time you try to do something healthy there is some problem with the “health food” and you feel like you are in a Catch 22 situation? Many researchers and healthcare professionals tout the benefits of fish oil, yet a group that tested ten fish oil supplements and found that all violated California’s Prop 65 labeling requirement because they contained PCBs.
ConsumerLab.com, LLC (“CL”) is the leading provider of independent test results and information to help consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness, and nutrition products shed some light on the subject and put things in perspective.
Here are some points to keep in mind:
• Virtually all fish meat and fish oil supplement will contain some PCBs. The samples chosen were oils made primarily made from larger fish (including shark) and fish “liver,” which tend to have higher amounts of contaminants.
The majority of the products had extremely low levels of PCBs. Somewhat higher levels were found in a few products. None of these pose a health risk in themselves, but those with higher levels might unnecessarily contribute to PCB exposure. The products are identified by name in a news release about the suit which includes two tables. The first table shows total PCBs. The second table shows the amount of dioxin-like PCBs, which may be more meaningful as it focuses on the subset of PCBs known to be harmful in animal studies. Be aware that results in both tables are skewed against products that suggest higher daily serving sizes.
• To put the findings in perspective, total daily PCBs reported was under 100 nanograms for most supplements and did not exceed 900 nanograms for any. The FDA permits an 8 ounce serving of fish to contain about 450,000 nanograms of total PCBs, 500 times more than in any of the products. The EPA, using a more conservative approach, estimates that the average adult can consume 1,400 nanograms of total PCBs per day without harmful effects.

Therapeutic doses can range from 1 to 10 grams of fish oil per day depending on the condition being treated. Most people would take 1-4 grams. An average capsule size contains 720mg so the range of PCB’s in most cases would not exceed the EPA daily limits. The bottom line is to carefully choose your dietary supplements and put the risks in perspective. More people suffer from inflammatory conditions than PCB toxicity. Seek the advice of your healthcare provider when taking mega doses and choose companies that have the purest products.

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