Emotional Eating...What Are You Stuffing?

I don't think I have ever met anyone who hasn't used some type of substance to "take the edge off". Whether it's having a glass of wine the size of a human head, smoking a joint or several, or eating comfort foods until you fall asleep in a food coma, we all are likely to have used some type mechanism to escape the pain of the moment. Indulging in any of these behaviors on very rare occasions may not hurt if all else is done in a healthy way, but we start down a slippery slope when we use substances to dull the emotion we aren't allowing ourselves to feel.

Pain is awful, and chronic pain whether it's physical or emotional, is almost unbearable at times. When we lose a loved one or we discover our body is betraying us by developing a disease or disorder that will alter our lives forever in a significant way, or we find a loved one is betraying our trust and love, it's hard to look that pain in the eye and confront it head on. But the alternative to that is to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms that only temporarily mask the pain but they don't address the underlying grief that will rear its ugly head at the most inopportune times. Trust me, that has been my story more times than I care to count.

So what do we do to deal with such strong emotion that we are terrified to confront? Certainly numbing the pain is a temporary bandaid but eventually that pain will bleed through and no amount of chocolate will stop the hemorrhage of emotion that is bound to flow forth.

Because nutrition and lifestyle is my jam (see how cool I can be?) I'll focus here on emotional eating rather than the abuse of other substances. You don't need to be completely distraught to use food as a numbing agent. You might be responding to a particularly stressful situation that is temporary but still nerve-wracking.

When you turn to food for comfort, you may temporarily feel better because the rush of dopamine that floods your brain from eating something that tastes good. But that good feeling is fleeting and soon you will feel worse than you did before eating it. Going back for more food, you will likely discover that you need more and more to regain that false feeling of well-being you found when you first started down the path of eating comfort food. And you haven't addressed the underlying problem that caused you to eat the food in the first place. By avoiding the problem, you cause yourself more stress and anxiety and then it piles on because you feel badly about eating the food that you just consumed. It becomes a downward spiral into the abyss of overeating/feeling guilty/feeling sick/ getting more anxious/eating more and so on. This is when we find ourselves in trouble.

If you find yourself in a situation where you want to make questionable food choices, here are some strategies to help you through:

• Assess whether what you are feeling is true hunger or a reaction to what is happening around you - If you are truly hungry, then a healthy choice is likely to be able to satisfy your hunger. Look for a healthy snack to stave off that empty feeling. If that doesn't appeal to you, it's likely you aren't physically hungry but rather emotionally depleted.
• Try to step away from the situation you find yourself in that is causing the stress - Get away and pause to take some slow deep breaths. Take a walk. Write your thoughts, feelings, frustrations, in a journal or a letter to the person who might be at the center of the turmoil. You don't have to ever give that person your letter but the mere act of writing it all act diminishes the power it/they have over you.
• Distract yourself with a mindless task - Do the laundry. Straighten up a room. It's been said that if you organize up your external environment, you can gain some clarity in your internal environment (i.e. get out of your head).
• Meditate - I love the feeling of meditation when you really get into it. You don't have to be a master meditator to enjoy the benefits. Just sit quietly alone and do some measured deep breathing. Focus only on your breath and when a stray thought wanders into your consciousness, simply dismiss it and carry on with your breathing exercise.
• Exercise - You can release some "feel good" hormones by getting your sweat on. Do some strenuous exercise to use up some of that nervous energy. Really tire yourself out if you are physically able to do so. If you are limited in your ability to exercise strenuously, try some  gentle yoga poses. These can be done on the floor or in a chair and are available at different levels of ability. Plenty of Youtube videos can help with that.

   These are a few strategies to use to replace emotional eating. Most of my clients find themselves in this situation at some times in their lives. I help them to develop the healthy coping skills to make better choices in their response to stressful life events. You can't avoid the stress but you can control how you respond to it. Take control today.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Who Are You In Competition With?

Do you feel like you need to measure up to someone else's standard? Do you feel like you aren't smart enough, successful enough, thin enough, young enough, or you're just plain not enough? Do you think you won't be taken seriously because others don't see your value? I used to be that way and if I am not paying attention, I can easily fall back into that mentality.

But here's the thing...there has never been, nor will there ever be, another you...or me, for that matter. I spent many years questioning my value professionally and personally. And there are still people who, if I allow them to get into my head, can still make me question myself.

There are a lot of people who are health coaches. But none of them do it the way I do. I bring unique experiences to my coaching that allow me to relate to my clients in a way that no one who is NOT me can do. What I have been through in my life in every area gives me the unique perspective that is mine alone and it adds to what I bring to every relationship, including the one I have with myself.

I've been updating you from time to time on my weight loss journey that began at the end of June. It's been slow going and a little frustrating because I'm not losing weight as quickly as I would like to. I've been  persistently following my intermittent fasting plan which keeps my eating to within eight hours of the day and allows me to go several hours before bed without eating so that my stomach is empty when I sleep. This practice is good for keeping blood sugar at a healthy level and allows my body to repair itself during the night. I am also limiting portion sizes and making only healthy food choices. Since the end of June I've lost 13.2 pounds. I was hoping for more by this time but there are several factors at play. I have Hashimoto's, which is and autoimmune disorder that keeps my thyroid from functioning normally, and I am on a beta blocker that slows my metabolism.

You may recall at the beginning of August, I pledged to myself that I would go to the gym 90 days in a row to develop the habit of exercising. Since that day I have gone to the gym and exercised no less than 30 minutes every day and most days closer to an hour. I just did day 27. I have made exercise non-negotiable soI don't go to bed until I have done so. Some nights it's 10:00pm when I get to the gym, but I'm honoring my commitment to me.

I'm learning a few things about myself. Even though my weight loss is slow, I'm making progress and I'm learning to accept non-scale victories like feeling stronger and more energetic. My clothes fit more loosely, and the nagging foot pain that I have had for almost a year is almost completely gone. The only person I want to compete with is who I was before. I want to be better, stronger, healthier, more positive, and more focused than the person I was yesterday. I don't need to compare myself to anyone else and neither do you. There is no one on this planet that can be you better than you.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” - Dr. Seuss

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Probiotics...Do You Need Them?

Bacteria...the name itself makes you think of germs, doesn't it? We've probably all taken antibiotics at least once, and probably more times, to kill a bacterial infection. So isn't it weird that we might want to invite MORE bacteria into our lives? Well, there are good bacteria that live within our digestive system and throughout our bodies with which we have a symbiotic relationship that is mutualistic, meaning both the bacteria and the host (you) benefit. In fact, there are actually more bacteria living in and on our bodies than cells that make up our physiology.

Probiotics are the beneficial live bacteria found in your gut. A good amount of your immune system lies in your gut and probiotics are said to help support a healthy immune system and a healthy digestive tract. Out digestive tract needs a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria and when that balance s disrupted and the bad outnumber the good, trouble occurs.

How does such an imbalance happen? One only has to look at our poor dietary choices in the Standard American Diet to see one of the major causes of this imbalance. You can also point to stress, sleep deprivation, environmental factors and of course our overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics don't discriminate when they go after bacteria. They will kill all bacteria in their path, including the beneficial ones.

When the gut is healthy, it can filter out harmful things like bad bacteria, chemicals and other toxins, and harmful waste. But when the gut has been compromised by the factors previously mentioned, the imbalance occurs and the filtering system breaks down.

Are probiotics a necessary supplement to add to your diet? Do you really need them or are they just part of the hype machine? Probiotics can be found in certain foods like kefir, yogurt with live cultures, and fermented foods like sauerkraut. The problem with using the commercially prepared versions of these foods is they may be pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process used in food to eliminate pathogens and extend the shelf life of the foods. But the pasteurization process could also kill the beneficial bacteria growing in the very foods you might eat to promote probiotic growth in the gut.

Many people suffer from bloating, excessive gas, constipation and diarrhea among other digestive ailments. Taking a good quality probiotic that can survive the highly acidic environment of the stomach and make its way to the intestines where it can work its magic can be a game changer for some. If you are not getting adequate coverage from your diet, supplementation may be the right answer for you. 

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

I Love What I Do...Can You Say The Same Thing?

I LOVE what I do. I can't say that was always the case but it is now. About a year and a half ago, I retired from my day job and I have loved my life nearly every day since then.

I am the founder of Your Power Your Health, Nutritional Consulting and Holistic Health Coaching and I am a Health and Nutrition Coach.  As a coach, I work with people, mostly women, who want to regain their youthful vitality, avoid or reverse lifestyle related diseases and conditions like diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. When they work with me, I give them the tools to regain the power and control they yearn for over their lives and health.

I'm also a WomenHeart Champion Community Educator. As a WomenHeart Champion, I go into the community to speak to people, again mostly women, about women and heart disease. Often what they hear from me surprises them. They learn about how cardiac events show up in women and what they may look like. They learn some facts and figures about how prevalent heart disease is among women and most importantly they learn where to go for support if they find themselves with or at risk for heart disease. WomenHeart is the only organization strictly in support of women and their cardiac health.

As an almost ten year breast cancer survivor and an almost two year survivor of a cardiac event called a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), I have been called to change my life and to help others do the same for themselves. When I recovered from cancer, I decided I never wanted to deal with that again so I changed everything about my life. I lost 135 pounds, removed processed sugar from my diet and over a period of about two years, became a non-dairy gluten-free pescatarian. And I never felt better.

Although I changed everything about my lifestyle after the cancer experience, I still had a SCAD. My arteries are clear, my blood pressure is good, my cholesterol is low. And yet, my coronary artery still dissected. Why? Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of information about this condition but it is getting more attention these days. What they know is it affects many more women than men and there may be a connection between SCAD and a condition called Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD). FMD increases your risk of aneurysm and possibly stroke, depending on which arteries are affected. I happen to have that condition.

Prior to my SCAD, I had no knowledge of FMD as you are typically asymptomatic when you have it where I do. I know someone who has it in her carotid arteries and she hears the sound of rushing water in her ears constantly. I'm fortunate not to have that issue.

I feel like I have dodged two gigantic bullets in my life but the lessons of those events have not been lost on me. I feel like I've been given multiple chances to do things better and want to use the remainder of my life to fulfill my mission to make this planet healthy, one human being at a time.

As I said, I love what I do. I hope you find something you love to do if you haven't already. It changes everything.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

What's Eating You? Could It Be What You're Eating?

Did you know that Americans are sick and getting sicker? In medicine we have all the latest technology and pharmaceuticals. We have highly trained specialists and well equipped medical centers. We have access to all the latest and greatest in medicine but yet we are becoming more and more unhealthy. Why is that? What is wrong with us that is making this happen?

According to this article, more than 100 million adults have pre-diabetes or diabetes. About 122 million have cardiovascular disease and about 840,000 or about 2,300 people per day die from it. Three out of four or 75% of adults are overweight or obese. What all of this means is that there are more of us who are sick than who are healthy. READ THAT AGAIN. There are more of us who are sick than who are healthy. Wow! But what is making us so sick? I think you know the answer to that question. But in case you don't, I'm about to tell you.

IT'S THE FOOD! It's what we put in our mouths every day at least three times per day. Our poor dietary habits are causing at least a half a million deaths per year and it is the leading cause of mortality in this country.

According to the findings in this study, dietary factors were found to be associated with a substantial number of deaths from heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These diseases are not only a significant drain on our physical health but they are also straining the healthcare system.

We are seeing more and more evidence of type 2 diabetes and cardiac disease in younger and younger members of our population. Young children are presenting with the cardiovascular system of someone much older and in poor health. Obesity in children is a growing concern. Children are more sedentary, preferring to play with electronic devices rather than outside with their friends. Couple that with a high consumption of highly processed and fast food, sugary soft drinks, and foods that have been stripped of nutritional components and filled with preservatives to extend shelf life and you have the perfect storm for a shortened lifespan. This is the first generation that is not expected to have as long a lifespan as the generation before.

This is startling information but what can be done about it? It is a very complicated issue with a lot of underlying issues. Over-scheduled families don't have time to cook wholesome meals at home. Parents are weary of fighting with kids to get them to eat healthy food. Families find it more affordable to eat highly processed fast food than to eat healthy alternatives. Overwhelm and confusion from so much information overload about what foods are good to eat lead people to give up trying to figure it out. Misleading labeling on processed foods makes people believe they are eating something good for them when in fact it is often quite the opposite.

One of the easiest ways to choose quality food is to eat food that doesn't come with a label...meaning food that is from nature. Eat from the produce aisle of the grocery store or eat grass fed, pasture raised, hormone and antibiotic-free meats in small quantities, or wild caught fish. Your plate should consist mostly of vegetables, some fruit and a small amount of animal protein, if any. Stay away from processed foods and anything in a box with ingredients that you wouldn't put into a recipe. Remove sugary breakfast cereals and soft drinks from your diet completely. Following these few tips can help to improve your diet a lot.     

I work with people to help them understand how to discern what is healthy vs. what is not only unhealthy but downright harmful. I help them learn to read labels and provide ideas on food preparation that is simple and quick for busy families. Go to my website for some easy healthy recipes and see below to contact me for a no strings attached call to see if I can help you.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

False Evidence Appearing Real

 False   Evidence   Appearing   Real

What holds you back? Are you afraid of failure? How about success? Maybe rejection? Are you living your dreams? Or are you working at a job you don't care much about or even dread going to every day?

We all  have something we're afraid of; something that keeps us from doing what we want to do. It may be because of past failures or the anticipation of a future failure...you know, something that hasn't happened yet.

Fear has a purpose. It's a survival mechanism. It's what has kept the human race from dying out. It is our brain's way of keeping us safe. It works like it should when we are in a dangerous situation, like if we're being chased by a grizzly bear. Chances are, you have good reason for fear in that scenario because you aren't likely to win that showdown. But when you fear something that has never shown itself to be dangerous but to you is unknown, that could be F.E.A.R. rather than fear. Our F.E.A.R. keeps us from growing and living the life we were meant to live. It keeps us from stretching our creative muscles. It keeps us stagnant. 

Now, if you want to have the same thing you always had then keep doing the same things you always did. Because if you always do what you always did, you'l alway get what you always got. Who needs that? I have never met anyone who was so deliriously happy with the status quo they wanted to stay in the same place for the rest of their lives. To me, that is a terrifying version of the movie, "Groundhog Day". 

With that being said however, I often find myself being held back by my F.E.A.R. Although, I have recently overcome my fear of public speaking and now you can't shut me up. It's a matter of proverbially closing your eyes and jumping right in. 

If you follow the 5-Second Rule (Mel Robbins), you can start to overcome your fears. What is the 5-Second Rule, you ask? It works like this...you make a decision to do something, count backwards from 5 to 1, and jump right in before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it. This tricks your brain into not trying to protect you from the imaginary grizzly bear. It works, and the more you practice it, the better it works.

Challenge yourself to do something that scares you. You may find that it wasn't nearly as scary as your F.E.A.R. made it out to be. Try it and see.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

A Balanced Life...Is It Possible?

What is a balanced life really? We've all heard of work/life balance but few have been able to really achieve it, until they no longer have to work. We've heard of a balanced diet but there are many people who aren't really sure how to achieve that either. You can balance your checkbook, look at the balance in your bank account, and hopefully maintain your balance when you climb a ladder, but do you know how to have a balanced life?

If your life is out of balance you may want to look at what's going on. Really assess your life as it is right now. Are you working too much? Are you struggling to maintain personal relationships? Is your health questionable? Are you practicing adequate self-care? Are you eating well? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you finding ways to have fun and relax?

Do you know what a balanced life would look like to you? The first step after making an honest assessment of your life, is to determine what balance is to you. Everyone's definition of a balanced life will be different. Ask yourself the questions outlined above and decide where you are lacking. Here are some tips to bring balance into your life where you need it.

• set boundaries - You cannot be all things to all people, including your family members. You teach people how to treat you. You can be supportive without being enabling. Everyone will benefit from you setting healthy boundaries for yourself.
• set goals - Sometimes we are out of balance because we are spread too thin doing a little of this and a little of that but never really finishing anything. Or maybe we procrastinate and then have to be all in to complete what we put off, putting everything else on the back burner. If you set goals and break down the goals into manageable steps, you will have time to do other things.
• set priorities - You get to decide what your priorities are, not someone else. Decide what is important, what needs to be done right now, what can wait and what you can delegate to someone else.  
• take consistent action - Decide what you need to do and do it consistently. Exercise regularly, be prepared to eat well every day, go to bed and get up at the same time every day and set routines for yourself. This will help you to free up time for other areas of your life.
• schedule your time - decide how you will use your time by using a schedule to map out your day, your week, your month. You may not be able to stick to it all the time, because you know...life, but most of the time a schedule will help you to say on track.
• make self-care a priority - If you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone else. You cannot pour from an empty vessel.  Be kind to yourself, do what you need to do to make sure you stay healthy, vibrant, and energized to get through your days.
• take breaks - you don't have to be "on" all the time. Make time for you and take breaks as you need to. The rejuvenation you will experience will help you to be more effective when you return to whatever you were doing.
• do a digital detox - I know that sounds really scary, doesn't it? Put down the phone, turn off the computer and the television and get out in nature. Look at the world around you, smell the aromas of the earth, listen to the sound of the birds and everything else. You don't have to do it for long but an hour or two won't kill you. Use the time to meditate, read a book, cook a healthy meal, take a nap, or go for the aforementioned walk.

These are but a few of the ways you can rebalance your life. Balance doesn't necessarily mean that everything in your life gets the exact same treatment, time allotment, or focus of energy. It means that you are happy and feeling at peace with the way your life is going. If that isn't the case, it's time to reassess and take stock of where you might be falling off the rails. Then do what you can to rebalance. By balancing your life, you can show others by your example what it means to live a balanced life. It's for your own and everyone else's good if you do.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

What Is Your Superpower?

As I mentioned earlier in the week, we lost my dear cousin Kathy to pulmonary hypertension. Today we laid her to rest. It was a very sad day for our family. We listened to our cousin John talk about what it was like growing up with Kathy from the perspective of her younger brother. It started out as a typical annoying younger brother/impatient older sister dynamic and later morphed into a relationship of friendship and deep love and respect. We heard John tell the story of how Kathy used her superpowers for good.

Kathy was an incredible nurse who anyone facing a medical situation could count on for guidance and expertise. She was an incredible patient advocate for anyone who needed her...including herself. Regardless of your issue, Kathy was able to educate herself about what your particular ailment was and help you to not only understand your condition but also help you find the best solution for you.  She made sure you were cared for. If someone ended up needing surgery or to be in the hospital for any given time, she was there for the patient and the family. This was her superpower.

Today made me think...if I had to leave this earth today, what would someone say was my superpower? Would they say I was kind and caring? Was I generous and giving? Did I help ease pain and suffering? Was I good at what I consider my calling as a health and nutrition coach? Did I set a good example for people around me? Did I act in integrity? Was I someone people could count on? Did I raise good kids? Was I a good wife?

I know I have many good people around me who love and respect me. I have good friends I know I can count on and I hope know they can count on me. I love and care deeply for the people in my life. I'm also scrappy, sarcastic and outspoken. I speak my mind and I don't usually back down from a fight (verbal not physical). I will also defend someone I feel is being unjustly treated. I won't tolerate bullying or exclusionary treatment of people. I hate when people are treated as "other".

So, what is my superpower? I hope people will think I was a good person who made a difference while I was alive. I hope I will have made someone or many people's lives a little better by being here. I will never be half the person Kathy was, but she gives me something to aspire to. She makes me want to be someone who can help people find a healthier version of themselves.

My mission is to make this planet healthy, one human at a time. If I can do that...just a little, maybe that is my superpower.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Fat Is NOT The Problem!

Sometimes I think it's important to repeat information I have shared before because I think it's something that we all need to understand. This is one of those posts.

I recently read yet another article about how the sugar industry paid for research to implicate dietary fat, rather than sugar, as the major contributing factor for heart disease. The research was being conducted in the 1960s and was being funded by an organization called the Sugar Research Foundation. The group directed the outcome of the study to deflect blame from sugar and onto fat as the primary cause of heart disease. Interestingly enough, there was no mention of where the money for the study came from when the results were published.

The results of this so-called research has been the basis of the dietary guidance we have been given on prevention of heart disease for over fifty years. The problem is, however, we have not seen a decrease in cardiovascular health problems, but rather the opposite. 

Obesity is a major contributing risk factor for developing heart disease and ever since we have been cutting fat from our diets, waistlines have grown, not shrunk. Fat reduction also means taste reduction so in order to sell low fat or non-fat foods, the fat was replaced with, you guessed it...more sugar! What a perfect way to not only deflect blame but also to use more sugar in the production of processed foods. It was a win-win for the sugar industry!

Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at NYU was quoted as saying, "Is it really true that food companies deliberately set out to manipulate research in their favor? Yes it is, and the practice continues. In 2015, the New York Times obtained emails revealing Coca-Cola's cozy relationships with sponsored researchers who were conducting studies aimed at minimizing the effects of sugary drinks on obesity. Even more recently, the Associated Press obtained emails showing how a candy trade association funded and influenced studies to show that children who eat sweets have healthier body weights than those who do not.

Seriously??? Kids who eat candy are at a healthier weight than kids who snack on things like fruits and vegetables? I don't think so.

More studies have to be conducted by impartial researchers to see how significant the link is between sugar consumption and cardiac disease but the link is there. The results of the studies done in the 60s are flawed and should be heavily discounted if not ignored. Our misguided belief that fat is the enemy has been a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic we now face in modern society. We need to rethink the dietary guidance we have been given for the past fifty plus years. 

The bottom line is, we should be eating whole, mostly plant-based foods. If we eat what nature intended in moderation, we will go far in maintaining a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle. It's when we reach for the highly processed convenience foods that we get into trouble. Stick with the real food. Mother Nature knows what she's doing.  

You can read the whole article here.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Did You Ever Have One Of Those Days?

Did you ever just get up in the morning and feel like things just might not go well? I rarely wake up feeling like that but today I did. I was just "off". It's nothing I could pinpoint but it was just that feeling.

First, I slept longer than I wanted to. I woke up earlier and should have gotten up at that time but I didn't. When I came downstairs, I had some stuff to do like laundry that I just didn't want to do. Usually, laundry doesn't bother me but today it got on my nerves.

Then, I was in search of a document I was sure I had somewhere but I couldn't find anywhere. I had to call the place where I got it and couldn't find anyone who could help me. It's nothing earth-shattering, just a nuisance. So now I have to call back next week when the person who might know what I'm talking about is in.

I also had a couple of unpleasant phone calls that any other day might not bother me quite so much but...today.

And to top the day off, I lost my credit card. I went into a store with it in my hand, paid for my merchandise and came out to the car. The next thing I know, it's missing. I have no idea where it ended up. The store didn't have it and it wasn't in the parking lot.

I had this feeling of anxiety all day. I'm sure part of it is because I've been thinking about my cousin who, you may remember, passed away on Monday. We're attending the funeral Saturday and I'm dreading it.

But here's the thing...I am not going to let a lousy day turn into a lousy week. Even though this might not seem like a bad day for someone else, it was for me. But I looked back on my day and this is what I saw:

• I maintained my eating plan and my intermittent fasting schedule and I have all week. Another time I might have thrown that right out the window as soon as something went south in my life.   
• I was not baited by one of the unpleasant phone calls that I might have fallen into the trap of another time.
• I lost the credit card but I have others and I was able to freeze it with a simple phone call.
• I went to the gym for the 19th day in a row. Again, I might have used the day as an excuse to not exercise.

I committed publicly to exercise daily and eat according to the plan I laid out for myself and I intend to honor that commitment to the extent I am able to do so. This was one day and it was moderately lousy. It really was more of an internal feeling of uneasiness that I had all day and that may have made it lousy. But here I am at 11:00PM after exhausting myself at the gym and I feel pretty good.

And after all, tomorrow is another day. - Scarlett O'Hara Gone With The Wind

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

How Is Inflammation Affecting Your Life?

Could inflammation be causing you to lose your motivation to move forward in your life? According to this article, that could very well be the case. If you have recently been ill and can't seem to get your mojo back, it could be due to low grade inflammation still in your body.

Our bodies are remarkable organisms. They do whatever it takes to stay alive and rebalance when we've been knocked off balance by an illness or anything else. It allocates resources needed to right itself and if that means knocking out the dopamine "system" so that we lose motivation to exert energy on something other than recovery, it will do so to allow all energy to be redirected toward recovery.

When your brain doesn't release dopamine, your motivation to perform diminishes. It seems that it may be possible that when there is something going on on your body that needs to heal, your body will shut down dopamine production in order to allow it to concentrate all efforts on healing whatever is wrong. So if you are suffering from chronic inflammation, it stands to reason that your motivation to do much of anything may be diminished. And apparently your immune cells are in charge of that decision. They can determine whether other systems in the body need to slow or stop what they are doing to conserve energy to be used in the healing process.

But what about when your body is in a constant state of inflammation? Because of our Standard American Diet, high levels of chronic stress, sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, overuse of electronics, and exposure to environmental toxins, we are keeping our bodies in a low level (or sometimes maybe a not so low level) inflammatory state. Do you ever feel like you just don't want to do what you should be doing, like normal everyday activity? Maybe your body is trying to eliminate the inflammation you've grown so used to living with.

One of the biggest causes of inflammation in the body is the overconsumption of processed food, and more specifically added sugars, in that processed food. We become so accustomed to the lousy way we feel that we forget what it's like to feel well, healthy and energetic. Wouldn't it be nice to have your youthful vitality back? Wouldn't you like to be able to sleep deeply and wake up refreshed in the morning? Do you have a few (or maybe more) pounds to lose?

The removal of added sugar from your diet is one of the most impactful things you can do to significantly improve your life. I did it almost ten years ago and it was transformational for me. I lost 135 pounds, regained my vitality and have the energy of someone half my age. It was life changing. If you need help, it might be worth a conversation with a health coach.   

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Reflections

In light of the second person in my generation who died too young, I thought this was worth sharing again...

As I look back over the past several years at what my family has endured, it makes me wonder. I am one of 17 grandchildren of my maternal grandmother. Nana had five children, four of whom lived into adulthood. Nana lived into her nineties and was very healthy until she developed Alzheimer’s disease and basically wasted away. My mother died at 41 from cirrhosis of the liver and a subdural hematoma, but two other of Nana’s kids died in their 80s and one is still quite alive. None of them had much in the way of life altering diseases throughout their lives except Uncle John. He had COPD, which he developed I believe in his 70s. He lived into his 80s.

Then we get to my generation. I led the charge to change the family health history. I developed breast cancer in 2009. While being treated for that, we unexpectedly lost a cousin who was a year older than me. I believed she died from a bowel obstruction or something like it. Since then, we have had two more instances of breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer throughout the group. We have also had an open heart surgery, life threatening pulmonary hypertension, my SCAD induced heart attack and another threatened open heart surgery for a different relative that is hopefully deferred indefinitely. Several of us have autoimmune disorders.  

What happened in our generation that was not present in our mothers’ generation or even our grandmother’s? What is different for us? I think there are a few factors at play here.

  

• Many of us would be categorized as being overweight or obese. 
• We have also seen quite a bit of fluctuation in weight both up and down in several members of the family. 
• There are a lot of Type A personalities in our clan.
• Our generation grew up with more convenience foods even though our mothers cooked at home.
• I feel like we have a lot more stress whether it's self imposed or from outside influences.
• We are over extended in many ways...again either self imposed or otherwise.
• There has been a fair amount of substance abuse like drugs, alcohol and food
• We eat out a lot more than we did as kids

I don't know what all that means or if it contributes to why we have so much more disease in our generation but it is something to think about, because most of us have kids. What are we doing or have we done to them and their futures? If I knew what I know now when I was raising my kids, I would have done many things much differently. I hope they do a better job with the next generation. I'll do what I can to make that happen.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Life Is Fleeting

We're here...and then we aren't. When we are children we look at the adults around us and we think that they are so old. But before you know it, we're one of them. I lost someone today who was very dear to me. We were close as kids and as happens to everyone, life gets in the way and we drifted apart. But anytime we got together, we could chat for hours. I loved her like a sister. 

When we were young girls, we were pen pals. We would write letters to each other about the boys we liked or what was happening with our friends or with our numerous siblings (she had six and I had four). When my family moved to New Jersey, we spent the week before we moved with my cousins, her family, and I went to her school with her for the week until I had to move to my own new school. This was pretty cool because I was in eighth grade, very boy crazy and this was a whole new crop of boys to develop an imaginary romance with.

When we became adults, she married very young and I didn't get married for about another twenty years so our lives took different paths. We didn't see each other much except at large family gatherings where it was tough to talk. But when we had the chance to catch up, the years fell away.

She was a very skilled cardiac nurse and the family caregiver to all the "older" generation relatives as they became ill in their golden years. She also tended to the rest of us when we needed her medical expertise. I wonder if she cared for the rest of us at the expense of her own health. She developed pulmonary hypertension (PH) a few years ago and because of her expertise, was an active participant in her own health care. She found a doctor with whom she was able to collaborate on her care and they made an indomitable team.

Sadly, a few weeks ago she developed an infection that she wasn't able to shake despite several rounds of antibiotics. Some of the meds for her PH acted as an immunosuppressant and did not allow her body to fight the infection. In fear of the infection turning septic, the decision was made to temporarily take her off of the meds to allow her body to rid itself of the infection but things went bad very quickly and we lost her today.

I'm telling this story to remind you that life is short. Don't put off living for the perfect circumstances because they will never be perfect and you may run out of time. Take the vacation, run on the beach, use the good china, tell someone you love them. You may not get another chance. Don't wait for the pounds to come off or to get the perfect job or to find the perfect words. Just do it.

I love you Kathy and I will miss you forever.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Are You Ready to Hear Some Truth About the Food You Might Be Eating?

According to Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Moss, the food industry is up to some pretty sneaky business. Food companies employ scientists to "engineer" their food to make sure the exact amount of certain ingredients are in the foods to make them irresistible to the consumers. There is a lot of manipulation of ingredients to get just the right balance. 

Have you ever heard the term "bliss point"? The "bliss point" is the perfect amount of sweetness in a food that will keeping you always coming back for more. There is added sugar in all kinds of foods like, pasta sauce, bread, pizza, salad dressings, soups, you name it. If it's a packaged food, chances are very good it has sugar in it. The food companies want to make sure they don't add too much sugar, to make it too sweet and also obvious that there is sugar in the food, but also not too little so that it doesn't hook you.

Dietary fat, when it is of a high quality, is good for the body. However, manufactured foods are full of poor quality saturated fats that you may not even know is in there. It contributes to what the food companies call "mouthfeel" or the consistency of the substance in your mouth as you consume it. The more appealing the mouthfeel, the more you want to eat it.

Salt content of the food is very important. You know how you feel when you pop that first chip or french fry into your mouth. You just want to keep eating them. Well, the way the salt is shaped is very important in certain cases. The idea is for the salt to stick to the food and when it hits your tongue, it goes straight to the pleasure center in your brain. So the salt is a pyramid shape with the flat side against the food and the points landing on the tongue to quickly interact with your saliva.

Flavoring with sugar, fat and salt is not the only aspect of food engineering the scientists are involved in. If you are a potato chip fan, you likely prefer the noisier crispier chips and perceive them to have a better flavor than those that are not as crispy. 

There is also a term used in the food industry called "vanishing caloric density". A good example of this concept is Cheetos or some other puffed cheesy food. When you put one in your mouth, it quickly dissolves, leaving your brain with the impression of having consumed a negligible amount of calories and therefore can continue eating.

Sugar, regardless of what name it masquerades under, will make you gain weight. Don't be fooled by labels that say "made with real fruit" because the fruit is stripped of everything except the sugar and added to the product. It doesn't contain any parts of the fruit that provide value, like the fiber.

Low fat products are not necessarily better for you than their full fat alternatives. The fat that has been removed is usually replaced with loads of sugar and artificial flavor enhancers. So low fat  flavored yogurt can actually contain as much sugar as ice cream.

Don't fall for "all natural" on the label thinking of it as something that is healthy for you. All natural means nothing regarding the amount of sugar, salt or fat (all of which can be considered "natural" ingredients) contained in the product.

These days, the number one source of saturated fat in the Standard American Diet is cheese. Cheese is included as an ingredient in many foods, hidden and obvious. We get it stuffed into pizza crust, in all sorts of useable forms like cubes, tubes, strings, and tubs. Our consumption of cheese has tripled since we started eating "low fat" in the late 1960s/early 70s. We now consume about 33 pounds of cheese annually per person.

Did you know that we are not born liking the taste of salt? We start to develop that taste at about six months so when we feed young children processed and fast food, they will be looking for sources of salt by the time they are in pre-school. You can lose your taste for salt by simply stopping consumption of salty processed foods for about six weeks, at which time everything in packaged foods will taste way too salty.

Fat, salt and sugar are very valuable to the big food industry. Salt is needed as a preservative to allow foods to sit on the shelf for several months. Salt replaces more expensive herbs and spices and is also used to mask the unpleasant flavor of processed foods.

Even though the food industry has a pretty powerful approach to encourage us to eat poorly from their vast selection of processed foods, we can defend ourselves against that invasion on our willpower. Shop the outer edges of the grocery store. The farther into the middle you go, the more likely the food is not good for you. When you shop in the middle of the store, look around and not just at what is right at eye level. The biggest sellers and the items most filled with sugar, salt and bad fats will be right in front of you. Look up and look down for the less unhealthy selections. Better yet, stay away from that part of the store completely.

Avoiding processed foods is far from easy but it can be done with planning and preparation. Never go to the store hungry and shop from a list after you have decided what recipes you will be preparing at home. You will not only save yourself unwanted empty calories but you will also likely save yourself some money. It's a win-win. 

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Still Eating Red Meat? Maybe This Will Change Your Mind

We have been hearing for years that consumption of red meat contributes to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. But now, according to this podcast, there are now three new reasons to avoid eating red meat. 

1. The amino acids in egg yolks and in red meat cause a chemical reaction in your gut that results in the production of a chemical called TMAO, which causes hardening of the arteries and "clumping" of your blood. This is not a topic that was discussed even ten years ago. This brings into question high protein, low carb diets like the paleo or keto diets.
2. The Lone Star tick bite causes an anti-body to develop in the human body so that the next time you eat red meat after a Lone Star tick bite, you could actually go into anaphylactic shock due to the severe allergic reaction it will cause. This reaction could be as severe as that of a person with a nut allergy.
3. Neu5Gc is a molecule naturally found on cell surfaces in mammals other than human. When humans eat red meat, it is introduced into the body. Because our bodies do not recognize this substance, we will form anti-bodies to fight it. Repeatedly eating red meat will activate the anti-bodies causing a chronic inflammatory response, which could lead to an increased risk of tumor formation and cardiovascular disease. 

There are other reasons to avoid red meat as well. The high amount of saturated fat in animal protein, leads to a build up of cholesterol in the arteries. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that the presence of the saturated fat in red meat contributes to the risk of colon and breast cancer. Cooking meat at a high temperature changes the surface of the meat making it carcinogenic. The type of iron found in meat is called heme iron and is found to produce compounds that damage cells leading to the development of cancer.

There are also some benefits to eating small amounts of red meat. The iron contained in red meat is readily absorbable by the body. It's also a good source of Vitamin B12 that supports the development of DNA and maintains the health of nerves and red blood cells. It also provides zinc for a healthy immune system. And of course, let's not forget the protein for strong bones and muscles. there are other food sources for these nutrients that don't come with the warning that eating red meat does.

If you are going to eat red meat, it would be wise to follow these guidelines:

• Only eat red meat a few times per week. People who consume red meat daily tend to die earlier than those who do not.
• Use meat as a side dish rather than the main event in your meal. Do not allow it to take the place of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
• Stay away from all processed meats like bacon, cold cuts, sausage, and hot dogs. These highly processed meats increase the risk of colon cancer.
• When choosing cuts of meat, go for the leaner choices like anything with the word "loin" in the name or filet mignon.
• Do not burn or sear red meat or use a high temperature to cook it. And don't cook it to "well done". If you use a grill, use indirect heat and a lean cut so the fat doesn't cause a flare-up or smoke. This causes a chemical change that is carcinogenic.
• When grilling, use less meat by making kebobs, alternating meat and veggies on skewers.
• Choose grass fed whenever possible. This is usually leaner and has more omega-3 fatty acids.

There are plenty of alternatives to achieve the nutritional benefit gained by eating red meat that are less detrimental to your good health. I'll talk about them in a later post.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Dehydration - What You May Not Know

I've talked about adequate water consumption before but I believe it doesn't hurt to repeat a few things that are so important to your good health, especially this topic and especially while we are in the throes of summer. 

I read an article in the Health section of the newspaper yesterday that had some good points that I am sharing here.

• Don't wait until you feel parched to drink something. Thirst is just one symptom of dehydration. there are other ways that dehydration rears its ugly head in your life.
• dark urine - if your urine runs dark and you are not urinating much during the day, this could be an indication of dehydration
• dry skin - your skin needs water to stay hydrated. Your body will do what it can to protect itself so it will take moisture from wherever it is in the body to stay alive. 
• headaches, muscle cramps, sleepiness, irritability, confusion, fatigue - these symptoms can often be mistaken for signs of something else and not recognized as signs of dehydration
• convulsions and delirium - this is when dehydration can become life threatening
• Choose the right amount to drink. I always advise people to use their body weight as a gauge for how much water they should consume. Half the body weight in ounces of water is often an adequate amount to keep you fully hydrated. Some advice is to drink eight eight ounce glasses of water per day but it's important to take into consideration environmental factors, activity level, and how you feel. I would err on the side of caution and drink more rather than less than 64 ounces per day. You can develop water intoxication but that happens when you consume vast quantities in a short period of time. Don't do that. 
• The outside temperature doesn't have to be high for you to become dehydrated. If you tend to sweat a lot in the humidity or when the dew point is high, even though the temperature is somewhat moderate, you could experience symptoms of dehydration. Be sure to pay attention to how you feel and don't wait until it becomes critical to ask for help if you feel you need to.
• You need more than water to keep your hydration level up. When you are dehydrated or perspiring profusely, you need more than water to keep yourself healthy. You may need to replenish electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Choose a healthy alternative like coconut water to typical sports drinks that are often full of artificial ingredients and coloring.
• You may become dehydrated hours or days after you were in the heat. As I mentioned before, your body will do what it can to stay alive until it can no longer do so. This is when the signs of dehydration will show up.

The bottom line is, to prevent dehydration drink lots of water, especially if you are engaged in strenuous activity, wear weather appropriate clothing that is lightweight, light in color and loose fitting, limit activity in extreme heat to avoid heatstroke, and make sure to check on more vulnerable neighbors and loved ones. You can enjoy the heat but be sensible about it.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.

Shame vs. Guilt...Do You Know The Difference?

According to Brené Brown, "shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging. Women often experience shame when they are entangled in a web of layered, conflicting and competing social-community expectations. Shame creates feelings of fear, blame and disconnect." She also says that shame is a silent epidemic, something everyone experiences and is associated with depression, grief, anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and violence. 

Guilt, on the other hand is a feeling that something you did or thought was wrong...the deed was wrong.

There is a lot more to the psychology of shame and guilt that speaks to society's way of keeping our behavior managed which I won't go into. My purpose for discussing this is to help clarify the difference between being a bad person and doing something you might regret. 

So many people equate a moment of bad judgment with their value as a human being. I find this to be especially true of people who find controlling their weight or eating, challenging. This is particularly true of women. Much of our self esteem is wrapped up in how we think the world perceives us physically. When we don't maintain the appearance we think society expects of us, we diminish ourselves as valuable humans. This is not only very damaging to our self esteem but it can lead to some pretty self destructive behavior. 

When I was in my late teens, I would often go on starvation diets to reach some unattainable ideal weight. I may have been slightly overweight but depriving myself of food until I couldn't stand it, actually made me binge eat and gain back any weight I may have lost and then some.  My shame kept me from having a social life for years in my twenties, because I felt people were judging me for the weight I had gained. I'm sure some were but in my mind everyone was judging me. 

I still struggle with my weight. Even now, I am sometimes hesitant to go someplace where I should dress a certain way or can't cover up the way I feel comfortable. But I'm working on letting that go. Life is short. I deserve to live life to its fullest and so do you. 

Feeling shame about the way you look robs you of some great opportunities in life. You are worthy of all life has to offer you. Your appearance, weight, age, size, level of ability, intelligence, marital status or anything superficial does not define you as a person. Your character and integrity is what makes you the person you are. You are beautiful inside and out.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.