Ready, Set, Go! Improved Digestion is Only the Start

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:38:17 -0500

Proper digestion is imperative to ensuring that you extract the  nutrients and adequately clear waste and toxins from your body. There are 10 simple steps that you can take right now which will start you on the road to improved health. These steps do not address root causes nor do they deal with particular conditions. They are meant to be a general, common sense approach which you can begin today...

1. Eat slowly, in as relaxed a manner as possible.
If you consider that the entire digestive track is muscle, then tensing it hinders the rhythmic movement necessary to move food along in an efficient manner.

2. Chew food well. Yes it does make a difference. It not only physically breaks down the food particles so that you can swallow them, it also coats them with enzymes that are in your saliva beginning the chemical breakdown process. The smell and taste of food stimulates the all important enzymes and hydrochloric acid which work to further break down the nutrients.
3. Do not drink with meals.
From a nutritional perspective, this works to dilute the digestive juices. Keeping the juices acidic in the stomach is important to the proper breakdown of foods. If you need to drink, sip a room temperature or warm liquid. Cold fluids tend to slow digestion also. It is best to stop drinking 15 minutes before the meal or wait until 30-60 minutes after.

4. Avoid eating fruit with or after a meal of protein or carbohydrates.
Since we generally digest in the order we eat, and fruit digests the fastest, it is best eaten alone, in the earlier hours of the day. If taken after a heavy meal, as a dessert for example, it will start to breakdown in the stomach long before it will be able to move through, past a protein and grain laden dinner. Potentially, the result will be gas and bloating.

5. For some people food combining is an efficient way to eat.
Since we digest each food category at a different pace, it makes sense that we separate them into a logical sequence. In its most simple form, food combining means eating fruit alone and separating protein from carbohydrate products. For some people this is a wonderful way to eat efficiently, while others find that they feel weak and out of sorts. Since every body is biochemically unique, it requires some experimentation.

6. Eat less than you think you need to and never over fill your stomach.
It takes your brain some time to realize that your stomach is full. Eating more slowly will help you to determine when you reach the point that you require no more nutrients. Over filling the gut puts excess stress on the processes necessary to break food down.

7. Avoid eating three hours before bed.
The body has to expend energy and work hard to break down food.
Bedtime is when your body is to be rejuvenating itself and resting to prepare for the next day. Breaking down the bulk of food should happen well before bedtime.

8. Eat loads of vegetables.
Generally we seem to get adequate
fruit while it is more of a challenge to eat a good variety of vegetables in a day. It may be helpful to think about colouring your plate when choosing vegetables. It is those colourful products that are most full of antioxidants and minerals.

9. Limit your intake of red meat.
Though red meat is a good source of protein and iron and has other nutrients, it is also full of hormones and antibiotics, unless you purchase some organic products. You do not need the hormones, you have your own and antibiotics are one of the many elements that cause problems with the balance of the good and bad intestinal bacteria.

10. Avoid refined and processed foods.
The closer to the original raw state, the better the nutrient value of foods. One tip for ensuring top nutrition is to shop the perimeter of your grocery store. This is where you find fresh produce, protein and whole grains. The interior of the store harbors packaged goods that taste good but which should be a very, very small part of your daily intake.

Battle of the Love Handles

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:04:00 -0500

Seems that everyone wants to fight the love handle battle. Everyone. No one seems too interested in the health battle though. We say, concentrate on health and the weight will follow. Why put all your energy into something you don’t want (i.e. weight) when you could be putting positive energy into more of what everyone should want, (i.e. health).
If you do that, one of two things is bound to happen: 1. You will feel so much better that you won’t care about weight or; 2. You’ll lose weight. They kind of go hand-in-hand but the focus is different.

So where should you start?

n Set realistic goals. Going slow will be more sustainable in the long run. And don’t weigh or measure because that is the wrong focus . You will know when it happens. Your energy will tell you and your clothes will tell you.

n Plan your meals for the following day. If you don’t, you will be more likely to eat fast or processed food.

n Eat less food but more frequently. Small meals will help to maintain a more consistent blood sugar throughout the day and will be helpful in your battles.

n Don’t go food shopping when you are hungry because you are more likely to make poor decisions. The majority of your purchases should be made from the perimeter of the store. Produce, produce, produce — 8-10 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. The golden rule for health is the “greener the better.”

n Water and lots of it but not with your food. Diluting digestive juices is not helpful in ensuring adequate breakdown of nutrients. Reducing or eliminating your intake of alcohol and caffeine can produce quick results for some. Alcohol is liquid sugar and sugar means fat. If you are a caffeine drinker, reduce it slowly to prevent headaches. Those headaches, by the way, are showing you something very compelling.

n Chew your food well and eat in as relaxed a fashion as possible. Chewing breaks down the food and stimulates enzymes. The more enzymes, the better chemical processing of nutrients. If you consider that your digestive track is a slew of muscles, it makes sense that relaxing them will help food to move through efficiently.

n Don’t eat heavily in the evening and certainly not before bed. You want to ensure a restful night. If your body has to work hard at digesting, your sleep will be disturbed. α Also, make sure your workout is not too close to bedtime since it can be quite energizing to the body.

n Eat fat but only the right kind of fats. No fat and low fat approaches are not necessarily healthy. Omega 3 is a very important part of any diet plan.

n Learn to manage stress. Everyone experiences stress but how you view and process it is your choice. Exercise is a great stress reliever. Develop a fitness program that is specific to your needs and abilities and then alter it occasionally for maximum results.

n Keep a log of your progress and, every once in a while, go back to your old notes and see how you have changed. Sometimes when symptoms have improved or habits have changed, we forget how our lives were before.

As long as you are doing good things for you, good things will happen. Make a plan and stick to it!

A Teetering Balance

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 08:56:23 -0500

As children, balance was part of play. We mastered  it in the gymnasium and while riding our bikes. The  teeter-totter was a major balancing challenge. As  adults, balance took on a whole new meaning. In  terms of long-term health, balance means everything.
As adults we learn that even the things we know are  good for us, must be kept in balance.

Exercise
The body was meant to move. When we don’t, we risk atrophy, osteopenia and obesity. However, excessive exercise and hard training is not sustainable over the long haul. Many experienced and successful athletes pay the price with arthritis and other joint issues. Ideally the body was meant to be active but moderately, just the right amount — not too much, not too little. What the appropriate amount of exercise is for any individual is determined not only by motivation, ability and mobility, but by the quantity and quality of caloric intake.

Nutrition
Finding the right nutritional balance is on-going and ever changing as we age and is dependent on individual, unique biochemistry. Eating for balance is a complex task. Active people require protein, but not as much as they might think. Carbohydrates are what provides efficient energy. We know that some protein combined with the proper amount and kind of carbohydrate is important for the maintenance of blood sugar levels. We all need the right kind of fat, a proper balance of omega 3 and 6. A meal should not be too acid producing and should include alkalizing options. The addition of lots of greens is one way to achieve this benefit.

Supplementation
We need supplementation, now more than ever and especially when our diets are lacking. There is no one answer to what that might mean, but what we do know is that every supplement needs to be balanced with others. Calcium for example, needs to be balanced with magnesium to enhance absorption but too much magnesium may lead to unpleasant bowel issues.

Sleep
Most can’t get by without an adequate amount of sleep for an extended time period. We need to balance an active and stressful lifestyle with rest and rejuvenation. When production of our sleep hormone, melatonin, is disrupted, we risk lowered immunity, illness and injury when we partake in activities. Be sure to allow adequate time to key down prior to sleep and produce a conducive environment, one that is quiet and dark.

Sunshine
The amount of sunshine the average person should be exposed to is an excellent yet controversial issue of balance. There was a long period of time when the sun was considered evil and to be avoided at all costs. Now the benefits of vitamin D is a hot topic and a moderate amount of unprotected sunshine is considered beneficial. Authorities warn though, a little sun, but not so much that the skin will burn, as that would be considered detrimental.
In short, life circumstances are always changing and we find ourselves in flux. As a result, we must continually redefine our own balance. As Albert Einstein said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

Exercise to Eat — Eat to Exercise

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:45:02 -0500

Devotees have a particular hour of the day that they find most comfortable to exercise. For some it has to be first thing in the morning to boost the day, while others prefer the de-stressing affect of a post workday exercise session. Others just have to fit it in whenever they can. In all cases though, there are nutritional rules that apply.

1. Do not exercise without having had something to eat — your stamina and endurance will be affected otherwise. Complex carbohydrates are a good choice whereas high protein and fats are poor choices. Large pre-exercise meals will cause a conflict between your muscle requirements and that of digestion. The result may be quite unpleasant.
2. Timing is critical. Allow an hour or so after eating a light meal, before exercising. Eat larger, heavier meals 3-4 hours before exercising. So, if you plan to exercise after work, then eat a lighter mid afternoon snack.
3. Active people require more calories than the average sedentary person. The problem arises in that athletes tend to eat what the general public does but just more of it. You will have better results from your workouts if you concentrate on providing your body with a smarter choice of nutrients.
4. Carbohydrates are our most efficient source of energy and should not be eliminated from the diet. They do however, need to be the complex variety — fruit, vegetables and whole grains.
5. Many athletes think they need an extra large intake of protein in order to build muscle. For the most part, we get more protein in a day than we need. Protein is required to repair and build cells but it is a poor source of energy. The key to remember is that resistance training is what builds muscle not protein consumption — besides, an excess of protein can tax the kidneys.
6. In terms of exercising, avoid having fatty foods prior to your workout since they stay in the stomach longer than other foods. Having said that though, a no fat diet is not a healthy choice. Everyone needs fats but the good kind, a combination of omega 3 and 6 in particular. Do watch out for excess saturated fats and anything containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
7. As a natural by-product of metabolism, active people produce more free radicals than the average sedentary person. Nutritionally then, exercisers need more antioxidants in the form of greens than the average person. So eat those vegetables.
8. Hydration controls the body temperature and is critical to energy production. Physical activity means more water intake. You need to drink one glass prior to exercising, sip frequently during your workout and have at least one glass after.
9. For the most part, try to combine carbohydrates with a little protein at meals and snacks since the protein helps to stabilize blood sugar while the carbs provide energy.
10. Do not exercise too late in the evening. Just like eating too late, these practices can disturb your sleep pattern. Both are too stimulating to the system when the body is ready to key down for the day.
Paying attention to what and how you eat is important. Exercise will work better for the body with proper nutrition and proper nutrition will enhance the effects of an exercise program.

Healthy Lifestyle Experiment

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:40:41 -0500

Everyone knows that, to live a healthier life, changes must be made. We know that we should exercise and eat more vegetables and quit smoking and drink more water. We know the basics of how to be healthier but implementing is a whole other ball game. So, we propose that you try a simple experiment — just to see if you notice any results.
The most basic steps to a healthier lifestyle experiment would include:

Planning
When you take a little time to plan your day, the resulting organization actually buys you extra time. What a deal! If you monitor the details of what you do every day, you will notice lots of areas where time is either wasted or can be restructured to be more healthful. Efficiency will allow you to plan time for exercise, relaxation and fun. Food shop with a list and organize meals the night before. A great trick is to make an extra large salad for dinner and scoop a portion out for lunch the next day.

Eating
Eat less food, more often. Include lots of vegetables — when in doubt, think green. Fruit makes a good breakfast or late afternoon snack, on its own and away from other food. Include nuts and sources of good fats in your diet, particularly omega 3 fatty acids. Choose brown or wild rice, or a sweet potato rather than fries and ask for salads with dressing on the side rather than the marinated variety. Avoid anything white, including baked goods and cream-based products.

Move It
For the purposes of our experiment, you don’t need to join a gym but you must find ways to move. Grab your buddy and walk at lunchtime instead of chatting in the lunchroom. Walk up the stairs at any opportunity. While watching television, do some abdominal and weight bearing exercises. No weights? Use food cans from your pantry as a starting point. If you belong to a gym, get there and make it count. Change things up occasionally to keep your body guessing and to activate a full array of muscles.

Water
Now that you are eating all those good nutrients, you need a delivery system to take them to the cells, and water does the job. It should be your drink of choice. Add lemon to it if you prefer, but plan on drinking half your body weight in ounces every day. Avoid caffeine. It acts as a diuretic, flushing healthy water from your system.

Relax
Every day you juggle lots of balls in the air and every day you need to just put them down. Teens call this “chilling”. It won’t come easily at first and may take practice, but it is important for your health. If you feel that you need to be more constructive with your time, have a hot bath, read an excellent book or call an old friend. You’ll get the hang of it.

Sleep
The best sleep occurs when there is routine, just like we had as children. Your hours in bed should be relatively consistent in terms of timing and your room needs to be dark and quiet. Keep a pad of paper and a pencil next to your bed so that you can jot down any thoughts that jump into your head and prevent you from sleeping soundly.

Monitor
The last part of the experiment is to monitor your progress. Keep a food and exercise log and include how you felt during the day. We are confident that you will begin to see subtle shifts. Remember, this is only the beginning. Once you are hooked on a healthy lifestyle, there is no turning back.

The Hip Bone is Connected to the Thigh Bone

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:13:11 -0500

What if you knew it was never to early or too late to build bone? What if you knew osteoporosis could be prevented? Would you change anything? Osteoporosis is not only a condition common in menopausal women. Though it is somewhat connected to estrogen, there are other contributing factors which centre on diet and exercise, affecting men and women, young and old.

What to Include
Plant based sources of calcium include green foods — leafy vegetables,  broccoli, kelp, sea veggies, legumes, nuts, whole grains, oats, sesame seeds and more. Fish such as salmon and sardines with bones are among a great number of calcium alternatives.
Make sure you have some good sources of magnesium, even if it is only in your calcium supplement. Magnesium, along with vitamin D, help the calcium to remain soluble and increase the chances of absorption.
If you are using a supplement, it is best to divide it into several small dosages throughout the day.
The body needs adequate stomach acid and enzymes to allow utilization of the minerals so top-notch digestion is necessary. If you are having issues, consult a practitioner.

What to Avoid
Stress is, not surprisingly, a huge contributing factor to osteoporosis. In brief, when the body is stressed it becomes acidic and in response, it uses calcium for its alkalizing properties. If necessary it will take calcium from your bones. In addition, stress reduces the ability of the body to break down and utilize many nutrients, calcium being one.
Excessive phosphorous causes a calcium imbalance and therefore should be kept in check. Consider reducing your intake of read meat and certainly stay clear of sodas and processed foods which are high in this mineral.
Calcium draining habits include smoking, use of alcohol, consumption of caffeine, use of antacids and lack of sunlight and exercise.
There are also some medications that contribute to bone loss which should be reviewed with a physician.

What to do
Bones are dynamic, living tissue which is continually renewing. The process is called “remodeling” and involves on-going demolition and reconstruction of the bone structure. This is why exercise, and particularly weight bearing activities, is so critical. The physical stress on the muscle pulls and stimulates the bone to remodel and therefore strengthen. Weight bearing simply means that your body has to support weight, either your own as in the case of walking and jogging, or the weight of equipment. Swimming is not considered a weight bearing exercise for example.
Exercise also builds coordination, strength and balance — all important in preventing falls at any age.
Flexibility exercises help to improve posture.
If osteoporosis has already set in, then the key is to find an enjoyable activity which safely stresses the muscles and therefore the bones.
A little, carefully monitored, unprotected exposure to sunlight can go a long way to aiding in bone building. The vitamin D converted by sun exposure is required for calcium absorption. One must be smart about sun exposure — early mornings or late afternoon is best and never to the point of burning.

We generally do not think of our bones as being alive but they are, as long as you breathe. So plan to give your bones a little attention and they will serve you well for the long haul.

Ready, Set, Go! Improved Digestion is Only the Start

Battle of the Love Handles

A Teetering Balance

Exercise to Eat — Eat to Exercise

Healthy Lifestyle Experiment

The Hip Bone is Connected to the Thigh Bone

Ready, Set, Go! Improved Digestion is Only the Start