Your Lifestyle is Your Medicine

What is disease really caused from?

Understanding this requires thinking about the true, or “root” causes of premature death. For instance, even as I write this, federal data just released indicate that diabetes has moved up as the third leading “cause” of death in the United States, behind heart disease and cancer.

What most of us don't know is that the way you live your life will determine how long you live. That means "what you eat and how active you are" will determine how healthy you are. Many of us get the part about "what we eat", but what does activity have to do with your health? If you keep all your muscles active, all your muscles will retain their strength, but if you are only using some of your muscles the other muscles not used will shrink and become flabby. Those muscles will eventually be used to fuel the body's need for energy and that will cause you to become weaker over time. Becoming weaker over time will weaken the immune system and invite illness and disease to enter your body causing premature death. When you allow your percentage of muscle mass to shrink, your body mass will become the larger body mass and then your body fat will rob you of your energy, you become less active and you will build up more and more fat. 

Not eating a well-balanced diet will reduce your energy level and will also cause you to become less active; so both, your food and your active levels are the deciding factors in your health and how long you're going to live.

But the reality is, most diabetes is type 2, and nearly all type 2 diabetes is preventable through a combination of eating well, being active, and controlling weight. In other words, type 2 diabetes is not really a cause, it’s an effect. So, too, for heart disease, cancer, stroke, dementia, most lung disease, and so on. These diseases are the effect of the way you live. All that money you spend at the doctor's office is probably caused by the way you are living your life.

The diseases we tend to think of as the causes of chronic misery and premature death are actually effects of your lifestyle.

The rest, as they say, is history.

One of my favorite studies showed that those people who didn’t smoke, ate vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and little meat routinely, were physically active, and had a healthy weight, were 80 percent less likely to develop ANY major chronic disease than those who went the other way. Just four modifiable factors could explain away 80 percent of the risk for getting ANY major chronic disease. That’s a very big deal.

Sometimes the best defense of the human body resides with the body taking action. So it's not about what medicine can do for you, it's about what you can do yourself to make your body a better place for you to live.

 How Do You Make the Best Choices for You?

While others may use different terminology, the simple fact is that where people live the longest and the best around the world, they are firing on these six cylinders every time. They eat well, are active, tend not to smoke, get enough sleep, aren’t overwhelmed by stress, and have strong social ties. Fire on those six cylinders and the path to more years in life and more life in years is the open road before you.

But of course, firing on those six cylinders is easier said than done, for a number of reasons. First of all, no everyone knows when their body is working properly. Your body is designed to work even under poor conditions, it just won't work as good or as long, but it will always work enough to get by.

You can know when your body is working properly, by the amount of energy you have. This is the first sign that your body may have a problem. Another sign would be weight gain. If your gaining weight as an adult and there's no reason for it, your body is having a problem. These two signs are easily overlooked. We need to be aware of the health signs our body is giving us.

Verywell, in turn, is a daily source of practical information about health—including frequent guidance about these very factors, and how to put them to use in your own life.

I added a few sentences to this very well crafted article by VeryWell.com.

I write several blogs and ebooks, check out some of my other sites.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonlosingweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks.
There’s two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

ray0369 | February 2, 2017 at 1:05 pm | Categories: diets, healt

Diet Buddies

Yes, there is such a thing as a "diet buddy". When someone has a hard time sticking to a diet, after quitting your diet several times, you might be tempted to look for someone to give you "moral support". I know it sounds like a good idea but the success ratio is pretty bad. I know that sounds discouraging but it's the truth.

A blogger on WordPress that I try to read pretty often wrote about this very subject and at the end of her post it said, "If you're looking for that special someone to give you the encouragement to stick with it, simply look in the mirror." Wow, real words of wisdom.

I think by this time you have probably guessed that I'm not in favor of "diet buddies" or "exercise buddies". For some unknown reason we never seem to pick the right person and after a few weeks, they are finding excuses not to show up or not to continue "being there for you". Or worst of all, they are the one that ends up needing all the moral support and you're getting nothing. Your partner doesn't even know how to give support and you end up totally involved in all their problems. Like you don't have enough to think about.

I tried to go that route many years ago and gave up looking for a partner I could put up with. When it comes to moral support or finding someone you can depend on, you either have to pay someone, like a life coach, or be your own best friend. If you're the one who wants to slim down, become fit and have that body you have always dreamed about, it's only you that has to muster up the determination to change your life. You have to forget about all the foods you like and the things you like to do when you're not working. Because for a few months you'll have to concentrate on living a healthy life.

This means that you might have to do some homework. You'll have to learn about "living healthy". Fortunately, we have the internet now, and all the information you need is on the internet. Healthy eating is the most important part, exercise alone won't get you to your goal. But after you straighten out your diet, you'll have to find an exercise routine to strengthen your muscles and help you burn more body fat.

Living a healthy, active lifestyle means you'll need to change your routine. Change what you eat, how much time you spend sitting or reclining and even how much your sleeping. You'll have to pay more attention to your bodies needs. I'm sure you have seen those slim, trim people playing Tennis or Golf and wish you had the time for that. Living an active, healthy life means you have to get organized and make time for "being active". And it also means that you have to learn what it means to "eat healthy". Your body fat is robbing you of energy, the energy to live a healthy life. Lose your fat and you'll feel 10 years younger.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBook, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

 

Can Eating Fewer Calories Extend Your Life?

A calorie-restricted diet helps monkeys live longer, healthier lives, a new study suggests.

Previously, research teams from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) conducted separate calorie-restricted diet studies on rhesus monkeys. But the two teams had different findings.

The conflicting outcomes "cast a shadow of doubt" on how calorie restriction might help to understand aging, said study co-corresponding author Rozalyn Anderson, an associate professor of medicine at UW-Madison.

The two teams decided to work together and reviewed the findings from both studies. They concluded that a calorie-restricted diet does help monkeys live longer, healthier lives. But age, diet, and sex must all be factored in to realize the full benefits of lower caloric intake. For example, calorie restriction began at different ages in each study. The collaborative research team saw that calorie restriction was only beneficial for older monkeys.

The content of the diet made a difference, too, the study authors explained in a university news release. NIA monkeys were fed a "natural" diet. Monkeys at UW-Madison had a diet that included processed foods with a higher sugar content. The UW-Madison monkeys were heavier than the NIA monkeys.

The researchers also noted that female monkeys seemed to be less vulnerable to the bad effects of excess fat than males. The study teams believe this finding is likely similar in humans. However, studies in animals often fail to produce similar results in humans.

This post is from HealthDay and where I believe the information is valuable to humans, I don't agree completely with the test.

It's true that restricting calories can help you to become a healthier person, but that doesn't mean you should eat less of the same foods your eating now. If you're overweight, it's probably from making bad food choices and eating less of those same foods won't make your healthier. By eating a healthy diet, for example, the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet and not returning to your old diet even if you lose weight, will make you a healthier person. These are all recommended foods, but only eat red meat in small quantities about once a week.

Changing the food you eat and sticking to healthy foods will mean you don't have to count calories. You don't have to limit your food. You just have to follow some simple rules:

Don't eat anything the last couple hours before bed. Don't stay up late and do get up early. You want to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep during the night time hours.

Don't stay up late and do get up early. You want to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep during the night time hours.

Eat several small meals during the day, about 3 hours apart.

Don't drink calories. There are plenty of zero calorie drinks available.

Don't add a cream, sauce, or gravy to your food, you're just adding more calories. Use spices to season food.

Stick to eating fresh foods. No frozen foods, no processed or ready to eat foods and no manufactured foods like chips.

I'm going to share my secret with you. I had to stop eating out for the first several months. It will take time for your body to adjust to a new and different diet. I found that you can't ease into a new diet. When I tried to do it, I couldn't stop the food cravings. You have to cut out your old diet all at once. And when you start your new diet, don't expect to lose weight at first and don't try to restrict your food. Your body will take a little time to get accustom to the new diet so eat as much as your have to, to stop the food cravings. You might even gain a little at the beginning but after that, the fat will start to disappear. This is a low-fat, heart healthy diet. Your doctor will be in favor of this. Talk to him about your new diet, he might want to change your medications.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs, check out some of my other sites.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonlosingweight.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com
If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.
There are two books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Slim For Life; Strategies To Lose Fat And Keep It Off

Trying yet again to lose those last 10 pounds? We hear you. In fact, 50 percent of women say that within six months they gain back any weight they've managed to ditch. And more than a quarter have dieted so many times they've lost track of the number. Well, get ready to stop the endless yo-yoing: Science has finally come up with simple, groundbreaking solutions for lasting weight loss. We checked in with the top experts in the field and scoured the latest research to bring you the skinny on everything you need to reach your slim-down goals and stay there.

Make your fat burn fat.

Seriously: Your flab can help you shed pounds. How? Just as there's more than one kind of fat in food, there's more than one type in your body. White fat is the bad stuff you want to zap. But a second kind, brown fat, actually torches calories. "Up to 80 percent of adults have brown fat deposits in their bodies," says Aaron M. Cypess, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School. This good fat is powerful because it's packed with mitochondria, the parts of cells that generate heat. When activated, as little as two ounces of brown fat can gobble up as much as 20 percent of your body's calories.

Exercise is one of the best ways to get your brown fat in gear. In a study, scientists at Harvard's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discovered that working out releases a hormone called irisin, which converts white fat to brown. Exercise for a half hour at least five days a week to turn up the burn.

You might be asking yourself; "I do that now, why can't I burn fat." There are a couple different reason; the most common one is "your diet". When I was exercising to lose fat, I had to go on a low-fat diet. Very low-fat, that way my body was forced into burning body fat instead of the food in every meal. 

Your body has to burn protein, carbs, and fat every day, but it will only burn about 30% fat. If you're eating the wrong foods, your body only has to burn the food your eating and not any of the excess you have stored.

The second reason can be the exercises your doing. Different exercises affect everyone differently. If you not getting the results you're looking for, you might want to change or vary the exercise program. You can get some help with that from my ebooks or the internet.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. In stead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of post, you can save time by picking up one of my ebooks. 

There’s two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

The Dash Diet Wins Again

High Blood Pressure and the DASH Diet

The Dash Diet has been voted the best overall diet by all the diet publications for several years in a row. Your doctor will love you if you can stick to this diet.

One of the steps your doctor may recommend to lower your high blood pressure is to start using the DASH diet. Let's face it, if your overweight, you have high blood pressure. You might not even know it. You don't necessarily have to be overweight to have high blood pressure, but if you aren't following a healthy diet plan, you are probably consuming too much sodium and that will cause high blood pressure.

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet is simple:

• Eat more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
• Cut back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats
• Eat more whole-grain foods, fish, poultry, and nuts
• Limit sodium, sweets, sugary drinks, and red meats

In research studies, people who were on the DASH diet lowered their blood pressure within 2 weeks.

Another diet -- DASH-Sodium -- calls for cutting back sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day (about 2/3 teaspoon). Studies of people on the DASH-Sodium plan lowered their blood pressure as well.

Starting the DASH Diet

The DASH diet calls for a certain number of servings daily from various food groups. The number of servings you require may vary, depending on how many calories you need per day.

You can make gradual changes. For instance, start by limiting yourself to 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day (about 1 teaspoon). Then, once your body has adjusted to the diet, cut back to 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day (about 2/3 teaspoon). These amounts include all sodium eaten, including sodium in food products as well as in what you cook with or add at the table.

Dash Diet Tips

• Add a serving of vegetables at lunch and at dinner.
• Add a serving of fruit to your meals or as a snack. Canned and dried fruits are easy to use, but check that they don't have added sugar.
• Use only half your typical serving of butter, margarine, or salad dressing, and use low-sugar, low-fat or fat-free condiments.
• Drink low-fat or skim dairy products any time you would normally use full-fat or cream.
• Limit meat to 6 ounces a day. Make some meals vegetarian.
• Add more vegetables and dry beans to your diet.
• Instead of snacking on chips or sweets, eat unsalted pretzels or nuts, raisins, low-fat and fat-free yogurt, frozen yogurt, unsalted plain popcorn with no butter, and raw vegetables.
• Read food labels to choose products that are lower in sodium.

I write several blogs, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There’s two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Should You Try The Paleo Diet?

Courtesy of Getty Images

With so many diet trends out there, it's hard to decide which are fads and which are actually worth trying. Take the Paleo diet for example. Is it good for weight loss, or even healthy? I’m Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien, and I’m here to break down the Paleo Diet.

This author can pick some great topics. The Paleo Diet is very popular right now and you should understand it before you try it.

What Exactly Is the Paleo Diet?

You’ve probably heard of the trendy Paleo Diet, and you may know that subscribing to this type of diet means you’re supposed to eat like a caveman.

But let's get specific. "The diet bans any food that was unavailable during the Stone Age", which includes everything from processed foods and refined sugar to dairy products, grains, white potatoes, salt, and legumes. That leaves grass-fed meat, (includes poultry) and seafood, fruits and veggies, eggs, nuts, seeds, and naturally occurring oils (like olive and coconut).

So, is it healthy? As with most diets, the answer isn’t as simple as “yes” or “no.” There are definitely good-for-you aspects, but there are also arguments against it.

Pros of Paleo

Some principles of the plan are definitely a step in the right direction, especially for people who subsist on a diet of junk food. Cutting out processed foods is certainly a good idea, and cutting back on refined sugar and salt is a healthy move. Natural protein, fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds are all staples of a smart eating plan.

In terms of weight loss, the elimination of starchy carbs like pasta, rice, and white potatoes can help you to reduce your calorie intake.

 The Paleo crowd was among the first to embrace trends like making rice out of cauliflower and turning zucchini into pasta. Both of those techniques are calorie-saving Hungry Girl favorites!

Cons of the Paleo Diet

Certain parts of the diet are pretty extreme. Going full-on Paleo means you’re nixing all whole grains, beans, and dairy products.

Some experts say it’s too restrictive and that the diet is ultimately unbalanced. Another problem with the diet is that it's just plain unrealistic for some people. The total exclusion of major food groups and types of food makes it difficult to follow on a daily basis. Following the Paleo diet can be very expensive and time-consuming if you’re strict. You have to prepare all of your food from scratch to make sure you’re not eating anything from the no-no list.

From a weight-loss perspective, simply following a Paleo Diet won't necessarily result in the number on the scale going down. The basics of weight loss come down to calories in versus calories out, and there are plenty of high-calorie foods on the Paleo diet: nuts, oil, and certain cuts of meat, for example. While those are fine in moderation, it's easy to overdo your calorie consumption when your choices are limited.

So, Should You Do It?

If the idea behind the Paleo diet sounds good and you want to give it a try, go for it! However, I’d recommend you also incorporate the following concepts:

• Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry. Red meat in particular, can be very caloric if you don't pick the right cuts. Follow guidelines and top tips for meat eating. When it comes to chicken and turkey, white meat is a better bet than dark, and ditching the fatty skin is always a good idea.
• Practice portion control. Paleo staples like nuts, seeds, and oil are very calorie dense, which means small servings contain a lot of calories. Use measuring spoons and a food scale to make sure you're not overdoing it. Pay attention to portion control pointers that really help. 
• Track your calories. Whether you're trying to lose weight or simply maintain, keeping an eye on your calorie count is the way to go. In fact, keeping a food journal is one of my top recommendations when it comes to weight loss or maintenance.  

I write several blogs, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonlosingweight.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

There are two books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Getting Older and Gaining Weight

When I was in my 20s, I believed that aging was a natural process that one should let happen, naturally. Why should people cover their gray or try to 'stay cool' by wearing hip clothes? They should just let things happen without fighting it. Twenty-something years later, I suddenly understand that the 'natural process of getting older' is like take a long walk off a short pier. There are some things we can't control as we get older, but one thing we can do something about is our weight. Our bodies may change, but there is something we can do about weight gain.

Why We Gain Weight As We Age

Most people think that gaining weight and getting older go hand in hand, but the reason we gain weight isn't just about getting older, it's about how our habits change. Many of us gain weight because we:

Become more sedentary (we are less active)
Don't lift weights to maintain muscle mass (your muscles get flabby)
While there are some elements we can't control, most of the weight gain that comes with aging can be avoided with a little exercise and improved eat habits.

What You Can Do

The main reason for muscle loss, which lowers metabolism, is that we often spend way too much time sitting - we sit at work, we sit when we watch TV and we sit when we play around on the computer. If we spend too much time doing that when we're younger, it's that much harder to stop doing that when we get older. It follows that being active and lifting weights will help preserve your muscle and increase your bone density while maintaining a higher metabolism.

GET STARTED NOW
Before you get started, see your doctor, especially if you're on any medications or have any pain or injuries you're dealing with. Once you've got clearance to exercise, you can follow this basic approach to getting in shape:

Cardio Exercise: Choose any activity you enjoy or think you might enjoy with some practice like swimming, walking or cycling and try to do that activity at least 3 days a week. Start with what you can handle and gradually add time each week until you can do 30 minutes of continuous activity. More about Cardio for Beginners.

Lift weights: Strength training may be one of the most important parts of your exercise program. You'll build muscle and strength while also working on important areas like balance, stability, and flexibility - all things that tend to decline with age. Learn more about how to get started.

Watch Your Diet: The most important aspect of managing your weight is your diet. Keeping track of your calories and sticking with healthy eating at least most of the time can help you avoid too much weight gain as you get older. Learn more about weight loss for older adults.

Be realistic: As you get older, it will take longer to lose weight, so it helps to focus on the process - getting your workouts in and eating as healthfully as possible. Do that and your body will respond in its own time.

If you find it hard to start or stick with an exercise program, motivate yourself by remembering what you do for your health when you exercise: you feel better, you look better, you reduce your chances of heart disease and diabetes and, best of all, you're doing what your body was meant to do: moving around.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonlosingweight.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.

My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/couponThere’s two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.