~Sickness is expensive - Health is Priceless!~

If you think having a healthy lifestyle is "expensive" - try paying for being sick!

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry

http://www.selectthebesthealth.com/

~Change focus - change your weight loss~

You've done everything from 7 day cabbage soup, work outs every day, to starving yourself and you just can't seem to "take up less space"! Because DIETS DON'T WORK! 

Change your focus : 

Five Points of Focus for Healthy Weight Loss - 

By Lydia Martinez N.C.P.T., F.N.S, C.N.S. (see her video below)

As a longtime Trainer and Director of TLS Weight Loss Solution, I’ve seen plenty of outstanding success stories, but I’ve also seen people who believe themselves unable to make progress, and who give up before giving themselves the chance they deserve. Most often, the real issue seems to be one of getting caught up in details about their program that are either too minor in importance or too many in number, getting confused, and quitting in frustration.

New information and ideas are great, but what’s most important is never losing sight of the fundamentals. Below are five points of focus that are sure to help anyone get started on—or keep succeeding with—their weight loss journey. 

Food Quality
The idea of calories going in (food) and calories being used (activity) is the basis of energy balance and weight loss. In order to maintain our body weight, we must balance our calories in and out. In order to lose weight, we must “burn” more calories than we take in. So far, so good.

However, the fact is that not all calories are created equal. The body responds differently to a protein calorie than it does to a carbohydrate calorie or a fat calorie.

For example, protein calories require a lot of energy to digest. Therefore, when protein is eaten, metabolism is increased; the same does not happen with other food sources. What this means is that calories are a useful measurement for the weight loss journey, but they should not be used to draw the map!

Hormones are the main determinants of what happens with calories, and hormones respond primarily to the composition of food—for example, the hormone insulin responds much differently to carbs than it does to protein or fat.  If you eat 200 calories of broccoli instead of 200 calories of ice cream, your body will react differently. The same goes for different fats: the trans fats from muffins, doughnuts, and cake elicit a much different response than the unsaturated or polyunsaturated fats in fish, nuts and avocado.

In other words, the body doesn’t care about numbers—it cares about quality. It is concerned about extracting vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the food you eat. Low quality foods, junk foods, processed foods and alcohol all contain empty calories. They have nothing to offer the body (other than extra material for fat storage).

Quality, clean, whole, high fiber foods are nutrient-rich and filled with what your body needs. When you feed yourself properly, calories typically take care of themselves. Because quality food is naturally lower in calories, you automatically consume fewer calories while staying fuller, longer.

Breakfast
Eating breakfast is a daily habit for the “successful losers” who belong to The National Weight Control Registry. These people have all maintained a 30-pound (or more) weight loss for at least a year, and some for as long as six years.

Of this very successful group, approximately 78 percent reported eating breakfast every day, and almost 90 percent reported eating breakfast at least five days a week. This is one indication that starting the day with breakfast is an important strategy to achieve and maintain weight loss.

When it comes to food cravings, eating early in the day can certainly help prevent “starvation eating” later on, and also works to jump-start metabolism. When you skip breakfast, you’re essentially fasting for nearly 15 hours; as a result, the body isn’t producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat.

If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it’s best to make wise food choices. Instead of focusing on fruits and cereals, your breakfast should be protein and fiber. Eaten in combination, these nutrients help to moderate blood sugar levels, further reducing cravings, preventing energy highs and lows and promoting fat burning instead of fat storing. Protein and fiber at every meal makes losing weight no big deal!

Meal Frequency
If you are regularly eating quality protein and fiber you should be able to avoid hunger pangs much more easily than when you make carbohydrates your staple. However, frequent eating throughout the day is still an important component of weight loss.

Not eating throws your metabolic hormones off and puts the body in a stressed state. Two hormones—adrenaline and cortisol—are secreted in response to a stressful situation, such as perceived famine.

This response is intended to provide quick and easy energy for that situation, but as this relates to metabolism, adrenaline and cortisol both work to elevate blood sugar and free fatty acids, while also reducing the ability of insulin to manage these factors. As a result, your body is pushed away from fat-burning mode and back towards fat storage mode.

Moving, Exercising, Working Out, Training…
I don’t care what you call it—you’ve just got to do it! Eating right accounts for the majority of weight loss, but increasing metabolism is also mandatory for successful, sustainable weight loss.

This means you have to increase your body’s need for energy at all times. One time you do this is during exercise, but it’s difficult to exercise all the time—especially if you’re stuck at a desk all day.

Luckily, your body requires extra energy at other times too, and one of these times can be the 24 – 38 hours after a workout, if that workout was intense enough. This is called the “afterburn effect”, and it is one of the most effective tools in the world of weight loss.

Taking advantage of this effect requires a specific type of training known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training – alternating between more-intense and less-intense activities during one workout). Although this might sound intimidating, it can be incorporated at any fitness level, and typically results in a shorter workout with faster results.

HIIT can be done in many different ways. One of my favorite things to do is pick five different exercises which cover the entire body and rotate between them. While moving between exercises, perform a one-minute interval of jump-rope, high knee leg lifts, kettlebell swings or some other dynamic activity. 30 minutes of this adds up to a workout you won’t forget, and neither will your metabolism.

If this seems too complex, or too great of a challenge, start off more simply with a couple of minutes of easy walking alternated with one minute of brisk power walking or jogging. This will still work to boost metabolism, but more importantly, it will start you on the right path to fat loss.

Sleep
Sleep and lose weight. It sounds like something you’d hear on a late night infomercial – just around the time you are reaching for that bag of cookies because, well, you can’t sleep. As strange as the idea sounds, substantial medical evidence suggests strong links between sleep and weight.

A 2011 study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people trying to shed at least 10 pounds were more likely to achieve their goal if they slept between 6 to 8 hours a night and had lower stress levels. By contrast, when you don’t get enough sleep, it decreases levels of leptin (the hormone that tells you when you are full), while also causing an elevation in levels of ghrelin (the hormone that tells you when you are hungry).

Needless to say, this is not a good combination. Under these circumstances, cravings can truly run wild, and the desire for high carbohydrate, calorie-dense foods can increase a whopping 45%. We’re not talking about broccoli.

How much you sleep and the quality of your sleep silently orchestrates a symphony of hormonal activity tied to your appetite. Don’t make the mistake of taking it for granted.

So there you have it—five key points that should be a priority to anyone who’s serious about losing weight and gaining good health. These factors are also the first ones to revisit if you’ve started on your weight loss journey and have found yourself struggling. If your weight loss plan isn’t getting you the results you want, take a look at one of these basic five—I’m willing to bet that making minor changes in one or two of them will be all it takes to get you back on track! 

Here's a short video overview of the TLS Solution - the only weight loss system that targets body composition. 

Remember: Muscle dictates metabolism!  Learn to lose inches not pounds!  It's all about keeping blood sugar stable, to have sustained energy. 

Click here for TLS Solutions, it's like having a personal trainer & nutritionist, customized to you & your needs for less than $10 a month.  

Finally learn how take up less space permanently!

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry

www.selectthebesthealth.com

"EAT YOUR VEGGIES"! 

You know you should. We are supposed to eat 5 serving daily! But less than 1% of us are really  "eating right" and consuming all the veggies we should...

So why should you eat your vegetables? 

Green, leafy vegetables are really the "perfect" food. These veggies contain water, fiber, low carbs and are packed with nutrients & micro-nutrients deliver energy! Lots of energy!! 

In a perfect world, growing your own vegetable garden would be the ultimate best. Next best is certified organic. But we're not in a perfect world. Organic can be pricey and most folks are pressed for time...So when we do buy our veggies, organic or not, they lay at the bottom of the fridge, losing nutrients or worse, rotting. (in our society most households throw away 25% of the food they buy! YIKES!)

Easy ways to get your veggies: 

1. Wash and cut up your veggies the night before and put in containers or bags to quickly stash in your bag as you leave the house. Beware the longer cut veggies sit, the more nutrients are depleted!

I use a DIY (do it yourself) veggie cleaner to clean all  my fruits and veggies. (see recipe below)

2. Start your morning with a lean green smoothie...you can use a blender or a professional version - vita-mix (which I LOVE) There are many versions of smoothies. Put in what you like...

I personally love something like this:

A cup or more Almond milk (unsweetened, plain) 

2 handfuls of spinach or kale

A peeled piece of fresh ginger

A 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or kefer (lots of good bacteria & protein in either)

1/2 apple or 1/2 frozen banana (gives a milkshake consistency) or both

Coconut oil - about 1 tbls (anti viral properties, great for so many things, including skin!)
(and / or half an avocado. Makes it creamy, keeps you full and soooo good for you! Great for the liver! - I try to eat 3 small avocados a week)

Most important: 1 tsp or 2 tsps of Complete Greens Vegetable powder (50 organic whole food greens) - one serving has the nutrients of 7 salads!

Just remember the "Greener the Leaner" the smoothie is!

Maybe a little sweetener like stevia, agave or coconut sugar - all of which are low glycemic

Whirl and drink - delicious! And packed full of fiber and nutrients that will get your engine revving.

Or if you don't have time for all that, just put almond milk, yogurt or kefer/ 1 tsp or 2 of  Complete Greens Vegetable powder. This smoothie is also great mid afternoon, in place of coffee!

3. A good vegetable powder, is organic, made with a low temperature drying process, that has whole foods and is micronized for mazimum absorption. Vegetable powder is a "secret weapon" you can slip into smoothies, marinara sauces and juices. Be aware, it is GREEN and you want it to be! That's the energy glowing from it!

Most powders are about $30 for 30 servings. However the one I use is $43 for 60 servings! Great value! You have a choice with Complete Greens - Tablet or micronized powder.  I select "powder" as it will absorb better than the tablets. But if you just can't "drink your greens" then by all means take the tablet to help you get your veggies daily.

4. Steam your veggies ever so slightly. If you don't cook your green vegetables "to death" you will retain more of the vitamins and nutrients!

5. Many green leafy veggies benefit from being pared with foods that contain vitamin C. It works as a co-factor or catalyst to enhance the nutrients of the green veggies. So spinach with mandarin oranges, tomatoes, or pomegranate seeds are a terrific way to get more "bang for your veggie buck"! 

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry Hubbard

www.selectthebesthealth.com

Recipe for DIY veggie wash:

1 TB  Lemon Juice (fresh or bottled)

2 TB Baking Soda

3/4 cup White Vinegar

8 oz. water

10 drops of liquid Grapefruit Seed extract (can get it at most health food stores - multiple health benefits - great anti-microbial efficacy)

Now this will be like a "science experiment" - as the "chemical reaction" combining soda and vinegar can make it really bubble over. So,  make it in a large pitcher or gallon jug - sit it down in your kitchen sink and - slowly add in the white vinegar. I mean slowly! Add maybe a couple of tablespoons at a time, so it will not "react" too much at once and bubble all over.

Once it is combined, I put it into a spray bottle and keep it at my sink. Spraying vegetables and fruit all over and let them sit for a couple minutes and run cool, filtered water over them to rinse. (see my previous blog on the color of urine for info on water filters)

Urine color matters....

Dark Urine? Smelly Urine? Frequent Urination? What Your Pee Says About Your Health

Go ahead admit it, you turn around and look at what you "left behind" before flushing...or am I the only one! (LOL) Doing so might just keep you healthier! Read on: 

You would be surprised by how much information can be gleaned from the urine that you produce each day (one to two quarts, on average). For example, the simple “dipstick” urine test that doctors often use to check for a urinary tract infection also can help them diagnose kidney disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions. But there is more.

What you may not realize: If you know what to look for, you can tell a lot about your health just by being aware of the physical characteristics of your urine—such as color, smell and frequency. 

What to watch out for…

COLOR

When you’re healthy and drinking enough water, your urine should be mainly clear or straw-colored with just a hint of yellow. The yellow color comes from urochrome, a pigment produced by the breakdown of a protein in red blood cells.

Urine is naturally darker in the morning because you don’t drink water while you sleep. If a color change persists, however, it could be a problem. For example…

Brown or dark brown. Pay attention if your urine is dark for more than a week.

What this usually means: Liver disease. The liver normally breaks down and excretesbilirubin, a pigment that’s produced by the turnover of red blood cells. Patients with liver disease accumulate bilirubin. This initially will cause jaundice, a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes. As more bilirubin accumulates, it can cause the urine to become brown. A combination of dark-colored urine and jaundice means that liver disease might be getting worse. See your doctor right away.

Dark-colored urine also can be a side effect of some antibiotics, laxatives and muscle relaxants. Eating large amounts of fava beans, rhubarb or aloe can cause brown urine as well. In some cases, dark-colored urine can signal kidney failure.

Red or pink. Urine that’s tinged with red or pink could simply mean that you have been eating beets. (The medical term for beet-induced urine changes is beeturia). Or it could mean that you’re urinating blood.

The amount of blood will affect the color. If the urine resembles cabernet wine, you’re bleeding a lot…urine that’s pinkish or just slightly red contains only traces of blood. A microscopic amount of blood won’t be visible—it can be detected only with a laboratory test.

What this usually means: Blood in the urine is always a problem. Make an appointment to see your doctor. If you see blood and it also hurts when you urinate, you could have an infection—in the urethra, bladder or kidney or even a malignancy in the bladder, for example. Bleeding without pain also can indicate these conditions.

Green. Though rare, a person’s urine can turn a greenish color.

What this usually means: Green urine can appear when you’ve consumed a chemical dye—from food coloring, for example, or from taking medications such as amitriptyline(Elavil), an antidepressant, or indomethacin (Indocin), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In some cases, urine with a greenish tint can signal a urinary tract infection with certain bacteria (such as pseudomonas) that affect the color.

If your urine is greenish, increase fluid intake to see if it clears. If it doesn’t in two days, see your doctor or a urologist.

ODOR

If you’re healthy, your urine should be highly diluted, consisting of about 95% water, with only small amounts of dissolved chemical compounds and metabolic by-products. It typically has no—or only a faint—odor.

Of course everyone is familiar with the effect that asparagus and some other foods, such as onions or fish, have on the smell of one’s urine. This strong “rotten” smell is due to the chemical compounds in certain foods, particularly molecules that are not completely broken down by the body. The smell usually disappears within a day or so.

Some other less common urine smells include…

Ammonia-like. If your urine is concentrated, with a larger-than-normal amount of urea (a chemical compound in urine), you might smell an aroma that resembles ammonia. Or you might just notice that it has a stronger smell than usual.

What this usually means: Dehydration. The less water you drink, the higher the concentration of urea and other substances—and the stronger the smell. You can diagnose this yourself by drinking, say, one extra glass of water an hour for several hours to add water to your urine. The strong urine smell will probably disappear within a few hours. If it does not, see your doctor.

Foul-smelling. If your urine smells foul or unusual in any way for more than a few days, pay attention to the odor.

What this usually means: If it’s not caused by a food that you’ve eaten, it could signal an infection in the bladder or kidneys. Less often, it’s due to a metabolic disorder that reduces the body’s ability to fully break down foods during digestion.

Uncontrolled diabetes can cause an abnormally sweet odor, and penicillin can cause a distinctive medicinal odor.

Even if you have no other symptoms, such as pain while urinating, but your urine continues to have an unusually strong smell for more than a couple of days, talk to your doctor.

FOAMY OR BUBBLY

It’s natural to see foam in the toilet when you really have to go and have a heavy stream. But urine that’s consistently foamy or bubbly could mean that you’re losing protein.

What this usually means: Kidney disease. Large amounts of protein in the urine is one of the main signs of chronic kidney disease. See your doctor right away.

MUCUS OR CLOUDY

Mucus in urine could indicate inflammation in the urinary tract.

What this usually means: Urinary tract infection. See your doctor.

Cloudy urine also can be related to infection but often is just an indication that your urine is alkaline, which is harmless at low levels.

VOLUME AND FREQUENCY

The average adult typically urinates four to eight times in 24 hours. A change in the frequency of your urinary habits, including getting up more than twice a night to urinate, or an increase or decrease in the amount that you urinate, warrants attention.

What this usually means: An increase in the frequency of urination, along with an increase in volume, is one of the telltale signs of diabetes.

If the amount of urine seems the same but you’re urinating more often, you could have a urinary tract infection. If this is the case, you’ll probably have very strong urges to urinate even when just a small amount comes out.

Frequency of urination and/or urinary urgency in the absence of a urinary tract infection can indicate an overactive bladder.

In men, enlargement of the prostate gland can trigger urinary urgency. Patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, can also have this symptom.

Don’t worry if there’s been a decrease in the amount or frequency of urination. You probably just need to drink more water. If this doesn’t help, see your doctor.

Source: Jonathan M. Vapnek, MD, a urologist and clinical associate professor of urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. A member of the American Urological Association, he’s been named by New York Magazine as one of New York City’s best urologists. Dr. Vapnek has authored or coauthored more than 35 papers on urological topics.

Publication:

Bottom Line Health

Original publication date:

July 1, 2012

Did you know that drinking chlorinated water makes us much more susceptible to bladder cancer? Always drink filtered, purified water to avoid contaminates such as chlorine and more in your water. 

I use PureH2O, countertop water filtration system, replacing filters every 6 months. It's easy to install, relatively inexpensive, removes chlorine &  contaminates most other filters do not remove . A good water filter is a lot cheaper than bottled water & soooo much better for you and the environment. Everyone always comments how good the water tastes from it!

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry Hubbard

www.selectthebesthealth.com

Death by Tylenol?

Are You Overdosing On OTC Drugs? An important "conversation" from Bottom Line Health: 

Painkillers, heartburn drugs and laxatives are among the worst offenders.

We hear a lot about overuse of prescription drugs. That’s because every year, more than 20,000 Americans die from a prescription drug overdose. About 75% of those fatalities are from painkillers such as oxycodone(OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin). But there’s another unexpected threat—and that’s overdosing on over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers.

Believe it or not, the main culprit is acetaminophen—the common pain reliever in Tylenol and other brands. It hospitalizes 30,000 people annually, many of whom develop acute liver failure.

Studies show that one-half to two-thirds of acetaminophen overdoses are the result of victims’ poor understanding of the product’s dosing instructions. One 2012 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine tested 500 people to determine their knowledge about and use of acetaminophen.

By their answers, many of the study participants showed that they would overdose—24% by using one product and unknowingly taking more than the safe limit of 4,000 mg (4 g) every 24 hours…and about 46% by using two acetaminophen-containing products at the same time without realizing the combined dosage would be an overdose.

The same misuse of medications and misunderstanding of labels occurs with other types of OTC medications described throughout this article—with potentially disastrous long-term consequences for health. Here’s how to make sure that you don’t overdose on or overuse OTC drugs…

ACETAMINOPHEN

Acetaminophen is the most commonly used OTC drug in the US—every week, one out of every five adults takes it. And for good reason—the drug works fast to reduce pain and fever. In fact, acetaminophen works so well, it’s the main pain-relieving, fever-lowering ingredient in many OTC products for headache, arthritis, back pain, colds, coughs, sinus problems and more. But the effectiveness and availability of the ingredient is a setup for overdosing.

Fortunately, a few simple precautions can help prevent an acetaminophen overdose…

Read the labels and do the math. Read the ingredient list on every OTC drug you take and know which contain acetaminophen and how much. Keep careful track of your daily intake—and don’t ever take more than 1,000 mg at any one time or exceed 4,000 mg in a day. The more acetaminophen-containing products you take, the more likely it is you’ll overdose.

Example: In the Journal of General Internal Medicine overdose study, three drug combinations were most likely to cause an overdose—a pain reliever and a PM pain reliever…a pain reliever and a cough and cold medicine…a sinus medication and a PM pain reliever.

Know if you are at high risk—and be extra-cautious if you are. In the overdose study, people who were “heavy users” of acetaminophen (taking it a couple of days a week or more) were more likely to underestimate their intake—and to overdose.

Important: If you suffer from chronic pain, see your primary care physician or a pain specialist, and ask for a stronger medication that is taken once or twice a day. That way, you won’t have to take as many OTC painkillers.

Know the signs of an overdose. An overdose of acetaminophen typically causes nausea and vomiting, sweating, yellowing of the skin and eyes and a general feeling of flulike illness. Within one to three days, it causes pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen (the location of the liver). If you develop those symptoms after regular use of acetaminophen (or after a single dose that is excessive)—seek immediate medical care.

Self-defense: Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department if you have severe symptoms, such as gasping for air. The standard treatment for acetaminophen overdose is n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), an antioxidant that reverses liver toxicity, often given intravenously. Although NAC capsules are available at health-food stores, it’s best to be treated by medical personnel since an overdose is a serious medical condition. If you suspect that you may be experiencing symptoms of an overdose, you can call a 24-hour poison control center such as the National Capital Poison Center at 800-222-1222.

PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIS)

These popular drugs work by slowing down your body’s production of stomach acid, preventing and relieving the symptoms of heartburn. They also are used to treat indigestion (dyspepsia), ulcers and other upper gastrointestinal (GI) problems. Two kinds are available OTC—lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR) and omeprazole (Prilosec OTC, Zegerid OTC).

The danger: These drugs, if taken daily, should not be used for more than two weeks without a doctor’s approval, according to label instructions. Studies show that overusecan increase risk for hip, wrist or spine fractures in adults over age 50…and cardiac arrhythmias, intense diarrhea, colds, flu and pneumonia, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies in users of all ages. In addition, when you stop taking one of these drugs abruptly, it can trigger rebound acid hypersecretion—a surge of stomach acid that worsens symptoms, forcing you back on the drug for relief.

Self-defense: Slowly wean yourself off long-term use of a PPI. Speak to your doctor about the best way to do this. Afterward, treat heartburn with OTC antacids, a much safer choice (follow label instructions).

NASAL DECONGESTANTS

Many people suffer from rhinitis medicamentosa (RM)—a chronically stuffy nose caused by overuse of nasal decongestant spray. For example, you might use a spray, such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine containing the ingredient oxymetazoline or phenylephrine, during a cold or allergy season. It provides relief, but there is “rebound congestion” when the spray wears off. You use it again…there is rebound congestion…and you use it again. Soon, you have RM—and are addicted to the nasal spray for “relief.”

Self-defense: If you are addicted to a nasal spray, wean yourself off slowly. (Examples:Alternate nostrils with each use, rather than spraying both nostrils. Or use the spray only at bedtime to get you through the night.) As you decrease use, try a nonmedicated saline spray or a menthol nasal spray and a humidifier or steam vaporizer. You might also ask your doctor for a short-term prescription for nasal corticosteroids, which will relieve congestion while you withdraw from the spray. Plus, address underlying health problems that may cause nasal congestion, such as food allergies or structural problems in the sinuses.

LAXATIVES

Constipation is a common problem, and daily use of OTC laxatives, such as Miralax and Milk of Magnesia, is frequently the “solution.”

The danger: Laxative overuse can lead to abdominal cramping, nausea and vomiting, blood in the stool, mineral deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances that cause heart and kidney damage—and, in rare cases, death.

Self-defense: Wean yourself slowly off laxatives. For example, start by switching from daily use to every-other-day use.

As you’re reducing use, add more fiber to your diet, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans—and, if necessary, take a daily fiber supplement—to help ensure regular bowel movements. Take a probiotic, a supplement of “friendly” bacteria that aids digestive health. Other digestive aids that can help cure constipation include aloe vera, essential fatty acids and digestive enzymes. Talk to your doctor about which of these digestive aids might work best for you. Drink water throughout the day and exercise regularly, which stimulates bowels.

STAY SAFE

Keep all your prescriptions at the same pharmacy. That way, your pharmacist has your complete medication profile and can accurately advise you about your OTC medications.

When buying an OTC product, ask your pharmacist to check for interactions between your prescription drugs and your OTC choices. You are not being a “pest”—the pharmacist wants to help keep you safe.

Source: Suzy Cohen, RPh, a licensed pharmacist in Boulder, Colorado, and the author of the “Dear Pharmacist” syndicated column, which reaches 20 million readers nationwide, The 24-Hour Pharmacist (William Morrow) and Diabetes Without Drugs andDrug Muggers (both from Rodale). www.DearPharmacist.com

Listing Details

Publication:

Bottom Line Health

Original publication date:

November 1, 2012

What are  other "alternatives" to the above OTC  pain killers, decongestants,  acid re-flux meds & laxatives - without side effects? Stay tuned for a future blog! We will discuss alternatives that have no side-effects, just side benefits! 

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry Hubbard

www.selectthebesthealth.com

Foods that help keep you energized!

 




Foods That Help Keep You Energized!

It's all about the blood sugar levels - 

on April 9, 2013

Feeding your body well is essential. So rather than reaching for yet another cup o’ joe, here is our list of 5 energy-rich foods you should incorporate into your diet. It's ALL about keeping the blood sugars "stable", which gives you more energy! Sustained and time released energy.

EggsDid you know that eggs contain the highest complete form of protein than any other food? And don’t think that protein is only good for maintaining muscle mass; protein is essential for keeping your energy levels up, keeping you fuller longer, and it doesn’t cause a spike your blood sugar. Whether you eat eggs scrambled or sunny side up, choosing eggs for breakfast is a great way to start your day off right!

 Brown rice~Why is brown rice so much healthier for you than white rice? It all goes back to the way the grains are manufactured. White rice starts out brown, but it’s milled to remove the outer layer of the grain where the fiber and nutrients reside. Less fiber means your body converts the carbohydrates into glucose (“energy”) faster than your body needs, causing a spike in excess blood sugar. And when your blood sugar spikes, you can bank on an energy crash an hour or two later. Brown rice on the other hand retains all of the nutrients found in the outer layer of the grain, which helps keep you full without spiking your blood sugar.

Water~Yes, we know that water is not technically a food, but if you want to keep your energy levels up, you have to drink up. When you’re dehydrated, your cells use energy less efficiently, which causes fatigue. To ensure that you’re drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day, keep a bottle on your desk, in your car, and anywhere else that will make it easy to reach for. Juices, sodas, and coffee are not substitutes for H₂O, but feel free to dress your water up with lemon slices or mint to make it more palatable. Chug a glass of water before doing "paper work"...helps concentration too!

Nuts~Did you know that cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts are rich in protein and magnesium, a mineral that helps convert sugar into energy? If you feel like you’re running low on energy, try incorporating more magnesium- rich foods into your diet. Just remember a "fist full" of nuts is a "serving", don't eat the whole bag! If getting enough magnesium proves to be challenging for you, incorporating a magnesium supplement into your diet might be the way to go.

Fresh fruits~Snacking on fresh fruit will help keep you energized, satiated, and hydrated. Apples, strawberries, and pears are great choices because of their high fiber, good carbs, because they are lower on the glycemic index. In other words, not spiking your blood sugars as bad as a high glycemic fruit. They are healthy nutrients, and have water content. Go a step further and combine fresh fruit with a source of healthy fat and protein for a well-rounded snack that will keep your energy levels up while keeping hunger away for hours. Like mixing it in with some to the nuts into a cup of greek yogurt. Or with a few squares of cheddar cheese.

Fiber Rocks! ~ It keeps you from feeling "hungry" all the time, as it delivers "time-released" energy. It keeps things "moving along" in the GI tract, if you know what I mean! So look for high fiber rich content in anything you put in your mouth and it will deliver sustained, time-released energy that doesn't give you a rise in blood sugars and then come "crashing down", having you begging for a cookie or one more cup o' Joe :-) Fiber is your friend!

Have any tips on what foods help you to stay energized? Would love to hear about them - please share!

Helping you to Select The Best Health,

Sherry Hubbard

www.selectthebesthealth.com