Pick Your Own and Eat it Too!

Despite my lack of childhood memories, I do remember the hours spent in the garden.  We grew up on a small 3.5 acre parcel of land, much of which was a vegetable garden.  A lot of time was spent weeding the rows, that seemed endless!  If memory serves me correctly, our parents would compensate us for each row that was weeded.  Trying to get my own children to weed is futile, even for money!  Then came harvest time and the hours that took to pick and prepare the food for canning and freezing.  What a huge chore!

I was never a real big fan of green beans as a child, unless they were smothered in butter and salt.   There's such a difference in taste, in quality, in texture between a fresh vegetable and a frozen vegetable.  And there's a difference too in whether it's mass produced with pesticides and herbicides.  When you grow and pick your own it tastes so good and it's incredibly healthy knowing it's free of chemicals.  They simply are better than anything you've ever had from a store!  I love to eat green beans!



The rewards and benefits of  picking and preparing your own food are just as huge as growing and tending a garden!  I wish now that I'd pay a little closer attention to how my parents prepared the food for canning and freezing.  Hindsight is 20/20, but fortunately there are many great resources available through the Internet that provide a wealth of knowledge on every topic you can imagine.  I came across a website as I was searching for how to freeze my green beans from my garden.  I needed clear directions, recipe, photo's and advice. 

In a nutshell, here are the 8 simple steps to freezing green beans, courtesy of pickyourown.org.

1.  Get your green beans from the garden!

2.  Wash the green beans.

3.  Trim the end, and if you prefer cut into smaller pieces.

4.  Get your blanching pots ready.

5.  Blanch the green beans for about 3 minutes in boiling water.  I steamed mine for 6 minutes.

6.  Cool the green beans in ice cold water.

7.  Bag the green beans in freezer bags or vacuum sealed Foodsavers.

8.  Place the bags into the freezer.

Beans sealed in Ziploc bags with as much of the air extracted as possible will keep for about 9 months in the freezer.   I always put aside some of the fresh green beans into the refrigerator to be eaten over the next week.  If you seed your beans in stages, you can pick fresh all summer long.  Nothing beats the flavor of a freshly cooked green bean from the garden!  I highly recommend it.  Yes, it's a lot of work.  Yes, it costs a little money to plant a garden.  It seems that anything worthwhile takes time and money.  The seeds to plant that crop of beans were a few dollars and the water was free from mother nature this year.  The time I put into it was well worth the effort.  It's an investment in my health.   This year we're going to try and harvest our own green bean seeds from our plants by letting some of them dry out on the vine.

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

A Love Affair

I couldn't help myself, I completely gave into my desires and lost myself in her arms.  She's become like a drug that I refuse to give up.  She's totally irresistible at times and when she calls to me, I bend at the knees and find myself powerless to her temptation!  The very thought of her just makes my heart beat a little faster and I build up the anticipation until the moment when she touches my lips!   Oh the sweetness of her dark curves and subtle, creamy and soft taste as she melts on my tongue!  My Diva's name is Cocoa and I am a slave to her taste sensation!  I'm having a love affair with dark chocolate!!   The seduction of cocoa has a long history dating back thousands of years.

In the book “Chocolate: a healthy passion", Shara Aaton and Monica Bearden compare men’s and women’s chocolate cravings. They say,  both men and women enjoy chocolate, though women tend to be more vocal in their “needing” chocolate (p.165). Eighty-five percent of men and 86% of women claimed to give in to their craving.  Is chocolate just a guilty pleasure, like a friend with benefits?

In the book entitled Better Than Sex: Chocolate Principles to Live By, British author Theresa Cheung states that it was her long-standing “love affair with chocolate” that prompted her to write this little pocket-size guide to better living through chocolate —“without feeling guilty.” According to her “a massive 60 percent of women would rather have a one-to-one with a chocolate bar than have sex!”

But seriously, while dark chocolate may satisfy your carnal cravings, it may also be a remedy for some health conditions. Milk chocolate is higher in sugar and lower in beneficial compounds than dark chocolate, and the best choice for dark chocolate is at least 60 percent cocoa solids by weight. Eat dark chocolate only in moderation every few days as part of a healthy diet.

Many of the potential benefits of dark chocolate result from its content of flavonoids, which refer to many groups of compounds in plant-based foods. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids called flavanols. Flavonoids may act as antioxidants, which means they reduce the cell-damaging activity of dangerous free radicals in your body. Dark chocolate may reduce your risk for heart disease, but many other dietary and non dietary factors contribute to your risk for heart disease.  See note at bottom.

Doctor Steven Warren examines the health benefits of dark chocolate. He explains the function of anti-oxidants and bioflavonoids and the fact that dark chocolate is the #1 superfood in the world.



As Dr. Warren indicated, dark chocolate may also reduce your risk of heart stroke. The effect of dark chocolate is similar to that of a blood thinner that can improve your vascular function, which means that your blood vessels are more relaxed and your risk for stroke decreases.

Nutritionally, one ounce of quality dark chocolate provides about 3.3 mg iron, or 18 percent of the daily value for this essential mineral for preventing iron-deficiency anemia.  Dark chocolate supports a healthy blood pressure because it provides 200 mg potassium and only 6 mg sodium per ounce, and it provides 64 mg magnesium, or 15 percent of the daily value, for this essential nutrient for a normal blood pressure.

So the next time you're tempted to have a love affair with dark chocolate, don't feel guilty about your submission to it's powerful seduction and resulting health benefits.




Eat right, have a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and drink or eat chocolate to utilize this superfood to feel better and improve the quality of your life!

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Note:

TOP ANTIOXIDANT FOODS ORAC* Units Per 100 Grams
Dark Chocolate	13,120
Milk Chocolate	6,740
Prunes	5,770
Raisins	2,830
Blueberries	2,400
Blackberries	2,036
Kale	1,770
Strawberries	1,540
Spinach	1,260
Raspberries	1,220
Brussel Sprouts	980
Plums	949
Alfalfa Sprouts	980
Broccoli Florets	890
Oranges	750
Grapes, Red	739
Red Bell Pepper	710
Cherries	670
Onion	450
Corn	400
Eggplant	390
*ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a measure of the ability of food to subdue harmful oxygen free radicals that can damage our bodies.

HARD CORE!

I want a six-pack!  Who doesn't want to get into the best shape of their life and have the perfect abdominal section.  A strong hard core has everything to do with strength, power, performance and your health.  If your midsection is weak, guess what...you're probably not benefiting like you could from this crucial center of power, agility and balance.

Using the P90X program has provided me, and several friends I know, (in the picture to the right, thanks Toni & Matt) with the perfect way to develop my core strength.  If you neglect the core muscles that consist of your abdominal and back muscles, the oblique side muscles, the transverse abdominis muscles that wrap around your torso, you are at significantly higher risk of pain and injury.  If you have lower back pain and want to reduce or virtually eliminate it, then you must improve your spinal flexibility by going hard core with exercise. 

However, I won't promise or guarantee you a six-pack if you fail to clean up your diet.  Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand.  I had a huge belly at a whopping 47 inches of fat when I started this journey on February 1st, 2011.  If I had continued down that path of obesity from overeating and poor nutritional food, it's most certain I would have developed cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney ailments, joint pain and a host of other conditions that medical doctors have linked to weight gain and bad diet.  Carrying all the extra belly fat was just a real pain and was becoming a major problem for me.

Fast forward 6 months and today I'm trimmed down to a respectable 34 inch waist! (I'll post updated pictures of my progress after August 1st) I have the creator of P90X, Tony Horton, to thank for giving me the program that brings results.  It offers a variety of core exercises that improved my posture, enhanced my body movements, strengthened and defined my abdominal and lower back muscles and is flattening my tummy!  I don't have a six-pack yet, but I'm working on it hard and daily.  Here's a video below that I put together of my workout today with a montage of the variety that's offered in the Core Synergistics Workout from Beach Body.



I ended my fat trend, I know you can too!

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Salad Heaven!

I have found the taste of dressing heaven for salad!  It doesn't come in a bottle from the grocery store or in a pre-packaged value added container.  It's gluten free, dairy free and contains no unhealthy added salt, fat or oil.  No matter how much you dislike eating green salads, that's all about to change by simply adding this natural dressing to your garden greens.  Matter of fact, I think I'll try it with chicken too or kebabs as a dipping sauce. Now that I think about it, it would also be perfect as a veggie dip with broccoli, celery, carrots, cucumber, etc.  It's just so delicious, mouth watering and lip licking good that words just don't do it justice.

I came across this gem about a month ago after reading some suggestions from P90X creator Tony Horton on healthy recipes he likes, and this one stood out for me as something I'd like to try.  Well I did last night, and WOW!  It's a combination of nutty, citrus, sour and sweet flavors that blend together magnificently!  It's so good folks you may be tempted to eat this for breakfast!

I pulled some fresh homegrown in my own garden butter crunch lettuce, kale, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce. Next came the decision of what to dress my salad with when it hit me...I remembered this dressing by The Chef and Dietitian.  So I opened up my Ipad2 and turned to the saved bookmark of their blog and found the recipe that's included with their 5 minute YouTube video. 

 
So without further adieu, let me introduce you to these two amazing ladies who dish up a keeper of a recipe!



As you saw in the video, they used Kale only, but I like more variety in my salad, so decide what you want and go from there. Here's a recap of Hail to the Kale and the incredible dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water/coconut water
• A handful of pitted dates (I used 4 Californian grown Oasis Organic Medjool Dates)
• 1/3 cup of lemon or lime juice with some zest (I used the juice from two organic lemons and the zest from one)
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soya sauce or Tamari Sauce (I used Tamari sauce)
• 1 inch of fresh ginger
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 Cup of unsweetened, unsalted, raw Almond Butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of Red Cayenne Pepper Flakes

Directions:

In a high-powered blender, (I use a Vita-Mix 5000) combine all the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.  I blended on high for about 30 seconds.  Simply pour the dressing over whatever salad greens you've selected or any other veggies, etc for dipping.  Sprinkle the salad with some finely chopped almonds or hemp hearts.  Refrigerate any unused dressing.

Thank you Chef AJ and Dietitian Julieanna Hever MSRD for this amazing healthy recipe!  Thanks for making healthy taste delicious!!  This gets a 5 out of 5 star rating from this health nut.  Please keep sharing those great healthy and nutritious recipes!!

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Lessen Your Chance For Injury

Before beginning any new exercise, task or job, it's strongly recommended to understand what the safety precautions are associated with it.  We each have our own unique physical limitations.  Safe exercise and workout habits are your responsibility.  So before you begin your journey to health and fitness through proper exercise and nutrition, I'd like to recommend some safety rules that are for your benefit that will lessen your chance of injury.

Warm up.  Prior to any of my workouts, I  have about a 5 minute warm up and stretch.  If you start exercising with cold, stiff muscles, you are more prone to injury.  In the video link above you can see that I start out with running in place, jumping jacks, skip rope and then some slow and gentle stretching of muscles.  Once you feel sufficiently warm, you may even have a light sweat after the warm up and heavier breathing, then it's safe to say you can bring it to your workout. The same holds true for cooling down following a workout. 

Don't overdo it!  When first starting out, your level of fitness will limit your level of intensity and duration.  Don't put out 100% in the beginning, but rather gradually increase the intensity and length of the workout.  Listen to your body and adapt it by modifying moves if necessary.  The harder you train, the closer you will come to the point where you could be injured.  So, don't try to workout at a warrior level when you're a beginner.  There's no shame or guilt when something doesn't feel right and you need to stop to avoid possible injury.

Exercise daily.  Our busy lifestyles often seem to get in the way of our desire for physical activity and you may find yourself trying to be a weekend warrior.  If you want to increase your fitness level, you're going to need more than just a couple of days a week.  This is just setting yourself up for trouble.  If you can't fit in 30-60 minutes of exercise daily, then break it down into smaller blocks of time throughout the day when possible.  Regular, consistent workout routines will keep your body from slumping back and making it more prone to sustain an injury.  

The right tool for the job.  Investing in good exercise equipment is crucial to your safety.  There are also many good workout programs to follow that provide you with proper instruction from an experienced coach and trainer.  You do not need to go to the gym for this level of expertise.  Maintaining proper form when working out is critical to staying healthy and preventing injury.  Using proper form and technique will lessen the chance of developing an injury.  Make sure you have proper footwear and clothing that doesn't interfere with your moves.   

Accommodate your body.  We're not getting any younger and we probably don't have the same flexibility that we once did.  For many people, physical activity that was once pleasurable is now a struggle or even painful.  So it is important to listen to your body to prevent injury.  Tone down your activity if you need to so your are not in discomfort.  Exercise on the side of caution.  You want to be a little outside of your comfort zone, but train smart! There are times to push hard and times to back off.  Stay in control of your body at all times. If at anytime you feel pain in a body part as a result of activity, rest or reduce your activity.  This will help you avoid more serious problems both short and long-term.  

Incorporate variety.  If you focus on just one aspect of your fitness, you'll likely get bored and increase your risk of injury.  There are many benefits to a balanced fitness program.  So look for a routine that offers a little bit of everything, such as cardiovascular exercise, strength training and flexibility.  Variety in your exercises will also prevent your body from adapting and reaching a plateau.  More balance leads to longer growth and reduced chance of injury. 

Take a Recovery Supplement.  Your body needs nutrients like Amino acids and carbohydrates to help speed recovery after an intense workout.  Your muscles will thank you for it by helping them to repair.  Every time you train, your glycogen stores are depleted, muscle protein is dismantled, microscopic tears in muscle fibre occur, energy-producing compounds are lost from cells, electrolytes diminish and disease-causing free radicals proliferate.  Following your workout, your body is literally thirsting for nutrition. A recovery supplement will give you greater energy, feel less fatigue, increase your muscle development and have stronger immunity.  It will help you heal faster and greatly reduce your soreness and the risk of injury.  The critical time period for such a drink is within the first hour after your workout.  There are hundreds of recovery drinks on the market.

Get proper rest and sleep.  This is critical to healing muscles following physical activity.  Lack of sleep leads to possible injury.  Working out tired leads to all kinds of issues that are completely preventable.  Sleep, it does your body good!

Eat healthy to heal!  Nutrition is critical to your sustained health and injury prevention.  It's very important to select high quality lean protein that helps to repair muscle and tissue. If you're not getting the proper nutrients through your diet, you are more prone to hurt your body when putting it through rigorous exercise.  You may also want to consider a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement to help you recover from your workouts and supply the nutrients lacking in your food that your body needs to heal and be healthy. 

People of all ages and physical conditions can benefit from exercise and physical activity. But playing it smart by following the guidelines and tips that I blogged about today will help you to exercise safely and enjoy a higher quality of life free of pain and injury.

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

David's 90 Day P90X Transformation

I invite you to check out my new transformation video of my first 90 day round. It began on February 1st, 2011 and continued through to May 1st, 2011. During that time I lost 45 pounds, 8 inches off my waist and about 14% body fat!



See more amazing success stories from other regular guys just like myself at the Success Stories section of my blog.  If you would like to learn more about P90X, please read my blog post on Beginner, Striver or Warrior.

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Alcohol, Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde

What are the benefits and risks of drinking alcohol? Doctors and studies suggest that moderate drinking can be beneficial, but not for everyone. So, when it comes to your health, alcohol is a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The effects on people vary from person to person, depending on who and how much.

Even moderate drinking can increase the risk of colon and breast cancer, however these risks are trumped by the boost in cardiovascular health—especially in middle age. That's the time in life when heart disease begins to account for an increasingly large share of disease and deaths.

If you're a non-drinker, you certainly do not need to start drinking to improve your health. For heavy drinkers, with their increased risk of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, cirrhosis, and dependence it is recommended to cut back or stop drinking altogether. A pregnant woman should also avoid any amount of alcohol, since it can cause brain damage to her unborn child resulting in fetal alcohol syndrome.

Moderate drinking for women is considered up to one drink per day while for men, it's up to two. One serving is considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of hard liquor, for example vodka or rum.

Harvard School of Public Health looks at balancing the risks and benefits of alcohol.

Here are 5 quick tips from the Nutrition Source to stay healthy with alcohol.

1. If you don't drink, there's no need to start. For some people—especially pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol addiction, people with a family history of alcoholism, people with liver disease, and people taking one or more medications that interact with alcohol—the risks of drinking outweigh the benefits. There are other ways to boost your heart health and lower your risk of diabetes, such as getting more active, staying at a healthy weight, or eating healthy fats and whole grains.

2. If you do drink, drink in moderation—and choose whatever drink you like. Wine, beer, or spirits—each seems to have the same health benefits as long as moderation's the word (no more than one drink per day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men). To read more about whether the type of alcohol consumed has any effect on health, read "Is Wine Fine, or Beer Better?"


 
3. Take a multivitamin with folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin that may help lower the risk of heart disease and cancers of the colon and breast. Those who drink may benefit the most from getting extra folate, since alcohol moderately depletes our body's nutrient stores. The amount in a standard multivitamin—400 micrograms—is enough, when combined with a healthy diet. To learn more about folate, check out the vitamins section of The Nutrition Source.

 4. Ask your doctor or nutritionist about your drinking habits.  If you (or your friends) think you may have a problem with drinking, talk to a doctor or other health professional about it. He or she can help.
 

5. Pick a designated driver. Alcohol and driving do not mix. If you're going out drinking, give your car keys in advance to someone who'll be sipping pop all night.

Fitness and health guru Steve Edwards writes in the BeachBody Newsletter on Nutrition 911: The best and Worst Cocktails.

If you're still unsure after reading, studying and researching both sides of the debate, then avoiding alcohol is the best advice I can offer.  It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

The Secret to Long Life Revealed

If you want to achieve what others do, then logically doesn't it make sense to DO the things others have succeeded at doing? How does someone for instance live to be 100 years of age or older? When something is tried, tested and true, why try to reinvent the wheel. In my journey to health through proper nutrition and exercise, I ask myself what paths have centenarians taken that lead to a long life of health and happiness, and can I make their success mine?

This present mortal life has some certainties, such as if you have an inactive lifestyle, you're going to age faster and increase your exposure to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, bone loss and cardiovascular disease. We know that in contrast regular physical exercise, or an active lifestyle through daily routine, are proven to lower mortality rates. But is there more to it than that? Of course there is. So by studying the lives of those with longevity we can identify several key factors that provide for a foundation of a fulfilling and long life.

So what are the common denominators in the lives of people and cultures that they all do that lead to a path of a long life?

1. Move Naturally for physical activity.
2. The Right Outlook. Downshift and Purpose Now.
3. Eat Wisely. Wine, Plant Slant and 80% Rule.
4. Connect. Love ones first, belong and right tribe.

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and his team study the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. At a TED presentation, he shares the above common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.



Of course, there's no guarantee that people who make healthy lifestyle changes will live to age 100. However, you will certainly enjoy a better quality of life and a longer life if you do. Here's my quick laundry list of things to do.

Lose weight. Or if you're at an ideal body weight now, stay there. Extra weight puts a strain on your heart and body and puts people at risk of diseases that shorten life. The simple fact is most people simply eat too much. Cutting back on calories is one step to help trim your waistline and extend life. Research suggests animals fed fewer calories live longer — about 40% longer!

Shape up. Regular exercise can help prevent or delay a laundry list of diseases. The experts say to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise 5 days a week or more. And it's never too late to start a fitness program. Even seniors who've never been active before can work up to a fitness routine that will help keep them strong for years to come. Walking, swimming, dancing — even gardening and housework — can help to stay in shape.

If you smoke, stop. Tobacco-related diseases cause more than 400,000 deaths a year in the USA alone. Yet nearly 50 million Americans still smoke. Go figure.

Socialize. Go to a party, join a movie club, help out at a charity, meetup on the internet. Research suggests that people who build and maintain friendships and family relationships often are healthier and seem to recover from illness faster. Social connections may ward off depression and seem to boost the body's immune system, which helps fight infection.

Reduce stress. Take a walk, meditate, have some quiet time or have lunch with a friend. Scientists say that people who build stress-busting habits into their daily routine gain a big health benefit. Unhealthy stress puts us at risk of getting sick or developing chronic diseases that can cut life short.

Eat a healthy diet. Diets that include 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day can help prevent age-related damage to cells. Fruits and veggies, the more colorful the better, contain protective substances that can help ward off diseases. Most longevity experts recommend cutting down on fatty, salty, sugary foods. Go for lean meats like poultry and fish, as well as a wide variety of fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and whole grain foods.

Get a good night's sleep. Research shows that sleep deprivation can lead to memory lapses, depression and immune system problems as well as obesity.  Scientists say sleep deprivation may not be a natural part of aging.

It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life and impact the quality of your life.   So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Test your knowledge on health aging at The Alliance for Aging Research website

What is your greatest wealth?

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?  I was and made a decision, committed to it and now just 6 months later am free of the burden of being sick and tired. Investing in your health is a huge investment in your future!  It's never too late to invest in it.  I wanted to recapture the energy and zest I once had for life when I was younger.  Are you committed to getting your health back? Are you tired of the usual medical methods of so called “recovery” through drugs and surgeries that so frequently fail to work and can have undesirable side effects?  It’s up to you to take the best possible care of yourself!   We live in a time where information is shared freely and readily available. We are living and working on a level playing field like never before. You can now make more informed decisions and make smarter choices like never before.

Your physical fitness is the basis for all other areas of excellence in life.  It's so easy to lose sight of the most important aspects of life.  We know how important relationships are in our life with family and friends.  We put a lot of energy and time into these areas because we value them.  Another key area of focus is on health.  If your health fails, you cannot provide for your family. You may not even be around to watch them grow or be there for them when they need you, or when they want to share with you in times of joy. Without your health you may not feel good about yourself. Poor health leads to feeling you're not valuable, only a “drain” on family and friends and yourself.  How do you protect your health?  For starters, simply eat a healthy diet, exercise and get adequate sleep to lower your stress, and keep a positive mental attitude.

Do you always feel tired? Unexplained Headaches and body aches that have become the norm?  Why is that  not until there is a critical breakdown in our mind and body that we come to recognize that health is the greatest wealth?  Within my blog you will find dozens of tips, articles, links, videos, news, etc. on healthy living through proper nutrition and exercise.  I enjoy sharing my thoughts with you.  By now I hope you've been getting the bigger picture.  This isn't a 10 day, 30 day or 90 day plan.  Heck it's not even a 6 month or 1 year plan.  It's about the everyday choices we each make that have an accumulative effect.  It is a lifestyle and there's no finish line.  Be the change you want to see in the world and start by taking a good long hard look in the mirror.  Where are you today with regard to your greatest wealth and where do you want to be?  Health is staring you in the face every which way you turn and you cannot escape it.  Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness. 

Someone mentioned to me recently that I had become evangelical in my new religion.  Yes, I am  very passionate and dedicated to my health.  How can I not when it has brought me so much more in life than what I had before.  My health is based on facts and evidence that's scientifically been shown to work.  There's no guess work or faith in God required for health.  Believe in yourself and believe that by doing what it takes to get and be healthy that you can also have great wealth in life.  When it comes to living an active healthy lifestyle, I am 100 percent committed to succeeding and seeing you succeed too! 

So, if you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Are you battling sleep deprivation? Some of the symptoms you may feel are sluggishness, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness, poor memory and may be gaining weight or have trouble losing weight.  I've struggled with these issues for several years.  It got so bad that I finally and reluctantly had my medical doctor refer me a few years ago to a sleep specialist.  They wired me up and I tossed and turned the night while they diagnosed my condition.  Turns out I had sleep apnea.  My wife already knew how much of a problem it was when I'd stop breathing in my sleep, only to take a huge gulp of air and a lot of snoring.  It was as much of a health issue for me as it was to her sleep patterns.  The specialist said I would need a CPAP machine to help keep my restricted airway open while sleeping.  My medical doctor said the machine would help, or I could lose weight and that my condition would likely improve and correct itself. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), over 25 percent of Americans experience sleep deprivation. For some, disrupted sleep results from the hectic nature of busy modern lifestyles. For others, serious sleep disorders affect both rest and health.  Sleep plays a vital role in health and wellness.  Most people know that eight hours of sleep per night is desirable. 
 
People who got very little sleep ate more, but did not necessarily burn any extra calories in a new study that adds to evidence supporting a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain.  The new findings from the University of Pennsylvania show that “sleep should be a priority,” said Michael Grandner, who studies sleep and sleep disorders at the University in Philadelphia.  “If you’re trying to be healthy, don’t forget that getting healthy sleep is probably an extremely important part of being healthy,” said Grandner.   

In a separate study, the department of Neurology at Northwestern University in Chicago linked obesity to sleep duration.  The study also found that people who sleep later into the day and eat later in the day had a higher body mass index.   What they found was that late sleepers consumed 248 more calories a day, mainly at dinner and later in the evening. They ate half as many fruits and vegetables, twice the fast food and drank more full-calorie sodas than those with earlier sleep times.  "The extra daily calories can mean a significant amount of weight gain - two pounds per month - if they are not balanced by more physical activity," said co-lead author Kelly Glazer Baron, a health psychologist and a neurology instructor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  “The research findings could be relevant to people who are not very successful in losing weight,” said Phyllis Zee, M.D., the study’s lead author. "The study suggests regulating the timing of eating and sleep could improve the effectiveness of weight management programs."



As a youngster, and even into adulthood, I have pulled many an all-nighter.   There is always a price to be paid the next day: trouble focusing, a fuzzy memory and other cognitive impairments.  When I improved my diet and lifestyle to healthy eating and started exercising, the sleep apnea began to minimize and eventually virtually eliminated.  I now get a sound nights sleep, as does my wife.  I'm able to function at what I feel is a much higher level of cognition.  I think clearer, have more energy and vitality, feel stronger and don't get the sleepiness or feel sluggish.  I no longer feel fatigued and my weight is now ideal!   Sleep deprivation leads into a cycle that seems to spiral out of control, if we choose to let it.  I took back the control through proper nutrition and exercise and my sleep deprivation was reversed.

Is sleep deprivation holding you back in life?  Nearly everyone knows that good nutrition and regular exercise are key ingredients to a healthy, happy life. However, nutrition and exercise are not the only foundational elements of well-being. Without healthy sleep, my overall health was utterly compromised. Fast forward from three years ago, and thus, nutrition, exercise and sleep became a key factor in the success of my well being.   It is absolutely imperative to be educated and understand the importance of these three foundations.  I am a testament to its impact on my life.  I hope my blog post today will help empower you to live life to its fullest. 

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!