Continue reading »]]> Constipation is a very common problem, but fortunately is one that can usually be easily remedied with lifestyle changes. Ironically, one of the biggest hindrances to your success may be not realizing you're constipated in the first place.

Conventional medicine typically defines constipation as fewer than two or three bowel movements a week. But you should really be having one bowel movement a day, and preferably two or three.

Regularity is so important for your health because without it, toxins accumulate and are recirculated in your bloodstream. Constipation can also increase your risk of hemorrhoids. 

Fortunately, although constipation is very common, it is also usually temporary and relatively easy to resolve.

What Causes Constipation?

One of the main causes of constipation is a poor diet — one that focuses on processed foods and sugar and lacks fresh vegetables that are good sources of fiber. Fiber helps move bulk through your intestines and promotes bowel movements.

Other common causes include:

- Laxative abuse: If you take laxatives over a long period of time, you can become dependent on them. First you may require higher dosages to have a bowel movement, and eventually your intestine can fail to work properly.

· Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid gland is a common cause of constipation. Your medical doctor can test your thyroid.

· Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): This can cause spasms in your colon that slow the speed at which the contents of your intestine move through your digestive tract.

· Ignoring the urge to go: If you consistently ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, for instance to avoid using a public toilet, eventually you may stop feeling the urge.

Why Laxatives are NOT a Good Option

Americans spend three-quarters of a billion dollars every year on laxatives, according to the American Gastroenterological Association, which is not only a waste of money but a potentially harmful move.

One of the biggest risks of laxatives, especially stimulant laxatives, is that your body can become dependent on them for normal bowel function. When you stop using them, it takes a long time for the activity of your bowel to be restored.

This is true even of senna or cassia laxatives, which are frequently marketed as natural.

These laxatives, when used for a period of weeks or months, may even decrease your colon's natural ability to contract, which will worsen constipation. Further, overuse of laxatives can damage nerves, muscles and tissues of your large intestine.

So if you absolutely must use a laxative, make sure it is only for a very short-term period and never to aid with weight loss. And remember that laxatives do absolutely nothing to address the underlying causes of your constipation. But fortunately the natural tips in the next section do.

Relieving Constipation Naturally

If staying regular is a struggle for you, here are my top recommendations:

1. Get checked for hypothyroidism, especially if you're a woman over 40. Constipation is one of the hidden symptoms of hypothyroidism.

2. Try squatting. This is the best, natural position to help expel stool from your colon and reduce your risk of hemorrhoids, and it's still the way many people around the world go to the bathroom. In your home, you can get many of the same benefits by placing a stool near your toilet to raise your knees, purchasing a special squatting device to modify your toilet, or simply squatting on your own toilet (bad visual…I know)

3. Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. Vegetables are phenomenal sources of fiber, and I suggest eating those that correspond with your nutritional type freely. For added fiber to help normalize your stool, try whole organic flaxseeds. Grind the seeds in a coffee grinder, then add a tablespoon or two to your food.

You can also try organic psyllium.  Psyllium is unique because it's an adaptogenic fiber, which means it will help soften your stool if you're constipated, or reduce frequency of your bowel movements if you have loose stools.

4. Exercise regularly. This helps stimulate circulation and intestinal function, causing your bowels to move properly and helping you lose weight simultaneously.

5. Take a high-quality probiotic. This helps to balance the good and bad bacteria in your gut, which is essential for proper digestive function. Probiotics are also useful in fighting IBS, which can contribute to constipation.

6. Get an adjustment from your favorite Downtown Phoenix Chiropractor: Just as the nerves that run between spinal bones can get pinched leading to back or neck pain, branches of those same nerves that lead to your bowels can also get compressed resulting in a compromise in normal function.

7. Try a massage. Using the right Phoenix massage therapist can have a great impact on helping to naturally and gently increase circulation and normal bowel function reactivated.

If you integrate this advice into your lifestyle, you should be able to virtually eliminate your risk of constipation and any reliance you had on laxatives. For one final tip, make sure you heed nature's call. The longer you ignore the urge to have a bowel movement, the more water is absorbed from the stool. A dry stool is harder to get movin and ultimately can make it more difficult to stay regular.

Source:Take Control of Your Health – Health Tips News- Mercola. April 2009

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Chance are that if you try to stop drinking coffee "cold turkey" you will experience symptoms of withdrawal. According to one study, the more caffeine you use, the worse your withdrawal symptoms will be. For those who consume it regularly, cutting even the smallest amount of caffeine could result in a range of withdrawal symptoms such as:
 

• Headache
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Depression and irritability
• Lack of concentration
• Flu-like symptoms such as nausea and muscle pain  

This can be avoided by cutting down the amount you drink gradually over a period of days, or even weeks. It's also important to drink plenty of water during the process in order to keep your body well hydrated. One of the best methods we have used at our weight loss center is to substitute something for the coffee that provides a jolt to the sense even if not in the same way coffee might. We will recommend people replace it with fresh squeezed vegetable juice. The advantage is that it will give you the energy boost that you're looking for in the morning without the negative effects of caffeine.

While you're in the process of weaning yourself off coffee, here are some tips, as recommended in the 2008 Healthy Ezine from Dr. Joseph Mercola, to reduce the chance of harmful effects until you can completely eliminate it:

-Use organic coffee. As mentioned above, coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate your exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. It will also help the support the vitality of the organic coffee industry so that less people in the fields will be exposed to very harmful pesticides.
 

-Try "Swiss Water Process" decaf. If you are going to drink decaffeinated coffee, be sure that it uses a non-chemical based method of decaffeination. The "Swiss Water Process" is a patented method and is the best choice. Most of the major brands are chemically decaffeinated, even if it says "naturally decaffeinated" right on the container. If you are unsure of the methods, contact the manufacturer.

-Avoid sugar and milk. These are actually much worse for you than the coffee itself. Don't compound the detrimental health effects by adding milk or sugar to your coffee.

-Only use unbleached filters. If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process.  

While coffee is a drink that may be consumed in unlimited amounts (minus the sweeteners and milk) while on the HCG diet at our Health Coach Phoenix weight loss clinic, it is still never recommended as a long term beverage of choice. We also do not recommend it for our Body Type weight loss program at all.

For the long term, making the habit of consuming more water and fresh squeezed organic fruit and vegetable juices should always be the staple of any liquid consumption.

Health Coach Wellness and Vitality Centre provides Phoenix Chiropractic, Massage and Weight Loss services and is the winner of the Downtown Phoenix ‘Best of Downtown’ award for personal care in 2010 and 2011.  For more information visit our website at www.healthcoachaz.com.

Continue reading »]]> A consistent schedule of back stretching and strengthening exercises not only may help reduce existing pain, but even more importantly, it could help prevent future discomfort or even worse, having your back ‘go out.’ Anyone who’s been down that road likely does not want to venture down it again.

In this article we will focus on a simple workout to stretch the back and start getting the muscles, ligaments and joints loosened up a bit. If you have specific back problems, discuss it with you doctor to make sure there are no precautions before trying these exercises.

When performing the stretches below, remember to stretch slowly, breathe deeply, and focus on your muscles relaxing and lengthening. The key to remember is that a stretch should be painful but rather should feel good.

Double Knee to Chest

Pull the knees into the chest with the hands behind or on the knees.  Try to keep the sacrum (tailbone) on the floor to stretch the lower back.  Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.  To get a little more stretch you may even rock slightly as if trying to build momentum to do a summersault.

Pelvic Tilt

Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet flat to the floor, and arms at your sides. Press the base of your spine into the floor for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times. To make sure you are doing this correctly, have someone put their hand flat on the floor underneath your low back. When you press your spine into the floor they should feel it pressing into their hand. Keep practicing…you’ll get it.

Cat and Camel

Begin on your hands and knees, with your neck parallel to the floor. Arch your back upward, squeezing your abdominal muscles and your buttocks and letting your head drop slightly. Keep your arms straight and your weight evenly distributed between your arms and legs. Hold for 5 seconds, and then sag your back carefully toward the floor. Repeat 10 times.

Child's Pose

From the previous exercise, push back onto the knees then sit back on the heels as you stretch the arms straight out in front of you, forehead resting on the floor.  Breathe and relax the muscles of the back.  Hold for 20 seconds.

Side Stretch

Now that you are safely warmed up, let’s finish from a standing position. While standing with feel should width apart, stretch one arm over your head while bending your body to the opposite side. Keep your other hand on your waist. Perform this stretch in a flowing motion, without jerking or twisting your body. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times for each side.

At a minimum, you should strive to do a session of back exercising of 15 to 30 minutes a day, two to three times each week.  Do this in addition to your regular chiropractic services or physical therapy unless otherwise directed.

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#e67a27;" align="left" style="text-align: left; font-size: 26pt; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(230, 122, 39);">

I was perusing the health articles as I like to do from time to time searching out anything I believe will benefit our valued Health Coach patients.   

I found a great article on the Laws of Leanness so I thought I would share the 5 Laws I really like just to keep it simple and concise.  

See my comments below each Law.

Health Coach provides services including Downtown Phoenix chiropractor, physical therapist, massage and weight loss services.

Source: Yahoo Health, Sept 27th, 2011   

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When it comes to weight loss, most people fall short or accomplish their goals using a program that is not sustainable or healthy. The result of many 'quick fix' diets is that some or a lot of weight is lost but it's not lost in a way that is healthy for the body.

Many people don't realize this as they are under the impression that you must lose weight to get healthy when in reality the opposite is true. You must get healthy in order for your body to be able to properly burn fat and lose weight – permanently.

Avoiding certain foods will not only help you shed the pounds but can also help reduce chronic pain, improve sleep and boost energy, and do it very quickly.

According to Dr. Eric Berg, author of The 7 Principles of Fat Burning, there two basic type of problems with weight that need to be addressed:

1. Fat

2. Water Weight

The first issue, fat, is typically a problem with glands and fat burning hormones that are not functioning correctly. The second issue, water weight or fluid retention, is a problem of sodium and potassium imbalance. This can also be associated with gland and hormone issues.

For each gram of sugar you consume, your body must hold or retain double the amount of water. So sugar causes a massive amount of water retention. This is why when you eliminate sugars, you lose weight so fast – this is water weight.

The Goal

The reality is that for most overweight people, the hormones and metabolism are not working like they should – whether from past habits, or genetic weaknesses, or something else. You will not be able to lose on a 'balanced' diet or a 'practical' diet until these fat-burning hormones are being release again.

So the obvious goal is to ingest more of the foods that will help restore the health of your body which in turn will help you naturally burn fat normally. In other words, stimulate your fat burning hormones again. The other goal is to avoid the foods that lead to water and fat retention in the first place.

It can also be a waste of time to exercise if your fat burning hormones are shut off. Ever known someone who exercises all the time but still can lose the weight. Sure they are building muscle mass and burning some calories but until the glands that regulate fat burning are 'turned on,' it won't help nearly as much as it could or should and will largely be a wasted effort.

Do Not Eat List

Let's face it, this is a list that most of us know but often choose to ignore. Nonetheless, while some body types can get away with more than others, as a general rule everything on this list is a no-no.

SUGARS

This includes all sugars, the worst of which is white. Honey is a little better but remember it is still sugar so if you use it do it sparingly to just sweeten something a little that desperately needs it. If you want to know if something has sugar in it, just look at the nutritional facts on the back for quick insight or even look at the ingredients.

By the way, any food that has high fructose corn syrup in the ingredient list, suffice it to say that you are basically shutting off your fat burning hormones and sparking your fat storing ones when you take it into your body.

CARBOHYDRATES

This is a tough one for most people. The reason is that people crave it and once that craving comes a calling it's tough to resist. This happens primarily with fast burning carbohydrates and those are the primary ones you should avoid. They include:

• Bread

• Pasta

• Potatoes

• Rice

• Cereal (most)

DAIRY

Due to the lactose sugar, milk, yogurt, and most cheeses are not great options for most body types when trying to lose weight. A few times a week you can consume non-fat Greek yogurt. But you really need to opt for plain yogurt. Once you get it flavored there is typically a lot of sugar in there. One way to make it go down a little easier is by adding a few berries, some crushed walnuts or almonds and even a tiny bit of honey is you just can live without that slight sweetness.

FRIED FOODS

Pretty much all fried foods are bad. So having said that you just flat out have to avoid them. If you are going to cook something in oil, just make it olive oil and even better, make it cold pressed extra virgin olive oil!

SALAD DRESSINGS

While many people give salads a go to improve their health and lose weight, the reality is that most take in more calories than they would have with another meal selection. The main reason is the salad dressing they select. To make it easy just stick with the non-flavored (i.e. raspberry) olive oil and vinegar dressing. Sound boring? Try a few of these great items to sprinkle on your salad to make it more palatable.

• sea salt (a great source of electrolytes)

• parmesan cheese (1 Tbsp. has 2g of protein and zero carbs)

• feta cheese (1/4th cup has 7g of protein and zero sugars)

Regardless of if you want to lose 5 pounds or 105 pounds. Or, if you need to change your eating and dietary habits to avoid preventable illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease, learning your body type to determine which fat burning hormones and which organs and glands are not functioning properly is a critical first step to get healthy and lose weight fast.

If you have any questions about the Health Coach Body Type Weight Loss program, visit our website at www.skinnystrategy.com

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Like most Americans, you no doubt deal with a multitude of demands each day including family, finances, work and even just trying to make it to the office on time. While each of these demands stresses your body and brain in some way, the good news is that you are designed to handle it – well at least to a certain level.

Long before excess stress was the result of project deadlines and computer issues, it was caused more often by the desire to stay alive and protect your family from wild animals and mortal enemies. This natural response to any threat coming your way is called the 'fight or flight response.' Basically it is like a built in alarm that goes off any time you encounter something your brain perceives as a threat.

For example, if a large dog suddenly appears while you are taking a walk, your fight or flight response will likely kick into gear just in case you need to take action such as scaring the dog away or running for your life (hence the name 'Fight or Flight Response').How a stress response works

When your brain sounds the alarm, what occurs is basically a dumping of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol from your adrenal glands which are located on your kidneys. These are the hormones that will literally save your life by increasing heart rate, elevating your blood pressure and boosting your energy reserves.

While adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy reserves, cortisol is busy getting more sugar into your body and brain to ensure you have the energy needed to survive this encounter while also putting other functions, like digestion and your immune system, on hold since they are not essential to getting you through a fight-or-flight situation.

Where it goes wrong

Your body's fight-or-flight system is obviously supposed to be self-regulating, meaning that it turns itself off once a threat is no longer. The heart rate slows, blood pressure goes down and glucose levels return to normal as the cortisol and adrenaline levels taper off.

So what if your fight or flight response system is constantly turned on?

This is what occurs when you are constantly worried, nervous, edgy or otherwise stressed day in and day out. The side effect of this is of course that you also have a continuously higher level of cortisol and other stress hormones which can disrupt almost all your body's processes. The result is an increased risk of certain health problems, including

- Digestive issues

- Memory impairment

- Heart problems

- Depression

- Sleep deprivation

- Weight gain

Most people who are stressed find it harder to eat healthy and lose weight due to time constraints from their 'mile a minute' effort to get ahead. However, for some people it goes beyond just taking short cuts into eating in an attempt to fulfill emotional needs which is often referred to as stress eating or emotional eating. And you may be especially likely to eat high-calorie foods during these times, even when you're not hungry.

To prevent weight gain and the other health conditions that come with prolonged levels of high stress, it's important to learn healthy ways to control and cope with the stressors in your life.

Keep in mind that what causes you to get stressed is very different from anyone else's triggers. You no doubt have a few friends who are laid-back about almost everything and others who react strongly at the slightest stress.  Most people fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

How to take charge

Stressful events are a fact of life. And though you may not be able to change your current situation, you can take steps to manage the impact these events have on you. This begins with identifying what stresses you out and then from there, fix or get rid of the stressors you have control over and learn to better cope and manage those that you can’t. Stress management strategies include:

- Eating a healthy diet with no fast food and minimal sugar

- Getting regular exercise – even a 30 minute walk

- Get plenty of sleep

- Practicing relaxation techniques – give Yoga or Massage a try

- Spending time with positive friends and family

- Having a sense of humor

The less control you have over the events and situations in your life that stimulate stress, the more likely you are to feel the negative effects over time; even if you don’t realize the impact it is having on your body. Even the typical day-to-day demands of living can contribute to your body's stress response.

Though it’s cliché to say…you only get one body and one life and being proactive about controlling the stress you can influence and coping with those you can’t will help you significantly improve both.

source: Mayo clinic online, 2010

Continue reading »]]> When it comes to weight loss, most people fall short or accomplish their goals using a program that is not sustainable or healthy. The result of many ‘fast weight loss’ diets is that some or a lot of weight is lost but it’s not lost in a way that is healthy for the body and the pounds almost always pile back on.     

If you want healthy weight loss so you can lose weight quickly but also safely, there are a few food groups that you should make much more common in your diet and of course many foods that should seldom pass through your lips.     

To keep it simple and positive, let’s focus on only those foods that you should eat. After all, if you are eating more of these you will have less time and cravings to reach for more of ‘those other foods.’

The Goal      

According to Dr. Eric Berg, renowned weight loss researcher and author, weight gain is typically a problem with glands and fat burning hormones that are not functioning correctly. More and more research is also confirming this to be the case.       

So the obvious goal is to avoid the foods that lead to fat retention in the first place and then also ingest more of the foods that will help restore the health of your body which in turn will help you naturally burn fat normally. In other words, stimulate your fat burning hormones again.      

The reality is that for most overweight people, the hormones and metabolism are not working like they should – whether from past habits, or genetic weaknesses, or something else. You will not be able to lose on a balanced diet or even with exercise until these fat-burning hormones are being release again.        

Good Foods

In our Body Type Weight Loss Program at Health Coach Wellness & Vitality Centre in Downtown Phoenix, we help many different people with very different goals and while each body type (see picture below) requires intake, and avoidance, of different specific foods in order to get the fat burning hormones fired up so they can lose weight, there are a few foods that all the body types can benefit from.    

Check these out and try to make them part of your everyday diet.     

NUTS    The average American diet include little to NO nuts. Studies show that your hunger is actually reduced more with eating nuts than something like rice cakes.       

Nuts also supply you with important essential fatty acids that bring all kinds of health benefits to you without making you fat.      

Nuts to eat should include walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.      Here’s the kicker…you need to eat them raw. No salt, no chocolate, and no honey roasting. I know, I know…NO FUN!     

BEANS   Bean are low calorie and stuffed with protein and fiber. This helps you tone up and lose weight.    My recommendation is to replace as much red meat intake as you can with beans.       

Be careful of refried beans since they typically high in saturated fats.     

EGGS   A Louisiana State University study found that people who each eggs for breakfast lost more weight than those that opted for a bagel.     

Unless you are on a strict restriction to avoid them for cholesterol reasons (which is controversial in itself) then go ahead and incorporate some organic eggs into your diet.  You can even settle for just one yolk the rest egg whites as an alternative.       

SEAFOOD   While some body types require a significant restriction in most protein sources while healing the organs and glands responsible for helping the fat burning hormones to ramp back up, once protein can be re-introduced, a great source is fish.     

Wild caught Tuna and Salmon are great fish selections while oysters, lobster and crab are examples of great non-fish options. Taking in fish as your primary protein is a great way to keep saturated fat to a minimum while boosting your omega-3 intake which pretty much everyone needs more of in today’s fast paced and stressful society.     

VEGETABLES   Spinach, romaine, broccoli, kale (try it, its not bad) and other super-food veggies like these can pretty much be guaranteed to help your waist-wasting efforts. 

However, some other great options are as follows: Lettuce, radishes, green beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, leek, endive, spinach, asparagus, cucumber, celery, collard greens, garlic, onions, peppers, squash and string beans.       

Avocados are also a good choice and are a great source of fiber; however, excessive intake of avocados may tax the liver and prevent it from allowing the body to once again begin burning fat correctly. Liver type bodies should not consume too much of these.     

While most people are looking for fast ways to lose weight, knowing your body type is essential to lose weight not only quickly but while still improving health at the same time. Eating more of the food above and less of the foods you know to be bad for you is a great way to get a jumpstart onto a healthy weight loss path.       

Health Coach has been serving those living and working in and around Downtown Phoenix for the last 9 years with Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Massage and weight loss services. Health Coach features the Body Type Weight Loss System. More information can be found at http://www.skinnystrategy.com.       

To learn more about Health Coach or to contact Dr. Stegall, visit http://www.healthcoachaz.com.          

Continue reading »]]> Everyone knows that most potato chips are fried and that fried foods aren’t a healthy food to take into your body. However, probably no one knows, including me until the writing of this article, that an equally hazardous part of chips is not an ingredient that was added but rather is a byproduct of the processing and how they are cooked.

And here’s the kicker…this dangerous chemical, called Acrylamide, is created whether the carb rich food is fried, roasted or baked. Some of the worst offenders include potato chips and French fries, but many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F may contain acrylamide. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is heated enough to produce a fairly dry and brown/yellow surface. Hence, it can be found in:

·         Potatoes: chips, french fries and other roasted or fried potato foods

·         Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals and various processed snacks

·         Coffee; roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based on chicory actually contains 2-3 times MORE acrylamide than real coffee 

Though it is still a relatively new finding about the harmful affects of Acrylamide in food over the last few years, it is known as a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical and has been shown to have a more extreme impact on insulin levels which can impact weight gain and overall health.

How Much Acrylamide is Unsafe?

The federal limit for acrylamide in drinking water is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of acrylamide, or about FIVE HUNDRED times over the allowable limit.

Similarly, potato chips are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the state of California sued potato chip makers for failing to warn consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 2008 when Frito-Lay and several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.

The 2005 report "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of Potato Chips" found that all potato chip products tested exceeded the legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Some of the worst offenders at that time included:

·         Cape Cod Robust Russet: 910 times the legal limit of acrylamide

·         Kettle Chips (lightly salted): 505 times

·         Kettle Chips (honey dijon): 495 times

Baked Chips May Be WORSE than Fried!

If you think you can avoid the health risks of potato chips by choosing baked varieties, which are typically advertised as being "healthier," think again. Remember that acrylamide is formed not only when foods are fried or broiled, but also when they are baked. And according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on acrylamide levels in foods, baked chips may contain more than three times the level of acrylamide as regular chips!

Interestingly, the same trend holds true for other foods, too, which suggests that baking processed potatoes at high temperature may be one of the worst ways to cook them. For instance, according to the FDA's data, Ore Ida Golden Fries contained 107 ppb of acrylamide in the regular fried version and 1,098 when baked. So remember, ALL potato chips contain acrylamide, regardless of whether they are natural or not; baked or fried. Likewise, they will ALL influence your insulin levels in a very negative way which can make losing weight and improving overall health a very difficult road to travel.

Dr. Daron Stegall, DC is owner of Health Coach Wellness & Vitality Centre in Downtown Phoenix AZ. Health Coach has been serving those living and working in and around Downtown Phoenix for the last 9 years with Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Massage and weight loss services. Health Coach features the Body Type Weight Loss System. More information can be found at http://www.skinnystrategy.com.

To learn more about Health Coach or to contact Dr. Stegall, visit http://www.healthcoachaz.com.

Sources:

Dr. Joseph Mercola, mercola.com, November 7, 2011

Continue reading »]]> According to a 2008 Physorg.com post, the number of Americans with diabetes has grown to about 24 million people, or roughly 8 percent of the U.S. population.

As well, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on data from 2007, estimates another 57 million people have a condition called pre-diabetes, which puts people at increased risk for the disease.

So statistically speaking that means about 25% of Americans are on their way to or already have diabetes.

The good news about type 2 diabetes (which affects over 90% of diabetics) is that it is preventable AND almost always curable.

So what led to the diabetic problem in the first place? It is secondary to the inability of your body to properly make and use insulin which means it doesn’t properly get sugar into cells where it can be used.

This in turn results in the sugar instead building in the blood stream (higher blood sugar levels) and causing a variety of problems.
Symptoms may include:

•    Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
•    Increased fatigue
•    Irritability
•    Unusual weight gain or loss
•    Still hungry after eating
•    Excessive thirst
•    Slow wound healing
•    Infections frequently

So what are some simple steps you can take to help reduce your risk of developing diabetes?

Get Moving:  Exercise is essential to good health period. Regarding diabetes specifically, it will aid in restoring proper hormone levels and function which is essential for utilizing insulin correctly.

Eat the right way for YOU: Avoiding sugar, grains and other carbohydrates is a great start. However, no two people are crated the same so learn what your body type is and alter your diet according to what foods your body needs….not craves!

Foods to avoid include cereals, rice, potatoes, breads, pasta and of course any dessert type foods that obviously are made with large amounts of sugar.

Increase your Vitamin D levels: The good part is this is simple to do as long as you are not adverse to a little sun exposure. If that is not a great option for you then taking an oral vitamin D supplement daily can also do the trick.

Improve your Gut: Your gut is full of bacteria, good and bad. The more ‘good’ bacteria in your gut, the better your immune system will work and the more efficiently your body will function overall.  Check out your local health food store for a good probiotic that will get your gut on its way to optimal flora.

If you experience any of the symptoms above and have been diagnosed as being diabetic or in a state of pre-diabetes, now is your time to take action.  Diabetes is so common that unfortunately people often don’t see it as something that is their responsibility to take action on to get themselves back to a normal ‘non-diabetic’ state of health. It’s more of a, “if I take my medication I’ll be fine” type attitude.

Don’t just accept diabetes as the result of bad luck or being a victim. Not taking steps to improve your health and insulin function in the body can result in bad consequences including heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, nervous system disorders, amputations and much more.

If you have questions about improving your diet, exercise ideas, how to lose weight and just make general lifestyle improvements so that you don’t become another diabetic statistic, let me know. As always my door is open.

Also, please leave comments below! Thanks so much.

Dr. Judson Lee is a chiropractor in Downtown Phoenix AZ at Health Coach Wellness & Vitality Centre.

http://www.healthcoachaz.com

http://www.skinnystrategy.com

Continue reading »]]> With all the emphasis on low-fat diets and dangerous super low calorie no-fat diets, it's easy to forget that the body actually needs a certain amount of some important fats.

These good fats include monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids. These fats provide energy, ensure good cellular structure and allow you to utilize fat-soluble vitamins, such as A and E.

A study at Harvard University found that deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid kills as many as 96 thousand Americans every year. That number makes it the sixth biggest killer of Americans.

Some of the major benefits of taking in moderate amounts of these healthy fats include significant improvement in…

•    Depression
•    Vision
•    Hearing
•    Memory
•    Sleep
•    Organ Health
•    General Brain Function

And that’s just to name few.

It also reduces your risk of…

•    Cancer
•    Stroke
•    Obesity
•    Heart Attack
•    Diabetes (Type 2)
•    Liver Disease
•    Arthritis

Most Americans agree that ingesting too much fat is taking years and quality of living off their life; however, it’s actually trans and saturated fat that contributes to those common ailments listed above.

The good fats have been proven in numerous studies to actually improve our health in many ways when eaten in moderation.

So the bottom line really is that, just like the American Heart Association recommends, you must limit the amount of trans and saturated fats in your diet, while increasing your unsaturated fat intake. Check out these dos and don’ts from the Harvard School of Public Health:

•    Eliminate trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. Check food labels for trans fats; avoid fried fast foods. Go grilled or baked instead.
•    Limit your intake of saturated fats by cutting back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods. Try replacing red meat with beans, nuts, poultry, and fish whenever possible, and switching from whole milk and other full-fat dairy foods to lower fat versions.
•    In place of butter, use liquid vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in cooking and at the table. Canola and olive oils are good options.
•    Eat one or more good sources of omega-3 fats every day—fish, walnuts, canola or soybean oil, ground flax seeds or flaxseed oil.

Eating ‘low fat’ diets has been the American slogan that so many have adhered to for more than the last 10 years. Why hasn't cutting fat from the diet paid off as expected? Detailed research—much of it done at Harvard—shows that the total amount of fat in the diet isn't really linked with weight or disease.

What really matters is the type of fat in the diet. Bad fats, meaning trans and saturated fats, increase the risk for certain diseases. Good fats, meaning monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, do just the opposite. They are good for the heart and most other parts of the body.

Sources:
To Your Health, Klatz, MD, Goldman, MD, 2011
Harvard School of Public Health, Sept 2011