Achieving Optimal Health & Balance

Health balance: the art of listening to your body You get an idea. Immediately your brain sends coordination messages to your body. Each organ, muscle, joint… complies and then just as lightning fast, sends back its acknowledgement of “all done, sir.” This is a perfect world, body in health & balance. But what about those non-compliant answers like “we’re not getting up yet” or “oops, I missed”; or status messages like “ouch! that smarts!” (a consequence of noncompliance) or “Captain, she can’t take much more” or “could I get a little more oxygen?” or “I’m thirsty.” We don’t think about … Continue reading

Why We Get Fat (part 2)

www.successhealthcoach.com = successful weight loss

Debunking the “eat less / move more” weight loss program. In Why We Get Fat (part 1) I explained the radical change in mainstream nutrition advice starting late 1970’s: we were told to cut the fat out, eat fat-free, low-fat… you know “eat healthy.” The food industry complied. We got an infinite number of new “Heart Healthy”, Low-Fat, No-Fat, “diet” and more high carbohydrate convenience products than we could possibly need—always in a hurry these were supposed to be healthier for us, right? Carbohydrates were placed on the bottom of the food pyramid; the fundamental base of good nutrition. Grains … Continue reading

Lose Weight: Turn Off the Fat Switch

http://successhealthcoach.com

Lose weight: Weight Loss Remodernized Ancient nutritional theory says getting fat is simply a matter of too many calories and not enough exercise; that to lose weight we have to use willpower, cut calories / exercise more—any calories will do, just eat less of them. What if it’s wrong? If you are among the millions who’ve tried to lose weight by counting calories or low calorie diets know this: obesity does not result from gluttony and idleness, but rather because we have activated a “fat switch” similar to that used by animals in the wild to increase fat stores: it … Continue reading

7 Nutrition Truths for Optimal Health.

corn sugar and the obesity epidemic

Simple nutrition steps–Big health returns. One of my clients recently asked me to help improve her family’s health through diet—she talked about getting off the processed and starchy by home-cooking whole-grain pasta with Alfredo. OK, so what exactly is a healthy diet? Well, the nutrition truth basics are pretty simple: Everyone needs a mix of proteins, fats, and some (but not too much) carbohydrates from the right sources. We need enough vitamins and minerals. We need nourishing activities in our lives. But there are many long-held nutrition myths. Crowding out the false data and replacing it with nutrition truths may not … Continue reading

My mother has it, me… Genetic? or Familial

dad pushing son at sunset

We love to blame our genes, but do they control us as much as we are told? Probably not. Truly, we are all individual and to a large extent our physical individualities are influenced by our genes but, with rare exception, you can either be in control or be controlled. And those rare exceptions are far fewer than you think. About 1 person in 700-100 has a genetic alteration such as Downs, 1 in 5000 in the US a point mutation like sickle cell anemia, and while there are many common names on the Wikipedia list of “genetic disorders“; household names like … Continue reading

Sleep Nutrition: Sleep Soundly vs Toss and Turn

Your vital guide to sleep nutrition foods I can’t sleep; I can’t lose weight (and their cousins: I’m low energy, cranky, full of anxiety…) are probably the most common complaints I hear as a Life Coach. Small business owners who want to make their dreams come true, nutritional clients; you all mention sleep problems as a top item on your list, second to relationships and often before weight. Sleep nutrition is key. Sleeping well is key to moods/energy, which are key to relationships… but weight loss? Yes, that too according to well-thought-out study by Plamen Penev, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the … Continue reading

Support GMO labeling

Greetings readers! I think most of us understand that GMOs are bad news because of the toxic chemicals (weed killing and insect killing, usually) engineered into those plants–or perhaps because we know that this is done at a sacrifice to nutrient quantity/quality and to allow cheap “filler” food in packaged goods. But if anyone is wondering why GMO labeling laws do not pass where grassroots, people-driven movements have requested labeling and for decades, check out this report:  http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28562.cfm  The anti-GMO-labeling group is required by law to publicly disclose its over $7 million in donations from the food industry–but instead set … Continue reading

“safe” GMOs increase cancer rates and death!

Although many of us take steps to avoid genetically modified foods if we can (labeling would be nice); there are three major uses of GMO products that slip under the radar: Pet food “Vitamin” supplements non-organic grain fed meats and eggs Major supplement companies use GMO sources: Did you know that most “Vitamin C” (called that, isn’t the whole complex though–usually just ascorbic acid part which doesn’t work alone), did you know most Ascorbic Acid (labelled “vitamin C”) is made from corn? And did you know that in the US 88% of all corn is GMO? Buying whole food organic supplements … Continue reading

Why You Should Go Grain-free?

I know, I know. I can hear you now: “But they’re good for you!” “They reduce heart disease!” “They have fiber!” “They’re cheap” “They fill me up” … This site exists to give you healthful grain and sugar-free options—and understanding. Knowledge is power—read on! Click on a picture to get that recipe or just explore this site. Here’s a little food for thought: there is no vitamin or mineral you can get from grain that you can’t get in better quantities elsewhere. So let’s take a look: 1: The Food Pyramid (now My Plate) says I should get three servings … Continue reading

For Moms and Mother’s Day… sweet as honey

This mother’s day I’m planning to have energy to burn, to feel great, and do whatever I want. Sunday is a break from the daily great big rush of getting my (now 13-year-old) son and I out the door in time for school and patients. He always likes to make me a special breakfast; something special to start our day with lots of protein and other genuine building blocks. Whether he gets creative and makes me Berry and Almond Scones, or  A Garden Variety Quiche, this yummy Raw Honey Nut Meusli served over Coconut Milk Yogurt (don’t for get the … Continue reading

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