Words of Wisdom From Peoria

This morning I checked my email and an article caught my eye — one that had been forwarded by a member of my mailing list who lives in Peoria, Illinois. I had to laugh, even though I have never been anywhere near Peoria. The cause of my amusement was my memory of something one of my instructors from medical school used to say to one of my classmates way back when. “Bob, what will they think of this in Peoria?” Or, the alternate: “Bob, if you don’t watch out and start picking up speed, it’s quite possible you could end up with a practice in Peoria.

My instructor was a bit biased as to what cities were worth practicing in. In his mind, New York City and Boston were the only options, so Peoria certainly would have been out of the question.

I have a feeling that Bob knows that Peoria does actually have fully functional medical practices, and specialists as well.

For the first time ever, this year, the cardiologists from St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria held a Cardiology Cookout, which they are planning to hold each year from now on.

The cardiology staff members wanted to make a few points during this event: that cooking can be enjoyable and that food that tastes good does not have to be food that is unhealthy.

The event was a success, with over one hundred people attending. Each attendee was offered samples of heart-healthy foods to taste, and they given the opportunity to take home recipes that teach them how to prepare those healthy foods in their own kitchens or backyards.

To me, that idea is commendable.

The St. Francis cardiology staff had some excellent suggestions, and one in particular that I think is especially good.

People are always asking how many calories they should consume.

The way to figure that out is to multiply your weight by 15.

Say you weigh 170 pounds. You multiply that by 15, which equals 2550 calories. To maintain that weight, that’s how many calories you would consume daily.

For someone who wants to drop weight, they need to multiply their weight by 13 instead of 15. Using the 170 pound example, this totals 2210 calories. That equals a daily decrease of 340 calories. Two easy suggestions for dropping the daily calorie count: One, if you drink two sugar-filled sodas a day, make the change to plain tea, or water. This shaves off 220 calories right there. Two, try switching to mustard, instead of mayonnaise on your sandwich, and you will have pretty much taken care of the 340 calories that you are trying to take out of your daily diet. Follow those easy guidelines, and in one week you will have decreased your caloric intake by 2380, which pretty much equals a whole day of calorie consumption.

This doesn’t even take exercise into account.

Weight loss does occur without exercise, but doing both will speed up your success.

The St. Francis cardiology staff also advises taking fish oil supplements that contain omega 3 fatty acids. The best supplements are those that are made from fish that are low on the food chain, like sardines and anchovies. This way, there is less of a chance of contamination from environmental elements.

Now is something I know more than a little bit about, since I have an enteric-coated, pharmaceutical-grade essential fatty acid softgel of my own. The sofgels have the highest concentration of EPA/DHA that you can buy. The fish oil in the supplements comes from fish that live deep in the arctic waters of Norway, and are free of mercury, cholesterol, and PCBs. My softgels are exceptionally pure, meeting the high standards set both nationally and internationally.

A cardiologist from St. Francis, Kent Wise M.D. says, “We are not convinced that other supplements like vitamins E or C or folic acid actually have a positive impact on heart health.”

He goes on to say, “We are convinced that fish oil has an impact on lowering triglycerides, one of the detrimental fats found in the blood. Furthermore, some evidence has shown that fish oil can lower the risk of sudden death.

Additional advice:

Stay away from fast food (pack your own healthy lunch, instead).

Cut down on your salt consumption. This means avoiding foods like pretzels and chips and other packaged salty foods.

Eat plenty of fiber, including beans, barley, fruit and vegetables.

Whenever you can, visit your farmers’ market for fresh produce.

No matter if this advice comes from New York, Boston, or Peoria — it’s all good.

Lose Weight To Sleep Great

The more that someone lacks sleep the more they are at risk for gaining weight. In turn, an unhealthy diet and troubled sleeping schedule can lead to as far as obesity and ultimately other disorders such as sleep apnea. It is been studied that sleeping and weight have much to do more with each other than we originally thought.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that is caused mostly by obesity and if not treated can lead to more serious health issues, such has heart disease. Sleep apnea is also what causes a person to snore can lead to emotional issues with their partner. Sleep apnea deprives someone of a full rest and if you suffer from sleep apnea it may be the reason you feel tired even if you get the full recommended amount of sleep.

It is recommended to get at least 7 hours and up to 9 hours of sleep each day. You cannot make up for lost sleep. For example, if you were to get 2 hours of sleep tonight, you cannot tell yourself you’ll get 12 hours of sleep the next to make up for the 2 hour night. Your body does not work like that and damage is already dealt after not getting enough sleep the first night. Lack of sleep may cause below par memory, shoddy coordination, including gaining weight and ultimately a contributing factor to obesity.

Obesity is a disease of excess body fat that can be characterized by a body mass index of 30+ - and the risk factors and contributory causes include a range of well-documented genetic and environmental factors. However the relative effect of these causes on the development of obesity remains unclear.

Severe clinical obesity in people show a higher risk of morbidity and premature mortality than those with a body fat index of less than 30+. It is the excess body fat on the neck and chest that particularly damages the air-passageways and the lungs.

Someone who is obese is at a higher risk for sleep apnea and for other sleeping disorders. In addition, someone who lacks sleep is at higher risk for gaining weight.

Thankfully, sleep apnea can be reversed and usually all you must do is lose excess body fat. This is through a healthy diet and a good exercise plan. Simple changes in one’s lifestyle can help those to stay healthier and to reduce their threat of sleep apnea and obesity.

Direct Correlation Between Sleeping And Weight Issues

The more that someone lacks sleep the more they are at risk for gaining weight. In turn, an unhealthy diet and troubled sleeping schedule can lead to as far as obesity and ultimately other disorders such as sleep apnea. It is been studied that sleeping and weight have much to do more with each other than we originally thought.

It is also known that obesity is a major factor in sleep apnea, and is often listed as one of the main causes. Sleep apnea is one of the major sleep disorders that causes sleep deprivation, and, of course, the more sleep deprived a person becomes, the less active he or she is. However there are many reasons that we need before we realize the importance of sleep in our lives.

It is recommended to get at least 7 hours and up to 9 hours of sleep each day. You cannot make up for lost sleep. For example, if you were to get 2 hours of sleep tonight, you cannot tell yourself you’ll get 12 hours of sleep the next to make up for the 2 hour night. Your body does not work like that and damage is already dealt after not getting enough sleep the first night. Lack of sleep may cause below par memory, shoddy coordination, including gaining weight and ultimately a contributing factor to obesity.

Obesity is a clinically recognized disease. It can either be genetic or due to environmental factors. A person is tagged with the disease if their body mass index is 30+.

Prior to any examinations it should be noted that obesity, especially severe clinical obesity like morbid or malignant obesity, carries greater risks of morbidity and premature mortality than simple overweight. In such cases it is commonly found out that excess body fat on the neck and chest constricts the air-passageways and sometimes the lungs.

Someone who is obese is at a higher risk for sleep apnea and for other sleeping disorders. In addition, someone who lacks sleep is at higher risk for gaining weight.

In turn, losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight can prove to be the solution for lessening and even in some cases eliminating sleep apnea. The simplest changes in lifestyle can help one to lose weight and to gain a healthy sleeping schedule.

Losing Weight Fast for Beginners

Those wishing to lose weight while cutting out refined sugars and other carbs have to learn about the various low carb recipes that are out there. Though the low carb diets can be restrictive, they have more variety and a lot more satisfaction than many of the diets on the market that cut calories and fats. With low carb, you dont have to worry about fat content, and you dont have to watch calories like you would with other plans.

What is great about low carb recipes is that they are very easy to make in many cases, and they will suppress your appetite. When you first start a low carb diet, you may find that you are hungry, but you will also find that it is okay to eat. There arent many plans out there like that. You will also find that once you have used low carb recipes for a few weeks, your hunger has all but gone away. In my own experience, I found there were days I had to force myself to eat, which is not something I had ever experienced before then.

The reason you lose your overwhelming appetite when you are eating low carb recipes is because you are eating a lot of fats and protein. Both are filling, and dont move through your system as fast as refined carbs. This means that you will not be hungry again right away.

If you have been on other diet plans that have not worked for you, you will probably say that the reason they didnt work was because the hunger was overwhelming and you simply couldnt stick with it. I know that was the case for me. Hunger is not so easy to deny, and it is why so many fail. Its very understandable.

When it comes to low carb recipes, make sure you are choosing the right ones for your diet plan. When you do Atkins, for example, you have to make sure all ingredients are legal for the stage in which you are currently eating. You shouldnt have to look too hard for the best low carb recipes though, as there are many web sites with recipes out there on the Internet, and many great cookbooks you can buy. Each will tell you what stage of the low carb diet they are okay for, and even the carb, fat, protein, and calories count for each serving.

Calling All Dieters! You Can Still Eat Fast Food

Many dieters cringe at the idea of having to eat at a fast food restaurant, especially if they are counting carbohydrates. However, theres really no need to stress over hitting the drive-through on occasion. There are plenty of low carb fast food options available. Following are some great choices for one of the most popular fast food restaurants.

One particular fast food chain arriving to the health conscious party is McDonald’s. People on diets would cringe at the idea of eating part of their daily meal at McDonald’s. However, they have been long around enough to understand that they must change with the times. Their menu now brings an attractiveness to those counting carbs, a diet plan made famous by Dr. Atkins. McDonald’s is one of the fast food chains on the forefront of providing new healthier fast food options.

Of course, salad is top of the list when it comes to just about any diet. You really cant go wrong by choosing this healthy meal and you can get in a good portion of protein by ordering a salad with grilled chicken. One of the best low carb fast food salads is McDonalds grilled Asian salad.

The Asian salad is such a great choice for anyone who wants to stick with a healthy eating plan because it offers soy protein in the mix. Not only do you get low carb fast food on the run, you also get a healthy portion of soy protein which has shown to help people lose more weight than other types of protein.

A double cheeseburger can be low carb. All you have to do is remove both or one of the buns from the burger. A little sacrifice here allows you to enjoy your McDonald’s meal with a little less guilt.

Dont forget your beverage. Many of us forget that part of eating low carb fast food involves incorporating a wise drink choice in the mix. There is little good in taking all the measures to make sure that the carbohydrates in your meal are in check if you are going to rack up carbohydrates in your beverage. Good choices are black coffee, iced tea and of course, water.

When you are eating on the go you may feel that you have few options but you can find a lot of great tasting low carb fast food choices if you think things through a little bit. Your efforts will pay off in the long run. You can still enjoy a trip through the drive-through without feeling guilt.

Low Carb Dieting

Low carb dieting has become very popular in recent years especially with the publication of the Atkins diet, South Beach and other diets on the market. Becoming healthier and lean is a goal for many men and women and the vast majority of dieters are searching for the fastest solution to lose fat. A select amount of people do not need to lose weight at all but still get stressed over a couple of pounds. Some people under doctors orders have to lose weight for medical issues and one may have 100lbs or more that they want to shed.

There are many different diets available to people including low carbohydrate diets and the truth is that most of them will achieve weight loss if they are followed correctly. This will not mean that you have to be 100% on the plan for the rest of your life because it is not realistic. What is more important is how you handle the inevitable occasion when you eat too much or indulge on foods that are not mapped out on your diet. If you are able to write the indulgent moment off and continue on to your diet plan without giving yourself a hard time, you are likely have success with weight loss. Everyone has those days - the important thing is to let them go and accept them as a stepping stone to learning about weight management and keeping the weight off for good.

It is also important to find a diet that you can easily follow. Many low carb diets are successful with many people because the guidelines are quite simple. As the name suggests, the diet involves of avoiding or limiting foods that are high in carbohydrates. These include white bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and other grains. Also remember sugar is a carbohydrate. Once you understand what the key foods are, it is a simple matter to choose dishes that eliminate them.

The main controversy about many low carbohydrate dieting is based on the fact that the dieters will get most of their daily calories from meat, dairy and other high fat products. This may lead to high cholesterol and other healthy issues related to a high intake of saturated fats. It is recommend that medical advice is received before beginning this type of diet. With a low carb diet weight loss is easy in the early stages but after that most people cannot handle the restrictions of a low carb diet in the longer term and start to deviate from the diet.

One of the problems that many people have with low carb dieting is the elimination of favorite carbs like pasta and bread. No more toast, spaghetti or pizza! Many of the foods that are easy to prepare are based around carbohydrates - burgers in their buns, fries, sandwiches, pasta and sauce. Another item that is high in carbs are alcohol drinks line margaritas and pina coladas. It is true that alcohol is generally restricted on any diet, because of it’s high content in calories and very low in nutrition.

Still there are plenty of foods that are available to be enjoyed on a low carb diet. If you enjoy eating meat you will relish the opportunity to consume beef, chicken and fish. The popularity of these diets are evident from the length of time that they stay on the bestseller lists. Many people have been successful on low carb diets, just make sure it meets your needs for successful and long term weight loss.

Quickest Way To Lose Body Fat

Are you like most people seeking the fastest way to lose weight? Calorie cycling may be the way to go unless you want to consider the ridiculous and completely negative methods of becoming seriously ill or using weight loss drugs.

Calorie cycling or calorie shifting is quickly becoming a trendy weight loss solution . Calorie shifting is a simple method that involves tricking the body into remaining in a high metabolism, high burn mode even when fewer calories are consumed. It’s been used for a long time by bodybuilders and athletes who have to make the correct weight without losing muscle . And it can work to drop pounds even if you don’t cut down on calories, which is even better.

Here’s how it goes. Shift the nutrients and calories eaten each day while keeping in routine on the times you would normally eat. It’s a very simple diet to follow because it’s a very well laid out diet. Numerous online resources are available which include clear and easy to follow instructions and calorie shifting menus.

I wouldn’t e doing you justice if i didn’t let you know of a few precautions. Of course there are precautions as with any diets. Calorie shifting diets are typically lacking in vegetables, calcium and fat. All are important elements of a healthy body. Originally developed for cases of extreme obesity, calorie shifting was designed as a medical intervention. There would be a great deal of medical scrutiny along with this diet.

That’s not true when used at home. Finally, calorie shifting diets are short term, quick loss diets. Like other such diets you’ll put the weight back on quickly if you go back to the regular eating habits, and most people do.

Moderation is required with many diets as it is with most anything in life. Good for a short time, calorie shifting should not be extended beyond a few days. Also make sure it’s followed in conjunction with an overall healthy eating plan and an exercise plan. That’s a sure fire way not to regain the weight when the calorie shifting period ends.