How Does Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome Affect Cancer

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Our risk of cancer is increasing significantly but it is reassuring to know that certain lifestyle changes can reduce our risk.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund, the number of global cancers has increased by 120% over the past decade to around 12 million new cases a year. Our basic genes have not changed so it must therefore be the expression of these genes that has changed. Numerous lifestyle factors have now been identified that influence this negative expression of our genes and obesity is high on the list.

Think of the internal environment of your body as being like a garden bed. Things will die, struggle or flourish in your garden, according to how you treat your garden. Fill your garden full of poisons, fail to provide your plants with the nutrients they need or fail to water the garden and problems will occur. The good plants that you wish to grow may shrivel up and die allowing the weeds to take hold.

Our body is the same as a garden, requiring good nourishment, removal of toxins, regular maintenance and protection from the damaging environment. Our malignant cells will only flourish in an unhealthy internal garden.

Obesity has been found to contribute to cancer deaths in around 30% of cases. Not only is the prevalent greater in people with obesity, but there is also an increased risk of mortality especially if there is also metabolic syndrome (See How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome Naturally) or diabetes. This can be due to the problems that obesity creates including:

  • High levels of insulin
  • Increased oxidative stress and free radical damage
  • Increased levels of oestrogen in both men and women

High levels of insulin and blood sugar results in higher levels of free insulin-like growth factor and thus the promotion of ;

  • Poor control of the normal cell cycle
  • Decreased natural cell death (apoptosis)
  • Promotion of cancer progression, tumour growth, malignancy and metastasis

If you are overweight you are probably asking “is there any good news here?”. And my answer to that would have to be “yes” and “no”. Yes, because research tells us that by changing our diet and lifestyle we can support healthy weight loss plus control blood sugar and insulin levels. By doing this we are not only promoting longevity in those that already have cancer, but are also decreasing the risk of getting cancer. So in terms of cancer development a healthy diet is definitely preventative medicine.

Cancer cells thrive on glucose or sugar. So a healthy diet must be one with an adequate mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Keep carbohydrates to 40% of the diet, protein 30% and good fats to around 30%b- with every meal. For more information on controlling obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes, click on the link.http://recipetohealth.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=17&action=edit

Posted in Diet and Lifestyle

Could Your Vitamin D Level be the Cause of Your Metabolic Syndrome or Obesity?

Posted on May 26, 2012 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Could your Vitamin D level be causing obesity or Metabolic Syndrome?

Adequate Vitamin D can prevent cancer, heart disease and be a good treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Could it be increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes?  New research (Thomas, N et al.)has linked severe Vitamin D deficiency, to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. Dr Thomas and his team followed 1087 people for 7.7 years. They found that those people with adequate Vitamin D levels had a 66% reduction of their risk. Optimal vitamin D levels were also found to reduce the all-cause mortality rates by 75%.

People with Metabolic Syndrome have problems with blood sugar regulation. Interestingly Vitamin D is also known to affect blood sugar regulation and is involved in control of insulin resistance. A good treatment for type 2 diabetes could therefore involve replenishing Vitamin D deficiency. Furthermore Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an event known as the winter response. A 2009 study (Foss, Y.J) proposed that a fall in circulating vitamin D results in an accumulation of fat mass (obesity) and the induction of the winter response (metabolic syndrome).

On top of that a lack of vitamin D has been linked to a number of other health problems including cancer which is linked to inflammation. Adequate Vitamin D is believed to reduce excess inflammation and the overactive immune response.

Vitamin D levels have become a hot topic when it comes to preventing disease. So how do you ensure you are getting adequate vitamin d? In years gone by it was believed that getting adequate sunshine was enough to give you good vitamin D levels. People living in cold regions are less likely to be exposed to regular sunshine and are therefore believed to be particularly at risk. So too were the elderly who did not go outside the home a great deal.

Even with ample exposure to the sun, recent studies have found that vitamin D levels can be deficient. So we can therefore presume that other factors come into play, when it comes to the body producing adequate levels of the hormone, vitamin D.

Who is most at risk of vitamin D deficiency?

  • The elderly
  • Dark skinned individuals
  • Those covered extensively by clothing or veils
  • Healthy people who spend most of their time inside
  • People with gut absorption problems
  • Those with chronic renal and liver disease
  • People taking some medications
  • People with increased body fat.

A healthy diet should therefore include foods that increase  Vitamin D. The best food sources of Vitamin D are fish especially salmon, tuna and mackerel and fish liver oils. Other good sources include beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and some mushrooms.

Before you start taking supplements of Vitamin D, you need to ensure that you are in fact deficient. Why – because excess vitamin D can itself be a health problem. So I recommend that you ask your health care practitioner to order blood tests for 25(OD)D3. A trained health care practitioner can also help you eradicate other problems that may be contributing to a low Vitamin D status, such as gut absorption problems.

To find out more about how you can enjoy health & wellness, a treatment for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, check out my book, How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome Naturally. Click here to find out more.

Vitamin D Levels Predict All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Subjects with the Metabolic Syndrome: THE Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) Study. Diabetic Care, May 2012, Volume 34, Pages 1158-1164.
Vitamin D deficiency is the cause of common obesity. Fass, YJ. Med Hypotheses. 2009; 72 (3):314-21.

Posted in Wellness & Disease Prevention

How to Improve Memory, Increase Energy and Control Your Weight

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

 How often have you heard someone say “my memory isn’t what it used to be?” As ageing progresses, many of us will be making the same complaint and this is particularly common in menopausal females. Being in that age bracket myself, I confess to having some issues with memory also. Interestingly studies have found that changes in brain function can begin in our 40’s.

So is there one single thing that you can do to improve memory, increase energy and control your weight? Well the answer to that is yes. In a recent study of older women with mild cognitive decline, it was found that twice weekly resistance training produced significant improvements in memory tasks. This was compared to 2 other groups of comparable women – one group doing aerobic training and the other doing balance and toning work. As well as showing improvements in the Stroop Test, the study also found functional changes in three parts of the cortical brain.

Whilst the aerobic group improved their balance and cardiovascular capacity no significant changes were found in memory.

So how does this help to increase energy and control weight? The most obvious outcome of resistance training is building muscle. In my clinic I routinely measure active tissue mass using a Bioimpedance Analysis and what I find is that most females are deficient in muscle mass.

It is not surprising that many of these people with low muscle mass also have issues with fatigue and excess weight and here’s why. Inside our body we each have energy powerhouses known as the mitochondria. These energy powerhouses are found in every cell of the body but interestingly muscle has up to 100 times more of these powerhouses. So to increase energy it is vital to build muscle.

Any exercise will help control weight if it is done regularly enough, but building muscle is a key to ongoing weight control. This is because muscle mass uses more energy or burns more calories than fat mass.

So if you want to know how to increase energy, to improve memory and control your weight, the answer is to start doing some resistance training. This doesn’t mean that you have to be at the gym “pumping some iron” with the big boys, but getting some advice from a personal trainer about suitable resistance training and putting in some work, several days a week, is a must for each and every one of us.

Reference:Weight Training Aids Memory in Older WomenBy Michael Smith, North American Correspondent, MedPage Today.Published: April 23, 2012.Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner

Posted in Wellness & Disease Prevention

How to Start an Exercise Program

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

If you haven’t done much in the way of exercise before, starting an exercise program can seem difficult. Thankfully there are few of us who are restricted by an inability to walk, so starting a walking program is an excellent way of getting you into the exercise habit. Remember however that walking can only do so much and that your aim should be to build muscle as well as burn excess fat.

Most people have a sedentary type of job or if you don’t work, chances are a lot of time is spent watching television or doing sedentary things such as working on the computer or reading a book. Movement is fundamental to weight loss. So unless you love being on a restrictive diet, exercise is the key to keeping the weight off.

ON WITH THE WALKING

The average person takes only 5,000 steps a day, even though the recommended amount is 10,000 steps daily for good health. If you are considering making walking a major part of your exercise program then you need to get yourself a pedometer. Your pedometer will measure the average daily steps that you take daily. Attach your pedometer to your clothing the moment you get out of bed and take a look at the total amount of steps that you have accrued at the end of the day. Your daily steps total will give you some idea of how active you are at present.

•  3,500 daily – very sedentary

•  3,500 to 5,000 steps per day – sedentary

•  5,500 to 7,500 – reasonably active

•  7,500 to 9,000 – almost achieving the recommended steps

•  10,000 steps – achieving recommended daily steps

•  12,000 steps – additional movement required to assist with weight loss

Now that you know how many average steps you take on a daily basis, you can set yourself an activity goal. So if for example you are currently doing only 3500 steps a day, your goal should be 10,000 steps straight off. If you have an injury or pain, you may need to work up to this. If you are already doing 10,000 steps daily, but still have a weight problem, then you need to set you goal higher – to at least 12,000 steps a day. This is because you are obviously still not doing enough activity to negate the effect of your dietary intake.

To really get some benefit from your walking you need to put some spring in your step. This will help get your heart rate up and have some positive cardiovascular effects. When your heart rate is slightly faster than normal, you should feel a little breathless when you talk.

If you are tall and walking with someone who is a lot shorter than you, remember that what is a good pace for someone else, might just be a stroll for you. As an individual you must work out what is a good pace to give you a real workout. If you are able to walk faster than your partner, plan to walk ahead and then walk briskly back to them.
Monitor the pace of your walking by counting the steps taken. A pace of less than 120 steps per minute is considered to be slow. Over 120 steps per minute is considered to be brisk walking, whilst over 135 steps per minutes is considered to be very brisk walking.

If you are prepared to work a little harder than just walking (and this is recommended), look at adding a light jog. You can alternate between jogging and walking stints initially until you feel more comfortable with the jogging. You can use your pedometer to monitor your progress and the distance that you travel. For example you can work out how many steps you have taken and the distance that you travel. For someone with short legs like myself, jogging for 35,000 steps is equal to about 5 kilometres or 3.1 miles.

Keep in mind that a balanced exercise program will also contain some resistance exercise such as weights, yoga, pushups. Weight bearing exercise not only builds muscle but also helps maintain bone density. For the ladies in the group who have a fear of looking like a male, this is not going to happen. What females achieve from doing resistance training is:

•  a more toned body,

•  more energy production,

•  decreased risk of osteoporosis

•  a greater core strength,

•  increased fat burning.

If you want to know how to lose weight, exercise is definitely the answer. Exercise must become a habit however, not something that you do whenever you put on a bit of extra weight. And of course the secret to having a good workout is to enjoy whatever activity it is that you are doing.

To find out other weight loss strategies, take a look at How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome Naturally.

Posted in Weight Management

Using Personal Power to Achieve Weight Loss – 10 tips

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

There are a million and one weight loss programs out, so how come it is so easy to keep failing, time after time. Basically to make any lifelong changes, you have to make some changes to your emotional world and this is where Personal Power comes in.

Without Personal Power it is almost impossible to bring about changes in your life. You will be at the mercy of your peers, friends and family who continue to do as they always have in terms of their eating and lifestyle habits. It is all too easy to give in to temptation when around them. So without giving up contact with the outside world, you need to develop Personal Power and motivation.

Developing your Personal Power means standing up for what you believe in, finding a sense of direction and confidence to stand up for what you believe in.

Personal power is related to how you feel about yourself. But it is also related to your own self will – to your own sense of direction and confidence to stand up for what you believe in.

As anyone who has succeeded with making lifelong changes to their diet and lifestyle will tell you, Personal Power is a vital part of any successful weight management journey. Never mind the shakes, slimming teas or the magic pills, the key to your weight loss success is knowing who you are and allowing nothing to get in the way of achieving your goals.

The truth is however, that it is not the tempting foods or the socializing with family and friends that are preventing you from achieving a healthy weight. The things that usually put a stop to your success are frequently emotional triggers and a lack of Personal Power.

So here are some tips on how to gain Personal Power to achieve your health goals.

1.    Take complete responsibility for where you are at in life. Don’t blame others around you for the situation that you   find yourself in. Admit to yourself that your excess weight is more than likely related to the choices that you have made in regards to your food choices, exercise and other lifestyle factors;

2.    Allow yourself to go through the whole grieving process (anger,denial, blame, acceptance) if necessary to get to the point where you can accept that everything that has happened in your life – including your weight gain, is down to the decisions that you have made;

3.    Make yourself open to feedback from others – you may be surprised what others see in you, that you don’t see;

4.    Recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. Embrace your strengths and work on improving your weaknesses;

5.    Confront your demons – we all have them. Emotions such as guilt and shame drive us to do many things or make us avoid doing other things that we know we should be doing;

6.    Establish clear and achievable goals along with some action steps to achieve those goals. This might include losing so many lbs or kilos each week. And an action step might be to exercise daily. Be specific and record your progress towards achieving your goals.

7.    Tell other people around you what your goals are – announcing them to the world often makes them easier to achieve;

8.    Don’t allow others to take away your Personal Power. You know what is right for you –if others around you won’t support you on your path towards better health then perhaps you are better off spending time with people who will;

9.    Recognize your moments of weakness and work out a strategy to deal with these. For example if you plonk yourself down in front of the TV for hours every night and tuck into a few snacks at the same time, change your actions. Go for a walk at night instead or read a motivating book. If you know that you will weaken and have a snack, have a good high protein snack such as nuts and greek yoghurt at the ready. You know your weak moments – identify them and work out a strategy to deal with them.

10. With your new Personal Power, you will enhance your chance of achieving your goals enormously. And with any achievement there needs to be a reward at the end. So before you embark on your health journey, work out what your reward will be. Make it something that you could only give to yourself by achieving your goal. For example, a photo session of you with your new sexy look or a new wardrobe that is a size smaller than what you are currently wearing.

Personal Power is as it says, personal. By working out who you really are and what you really want in life, you are setting yourself up for success and avoiding the failures of the past.

Posted in Weight Management

Type 2 Diabetic? – How to Face the Truth and Not Be a Another Statistic

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

A recent survey presented by Andrew Green at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting presented some disturbing facts about lifestyle change in diabetics. The SHIELD (The Study to Help Improve Early Evaluation and Management of Risk Factors Leading to Diabetes) study measured such things as physical activity, weight loss and the changes that study participants had made to help control their diabetes.

Despite knowing that lifestyle changes will help control their diabetes, the study revealed that most people fail to make changes. In the study of 3867 people with type 2 diabetes only 70% tried to lose weight in the previous year, even though 87% knew that obesity aggravated the problem. Only 13% were physically active in the week of the survey.

The interesting thing was that most people were well aware of the effects that diet and exercise had on their type 2 diabetes. So this begs the question, what makes one person want to stay healthy and what makes another person continue with a diet and lifestyle that they know is making them ill?

Of course some food is addictive but so is feeling fit, healthy, full of energy and a zest for life. Foods that are full of sugars are the most addictive and can give a temporary high, but after that comes the low and often the feeling of guilt. Different people do of course have varied responses to their weight problem. When having a Cellular Health Analysis some of my patients will be genuinely motivated when the test measures that they have advanced ageing. Others are angry and refuse to take on board the real state of their health. This is unfortunate as the Cellular Health Analysis is a great tool that will measure the positive changes to a person’s health such as decreasing fat mass decreases and improved muscle mass and nutritional status.

If you have a weight or other health problem let me tell you that sometimes weight loss and generally being motivated to look after your health takes some “tough love”. It may take some self analysis for you to determine why you are resistant to looking after your own health. Although there can be some intellectual challenges in finding new things to eat, I believe resistance to change is more of an emotional problem. So if you are having a struggle with motivating yourself and nurturing your health, try these exercises.

1. Imagine where you will be in 10 years time if you continue to do the same things as you are currently doing. Be truthful with yourself. This might mean considering living a life of pain & suffering with neuropathy & inflammation, it could be taking insulin injections daily, it could mean being wheel chair bound, unable to get out of the house, unable to play with the grandkids. Each of us has a different situation, so make your own reasonable projections.

            On a scale of 1 (very bad) to 10 (feeling good), how do you feel about your future?

            Now ask yourself if you like what you see.

2.   Imagine you are now eating well – not going hungry – but enjoying some beautiful fresh, whole food. Your desire for sweet things has naturally dissipated as you change your eating habits.     You have also discovered how to cook delicious, mouth watering foods cooked with Low Glycaemic Load  alternatives to the sugary foods of the past. You didn’t realize just how tasty these foods were,  because  the    foods you were eating had interfered with the body’s natural response to healthy foods and brought about unnatural cravings.

 Imagine how much more energy you have. You look forward to getting out of the house each morning and breathing in that fresh air as you go for your daily walk. You catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror and like what you see.

On a scale of 1 (very bad) to 10 (feeling good), how do you feel?

 3. Ask yourself what things tempt you to eat badly each day. Is it sitting in front of the television or computer? Is it boredom in general? Is it going out with friends or family? Is it peer group pressure or is it cooking to try to please your partner? Is it lack of cooking skills? Is it that bowl of sweets that are left in front of you at work?

 Identify each of your weaknesses. Identify the who, what, where and why of your problem eating.

4. Now get yourself a sheet of paper and rule a line down the middle of it. On the left hand side, write down a list of what makes you eat badly or not want to exercise. Now in the right hand column, write down a list of strategies to overcome these issues. For example on the left you might have written “Healthy food tastes disgusting”. On the right you therefore might write “buy a good cookbook” or “try one new food every day”. If having snacks is the problem (left side), then you might write “have a house full of healthy snacks” in the right column.

 When doing this exercise, don’t forget to address the emotional issues. You may find a deeply hidden sense of poor self worth, a feeling of wanting to hide from the world, or a feeling of wanting to beat yourself up.

 There is always a negative issue there that is influencing you, even if you are unable to identify it initially. If this is the case, maybe you should seek out a practitioner such as a kinesiologist, who can help you identify thoughts hidden in your subconscious mind.

 If you are overweight and can’t make a list of at least 10 reasons why that is, then you are hiding things or denying yourself the truth.
 You truly are worth some self nurturing and the positive lifestyle changes that you embrace from understanding your motivators, will help you become a better, healthier and happier person.

 

Posted in Diet and Lifestyle, Wellness & Disease Prevention

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Is Constipation Stressing Your Heart Out. Here’s 6 Ways to Avoid Constipation.

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Is Constipation Causing too Much Pressure and Having Negative Affects on Your Ticker? 

Got constipation? Then you may have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who do not have constipation. Printed in the American Journal of Medicine, the research involving 73,000 postmenopausal women over a 6 to 10 year period, has found the link between the two health concerns The study found that the 35 percent of women who reported constipation over the previous month were more likely to develop clogged arteries, have a heart attack or stroke, or die of heart disease. over the following year than the women without constipation.

According to Elena Salmoirago-Blotcher, a cardiologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, no direct recommendations can be made from the information and it is not believed that constipation causes heart disease. They do however believe that those with constipation are likely to have higher risk factors for heart disease such as low-fiber diet, too little exercise, and higher rates of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

After other factors including age, weight, diet, exercise and traditional heart risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol were taken into account, the link stood up in only 1.6 percent of the women. The researchers suggested that measuring constipation could be a useful tool for identifying those women who were at higher risk of heart disease.

From a natural health perspective, it makes little sense to look for a purely genetic or structural type of link between constipation and heart disease however. This is because we know from the study of nutrigenomics that the majority of diseases are determined by our diet and lifestyle and not purely our family history. For example only one of two twins might develop heart disease if one eats well and exercises, whilst the other one doesn’t leads a sedentary life with a diet that is calorie rich and nutrient poor.

The normal causes of constipation are:

1. Sedentary lifestyle
 2. Lack of green leafy vegetables, fruit and other fiber
3. Lack of water
4. Excess diuretic type of drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol
5. Low magnesium intake

These same causes of constipation are also causes of other well known health issues. For example, lack of water results in acidity of the body as well as dry bowel motions. Lack of magnesium decreases the body’s ability to process glucose, is related to heart palpitations, fluid retention and raised blood pressure. Magnesium is also needed for absorption of fluid into the bowel motion and to assist with good bowel tone. Exercise of course assists with cardiovascular function but also helps with bowel peristalsis. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide us with anti-oxidants that reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and therefore decrease the risk of heart disease as well as providing the fiber for regular bowel motions.

One of the most common treatments given to my patients in practice is liquid fish oil and magnesium. We all know how good fish oil is as a preventative for heart disease due to its anti-inflammatory effects and 5mls of liquid fish oil daily will improve constipation in most people. Daily exercise is of course recommended.

Constipation is commonly associated with problems of the gut, so should be investigated. Constipation is also associated with hypothyroidism – another factor that increases cholesterol and raises the risk of heart disease. And obviously if your bowels are sluggish the amount of toxins that your body will reabsorb whilst the train is sitting at the station, is going to be higher in someone who moves there bowels frequently.

So the only question now is how often should you be moving your bowels? Having “regular’ bowel movements basically means that you are going 1 to 3 times times daily and that the motion should be formed and appear much like an over ripe banana. If this doesn’t sound like you then remember the keys for good bowel function are the same for all general good health.

1. Eat plenty of whole fresh food especially green leafy vegetables
2. Keep processed foods to a minimum
3. Get regular daily exercise
4. Drink at least 2 liters of water daily
5. Don’t overdo the diuretic and acidic drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol
6. Take regular fish oil

If you still have problems after following these guidelines, make an appointment with your natural health practitioner who can provide you with a few other hints to keep you regular and healthy.

Posted in Diet and Lifestyle, Wellness & Disease Prevention

Obesity – 11 Keys to Nurturing Emotional Health for Weight Loss Success

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Vivienne| 1 Comment

We have all heard how obesity and weight gain is rapidly on the increase. We are aware of the health risks that excess weight places upon our body. The available information about health, diet and exercise is enormous, so why are we not seeing positive change? Why is it that year after year the statistics from the WHO (World Health Organization) reveal increases of obesity and weight related health problems?

As you may have read in other articles that I have written, there are definite underlying health problems that can make weight loss more difficult such as gut toxicity, low thyroid function and stress. But frequently this is not the case.

Sadly in my clinic, I see patients who are demanding results on the one hand, but on the other hand are not prepared to make any changes to their diet and lifestyle. So let’s set the record straight – in the vast majority of cases, obesity comes down to diet and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Low thyroid function is frequently triggered by excess weight. Yes, once you have low thyroid function it will slow metabolism and increase weight. But having low thyroid function cannot be 100% blamed on an inability to lose weight.

 It is also true that gut toxicity can contribute, but many people without a weight issue also have gut toxicity. Stress can induce emotional eating, produce a lack of motivation and glucose related hormones. But the flip side is that stress is improved with exercise. The stressor can in fact be the lack of self esteem that goes with a weight problem. And because a bad diet is usually devoid of proper nutrients, the body is under stress on a physical level also and has a reduced ability to produce the feel good brain neurotransmitters.

Of course genetics will play some part. In fact the study of nutrition and genetics (nutrigenomics) explains that although we are genetically programmed to be more susceptible to some health issues, it is our diet and lifestyle that determines how our genes are expressed. With family it is not just our genes that determine what health characteristics we inherit, but it is also the habits that we develop in our childhood that can influence our eating and exercise habits as adults.  

So when embarking upon a weight loss program, it is important to take in the big picture. And most important of all, it is necessary to take on board the fact that you are responsible for your own health and that your own diet and lifestyle has brought you to this point. There is nothing more important than recognizing this fact.

There is a saying which always rings true to me. “Without change you can expect more of the same.”

And the crux of this statement is that you and you alone can make change happen. All the good advice in the world is not going to sink in or be embraced until total responsibility is taken for your own health.

So here are a few keys for weight loss success;

  • Take on the fact that you are responsible for where you at;
  • Recognize that denial is not your friend;
  • Realize that you are a powerful being who has the ability to make changes;
  • Be open to learning new things – this includes new ways of eating and cooking;
  • Be prepared to do more than you have done before – exercise is a vital part of all successful weight loss programs;
  • Don’t expect miracles – weight loss can & should be reasonably slow to avoid loss of muscle mass;
  • Realize that health and weight control is about a lifestyle change and not a “quick fix me up”;
  • Becoming comfortable with yourself and who you are, sometimes requires that you go through a phase of being uncomfortable whilst you learn to do things differently. Be prepared for life’s little challenges and once you have mastered the challenge congratulate yourself and move on;
  • Don’t use going on holidays or going to visit your family or friends as an excuse to revert to bad habits. Remember the lifestyle changes that you make are for life. By eating well and being fit, your holiday experiences may well be more enjoyable and less uncomfortable than those you have had before;
  • Be proud of the fact that you have made the decision to change and be prepared to tell others. Peer group or family pressure can often be a person’s down fall. Anyone who cares about you will be supportive. If family & friends cannot accept the positive changes that you are taking to  look after your health, then they have their own issues that they need to deal with – you are not the problem;
  • Self healing starts with self love and self nurturing. Put in some time to work on your emotional issues and you will find that caring for your body comes naturally;

 Without addressing the above key issues, your weight loss strategy is more likely to fail. No one will tell you that this is easy. Acknowledge that the journey may be tough but the end result is well worth your effort. The reward of being fit and healthy is not just about how much better you look but also how much better you will feel.

The list of benefits is huge. Expect more energy, better sleep, better healing, more motivation and better stress control. Expect to enjoy doing things that were impossible before such as playing with the kids. Enjoy improved reproductive health & libido, elevated self esteem and a decrease in your clothes size.

 You have so much to look forward to. When you change your mind, you change your life.

Posted in Diet and Lifestyle, Weight Management

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Obesity – Is Your Gut Health to Blame?

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

No one has to be told these days that obesity is on the increase and so are the degenerative diseases that relate to it. The list of diseases associated with obesity includes the main killers including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The causes of obesity are multiple and as such often require that many things need to be addressed in order to tackle a weight problem. Some of these factors might include working on the emotional side of overeating or being educated about good foods and bad foods.

Some of the lesser known reasons for obesity include: 

  • Stress – as a result of gluco-corticoid hormones being produced (gluco meaning sugar);
  • Hormones – including sexual hormones and thyroid hormones;
  •  Gut toxicity – abnormal bacteria in the gut.

 Gut toxicity is emerging as a leading cause of obesity and being overweight. Hippocrates, the leader of modern medicine, once stated “All diseases begin in the gut”. Unfortunately this very wise statement seems to have been forgotten by most mainstream practitioners however you will find that most naturopaths or complementary practitioners will routinely treat the gut.

 New research is revealing that correcting gut problems and ensuring adequate levels of probiotics plays a major role in the prevention and treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

In particular the research has found that:

  • Energy regulation is affected by the probiotic colonies found in the gut;
  • Because probiotics improve inflammation of the liver, fat conversion into energy (metabolism) is improved. A healthy liver function is very important to prevent insulin resistance and, type 2 Diabetes as well as the regulation of appetite;
  •  Appetite and metabolism may be regulated by prebiotics – these are the short chain fatty acids that feed the bowel and help increase probiotic numbers;
  • Certain types of lactobacillus species have been found to decrease abdominal obesity;
  • Other species have been found helpful in controlling insulin resistance;
  • A species of bifidobacterium  has proved useful in improving glucose metabolism;
  • Another species, lactobacillus rhamnosus has proven useful in reducing fat storage and inflammation. By avoiding inflammation – “the fire within” our health is substantially improved and risks of heart disease and other degenerative disease are reduced.

 So if you have been struggling to lose weight despite following a proven low carbohydrate weight loss program, despite exercise and good thyroid function, this might be the next avenue to investigate. Before you go out and buy 10 containers of yoghurt however, do be aware that you must be using the correct species and the correct dose to make a difference. One probiotic capsule would probably contain the equivalent amount of probiotics to 20 containers of yoghurt, so obviously this isn’t the way to go.

 Two of the most important species to take to help with weight loss are bifidobacterium lactis and lactobacillus rhamnosus. You can probably attain these from a health food store, however for additional guidance it is probably worthwhile getting advice from a skilled natural health practitioner who can monitor your progress and advise you of what else you might need to do.

To get more help take a look at How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome, Naturally

 References:

Cani. PD, Delenna, NM. Interplay between obesity and associated metabolic disorders: new insights into the gut microbiota. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2009. Dec:9(6):737-43.

Tsia F, Coyle WJ, The microbiome and obesity: Is obesity linked to our gut flora? Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2009 Aug:11 (4):307-313.

Grazt SW. Mykkanen H, El-Nezami HS. Probiotics and gut health: a special focus on liver diseases. World J Gastroentrol 2010 Jan:16(4):403-410.

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7 Reasons Why You Feel Tired

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Your Powerhouse – the Mitochondria

Full of energy. How to Increase Energy.

Did you know that the energy that you feel, is produced inside tiny little energy powerhouses that are found inside your cells. Known as mitochondria, these powerhouses must be treated kindly if you want to have an abundance of energy.

Like a power station, your body requires specific fuel (e.g. nutrition, calories, water) in order to produce a specific output i.e. ENERGY. The mitochondria produces 90% of our energy and its fuel comes from the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats in the digestive system. The starting place for the treatment of fatigue is subsequently ensuring the body is getting the specific nutrients that are needed for each stage of ATP production thus minimizing the factors that damage your powerhouse – the mitochondria.

So here are the top things to investigate and correct if you are feeling flat and fatigued.

  1. Are you receiving adequate levels of magnesium? Magnesium is vital for blood sugar stabilization and energy production in the mitochondria;
  2.  Are you zinc deficient? Inadequate zinc will decrease the absorption of other nutrients and can produce digestive problems (a zinc test is very useful);
  3. Is your sleep adequate? Restless or broken sleep can be an obvious cause of fatigue for some people, particularly if stress is also present. People with sleep apnea however, rarely realize they have the problem but know that they are always waking up feeling unrefreshed;
  4. Iron deficiency. Commonly found in menstruating females who experience heavy bleeding. It also commonly occurs in vegetarians. This is an easily rectified problem with some initial dietary supplementation and diet changes;
  5. Digestive problems. Inadequate breakdown and utilization of foods and their vitamins and minerals is extremely common. Tests such as a Cellular Health Analysis can actually measure the “quality of your cells” and whether adequate nutrition is being supplied at the tissue level. Problems can occur at various parts of the digestive tract including the stomach, small intestine, large intestine. Tests such as a Urinary Indicans can determine if gut toxicity is present; 
  6. The modern western diet is typically nutrient poor and calorie rich. Although most people do not associate malnutrition with developed countries, it none the less exists. Western malnutrition does not relate to not enough food however, but is a malnutrition that is related to the overconsumption of nutrient poor foods. Eat more vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, dairy, eggs and reduce all grains (don’t worry, you will get plenty of fiber if you are eating plenty of vegetables). A daily multivitamin will help replace some nutrients; 
  7. Gluten intake. The more we learn about gluten, the worse the story gets. Gluten has only been consumed in our diets in large amounts for around 50 years. Prior to this we consumed fresher, unprocessed foods. The problems with gluten are multiple (and I won’t go into them all here), but one of the main links to gluten and fatigue is its affect upon thyroid function. The thyroid gland is responsible for your body’s metabolism. Gluten suppresses thyroid function and generally slows the metabolic processes. Symptoms of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) include feeling tired and sluggish, weight gain, fluid retention, slow bowels etc,

These are just a few of the very common causes of fatigue. Making some simple changes to what you are currently doing could make all the difference to the way you look and feel

This is an extract from Chapter 1 of How to Increase Energy Naturally.

Posted in Tips to Increase Energy

How to Find Out Whats Causing Fatigue

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Are you feeling tired, sluggish, and a little low? Have you been to you doctors and had blood tests done to see what might be the problem? You get all excited because you think that finally a reason is going to be found for the horrible way you are feeling. But, even though you have a lot of the your Doc tells you that everything is normal.

Being Proactive with Subclinical Health Problems

The person with a subclinical condition will tell you that something is “not quite right”. They may have numerous vague symptoms such as abnormal moods, poor energy levels, sleep problems or a few more aches and pains than normal.. At this stage the blood tests that your doctor has ordered may not reveal any major abnormalities. Sometimes the results of a blood test will be described as  ”border line normal”.

One example of a poorly understood and poorly treated condition is subclinical hypothyroidism. Subclinical hypothyroidism is a condition where your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels are raised. The role of TSH is to stimulate the thyroid – the organ that controls your body’s metabolism. A raised level cannot be viewed as “normal”, as the reason why it is raised is to force the thyroid to continue producing the correct amount of T4. This is why a “normal” level of T4 is found in subclinical hypothyroidism.

But sooner or later, the over production of TSH, fails to stimulate the production of T4 and hypothyroidism is diagnosed. Your body is in many ways, much like a car. If the radiator has a slow leak, sooner or later the engine will overheat, and you will have a real problem on your hands.

Early detection of a developing health problem will always produce better results for your long term health. In the case of subclinical hypothyroidism, it generally progresses to hypothyroidism unless it is treated. Some doctors will treat a borderline condition, however the majority will not. Research has found however, that treating a subclinical disorder can prevent hypothyroidism, so it is wise to take some type of action.

Other Treatment and Testing Options to Consider

Often the problem is that the right tests are not ordered. Your doctor is not always to blame here, as what they do and what tests they order are monitored. Any test that is not standard will be scrutinized and can indeed mean that your doctor is reprimanded. What this means then, is that you need to seek help from a private practitioner who can freely order whatever tests you need.

I would strongly encourage you to pursue other forms of treatment and testing if you know something is brewing. My suggestion is that you gain advice from a natural therapist who will guide you through the whole testing and treatment process or that you purchase a book about energy and fatigue to use as a reference resource.

There are numerous tests that can be done to evaluate the state of your health and correct imbalances before disease occurs. A test that I find particularly useful in practice is a Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis. This hair test might for example, reveal that a person has a low zinc to copper ratio or a low iron to copper ratio which increases the likelihood of thyroid problems developing and subsequently causes fatigue. Alternatively low magnesium might be discovered and this would indicate that your “energy powerhouses” are deficient of the fuel they need to produce energy”.

Fortunately preventative or alternative medicine practitioners are aware that the way you feel, is an indication of how healthy you are. To a natural health practitioner, fatigue is a real indication of an imbalance or a health problem.

Having knowledge is empowering and when it comes to health care, if you aren’t proactive in looking after your health who else will be? When you have a basic understanding of how your body works, what tests and alternative treatments are available, you become the driver of your health. You are not at the mercy of health care system that fails to address the prevention of disease effectively.

The preventative, investigative approach allows health issues to be corrected before they progress to more serious conditions. NOW THAT’S A GOOD RESULT!    To find how you can increase your energy CLICK HERE

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Cholesterol. Is It Really Bad For Our Health?

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

Cholesterol constantly gets a bad press, but the truth is cholesterol performs necessary functions in our body as well as creating some cardiovascular risks. A cholesterol level that is too low is a risk marker of cancer, intestinal problems, stroke and depression. So balance really is the key.

Toxins and cholesterol 

One of the little known facts about cholesterol is that it protects us from the effects of toxicity. As we know, our environment is far more toxic than it used to be, and as toxicity is passed on from mother to child via the placenta, we are starting life full of toxins. Each day we eat, breath and absorb more toxins. So the binding of cholesterol to toxins in order to protect the body, is vitally important to our health. So while diet can increase cholesterol levels, so to can a heavy load of toxins such as heavy metals (mercury, lead etc), petrochemicals, drugs or pesticides. In particular heavy metals such as mercury increase total cholesterol and LDL Solvents (such as alcohol) raise LDL and triglycerides.

Is high cholesterol unhealthy?

 Dyslipidaemia or abnormal blood lipids (fat), such as cholesterol or triglycerides increases your risk of atheroschlerosis, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders. A total cholesterol reading by itself is not particularly useful. There are 2 main types of cholesterol that you need to be aware of. HDL cholesterol refers to high density lipoprotein. This is the good cholesterol, so remember that we want HDL to be high. HDL carries cholesterol away from the heart and back to the liver where it is excreted as bile. It also helps remove excess cholesterol from inside the blood vessels.

 Low density lipoprotein or LDL is supposedly the bad stuff which we need to keep low.LDL transports cholesterol & triglycerides towards the cells and tissues which readily take them up.  LDL cholesterol can adhere to the walls of the blood vessels that feed the heart and brain. Increased LDL cholesterol supposedly therefore leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

 Why “bad” cholesterol is not really bad.

So why I am saying that LDL cholesterol is supposedly bad? New research tells us that it is only when LDL cholesterol becomes oxidized that it causes problems for the heart. A raised LDL cholesterol on its own has not been found to cause any problems (Dr Anthony Colpo). Oxidation is like a rusting effect. It occurs as a result of inadequate antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E and selenium. If you diet is high in nutrient poor foods such as breads, cakes, biscuits, pasta or processed foods, you are at increased risk of insufficient antioxidants and therefore heart disease.

 So before you go into a spin about the effects of cholesterol on heart disease, remember that inflammation and lack of antioxidants is likely to be a greater risk factor of cardiovascular disease than raised cholesterol. Cholesterol repairs membranes that are damaged by inflammation. By reducing inflammation you can therefore reduce the stimulus for the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. Any treatment that is designed to protect you from heart disease must decrease inflammation. Fish oil can effectively reduce inflammation & triglycerides and slowly bring cholesterol to a satisfactory level.

Dietary advice for a healthy heart 

If you are still concerned about reducing cholesterol, a high fibre diet is essential as fibre prevents cholesterol absorption and promotes elimination. At least one serving of green leafy vegetables will assist with adequate fibre intake. Eat other foods that are rich in antioxidants such as berries to prevent oxidation of your LDL cholesterol. It is worth remembering that despite the hype around saturated fats, grains can contribute to dyslipidemia as they contain palmatic and stearic acid.

 The secret as with all good health is to ensure you have a balanced diet of 30% protein (eggs, milk, dairy, fish, and soy), and 40% carbohydrates and 30% good fats from foods such as avocado, nuts, sesame, coconut or olive oil. Keep processed foods to a minimum and enjoy lots of fresh, whole produce.

Posted in Wellness & Disease Prevention

Healthy Heart Tea

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

These days we know that heart disease is mainly due to inflammation and not raised cholesterol levels. Inflammation can occur for many reasons including stress and injury. In many cases however inflammation is due to excess body fat. But losing weight and excess body fat won’t happen overnight, so healthy foods for the heart are very useful in helping to support your health while you decrease your weight.

Because of the increased risk of heart attack it is important to get inflammation under control ASAP and this can be done with diet. There are many types of food to eat for a healthy heart – turmeric is a good one. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial. It speeds up metabolism, helps stabilize blood sugar and has many other positive effects upon the symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome –the precursor to diabetes and heart disease.

Although generally used in hot dishes, turmeric can be drunk as a tasty, spicy tea.

Healthy Heart Turmeric Tea

1 teaspoon of turmeric                  1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg                               Pinch of clove

Xylitol or stevia to sweeten         Coconut milk or cream

Add the spices to a pot. Boil about 2 cups of water and pour over the spices. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Steeping the tea increases the availability of the beneficial spices.

Pour into a cup and add either cream or coconut milk to taste. If you prefer a sweeter drink add a little stevia or xylitol.

Drink daily to reduce any inflammation in the body.

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Carbohydrate versus Fat. Which One is Really Making You Fat and Sick?

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

There is now strong evidence that carbohydrates are the baddies in the war against obesity, heart disease and diabetes. So where does this leave the well established theory about saturated fat and how it not only increases our weight but is also responsible for heart disease. In a nutshell research is now telling us to do the opposite to what we have been told to do in the past, to keep healthy. You only have to look around you to see that eating the way we have been doing for the last 30 years has had devastating effects upon our health and the prevalence of diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Saturated fat was once blamed for heart, cholesterol and obesity problems and we were encouraged to eat more carbohydrates (e.g. bread, cereals, ) But now multiple studies are revealing that this  was all wrong!!. One such 2010 study reviewed the evidence around this subject (Astrup, A. et al, Am J Clin Nutr:2011 Jan 26) and found that “replacing saturated fat with carbohydrates does not reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), and may even increase the risk”. (Dairy Nutrition News April 2011)

The risk of coronary heart disease does however increase with the intake of trans fatty acids. Trans fats are found in margarines. They have been made by a heating process that changes the chemical structure of the fat to make it solid but soft. As noted in a previous blog, trans fats are commonly found in commercially produced products especially bakery items.

As well as containing damaging trans fats processed products such as breads, cereals, pastries, pasta etc. have other health related issues. Because these foods are nutrient poor a person consuming these foods on a regular basis is likely to be deficient of the important antioxidants. We know that these antoxidants are important for overall health, but they are also significant in the fight against heart disease. This is because it is not the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol that is the problem, but the oxidation of the LDL cholesterol.

As evidence comes to light about the effects of oxidized LDL, we will no doubt see the large producers of products such as bread, muesli bars and cereals, attempt to change their image and their ingredients to ensure the continuing sales of their products. As it takes many years for research findings to become common knowledge, this is probably a few years away however.

Some companies are obviously using the head in the sand approach hoping that this new research and change in public thinking will just go away. Other companies are doing their best to maintain their sales by adding certain things to their products, which might be perceived by the public as therefore “a healthier food choice”.  

With the increased evidence surrounding the positive health effects of a lower carbohydrate diet, that has adequate protein and fats, new products are emerging. An example of this is new cereals that are coming out with added protein. Of course the amount of protein in any cereal is woefully inadequate and any cereal based products will still remain predominantly carbohydrate. You would be far better off eating a few eggs for breakfast. A cereal with a few goodies added looks good to those people who are addicted to a carbohydrate fix first thing in the morning or those who still can’t completely disbelieve the old diet pyramid.

For more help with maintaining a healthy weight, preventing and treating heart disease, diabetes and other carbohydate related disorders (insulin resistance, PCO’s) go to How to Stop Metabolic Syndrome, Naturally.

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Tips to Increase Your Energy – Inflammation

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Vivienne| Leave a comment

 There are multiple causes of fatigue, in fact my research revealed around 87 different causes. When there are so many reasons how on earth can you work out which one is affecting you? Much like a detective gathers up all the evidence and clues, a naturopath does the same thing to work out the most likely cause to help you increase your energy.

Some of the causes of fatigue will be quite obscure and will go to the bottom of the pile. But then there are a whole lot of common health issues which can cause fatigue and sometimes your lack of energy will be caused by multiple factors.

Inflammation is one of the most common causes of fatigue and has impact upon your total health not just your energy production. In fact inflammation is the leading cause of heart disease (more about that another time). Inflammation is described in lay person’s terms as being like “a fire within”. Inflammation affects energy production by having a negative effect upon your energy powerhouses -the mitochondria. These little energy powerhouses live deep inside the cells of your body and produce ATP – your energy. If production of ATP is diminished enough, the outcome will be lethargy, tiredness, fatigue and a lack of energy.

So if one of the main causes of poor energy production is inflammation, we need to get to the bottom of what is causing it. Inflammation has many triggers and at one time or another most of us will suffer with one of these health problems.

Inflammation can be due to:

  • Stress –particularly long term stress where the adrenal gland gets “burnt out”. Stress can be emotional, mental or even physical. It often goes hand in hand with depression or anxiety. Stress can produce pro-inflammatory hormones such as cortisol. Mental health problems including stress are commonly associated with the second cause of inflammation – sleep problems.
  •  Sleep problems. If you can’t sleep well and getting to sleep or staying asleep is a problem, no energy will be a common result. Generally 7 to 8 hours sleep per night is recommended. Waking around 2am with an active mind is often a symptom of stress. Deficiencies of some minerals or an abnormal rise and fall of your adrenal hormones can also contribute to a lack of sleep. Sleep apnea is a commonly undiagnosed cause of fatigue and the constant cessation of breathing throughout the night results in an extremely restless sleep with frequent waking. Sleep apnea is closely linked with obesity and insulin resistance.
  •  Obesity and excess body fat is another cause of inflammation which will impact upon functioning of your mitochondria. People with excess fat generally have depleted muscle mass, don’t exercise anywhere near enough and eat poorly. We will explore the effects of diet and exercise and its impact upon energy levels in a later article.
  •  If you have severe pain, no one needs to tell you how much this can disturb your sleep. But pain is a clear indication of inflammation. Pain is much more common in people with obesity and getting rid of pain in an obese person is virtually impossible without tackling the weight issue. If you have severe pain it can be very difficult to exercise, which is a great shame because exercise itself increases sleep quality , increases the production of ATP, speeds up metabolism and builds muscle mass, thus stimulating the growth of more of your energy powerhouses. Obesity causes inflammation, inflammation causes pain which produces more inflammation, pain results in less exercise, less exercise causes increased weight and on and on it goes. Without taking positive action, the whole cycle of pain, fatigue and obesity just gets worse and worse.
  • Digestive problems are another little known cause of fatigue. Problems such as gut dysbiosis, celiac disease, crohn’s disease or candida can all cause inflammation which in turn causes mitochondria dysfunction. Remember that the majority of your immune cells live in your digestive system so any gut related problems significantly impact upon the immune system which controls inflammation. Self test kits can be purchased to test for candida and celiac problems. Gut toxicity tests can be done by a naturopath.
  • And lastly, food allergy can cause inflammation and cause fatigue. Doing a Food Allergy Eradication Diet (see our book list) can help you establish whether you have an intolerance to a certain food. A food intolerance will produce IgG antibodies and are an indication of inflammation. Fatigue is just one of the many symptoms that can arise as part of a food intolerance.

The good news is inflammation is treatable and eradicating your body of inflammation will make you feel better in so many ways and not just boost your energy.

For a step to step guide to correct your fatigue and increase energy naturally take a look at How to Increase Energy Naturally: The Energy Makeover

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