Archive for October, 2009

Get off the Scale

Friday, October 30th, 2009

We’ve all been there. You go to your scale_girl1doctor’s office for your physical and on the way to the exam room you hear those dreaded words  “Step on the scale”.  At that moment many of us feel like we need to start shedding as many clothing items as possible. Our once very well put together outfit including shoes, socks, belt, earrings, sweater, and anything else that can go is now on the floor. We want the measurement to be accurate, don’t we? Well, guess what? Even then it may not be.

I myself have weighed the same weight since I was 13 years old, yet the size of my clothes has actually changed quite a bit over the years. How can this be?  Well, it’s because muscle weighs more than fat,  so dont be surprised that while you’re reaping the many benefits of weight training (including increasing your metabolism and increasing the release of growth and tissue repair hormones) you may not necessarily notice the scale moving. In my case, I have been 4 different dress sizes and weighed the same. 

So put the scale away and do this instead. A much better way to gage weight loss is to notice how your clothes are fitting. By replacing fat with lean muscle, you WILL notice  more room in your clothes. And remember, you have to be healthy to lose weight, not lose weight to be healthy. Having your lifestyle and nutrition plan evaluated is a critical step in achieving your weight loss goals. An unhealthy, unbalanced body will hold on to fat/weight until it is well. To learn more, feel free to contact us. We’re always here to help.

 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

References:

Picture: thank you to http://www.adrenalinfitnessandweightloss.com/trainers

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Posted in Weight Managment | 1 Comment »

Inflammation – redness, swelling and pain

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

inflammationWhat is inflammation?  By definition it is …Pathology. Redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body, esp. as a reaction of tissues to injurious agents.

Typically one thinks of inflammation as a cut or a sprain that may become red and swollen and this is the extent of what one thinks of when it comes to inflammation.  I am here to tell you that inflammation is more than just a cut or a sprain.  Just as the definition above states it is a disturbed function of an area of the body do to injurious agents.  For the purpose of this blog entry I will be discussing areas of the body that are susceptible to inflammation and explain what the injurious agents are.

First of all, any part of the human body can become inflamed.  That means that muscles, joints, nerves, organs and skin are all vulnerable to inflammation.  Becoming inflamed does not just happen from being injured from an accident.  Becoming inflamed as stated above in the definition comes from injurious agents.  What I need all of you to understand is  that an injurious agent can come from the food you eat, the beverages you drink, lack of sleep, emotional and physical stress, etc.  Each of these agents can affect your body in different ways but all can end up causing inflammation.

We see so many people that come into our offices not feeling well, feeling tired, knowing that something is wrong with them but yet nothing is found during a doctor’s visit.  More times than not these individuals bodies are trying to fight inflammation and our job is to find the source of the inflammation.  Typically what is given to treat inflammation are anti-inflammatory drugs and at times this is necessary but what I want all of you to know and understand is that if the injurious agent is not removed then you are only treating the symptoms and not the problem.

If you would like more information about how food, beverages, lack of sleep, emotional and physical stress become injurious agents sign up for our Wellness 101 lecture.  Visit www.replenishingsoul.com/our-events for more information or write us your questions, we would love to hear from you.

 

Lori Metroka,PT

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

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Posted in Prevention information | 3 Comments »

The Benefits of Fiber

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

Dietary fiber is the edible part of plant cell walls that gives plants its structure. Because it is undigestible it is not considered a nutrient, but it does aid in digestion, helps promote weight loss, helps regulate blood sugars and had been found to offer protection against certain diseases. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.legumes

Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, and has also been known as “roughage”. It is found in whole-wheat products, nuts, seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, and in the skins of fruit and vegetables, such as potatoes and green beans. Here’s a list of some of the ways insoluble fiber works in your body:

1. It makes you feel full, and promotes a reduction in over-eating and weight loss.

2. It stimulates the intestinal wall to contract and relax which helps food move through the intestinal tract, acting as a natural laxative.

3. It adds bulk and softness to the stool, which promotes regularity and prevents constipation and hemorrhoids.

4. It allows waste to move through the colon quickly. This is important in preventing harmful substances from staying in the intestinal tract and coming in contact with the intestinal lining. 

5. It help prevent colon cancer by keeping an optimal pH in intestines to prevent microbes from producing cancerous substances.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Some good sources of soluble fiber are: oats and oat bran, barley, nuts, apples, carrots, legumes, psyllium husk and flaxseed. In your body, soluble fiber:

1. Promotes weight loss by slowing down digestion (you feel full faster).

2. Helps reduce your risk of diabetes by controlling blood sugar: The gradual absorption of digested food helps control the amount of glucose that enters your blood stream.  

3. Helps reduce your risk of heart disease.

4. Appears to help lower cholesterol. The pectin in some soluble fibers binds to fatty substances, preventing the absorption in your body and instead aids in their excretion.

When trying to add more fiber to your diet, remember to choose whole grains (including breads, cereals, and pasta), replace white rice with brown rice, and choose whole fruits and vegetables instead of canned or in the form of juices. If you have questions or would like more personalized information for your body’s needs, feel free to contact us. We’d love to hear from you.

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

References:

Nelson, Miriam E. Strong Women Eat Well, Berkeley Publishing Group. 2001

http://www.myfooddiary.com/resources/ask_the_expert/soluble_insoluble_fiber.asp

http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubleinsoluble.shtml

Photo: thank you to: http://www.body-perfect-fitness.com/images/Legumes.jpg

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Posted in Nutrition Tips | 1 Comment »

The impact of negative thoughts

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

What type of thoughts do you have on a daily basis?  Are they positive thoughts or are they negative thoughts?  Did you know that when you have negative thoughts that this is stress on the body?  This stress that the body feels will cause the body to react in the same way that it reacts to other forms of stress: nutritional stress, impaired sleep, physical or just the pressure you feel on a day to day basis.  When stress takes place within your body it just does not cause you to become tense, anxious or just cause a headache but it also affects you on a cellular level. sick-water

Look at the top right photo.  This is a picture of a water droplet that was taken after someone sent negative thoughts to it.  This same affect is what happens to your body on a cellular level.  Now look at the bottom right photo, this is a photo of a water droplet that had thoughts of love and gratitude prayed over it.  Again, when you fill your body and mind with happy positive thoughts your body down to its cells will react the same way.

So, I ask you, what do your thoughts consist of on a daily basis?  Are they happy thoughts or sad thoughts?  Positive or negative?  Either way these thoughts are trying to tell you something and should not be ignored.  Positive thoughts remind you of what is good in your life and what is working.  Negative thoughts are there to tell you what is not good in your life and what needs to change.  Maybe these thoughts are telling you that you need to bring something into your life or get rid of something that is not fulfilling its purpose. love-gratitude-pic

Many times people walk around knowing that something needs to change but usually there is the feeling of fear attached and making change can be a scary thing.  Keep in mind though that you always have a choice.  You can choose to be happy or choose to be sad and even though it can be scary along the way, it’s it scarier to remain in an unhappy place and live each day like this.  Below is a list of a few items that will get you on track to having happier thoughts.

  • Get a notebook/journal and write down negative thoughts
  • Under each negative thought written, nullify it by turning it into a positive thought.
  • Eventually, you won’t need the notebook; you’ll start to do it mentally.
  • Focus your thoughts/energy on things THAT FEEL GOOD
  • REMEMBER, you are attracting whatever it is you are thinking about, so use your thoughts to your advantage.

We hope this helps you get started to living a happier and healthier life.  Feel free to write us your comments/experiences on our blog.  We would love to hear from you.

Lori Metroka

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

Photos from whatthebleep.com

Research on this topic performed by Dr. Emoto

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Posted in Emotional health | No Comments »

What are Parabens and Phthalates?

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Two chemicals found in many beauty products, photo_woman_washing_faceparabens and phthalates, are beginning to raise more concerns as to their safety. Here’s a quick rundown of what they are and how to find them in your home.   

 What are Parabens?

Parabens are chemical preservatives estimated to be found in at least 13,200 cosmetic products. Research has found that parabens are estrogenic chemicals, meaning that they mimic the function of estrogen in your body.  Scientists believe that this can lead to a disruption of your normal hormone functioning and exposure to external estrogen has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. There are six commonly used forms: Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, p-Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, n-Butylparaben and Benzylparaben.  

 What are Phthalates?

Phthalates are industrial compounds that are used as plasticizers in products such as nail polish, hair spray and as solvents and perfume fixatives in various other products. These have been implicated in studies to cause a broad range of birth defects and lifelong reproductive impairments including low sperm count, DNA damage in sperm and premature breast development in young girls. The principal phthalates used in cosmetic products are dibutylphthalate (DBP), dimethylphthalate (DMP), and diethylphthalate (DEP). You should know that under the authority of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), the FDA requires that at the retail level cosmetic products must list all ingredients in their products. However, this does not apply to products used exclusively by professionals, as in salons.

Take a look in your make-up bag and shower and see how many of your products contain parabens and phthalates. More and more products are now advertising themselves as paraben and phthalate free, so they are not too difficult to find, particularly in health stores.

If you’d like to learn more about how hormones affect your health and what cosmetics are best, join us for our upcoming Hormone Health lecture. As always, if you have a comment or question, we’d love to hear from you. 

 

Dorothy Lizak

Nutrition & Wellness Specialist

 

 

 

References:

photo: www.herbariasoap.com/…/ woman-washing-face.jpg

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