What are you really eating for?

What is your mindset when you eat? What are you really eating for? Here are some other questions you might want to ask yourself before you take part in over or under eating. How will you feel 10, 20 60, minutes after? What will you look like in the next few weeks, if this continues? Will you have health problems as a result (years down the road)? Do you think of food as impacting the rest of your life? Most of us don’t think about these questions however, when you have an eating disorder that can range from over to under eating, these questions can really hit home. Eating can be enjoyable and does not mean you should deprive yourself but you should be aware of eating problems and understand what eating should involve and not involve. Allowing family and friends to dine with you verses eating solo can help you take part in healthier eating habits resulting in better health.

Eating does involve making good nutritious food choices and satisfying your hunger. However, eating can be more than that. Over the years I’ve worked with a variety of people that have had various eating challenges that range from emotional eaters, over eaters, boredom eaters, control eaters and people who have been brought up to use food as a coping mechanism. This list goes on. I want to take a few minutes to shed some light on the different types of eaters and hopefully help you understand your eating habits and recognize negative eating patterns.

Emotional eaters are those who find comfort in eating during bad times, and good times. This can depend on the individual. In this situation a question to ask yourself is why are you eating? If your eating because you’ve had a bad day, a better choice would be to fill that time doing something that will benefit you such as exercise or even calling a friend or relative to vent. Understanding your emotional food trigger and having a plan in place can help you change this type of behavior.

Over eaters are individuals who eat past satiety and in some cases never really feel full. This could be due to a medical condition and may need medical attention. On the other hand, it may be a matter of just slowing down to allow yourself time to get full. I’m sure you’ve heard people say, “you should wait 20 minutes before you decide to eat more,” this is true. This allows hormones to kick in and do there job. Meals should be enjoyed with family and friends. During mealtime you should use this time to enjoy one anothers company and socialize rather than eating solo in front on the television where you’re liable to overeat.

Boredom eaters are eaters who eat regular meals but also eat recreationally and have a tendency to snack excessively. This can be avoided by filling in that time gardening, going for a walk or doing some house chores.

Control eaters are individuals who may have suffered from a loss or abuse in one form or another and use food to cope or have control. Control eaters are sometimes people who resort to anorexia, bulimia or orthorexia (overly healthy eating).What’s important in such a case is to recognize that you have a problem and get help. This in not something that can be changed by oneself. People who suffer from bulimia or anorexia have a distorted view of themselves and perceive their mirrored reflection as not thin enough or fat. These types of eating disorders can entail binging and purging or excessive exercise without replenishing energy stores. People who suffer from orthorexia don’t necessarily want to be thin but want to be chemically free or healthy and pure and they obtain this by not eating foods that contain preservatives, animal products or fats, they might even eat only raw foods. The problem with this eating habit is the lack of nutrients in the long run that can lead to health problems or even death.

Food is nourishment for the body and way back when, was food to the soul. Mealtime was a time when family and friends gathered to share foods and enjoy one anothers company. It was also a time when each individual would reflect on their day and impart the goods and bads. As a result, our ancestors suffered less from obesity, metabolic diseases and stress. If you feel you suffer from an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, overeating or orthorexia, I encourage you to get some support by visiting the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders at www.anad.org

Trans Fats

What exactly are trans fats? In technical terms, trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids that contain a minimum of one “trans” double bond in their structure that allows for the hydrocarbon chain to be straight verses a “cis” arrangement that forms a hydrocarbon chain that is not straight. In terms we can all understand, trans fats are naturally found in (small amounts) whole milk products, butter and meats. The trans fats that you find in processed foods are from a type of hydrogenation processing. For example, partial hydrogenation is a process that will reconfigure vegetable oil by adding hydrogen atoms. As a result, vegetable oil is no longer in it’s natural form but a trans fatty acid that at room temperature becomes a solid verses a liquid. These trans fats are then used as preservatives to create shortening and margarine. Shortening and margarine are used in preparing fried foods, pastries and frostings etc... Foods that contain trans fats have better storage and a longer shelf life compared to foods that don’t. If a food contains a trans fat and has gone rancid, it will be clear by it’s taste and smell. The problem with trans fats is it increases low-density lipids (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, thus contributing to coronary artery disease. Interesterified oils are another type of trans fat and can be found in prepackaged and processed foods. Interesterified fat was thought to be a better substitute for hydrogenated fat but it to increases the risk of CVD. Researchers have found that this type of fat decreases high-density lipids (good cholesterol), increases blood glucose (contributing to diabetes). Although researchers are still studying the effects of these fats, I would avoid them as much as possible. Trans fats are not needed by our bodies to function, however we do need to increase good fats such as monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat to decrease the risk of CVD and for cell function. If you’re in doubt as to what foods contain transfat, read the ingredients and don’t take the “transfat free” label as the final word.

A Lack of Sleep Could be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

Has the lack of sleep been sabotaging your weight loss lately? Do feel more hungry, tired or both? Each one of us has hormones that our bodies produce called Ghrelin and Leptin. People who are thinner produce a greater amount of Ghrelin during sleeping hours and people who are overweight produce less. Part of the reason for the difficulty sleeping is due to the extra weight. As a result, overweight people have an overproduction of Ghrelin and that can increase the urge to eat. Too many sleepless nights can inhibit the production of Leptin (acts as an appetite suppressant) and can contribute to hunger. Ghrelin and Leptin work together by controlling sleeping and eating patterns (to some degree). Both hormones are sensitive to eating and sleeping conditions. For example, not eating a sufficient amount of calories (based on a healthy weight) can decrease Leptin and lower your energy level. Leptin is an adipose hormone that is felt by most people after finishing a meal produce a feeling of being full. I believe that people who eat at a fast rate are less likely to feel satisfied and as a result they continue eating past satiety, thus gain weight.

Your body is not just a machine that you put a coin in and get it to work. It’s more like: eat right, exercise, SLEEP and be good to yourself. In return, you will reap a longer, happier and healthier life.

Can Hard Struggles Become Easier?

Once again I was inspired by a quote that was told to me and that is “an athletes job is to learn to do hard things easily.” How can that apply to me, or anyone who is not an athlete? It does, take a few minutes and think about how that quote can apply to your everyday life, whether it’s getting into better shape, managing life’s daily task, marriage, food etc… Here’s my take on that quote, 2 months ago I had a client come to my with weight loss stars in her eyes and by the tone of her voice she was determined to loose weight and was destined not to fail another “diet plan.” After about 2 weeks the stars begin to fade and her attitude changed. She came to the conclusion that she was just meant to be fat and that’s how it was going to be for her. I asked, “what makes you think that?” and she said that exercising is too hard to fit in her already cluttered life and eating healthier required too much work. After asking some questions and listening to her for a while, she came to the realization that going to a healthier lifestyle was indeed tough, if not “hard.” I also asked some questions about her work and what it was like when she first started compared to where she is now. Her reply was, “it was tough in the beginning but got easier as she got into a routine.” At that point she definitely saw how this applied to her current weight loss delima.

Nothing in life comes easily, not even winning the lottery (you have to deal with the IRS). Going from an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy lifestyle will be challenging, frustrating and you might not get the support of your family. However, the end result will be that “hard time” has now become easier and you reap the benefits of better health, more confidence, more energy, a better outlook on life and best of all your “hard time” will now be an inspiration to others who are struggling down that same path.

Do You Have What It Takes To Loose Weight?

Loosing weight is not that easy, especially when you have more than 10 lbs to loose, it can be quite difficult. Your successes rate can be much higher if you have what it takes to loose weight. If you have systems in place, it will equate permanent weight loss. For instance, having a group of friends or relatives that offer support by encouraging you, sharing in your struggles, exercising with you etc… will make those tough times more bearable. Being surrounded by people who eat healthy can also provide you with a tool for successful weight loss. When your at a restaurant and your stuck between choosing mashed potatoes, gravy and 6 ounces of steak or Cedar Planked Salmon and a some seasonal veggies, can be tough when your friend is ordering a Frisco Burger with extra cheese and a plate of onion rings. As a result, you’ll be more drawn towards making poor food choices. Are you staying active enough to create a negative energy balance? In other words, are you eating more and exercising less? 500 calories less a day along with 30 plus minutes of vigorous exercise is what it will take to loose weight. Are you stressing more and coping less? Food can act as a comfort when you’re under stress but when you’re done consuming in the long run, you’ll be left with the aftermath of excess weight and poor health. If your in frequent situations where you’re under stress, find better ways to cope such as: going for a walk, counting to 20 while taking deep breaths or listing to a favorite song. What reason do you have to be healthier? If you can make a list of reasons to be healthier this will act as a motivational tool and help keep you on track during those times when your thinking, “I can’t do this.” Another important tool for weight loss is to remove the word CAN’T, with the word CAN. Remember that all of us in this life have or is struggling with something whether it’s weight loss, stress, heartbreak or an addiction etc… When you have support systems in place like prayer, helping someone in need, counting your blessing, exercising versus over eating, talking to someone or even putting your thoughts down in writing can all offer the key tools you’ll need to make weight loss a success.

Targeting Fatty Areas

This past week I had a client tell me that she wanted to do more exercises to loose belly fat. This is not anything new. Most people want to target a certain body part in order to tone or loose the fat in that specific area. This seems ritualistic around Summer time when us ladies want to look our best even at the risk of not feeling our best. For instance, skipping meals or fad dieting just to have the perfect figure to fit into a size 4 swimsuit and even though you look great you feel crabby, lack energy and are craving more carbs. This is not the answer. Exercise combined with a healthy balanced diet will get the job done (regardless of where the fat is) without the risk of grossly restricting much needed nutrients in foods that help your body function at it’s best. Fat is not a mysterious glob that has to be targeted in a certain area in order to get rid of it. Second thought, it is a glob but not a mystery. Fat is fat and in order to get rid of it in your abdominal area, hips, thighs etc… you need to increase your daily activity and reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 calories a day. This will allow for a safe and consistent weight loss for the most part. As far as targeting the ab fat, aerobic activity will do along with some core exercise such as crunches, planks, v-sit-ups, side bends etc… will help strengthen those abdominal muscles.

Give your body the fuel to function

The human body is an amazing machine and God made it to work flawlessly under certain conditions. For instance, your body does and doesn’t need your help to function. Let me explain, when you feed your body the right foods it needs to function on a daily bases; it will function the way it should. It will not need pills or supplements to work, unless you have a health condition that is being treated by your Physician. Even under those conditions you may have mistreated your body, which has lead you to be under the care of your doctor. Further more, the cells in your body don’t need vitamin pills to function, they need nutrients from the foods you eat that are then broken down to micronutrients that the cells are able to utilize. Your cells are constantly under going anabolism and catabolism and under those conditions it’s vital that your body is given the right fuel to repair itself. Muscle soreness is a great example of this process. The meals you eat should revolve around whole grains, fruits, veggies lean proteins and good fat sources. I highly recommend eating organic fruits and veggies (that include eating the skin) such as grapes, berries, potatoes, carrots etc… Keep in mind that your body’s homeostasis depends on what you eat and how you treat it. The average American places high demands and expectations on themselves but at the same time they don’t provide their bodies with the tools it needs to excel under those conditions. In closing, give your body the right type of fuel to function.

Everyone Is Your Teacher

A few months ago a client of mine shared something with me that made me stop and think. It was one of those moments where I went back into my minds eye and relived a past, not so pleasant experience and some pleasant experiences. She said to me, “everyone you meet in your life is your teacher.” What she meant by that was, regardless of the person, situation or even yourself, they’re your teacher and there is something to learn. A few months ago I had just finished up some grocery shopping and could not wait to get home to cook dinner relax and call it a day. I had just loaded my car with my groceries and looked at my watch thinking, I need to get home by 5:30pm so I can at least have an early dinner. I don’t like eating past 6:30pm because I’m so rushed doing all my nightly rituals to prep for the next day. I want to be in bed by 9pm so I can read, relax and go to sleep. As I got into my car I turned on my music, buckled up, looked over my shoulder and started to back out of the parking lot when I quickly stepped on the brakes as a woman came racing by me honked her horn repeatedly. Understand that I don’t read lips or know sign language, however I could read her lips pretty clearly and she was not singing the latest hit song off the radio. Finally, she proceeded and took the parking spot three cars up from me. I remember saying to myself, “ there’s was no way I’m letting this chick get off without giving her some helpful tips on patience being a virtue. I backed out of the parking spot I was in and I pulled up in back of her car. I could see that she was taking longer than normal to exit her car so I looked at my watch. I watched the woman from the inside of my tinted car windows and I could see that she was fumbling for something. I sat and waited for what seemed like a lifetime, when in reality 2 minutes had passed. Finally, she stepped out of her car and I rolled down my window and she looked at me as if she had just seen a ghost. I said to her, I’m sorry, I didn’t see your car coming.” She looked at me and paused for about 3 seconds and said, “that’s ok” and she quickly made her way to the grocery store without looking back. The 2 minutes I waited for her to exit her car gave me enough time to take a quick refresher crash course in “patience is a virtue.” I realized that perhaps this woman had a bad day and she too just wanted to get her shopping done quickly and get home to relax. The moral of the story is whether you’re rushed to get somewhere, don’t have patience or are trying to loose weight, it will require some patience and your experience will teach you.

Smart Eating Equals Reading (Labels)

Reading nutrition labels can sometimes seem like rocket science. A good start would be to pay attention to the serving size. Most people eat whatever amount of the food item, without really paying attention to the serving size. In other words, if the serving size is 1 cup and it equals 100 calories, that’s a serving. If you’re doubling up on the serving size unknowingly, your eating a 200-calorie serving versus a 100 calories. Individuals who are within a healthy weight range and are looking to maintain their weight have about 132-512 discretionary calories a day. This depends on your age and sex. This allows you to have an occasional treat but keep in mind that your caloric intake is as valuable as gold. That means that every calorie counts, so you want the sources of energy you choose to have the most nutrients.

Food should never be thought of as an enemy or a “junk food,” all foods have some nutritional value. However, not all foods are created equal. A 1.45 oz Hershey bar with almonds has some nutrients. It’s not the best source of calcium but it does contain close to 100 mg of calcium. Obviously, a more nutritious source of calcium would be an 8 oz class of skim milk or soymilk. In addition, skim milk and soymilk are good sources of protein, low in fat and contain vital micronutrients.

As the holidays approach I look forward to time with my family, friends and food. I’m not afraid to eat a piece of pumpkin pie because it’s a great source of beta carotene, iron, protein and best of all, it taste heavenly! Also, I intend to exercise, eat in moderation and not use this time of year as an excuse to fall off the health wagon. Eating healthy has been a life long commitment for me and the rewards are, looking good and feeling good. You too can experience the same results with a little time effort and commitment.

“You train best when you’re the happiest," some conditions apply

Recently someone shared a quote with me that said, “You train best when you’re the happiest.” This is true but some other conditions apply to make this happen. For example, if your sleep deprived and food deprived, your exercise routine won’t be as great. In our busy day and age and overly committed lifestyles, it’s sometimes hard to get 8 hours of sleep a night. Researchers are now saying 7-8 hours of sleep is adequate and men have a tendency to need closer to 8 hours or more. In addition, skipping meals is not going to work if you plan on doing some vigorous exercise or any activity for that matter. When you skip meals you deprive your body of much needed energy to get through not only your exercise routine but also through the day; without having an emotional or medical breakdown. The solution to get though your “skipping meals dilemma” is just to not skip meals. Not only do you burn more calories at a consistent rate but your happier, have more energy and have a better workout. Keep in mind that the food choices you make will also make or break you for the day, so be smart and have a happy healthy day.

Making Exercise A Priority

We recently added a new addition to our family, a puppy. Although he is quite adorable he brings back memories of being up late at night with my son when he was an infant. All those sleepless nights of crying and wanting to be feed and changed. Our puppy requires almost as much attention as an infant with exception to being crate trained. Last time I check, you couldn’t crate train a baby? Despite being a little sleep deprived and juggling life's daily task, I still manage to make myself a priority when it comes to exercise and good health. Koda (our new pup) is an opportunity for me to get some extra “activities of daily living” in. For example, my son and Koda both join in a game of chase around the living room and fetch outdoors, my dog of course, not my son. However, he helps to teach our new puppy what to do with the ball once he gets it. After about 20-30 minutes or so, everyone is pretty tired out enough to where we can all enjoy an afternoon cat nap or in my case a dog nap and a quick snooze on the couch and my son, well it takes hours to wear him out. Exercise is not just this chore that’s impossible to fit in, it’s a lifestyle and can take place at anytime and anywhere. It’s just up to you to make the effort to make it happen.

Pass or Go?

Have you had one of those days that you wished you were able to preview the day in advance before you actually started it? I would go as far as to say, what if you could hit the “pass” or “go” button, depending on how the day looks? In other words, if it’s a good day you can continue, if not just hit “pass.” Well we don’t have a “pass” and “go” button, however, we do have the opportunity to make it a pass or go day. Even though we don’t have a remote control to direct the day to suit our best interest such as; hitting the mute button when the kids won’t stop fighting and making our spouses clean on demand, we can make it a “go” day. The choices we make at the beginning of the day will dictate whether it’s a “go” or “pass” day. If your days are hectic and time is of the essence and exercise is just not at the top of your list, it should be. Getting up an extra 20-60 minutes before you start your day to go for a brisk walk or jog can help get your day headed in the “go” direction. Exercising can work as a coping mechanism to life’s stress by allowing the release of endorphins. Endorphins are a natural occurring hormone in the body that is produced by the pituitary and hypothalamus gland. Endorphins are known as the “feel good natural drug.” With a dose of Endorphins first thing in the morning or evening (depending on your schedule) can help get your day started or ending in the “go” direction.

Breast Cancer Awareness

This is breast cancer awareness month and it’s vital that women not only acknowledge this subject this month but on a monthly bases. The statistics are 1 in 4 cases of cancer is said to be from breast cancer and early detection is important as well as prevention. I can’t stress enough, how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy is not just about depriving yourself of the foods you much rather eat but it’s about balance. Eating in moderation is the key when it comes to eating not so nutritious foods such as the 100-calorie Little Debbies. Although the 100-calorie Little Debbie is better than the regular high calorie Little Debbie, a serving of raspberries or blueberries would be a more nutritious choice. Berries are loaded with antioxidants that can help fight free radical cell damage that can contribute to cancer. Also, making sure 20-30 grams of fiber is a part of your daily diet. This can easily be met if you’re consuming 5 plus servings of fruits, veggies a day and making whole grains a part of your daily diet. Exercising for most days of the week is important too. Take a 20-minute jog or a 30-minute brisk walk will not only help provide you with a days worth of exercise but it will help relieve stress.

Monthly self-breast examinations are a must. If your anything like me, you can easily get wrapped up in lives daily demands, especially if you have a family. A schedule is a part of my life and if it’s not written down in my schedule, it might as well not exist. If this is the case for you, you might want to consider scheduling yourself a self-examination after your monthly cycle. It’s recommended that you do a breast exam after your cycle because breast tissue is “more normal” during that time because of the drop in hormones. Every woman’s breast tissue is different, which is why you should do this on monthly bases to become familiar with your breast tissue so you can determine what is normal and abnormal for you. For more information on what to look for during a breast exam, you can visit http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BreastSelfExam.html. In addition, every woman should know about her family history. There is a greater risk for breast cancer if you have a family history. Women who are over the age 40 should get a mammogram every 1-2 years, if they’re not at heightened risk. If you have a greater risk of breast cancer or breast problems due to family history, you should get a mammogram before age 40 and when in doubt, ask your physician. Life is short but it can be very sweet when we not only care for those around us but ourselves as well.

What’s Ailing America?

Until now, the mortality rate has been at a continuous up rise since the 1970’s. Today more Americans are experiencing higher levels of stress with busier lifestyles, leaving little time to care for themselves. An epidemic of heart disease, metabolic diseases, high blood pressure and obesity are at an all time high. According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination, a survey showed more than one-third of U.S. adults were obese in 2005 and 2006, 33.3% were men and 35.3% were women. The CDC says 1 in 3 adults have high blood pressure and 31% of them are not aware they have it. In the same year, American Heart Association estimated more than 80,600,000 men; women and children in the United States have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease. In 2005, the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases gave and alarming statistic of 20.8 million people in the United States have diabetes with 6.2 million not aware they have the disease. In our society today, why has this become a problem, when there are more choices of non-fat, fat-free and trans-fat-free foods? Are we missing something?

There are several contributing factors to this epidemic, first the lack of exercise. Technology has made life easier with the result of more adults and children becoming sedentary. Computers and the internet have made multitasking a cinch. Paying your bills online is very common. In addition, you can send typed letters and attachments to people via the internet (email) without ever having to walk to the mailbox. Children and teens are spending more time in doors playing Nintendo and Xbox games instead of outdoor activities. In October 2007 NPD Inc., a marketing and research group, took an online survey from 3,474 members. The results showed young teens from the ages of 12-17 years of age spending as much as 10 hours per week playing computer or video games. Thirdly, we live in a fast food society where everyone eats on the go. Most intact homes have two parents working, who don’t have the time to cook nutritious homemade meals, so they resort to precooked or processed foods that are high in sodium or other unhealthy ingredients. The average adult is consuming more than 2500 mg of sodium a day. This is a problem when the recommended daily allowance should be under 2400mg and no more than 1500mg for people with high blood pressure. These types of foods also contain a high percentage of saturated fats. Fourthly, Americans are choosing to buy food items that are labeled fat-free, sugar-free or trans-fat-free, this is not always the case. These food items may contain a higher amount of other unhealthy ingredient to substitute what the food is lacking. A large number of trans-fat-free food products still contain a small percentage of a very unhealthy fat. For instance, look at the ingredients of a food product labeled, “no-trans-fats”, if you find the words, partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils and shortening, it still contains the culprit. The FDA allows a daily allowance of 2 grams of trans fats a day. Such a small amount has been showed in a study of 140,000 subjects to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease by 23%. Trans fats should be avoided whenever possible.



What’s the solution? Take time and read food labels. Although the labeling on food products maybe tricky, the FDA has made nutrition labels more legible. Most food labels show the amount of nutrients you are getting in a particular food product. In addition, you’ll find a breakdown of the percentage of nutrients in a particular food item that goes toward your daily allowance based on a 2000-calorie diet. Labels are also telling us if a food product is high in sugar or lacks in fiber. Parents can set better examples to their children by making healthier food choices. An example would be to have your child pick a vegetable at the grocery store to try at dinnertime. Next, allow your child to take part in preparing and cooking the vegetable. This helps the child feel more in control of what they’re eating. Parents can also make eating healthy fun for their child by making food characters. For instance, try slicing an apple in half and coring it; next spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on each half, then add two small slices of bananas for eyes and a few raisins to make a mouth.

As a Personal Trainer/ Health Coach, I’ve worked several years in the health and fitness industry. Guiding people along to help them make better nutritional choices and incorporate exercise into their daily lives by taking small steps. Research has shown that exercising for as little as 20-30minutes a day can make you healthier. If you’re really unfit an struggle with a full 30 minutes of exercise, this can be broken down into 2-3
10-minute exercise sessions and still provide health benefits. Eating five small healthy meals a day that include several servings of fruits and vegetables can actually help speed up your metabolism, versus skipping meals. When we skip meals the body tends to store those calories because it’s not being nourished regularly. On the other hand, when the body is being nourished regularly it uses those calories as they come, thus speeding up the metabolism. However, if you exceed the amount of calories your body needs on a daily bases, this can backfire causing weight gain. The key is to stay active and eat healthy.

Longevity is still at an up rise for those who practice a healthy lifestyle and make nutritious food choices. Those individuals can expect to live into their 80’s. On the other hand if Americans don’t start holding themselves accountable by making lifestyle changes for the better, the result will be a poorer quality of life and a premature death with a life expectancy of around 30% less.

Cancer Awareness

Cancer remains the number two killer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, there are various types of cancers that share the same characteristics of, uncontrolled spread and growth of cells that are abnormal. As these abnormal cells grow and spread, they will divert the body’s nutrient rich blood and oxygen supply thus restricting and cutting off blood flow to other vital organs resulting in death if not treated. Cancer is a ruthless disease that should raise concern with every person in the world whether you have, don’t have, know or don’t know someone who is affected by this disease. There are things you can do to reduce your risk and bring awareness.


To help decrease your risk of Cancer and other ailments, you can start by maintaining a normal weight for your height and body frame. Exercising on a regular bases is detrimental. As little as 20-30 minutes a day can make a world of difference. Life’s daily task makes this difficult for some, which is why this can be broken into smaller exercise sessions. Life is more valuable than anything that fills your schedule, which is why this needs to be a priority. Eating a balanced diet is vital to reduce your risk of cancer.This should include whole grains as well as fruits, veggies and protein. Eating five or more servings a day of fruits and veggies is a must if you don’t have any medical condition that requires restrictions. Fat should be a part of your diet as well. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated fats are heart healthy fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, fish and oils. Essential fatty acids help to create and repair cells, they also help with hormone function, regulating the immune system, vital organ function and more. Protein is important in order for the body to function at it’s best. Your diet should include lean sources of protein to reduce health risk. These sources include, fish, poultry, beans, tofu, soy and lean red meats in moderation. There are also benefits to drinking green tea when it comes to cancer. Research has shown that there is an antioxidant in green tea called catechins that helps to reduce free radical damage in cells that can contribute to cancer. In order to reap the benefits one must drink two or more cups a day. In addition, knowing your family history is a must when it comes to prevention. Research has shown a genetic link to cancer. In other words, you might be at greater risk if your parents, sister, brother, cousin, aunt, uncle or grandparents have had or currently have cancer. Make this known to your physician so he or she can determine early screening. Your lifestyle can put you at a greater risk of cancer as well. If you’re a smoker, make the choice to quit. If you regularly tan, stop. If your exposed to second hand smoke or work in an environment that has chemical substance that are known to put you at risk of cancer, change careers or move to another position that’s less of a risk. If you have multiple sex partners your at a greater risk to develop some types of cancer.

In closing, I have friends, family and neighbors who have battled cancer and in some cases loss the fight. By posting this blog I hope to raise awareness and help win this battle against a disease that still has many unanswered questions. If everyone gets involved whether it’s donating time, money or becoming an advocate we can all help potentially win a war that’s worth fighting for. You can visit www.cancer.org to find out more about how you can get involved.

Is GMO really safe and what exactly is it? You decide.

GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. In other words, foods that have been genetically altered to some degree. Genetic modification was created to make foods more resistant to viruses, bacteria, and insect infestation and more. In terms of animals, it increases the growth rate. Genetic modification has not only allowed for farmers to produce larger crops but also crops that are more nutritionally rich. This breakthrough has saved thousands if not millions of lives around the world from starvation. In terms of animal meat, genetic modification has allowed for a greater production of meat, eggs and milk. In addition, the byproduct of GMO is less. Meaning better waste management, less water and soil needed. It also allows for the use of “greener” bioherbicides and bioinsecticides. Sounds good, are there any down sides? GMO has been around for sometime now, however no one really knows how, when or if it will affect humans. Since antibiotics are used, this can potentially increase human’s resistance to antibiotics. It can also potentially increase risk of allergies. Not all labels on food products will tell you if the item is genetically modified. Also this process causes stress on the animal. There is also the potential risk of advances in genetic modification being made and those results being altered to suit the best interest of other wealthier countries. There is also the disturbing fact that we could be consuming some animal genes in plants and plant genes in animal genes. Lastly, knowing that the product that has been created by God through nature is now being modified. People should have the right to choose whether they want a genetically altered food or not. With that in mind, foods should be labeled to disclose this information. When something is too good to be true, it usually raises red flags and should be questioned. In the case of GMO, it could have some terrible repercussions down the road for humans and nature.