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BE BETTER
We are always moving. The world is always in motion. We are either living or dying and never standing still. Being better equals forward motion. Ongoing betterment is where learning never ends. Consider the following: A man sees a woman of his every desire on an island in the middle of moving waters. In a boat, he rows towards her, hoping to reach her. Just when he is almost there he stops and takes a nap. He appears still, but the water, the world, is in motion and he is caught in the current which takes him away from his intended destination. Well versed in physical change, I know that stagnation is not allowed. Failure to move equals failure to succeed. We are either on our way to betterment or we are losing ground. Are we excelling at health, or moving toward illness?
This current economy has engaged people in exploring the concepts of the simpler things in life. We are more health conscious. While the United States may be having a problem with the economy, most of the alternative health care entities I see are not. People are paying attention to themselves and the betterment of their own precious health.
What I do come across, when it comes to individuals wanting better health, is false beliefs. False beliefs are a trap. A self limiting false belief I hear all too frequently is, “I know what to do. I just don’t do it.” How do we change and modify such flawed thinking which leads to limited outcome? Explore your beliefs. A need to know one’s beliefs and whether or not they are based on reality and not misinformation is key to becoming better. Mindsets will change. There will be a heightened sense of possibilities, power and success. Having control over inner mechanics will only steer us to the future and give us the power to move forward. A sense of helplessness will get you nowhere. Commit to beliefs that are based on sound science and practice; form beliefs and work to maintain them. The results will be so extraordinary that the work will become virtually effortless.
Here at THE HERBAL PATH it is our passion to support you in the quest towards better health. We offer options that are based on sound science and practice. We will assist you in sorting through the wide-spread deceptions and misinformation out there that support false beliefs. Remember false beliefs lead to limited outcomes. We will help you to know and achieve improvement. We will help you be better.
Growth is self-perpetuating and we reap what we sow. Magnify your character by giving something away or giving something back - even if it is as simple as a smile. Eliminate the words “can’t” and “but” from your vocabulary. They are self-limiting. Be responsible for your health. That is “response” - “able”. We are “able” to “respond”. We are able to know exceptional performance. We are able to create incredible change. We are able to “be better”.
POWER STEPS
Steps of Power. That sounds cool, doesn't it? It sounds like if you walk, jog, or even run up a series of steps and WHAM!!! You are empowered!
Resolutions. I bet you made one about a week or so ago with good intention. But if you want results, if you don't want to be saying "what resolution?" by the end of January,
you need empowerment.
While the walk, jog, or run up the steps of power might not be without it's unexpected obstacles, by continuing to put one foot in front of the other, by knowing that you are going to arrive at your destination, your success and achievement are all but guaranteed. Yes, these steps are every bit as empowering as you would like to believe they are. But it's not the steps themselves that change mindsets and bring about empowerment. It is the willingness to tackle them...at all costs.
The Best You've Ever Been. Isn't that the bottom line of every resolution? We resolve to be better. We resolve to be our best. Too many people resign themselves to the belief that we are destined to roll with the punches, to move along with the masses trapped in the river of life, allowing the current to take them in random and unintended directions. You're not one of those people. Maybe at times you feel caught up in the clutter, but you are not satisfied. You want something more.
Health. That is what is most sought after. We want to take control of our health and wellness. We want to age gracefully, maintaining function, independence and an incredible lust for life. We want to be living each day in an energized state with a true passion for life. It's about having the ability and energy to perform at the highest levels whether it's at work, with your family, team, or friends.
The following is a list of 16 steps to a Healthy Lifestyle:I believe that if we are going to succeed, we need to start with a clean slate. Forgive past mistakes, let them go. We can't change the past and there is astounding benefit by putting our energies into today.
- Set the goals you wish to attain.
- Write it down - keep a journal.
- Make a list of habits you need to let go of.
- Develop a plan of action that inspires you.
- Be sure it is based upon reality.
- Carefully define your philosophy of life.
- Note beliefs that you have associated with unwanted habits, (ie: fear)
- Take small daily steps toward creating your change.
- Expect set backs - this is the nature of life after all.
- Stay focused, learn from your setbacks and make needed adjustments.
- Take on only what you can handle without stressing yourself out.
- Take it one day at a time.
- Know that it takes time, perseverance and commitment to reach your goals.
- Know that you do have what it takes.
- Visualize, feel, and be your success.
- Reward yourself for every little step you take. You deserve it.
So, let me give you a place to start. Let's develop a mental and physical clearing through cleansing the toxins from our bodies and creating an environment that supports our need for change and our creations of excellence.
The Herbal Path offers several detoxification kits that are convenient and easy to use. They basically contain encapsulated herbs which extract toxins. Toxins like to hide out in your fat cells, and your brain is 60% fat! The toxic elements are released into your blood stream, absorbed by fiber (either capsules or a powdered drink), and eliminated with the aid of essential fatty acids (available in capsule or you can take it by the spoonful!)
Toxins act like little "interruptors". They interrupt all functions of the body system and keep it from functioning at it's absolute best. We become toxic from the massive amounts of environmental pollutants, processed foods and food additives, prescription and over the counter drugs and cellular metabolism.
A good, quality cleanse (my favorites are from ReNew Life) is an excellent kick off for creating room for the change we desire both in our bodies and in our minds. Allow yourself to start your transformation at the beginning. Rid your body and brain of toxins and your mind of self-imposed limitations. Happy New Year and may you come, one step, to the win - until you rise up to be the best you've ever been!
HOW AND WHY DIETS MAKE YOU FATTER
First, let’s start with “metabolism”. Your “metabolic rate” is the speed at which your body burns through calories. Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body burns just to stay alive, like when you are sleeping. It doesn’t count getting up to go to the bathroom…just the amount of calories your body burns “not to be dead”! We’re talking the energy your body needs to repair cells, to breathe, to keep your heart beating, brain functioning, etc. Basal metabolic rate is the largest component of a person’s daily caloric expenditure. Most women have a BMR of 1200 to 1400 calories per day, and men will be slightly higher than that. It mostly depends on the amount of muscle tissue a person is carrying. You see, muscle tissue is metabolically active tissue – it burns calories just to stay alive, twenty-four/seven!!! Between the ages of twenty and forty years of age most people lose between five and fifteen pounds of calorie burning muscle. Therefore BMR is slowly decreasing as we age.
Now, let’s get to “DIETS”. Notice the first three letters of the word diet: “die”. Hmm…Most commercial diet centers, or diet programs will put you a relatively low calorie diet and may even cut out an entire food group (like carbs). When intake is close to or lower than BMR, the body will slow down its functions in order to be able to survive on the limited amount of incoming fuel. Low calorie diets cause the body to lose a lot of water. (Refer to previous articles for more information on the dangers of dehydration.) The body can give up a large amount of water in a relatively short period of time, like 6-10 pounds in a week. So you go on a diet and all of a sudden you are duped into thinking it must be working! When the body goes into starvation mode, it starts storing every little calorie it can as fat, and tries not to burn any fat in order to prevent you from eventually dying of starvation. (Scientifically, the body cannot lose anymore than 2 pounds of fat in a week’s time.) The body will actually start burning muscle tissue. Now, wait a minute. Muscle burns calories. Muscle cells are where fat is burned. We don’t want to be burning muscle, we want to be maintaining it and even getting more. The number on the scale is going down though. Want to know why? (Of course you do, that’s why you are reading this.) The same amount of muscle weighs five times more than the same amount of fat. It makes for quick temporary weight loss that slows your metabolism down. Within a matter of a short while you will actually start to gain the weight back. Does that sound familiar and isn’t it convenient for the diet industry? You don’t know that your body is rapidly retaining water in response to all the water it just lost, (which can be around 60% of the weight loss you will experience on a low-cal diet). And you don’t know that because you have lost muscle tissue you have just turned your body into a very efficient fat storing machine. You think it was the cookie, or the slice of bread you ate the other day!! You initially lost “weight” with their diet, so you are led to believe that it “worked”. So, what do most people do? Go back on the diet!!! Can you hear that…”Cha-ching…Cha-ching”, the ring of the cash registers at the diet center, the book store, and behind the scenes of the infomercials. Returning to the diet causes your body to adjust your BMR even lower now and you continue to lose more muscle. Then, you again will regain water and pack on fat, think it was your fault, feel like a failure and either return to the diet or give up all together. This is the only industry that I know of where people fail to get what they’ve paid for and blame themselves!
Arm yourself with the simple truth. The real way to decrease body fat permanently, to increase your metabolism and turn your body into a fat burning machine is to eat supportive meals frequently, engage in moderate aerobic exercise and remember muscle. We will break down each of these components in upcoming articles.
IS YOUR BODY A FAT BURNING MACHINE?
Are you “dieting” and not losing weight? Does your weight remain stagnant even though you exercise on a regular basis? Might you even be putting on weight despite your best efforts? And, what does “blood sugar” have to do with this?
Your body has two options for fuel. It can burn fat, and/or, it can burn sugar! Unless you are exercising in an “aerobic” state, with other factors in place, the preferred fuel will be predominately sugar. But while exercising aerobically is the most efficient way to burn body fat at a rapid rate, you can turn your body into a fat burning machine twenty four/seven. You can burn more fat while at rest and especially during exercise. (Wouldn’t you like those workouts to really bring on maximum results?)
It’s all in the biochemistry of blood sugar levels. So let’s keep it real simple here. Every time you put a simple sugar in your body, you literally “lock in” stored body fat. That’s right: fat will not be used as a primary fuel! It has to do with insulin. Insulin is the hormone that regulates sugar transport and storage. It is vital for energy production. It is produced by the pancreas in amounts dictated by blood sugar levels. (Unless you have Diabetes which is a blood sugar irregularity.)
Insulin transports blood glucose to the muscle cells to use as energy, thus reducing the amount of sugar in the blood. This is a good thing! But when you experience that sugar induced blood sugar elevation, your pancreas sort of over reacts and sends out more insulin than required. You get a short term energy rush and then crash, feeling weak and tired. Insulin is also the vehicle which fat rides on to be stored – and it locks it into the garage where it is stored, ie: your hips or waistline. Here’s what’s happening: All carbohydrates must be broken down to their smallest molecular level (simple sugars) before they can permeate the stomach and intestinal walls and enter the blood stream. When you eat carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates on their own (ie: without complementary proteins and fats) all of those sugars are absorbed at once. You momentarily have high blood sugar. The brain then signals the pancreas to send out insulin, and since blood sugar levels are elevated , it over compensates! The excess insulin then stores calories as fat and locks them in so you can’t use them.
What else is happening? Your sugar rush is short lived, for as soon as the insulin starts getting the blood sugar down, it is overcompensating thus leaving you with residual low blood sugar. Now, the body is a real stickler at maintaining homeostasis and wants the blood sugar to be balanced. When it is too low the brain sends out signals to eat more sugar! Can you see the cycle? When you eat sugar, you crave sugar!
So we know cookies are not the best thing to eat, either is ice cream on a regular basis. Neither pass the sugar test. Many low fat dieters, thinking they are doing the right thing, will fill up on foods like pretzels, rice cakes, reduced fat crackers and such. While sugar may not be the first ingredient in these foods you will find “processed”, “enriched”, or “bleached” flour. Guess what? They break down very quickly to sugar! Those sugars are easily converted to triglycerides which are then stored as fat. Yes: FAT!
How do you burn more fat instead of blocking it’s metabolism? You know insulin is the “fat-storing” hormone, but you may not be familiar with the hormone glucagon. Glucagon is your “fat releasing” hormone. Yeah! The problem is your body cannot effectively produce both insulin and glucagon at the same time. So if you are caught in this vicious cycle of carbohydrate cravings your body is too busy producing excess insulin and cannot effectively produce glucagon. No glucagon, no fat release! No fat release, no burning!
DON'T BE TAKEN
The general public has been misled and misinformed by the slick sellers of TV infomercials and commercial diet centers. Diets will make you fatter. A "tummy-toner" will not give you a six-pack. A "thigh-machine" will not reduce the size of your thighs and many of the "fat free" foods on your supermarket's shelf are actually 100% fat!
Take for example that "fat-free" can of cooking spray - you probably have some in your kitchen cupboard. It says "fat-free", so we looked at the label. Grams of fat: zero; calories: zero; calories from fat: zero. Hmm, let's look at the ingredients: 100% pure corn oil. How do companies get away with these false claims, you ask? Food labels and other regulations are tricky. You have to read the fine print. According to the FDA, any food that supplies half a gram or less of fat per serving may be labeled as "fat-free". However, there aren't any regulations as to the size a serving has to be. One serving of the cooking spray is two-tenths of a gram. Well, two-tenths of a gram of anything is going to contain less than one gram of fat!Arm yourself with knowledge. Get the proper information from a qualified source whose goals are in line with your health and wellness needs. There are lots of billion dollar companies out there with billion dollar marketing schemes. Don't be taken!
STAYING FIT
Let’s face it, by now we all know that we need to be exercising for better health.Fitness and exercise is no longer a “craze”, but a critical part of our daily lives, hectic as they may be. We want maximum results out of the time we spend working out. Getting the most out of an exercise program includes proper amounts of aerobic activity, strength training and flexibility.Aerobic exercise challenges and strengthens the heart and lungs. The heart becomes a more efficient pump and the body becomes a more efficient calorie burner. Benefits include increased metabolism and reduction of body fat stores, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Regular exercise promotes mental well-being by reducing stress and depression while increasing energy levels. Aerobic activity is most beneficial when performed 3-5 times a week with a duration of 30 – 45 minutes.Examples include walking, jogging, hiking, biking, swimming and aerobic fitness classes.
Applying force against any resistance, whether it is a dumbbell, a stack of weights or elastic bands, results in our muscles, joints and bones becoming stronger. Denser bones are more resistant to osteoporosis and stronger muscles and joints allow us to do more activity without being as prone to injury. Other benefits include increased metabolism – muscle burns calories at a high rate, even at rest and pound for pound takes up less space than body fat. Optimal strength training requires 2-3 sessions a week that include all major muscle groups.
Stretching the muscles and increasing joint mobility relaxes the mind, tunes up the body and prevents injury and chronic musculoskeletal problems such as low back pain. It makes strenuous activities easier because it prepares the body for the activity.Stretching is beneficial before, during and after every workout, especially when preceded by a light warm-up activity.
In addition to the basic recommendations above, daily activity of any kind contributes to good health and physical fitness. You can take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the farthest parking space when doing errands, even working in the garden and playing with the kids in the yard counts. If you are new to exercise, start slowly and seek qualified instruction from a fitness professional. It is important that your fitness program is right for you and the exercises are performed safely and correctly. Always check with your doctor if you have any health risks or concerns. Have fun!
Next:Learn the role that vitamins, minerals and other supplements play in developing positive fitness and weight management.
SAFE SUPPLEMENTATION FOR WEIGHT-LOSS - PART 1
If you are already at a healthy weight, congratulations. For most people weight loss is on their minds - and for good reason. Statistics tell us that despite the billions of dollars spent each year in the weight loss market, U.S. obesity rates continue to rise. Many popular products offer quick fixes but fail to provide promised results leaving us disappointed and with feelings of failure. What’s more, some of these products have undesirable side effects, wreak havoc on the body’s natural energy systems, and are often addictive drugs.
While nothing can take the place of physical activity and supportive eating, understanding a little bit about how our bodies function with the use of natural supplements can be helpful. First to know is that no supplement melts fat, whether it is natural or not. Fat burning requires fat mobilization and then the delivery of fatty acids into the muscle cell where they can be burned as fuel. You must understand that the supplement is just that; it supplements the efforts you are already putting towards a healthy lifestyle.
Most of us are already familiar with the dangers of being overweight. Obesity leads to vascular problems, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and other serious conditions. We know that overeating and inactivity fuel weight gain. But there can also be hormonal imbalances, calorie deprivation (under eating) and malnutrition. With the popularity of convenience and overly processed foods, many people consume a host of non-nutrient /empty calories, leaving the body craving the nutrients it needs to function properly. This often leads to self -defeating food binges and the “diet rollercoaster”.
In upcoming issues we will explore the roles of vitamins and minerals, probiotics, fatty acids, cleanses, antioxidants, thermogenics, energy enhancers, fat blockers, blood sugar regulators, hormonal support and appetite suppressants. For more information and specific products please feel free to stop by The Herbal Path and consult with one of our very knowledgeable staff members.
SAFE SUPPLEMENTATION FOR WEIGHT-LOSS - PART 2
Muscle is the sight where fat is burned. The body must be in the right hormonal and chemical balance in order to release fat to the muscle cell. (Much of this is acquired through exercise and nutrition.) There are a lot of little “helpers” or catalysts that can create the proper environment in our bodies to burn fat more efficiently. Starting with a good quality “whole food” vitamin and mineral complex is important. Beware of synthetically based vitamins that cannot be absorbed or utilized in the body. Vitamins and minerals are indispensable, essential, non-caloric organic nutrients needed in certain amounts in the diet. The role of many are to serve as “helpers” to the cell machinery that makes possible the processes by which other nutrients are digested, absorbed, metabolized or built into body structures. They liberate energy (the calories you get from macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats) into usable energy for the human body. Along with making it possible for your body to burn fat and structure muscle, they also boost endorphin levels making you feel more energetic and likely to exercise and not eat in response to negative emotions such as stress.
Probiotics are a nice little secret for losing weight. They help add the much needed B vitamins into your system as well as aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. Energy production depends on almost every known nutrient, especially B vitamins. They are active in converting carbohydrates into blood glucose, the fuel that is burned during metabolism to energize all body cells, instead of storing them as fat. If you are low in your B’s it will be much harder for you to change stored fat into energy! If you want to lose weight you must give nourishment to your body. This is where the beneficial bacteria in a good probiotic can help you stabilize the fat burning process. They ensure better nutrient absorption . The more nutrients your body can absorb the less hungry you will be and the more efficient every bodily function will be. They also control yeast overgrowth which can cause gas, bloating and bulging of the stomach area. In a nutshell probiotics help you absorb the necessary substances to burn fat and keep your belly flat! Yeah! In addition to probiotics to aid in digestion try digestive enzymes, ginger and Swedish bitters.
Every function in your body relies heavily on water. Yes, even the burning of fat cells! Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water can actually reduce fat deposits. Here’s why: The kidneys can’t function properly without enough water. When they don’t work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolize fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney’s work, it can’t operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. Retained water shows up as excess weight. Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water, it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold onto every drop. Water is stored in extracellular spaces (outside the cells). This shows up as swollen feet, legs, hands and bodies! To get rid of excess water, you must drink more water. Drinking water is essential to weight loss.
Guess what?! We need to eat fat in order to lose fat! Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) from sources such as fish oil and flaxseed oil are important for all processes of the body to work properly. The body must have a certain amount of beneficial fats in order to function and lose weight. They exert a significant lipid-lowering effect. EFA’s, which include Omega 3 oils have the ability to boost thermogenesis by increasing metabolic rate. They are also associated with reduced fat storage and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Dietary fat also provides a sense of fullness or satiation after eating. Often people on low fat diets feel hungry all the time. Healthy fats and oils help you feel satisfied. It is easier to make healthier food choices when your stomach is not growling! They also help dieting by providing a more sustained release of energy and slower rise in blood sugar.
We will investigate more about blood sugar regulation and the use of cinnamon bark, fenugreek and GTF chromium as well as thermogenics such as cayenne extract, ginger, green and white tea and bitter orange in the next article of this series. We will also address the roles of amino acids such as L-Carnitine and L-Glutamine, appetite supressents such as Hoodia, antioxidants, energy enhancers, fat blockers and cleanses. In the meantime, if you’d like more information on specific products, please feel free to stop by The Herbal Path and consult with one of our very knowledgeable staff members.
SAFE SUPPLEMENTATION FOR WEIGHT-LOSS - PART 3
Processed foods, lack of exercise, stress, starvation, malnourishment and the masses of misinformation have created an imbalance in our bodies that make it impossible to lose weight. This article will address some of the natural supplements that can help you achieve a healthy body weight and stay there.
As always, I remind you that a supplement is only that: a supplement. It will assist you with what you are already doing which is the right nutrition and physical activity. (Please feel free to contact me for more information on diet and exercise.)
A great kick off to any health program is to detox. The Herbal Path offers several detoxification kits that are convenient and easy to use. They basically contain encapsulated herbs which extract toxins from your fat cells and enter them into your blood stream. Fiber works as a sponge to soak them up and essential fatty acids help with elimination. If a fat cell is full of toxins there is not enough space for oxygen to enter and oxygen is necessary for fat metabolism (fat burning). Plus those toxins are like little “interrupters”. They “interrupt” all functions of the body system. Think about that for a minute. We become toxic from the massive amounts of environmental pollutants, processed foods and food additives, prescription and over the counter drugs and cellular metabolism. I feel detoxification is a must for weight loss. We have many books on the subject, plus the kits I mentioned, my favorite being ReNew Life Products. They are fairly inexpensive and should be done at least twice a year.
New Chapter is company that puts out a fine line of clinically proven supplements. There are many that I find useful in successful weight loss programming. New Chapter features super-critical extractions of herbs. They do not use solvents such as hexane and acetone, but rather CO2 instead. They squeeze the herb while refrigerated making it into a superfluid which is a state between liquid and gas. This assures the broadest range of constituents and the extracts do not need to be heat treated. (Heating decreases the integrity of the herb).
What is going to help us lose weight? Diet and Energy is a fabulous product supporting all processes of diet and exercise. It contains green and white tea which is a thermogenic (increases metabolism and the fat burning process.) It is a cardiovascular enhancing antioxidant which lowers blood pressure and increases serotonin levels, (the brain chemical that modulates appetite control).
It suppresses appetite, balances cortisol levels which can impair blood sugar metabolism and lead to insulin resistance, and aids in accessing and releasing body fat. Two capsules are equal to drinking 5 cups of the tea.
Diet and Energy also contains Cayenne extract which, again, is a powerful thermogenic, as is another of it’s ingredients : Ginger. Ginger has hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering), anti-inflammatory effects as well as antioxidants to help the body when ridding of toxins. It promotes fat-digesting bile and starch-digesting saliva.
Maca is an adaptogenic herb contained in this product, enhancing glandular hormonal balance and increases energy and stamina. Another adoptogenic ingredient is Rhodiola. Rhodiola increases stamina, endurance, mood, serotonin levels, memory and cognitive function. It reduces the physiological stress that can impair weight loss. It increases ATP production via the mitochondria (the energy and power house of each of your cells.) It broadens creatine and ATP action and activates the enzyme lipase to burn fat.
Diet and Energy includes the phytoglyemic herb familiar to us all: Cinnamon. Cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels and promotes insulin sensitivity therefore diminishing insulin resistance. It increases insulin action three times over, helping sugar get into the cells to be used as energy instead of being stored as fat. It mimics the action of insulin causing receptor sites to open and stimulate glucose metabolism.
Another important component of Diet and Energy is GTF (glucose tolerance factor) Chromium. Chromium is an influential antioxidant involved in glycemic (blood sugar) control. It increases insulin receptor sensitivity, enhancing glucose transport into cells to maintain normal blood sugar levels. It functions best along with exercise and its absorption is increased with Vitamin C intake. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is also used with Chromium to improve glucose tolerance. See how everything needs to work together?!
Weight loss is a puzzle with many pieces needing to come together in order to create tangible results. It’s about a chemical balancing act in your body which allows it to burn fat for energy. If blood sugars are awry and insulin levels are all over the place the body will be more likely to store fat, as the hormone insulin is the vehicle that fats rides on to be stored and then locks it in the garage (your hips or belly maybe?). Insulin is the fat “storing” hormone and glucagon is the fat “burning” hormone. The problem is your body cannot make them both at the same time. If you are busy overproducing or underutilizing insulin the body can’t effectively produce glucagon. Whereas if you can keep your blood sugars level, you can keep your body producing glucagon and burning fat twenty-four/seven – and we haven’t even talked about exercise yet! More on that soon…