For those of you interested in our client who climbed Mt. Whitney last week for his 65th birthday, John Adair, he has a terrifc response and overview of his experience. Check out his comments in the comment section of our blog dated 7-22-2010! His inspiring overview will motivate you !!!
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John’s Mt. Whitney Follow Up
Sunday, July 25th, 2010The Happiest Place on Earth? Not with fake Lemonade…
Monday, June 21st, 2010My much younger siblings come into town once a year for a California vacation. I spend part of the time doing their nutritional analysis and testing. I am proud of the progress that they each have made over the last few years considering they have been dealing with the social hazards of being a teenager or young adult. We go swimming, I cook healthy foods for them, and provide some treats that stay within the realms of reasonableness.
Then we decided to take a day trip to the happiest place on earth; I know that Disney does not have the best choices for the average American trying to stay on a healthy eating plan so I prepare. We ate a good breakfast and brought protein bars for snacking and tuna packets (simply add to a side garden salad!) knowing that the entrée choices will be less than desirable when we get to lunch time. But as I went to the snack bar with them I was FLOORED at the “lemonade” they were serving. Any one that knows me and Angie’s World knows that I am appalled at the injection of corn in our diets. With high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maltodextrin, and citric acid in everything from soda (no surprise) to salad dressing and crackers (always a surprise). But this latest discovery was disturbing. The lemonade had NO lemons in it…NONE, NADA!! It contained three ingredients that were all corn…Corn Syrup, Maltodextrin and citric acid!! In fact, the label touted it as a good thing in a big bubble that stated: Contains no fruit juice! (like it was a good thing!)
Now I know that lemonade can be full of sugar and not the best choice for hydration but at the very least it should have lemons in it and maybe some cane sugar but ALL CORN! This food staple has been subsidized to the point of poor quality even for our livestock to eat. This product (I don’t even want to classify it as produce anymore) makes our bodies store fat just like cattle that they are getting ready to slaughter and they want them as heavy as possible! Then I see people making the choice for lemonade probably thinking they are making a better choice than soda and I am sad for them. Sad that you have to have some knowledge in chemistry and biology to eat healthfully these days. In Disney’s defense, they do offer fruit stands where you can purchase apples, oranges, bottled water and a few other healthy things. I do wish they would become more proactive and
start offering some better choices in their prepared food selections. Perhaps offering organic choices and food with real grilled chicken (not processed chicken product). I would be willing to pay for such products and so would a lot of others that are gaining knowledge about their eating choices. Come on Mickey, even if you aren’t concerned about people’s health at least recognize this is a market that you could capture and that you would help people to purchase more of your products while in the park as opposed to having to haul our own around!
Perhaps Mickey can create his own food line that only is made from real food… Now, that would make it the happiest and healthiest place on earth!
How to Tell if Eggs are Fresh
Thursday, June 10th, 2010I stumbled upon this great information from whatscookingamerica.net on how to determine if you should “chuke it” or “eat it”:
A general rule to follow is that any egg that looks or smells odd should not be used. If an egg is bad you will know it. Just smell the egg! Just crack each egg in a small bowl, smell it – your nose will tell you!
How to test if an egg is fresh
First Method:
Fill a deep bowl with water and carefully lower the egg into the water. A very fresh egg will immediately sink to the bottom and lie flat on its side. This is because the air cell within the egg is very small. The egg should also fee quite heavy.
As the egg starts to lose it freshness and more air enters the egg, it will begin to float and stand upright. The smaller end will lie on the bottom of the bowl, while the broader end will point towards the surface. The egg will still be good enough to consume.
However, if the egg fully floats in the water and does not touch the bottom of the bowl at all, it should be discarded, as it will most likely be bad.
Second Method:
Test the eggs freshness by breaking the egg onto a flat plate, not into a bowl. The yolk of a very fresh egg will have a round and compact appearance and it will sit positioned quite high up in the middle of the egg. The white that surrounds it will be thick and stays close to the yolk.
A less fresh egg will contain a flatter yolk, that may bread easily and a thinner white that spreads quite far over the plate.
Gluten-Free? Diet Craze or Epidemic?
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010More and more products are now advertising that they are gluten-free. What does “gluten free” mean anyway? Good question! Gluten is the protein found in wheat. Any wheat containing product will also have gluten in it. As a nutritionist, I am noticing many people are confused with the emphasis on the recent gluten-free craze. Because we have seen the Atkins Diet, and low-fat diets, and many other diet plans, it is easy to dismiss the gluten-free acronym as just another diet. The truth is, gluten sensitivity is becoming epidemic in the world. Symptoms are often seen within 20 minutes of eating wheat containing foods, but may take up to 6 hours. These symptoms can include: headache, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, anemia, congestion, itchy ears, phlegm, malabsorption of nutrients, moodiness, and the list goes on and on. HOWEVER – gluten sensitivity may be asymptomatic (no symptoms at all!). But prolonged exposure can lead to serious health consequences. Gluten sensitivity at its extreme is diagnosed as celiac disease. But can also show up as colitis, crohns disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Long term exposure to wheat in sensitive individuals is directly linked to elevated liver enzymes and/or cirrhosis, faulty thyroid function, and alzheimer’s disease.
So how come so many of us are having problems with wheat nowadays?
The underlying reason, in my opinion, is genetically modified wheat. When we genetically modify a food, we change its chemical structure. This new structure is unfamiliar to our bodies and our bodies react to it. This causes autoimmune responses. Wheat was the first genetically modified food, thus we are now seeing reactions to this food. Next, we will most likely see allergic responses to corn and soy – two other foods that are genetically modified.
The big problem I see with these modified foods is that once you eat them, your body sends signals against that particular food. Meaning, if you eat a genetically modified wheat product, your body now will react to ALL wheat that you consume – regardless if it is modified. Your body views it as an intruder.
Unlike normal food allergies, a person can’t eat gluten in moderation. Any bite or sip of a gluten containing product will cause harm to a sensitive person’s body regardless how long they have avoided gluten. This is very scary considering that wheat is in so many of our foods, cosmetics, lotions and shampoos. If you are gluten sensitive, I would advise you to google gluten-containing foods because it will freak you out just how many products have gluten in it. For example: soy sauce, ketchup, artificial maple syrup, chips, breaded items, frozen entrees, pasta, and salad dressing may contain gluten.
So how do you know if you have a sensitivity if you don’t have any symptoms? There are two ways to find out. One is a blood test by your doctor. The other is by doing a non-invasive (no needles!) sensitivity screening at my office.
The Big Game Is Sunday Will It Give You Big Buns?
Friday, February 5th, 2010By Wilma Young
It’s the beginning of the year. You have applied yourself to a healthy lifestyle and have made some positive strides towards this goal. Your pants aren’t quite as tight and the holiday fatigue seems to be waning. Then it appears, in the horizon, you can see the fat laden 7 layer dip with a side of corn chips nestled between a case of beer and a hot dog the size of the Goodyear blimp and you go weak in the knees. This is the first big “food-fest” of the year and it is a time that you can be tested. I have seen the ads for the football shaped cupcakes and the touchdown brownies but you will NOT score with these foods. Even if you make it to the end zone you will ultimately lose the Big Game! I want to encourage during this weekend to be strong. Have a protein shake or a small meal before you go to a party so that you will be less tempted to partake in these sidelining foods. Choose the veggie tray with salsa as your snack instead of the chips and cheese. Choose the BBQ chicken instead of the hot dogs and hamburgers and if necessary keep an “emergency” protein bar in your purse so that you don’t become the Big Bad Wolf when you see the little red flags of pseudo-food. If you can make it through Sunday by making better food choices 80% of the time you will be well on your way to the best year of your life. You will have proven to yourself that you can go to parties and eat well, be with friends and family and not salivate over the fatty foods and you can improve your body, mind and spirit. You will win big at the game of life and isn’t that really what winning is all about?
Dealing with the Demons of Failure
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010By Wilma Young
Why is it that we can encourage our children, cheer on our best friends, console our spouses but leave ourselves in a tailspin over the slightest of indiscretions? I recently had a conversation with a client regarding her “failures”. She was feeling like a week of “bad behavior” had negated months of hard work. I have most certainly walked in her shoes! The roller coaster of changing your health and improving your body is not always easy. We start with the best of intentions. We shop and prepare, work out and plan only to find a sick child or an extra project at work provides a temporary derailment. This is usually the time we give up! If this were to happen to our loved one, we would hug them and encourage them but for ourselves, we berate and get disgusted with the fact that we are not perfect. We ultimately feel like a failure. I am suggesting that we turn this around once and for all. The definition of failure is never to try. The definition of success is making to the gym, making a healthy choice for lunch and providing a nurturing environment for our own personal growth. The definition of success is trying despite the fact that we do not accomplish perfectionism. Beside, perfectionism is an unrealistic goal and even to get close is setting ourselves up for a rigid regime that leaves us bankrupt and depressed. Let’s pride ourselves in the journey, pat ourselves on the back every time we make the healthy choice, hug ourselves for loving our own bodies and investing in them. To care for ourselves in even the tiniest of ways is truly a success. It is the small changes every day that make lasting results. Remember, failure is never trying, success is taking ACTION!
Fast Food, Slow Death
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010By Wilma Young, CPT
I got home today and what was my mailbox FULL of? Fast Food ads! A bucket of “this” and a biscuit stuffed “that” served with a huge side of heart disease and high cholesterol. I came home a bit tired and not wanting to cook so I can understand how hard it can be to resist these easy fast meals but I urge you…NO I beg you not to do it. The sodium, hydrogenated fats and useless “filler” of a food may be cheap today but our body’s will pay dearly in the future. Yes, this economy makes us think that the $2.99 special is the way to keep us going but please, think this through. You will pay for that meal with a slowing digestive tract, a weaker immune system, less nutrition in the body, poorer sleep and eventually a waistline that will bring in chronic disease and dare I say, jeans that will know longer have a home because you will have out grown them. I did not have an exciting dinner. No, I must say it was bland but I didn’t have the creative strength to whip up a Julia Child entree. So what did i eat? I had an easy omelette. 10 minutes from prep to plate…and it only cost me $3.01 (and no sales tax:)!. This was using only the best ingredients, a high Omega egg ($.36) , egg whites from a high quality source (@ $.75), organic steamed broccoli (@ $1.00) and some low fat cottage cheese ($.90). Not the dinner that I had in mind but I have added good nutrition, better sleep, lower blood pressure, a good mood and lots of “positive brain and body food” to my life. I can do this because I shop smartly and keep the best staples in my fridge and pantry, Julia Child may not be impressed but I will guarantee that you will thank yourself for a meal well prepared and a waistline that will fit in to your future the way you have always dreamed it would!
It’s That Time of Year Again!
Sunday, January 10th, 2010By Wilma Young, CPT
You know the drill. It’s Thanksgiving, then Christmas and then of course a Happy New Year, right? But when we let ourselves have a little too much “celebration” and too little activity we feel a bit sluggish and in some need of a fast fix. My advice to you is RESIST!!! Resist the urge to go the “quick fix” route. The only way you can lose weight quickly is in an unhealthy way…starvation, too little protein, and skipping breakfast. Doing these things leads to unhealthful weight loss and irritability and then our family and friends pay the price of a grumpier “you”! This route will not bring you to a healthy body weight that can be sustained for a long period and then next year you could be right back in the same boat with even more to lose. Let’s get off this roller coaster once and for all. I am going to suggest that THIS year you do it differently, that THIS year you will make the consistent healthy choices that will prolong your life, that THIS year you will give yourself more energy and a stronger body and set yourself up for a happier you all year long. If you just commit to one change per week and stick with it you will impact your life not only physically but you will empower yourself spiritually. This year will be the year that you invest in yourself! Besides, aren’t you worth it?
How to turn every task into fun
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009By Carol Dodsley
Do you find yourself with things you just know have to be done but the thought of doing them fills you with a feeling of gloom, boredom or you just can’t be bothered even thogh you know you “should” do them?
When this happens, first ask yourself – why do I need to do this? what positive effect will doing this have for me?
It may be that you are about to peel a host of potatoes and carrots and you just don’t like doing that but the positive outcome is that you are going to have a fantastic meal – thinking of the fantastic meal as you peel the potatoes will make you feel much better and will give the task a postive reason rather than a feeling of boredom as you do it.
You can also turn a monotonous, boring task into fun! – How?
Make a game out of it!
For example, time yourself and keep trying to improve your time.
Let’s say you have to peel 30 potatotes and carrots to peel
See how many potatoes you can peel in 3 minutes. Then try to beat your own record.
Or you can time yourself to see how long it takes you to peel one potatoe. And beat your record again!
The good thing is you will always be a winner. 
You can turn any boring task into fun game, there are lots of ways to do it, just use a little imagination!
Making tasks fun and keeping the positive benefits of doing a task in yoru mind as you do it is proven to increase motivation and productivity by more than 125%!
Build fun and see the positive outcomes of everything you do throughtout the day and you’ll notice that you’re getting more work done in a less amount of time.
Have a great day and remember to smile and notice all the wonderful things around you!
Interested in more motivation from Carol?
Go to this link: http://www.choosechanges.com/inspirationaldailylifedesignplanner.html
Are You making positive changes in your life everyday?
Monday, July 20th, 2009by Carol Dodsley
Do you enjoy making changes in your life, (I have some great tools and special offers for you later in this email as well as hints and tips on making changes the easy way so do read on)
do you enjoy facing changes that are imposed on you?
How do you deal with change?
Some of us deal with change easily and embrace change, as it gives us variety and excitement, others of us feel wary of change, don’t like to leave our comfort zones and try new things or have new ways put upon us.
The world is though, always changing, nothing stays the same, we are on a continuous circle or wheel throughout our lives, sometimes we are at the top, other times we are at the bottom and the rest of the time we are in-between.
If we wait for change to be imposed on us – this is when it can be really difficult as we have not asked for it, perhaps were not waiting for it, do not want it. evertheless if it is imposed we have to del with it.
So how can we accept changes imposed on us more easily, how can we look forward to change and see it as an opportunity, an exciting journey, something to embrace?
Th first thing you can do is to start making changes for yourself, instead of simply waiting for them to be imposed on you. Try it starting today, think of one small thing that you can change in yoru life that will make your life better, easier, more fun.
It may be something as simple as changing the colour of our lipstick, or your tie. It may be something like changing what you eat for breakfast or trying a new drink.
It doesnt matter what it is as long as it is a change, something that you normally wouldn’t do.
When you make the change, listen to your thoughts, take note of what you feel and how you feel, do you feel confident, scared, apprehensive, excited?
What was the effect of the change on your day?
Practice making one change – whether small or big – everyday and you wll soon notice a difference in your life and will soon look for new things to do, new ways of doing things and will find yourself wanting to make bigger and more dramatic changes for yourself in your life.
As you begin to feel comfortable making your own changes and start to look forward to making changes, when changes are imposed on you they will no longer be the dreaded things in your life but they will become things that excite you and that you know you can deal with easily and effortlessly.
To your every success
Carol