Valerie Early, RD

Most people who lose weight gain it back within two years after their “diet,” often with a few extra, unwanted pounds. Keeping a food diary helps maintain your desired weight, but it can be very difficult to keep a food diary long term. If you learn these practical guidelines you will be able to go out to eat, travel, work, and live while maintaining your weight goals with or without a food diary.
1) If a food has a nutrition label, read it. Do not guess. Be sure to understand the serving size. It may be half the bag, 1 slice, 1 ounce, 12 pieces, etc. This is the most important rule, and it includes milk and yogurt.
2) If you plan to eat out, Google the restaurant first to see if it has a nutrition facts page. Choose a smaller size, eat an appetizer for a meal, share a meal, or bring half home to eat for a meal next day.
3) In all other cases, memorize these general exchange facts that I use and find to be practical and most accurate:
Most grain carbohydrates: ½ cup of rice, pasta, or cereal; 1 slice of bread; ½ regular size bagel; and ¼ cup of quinoa all equal approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates and about 80 calories.
Fruit carbohydrates: ½ cup of fruit; 1 small piece of whole fruit; ½ banana; or about 1 cup of any kind of berry all equal approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates and about 60 calories.
Sugar: make sure most packaged foods and bars contain 6 grams of sugar per serving or less. Fresh fruit doesn’t count in this rule.
Protein: 1 ounce of any lean meat (loin, flank, round, or filet cuts), poultry, tuna, or seafood; 1 whole organic egg; or 2 egg whites all equal approximately 7 grams of protein and about 35-75 calories.
Fats: 1 teaspoon of any kind (butter or oil) both equals approximately 5 grams of fat and about 45 calories.
Knowing a few simple food facts can go a long way towards creating and maintaining your food, weight and hormonal balancing goals!

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Valerie Early, RD

Let’s look at how food monitoring plays a role in weight.

Food monitoring can help you assess your calories, food portions and meal timing, as well as to identify eating patterns that aren’t in your best interest to lose weight. Depending on your personal goal, food monitoring can help you maintain your weight and lose body fat, lose weight and body fat, or gain weight.

Here are some easy tips to follow if you want to maintain or lose weight.

1) Don’t eat after 7 p.m.
2) Eat at home as much as you can, or pack a lunch or snack as often as possible.
3) Don’t skip meals—consuming inadequate calories stresses the body and often leads to eating binges.

The following tips can be very helpful if you want to gain weight. They are my top three recommendations for weight gain, and they work every time when adjusted to meet your body’s caloric needs.

1) Eat lean protein in the evening with a healthy carbohydrate. Try 4-6 organic egg whites or ¼-½ cup of Egg Beaters, a whey or plant-based shake (such as Complete Shake, made by NSA), and a carbohydrate like a pear.
2) Add nutrient-dense foods that contain lots of calories with low volume so you aren’t as overly full. Some examples of high-calorie, low-volume foods are ¼ to ½ cup of any nuts or seeds added to a salad or eaten with an apple at snack time.
3) Add healthy fats to your meals or snacks. Add 1 teaspoon-2 tablespoons of flax oil with lignans, olive oil, or coconut oil to your cooking, salads, shakes, or foods.

Eating too few or too many calories at meals can contribute to weight gain and increased body fat. Start with a specific calorie or habit change. If that doesn’t work, monitor your food intake with a food journal, adjust your food intake or activity level, eat at least four to six mini meals per day and seek a health professional to assess other possible causes of your lack of progress.

Knowing a few simple food facts can go a long way towards creating and maintaining your food, weight and hormonal balancing goals!

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Valerie Early, R.D.

What do hormones have to do with weight loss and optimal health? Hormone fluctuations affect you throughout your whole life. If estrogen dominance occurs, weight gain occurs, if cortisol is high or low, weight gain occurs. If your adrenals are stressed and DHEA is low you will feel depressed and lose lean muscle. I could go on and on. So what can you do to assess this appropriately?

The best way to determine if you have hormonal imbalances or adrenal issues are through subjective questions posed by a health practitioner familiar with adrenal fatigue and hormones. Then objective testing through a saliva test measures DHEA and cortisol levels. These readings can unravel the causes of depression, increased body fat and waist fat, cognitive changes, anxiety and fatigue and low libido.

For women experiencing PMS, fertility issues, peri-menopause, depression, sleep disturbances, irritability or menopause, estradiol, estriol, progesterone, and testosterone levels should be checked.

For men who are experiencing a decline in libido, motivation and lean mass, testosterone levels should be checked.

Be aware that many doctors will not run tests for these issues. Most doctors are familiar with Addison’s disease, which affects the adrenal glands, and they will only run tests if your symptoms are very severe. However, in most cases these traditional blood tests will not help you determine if you are experiencing adrenal fatigue syndrome or excited adrenals or other hormonal inbalances.

My audio CD, “Renew Your Life through Hormone Balancing” is available to help you understand hormonal issues better. According to Gerry Weaver “Renew Your Life through Hormone Balancing” is a clear presentation of complex material. Valerie Early invites the listeners to not only think about one’s total body health, but suggests to actively take part by asking a few pertinent questions . This CD is a must – to listen to and then listen again.”

Call NCB at 847-985-1200 to order a CD or make a consultation today to assess your hormone levels.

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Dr. Kristina Sargent

Ok. This is the time of year when eating gets totally out of control. Americans think they have a license to eat anything and everything in the name of the Holiday Season. Here are a few tips to curb your appetite and your holiday binges.

• Eat normally throughout the day. Skipping meals causes increases in cortisol, the stress hormone which contributes to belly fat and breaks down muscle tissue.
On that same page, skipping meals will cause you to overeat later in the day. You really won’t save any calories that way.

• Look for the green. In other words, look for the vegetables at a party first. Fill up on that first, then find some protein…if you are still interested in the “fun food” you won’t eat as much.

• Watch portion sizes. If you decide to indulge, you can have a small portion and save tons of calories. Think moderation. A small piece of pie, a small serving of potatoes, you won’t feel deprived. And you won’t overdo it either.

• Use a smaller plate. For buffet dinners – use a 9” or salad plate for the entree. Fill up on salad, then use the smaller plate for the entree too.

• Alcohol – Choose beer or wine – both are around 100 calories on average. Mixed drinks and alcoholic punches can pack over 500 calories or more.

• Take your time eating. Parties tend to rack up calories because we aren’t really paying attention to what we are eating.

• Focus on the people instead of the food. Really parties are all about the people, the food is a bonus. • Ask if you can bring the vegetables and dip – even a full-fat dip and vegetables is better than a lot of the appetizers you could be eating.

• Aim to Maintain. You don’t have to lose through the holidays but let’s not put on the Seasonal Seven

• Avoid fast food by having snacks with you. Head the the grocery store and pack the refrigerator with pre-cut vegetables that can be eaten with pre-portioned hummus or apples and peanut butter are a quick snack that is portable. Always have a portion controlled snack-sized bag of nuts in the car, 20 almonds and a bottle of water will hold you until the next meal without all the added fat and unhealthy additives of the fast-food choices.

• Go for a walk. Park your car as far from the door as possible. Burn a few more calories – it won’t kill you to walk.

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That was me…the smart kid, teachers pet, fat kid sitting in the front row.

At that time there was only one of us that fit that description, now 12 in a class of 30 would be considered overweight or obese.  The statistics are 16% under 18 years old are overweight and 31% are obese.  These statistics are staggering! Where does it start and why?

It starts with the parents and grandparents.  Children of overweight and obese parents/grandparents tend to be overweight and obese. The eating habits of the children are directly related to what the the rest of the family is eating.  This may seem inherently obvious, however, most people think it is a “genetic thing” and not at all related to current lifestyle habits.  I hear it all the time, “well my mom was this way therefore I am too.” This is simply not true. What did your great grandmother eat?  Chances are it looked nothing like what we eat today and call food.

Non-nutritive food like soda, chips, cookies, donuts, processed meats – chicken nuggets, french fries and most breads are devoid of nutrients – these ARE the reason! These foods are high in carbohydrates and fat. And yet, this is the typical food kids consume.  When people tell me about their typical day of food the following is the usual rundown:

• Breakfast: cereal, oatmeal, toast with juice and/or coffee
• Lunch: sandwich (PBJ or lunch meat), yogurt, chips
• Dinner: protein, starch and vegetable or salad on a good day but pizza and pasta is more typical
• Snacks: yogurt, candy bars, granola bar, chips, cookies

 
All the fat and carbs create abdominal obesity or belly fat. High amounts of fat around the middle is correlated with higher risks of diabetes and eventually heart disease.  This is where most children store their fat.  The younger this begins, the younger the diagnosis of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and shorter life expectancy.  Ultimately, this represents a larger burden on our already ailing healthcare system.

So, what is the solution? Parents, it’s up to you! The harsh reality is that you are choosing to feed your kids, and most likely yourselves, the junk that is causing the problem.  “But my kids won’t eat healthy food,” or “it’s too expensive to eat healthy” are the most common excuses.  I am here to tell you both are just that – excuses.  It won’t be easy, that’s true, but it can be done.  A bag of chips costs $2-3 and so does a bag of carrots, at discount grocery stores 3 pounds of apples will cost less than $2 and protein can be purchased at big box stores for greatly reduced prices. Soda and juice are very expensive, drink water, it comes out of your tap for free or buy a filter for your tap – add lemon or lime for flavor. Give it a week and you’ll like it and the kids will drink it if they don’t have other choices.  Step up and be the parent!

 
A typical day of food could look like the following – as a place to start:

• Breakfast: Kashi makes some chewy nut bars, one of those offers a little protein; add a glass of milk; or add an egg – hard boiled can be made ahead – to the appropriate serving size of cereal (see the side of the box and measure it)
• Lunch: Roll up lunch meat around a pickle or cheese stick, baked chips and and apple.
• Dinner: protein, vegetable and 1/2 cup of potatoes rice or pasta
• Snacks: 1/4 c nuts(almonds, cashews etc.), cheese stick and fruit, and greek yogurt and fruit, baby carrots and hummus (1/3 C)

Your children may make a lot of raucous about the changes.  Stick to your decisions, they will eat when they are hungry.  If you can’t control what they eat outside of the home – control what you can.  You don’t have to add to the junk they have already consumed by feeding them non-nutritious “food” at home. My story has a happy ending, it was my mom that insisted we eat right and ultimately taught me appropriate choices.  Although I have had weight challenges, I have been able to maintain a normal weight most of my life.

Dr Kristina Sargent, of Restor Healing Centre, is a chiropractic physician who has been in practice for 18 years in Wheaton. The mission of Restor Healing Centre is to optimize the health of people in the community through empowering patients with education regarding nutrition, exercise and chiropractic care to promote and/or maintain wellness.

References:

• www.chiropractorwheaton.com
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2939537/?tool=pubmed
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18988722
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20603458
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20736922
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20740082

The nation’s scales are rising, and it is clear that obesity is a crisis! So what can we do about America’s obesity epidemic other than avoid the doughnut shop, fast food, and take a walk each day?

There is a difference between obesity and overweight…many of us are on the fringes of each. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), overweight is increased body weight that is at least 10 percent over a recommended weight level. These recommendations are based on a sampling of the US population or by body mass index (BMI), a calculation that measures weight relative to height. If we could all increase in height by about 4 inches, weight would not be such an issue! If not, a person with a BMI greater than 25 is overweight. Obesity is excess fat compared to lean body mass, or a body weight that is 30 percent over the ideal weight for a specific height.

Obesity is measured with one of two yardsticks…and the bathroom scale is not included! An average woman in the US is 5’4” and if she weights 152 pounds, her BMI is 26.1 – yes, she is overweight. A healthy weight for a woman of average height would be approximately 134 pounds.

Bring out your tape measure and calculate waist circumference. When we shop for slacks and need to go up in size, we know that our waist circumference is at risk. But, waist circumference is also a way to assess abdominal fat – a predictor of health risk factors, and that is critical. If you are a female with a 35+ inch waist, consider yourself overweight and at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Welcome to the club!

Causes of obesity…

It is apparent that obesity is caused by eating a diet high in fat and calories, being sedentary, or both. There can be other factors, including genetics, hormones, behavior, environment, and culture. And, obesity is not restricted to adults. Approximately 25 to 30 percent of adult obesity cases began with childhood obesity. You have heard the story, “I was heavy as a child, and this is something that has continued into adulthood.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) labels the obesity problem an “epidemic.” Within the US, 64.5 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese, with the number growing. Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Our sodas and fries are not the only thing being SuperSized today…our kids are too! Food is everywhere…and it is not going away.

We live in a fat economy, and that is good for video games, flat screen TVs, prepared goods, the take-out industry, the fast-food and restaurant industries, and the snack bar at the nearby theatre. Our children are sedentary and so are we! It is so easy to park close, walk little, and eat while we are in the mall. We are on the run…with carpools, conflicting schedules, and multitasking moms, workers, and volunteers. It is so much easier to quickly create something unhealthy, than to start from ‘scratch’ to create a healthy meal, especially when getting the family to the table at the same time each day is a challenge.

So, what is a family to do?

Take soft drinks out of your diet and substitute water. Water is basic to balanced nutrition and transports food particles. Our blood is 90% water and blood requires water to remain fluid so it can create nutrients. Drink one-half of your body weight in water daily to enhance weight loss. Eat healthy, and clean out your refrigerator and closets to eliminate unhealthy snacks and foods! Eat raw foods without sugar, salt and additives and do not eat when you are upset. To do so changes the chemical structure of food and creates hyperacidity in your stomach. That could explain why there is such a high incidence of gastric reflux disease in our country. Finally, begin a regular exercise program for 30 minutes a day. Exercise elevates heart rate, reduces blood pressure, improves muscle tone, and slows down the aging process.

The other options…

The most important thing a person can do to combat obesity is to prevent it before it develops. It is never too late though, and for those in need of obesity management, there are numerous options available. Weight loss and weight management efforts require a balanced combination of behavioral change and medical intervention. While eating less and exercising more are essential, some seek options such as surgical interventions or prescription medicine. In any case, medical oversight is needed in selecting the right option for you.

Make this year count…

We make that New Year’s resolution each and every year. You probably did that on January 1^st, and it might have been, “This is the year that I’ll drop that extra 10 pounds.” How many times have you made that one? Perhaps instead, you gain an extra 10…putting you up by 20! This can be the beginning of the rest of your life! You can control the Supersizing of America in your own home and with your own family!

For more information, contact Sharon Weinstein, RN, certified physical and environmental health specialist at sharonw@corelimited.com.

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The U.S. Center for Disease Control has declared that obesity is an epidemic. One in three Americans are obese, twice as many as in the 1970’s. Soon, being overweight will surpass smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. The accelerating increase in obesity among children is also alarming. It is attributed to less activity and more sedentary behavior (computer and video games, TV) and eating more high-calorie snack and fast foods. Ironically, the world now has almost as many over-nourished as under-nourished people.


Obesity is the primary factor in nearly all preventable diseases, including:

High blood pressure
Atherosclerosis
Stroke
Diabetes, type 2
Endometrial, breast and colorectal cancer
Bone and joint disorders, herniated disks and knee problems
Chronic back pain
Varicose veins
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
And many more.


In addition, obesity can lead to psychological conditions:
Anxiety
Chronic depression
Poor self image, reclusiveness


These many physical and psychological problems result in pain. It appears that obesity may actually increase our sensitivity to pain. There is a relationship between obesity and self reported pain: the more obese you are, the more pain you have.


How can those who are obese reduce their pain? Unfortunately, there are no easy or revolutionary answers. Aside from using prescription pain medication, the three most effective ways of reducing pain resulting from obesity are:

- Weight loss
- Exercise
- Massage


It’s a simple case of “energy balance”. If you consume more calories than you burn through exercise and other activities, you will gain weight. Over 25% of the American population is classified as “completely sedentary”, not engaging in any physical activity on a daily basis. As a nation, we are consuming more processed carbohydrates and sugars, resulting in higher calorie intake. The consumption of an extra 300 calories a day—whether from fruit or a soda—will result in weight gain. Americans are eating more vegetables than in past decades, but they are iceberg lettuce, french fries and potato chips—not fiber and nutrient rich choices like carrots or broccoli.


As obesity rates continue to climb worldwide, the pain and diseases associated with obesity will become the world’s responsibility. It is in our communal best interest to alter eating habits and advocate for the increase of daily activity among people of all ages. Only then will we take the first step in becoming a healthier, pain free society.

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It would not surprise you if I told you the reason why people gain weight is because of overeating, eating poor quality high caloric foods or lack of exercise, but you may be surprised it I told you toxins are a significant cause of people being overweight today in America.


People gain weight from the obvious reasons; eating too much, too much calorie rich foods and not enough exercise. Most people do not need to be told that though. They know they should not be helping themselves to their 3 bowls of pasta, or eating another piece of the chocolate cake or another 300 calorie coffee. Most also would agree if they exercised more, they would lose some weight. But most do not realize if removing accumulated toxins is not part of ones weight loss program, losing weight will be difficult if not impossible. This is why people continue to gain weight. The body accumulates toxins from air and water pollution, from toxic foods, medications and many other things we come in contact with.


When toxins accumulate in the body, the liver and other organ systems do the best they can at trying to filter and flush these toxins out of the body. When the liver is overloaded, the body resorts to using fat to insulate the toxins from damaging the body’s tissues. Then when one tries to lose weight, it will be very hard. And when fat is lost as with a diet, one will typically rebound right back because the body is conserving fat for insulation of the toxins.


The people who consume the most toxic food, medications and exercise the least will gain weight the fastest. Several rural Asian cultures, who eat very little processed food and toxins, have some of the lowest rates of obesity. The United States is the most obese nation in the world and getting worse each year.


First get a proper consultation of diagnostic work-up by a Wellness Chiropractor. Why a wellness chiropractor? Because weight loss is not just a nutritional or fitness issue. If it was many fewer people would be overweight. The most successful steps in weight loss we have found with any of our patients is; (1) Flush out of the body your toxins. This is done with an herbal or nutrition cleanse. There are many cleanses. A good wellness chiropractor will determine the appropriate one for you. (2) Get on a good fitness program. (3) Get on a “low glycemic diet”. The common denominator of any of the diets that truly work is eating foods that do not create blood sugar imbalances. But beware, some of the high-protein diets will stabilize blood sugar but cause more toxins to accumulate from the concentrated acid breakdown of large amounts of protein. This will lead to only short term weight loss and long term weight and health problems.


Once the body is free of toxins; it is much easier to maintain optimal weight. A good low glycemic diet and fitness routine is a must. We were not made to sit all day in front of a computer. We were not intended to eat processed foods and toxins. In order to reverse our weight gain, we must reverse these unnatural paths our society has taken. Make up for accumulating toxins with a good cleanse. Make up for a lack of physical activity with a good fitness program. Once you have achieved your optimal weight, don’t forget how you got there, but continue with this wellness lifestyle and you will live a longer and happier life.

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For years, the diet and weight loss industry promised amazing weight loss results through a variety of methods.


Whether calorie counting, numbered food exchange programs, a special exercise or an easy pill, enough people get pulled in by miracle claims to fuel an industry making over $30 billion per year.


Unfortunately, however, the dismal weight loss statistics speak for themselves. Regardless of all the hype, here are the results:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted obesity as a global epidemic.


The United States has the highest rate of obesity worldwide, with obesity affecting over one third of American adults.2


Statistics show that 80-90% of dieters regain every pound.


Childhood obesity is on the rise. Obesity among children has more than doubled and obesity among teens has more than tripled in the past two decades.4


The manufactured food industry is fighting back by coming up with solutions for low-calorie foods and even foods that suppress hunger!


But this is NOT the answer. Finding artificial solutions that trick your body into doing something it’s not inclined to do is not a solution for long-term health, weight loss or weight maintenance.


In fact, there are some natural weight loss solutions that DO work…but the weight loss industry would rather you didn’t know.


Why? Because when you learn these secrets, you will stop fueling an industry that has never been able to deliver on its promise.


The Weight Loss “Problem”
For too long, scientists and the diet industry have tried to make weight loss a complex system of numbers – calories, hours of exercise, grams and measurements of food. On the other hand, the media is busy tempting you with the latest and greatest processed foods.


It’s been drilled into your head that “you can’t eat just one.” In fact, eating for many of us, has become so mindless that we do it while multi-tasking: watching TV, working, talking on the phone and driving.


While our food and eating habits have changed, our bodies are still the same as they were hundreds of years ago. Is it possible that our modern lives have outpaced our lifestyle and food habits?


The answer is yes.


We are putting things into our bodies and doing things in our lives that actually STOP digestion, damage digestive health and drain our energy and immunity.


But there are some solutions. And I’m going to be honest here…these are not quick fixes. These are solutions that require you to make changes in your life. The changes are not always easy at first, but if you take them one at a time and you don’t hold yourself accountable to being rigidly, 100% perfect, you’ll be on your way to lasting results and better health.


The Natural Weight Loss Solution
Here are the 5 Weight Loss Secrets for Lasting Results & Your Best Health:
Eat right – This sounds like nothing new, right? But what does it really mean to eat right? Eating right is simply about making choices to include plenty of fresh whole foods in your diet. If it comes in a box, can or package – or if you picked it up from the fast food window — it’s likely a processed food.


Processed foods are full of fake ingredients, chemicals and toxins that impede your healthy digestion, rob you of nutrients you need for health and energy and often, make you want to eat more.


To learn more about how and why eating right is a natural weight loss secret, read: www.pbhealthcenter.com/200902.htm


Exercise – Everyone from doctors to nutritionists to your friend next door will agree that exercise is key to weight loss and healthy weight maintenance. Exercise helps to beat inflammation (the culprit behind all disease), build muscle and burn fat.


I’m not going to recommend that you pick up the latest exercise fad here. What I am going to ask you is what do you love to do? Find out what kind of exercise you really like first. Don’t worry about how many calories you’ll burn or whether you can measure your exercise intensity. Simply focus on moving your body in a way that you love – and that feels like the right pace for you.


Instead of pushing yourself, motivate yourself to do some kind of movement that you love each day or a few days per week. Start small and build from there. If you focus on creating a routine for a lifetime, you will avoid that all or nothing mentality that often comes from a short-term weight loss program.
Support your immunity and your digestive health. Did you know that obesity has been linked to bad bacteria in your gut? And viral infections?


One study found that “obese humans and mice had a lower percentage of a family of bacteria called Bacteroidetes and more of a type of bacteria called Firmicutes.”5


Another study found that 30% of obese people had antibodies to a virus that caused them to store fat. This study looked at what is being called “infectobesity” and the fact that weight gain is not simply about calories and exercise.6


Improving your digestive health and immunity are two of the biggest health and weight loss secrets of our time! Anything that takes away from your digestive health and immunity takes away from your ability to be naturally slim.


Most of the processed foods, diets and pills on the market today take away from your digestive health and immunity.


To correct your digestion, you can use some tools in addition to your healthy diet. The key is, these tools are made from whole foods, they are all natural and they work to boost both your digestive health and your immunity:


Probiotic liquids – Naturally fermented, probiotic liquids are full of good bacteria and yeast (probiotics) native to the healthy human digestive tract. These probiotics help to boost your immunity, aid your digestion, build energy, reduce cravings for sugar and carbs and multiply the nutrients in your food. Two of our favorites at PureBalance Natural Health Center are Innergy-Biotic and Coco-Biotic. http://pbhealthcenter.com/innergybiotic.htm has a naturally sweet taste and is a great on the go energizer. http://pbhealthcenter.com/cocobiotic.htm is excellent for your liver and skin.
To learn more about the power of probiotic liquids for natural weight loss, read: http://pbhealthcenter.com/200902.htm


Jade Chlorella – http://pbhealthcenter.com/jade.htm is one of the oldest foods on the planet. Considered a superfood, chlorella is a complete source of vitamins and minerals that helps to heal your digestive system, rid your body of bad bacteria and yeast and pave the way for the good bacteria and yeast your body needs. A great detoxifier, chlorella is a powerful tool for heavy metal detox and for better elimination.
Seigen Alpha – http://pbhealthcenter.com/seigenalpha.htm is another key support for your digestive health and immunity. This powerful product is a biofermentic probiotic metabolite complex that goes beyond a probiotic.


Full of important B vitamins, amino acids, minerals, fatty acids and isoflavones, Seigen Alpha helps improve your metabolism, digestion and absorption of nutrients. It can also improve the issues often linked to weight gain: your stress response, mood, memory and sleep.


Detoxify – Detoxification is very important in today’s world, when we are bombarded by over 123 chemicals each day. Since toxins store in your fat cells, it makes sense that detoxifying your body would help you with your weight loss goals. At the same time, detoxification helps boost your immunity and your digestive health. To learn more, read: http://pbhealthcenter.com/200809.htm/”


Love yourself – Of all the weight loss secrets, this may just be the most important one. When you think of yourself, what thoughts do you have? Are you calling yourself things like fat, ugly, not good enough?


Think about it…all that beating up on yourself just serves to drain your energy and weigh you down, doesn’t it?


Instead, write a few affirmations, like “I deeply love and accept myself.” Catch yourself in negative thoughts and replace them with loving, positive thoughts and see what happens.


Loving yourself also means taking time for yourself. Time to stop for your meals, to chew thoroughly, to focus only on one thing at a time, to give yourself time to rest and relax.


If you choose just one of these five secrets and begin today – the best way you know how – and add over time, you will be developing a lifetime of healthy habits toward your ideal weight.

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In addition to a healthy diet, Drs. Ezgur and DiDomenico recommend taking “Multigenics” multiple vitamin/mineral.


Potential benefits of a quality multiple vitamin/mineral:

• Reduce your risk of disease including: cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes


• Recover faster from colds, flus, and other infections


• Heal quicker from injuries, sprains, and strains


• Feel more energetic, get better sleep, and improve physical/athletic performance

• If you’re not eating the perfect diet


• If you eat junk food, processed food, fatty food, or sugary snacks


• If you consume alcohol or smoke


• If you use prescription drugs


• If you are under increased stress


• If you engage in strenuous exercise

We are all subject to environmental toxins, pollutants, and nutrient-depleted soil


Why the RDA’s are not adequate:
Most of the current scientific literature recommends doses much higher than the RDA’s for optimal health and prevention of disease.

Why the popular “drug store” multiples are inferior:

• You get what you pay for: most of these products are just plain cheap


• Most contain doses up to the level of RDA’s, which is not high enough


• Most contain artificial fillers, preservatives, dyes, allergens, etc.


• Most do not have the proper ratios and balance of key nutrients


• Most are missing certain key nutrients altogether


• Most contain cheap forms of nutrients which lead to poor absorption and low bio-availablity


• Many contain iron, which is harmful and potentially toxic, if you’re not anemic




Why multigenics is recommended:


• Comprehensive,safe, pure, iron-free formula, based on current scientific literature


• High levels of key nutrients in proper balance and ratios


• Quality form of nutrients for optimal absorption and bioavailability


• A good value for the money
– (doesn’t contain unnecessary “designer” herbs which are often found in doses too low to be effective, but enough to jack-up the price)



Dose schedule:


• 1 pill at breakfast and 1 pill at dinner, and 1-2 pills at lunch, for a total of 3-4 pills per day.

Always take within 1-2 hours of eating food. If skipping a meal, it’s OK to take 2-3 pills at once, but it’s best to space the pills out over the course of the day. This is true of all multiples, because many of the water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C only remain in the bloodstream for 4-6 hours.
We encourage reproducing our articles as long as you link back to this page.

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In this economy, finances and budget are among the things most families stress about. One great way to cut expenses has been right in front of you the whole time – food budget.

ChicagoHealers.com practitioner Dr. Kristina Sargent, DC, explains that many people’s tiny food purchases tend to be the reason for such a large gap in their bank accounts.


“How many times have you run out to get coffee and end up with a muffin, too? Or took a trip to the convenient store for a sandwich and came out with a soda and chips to go with it,” says Sargent. “Families and individuals can save a lot by cutting out these trips and bringing healthy, nutritious food to work from home.“


On top of eating away your savings, poor food choices (like gas station food) raise the stress chemicals in the body. These stress chemicals are partially responsible for contributing to diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. It is important to make sure when you cut your food budget you don’t cut out necessary nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants.


Dr. Sargent suggests these tips for avoiding recession pounds:
Skip the Process – There’s no need to buy processed foods, chips, muffins, cookies, soda, sports drinks and other beverages. You may miss some of these foods, but you don’t need them.


Process the Savings – With the money you save on processed foods, purchase frozen vegetables and fruit, bags of nuts and string cheese for snacks. Another great idea is to purchase chicken and lean ground meat in bulk and freeze it in family-sized portions.


Watch the Clock – Eating frequently, such as every four hours, reduces stress chemicals. This reduces the risk of chronic diseases and potential doctor visits.


Walk the Perimeter – In order to choose the healthiest foods, stay on the perimeter of the store. You don’t really need to make your way into the aisles where the processed foods are located.


In addition, Dr. Sargent recommends planning meals ahead with these tips in mind:
Breakfast – Choosing an egg and some fruit is a simple, cheap and healthy morning option.


Mid-morning Snack – Sargent suggests 1/4 cup of nuts and a piece of fruit.


Lunch – A large salad and some protein (lean meat, fish or chicken) will do the trick.


Mid-afternoon Snack – Options for snacks include fruit, string cheese or mixed nuts.


Dinner – Supper should have vegetables (frozen are fine), protein and some rice or a sweet/yukon gold potato.

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So whats more important, the food we eat, or how much of it we consume? Interesting question, however both play a prevalent role in how fast we lose weight. We live in America, the land of “Big Everything.” Restaurant portions are growing, fast food portions are growing, snack portions are growing, and most of all WE are growing!


1 – Too many bad snacks
We are constantly snacking all day. In fact we keep them everywhere, on counters, our rooms, cars, and even in our pockets or purses. If you see it, you will eat it. Keep snacks out of sight and chances are they will stay out of mind.


2 – The size of your dishes and glasses
If there is space, you will fill it! Why do we need a dish set that could feed the New York Giants? If you buy smaller plates and glasses, you won’t have the room to fill it with all those extra calories. Just don’t go back for seconds!


3 – Eating during leisure time
Is it just me or is American Idol that much more interesting with a bag of pretzels and a Mountain Dew? Well it’s not! If you are distracted when you are eating, you tend to ignore your stop signals i.e. you’re body saying its full. Eat at the dinner table, not the coffee table, computer desk or end table.


4 – Low-fat meals
Lets get one thing straight right out of the gate, just because it says low-fat does not mean it is healthy, nor does it mean you can eat more of it. Low-fat usually means high sugar which is also most likely still high in calories. When losing weight, calories are king, keep your calories down and with it your weight should follow.


5 – Unaware of consequences
There are many consquences to eating 3 big meals as oppsed to 5 or 6 balanced ones. Our metabolism slows down due to the large amount of food that has to be processed into energy. Also, the left over food remnants have a great chance of being stored as fat. These are just a few, but the disadvantages of eating large quantities are numerous.

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Why do you put on belly fat? Two big reasons:

Eating a high carb–especially sugar, corn syrup and white starches–diet! Being a couch potato.

10 years ago the average American consumed 165 pounds of sugar per year, today it’s an even more whopping 240 pounds—2/3 pound a day! What grandma said about “sugar turning into fat” is all too true! Here’s how it works:

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Educated eating – practical guidelines – by Valerie Early, RD
Food monitoring to control weight – by Valerie Early, RD
Hormone & Energy Help – by Valerie Early, R.D.
Avoid the “Seasonal Seven” – Healthy Holiday Eating Tips – by Dr. Kristina Sargent
The Fat Kid in the Class –  by Dr Kristina Sargent
Belly Fat – Hazardous To Your Health, Not So Hot For The Beach! – by Dr Martha Howard, MD
Eat to Live – by Sharon M Weinstein, MS, RN
What’s For Dinner? – by Dr. Peter Glidden, ND
Winter Weight Loss – by Dr. Tom Bayne, DC
5 Reasons We Struggle With Portion Control – by Dr Kristina Sargent
Tips To Avoid Recession Pounds – by Dr Kristina Sargent
Proper Daily Nutrition – by Dr Richard Ezgur and Dr Robert DiDomenico
The 5 Powerful Weight Loss Secrets – They Don’t Want You to Know – by Dr Tom Bayne
Surprising Reasons for Weight Gain – by Dr Steven Arculeo, DC
Eating Out Can Be Healthy – by Dr Helen Lee
How Obesity Causes Pain – by Dr Mark G Sobor MD
The SuperSizing of America…our epidemic! – by Sharon M. Weinstein, MS, RN, CRNI, FAAN
Weight Loss facts – by Georgina Salgado Chavez ND, LAc.

Winter is the time of year when the cold weather changes our biology and our mood and the end result is weight gain. Many doctors believe that humans are genetically programmed to gain weight in the winter as a way of insulating us from the elements. The short dark days of winter also create chemical and emotional changes that lead to feelings of sadness, depression and weight gain. Whether it is physiological or emotional is up for debate, but the fact is for many people winter weight gain is real. Here are a few ideas to keep your mood up and the weight off:


- Get 20 minutes of exercise per day! The increased blood flow and endorphin release will keep your mood balanced while you burn fat.


- The short, cold days of winter cause many people to crave high fat comfort foods. Eating meals that are high in fat and calories leads to weight gain and mood imbalances. Make a point to graze during the winter. Choose 5 small meals to the traditional 3 large meals. Vegetables should make up the largest percentage of your meals. Follow this simple rule to keep off unwanted pounds.


- Combining exercise with sensible eating can help you keep off unwanted winter weight gain, and even help lose weight during the winter months. People who lose weight during the winter have the added benefit of a healthy metabolism which should continue the fat burning during the spring and summer months.


- New Year’s is a great time to make a healthy commitment to yourself. Grab a friend or loved one to keep you focused on your eating and exercise goals.


- Teach your children healthy eating and exercise tips! It is never too early to educate your children on the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Find fun activities for the family to keep everyone off the couch.


- Make sure you are getting your D! vitamin D levels plummet during the winter months due to the decreased sunshine. Scientists are uncertain if vitamin d deficiency leads to obesity or if obesity causes vitamin d deficiency. Fact is weight gain and vitamin D deficiencies are correlated. Research shows that 30-50% of all children and adults are vitamin D deficient. It is recommended that serum vitamin D levels be tested first before supplementing.


- 5-HTP supplementation during the winter months can elevate serotonin levels to keep your mood up and your weight down.


Winter weight gain is not an urban myth. Make a commitment to your health and keep the pounds off and your mood up.

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Healthy eating while out can be simple with a little conscious effort. There are many restaurants which are more accommodating with requests and even have special dishes which are healthier. Be more conscious by choosing restaurants that you know will have more options. At the restaurant, some obvious choices can include avoiding sauces especially cream sauces, including steamed vegetables whenever possible, drinking water with lemon and minimizing breads and other starches.


There are many things that you can do that will allow your body to integrate and digest any foods better. First of all, relax and do some abdominal breathing as you wait for your meal. This allows the parasympathetic nervous system to engage which regulates the efficiency of the digestive organs. Next, chew your food well. This will not only make you slow down to know when you are full but will help break down your food more readily.


Lastly, ENJOY your meal, the company and love your food. Fear of eating the wrong thing, worrying excessively about calories, and or feelings of guilt will all release different stress hormones/chemicals in the body which inhibit digestion, increases acid or inflammation, and ultimately cause the body to store fat. So, create health as you eat by making your best choice, slow down, laugh, and enjoy your meal.

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Weight Lost Facts. . .

Low Fat Foods DON’T WORK.

You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.

Low Calorie Diets DON’T WORK.

You won’t lose weight using a Low Calorie Dieting Plan either. In fact, eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body, since that will only slow down your body’s fat burning engine and ruin all chances of losing weight (low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that all weight loss comes to a halt — known as a dieting plateau). You can never get slim by starving yourself.

Low Carb-Plans DON’T WORK.

You’ll probably find it extremely difficult to get slim using a Low Carb Dieting Plan. Low carb diets have recently become popular over the last couple years, but the problem with low carb menus is that they are too strict and TOO HARD TO FOLLOW for average people. Low carb menus tend to rob your body of too much energy (carbohydrates) and make it nearly impossible to remain on the program for very long. This is why so many dieters find it difficult to follow a strict low carbohydrate menu.

Overweight and obesity risk factors:

• diabetes
• coronary hearth disease
• high blood pressure, stroke
• hypertension
• gallbladder disease
• osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joint)
• sleep apnea and another breathing problems
• some forms of cancer (breast, colo-rectal endometrial, and kidney).

Obesity is also associated with:

• Complication during pregnancy
• menstrual irregularities, hirsutism (presence of excess of body and facial hair)
• stress incontinence (urine leakage cause by weak pelvic floor muscles)
• psychological disorders such as depression
• increasing surgical risk
• increase mortality rate

Taking all this in consideration you wonder why some many people try all the yo-yo diets and nothing works? Well that’s because they don’t address the cause of the problem.

The solutions are the following:

To lose weight, be aware low calorie diets they don’t work. Most people believe that you lose weight by cutting calories or fat, eating only one meal a day, or only certain foods, or by starving yourself. These diets do not lead to permanent weight loss because the body adjusts its energy requirements as it loses weight loss. This results in a resistance to maintaining weight loss, even with a low calorie intake. The secret to weight loss is not dieting! The secret is in your metabolism, or how your body converts food into energy or fat. Metabolism is dependent upon the amount of muscle you have and the balance of your hormones. Since metabolism occurs primarily in muscle tissue, the more muscle mass that you have, the greater chance you have of increasing your metabolism. Women have a 10% slower metabolism than men, and that is why they have more of a problem with weight loss. Your ability to gain or lose weight and energy is also dependent on the hormones kept by your pancreas and thyroid. Thyroid hormones speed up or slow down the conversion of sugar to energy in order to keep your body temperature at 98.6 degrees. People with slow thyroids have trouble losing weight, get cold easily, and feel tired. Thyroid problems may not always show up in blood tests. Besides the thyroid, hormones most related to weight loss are those secreted by the pancreas. One is insulin, which either takes the sugar from the blood stream and puts it into the cells, or stores it as fat resulting in weight gain. The other is glucagon, which takes fat from the body and breaks it down to be used for energy, which results in weight loss. Because of the large amounts of sugars we consume, the pancreas produces more and more insulin. Remember, insulin is the key that opens the doors to cells, allowing sugar to move from the bloodstream to the cells to be used as energy. At some point, the cells close their doors and stop allowing insulin to do its job. Insulin Resistance occurs when the normal amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas is not able to unlock the doors to the cells. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood, and this can lead to Type II Diabetes. Recent studies have found that some 16 million Americans may suffer from the condition “Pre-Diabetes.” This condition of high blood sugar levels is the precursor to Type II Diabetes. Even a minor elevation in the level of insulin in the blood will block glucagon from breaking down fat.

Diets won’t work if fat can’t break down due to elevated insulin levels. Ideally, you should eat many small meals a day made up of foods that will nourish your body and help maintain and control your insulin and glucagon levels. You control insulin levels by eating lean proteins, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables, and good fats. A high protein meal decreases insulin and increases glucagon levels, thus reducing stored fat and helping with weight loss. White flour, white rice, and white sugar are highly processed foods, and contain no vitamins or minerals. The disease Beriberi is caused by lack of vitamin B1. It only appeared in the Japanese population after they began to eat white rice. Brown rice and whole wheat contain the natural vitamins and minerals found in nature.

In order to lose weight and feel younger, you should avoid bad fats, but not all fats. Avoid trans-fatty acids, hydrogenated and oxidized fats found in deep-fried foods, half-and-half, imitation mayonnaise, imitation sour cream, shortening, margarine, and non-dairy creamers. Remember, processed foods and fast foods use hydrogenated oils.

Drink spring water.The recommended amount of water that you should consume in a day can be determined by taking your weight and dividing it in half:For example: 140 pounds ÷ 2 = 70 oz. This is the number of ounces of water that you should be drinking on a daily basis. In a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, strong pain killers, tranquilizers, and those used in chemotherapy, have been measured in surface, ground, and tap water.The U.S. water supply has 10 times the antibiotics as the German water supply!

Avoid Unnecessary Drugs:The common over-the-counter drug acetaminophen, found in Tylenol® and many other pain reducing medications, can have disastrous effects on the liver. Doctors have known for years that chronic pain sufferers who regularly take NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) like ibuprofen to ease their symptoms are prone to gastric disorders.“There’s an epidemic of adverse drug reactions to NSAIDs,” says Dr. James F. Fries, one of the country’s leading arthritis experts and a professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. “The FDA believes anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 deaths each year are the result of severe bleeding caused by NSAIDs. It’s a big problem.”Since metabolism and the conversion of food to energy are dependent on a properly functioning body, one should try to avoid the consumption of unnecessary drugs.

Move: Earlier we talked about metabolism; now let’s look at the relationship between metabolism, movement, and your health. The more active you are, the more energy you will burn. Movement can be dancing, golf, tennis, kayaking, hiking, or taking a walk. A recent study followed 40,000 post-menopausal women for seven years. Those who regularly engaged in moderate activities had a 41% lower early death rate than those who did not exercise. A California State University study found that a 10 minute walk is enough to increase energy, alter mood, and affect a positive outlook for up to 2 hours. A study conducted by Harvard University concluded that brisk walking at least 30 minutes a day could reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women by as much as 70%. Research indicates that walking 30 minutes a day and reducing your body weight by 5-7% can cut the risk of “Pre-Diabetes” by as much as 60%. Therefore, to lose weight, you must look at how active you are and what prevents you from being active and exercising. The primary barrier to physical exertion is pain. Since pain and stress have a negative effect on one’s ability to lose weight, one must address these issues as part of the comprehensive program.

Get Out of Pain Naturally:The cost to treat chronic pain in the U.S. is estimated at $470 billion a year. Pain makes one feel old. Pain makes one not want to move. Pain makes one take unnecessary drugs. When there are blocks to the natural energy flows in your body, there can be reduced function in muscles or a blockage of blood or energy. It is based upon the fact that organs, tissues and glands need a proper flow of blood to function properly. When a blockage occurs in the flow of blood, health problems can develop, some of which can lead to sleep problems. More than 2 billion people worldwide use Acupuncture to treat their health problems. More than 2 billion people worldwide use Acupuncture to treat their health problems. There are 2000 specific locations on the body where the there are blockages in the flow of blood. An acupuncturist is trained to determine these blockages can occur. An acupuncturist inserts tiny, delicate needles into these points to remove the blocks and allow healing to occur. Just as a garden needs water to stay healthy, the body also needs the proper flow of blood to the vital organs, glands and tissues of the body. According to the National Institutes of Health, Oriental Medicine has provided solutions for such diverse problems as:

• Headaches and migraines

• Sinus/breathing problems

• Allergies

• Hormone problems

• Paralysis

• Drug addiction

• Nicotine addiction

• Stress

• Anxiety

• Digestive problems

• Low back pain

• Fibromyalgia

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• and many more.

According to the National Institutes of Health, there are few, if any, negative side effects from Acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture has been proven to help with weight loss.

A successful loss weight program has to be address each of the above issues mention, and also take in consideration the emotional factor that play’s an important role in some cases. The key is each person has to know the cause of the problem in order to solve the over weight and obesity dilemma

Georgina Salgado Chavez ND, LAc.
Marbett Beauty Clinic
4051 W 63^rd ST
Chicago., IL 60629
Contact by email g_salgadochavez@sbcglobal.net or phone 773-284-8878

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