Month: October 2012

Exercise, Lighten Up and Get Fit

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.2 Comments
Family Having Fun Exercising!

Everyone that needs to lose weight wants to do it the easiest and fastest way. I certainly wanted that as I started my weight loss journey. I sought out every possible means to get rid of the fat other than changing my lifestyle.

Where does exercise fit into weight loss? Well, exercise provides many health benefits beyond weight loss but today lets just talk weight loss and exercise.

My clients vary in nutrition and weight loss knowledge when they first come to see me, which is to be expected. Most think they can exercise two or three times per week and lose weight, it’s not going to happen unless you have been completely sedentary and obese. If you are obese and sedentary any exercise at this point is going to pick your metabolism up and burn more calories. So, if you are not overeating and moving, an obese person may lose weight while exercise two or three times per week.

However, the average overweight or obese person needs activity at least 5 days per week to pump their metabolism up. If they were exercising more and eating healthier they wouldn’t need to lose the weight! I promise, if you exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes per day, 5 days every week and eat within your calorie budget YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!  You see, while really healthy foods provide the nutrition needed to turn fat into energy, the exercise is the fire to consume the fat. It takes both to maximize the fat lose. If you are just beginning to exercise take it slow and get your doctors approval before starting any exercise program.

Exercise tips

  • If you want to lose weight you need to exercise for a minimum of 1 hour at least 5 days per week. You might be able to do it with less exercise time but the approach I recommend will maximize your weight loss. You may hear that you can do high intensity or interval exercise for 20 minutes 3 times per week and lose weight. If you are moderately overweight and in good physical health, yes it can work. However, once you get down to the last 30 pounds and you have exercised for a while and are fit, then high intensity-interval (anaerobic) training along with aerobic and muscle-building exercise is needed to remove the remaining, unnecessary fat.
  • Exercising multiple times per day is very beneficial.   Three 20 minute walks will keep your metabolism going longer than walking for one hour.
  • Vary your exercise intensity. If walking, take 30 seconds and walk at a faster pace, then walk at your normal pace for a few minutes, then repeat throughout the walk. This also applies to any exercise type such as bicycling or running. You can also increase your intensity by selecting routes that have hills for you to walk, run or bike on.
  • Do different types of exercise at different times. Our body adapts to our routines very quickly and will become very efficient. Keep your body guessing by doing your exercise at different times or do a different type of exercise.
  • To maximize your weight loss you need to engage in aerobic, anaerobic and muscle-building and toning exercises.
  • Many people are turning to cross fit exercise programs. Cross fit includes a variety of exercises that promote a broader range of fitness and reduce the risk of injury from exercise.

My favorite exercise is bicycling. You can make bicycling as intense or as leisurely as you want. It is the perfect exercise (my opinion) because it is very low impact on the joints, can provide aerobic, anaerobic and strength training all in one session. It can be done every day.  And it is fun with friends and family!

Exercise can be so fun that you can over do it. Pace yourself, drink adequate fluids with electrolytes and get plenty of rest in between exercise activities.

All exercise is good exercise. Do different exercises and make them fun and enjoyable.

Healthy Wishes for  Lighter and Healthier Body

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Nutritionist

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

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Water Anyone?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment
Water, Refreshing and Revitalizing!

From Guest Writer Kim Stark

Water is by far the nutrient most needed by the body.  Water is in the make up of every cell, tissue, and organ in the body.  Water is responsible for about 60% of body weight.  Even the bones and teeth are a percentage of water.  The majority of our muscles (about 75%) are made up of water. 

Okay, so we now know our body is mostly water what’s the big deal.  The big deal is that every task our body performs requires water.  Water is a transporter of nutrients, helps remove waste and toxins, carries messages to our brain, hormones throughout our body, water also helps our body regulate body temperature and it also acts as a cushion around our spinal cord and joints.   Some other research also shows that drinking plenty of water may protect against some cancers in men and women.  It may also help prevent kidney stones by keeping the kidneys flushed and functioning properly.

  So just maybe water is an extremely vital part of our bodily functions right.  You say well I don’t think I drink enough, does that mean you’re going to fall over and shrivel up?  No, not necessarily shrivel up and wilt away, but on the serious side you can become dehydrated if you do not drink enough water.

How do you get enough water? What is dehydration and why so dangerous? You say you don’t like water it’s too plain.  Good questions and I will get to that in just a moment. 

You now know it’s important to stay hydrated so your body can function properly and do its job efficiently, which is to keep you alive!  Okay, so you need water to function and live, but you say if you drink so much water you’ll live in the bathroom.    Not 100% true.  Your body loses water everyday just by normal processes that occur within (also known as metabolic activities).   Some of these activities are, breathing, sweating, and some are also lost in the feces.  This doesn’t include if you are physically active and like to work out, or you live in a humid area.  Your body has to adjust its internal thermostat, which causes a loss of water too.   So, needless to say the intake of fluids needs to balance the output of fluids.  

Did your mom ever tell you as a child, if you borrow something you need to put it back when you’re finished?  Or maybe, if you use up the last of something you need to replace it? That’s an easy way to look at balancing what you lose in water.   It needs to be replaced.  

The input vs. output of water requires functioning kidneys and an adequate intake of fluids.  Functioning kidneys? What’s that have to do with anything?  Well, simply put, kidneys remove waste pass it on down to the bladder.  Then when it’s time for the waste to exit the body your kidneys send a message to your bladder (through a process that involves water) and it exits by a well-known process called urinating, also known as going pee.

 An easy way to tell that you get enough fluids is by the color of your urine.   If it’s very light in color almost clear, that means you’re getting an adequate intake of fluids, however if it is dark yellow, has a mild odor, try drinking more.  If it has an extremely dark color almost brown or it is brown, and a strong odor, you just might want to go see a doctor, pretty quickly like as of yesterday. That may be an indication dehydration has set in, which can cause your kidneys to come to a halt among other life threatening symptoms if not treated right away.

 Okay now that I have scared you a little, let’s get back to the fun stuff.  So, other than the color of you urine, is there another way to tell if you’re getting enough water? What about being thirsty? Shouldn’t that be enough of an indication you need water? I say, nope, not at all.  Thirst is what leads a person to get a drink, and thirst can also influence on how much we drink.  However, being thirsty doesn’t let us know how much our body actually needs and is lacking.  Being thirsty is a mild symptom of dehydration.  Some others include dry mouth, dry skin, and mild headaches. 

Did you know water is the most important source of energy in our body?  When there is a loss of water or dehydration sets in that loss can greatly affect your performance and energy levels.   Minor lesson for you, your cells get energy from activities that enzymes carry out.  These enzymes are fueled by good ole’ h2o. When you lose even the tiniest amount of fluid your body can feel a sever drop in energy.  Lets just say we don’t lose a “small” amount, it’s a pretty big actually.  Normal metabolic functions (breathing, urinating, and so on) cost us about 2 liters of water a day.  That’s big!  Just by a 1-2% loss of body weight in water can cause fatigue, weakness, and even a loss of appetite.   And lets face it, those few things can cause us to be late to work, moody, and prevent us from performing at our highest ability. 

Now, back to your questions. What is dehydration? Dehydration happens when the body loses too much or isn’t getting enough water.  A couple of the most common causes of dehydration are from diarrhea and vomiting.  Water isn’t replaced quick enough for the excess amount its losing.

Easy preventions for dehydration include drinking the daily recommended 6-10 glasses of water and eating foods that contain water as well.  An easy formula to remember is take your weight in pounds, divide that by two, and that is how many ounces of water you should drink for your body weight.  This does not mean to guzzle your entire recommended amount all at once.  The body can only absorb so much at one time.  If you chug a whole glass of water, your body will take in what it needs at that moment and spit out the rest, which means unnecessary trips to the bathroom.  A helpful suggestion to get the most out of your water intake is to drink it in small amounts throughout the day.  Another suggestion is to try drinking a half a cup every half hour spread out over the first 12 hours you’re awake (dependent upon how much water you actually need),  and well before bedtime your body can be fully hydrated.  Which means cutting out those annoying 4am bathroom calls.

You say it doesn’t taste good, well there other ways to flavor it up or to get water into your body without chugging a bottle full.   Foods contain water.  Some foods such a fruit contain a high percentage of water.  Like watermelon, strawberries, apples or grapes? Those are just a few to name.  Snack on some of those throughout the day or add them to your meal plans.  Another way to flavor your dull water is try adding frozen fruits like blue berries or kiwi to give it flavor.  Make some homemade lemonade and WA-la, you have found a way to disguise that water! 

The short lesson here is to get plenty of fluids, because your body requires water to do every little and big task.  Most importantly if you don’t get enough it can be life threatening.

Drink to Life! water that is!

Kim Stark

Guest Writer

Kim is a WebND staff member and is really into nutrition. Kim is currently studying and working towards certifications in Nutrition.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

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Preventing Cancer Through Your Diet and Lifestyle?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.2 Comments
Prevent Cancer Through Your Diet and Lifestyle

If you do not believe that your food and lifestyle choices promote cancer and other adverse health conditions and diseases, you could not be more wrong.

If you are eating the typical American ( now called western ) diet which includes fried foods or foods cooked at high temperatures (meats or foods that have charring on them), pastries (doughnuts, cakes, etc…), candies, animal foods ( meats and dairy) once a day or more, red meat more than once a week, refined foods such as sugar laden cereals, enriched flour products (breads, cookies etc…), prepared foods (marinated meats, white rice, macaroni and cheese, rice-a-roni, vegetables in sauces or fruits in syrups, etc…) you are slowly setting yourself up for adverse health conditions even cancers.  These types of foods contain ingredients that actually rob your body of healthy nutrients and set up a path way in which cellular DNA can be damaged leading to disease and even cancer.

If you have immediate family members that have developed cancer there is reason for you to be concerned particularly if more than one person has had cancer.  This may show that you could have a genetic potential to develop cancer in your life time. Sure, this can be a terrifying thought but it is not the end of the world and it doesn’t mean that you are going to develop cancer.  Eating the western diet is not the way to maximize your potential to avoid the menace of cancer.  You need to be proactive and remove potential cancer causing foods and agents from your life where possible.

Your diet and lifestyle are by far the most powerful influence to prevent cancers. I challenge you today to make your diet and lifestyle one of health promotion.  Even if genetics play a role, your lifestyle can trump those genetics many times.  Living a life of health promotion does not guarantee an illness free life. It does push the odds greater in your favor of having less illness promotes a quicker recover in the event you do become ill. In addition, living a life of health promotion provides numerous improvements to your quality of life, living longer, younger and happier.

Cancer Prevention

You should make sure you are including cancer fighting foods in your diet daily to maximize cancer prevention.

Every vegetative food has health promoting properties, some more than others. If you try to include as many colors as possible from the vegetable world every day you will promote optimal health.  Buy organic when possible. If eating meats, buy wild caught fish (cold water fish is preferred; salmon, trout, steelhead, sardines, cod, and halibut) and organic free range chicken and turkey.

  • at least 5 servings of vegetables, 2 fruits, 3 whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds and heart healthy oils ( olive oil and coconut oil to cook with, sesame, flax and sunflower should never be used to cook with )
  • make 50 to 70% of your vegetables raw and 50 to 30% lightly cooked (beans must be cooked)
  • include more omega 3 rich foods,
  • include some super foods ( see list below) every day,
  • Vitamin D3 get at least 2000 IU’s  daily,
  • Detox your body twice a year
  • Get a minimum of 45 minutes of exercise at least 4 days a week, hard enough to sweat (your work or job does not count)
  • Use a sauna periodically to help remove toxins
  • Drink at least 1/2 your weight in ounces of water daily (natural spring water or purified water, Pur, Brita etc are fine)
  • Get 15 to 20 minutes of sunshine at least 3 times per week
  • Use very good micron filters in your home air system
  • Use green, non toxic home cleaning products
  • Minimize your exposure to environmental toxins
  • Laugh and smile in abundance
  • Fill you life with love
  • Do for others when possible

Cancer Promoting Things

  • Process and refined foods (most food products in a package or box)
  • Cola’s, soft drinks
  • High fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, corn syrup, excessive amounts of any added sugars
  • Trans fats, hydrogenated fats
  • Excessive intake of stimulant foods (high energy drinks)
  • Alcohol
  • Red meat, charred meats, excessive intake of animal foods
  • Foods cooked at high temperatures
  • Fried foods
  • Heavy metal toxcity
  • Excessive salt intake
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Stress

Below is a list of cancer fighting foods:

If you are diagnosed with cancer

If you are diagnosed with cancer, after the first shock, you need to assess your options. There are some very important questions you need to ask your doctors. Certainly you need to change your diet and lifestyle to one of health promotion.

Questions to ask your doctor

  • What traditional treatments are recommended?
  • What is your prognosis with treatment and without?
  • What effect on your quality of life do the recommended treatments have?
  • What other illnesses or diseases can the recommended treatments cause in the future, short-term and long-term?
  • If I decide to do alternative treatments will you continue to monitor me during the treatments?
  • Are there any alternative treatments that you may recommend? Don’t be surprised when the doctor say’s no alternative treatments have been shown to be effective. Traditional doctors are powerfully discouraged from recommending alternative or natural treatments. However a few doctors will go against the traditional establishment and recommend alternative treatments.  A new branch of medicine is growing in which traditional medicine and alternative medicine is both used. This new branch is labeled “Integrative Medicine”; I would urge you to consider them as well.

There are many effective non-toxic alternative cancer protocols available.  Tens of thousands of people have had great success with them. This becomes a very personal decision for you and your family to make.  The most important part of your life with cancer is education and researching for yourself your options.  Don’t be pushed and don’t let people scare you so bad you make rash decisions. Pray for wisdom and guidance, research different options, ask questions, talk to others that have had or are doing the treatments or alternative protocols and then make a decision.

If you decide to use alternative cancer protocols understand your current doctors may drop you, some are very understanding and will continue to support your efforts.  Look for a doctor that will support you regardless of your decision.

There can be a lot of confusion in the alternative market. I only recommend two sources because I know the sources and know the info to be true and accurate.  I know many people who have had great success with alternative cancer protocols.

The best sources for alternative cancer protocols

Conclusion If you don’t have cancer, celebrate your life and begin to live a life of health and happiness.  If you or a loved one has cancer don’t retreat;  pray, educate yourself, counsel with those that have gone before you and go on the attack.  It may seem difficult at the time, however your belief that your body will heal and you will recover is as important as any treatment you decide to do. I urge you to believe and embrace your healing process. Pick a treatment plan and stick with it. Optimize your opportunity for recovery by living a life of health promotion. When you are ill, your body needs an abundance of high quality nutrition, eat and supplement wisely, rest and live in peace and harmony.

Healthy Wishes for  Cancer Free Life

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Nutritionist

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

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