Tag: health

Are You Getting the Nutrients You Need for Good Health?

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHCLeave a comment
Health Building Foods

Do you keep track of your intake of vital nutrients? I doubt seriously if you do, my guess is that at least 95% of the American public doesn’t. Most people just do not see it as important. We do know that only 12% to 15% eat the recommended minimum of 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits a day.  When you look at that those figures, it becomes easy to see why America’s health is spiraling downward, particularly for America’s children.  I want to convince you that keeping track of certain essential nutrients in your diet will foster good health and may even give protection against many adverse health conditions, illnesses and diseases.  This may take a little effort however in my opinion it is worth it.  Keeping a daily food journal for a while will give you an idea of the nutrients you are getting. For food journals I recommend two sites, this site is the most comprehensive and is free http://nutritiondata.self.com/ and secondarily this site is also free. http://www.fatsecret.com

Many health organizations report that nutrition and lifestyle factors contribute to more than 70% of chronic disease and illness. Unhealthy eating and inactivity contribute to 310,000 to 580,000 deaths each year according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). That’s 13 times more than are killed by guns and 20 times more than by drug use.1

Leading Contributors to Premature Death

Diet and Physical Inactivity 310,000-580,000
Tobacco 260,000-470,000

Source: http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/nutrition_policy.html#eat

What adverse health conditions are you dealing with? No one is immune from negative health issues but we can swing the potential for good health in our favor by eating foods rich in health building nutrients.

It’s always best to get your nutrients from foods first and supplements secondarily. The body does not recognize isolated or synthetic nutrients the way it does food form nutrients. Therefore the absorption and use of the nutrients in the body can be much less effective than the nutrients you get from real foods. When I say real foods I am talking about unprocessed and unrefined foods. For example; Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, healthy oils, wild caught fish, free range chicken, free range turkey and organic eggs.

When I say nutrients, I am talking about essential nutrients meaning they must come from the foods we eat because our bodies can’t make them and they are important for good health.  Nutrients are the body’s building blocks of health.  A diet that is consistently deficient in these nutrients will over time reap the effects of a poor diet. This could be as simple as fatigue, anxiety, and body pain or more serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. All of these are most likely nutrient and lifestyle induced issues.

For the sake of clarity I will list the 6 essential nutrients; they are water, carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. Within these 6 are subsets of other families. For example, carbohydrates are separated into two groups, starches and fiber.  There are many other families of nutrients in healthy foods however they are not considered essential. You may recognize some of them and you may have even thought they were essential. How about Antioxidants: they promote health by protecting cells and their genetic material from damage from free radical attacks. Phytosterols: a type of plant fat, they help reduce cholesterol helping to prevent or even reverse atherosclerosis and have shown properties that protect against colon cancer.

Essential Nutrients and Their Impact on Our Body

Vitamins and How They Impact Our Health

For more info about the content of nutrients in certain foods I recommend these sources. http://www.whfoods.com/nutrientstoc.php and http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Vitamin Health Impact Partial list Significant Food Sources (partial list)
B1 (thiamin) Supports energy, required to turn food into energy, metabolism and nerve function, reduces stress spinach, green peas, tomato juice, watermelon, sunflower seeds, lean ham, lean pork chops, soy milk
B2 (riboflavin) Supports energy,  required to turn food into energy, metabolism, normal vision and skin health, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, eggs, milk, liver, oysters, clams
B3 (niacin) Supports energy, required to turn food into energy,  metabolism, skin health, nervous system and digestive system spinach, potatoes, tomato juice, lean ground beef, chicken breast, tuna (canned in water), liver, shrimp
Biotin Energy metabolism, fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism, glycogen synthesis widespread in foods
Pantothenic Acid Supports energy metabolism widespread in foods
B6 (pyridoxine) Amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, red blood cell production, heart health bananas, watermelon, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, potatoes, white rice, chicken breast
Folate Supports DNA synthesis and new cell formation, heart health, supports nerve health tomato juice, green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, okra, black-eyed peas, lentils, navy, pinto and garbanzo beans
B12 Used in new cell synthesis, helps break down fatty acids and amino acids, supports nerve cell maintenance, heart health meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs
C (ascorbic acid) Collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, helps iron absorption, immunity, antioxidant, healthy bones and joints spinach, broccoli, red bell peppers, snow peas, tomato juice, kiwi, mango, orange, grapefruit juice, strawberries
A (retinol) Supports vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction, mango, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, tomato juice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beef liver
D Promotes bone mineralization, required o build certain hormones self-synthesis via sunlight, fortified milk, egg yolk, liver, fatty fish, cod liver oil
E Antioxidant, regulation of oxidation reactions,  cellular membrane health, supports cell membrane stabilization polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn and canola oils), wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, shrimp, cod
K Synthesis of blood-clotting proteins, regulates blood calcium, bone health, immune function Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, liver

Minerals and How They Impact Our Health

Mineral Health Impact Significant Food Sources
Sodium Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions Processed foods, salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats
Chloride Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion Processed foods, salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats
Potassium Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle relaxation and nerve impulse transmission potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, cantaloupe, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk
Calcium Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting, muscle contraction,  maintains pH balance milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli, fortified foods
Phosphorus Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains pH balance all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk)
Magnesium Used in over 300 metabolic functions, supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immune function, helps regulate blood pressure spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas,  sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut
Iron Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body’s cells) , necessary for healthy cellular function,  required for Neurotransmitters, dopamine, nor-epinephrine and serotonin artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, lentils, beans, whole grains, clams, shrimp, beef liver;

iron in foods sources becomes more bio-available to the body when consumed with Vitamin c rich foods
Zinc A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus , immune function spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice, lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese

If taken as a supplement always take cooper with it. Cooper and zinc compete for space on the same enzyme and the intake of too much of one may cause a deficiency of the other.
Selenium Antioxidant.  Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation Brazil nuts, crimini mushrooms, barley, oats, seafood, meats and grains
Iodine Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate salt, kelp, algae, seafood, bread, milk, cheese
Copper Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes Calf’s liver, cashews, cooked soybeans, crimini mushrooms, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coked barley, garbanzo beans, pinto beans

If taken as a supplement always take zinc with it. Cooper and zinc compete for space on the same enzyme and the intake of too much of one may cause a deficiency of the other.
Manganese Facilitates many cell processes widespread in foods
Fluoride Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood
Chromium Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose vegetable oils, liver, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts
Molybdenum Facilitates many cell processes legumes, organ meats

How Important Is Your Health To You?

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC3 Comments
Enjoying Life

I must ask you this question. Have you thought about what limitations your current state of health has placed on you? Does your current state of health allow you the luxury of a walk around the lake or park without thinking “are my knees going to hurt or I am not sure I can make it, I’ll be to tired.”  What about taking a 3, 4 or even 6 mile hike in the mountains? The real question is, when it comes down to living life the way you would like to, can you?  If you can’t are you willing to do something about it?

As I look back on my life 5 years ago it was very limited.  My joints ached and walking more than a few hundred feet without looking for a resting spot was impossible. I had to sit on the sidelines and watch my grandchildren play without me.  This was torture.  My wife loved to hike and camp, sadly she had to give it up because I couldn’t.  She didn’t want to go without me.  I love college football, however going to the games was pure misery. This is no longer the case. My body allows me the luxury to do almost anything I would like to do at my age of 54.  If you really want more from your body continue reading. If not,  hopefully you are in great health and do not need this information.

If you want your body to be a magnificent vessel allowing you to have an active and fun life, it’s never to late. Our bodies are amazingly and wondrously made. God provided our bodies with an innate drive for health. Regardless how badly we poison our bodies they continue to fight to live.  If we give our bodies some help they can recover and give us the freedom to really experience life physically the way we desire.

OK, so let’s get right to the point of this blog. How to go from a state of  poor health, illness or even disease to better health, very little illness or even reverse disease.  We are each metabolically and genetically unique. In addition, the exposure to external influences  such as stress, nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxins, injuries, smoking, alcohol and drug intake have a total combined effect that can limit each persons health potential.  For example, If someone suffered an injury in a car accident and had broken their ankle, their ability to do an extreme hike may be limited however they may be able to comfortably do a moderate hike.  Regardless of your current health condition it can always improve.

In addition to the rules below,  learn to live within your energy/calorie budget. If you do not eat enough calories your body will be lacking very important nutrients needed to produce energy and build and repair your body. If you eat too much you will gain weight and open the door for other weight related health issues.

16 Rules of Healthy Living

Following these tips will help in your achievement of optimal health and wellness

  1. Remove all unnatural sources of sugar from your life.  (Table sugar, brown sugar, HFCS, corn syrup, confectioners’ sugar, syrup, etc…) Sugar acts as a poison that causes inflammation to our arteries and veins leading to heart disease, atherosclerosis and of course diabetes. Added sugars upset our normal hormonal balance and lower our immune system. Sugars in natural live foods does not have this effect.  Look for products made with stevia or xylitol. You can also use these as sweeteners at home.
  2. Make changes slowly to your lifestyle. You are more likely to be successful at making the positive changes stick by make change slowly.
  3. Remove or limit all refined and processed foods from your life.  (most boxed or canned flour based products)  Breads, pastas and cereals should be organic whole grain selections. Refined flours (those that say enriched, bleached, flour, wheat flour, bromate, multigrain and unbleached are refined) have the same effect on the body that added sugars do because they are simple carbohydrates and are absorbed into the body as blood sugar very quickly leading to the same disease potential and weight gain. These types of grains can get you into a vicious cycle of wanting to eat more and more of them.  It becomes a carbohydrate addiction that can be hard to break!  Learn the foods with the lowest blood sugar impact at this site. It will teach you everything you need to know about the blood sugar impact of particular foods.
  4. Replace frying with sauteing, baking, grilling or broiling.  Use  olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil or coconut oil.
  5. Replace flour based foods with “Whole Grain” choices.  (first ingredient in the list should say whole grain)
  6. Eat foods as close to nature in their raw state as possible (fresh or frozen).  If you must eat canned vegetables please rinse well.  Strive for 70% raw foods and 30% cooked.
  7. Eat a diet rich in variety. Include as many colors of vegetables (70% of your diet should be vegetables and fruits) fruits and grains, nuts and seeds every day. Limit nuts and seeds to 1 to 2 oz. per day due to calories.  The daily consumption of nuts drastically reduces the risk of heart disease.  Add ground flax-seed to your diet, 2 tbsp. daily to make sure you get plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids. These are essential for heart health, pain reduction, hormone regulation and nerve health.
  8. Limit saturated fats and totally eliminate trans fats from your diet. Include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats which are very healthy for you in moderation.  Olive oil is a monounsaturated oil and most nuts contain a good source of monounsaturated oils. The Omega 3 Polyunsaturated oils come from walnuts, flax-seed and cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, halibut and cod.  While sardines and salmon are the best animal sources of Omega 3 fatty acids, ground flax-seed is the best sources of vegetative Omega 3 Fatty Acids and in my opinion the best source for it daily.  Flax seed also provides lignans which may help prevent certain types of cancers.  Omega 6 Polyunsaturated fatty acids are very prevalent in our vegetables and are seldom deficient in our diet. You need extra Omega 3 to balance the ration to a 2 to 1 Omega 6 to Omega 3. Your SATURATED FAT intake should not exceed 10% of your calories. Example a 2,000 calorie intake should have no more than 200 calories from saturated fat. At 9 calories per gram of fat that would mean you should limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 22 grams per day.  3.5 ounces of cheddar cheese has 21 grams of saturated fat, 3.5 ounces of cream cheese has 28  grams.
  9. Eliminate or reduce the intake of animal proteins. According to the China Study (the longest running nutritional health study every conducted) the intake of animal protein that exceeds more than 10% of our daily protein intake leads to the potential activation of cancer causing genes.  Interestingly the consumption of plant proteins had no negative effect on genetic expression. Study after study showed that by increasing the intake of casein (milk protein) in the diet to more than 10% of the protein daily intake over longer periods of time the casein activated cancerous genes allowing them the potential to express as disease. When the casein was reduced to less than 10% of dietary intake the cancer promoting gene was turned off and would not express itself. Personally I do not recommend animal proteins. If meat must be consumed then cold water fish such as salmon, halibut, cod, steelhead trout and sardines are the preferred choice.  However understand that you raise your risk of higher mercury levels along with other excito-toxins in older and larger fish such as swordfish, shark and tuna.
  10. Eliminate dairy products (cheese, milk and creams) from your daily diet. Replace with Almond milk or Rice milk. The casein protein in dairy milk is very hard to digest and stays active in the body causing the body’s PH to become to acidic. This causes the body to leach calcium from bones and teeth to lower the PH to a health promoting level. The leaching of the calcium from bone is a leading cause of osteoporosis. I do not consume dairy products and do not recommend them. There are healthy dairy alternatives to choose from.
  11. Get plenty of water every day, 80 ounces over 24 hours. Hydration is very important to health and aids in the removal of toxins and from the body. Water is required in every metabolic activity. If you are ill, exercise intensely or sweat profusely you will need more water.  A good rule of thumb is 1/2 ounce of water per pound of body weight.
  12. Supplement your diet with a good whole food supplement that addresses the seven key areas of nutrition required for vibrant health. (ask for our suggestions)
  13. Move more every day. Exercise is very important in delivering the nutrients we consume to every cell  in our body and primes the lymph system pumping toxins out of our bodies. In addition exercise increases our metabolic rate helping to burn more calories (weight-loss) and will increase our bodies’ efficiency in using utilizing oxygen, increasing our overall fitness level.  To lose weight and build health we need to have a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days per week.
  14. Get a minimum of 20 minutes of fresh air and sunshine daily.
  15. If you smoke, quit.
  16. Avoid or cut caffeinated and alcoholic beverages from your diet. If you must drink limit them to no more than one alcoholic beverage per day for females and 2 for males.  Other than red wine there is not enough nutritional value in alcoholic beverages to include them in your diet. They actually rob your body of nutrients.  I do not recommend alcoholic beverages.

Healthy Wishes,

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Nutritionist

Related Articles

Why Are We So Unhealthy, Overweight and Obese in America?

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC6 Comments

Why do you think we have such a high prevalence of poor health and obesity in America?  I really need your feed back.  Your voice will help frame a proposal to our  legislature to make nutrition education mandatory in our schools and available to individuals and parents through community, business and church workshops.  We must make creating health and the prevention of disease and illness a priority.  It will cost much less to teach prevention than to provide health care and disease management. It will reduce the cost of health care for individuals, families, taxpayers and Corporate America.

America 's Obesity Epidemic
Obesity is Squeezing America

In the coming months we will kickoff  a campaign “Conquering Obesity” that will bring our collective voice to the public and state and federal government agencies.   If you have a passion for health and would like to volunteer, we could certainly use your support. Unless we can bring a change to our American way of life, our children being born today will begin to develop disease and illness earlier than ever before.  Please read the information below. I hope you will take part and help make Americans healthier than ever.

You can leave your comments below , email your thoughts or select your answer in my poll at http://www.conqueringobesity.net/health-survey–why-are-we-unhealthy-.html ,  feel free to select more than one answer if you think it applies, however please be serious when participating in this poll. The website is still under development.

It is our goal that families begin to understand the need for a shift to a healthy lifestyle so they and their children can enjoy a long healthy life.  To bring about the change we are working to educate and motivate individuals, families, churches and businesses on the consequences of the current health trends and the benefits of a shift to healthier lifestyle.

According to statics from http://www.americashealthrankings.org,  in 2009 the southern states and in-particular the southeastern states made up the cellar in health rankings across all states. In fact 7 of the 10 unhealthiest,  positions 40 to 50,  make up what I would consider southeastern states.  You can view the individual state rankings here.   In addition the same health monitoring organization predicts the prevalence of obesity in the United States is estimated to increase from the current level of 31.30% obese to 42.80% obese in 2018.  I am sure you can imagine where the rates of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers  are headed.  All of these negative health conditions are preventable, even if you have a genetic history for them. Lifestyle behavior will trump genetics almost 100% of the time.  Take look at some shocking health figures.

The current health trends in this country show a decrease in health and wellness across a broad spectrum of health categories. Our health care system is seeing increasing rates of serious adult diseases and health conditions occurring in America’s youth. We have children under twelve years of age developing high cholesterol, type II diabetes and hypertension. In fact the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated their policy to recommend that children between the ages of two and ten are screened for high cholesterol if they or their family members are overweight or have experienced high lipid profiles. This has to stop.

Young adults are developing degenerative disease earlier than ever. America’s adults, in general have higher rates of heart and cardiovascular disease than most industrialized nations. Obesity is growing and diabetes is now reaching epidemic rates.

This demands and calls for an urgent paradigm shift in our culture. We must become active in our lifestyle and involved in the process of managing dietary needs for ourselves and our families.  If your heritage is from the African-American or Hispanic culture you should be alarmed, the rates of obesity and it’s related diseases and illnesses are even higher for you.

We must change how we live. It has to start today. Every mother and father should make sure you are feeding your children healthy foods and providing  them the opportunity for an active lifestyle.  Please join us in our efforts to change the landscape of America’s health. Every journey begins with one step. Please take yours today and lets walk together on the journey to a healthy and vibrant life.

Wally’s Daily Dose

The Unhealthiest 14 States

Florida 36
North Carolina 37
Missouri 38
Texas 39
Arkansas 40
Kentucky 41
West Virginia 42
Georgia 43
Tennessee 44
Nevada 45
South Carolina 46
Louisiana 47
Alabama 48
Oklahoma 49
Mississippi 50

Nutrition Shootout! A Healthy Fast Food Sandwich Vs A Homemade Mushroom Cheese Burger

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC1 Comment

Just for a little fun and to make a point about the nutritional value of preparing your own food, I wanted to compare one of  Wendy’s’  healthiest  fast food sandwiches, Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich to a homemade Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger (no meat). For those of you that prefer meat, don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe, it is very filling and has great flavor.

Both competitors have a single slice of cheese, mayo is on the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich and Smart Balance Lite Butter spread on the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger.  I used spinach on the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger while the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich uses lettuce. Their menu doesn’t specify the type, so I used iceberg and romaine in my calculations for Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

As far as fast food goes, Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich is a good choice if you order it with just the bun, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato,  mayo, mustard and a slice of cheese.  I wish they offered it with a whole grain bun.  I hope the President of Wendy’s reads this suggestion. You can shave extra calories and fat off of both sandwiches if you leave off the cheese. As with any fast food choice, avoid the sauces and dressings, they add extra calories, sugar, cholesterol, sodium, saturated fat and in some cases trans fat to your meal.   They also contain preservatives that can damage your health if over consumed.  I have a few clients that eat fast food two and three times per day.  I would not recommend eating at any fast food establishment that often, if at all. You can access all of Wendy’s nutritional data and food ingredients at this website.

At the weigh in, the homemade Portobello mushroom cheeseburger weighs in at 352 grams and 365 calories while the Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich weighs in at 260 grams and 440 calories. It looks like the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger  is a little heavy,  yet has fewer calories, less fat, less cholesterol, taste great and gives you more nutrition per calorie!  When you  prepare  foods at home you can use more nutritious ingredients, avoid health damaging preservatives and cooking at home is less expensive.

In this comparison, I used Wendy’s published nutritional data in every nutritional category they provided. I compiled the additional nutritional data for both foods using ESHA Nutritional Data Software, a leader in nutrition data collection.

In the graph below the RED is the Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger, and the Blue is Wendy’s Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich. For the complete nutritional data for each food, click here.  If there are other comparisons you would like to see, just let me know. My next blog is on fast food salads, you are going to be shocked!!

Wendy's Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich-vs-Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger
Wendy's Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich-vs-Portobello Mushroom Cheeseburger

Do You Know Your Phytonutrients? You should!

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC4 Comments
Phytonutrient Rich Foods
Phytonutrient Rich Foods

Have you seen those two guys on TV in the pond filled with cranberries promoting the antioxidant power of cranberries? We all assume they must be good for us. Most people under-estimate the power of not only antioxidants, but phytonutrients in general.

The new buzz in health news is the power of a class of phytonutrients known as antioxidants. Every time I turn on the tube or check out the web,  I see adds  about phytonutrients known as antioxidants.  Did you know that antioxidants are just one type of phytonutrient?

What are Phytonutrients?

Phytonutrients are not vitamins or minerals.  Phytonutrients are certain organic components or compounds found in plants, and these components or compounds are believed  to provide protective benefits that promote human health.

There are many different types of phytonutrients such as anthocyanidins ( a type of antioxidant found in blue and purple foods), glycoproteins, polysaccharides,  ( essential sugars that protect the myelin sheath of our nerves and promote health in our digestive and immune systems),  phytosterols (heart and arterial protecting compounds) and polyphenols ( a very powerful class of antioxidants) found in a variety of foods including brans, nuts, seeds, dried spices, fruits and vegetables .

Phytonutrients may

· serve as antioxidants  ( they protect cells from free radicals that cause aging and illness)

· enhance immune response ( they help elevate our ability to produce more immune cells such as Killer Cells and antibodies)

· enhance cell-to-cell communication

· alter estrogen metabolism

· convert beta-carotene to vitamin A

· cause cancer cells to die (apoptosis)

· repair DNA damage caused by smoking and other toxic exposures

· detoxify some carcinogens

Source USDA http://www.ars.usda.gov/Aboutus/docs.htm?docid=4142#top

So what does all of this mean to you and me?

It reinforces what our grandmothers have told us for years. Eating fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds and whole grains are good for us and can offer many health benefits.

Getting your phytonutrients from foods  has a much more powerful effect than taking isolated phytonutrient or antioxidant supplements. Our bodies are designed to get nutrients from natural unprocessed foods. Antioxidants that exist together in their natural form, for example in rice bran, blueberries or spinach, have synergies that make them much more powerful than when consumed in supplement form.

Fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds also provide vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fiber in addition to carbohydrates, proteins and heart healthy fats and oils.

If you are not eating at least 2 servings of fruits, 3 servings of vegetables, 4 servings of whole grains and 1 ounces of nuts and seeds daily you are robbing your body of essential nutrients required for vibrant health. The SAD (Standard American Diet) has made Americans one of the least healthy populations of all industrialized nations, yet we spend over twice the money per person on health care.

Make veggies, fruits, grains, beans, nuts and seeds a part of your daily diet.  Your body will love you for it!

Healthy Wishes

Wally’s Daily Dose

Obesity, You Can Beat It

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC2 Comments
obesity-epidemic rates 2004
obesity-epidemic rates 2004

I was once a morbidly obese person.  Thank you God, the bonds of my obesity were literally eaten and walked off.  If you are obese or overweight, I am urging you to take a step today to change your life.  If you don’t, I can promise you that it will shorten your life by years.  Sure 15 or 20 extra pounds  isn’t going to impact your health as much as 100 pounds of extra fat will. However, that extra 20 pounds will, if you are consuming a nutrient poor diet and not getting enough exercise.

This week, I watched Losing it with Jillian Michaels. I try to watch it every week as well as the biggest loser when it is on. I am cheering hard for their success.  Jillian’s show gets down to the dynamics of family life and the effect obesity has on everyone; spouses, children, aunts and uncles, even neighbors and friends.  I will tell you, playing with my grand children is the greatest reward I could receive.  Before the weight loss I could only sit and watch them play.  People that know me will tell you I am not the type of person to sit and watch. My weight loss has given me my life back.  Obesity is a type of imprisonment within your own body.  I f you are overweight or obese, I want to empower you with the knowledge to lose all the weight you want to lose and be healthy!

Do you know what the number one killer in America is? How about lifestyle choices which include diet and activity . This includes heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure.

If you are overweight I want you to know that you can lose that weight and keep it off. I know you are shaking your head saying I have tried and tried and tried again and I lose some weight and then life bucks me off the diet and I gain it back. I went though those thoughts too and tried a lot of diets. I literally dieted my way to almost 450 pounds. I have walked in your shoes and I have succeeded at losing over 200 pounds and kept it off.  I must tell you, I enjoy eating today more that ever.

Please listen to me, believe me,  you can lose the extra weight you are carrying. A lot of my clients use the same excuses I did.  I blamed my genes, my ex-wife,  my schedule, stress from work even bad luck.  Genetics only go so far. Science has shown repeatedly  that our lifestyle choices can trump genetics a majority of the time.  We all have people, schedules and jobs that stress us. There are no acceptable excuses to neglect our health.

There is no shortcut or pill for weight loss.  If there was, I would have found it.  Surgery should always be the last option. You will have to make huge sacrifices once you have your stomach stabled or banded. The answer is to discovery why you have gained the weight and then to correct it.  You must learn how to eat and live a healthy lifestyle.

How to get started, read this document and understand that just reading a manual or word document isn’t the answer. We must tailor the information in this document for your unique situation. I promise, you will not be hungry or deprived any foods.

It requires a warriors attitude! You must declare war on your fat! You must make slow gradual changes and understand it takes time. We want you to lose no more than 2 pounds per week.

If you want my help just ask .

Healthy Wishes

Wally’s Daily Dose

Your Lifestyle, Your Health

Wallace Bishop BC-FNC, BC-HHP, INHC2 Comments

Several weeks ago, Brian Williams reported on NBC Nightly News that 45% of Americans suffer from one of potentially three major life threatening conditions; high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.   In addition, he also reported that recent studies show that living an unhealthy lifestyle can cost you 12 years of life.

What they don’t report is that once you have one of the three conditions you highly increase your risk for developing the remaining two conditions.  A report by The Center for Science in the Public Interest in 2008 reported that 210,560,000 Americans suffered from diseases related to diet and lifestyle. That is over 63% of the US population.

The description defining an unhealthy lifestyle according to Brian Williams is, drinking too much, a lack of exercise, smoking and poor diet.  This description reflects the lifestyle of most Americans.  This has to change.

Studies reported in 2008 stated that only 11% of Americans consumed the recommendation of 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits per day.  Remember that the 5 a day campaign is the minimum recommendation of vegetable and fruit intake by the National Institutes of Health for preventing some diseases. This means that 89% of the American population is at further risk for obesity, cancers, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke.

Sadly many people don’t care.  In my practice as a Nutritionist, I have clients tell me that they would prefer to die younger allowing them to eat and live they way they wish.  They will take their medication to manage their disease and forego any lifestyle changes.  Do you know of any medication that does not have some negative consequences?     Why not make a few simple lifestyle changes?

What they do not realize, until it is too late, is their life may be cut short and the quality of their life in most cases is significantly diminished. For example diabetics are at risk for nerve damage which causes neuropathy leading to amputations, or their vision is damaged leading to blindness or the heart or kidneys begin to fail or the arterial damage caused by the excess blood sugar causes atherosclerosis leading to cardiovascular and heart disease and even stroke.  Diabetes can be a very slow and agonizing death.

So please eat your vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Get more active and exercise your body. Limit your consumption of alcohol to no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 for women and please quit smoking.

Your body will love you for it and reward you with less illness, a higher quality of life and possibly an extra 12 years!   I don’t want to watch life from the sidelines I want to play and enjoy everything life has to offer. How about you?

Healthy Wishes

Wally’s Daily Dose