Posts Tagged ‘doctor’
Clean Eating 101
Clean Eating is more than just a trendy catch-phrase. In fact, it’s something we can all benefit from whether or not we’re trying to lose weight. And the tenants for clean eating are easier than you might think — but certainly this helpful infographic from Skinny Mom helps break down the Do’s and Don’t’s in an easier-to-understand way.
Keep in mind, you need to adapt these tips to your own body and your individual lifestyle. For example, I find that eating 3 meals a day (with a healthy snack or two when needed) works much better for me than eating 6 smaller meals (as the infographic recommends).
The road to a healthier and happier you is an individual one. You want to make healthy choices that serve your needs. This might mean visiting your doctor and discussing your goals. But certainly clean eating can factor into anyone’s health regimen (no matter what their goals) and provide lots of benefits — not to mention surprising amounts of flavor. (Since switching to farmers markets for most of my produce, I find vegetables and fruits bought at traditional grocery stores to be pretty tasteless).
Yes, buying fresher, more organic (clean!) produce and food products can be a little pricier. But as my own personal physician recently pointed out to me, the cost savings benefits in terms of overall health far exceed the costs of clean eating. To find a farmers market in your area, click here.
Photo Source: Skinny Mom
Where will today take you?
No matter what the scale reflected (number-wise) this morning or how tight your clothes might feel today, you are kicking butt when it comes to reaching your goals. No need to beat yourself up if you recently experienced a slip, eating-wise. Or if you didn’t make it to the gym as often as you intended to last week. Today is a new day. And a new chance to reignite your momentum toward your goals.
Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, what hasn’t worked or why you feel “less than,” turn your thoughts to reasons you want to feel better, look better and be better. Imagine putting on a pair of jeans without worrying you’re going to cut off your circulation when you fasten them. Imagine enjoying a reasonable amount of food at a party without obsessing about eating before, during or after the occasion. Imagine walking past a mirror and not listing “10 things I hate about you.” Or imagine your doctor giving you news that your health is improving.
The more positive your mindset, the more reachable your goals become. Who cares if you’re on a bit of a slow boat? You’re on the boat. That’s what matters. Life is about the journey (as opposed to the destination) after all. So why not live life on the happy side today — reminding yourself that you’re well on your way to improving what’s already fantastic even in this moment: Amazing, beautiful, incredible YOU!
Let the sunshine in (wisely!)
I know I’m normally blogging (blathering on?) about food and nutrition. But can we just take a moment, pre 4th of July weekend, to acknowledge that summer’s finally here? Of course, this can be a great time to get outdoors to add even more physical activity to your day. Not only will being outdoors add to your bottom line (or lack thereof) when it comes to your healthy life outlook, but it will also allow you to soak up some healthy Vitamin D in its natural form from the sun.
But whatever your outdoor activity, make sure you remember the sunscreen. The FDA recommends that we apply SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 at the very least. But that rule doesn’t apply to everyone. My personal dermatologist says we should be wearing an SPF level of 30 to 40 even for daily activities. Thus, you’re encouraged to take your own “sun history” into account.
If you rarely burn and tan easily, SPF 15 is might be right for you. But if you are very pale (like moi), have numerous freckles and/or red hair, then you should use a much higher level of SPF. If you’re not sure which level of SPF you should be using, make a quick call to your doctor or dermatologist to get their professional opinion. After all, the skin you save may be your own.
And no matter which level of SPF you’re using, this same rule applies to us all: Reapply the sunblock every 2 hours (moreso if you’re sweating or just getting out of the pool or ocean).
To find out which SPF level is right for you, click here
For more information on the FDA Guidelines regarding SPF levels, click here
Photo Source: WeeklySauce
Bite this, not that
I’m not one to vent. Or to rant. But every now and then I see something in the media that really burns my britches. This very thing happened recently one morning while watching Good Morning America. During the broadcast, they aired a story featuring “America’s get-real nutritionist” who was putting down healthier foods based solely on their calorie count. While giving her advice, Rachel Beller (author of the book Eat to Lose, Eat to Win) barely mentioned the nutrient content, fullness factor or overall wellness effects of the foods she was warning dieters about.
Sure, the message of the piece was portion control, which is always a great reminder for us all (myself included). But for Ms. Beller to insinuate her girlfriends were bad examples after seeing them at a party having two glasses of potentially beneficial red wine based on the “fact” that having two glasses of red wine the same as having two candy bars is just ridonkulous when you consider the nutritional value of the two and what your body can potentially do thanks to those “calories.” Luckily, one of the GMA anchors, Dan Harris, pointed this out at the end of the segment. But still…by then the damage was done to many of us with a dieter’s mentality.
Too often books like Eat This, Not That (also occasionally featured on Good Morning America), show off a large amount of donuts as being the calorie equivalent of something that’s healthier and better for you. I know the goal is to sell books and get into the news. But this is part of the reason that America is getting fatter and fatter. We’re being fed misleading messages that derail our efforts to not only look better on the outside, but feel better (and be healthier) on the inside.
Avocado, raw nuts and red wine can all be very good for us when consumed in moderation. Is there fat in the Avocado? Sure. Are there calories in the nuts? Of course. Should red wine be consumed in moderation if okayed by your doctor? Naturally. But to compare these foods to donuts and candy bars as being the same amount of calories is really misleading and even potentially dangerous.
There’s no rocket science required for losing weight and getting healthy. All together now: Eat less. Move more. Drink plenty of water. And get lots of sleep. And be sure to include delicious, natural and unprocessed treats from nature in your diet whenever possible. And P.S. This isn’t to say you can’t enjoy a candy bar or even a donut every now and then — but I suggest not doing it at the expense of some of nature’s (key word) healthier choices.
Common sense. Sounds so crazy it just might work!
(Have there been any recent diet or health stories that have left you frustrated? If so, tell me all about in the comments section below. Together, we can take off a little steam!)
Photo Source: Good Morning America
Testing, testing
You may be aware of recent news stories documenting a new change in policy for all employees of CVS Pharmacy, which now requires all of the nearly 200,000 workers who are on CVS’s health plan to submit their weight, body fat, glucose levels and other vitals or (if they don’t submit these test results) pay a monthly fine of $50 a month (which adds up to $600 a year in additional insurance costs).Employees who agree to the testing will see no change in health insurance rates.
When I first shared this story on the Just Stop Eating So Much! facebook page, some readers expressed outrage, noting that CVS Pharmacy was enlisting a sort of “Big Brother” approach to health insurance. News reports state that other critics call this new policy coercion — worrying that the company could potentially use the information to start firing unhealthy workers.
Yet 12NewsNow reports that CVS, which is based in Rhode Island, claims the health screening is voluntary and that the company would never actually see the test results in question. 12NewsNow goes onto report that in an email to ABC News, CVS explained that its “benefits program is evolving to help our colleagues take more responsibility for improving their health and managing health-associated costs.”
What’s more, according to ABC News, CVS insists that the use of health screenings by employer-sponsored health plans is quickly becoming a common practice. This set internet chat on fire with chat boards boasting questions from posters wondering if similar programs and policies are legal.
Although contrary to public opinion, I personally do not see the harm in these sorts of tests. The fact is, many of us are overweight and don’t realize it — either because of denial, misinformation or simply not having access to test results like these that are real indicators of our overall health. Somewhere along the line, we have given up our personal responsibility in matters of our own health. Take it from me, someone who used to weigh over 450 pounds and was completely “out of touch” with the reality of my situation — much less the potential health hazards of being that morbidly obese. It all began with not being informed. And I was happily ignorant. Or so I thought. (Turns out I wasn’t so happy with all the side-effects of weighing that much as many loyal readers of this blog know.)
Since CVS Pharmacy has gone on record stating that these numbers will not be used against employees, it seems there would potentially be legal recourse if that did not turn out to be the case.
But just as important as the potential legal issues, it’s time we stopped lying to ourselves and living in denial. Our obesity problem is worse than ever before and yet many of us do not realize we are overweight or refuse to acknowledge it as the real health crisis that it is. The more we know about our medical conditions and our overall health, the more we can start making small, significant changes that will help us feel better and live longer.
ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser commented on this matter to ABC News, stating, “The goal of these kinds of programs is to end up with a healthier work force. If your employees are healthy they’re going to work better and they’re going to cost the employer a lot less money.”
Is that really such a bad thing? To be healthier? If this kind of free testing helps us be more informed, where’s the harm in that?
As always, I welcome your opinion and insights. So whether you agree with me or not, I’d love to hear from you on this and any other similar issue. In the meantime, here’s to all of us being more informed and, as a potential result, healthier!
Photo Source: BasicSpine.com
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