1. Eat Whole Foods

You are what you eat - eat a whole foods diet filled with real food and avoid overly processed foods. What are whole foods? Whole foods are those that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. They typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat. They include fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt), butter, meat (preferably grass fed), fish, nuts, seeds, and minimally processed oils (olive oil and canola oil).

The consumption of high amounts of fruits and vegetables is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD), asthma, chronic bronchitis, and arthritis; and, the consumption of whole grains and soy foods offers protection against CVD and cancer.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other whole foods feature a spectrum of antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, the trace minerals selenium and zinc, and a palette of important phytonutrients such as flavonoids and carotenoids (health promoting plant based chemicals). 

Antioxidants help protect us from free radicals and other unstable oxygen molecules that can damage cellular membranes and alter genetic materials if not neutralized.

These reactive free radicals and other damaging molecules come from UV radiation, toxins and pollutants, found in the air we breathe and the foods we eat.  Free radicals and unstable oxygen species are known to promote the development of atherosclerosis, cancer, arthritis, diabetes and a host of other conditions.

Toxins and free radicals build-up in our bodies causing accelerated aging, skin damage (wrinkles), lowered immune function, metabolism (energy), and mental clarity.

Protect yourself by eating 3-4 fruits and vegetables a day. For most people you’ll find that breakfast is the best time for fruit, but it can also be used as a desert. Fruit, especially apples, make a great snack.

Here’s how I do it. For breakfast I always eat whole unprocessed nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts), a great source of healthy omega 3 fatty acids, and fresh berries (strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries) and or an apple, slice of cantaloupe, or honey dew melon.

For lunch I usually eat a salad with tomatoes, carrots, and broccoli or red peppers. For dinner, I always have at least a side vegetable or salad with my meal. Salads are a great way to get your 3-4 vegetables in (lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, onions, etc.). 

2. Exercise  

Exercise a minimum of 20 minutes a day. Walk, jog, aerobics, Stairmaster, swim, dance, Wii Fit, whatever, but exercise on a daily basis. 

Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk around the block can help you calm down. Exercise reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine), which may help boost mental clarity and happiness. Exercise helps you look and feel better, which may help boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular exercise also helps improve your sleep.

Exercise helps prevent chronic diseases
Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

Regular exercise, just 20 minutes a day, can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. 

Exercise for weight loss
When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Dedicated workouts are great, but activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too. 

Exercise can improve your sex life
Are you too tired to be intimate? Regular exercise can leave you feeling energized and looking better, and improve your self-esteem, all of which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise, especially as they get older.

Exercise is fun, invigorating, and the best antidepressant/anti-anxiety medicine going. I believe exercise is the great neutralizer. Exercising on a regular basis helps promote good health in spite of occasionally poor habits. Exercise and perspiration removes unhealthy toxins from your cells.    

Reduce your risk of heart disease. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women in the United States. And overweight people are more likely to have: 

> High Blood Pressure. This is a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. 
> Angina or chest pain. Being overweight contributes to this problem by causing a decrease in oxygen to the heart. 
> Sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms.

Reducing your weight by 5-10 percent can decrease your chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke. You can improve your heart function, blood pressure and your levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides by simply losing some of those excess pounds. 

Reduce your risk of diabetes
Being overweight doubles your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent). 

Reduce your cancer risk

There are several kinds of cancer associated with being overweight. In women, these include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, cervix, ovary, breast and colon. Overweight men are at greater risk for developing cancer of the colon, rectum and prostate 

Weight Loss Improves Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a serious condition associated with being overweight. It can cause you to stop breathing for short periods and to snore heavily. Sleep apnea can make you sleepy in the daytime and increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.  

Reduce Joint Pain - Osteoarthritis

This is a joint disorder that affects the joints in your knees, hips, and lower back. Extra weight increases the risk of this disease because there is more pressure on these joints. Weight loss can decrease the stress and improve symptoms of osteoarthritis. 

Gout

Gout is a joint disease caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. This painful disease is more common among people who are overweight. A change in diet (to a whole foods diet) and losing weight can help eliminate the symptoms of gout.

Clearly losing weight is an important step towards optimal health. Even a modest 5-10% weight loss can yield some substantial improvements.

Losing weight can be difficult, no doubt about it. However, by following the advice in this newsletter - starting a healthy whole foods diet and exercising a minimum of 20 minutes a day (45-60 minutes for accelerated weight loss) you can help yourself jump start your metabolism and increase your odds of losing weight. It’s not a sprint but a marathon. It will take time. Getting healthy and staying healthy is a result of day in and day out health habits. By living a healthy lifestyle you’ll add years to your life and life to your years.

Weight loss occurs when a person burns more calories than he/she ingests. Therefore, eating less, eating right, and exercising are essential to your weight loss program. Easier said than done! Additionally, it is important to focus on fat loss as opposed to just weight loss, since nobody has a reason to want to lose lean muscle tissue. The products we offer can be a valuable aid in your effort, if used responsibly. Our customers who heed this advice invariable succeed and often report to us that our products were helpful to them. Remember, it is impossible to "lose weight overnight" in a healthy manner. Permanent, healthy weight loss takes time and dedication. Good luck, we know you can do it!

Resources

1. Vinson JA. Investigation of the efficacy of Phaseolamin 2250, a purified bean extract from Pharmachem Laboratories. Unpublished results, 2001.
2. Vinson JA, Shuta DM. In vivo effectiveness of a starch absorption blocker in a double-blind placebo-controlled study with normal college-age subjects. Unpublished results, 2001.
3. Ballerini R. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a food supplement for weight control through the reduced calories intake from carbohydrates vs placebo (double blind test). Unpublished results, EVIC Italia, 2001.