We're in a New Age of Obesity. How did it happen?

It's hard to say how we've entered a new age of obesity; but, it's happened. Perhaps there are several sources to blame -- but, is there really one source or one group to blame for it? Of course not. We do know that there have been changes -- even gradual changes in our current Obesogenic environment -- that have gone unnoticed by most, wouldn't you say?

In reviewing this article, we find that blame need not exist for the obese population and for that matter the 'unhealthy' population'. So how about creating a healthier food-friendly environment, more opportunity to instill more education for better health and wellness. And...where does our government? our food scientists? our 'lose-weight-fast' scammers stand on our Obesogenic environment? Hasn't our society been deceived already by the many food-related tricky businesses out there? It's time to implement healthy education, good news on making healthy food affordable and creating a healthier environment for future generations to come, wouldn't you say?

"Just as jobless people are blamed for structural unemployment, and indebted people are blamed for impossible housing costs, fat people are blamed for a societal problem. But, yes, willpower needs to be exercised -- BY GOVERNMENTS. Yes, we need personal responsibility - ON THE PART OF POLICYMAKERS. And yes, control needs to be exerted - over those who have discovered our weaknesses and RUTHLESSLY EXPLOIT THEM".

Why You Need A Health Coach Now More Than Ever

Health and Wellness is at the forefront of most people's minds, wouldn't you say? How many of us are obsessed with learning the benefits of following a certain diet only to find out that there is one that has been medically proven to be better. 

How can we focus on creating habits that perpetuate all the added benefits of taking care of ourselves so that we reap the benefits of what good health and wellness can provide to us for years to come? 

And....how good are we on following through with what we say we are going to do? "This time I really intend to lose those last 20 pounds" or "I most definitely will change the way I eat, sleep and exercise now that I know I'm diabetic".  Will we really be good with our word? Will we follow through on what we said we were going to do? This is where a health coach comes into play. How will you be held accountable to what you said you were going to do? Are you ready to make the change? How will you know you are ready to make the change? 

Read on and learn more about the benefits of having a health coach...and frankly, why you need a health coach now more than ever.

The Key Role Health Coaches Play In Stopping The Chronic Disease Epidemic

Why is Turmeric and Black Pepper such a great combination?

I'll tell you all -- I truly enjoy writing and sharing what I learn along the way about nutrition, health and wellness in general. Although it has been a good while since I've posted, please forgive me -- we all fall off our regularly scheduled routines from time to time. 

As time passes and we get busy with our day-to-day routines, life challenges us, right?  Just never ever forget to take care of yourself! Especially with life going at warp speed and taking steps to reach our best health goals -- it's always good to learn new stuff about ways to eat better, sleep better and simply better manage how we live our lives.

My goal as a health coach is to continue learning new things and sharing them with you all. In fact, if you'd like to learn more about something, send me a comment. My passion is and always has been one that includes the foods we eat and what foods are best for our bodies, but it doesn't stop there. How can we be sure to be equitable with the foods we put in our bodies on a daily basis? What happens when we splurge too much and forget to go to the gym for x, y and z reasons? How do we get rid of the guilt we feel when we don't do what we 'should' be doing? How about keeping the momentum up by doing small things that we can add to our lives.

Again, there is no doubt that we can go on various different diets, lose weight by doing cleanses or exercise like crazy and lose those final dreaded pounds, right? But, what about consistency? How can we just enjoy our lives as much as possible and not punish ourselves because we ate terribly. No need for all of that! Start out by cooking at home more. Test yourselves and try new ingredients. Dare yourself to be better and guaranteed -- you will feel better and be more productive. Challenge yourself to learn about what makes certain foods really good combinations too and start incorporating those foods into your diet. 

For instance, did you know that Turmeric and Black Pepper are truly the "dynamic duo" of great spices to add to your own healthy kitchen arsenal? Like a great chef has a kitchen arsenal of cookware and tools, why shouldn't you arm yourselves with healthy ingredients to make for a healthier you?

Did you know that the golden spice Turmeric -- which already has a list of proven health benefits -- gets even better by combining it with Black Pepper? In fact, the Curcumin in Turmeric and the piperine in black pepper have been proven to show an overall improvement in health because of their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and disease-fighting qualities. Now imagine adding these two ingredients together in some foods like scrambled eggs, or roasted vegetable or even a simple curry! Truly delicious and nutritious -- what better combination is there, really. 

Check out the article here to learn more about these ingredients and experiment in the kitchen. Who knows you may become known in your household or even in your circle of friends as being the 'go-to' chef with a flare for creating delicious and nutritious meals. And who doesn't want to hang out with that person! Enjoy....

7 Mindsets That Will Radically Improve Your Life Right Now

One of the things that I've learned -- particularly over the past couple of years -- is that your mindset is so vitally important. I found this great article on Inc., by Lolly Daskal, President and CEO of Lead from Within.

Are you motivated to kick-start Mondays into high gear or are you hoping you can just get by with simply getting through the day? Have you told yourself a thousand times that this week you'll get to the gym...this week will be different...this week is the start of a new you! We've all been there at one time or another, but how about doing what you can to reset your mindset? It can be done....

The following are 7 Mindsets that undoubtedly will get you motivated into making the most of your Mondays and for that matter, the rest of the week.

(1) Self-trust mindset. Wow, who knew you had it in you? Yes, confidence! Trust in yourself is absolutely key and despite any setback you may have -- and believe me there will be -- trusting yourself will get you closer to a goal that you've had in mind for awhile. Even if progress is slow but steady, believe that you are headed in the right direction!

(2) Goal-setting mindset. One of the many things I've learned from wellness coaching is that setting goals is an absolute must to improving in any area whether it is in your business, improving your eating habits or even reaching out more frequently to your social circle. Start by doing one small doable action on a Monday and see if you can keep doing that one thing throughout the week like meditating for 10 minutes or walking for 30 minutes every day or drinking 6-8 glasses of water throughout the day.

(3) Patient mindset. This one is hard, but oh so worth attempting to make it part of your routine. Think of how time moves so slowly, especially when we really want something now or want to be somewhere now. Stuck in traffic? Think of creating an affirmation you tell yourself or a song that brightens your day and gets you from going down that 'negative anger-mode when is this traffic going to end' mindset. Looking for a job or waiting to hear back regarding a promotion at work? Nothing can test your patience more than counting the minutes that go by, right? What about doing something -- even a small something to get you feeling more confident like brushing up on a job skill or enrolling in a class that can pay off in oh so many ways...

(4) Courageous mindset.  Love this one! No doubt it takes courage to do anything difficult or that can test your patience. Regardless, being courageous simply means you are going to do it anyway because you know that the payoff will be worth it. Maybe it is even stretching yourself to go to a networking event by yourself or scheduling an appointment that you are less than excited about making -- you will thank yourself by following through with it!

(5) Focused mindset. Go ahead and test yourself on this one. Imagine that you will be going on vacation with your significant other and some friends in 10 days but you have so much work to complete before than? Has that ever happened to anyone? By focusing on the here and now -- not 10 days from now -- keep a calendar for the next 9 days and stick to what is on the to-do list. Think of how good it will feel to know that you've marked off everything (or most everything) off that list so you really can enjoy that well-deserved vacation!

(6) Positive mindset. Start by being good to yourself and that means keeping a positive mindset. Even if you aren't at the perfect weight that you think you should be at (this is so misleading!) or you haven't moved up on the career ladder as you think you should -- staying positive can get you one step closer to reaching your goals! Time goes on and waits for no one so like it or not keeping a negative mindset will get you nowhere fast. Positive mindset is full of possibilities.

(7) Learning mindset. Many times we can get caught up with getting stuck in our own heads because we don't understand why something didn't work out like we've wanted it to do so. Again, whether it is a dream job that we have worked so hard to get or a place we've wanted to go, if it doesn't work out perhaps there is a good reason for it. There is no point in sulking over it -- that is a time waster! Move on and prepare yourself for the next adventure....

We may not always believe that we deserve that something that has happened to us, but mindset can pave the way to positive change if we let it. Embrace, get empowered and move onward....even when we don't always want to do so. At times, keeping that positive mindset makes the everyday stuff tolerable -- and sometimes that's all you need, right?

Exercise and Healthy Eating 101

One of the many reasons why I believe it is important to bring up a popular topic -- like exercise and healthy eating -- is because there are so many variations as to what people believe is the best answer. I'm sure most people would agree (I hope so) that exercise and healthy eating are critical components for optimal health, but how good are we at finding excuses not to follow through on doing them? So many excuses -- so little time, right? You hear it all the time at work, with a bunch of friends or even within networking events -- comments like: "How do you find the time to go to the gym so often" or "How annoying that so and so is getting ready to run another marathon" or "How does he/she look so good despite how busy they are"?

Why not start out with simple inspiration that not only may be recommended by friends, family or co-workers, but even more importantly, people who know the reasons why it is so important to exercise and eat well -- like nutritionists, exercise professionals and physicians. It really is amazing how good you can feel when you really take one step at a time to creating a healthier YOU.

The following are some reasons why healthy eating can and should be enjoyed:

• Believe me, once you really start to see how well you feel after a delicious, balanced meal instead of a quick bagel and cream cheese, or gooey donut or pepperoni pizza, your priorities will change!
• Again, once those habits that include regular chips and Coke change to healthier ones, you can and will experience how good you feel. Who doesn't want to feel good, right?
• By the way, life is too short not to have a favorite food like pizza or a burger, but not so frequently! How about starting with once a week, then work your way up to once or twice a month? Put it on a calendar if you need to do so!
• No guilt! Guilt is simply no good. How cool would it be to really enjoy an indulgence without giving guilt a second thought!
• You'll begin to see food differently. The knowledge gained in knowing that food is not just food, but more importantly fuel that provides our bodies to be strong, able and balanced is priceless! Want to have an excellent workout that pays off in feeling great? Balance your food intake...
• Know how a stone thrown in a pond causes a ripple effect? Now think of how sticking with a habit of eating well can lead to other habits that provide your body with more energy to be adventurous and even creatively adventurous while cooking!
• Dealing with temptation becomes easier -- believe me. Again, like the ripple effect of those good habits, you will notice more and more how good you feel after eating a balanced, portion-sized meal as opposed to eating 'all you can eat' at the buffet. Simply put, upon feeling better, temptations are easier to deal with more frequently.

Some reasons why exercise and and should be enjoyed includes some of the following: 

• You'll start to appreciate your body more. This one is important. You may not appreciate your body now or maybe you've compared yourself to someone with a body you wished you had, right? The thing is we have the one we have! By exercising regularly, you can begin to see how strong you are and notice how well you are sleeping too.
• The everyday things like bending, cleaning, going upstairs/downstairs, and stretching becomes easier due to your diligent exercise routine. That is a good reason to continue, wouldn't you say?
• Your confidence grows. Ever think of someone being positive and in a bad mood? No, didn't think so. There is something to be said of how confidence grows once good habits become regular habits as opposed to being sedentary. Who really sees a positive happy person just doing nothing? There usually is a goal in mind.
• Lastly, your overall health improves. Especially as you get older and if you are good about keeping up with your medical/dental appointments, you'll see that keeping up on a healthy routine of exercise and healthy eating pays off in the end.

To learn about more reasons to keep up with exercise and healthy eating, check out the article here!

Can You Cheat the Aging Process?

Although people may be living longer today than in previous generations, quality of life cannot be emphasized enough. But, can we cheat the aging process? Let's take a look at a few tidbits of important information to consider.

There is a term called -- super agers -- which refers to a person who is an active senior citizen and whose physiology is years beyond what their average age group is currently. As you read the article, notice the stories of such individuals like Patrick Cangley who traverses great distances on his bicycle.

What has been discovered is that the exercise that Patrick has typically done for years has become less challenging and hence he's felt the need to 'step up his game' to further improve his physical condition. In fact, a recent study from a journal called, Aging Cell, indicates that people like Patrick who are lifetime exercise enthusiasts literally cheat the aging process by circumventing physical decline. How awesome is that!

Such impressive physiological results can be noted through a super ager's muscular strength, lung function and fitness levels which also results in far superior immune systems than people even half their age! By the way, further results in cognitive function are also greatly improved as seen in a recent Swedish study which consisted of 200 women from middle age up to their nineties. It was found that those women who were physically more fit had a reduced risk of dementia by up to 90 percent.

Further, for those out there believing that genetics has played them a bad hand, it does not necessarily dictate what their quality of their life will be in the end. There is so much that one can do to live a full life by even starting with making small changes that can add up to better physical and mental health. Through the science of Epigenetics, more credence is given to the affects of the surrounding environment and how it can alter and change us -- not simply through our given DNA. In fact, so much of how well we age can be seen through a cascade of good habits that include better nutrition (like the Mediterranean diet), adequate amounts of sleep, enough exercise and even positive thinking.

By cheating the aging process, one can only benefit from living a more complete and fulfilling life, wouldn't you agree?

A Paradigm Shift in the Diagnosis of Diabetes, Study

As one can well imagine (or not), we are living in a complex and ever increasingly demanding society that appears to be growing exponentially in ways that need our immediate attention. While there are so many advances in technology, healthcare, agriculture and more, there is an equally alarming growth in chronic disease.

Chronic disease includes a host of diseases and conditions -- including type 2 Diabetes -- that are long-term, costly and above-all largely preventable if we properly care for ourselves. As we see the continued growth of Diabetes for instance, we see that there is more and more to learn about how to live with it and better control it once it has been diagnosed.

Now it has been found that there is a paradigm shift in the diagnosis of diabetes as conducted in the the study found by clicking the link above which illustrates the overall complexity and need to better assess the way we live our lives. It has been found in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology medical journal that there are five distinct types of diabetes that can occur as adults. How will this change the way that this disease is managed and controlled? Will this be a way to better personalize the treatment of diabetes according to the individual? Is this where the paradigm shift is happening? Still so many questions that are left to be answered.

As noted in the yet another article, "Diabetes, for example, now affects 415 million adults around the world and often brings potentially life-altering complications such as vision loss and blindness, cardiovascular disease and amputations. Unfortunately, many older adults are being put at greater risk of the complications due to barriers such as long waiting times to see a specialist, a lack of education about the management of chronic conditions, lack of access to adequate screening and treatment, and high costs."

On one hand, we are living longer, but are we living better? What will it take to have enough people take notice and take control of their health and wellbeing? While education is critically important, we also need a society that supports more effective ways of providing healthier options to kids in schools, patients in hospitals, consumers buying food in grocery stores and more. Wouldn't that make a difference?