Diet, a way of life

The Martial Art of Wellness
Volume 15 – August 2016

DEAR FRIENDS

ninja

Welcome to this month’s BioNews. We must learn to free ourselves from the control that others exert over us. As we learn we become FREE, we become powerful. This pursuit of self defense in wellness, I call “The Martial Art of Wellness.” And as we practice we become Wellness Ninjas.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

” I finally figured out the big, elusive secret to weight loss. Don’t eat! Who knew? ”

― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes for Every Day of the Year

THIS ISSUE’S TESTIMONIAL

” It has been several months now that I have been on BAC (Bio-Algae Concentrates). Just recently, I had my annual medical check-up. I am proud to announce that I lost ten pounds and my blood pressure reading was 118 over 76. My Doctor just wrote in regards to my blood work, he stated my blood looks great. With me only taking three F2 tablets per day in the morning, I now can say I do feel the difference. I usually work out by myself in the morning, but now I work out in the evening as well with my daughter with her basketball drills. ”

– John Pointer, KY, United States, Former Canadian Football League linebacker and Gray cup winner with Edmonton. Played with Green Bay Packers in 1984/85.

THE MARTIAL ART OF WELLNESS: Diet or way of life? ——————————- ——————————(—-(—–(news contributed by Maureen Murphy, ND student)

Etymology of the word diet. The word diet as we use it today to mean “the food and drink that we habitually consume” did not appear in English until the thirteenth century. Prior to that, it had another sense, meaning “a way of life.” The second meaning is more in line with its origins, as it comes from the Greek diaita via diaitan, daily habits.

What feelings does the word “DIET” conjure up for you? Do you think of Weight-Watchers? Paleo? Mediterranean? Atkins? Biggest Loser? Jenny Craig? DASH? …or do you think of one of many, many other diets, diet foods and beverages and/or lose-weight-quick schemes? For many, the word DIET brings to mind visions of a limited array of unappealing foods, calorie restrictions, an un-satiated appetite, and a constant struggle to lose weight – and keep it off.

crash-diets It is true that maintaining a healthy weight today is not easy! We are constantly bombarded by ads – on TV and all over the internet, on billboards and on the sides of busses, even at the movies, as subliminal messages that titillate our subconscious taste buds into pending poor choices by quietly eroding our will power without us even knowing it! A huge selection of unhealthy, processed foods and beverages dominates the shelves of grocery stores, luring us away from healthier, less fattening choices. Super-sized portions are everywhere, too. Food stores coax you away from practical buying habits with attractive prices on “family-sized” packages – even if there’s just 1 or 2 of you. Fast food joints offer bargains on obnoxiously-sized sugary drinks, fried foods, and unhealthy meals. Many, if not most fine restaurants serve portions that are large enough for 2-3 people.

And, while the portions are super-sized, the current widely-accepted image of the “perfect” healthy body continues to be anything but… For now, let’s re-frame the word diet to simply mean: what and how you eat, because we are all on a diet of some sort, right? Let’s at least momentarily put aside thoughts of obesity, weight-gain, calories, low-fat/no-fat, bathroom scales and other unhappy thoughts. Feeling better already…?

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association cites a two-year study that indicates that for those wanting long-term health improvements, it is far more effective to consider behavior changes and self-acceptance than it is to put yourself on a diet. The conclusion seems to be that obsessing about your weight may be counterproductive when it comes to improving your health.

Instead of focusing on weight, let us focus on health and longevity.

Here are 14 awesome tips to becoming healthier that anyone can do. Add at least a couple of these behaviors to your regular routine each week or two and you will start seeing the benefits in your health, your weight, and your overall sense of well-being:

Drink plenty of water

It is possible to confuse thirst for hunger, so before you reach for that bag of chips or iced donut, down a glass of pure, cool water! Proper hydration is essential for good health, and water is what the body needs to be properly hydrated.

Drink More Water - MotiveWeight Drink plenty of water throughout the day between and before meals, but limit the amount you drink with or immediately after your meals as too much can dilute gastric juices, impairing digestion. If you don’t already have a good water filtration system that makes your water pure and tasty, consider one of the BERKEY systems we use. They are effective, handy, affordable, moveable, and don’t require professional installation.

Get enough sleep

A lack of sufficient sleep causes your body to under-produce leptin, a hormone that tells you when you’re full…while simultaneously producing too much ghrelin – an appetite-stimulating hormone. When you provide your body with enough sleep, you tend to feel not only well-rested, but also full…not to mention that getting a good night’s sleep may just help you avoid late-night snacking!

sleep

Get moving!

Exercise is vital for a healthy life. Leading a sedentary life is unhealthy on so many levels, so go out in the fresh air and sunshine and get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 3-4 times per week for loads of health benefits! Adding exercise to your routine helps boost blood flow to the brain, improves gastrointestinal motility, calms and relaxes you and takes your mind off snacking, as well as offering a host of other benefits.

moving

Each breath you take is a gift of life…

Your breath is another important form of nourishment for your body, providing critical oxygen to your cells. Try not breathing for a minute and you will find out. Did you know the air you breathe is full of other nourishing trace elements beside oxygen?

breathe Not only is breath a key element in yoga, QiGong and other forms of exercise and meditation, deep breathing alone can help combat stress and mental fatigue and increase your sense of well-being. There are also many proponents of breathing exercises alone as a path to weight loss and better health.

When you eat, eat.

In today’s society, we pride ourselves on our ability to multi-task. We eat at our desks while working, or in front of the TV or computer screen while entertaining ourselves, or while talking on the phone, texting, etc. Rarely do we simply sit and eat, focusing on what we eat, how much we chew each bite, and how that food will nourish our bodies. It is this inattention and distraction that leads us to continuously overeat. The Zen Buddhists, among others, suggest that you should practice right mindfulness by being fully present in the moment and focusing on the one activity at hand, whether it be breathing (as in meditation) preparing a meal, eating, cleaning, or any other activity.

eatslowly Put your silverware down between bites. By properly masticating your food, you are releasing digestive enzymes in your mouth and facilitating the rest of the digestive process. This relieves your organs from unnecessary stress and, by eating slowly, you allow your body’s “fullness” response to catch up so you will eat less! Think about that for a while…then try this concept. You may just surprise yourself.

Manage your food environment

Clean out your cupboards and fridge of fattening and unhealthy foods and sugary soft drinks & juices. Then re-stock your kitchen with healthy, convenient foods and drinks instead such as dried, fresh or fresh-frozen fruit, nuts, seeds, kale chips, apricots, figs, carrot sticks, celery, coconut water, kombucha, etc.

snack Want an occasional treat? Make sure you have to leave the house to get it (preferably on foot!) or that you have to make it yourself (homemade kale chips instead of potato chips, for example!)

Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry!

When you are shopping, become a label-reader and stick to the outer aisles where the healthier foods live
Concentrate on cutting back on sugars and processed foods
Think good fat, not low fat

Exercise Portion Control

Use smaller plates, bowls and glasses at home to downsize your portions.
Dish out snack-sized servings instead of eating directly from the bag or box.
Get a “doggie bag” and split restaurant servings for 2-3 meals instead of one.
Don’t be embarrassed to order a children’s portion at restaurants. This is a growing trend in many areas, so you shouldn’t get too many strange looks!

hungry_baby

Develop a healthier relationship with food

Do you eat when you’re stressed? Instead of grabbing a snack, try meditation, QiGong, yoga, even simple stretching and breathing, or a hot soothing bath.
If you’re eating as an afternoon pick-me-up when you’re low on energy, sometimes just getting up and outside for a 10-minute walk in the fresh air will do the trick. A quick nap may be in order or, again, some meditation/deep breathing and/or stretching exercises will help.
If you’re feeling down, lonely or bored, try reaching out to a friend instead of for a snack. Take your dog for a walk or visit a library, park, or anywhere where you can be around other people. Cheetos really will not make good company!

Make friends with plants, fiber, fruits and veggies

“You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Eating fruits, veggies and other fiber-rich foods will help your digestion, prevent constipation, and lower cholesterol.

Replacing starches like pasta, bread, crackers & chips with grapes, carrots, berries, kale chips, watermelon, nuts and seeds will not only help your plumbing, it will help you feel more full and, in due time, to lose weight. By incorporating other sources of protein (nuts, beans, quinoa, amaranth, etc.) you will feel more full and satisfied, burn more fat and maintain muscle mass.

Fasting

There are many methods of intermittent fasting. If you’re not familiar with the concept, one of the simplest method of intermittent fasting can be simply to not eat each day for at least a 12 to 16-hour stretch. In other words, only eat between the hours of, say, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. or noon – 8:00 p.m. and don’t eat anything for the balance of the day/night.

fasting

This helps your body burn fat more efficiently as fuel, improve overall energy levels, decrease food cravings, improve pancreatic function, and increase mitochondrial energy efficiency – slowing aging and disease, among other things. See our recent BIONEWS article in on fasting for more tips and information.

Limit alcohol

Alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream and affects every part of your body, including your sexual drive. It can adversely affect your blood pressure and cardiovascular system and can increase the risk of stroke or heart attack.

alcohol_ndtv If that’s not enough to make you want to limit your alcohol consumption, also know that alcohol contains empty calories that can easily be converted to fat.

Keep a positive attitude

Change the way you think about your body – it’s the only “vehicle” you will have for life.

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Learn to love and take care of it by giving it what it needs to best serve you for all your days on earth.

Add BIOSUPERFOOD to your daily regimen!

Enlist BIOSUPERFOOD as your most valuable ally for better health! Add BSF to your daily regimen and in addition to consuming the capsules at regular intervals throughout the day, take 1-2 capsules 30 minutes before you eat to help curb your appetite. BSF renders any diet you may follow more efficient by increasing pancreatic and other digestive enzymes for maximum utilization of nutrients.

algae-powder-capsules
In various clinical studies, microalgae have been shown to be remarkably effective for weight loss. BSF is an incomparable, synergistic blend of four species of microalgae that supports the body and helps to create the right environment for weight loss by Awakening the Genius Within – the hypothalamic region of the brain.

When the hypothalamus– the maestro of metabolism – is stimulated or “awakened” by the extraordinary nutritional energy of BSF, its performance is enhanced, causing a myriad of beneficial metabolic reactions, including a dramatic increase in the assimilation, absorption and utilization of all the nutrients in your regular foods such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, EFAs, etc.

Assimilation of nutrients from the diet dramatically increases
Nutritional deficiencies that can lead to cravings are corrected
A bioavailable source of GLA is added to the diet
Moods and stress level stabilize
Energy and stamina are improved without consuming sugar or caffein
The body gets assistance in rebuilding and re-balancing dysfunctional endocrine glands, leading to better balancing of weight and metabolic functions
Hormones are regulated …resulting in better fat metabolism
The body becomes better able to convert fat to muscle mass
Muscle mass gains remain longer