Living To Be 100

Obesity is simply an excess of body weight. In adults, using height and weight, obesity is determined using a number known as the body mass index (BMI) to calculate body mass. An adult with a BMI of 30 or higher is generally considered to be obese. However, BMI does not directly measure body fat, and some people such as athletes can have a high BMI even though they are not obese.

Obesity is due to more calories taken in than expended. Often individuals gain weight because of emotional problems and their tendency to indulge in comfort foods to make them feel better. These extra calories are not burned up and are stored as fat.

Hormones also play a role in unexplained weight gain. A decrease in hormones can cause increased belly fat, one of the factors in a condition known as syndrome X.

Many toxins are stored in fat, and vitamins, minerals and enzymes are needed to burn fat. People who are obese need more nutritional supplements than those who are of normal weight.

Obesity puts stress on the back, knees, ankles and internal organs. These individuals are also more susceptible to constipation, coronary artery disease, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and some cancers.

For weight loss, a good action plan is necessary.

• under the care of a physician, start an exercise program of walking daily and increase activity over time

• rid cupboard, pantry and refrigerator of refined and processed foods such as pasta, white bread, margarine, white rice, crackers, potato chips and cereal. Also, avoid alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and sweets such as candy, sodas, ice cream. Besides being toxic, these foods are addictive and highly glycemic–foods that quickly convert to sugar in the body.

• Avoid unhealthy fats. Polyunsaturated oils such as most vegetable oils, margarine, safflower oils and the foods cooked in these oils are unhealthy. These unhealthy oils are commonly used in packaged and processed foods such as salad dressings, mayonnaise and baked goods and have been linked to cancer, heart disease, immune system dysfunction, obesity and other degenerative illnesses.

• Drink eight glasses of water a day (not tap water) to help flush toxins from the body.

Concentrate on eating whole, natural foods that are found in nature.

1. eat organic foods. These are free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial flavor and color, preservatives and have not been genetically modified.

2. eat raw foods since the enzymes and vitamins are still present. (Cooking foods destroys many nutrients.) At least fifty percent of the diet should be raw. Lightly steaming vegetables is fine. Eat berries, grapefruit and coconut since these are low glycemic. Limit fruit juices and other fruit to one a day.

3. eat five small meals a day. Do not go for seconds.                                                       

4. eat honey, stevia, raw agave and xylitol instead of refined sugar.

5. eat healthy fats such as coconut oil, extra-virgin/cold-pressed olive oil, avocado, raw nuts and seeds. Our bodies need fat for energy, to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, for a healthy immune system, for healthy skin and other functions. But we usually consume an excess of fats, especially bad fats. This leads to weight gain.

6. eat healthier carbohydrates such as those found in whole grains: brown or wild rice, steel-cut oatmeal, beans, starchy vegetables.

7. eat ocean-caught fish and lean, organic meat.

8. eggs should be organic and from free range chickens.

9. supplement diet with high quality nutritionals.  

Modify your lifestyle to avoid chronic stress.

Chronic stress can wear out the body and increase the likelihood of illness. To reduce stress:

• improve sleep habits

• laugh often

• decrease caffeine consumption

• exercise regularly

• set reasonable weight-loss goals

• meditate for relaxation

For more information on health, nutrition and state-of-the art supplements, go to:

http://margaretpriddy.usana.com

This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Always consult with your physician before embarking on any course of treatment.

Good health starts with good nutrition. By eating a well-balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, we can look forward to a long, healthy life. Unfortunately, our health is compromised by the consumption of junk food, processed food, and a high intake of fat and sugar. This leads to chronic nutritional deficiencies which weaken our immune systems and promote disease.

Although the United States government has set Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) guidelines for vitamins and minerals and other nutrients, the RDA intended to help reduce severe nutritional deficiencies. However, researchers have discovered that, because of our poor diets, only a small percentage of the U.S. population gets even the RDA levels of many important nutrients. Poor nutrition causes a weakened immune system and is a contributing factor as to why disease is so prevalent. We are a nation of overfed but malnourished individuals.

Quality nutritional health supplements can help supply the essential nutrients missing from our diets. To be useful, nutrients must be of the highest quality and must be bioavailable–in a form that the body can use and absorb.

Companies that sell nutritional supplements are required to undergo stringent testing of their product. Their tablets should be able to disintegrate after 20 minutes in solution. Many products not only fail this test, but fail less stringent tests.

How can you be sure of getting quality supplements when there are so many on the market? In an independent study, author Lyle MacWilliam, wrote NUTRISEARCH COMPARATIVE GUIDE TO NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS (Northern Dimensions publishing 2007). In his book, he rates 1500 nutritional products in the United States and Canada.

The highest-ranking honor which MacWilliam bestowed on a top-rated nutritional company was his NutriSearch Gold Medal of Achievement Award. This award was only given to four of the 394 manufacturers of supplements. USANA is one of the four nutritional supplement companies to receive this award.

Find out more about USANA at: http://margaretpriddy.usana.com

What is wheatgrass?  It is the young wheat plant and is a raw, living food. The benefits of wheatgrass juice are many. Taken internally or used externally, it acts as an antiseptic. Wheatgrass is 70% chlorophyll, one of the plant foods highest in chlorophyll.

What is chlorophyll? Chlorophyll is the pigment that gives plants their green color. It is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is also regarded as a detoxifying and blood-building agent. It has been shown that chlorophyll provides some protection from carcinogens.

Chlorophyll has been called the blood of plant life because the molecular chlorophyll structure resembles the molecular structure of hemoglobin. While the atom in the middle of a human hemoglobin molecule is iron, the atom in the middle of the chlorophyll molecule is magnesium.

Chlorophyll from wheatgrass purifies the blood and liver. It also improves blood sugar levels. Wheatgrass juice is high in vitamins A, B, C and E and contains amino acids, essential fatty acids, antioxidants and enzymes. Wheatgrass juice, a super food, also contains minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and others.

Chlorophyll is high in iron and iron attracts oxygen. Iron and oxygen partner together to burn waste and remove from the body toxins, poisons, mucous, putrefaction, bad odors and harmful bacteria.

Dr. Ann Wigmore, an educator, reported that wheatgrass therapy, combined with living foods, helped eliminate cancerous growths.

Wheatgrass juice aids in the metabolism of nutrients and increases the enzyme level in cells. Since it doesn’t take much energy to digest wheatgrass juice, it is considered an efficient source of energy.

How Much Wheatgrass Juice to Take

One- to two- ounces of freshly-squeezed wheatgrass juice should be taken on an empty stomach. Wait 30-45 minutes before eating or drinking anything else. Take daily for maintenance.

For a therapeutic dose, take between 4-8 ounces daily. If more than four ounces are to be consumed, it should be taken rectally as a colon implant. Wheatgrass juice has a strong tast and has a jolting effect.

Wheatgrass juice has a strong cleansing effect on the digestive tract and taking too much initially may act as a laxative and may also cause nausea. But increasing the amount taken over a period of time will build tolerance. Dosage can be raised an ounce per week or whatever amount is comfortable.

Benefits of Wheatgrass Juice

• is high in oxygen and helps to keep the brain and body tissue in a highly oxygenated environment

• helps stop the growth of unfriendly bacteria

• is a superior source of chlorophyll

• detoxifies the blood and colon walls

• is used in the treatment of anemia, constipation, bad breath

• can be used externally in the treatment of burns and wounds

• is used in cancer prevention

• neutralizes toxins in the body and helps purify the liver

• improves blood sugar levels

• is a super food that strengthens the immune system

• is an internal deodorant for the body

• pulls poisons from the gums; useful in treating pyorrhea

• can remove heavy metals from the body

For more information on health, nutrition and state-of-the art supplements, go to:

http://margaretpriddy.usana.com

This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Always consult your physician before embarking on any course of treatment.