How Do I Possibly Eat All Those Fruits and Vegetables?

How Do I Possibly Eat All Those Fruits and Vegetables?
You want to improve your eating, but you just don't know if
you can eat a crock of broccoli or a head of romaine
lettuce. You want to reduce your heart disease risk, but
the idea of steaming vegetables for each meal just doesn't
sit well with you.

Not only do you feel guilty about not wanting to eat these
profoundly healthy products, you don't even know which
recommendations to follow-there are so many! You hear
amounts anywhere from 5 servings/day to 9-14 servings/day.
You hear these foods will treat anything from heart disease
to high blood pressure (which you will surely get from
reading articles about foods you don't like to eat). You
know all these things, and yet---you still don't know how
to manage any of this.

Let me try to help you.

First, let me explain where these numbers come from. The
"5 a day" is a recommendation from the National Cancer
Institute. Research suggests that following these
recommendations you may be able to reduce your risk of
certain types of cancer. Whether it is the plant chemicals
involved in cancer reduction, or the fact that eating more
fruits and vegetables means consuming less protein and
saturated fat (primarily from animal products), populations
of people following these guidelines seem to have lower
cancer rates.

The "9-14 servings/day" resulted from the DASH study, the
Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. This study showed
that consuming between 9 and 14 servings of vegetables and
fruits each day helped reduce blood pressure as much as
certain medications. If you are taking blood pressure
medications, talk to your health care provider before
trying this diet-but it is certainly worth considering if
you have experienced side effects from your medication.

Before I go further, let me just tell you that if you want
to try this approach, you should know is considered a
serving size. This way you won't worry about spending your
entire budget at the produce counter. A serving of fruit
is about the size of a baseball or 4 ounces of juice; a
serving of vegetables is ½ cup of cooked or 1 cup of fresh
vegetables.

Now, let's talk about some ways to sneak these foods into
your daily meal plan.

What about using a banana instead of jelly the next time
you make a peanut butter sandwich? A medium sized banana
counts as two servings of fruit.

While it may not seem like much, how about a few pieces of
fresh spinach or Boston lettuce on your next roast beef
sandwich? It adds crunch, and also a half of a serving of
vegetables.

Do you like spaghetti? Why not try cooking some carrots
until they are really soft, then blending them in with your
spaghetti sauce? Sautéing onions in a little olive oil
also adds vegetables to your sauce-and helps reduce your
risk of chronic disease.

How about soup? One way I get my son to eat vegetables is
to cook LOTS of vegetables (carrots, broccoli, onions,
potatoes) in broth, then blending the entire mixture and
serving it in a bowl. Using frozen vegetables reducing the
cooking time, if you are in a rush.

If you want to add fruits, as well as bone building
calcium, how about fruit smoothies? You can mix frozen
berries (or unfrozen bananas) with low fat vanilla yogurt
and there you have it! A snack that's good for your heart,
your bones, and most importantly, your taste buds.

While I don't recommend drinking juices (fruit sugar is the
same as table sugar, as far as calories go; "natural"
doesn't really mean healthier), 4-6 ounces a day is the
maximum I tell anyone to drink. So if you need ONE more
serving, go ahead, have a small glass of orange juice (or
whatever juice you like).

Hopefully these suggestions are helpful for you. One of my
newsletters, has a wonderful, colorful handout entitled
"Eat From The Rainbow." When in doubt, think about the
rainbow, and see if you can find one fruit and/or vegetable
from each color, and add it to your diet.

Here's to your health!

----------------------------------------------------
For free tips to becoming At Peace With Food, articles, and
links to nutritional resource websites, visit=>
http://www.AtPeaceWithFood.com/freetips.html

3 Tips to Burn Fat

3 Tips to Burn Fat
Once you get in the zone, burning fat can be very easy. I
know, easier said than done, right? But maybe you just
don't have the right tips and tricks in your arsenal to
help you get started on the right foot.

So here are three of the most important things you need to
be doing to get your fat burning workout program started
properly.

1) Use www.fitday.com to figure out your food intake.

You can't just "wing it". You can't "eyeball" your food
intake, as research shows that even nutritionists
underestimate how much food they are eating.

So find out exactly how many calories you are eating each
day. If you aren't losing fat, it's a simple numbers game.
You are eating too much. And if you know your numbers, its
easy to make the necessary changes.

As one client said on the message boards...

"Ok, I input all my meals on Fitday yesterday, including 2
cheats that I didn't think were a big deal. One was a
handful of trail mix and the other was a handful of
goldfish crackers. (yes, I have kids :-) ) I can't believe
how just those two seemingly harmless snacks added up!! No
wonder I have a muffin top! Yikes! So thanks for the tip
about Fitday because that's going to keep me accountable."

The little things add up so quickly! You'll be amazed when
you finally start counting your calories that you will
often be far above your recommended intake.

A little bit here and a little bit there is all that is
needed to sabotage your efforts.

Use it and lose it!

2) Use the right recovery pace in your interval training

The biggest mistake people make in interval training is
working too hard during the recovery period.

But if you work too hard in the recovery period, you end up
turning your interval training back into a normal cardio
session.

So lose the cardio mentality and be sure to alternate
between periods of harder than normal exercise, and very
easy exercise.

If you don't know about interval training, here is how it
goes.

Start with your normal warmup. Let's say walking at 3.0mph
on the treadmill. Do this for five minutes, and then
increase the speed to 3.8mph (a fast walk). Do this for
30-60 seconds (as long as you are comfortable doing it -
don't do it if you feel that is too fast for you).

Then decrease the speed back down to 3.0mph for 60-90
seconds. That is one interval. Repeat that process for a
total of 6 intervals. Then finish with a 5-minute cool-down.

Use the recovery period to recover!

3) Plan your food intake on the weekend

Set aside time to plan, shop, and prepare several days
worth of meals. Use a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to cook
some chicken breasts, prepare some raw vegetables, wash
your fruit, and pack up your nuts.

Plan ahead and you won't succumb to vending machine
follies, or gas station sabotage on your diet.

So there you go, 3 simple yet essential tips to kick your
fat burning program up a notch, and help you lose belly fat
and burn inches off from your waist.

----------------------------------------------------
Get your free report on the "Dark Side of Cardio" at
http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Reasons to Visit the Dentist

Reasons to Visit the Dentist
Recently, there have been links established that tie bad
oral hygiene to heart disease and other cardiovascular
problems. For example, periodontitis, or gum disease, has
been shown to triple the chances of heart disease, strokes,
and diabetes. Also, good oral hygiene is known to reduce
the incidence of some cardiac infections such as bacterial
endocarditis.

The reasons for regular visits to a dentist are unlimited.
The top ten reasons to see a dentist are below.

The Top 10

1. Prevents Oral Cancer

According to the American Oral Cancer Society, a person
dies from oral cancer in the United States every hour of
every day. This is extremely sad because oral cancer is
extremely curable if caught early. Whenever a person visits
their dentist, they are not only having their teeth cleaned
or having x-rays of their teeth taken. They are also being
screened for oral cancer at the same time. So while
visiting the dentist may not technically prevent oral
cancer, it does prevent it from going undetected.

2. Prevents Gum Disease

Gum disease, as was stated earlier, has been linked to
heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. What easier way is
there of preventing these things than brushing your teeth
at least twice a day as well as flossing and visiting a
dentist? When a person visits the dentist, the dentist can
check for signs of gum disease such as inflamed gums or
gums that aren't quite pink along the edges. Gum disease
itself is an infection of the gums and is one of the
leading causes of adult tooth loss and decay.

3. Prevents the Loss of Teeth

Visiting the dentist allows the dentist to check to make
sure that a person's teeth are healthy and not cavity
infested. If there is something wrong, such as gum disease,
the dentist can recommend a treatment plan, generally more
brushing and flossing, that can reverse gum disease and
prevent tooth loss. If a person has all of their teeth,
chewing and overall health are known to be better.

4. Detects Dental Problems Early

Your dentist and hygienist can detect problems early. When
problems are detected early, they can be reversed or easily
treated. If problems are not detected early, much more
serious solutions will be necessary. These serious
solutions include root canal, gum surgery, and tooth
extractions.

5. Maintains Good Oral Health

Your dentist will compare your current teeth with
information recorded during previous visits. If oral
hygiene is slacking, the dentist will put you back on the
right track. Good oral hygiene is necessary to the
prevention of gum disease and cavities.

6. Prevents Bad Breath

Studies have shown that 85% of people that have
persistently bad breath have an underlying dental problem
that is to blame. Your dentist will be able to identify and
then to correct this underlying problem which will then
prevent bad breath.

7. Have a White Smile

Your dental hygienist is able to remove the majority of
coffee and tobacco stains while in the office. They also
polish your teeth to a shine while there which creates a
bright, white smile. While not nearly as important as
preventing gum disease, this too is an important part of a
visit to the dentist because it affects how a person feels.

8. Maintains Good Physical Health

When a person cannot chew correctly due to sore or broken
teeth, it affects the body's ability to digest food is
diminished. This leads to less absorption of minerals and
other nutrients that are in the food. Overall, having good
oral health contributes to good physical health.

9. Creates a Treatment Plan

When your dentist diagnoses a problem with your teeth, they
will recommend a treatment plan. This will most likely
prevent the problem from getting worse as well as sometimes
even reversing the damage.

10. Use an Insurance Plan

A general dentist insurance plan will usually cover the
majority of fees associated with a regular cleaning. The
plan generally will cover a lot of other fees that are
incurred when the dentist is visited. If those aren't good
enough reasons, a person pays for the plan so they may as
well use it.

Overall, the benefits to visiting a dentist at regular
intervals will greatly exceed the costs. It is important
for a person's overall health to visit the dentist.

----------------------------------------------------
Joe Devine
For more information, visit http://www.dentistwausau.com

Why Managing Adult ADD Is Like Singing Rock Music

Why Managing Adult ADD Is Like Singing Rock Music
In my personal life, I'm a singer, and rock-style music is
my passion. As I've been working to take my abilities to
the next level, I've realized that there are a number of
similarities between managing adult Attention Deficit
Disorder (ADD) and singing rock music. You don't need to be
a rock singer to appreciate the similarities.

Whatever it is that really sparks your passion in life, you
can find parallels between that passion and managing your
ADD. Take my example of singing rock music, and consider
this:

You Gotta Practice.

Even the most skilled and talented rock singers--the Robert
Plants and Ann Wilsons of the world--have to keep their
voices well tuned by using them on a regular basis. Without
practice, a singer's skills and raw talent won't disappear,
but will be a lot harder to access when needed.

Similarly, even the most successful adults with ADD have to
practice their ADD management skills. Time management,
organization and focus, for example, are learned skills
that become rusty when you don't use them on a regular
basis.

It's All About Breathing.

Your breath supports your voice when you're singing. If
you're not breathing regularly and deeply, your body
becomes tense. And tense muscles quickly prevent a singer
from performing well and sounding good.

When you're managing your ADD, tension is one of your worst
enemies. A stressed mind produces a stressed body and vice
versa. That stress quickly leads to ADD overwhelm, and it's
nearly impossible to manage ADD in the state of overwhelm.
One of the best ways to keep stress and tension at bay is
to make a point of breathing deeply and regularly.

You Gotta Believe In Yourself.

Singing is a performance art. If you're going to be a
successful singer, you have to get over your nervousness
and just go for it. (This is the stage I'm in right now!)
If you believe you can do it, then you will find a way. If
you believe you can't do it, then you won't do it.

You also have to believe that you can manage your ADD and
take your life to the next level. If you tell yourself that
you'll never be organized, then you won't be. If you give
up on yourself easily, you'll never allow yourself the
opportunity to be successful. When you're ready to tackle a
challenge or learn a new skill, the first step is believing
that you can do it.

Combining Skill With Personal Style Leads To Success.

One of the things I love about rock music is that the
emphasis is placed more on emotion than on skill. A rock
singer definitely needs to learn about their voice and how
to use it properly, but there is a lot of room for personal
style. In fact, that personal style is what often draws a
person to a particular singer.

This is exactly the way I describe effective ADD
management. There are some base level skills and systems to
be learned, and the rest is all about personal style. When
you learn to manage your ADD, WHAT works for you is not
nearly as important as the fact that it DOES work.

The great thing about drawing these comparisons between two
seemingly different subjects is that it allows you the
opportunity to simplify the challenges you experience and
ground them in something that really excites you. You can
continually remind yourself, "Oh yeah, managing my time is
just like singing. If I'm stressed out and nervous then I'm
not going to do it well! I need to be calm, breathe, and
believe that I can handle this to-do list."

I encourage you to take a stab at this exercise and see if
you can draw some helpful comparisons between managing your
ADD and something else that you're really interested in.

----------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Koretsky is the Founder of the ADD Management
Group, Inc. and the author of Odd One Out: The Maverick's
Guide to Adult ADD. Jennifer and her team work with ADD
adults who are overwhelmed with everyday life in order to
help them simplify, focus, and succeed. For free resources
and information on adult ADD, visit
http://www.ADDmanagement.com .

Is Weight Watchers Making False Claims by Suggesting Their Program Embraces Non Diet Approach?

Is Weight Watchers Making False Claims by Suggesting Their Program Embraces Non Diet Approach?
In my opinion, Weight Watchers is playing games with
people's heads. You've probably seen their new slogans,
"Stop Dieting, Start Living." If you're a woman, like me
who's spent (wasted) years of your life on Weight Watchers
in an attempt to lose weight using their programs, only to
be disappointed in the end and to regain back the weight
you lost following their system, then you will be shocked
and appalled to hear that they have reached a new low in
their marketing. They are claiming that their program is
not a diet, because diets don't work.

Evidently the breaking news that came out in April of 2007
with the UCLA long term composite study claiming diets
don't work has already spread like wildfire. Now thanks to
Traci Mann, a psychology professor at UCLA and lead author
of the study, it is commonly accepted by most people that
diets really and truly don't work. I guess even Weight
Watchers has to agree that it's a fact. After all, now it's
backed up by solid research. You can find more details on
the study in the April 4th issues of American Psychologist,
the journal of the American Psychological Association.

The truth of the matter is that Weight Watchers is still a
diet no matter what they claim to the contrary.

As a former devoted member to Weight Watchers, I want to
scream when I watch their commercials that insult my
intelligence. Like so many women, I was duped into
believing that diets were the holy grail, the answer to all
my problems lay in my inability to lose weight, have more
will power, be more disciplined, just say, "No" , eat less
food and by all means exercise more. So simple right?
Weight Watchers made it all seem so damned simple. Yet it
wasn't. Because they are a diet. They were and they still
are a diet, whether they want to admit or not.

Let's review a bit about dieting and put Weight Watchers
claim under a microscope. Shall we?

* A diet tells you what to eat. Weight Watchers often
hawks products and sells them with the intention of making
money off of your unwillingness or inability to choose food
and prepare it yourself.

* A diet tells you when to eat. A common battle cry of
Weight Watchers is don't let yourself get too hungry. Make
sure that you eat something before you head off to a party
or somewhere else before you'll be faced with too much
temptation.

* A diet tells you how much to eat. All diets have a
limit indicating either a range of calories, points or fat
grams that must not be exceeded over a day or a week's time

* A diet gives you a goal weight and tells you what you
should be weighing. My years at Weight Watchers were spent
hoping and praying that one day I would reach that golden
number that would indicate that I had won the weight loss
game.

* A diet keeps you focused on how much you weigh. Weight
Watchers still wants people to come in to the meetings a
half hour before to weigh in.

If I sound bitter, it's because I am. I'm flippin' mad. How
dare they claim that they are not a diet.

I've spent the last 18 months of my life embracing a true
non diet approach to eating. Sure there have been bumps in
the road because I had so much to learn about how to listen
to my body and undo all the hurt that years of Weight
Watchers and other diets had caused not only to my body but
also my self esteem, my metabolism, my sense of
independence, general health, spirit and well being. In the
long run, diets have caused nothing nothing but pain for me.

Now that I've learned to eat real food and discovered the
importance of handling the stress that pushes me to eat
when I'm not hungry, I can't envision my life ever being
dictated by a diet again. How about you? Are you still
dieting or are you ready for a taste of some real freedom?

----------------------------------------------------
Andrea Amador, CEC, M.NLP is President of The Juicy Woman.
She is devoted to empowering women to love themselves more,
yummy up their lives and lose weight without dieting. If
you're a gal struggling with emotional eating, ready to get
off the diet rollercoaster and stand in your power, then
sign up for Andrea's next free call
http://thejuicywoman.com/orphans/Jan08promo