Will You Live A Life of Wellness in 2009?

What is "Wellness"? Wikipedia explains wellness ( in regards to alternative medicine) as:
Wellness is generally used to mean a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being.

The term has been defined by the Singapore-based National Wellness Association as an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence.... In other words, wellness is a view of health that emphasizes the state of the entire being and its ongoing development.

Wellness can also be described as "the constant, conscious pursuit of living life to its fullest potential."


In 2009, what parts of wellness do you think you need to work on? Do you have a plan to live a life of better wellness?

As the new year approaches, I hear a lot of resolutions about improved health for 2009 and a desire for people to be healthier. With weight loss being something that a lot of people set out to achieve at the beginning of every year, why is it that the following year we are still trying to achieve more weight loss or that we are not satisfied with the progress that we made with our weight loss plans? I have been guilty of saying that weight loss was one of my goals from year to year but not really making a dedicated effort to acheive my weight loss goals. However, in recent years I started really doing something about it in a "consistent" manner. I started making healthier lifestyle choices to help me achieve the wellness I desired. I just use weight loss as an example because of it's popularity but in the new year will you be dedicated to achieving whatever wellness goals you may have? In 2010 will you be in the same condition that you are now?

If you are happy with your current situation, I am very happy for you and I wish you continued success in maintaing where you are now. However, if you are not, will you take the neccesary steps to have a healthy balance of mind, body and spirit that result in an overall feeling of well-being? Will you try to eat better, become/stay physically active, get proper rest, reduce stress, improve/eliminate relationships, etc.?

I hope that 2009 brings everyone the wellness they desire and that we all take part in "the constant, conscious pursuit of living life to its fullest potential!" Remember the phrase, "patience is a virtue". Be patient, consistent and believe in yourself that you can achieve what you desire!

Brian Francis,CNC
www.herbalfix.biz

Lack of Sleep May Be Hurting Your Weight Loss Efforts!

How much sleep do you think you get on average? Do you think you get enough compared to recommendations made by the American Sleep Association? The American Sleep Association says that most adults should have 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Some other experts recommend 7-9 hours of sleep.

Did you know that lack of sleep may be related to weight gain? According to Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, "Sleep loss is associated with striking alterations in hormone levels that regulate the appetite and may be a contributing factor to obesity. Any American making a resolution to lose weight in the New Year should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."

When we don't get the proper amount of quality sleep the levels of certain hormones associated with appetite are affected. One of the hormones is leptin, which signals your brain when you are full. Another hormone that is affected is ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry. Finally there is cortisol, which is a name that is probably more recognized than leptin and ghrelin. Cortisol can make us feel hungry even if we have already had enough to eat to satisfy our hunger. It is suggested that a lack of sleep decreases the levels of leptin and increases the levels of ghrelin and cortisol. So a lack of sleep can decrease the hormone we need to have our hunger feel satisfied and increase the hormones that make us feel hungry. This may cause overeating and weight gain. That seems like a lose-lose situation to me. For an ideal way to lose weight make sure you are treating your body right. Try to have proper nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep and try to make overall healthier choices.

Here is a quote from an article I found on this subject in USA Today:
Sleep may ease holiday stress

Obesity experts are intrigued by these findings. "We've known that people use food as a pick-me-up when they are tired, but now it appears they are hungrier than we realized, and there is a hormonal basis for their eating," says Thomas Wadden, director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

"The one thing that is clear is that during the holidays people should sleep as much as they can and not get too stressed out. That could prevent some of the holiday weight gain."

I hope that this information has been useful and helps to reinforce the importance of getting a good night's sleep. For some, this may even provide a good excuse to sleep in on occasion! I was extremely guilty of not getting the proper amount of quality sleep, but now I am getting alot more sleep than I used to and I do think it has made a dramatic difference(along with the other healthier choices I try to make) in my life. There are also lots of other health benefits associated with getting the right quality and quanity of sleep. So, I ask you to give it an "honest" attempt to improve your sleeping habits and see if you can reap some of the benefits of sleep as well. As we approach the new year, I hope everyone gets plenty of quality sleep and enjoys their time with family and friends throughout the Holidays!

Quick Tips for Better Sleep:
Exercise regularly but not within 3 hours of bed time.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes. Especially close to the time you wish to sleep.
Make a comfortable atmosphere. Adjust lighting, temperature,etc.

Here are some links for additional information and some of the inspiration for this blog:
The Dream Diet
Lack of Sleep,Cortisol and Leptin
USA Today Article
Ghrelin,Appetite & Weight Control
New Year's Weight Loss


Brian Francis,CNC
www.herbalfix.biz

Featured Product: Sleep Now

Do You Eat Until You're Full? It May Cause Obesity!

An honest answer would be appreciated. Especially since you only have to answer to yourself! Do you eat until you feel yourself getting full? I will be honest. Until recently I think I did most of the time during my life. I wanted to give some food for thought and share some information that I found interesting and that may be helpful to others.

Did you know that when you eat until you feel full that you probably have had too much to eat? Eating fast can cause you to eat more than is actually neccesary to satisfy your hunger and consume extra calories in the process (that most of us don't want). When we eat it takes time for the brain to get the message from your body that your stomach is full. The opinions on the amount of time it takes for your brain to get the signal varies among experts but there seems to be a popular opinion on about 20 minutes. It seems that alot of our lives are fast-paced and our eating habits seem to be as well. Based on the time it takes for your brain to actually realize you are "full", if you are eating quickly then there is a good chance you may be eating too much .

A study of 30 women found that when the women ate slower they consumed less calories. In this study the women were given 2 pasta meals. The first meal they were instructed to eat as much as they wanted quickly and the second meal to eat as much as they wanted at a slower pace. When the women consumed the food at a slower pace they ate about 70 less calories and remained with a feeling of fullness(satiety) an hour after completing the meal. The women also made remarks on ejoying the slower paced meal more.

Eating slower and properly chewing your food may improve your digestion as well. Digestion starts in the mouth or the brain, depending on how you look at it. Before you even take your first bite and your senses realize you are about to eat the brain sends a message for the salivary glands to prepare for food and the saliva starts flowing. The more you chew and break down the food into smaller pieces, the easier the food is to digest and may make the nutrients become better absorbed by your body. So it might not hurt to slow down a little, relax and start enjoying your meal a little more.

Besides possibly helping with weight management and helping with digestion some people can find enjoyment and relaxation in a nice balanced meal. With everyone being extremely busy and it always seeming like there's never enough hours in a day, I know it may not be possible to sit down and "enjoy" a meal often. For the people that fit into this category, is it possible to have a nice slow-paced meal occasionally? I think it may help to relieve a little stress, give you an opportunity to spend some time with friends and family (or just have a little "me-time") and you may even enhance your health a little. Now that you have this information, will you try a personal self-study and see if slower eating can provide you with any benefits?

Quick tips for slower eating:
Have water with your meal and take a sip before each bite.
Put down your utensils in between bites.
Count your chews. In the study of 30 women I mentioned, the women were instructed to chew 15-20 times.

For additional information, please check out these links:

Japanese Study: Over 3000 people: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,442883,00.html

30 Women Study: http://www.flex-news-food.com/console/PageViewer.aspx?page=19754&str=

Digestion: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/optimumhealthessentials/a/Tips_Digestion.htm


Brian Francis,CNC
www.herbalfix.biz