January 2008 Rebecca Gerard

A New Year, A New You

2008 has now begun and many people are thinking about getting into shape with their health and their weight. Fad dieting can be very popular but does not focus on lifestyle changes. Fad diets can promote water and muscle loss which can decrease the metabolism. With that in mind, here are a few healthy suggestions that can boost health and weight management:

1. Over the last few months many individuals have been eating high fat, high sugar, preservative laden foods. It is important to mildly cleanse the system a few times/year. I do not generally recommend supplements but to simply eat an 85% organic steamed vegetable and 15% organic fish/ beans diet for 3-7 days. This is a natural cleanse and will enable your body to balance.
2. Drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces in water. The water should be a pH of 6.4-7.5. It should also be filtered but at the same time allow for important minerals to remain intact. Some of my clients enjoy FIJI and Celtic water for bottled or have a carbon filtering and alkalizing system in their home.
3. Eat less processed foods and more natural or organic foods. A goal to work towards is 80% plant, organic, raw foods.
4. Limit eating out to just a few times/week if possible. When you prepare your own foods you have more control over the portions and the ingredients.
5. Practice good stress management. High stress can mean high cortisol. High cortisol can negatively impact health and weight management. Try taking a warm sea salt bath 1 hour before bed. Another great tip is to breath deeply at least 3 times/day.
6. Eating balanced meals is important for receiving adequate nutrition, regulating blood sugars and normalizing blood and tissue pH. Include lean protein like beans, fish and chicken, several servings of vegetables or fruit, ½ cup high fiber grains like oats and brown rice, and 1 -2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil or grape seed oil to name a few.
7. Exercise is essential for feeding oxygen and nutrients to our organs, along with burning calories and relieving stress. The recommended amount for weight management is to burn 2,000 calories every week. Do something you enjoy and will stick with. Walking is easy and can be done anywhere.
8. No major health organizations are recommending isolated supplements like multi vitamins or Vitamin A because of controversial research. I recommend whole food concentrates like fish oil (1500 mg/day) if you don’t have daily food sources and fruit and vegetable concentrates in a capsule

Rebecca Gerard is a liscensed dietician with over 12 years of experience working with clients to create customized nutrition programs. For more information you can reach Rebecca at 407-426-2691 or email her at eathealthy@bellsouth.net.