How to stop late-night snacking

As a nutritionist, one of the most common frustrations I hear from people is that they can’t stop snacking late at night. 

Ah yes, the refrigerator calls out to many people in the evening hours and is very unwavering in its efforts to persuade you to partake of its delicious contents.

Unfortunately, for many people this is also the recipe for a widening backside.   

If I’ve described you, then I have some great news: You CAN curb those late-night snack attacks and get on the road to a healthier bodyweight!

It’s simply a matter of looking at what may be causing your temptation and then doing something about it!

Here are six common causes of late-night snacking and ways you can help break free from those cravings.

1- You skip meals or starve yourself during the day

If you are one of those people that skips meals or starves yourself during the day to lose weight, please realize that it is coming back to bite you you-know-where. 

Drastically limiting your intake or skipping meals slows your metabolism down because your body thinks food is scarce—so your calorie burning rate takes a nosedive. 

That’s a recipe for weight GAIN—not loss.

Plus when your body needs nourishment, it will DEMAND nourishment, and it doesn’t care if it’s 2:00 in the morning.

What to do:  Eat three healthy meals a day.  If you’re hungry between meals, have protein snacks such as nuts, a piece of meat or a cube of cheese.  Properly nourishing your body will minimize the chance of cravings, plus protein snacks will help keep you satisfied and stave off hunger.

And all of this will help encourage weight LOSS!

If you need guidance, the Great Taste No Pain system can be a tremendous help.

Great Taste No Pain will teach you all the dangers of refined carbs and a poor diet, and give you loads of suggestions for delicious healthy meals and snacks.

Plus it will show you how to combine foods together to promote better digestion, which will also help your weight loss efforts!

2- You watch network TV at night

The power of advertising is extremely strong and fast foods/junk food manufacturers know it. 

It’s no coincidence that you see ads for burgers, fries, pizza and donuts in the evening when you’re watching TV.

What to do:  Watch movie DVDs (or Netflix, etc.) in the evening instead.  If there are network shows you like, record them so you can fast-forward through the commercials when you watch them.

Or better yet—dust off those old board games, play cards or read a book!

3- You exercise late in the evening

Unfortunately, although exercise is such a health-promoting activity for countless reasons, when you do it too late in the evening, you may cause your inner dinner bell to clang late at night because your body wants to refuel itself.

What to do:  Try to squeeze in your workout earlier in the day if you can.  If that’s not possible, have a small protein snack post-workout.  Turkey is a good choice because the tryptophan will help you relax and fall asleep easier.

4- You’re stressed

When you're under stress, your cortisol levels are raised and remain high. This causes cravings, especially for starchy and sugary carbohydrates.  

What to do: Having a healthy diet and choosing protein snacks like I mentioned above can help, but it’s also crucial to deal with your stress.

We all have occasional stress, but chronic stress can take its toll on your health in numerous ways over and above late-night cravings and weight gain.

Do whatever it takes—see a therapist, exercise, do deep breathing, join a yoga class, pray or meditate. 

5- You have an unhealthy gut environment

When you have an unhealthy gut environment that favors harmful bacteria and yeasts (a condition known as dysbiosis), your gut can be causing your late-night snack attacks!

You see, yeasts in your gut LOVE sugary and starchy carbs, and they can actually trigger cravings!

Sadly, many people have an unhealthy gut environment but don’t even know it.  Not only can this cause you to be a carb-o-holic, but it can depress your immune system functioning and cause gas and bloating galore.

Trust me, if gas and bloating are your regular companions, if you get repeated infections, if you take antibiotics, antacids or birth control pills, if you’re constipated a lot or if you smoke, chances are excellent you have some degree of dysbiosis brewing in there.

What to do: Help to encourage a healthy gut environment by having a nutritious diet, eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, avoiding refined carbs and most importantly, supplementing with a top-notch probiotic supplement like Super Shield.

Super Shield’s 13 strains of health-promoting, well-researched bacteria help to repopulate your friendly intestinal flora and give your system a much needed boost to help overcome the harmful pathogens that may be residing in you.

In addition, the amino acid L-glutamine has been shown to help reduce cravings.  The typical recommended dose is 500 mg three times per day.

6- You’re low in vitamin D

Studies have shown that when vitamin D levels are low, the hormone that helps turn off a person’s appetite doesn’t work and people feel hungry all the time, no matter how much they eat.

What to do: If vitamin D deficiency is an issue for you, Dr. Salerno’s Vitamin D-K Factor can help turn that around fast!

Vitamin D-K Factor gives you a health-supporting 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3 in every daily dose, plus the added benefit of 550 mcg vitamin K2 (which partners with vitamin D to support bone health and cardiac health!).

You CAN break free of the late-night snacking habit. You just need to address what may be causing your nocturnal nibbling and turn it around!

And when you do, I bet you’ll see that excess weight start to fall off too.

Won’t that be nice?

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

PS: We're on Facebook! Like us here: - https://www.facebook.com/HolisticBlends

Follow me on Twitter @sherry_brescia and Instagram @sherrybrescia

PPS: I am available for bookings as a speaker! For more details go to: http://www.holisticblends.com/category-s/1855.htm

Are you being poisoned by this silent killer?

It’s pretty safe to say that the average person isn’t knowingly trying to poison themselves. 

But unfortunately, there is a silent, deadly toxin all around us that is wreaking havoc with the health and lives of countless people…and they don’t even know it!

All they know is they are suffering and chances are excellent that no one can figure out why.

That deadly toxin is mercury.

Let’s talk about this potentially lethal element that’s affecting increasing numbers of people—what it really is, the problems it can cause, and what you can do to help remove it and its deadly effects from your body.

Mercury—the basics

Mercury (Hg) is one of the basic chemical elements…but it's anything but "basic." 

Instead it has shown itself to be a carcinogen (cancer-causing substance), a mutagen (something that causes dangerous changes to your cellular DNA) and a potent neurotoxin (meaning it has a poisonous effect on your brain and central nervous system).

Mercury occurs in four forms:

•          Pure mercury -also known as metallic or elemental mercury.  This is the kind of mercury           you see in an old-fashioned thermometer.
•        Mercury vapor-this is created when pure mercury evaporates.
•        Inorganic mercury or mercury salts
•         Organic mercury-when mercury combines with carbon.  This is by far the most deadly form     of mercury, otherwise known as methylmercury.

So what's the issue?

The reason mercury is so dangerous is it bio-accumulates, meaning your body holds on to it, it's difficult to eliminate and it increases its concentration over time.  So even small exposure can become potentially dangerous to your health.

Here are the primary health concerns associated with mercury:

• Mercury binds to many tissue enzymes and proteins, and thereby causes direct damage to your cells and their functions. This damage can be drastic and eventually lead to failure of organ systems such as the lungs, kidneys and especially the nervous system.
• Excess mercury exposure can cause mental dysfunction, fatigue, poor memory, decreased senses of touch, hearing and vision, ringing/noise in the ears, depression, emotional problems, neurological and muscular disorders, kidney and gastrointestinal problems, infertility and heart disease. Effects can include coma and death in some cases.
• Mercury acts as an immunosuppressant in the body, weakening your immune system and encouraging the development of autoimmune conditions. 
• It can cross the placenta and lead to birth defects and neurological problems in babies.

Here's an interesting tidbit: The expression "Mad as a Hatter" originated in the 1800's from the observation that hat makers who used mercury to process felt hats often developed mental changes.

How do I get exposed to begin with?                                      

The most common sources of mercury exposure are:

• Food (especially from large carnivorous fish like swordfish)
• Smoking cigarettes
• Air (due to emissions into the air from fossil fuel plants and waste incinerators)
• Water (heavy metals seep into the water supply through human activity such as industrial and consumer waste, mining, agriculture, manufacturing and landfills)
• Dental amalgam fillings

Mercury has also been detected in high fructose corn syrup, and heaven knows that’s in practically every processed food imaginable.

In addition, mercury has also been detected in these common products:

• Paints
• Lumber
• Fungicides
• Water-resistant fabrics
• Chlorine bleach

How you can help reduce YOUR risk

Here are some very important measures you can take to help reduce your exposure to mercury as well as help counteract its harmful effects in YOU:

1) Do the avoid-dance

Try to limit your exposure to known sources of mercury. 

If you smoke, please quit.  I know it’s extremely difficult but millions of people have done it before you.  Get help if you need it. 

Use chemical-free, chlorine-free, biodegradable laundry and household cleaning products whenever possible.

Use filtered water for drinking and bathing.

Avoid the following types of fish: Tuna, sea bass, marlin, pike, shark, oysters, halibut, walleye, largemouth bass, swordfish or farmed fish.

Avoid synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides.

Request that your dentist use composite materials in any fillings in place of silver amalgam.  If he won't do it, find a dentist that will.

And if you have a good number of amalgam fillings in your mouth now, consider having them removed and replaced with composites. 

2) Consider chelation therapy

Chelation therapy helps clear heavy metals from your body.  It can be done by an IV or with oral chelators (especially the amino acid DMPS).  DMPS pulls the metals out of your cells, tissues and organs and puts them into general circulation so your body can eliminate them. 

3) Have a healthy diet of real foods and efficient digestion

The vitamins and minerals found in real foods are essential for your body to be able to rid itself of mercury. 

When your nutrient levels are low, mercury has much greater access to your cells and can even "lock out" your nutrients as it starts on its path of damage and disease. 

Plus adequate fiber is crucial.  Fiber binds to heavy metals like mercury and helps sweep them out of your body.

The Great Taste No Pain system can help you enjoy delicious meals featuring real foods that are fiber-rich and help promote efficient digestion and elimination of wastes.

Or, if you have a gluten challenge, Great Taste No Gluten is for you.

Both Great Taste No Pain and Great Taste No Gluten show you what foods to pair together to support more comfortable, easy digestion and to encourage better nutrient absorption. 

Plus the recipe sections in both systems give you delicious ideas for enjoying good-for-you foods that support your body in eliminating mercury. 

You'll be shocked at how tasty eating for great health can be!

4) Consider probiotic supplementation

Probiotics help the digestive process, strengthen your gut wall and encourage regular bowel movements--which are all vital to eliminating mercury.

Plus probiotics can help counteract any effects that mercury may have already had on challenging and weakening your immune system.

And Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is a probiotic that's up to the challenge.

Super Shield's 13 strains of feisty, potent bacteria are ready to line your intestinal wall, helping to make it stronger and less porous...so mercury stands a better chance of getting swept away with your bowel movements instead of being reabsorbed into your system!

Plus your immune system will appreciate the beneficial bacteria boost to help it recover from mercury exposure, as well as making you less susceptible to infections and viruses of all kinds.

Now you know how to avoid mercury and give your body the help it needs to counteract and eliminate that health-wrecking monster.

And keep you and your kids feeling good for years to come!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

PS: We're on Facebook! Like us here: - https://www.facebook.com/HolisticBlends

Follow me on Twitter @sherry_brescia and Instagram @sherrybrescia

PPS: I am available for bookings as a speaker! For more details go to: http://www.holisticblends.com/category-s/1855.htm

Your key to great health…for life!

Ours is a “quick fix” type of society.

I see this when people talk to me about their health issues—they want to feel better INSTANTLY and impatiently wait for my answer.

And they get deflated when I inform them that there’s no quick fix—they didn’t get to be this unhealthy overnight, and things can’t magically turn around overnight either!

If what I’m describing sounds like you, listen up.

Today I will help those of you who are looking to find a path to better health.

I can’t promise it will work instantly, but I bet you’ll see some significant improvements much quicker than you think…and they will LAST.

It will take a little effort on your part, but believe me, that will be quickly overshadowed by your excitement over how much better you can feel…for LIFE.

Ready? 

Here’s what you must do:

TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUT

That’s right.

Here’s why your gut is where it’s at in terms of creating optimal health:

Your first line of defense

Your gut is like a sentinel—it’s your primary line of defense against the outside world.  It lets the good stuff (food and nutrients) IN while keeping the bad stuff (wastes, toxins, carcinogens, dangerous bacteria and viruses) OUT.

And if your gut is not able to carry out its duties, it’s not a matter of if but merely when will you suffer the consequences.

If your gut was not able to carry out digestion, you’d start suffering nutrient deficiencies pretty quickly.

That can mean things like anemia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, imbalanced hormones, low energy, brain fog and inflammation.

Plus you may be taunting your immune system with poorly digested food molecules in your bloodstream and triggering allergies or food sensitivities.

Immune housing

Most people don’t realize this, but your gut is where most of your immune system resides.

Although immune cells are found in your lymph nodes, bloodstream, and virtually all areas of your body, about 70 percent of them live in your gut.

So it only follows that the health and strength of your immune system is largely dependent on a healthy, strong gut environment.

Mental health in “both brains”

There is a series of chemical and electrical signals that continuously pass back and forth between the central nervous system (your brain) and the gastrointestinal system (your gut).  What affects one directly affects the other.

The brain-gut axis is the reason why you feel butterflies in your stomach when you're nervous, or get diarrhea when you're worried or upset. 

It's also the reason conditions like anxiety and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) frequently occur together.

So if the health of your gut is challenged, in addition to digestive problems, it can very well trigger anxiety or depression too.

Inflammation and heart disease

When your gut wall becomes too leaky due to poor digestion, toxins and disease-causing bacteria have an "open door" to seep into your bloodstream.

Then an inflammation and disease-causing cycle begins:

1. First, your immune system reacts to toxins in your system, seeing them as dangerous invaders.  When it detects them, it sends out an SOS to your repair team (cholesterol and white blood cells) to get the inflammation cycle going.
2. Toxins can also sail through your bloodstream, become lodged in your tissues and remain there for YEARS, all the while continually igniting an inflammatory response.
3. Toxins can also generate oxidative damage to your cells which keeps the inflammation cycle going.

This is the perfect recipe for chronic inflammation in your blood vessels and in many cases heart disease.

The inflammation can also manifest itself as conditions like arthritis, migraines, asthma, eczema, psoriasis, low back pain, fibromyalgia and more.

Take good care of yours and it will take care of YOU

Hopefully you realize that you MUST take care of your gut if you ever want any measure of decent health.

The good news is, that’s not hard to do!

All you need to do is use the "4 R’s to a healthier gut" approach: 

1. Remove
2. Replace
3. Reinforce
4. Repair

1- Remove

This involves removal and avoidance of things that can harm your gut including:

• Foods that you are sensitive to
• Cigarette smoke
• Soda
• Excessive alcohol
• Refined carbs-- sugar, flour, white rice and all things made with them
• Antibiotics, oral contraceptives and acid reducers—talk to your doctor about alternatives or see if a healthier diet can help reduce your need for certain drugs (more on that below)
• Regularly lacking sleep

2- Replace

Step 2 is to help reverse an unhealthy gut environment by replacing and repopulating your supply of beneficial bacteria, and this is done with a probiotic supplement.

Now as far as probiotics go, Super Shield multi-strain formula is your ticket for helping to restore a healthier flora balance.

Research studies have shown that it is important to use more than one strain of probiotic bacteria when tackling dysbiosis (harmful bacteria overgrowth).

Super Shield’s 13 strains of top-quality probiotic species each has their own “specialty” in how they help support gut and overall health.

3- Reinforce

Reinforcing a healthy gut environment means nourishing your friendly bacteria and having more smooth digestion to help keep your intestinal tract healthy and avoid waste buildup.

This involves eating foods that nourish your friendly flora like fresh vegetables, fermented foods and fiber-rich foods, plus keeping ALL of your meals easier for your system to digest.

The Great Taste No Pain system can guide you on how to construct easy tasty meals that are easier for your system to digest and help encourage more regular BMs. 

Plus the recipe book gives you loads of ideas for preparing delicious foods that help nourish you AND your intestinal flora!

And if you're gluten sensitive, Great Taste No Gluten is for you instead.

4- Repair

The final step is to help repair any intestinal damage that you may have from harmful bacteria and medications. 

One key nutrient for gut repair is L-glutamine--an amino acid that is available in supplement form in most health food stores.

In addition, Omega-3 essential fatty acids can help stabilize irritated intestinal tissue and encourage healing.  Fish oil supplements are a convenient way to get Omega-3 EFAs--and if you're looking for a high quality fish oil formula, VitalMega-3 is here for you!

VitalMega-3 gives your body a healthy daily dose of the Omega-3 EFAs EPA and DHA that are highly recommended by most experts, in the ideal 3:2 ratio.

It’s your GOLD

When it comes to helping to create and maintain great health, your gut is your GOLD—so treat it like the precious gift it is and it will return the favor many times over.

These help fight heart disease

Heart disease continues to be the number one killer of both men and women in this country—every 33 seconds someone dies from it. 

It has achieved this number one status by a longshot too—currently more people die of heart disease than of AIDS and all cancers combined.

Plus it’s been estimated that by the year 2020, heart disease will be the leading cause of death in the entire world.

But the good news is there’s plenty you can do to fight this killer by adding a very effective weapon to your arsenal…

The power of nutrition!

That’s right.  In addition to the obvious quitting smoking, avoiding trans-fats and refined carbs, getting regular exercise and drinking alcohol in moderation, one of the most effective ways to prevent heart disease is to eat heart-friendly foods and supplement with heart-supportive nutrients!

Most vegetables and many fruits are low in carbohydrates, full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals—all of which are a tremendous boost to your heart and blood vessels. 

But here are a few superstar foods that are particularly effective at reducing harmful cholesterol levels and providing nutrients that protect your arteries:

• Yogurt contains probiotic cultures that reduce bile acids, which helps keep worn-out cholesterol from being reabsorbed into circulation from the intestinal tract. The trick here is to avoid the varieties with added sugar or sweetened fruit.
• Salmon is rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids that help reduce inflammation in the blood vessels, thin the blood, lower triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure inhibit the growth of plaque and protect against irregular heartbeat—quite the resume!
• Spinach, kale and other dark leafy greens are great sources of the antioxidant vitamins A and C. Spinach is an excellent source of folate, which converts homocysteine to a benign amino acid. (High levels of homocysteine in the bloodstream can cause inflammation in the blood vessels and increase your heart disease risk.) In addition, spinach is rich in magnesium, which helps lower blood pressure and protects against heart disease.
• Almonds are loaded with vitamin E and Omega-3 EFAs, both of which have been shown to prevent heart disease, stroke and hypertension. Plus the fat in almonds helps to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
• Garlic can slow the development of atherosclerosis.

Heart-healthy supplements can help too!

As far as smart supplementation for your heart goes, nothing beats the powerful combination of VitalMega-3 fish oil formula and Dr. Salerno’s Cardio Factor.

VitalMega-3 gives you a whopping, heart-loving 1,200 mg. of Oemga-3 EFAs in every daily 2-capsule serving, including 600 mg of EPA and 400 mg DHA.

Dr. Salerno’s Cardio Factor provides a heart-supportive blends of nutrients including:

Zinc:  Zinc has been shown to help lower the levels of C-reactive protein in the body.  C-reactive protein is a compound that, when elevated, indicates either inflammatory or free radical damage is occurring within the blood vessels in a way that contributes to cardiovascular disease.

Magnesium: Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant that can reduce the impact of stressors on your cardiovascular system.  It partners with calcium (which is a muscle contractor) to regulate your heart rate, among other things.

Vitamins B6, B12 and folate (aka folic acid): This trio of B Vitamins is like the Three Musketeers when it comes to protecting you against the dangerous effects of homocysteine buildup in your blood. 

Trimethylglycine: A vitamin-like substance that helps with homocysteine conversion.

Choline and riboflavin (vitamin B2): Other members of the B-complex group of nutrients that help with homocysteine conversion.

Serine:  An amino acid that helps build and maintain all the muscles in the body, including the heart.

N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC):  An amino acid that helps to boost your body’s level of glutathione, which is an important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Put the power of nutrition to work for you to greatly reduce your risks and keep this killer far away from YOU!

Stay away from these inflammatory foods

If there’s one thing we’ve got an abundance of in this country, it’s inflammation.

We’ve got the statistics to prove it!  Chronic inflammatory conditions are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths in the US each year.

Although inflammation is part of the body’s natural healing process, millions of people are in “inflammation overdrive” and have crossed the line where inflammation is harmful—not helpful.

It’s easy to see why—some of the common sources of chronic inflammation include:

• Stress, anxiety and depression
• Certain medications (such as statins)
• Poor sleep
• Persistent infection or virus
• Being overweight or obese
• Lacking exercise
• Allergies
• Toxins such as mercury and pesticides

Heaven knows one or more of those factors apply to most Americans—overweight or obesity alone affects two out of three of us.

But arguably the most widespread source of inflammation is our DIETS!

Let’s look at five of the most dangerous inflammatory foods, and how you can start using the power of nutrition to reduce chronic inflammation safely and naturally.

1- Acid-forming foods

A food is considered to be acid-forming to the body if its residue upon digestion is acidic.  (Similarly, if the residue is alkaline, it’s considered an alkaline food.)  An excess of acid waste in the body over and above what we can effectively eliminate or neutralize can stir up inflammation.

Several foods, although acid-forming, are also very nutritious—including meat, eggs and dairy.  These foods are healthful and simply need to be balanced out by enough alkaline vegetables to buffer the acid.

However, the truly “bad” acid-forming foods include refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, white rice, sugar, etc.), soda, packaged and fast foods.  These provide no appreciable nutrition (other than perhaps synthetic add-ins), they actually rob your body of essential minerals and they feed harmful microbes and yeasts in your gut. 

2- GMO foods

The process of genetic modification of foods produces proteins that are completely foreign to your body and may potentially provoke your immune system into overreacting.  In addition, they can impact your friendly intestinal flora, leading to an environment that favors dangerous microbes.

3- Factory farmed meats

Instead of being allowed to freely graze in pastures rich in anti-inflammatory Omega-3 essential fatty acids, factory farmed animals are instead fed a grain diet which is high in inflammation-stirring Omega-6 EFAs.  The problem is multiplied when the grains fed to the animals are also genetically modified because what is given to the animals ends up in you (see #2 above).

4- Gluten

Due to hybridization, we have created a gluten molecule that is more inflammatory than previous varieties.  In addition, the amount of gluten in our wheat is nearly double what it was even 50 years ago.  Gluten is a very dense, sticky protein that is inherently hard to digest—and now our bodies must deal with a lot more of it, and a more inflammatory version of it. 

5- Bad Fats

Bad fats include highly processed fats, rancid fats, trans-fats, and any type of unnatural fats.  These fats cause inflammation, trigger the development of free radicals and contribute to practically every disease.

Natural ways to help fight inflammation

In addition to avoiding the inflammatory foods mentioned above, here are four ways to put the power of natural health to work against inflammation in your body:

1) Help buffer the acid with alkaline foods

Alkaline foods include most vegetables (other than potatoes and corn) and most fruits.  Try to make at least half of your plate alkaline foods, and eat a big tossed salad every day.

What you drink matters too.  So if Jimmy Carter was President the last time you drank anything but coffee, alcohol, soda or Red Bull, it’s time to work in some water.  Strive to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of filtered water a day.

2) Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 EFAs are Nature’s anti-inflammatory, but as I mentioned in #3 above, our foods don’t have the Omega-3s they used to.

In addition to eating fatty fish, a fish oil supplement like VitalMega-3 can help make sure your body is getting what it needs.

VitalMega-3 contains 1,200 mg of Omega-3 EFAs in every 2-capsule serving, including 600 mg EPA and 400 mg DHA—the “golden stars” of Omega-3s.

3) Get enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression, pain, overall inflammation, weak immune functioning, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune diseases, cancers and more.

Unfortunately, it’s a common deficiency, especially for people living in the northern climates, people who shun the sun, the elderly, people with digestive issues and people taking statins.

Dr. Salerno’s Vitamin D-K Factor can help ensure that your body has the levels of this crucial nutrient that it needs.

Vitamin D-K Factor includes 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 (which is the preferred, natural form of vitamin D) and 45 mcg of vitamin K—to provide additional bone health support.

4) Exercise regularly

Studies show that exercise has powerful effects in reducing inflammation, which in turn can significantly lower your cancer risk, among other things.  Plus exercise shrinks fat cells, which automatically fights inflammation by calming your body's immune system.

No more excuses. Remember, we make time for the things we want to do, and excuses for what we don’t.

Stop being an excuse-maker when it comes to exercise. Instead get your doctor’s nod of approval and get moving.

Put these natural measures to work for you in the fight against inflammation and all its harmful effects. Believe me, your body will say thank you!

10 Tips to stop stress eating

I once saw a funny quote about stress eating that said:  Don’t judge me by my grocery cart.  You have no idea the kind of emotions I’m trying to eat away.

Sadly for many people, stress eating is anything but funny.  It’s a frustrating cycle that is SO hard to break and takes a hefty toll on your health.

But when you understand what is going on with stress eating and take effective steps to overcome it, you can start to break out of that vicious cycle and feel MUCH better.

Let’s first look at…

The price of stress eating

Stress eating takes its toll on your health in many ways, starting with your weight. 

Since most stress eaters reach for refined carbohydrates, not only can this cause you to pack on the pounds, but the repeated influxes of glucose into your bloodstream can eventually make you a candidate for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.

Plus excess glucose in your bloodstream can irritate the internal layer of your blood vessels and increase your risk of hypertension.

In addition, the sugar from refined carbs feeds the harmful bacteria in your intestinal tract.  This can lead to digestive problems like gas and bloating as well as impair your immune system functioning (since your gut houses 70 percent of your immune system).   

The cycle of stress eating seems pretty straight-forward—get stressed, crave carbs, eat carbs, feel better.

But here is what is really going on:

It’s all in your hormones

Back in our caveman days, when faced with the stress of an enemy or vicious animal, our bodies would release adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones would raise the heart rate, dilate the blood vessels and mobilize fat and carbohydrates as quick energy for the "fight or flight" reaction.

Once the stress was over, adrenaline would subside, but cortisol would remain high to help refuel the body and bring it back to balance.

As a result you’d get a HUGE appetite that would drive you to replace the carbs and fats you used up.

Now our modern day stresses more emotional and psychological. But your body's hormonal reaction to those stresses is the same.

So that’s why the intense cravings are hitting you, especially for carbohydrates.

The effects of chronic stress

When you're under chronic stress, your cortisol levels are raised and remain high. This creates a buildup of abdominal fat (our primitive energy supply)—so that’s when you may see the emergence of a spare tire or muffin top.

In addition to GI symptoms, depressed immune function and blood sugar problems, chronic stress can also cause low thyroid function, impaired memory and concentration, adrenal fatigue and eventually chronic illness.

Break the stress eating cycle

Clearly, it's essential to break the cycle of stress eating and chronic stress.

First and foremost, you’ve got to address what is causing your stress and do as much as you can to eliminate it.

And as far as stress eating goes, here are 10 strategies for safely and naturally conquering those cravings and fighting the physical effects of stress:

1) Wait 10 minutes before caving

If you can distract yourself by answering an email, doing a load of laundry, making a phone call, feeding the cat or running an errand, your craving may pass.

 2) NEVER skip meals

Hunger can trigger intense cravings for sugar, so be sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. If you are busy and miss a meal, snack on protein foods like meat, cheese or nuts.

3) Eat fruits and vegetables

Fresh produce is full of antioxidants and phytochemicals that eliminate the free radicals caused by stress.

4) Support your adrenals

Being in a prolonged state of stress and adrenal overload depletes your body of its vitamins and minerals.  Plus your cells become unable to function properly, hypoglycemia can set in as well as an overall weakening of all of the major organs of the body.

Dr. Salerno’s Adrenal Factor can help provide the nutritional support you need to keep your adrenal glands healthy and help prevent adrenal burn-out.

5) Turn off the TV and computer

TV and computer ads expose you to endless numbers of food commercials that are specifically designed to trigger cravings.

6) Get enough Zzzz’s

Fatigue and sleep deprivation lead to carb cravings because glucose is our primary source of energy, and carbs are converted rapidly to glucose. 

The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.

 

7) Move your body—more than to the refrigerator and back

Exercise counteracts stress and cravings by releasing endorphins, the hormones that produce calm, feel-good feelings.

It's not necessary to join a gym or buy expensive equipment.  Even brisk walking is fine, and nearly everyone can do that.  Get your doctor’s OK and get moving.

8) Drink enough water

Many people mistake thirst for hunger, so what may seem like a craving could be your body telling you to drink more water.

You should aim to drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses water a day. 

9) Eat foods with anti-stress nutrients

These include foods with Vitamins A, B6, C and E as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc. Here are some good sources of each:

•     Vitamin A: Carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, bell peppers
•     Vitamin B6: Bananas, salmon, potatoes, chicken, turkey and spinach
•     Vitamin C: Strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oranges, cauliflower
•     Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, spinach, blueberries, greens
•     Potassium: Yams, spinach, avocado, lentils, winter squash, bananas
•     Magnesium: Black beans, navy beans, salmon, spinach, sesame seeds, halibut
•     Calcium: Greens, sesame seeds, dairy
•     Zinc: Lean beef or lamb, turkey, green peas, shrimp, sesame seeds

10) Support your gut health

Stress throws your intestinal flora balance completely out of whack and compromises your immune system. This makes you susceptible to every bug, cold, virus or infection around, and weakens your body’s ability to fight diseases like cancer.

So it's essential to make sure your body has the levels of beneficial bacteria that it needs to counteract the effects of stress and keep you healthy.

In addition to eating foods that nourish your army of good guys (like fresh vegetables) it's helpful to supplement with a potent probiotic product.

Like Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula.

Super Shield's 13 strains of potent beneficial bacteria are feisty and ready to claim their place on your intestinal walls, helping to fight off harmful bacteria and pathogens and beef up your immune system.

In addition, these good guys can also help enhance nutrient absorption, which is critical to help avoid food cravings.

When you can safely and naturally counteract stress eating, you can make a tremendous difference in your health and weight well into your golden years!

This is more telling than your blood pressure

When evaluating a person’s degree of health (or lack thereof), many different numerical indicators can be a part of the assessment process including:

• Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 
• Total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL.
• Triglycerides below 150 mg/dL.
• Fasting blood glucose between 70-100 mg/dL.
• BMI (body mass index) of 18.5 to 24.9

But one of the most telling indicators of your level of health is your blood pH.  

Here’s why:

Your body’s pH

The term pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is.  Zero is pure acid, 7 is neutral and 14 is pure alkaline.

The pH ranges of the human body vary according to the specific body area in question:

The pH of your mouth and saliva is alkaline at about 7.1 – 7.4. 

In the stomach, things are more acidic.  The pH inside your stomach is typically in the 1.2 – 4.5 range. 

In the small intestine the environment becomes alkaline again.  In the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine) the pH goes up to 6, and eventually further down in the jejunum it reaches an alkaline level of about 7.4.

In the colon (large intestine), the pH again swings to the acidic range.  The typical pH range for the colon is 5.7 – 6.7.

But the optimal pH of the blood is a much more narrow and specific range.  Ideal blood pH is slightly alkaline between 7.3 and 7.4, with 7.365 being the target number. 

The importance of the right blood pH

Maintaining a slightly alkaline blood pH within the 7.3--7.4 range is crucial.  All of your cells, tissues, bones, joints and organs are better able to function as they were designed to when they are nourished by blood with a pH of about 7.365.

When your blood pH dips down toward the acid range, that's when your body can literally begin to break down (a condition called acidosis). The cells become sluggish and unable carry out proper metabolism.  Wastes begin to build up in the cells and toxins aren't excreted like they should be. Cellular messages are not sent and received and nutrients can’t be properly used.

Eventually irritation then inflammation can result, tumor cells can thrive, chronic aches and pains can manifest and the body can ultimately become an environment that is hospitable to sickness and disease.

Note that having a blood pH that is too alkaline (called alkalosis) is similarly harmful.  When blood pH exceeds 7.8, the following symptoms may manifest:

• Confusion (that can progress to stupor or coma)
• Hand tremor
• Light-headedness
• Muscle twitching
• Nausea, vomiting
• Numbness or tingling in the face, hands, or feet
• Prolonged muscle spasms (tetany)

However, alkalosis is extremely rare and is typically the result of kidney malfunction, prolonged vomiting and/or hyperventilation.

4 steps to a healthy pH

Here are 4 steps to help make sure your blood pH stays in the range that will help YOU to stay healthy!

Step 1- Check your pH at regular intervals

In order to know where you may be starting from, as well as to properly monitor changes in your pH in the future, it’s important to check your pH at regular intervals.  There are three options to measure pH—through the saliva, the urine and the blood.

At-home saliva or urine test kits may be obtained at many drug stores and health food stores.  A blood test must be performed by a physician. 

Desirable ranges for the various forms of testing are as follows:

• Saliva: 7.0 - 7.4. 
• Urine: 6.5 - 6.8 
• Blood: The ideal number is 7.365, although any value between 7.3 and 7.4 is a good sign.  

Step 2- Drink pure water

You should be drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of pure water a day at a minimum, and even more if you are:

• Exercising
• Working outdoors in hot weather
• Over age 65
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Prone to heavy menstrual periods

Step 3- Incorporate sources of Vitamin C into your diet

Among its numerous health benefits, Vitamin C has been shown to help promote alkalinity in the body.  Good food sources of this crucial antioxidant include bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, cauliflower, lemon juice, romaine lettuce, Brussels sprouts, kale, kiwifruit, oranges, grapefruit, cabbage, tomatoes, raspberries, asparagus, celery, spinach, pineapple, green beans and summer squash.

Step 4- Help promote efficient digestion

Efficient digestion is crucial to the removal of acid wastes from the body as well as the proper assimilation and absorption of nutrients. 

The Great Taste No Pain system can guide you on how to pair foods together to ease the digestive burden on your system, help all of your foods to be broken down like they should be, and support your body in clearing out wastes.

Great Taste No Pain gives you meal planning guides as well as a collection of outstanding recipes that will soon become your family’s favorites. 

In addition, you’ll get a wealth of important up-to-the-minute health information so you can make informed decisions on what is right for your family (versus being misled by the confusing or false claims made by food companies).

And now that Great Taste No Pain is 15% off, it’s the perfect time to get this valuable health system and see what a difference the right diet can make in YOUR health!

But don’t delay!  Because the sale is ending soon.

Efficient digestion is also a reflection of your body’s ability to create enzymes…and if you’ve had a less-than-stellar diet for quite a while, chances are good you may need a little enzyme boost.

Digestizol Max can help give your body the support it needs to break down all of your foods.

Its blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes (making it suitable for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike) go right to work on breaking down every kind of food you can eat.

Not only can this help support better digestion and nutrient absorption, but it can also reduce gas and bloating too!

Remember, a lot of “numbers” are telltale signs of your level of health—and pH is one of the most important!

Do what you can to help keep yours where it should be for optimal health.

Why a healthy diet might not keep you healthy

Before I get into today’s topic is I would like to announce that for a limited time only, the new second edition of Great Taste No Pain is 15% off!

This beautiful new second edition gives you a wider variety of delicious recipes and important information about refined carbs, which fats are good (and which ones to avoid!), the importance of balancing your pH, the dangers of GMOs and much more!

Why a healthy diet might not keep you healthy
I don’t think I’ll be shocking you out of your chair today if I say that a proper diet is THE #1 key to help ensure that you are healthy (and even make it into) your golden years.

BUT...here’s something you might be surprised to hear me say.

Sometimes a healthy might not keep you healthy!

Sickness often occurs even though you may have what most people would consider a perfectly nutritious diet.

"Why?" you may ask.

Well, there are several reasons:

The air that I breathe...
One of the most common is environmental factors that are out completely of your control.

Toxins are all around us--in our food, air, personal care products, water supply, lawn and workplace.

They can accumulate in your body (especially in your fat cells), making your body's pH more acidic, which makes it easier for disease to flourish inside of you, regardless of the health enhancing foods you eat.

Try to limit your exposure as much as you can.  Buy organic meat and produce whenever possible, look for natural laundry and cleaning products, avoid drinking tap water and search out organic fertilizers.

Even a few minor changes can help dramatically curb your toxic exposure.

Stress
Stress wreaks havoc on your digestion and your immune system.

That’s why you may find yourself getting sickness after sickness during times of stress—your body literally cannot fight off bacterial infections or viruses as well.
Plus your immune system also protects you from dangerous diseases like cancer…so being under chronic stress can even have a deadly price.

Take advantage of whatever stress relief options are available to you.  Your health and quite possibly your life may depend on it.

What you drink matters too
I can’t tell you how frustrating it is for me as a nutritionist when I see someone eating a healthy, nutritious meal and washing it down with a soda.

Remember that drinks count too—so ditch the soda (whether diet or regular), drink alcohol only in moderation, limit your coffee consumption and make water your #1 beverage of choice as much as possible.

Medications—both OTC and Rx
Another big factor that can undo the positive effects of a healthy diet is medications.

Remember that, even though some medications can be helpful and even life-saving, they also throw your body out of balance, wreaking havoc with your major organs, blood and nervous system.

They're chemicals that we were not designed by Nature to be able to assimilate.

One of the big health costs of medications is the fact that they affect other areas of your body over and above what they were intended to "treat."  There are ALWAYS side-effects.

If you are on any medications, talk to your doctor about alternatives, reducing your dose, or maybe even eventually weaning off them altogether.  And if your doctor refuses to discuss the matter with you, find one who will.  There are a good number of truly caring doctors who are more than happy to answer your questions and ease your concerns.

Lack of exercise
Exercise is crucial if you want even a remote chance of living a life free of sickness and pain.

Here are just a few benefits of regular exercise that you can’t always get from a healthy diet alone:

• Weight control
• Heart disease prevention
• Lower blood pressure
• Blood sugar control
• Easing aches and pains
• Building bone mass
• Improve digestion and bowel movements
• Boost energy
• Better sleep
• Improve your mood
• Ease anxiety
• Reduce stress
• Prevent cognitive decline

So, if your sneakers and feet have been strangers for quite a while, or your treadmill has become a funky-looking clothes rack, it’s time to change that.  Get your doctor’s nod of approval and get moving.

It all starts here
Even though there are many things you can do to help keep your body free of sickness and disease, it all comes back to this:

Your health starts with what you put in your body.  No matter how much you exercise or reduce stress or avoid toxins, you absolutely CANNOT expect to feel your best without eating enough nutritious foods and helping to keep digestion efficient so you can actually absorb the nutrients you’re taking in.

That's why the Great Taste No Pain health system is THE primary step to help get the nutrients you need, help keep your pH more alkaline, clear excess wastes and help get your systems working the way they're supposed to.

And the best part is, eating for excellent health has never tasted so delicious!
Now you can embrace the power of the right diet AND save money because for a limited time, Great Taste No Pain is 15% off!

Don’t forget the helpers down below!
It’s also crucial to make sure you consistently maintain a healthy intestinal flora balance.

Your friendly gut bacteria house 70 percent of your immune system—that alone should give you a clue how important they are,

They also help digest certain carbs and fibers, they keep harmful microbes and yeasts under control, they manufacture vitamins, they eat excess cholesterol and they help keep your bowel movements smooth and regular.

Definitely not something you want to be without!

And since SO many factors other than diet can affect your gut flora (especially guilty are stress, antibiotics and acid reducers, smoking and losing sleep), it's helpful to take a quality probiotic supplement like Super Shield daily.

The 13 top-shelf strains of friendly bacteria in Super Shield are potent and ready to make their home along your intestinal walls, fighting, crowding out and overcoming harmful bacteria.

This can help keep your gut wall strong, help make digestion smoother and support your immune system as well.

The unbeatable combination of Great Taste No Pain and Super Shield can be your ticket to feeling great next week, next year and many, many years to come!

Get on the track to a healthy diet now, because Great Taste No Pain is 15% off!
But don’t delay—because this special offer ends on Sunday, June 28th at 11:59 pm EST.

6 Steps to diabetes (& 5 ways to stop it)

Contrary to popular belief, rarely does a person wake up one day and ZAP! They suddenly get a disease.

Even though getting “the news” that you have a disease can be shocking, trust me, it’s no surprise to your body.  Disease is created over time, and one disease that has a very definitive development path is Type 2 diabetes.

Let’s take a look at the six steps to diabetes, as well as five ways you can help stop it.

The six steps to diabetes

Here are the six steps that will lead you from normal metabolism and blood sugar levels to full-blown Type 2 diabetes:

Step 1-Insulin resistance

The typical foods in the Standard American Diet are highly processed refined carbs which turn to sugar upon digestion and flood your bloodstream with glucose. 

And many people are taking in excessive amounts of refined carbs, causing the pancreas to have to repeatedly secrete insulin. 

Eventually the cells become like a soaked sponge—they can’t absorb any more glucose so they turn off their receptors for insulin—known as insulin resistance.

So if your four food groups are pasta, bread, chips and cookies and your beverage of choice is soda, you may have insulin resistance in the making.

Step 2- Insulin resistance with hyperinsulinism

Once insulin resistance hits, the insulin the pancreas produces isn’t as effective anymore. 

So it must release MORE insulin and you may be facing elevated glucose AND elevated insulin.

At this point you start to experience your blood sugar level starting to roller coaster after eating—with spikes followed by drops. 

If you eat lots of refined carbs and get jittery when you haven’t eaten for a while, insulin resistance with hyperinsulinism may be brewing.

Step 3-Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinism and low blood sugar

As time goes on and your blood levels of insulin and glucose are consistently high, the roller coaster in your blood sugar level will become more dramatic.

Your pancreas takes even longer to produce insulin after you eat and your blood sugar level skyrockets.  When it eventually kicks in, your blood sugar plummets. 

This is called reactive hypoglycemia and if you’re noticing any of these symptoms, it may be a concern for you:

• Weight gain
• Sugar cravings
• Intense hunger
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling anxious or panicky
• Lacking focus or motivation
• Fatigue

Step 4- Prediabetes

Eventually your blood sugar roller coaster will cause your sugar level to start peaking above the normal range and you will reach prediabetes.

You may experience sleepiness a couple of hours after a carbohydrate meal, along with the symptoms of hypoglycemia I mentioned above. 

Step 5- Type 2 diabetes with insulin resistance and high insulin production

In this stage your blood sugar level becomes more frequently elevated.  Your pancreas is still producing insulin, but it’s getting slower and slower.  This creates dangerously high glucose levels after eating.

Step 6- Type 2 diabetes with little or no insulin production

At this stage the pancreas is exhausted—its beta cells become dysfunctional and can no longer produce adequate insulin or any at all. 

Your blood sugar levels are more consistently high for longer periods of time—even after fasting.

Symptoms can include:

• Increased thirst 
• Increased hunger
• Frequent urination
• Weight gain
• Blurred vision

Change your path—it’s never too late!

No matter what step of Type 2 diabetes you may have reached, the condition is very preventable, and there is a whole LOT you can do to help keep it under control and even turn it around!

Here are five effective strategies that can make a HUGE difference in your blood sugar level:

1- Eat for diabetes prevention and control

Real foods such as legumes, fatty fish, onions, tomatoes and whole grains have been shown to be very helpful in preventing and controlling diabetes.

Plus having sound digestion means better elimination of acid wastes and a healthier pH.  This is especially important to diabetics and pre-diabetics, since your pancreas is VERY sensitive to pH. 

The Great Taste No Pain system will guide you all the way in this crucial step.

The Great Taste No Pain recipes feature loads of easy, delicious dishes featuring nourishing real foods, including the diabetes-fighting foods I mentioned above.

Plus Great Taste No Pain shows you how to put together meals that not only taste spectacular but can be more easily digested!

2- Consider supplementing with helpful nutrients

The following nutrients have been shown to be helpful with blood sugar control.  (Be sure to let your doctor know what supplements you are taking.)

• Coenzyme Q-10: CoQ10 plays an important role in energy production in your body.  Usual doses are 100-300 mg per day.
• Alpha lipoic acid: This antioxidant assists your body in using glucose, and neutralizes free radicals in your body that are involved in insulin resistance.  Recommended doses are 600 – 1,000 mg a day.
• Magnesium: Magnesium helps lower blood glucose levels and increases insulin sensitivity.  Doses are 500 – 750 mg each day. 

3- Consider supplementing with Omega-3 EFAs

Omega-3 EFAs provide crucial support to your metabolism including maintaining proper insulin levels.

And for a high-quality, Omega-3 fish oil supplement, VitalMega-3 is just what you need.

Each 2 capsule a day serving provides 2,000 mg of pure, top-quality fish oil including 1,000 mg of EPA and DHA (the very necessary Omega-3 fatty acids) in the 3:2 ratio recommended by most experts.

4- Get regular exercise

Exercise helps you lose weight and increases the ratio of muscle to fat in your body.  The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, which in turn helps you burn more glucose. 

In addition, the more muscle you have, the more responsive your body is to insulin!

Get your doctor’s OK and get moving.

5- Support your immune system

Colds, flu and infections can send your blood glucose soaring through the roof, and your best protection against sickness is to have a strong and sharp immune system. 

Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is as good as it gets for beefing up your population of friendly, helpful bacteria that will help encourage strong immune function.

Two of the powerhouse strains in Super Shield probiotic formula, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to be extremely effective in fighting many dangerous microbes that may be lurking inside of you.

And Super Shield’s other 11 strains each have their own unique specialty in terms of helping with digestion and enhancing immune function.

If you’re on the path to diabetes, you can help turn that around now.

By giving your body the proper support, you are making tremendous strides toward keeping diabetes (and many other diseases!) far away from you.