Health Advice for Women

I am fortunate to be able to work at home, set my own hours, and design my workspace to completely fit my ergonomic needs. One of the most important pieces of “furniture” in my office is my balance ball that I use exclusively as my office chair. Sitting on a ball for 8 hours a day has helped strengthen my core, alleviate back pain and muscle tension, and has given me the opportunity to stretch and do exercises in small intervals throughout the workday. If you are experiencing back pain or are frequently feeling stiff and uncomfortable in your office chair, sitting on a ball, even for part of the day will help you feel better and stronger. Also, the added fitness benefit is great for toning your rear end, stomach and core.

I use the “Total Body BalanceBall” by Gaiam.

My experience with diet pills, much like the history of diet pills, was scary! After years of searching for the perfect pill I finally realized that exercise is the only safe and effective diet “pill.” It helped me lose 38 pounds. No prescription drug or fat blocker had ever done that for me.

Diet pills have been around since the 1930’s when two Stanford University physicians developed the chemical dinitrophenol (DNP) to speed metabolism by increasing body temperature. DNP was taken off the market in 1938 after causing fatal fevers and blindness. Though it can still be purchased illegally online, DNP is now used as a manufacturing chemical.

In the 1950’s amphetamines gained popularity as doctors sought a way to help patients lose weight by decreasing appetite. Amphetamines proved to be effective, but also addictive. Since the 1970’s, they are prescribed for a few weeks at a time to stimulate weight loss but not prescribed long enough to develop dependency.

I started taking Phentermine (an amphetamine) in 2003. Even though I had a prescription for three weeks, I only lasted four days! It was awful. My heart felt like it was going to explode. Sure, I wasn’t hungry. But I felt dizzy, weak and did I mention my heart felt like it was going to explode?

Over the counter pills loaded with caffeine or “natural” sources of caffeine weren’t any better. I still felt jittery, like I’d had a pot of coffee. But they didn’t seem strong enough to curtail my appetite. With pills containing green tea and Hoodia, I had no side-effects, but they did absolutely nothing for me.

And we all remember Fen-Phen, which became popular in the 1990’s, with doctors writing over 85,000 prescriptions a week until the Mayo Clinic published a study reporting it caused heart valve complications. A month later, the FDA took it off the market.

I had never taken Xenical, the fat blocker, but when it came out in its over-the-counter form, Alli, I was in line the first day to give it a try. I followed the rigid guidelines: no more than 15 grams of fat per meal, so as not to get the dreaded side-effects of too much fat intake. Even though I was eating the recommended 1,800 calories per day and keeping my fat grams in check I had intense cravings for sugary foods.

I’d had it! I decided to see a nutritionist. She helped me understand that I was suffering from Insulin Resistance and carbohydrate addiction.

Insulin Resistance creates increased levels of insulin and glucose in the blood stream, which is a major underlying cause of excess weight and obesity. Symptoms can include fatigue, trouble concentrating, feeling irritable or jittery but better once food is eaten, sleepiness after eating meals heavy with carbohydrates, high blood pressure, and even depression. If you feel you may be suffering from obesity caused by Insulin Resistance I suggest taking this self-test.

Though I supplement my lower-carbohydrate diet with nutraceuticals, I will never take another diet pill again! I’ve found exercise to be the best diet “pill” of all. I started slowly, walking through my neighborhood in the evenings for twenty minutes and worked my way up to an hour. I’ve definitely revved up my metabolism with my daily exercise “pill.” I feel more alert throughout the day and my cravings have subsided.

I’ve discovered that it’s not about sweating and straining until you feel like falling over. It’s about finding something you can stick with every day. Well, most days.

There is a simple explanation for the middle-age spread: our metabolisms slow by 5% each decade after the age of forty. Slowly but surely we pack on an extra five to ten pounds a year as our bodies become less efficient at burning calories.

And there are plenty of other factors that can affect our metabolisms: motherhood, illness, certain medications, and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. To understand what causes insulin resistance go to Insulite Labs.

But we can fight back! With proper nutrition, the right nutrients, a little exercise, and a good night’s sleep we can all become calorie burning machines at any age.

Eat Protein and Eat Often

Never eat fewer than 1,000 calories per day. Our metabolisms thrive on food. Eat three protein-packed meals and two protein snacks per day. Snacking will actually give your metabolism a boost while protein provides a thermal (fat burning) effect superior to that of carbohydrates. Eating enough protein also helps to build and maintain muscle mass, another important factor in revving up the metabolism. Eat as often as every two to three hours. Never allow more than five hours between meals. Fish, turkey, nuts, low-fat cheese, avocados and eggs are excellent choices. And don’t forget to spice it up! Many studies have shown that spicy foods, like hot peppers, can boost metabolism.

Supercharge with Supplements

The right supplements can promote fat burning and stabilize blood sugar. Stable blood sugar and insulin levels are crucial to metabolizing calories efficiently. This may be difficult for individuals suffering from insulin resistance, a hormonal imbalance linked to the way the body processes insulin. Supplements (also called nutraceuticals), along with a nutrition and exercise plan, are essential to correcting this imbalance.
Omega-3 fatty acids, Ultra Omega 1200 offers 3 months free with purchase of 3 months, CoQ10 (Ubiquinone), Vitamin b12, folic acid and thiamin are just a few examples of supplements that regulate blood sugar and supercharge the metabolism. I like ordering online, you can save 20%-70% on all the top name vitamins and supplements at eVitamins.

Strength Training is Key

We may be better off spending less time on the treadmill and more time in the weight room. While cardio exercise benefits the heart and lungs, strength (resistance) training builds lean muscle mass and lean muscle mass is paramount to a fuel efficient body. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn – even in our sleep.

Don’t Skimp on Sleep

We need at least eight hours of sleep per night for our bodies to function properly during the day. Research shows that people who don’t get a sufficient amount of quality sleep tend to gain weight. The quality of our sleep affects the hormones leptin and grehlin, which control hunger and metabolism. Tiredness also causes us to reach for empty calories like sweets.

Every year around the first of November I start dreading the onslaught of the holiday season. As American’s we are so overrun with extraneous stuff in our lives that I can never bring myself to spend the time, money and energy to impose more unnecessary stuff on the people in my life.

In years past, I have been known to skip the whole thing rather than give gifts that will be forgotten or thrown away shortly after the holidays end. Don’t get me wrong, I love giving gifts to my friends and family however, it is important to be giving things that will enhance their lives well past the day they open the package.

This is where the real dilemma comes in for me and most people trying to find the perfect gifts this time of year. We are all constrained by time, money and trying to find the right gift for a population of people that have so much to begin with! Some time saving techniques I use to make the process easier is to make a list of recipients’, pick a theme or gift category and give everyone on my list a gift related to that category.This usually works for the majority of the people on my list and makes the gift giving process easier and more in tune with my values related to the art of finding the perfect gift!

This year, my theme is the gift of fitness and fun with an emphasis on getting outdoors, being with friends, having a low impact workout and hiking a new trail! To accomplish this goal, I have chosen the sport of hiking in the mountains to challenge and inspire my loved ones this holiday season. What better way to work off the holiday dinner than to hike up Green Mountain? Everyone on my list is getting Keen Newport hiking sandals from www.shoes.com.

I’ve chosen a gift that will be enjoyed long after the holidays end, and hopefully I’ll get some new hiking buddies!

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) affects 5-10 percent of pre-menopausal women, making it the most common female endocrine disorder. PCOS wreaks havoc on hormones: excessive amounts of insulin stimulate the ovaries to produce large amounts of testosterone. The result can be irregular periods and infertility, along with symptoms such as male-pattern baldness, fatigue, excess body hair, and obesity. The long term health risks for women with PCOS include diabetes and cardiovascular disease among others.
Stanford University has clearly identified the existence and effects of insulin resistance, a metabolic disorder and the major underlying cause of PCOS. Treating insulin resistance will help you to manage or reverse PCOS symptoms. Most importantly, this can be done naturally, without the use of prescription drugs.

1. Nutraceuticals: Nature’s Medicine
Metabolic change cannot be achieved with a single ingredient. But the right combination of disease specific herbs, vitamins and minerals can help restore your body’s metabolism. Minerals such as chromium, magnesium, and zinc work to control insulin and glucose levels. Vitamin C and folic acid promote a healthy circulatory system. The herbs fenugreek and milk thistle also help to control insulin and glucose levels. Guar Gum can reduce bad cholesterol and lower blood pressure. Insulite Labs‘ nutraceuticals are formulated to reverse insulin resistance and PCOS. Fish Oils or Omega- 3 fatty acids are included in the Insulite Labs’ supplements and are recommended by every doctor I know to help reduce inflammation in your body and help your body repair itself faster. To buy Omega-3’s separately online, I like UltraOmega1200.com. Their prices are good and they have a money back guarantee.

2. Nutrition: Swap “Bad” Carbs for “Good” Carbs
All women with PCOS can benefit from adopting healthy eating habits. By eating a diet low in carbohydrates and refined sugars you can help reverse the imbalances of glucose and insulin in your body. Avoid “bad” carbohydrates like sweets, white bread, pasta and rice. Replace these with “good” carbohydrates that stabilize blood sugar like brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread.

3. Exercise: Part of Your Daily Routine
Although everyone should find time to exercise, it is especially important for women with PCOS to fit some form of exercise into their daily routine. Whether it is a 20-minute walk, playing outside with your kids, or going to a Pilates class, exercise has proven to boost metabolism and burn calories which helps to control insulin levels and, in turn, results in weight loss. Exercise can also help to stave off diabetes, a health risk for women in PCOS.

4. Food Addiction: Break the Cycle
Consuming “bad” or simple carbohydrates and sugars can create a vicious cycle of ups and downs. Eating sweets and chips may give you a temporary high by causing a surge in blood sugar and serotonin, but the crash is sure to follow, leaving you craving more. By weaning yourself from simple sugars and carbohydrates and replacing them with complex carbohydrates and lean protein throughout the day you can maintain stable glucose and insulin levels and break the cycle of food addiction.

5. Find a Support Network: You Are Not Alone
You are not alone in your struggle with PCOS. There are millions of women worldwide experiencing the same symptoms and emotions. These are the women who will lift you up when you are feeling down. Visit the blogs and online communities like Insulite Labs’ pcos blog and soulcysters.net. If you can’t find a support group in your area then start one and promote it online, in local newspapers, via flyers and at schools, college and health clubs. www.pcosupport.org has a state-by-state list of medical professionals who have shown a commitment to PCOS located on the PCOSA web site.