IT CAN BE DONE – Let us help you!

The type of diet that you select actually has less to do with your actual weight loss than adhering to the plan you have chosen.  This is a “duh” statement.  Everyone knows this.  You don’t have to go to medical school to understand this.  However, it is so much easier said than done…right?  Well I have been there personally.  Those of you who know me personally and professionally know that I used to be significantly overweight.  I was once over 230 pounds and XL shirt and wore a size 38 waist.  Now I am 175 pounds,  M shirt and a size 30 waist.  This didn’t happen overnight.  It took determination and control…control over my eating habits and the emotional issues that were linked with my food intake.

To help break free of this roller coaster of a viscous cycle AskDrSkip is offering some effective ways to overcome common diet pitfalls so you will meet and keep your goals and not only look great but be healthy.

Don’t forget…You are in control!! Take Charge!
While diet and exercise are paramount in the paradigm, it’s not just about the food specifically.  It’s also about feeling like you can control your cravings, body and subsequently your life.  Many of us (and I was one of those people) tend to use food as a reward and/or a way to feel better when we are dealing with a stressful situation or time in our lives.  One main problem is that we end up feeling worse later because then our clothes don’t fit – and we spiral down emotionally.  Then the cycle continues.  You are control of what you put in your mouth.  Take control. The best way to handle this issue is to keep a food diary.  This will help you not only see where you are getting those extra calories and what you can cut out – it will make you think twice before unconsciously popping food into your mouth without thinking.  Ask yourself, “do I really want/need this?”   At AskDrSkip, our weight loss patients are required to maintain an up-to-date food diary and follow a strict caloric recommendation based on individualized parameters.  However, without this requirement being met the program and weight loss will not be effective.  Habits and the emotional connection to food must be changed.

Create a support Network!
Surround yourself with people who are willing to help you meet your goals.  All of us have “bad influences” who tell us we look fine just the way we are because they love us.  There is no bending on this one…You must surround yourself with people who respect your goals.  They must support you and be willing to be your advocate.  It may be important that you see a life coach or the like.  My office addresses the physical, neurotransmitter and wellness aspects of weight loss.  We work very closely with a life coach that oversees the emotional aspect – which is a critical piece to losing weight, maintain it and regaining health.  There are also many wonderful support groups like Overeaters Anonymous.  Having a friend or co-worker to get on-board the health train with you to lose weight is a fantastic idea.  For me personally, having someone there with me was paramount and one of the reasons that I was able to overcome some difficult hurdles in regards to weight loss.  You can keep each other accountable for your food choices and exercise schedule.

Set a goal and stick to it! NO EXCUSES!
Set your goal and keep it.  Excuses are a dime a dozen.  Create a plan and then a strategy to meet and reach your goals.  We at AskDrSkip are here to oversee this aspect.  Let us take the guess work out of this aspect for you.  Be specific with your goals, we will come up with a time frame for your weight loss, your goal weight as well as what to eat, calorie intake, etc.  Please remember that you must be willing and ready to undertake the weight loss program. We can only do so much – you have to put forth the effort and commitment.  Without that, your weight loss goals are destined to fail.  The road at times can be difficult in regards to losing weight but the weight can be lost and it is very rewarding!  Hang in there – we are here for you!!  YOU CAN DO IT!!  We will help you reach your goals.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew…No pun intended!
Increasing you fruit and vegetable intake and cut out all junk food is a must in the overall grand scheme of losing weight and keeping it off.   That being said…Please don’t try to go cold turkey.  We will help you set smaller, obtainable goals.  This is one of the main reasons that we have you come in for a weekly visit (not just to weigh you, but also to help educate you on your healthy new lifestyle).  We have done you a great dis-service if after you have lost all of your weight and you have reached you goals and you go right back to your old habits.  The key to our program is education.  By the time you have reached your goals you will have the knowledge and tools to maintain your svelte new figure.  One of the things that we, at the clinic will assist you with is your food choices.  For example, depending on your specific needs, we require that you drastically reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and processed foods and increase your vegetable intake.  Not only is this of benefit to your health it is also assisting in the weight loss and increasing your metabolism.  The addition of fruits and veggies to your diet can be done very easily with the addition of an amazing product called Nanogreens.  It is available through AskDrSkip.com.  I have used and tried many green drinks over the years and I have personally taken out all of the guess work for you.  This is an amazing product and by far the best tasting green drink I have found.

Plan your meals ahead of time!
One of the biggest issues that we see is that when you get hungry you lose all self control and your food choices are unhealthy.  Plan ahead.  With a small amount a preparation you will be able to stay on the right path and continue/maintain your weight loss.  First and foremost – NEVER GO TO THE GROCERY STORE HUNGRY!  This is the biggest mistake…everything will look so good to you and you will be more inclined to purchase the “naughty” foods.  Please…I implore you…keep healthy options on hand, and be resolved to pass on dessert or alcohol (or in my case…cookies).  Staying on course now will help you look and feel better later… I assure you!   Good choices to have on hand are fresh fruits, veggies, dry roasted nuts – almonds, walnuts, etc., as well as, organic/preservative free beef/turkey jerky, protein bars and the like.  Please be cautious and read labels…you must steer clear of high carbs and sugar.  This can be done.  Be patient.  We are here if you have any questions and to help you stay the course.

Hold yourself accountable!
So you slipped up and ate half a box of cookies – who hasn’t?  I know I have.  I would be lying if I tried to tell you otherwise.  You-know-who would strike me down and those who know me would laugh themselves silly because they know what a cookie freak I am. So…now what??  When you slip up and it happens…confess it to someone!  This will help you to get it off your chest keeps you honest. Admit you made a mistake and move forward…do not let this defeat you.  Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.  It took many years for you to get where you are and we are not in a race.  When you lose weight the healthy way you have more assurances your metabolism has been healed and you will keep the weight off.

Don’t feel bad!
Like I said above if you have fallen off the wagon, don’t expend energy feeling bad about it.  That will tend to keep you unmotivated and shift your attention from your goals.  The feelings of guilt can make you depressed, which can possibly make you turn to those comfort foods.  Instead, acknowledge you made a mistake, dust yourself off and get back on that proverbial horse.  This is about being empowered and shifting your perception about weight, life and situations.  Please try and see the positive lesson learned in every situation in your life.  If you look at it from that point of view – every situation – even those we typically view as negative can actually be a blessing.

It’s not about dieting, but making lifestyle changes!
I hate the word “diet”.  I use it because it is more or less a catch phrase.  When I say diet, what I am actually referring to here is the manner in which we eat.  That is one of the issues that we work with in my office. By making better choices, you are going to lose weight and be healthier.  Being in the complementary and alternative medical field for so many years – I want both.  Keeping the goals you set for yourself is the cornerstone for achieving what you want in all aspects and areas of your life.  By improving your health you will be energized, your confidence increases exponentially and you will exude that to others. You will be able to pay it forward and, in my opinion, that is a very good thing to do for both yourself and humanity as a whole.  Health and self-confidence are worth more than all the cakes and pies in the world.

ASEA is quite literally, stabilized, reactive molecules in a bottle. These molecules are suspended in a saline solution that matches the natural pH of the human body, and they work at the deepest cellular level…specifically, in the mitochondria. To the layman, this product needs a bit of explanation which is covered in detail by a short, animated video on my website, www.askdrskip.teamasea.com. This video very simply details specifically how ASEA affects our cellular health, while also increasing glutathione, SOD and Catalase levels by 500%. Testing by the FDA has shown absolutely zero toxicity in ASEA.
ASEA – $37.00 per bottle
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Recently, ASEA Corporation flew me, to their headquarters to meet the founders, CEO’s and the key scientist behind ASEA, Dr. Gary Samuelson – I was more than impressed, to say the least; not only with the science behind it, called Redox Signaling, but also with the caliber and vision of those directly involved with its creation. I came away with a high level of excitement and anticipation at just what this product could mean to the world.

Just a few weeks ago, ASEA received its Athletic Drug Testing Certification and it has been approved for use by all high-level competitive, endurance athletes, including Olympic Athletes. Incredibly, controlled testing by Dr. Eric Heiden and his team showed that ASEA significantly increased the Ventilatory Threshold by an average of 12% in only two weeks. Typically, a full year of intense training will show an increase of only 2%-5%. There is a plethora of printed research on all of this, and I would be more than happy to forward it to you if you like.

Additionally, ASEA has been clinically shown to improve adrenal fatigue, skin issues, and immune system disorders; not to mention bacterial, fungal and viral loads.

ASEA is considered a one of the most important breakthroughs of our time, primarily because the signaling molecules that were once thought impossible to stabilize…are now stabilized. The 16 molecules that are in ASEA are found in virtually the same concentration inside the cells in your immune system. The generalized explanation is that this product will reboot your cellular/immune system.

I encourage any and all questions you may have about this incredible product. I hope that you will take a few moments to visit my website to watch the video and read more about it. There is also a new u-tube link where you can hear the founders of ASEA tell their story. Please visit this link at: www.YouTube.com/ASEAvideo.

There are so many issues that we could discuss here – so I will try to stay focused and on track.

If you haven’t already seen the movie – Food, Inc. Please do so immediately. It is worth your health, time and money.  My point here in directing you to see that is so you will understand all the implications that food has on our health – all the way back to where the food comes from before it goes from your hand to your mouth.

Chemicals, pesticides, dyes and additives are all, for the most part, unnatural and unhealthy for your body and immune system.  Understandably, there is a need for some of these things, but the point that I must make here is that everything has a risk to benefit ratio.  This includes all forms of medicine – is the risk of doing X worth the benefit.  There is always this choice when taking any prescription, doing any surgery or procedure and even with any supplement or food that you put into your mouth.

I have often said that the most important thing you can do for your health is eat a healthy diet loaded with clean, organic “whole-foods”.  This means grass fed beef, free-range eggs, no processed foods, fruits, vegetables.  Minimal complex carbohydrates and sugar…you know what I am talking about here – cakes, cookies, pies, breads – just to name a few.

Another aspect that is diet related is to rotate your foods. This is very important – you can research on the internet and you will find a plethora of information about food sensitivities and allergies.  We tend to be creatures of habit and constantly and continuously consume 30-40 of the same foods 80% or more of the time.

Over the course of our lives of doing this, we often have issues internally because our bodies need variety.  It is the spice of life.  Keep it interesting. Many doctors advocate what is known as the rotation diet. This can be useful when trying to determine what you may be sensitive or allergic to, but it is also beneficial in that it will allow your body to rest and relax between days of consuming something you are sensitive to.

I have said many times the most common food sensitivities are wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy and corn.  A specialized test can be run from a company such as ImmunoLabs in Florida to give you information about exactly what you should and should not consume for your health and well being.

Eating foods that are toxic and laden with chemicals, high in fat, sugar and refined carbohydrates have been linked to many issues including, but not limited to, diabetes, weight gain, cardiovascular issues, attention deficient, hyperactivity, difficulty with concentration, digestive disorders (constipation, diarrhea, IBS), insomnia and anxiety. This test will definitively rule out for you what is causing the issues.  Removing these foods for 4-6 months with rotating in high quality foods will give your body a chance to heal.  Most often, these foods can be reintroduced into the diet after your system has had a chance to heal with little to no issues of the symptoms recurring.

A problem of epic proportions in this country is constipation. This first and foremost is a dietary related issue – such as not getting enough fiber, eating garbage food, lack of exercise and dehydration.  A question that I constantly ask all of my clients, friends and family is how their bowels are.  Most people think that every day is quite normal to have a bowel movement. This I assure you is not!  Once per day is the minimum to maintain health.  It is so important that we keep all of our organs of detoxification – clean and functioning at optimal capacity.  This includes our liver, colon, skin, kidneys and emotional well being.  If our colon is backed up, it is not uncommon for the bacteria that are present in our colon within the stool, to be reabsorbed into our bloodstreams.  This process is known as auto-intoxification, which means that we are doing something that is causing the toxins to be re-introduced.

If you are having issues with constipation, please check out our recommendations BEYOND FIBER (a great blend of fiber and nutrients – good for colon and heart health),

BIONUE (a fantastic source of high quality healthy-bacteria for your intestinal track, also known as probiotics)

TERRAMIN (mineral supplement that detoxifies the gastrointestinal track)

OXYPOWDER (by far the best product used to help move the bowels without it actually being a laxative.  This is better than any natural or conventional product I have seen.  It is not a stimulant and should cause no cramping.  For the cost and benefit investment – it is truly a blessing for those who suffer from constipation.

For those of you that suffer from  diarrhea – please don’t hesitate to contact us as there is lots that can be done for you as well…most of it the same just with a slightly different slant. There is a fantastic remedy from China called Curing Pills. It works for any digestive issue but is exceptional for diarrhea and irritable bowel.

We see commercials all the time for these wonderful new drugs that are being used to treat things like heartburn, GERD and acid reflux. In the commercial is a person looking longingly at a double meat, double cheese, and double bread greasy hamburger – thinking if I didn’t get heartburn from that I could eat it.  WELL…How about we don’t eat what is causing us this heartburn instead.  Our poor bodies are literally talking to us (screaming actually) with symptoms and we ignore it.  Try using common sense and not eat those foods in the first place.  If you notice, most of the people in the commercial are usually overweight, which is a major part of the bigger picture.

Now that I have ranted about everything so far except for what this article was intended…its time to discuss digestion and a fantastic product called Assist and Assist-Dairy and Protein.

This product helps us to digest proteins from animal sources (fish, eggs and meat) and it will increase our digestive process which will help us to achieve and maintain optimal wellness. It is also helpful for digestion of dairy, nuts, seeds and legumes (if you have issues with digestion be sure you soak your beans and legumes before you cook them).

These enzymes are beneficial to take with food to not only “assist” with digestion, but also assilimation of the nutrients from the food that you are eating.

The ingredient HCl (also known as hydrochloric acid) is a primary player in the digestion of your foods. The products used to treat acid reflux are an excess of acid production. This is most often not the case, but rather too little production of stomach acid causing these problems.  If you have low stomach acid you will have issues digesting proteins and your system will eventually become depleted of its mineral stores.  When your blood is too acidic, it starts to steal minerals from wherever it can get them in your body (this is a great reason to have TERRAMIN on hand, and take daily for general colon health as well as re-mineralization of your body). Having minerals leached from your body in this manner can also lead to disorders such as osteoporosis.

Donna Gate’s on her website www.bodyecology.com the makers of the products – ASSIST and ASSIST Dairy and Protein list symptoms caused by low stomach as:

Bloating, Belching & Flatulence
Heartburn
Digestive Disorders (constipation, diarrhea and acid reflux)
Acne
Fungal Overgrowth & Candida
Food Sensitivities

Assist is virtually the same product as Assist Dairy and Protein.  Assist is a more generalized product than the formula intended for protein and dairy.

Please contact me if you will like to discuss your digestive issues in more detail. There are so many beneficial products that can be used to help assist with this common issue that plague so many of us. Drink lots of water, eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies…and for goodness sake – sit down and relax when you eat.

The sooner you get a stroke victim to the hospital the chances of saving their lives is increased exponentially.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Symptoms of a stroke can be difficult to identify, especially if you are not a medically trained person.  I don’t treat emergencies, so information like this is always helpful to have in the ole’ memory banks…just in case.  It is a good reminder.

Educating yourself on the symptoms will help minimize the amount of fear and chaos present in a situation where there is lack of awareness…which could lead to disaster.

The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

You can recognize a stroke by asking three very simple questions:

‘When you think someone is having a stoke…just remember the first 3 letters of the word stroke…S.T.R.’

“S” — Smile. If there is any drooping in the face or mouth – this may be a positive sign of a stoke.  You can also have them stick out their tongue.  If it is crooked or at an angle, then this can also be a sign of a stoke.

“T” — Talk.  Have them say the sentence, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”…If it is slurred or incoherent – there is a problem.  If they have had  a stroke they will not be able to say this sentence correctly.  Go to the hospital.

“R” — Raise arms.  Have them raise both of their arms with their eyes closed.  If there is an imbalance with their arms raised – call or get  them medical attention.

You can also have symptoms of dizziness, confusion, headache, sudden numbness on one side of body or in arms or legs and trouble seeing out of one eye.

There are many additional signs, symptoms and tests that would be performed at the hospital by a physician.  I am including a very abbreviated version here to help educate and keep you prepared in case of an emergency.  The sooner you can get to the hospital, the better the chances for an effective treatment. 

If there is difficulty with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher and/or take them to the hospital.  Tell them the signs you have seen and that way they will know to direct you to the nearest center that can deal most effectively with the issue at hand.

What is Stroke…

A stroke is a loss of the blood being supplied to brain by a thrombus (a clot of blood which forms at the blockage), embolus (an object that moves from one part of the body and causes a blockage) or an injury (such as a head trauma).

There can be risk factors that can put one at a greater risk for having a stroke.

1. Obesity
2. Heart disease and/or High Blood Pressure
3. Diabetes
4. Cigarette Smoking
5. Elevations in Cholesterol
6. Gender (more common in men, sorry guys)
7. Family history of strokes and cardiovascular disease
8. Poor Diet

There is nothing that makes me happier than working with a healthy patient to setup a protocol to work on preventing isssues such as this.  This same individualized protocol can also be used to help prevent heart attacks as well.

Preventing a stroke is far easier than treating one.  If you have a stroke, then there is nothing more crucial than getting to the hospital as soon as possible.  The conventional medical profession excels in emergency situtations of this nature.

This article could really be a book – on the information regarding strokes alone, not to mention the vast amount of information that could be included pertaining to the wellness prevention of strokes.  So…that being said…I am not going to try to cram too much information in here for you too read.

However, for our time here there are several things that I recommend right off the bat!

• Wobenzym

This product has been used for years in Europe (for treatment of as well as prevention of…strokes and heart attacks, not to mention that this is one of the best things I have even seen for inflammation and pain).

When you first start using wobenzym, especially for a man or woman that is 40 years or old is a dose of 10 (ten) pills, 3 (three) times per day on an empty stomach for about 4-6 months. After that time the dosage can be decreased, but if you are at risk, I would continue to take this product at a lower dose, indefinantly.  These are systemic enzymes that are most effective when there is nothing for them to do in the stomach.  By that, I mean that there is nothing for them to try and digest there.  They are most effective when they can go systemic (other parts of the body) and do there work of digesting.

Inflammation is a primary underlying cause of many issues from a more holistic standpoint.

• Beyond Chelation-Improved – which is a fantastic all-inclusive vitamin supplement, formulated by Dr. Garry Gordon, a physician in Arizona that pioneered chelation therapy.  The dosge is 1 (one) packet, 2 (twice) daily with food.  Vitamins must be taken with food for the most part as they can upset your stomach and they need the food to be properly absorbed and utlized by your body.

This is a very basic protocol – please get with a practitioner that is well versed in holistic wellness that can assist you with your goals. Additionally it is paramount that your hormones are balanced and at optimal levels – this includes both men and women.  Yes guys that means you!!  Get your levels checked too!!

This includes, thyroid, testosterone, progesterone, dhea-s, homocystine, fibrinogen and CRP C-reactive protein levels – just to mention a few.  Let’s chat!!

Make sure that you get adequate rest, drink plently of water, exercise and practice effective stress managment, such as meditation.

I am available to help you on your path and with your goals of wellness…schedule an appointment with me today for your wellness education.

Be Well!!

Dr. Skip

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products/services/therapies/education information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before any products/services/therapies.

 The benefits of exercise don’t stop when you leave the gym.  Studies have shown that after 30 minutes of exercise you continue to burn calories throughout the day at a faster rate than normal because exercise speeds up your resting metabolic rate.

What this means for you is that you not only burn those pesky extra calories during the exercise, you will be burning them while you are resting too! So please get out there and sweat – a brisk walk 3-5 times per week is a safe and great place to start.  It is very effective for weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Please don’t be misled into thinking that you have to get on the treadmill and pound it out at 100 miles per hour. This is much more damaging to your system than helpful.  Exercise for your health and wellbeing.  It truly is that important – Make the time!

It’s not as easy as just exercise more and eat less…

I wish it were that simple! That being said…losing weight doesn’t have to be all that hard either. There are many simple things that you can do that will make a huge impact on your weight.

Exercise is beneficial and if you are not…then start now. It doesn’t need to be high intensity 7 days a week. I would recommend that you do something to make yourself sweat every day. I am extremely pleased if you will commit to a brisk walk for 30 minutes 5 times per week, preferably after meals. This will help your metabolism and digestion as well as assist with weight loss – and general health and wellness. There is an old Chinese proverb about walking after eating and living to 100. This is such good advice. From a naturopathic perspective, digestive health is paramount.

My goal here is to show you ways that you can modify your lifestyle and dietary habits – adding things in some places, removing from others. As much as I like the benefits psychologically of losing weight quickly at the onset of a “diet” I can assure you in the long run you will be healthier, fit and happier if you chose to lose weight the right way. When you do it this way you not only lose the weight and heal the metabolism, you have also created new habits that will help you maintain the weight you so heartily wanted to lose. Stick with it! It can and will happen. If you need additional help with losing weight then contact us at the Surefire Clinic and we will be pleased to help you formulate an individualize program just for you and your specific biochemical needs.

Start your day off right. EAT BREAKFAST!!

Make it protein please…not carbs and sugar.

If you don’t eat breakfast, you’re putting your fat-burning metabolism in time-out. It takes calories to digest calories, so eating will assist in cranking up your metabolism.

Perfect breakfasts: organic sliced deli meats are a great choice, any veggies (that aren’t starchy) will work. A few eggs with some organic turkey bacon can be great too. Please try to plan ahead as waiting until you are hungry is too late…you are more likely to lose inhibitions and eat naughty food when you wait too long to eat.

Snack during the day!

Eating between meals will continue to rev your metabolism. I want you to keep snacks on hand at all times. Dry roasted nuts, organic chemical free beef/turkey jerky is a great pick me up. A tablespoon of nut butter – try them all till you find one you like.

Why snack you ask? Because if breakfast beefs up your metabolism, then snacks keep those metabolic fires burning between meals and throughout the day. Planning your snacks in advance keeps you from making poor food choices.

Additional ideas can be gluten-free pretzels, a slice of hormone free cheese, or a yummy piece of fruit such as a peach, plum, orange or pear.

FIBER, FIBER, FIBER!!!

Most of us do not get enough of this. It’s no wonder why bowel issues, such as constipation, are such an issue. Fiber-rich foods are just about the only thing you can have in unlimited quantities. They contain much less calories and make you feel full. You should consume around 25 grams of fiber daily. Many folks typically only consume around 12 grams in a day. Nutritionally and healthfully…this just isn’t enough.

Fiber sources can be from consuming at least three servings of vegetables and two fruit portions per day. Adding beans to salads and soups is another great option. I recommend an amazing green drink called Nanogreens…It is available on our site. It contains all of the greens that most people just don’t get enough of each day. It is a very easy way to get them into your diet in a quick drink and as far as green drinks are concerned – this one is pretty tasty. Choose whole-grain breads rather than those made with refined-white flour. In fact, please look for and only purchase flour that does not contain bromide. King Arthur makes great flour that doesn’t contain the harmful additive of bromide. If you are a cereal eater, than please chose the highest-fiber cereal that tastes great and doesn’t contain an overload of sugar. Select almond, oat or rice milk over cow’s milk. Remember: You get more calcium from dark leafy green vegetables than from milk.

FAT, FAT, FAT!!!

Most recently everyone seems savvy towards the health benefits of unsaturated fats! Those found in fish, nuts, avocados and olive oil. Coconut and Palm oils are also great choices. If you are doing anything on high heat please look into using Ghee.

With low-fat diets people tend to replace the fat with carbs. This is no good. Carbohydrates and anything that converts into sugar will provoke a rise in insulin, not to mention that just a small amount of sugar will suppress the immune system. More insulin equals more hunger…hence the recommendations for higher protein in your diets. I am not advocating Dr. Adkins here, just higher protein and less carbs. You digest carbs much faster than fat, and this will also lead to more hunger.

Fat has neither of these issues. Your body digests it slowly, and it doesn’t cause an insulin spike. By adding a small amount of the “good” fats to your meals will actually accelerate your weight loss. Fat gives you the feeling of satiety which is why we recommend certain products that contain these fats that makes you feel more satisfied after a meal.

Be cautious, as too much of a good thing can have a detrimental effect. My Great Grandfather always said “Everything in moderation”. Too much fat will make you fat. Fat has way more calories than protein or carbohydrates.

Add some nuts and olive oil to your salads. This sounds weird, but you can drizzle some melted coconut butter on your salad. Also, put some avocado on a turkey-breast sandwich – I would make it by using the turkey as the bread. A spoonful of any of the nut butters in the morning is also a great way to add these in as well. When dining out, never pass up a chance for a nicely prepared piece of tilapia, sea bass, salmon, herring, tuna, or mackerel. Be cautious of eating too much fish too often because some of these fish can contain high levels of toxic metals.

WATER, WATER, WATER!!!

Juices even those that contain 100% juice are usually loaded with sugar and even worse are the juices that contain HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. Please minizime and elimate the consumption of carbonated beverages – cola-type products as they are the worst culprits in this arena. These drinks can hit you with a tremendous amount of calories from even just a small 16-ounce beverage.

Hydration is paramount from a health perspective. At Surefire Clinic we all consume filtered water that has been charged on the hydromag. These are available on our site. Water contains no calories and it will hydrate you. Diet soft drinks are to be avoided at all costs. They are loaded with many ingredients that I wouldn’t even use to feed my plants with let alone use or recommend them for human consumption. Please see the article on artificial sweeteners. Herbal teas and coconut water are acceptable. The Bragg’s apple cider vinegar drink is a great beverage that balances your pH, quenches your thirst and is a phenomenal overall health tonic.

86 the alcoholic beverages as well. Alcohol will help you quickly pack on the pounds in more ways than we realize as well as make it extremely difficult for you to lose them!

Alcohol contains loads of calories. Alcohol is very dehydrating. Coffee is dehydrating. Light beer has 100 calories. Drinks with creams and sugary juices and colas…loaded with calories. Alcohol will help you store fat – this is something we don’t want at all when we are trying to get you healthy and to lose weight. Your body views alcohol as a poison and it does everything it can to cleanse it out as quickly as possible. Your liver will stop processing all other calories until it has removed all the alcohol. In a nutshell, anything else you consume during the drinking and cleanings process is likely to end up being stored as fat, exactly what we don’t want! So nix the alcohol.

Did you know that alcohol lowers testosterone? With increased amounts of abdominal fat, testosterone levels quickly decrease. This can wreck havoc on a man’s physiology, not to mention a woman’s. Low levels of testosterone will make it much harder your body to burn fat.

Sleep is essential for weight loss as well as overall health and wellness. Your body produces its biggest surge of a growth hormone, a chemical that signals your body to use fat for energy while you are sleeping. The less growth hormone you release, the more fat you will accumulate.

Green tea & Oolong tea -boost your metabolism. I use and recommend Oolong tea in our practice, as it is a fantastic addition to a weight loss protocol. If green tea sounds strange to you, don’t turn your nose up at it until you have given it a fair shot. There are many different brands. I love the one from Good Earth with Jasmine and green tea. I have been an avid green tea drinker for many years and I just stumbled across this one the other day. If you must have it sweet – and this is really a habit for both weight loss and health that you should really implement you may add a small amount of agave nectar, raw honey or stevia. There are also many brands of stevia on the market. Some have a bitter aftertaste some do not. Trial and error until you find the one that you like. Personally I like “Now Brands” stevia in packets. It dissolves easily in ice tea as well as hot tea and to me it doesn’t have a strange aftertaste.

MEAT, MEAT, MEAT!!!

Its lunchtime…and you are out and about on your lunch hour. Salad or burger? Decisions…decisions?!?! At first, you may think that the salad is the best choice nutritionally. And why wouldn’t it be the better choice? It’s full of leafy veggies, lettuces and it looks way healthier than the cooked hamburger. However, in actuality the burger is probably the better choice. My recommendation would be to 86 the bun, add grilled onions and mushrooms and maybe even a piece of cheese (any cheese except American – that isn’t cheese it’s chemicals and garbage wrapped in plastic – avoid it at all costs). A side of veggies or a salad with oil and vinegar or low calorie Italian dressing if you feel that won’t fill you up.

The salad will have fewer calories if you limit what you put on it. Once you start adding things like turkey, ham, cheese and dressing, however, you could be looking at more than 700 calories for a small serving. A ‘quarter-pound’ burger contains around 400 calories. The burger will certainly give you that feeling of satiety – that sensation of feeling full and satisfied, and the meat is rich in zinc, an important mineral which has been shown to help raise testosterone levels.

MODERATION, MODERATION, MODERATION

You can eat anything and lose or maintain weight, as long as you don’t eat too much of anything. So it’s not necessarily about depriving yourself of anything…just remember like my Great Grandfather says…”Everything in moderation”. That statement has always made such an impact on me. Please remember this when you are on the road to health and weight loss.

Portion control should also be a top priority. In Ayurveda (the ancient medicine from India) you should stop eating when your stomach is just over half way full. Look for individual serving of things like frozen dinners – your local grocery store is probably carrying more organic, wholesome choices than you realize. We live in Texas and have been very pleased with the selection that our local grocer, Tom Thumb has. They have their own line of organic choices called ‘Organics’. Amy’s brand makes great frozen individual serving sized portions…so you buy one serving, eat one serving, and you’re done. Please steer clear of large portion restaurants or take a friend and split the meal – healthier and cheaper!

Be sure to eat lots of vegetables. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, if possible. Secondarily choose frozen and then as a last resort select canned. I usually prefer them to be frozen as most companies flash freeze them thus locking in a many nutrients as possible and the shelf life is longer than fresh.

Please don’t forget to exercise. Sweat, move your body, move your lymphatic system and boost your immune system. If we can be of help to you for your weight loss needs please schedule an appointment with us. We take the guesswork out of losing weight. We are not about diets we are about lifestyle changes that lead to health and long lasting weight loss.