Do You Need Natural Allergy Relief This Spring??
Springtime is almost here! Spring is my favorite time of the year. I love to see everything turning green again, all the colorful flowers and trees budding and blooming, warm days and cool nights, longer days and later sunsets, I love it all! Well except one thing that is…allergy season!
That is the one thing though that is not so lovable about springtime to me and to many others. For a brief period of time during spring, because of all the pollen produced by all the beautiful flowers and trees, springtime means misery. Itchy eyes, runny nose, itchy skin, headaches, earaches, sneezing and coughing are some of the reasons it can definitely be a miserable time for some. Everybody suffering from these symptoms is looking for relief. Most people find that relief with prescription and non-prescription medications such as anti-histamines, steroids, nasal sprays, or injections. Because of the side effects associated with these medications, more and more people have been seeking out and inquiring about natural alternatives. Over the past several years, I have discovered quite a few good natural alternatives for allergy symptoms that I will share with you over the next several blog posts. One of the best things you can do to lessen the severity of allergy symptoms is to take preventative measures now. I and many others have found the following preventative recommendations to be very helpful, and I have no doubt that you will as well if you take the time to implement them now.
First there are several common sense things you can do to lessen the amount of pollen you are exposed to. If at all possible try to stay indoors on the days when the pollen is at its worst and make sure you have new filters in your heating and cooling systems that are designed to trap more of the pollen that can enter into the house. If you do have to be outside there are pollen masks that you can purchase at your local pharmacy.
The second recommendation is to find a bee keeper in your area and buy some honey from him or her. Even though there are no scientific studies to prove it, raw unprocessed local honey can be very helpful in preventing the allergy symptoms. I have tried this and know many others who have as well, and they will tell you that it does make a big difference. My suggestion would be to take at least a teaspoon of local honey two to three times a day starting now before allergy season is in full bloom and to continue throughout the season. Honey has been around since the beginning of time and is spoken about in the Bible on several occasions and has been used throughout history for various medicinal purposes.
Proverbs 24:13 – My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste
There are many references to the Promised Land, the land Moses was leading the Israelites to after leaving Egypt, being a land flowing with milk and honey.
In 1 Samuel 14, Johnathan, after winning a great battle against the Philistine army, is walking through a forest that was oozing with honey, the Bible says. You can imagine how exhausted Johnathan would have been having just fought a battle, and in verse 27 it says, “so he reached out the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.” Now that is the kind of honey that I want, honey that replenishes your energy!
If you have a local farmer’s market in your area, that is a great place to look for a local beekeeper selling their raw unprocessed honey and a great way to support local business as well!
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
P.S. The latest episode of the Feeling Good Podcast is live now! Check it out today
Why Am I So Tired All The Time? Part 2
In last weeks blog post we talked about three common causes or reasons why people complain of being tired all the time. Today we are discussing two more!
There are a multitude of reasons why people suffer from fatigue or low energy and just feel tired all the time. However there are two health problems that I see a lot of patients suffering with that is often the underlying cause of their fatigue issues. If you are chronically tired or fatigued, it is not something that you should just brush off, as people often do. I have had many people say to me, “I just seem to be tired all the time, I guess it’s part of aging.” Unfortunately sometimes people are told that by their peers or medical professionals they trust. In reality though it is not just aging, and it can be that they are suffering from one or both of these health problems that often go undetected or are misdiagnosed. They are anemia and adrenal dysfunction. In order to detect if you’re suffering from either of these problems, Laboratory testing is required.
Testing for Anemia
For anemia you must see a medical professional and have blood drawn. The primary test that is required to detect the anemia is called a CBC or complete blood count. The CBC measures several components of your blood, including the red blood cells. Where these measurements fall within the normal reference ranges can sometimes determine if you possibly have anemia. Most anemia conditions are caused by a deficiency in vitamins B12 and folic acid. Anemia may also be caused by a deficiency in iron. If there is a possibility of iron deficiency anemia, then I recommend that a comprehensive iron panel be done. There are other types of anemia that are often overlooked because the normal blood test do not check for vitamin B6 levels. If you’re being tested for anemia I would recommend that you also request a vitamin B6 level be done.
Testing for Adrenal Dysfunction
The test that I recommend for detecting adrenal dysfunction is a saliva test called the adrenal stress index. This test is done by collecting 4 saliva samples at different times throughout the day. Most people have no clue what I’m talking about when I say adrenal dysfunction. Most people have no idea that they have two tiny little glands in their body that sit just above the kidneys called adrenal glands. People are familiar though with the term adrenaline which is the major hormone produced by the adrenal glands during what is often described as the flight or fight syndrome. There’s another hormone not as well-known that is produced by the adrenal glands called cortisol. This particular hormone is the one most responsible for the fatigue issues that people are dealing with. The adrenal stress index measures the output of cortisol by the adrenal glands. When the cortisol levels are out of balance it can have a direct effect on a person’s energy. I recommend this test quite often for people who come to me complaining of chronic fatigue and insomnia. The adrenal stress index not only provides answers about the cortisol levels but also other important data that could be contributing to fatigue as well. To learn more about adrenal testing visit www.diagnostechs.com and/or email me at [email protected].
Treating Anemia
Both anemia and adrenal dysfunction are medical conditions that can have various underlying causes and should be treated seriously. Both are easily treated, and you should work closely with your healthcare providers to help restore the balance necessary to get you on the road to recovery and feeling good again. With anemia you will most likely be prescribed a regimen of supplements to take to correct the deficiencies of nutrients that are causing the anemia. My recommendation to you here is to find a qualified healthcare provider that can advise you on finding good quality supplements that will be well absorbed and utilized by your body. One of the main complaints I hear from people that have been recommended certain iron supplements is that they cause upset stomach and constipation. I recommend and use an iron supplement that is food sourced and does not cause these bothersome side effects. Most of the vitamin and mineral supplements sold on the market today are not made from food and are often synthetically made in a laboratory to mimic food source nutrients. Anytime you can get any supplement that is primarily sourced from food then your body will be able to utilize it better because it recognizes it as food.
Treating Adrenal Dysfunction
With adrenal dysfunction restoring balance to the adrenals can be a little more difficult then with anemia. The primary cause of imbalance of the hormones produced by the adrenals is stress. In the world we live in today stress is pretty much unavoidable. It isn’t always the every day stresses that disrupt the balance of the adrenal’s. Typically this dysfunction can also be caused by stressful traumatic events in a persons life, which can be emotional and/or physical trauma. Because of the complexity of the underlying causes of adrenal dysfunction, it can sometimes be a challenge to restore balance. One important thing that I emphasize to my patients that are dealing with adrenal problems is that they must learn to manage the everyday stress and not let it manage them. No matter what type of treatments are being used to correct adrenal dysfunction, stress management is the key to restoring and maintaining balance of the adrenal hormones. There are also some good natural products that are often recommended to help restore the hormone balance. There are a variety of nutrient deficiencies that can be caused by adrenal dysfunction and correcting these deficiencies is vital to the healing process as well. My advice to you here is the same as with anemia, make sure you are finding and taking quality supplements.
If you haven’t listened to the Feeling Good Podcast yet, then click on the icon above and check out one of our first three episodes today! We love answering your health questions on the podcast, and if you have one please email it to [email protected].
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
P.S. If you’re one of the unfortunate people who is suffering from low energy and chronic fatigue then it is my prayer that this blog post has given you some hope. If I can be of any help to you please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
How Healthy is Your Heart?
As we continue to celebrate and acknowledge national heart health month, I want you to seriously consider the health of your old ticker. Thousands of people are dying prematurely everyday from heart related conditions and disease. I want to encourage you today to be proactive and to not become a sad statistic before your time. One of the absolute best things you can do for your heart health is to feed it the essential nutrients that it needs to remain healthy. One of those essential nutrients for the heart is Coenzyme Q10.
CoQ10 is extremely beneficial to heart health. This is my absolute favorite heart health supplement and the one that I recommend the most to patients with heart problems. Whether it be high blood pressure, angina, or even congestive heart failure, taking CoQ10 can have tremendous benefits, and there have been numerous medical studies done to validate these benefits. I have personally seen several of my patients benefit from taking CoQ10. Keep in mind though that the CoQ10 I’m speaking of is a supplement and is no substitute for doing all the things that I mentioned in last weeks blog that can help protect your heart health.
Here are some alarming statistics on the impact of heart disease in America taken from The Heart Foundation website:
– Heart disease (which includes Heart Disease, Stroke and other Cardiovascular Diseases) is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 787,000 people alone in 2011, up from 616, 000 deaths in 2008. That is a 28% increase in only 3 years!
– Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial/ethnic groups in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics and Whites. For Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders and American Indians or Alaska Natives, heart disease is second only to cancer.
– Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined.
– Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease, killing nearly 380,000 people annually.
– In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds. Every 60 seconds, someone in the United States dies from a heart disease-related event.
– About 720,000 people in the U.S. suffer heart attacks each year. Of these, 515,000 are a first heart attack and 205,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.
– Direct and indirect costs of heart disease total more than $320.1 billion. That includes health expenditures and lost productivity.
If we want to see the number of deaths from heart disease decline then we’ve got to be proactive. We have to take the preventative measures necessary to prevent heart disease and not become one of the statistics. As I tell people all the time, you are the number one person responsible for your health and especially the health of your heart!
Healthy Blessings and Happy Valentines Day,
Dr. Phil
I am excited to announce the launch of my podcast next week! On the Feeling Good Podcast with Dr. Phil, I will be speaking on different topics and answering your health questions each episode! If you have a question that you would like answered on the show you can click on “Ask Dr. Phil” microphone you see on the screen and record your question!
Protect Your Heart This Valentines Day
It’s February and Valentines day is coming soon! Appropriately enough, February is also designated as heart health month. Although everyone may not be celebrating Valentines day, everyone should be concerned about their heart, not only in February but every month of the year. Think about it, if your heart stops, your valentines day celebrations are over!
The heart muscle is the most important muscle in your body and your care for it is of upmost importance and should not be neglected. If you want to make sure you keep your heart healthy, strictly follow these three recommendations.
First, you must drink sufficient amounts of pure water every day. I had someone ask me recently, “what can I do to keep my cholesterol in check?” They told me that their doctor had placed them on a statin drug, but she could not take it because it hurt their muscles and made them weak. I explained that was a side effect of the medication because the statin drugs deplete the body of an essential nutrient, CoQ10, which is essential for the energy cycle in every cell in our body and especially the muscle cells. I told them the absolute best thing they could take to help keep their cholesterol in check was water. Of course they looked at me funny not understanding. I explained to them that water was essential to our health in general, and that in many cases it can do wonders for keeping cholesterol in check. Our bodies are 60-70% water, and without drinking the suggested amount of water for your body weight (which is half your body weight in ounces a day) your body will become dehydrated. Their are numerous studies that show a direct correlation between your hydration levels and your cholesterol levels. So for a healthy heart, drink your water.
Secondly, you must maintain your proper body weight. If you are overweight, or even worse obese, you are putting unnecessary stress on your heart and other vital organs in your body. Often with excess weight you will have an increase in blood pressure because the heart is having to work harder. Numerous studies have shown that just losing a few pounds can make a dramatic difference in your blood pressure and the health of you heart.
My third recommendation is to get consistent exercise, and by consistent I mean at least five days a week. Again there are numerous medical studies showing the benefits of consistent exercise on our heart. This will also help you achieve my second recommendation of maintaining a proper weight. Simply walking every day can make a world of difference in your heart health. The type of exercise that I recommend most for a healthy heart is pace or interval type exercises. Interval exercise is simply taking a physical activity and alternating between high intensity and low intensity. If you are just starting out that could be jogging for 30 seconds and walking for 30 seconds. This type of exercise is excellent for fat burning, and if done properly you can achieve the same calorie burn in less than half the time. In fact the most effective interval style of exercise is called Tabata and it only takes 4 minutes! Pick an exercise such as running, jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups, or whatever you want and do it as hard as you can for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest, then repeat 7 more times. When done properly you will be absolutely exhausted! Check out this great graphic from this even better article about interval training.
All three of these recommendations are things that you can easily do and require no expensive medications or supplements for you to keep your heart healthy and strong for years to come.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
Why Did You Buy a $2,000 Clothes Hanger?
We are closing in on the end of the first month of 2016. Some experts say it takes 21 days to create or break a habit, and as of today it has been 28 days. So the question of the day is, are you still committed?
Have you kept the resolution, the commitment and the promise you made to yourself and to others on January 1st. If you have, by now, you should be feeling and seeing some measurable results. As statistics show the majority of people do not make it to that 21 days. So many people during Christmas or New Years buy nice and expensive exercise equipment like treadmills or ellipticals, setting them up in their bedrooms, dens or offices with the intentions of using them every day to get healthier. Sadly what so often happens, is this expensive equipment turns out to be a dust collector or where you put the clothes you pulled out of the closet but decided not to wear that day. Don’t worry, I’m not condemning you. I’ve been there and done that myself and so have at least 40% of Americans according to this New York Times piece in 2009! I don’t want to put you on a guilt trip if you have not made it to the 21 days. I want to encourage you to start over! Start a new 21 days today! We all fail to meet our goals we set for ourselves, from time to time. The world’s most successful people all failed or at least perceived themselves as failures at one point before breaking through. Here are some great examples:
Jerry Seinfeld – Arguably the greatest stand up comedian of all time, his TV show’s final episode aired in 1998, and here we are almost 20 years later and Seinfeld is still on TV everyday of the week. Did you know though that in his first ever stand up set at a local club, he got on stage, completely froze and was booed off the stage? He knew he could do it though and went back the very next night, did his routine, and the rest is history.
Harland David Sanders – You might not know him by that name, but I know you know who Colonel Sanders is. There have been a few funny Kentucky Fried Chicken commercials recently with a caricature version of the Colonel, but did you know his secret chicken recipe was rejected over 1,000 times before a restaurant accepted it? That is the kind of persistence we all could use!
Michael Jordan – This is probably the most famous example of turning failure into success in my mind. It just doesn’t make sense that the best basketball player ever got cut from his high school team his freshman year, but he did. Michael was later quoted with saying, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
I’m sure you’ve all heard the old cliche, if at first you don’t succeed, try try again. These three people are great examples of that. They were knocked down and they were turned down, but they kept getting up and going back and they were rewarded with success. Failure is not final unless you quit. You are going to have days when life throws you a curveball and stuff just happens. There will be when you really want to quit. There will be days that you feel like you can’t do it anymore. I’ve been there and I’ve fought those mental battles as well. But you can do it! You can win those battles! First you have got to believe in yourself and that you can do it. You can meet your goals! You can get healthier! Secondly I would find someone that also believes in you. Someone that will hold you accountable, that will push you forward and encourage you when you want to quit. The famous people above didn’t do it alone. They had someone pushing them along, someone coaching them to victory and success.
Let me be the first to encourage you today. You can do it. You will do it. You will get up. You will keep going. You will not quit. Remember this, failure is not your enemy, quitting is!
Healthy blessings,
Dr. Phil
The Seven Essentials (Part 2)
Last week in The Seven Essentials (Part 1), I discussed the first four essentials to living a more balanced, healthy, and vibrant life. Here’s a quick review for you: Nutrition, Exercise, Water, and Sleep. These are the typical elements that any health professional will tell you to focus on if you want to be a healthier version of yourself. I believe, however, that there are three more that are often neglected and must be taken into account for you to reach your optimum health. If you want to experience total health for your total being then you must include these three as part of your daily routine!
Supplements
Just as the name implies, supplements are to supplement our diet. There is no substitute for getting our nutrients from real food. Unfortunately with the food sources that we have today, it is not always possible to get all the necessary nutrients that our bodies require. Sometimes nutritional supplements can be essential for living a healthier life. There are a multitude of supplements on the market today. My recommendation is that you choose wisely since numerous studies have shown lately many of the supplements sold today are not all that they claim to be. Personally I consume and recommend using only natural food source supplements when they are available. Most supplements in stores today are not food sourced. They are chemically synthesized and contain a variety of potentially harmful ingredients, hence why I said choose wisely. If you are not sure what to choose, then consult with a trusted knowledgeable Health professional that is well trained in the use of natural health supplements.
Soul
I believe that the health of our soul is the essential to living that healthy balanced life that we all desire to live. The human soul consists of the mind, the will, our emotions, thoughts, and consciousness. The Scriptures tell us in Proverbs 4:23 to guard your soul above all else for it determines the course of your life. So many of the people that I consult with and coach are physically sick because they are soul sick. For overall optimal health we must strive to keep our minds and our emotions healthy. Here are some of my recommendations for guarding your soul. Be careful what you choose to fill your mind with. Be quick to forgive, as unforgiveness harbored in your soul can physically and mentally destroy you. If you are being overcome with feelings of depression, then go to one of your local charity organizations, churches, nursing homes, or hospitals and volunteer to help someone in need.
Spirit
When it comes to thinking about the essentials to healthy living, most people probably give very little thought to the health of their spirit. I believe that we have a body, a soul, and spirit. We are three part beings and for optimal health we must take care of the spirit man as well as we do our bodies and our souls. Many health professionals, theologians, and researchers believe that we need to put much more emphasis on the spirit man when it comes to leaving a more balanced, healthy, and vibrant life. I believe it is through a healthy spirit that we have the power to overcome the weaknesses that can destroy our bodies and souls. So what can we do for the health of our spirit man? Whether you believe in God or a higher power or not, recent research has provided some very convincing evidence of what having a healthy spiritual life can do for our overall health. The Holy Scriptures actually tell us that we are to pray and medi- tate regularly. It is my recommendation that you learn more about prayer and meditation and incorporate them into your daily life. More and more studies are showing that prayer and meditation can improve our health as well as promote healing in our bodies and souls.
If you are interested in learning more about these 7 essentials then I encourage you to check out our Fine in 49 course, where we discuss the each of them in much greater detail! You can click here for more information!
If you have any questions about any of the 7 essentials you can email me at [email protected]
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
The Seven Essentials (Part 1)
Well we are halfway through the first month of 2016. How are you doing with your New Year’s Resolutions this year. I hope those resolutions included getting healthier. Did you set attainable goals, and are you working everyday to achieve those goals? I want to encourage you to not give up, to keep going! It may be tough, but don’t stop! I hope that you have set out to make 2016 your best and healthiest year ever. I see people everyday with health issues, most of which are preventable. I believe we all need to do more to take better care of our health and I want to help you do that. I want to share with you my 7 essentials for living a more balanced, healthy, and vibrant life!
Good News for Great Living!
Nutrition
Good nutrition is the foundation for healthy living. I believe that it is essential that we eat healthy well-balanced meals and snacks. With all the unhealthy food choices we are presented with everyday, it is not always easy to eat healthy. It can be done though, and here are a few basic tips to help you. With every meal you eat try to get a good balance of the 3 macronutrients, protein, carbs and fat. Visualize a 3-section plate and fill first section with a good lean protein, fill the second with veggies, and the third with fruit or veggies plus some good fat. Limit the amount of whole grains that you eat, and avoid processed grains all together. What you drink with your meals is of utmost importance if you want to stay nutritionally balanced. Avoid sugary drinks and drink either water or unsweetened drinks. If you must have some sweetness then use my favorite no calorie natural sweetener, Stevia.
Exercise
Whether you want to stay healthy and fit or get there, exercise is a must. Exercise to some people is a dirty word. So if it makes you feel any better call it physical activity. Our bodies are made to stay active, and studies show that when we consistently exercise it greatly improves our overall health and vitality. It is my recommendation that you schedule a minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity/exercise at least five days a week. If you think you’re too busy to block off 30 minutes at one time, then split it up, 15 minutes in the morning and 15 in the evening. It is essential to find exercises or activities you can enjoy and be consistent in doing them. As many new studies are proving this consistency may add years, but most certainly quality to your life.
Water
We cannot live without water. Depending on age our bodies are composed of 55-70 % water. I encounter people every week with health problems that are primarily due to the lack of water consumption. It is believed that approximately 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, and in 37% the thirst mechanism is so weak it is often mistaken for hunger. We must keep our bodies properly hydrated and here are my recommendations to help. It has been determined that we should drink at least 1/2 of our bodyweight in ounces of water per day. For example if you weigh 200 pounds then drink 100 ounces of water per day. You should always rehydrate your body with two glasses of water as soon as possible after waking. I recommend that you do not drink unfiltered tap water. My preferred type of water to drink is natural spring water.
Sleep
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Like food and water, sleep is absolutely essential for living a healthy life. Much of the repair and restoration processes of our body take place during sleep. Poor quality and insufficient sleep has been linked to the onset of and correlates with a number of chronic diseases and conditions. Here are my recommendations for getting the quality sleep that our bodies require. The amount of sleep can vary among individuals, but the consensus is 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night is what our bodies need. I recommend that you get on a regular consistent bedtime schedule and wake up schedule. Many people have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. If that’s you, I recommend that you start preparing for sleep at least one hour before bedtime. In preparation doing some moderate physical exercise/activity can be helpful. Also avoiding large meals, alcohol, and caffeine close to bedtime is advised. I also highly recommend that at least one hour before bedtime you turn off all the TVs, computers, and other electronic devices.
Next week we look at the final 3 essentials to a healthier 2016! If you are interested in learning more about these 7 essentials then I encourage you to sign up for our Fine in 49 course, where we discuss the 7 essentials in much greater detail! You can click here for more information!
If you have any questions about these first 4 essentials you can email me at [email protected]
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
Will Power…Do You Have It or Do You Need It?
Week 1 of 2016 has come and gone, and I hope your new year has gotten off to a great start! Did you set New Year’s resolutions for 2016? Or maybe you don’t believe in resolutions and you set goals for 2016. Have you made commitments for the new year? Maybe you haven’t done any of these but you’re just trying to do better.
To give you a little perspective, StatisticsBrain.com reports that 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, yet only 8% achieve success! They also gave the top 10 resolutions of 2015, and the number one New Year’s resolution last year was “lose weight”, number four was “live life to the fullest”, and number five was “staying fit and healthy”. Interestingly, three of the top five have to do with our health, and yes, I include living life to the fullest in the health category because that effects the health of our souls, which we so often neglect.
Don’t let that statistic discourage you. I know its hard and you may be thinking to yourself right now, “I want to do it, I believe I can do it, but I just don’t have the will power to keep going.” Well let me share with you a little conversation I had a while back with a patient about willpower. Here it is:
Patient: Do you think me being overweight and malnourished* would contribute to me getting pleurisy? This is the third time I’ve had this mess, and it is very painful.
*The patient knew they were malnourished because they heard me speak at a meeting where I stated that a lot of overweight people are malnourished because most of the foods they eat are void of nutrients.
Dr. Phil: Yes, absolutely, the stress that excess weight puts on your body and the lack of proper nutrition has a direct effect on your immune system thereby weakening its ability to fight off infection.
Patient: Yes, I know Phil, I’m telling you that is the most difficult thing I have had to deal with is weight control…it’s horrible, I have no will-power.
Dr. Phil: No, I think you do have the will power. You don’t have the WILL. You are not willing to discipline the flesh. Will-power is the motivation to exercise WILL, and WILL is the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action.
Patient: Wow, you said it. That is a sermon in itself!! Seriously I will be the first to say that is me… I’m so ashamed at how I have let my body go. I need motivation…then the people I hang around with want to go and eat!!!!
Dr. Phil: Okay, if the fact that you have had pleurisy three times is not enough motivation, think about the people you know our age and younger who maybe in the past year or two who have had a stroke, heart attack, or been diagnosed with diabetes or cancer. If that is still not enough motivation go visit the nursing homes and see some of the 40 and 50 year olds that are there because they had no WILL.
Patient: I know Phil, you are right. I’m drinking ice water right now because you are burning my tail up! Thank you for the fire, I really need it.
Dr. Phil: Drinking water is a great start! Keep it up!
You may have the will power (the motivation) but have you made the decision to take action (will). Now ask yourself “do you have the will to do what you want to do?” One of my favorite authors, Andy Andrews, ask, “Are you willing to do something you really don’t want to do for a short period of time to get the results that you really want?”
What do you really want? What pain are you willing to endure to get what you want? That’s the question I want you to ask yourself. I believe you can keep your resolutions. I believe you can reach your goals. You can get what you want, but sometimes we need a little help. Sometimes having encouragement along the way and others to hold you accountable to the resolutions and goals you’ve made can make or break your commitment. That’s one of the reasons why I provide personal health coaching and why I created the Fine in 49 course. A course that, I believe, can help strengthen your will, your desire, and your determination to achieve what you really want for your health and for your life. I cover the seven essentials for living a more balanced, healthy, and vibrant life in this course, the same principles that I’ve been teaching to people for years as a pharmacist. These seven essentials have changed my life and I’ve seen them change the life of many others over the years. I invite you today to join me on this seven week journey that we call Fine in 49! Click here to find out more!
I pray that 2016 is the year that you exercise your will and make it powerful! Let’s make 2016 our best year ever!
Healthy blessings,
Dr. Phil
Holiday Immune System Support…..The Good, The Bad and Ugly Bugs.
Believe it or not, we all have TRILLIONS (with a TR) of bugs living on and in our bodies! There are good bugs, and there are bad bugs. The good bugs, also known as micro-flora, are tiny micro-organisms found primarily on our skin and throughout our digestive tract, especially the colon! These microscopic organisms are vital to our overall health, but especially our immune system. It is believed that 60-70% of our immune system is controlled by these bugs in the digestive tract.
One of the primary jobs of these good bugs is to keep the bad bugs that live in our bodies under control. They also help fight off other bugs, that I call ugly bugs, that invade our bodies and can make us really sick. I call these invaders “ugly bugs” because when they attack, for at least a few days they can make the most beautiful person in the world look ugly. The bad bugs that live within us are normally kept in check by the good bugs, and if we have an adequate supply of these good bugs in our system, they will be able to destroy the bad and ugly bugs before they can do any major damage to our bodies. I recall several years ago that a cousin of mine was going on a mission trip to Africa. I told him before leaving that he needed to start taking probiotic supplements to increase the stores of good bacteria in his gut. He followed my recommendations and started taking them a couple of weeks before departing and continued taking them while he was in Africa. Upon his return home, one of the many stories he shared was particularly interesting to me. He told us that one night everybody on the mission trip became violently ill, vomiting and having diarrhea all night long. Everybody except him that is! He was the only one that did not get sick. Was it the probiotics or good bugs that made the difference? I think so, and so does he!
There are numerous things in our lives that can destroy the good bacteria in and on our bodies. Antibiotics, antibacterials, anti-inflammatories, and antacid/ulcer medication. These are all medications that people consume on a regular basis that destroy the good bacteria. They are also destroyed by stress and by processed foods, two other things that are abundant in our society today! Some of the bad bugs that live within our body feed on these sugary and processed foods as well.
With the stress of the holidays, all the sugary foods at our family gatherings, and hugs and kisses from relatives we haven’t seen in a while, our risk for contracting these bad bugs greatly increases. I know that you want to stay as healthy as you possibly can during the holidays, and I believe that you can increase your chances of that while decreasing your risk of getting sick by following these seven recommendations to help strengthen your overall immune system. As I said these good bugs are responsible for 60-70% of our immune health.
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Increase the foods in your diet that contain the good bugs – The foods I’m speaking of are fermented foods, such as yogurt and keifer and tofu. Just be sure you stay away from the fat free and sugar free varieties of these foods. Sauerkraut is another good fermented food, while Kombucha teas are a great fermented drink that does an excellent job supplying and restoring good bacteria to our bodies. If you don’t eat these foods or are unable to get these foods, then my recommendation would be to make sure you take probiotic supplements instead. Throughout the colder winter months it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take probiotics regardless of your natural intake.
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Cut the sugar as much as possible – As I said before, some of the bad bugs that live within our body, such as yeast, feed on sugar. I know this is more difficult to do during the holidays, but cut back as much as you possibly can.
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Manage the stress – Don’t let the stress of the holidays control you. You control it! Take the time each day to destress by walking, running, meditating, yoga, lifting weights, deep breathing, or whatever healthy activity calms you down.
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Get good sleep – Your body needs rest and time to restore the good bugs in your system. A good night’s sleep can make a world of difference in your immune health.
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Take your vitamins – As I said earlier, the processed foods that we eat also help destroy the good bacteria in our bodies and they are almost void of the nutrients that our body needs for a healthy immune system. There are many many nutrients found in food that help support our immune system, and when we eat food that doesn’t contain any of these, we compromise our immune system. By taking vitamin and mineral supplements we get the nutrients we need to protect us during the winter months. The most important one you need during the winter months is vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin! With shorter days and less opportunities to get out in the sun, supplementation with vitamin D can be very helpful.
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Do not neglect exercise – I know with the business of the holidays our exercise routine is one of the first things to go. Recent studies show that people who exercise regularly are less likely to catch a cold. This falls in line with other studies that show regular exercise greatly increases immune system health!
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Support your thymus gland – The Thymus gland is a small gland that sits in the top of your chest wall and is the master gland of the immune system. This gland produces T-cells that fight off invaders in our body, especially viruses. The six previous steps can help support the thymus gland, but there are also thymus supplements available that can give you that extra immune system boost during the winter months.
If you have any other questions about immune health please contact me by emailing [email protected] or clicking on the “Ask Dr. Phil” microphone!
Healthy Blessings and Happy Holidays,
Dr. Phil
P.S.
If you want to start 2016 off right and live a more healthy, balanced, and vibrant life, then I encourage you to check out my Fine in 49 Online Health Course. In 49 days you’ll learn how to take control of your health and why it’s so important to start right now! Our next class begins on Monday January 4th! Click here to sign up today, and don’t miss this chance to start 2016 in a new direction for your health.
Dr. Phil’s Two Super Foods for Diabetes Management
I could not let the National Diabetes Awareness month go by without sharing with you my two favorite Diabetes super foods that have been shown in studies to help with insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
Actually these foods are two of the best on the planet whether you have prediabetes, full blown diabetes, or are perfectly healthy. Chances are that you already enjoy one of these foods on a daily basis. They are blueberries! The other food you may not have ever heard of. It is a staple of the South American diet. I’m speaking of Chia seed, of course. One of the sweet things about these two foods is that they can be enjoyed together. My favorite way to do that is with a blueberry smoothie. As a matter of fact, the study done on blueberries that shows they help with insulin sensitivity was done using blueberry smoothies. If you’ve been following my blogs for a little while then you have read about Chia seed and it’s tremendous health benefits. When you combine these two super foods together then you get a super duper food!
Here is my recipe for a blueberry smoothie, and whether you have diabetes or not, I know you will enjoy this delicious treat.
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1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
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2 heaping scoops of standard process whey protein powder
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2 tablespoons of chia seed
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1/4 cup of frozen blueberries
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1/4 cup of crushed ice
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1 packet of stevia powder (for sweetness if necessary)
Put it all together in your blender and you’ve got one awesome and healthy snack or meal replacement.
In this 2010 study participants drank two blueberry smoothies a day and a significant increase in their insulin sensitivity was the result. That means that the likelihood of becoming prediabetic or diabetic decreases. Below is the summary of the study found on webmd.com
Drinking blueberry smoothies helped obese adults who were pre-diabetic improve insulin sensitivity, researchers report.Sixty-seven percent of people who drank a blueberry smoothie twice a day for six weeks experienced a 10% or greater improvement in their insulin sensitivity, compared with 41% of people in the placebo smoothie group. The study results are published in the October issue of The Journal of Nutrition. The findings suggest that compounds found in blueberries, which have also been found to improve heart health, may help people with prediabetes by making the body more responsive to insulin. What the biochemical chain reaction or cellular pathways might be remain unclear. But given the challenges of getting people to eat more fruits and vegetables, researchers suggest a smoothie may be a tasty alternative to help people increase their fruit and vegetable intake and boost their health.
I also want to give you a quick reminder on the incredible benefits of the Chia seed. This is pulled from my previous blog, Why Doesn’t BB King Eat Chia Seed?
Just two ounces of Chia contains almost 9x more Omega-3s than wild salmon, 5x the calcium of 2% milk, almost 3x the iron in raw spinach, 3x the antioxidants of blueberries, all essential amino acids, vitamin B, D, and E, is an excellent source of fiber, and is a more digestible protein than beans, soy, or peas. The benefits of these little seeds CANNOT be overstated. There is absolutely no reason to not begin incorporating Chia seed into your diet immediately. Check out this infographic from www.diabetickitchen.com.
Healthy Blessings and Happy Holidays,
Dr. Phil
P.S.
If you want to start 2016 off right and live a more healthy, balanced, and vibrant life, then I encourage you to check out my Fine in 49 Online Health Course. In 49 days you’ll learn how to take control of your health and why it’s so important to start right now! Our next class begins on Monday January 4th! Click here to sign up today, and don’t miss this chance to start 2016 in a new direction for your health.
7 Simple Rules for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
Have you ever gotten up on January 2nd, looked in the mirror, and thought, “What happened?!? I did not look like this 5 weeks ago!” That’s what I call the holiday lumps, bumps, and humps, and if you’re not careful it can happen to you. Some studies suggest that on average Americans can gain a pound or two a week during the holidays.
This a pound of fat! How do you think 5 to 10 of these would look on you?!? You can avoid this risk however, with these 7 simple rules on how to have your holiday cake and eat it too!
1. Start with what you drink
Cutting out the sugary drinks and drinking mainly water will help you tremendously during the holidays. If you have to sweeten your drink then I suggest that you add Stevia to whatever non-sugary drink you are having. Also, if you will drink a full glass of water about 15 minutes before your meal, you will eat less and will digest your food better.
2. Focus on protein
Fill your plate with protein first, chicken, turkey, fish, or whatever but get a good palm sized helping of that and build your plate around it.
3. Use a smaller plate
You don’t have to eat off a platter during the holidays! Less food on the plate means less food on the belly, and you can always get more if you find that you aren’t full.
4. Eliminate the bread
This one is tough year round and especially tough during the holidays, but is that bland old dinner roll or biscuit really worth it. Forego the bread and have something else at the end of the meal. Also reduce the portion size of other simple carbs such as potatoes and mac and cheese.
5. Take your time
I’m very guilty of this so I’m giving myself advice here, but holiday meals are not a race to see who can get back to the table for seconds the fastest. Give your brain time (about 20 minutes) to get the signal from your gut that it’s full! Eat slower, chew well, and sit and visit with your family for a little while. You will be glad that you did!
6. Enjoy your dessert
One of my favorite things about the holidays are the special sweets we get only once a year. My favorite is date balls, and I’m sure out of all the pies, cakes, and special treats that you have at least one favorite as well. If you do steps one through five then enjoy your dessert completely guilt free, but do eat a smaller size. Not drinking Coke or eating bread, then eating half the pie isn’t what I’m getting at here!
7. Increase your activity level
It’s very easy to sit around watching all the great football games and other sports that are on television during the holidays, but I would encourage you to go take a walk during halftime. If it’s too cold outside do some air squats, leg raises, or push-ups. What exercises you do doesn’t really matter as long as you’re being more active. If you do you’ll burn off way more calories than you think!
If you’ll do these seven things during this holiday season you’ll prevent or at least reduce the size of those unwanted humps, bumps, and lumps!
Healthy Blessings and Happy Holidays,
Dr. Phil