Battle Week in the Carson Family 21 Day Challenge

June 15, 2015 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Here we are, the Carson Family 21 Day Challenge is now 14 days old. I thought to myself, “We got through week 1, week 2 will be smooth sailing!” Well I was wrong!

Week 2 of the 21 day challenge turned from a challenge to a battle. It seems that everyone this week battled temptations more so than the previous week. Thinking about it, really every day is a battle when you’re following a plan like we are following. Some of us have given in to the temptation this week, but we didn’t quit. We may have slipped once or twice, but we started right back over with the next meal. That’s the key to success when you’re doing any kind of special diet or nutrition plan like we are following. The girls have been out of the house a few times this week with friends, and that’s where the challenge really becomes a battle. When you’re at home, you’ve got more control, but when you’re eating out with the limited selection of restaurants that we have, it’s hard to make the right choices. It is even harder when your friends are sitting across from you eating whatever they want to eat. When I, the coach, am with them it’s not so hard. Things are always easier when someone is there to hold you accountable. Despite the slip ups this week, I am extremely proud of my girls because, for the most part, they have done exceptionally well in making the right choices, and I believe everyone can do that. I admit it is not that easy to make the right choices when eating out, but I believe it can be done, and here are my recommendations on how to do so.

First of all, plan ahead! Choose a restaurant that has a variety of menu selections that fit or can be made to fit your nutrition plan. For example, if pasta and pizza are not part of your plan, then don’t walk into an Italian restaurant and expect to feel good about yourself while you’re walking out. Instead choose a restaurant where the majority of their menu items are baked, broiled, or grilled. Obviously you should avoid fast food restaurants, because the choices are much more limiting, especially when you are not supposed to eat any bread or fried foods. You may say, “What if I have no choice, what if I have to eat in a hurry and am forced to get fast food?” Well in that case, there are several fast food menu items that I can recommend.

Most fast food restaurants this day and age serve garden salads or mixed greens salads with grilled chicken, and some of them are pretty good. There are many restaurants now where you can design your own salad, choosing the vegetables you want as well as the type of protein, whether that be chicken, fish, eggs or some type of meat that you’d like to have on it. Just make sure when you do choose a salad, you also choose a good healthy dressing. I recommend the oil based dressings and not the creamy or sugary dressings. There are also many fast food spots that serve chicken salad or tuna salad, and one of my favorite things to do is get a couple of scoops of either of those, a side salad, and an unsweet tea or water with lemon (Yes, believe it or not, we do have unsweet tea in Mississippi.) Some great choices for a nicer dine in restaurant would be an entree with salmon or some other ocean fish, a side of steamed or grilled vegetables, and small side salad. A grilled chicken breast or small steak could be your protein source as well, at any of those nice restaurants. Some of you are probably wondering, “Well what about eating at a Mexican place? I love Mexican food!” I love Mexican food as well, but unfortunately it doesn’t feel the same way about me, but even at a Mexican restaurant you can make the right choices. I recommend ordering fajitas without the flour tortillas, and even though there will be free chips on your table, you have to resist or request they not bring them.

I hope you find these recommendations helpful if you are undertaking a challenge similar to ours, or if you are following any other type of nutrition plan to help you lose weight and get more fit. The Carson Family 21 Day Challenge will continue and hopefully over the final seven days it will be less of a battle than it was this week! In spite of the battles though, I am happy to report that the Carson Family is an additional 12 pounds lighter than we were last week for a total of 31 pounds lost in two weeks!

If reading this blog inspires you to begin your own 21 day challenge, then you may be interested in a product I recently discovered. This product can provide a genetic nutrition and fitness assessment based upon your unique DNA and lifestyle. Click here for a short video detailing the assessment. If you’re interested in achieving a new level of wellness, then please contact me by filling out the contact form on CarsonNatural.com or by leaving a voice message by clicking the “Ask Dr. Phil” Microphone!

Happy Summer and Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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21 Day Challenge Meals….Eating Healthy Can Be Easier Than You Think!

June 11, 2015 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

I ‘ve had several people ask me this week, “So what is the Carson family doing on this 21 Day Challenge, and how are yall losing the weight?”

Well I’ve never been one to keep secrets, although it’s really no secret. So I’ll spill the beans, which you’ll be eating by the way! Let me first say that I do not believe in fad diets, and what I’m proposing to you is a simple nutrition plan and not a diet! Fad diets only work temporarily, if they work at all. Some diets or so called diet pills only work temporarily as well, if at all. However, there are a few good supplements on the market that can help you kickstart your weight loss program or help aid in weight loss as long as they are used alongside a healthy nutrition and fitness plan. What we, as a family, are doing nutrition wise is nothing new, and it’s what some people call a slow-carb diet. I often call it a clean eating nutrition plan. On the Carson Family plan, you will basically eliminate all white foods from your diet. That is anything made with processed flour, processed sugar, dairy, and starchy foods, such as white potatoes or white rice. These are your normal carbohydrate sources, and you will be replacing them with vegetables, beans, and legumes. Along with white foods, fruit and sugary drinks are also not allowed, even fruit juices. For an explanation on why you shouldn’t eat fruit, check out our last blog! Ideally you should drink only water or unsweetened drinks, however if you require something sweet, I recommend that you use zero calorie, all natural sweetener, Stevia. Your protein sources can come from any lean meats that AREN’T fried such as: chicken, fish, lean red meat, and of course, eggs. I recommend fresh farm, organic, or free range eggs, because on this plan you will be eating a lot of eggs. In my opinion, and the opinion of many other health professionals, the best source for protein is wild-caught, cold water fish. To keep everything in proper balance, you will need some good fat as well. My recommendations here would be oil based dressings; real organic butter, in moderation; olive oil; organic coconut oil; or a few raw nuts would be sufficient for your fat content in your meals.

I’ve included a couple of pictures of typical meals that we prepare…

Here we have a breakfast plate with a spinach omelet and cannellini beans, that I spice up with four of my favorite anti-inflammatory spices: ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and cumin. These add tremendous flavor to the beans as well as help reduce inflammation in your body!

This dinner plate contains a wild caught salmon steak, fresh green garden salad, cannellini beans, and green beans! Both of these meals are delicious, nutritious, healthy, and satisfying.

You see it’s really pretty simple, and you can find a wide variety of slow-carb meals and recipes on the internet. As I told a cousin of mine several days ago, you can do it if you set your mind to it! However, if you are someone that feels as though you need some help, somebody to nudge you and hold you accountable, I have a few open slots available for coaching. We can set up an individualized plan for you and help you reach your health goals!

Happy Summer and Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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The Carson Family 21 Day Beach Body Challenge – 7 Days In

June 8, 2015 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Wow! As the old saying goes, “What a difference a week makes!”

Well the first seven days of the Carson Family 21 Day Beach Body Challenge is in the history books, and I am happy to report that I made it out alive. I was not killed by a bunch of hungry and hormonal women this week like some of you may have suspected I might be. Actually that thought never even crossed my mind before I issued the challenge. I did, however, witness the condition known as “hangry” for the first time. As you might infer, it is the state of being so hungry that you become agitated and/or angry. Just as I survived the first seven days, so did my wife and daughters, much to their surprise. As I mentioned previously, changing old habits is not easy to do, and the first few days of change are often the toughest. It’s during those first few days that people often quit, because they slip up, feel like a failure, and say to themselves, “I can’t do this, I’ll just quit.” I try to encourage people that if you do slip up, it’s okay. Don’t stop, just start back again the next meal. Keep a positive attitude and keep trying. You may fail several times before you reach your goal, but that’s okay! You just have to keep striving for that goal, no matter what happens.

I have to say I am extremely proud of my wife and daughters, because they may have slipped a little bit this week, but they did not stop. Because they did not stop, they are beginning to see some positive results, and now they are more determined than before! I am extremely proud of my two youngest daughters because they spent the latter half of the week at an FCA Leadership Camp. I’m sure most everyone reading this has experienced youth camp food, and you know what they were being served would not meet the criteria for the 21 day challenge. I checked in with them throughout the week, and they assured me that they were being as strict as they could with what they had. Fortunately they got plenty of exercise in those few days as well. As soon as the hugs and kisses were over with when they arrived back home on Sunday, the older of the two excitedly told me and showed me that her shorts were now falling off of her. It was a blessing for me to see her so excited and encouraged about becoming more fit! I know many of you are anxious to know the actual results of the first seven days of this 21 Day Challenge, so here they are! As of Sunday June the 7th, the Carson family is 19 pounds lighter, an average of almost 4 pounds per person!! I think that is awesome, but what is even more awesome to me is that everyone is feeling healthier and more confident in themselves. The walls of resistance to change are beginning to tumble down, and the frowns are turning to smiles. As I said, what a difference a week makes, and I can’t wait to see how much a difference two weeks makes!

Healthy Blessings and Happy Summer,

Dr. Phil

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The Carson Family 21 Day Beach Body Challenge

June 4, 2015 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Recently I announced to my daughters and wife that I would be attending a pharmacy conference in Destin, FL. I asked them if they would like to tag along and spend some time on the beach. As you would imagine, I didn’t have to twist any arms or ask twice before they were already excitedly talking about lounging in the sunshine for several days. Not long after though, the conversation shifted from lounging in the sun to how much weight they had gained over the past six months and how they wished they could look a little better before going to the beach. As I listened to them complain about how they looked and how they wished they were thinner and in better shape, I thought this would be a great opportunity to teach them the benefits of eating healthy and exercising regularly. So I presented them with a plan, a 21 day challenge to a better body. “Yes, yes, we want to do it!”, all four of them agreed. Since it was a little over 21 days before we left for the conference and the beach I thought it was perfect timing! I assured them they wouldn’t have to do it alone, and that I planned on doing it with them and coaching them through the 21 days. We determined that we would exercise 6 days a week, and everyday we would follow a strict nutrition plan. The plan would include eliminating all white foods, such as dairy, flour, and sugar; all sugary drinks; and sugar containing foods, including fruit. They were not happy about the “NO fruit” rule, “It’s summer time, we can’t NOT eat fruit, are you crazy? what about watermelon and strawberries?!?” they said. I told them if you want to get faster results then you have to drop fruit because it contains sugar! Now if you’re thinking to yourself, “Fruit isn’t bad for you, what’s the deal, Dr. Phil?” A book I once read laid it out like this, “Sure fruit is good for you some of the time, but do you think our ancestors were eating oranges and strawberries in the middle of winter? Our bodies aren’t designed to eat fruit year round, and depending on where your ancestors are from, they may have never even seen a citrus fruit.” Back to my story though, I assured my family that the no fruit rule was only for 21 days, and they reluctantly agreed.

So on Saturday May 31st, we started our 21 day challenge. On Saturday night, as we were in the city of Tupelo, MS and trying to decide where we would eat for dinner. I reminded them that we would have to choose somewhere where we could eat healthy. They said they were ready, but when it came time to walk the talk they began to say what we all are guilty of sometimes in life. “Well it’s Saturday night Dad, can’t we just start tomorrow?!?” said one daughter. “Let’s wait one more day,” another chimed in. “Yeah Dad, we’re out in Tupelo, we wanna eat something good,” the third chirped. All three were ready to quit the challenge before it ever really got started! I reassured them that we would eat something good, something good and healthy, but that we were starting today! We would not put it off another day. The Carson ship began to rock. I seemed to have a mutiny on my hands, but I was resolute! I would not be defeated. I did not let the long faces, snarls, or growls from my sailors deter me. “We will stick to the plan,” I told them! “I know I’m being tough, but you are going to thank me for it in the end.” So we went to a nice restaurant, and I helped each daughter make the correct choices from the menu. I’m sure the waitress that night thought that was the sourest bunch of girls she’d ever seen in my life.

Over the past few days everyone has done extremely well in sticking to the plan. I can tell it is getting a little bit easier for them. This story reinforces what I often preach to my patients, that food is addictive, and certain foods are highly addictive. So addictive that one of my daughters spent the last couple days nauseated and sick from the detoxifying effect of eliminating sugar and drinking only water. When we get into the habit of eating certain foods and doing things a certain way, it is extremely difficult to change. However I promise that if you stick with it, push through the struggles and the temptation to quit, it will be worth it in the end. I am eager for them to get on the scales on Saturday so I can celebrate the difference that only a week has made!

Be looking for my follow up this weekend detailing the results of the first week of the Carson 21 Day Challenge. If reading this blog inspires you to begin your own 21 day challenge, then you may be interested in a product I recently discovered. This product can provide a genetic nutrition and fitness assessment based upon your unique DNA and lifestyle. Click here for a short video detailing the assessment. If you’re interested in achieving a new level of wellness, then please contact me by filling out the contact form on CarsonNatural.com or by leaving a voice message by clicking the “Ask Dr. Phil” Microphone!

Healthy Blessings and Happy Summer,

Dr. Phil

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It’s Too Cold To Eat Lunch Naked

December 9, 2014 by Cody Carson Leave a Comment

Following up on our last blog post, we ask this question for you: How much vitamin D does your body require each day?
Where I live we are entering into a season where the weather prohibits me from eating outside in the midday sun. So in order to get my daily dose of vitamin D I have to rely on supplementation. The importance of vitamin D supplementation is becoming more and more evident through recent research which indicates that most of the U.S. population may be vitamin D deficient.
The following questions are important ones to consider before you begin vitamin D supplementation:

1. How much vitamin D does your body require each day?
2. What is the recommended daily dose of supplements?
3. Can I get too much vitamin D?
4. What if I feel it’s not safe to expose my skin to the sun?
5. Can I get vitamin D from the foods that I eat?

These are all great questions, unfortunately the answers are too long and complex for me to answer in this blog. Thankfully the answers can be found by visiting the vitamin D council’s website by clicking here.

Because vitamin D is a vitamin that you can get too much of it’s also very important that you know what your vitamin D level is before taking supplements. If you’ve never had your vitamin D level checked or if it’s been more than a year, I recommend that you see your local health care provider and request to have your level checked. It can be done with a simple blood test. Once you’ve obtained the results use the guidelines below to determine if you are deficient, insufficient, or have sufficient amounts.

                                     Vitamin D Council                Endocrine Society                Food & Nutrition Board
Deficient                          0-30 ng/ml                          0-20 ng/ml                               0-11 ng/ml
Insufficient                     31-39 ng/ml                        21-29 ng/ml                             12-20 ng/ml
Sufficient                         40-80 ng/ml                       30-100 ng/ml                          >20 ng/ml
Toxic                                 >150 ng/ml

I can’t stress enough how important it is that you have sufficient amounts of vitamin D! If you find you have deficient or insufficient amounts please consult with your health care provider for information on how to restore your vitamin D level. If you have any questions or you would like recommendations for supplementation send your request to [email protected], or visit our website and click on the “Ask Dr. Phil” Radio button and leave your question. Stay healthy and stay warm this winter!

Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil

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Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

Eat Lunch Naked

November 12, 2014 by Cody Carson Leave a Comment

Feel better and live longer…. Eat lunch naked!!!

This guy gets it! — This guy knows what I’m talking about!

No it’s not a joke, but after reading this blog, if that’s what you want to do, please don’t do it in public!

You may be wondering, how will eating lunch naked make me feel better and live longer? The answer lies in what happens when your skin is exposed to the midday sun. When our bodies are exposed to sunlight it produces a vital nutrient, vitamin D.

So how important is it to your health, that you have sufficient amounts of vitamin D? It has been well known for many years that vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, but recent research has shown that vitamin D may be important to our health for many other reasons as well. According to the vitamin D Council’s website, some of the functions of the body that vitamin D helps with include:

1.Immune system, which helps you to fight off infection

2.Muscle function

3.Cardiovascular function, for a healthy heart and circulation

4.Respiratory system, for healthy lungs and clear airways

5.Brain development

6.Cancer prevention

The research continues and much more is yet to be learned of this vital nutrient and it’s importance to our health.

The best way for you to get the vitamin D that your body needs is to expose your skin to the midday sun. For most of us, in today’s society, that can be much easier said than done. If you are unable to step out into the life-giving sun, then the easiest way for you to get the vitamin D that your body craves is through dietary supplements that are widely available. Regardless of how you get the vitamin D, I believe that it is essential that you do get a daily dose. However, it is just as important to know how much that dose should be, and that is what I will discuss in my next entry.

Click me — Don’t be like this guy, you’re smarter than that!

You may choose to “Eat Lunch Naked”, but keep in mind, if you have to eat lunch in a public place, I highly recommend you consider the supplements. They are much easier than having to explain yourself to the police.

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

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Dr. Phil’s Faves: Probiotics [Supplement Review]

November 5, 2013 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Dr. Phil’s Faves: Probiotics

[Supplement Review]

I probably recommend this supplement more than any other. Probiotic supplements contain good bacteria that are vital for proper functioning of our immune and digestive systems.

These good bacteria also known as “normal flora” promote a healthy digestive system and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria in our bodies.

Whenever we take antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and numerous other medications both prescription and over-the-counter we are unknowingly destroying our good bacteria. Stress and processed foods can also be detrimental to the population of good bacteria in our bodies. It is important that we replace these good bugs and the best way to do that is with a good broad-spectrum probiotic supplement.

My 2 favorites are: Enterobiotic from Natural Creations and Primal Defense from Garden of Life. Both are broad spectrum probiotics and are available through our website.

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Want Better Control of Your Appetite?

October 22, 2013 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Want Better Control of Your Appetite?

Then go nuts at breakfast!

According to a new study having peanuts at breakfast can have dramatic results on your blood sugar and appetite control for the rest of the day. Research recently released in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating peanuts or peanut butter for breakfast can control blood sugar throughout most of the day, even after having a high-carb lunch.

According to principal investigator, Richard Mattes of Purdue University, “if you include peanut butter or peanuts at breakfast, you not only diminish the rise in the blood sugar at breakfast but also again after lunch, helping to reduce blood sugar over a very large portion of the day.”

Those that participated in the study ate either 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1/2 ounces of peanuts, or no peanuts or peanut butter at all with their breakfast which also included cream of wheat and a serving of orange juice. For lunch they ate white bread with strawberry jam. To analyze glucose levels and satiety, blood samples were taken by the researchers and each participant was asked to rate their appetites over a series of 3 hours after breakfast and after lunch. Participants were also asked to keep a food diary.

Results of the study showed that peanuts or peanut butter included with breakfast promoted the secretion of the appetite suppressing hormone peptide YY. The participants in the study who ate peanut butter or peanuts with breakfast reported a lower desire to eat for up to 8 to 12 hours later and maintained lower blood sugar levels as well following a high carb lunch compared to the participants that did not consume peanut butter or peanuts. The study showed that peanut butter had a slightly stronger effect, possibly because of the rupturing of the cell walls of the peanut during processing which may help slow the rate the carbohydrates or absorbed from the gut.

It is the synergy of components in peanuts, including the high-protein, high fiber and healthy oils that helps to maintain blood sugar control, as well as contribute to the feeling of fullness, the researchers suggest. According to the latest USDA nutrient data, there’s more protein in peanuts than any other nut, with about 8 g per 1 ounce portion. Peanuts are also a good source of fiber with about 2.5 g per 1 ounce serving. So what are you waiting for, if you’re not allergic to peanuts then maybe it’s time to start making every day a “nutty” day, especially if you need to lose weight.

Dr. Phil’s healthy tip: When eating peanut butter always eat the old-fashioned natural peanut butter. Avoid the processed peanut butter that contains various hydrogenated oils and sugar.

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil

Are You Too Acidic?

October 22, 2013 by Phil Carson Leave a Comment

Are You Too Acidic?

7 Awesome Foods That Can Help!

Many people today are too acidic due to their highly acidic, non-alkaline diets. Most people today consume very little amounts of alkaline foods on a regular basis. When a person’s body is too acidic it can cause inflammation in the body. This inflammation can possibly lead to diseases such as arthritis, cancer, irritable bowel disorders and fibromyalgia. There are 7 highly alkaline foods that we should consume on a regular basis to help keep our bodies from becoming too acidic.

They are:

Spinach
kale
cucumber
broccoli
avocado
celery and
bell pepper.

Each of these foods are loaded with various vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that can provide tremendous health benefits as well as helping to keep our bodies more alkaline.

Healthy Blessings,

Dr. Phil