While diet is not everything when it comes to preventing disease or even curing one, it has been shown more often than not to be an integral part of improving the health of anyone making smart dietary changes. Those changes include the elimination of foods that are processed, contain lots of fats - especially of the trans variety - and many other additives, while adding more raw foods including many varieties of fruits and vegetables. The patient testimonials from eating a healthier diet after being diagnosed with cancer are very promising. This should be more of a testimony to the power of a healthy diet in the prevention of sickness and disease. Well, some evidence as to the power of this diet has been found in an experiment where participants changed to a raw diet for 30 days. Here's more ---

So what might happen, then, after 30 days of eating all the right things? That question was the seed that evolved into "Raw for 30 Days," an independent documentary film that chronicles the experience of six diabetics who sign up for a radical diet change. The participants, most diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, move into an Arizona retreat center where they are medically supervised during a challenge to stay off dairy, meat, sugar, alcohol and processed foods. Keeping to a vegan, raw-foods diet of only uncooked, organic plant-based foods, the filmmakers claim participants were able to naturally reverse their diabetes, losing significant weight and coming off their insulin. Set to be distributed online before a summer release at smaller film festivals, the documentary is by no means poised to be a cinematic blockbuster. But buzz has been building for more than a year in raw- and health-food circles. Proponents are wondering if the information can resonate with a mainstream American public plagued with an obesity epidemic and chronic diseases. read more...

comment: This is hopefully the evidence you need to improve your diet, and include more fruits and vegetables at the very minimum. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

While we could list many the opposite of the 50 traits and characteristics of those who are healthy and fit in every area of their life and have 50 mistakes of those who are overweight and unhealthy, let's at least narrow it down to 25 as presented by The Daily Star ---

1. Having a negative defeatist attitude. If you think there is no way that you are going to succeed this time, lose the weight and keep it off, then you will be right!

2. Going on any diet that is NOT a manner of eating that you can adhere to for the rest of your life. Be careful when deciding what nutritional plan you want to follow, as it should be a manner of eating that matches your tastes, budget and lifestyle.

3. Believing that you will eat cabbage soup — or any other low-cal, monotonous fare everyday for the rest of your life. It is not realistic to think you will eat that way for the entire time it takes to lose all the weight. It certainly will not teach you much about how to live healthfully for the long-term.

4. Weighing in too frequently, letting the scale rule your mood and actions. Pack the scale up, put a big red bow around it, and unwrap it after six months of consistent healthful living. It might actually show you something you want to see!

5. Not drinking enough water. Water is all that you need to drink, and you MUST drink at least 64 ounces of it a day!

6. Drinking sugar-laden drinks — including "fruit" drinks. Fruitopia is neither a fruit nor a Utopia! Try putting your favorite non-water beverage in your pet's bowl, and see if they will drink it.

7. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods. Eating as close to natural is the best way to ensure that your body is as healthy as possible.

8. Not having a plan. "We never plan to fail, we fail to plan." Get a plan and stick with it, but make sure each step is realistic and change is gradual!

9. Not being aware of the nutritional benefits or detriments of what you consume. Lettuce is a great choice to eat, but spinach and other darker leaves have more nutritional benefit than the iceberg variety.

10. Finishing every last bite of a meal, even after you are full. Mother was wrong! Don't clean your plate, let the dishwasher do that! Read more...

Comments: The Health & Wellness Institute likes to help a dieter focus on what's good, instead of what's bad - the positive not the negative. Although we have to point out the unhealthy and fattening products that are responsible for the demise of the health of the world, we're better putting our focus on the good of being healthy instead of the bad of not. Focus on the ways you will improve your life by being healthier and fit and you'll find the motivation to do it much greater than the motivation to just avoid being unhealthy. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

This should be part of the focus of 'rehabilitating' a convicted criminal - learning to live with a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle. One meal plan suggested could be Medifast, but there are others that would work just as well. Apparently, there should be good results when proper nutrition is received by inmates. Here is a study that will be done in prisons because of some successful results seen in a previous study... (Economist.com)

SUPPLEMENTS are all the rage: evening primrose oil; St John's wort; fish oils; glucosamine; selenium; zinc; iron; molybdenum; probiotics. And don't forget those old standbys, multivitamin tablets. It is hard to walk through a pharmacy without seeing a promise of clearer skin, a stronger immune system or less squeaky joints. But what about a pill or potion to make you better behaved?

That is exactly the intention of a study led by John Stein, a professor of neuroscience at Oxford University, that is about to start in three British prisons. Not only is there a growing body of evidence that good nutrition can improve behaviour, there is also a theoretical basis for supposing that a lack of essential nutrients has an impact on the way the brain works.

Dr Stein believes that the proper functioning of nerve-cell membranes and signalling molecules depends on adequate supplies of minerals, vitamins and fatty acids. To test the idea, his team will recruit 1,000 prisoners. Half of them will receive these supplements, while the others receive a placebo. Neither prisoners nor experimenters will know who got what until the trial is over.

The trial will replicate, on a larger scale, a study carried out by Natural Justice, a British charity, and published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2002. Then, 231 volunteers were given either capsules containing their official daily requirements of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (such as omega-3s) or placebos. The trial lasted for nine months and during that time the number of offences committed by each prisoner was recorded. Those who received the extra nutrients committed an average of 26.3% fewer offences than those who got the placebo. For violent offences, the reduction was 37%. read on...

Note: Good nutrition is at the heart of every bit of health - mind and body. Let's get back to focusing on the basics of good health: plenty of fruits and vegetables and nutrient-rich foods. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

Weight loss surgeries are only successful if the patient starts making proper diet changes and lives by healthy choices. Otherwise, some serious side effects can be the result depending on the type of gastric surgery performed. Well isn't this the way to a healthy weight anyway? A weight loss plan that focuses on healthy eating and a lifestyle that supports a healthy weight? Interestingly these surgeries do not guarantee anything, except problems.  That's right. Why would the body not have problems after being cut, stapled, re-routed, or banded on the inside? Patients not only face the dangerous side effects of the surgical procedure, but what is now showing up more and more is the extreme weight loss that can occur, and the weight gain that is also possible. This story comes from WKYC.com---

Thousands of Americans have achieved dramatic weight loss thanks to surgical techniques. We often hear about the success stories, but rarely do people speak of the failures. Eight years ago Jennifer Charlton ran out of options. Diets failed her and a leg injury prevented her from exercising. At 5'3 she weighed 300 pounds. She researched bariatric surgery for a year and decided it was the right choice for her. In 2001 a doctor surgically made her stomach smaller. The procedure was a success and in a few months Jennifer lost nearly 150 pounds.

But instead of embracing her new look, Jennifer felt disconnected. "It was just strange to look in the mirror and not recognize myself and not feel like I was in my own body." Two years after surgery a personal crisis spiraled her into a deep depression. Unable to cope, Jennifer sought comfort in unhealthy food and alcohol.

A chronic insomniac, she used the wine to help her sleep. Eventually the weight crept back on. She needed help but didn't know where to turn. She's not alone. When Jennifer had her surgery bariatric programs were relatively new. They've learned much since then including how to help patients cope with problems years after surgery. However, it only works with a willing patient.

Courtney Holbrook, Ph.D. is a psychologist for St. Vincent Charity Hospital's Center for Bariatric Surgery. She encourages patients not to feel ashamed or alone. On average a bariatric patient may regain about ten percent of their weight after two to five years. For those who gain much more, most programs offer intervention. Karen Schulz, R.N. is the Executive Director of St. Vincent's program, "the first thing we tell them is not to be embarrassed we just want to help them and many people have just forgotten the behaviors and the choices that they need to make to be successful for a lifetime." read more...

Comments: If you are considering surgery for weight loss, you may want to try going right to the requirements that are put on you after the surgery - healthy eating. Only with the right weight loss and meal plan, will you gradually make changes to build a lifestyle of health and fitness. If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss and health, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

In Missouri, a lawmaker wants to give the largest beer distributor in the world the title of the State's Official Beer. Claiming there is an official state flower, state bird, and many others, the logic is 'why not an official State beer?'  That logic doesn't seem fitting at all for a country that is plagued by alcoholism, obesity, and poor health. What's next, an Official State Drug? Actually, that would come from a state that has a big pharmaceutical company in it (of course, that makes large political donations), which as far as we know, Missouri does not have. Maybe an Official State Chemical - does Monsanto come to mind?!

Let's get smart and have official State Diet - the healthy way to eat that is endorsed by doctors and individuals with a healthy lifestyle. Wouldn't that be something! Encouraging and promoting health to a public that is dying a slow death from an unhealthy diet and prescription drugs, might just help turn things around. Here is the story about a representative's bill introduction in Missouri from the Associated Press --

A state lawmaker wants to give the "King of Beers" its own kingdom by making Budweiser the official beer of Missouri. Budweiser is a Missouri-based international icon that — if officially recognized — might even persuade more people to visit the state, state Rep. Curt Dougherty said Friday. "We've got a state dinosaur, a state frog, a state reptile, a state flower, a state nut, but no one has given a thought to a company that's been in Missouri for many, many years and is bringing prosperity to our state and manufacturing a product in our state that many people enjoy," Dougherty said.

Dougherty's bill was introduced last week but has not been referred to a House committee. Budweiser has been made by St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inc. since 1876. It's now produced in 12 regional breweries, though samples are flown daily to St. Louis for taste-testing. The brand is already the "Official International Beer" sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be the "Official Beer" of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Plus, it's an official sponsor for 26 professional baseball teams and 28 football teams. In a statement released Friday, an executive for Anheuser-Busch said the legislation was "flattering" but not requested. read the full report...

Comment: Let's focus on a healthy lifestyle and stop stooping to the dollars that fund these type of bills. Wake up America and start with a balanced diet, some exercise, and awareness about what is really killing America. Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

Why would a healthy diet not include water anymore? If you've been hearing the news or reading the reports, it's no surprise that our government has found a way to "contaminate" our water supply even more. Contaminate would not be the word used by the EPA, but certainly influence from BIG PHARMA may have an influence on these 'toxins' that are put into our water supply. This comes from Natural News, but do a news search with the term 'water' and see what you find. --

This news is breaking all over the nation: The U.S. water supply is contaminated with Big Pharma's dangerous drugs. Although the levels of contamination are quite small when considered one at a time, the scary part is that multiple drugs (including psychiatric drugs) are combining in the water supply and right now being swallowed by pregnant women, infants, children and everybody else. It's a grand medical experiment, and nobody knows the consequences. What should be done about all this? Nothing, if you believe the EPA -- yet another corrupt government "regulator" that has sold out to Big Business. more from NaturalNews.com...

Drinking water will never be the same as we once knew it to be. An Associate Press-led investigation showed that water used by about 41 million Americans contains a mixture of pharmaceuticals, ranging from antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones. The concentration of the pharmaceuticals is below the levels of a medical dose, but their presence increases worries among scientists, who said the exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals could have very bad long-term consequences on the heath of the people who drink it. more from International Business Times...

Comments: If you are going to drink water from the tap, be sure that you use some sort of filter. The Health & Wellness Institute has always recommended filtering tap water to be safe, and possibly healthier. If you buy bottled water, be sure that it has gone through triple-filtered reverse osmosis process. There may be some elements missing that will support your health, but with today's environment, it's not worth the risk. Proceed with caution when it comes to water, but definitely proceed. You need plenty of water to support a healthy diet.
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

HWI

A doctor has done a study that will let you know the average lifespan you can expect based on where you live and how much money you make. This wouldn't seem unusual on the surface if you consider the extremes - poverty-sticken areas with higher crime rates versus wealthy areas with no crime. However, there may be more questionable results when you get to the center of the curve, those areas that make up a majority of the country - average income, average lifestyle, in average-priced neighborhoods - the middle to upper-middle class of people. Dr. Anthony Iton has still managed to come up with an estimated lifespan based on these few factors. Here's more --

If you tell Dr. Anthony Iton where you live and how much money you make, he'll tell you how long you're likely to live. The public health director for Alameda County said he was startled by the results of taking the county's deaths and mapping them according to U.S. Census tracts, a far smaller and precise geographical region than ZIP Code.

"There are hot spots of death where life expectancy is literally on the order of a decade shorter than other parts of the county," said Iton, who has been on the job five years. "That's pretty astounding. That's 10 years of life lost due to social conditions."

According to Iton, the vast majority of deaths in the so-called hot spots in Alameda County were not due to crime or AIDS, but to heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions - the same diseases that kill the general population. These diseases just kill people in poorer neighborhoods faster.

But he believes, contrary to health reform proposals nationwide, that health insurance does little to solve the problem. "Health care doesn't work to reduce health disparities. We spend way more than anyone else, and health costs are going up. The more we spend, the worse the problem seems to be getting," he said, adding that genetics account for a relatively small percentage of chronic illnesses.

To Iton, the greatest determinant of an individual's health and life expectancy is education. read more...

Comment: According to other studies, he is correct - a higher education is associated with a longer life, something that we blogged days ago. So not only would you benefit from continue to learn each day, and live with a healthy diet at a healthy weight, but you might want to consider a move to an area where your chances are greater for a longer life!?

HWI Recommendation: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The aisles are not safe, people! There are some crazy-high-calorie and freakishly fatty foods lurking in your local grocery store -- prepare to be shocked! Bear Naked All Natural Granola, Apple Cinnamon PER SERVING (1/4 cup): 140 calories, 7g fat, 5mg sodium, 17g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 3g protein.

If you were scanning the granola section, you might think this Apple Cinnamon stuff is a diet-friendly choice. After all, it's fruity and natural, and 140 calories per serving doesn't seem unreasonable for a breakfast cereal/snack food. But get this -- the serving size is just 1/4 cup! That's only four measly tablespoons! A full cup of this stuff packs in 560 calories and 28g fat. At the very least, you'd think this would be a better option than Bear Naked's chocolate or peanut butter granolas... right?!? Wrong-O! The Heavenly Chocolate actually has HALF the fat and 10 fewer calories a serving, and even the Peanut Butter has less fat than the Apple Cinnamon. Watch out for this stuff, unless you have amazing self-control.

A much better breakfast alternative is the Medifast meal plan. Trader Joe's Veggie Chips (Potato Snacks) PER SERVING (about 26 chips, 1 oz.): 160 calories, 10g fat, 240mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 0g sugars, 1g protein

Time and time again people at T.J.'s grab these so-called Veggie Chips and say to their shopping pals, "Look! Chips made from vegetables! Perfect for my diet and my potato chip addiction!" Sadly, these are nothing but veggie-flavored potato chips with as much fat as the real things. In fact, they're not even MADE with actual vegetables. After potato, oil, and salt, you'll find "tomato powder" and "spinach powder" on the ingredients list. Powder?!? Puh-leeze!

Brothers-all-Natural fruit crisps are a much better alternative to fattening potato chips...You can find them at most health food stores or on line at www.brothersallnatural.com (I LOVE the Fuji Apple flavor!) Oscar Mayer Lunchables Maxed Out Ham and Cheddar Cracker Combo PER SERVING (1 container): 660 calories, 22g fat, 1,600mg sodium, 101g carbs, 2g fiber, 57g sugars, 18g protein Attention moms and dads!!! Just because something is labeled "Lunchables," that does not make it a healthy pick for your kids. This simple cracker pack contains 34% the daily value of fat, 45% the DV of saturated fat, 67% the DV of sodium (1,600 salty milligrams!), and too many calories altogether. Once you recover from reading those INSANE stats, consider this: Those percentages are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the estimate for the average adult's daily needs. Craziness! We don't recommend that anyone, of any age, snack on this wacky cracker pack.

Every morning we pack a healthy lunch for our children, making fresh sandwiches, fruit, a mini bottle of water. Keep in mind, your kids health depends on what YOU choose to feed them! Hershey's Shell Topping (original chocolate) PER SERVING (2 tbsp.): 220 calories, 18g fat, 15mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 14g sugars, <1g protein A few squirts of candy-flavored dessert topping on your low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt certainly seems like it would be a guilt-free alternative to an actual candy bar. But a serving of this stuff actually has MORE fat (and just 50 fewer calories) than a full-sized Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar -- and that's BEFORE you factor in your ice cream or fro yo! Not only that, but the plain chocolate topping's even got more fat and calories than the Reese's and Heath flavors in the Shell Topping lineup (don't get excited -- those have horrendous nutritionals as well).

Hey, here's a thought, just forgo ice-cream altogether and you won't need this junk to pour on top of it? Kill two birds w/ one stone!

Recommended: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The subject of genetics and the connection to disease is often discussed, as technologies have advanced to the point of being able to detect gene mutations which may give individuals an idea of what diseases they may be predisposed to. But are we putting the cart before the horse? Does our daily choices and lifestyle habits contribute to possible genetic defects? Afterall, aren't our genes influenced by what we put into our bodies?

There are studies that show a healthy diet may in fact provide for less DNA disruption than an unhealthy diet. With the amount of free radicals drastically increasing over the years from unhealthy foods and environment, it is no wonder genetic defects could be the result. This is just a theory and has not been proven (to this author's knowledge). There are countless companies that now offer at-home tests to determine if you have any genetic defects and therefore higher likelihood of certain conditions or diseases.

Here's more from the Associated Press about the newest at-home test:

Dr. John Kelsoe has spent his career trying to identify the biological roots of bipolar disorder. In December, he announced he had discovered several gene mutations closely tied to the disease, also known as manic depression. Then Kelsoe, a prominent psychiatric geneticist at the University of California, San Diego, did something provocative for the buttoned-down world of academic medical research: He began selling bipolar genetic tests straight to the public over the Internet last month for $399.

His company, La Jolla-based Psynomics, joins a legion of startups racing to exploit the boom in research connecting genetic variations to a host of health conditions. More than 1,000 at-home gene tests have burst onto the market in the past few years. The proliferation of these tests troubles many public health officials, medical ethicists and doctors. The tests receive almost no government oversight, even though many of them are being sold as tools for making serious medical decisions. read more...

Comment: Do yourself a favor and decrease the risk of sickness and disease by improving your diet. Feeding your body the best nutrition you can and working with the "cards" you were dealt, will at least keep an additional factors from contributing to the likelihood of sickness and disease. A healthy diet should consist of more fruits and vegetables, as studies show most people are not getting any where near the minimum recommended daily amount.

HWI Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

Sherryl Carter

I now have enough energy to keep up with my 6-year-old son!

I had given up hope of ever returning to a normal weight.

At the age of 35, after years of yo-yo dieting, I thought, “Face it, this is how it is going to be. Some people are thin and you are just you, so deal with it!”

I read about Medifast and wondered if it could actually work for me.

I visited the website daily to read the success stories and eventually a light bulb turned on in my head. I realized that if others could do it, I could too!

I was amazed how great the food tasted and how simple it was to follow the plan.

To date I have lost 73 pounds!
I am living proof that Medifast works, if you work it.
My life changed in so many ways.

I look different, people tell me I look younger and that I am glowing, my skin is clear, my outlook is optimistic, and I have enough energy to keep up with my 6-year-old son! More than the physical changes that have developed, I am different inside. I no longer use food as a problem-solver, or a coping mechanism. I am no longer under food’s control. I read labels, only drink water, eat vegetables, think before I eat, and exercise. In short, I am alive again!

I am now the person that I always knew that I could be. The way that I always thought of myself on the inside is what the world now sees when they look at me. It’s as if the clock of life has turned back 10 years, giving me a chance to do things differently and to make better choices when it comes to my health and well being.  Although thank you seems inadequate, I hope that it can begin to express my gratitude and appreciation for the Medifast program.

Thank you Medifast for helping me to achieve a life of quality rather than just a life.

Jennifer Peterson

I am Jennifer--a confident wife and mother, no longer being controlled by my weight but instead empowered by my loss and all that I have gained in return!

I am so excited to share my Medifast success story. Medifast has changed my life and every day I wake up no longer dreading to get dressed!

As I think all weight-loss stories begin, I tried every "miracle" diet out there. I took the energy pills, tried the no carb, the more carb, the no food fad diets and nothing worked. It took me going on Medifast to realize that weight-loss doesn't come in a bottle and doesn't come without hard work but it can be done! And it can be so easy! One just needs to believe in his or herself.

I am a 32-year-old wife and mother of a beautiful 5-year-old girl, Kaitlyn. I have always had a weight problem, ever since I can remember and struggled daily with my self-image. I would blame my weight on stress, hormones you name it, but never on my poor eating habits. Although I would exercise daily, I would still wonder why I wouldn't lose the weight. But I was eating fast food, snacking on high carb/fat snacks, soft drinks, candy etc.

Last summer I hit my all-time low. Standing 5'3'', I had ballooned up to a size 14/16 and weighed nearly 185 pounds. I couldn't stand to get dressed in the morning. I didn't like how tired and sluggish I felt every day -- and I was only 31!! As the summer went on, I found myself taking my daughter to our neighborhood pool at 8 am, while it was empty, just so no one would see me. Like all 4-year-olds, Kaitlyn wanted to play with other kids in the water, but I couldn't stand myself being seen by others in a bathing suit. My husband would take her later in the afternoon. As a family, we would never go together. Not by their choice, but my own. I knew I wanted more for my family and myself. My weight was controlling our life.

Then, I saw an ad for Medifast in a magazine and thought I could do this.

On October 10th, 2005 I started the Medifast 5 and 1 plan. From day one, something clicked. My cravings, my need for "snacks" and fast/fatty food all went away. Medifast chose my foods for me. I was committed to this diet and to making a change. My mind set was simple; whatever I was craving would still be there when I reach my goal weight. Would that piece of pizza really make me feel better? The concept was simple and for some reason, it clicked in my mind with Medifast.

I enjoyed the shakes and oatmeal, would try new recipes with the chili. I loved the chicken noodle soup and of course the bars were a great treat! I would save my daily lean and green meal for dinner with my family. My husband kept the list of approved veggies and meats and would surprise me by making the meals for me, creating new sauces and adding variety. It was fun for us. And I really needed that support. Although I never felt hungry, it wasn't easy saying "no" to co-workers for lunch outings but I hung in there.

I also made it through my first Thanksgiving without bread or stuffing. By Christmas, I was down 30 pounds and feeling great! People started noticing--and I liked that. But even with the weight loss, I still felt self-conscious being in this new skin and was always second-guessing my willpower to get down to my goal weight of 140.

But on January 22nd, 2006, I achieved my goal weight and I thought I would pass out! None of my clothes fit anymore. I had some skirts and pants just falling off of me, which 4 months prior, fit snug and others barely buttoned. I would just stand there in the mirror wondering who this person was staring back. My daughter called me skinny. My husband, although always supportive, called me sexy and beautiful. But this time it was different because for the first time, I felt sexy and beautiful.

I decided to transition off of Medifast and started the transition/maintenance plan on February 10th. I was scared of piling back the pounds. But again, I just incorporated the ratio set forth in the Medifast Meals and went with it. And since I wasn't use to eating breads and fast foods any longer, my biggest vices, I knew I could do it. I also started back exercising every morning with a 45-minute walk. During Medifast, I was only walking 2-3 times a week.

Today, I am down another 5 pounds and am successfully holding my own at 135 and a size 6! For this first time, I am looking forward to bathing-suit season and going to the pool at high noon with my husband and daughter on weekends. I thank Medifast every day for giving me the courage and willpower to succeed with my weight loss. The message boards and website gave me the confidence in myself that it could be done. I still go on the boards from time to time and read other successes and have posted there as well in support to the "newbies".

Now, I stand in the full-length mirror and no longer wonder who the person is staring back at me. I am Jennifer--a confident wife and mother, no longer being controlled by my weight but instead empowered by my loss and all that I have gained in return!

Thanks Medifast!

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

A Medifast Story --

Most women’s biggest frustration is to lose some weight. I’m in the situation right now that have been desperate to shed some pounds so I’d be looked what I wanted to be, be more healthy and fit. I don’t like everytime I go to my closet I have to surf through most of my clothes that one that could fit me well because some of them are quite smaller. Yeah I was too small before I got pregnant and gave birth but now I felt like my body is wider and heavy. I need to have some intervention and go with the diet plan and weight loss program like the weight-loss-diet-help.com such as the Medifast and Nutrisystem offer successful programs for men, women and diabetics. Indeed, this is what I needed most this time. These have been working to all people who have been obese or have been desperate to get thinner .

One of their recommendation is Medifast, this is easy, fast and unique diet plan for everyone since it will lose up to 20 pounds in a month. How cool is that? This is really good for me though to apply since I have been wanting to shed from 10-20 pounds. With the variety of online weight loss supports tools, including a diet, exercise and weight los tracker that surely keep us going and reaching that ideal weight we have wanted. Secondly is the Nutrisystem, which is one of the most popular weigh loss diet plan by eating healthy means and delicous foods from 120 tasty breakfast, lunches, dinners, snacks and more yet in a portioned and contain just the right balance of protient, fiber, and carbohydrates that make us everyone to lose the weight we need. And last but not the least, the Weight Watchers where they are there to guide you to equip everyone to make the best and smart choices when dining out and also to guide you in detail with what weight loss program you have picked. In fact, I have known a co-blogger who used this kind of weight program and oh boy she got the ideal weight she had dreamed of and now she is satisfied and happy.

The key is choosing a healthy plan and sticking with it. Having one where the meals are chosen for you is not a bad idea if you're the indecisive type or are prone to falling victim to the unhealthy foods. Personally, you may want to try Medifast, as that is the one most people are recommending and finding success with.

If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

You know when you start a diet, you may have told your family and friends only to hear comments like 'that's great', or 'oh really, which one?'.  Often times, when family members hear about your diet plans, you are met with the same interest or support, especially if you're the on-again off-again type of dieter who falls prey to the fad diet of the month (lately it's been of the year).

However, if you can get the support of your family by getting them involved in a healthy lifestyle, as opposed to a diet, then your focus becomes more on living healthy together rather than you losing weight. Weight loss is the by-product of healthy actions and should not be the focus of them. When you put your focus on weight loss, you are not seeing what's most important about living at a healthy weight. And that is, health.  If you focus on living healthy, your body will respond and reward you with weight loss and improved fitness.  Everytime you select a food or beverage to put in your body, do it with the intention of giving your body what it needs, as opposed to feeding your mind what it wants.

You need nutrients from fruits and vegetables and whole grains and plenty of water, although you may be accustomed to and desire (want) chocolate, cake, cookies, ice cream, potato chips, fast food - addicitve foods no doubt. When you learn to choose the foods you'll put into your body based on how you want to feel - energetic, clear-headed, focused, light, fit - then eventually you will make the healthy choice, and it will become second nature. Here's more about how partners can help or hurt your weight loss effort --

For people trying to make a change in their diet, significant others generally play a positive and supportive role, but sometimes respond in negative ways, according to a study in the March/April Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Led by Judy Paisley, Ph.D., R.D., of Ryerson University, Toronto, the researchers looked at how significant others responded when their partners attempted to make a dietary change for health reasons. "For most pairs, the significant others' emotional and behavioral responses to the dietary change appeared to reflect the general dynamics of the relationship," says Dr. Paisley.  read more from Science Daily...

Comment: Weight loss is not easy. That's why you are better off in the long run to focus on healthy living.

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The Medifast Diet is one of the popular weight loss programs on the market today and this is a basic review of the Medifast diet. This is not a new diet, nor may it be a permanent diet for those seeking a healthy lifestyle, one that fits their life. It has been around for 27 years and has had plenty of success stories. It has been studied by several large universities and has been proven to be safe. The real question is whether or not it is helpful for making a transition to a healthy lifestyle.

Simply put, the Medifast weight loss program is a meal replacement program. Meal replacement is helpful when trying to decide on what to replace your unhealthy foods and meals with. Two of your meals are replaced with protein shakes or protein bars. You may not use Medifast in the long-term, but it's a good start for those who have an unhealthy diet now.

One of the things that makes the Medifast plan successful is the 5 and 1 plan. This plan consists of 5 Medifast meals and 1 lean and green meal. Being that you are eating 6 meals a day, you are eating every 2-3 hours. This will keep you from getting overly craving and binging, one the problems we notice that dieters have when trying to reach a weight loss goal.

The Medifast plan is low-calorie (about 1000-1400), low-carb and low-fat and has lots of good nutrition that is helpful to weight loss. Medifast meals include your choice of ague, soups, stew, oatmeal, chili, hot and cold drinks, scrambled eggs, bars and puddings. You can use any of these items for your 5 Medifast meals.

The nice matter hither and thither this program is it does not require much preparation or thinking for that trouble. These meals are easily portable and can be taken anywhere and prepared at any time. It is recommended that you have no more than 1 bar per day because of the carbs.

The lean and unskilful meal consists of 5-7 ounces of lean protein and 3 vegetables off the Medifast vegetable list. The Medifast plan offers some great resources to ensure your success, such as; message boards and a success tracker. They also have special plans for teenagers, seniors and diabetics.

Medifast offers some great discounts if you purchase 4 weeks of food at one time. They will give you two weeks free along with a few other goodies. Four weeks of food is priced at between $250-300, when you include the 2 weeks of free food, you are paying less than $7 a meal.

Medifast is available at special weight loss centers, but the easiest way to get Medifast meals is to order them online. Their website is secure and easy to use. There is a wealth of information and pecuniary means available through the Medifast weight loss site. The best part about this diet is many persons lose between 2-5 pounds a week if the program is followed the way it was designed. If you are looking for an easy method for safe weight loss, you should consider Medifast.

Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The subject of genetics and the connection to disease is often discussed, as technologies have advanced to the point of being able to detect gene mutations which may give individuals an idea of what diseases they may be predisposed to. But are we putting the cart before the horse? Does our daily choices and lifestyle habits contribute to possible genetic defects? Afterall, aren't our genes influenced by what we put into our bodies?

There are studies that show a healthy diet may in fact provide for less DNA disruption than an unhealthy diet. With the amount of free radicals drastically increasing over the years from unhealthy foods and environment, it is no wonder genetic defects could be the result. This is just a theory and has not been proven (to this author's knowledge). There are countless companies that now offer at-home tests to determine if you have any genetic defects and therefore higher likelihood of certain conditions or diseases.

Here's more from the Associated Press about the newest at-home test:

Dr. John Kelsoe has spent his career trying to identify the biological roots of bipolar disorder. In December, he announced he had discovered several gene mutations closely tied to the disease, also known as manic depression. Then Kelsoe, a prominent psychiatric geneticist at the University of California, San Diego, did something provocative for the buttoned-down world of academic medical research: He began selling bipolar genetic tests straight to the public over the Internet last month for $399.

His company, La Jolla-based Psynomics, joins a legion of startups racing to exploit the boom in research connecting genetic variations to a host of health conditions. More than 1,000 at-home gene tests have burst onto the market in the past few years. The proliferation of these tests troubles many public health officials, medical ethicists and doctors. The tests receive almost no government oversight, even though many of them are being sold as tools for making serious medical decisions. read more...

Comment: Do yourself a favor and decrease the risk of sickness and disease by improving your diet. Feeding your body the best nutrition you can and working with the "cards" you were dealt, will at least keep an additional factors from contributing to the likelihood of sickness and disease. A healthy diet should consist of more fruits and vegetables, as studies show most people are not getting any where near the minimum recommended daily amount.

HWI
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

Is it possible to live to be 120, 140, or even 160 years old? Certainly the current path we're on will not help the average lifespan go up any, but data seems to suggest that as humans we are capable of living past the century mark and more. According to the American Academy of Anti-Agin Medicine, one hundred and twenty two years, as far as we know, is the longest that anyone has ever lived (reference). Is it possible that with all of the changes to our food supply - the quality of the soil, genetically-modified seeds, hormones and other chemicals injected into animals, pollutants in the air, and the vast number of processed foods that are nutritionally-deficient - we are compromising our health and therefore the possibility of realizing a maximum lifespan?

A healthy diet and living at a normal weight with some level of fitness certainly is the first factor that must be considered with a longer lifespan. Health starts with proper nutrients in our diet, while minimizing the number of chemicals (that is, those things that are used in the food-manufacturing process, or added, or come by way of the air, water, or soil) that we consume. Yet, even those things aside, our technological advances may still provide humans the opportunity to reach ages that are far beyond the averages today. Dr. Roizen, co-author of You on a Diet and You the Owner's Manual, and You Staying Young, believes that the time is near for us to realize higher lifespans. Here's more from Dr. Roizen as reported on bizjournals.com --

By one doctor's reckoning, someday soon our ninth decade might be just the time for a mid-life crisis. "I think there's a real shot that within 15 years, it will be possible for us to conceive of a lifespan of 160," Dr. Michael Roizen, an expert on longevity, said in an interview this week. Roizen, who is chief wellness officer for the Cleveland Clinic, was in Cincinnati speaking to an audience of Western & Southern Financial Group employees. He's the creator of RealAge Inc., a consumer-health media company whose goal is to help people "live life to the youngest." The anesthesiologist and internist has also written several popular books, including "You: The Smart Patient." read on...

Comment: If you want to increase your chances for higher longevity, it starts with improving your health. Weight loss is an issue for many people (over 70% roughly), and adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet while ridding it of unhealthy foods is a good start. We are our own worst enemy when it comes to being healthy. Only by making healthier choices can we facilitate the change from too many unhealthy foods and beverages in our society, to more and better quality foods likes fruits and vegetables and similiarly healthy foods. Start your healthy diet plan and make plans for your century birthday!

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed. Remember, longevity is about taking action to support good health and that means preventing sickness and disease.

It turns out that not only does a healthy diet assist with supporting good health and preventing disease and therefore longevity, but so does have a higher education. That means that if you have a higher level of eduation - say for instance a Master's Degree - you are more likely to live longer. This could also be interpreted to mean that those who continue to learn and educate themselves, and that would include reading, studying, and being active in problem-solving - things that require some thinking and essentially exercising the brain - have more of a chance of living longer. Other studies have shown that those who remain active in their later years also may live longer, with the presumption that being "active" in turn keeps the mind 'sharp' and 'active'.  Here's more on a Harvard Study on the subject as reported by Rose Hoban --

Harvard University health policy researcher Ellen Meara says scholars have found some clues as to why some groups of people have more or less disease than others. She says one important factor in people's health is the amount of education they have. In her most recent paper, Meara looked at data from the United States census. These counts of people occur every 10 years. Meara and her colleagues examined data from several decades. "We looked at life expectancy at age 25," Meara says.

"How many additional years can you expect to live if you arrive at age 25 and your education has stopped at high school, or sooner? Versus how many years, can you expect to live if you've reached aged 25 and you've gone on to at least some college…" Meara says they found that in 1990, a 25-year-old who only had some secondary school could expect to live for a total of 75 years. In 2000, a 25 year old with some secondary education could also expect to live to the age of 75. In contrast, for a better educated 25-year-old, they could expect to live to the age of 80 in 1990. Someone with a similar education level in the year 2000, could expect to live to be more than 81 years, 81.6 years to be exact. read on...

Comment: While diet and exercise are important for the body's health, equally as important is exercising the brain. If you'd like a FREE audio - Secrets of the Fittest - to learn more about common traits and qualities of those who have optimal health of the mind, body, and spirit, go to http://www.vicebusting.com/ .One of the "secrets" is keeping the mind sharp and active by continue to educate yourself.

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

There are many sources that claim Calcium will not only help with weight loss, but also assist with keeping it off. While this is not a "one pill" solution for weight loss or good health, it does shed light on the importance of Caclium to a healthy diet. Here is a comprehensive lesson about Calcium that is worth the read, because it is the most abundant mineral in the body, and you need to know what sources are best for getting it in your diet.

Here are some quick facts: 99% of Calcium is in bones and teeth; 1% foudn throughout the body in blood, muscle, and the fluid between cells. Calcium plays a role in many functions of the body. Bone resorption and bone formation is a constant process with one side getting more activity as we age (you can guess which one that is!). The easiest source is from Dairy products, others are Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli. Milk provides the best absorbable form of Calcium. Vitamin D can help with its absorption. Weight-bearing exercise maximizes bone strength, not just getting enough Calcium. When the 1% is low, the body will take from the 99% in order to be sure that those important functions in the body are not compromised. read more from the National Institute of Health...

Comment: With so many claims about different minerals and vitamins playing important roles in a healthy body, it would be much wiser to focus on establishing a healthy diet before venturing off to start loading up on any one supplement. The problem of poor health and too much weight does not lie with a caclium deficiency, nor can it be pin-pointed to any one particular item. The true problem comes from consuming too many nutrient-free foods - that is, foods that provide little to no nutritional value - and too few nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables, and from this blog add to it healthy dairy sources. While this data is good to know because an educated dieter is more likely to make healthy choices than one who is not, it should go without saying that more focus should be spent on an overall healthy lifestyle.
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC
(Additional reference
More from WebMD

The Vice Busting Diet Plan is based on the premise that 9 out of 10 overweight or obese individuals have one or two poor nutritional habits that is/are responsible for the majority of their extra weight. In other words, the observations made by those of us at The Health & Wellness Institute over more than a decade indicates that most people have a habit of, for example, drinking soft drinks everyday; or for example, eating fast food everyday. The Vice Busting approach does not give exception to moderation with these unhealthy and high-calorie foods or beverages. In other words, busting them completely - that is, eliminating them from your diet - is the only way to ensure not only weight loss, maintaining weight loss and a healthy weight, but also maintaining good health. Our subjective look at the evidence tells us that when a 'dieter' is allowed to have one day of unhealthy or fattening foods, that one day eventually turns into 2 days, then 3 times a week... and, you get the picture. A complete "fall" off the proverbial wagon with all the weight, and sometimes more, coming back.  A few clients who used the Vice Busting Diet Plan suggested they might try the 'cheater's' approach and have their "busted" item just one day a week.

In order to find out if the vice busting approach was indeed valid, a green light was given to less than a handful of clients - 3 to be exact. Interestingly, more time went by than usual before contact was made with each. The reason was later discovered some 6 months later - each had gained back a substantial amount of weight. Although this group is obviously not large enough to substantiate any credible "research", it does offer some insight as to the power that these foods or beverages can have over our diet and willpower.

To further support the vice-busting approach, here is a study summary from Florida State University as reported in Best Life magazine's March 2008 edition (page 70):

Every time you resist a piece of pie or a bagel with extra cream cheese, you decrease your chances of being able to do it again. That's because the ability to control oneself wanes over time, according to a new study from FSU. The researchers determined that maintaining steady blood-sugar balance is important for self-control. "There are two ways to moderate blood sugar," says registered dietician Valerie Berkowitz. "First, eat foods that keep it stable, like peanut butter on a celery stick or other high-fiber foods. Second, exercise with weights to increase your muscle mass, because this will improve your body's ability to control blood-sugar spikes.

Now, at a glance this may not seem like direct evidence to support the vice busting approach. But the second factor in making vice busting work, is replacing the unhealthy food or beverage with a healthy one. This is what makes this diet plan work over other approaches, and will keep blood sugar levels from sea-sawing as the report suggests will continue to create urges for more of the same foods that will spike sugar levels.

Bottom line: foods that are healthy are ones that will keep blood sugar levels steady and will rid your body of the 'urge' to consume unhealthy ones. For this reason, water is the recommended beverage of choice.

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC
Note: If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight. Medifast is physician-developed.

A company that has the market on contributing to the overweight and obesity epidemic, not to mention the market on unhealthy and dangerous chemicals in their drinks, is bowing to the pressure of Mexicans to reformulate Coke Zero. Why? Because one of the chemicals in the drink is banned in many countries, including the US, yet is put in the drink is some 50 other countries where it's legal. You're better off not supporting a company - in any way - that puts dangerous chemicals in their drinks, continues to market them, and does not take an active role in changing when it is clear that Coca-Cola is contributing to the demise of the health of the world. Tooth decay, liver problems, headaches, stomach problems, fatigue, pancreatic stress, metabolic syndrome, thyroid issues... the list goes on.

While the chemical, sodium cyclamate, is present in Coke Zero in the countries that it is legal, this in no way gives the green light for its consumption. Just being legal sounds so far away from being 'good' or 'healthy' for the public.  There are plenty of "legal" liquids, chemicals, and other goods that aren't safe for consumption (let's start with cleaning products?), that you wouldn't dare put into your system.

So what is the replacement in lieu of the prohibition on sodium cyclamate? Certainly it must be better. Nope, just another chemical but legal - aspartame. If you haven't heard about the damaging effects of aspartame because you've been living under a rock for the past 10 years, then here are some links you may want to check out that give you a clear indicator of the ill-effects of aspartame:

Or watch this video about how a Fox News team's story was 'axed' by 'higher' powers:

The chemicals used in processing foods and beverages is rampant and are causing a serious backlash on the health of society. The future of mankind is more influenced by what we use to make, put in, or add to the foods and beverages we consume. Without individual effort to ban such products, the problem will only continue to escalate.  It's all about the money, with no concern for the health and wellness of people.

It is possible that the increase in Flu around the world is more due to the lower resistance that more citizens experience due to a compromised immune system just as much or more than the mear existence of different strains of the flu virus. A healthy society is built on the foundation of good nutrition. Without it, there is the possiblity that we will render ourselves extinct.

You can start by choosing more fruits and vegetables for your diet and less fast foods. The amount of beef sold through a window is staggering, not to mention unhealthy for the consumer and for the Earth. Make way for gardens, vineyards, and orchards, so that we can be healthy and prosper. The choice is yours.

The Health & Wellness Institute, DC PC

In honor of Jessica Simpson singing "these shoes were made for walking..." (you know the rest), this blog is titled 'this pill was made for losing...' despite the dangers associated with it's use. It seems in addition to the many dangerous and unhealthy ways that celebrities use to keep food out of their mouths, their energy levels (artificially) high, and their bodies lean, that Adderall is the drug that is common to the purses of the Stars. The list includes names like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britney, and many others. The few mentioned don't seem to be associated with a healthy lifestyle or a law-abiding one given the arrests and unruly public behavior displayed.

If you have considered weight loss drugs for the obvious reasons, keep in mind the side-effects (actually, effects that are unwanted yet not uncommon), and the fact that health doesn't mean having a trimmer body, but more about the healthy foods that you have to consume. Yes, 'have to' - fruits and vegetables, namely.

Although our very attractive celeb Jessica Simpson is pictured, there is no evidence as of yet that would suggest she is on this unhealthy bandwagon. You would think looking at her figure that this would be the case. Afterall, she is not skin and bones but curvaceous and healthy-looking relative to many. Here is the article on the use of Adderall by many celebs. The one thing to note for those of you who will still take the risk and try it, "while [it] creates a slimming effect in the short-term, after a while, users report a sudden and uncontrollable weight gain. Having tampered with the natural metabolism, the drugs stop working." That doesn't sound like the result you want! -- (from News.com.au) --

Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson, who has trained Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, and Penelope Cruz, told the Daily Mail: "I had one actress training with me four times a week in addition to daily exercise bike classes. When the Press asked how she'd 'transformed' her body, she said: 'Oh, I do yoga and hike with my dog.' It makes me laugh." When Lindsay Lohan was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, police said they found cocaine in her pocket, report the Daily Mail.

Paris Hilton recently admitted to U.S. talk show host Larry King that she takes Adderall for attention deficit disorder. Both drugs are often used by women looking to lose weight. Hollywood's party girls always seem to have access to certain drugs known to help shed pounds. At the moment, Adderall is the latest diet drug craze in Hollywood, and the number of celebrities addicted to it continues to rise.

Just about every female celebrity arrested - from Paris to Nicole, from Lindsay to Britney Spears - has had prescription Adderall in her handbag. It keeps you awake while killing the appetite. For the jet-set, hard-partying girl it has become the miracle pill - one, however, with potentially dangerous consequences. read the full report...

Comment: A healthy body starts with a healthy diet. Don't risk your life and health on a quick fix that is long on promises and short on results.

HWI
If you are interested in a meal plan to assist with your weight loss, Medifast provides a diet that makes it easy to plan the foods and meals you will eat. Click here - Medifast - to try the Medifast diet meal plan to help you get started losing weight.