Healthy Choice

Millions of people worldwide look to diet and/or lose weight every year. However, on the flip side there are millions of men, women, and children suffering from a lack of food, or starvation. How is it that people can spend thousands of dollars on weight loss programs, to lose the unwanted pounds, all the while these people are literally starving to death?

My friends at the Help End Hunger Now Foundation, in their weekly hunger report, explains chronic hunger and the affects it has on the masses that are suffering from it throughout the world. The Help End Hunger Foundation is an organization founded on the principles of ending this chronic hunger crisis, while at the same time, promoting healthier and more nutritious eating habits.

Below is the complete article explaining what many people are facing and serious facts about chronic hunger. If you’re looking to lose weight or looking for a weight loss program, because of your bad eating habits, I pray that you will take to heart the information in the article, and take action to not only help yourself, but to help the many people that need help now.

Chronic Hunger by The Help End Hunger Now Foundation

What Causes Chronic Hunger?

You may be surprised to learn that it has little to do with food shortages. Global supplies of food far outstrip demand. Chronic hunger affects more than 800 million people in the world and it is, in and of itself, a potentially deadly condition.

The Effects of Chronic Hunger

Chronic hunger — or food insecurity — is as devastating to families, communities, and countries as is famine. Chronic hunger claims more victims than famine each year — by far.

Effects of chronic hunger include:

High Infant-Mortality Rates. Malnourished women are more likely to be sick, have smaller babies, and die earlier, resulting in high levels of infant mortality in areas where chronic hunger is a problem. And where infant and child mortality is high, birth rates are also high, locking these communities in a vicious cycle of malnutrition and death. Vulnerability to Common Illnesses. More than two million children die every year from dehydration caused by diarrhea. A malnourished child often lacks the strength to survive a severe case of diarrhea.

Increased Risk of Infection.

A malnourished child has a weakened immune system, making the child more vulnerable to infection. Infections cause lack of appetite and further compromise the child’s ability to fight off recurrent and lingering infections. Impediments to Development. Chronic hunger deprives children of the essential proteins, micronutrients and fatty acids they need to grow adequately. Globally, it is estimated that nearly 226 million children are stunted — shorter than they should be. In addition, stunted children score significantly lower on intelligence tests than do normal children.

Impediments to Economic Growth.

For the nearly 67 million children who weigh less than they should due to chronic hunger, completing school is an unlikely reality. Studies have shown that underweight children will probably spend fewer years in school, which, in turn, has a measurable impact on how much they earn in adulthood. ***END of ARTICLE***

Some reports state that there are approximately 50 million Americans who go on a diets each year – yet only 5 percent keep the weight they lose off. Many people trying to lose weight continually struggle to find an effective weight loss method, yet millions of people are starving to death. Why? Awareness!

I would have to believe that most people do not know what’s happening around the world, let alone in their own neighborhood. And I believe it all starts with awareness. Being aware of the problems facing, not only, our neighborhood and/or nation, but other countries around the world is the first step towards ending the world hunger problem, not to mention obesity.

If you’re looking to lose weight, or looking for a weight loss program try TriVita’s Leanology. If you’d like to lose weight and help end hunger around the world at the same time, contact the Help End Hunger Now Foundation.

I hope this article has increased awareness within your heart to the challenges of the world. If it has, I now challenge you to take action, and do something about it. Remember, awareness has to precede action; once we are aware of the problem, we can then take action. I hope you accept this challenge, so we can End Hunger Now!

To learn more about weight loss or TriVita, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

For many years now, the number one New Year’s resolution has been weight loss, and it seems like it hasn’t changed this year (2010).

I was watching some television over the holidays and many shows had surveys regarding your number one New Year’s resolution. And overwhelmingly, the number one answer was losing weight. Does that surprise you? Well, if you’re like me, it should not be a big surprise, since obesity is running rampant over our culture.

It don’t have to look very far to see how fat we, as a society have become, and I’m not immune to this phenomenon. Yes, that’s right I could stand to lose a few pounds also, especially after all the holiday parties. So, how do we get started to shed those unwanted pounds? Well, Brazos Minshew, Chief Science Officer of TriVita, has written an article for the TriVita Weekly Wellness Report giving us some simple and effective ways to to lose weight. I posted the article in its entirety.

How to Jump-Start Your Weight Loss by Brazos Minshew

Weight loss is the number one "resolution" people make when they decide to improve their health. When weight loss occurs it comes from a loss of body mass: water, fat, lean body tissue and bones. Wouldn’t it be great to focus weight loss on fat only? It certainly would. In fact, weight loss that selectively targets fat and preserves or increases lean body tissues and bones is the only way to permanently lose weight.

Sounds difficult, right? Well, don’t worry: We have a solution!

Suicidal weight loss
Many people lose weight rapidly by starving themselves. I call this suicidal weight loss for three reasons:

1. Rapid weight loss is water loss; water loss is dehydration and dehydration is death.
2. Rapid weight loss comes from lean body tissue (brain, heart, muscle, collagen, etc.). Sarcopenia (age-related loss of lean body tissue) is death.
3. Rapid weight loss comes from bone. Bone loss is osteoporosis; osteoporosis kills more women in North America than breast cancer!

Rapid weight loss by starving yourself is slow suicide.

Lifetime weight control
An alternative to this kind of weight loss madness is to select a strategy that focuses on weight loss from fat only. This is not done by accident. We must select fat loss by choice. This choice implies knowledge; knowledge means that we must learn the lesson of obesity and battle it for the rest of our lives.

Calories – Obesity in simplistic terms is about consuming more calories than you burn in a single day. Multiply these extra calories over time and you have what we all see: an obesity epidemic. However, it is not merely the number of calories we eat; we must include the right kind of calories for lifetime weight control. Organizations such as the American Heart Association and the America Cancer Society recommend eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily (5 for children, 7 for women and 9 for men). These are the best calories.

Movement – Our body is made to move. Daily exercise is necessary for lifetime weight control and targeted fat loss. Aerobic training for 30 minutes on most days of the week and weight training (resistance training) 2 to 5 times per week will keep the fires of your metabolism burning fat.

Other tips:

• Deep breathing for 20 minutes daily reduces fat-building hormones like cortisol.
• Get your sleep: The less you sleep, the more you will weigh.
• Eat small meals: Eating more than 400 calories at a single meal causes our cells to suffocate from insulin.

Why supplementation is important
Taking certain supplements can help you lose weight, but you really have to be careful! One supplement that was heavily advertised on television was shown to cause 74% weight loss from lean body tissue. Another supplement that seemed to be the most popular weight loss supplement of the time caused 55% lean body loss. That is suicidal weight loss!

Beneficial supplements exist. For example, Leanology Weight Loss Capsules were studied in a top-of-the-line, scientific clinical trial through Arizona State University. They were shown to reduce weight entirely from fat! Yes, 100% of the weight loss came from fat!

Also, the plant antioxidant ECGC (found in Energy Now!) can increase metabolism by over 200 calories per gram.

My favorite fat loss supplement to "jump-start" a weight loss program is Vital C. This is primarily because of the nature of fat: a toxic dumping ground for chemicals and poisons your body could not eliminate. Vital C is a pH-balanced form of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Ascorbic acid neutralizes many of the toxins we store in our fat cells. For rapid weight loss that targets fat cells, use a Vitamin C Flush, Energy Now! and, especially, Leanology.

Conclusion
Good health only comes from healthy living. Take time to learn the rules of healthy living. Practice healthy habits every day. Soon, the "deposits" you make into your health account will begin to yield real dividends: a lean body functioning at peak efficiency!

***End of Article***

If you would like to learn about the products Mr. Minshew mentioned in his article, please click on the TriVita Products link. Finding the right products to help you lose weight the right way is very important. So many weight loss products either do not work, or cause more harm than good. Do your due-diligence, and find a product that will work for you.

If you’re worried about taking supplements, contact your healthcare professional and/or your doctor, and ask their opinion. If you New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, let’s start the New Year off on the right foot and take action that will deliver the results.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

As we approach January 2010 many of our new year’s resolutions will begin to take shape. A large grop of individuals will probably start to think about getting in shape and losing weight. As this is the case almost every year, I would imagine that it’s no different this year.

With that said I feel it’s a good time to share TriVita’s latest Wellness Report with you. So, if exercise and weight loss are on your radar screen for the coming year, this report, written by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, should help you get started on the right track.

Calories: Time to Burn!
by Brazos Minshew

You may prefer to start with an exercise program and then add in dietary changes. Or you may want to do it the other way around. If you’re really motivated, you may want to start both the exercise and diet segments simultaneously.

Your diet
Very few aspects of your life are as emotionally charged as securing your right to choose for yourself. From early childhood until today, one of the most frequent choices you make concerns your diet. You must have choices and they must be your own. Recognize that restricting yourself from available choices goes against your very nature. A restrictive diet is doomed to failure. Select a diet that is uncomplicated and appealing to you and you will have a greater chance for success.

The first challenge we face in diet selection is committing to the discipline of thinking ahead instead of eating impulsively. So, start with something small and attainable:

• Many health experts recommend fresh fruits and vegetables daily
• 5 servings for children
• 7 servings for women
• 9 servings for men
• Add high quality protein to your diet
• Drink plenty of water

These are easy steps that you can accomplish today! Remember, the time you spend selecting the right diet for yourself is an investment in your health and your future. Give it the attention it deserves.

Calories in – calories OUT!
We must burn more calories than we consume in order for weight loss to occur.

Exercise is the key to permanent, lifetime weight control. There is no way around it. However, exercise does not have to be a punishment; it can really be pleasurable. The key is finding something you enjoy doing. I suggest that you start with three forms of activity; this prevents exercise boredom. Add more activities every month. Get in the habit of participating in at least 30 minutes of activity every day.

There are basically two types of exercise that you need every week:

1. Aerobic exercise is defined as any activity that increases your need for oxygen. Aerobics make you breathe harder. You need at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week.

   Aerobic exercise can balance hormones, relieve anxiety and depression, and mobilize your energy for the great works of your life. Aerobic exercise speeds up your metabolism.

   But where does metabolism originate? It comes from your lean body mass your muscles! That is the domain of resistance training.

2. Progressive resistance training is defined as any exercise where the load to the muscle is increased by some mechanical means – weights, bands, springs, and many other methods. The key is to progressively increase the weight or resistance over time. This results in more lean body mass and less fat mass. If you increase your muscle strength, you increase the "engines" that produce muscle energy. Nothing builds metabolism (muscle energy) as well as progressive resistance training.

Supplements for weight loss
The Leanology Smart Weight Loss System can also be an important part of your weight loss plan. For many people it represents the critical difference between success and failure in lifetime weight control.

• Fat burning capsules Leanology Weight Loss Capsules help increase metabolism and energy to support your body’s ability to burn more calories. Plus, they help limit cortisol production – the stress-induced hormone that can lead to abdominal fat.

• Snack replacement chews Leanology Appetite Control Chews contain ingredients that are clinically proven to help curb the appetite.
• Nutritional shakes Leanology Nutritional Shakes can be used as a low calorie meal substitute; they provide a healthy balance of wholesome carbohydrates, proteins, good fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

However, you must always remember that these are supplements; they supplement a healthy diet and exercise program. Use them wisely as an important part of your total wellness program.

To learn more about weight loss or TriVita, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Maintaining your weight especially during the holiday season can be quite difficult. Stress related situations surrounding the holiday season can cause one to eat more often, which leads to extra pounds. Avoiding stressful situations, learning how to eat more healthily, and exercising will not only help you maintain your weight, but could lead to weight loss.

Stress can be caused by many different things. However, when it comes to the holidays, family, shopping, and meal preparation are the leading candidates of stress. To avoid becoming overly stressed out by these “big three”, take it to God and ask Him to help you through each situation. If there are unresolved hurts from the past, ask God to help you forgive that person, and then enjoy them for who they are. Remember, none of us are perfect, and forgiveness can be the best medicine.

Weight loss is possible during the holidays if you continue to exercise, and avoid junk food if stressful situations do arise. Continued exercise will not only help you burn excess calories, but it will also help relieve stress. "Exercise can decrease ’stress hormones’ like cortisol, and increase endorphins, your body’s ‘feel-good’ chemicals, giving your mood a natural boost."[1] And we all know, when you do rigorous exercise, you burn calories, which can lead to weigh loss.

Another way to lose weight is to use TriVita’s three step weight loss system, Leanology®. Leanology® shakes provide high quality proteins and Leanology nutritional chews contain specific fats to help turn off hunger signals and to help thwart cravings. Leanology weight loss capsules help reduce body weight and fat and are made with natural, stimulant-free ingredients including Converta™, The Fat Burning Accelerator.

A special weight-loss nutrient is Vitamin D. Most people would make enough Vitamin D with 20 minutes of sunshine morning and evening with 40% of their skin exposed to the sun’s rays. Vitamin D also acts as a weight loss nutrient by balancing the blood sugar, reducing your appetite and improving human metabolism. This essential vitamin also improves your immune system.

People are exposed to less sunshine during the wintertime. This problem becomes worse the further north we go because of the shorter winter days in northern latitudes. Add the extra sun-blocking-layers of clothes to combat cold temperatures to the use of Vitamin D-blocking sunscreen and it is easy to see why people overeat, gain extra weight and even suffer seasonal illness because of a compromised immune system during the winter.

"To combat these very real circumstances that result in weight gain during the holidays we simply must take supplemental Vitamin D. Leanology® caps contain 750 IU of Vitamin D per six capsules. I suggest taking six capsules daily to supply a minimum level of Vitamin D during winter and to curb the appetite." [2]

To learn more about weight loss or TriVita, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
TriVita Independent Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

Sources:
[1] http://stress.about.com/od/programsandpractices/a/exercise.htm
[2] http://www.trivita.com/trivita-mailings/wwr/2009/November/20091121/0149-overeating-pf.html?tref=12871028&sid=4396

If your having trouble losing weight, could it be your mother or father’s fault? According to the authors of a British study, "children are more likely to become obese when their same-gender parent is obese."

The researchers from Peninsula Medical School studied 226 families. Here’s where the link to your mother or father, regarding your weight comes in; "they found that the daughters of obese mothers were more likely to struggle with weight problems.&quot They also "found that the sons of obese fathers ran a higher risk of becoming obese " (Perez-Pastor EM et al. 2009).

So you have to look no further than your mother or father when it comes to your weight. However, if you’re a man, you may be able to blame the weight on him, and if you’re a woman, you may be able to place the blame on your mother. The reason I say this is because the authors of that study "did not find the same link between mothers and sons or between fathers and their daughters."

Now, before you go blaming your mother or father on your weight problems, your may want to first start by looking into the mirror. Not all the time, because genetics (we won’t get into that in this article) does have a lot to do with it, it’s the person in the mirror that needs to take responsibility for their own eating habits, and weight loss and/or weight management strategies.

I know it’s easier to point your finger and say it’s that person’s fault, but we need to become more responsible for the food we eat, and our daily activities. Typically, if the parents are lazy, or couch potatoes, the children will be the same. Some how, some way, that pattern has to be broken. And the best way to break the pattern is by starting with self.

When you were growing up, who did you look up to? More than likely, your parents were your role models. Little girls liked to hang with their mothers, and boys loved to hang with their fathers, and I believe that’s what this study is all about. It’s about learning, or becoming, like your mother and/or father.

Included in that study, their research showed that &quot”the risks of obesity among eight year old girls were 10 times greater if their mother was obese. With boys, the risk of obesity was six times greater if their father was obese. And compared to the apparent influence exerted by the weight of their same-gender parent, the weight of the children measured at the age of eight bore no significant relationship to their birth weight."

Here are the results, if you were thinking your weight problem was all genetics. The findings in this study suggests that "childhood obesity is not primarily caused by genetic traits passed down by same-gender parents."

As I’ve mentioned, it’s not all genetics. We pick up the same "good" and/or "bad" habits from the people that influence our lives the most. And as a child, most likely, it was your parents. Just as the authors of the study wrote,

"Childhood obesity today seems to be largely confined to those whose same-sex parents are obese, and the link does not seem to be genetic. Parental obesity, like smoking, might be targeted in the interests of the child." (Perez-Pastor EM et al. 2009).

I would think that this finding (above all others) seems very important because it may mean that w as parents can reduce our same-gender child’s risk of obesity by losing weight ourselves. That’s what I’m trying to communicate in this article. If we take a long hard look into the mirror, we may find the source of the real problem.

This should not be news to anyone of us. However, it may be something that we are just hiding from, or something we don’t want to deal with. If we are going to break the pattern of obesity in our family, you may have to take a stand, and take action. Weight loss does not have to be painful or even a chore. We just have to use common sense. Weight loss can all start by eating healthier meals, and becoming more active – put down the television remote control and go for a walk.

If you’ve tried diet plans before and they didn’t work, give TriVita’s Leanology® a try. What do you have to loose?

To learn more about weight loss or TriVita, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Sources:

• http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article001572970.cfm?x=bgb4LV2,bfv5gTb0
• Temple JL, Wrotniak BH, Paluch RA, Roemmich JN, Epstein LH. Relationship between sex of parent and child on weight loss and maintenance in a family-based obesity treatment program. Int J Obes (Lond). 2006 Aug;30(8):1260-4. Epub 2006 Feb 21.

In this weeks TriVita Wellness Report by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, focus is placed on stress and how it relates to obesity. Many of us struggle with stress on a daily basis. Their are many reasons we get stressed out, including the aging process, weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight, and most importantly, our health.

If your life is filled with stress, Mr. Minshew has some god advice for you. If you’re struggling to lose weight, I have some good advice for you. Continue to read. I’ve included Mr. Minshew’s article in its entirety.

The Obesity/Stress Connection

I used to envision a chronic worrier as jittery, emaciated and gaunt. You know, the "Barney Fife" type. But now, I know that the person enduring unimaginable stress is more likely to be obese – even morbidly obese. This is a physiological reaction from the immune system and the process of homeostasis (the process that pulls us back together when stress is pulling us apart).

Worry is the stress that pulls us apart. However, worry goes beyond the mental and emotional process that causes distress. For example, did you know that your muscles also worry?

What is worry?

Worry is the process of anticipating events or outcomes that are possible but unknown. For example, we are all worried about our health and the health of loved ones. As long as no distressing symptoms occur, our level of worry is minimal. However, a new pain or ache, a lump or bump, a change that is not anticipated sends our "worrier" into overdrive.

The recent downturn in the world economy has created fertile soil as a new source of worry.

The process of worry is basically the same whether the concern is large or small, for ourselves or others we care about:

1. Our senses carry information to us from outside or inside our body. These are our five senses (touch, taste, sound, smell and sight) plus our intuition – the ability to "fill in the blanks" of the unknown based on our experience and intellect.
2. We project what may happen in the future and assess whether or not we have the resources needed to cope with anticipated outcomes.

Scientists have discovered that our muscles adhere to the same process: They project what may happen in the future based on past activity levels and assess whether or not they have the resources needed to cope. This is "muscle worry."

Worry is a survival mechanism because it allows us to forecast with some accuracy what resources we may soon need. We do this through our experience and intellect. With a bad experience or two in our history, we may also get into the habit of always predicting bad outcomes. This is called "catastrophic thinking" because we anticipate catastrophes from even normal, everyday events. So, a simple fever is bubonic plague and a skin rash must be Ebola virus!

To prepare for these awful events we may initiate the fight or flight response, releasing copious amounts of adrenaline. Or, based on past failures to cope, we may select an opposite response called learned helplessness, releasing immune-suppressing hormones and chemicals.

What is the obesity link?

Interestingly, worry has an effect on our appetite and metabolism. For example, when worry triggers the fight or flight stress response, our liver will dump enormous amounts of sugar into our bloodstream. Our pancreas will also secrete huge amounts of insulin into our system to carry that sugar into the muscles to fight-or-flee as a response to the emergency. In chronic worry we simply never get to use all that energy and the hormone cortisol stores it in the fat cells of our abdomen, etc. These fluctuations in metabolism will often create eating binges where we feel we can’t get satisfied no matter how much we eat.

Both fight-or-flight and learned helplessness trigger your body (especially your muscles, your "muscle worry") to anticipate future energy use. So, the muscles and adipose (fat) tissues store energy as fat and the result is that you gain weight. Stress and worry all by themselves can create obesity – even if you eat a perfect diet!

What to do

• Recognizing the problem is always the first step. This is difficult because we live in a stressful world; there are real dangers requiring fight-or-flight responses. Also, people really do get sick with catastrophic illness, though not so many get bubonic plague or Ebola virus! It would be foolish to ignore danger signals and face real catastrophe. That said, the majority of the things we worry about never happen, do they? Train yourself to appraise situations correctly to reduce stress and worry (see the article "Think Therapy" below). Recognize that stress and worry elicit powerful hormones that need to be discharged. Exercise is the best way to get rid of these pesky hormones. And even three deep breaths can reduce the anxiety you feel when stressed.
• Nutrition plays a vital role in breaking the stress/worry/obesity connection. First, adaptogens interrupt the cycle of stress and allow us to face our challenges with renewed resources; we will be able to cope with more issues with the greater resources provided by adaptogens. Next, specific nutrients found in Leanology® capsules break the cortisol cycle and discourage our body from storing "worry" in our fat cells!

The day-to-day stresses we face will not end. And for the present, there will always be another world tragedy looming on the horizon, such as an economic downturn. Learn to appraise them without panicking. Build a bulwark against stress with adaptogens. Help break the cycle of cortisol with Leanology capsules. Learn and live the 10 Essentials for lifetime wellness!

I’ve always liked the advice, "recognizing the problem is always the first step", because until we realize we have a problem, we will do nothing about it. Before we can take a step (step number two) in the right direction, we need to know the direction.

Many of us do not know that we are overweight. It’s not until we get on the scale, or check our body mass index (BMI) that we realize that we have a problem with our weight. Once we understand that there is a problem, we can do something about it. As with weight loss, it will not happen until we understand the problem and take a step to do something about it.

Mr. Minshew mentioned Leanology as a means to "discourage our body from storing "worry" in our fat cells." Although that may be true, Leanology is one of the easiest weight loss systems to follow and one that is proven scientifically.

If you’re looking to lose weight, relieve stress, and live a healthier lifestyle, take our advice. To learn more about TriVita, or Leanology, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

If you struggle with maintaining a health weight, you may want to find a weight loss program that works, and one that can help you keep the weight off. Obesity is affecting a large portion of our population in the U.S., which is causing, not only, stress on our healthcare system, but also stress on your body. Here’s an article which mentions how weight is related to healthy insides.

Diet Directly Connected to Keeping Insides Healthy
By Jane Hart, MD

Healthnotes Newswire (October 1, 2009) Another study weighs in on the importance of diet and finds that eating healthfully may prevent the return of growths known as adenomatous polyps that increase the risk of colon cancer. In fact, the study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that strictly following a low-fat, high-fiber, and high-fruit-and-vegetable diet may prevent the return of polyps by as much as 35%.

Strict diet reduces risk In this study, researchers analyzed data from 1,905 participants in the US Polyp Prevention Trial examining the effects of following a dietary intervention on polyp recurrence in people with prior history.

Researchers monitored the effects of a low-fat, high-fiber, high-fruit-and-vegetable diet on polyp recurrence over a four year period using food frequency questionnaires and colonoscopy screening tests.

People who strictly followed the prescribed diet had 35% reduced odds of any polyp recurrence and 50% reduced odds of multiple or advanced recurrence compared with people who didn’t follow a dietary intervention (control group). There was no difference in recurrence between people who had poor compliance with the diet and the control group.

"These results suggest that consistent adherence to a low-fat, high-fiber, and high-fruit and [high]-vegetable diet may be effective in preventing recurrence of colorectal adenomas and possibly in preventing colorectal cancer," said Leah B. Sansbury, lead study author from the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

Tips for preventing colon cancer Adults, especially those over age 50, should take steps toward preventing this common disease. Here are some prevention tips:

• Be aware of risk factors. Common risk factors for colon cancer include a prior history of colon cancer or polyps, a family history of colon cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. People over 50 years old and African Americans are also at increased risk. An inactive lifestyle, high-fat diet, smoking, and excessive alcohol drinking may also increase a person’s risk.
• See a doctor for colon screening tests. There are a number of ways a doctor may monitor you for colon cancer including sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy screenings (the doctor uses a scope to examine your colon), checking your stool for blood, and ordering blood tests to see if there are signs of bleeding as suggested, for instance, by a low iron or low red blood cell count.
• See a doctor right away if you see blood in your stools. Blood in your stools or on toilet paper is a sign that something is wrong. The cause of the bleeding may be as simple as hemorrhoids but may also be caused by a bleeding polyp or colon or rectal cancer.
• Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. As research studies suggest, eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables and getting plenty of regular exercise may both be important steps to decrease the risk of colon cancer.
  (Am J Epidemiol 2009;170:576-584)

The bottom line: Lose weight…live a healthier life. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. However, if you never thought about your weight, the importance of weight loss, and/or your health, I hope you got something from the article.

Weight loss is not difficult, and should not be a burden, or stressful, to your life. We have enough stress throughout the day, and losing weight should not be a part of it. That’s why I recommend TriVita’s Leanology for natural simple weight loss.

Leanology is a simple 3-step system that helps you lose weight naturally. Leanology offers the most advanced system of weight loss products on the market. Leanology products are scientifically-formulated and physician-approved. They are natural, nutrient based, and contain no stimulants. Leanology has been clinically-proven for optimal, healthy weight loss. The Leanology system of products is convenient and easy to use!

TriVita is dedicated to helping people pursue healthy living. A trusted health solutions provider since 1999, they develop nutritional products and offer health and wellness services that support the whole person – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

To learn more about weight loss or TriVita, click on the previous links.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

A recent study shows that "obese people with sleep apnea who lose 10% of their weight have a good chance of improving their condition." [1] This is great news, but I have to ask a couple of questions. 1. What measures can be taken to lose that ten percent? 2. Do weight loss systems work? Let’s first take a look at sleep apnea, benefits of losing weight, and then we’ll get into my questions.

The study’s lead author, Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia says that "this is good news because it shows that a little bit of weight loss can go a long way when it comes to improving sleep apnea." [1]

What is sleep apnea? The American Sleep Apnea Association describes it this way:

The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." There are three types of apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, obstructive is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea, as the name implies, is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing, but consequently sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality. [2]

Although getting a better night of sleep helps the body to function at a higher degree, there are so many more benefits associated to weight loss than better rest. According to the Life Clinic website, "reducing your weight by 5-10 percent can decrease your chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke. You can improve your heart function, blood pressure and your levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides." [3]

All of this weight loss talk is great news, but what measures can be taken to lose that first five to ten percent, and then help someone maintain their weight once it’s been lost? That brings me to my next question; do weight loss systems work? Many systems make claims that they work, but many of these systems fail to provide scientific proof.

One weight loss system that is scientifically formulated and physician approved, is TriVita’s Leanology. Leanology’s products are natural, nutrient based, and contain no stimulants. Leanology has been clinically proven for optimal, healthy weight loss. The 3-Step Value Pack is easy to follow and convenient!

If losing weight has been a problem – Leanology may provide the solution to your weight loss problem. Listen to what people are saying about Leanology.

"I once thought of myself as lean, but now felt heavy. I woke up one morning to see an obese individual looking back at me in the mirror. I knew the only solution to avoid heart disease and other health problems was to diet. I heard about TriVita’s Leanology program. I used the vanilla and chocolate flavored nutritional shakes for a little under five months, and my results were surprising! I went down to 160 pounds!"
Jason F. Scottsdale, AZ

"I’ve lost 30 pounds… I really like the new me! My weight loss started off modestly, but once I invested in the Leanology shakes and capsules, the weight started to peel off. Over the next five months I lost 30 pounds and I have managed to keep it off ever since!"
Rose D. Vanderhoof, BC

To learn more about Leanology’s weight loss system, click on the image below.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729

Sources:
[1] www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-09-28-obesity-apnea_N.htm?csp=34
[2] www.sleepapnea.org/info/index.html
[3] www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/losing-weight.asp

Have you ever been asked the question, how do you eat an elephant? If not, I’m sure you heard it somewhere before. However, the answer may not surprise you – one bite at a time!

When it comes to setting goals, setting and achieving worthwhile goals is the key to lasting happiness. Some goals seem so large that they must be comparable to eating an elephant – just too big to even know how to begin. Weight loss can be that challenging for many. Looking at the BMI chart and knowing how far you have to go can be discouraging. Don’t sweat – there is some good news. Losing just a little can have profound health benefits.

When it comes to eating that elephant, you want to take small bites. The same goes for weight loss – if you are overweight or obese, set a goal to lose only 10% of your body weight. That’s all – just 10%. Meeting this goal will give you most of the health benefits and much of the energy you will need to improve your life substantially.

It’s often said that weight loss is simple, just not easy. Many experts tout the "calories in – calories out" formula as if it were Holy Scripture. I first heard this as the prescription for weight loss when I was a teenager. Now, here I am well over 50 years of age and I still hear it almost daily. In those intervening decades we have experienced an explosion of obesity. So, merely repeating the same formula over and over is clearly not working!

What does work is having a purpose. The reason purpose works is because it ignites passion, passion that ones from within. Purpose defines the reason for effort – for example, the reason we want to lose weight. At the same time, passion translates that sense of purpose into action, it gets one moving in the right direction. Ok, it is true that some people want to lose weight for reasons that do not require much passion, like necessity. Cosmetic weight loss may be one example and disease prevention may be another.

With purpose, it requires a plan. Keep these simple objectives (SMART Goals) in mind when setting goals of any type:

• Specific
• Measureable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

If you take that sense of purpose, fuel it with your passion, and structure a plan, you will accomplish your mission. Yes, it’s that simple!

Purpose, passion, plan and mission are successful strategies when it comes to weight loss, or any other life-changing task. These strategies have withstood the test of time and continue to work today. Now, this is not as simple as "calories in – calories out." But it is easy. And it works with the way we function as human beings: with purpose!

To reach your SMART goals you will likely need better health and more energy. Did you know that even modest amounts of weight loss can provide you with substantial improvements in vitality? Use the Body Mass Index (BMI) Chart to calculate your BMI.

If your BMI calculation is over 25, consider making it a SMART goal to lose 10% of your body weight. Losing just 10% of your body weight as fat can help improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, digestion and metabolism. You will have more energy, better self-esteem and a more optimistic view of life in general.

Remember, the elephant you’re trying to eat, so to speak, is not weight loss itself. Trimming down gives you more energy to do the things that matter to you the most. Weight loss is a means to an end: a means to living a life of purpose. So, as a milestone on your goal toward a life of purpose, set a 10% reduction in weight as a SMART goal. Use a body composition scale to make sure that you are losing only fat, not lean tissue like muscles, bones and brain. You will need those as assets in your journey.

TriVita’s Leanology® body-composition program was thoroughly reviewed in an Arizona State University study. Researchers found that with Leanology, 100% of the weight loss came from fat – none from vital, energy-producing organs.

So, do you know how to eat an elephant? The answer is still "one bite at a time," only now we see that there must be a valid reason for eating the elephant in the first place! Don’t try to eat the elephant all at once and don’t try to do it alone. Purpose, passion, plan and mission are the stuff of life. Yet, life is about balance. As humans, we Love, we Play, we Work and we Worship. Our manner of life should reflect these priorities.

Jeffrey Sloe
TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729
Additional Weight Loss Information

*Content courtesy of the Weekly TriVita Wellness Report, written by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer (www.trivita.com/trivita-mailings/wwr/2009/September/20090912/0139-losingWeight-pf.html?tref=12871028&sid=4297).

I’m always looking to get information out to individuals interested in losing weight. For some, it’s an ongoing problem. For others, they never have to worry about their weight. Is it based on a person’s metabolism, diet, or could it be based on demographics – were that person lives?

In one of the weekly health newsletters I receive, there was a snippet that mentioned a new study that says "your health may pay the price for urban living." I’ve included that whole article in this posting, and would like to share it with you.

"According to a 2007 report, more than 50 percent of the American population lives in urban areas. And it’s estimated that almost 3 billion of the world’s population live in cities rather than rural areas."

"Without exposure to green spaces and nature, our mental health can suffer, causing depression, anger, decreased energy levels, declining mental skills and a drop-off of activity levels. Now a new study in Tokyo confirms that your physical health may pay the price for urban living, as well."

"More study participants who lived in the city were found to be overweight or obese in comparison to those people in rural areas."

"A few ways to help combat gaining weight due to your environment is to engage in outdoor activities such as hiking on nature trails, picnicking at a local park or gardening on your roof or patio. As your exposure to green spaces increases, you may experience a boost to your mental and physical well-being."

I’m not so sure that where you live has as much to do with your weight as your diet and exercise regimen. But if you live in the city, it does make sense to get out to the national or metro parks and take in their beauty, not to mention the fresh air.

If you’re struggling with losing weight, eat healthier foods and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. If you feel you’re obese, or losing weight is very difficult for you, you may want to try a weight loss system like TriVita’s Leanology™.

Leanology™ is a three part weight loss system that contains healthy fats and carbohydrates. You may already know that a well-balanced nutritious meal consists of appropriate fats, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, water, enzymes, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and many other ingredients that nourish your body. Leanology shakes (one-third of the system) are designed as balanced nutrition.

Unlike your typical diet drink powdered formulas, Leanology™ shakes contain the Omega-3 fats, soluble fiber, and volume of nutrients necessary to satisfy hunger for hours. Leanology™ nutritional shakes are available in three delicious flavors: Dutch Chocolate, Creamy Vanilla, and Mixed Berry.

I didn’t realize before how lethargic I felt until after I started Leanology and lost 34 pounds in three months. I found I had more energy and I felt better about myself. Losing the weight has just made it easier to get around. – Jean S. Raytown, MO

Not everyone can move to rural areas, but we can take responsibility for our own weight. So, if you struggle to keep the lose weight, or keep the weight off, and you can’t afford to move, do what Jean has done, and give Leanology™ a try.

To learn more about weight loss, click on the following link; Weight Loss.

Jeffrey Sloe
Independent TriVita Business Affiliate – 12871028
440-725-3729
Additional Weight Loss Information
TriVita

The above information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.