For many who are fasting and praying this month, a daily routine has been established and are enjoying the benefits of Ramadan on every level. However, some of us may be struggling for balance. We may have trouble staying hydrated in this heat. Our bodies are detoxifying and we may be experiencing a myriad of symptoms. The following excerpt from Making the Fast: How to Eat to Live During Ramadan addresses some remedies for common ailments that may arise during any fast:
"Fasting may present some side effects. Those who take the fast have reported headaches, dizziness, acne, flu-like symptoms, and fatigue. These symptoms are often attributed to detoxification. Toxins are stored in body fat. If fat is used for fuel during the day, these toxins are released into the bloodstream. Without fluid consumption, these toxins are slower to exit the body thus causing discomfort. Other health risks include: heartburn, poor control of diabetes, dehydration, constipation, stress and weight control. In this chapter, we will cover ways to alleviate these symptoms. Remember, listen to your body and follow your doctor’s orders. It is better to make up a like number of days rather (than) risk your health.
"Upon rising in the morning, squeeze the juice of a lemon into your water. The vitamin C will give your immune system a boost and help fight off disease. The acid from the lemon will reduce intestinal parasites which can cause some gastrointestinal distress. Be sure to ingest up to half of your required fluid intake for the day before sunrise. Hydration, proper diet, and adequate rest will help keep headaches at bay. Persistent flu-like symptoms, headaches, and dizziness should be reported to your physician. Additional rest may be needed during the day. The key is to listen to your body and give it what it needs. A little pampering goes a long way."
To read more about how to successfully manage the side effects of fasting, pick up Making the Fast: How to Eat to Live During Ramadan today! http://www.lulu.com/product/16509709
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With every new year comes thousands of resolutions to finally lose the weight. Every year there is a new diet or exercise fad that promises the instant results we didn't achieve the previous year. Every year we fall just short of the goal. For some reason, our plans don't get the results. Sooner or later something has got to give...How do we make 2009 the year to get fit and stay fit? We have to make a lifestyle change. Fitness is not a goal achieved in 30 days or 6 months. Consistency is the key to success and longevity. Remember, the race is not to the swift!
Let's Get Started! (As always, consult your doctor prior to starting any diet and/or exercise program.)
1) Set clear, measurable, and attainable goals. A good example of a goal is: "I want to lose 20 pounds in 5 months (about 1-2 pounds per week is normal healthy weight loss) by walking 2 miles a day 4 days per week. I will drink 10 glasses of water daily and give up fast food."
2) Make permanent changes in your diet. Commit to eliminating 1 unhealthy food choice each month from your diet--for life. Find a healthy alternative to replace the item that you are giving up. In 30 days, you won't even miss it.
3) Commit to physical activity at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes each day. Exercise improves the cardiovascular system, helps manage stress and appetite, improves sleep patterns, and boosts metabolism. Resistance training improves metabolism and bone density.
4) Give up smoking and alcohol. These two habits can cause irreversible damage to vital organs like the lungs, kidneys, and liver.
5) Assemble a group of supporters and share your goals and results. Enlist the assistance of your family, co-workers, close friends, and your doctor. A little honest feedback and encouragement can go a long way!
6) Keep a food and exercise journal. Document your meals and workouts in a small notebook and keep it with you. This an extremely powerful tool for revealing your actual eating habits and ensuring accountability for physical activity. Keep things interesting by trying a new healthy recipe and changing up your exercise routine with increased intensity or trying yoga and interval training.
7) Celebrate your wins and forgive your missteps. Once a month, you should consistently measure your results. Your goal might be to lose 1 inch from your waist every month, or increase your bench press weight by 10 lbs. each month. Choose the same day of the month (like the last Saturday) and be consistent. Take a picture of yourself on the same day and compare it to previous months. Generally others see a difference before you do, so this can be quite an eye-opening exercise. If you fall short, get back on the horse! Don't waste time punishing yourself because this is a lifestyle change. Be patient and stay focused on your goals.
8) Stay tuned to Izania.com for more helpful advice on how to Commit to Be Fit in 2009!
Yesterday, I came across an article about the Neenah Joint School District in Wisconsin and its efforts to combat childhood obesity which has reached epidemic proportions in the last decade. An expansion of the district's wellness program, Neenah has issued a ban on sweets. Here is the article: (http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/30887454.html) Neenah School District Bans Cupcakes, Sweet Treats Associated Press NEENAH - Neenah students who want to bring an occasional treat for their classmates will be limited fruit, vegetables and other healthy snacks.
The Neenah School District tightened its wellness policy this year and banned cupcakes, candy and other sweet treats.
Parent Vicki Denzin is asking the Board of Education to ease those rules. Denzin says banning the items doesn't teach the children moderation or portion control.
Denzin asks how excited a 6- or 7-year-old would be to bring bananas or carrot sticks to share with their friends.
Tullar Elementary School Principal Diane Galow says it's not the sugary cupcake that's important, it's the ability of the students to share a treat on their birthday or special day.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
The alarming part of this story is that there are parents who oppose the ban- one that would move towards educating children about proper nutrition. As the article points out, one parent in particular (Vicki Denzin) points to the fact that this policy doesn't teach moderation or portion control. In this instance, consuming a "food" that will impair your health over time by eating it "in moderation", is innappropriate. It is more appropriate to teach children to eat the right amount of healthy foods, from the proper food groups, at the proper times. Neenah is attempting to accomplish a task that was once taught in the child's home--by their parents.
I reviewed Neenah's wellness policy and it appears that they are on the right track. Here is an excerpt of the Mission and Goals of the program:
Wellness -- In order to fully achieve the mission of the Neenah Joint School District, we recognize our responsibility to promote lifelong wellness behaviors that link proper nutrition and physical activity to students' overall health, growth, development, academic performance, and readiness to learn. This District-wide wellness policy encourages all members of the school community to create an environment that supports lifelong healthy eating habits and promotes opportunities for increased physical activity.
546.1 Wellness Goals
546.11 Establish an environment that empowers the school community to make good nutritional choices during the academic day and school-related functions outside of the instructional day.
546.12 Establish an environment that empowers the school community to increase physical activity during the academic day and supports the continuation of these activities outside of the instructional day.
546.13 Provide a high quality lunch program for students and staff.
546.131 Provide students with well-balanced nutritional choices of food and beverages; 546.132 Assist students in making healthy choices; and 546.133 Encourage and promote participation in the school lunch program.
546.14 Educate our school community, including students, parents and staff, on the benefits of good nutrition and physical activity.
The program further outlines nutrition standards, district food service, lunch and snack recommendations, school-based activities, physical activity and nutrition education, and policy regulation. As a parent, how could you object to this type of program? If executed properly, the children will lose the weight, miss fewer days from school due to preventable illness, improve grades and conduct, and become more physically active. Here is the link. Please read it and decide for yourself: http://www.neenah.k12.wi.us/publications/wellness/wellnesspolicy
On October 28, 2008, The New York Times published an article entitled, "A Rise in Kidney Stones Is Seen in U.S. Children"written by Laurie Tarkan. Kidney stones? I wonder if there is link between children's diets and kidney stones? Here is how some of the experts respond:
"“What we’ve really seen is an increase in the salt load in children’s diet,” said Dr. Bruce L. Slaughenhoupt, co-director of pediatric urology and of the pediatric kidney stone clinic at the University of Wisconsin. He and other experts mentioned not just salty chips and French fries, but also processed foods like sandwich meats; canned soups; packaged meals; and even sports drinks like Gatorade, which are so popular among school children they are now sold in child-friendly juice boxes."
"Dr. Slaughenhoupt has seen more overweight children at his clinic. “We haven’t compared our data yet,” he said, “but my sense is that children with stones are bigger, and some of them are morbidly obese.”
Dr. Pope, in Nashville, agreed. His hospital lies in the so-called stone belt, a swath of Southern states with a higher incidence of kidney stones, and he said doctors there saw two to three new pediatric cases a week.
“There’s no question in my mind that it is largely dietary and directly related to the childhood obesity epidemic,” he said."
At the end of the day, we can protest, litigate, and criticize the food and medical industries and even the schools. But, in this country we have a choice. Children are the most easily influenced people on the planet if parents would judge take charge of their health. It starts at home and we must be found modeling the behavior: increase fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats; eliminate processed foods; increase water intake; increase physical activity; get proper rest. It really is that simple. Here is a link to help you assess your family's needs: http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=1&tax_subject=256
I am going to conclude with some "food for thought" about the food and beverage industry and its relationship with the health care industry. Have a look!
Dr. Alim Muhammad "The Atonement and Purification of a Nation"
I wanted to take a moment to recommend some great books to read on cleansing the body. You will find that they emphasize a shift toward more organic food choices, increased water intake, a reduction of processed and fast foods, and weight loss. If you heal the body and treat it well, it will take care of itself.
Here are some of my personal favorites:
1) The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs
2) Detox: Five Dozen Ways to Detoxify Your Body by Nadine Goodman
3) The Colon Health Handbook by Robert Gray
4) The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose
5) 21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox by Roni DeLuz, RN, ND
6) Juicing for Life by Cherie Calbom and Maureen Keane
In my opinion, all of these books give great information on how the human body works as well as how to undo years of damage while improving overall health. The most comprehensive plan is the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. It addresses all major systems and focuses on cleansing and nutrition. You can do her plan for 2 days (over a weekend), 7 days, or the full 21 days and get real results.
The key to any detox program is to maintain a cleaner diet. When you revert to your old ways, your old ailments will return. Make the decision to do something to improve and prolong your life today...
Many of us indulge in the typical American diet of sweet, salty, fried, refined foods on a daily basis. We have never been exposed to more environmental toxins. When you add that to prescription/over-the-counter medications, vaccinations, personal care products, and cleaning supplies in our homes, you get toxic overload in the body.
Our bodies now have to work even harder to eliminate the excess pollutants. Our livers, kidneys, colons, and lymphatic systems get clogged and the body becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, candida, parasites, and a myriad of ailments. We become sick. We develop sugar cravings. We get fat. We look old. We develop aches and pains. Our energy levels drop. Sleep patterns are interrupted. Hormones shift into imbalance. Our thoughts are cloudy and our moods swing. We stop having regular bowel movements...Think about that--if it isn't coming out, then it must be staying in while it rots and poisons the body!
Imagine the human body as a brand new highway system. Over time, traffic increases. Rush hour traffic moves in and then it happens: an 18-wheeler flips over and everything comes to a screeching halt. Cars are sitting still generating exhaust fumes. Each driver is inhaling them while their stress and anxiety levels increase. Some vehicles are overheating. Everyone will be late and some will choose alternate routes to their destinations. Some won't get there at all. Eating poorly eventually clogs your cardiovascular, digestive, eliminative, nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. Without cleansing your systems, vital nutrients from the good things that you do eat will never be able to heal the body. Think over that. Can you imagine?
OK, so how do we fix it? See your doctor for a full evaluation. The numbers don't lie. Based on your overall health condition, your doctor will make recommendations about diet and exercise. Here are some simple tips to get started:
1) Increase your water intake: drink half of your body weight in ounces. 2) Increase your fiber intake from fresh fruits and vegetables. 3) Start eliminating processed and refined foods from your diet: this includes most foods that are labeled with an enormous list of ingredients that you can neither recognize nor pronounce. (Have you ever known of an apple picked straight from the tree that had a label on it?) 4) Walk everyday for at least 20 minutes. 5) Start drinking fresh juices for quick and easy absorption: combine green leafy vegetables with apples, berries, carrots, celery, and lemons. You'll give your digestive systems a break and get a great energy boost.
Try this plan for 30 days and see if you don't look and feel a bit better. You'll probably drop a few pounds in the process (smile)! More next time!
1) See your doctor for testing *Before you start any diet and exercise program, you have to know your overall health condition. Your doctor can determine the condition of all major organs and systems as well as conducting stress tests and evaluating blood work. Your doctor's recommendations will point you in the right direction.
2) Clean up your diet *Eliminate alcohol, cigarettes, sweets, sodas, excess salt, fast food, pork, and all other junk food from your diet. Go through your cabinets and refrigerator and just throw them out!
3) Keep a food journal *Honesty and accountability are the keys to staying on the healthy diet wagon. Not only will you see what you are putting into your body, you can make notes on what events/emotions your were experiencing at that time.
4)Set clear goals *Examples include any of the following:
"I am overweight and toxic. I need to eliminate fast food from my diet and lose 30 pounds by August 31, 2008."
"My waist is over 35 inches because I don't exercise and I love sweets. I must lose 3 inches from my midsection in the next six weeks."
5)Get moving! *Walking is the best form of exercise. Start with 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week, at a moderate pace.
6)Start cooking!
7)Measure your waistline once a month *Women should measure 35 inches or less and men should come in under 40.
8)Add resistance to your cardio *Building muscle boosts your metabolism. Your calorie burn continues for hours after your workout!
9)Cleanse your major systems and supplement your diet *More on this in a later post--Stay Tuned!
10)Water, water, water! *Drink half your weight in ounces daily. Drink more if you are exercising (4 oz. every 15 minutes).
