Gaining Extra Weight During the Holidays?

The prevalent conversations in the past couple of weeks seem to be centered around, "Are you ready for Christmas?" and "I really need to be thinking about losing some weight after the holidays!—I can't believe that I have already gained 5 pounds and it is not even Christmas yet!"

The stress of Christmas and shopping and family gatherings, reduced sleep, erratic eating, and those awesome holiday parties can take their toll rather quickly on our metabolism.  When our adrenal glands get stressed and we move into "Fight or Flight" it quickly raises our cortisol levels and turns off our fat burning hormones.  This happens consistently in the days before Thanksgiving, the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas and then that week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Start thinking NOW about how to boost your immune system following the holidays and how to shift your body from the stress of "Running from the 'Holiday Bear'" into a more balanced sense of "Rest and Digest."  Your body cannot heal in the Fight or Flight mode of operation.  It is imperative that you understand "what" it takes to shift into the more relaxed Rest and Digest part of your nervous system.

To shift into Rest and Digest, begin by:

• Changing your diet preferences—make a rainbow of different colored veggies on your plate—every day. 
• Increase your water and decrease your caffeine, sodas, and alcohol. 
• Eat lean protein—limit high glycemic index foods and simple carbohydrates. 
• Get more rest! 
• And…if you are in our area, call us and attend one of our free educational seminars that will tell you about other ways to turn on your fat burning hormones and boost your immune system to achieve optimal health!  Texas Weight Loss Strategies, located at 2510 Little Road, Arlington, Texas, 76016.

Send me an email: drkathi@getthintexas.com and we will get you registered!

 

Build Your Immune System...Your # 1 Line of Defense Against Germs, Viruses, and Bacteria

Why do some people get sick and stay sick most of the winter?  Why do some teachers, flight

attendants, doctors and nurses seemingly NEVER get sick?  Why are school age kids more susceptible to colds and viruses?

These questions open up enough discussions to fill a book. In fact, they have filled many books!  The bottom line is that your immune system--which over 90% of your immune function comes from your gut, your digestive system and your colon.  If you digest foods completely, if you maintain the correct acid/alkaline balance, if you avoid foods that are filled with hormones, additives, preservatives, pesticides, and foods that come in bags, boxes or cans, then you are well on your way to supporting your immune function.  And in supporting the immune function, you make your body stronger and better able to fight off those attackers such as viruses and bacteria.

Many of the teachers that are my patients routinely begin taking immune boosting supplements and herbs when the school year begins.  Some of their favorites include a product manufactured by Premier Research Labs, Arlington, Texas, called Nucleo Immune.  They take one per day. However, if they have many students sick, or begin feeling a bit "off", they step that dose up to about 3-4 per day.

Another popular item in our clinic is a liquid Liposomal Vitamin C.  Linus Pauling, who received a Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the research of Vitamin C, discovered that Vitamin C, taken in large doses would knock out a cold or virus in seemingly record time.  The challenge with some forms of Vitamin C, is that if you take enough to wipe out the virus, you could very well end up with a case of diarrhea--equally unpleasant and unpredictable if one must work away from home. However, Liposomal C has a delivery system that goes into the cells more quickly, bypassing the gastric disturbances; so, one can take much more without the deleterious side effects.  A teaspoon of Liposomal C, taken every 20 minutes at the first sign of illness can dramatically shorten the lifespan of the illness that is trying to take hold in your body.

Colloidal Silver is another popular liquid immune defense and bacteria fighting product. We utilize several forms in our clinic--Nature's Sunshine makes an amazing gel that can be used as a hand sanitizer (good for about 4 hours) and can also be put on a Q-Tip and swabbed into the nasal passages. This helps to repel unwanted bacteria from entering the respiratory system.  Another great Colloidal Silver product comes from a company called Silver Wings and comes in multiple dilutions/strengths. We have these products on hand at Health By Hands
Wellness.

Last but certainly not least--WASH your hands OFTEN!!!  Use the anti-bacterial wipes offered at grocery stores to wipe the handles of the grocery carts. Have you seen how many kids literally chew and try to cut their teeth on the handles of shopping carts? These are the same kids that just got picked up at day-care exposed to 50 other kids with snotty noses and coughs!  Use the Silver Gel on your hands after you wash them!!  The Silver Gel is much better than the synthetic and chemically toxic hand sanitizers that are on the market. Wipe off pens, counters and DOOR KNOBS AND HANDLES and apply Silver Gel to them as well.

Get a humidifier--when the heater is turned on, the air becomes dry and creates a situation in your respiratory system and nasal passages that is a perfect breeding ground for "bugs". Running a humidifier in the bedroom or a whole house unit will also help alleviate sore throats, sinus drainage and upper respiratory system issues.  Just be sure to clean it regularly---you don't want to be growing mold in your humidifier--cleanliness is very important!

Drink plenty of good, clean water (a quart for every 50 pounds of your body weight) and decrease sugar as much as possible!  Teach your children to do these things! Keep your house and home as clean and clear as possible!

Here's to your Better Health and a Happy Immune System!!!

Why Are So Many People Sick?

 

The Monday after the Thanksgiving Holiday -- as I was looking at my half empty schedule for the clinic patients who had cancelled due to colds and flu, I asked the question, "Why are so many people sick right now?  They were fine 2 weeks ago--what has changed??" And then, that "thought bubble" above my head replied, "Think of this..."  And, these are the thoughts that proceeded to be downloaded in rapid succession into my words.

"How much have our food choices, habits and locales changed in the last 10 days?" (Thanksgiving Holiday) special and favorite foods, yummy "sweet treats", time with family and friends--often traveling, sharing close quarters with lots of hugs and kisses, strange beds, convenience store bathrooms when on the road, lack of rest--and throw in some extreme weather changes and Voila'--a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and viruses!!!  At exactly the time when we should be ramping up our immune systems with EXTRA Tender Loving Care--we have abandoned those efforts in favor of our immediate gratification society of pleasure and comfort and self-medicating with food and drink and fun. Sugar and all of the sweetness that we believe it brings to our lives--those "comfort" foods we share with family and loved ones are leading us down the path to illness and dis-ease.  And don't forget that fact, that with the colder weather, many of us have forgotten to drink an adequate amount of water; i.e. a quart for every 50 pounds of body weight.  Much easier in the Summer--something we have to "plan" in the Winter months.

We will, in the next few days, be looking at some of the things that can be done to help your immune system shift into "high gear" for the remainder of the Winter and the proverbial "cold and flu" season. Come and visit us again and...go get a glass of water and "pass" on those servings of candy, pie, or cookies!  Your immune system will thank you!!!!!