gettinfitover40

GERD. If you’ve got it, you know it. Some folks like to call it heartburn while others do not describe the sensation as burning, but of pressure behind the breast plate. Symptoms often include chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and nausea, while for me it actually makes me teeth ache.  

For those who suffer from Gastroesophageal reflux disease there is hope to not only get rid of the symptoms, but to be done with GERD all together. Simply put, losing weight will lessen the severity or cause the problem to simply go away.

I suffered with GERD for at least eight years and while over the counter drugs such as Tagament would alleviate the symptoms, they would return. I stopped eating acidic foods (tomato, citrus fruits), gave up coffee, and quit chewing gum. All of which helped, most of the time.

Eventually I found digestive enzymes which worked great. But I was bothered that I was chained to a pill in order to eat. I knew there had to be a better way. Which of course there is, it’s called weight loss.

Now don’t get me wrong, if I eat spicy foods or highly acidic foods, I’ll have heartburn. What I’ve learned is that as long as I stay below a certain weight, for the most part, I do not experience any GERD. None.

Having lost 18 lbs, I don’t sleep propped up in bed. I eat the occasional chocolate,chew gum, and even drink coffee. No Gerd.

Losing weight has so many benefits that it truly staggers the mind. If you suffer from GERD and are over weight, continue taking the medication that helps you, but consider losing some weight and see if it doesn’t cure what ails you. Keep in mind that the drugs that are used to treat GERD can often cause other problems, such as vitamin deficiency and loss of bone density.

For more information on GERD visit these helpful sites: 

http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-gerd-ess.html

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/acid_reflux.html 

I love fruit and amazingly enough I didn’t realize how sweet and yummy fruit truly is until I stopped eating processed, sugar laced goodies. Fruit is amazing! Today I’d like to take the opportunity to share some great fruits that not only taste wonderful, but do your body a world of good as well.

Bananas

• 93% carbs.
• They have 5.9 mg of calcium.
• And 0.3 mgs of Iron.
• Americans consumes over 28 pounds of bananas each year.
• Bananas contain tryptophan which good for treating depression
• Bananas are a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C
• Considered a “runners” food because it kicks in and stays with you
• It is said that bananas contain everything a human needs and they contain all the 8 amino-acids our body cannot produce itself

Blueberries·       

•   84 Calories per cup·        
•   21 grams of carbs·        
•  The leader in antioxidants·       
•  They have natural anti-inflammatory properties·        
•  Blueberries may be effective inhibitors of both the initiation and promotion stages of cancer.·   
•  Like Cranberries they promote urinary tract health·        
•  They are heart healthy and also promote healthy levels of cholestrol

Watermelon·        

•  46 calories per cup·        
• 12 grams of carbs·        
• The watermelon is really a vegetable and a cousin to the cucumber·        
• Watermelon is a great source of Vitamin B6 and B1as well as being packed with potassium and magnesium.·        
• One cup of watermelon provides 24.3% of the RDA for vitamin C, and, through its beta-carotene, 11.1% of the RDA for vitamin A.

Apples·        

• 65 calories·        
• 17 grams of carbs·        
• A good source of soluble fiber which helps to prevent cholesterol. ·        
• Always eat the skin of an apple as it contains almost half the vitamin C underneath the skin. 
• Apples slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream thus helping to control insulin levels.

For more great foods and fun ways to incorporate the five a day philosophy into your diet, visit http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/

Eating healthy takes planning, there’s just no getting around it. If you are going to eat out, you’ve got to plan ahead. Think about where you’re going and make the decision to eat well before you go. Decide whether or not to have a cocktail or dessert. Before you leave the house visit the restaurant’s website and check out their nutritional information or visit a website such as dietfacts.com to help you make great decisions.

Eating out is fun. We American’s really enjoy a good meal out with family and friends and just because you are trying to make better food choices, doesn’t mean you have to pass up a dining out opportunity.

Quick Tips:

A salad is not always healthy - Consider what’s in or on the salad before you order. I’ve been unpleasantly surprised more than once to find that the salad I considered “healthy” was actually a huge calorie packed stick of dynamite. Sometimes, the better choice is a small entrée of chicken or fish, rather than the greens that are masquerading as healthy.

Eat smaller portions - American’s love to super size everything! The portions being served in restaurants are very large, much larger than an actual serving size. Instead of cleaning your plate, consider eating half and then ask for a to-go box. Better yet, split a meal with a friend.

Cocktails expensive financially and calorically – to drink or not to drink, that is the question. It’s your call, but I like to stick to the rule that calories should not come from anything liquid. If it’s a treat, I want to chew it and enjoy it for as long as possible.

Sharing dessert – Sometimes you’ve just got to have that yummy, chocolaty, oozy, lava cake. There’s no getting around it. If you don’t eat it…you’ll die. Okay, maybe you won’t die, but you’ll dwell on that little slice of heaven until it makes you insane. Then, you’ll eat the entire thing in thirty-seconds flat. What’s a girl to do? Order it and split it with a friend. Ask your serve specifically to give you a very small portion. Better still, help yourself to three bites, savor each one and then send the dessert away. You’ll get the treat without completely blowing your diet.

Avoid fast-food – Yeah, I know, but seriously you will be surprised at how gross a greasy, fat-laden burger and fries tastes when you haven’t eaten it for a couple of months.

Eating right doesn’t mean you have to avoid eating out. With some careful planning and good meal selections you can have it all and more.

Nutritional Websites:

http://www.Dietfacts.com

http://www.nutritiondata.com

http://my.dietpower.com/tools/fast_food_facts.php

http://www.calorieking.com/foods/

Alcohol is the dreaded enemy of weight loss. While an occasional drink, no more than one per day for women, can actually be heart healthy, alcohol adds nothing but unneeded calories. But how many calories does a glass of wine or a beer add? Until recently consumers had no way of knowing the calorie counts of any alcoholic beverage. Now, thanks to the Consumer Federation of America you can know exactly how many calories are in the 26 top selling beverages.

Of those beverages 13 were beer or malt drinks, 8 spirits (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) and 5 brands of wine are the first to be labeled with caloric information. While drinking should always be in moderation, it is important for women attempting to lose weight to carefully consider where calories come from. Considering that alcohol has no nutritional value should steer many woman away from drinking altogether. However, as with all things, moderation and smart choices can provide both a healthy diet with the occasional treat. In this case a heart healthy treat.

The following results are taken from the top selling liquor brands and offer some interesting findings.

  –  Among spirits, calories per serving ranged from 86 calories for spiced rum to 120 calories for gin. The average (not including mixers) was 98 calories per serving;

  –  For wines, calories per serving ranged from 105 calories for a merlot to 125 calories for a cabernet sauvignon. The average was 118 calories per serving;

  –  The greatest variation in calories occurred among beers and flavored malt beverages. Light beers (5 brands) averaged 100 calories per serving, regular beers averaged 140 calories (5 brands) per serving, and the flavored malt beverages (3 brands) ranged from 190 calories per serving to 241 calories per serving;

   –  Variations were greatest when analyzing carbohydrate levels. Compared to no carbohydrates in spirits, wines ranged from 0.8 grams per serving for chardonnay to 5.0 grams per serving for cabernet sauvignon. Among different beers and malt beverages, carbohydratesranged from 3.2 grams per serving for light beer to 38 grams per serving for a flavored malt beverage. 

For further information please see the press release here: 

http://www.consumerfed.org/topics.cfm?section=Food and Agriculture&topic=Nutrition

The American diet is killing America. Diets high in fat and sugar pack on the pounds and clog arties. If you’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon and flee the super-sized McYuckies than eating right will be as simple as one, two, and three.

One: Eat Your Breakfast

At first breaking the, “I don’t eat breakfast” mantra may be difficult, but it’s important to reset the bodies metabolism by feeding it after the night time fast. A woman’s body needs fuel to jump start her day, by eating a small, healthy breakfast you’ll avoid the mid-morning binge.

Two: Make your breakfast fresh and healthy

Fruit, whole grains, or a protein shake will fill you up while providing healthy fuel for the body. As the body begins to heal and reset its fat burning ability, you will begin to feel better. Oatmeal (avoid the quick cooking type and head for the steel cut or old fashioned) is perhaps one of the best breakfast foods simply because it can be made in advance and is quick to reheat. Fruit, nuts, and yogurt are an easy grab if you are in a hurry.

Three: Eating to Live

A healthy breakfast keeps you from being distracted or moody and begins to purge the body of unhealthy chemicals. Yes, chemicals: dies, preservatives, additives. A lifetime of eating super processed foods damages the liver, pancreas and lymphatic system, leaving its victim sluggish and overweight. Small steps, such as eating a healthy (and not processed) breakfast, will help you to begin the healing process and set your feet on the path to weight loss and better overall health.

I am an emotional eater. I wasn’t always. In my younger days when I was stressed or upset my stomach was usually so twisted into knots that I couldn’t eat. Sometime after my children were born, things changed. Food became more than sustenance. It became my friend, my companion, my way of dealing with the stress of life.

A couple of years ago my husband nearly died and I was faced with the simple fact that I was using food, not faith or strength, to battle my fears. Two years later a friend of mine asked me a very pointed question:

“Why are we fat?”

I admitted that part of my problem was laziness but the other part was more emotionally charged. I had gained 15 pounds in just under a year when I was a foster parent. It was a difficult time for me and I turned to food to help me cope with the tension in my life. There is no denying the scientific connection between foods and emotions.

According to the Mayo Clinic, foods such as chocolate, cause the body to release trace amounts of endorphins which elevates your mood. Because of the body’s reaction to food, we train ourselves to eat comfort foods when stressed. It is a vicious cycle that must be over come.

Questions to ask yourself

• 1.       Do you eat when you are upset or angry?

• 2.       When something good happens, do you reward yourself with goodies?

• 3.       When you are sad or lonely, do you eat?

Ways to avoid emotional eating

1.       Ask yourself if you are truly hungry – then don’t eat

2.       Avoid the kitchen when stressed – don’t tempt yourself

3.       Take a walk or a run, listen to music, or phone a friend

4.       Try acupuncture

5.       Eat a chili pepper

      6.       Keep junk food out of your house. If it isn’t there, you can’t eat it

Knowing how you react in specific situations can help you to tame the beast of stress eating. As with every lifestyle change, you have to plan ahead to avoid pit falls.

Remember, this is your body and your life. Make it the best it can possibly be.

Each Saturday I will post links to websites that you may find helpful. The web is full of free weight loss help and that’s always a great thing. It’s especially helpful for those on a limited income or for those who would prefer not to join an outside weight loss group.

Today, I’ve chosen several easy to use calorie counting sites. There are a couple of basic sites that simply provide you with calorie information, while others offer a staggering array of goodies.

Calorie counting can be tricky, which is why these sites are helpful. Perhaps you have a dinner date and don’t know what to order, many of these sites have restaurant information to help you make the best possible choice for your meal.

 If you cannot locate the meal or restaurant on a calorie counting site, I suggest looking the restaurant up online and seeking out any nutritional information there. By doing this you will have made your dining decision before leaving home, thus avoiding the high calorie, high fat pitfalls.

Also, when eating out, keep in mind that not all salads are created equal. For instance, perhaps you’ll be dining at Baja Fresh this evening and you decide on the Baja Ensalada® with Chicken with the Olive Oil Vinaigrette; 310 for the salad and 290 for the dressing total calories: 600. A better choice would have been the Original Baja Taco with chicken for 210 calories.  It’s all about planning and knowing what you’re putting into your mouth before you do.

Saturday Linkage

The Calorie Counter offers the basics at this calorie counting site, but you can look up most foods and get a calorie count for each. It’s good for those who don’t want to join a group, but still want to count calories.