Blueberries contain the most antioxidants of any fruit and are low in calories.  You should be adding these to your breakfast, smoothies or snacks.

• Contains the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruits.  A true SUPER FOOD!

• Loaded with anthocyanin:  Research demonstrates potential health benefits in the following areas.  Cancer, aging, neurological diseases, inflammation, diabetes, bacterial infections, fibrocystic diseases.

• Loaded with the antioxidant vitamin C:  Improves immune function, iron absorption, detoxifies the body and repairs cellular damage.

• Packed with B complex vitamins:  Research suggest it improves symptoms associated with depression and anxiety also essential to healthy nerve and muscle function.

• Full of vitamin E:  Promotes healthy skin and hair, removes free radicals, thins blood and improves immune function.

• Contains vitamin A:  Improves immune function, eye health, and urinary tract health and fight oxidative stress.

• Selenium:  Antioxidant for skin regenerating vitamin E and C maintaining youthful skin.  May help fight prostate cancer in men.  Improves mood and fights fatigue.

• Zinc:  Found in every tissue in the body.  It improves sex drive, acts as an antioxidant, fights cancer, and is needed for normal kidney, pancreas and liver function.

Turmeric is a spice found in almost all Indian dishes. However, over the past several years this spice has shown to have some amazing health benefits that range from cancer prevention/treatment to weight loss. I found this spice when I was searching for foods that lower blood pressure. Because blood pressure was linked to chronic systemic inflammation I started using Turmeric as an anti-inflammatory and feel it’s a major reason I was able to quell my blood pressure with diet alone.

*Can be used to disinfect cuts and burns. Antibacterial and antiseptic agent and speeds wound healing.

*Potent anti-inflammatory; works as well as other anti-inflammatories without the side effects. Recent research suggest it aids in the treatment of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

*When used with cauliflower has been shown to prevent prostate cancer and slow growth of tumors already present.

*In animal studies prevented the spread of breast and lung cancer.

*May prevent melanoma and inhibit its growth.

*Improves liver health; natural detoxifier.

*Slows or prevents Alzheimer’s disease removing amyloyd plaque in the brain. Men and women 70-79 years of age in India have ¼ the Alzheimer’s diagnosis as men and women in the US. Indians use turmeric in most foods.

*In animal studies it’s slowed the progression of multiple sclerosis.

*A natural pain killer; a cox-2-inhibitor.

*In research it’s stopped the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors.

*In laboratory research it’s programmed the death of colon cancer cells. More research must be accomplished.

*Suppresses inflammation in the digestive tract associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

*Preliminary studies suggest it may help in the treatment of psoriasis.

*Research suggests it may work as an antifungal treatment.

*Curcumin used prior to cancer treatment makes cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiation. Curcumin gives turmeric its yellow color.

Notes:
Should consult with your doctor before using if you have been diagnosed with gallstones or bile obstruction.
Should consult with your doctor before using if you’re pregnant. Turmeric is a uterine stimulant.

–Dim the lights one hour before bed time

• Lights shut off pineal gland production of melatonin

–Green salad with chicken or turkey for dinner

• Chicken and turkey contain tryptophan and green leafy vegetables have B-vitamins than convert tryptophan to melatonin

–Stick to a routine

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day

–Sleep in pitch black darkness

• Darkness increases melatonin production

–Eat a handful of nuts or a glass of milk

• Contains tryptophan which is converted to melatonin and seratonin

–Go to bed early

• Traditional Chinese Medicine claim the hours between 10 PM and midnight can provide twice the sleep rejuvination

–Avoid Alcohol

• Alcohol consumption prior to bed time results in less REM sleep

–Vigorous exercise during the late evening

• Raises the bodies temp four to five hours prior to sleep and drops the body temp as you begin your sleep cycle

–Avoid Caffeine 2-3 hours prior to bed time

• Caffeine is a stimulant and can decrease REM sleep

Losing fat is all about the diet.  Get your diet right and the fat will literally fall off.  These 5 foods will help jump start your progress incorporate them into your diet everyday for the first two weeks.

Eggs:  Pure protein with tons of antioxidants and vitamins.  Eggs contain zero carbohydrates which mean’s insulin levels stay low.  The secret to losing fat is turning on the fat metabolism of your fat cells.  Low insulin levels make sure this happens.  Mix eggs with some onions and peppers and you have turned up the thermostat on your fat burning furnace.

Broccoli:  Steam you some broccoli for lunch.  Even if you have to drown it in some cheese, that’s ok.  Broccoli is low calorie and can help boost testosterone by sweeping excess estrogen from the body.  Testosterone helps build muscle and burn fat.  Even in women more testosterone is good when trying to lose fat.

Almonds:  A handful of almonds everyday provides your body with good fat.  In addition, it’s a great source for Vitamin E and manganese.  A handful of almonds for a snack is about 140 calories and will make you fill full for a while.  Almonds are a great snack food, just don’t overdo it.

Tuna:  A great snack or quick lunch, this provides a protein punch that keeps insulin in check.  It’s easy to carry around and eat on the go.  Roll tuna fish in a leaf of lettuce and you have a low sugar wrap that helps you lose fat like mad.

Strawberries:  As long as you don’t sugar them up strawberries are great.  Containing only about 4 calories per strawberry this is a calorie dense food loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.  Berries in general are great fat loss foods because they’re low in sugar and cause a minimum insulin spike.

Eating foods that cause insulin to rise very little is the key to losing fat.  The lower we keep insulin levels the easier it is to burn fat.

The next time you’re in Walmart take a look around and see what lifestyle choices can do to you and for you.  Take a look at the 70 year old gentleman who walks with youth and vigor.  He still has the muscle tone of a young man and seems to be defying age.  Then look at the 40-50 year old guy who’s slightly overweight moves a little slower and probably looks older than he is.  What is the difference?  Why the vast contrast between the two?  Plain and simple it goes back to lifestyle.  If you followed the two around the grocery store and study their habits with the eye of a private investigator you will see the stark difference in habits.

The older gentleman who looks to defy the aging process will stay on the outside of the grocery isle’s buying fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy.  You will see him buying very few processed foods in the middle of the store.  He provides his body with nutrient dense food.  The kind of food that fuels and regenerates health.  The middle aged man will do just the opposite.  His shopping cart will be loaded with potato chips, cereal, soda, white bread, snack cakes, and macaroni and cheese.  These foods contain little or no nutrients.  They cause an increase in sugar, insulin and leptin levels.  The results are a gradual increase in obesity and a decline in health.

If you were to follow them home and study their habits farther you will see something else.  The 70 year old with a muscular build will be active.  He will put on running shoes and go for a run.  Not a jog but a run.  He will run for 20-25 minutes with short 30 second speed burst about every two or three minutes.  After the run he will lift weights or do calesthenics using body weight.  This type of intense fitness training increases and maintains human growth hormone a key ingredient to maintaining youth, muscle mass, bone density and health.  The slightly pudgy 45 year old guy will go home and turn on the television, sit on the couch and begin eating a bag of chips.  The aging and obesity process slowly accelerates and health markers decline.

The choices are simple, it’s not rocket science.  The choices we make about food and exercise impact the way we age and ultimately our quality of life.  If you’re 20-70 pounds overweight and have no energy I encourage you to begin an exercise program and change your diet.  Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet and decrease the sugar and processed foods you eat.  Thirty minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week will be a great start.  Focus on short 30 second bouts of hard exercise with 2 or 3 minutes of recovery between for 15-20 minutes.  We are learning the key to a great exercise program is not length but rather intensity.  Intensity always trumps length.

Get started today and improve your quality of life and your health.

Improving and maintaining fitness is the most important thing we can do as we age.  If you want to have the ability to do the same things at 80 that you did at 40 it’s all about maintaining and improving fitness.  It’s never too early or too late to start.  The key is being consistent and doing it.

It improves physical strength. The only thing separating any of us from a nursing home is the physical strength to take care of our self.  Lose the strength we currently have due to an illness or a fall and boom we’re in a nursing home.  Research shows us that men and women well into their 80’s and 90’s can increase muscular strength.  The first step is doing it.

It improves glucose and insulin management. For years we’ve known that exercise makes our cells more sensitive to insulin and decrease risk for Type 2 diabetes.  However combine a healthy diet with daily activity and you can reverse Type 2 diabetes and put it in remission without medication.

Decrease depression symptoms. Several studies have shown that exercise decreases depression symptoms as well or better than depression medication with none of the side effects.  Include the added social aspect to a fitness class and you have the recipe for beating depression all together according to researchers.

It improves confidence. Research show that older adults who maintain or build physical strength increase confidence because they are able to do and enjoy the same things they did in their 40’s and 50’s.  Increase your strength and see your confidence soar.

Decrease your pharmacy bill. Exercise is the best drug on the market.  No drug out there has the health potential of exercise without any of the side effects.  Daily exercise has the potential to improve blood pressure, decrease chronic systemic inflammation, prevent Type 2 diabetes, decrease the risk of heart disease, some cancers, and even Alzheimer’s.

Get up and start moving today and improve yourself and your health.  In the three short weeks my business has been opened I’ve had the incredible opportunity to meet a couple of leading edge boomers who are making huge strides in their fitness.  They impress me everyday.

If you’re trying to lose fat it begins with the food you choose.  Eliminate these 7 foods from your diet and watch your waist and hips disappear and your health improve.

Ditch the cereal for breakfast. Cereal is killing your fat loss potential.  It doesn’t matter what type of so called healthy cereal you’re eating, as soon as you eat it you store it as fat.  Cereal makes your blood sugar spike which causes insulin to increase moving glycogen into muscles and the liver and storing the rest in fat cells.  Instead eat eggs with diced tomato and sweet peppers.  Add some sausage or ham for extra flavor.

Forget about bread. Bread is just like cereal and does the same thing.  Eat too much and insulin level increase and stay up.  Too much insulin blocks the body’s ability to release fat to be burned.  Begin using lettuce as your new bun or wrap.  Lettuce is primarily water and fiber and does nothing to your blood sugar but improve its management.

Say good bye to pasta and noodles. Too many of these refined carbohydrates will quickly put you in blood sugar overload.  Ever wonder why you get sleepy after huge dish of pasta?  It’s your blood sugar crashing due to all those simple carbs.  In addition, you feel hungry within 2-3 hours of eating.  Once the pasta is converted to fat everything in the stomach disappears fast and you feel like you need to eat again.  Instead of pasta use a spiral shredder and make veggie noodles out of zucchini and squash.  They are better for you and barely move the blood sugar needle.

Stop eating rice. I know you think I am the grain police, but too many grains will make you fat plain and simple.  Rice is another food that’s quickly converted to sugar and stored as fat and raises insulin levels making it impossible to burn fat.  I hope this is sinking in.  Instead shred cauliflower and flavor it with your favorite spices like turmeric, black pepper and a little olive oil.  This is a great food for men and their prostate gland and it contains very few calories.

Get rid of the SODA! In my opinion you are drinking liquid fat, because at the end of the day that’s what it’s converted to.  Loaded with high fructose corn syrup, it’s a major contributor to many chronic diseases and a leading cause of obesity.  Begin drinking water or tea without the sugar of course.  If you need sweetener in your tea apply the next food on the list.

Throw your sugar and artificial sweetener away. Pure sugar plays havoc on your blood sugar and insulin levels and by now we know high insulin levels are bad when it comes to fat loss.  As for artificial sweeteners we don’t know the long term effects on the body, however preliminary data tells us it might not be good.  I’ll leave it at that and let you do your own research.  Replace sugar and artificial sweeteners with coconut sugar, raw honey or pure maple syrup.  These sweeteners come from real food and can be beneficial to you.

News Flash….Little Debbie Wants To Make You FAT. Stop eating baked goods that spike your blood sugar and contain absolutely no nutrients.  If this is your snack of choice you will never lose fat.  Witch to whole food snacks.  Mix almonds, walnuts, raisins and dark chocolate chips and use it as a trail mix snack.  Blend yogurt with peaches or strawberries for a protein rich snack complete with probiotics and antioxidants.

Eliminate these things form your diet and watch the fat melt away easier than you ever thought possible.

I never knew shoes could make a difference until a friend and I did a long run on a Saturday morning.  Derek and I had been running for 10+ months training for a marathon.  We’d done several 16+ mile runs and decided we were going to do an 18 miler this particular Saturday morning.  Derek showed up with new shoes he was planning to break in for the first 6 miles.  However 2 miles into the run his shins were hurting so bad he had to quit.

The next weekend Derek showed up with the old shoes and completed a 20 mile run without any shin pain.  The only thing that had changed was the shoes and with this my running shoe research began.

Do you know what type of running shoe you need?  What type of foot do you have?  What type of wear pattern do you have on your shoes?  Do you currently have foot, shin or knee pain?  It may be your shoe selection.

Running shoe manufacturers make three kinds of shoes.  They make a neutral shoe, stability shoe, and a motion control shoe.  Your food type determines the type of shoe you need.

If you have a high arch and wear the inside heel of your shoe you need a neutral shoe.  Only about 5% of the population needs this type of shoe.  However, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, chances are you will come home with a neutral shoe.  Neutral shoes are the cheapest and most prevalent on most shoe store shelves.

If you have a normal semi-high or low arch and wear the outside heel of your shoe you need a stability shoe.  Stability shoes control how fast and hard your foot pronates when you run.  This control reduces the torque and stress on the lower leg, ankle and knee.  80%-90% of the population needs a stability shoe.  Stability shoes run between $59 and $99 but make all the difference when you start increasing mileage.

If you have flat feet you will need a motion control shoe.  This shoe usually has a cross bar in the heel that prevent your foot from rolling or pronating.  As a result it takes the pressure and torque off the ankles.  All flat footed people can utilize this shoes function to decrease the stress placed on the ankles.  Only about 5% of the population needs a shoe like this but if you’re flat footed it will make all the difference.  Motion control shoes are the most expensive and run between $110 and $140.  However, if you are serious about running it’s an expense that will prevent pain and discomfort in the long run, no pun intended.

The correct shoe can mean the difference between injury and running pain free.  Follow my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Expect-Results-Fitness/789913521063371?ref=hl and find out when I’m going to do a FREE shoe clinic on Saturday.