January 2003

Daily Checklist:
1. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning before anything else distracts you.
2. Stretch.
3. Take your supplements.
4. Eat reasonable meals, 400-900 calories each.
5. Keep fruit accessible, it is the best snack!
6. Take a short stroll after every meal.


Words from us…

Wayne’s World
    Millions of Americans are renewing their resolutions to lose weight with the New Year upon us. With increasing rates of obesity, nonprescription products use is likely to increase.  Weight-Loss supplements taken in conjunction with a calorie-controlled diet and exercise program have scientific proof of effect on humans.  The dietary supplement industry has been busy researching the roles of supplements in weight-loss, and specifically fat management.  The starring roles in weight-loss efforts include thermogenics, insulin aids and fat-binders, all with published and ongoing clinical research demonstrating a helping hand for slimming down.  The science behind natural medicine is becoming more abundant as more clinical trials elucidate the mechanisms of action behind natural weight-loss products that aid in fat loss and the development of lean muscle (enhanced by a healthy diet and exercise program). Our staff at Stay Healthy! have additional educational materials to offer in support of these products listed and mentioned in this Wellness Letter. Our job in this effort is to ascertain your needs and provide research and literature explaining each supplement’s effect.  Please call us at 877-2494, visit Stay Healthy! or contact us via our website at www.stayhealthy.info.
Thank you so much for your patronage. Stay Healthy!

James Sloane answers questions:
   There is no single cause of weight gain, and therefore no single answer to weight loss. Some of the factors that contribute to weight gain include hormones (birth control pills and ERT), overloaded or poorly functioning liver, poor diet, low thyroid, steroid use, overeating, poor elimination habits, hypothalamus and pituitary disorders, diabetes, etc. There are tricks to help with losing pounds, especially if the cause can be identified. A simple and safe fat burning combination is forskohlii and Yerba mate’ taken together prior to meals. This combo not only burns fat, it also regulates the thyroid, detoxifies the liver, and helps to suppress the appetite. If the thyroid is low the pituitary and the thyroid should both be addressed. Alfalfa, parsley, and ashwaganda assist the pituitary, which produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Black walnut hulls, dulse, and Sargasso seaweed provide the iodine needed for the production of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4. Ashwaganda assists in the conversion of T4 into the more active T3. The amino acid tyrosine is required for the production of thyroid hormones and helps to suppress the appetite. To clean the liver, which especially needs to be done if there is a hormone imbalance or if hormones are being taken, I recommend the use of digestive bitters and plenty of water throughout the day. To balance the blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings I recommend chromium polynicotinate, 200mcg, with each meal.
– James Sloane

Gina Says: Fad diets, crash diets and misuse of stimulants like ma huang (ephedra) do not work. Your body will rebel. Fad and crash diets will slow down your metabolism increasing weight in the long run. Ma huang speeds up the metabolism temporarily, but it creates side effects in the process such as adrenal gland burnout.  The herbs forskohlii and bitter orange (synephrine) work in the same manner as ma huang without the dangerous side effects. The artificial sweetener aspartame (Equal, Nutrasweet) should also be avoided. Not only is this sweetener very dangerous, but it also increases weight. Stevia is a safe and natural alternative to synthetic sweeteners. Unlike packets of artificial sweeteners, stevia does not have added dextrose (sugar) so it does not raise the blood sugar or stimulate weight gain by increasing insulin levels. Stevia is diabetic safe.

Tarah’s Corner-  This is the time of year to make resolutions and changes.  Why not start with weight loss?  Obesity is a national problem, as more than 40 percent of the American population is overweight.  Overeating because you are unhappy can be a common cause of weight gain among women and men.  Being overweight can also be due to a health problem.  Some causes of obesity are under-active thyroid and diabetes.  Whatever the cause, there is always a solution.  For weight gain due to over-eating or bad diet there is one main solution, EXERCISE!  The best thing you can do for your body is exercise and drink water.   Eat healthier.  Just because a food label says “fat free” doesn’t mean it is “guilt free.”  Fast Food should be something you eat once or twice a month.  It is one of the worst meals you can eat, especially if you are overweight.  I think that the low carb diets aren’t for everyone.  You need carbs in your diet so that you have the energy for all the exercise you will be doing.  Eating too much starch and carbs can be a problem, but again we just need to balance our diets.  Just like anything, you have to want to lose weight to do it.  The definition of exercise is not walking around while you work or run errands, but it is biking, hiking, running, swimming and working out at the gym.  Exercise for a good 20 minutes to an hour a day.  If you can accomplish at least one of these resolutions you are on your way to a happier and healthier lifestyle.

J.C. Speaking Words of Wisdom
Weight loss should be a “Life Style Change”, for this type of thinking will lead you down the path to a new healthy lifestyle rather then a quick fix diet fad. A new health regime would include drinking more water, adding more highly beneficial whole foods (grains, vegetables, fruits, etc.) to your daily meals and less junk food (candies, chips, etc.), fast food and fried foods. Consider herbs, grasses and algae as forgotten foods rather then foreign plants, and add these into your daily habits in the form of teas, powders, and capsules.  Herbs that help increase body metabolism include ginger, turmeric, and cayenne. Cereal grasses and algae can serve as natural appetite suppressants and complete multi-vitamins like barley grass, wheat grass and chlorella. Exercise is absolutely necessary for everyone on this planet. Walking, cycling, Tai-Chi Chuan, and all forms of moving exercise activates metabolism and increases endorphin levels making you feel good about yourself and the way you look. Motivation is probably the biggest key to losing weight. Try to inspire yourself by setting realistic goals and looking at or reading about people that have achieved similar success.  Affirmations have been proven for the body-mind connection. Say to yourself,
“I will do whatever it takes to be healthy and fit” everyday to program yourself with a positive attitude.
A New Year is the perfect time to pray and be thankful for what you have and also the time of year to start fresh with a new outlook towards your health and overall sense of well-being.
Happy New Year and May Peace Prevail on Earth.
Knowledge applied is wisdom…

Art by NIK