Best Life Diet

“He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” -Arabian Proverb

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster. Think ‘move’ in small increments of time. It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that’s great when you’re up to it. Meanwhile, move more. Thought for the day: Cha, Cha, Cha…. Then do it!

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise. Thought for the day: Lean, mean, fat-burning machine…. Then be one!

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we’ve seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or ‘tough guy’ stance of Hollywood smokers. Thought for the day: Give up just one cigarette…. the next one.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible. Thought for the day: When seeing red, think pink clouds….then float on them. Read the rest of this entry »

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — Driving a taxi for a living can be exhausting. Just ask 62-year-old Stephen Belcher of Atlanta, Georgia. “I worked seven days a week, 12 hours a day normally,” Belcher said. “I just thought I was tired and maybe if I got a good night’s sleep I’d feel better.”

Like millions of Americans, Belcher was really suffering from fatigue. It’s a common complaint among an estimated 20 to 30 percent of patients who see their primary care physician. “Most of the time you know why you are tired and the tiredness goes away after adequate sleep or rest,” said Dr. Susmita Parashar, who specializes in internal medicine at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta. “Fatigue on the other hand, is a persistent daily lack of energy that impairs your ability to function normally.”

Belcher described it as feeling burned out. “I would go to the grocery store and park my car. By the time I would go to the front door I would have to sit down and rest before I actually started shopping.” Parashar called fatigue an important marker that patients and doctors shouldn’t ignore. “The list of causes of fatigue is quite long,” Parashar said. “It includes anemia, underactive thyroid, diabetes, depression, sleep apnea, insomnia, chronic pain, liver, kidney and heart disease and in some cases cancer.” Belcher knew something was wrong. After months of putting it off, he finally went to the emergency room. He was found to have myriad ailments, from sleep apnea to emphysema to a heart blockage. Read the rest of this entry »