There are many articles out there about avoiding weight gain this holiday season. We particularly liked the The Denver Post's article this week as it broke it down nicely. "

Here are 8 of our favorite tips.



By: William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp

For many of us, Jan. 2 unfolds thusly: A gingerly step upon the bathroom scales, followed by a low moan upon learning that the scales are somehow, somehow, 5-7 pounds off. And not in the desired direction. Holiday weight gain, or at least the risk of it, is something that bedevils most Americans who are no longer blessed with the blast-furnace metabolism of youth.

"It's a big problem," says Marion Morrison, a registered dietitian at Eat to Live Well, a clinic in Thornton. "Generally, we tend to eat more during this period because more food is available. It's not just that it's high-calorie food." Sensible intake is one of the keys, she says.

"It's important to be conscious of how much we're eating," Morrison says. "You want reasonable portions. Eat what's appropriate. Maybe instead of a whole cup of stuffing you cut it to a half-cup." Morrison isn't a huge fan of tinkering with traditional recipes to obtain lower-calorie results. "You lose flavor that way," she says. "The number one way to cut calories is to reduce portion sizes," she says.

So to avoid packing on the pounds, shoot for a mix of moderation, self-discipline and some common sense.

Move it!
Many of us exercise, but the simple fact is that if you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. So if your usual exercise routine is 30 minutes of cardio work three times a week, consider boosting it to 45 minutes of cardio for five times a week. Morning walks are a great way to burn calories, and make for a fun group activity in the wake of family feasts.
"If you eat more, exercise more," Morrison advises. "I try to encourage my family to take a walk after Thanksgiving dinner before we sit down to watch more football."

Eat before going out
Translation: Never go to a party hungry. Drink a couple of glasses of water and nosh on some fruit or raw veggies before heading out, and chances are you won't inflict as much damage when you hit the buffet table laden with cheese straws and lemon bars.

Don't be such a dip
Creamy dips are traditionally calorie bombs, especially the tempting elixir known as onion dip. If you're a host, consider offering your guests dips that are based on plain yogurt. The numerous Greek varieties that have taken over grocery shelves are excellent for this.

Friends and family
One of the temptations of holiday parties, especially if the hosts know their way around the kitchen, is parking yourself at the buffet table. But remember that you're there to socialize. Move away from the bon-bons and mingle with other guests at a safe distance. Focus on the conversation, not the food. Chatting is a great way to forget about those tempting treats.

Put a cap on the canapés
When parties feature small hors d'oeuvres, it's easy to lose count of how many of them you've downed. Hang onto the toothpick spears and set a limit on how many you'll eat.

Back off the booze
There are any number of reasons to avoid overindulging in alcohol at a party. For starters, you don't want to be the lampshade guy, especially in this age of social media. But another reason to limit your drinks is the high calorie count in cocktails, beer and wine.
"Drink slowly," Morrison says. "And maybe you sip water instead of alcoholic beverages. Some people try to cut calories by drinking fruit juices, but they tend to be high in calories, too. But if you mix the juice with sparkling water, you reduce the calories."
Limiting the alcohol goes beyond the calories: The more you imbibe, the lower your resistance to the temptation of the holiday goodies.

Lay off the sweets
Everyone knows that desserts are packed with calories, thanks to the sugar, butter and other fats. Stick to small portions and count the bites. Opt for a couple of strawberries dipped in chocolate rather than a big slice of cake or pecan pie.

Beat the buffet
Ah, the temptation of the buffet table, that collection of potluck dishes and casseroles that practically begs you to indulge in wretched excess. Don't.
Choose a small plate, and don't stack the food. Avoid sauces and dips, and indulge in simpler foods such as shrimp and chicken kebabs, or fruit and veggies.


Read more: Holiday weight game: Tips to avoid packing on pounds - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/fitness/ci_24598985/holiday-weight-game-tips-avoid-packing-pounds#ixzz2lrbdjFiJ
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Colder weather generally signals the upcoming cold and flu season, but did you know that it's not the cold weather that makes you susceptible?
 
The viruses that make us feel so gross this time of year enjoy the heat so are actually a result of the much closer quarters we share with everyone while we try not to go outside! Keep your immune system ready and your body healthy by following these tips for the season.

1. Wash your hands! Just like your mom used to say, washing your hands frequently, and especially before meals, is one of the best ways to make sure you'll stay healthy.
2. Get your flu shots! Immunizing yourself against the flu will not only keep you happy and healthy throughout the season, it will also help prevent the spread of the viruses to others.
3. Get enough sleep! Healthy sleeping habits lead to a healthy immune system. If you are avoiding a good night's rest, you may be putting yourself at risk for a nasty cold.
4. Keep exercising! Maintaining healthy habits will keep your body in shape to fight off the cold and flu viruses of the season.
5. Eat right! Make sure that your body has all the help it can get in the form of proper nutrition. Maintain your intake of essential vitamins and minerals, and limit your intake of sugars.
6. Smoking and drinking won't help. Both nicotine and alcohol disrupt sleep and health habits alike, which make them enemies of the season.
7. Look into the benefits of a Colonic! When the body encounters allergies or germs, it wants to get rid of these toxins by producing body fluids; hence the sneezing, watery eyes and noses during allergy season. The colon plays a role in throwing out toxins but if it is backed up, symptoms can intensify and affect the rest of body.

In order to do all of the things we do throughout our lives, our bodies rely on a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, along with some essential vitamins and minerals. But while carbohydrates that come from foods like potatoes, bread, and squash provide the energy our bodies need, that energy truly comes from sugar. Our bodies break down carbohydrates into glucose (sugar) for proper processing. Straight sugar (ie: from your soda), are a faster way for your body to get the energy it thinks it needs. This is why sugar is such a huge problem in this country and across the world. When we can get so much sugar so easily, we process far more than our bodies need! Unfortunately, those same bodies that crave sugar suffer as a result.

Insulin, which many people know only in its relation to diabetes, is actually the vehicle your body uses to deliver glucose energy to your cells. Sugar triggers the production of insulin so that the sugar can be used. However, too much sugar will produce enough insulin that your cells will become resistant and the sugars are left to wander through your bloodstream, eventually leading to diabetes or weight gain.  

Natural sugars can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables (along with the carbohydrates that break down into glucose), but in vastly smaller quantities than we get from sweetened drinks and candies. One 20 oz bottle of soda has the same amount of sugar as eleven servings of strawberries, but without the filling quality of those fruits. Sugar is not something that can or should be completely cut out of a diet, but since it’s found naturally almost everywhere, added sugar is unnecessary and potentially very harmful!

●      Sugar is easily processed, which causes a flood of insulin.
●      Sugar’s relationship with insulin is a leading cause in the rise of diabetes.
●      Insulin in the blood blocks your body’s natural ability to tell when it’s full, leading to overeating.
●      Sugar is a leading cause in Fatty Liver Disease.

Resources: http://www.mindbodygreen.com ; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brandon-drenon/eat-more-food-and-less-ca_b_5322104.html ; http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/ ; http://www.womenshealthmag.com/ ; http://www.sugarstacks.com/ ;

Coconut is all the craze these days. I found this article that I think covers what makes coconut oil so different. I have started cooking with it and it has changed my life. As you know, ‘heart healthy’ olive oil has long been front and center. But now the healthy fat spotlight is on coconut oil, which is considered one of the healthiest oils on earth.
 
So what makes coconut oil so healthy? As it turns out, coconut oil contains the highest concentration of a particular fatty acid known for its health benefits. To read about some of the healthy properties of this special fatty acid, go here:

http://www.wisechoicemarket.com/coconut-oil/

When cooking, what oil do you usually reach for? Vegetable oils, which for many years have been promoted as healthy, truly aren’t meant for cooking. And in fact, due to high heat extraction, most vegetable oils are damaged before you even buy them! On the other hand, coconut oil is highly stable for cooking. Read more here:

http://www.wisechoicemarket.com/coconut-oil/
 
Happy reading!

The following are a few common questions people have about their stool but may be too embarrassed to ask (so we'll ask and answer for you!):

• How often is normal? Normal bowel habits vary. When we talk about regularity, what we’re really talking about is what’s regular for you. Three bowel movements per day to three per week is considered the normal range.
• Is it normal for my stool to smell, a lot? If your stool has an extraordinarily bad odor, it should not be ignored. I am referring to an odor above and beyond the normally objectionable stool odor. Stinky stool can be associated with a number of health problems that should be looked into.
  
• How long does it take for food to be processed, start to finish? The average body takes between 18 and 72 hours to convert food into poop and pass it on out.
• What exactly is constipation? Constipation is defined as passing hard, dry stools that you have to strain to move, and it’s typically uncomfortable. 

Now that we've covered all of the basics, lets review some ways to improve your digestive regularity:

• Remove gluten from your diet (see previous blog posts and journals!)
• Eat a diet that includes whole foods, rich in fresh, organic vegetables and fruits that provide good nutrients and fiber
• Avoid artificial sweeteners, excess sugar, chemical additives, MSG, excessive amounts of caffeine, and processed foods
• Boost your intestinal flora by adding naturally fermented foods  into your diet, such as sauerkraut and pickles
  
• Make sure you stay well hydrated with pure water
• Get plenty of exercise on a daily basis
• Consider squatting  instead of sitting to move your bowels- squatting straightens your rectum, relaxes your puborectalis muscle and encourages the complete emptying of your bowel without straining, and has been scientifically shown to relieve constipation and hemorrhoids
• Get a colonic!
  

There are many articles out there about avoiding weight gain this holiday season. We particularly liked the The Denver Post's article this week, written by William Porter, as it broke it down nicely.

"It's a big problem," says Marion Morrison, a registered dietitian at Eat to Live Well, a clinic in Thornton. "Generally, we tend to eat more during this period because more food is available. It's not just that it's high-calorie food."

"It's important to be conscious of how much we're eating," Morrison says. "You want reasonable portions. Eat what's appropriate. Maybe instead of a whole cup of stuffing you cut it to a half-cup."

Morrison isn't a huge fan of tinkering with traditional recipes to obtain lower-calorie results. "You lose flavor that way," she says. "The number one way to cut calories is to reduce portion sizes," she says.

So to avoid packing on the pounds, shoot for a mix of moderation, self-discipline and some common sense.

Here are 8 of our favorite tips as seen in the article.

Move it!
Many of us exercise, but the simple fact is that if you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. So if your usual exercise routine is 30 minutes of cardio work three times a week, consider boosting it to 45 minutes of cardio for five times a week. Morning walks are a great way to burn calories, and make for a fun group activity in the wake of family feasts.

"If you eat more, exercise more," Morrison advises. "I try to encourage my family to take a walk after Thanksgiving dinner before we sit down to watch more football."

Eat before going out
Translation: Never go to a party hungry. Drink a couple of glasses of water and nosh on some fruit or raw veggies before heading out, and chances are you won't inflict as much damage when you hit the buffet table laden with cheese straws and lemon bars.

Don't be such a dip
Creamy dips are traditionally calorie bombs, especially the tempting elixir known as onion dip. If you're a host, consider offering your guests dips that are based on plain yogurt. The numerous Greek varieties that have taken over grocery shelves are excellent for this.

Friends and family
One of the temptations of holiday parties, especially if the hosts know their way around the kitchen, is parking yourself at the buffet table. But remember that you're there to socialize. Move away from the bon-bons and mingle with other guests at a safe distance. Focus on the conversation, not the food. Chatting is a great way to forget about those tempting treats.

Put a cap on the canapés
When parties feature small hors d'oeuvres, it's easy to lose count of how many of them you've downed. Hang onto the toothpick spears and set a limit on how many you'll eat.

Back off the booze
There are any number of reasons to avoid overindulging in alcohol at a party. For starters, you don't want to be the lampshade guy, especially in this age of social media. But another reason to limit your drinks is the high calorie count in cocktails, beer and wine.

"Drink slowly," Morrison says. "And maybe you sip water instead of alcoholic beverages. Some people try to cut calories by drinking fruit juices, but they tend to be high in calories, too. But if you mix the juice with sparkling water, you reduce the calories."

Limiting the alcohol goes beyond the calories: The more you imbibe, the lower your resistance to the temptation of the holiday goodies.

Lay off the sweets
Everyone knows that desserts are packed with calories, thanks to the sugar, butter and other fats. Stick to small portions and count the bites. Opt for a couple of strawberries dipped in chocolate rather than a big slice of cake or pecan pie.

Beat the buffet
Ah, the temptation of the buffet table, that collection of potluck dishes and casseroles that practically begs you to indulge in wretched excess. Don't.
Choose a small plate, and don't stack the food. Avoid sauces and dips, and indulge in simpler foods such as shrimp and chicken kebabs, or fruit and veggies.

And obviously don't forget to get a Colonic once the holiday is over and plan your new healthy start in 2014!

William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
Read more: Holiday weight game: Tips to avoid packing on pounds - The Denver Post