Centre for Optimum Health

Most people think because they are on the program that they cannot eat out for the whole three weeks. Not true!

Eating out is actually very easy, you just have to be very vocal with what you want and don’t want. Most restaurants will accommodate any dietary restrictions. When ordering make sure you tell the server that you want your meat/chicken or fish grilled with no oils, seasonings are good for flavor. If ordering vegetables make sure they are steamed with no oils or butter, salads will be ordered with no dressing and you will ask what they put on their salads and leave off what you’re not supposed to have. Fresh lemon squeezed over your salad with salt and pepper is very tasty.

Some of our patients have even been able to go to fast food places when they are in a pinch for food. We all know traveling on the thruway offers no real healthy choices. If you get creative you can get a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo, take it off the bun and order a salad with no dressing. You could also do that with burgers as well; you could keep the lettuce and tomato but remember no cheese.

Keep this is mind when you go out to eat, you are not depriving yourself of food , your just choosing to eat more healthy!!!!

Q: Why does everything I ingest bother my stomach?

A: There may be several reasons for this, one of which could be the foods you are eating. We recommend our clients eat foods that are compatible with their blood types, and this works well to help alleviate digestive issues. For Type O’s, a diet that consists of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits, helps to keep them strong and healthy.  Add wheat or dairy to their diet and that’s when the trouble starts. They feel gassy and bloated and may even get stomach pain.  The same issues happen to Type A’s who eat meat, instead of the vegetarian and seafood diet that they should be consuming.

Another reason for stomach issues may be that you don’t have enough stomach acid to properly breakdown what you’re taking in, which will also interfere with your body’s ability to absorb food and nutrients. This is usually the case for people who shouldn’t be or who are not used to eating meat, who have taken certain medications that block stomach acid, genetics, age and a variety of other reasons. To help with this, we recommend a digestive enzyme to help break down food, which allows the proteins, carbs, and fats to be successfully assimilated.

We will discuss this issue more in our follow-up blog. Stay tuned!

First and fore most I tell people this, life happens!!! We don’t always have control over what happens. As the saying goes, we roll with the punches and do the best we can. You will probably be put into situations that you have to make the choices about what to have to eat. Like at a friend’s house for a party and you look around the buffet table and panic because you don’t see anything that you can eat.

Here are some solutions to this dilemma, before you leave for the party, have a protein shake. That way you are not going to be starving by the time the food is served. You can also bring a dish that you know that you can eat. If you are going to drink then don’t have your fruit or tomato that day, also have a glass of wine or vodka, both are the lowest in calories.

Most important thing to remember is to give yourself a little slack. You are not eating badly every single day.  So if you have to, every once in a while, eat something you know you’re not supposed to…….don’t stress it!!!!!

The blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) gets the most notice during the winter months.  We think we have it all together and when it comes time to take action, we procrastinate, fumble and find ourselves wishing time away.   We get angry and lash out for no real reason other than things are irritating us or someone is occupying too much of our space.  Frankly, when Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) kicks in we are annoyed at everything and everybody.  Being in the same room with ourselves can even give us reason to believe there is no help or cure.

There are many who are unable to take the Medications offered for (SAD) Seasonal Affective Disorder and search out natural or alternative approaches to accomplish their desired goal.  Natural Remedies may include a calming neurotransmitter like GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) and utilizing LED Light Therapy.   As you know, we have them both.  The light therapy we offer for the face is the Beauty Gold and we also have full body light therapy with the Spa Feng Shui.  You can read about the benefits of Light Therapy for SAD and also Skin care at Wikipedia.

Ways to improve your mood naturally can be determined best by testing through MRT (a muscle testing procedure) to point us in the best direction of vitamin/mineral/herbs or an appointment with Dr. Leila to examine hormone levels and/or Light Therapy Packages that would improve your skin along with your mood.  Check out the site at www.professional-nutrition-services.com to determine the best path for you to get control of your Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD).

This month we’ve been focusing on ways to combat the winter blues.  In the northeast, winter is serious business, so we really need to work on all fronts – mind, body and spirit.  We are truly mind-body beings.   But to even talk about mind and body is inaccurate, because we can’t separate one from the other.   If we can shift our state of mind, our bodies can heal.  The reverse is true as well.  If we are feeling blue, often shifting our physical position, such as going outside, taking a walk, or moving to a different part of the house can help us emotionally. 

Studies show that our mood truly affects our bodies.  When we are sad or angry, there is a measurable decrease in immune function, and we are more susceptible to illness.  When we feel joy and gratitude, our immune system gets a boost.   So if we get rid of the winter blues, we are also very likely to get rid of the winter viruses!  With this in mind, it is important to develop ways to shift your mood.   If you are feeling a little down or irritable, you can turn to your “mood shifter list” and try different mood shifters until one works.  Here are a few ideas for mood-shifters:  I’ve already said that physically moving can help shift your mood.  You can write down a list of favorite memories that make you smile, or music that brightens your mood.   Another great one is to feel grateful about something – anything, even if it is small.  Focusing on gratitude is a fail-safe way to shift your mood.

Actively working on shifting your mood may seem somewhat trivial, but with the science to back up what positive emotions can do for the body, there is no denying the importance of these simple techniques I have laid out

Q: I feel so stressed out! What nutrients will help me?

A: Here are some of the supplements we use to manage stress:

1.     l-theanine – an amino acid derived from green tea. It reduces electrical activity in the brain associated with anxiety, which helps put you in a state of calmness and relaxation.  We like to say that it takes your shoulders out of your ears.

2.     flush-free niacin/niacinamide – a B vitamin (B3), helps to balance brainwaves, has a relaxing, anxiety-easing influence. It is especially useful at bedtime, as it helps to get rid of mind talk and brain chatter so that you can fall asleep.

3.     thiamine (B1) – helps to stabilize emotions and relieve irritability and depression

4.     total calm – a combination of l-theanine and relora, a botanical that relieves stress by supporting the adrenal gland, thereby balancing cortisol (stress hormone) levels

This month we are focusing on fighting the winter blues, and exercise is a great way to do that.  I know it’s harder to get out in January, but being a time of renewal and resolutions, let’s talk about some ways that you can make exercise work for you.

First of all, it is ESSENTIAL to find an exercise that you enjoy doing.  There are so many different ways to move your body!  It could be a dance form, like zumba or nia.  It could be martial arts, or more of a stretching practice like yoga or tai-chi.  Do you like a hard work-out?  Or would you rather take a walk in the woods.  Whatever it is find something you like to do – you will be much more likely to stick with it.

Next – when will it fit into your schedule?  Can you carve out time before work or on the way home.  Is there something you can get rid of to make room for exercise?  For example, could other family members take on some of the housework?  Could you give up some TV?  It is important to figure out how exercise will fit in, otherwise it just won’t happen.

Finally, there is easing into it.  Set minimal goals at first and once you achieve them you can become more ambitious.  How about a yoga class once a week.  When that is working well, you could increase to twice a week.  Remember, any exercise is better than none at all, so be gentle with yourself and GET STARTED!

January often brings with it the winter blues.  The first two months of the year feel like they will last forever.  After the holidays we often feel an emotional let-down.  The weather is bleak, we’ve been stuck inside forever, and it feels like spring will never come.   With less to do outside and the business of the holidays cleared out of the way, now is the perfect time to meditate and reflect on our goals for the New Year.  I’m not necessarily talking about New Year’s resolutions which can come and go, but actually taking the time to reflect on the past year, where we’ve been and coming up with a game plan of where we want to go.  Studies show that people who write down their goals actually achieve more and are in a higher income bracket. 

Where do we start?  Setting aside a few minutes daily to sit quietly and focus on our breathing helps us get back in touch with ourselves and makes goal setting an easier, more self-actualizing process.  What is it that we want to accomplish this year?  Where do we see our lives going?  What were our successes last year?  What lesson did we learn?  By reflecting on the past and thinking about what we want for the future, we are setting powerful forces in motion to help us achieve our goals.    So don’t let January slip by with the blahs – take this time to reflect on life and challenge yourself to go further.

Are you stuck in the winter blues?   In the northeast, where winter is serious business, we must combat the winter blues on all fronts – mind, body and spirit!   Mentally, we are trying to recover from the holidays.  We no longer have anything to look forward too.  We may be more irritable or depressed, and the lack of sunshine doesn’t help.  It’s time to pull out the Vitamin B1!  B1 helps to stabilize our emotions and evens out those mood swings.  It does so by helping our bodies to build GABA and Dopamine – our neurotransmitters of calm and focus, so it can help with anxiety, anger, irritability, or just feeling “blah.”  There is no known toxicity of vitamin B1, so we can use doses of 200-400mg/day.   Short days and cold weather are stressful for our bodies, so often issues of adrenal fatigue are made worse.  We can support our adrenals by taking extra adrenal glandular.  Remember, adrenal glandulars have all the nutritional support our adrenal glands need, plus there’s that energetic “part build a part”.  Extra B12 can help us with more energy whether we feel  overwhelmed emotionally or physically. 

The winter months are often a time that our exercise habits slip because it feels more challenging to go out.  Of course exercise helps us battle the winter blues on many fronts.  Not only has exercise been shown to improve mood, it also boosts the immune system.  One of the great things about the northeast is that we get to play in the snow – skiing, snowshoeing, or just taking a walk in the woods not only helps our body, but also helps the mind, and spirits.  It may be cold, but winter beauty is truly something to behold.   So don’t let winter make you blue – take charge of those winter blues with these easy tips.

Are you still using your mom’s facial cleanser or even worse SOAP on your face? Every person is different and every woman needs her own skin care regimen. Whether you are fighting adolescent acne or beginning to worry about fine lines, learning how to care for your skin is an essential way to keep yourself looking young, vibrant and beautiful.

While skin care varies slightly from person to person, a few general rules go a long way. I can’t think of anyone I known that has ever regretted taking care of there skin sooner rather than later. We all nourish our bodies’ everyday, but some how think it is okay not to nourish our face properly. Using the correct products for our skin type is essential in helping your face look and feel it’s very best.  Starting young is important. fine lines and wrinkles appear for so many reasons, sun damage, heredity, smoking, drinking, environmental, the list goes on and on. Sun protection is first rule of skin care; the harmful rays of the sun are the number ONE cause of aging. Using at least a 30 spf daily on your face will help with this; making sure the spf is designed for use on the face.

Learning basic rules; such as cleansing, toning and moisturizing. All of this will be discussed during your free consultation at Professional Nutrition Services call today for an appointment with Jackie, our trained medical aesthetician or visit our website www.professionalnutritionstore.com.