Eat More, Weigh Less?

OK lets admit it, we have all read the number of calories on a package at the grocery store thinking we were doing ourselves a favor by limiting calories. Unfortunately, low calorie diets don’t live up to all the hype! Recent studies have shown that this type of eating will actually lead to weight gain after the initial weight loss. 

When you reduce the amount of calories in your diet, your body thinks you are going into starvation, and as a result any food that you put into your system will actually be stored as fat. 

The stress of calorie restriction on the body causes the release of excess sugar, that was previously stored in the liver. High amounts of excess sugar can lead to Type 2 Diabetes – which ironically can also be caused by eating too many calories. 

Instead of counting calories, focus on eating real, whole foods. When you eat real foods your body gets the nutrients it needs and your cravings will be eliminated. Alternatively, as the nutrient value of processed foods is so minimal, you will continue to crave foods until your body fulfills the nutritional requirements it needs. 

Just because a food is marked low calorie, does not mean it is a health food. Value real food and nutrient content instead of counting calories. 

To learn more about health myths, click here.

CrossFit

I’m always looking for new ways to switch up my work out routine, as it is important to constantly challenge our bodies and avoid getting stuck on a "human hamster wheel." 

Today I tried CrossFit for the first time and really appreciate the concept. According to Crossfit.com, the program “delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience.”

I followed the routine on realfitnessgroup.com, today it was:

• 1 mile run 
• 109 squats
• 89 box jumps (24″ - 18″)
• 69 double unders while jump roping
• 49 burpees (down ups)
• 29 GHD sit-ups
• 1 mile run

It was a great total body workout that I could do with only a jump rope and pair of running shoes. Since I don't have a gym membership right now, I’ve been finding ways to get a great workout at home (besides pulling up carpet at the office as I've recently been doing).

The thing I really like about CrossFit is that everyone can do it, or at least a modified version of it. For box jumps, I used the side of my deck and for the GHD sit-ups I did leg raises, but since they are easier I did a few more. If you are unable to run, then speed walk the distance. If you are unable to do full squats, do partial squats. You can always modify each exercise to fit your needs and abilities. Do what you can, and push yourself each time to do a little more.

Have you tried CrossFit or a similar program? I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.

Why You Should Eat Organic

Check out this video by Kevin Gianni from the Renegade Health Show, it is a great demonstration on why you should eat organic foods.

On the Move

As you may have noticed, I haven’t updated my blog in quite awhile. Things have been a little busy on my end. My wife Jen and I got married on June 12th in Saginaw, Michigan at the Anderson Enrichment Center and had our reception at the beautiful Temple Theatre. The love and support from our family and friends has been amazing.

After the wedding, we headed to Costa Rica for our honeymoon and it was one of the best vacations we've been on. The land, culture and people there are simply amazing and we definitely have plans to go back in the future. We traveled all around the west coast zip lining, sailing, snorkeling and indulging in guacamole, pico de gallo and ceviche every chance we got!

When we got home from our honeymoon, I hit the ground running with my office Kehres Health & Chiropractic in Saginaw, Mich. Starting a business is never ending work, as many of you know from having done it yourselves. My new Web site is in the works and my beautiful wife Jen is heading up that project along with many other marketing activities while we open the office. Recently we decided on a logo as well! (What do you think?) We're planning to open in the next few months and I’ll be sure to keep you posted as we progress.

Life is an amazing journey and there is always something around the corner. I’ve learned many great lessons over the past few months mostly good and a few the hard way. You have to be able to adapt at a moments notice and no matter how much is on your plate, know that you will make it through. To quote one of my wife's favorite sayings, "Don't let the details become bigger than the purpose." Stressing over things you cannot control will not help you reach your purpose. All of these lessons will help bring me to the next stage of my life in regards to my family, my career and my personal journey! Thanks for your support.

Dream Big!

Dan

Take Time to Dine

This article was originally posted on 360mainstreet.com

We live in a very hectic world where it is rare to sit down long enough to relax. Most people are rushed throughout the day, and at the dinner table things are no different. Fast food restaurants line almost every road you drive down, making quick, unhealthy meals easily accessible. Unfortunately, it has become uncommon for a family to sit down and enjoy a nice, slow meal together.

When eating fast, food is typically not properly chewed, leading to improper digestion. Dr. Paul Fuhrman from the Advanced Wellness Center said, “If food is not properly chewed, much can go to waste, passing through the system as a fermenting, decaying mass, including those precious vitamins and minerals that we need to stay healthy.”

Many studies support taking time to enjoy a leisurely dinner. In 2008, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that sitting down to eat a slow dinner caused subjects to consume 10 percent fewer calories. Another study published in 2008 in the British Medical Journal found that eating quickly and eating until full tripled the subjects’ risk of being overweight. "Taking the time to chew tends to slow down the dining process, resulting in smaller portions needed to appease your hunger," said Dr. Fuhrman.

In many other cultures, it's not uncommon for a meal to last a few hours. Not only is eating a slow meal better for your health, but it's also better for your relationships. Societies throughout the world enjoy slow dinners and see them as a social time, not just a time to eat.

In 1986, Carlo Petrini foresaw the problem of fast food restaurants increasing the rate at which we eat our meals when the first McDonald's opened in Rome. Petrini started the Slow Food Movement as a result. The movement focuses on eating real, locally grown foods and enjoying them at relaxing, conversation-filled meals. Petrini wants our future generations to appreciate good, healthy foods and the interactions that go along with those meals as well.

Eating slower and appreciating real food is very important to your health. This is especially true because many fast food restaurants sell highly processed food that can lead to a variety of health problems, ranging from obesity to cancer to asthma. Try to find locally grown, organic meats, fruits, and vegetables, and make a home cooked meal. When you sit down to eat your next meal, take time to chew until there is no flavor left in the food. Enjoy the conversation, and don’t think of it as just a time to eat, but a time to both socialize with your friends and family and appreciate the food.

Health on the Go

Having cravings during the middle of the day can lead you to the vending machine for an unhealthy snack. These foods are easy to take with you and have numerous health benefits! Remember to buy organic as much as possible.

• Peppers: A very low calorie snack that’s loaded with vitamins C, A and K. You can eat them just like you would an apple. Be sure to wash them thoroughly if not buying organic as they are one of the most pesticide contaminated vegetables. 
• Avocados: An absolute superfood, avocados are loaded with healthy fats, fiber and lots of other nutritional benefits. They are great to peel with your finger or a knife and eat just like you would a push pop. 
• Tomatoes: Did you know that tomatoes are actually berries, but were ruled a vegetable by the supreme court in 1893? Eat tomatoes like a fruit, raw, making them a great on the go snack that is loaded with cancer fighting lycopenes and anti-oxidants. As lycopenes are absorbed better with fat, enjoy tomatoes with healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados or nuts. 
• Cucumbers: Containing high amounts of water and nutrients, cucumbers are also a very alkalizing vegetable which can help regulate your body’s pH balance. Take a peeler with you and eat them like you would a banana! 
• Raw Nuts: As nuts are full of healthy fats and don’t need to be refrigerated, they make a great snack since they contain a lot of calories in a single handful, (but they are good calories don’t worry). Just make sure not to over eat as the calories will really start to add up. You can take nuts anywhere you travel, but be sure to be conscious of people with nut allergies as they may be life threatening.

Sleep Yourself to Better Health

This article was originally posted on 360mainstreet.com

For thousands of years humans have been synchronized with the cycle of the sun—the circadian cycle. It has only been in the past 100 years that this cycle has really changed. With the invention of electricity, the typical hours people are awake and asleep has shifted.

When sunlight hits the body it tells us that it is daytime. As fluorescent lights, televisions and computer screens flicker on and off between 60 and 120 beats per second, our bodies interpret these lights as morning sunlight, keeping us awake. No matter what type of light it is, the stress hormone cortisol is released. This hormone wakes us up and helps prepare our bodies for the day, so cortisol drastically increases in the morning and then slowly decreases throughout the day until sundown. This gradual reduction of cortisol throughout the day is what prepares our bodies for sleep. To help reduce the amount of cortisol, it is important to prepare your body by lowering the lights and winding down before bed.

In order to allow your body full recovery time during the sleep cycle, reduction of cortisol is essential. Stimulants such as caffeine, sugar and tobacco all increase cortisol. It has been shown that caffeine has a half life of six hours. So, if you drink a cup of coffee at 4 p.m. with 400 mg of caffeine you will still have 200 mg of caffeine in your system six hours later at 10 p.m. Due to caffeine’s long lasting effects, try to avoid it after lunch and in the evenings.

Here are other tips to lower cortisol and sleep better:

• Shut down your computer or T.V. an hour before bedtime 
• Turn off main lights in your house an hour before bed and use only dim lamps or candles
• Remove night lights from your room and use dark curtains or blinds to block any outdoor light 
• Don't work from your bed, keep it for sleeping as your body will associate work with bed and increase your stress level.
• It is important to take care of your body as any form of physical stress will lead to an increase in cortisol 
• Sleep in temperatures of 70 degrees or cooler
• Wake up naturally. I personally use the Soleil SunAlarm clock, which is an alarm clock that simulates the sunrise in the morning (also available at Kehres Health).
• Ideally, aim to be in bed by 10 p.m. and to sleep by 10:30 p.m.

Following the proper sleep cycle, our bodies should be ready for sleep around 10 p.m. Throughout the day our bodies go through a variety of physical and mental stressors, and sleep is the time to rebuild and repair our muscles and brain. Between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. our bodies do most of the muscle repair, and after 2 a.m. mental repair takes place. If you go to bed at midnight, you will miss two hours of physical repair potentially causing you to wake up feeling tired and even sore, as your body didn’t get to finish repairs from the night before.

The more you can do to get back in sync with the sun’s cycle, the better sleep you will have and the more energized and restored you will feel the next day.

"I Can Do Anything Good!"

Being thankful and having a positive attitude is contagious. Surround yourself with positive people and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

I challenge you to watch this video and not walk away with a positive attitude!