Anew Health Center

Poor diet, sedentary lifestyle the main culprits.

by Flavia Kreis, CNC

Click here to see the original article.

The number of youths that are overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s. Today, approximately 13 percent of children and adolescents — nearly 5.3 million youths — are seriously overweight.

What is causing childhood obesity? Our society is overindulging on foods; it seems we can’t go a city block without seeing a fast food restaurant. Every hour of the day or night we have foods available to us. Just a few decades ago Americans ate mostly home-made foods. Now most of us eat out an average of four to five times per week, and some eat out every day.

The picture at home is one of sedentary eating. Most people who eat at home have TV dinners or take-out. The average American child spends about six to seven hours per day watching television. Food commercials on TV typically promote nutritionally deficient foods and empty calories, like desserts, sodas and fast foods.

Just by watching TV we feel compelled to eat. It is a passive activity. And after a while, we become overweight and sick and the next commercial we see is about getting medications for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. This makes no sense.

Instead of going out and socializing or walking or exercising, we are sitting, eating and taking medications because we cannot stop eating, and so our health declines.

For kids, school is no better. Many school lunches are full of chemicals, fats and sugars, with no sign of fresh vegetables or fruit. School vending machines are loaded with low-nutrient foods like chips, snack bars, cookies and sodas. Children are commonly sent to school after having a breakfast full of sugars like frosted or artificially colored cereal with little or no protein. How can we expect our children to be healthy and perform well at school when their bodies are malnourished?

Another problem is portion intake; most Americans eat twice what they need. Restaurant portions are often excessive, and our constant snacking contributes to this problem. Portion size is quite different in many other countries in the world, and people there have fewer weight problems.

What is the solution to all of this? We must simply reverse the causes of these problems.

Eat smaller portions; eat more home-made meals so you can control the intake of fats, sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; make better food choices. Reduce the amount of TV, computer and/or video game exposure for you and your kids. Instead, play a game after dinner or take a walk. Sign up your child for a sport that he or she likes.

Make a nutritious lean-protein breakfast for your child and send him or her to school with healthy homemade lunches. You can do even better by working in your community to promote healthier school lunches and to remove the vending machines from schools.

Other schools in other states did it (for more information, see www.aasd.k12.wi.us/aca/profile.htm and select the “Nutrition” link), and the students’ grades improved, while drops-out and acts of vandalism decreased. Why not us?

by Flavia Kreis, CNC

Click here to see original article.

Why is it so hard to stay in shape and keep fit? There are several factors that can make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.

Many people have a difficult time losing weight even if they try very hard. Despite the amount of effort they put in, they see few results.

One major reason: We live very stressed lives. This stress can be physical (allergies), or environmental or chemical (which includes synthetic hormones, pesticides, heavy metals, GMO foods and various preservatives).

With the constant pressures of life, many of us do not get enough sleep or rest, and when this situation occurs the body will ask for more food in order to compensate for the lack of energy. This food will not be completely digested because our adrenals will be in an overactive mode (adrenaline), which halts our digestive enzymes.

In addition, the adrenal glands secrete the hormone cortisol as a reaction to stress, and excess cortisol leads to weight gain, especially in the abdomen area, along with sleep disturbances, mood swings, irritability, loss of memory and poor digestion.

Elevated cortisol also aggravates sugar distribution, which contributes to development of high insulin levels and ultimately diabetes. When the adrenal glands pass the point of stress they go into exhaustion, which creates physically damaging conditions like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, hormonal problems, inflammation and heart attack, just to mention a few.

What happens to unutilized foods? They can turn into fat and irritate your stomach and intestine linings, create allergies and create a whole vast array of digestive disorders such as IBS, leaky gut, bloating, and so on.

The inability to process foods correctly due to allergic reaction will also create hormonal imbalances, or systemic Candida (yeast) invasion that also causes weight gain. Elevated digestive toxicity develops as the result of an inability to process food correctly and eliminate excessive food intake.

Excessive consumption of carbohydrates can also cause weight gain: Carbohydrates turn into sugar in the blood stream, and unused sugar will turn into fat.

Strangely, we often crave the foods we’re allergic to. Allergies can then lead to obesity, because the allergens will trigger the release of insulin, which causes low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include uncontrollable hunger, irritability and lack of concentration, brain fog and waking up too early. Once the allergic reaction is eliminated or reduced, the sufferer will no longer experience cravings and therefore will not be compelled to eat so much of the foods that make him or her overweight.

Estrogen dominance is another fairly common factor that contributes to inability to lose weight; we eat meats, eggs and dairy products that have been treated with synthetic hormones. Estrogens create water retention and fat deposits; in time of pregnancy, estrogens are vital in protecting the fetus, but elevated estrogens otherwise create havoc for our endocrine and digestive systems.

Vegetarians are usually thinner is because they are avoiding those hormones. It is not just because of fats in meat and dairy.

Have you had your thyroid checked lately? Many Americans suffer from undetected slow thyroid function (hypothyroidism). If you do have hypothyroidism it is almost impossible to lose weight. Go to your doctor and get tested.

Finally, there’s exercise. Running is good, but not everybody can run due to bad backs, knees or swollen joints. In that case, a brisk half-hour walk every day can boost your metabolism as well. After lunch or dinner go out and enjoy a walk.

Using free weights helps to increase your muscle mass and burn the fat. Just 15 minutes a day can keep up your strength, which in turn keeps your skeletal system straight.

Or how about something fun, such as dancing classes? Just one type of exercise can get boring after a while, and boredom is one of the main causes of withdrawing from exercise. So maintain a variety and alternate your routine.

By Flavia Kreis, CNC

Click here to see the original article.

Many people do not realize that food sensitivities and deficiencies can contribute to unwanted behavior in children and teens.

When children and teens have deficiencies and allergies, they can develop behavioral problems. In this fast-paced world, most young people eat a fast-food diet loaded with sugars and chemicals, which lack many vital nutrients a growing body needs.

Even in adults, food and environmental sensitivities can create behavioral problems that can mimic mental disorders; but in younger people it can be more prominent.

The main causes of such problems are sugars, artificial ingredients, yeast, chocolate, sulfites, preservatives, food coloring, wheat, corn products, dairy, peanut butter, cinnamon and MSG. Teens can also be sensitive to or lack fatty acids.

Heavy metal poisoning could also contribute to mental problems, such as confusion and fogginess. Many substances in our environment contain metals, so if you suspect their presence, it is worthwhile to have your child tested.

One organ that should be fully tested is the thyroid, since there is a connection between thyroid malfunction and depression and irritability.

Systemic (entire body) yeast invasion, also called candida, can create many unpleasant physical and mental manifestations such as irritability, depression, bloating, digestive disturbances, skin problems and constipation.

Amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) are essential for the absorption and effectiveness of vitamins and minerals, and certain amino acids are very important for a proper function of the brain. Many physical conditions can make a person deficient of amino acids, even in the presence of a good balanced diet. Some of these are malabsorption, infections, lack of digestive enzymes, allergies, recreational and prescribed drugs, alcohol, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

A shortage of amino acids has been linked to conditions like ADHD, learning disorders, fatigue, lack of concentration and depression. Also, deficiencies of B vitamins can mimic mental conditions such as schizophrenia, irritability, depression and anxiety. The correlation between B vitamin deficiency and mental conditions is well known in the health field, but too often is forgotten.

The following list provides more information about the importance and benefits of these vitamins and what their deficiencies can bring about. This list describes some of the manifestations of deficiency, but not all.

• B1 (thiamin) helps the brain convert energy from glucose and protein. Deficiency: fatigue, behavior problems, confusion, insomnia and irritability.
• B2 (riboflavin) helps myelin (a substance that covers the nerves and assists nerve conductivity) in making energy available to the brain. Deficiency: behavior problems and impedes the normal growth of the brain in young children.
• B3 (niacin) assists the assimilation of proteins and the brain to produce essential chemicals. Deficiency: anxiety or tension, depression, schizophrenia, poor memory, headaches, insomnia.
• B5 (pantothenic acid) helps with energy production, is fundamental for brain and nerves, and supports the body in manufacturing anti-stress hormones. Deficiency: apathy, poor concentration, anxiety or tension, lack of energy.
• B6 (pyridoxine) is important for digestion and absorption of proteins, synthesis brain function, and supports and balances hormones. It is a natural antidepressant and diuretic (increases discharge of urine). Deficiency: edema, nervousness or depression, irritability, lack of energy.
• B12 (cyanocobalamin) is needed for the absorption of proteins. It helps the blood carry oxygen, is very important for energy and vital for nerves. Deficiency: eczema or dermatitis, anxiety or tension, fatigue, irritability, constipation.

As with minerals, fatty acids and amino acids, these vitamins are responsible for supporting systems in our body. Often, however, our bodies lack the correct internal balance to process and utilize them properly. There are many alternative methods that can help your child with these imbalances.

Before being diagnosed with any type of mental disorder, a child should be physically evaluated for these deficiencies by a competent medical doctor, possibly working in cooperation with an alternative practitioner.

By Flavia Kreis, CNC

See the original article here.

When was the last time you sat down to rest, put your feet up, and closed your eyes for 15 minutes? You laugh! The demands of career and family on our time and energy and emotions can be all-consuming. We forget about rest and relaxation in our push to meet life’s demands.

We also forget that the body is a biochemical machine and, like any machine, requires care and maintenance to run properly. Constant stress and poor fuel are enemies of the body and begin a cycle of deterioration which may go unnoticed but can eventually result in serious health problems.

The adrenal system of our body is a wondrous thing. In moments of danger it kicks everything into high gear so that we are capable of a great spurt of energy, enabling us to either fight or flee the danger. Jumping out of the way of a car is an example of this. When it occurs, stress hormones are released which tighten muscles, increase breathing and heart rate and heighten brain function. It is meant to be a temporary condition. The act of running or fighting would expend enough energy to reverse these emergency responses.

However, today’s stress responses often begin at the office, or in our car, and we remain stationary rather than fighting or fleeing. A prolonged stress response, which is not dissipated in action, has detrimental effects on the body. Digestive activity is lessened and food goes right through the body, creating a continual need for more food. The immune system is suppressed and normal healing functions are impaired. Frequent use of the stress response can initiate many health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, immune disorders, diabetes, muscle pain, stroke, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, fatigue and depression.

Kept perpetually in this fight-or-flight mode, the body begins to perceive everything as an enemy. It begins to fight many things it would not normally fight, such as foods and environmentally harmless substances such as pollen and grass and even vitamins and minerals.

Poor fuel is another enemy of the body. A diet high in meats and grains and low in vegetables and fruits can create an acidic condition (low pH) in which the digestive enzymes become less active. A diet high in starches leads to decreased metabolism, making weight gain probable. The allergens mentioned earlier create cravings which perpetuate the poor diet. We gain weight and can’t lose it. We want to diet but can’t stop our hand from reaching for that chocolate bar. Our energy level sags and we feel heavy and uncomfortable.

To restore balance and order, we have to look at the big picture and establish a correct sequence of actions. The first thing to address is the strengthening of the organs and the correction of the pH balance of the body. Until these are accomplished other treatments won’t work as well. The pH can be corrected with diet, relaxation and supportive supplementation. Enzymes can strengthen the organs.

You have several options for intervening, lessening, and even preventing this destructive cycle of stress in your life. Exercise is an invaluable tool to get your body into action to burn off the extra energy initiated by stress. A diet high in vegetables and fruits, which includes protein and de-emphasizes starch and sugars, will go a long way toward creating the right pH balance for absorbing needed nutrients and increasing metabolism.

And don’t forget relaxation: Take that 15-minute break, sit down, put your feet up and close your eyes. Give the body a chance to balance itself, and it will give you many more years of carefree service.