Welcome to the premier issue of Dr. Laura’s Health Bytes. Fall 2007, the email newsletter of Laura’s Wholesome Junk Food: http://www.lauraswholesomejunkfood.com. ....................................................................................................... If you would like to unsubscribe, send an email to removeme@lauraswholeosmejunkfood.com. (But we hope you don't. We like you and we want you to stay.) ....................................................................................................... In This Issue ** Three Easy Keys to Excellent Health by Dr. Laura Trice ** Introducing Our Newest Flavor ** How to Avoid the Holiday Binge ** Wanna win free cookies?? ** Medical Phrase of the Month: Metabolic Syndrome by Karen Kaffenberger ....................................................................................................... ** Three Easy Keys to Excellent Health by Dr. Laura Trice It’s both what you eat and what you don’t eat that makes you healthy. For a concrete example, let’s look at cars.  Just like our bodies, cars need certain things to run correctly.  Let’s say my car needs high octane gasoline and I put some in my tank.  I put the correct fuel in so the car will run well without knocking.  But, if I also add some water to the gas tank, my car may stall and have problems.  So, it is not just what we put in our bodies it is what we DON”T put in them that matters just as much. When I ate a lot of sugar, I didn’t have much energy and I’d immediately feel guilty after eating something I knew was not good for me, so I’d go the fridge and eat some celery.  My thinking was “Well, I just ate a bad thing, now I ate a good thing so it is as if I didn’t eat the bad thing, so I am okay.”  That wasn’t true.  I have tried every diet book out there.  Everyone had the BEST way for me to eat.  But, when I tried it, I often didn't feel so good.  After trying about eight different "right" ways of eating from books and another three ways friends thought was the "right" was to eat, I came to a very important conclusion.  There was not a book out there was going to have all the answers.  It was up to me to figure out what my body needed, what made it feel sick, and to commit to eating only food that made my body (and mouth) happy.  I refuse to eat foods that are supposed to be good for me if I do not enjoy them.  I have to like the taste, texture, and how I feel afterwards for me to put it on my "authorized" list.  Same with exercise.  You will never, ever, catch me in the gym working out because I do not enjoy it one bit.  I do not care if it is good for me.  You will see me bike riding to the bank, walking with a friend, or chasing and hitting a tennis ball.  If it isn't fun or tasty, I feel like I am doing something because I "should".  Good habits come from joy and delight in something.  I LOVE all the food in my fridge.  I LOVE all my activities. There are three SIMPLE components to a healthy body and you are the only one who can determine what is right for you:  * Regular physical activity and exercise that you do every day and enjoy (something as simple as walking to the post office or taking the stairs, when possible). * Finding out the right fuel for YOUR body and how often your body needs to be refueled. (Some people feel better as vegetarians, others eat lots of grains, and others focus on protein.  And, some people feel best eating every five hours, three times a day while others graze and eat five to six small meals.) * And, last and very important, finding out what you need to NOT put in your body, or at least, being aware of the consequences, if you do use fuel that is harmful to you. I also encourage everyone this fall to redefine how you evaluate your ideal body.  It should not be a number on a scale.  Throw out your scale.  In my opinion, a healthy body is where you feel good, can wear clothes that you feel good in, and where you have the energy to do the activities and projects that make you happy.  If you are too heavy to garden or not flexible enough to play with your Grandkids on the beach, it is time for your to take action. It is all about keeping your "car" in shape so it can take you to all the fun places you like going. So, if you find yourself unhappy with your energy level or your body size, start taking small steps to add activity and good food to your life.  At the same time, take away and eventually eliminate the things (smoking, sugar, processed foods, heavy dinners, are some examples) that you know are impacting your body and energy negatively. Write to me at drlaura@lauraswholesomejunkfood.com and let me know what new activity you added, how you changed your diet, or a bad habit you’ve let go.  Make sure to tell me the impact this important choice has had on your life! ....................................................................................................... ** Introducing Our Newest Flavor Gluten-Free Cole’s Cashew Chocolate Chip Check it out on our website! ....................................................................................................... ** How to Avoid the Holiday Binge Thanksgiving and holiday parties! It is so fun to see people, get dressed up, and celebrate together. But, I often ended up eating things that made me feel tired or “off”. What I started doing that really helped was eating a light to medium meal before going to the party. Maybe I’ll have a salad with some sautéed vegetables on it, or just a few vegetables to fill me up and some healthy fats to satisfy me. That way, I'd arrive at the party with plenty of energy to enjoy the festivities and be full enough to not be tempted by things that are not good for me. By having a light meal, I was able to selectively enjoy treats and food provided by the hosts. ....................................................................................................... ** Wanna win free cookies?? Tell us how you use Dr. Laura’s Bite-lettes in a creative way. Do you use them as an ingredient for something you make? Enjoy them with a special touch? Let us know at info@lauraswholesomejunkfood.com. Dr. Laura will pick and announce her favorite each quarter. The lucky winner will get a case of their favorite flavor of Bite-lettes! ....................................................................................................... ** Medical Phrase of the Month: Metabolic Syndrome by Karen Kaffenberger Metabolic Syndrome (also known as Syndrome X)-- a cluster of conditions that increase the risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The following are considered risk factors for metabolic syndrome: * Abdominal obesity (Waist circumference: greater than 40 inches in men, and greater than 35 inches in women) * Blood fat disorders (high triglycerides- greater than 150 mg/dL; low HDL cholesterol- less than 35 mg/dL for men, and less than 39 mg/dL for women; and high LDL cholesterol greater than 100 mg/dL) * High blood pressure greater than 130/85 mm Hg * Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (inability of the body to properly use insulin or blood sugar) * Fasting blood sugar greater than 110 mg/dL * Urinary albumin secretion greater than 110 mg/dL * Inflammatory state (e.g., elevated C-reactive protein in the blood) Some fast facts about Metabolic Syndrome: * Estimates put the number of Americans with metabolic syndrome at somewhere between 47 and 70 million and rising. * The risk of heart disease (including heart attack), stroke and diabetes is very high if three or more of the risk factors are present. * Studies have indicated that some racial and ethnic minorities have a much higher prevalence of the disease. Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians may all be at greater risk.¹ * A study published in the August 2003 issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that close to one million teenagers exhibited at least 3 of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. * Diet and exercise can make a positive impact on health. Exercising for 30-60 minutes a day and following a diet low in saturated fats and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and olive oil² may help eliminate the primary factors causing this condition. For more information on Metabolic Syndrome and how to combat its effects, see the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org. ¹Journal for Nurse Practitioners, “Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Presentation of Metabolic Syndrome” 6/19/2007 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/558295 ²Natural Health, “Do You Have Metabolic Syndrome?” Feb. 2005 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_2_35/ai_n13796203 ....................................................................................................... Questions or comments? Email us at info@lauraswholesomejunkfood.com.