It’s often said that the greatest wealth is health.

We often see very hard-working individuals who have gone through the rigors of “climbing the corporate ladder” only to find themselves 30 pounds heavier with a list health risk factors to go along with their list of professional achievements. One of my favorite things to do at Shulman Weight Loss is to take the overwhelm out of re-gaining personal health and helping people in this situation take simple but effective steps towards wellness and vitality.

Getting healthy can be simple – simple because its a journey like any other that starts with a single step. Here are 3 first “baby steps” that you can take today to improve your health:

1. Start your day with at least 2 cups of water, ideally with a squeeze of lemon.

Sleep is dehydrating. Most people breathe out or perspire a few pounds of water during the night. On top of a possible trip to the bathroom in the wee hours of the morning, that’s a lot of water loss! So, instead of further dehydrating your body with a cup of coffee, start your day with a long drink of water with lemon. It’s alkalizing, energizing and every cell in your body will thank you for giving it the moisture it needs to function at optimal levels.

1. Eat “good” fats throughout the day.

Most of us don’t have a good ratio of good fats to bad fats in our diet and this causes inflammation in our bodies that lead to health problems like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A lack of the good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats also can make our skin and hair dry, encourage belly fat, dampen our mood, and decrease fertility and libido. That’s because these fats are essential for maintaining a youthful appearance and for production of neurotransmitters and sex hormones. So grab a handful of nuts or seeds, put some olive oil or avocado on your salad and definitely make sure you get in at least two servings of oily fish per week!

1. Dinner like a pauper.

Feast at breakfast, eat moderately at lunch, and start winding down your intake at dinner and you’ll notice something amazing – you’ll lose weight! Why? Because you’re eating according to your metabolism and optimizing blood sugar control. Our bodies are naturally revved up in the morning so eating a big meal works with that. It also ensures a good steady supply of blood sugar until lunch and leaves us more time to burn the calories. In evening, metabolism naturally slows, as does our activity level, so a heavy meals makes no sense. I know, this can be tricky if you’re used to running out the door with little or no breakfast, or if dinner parties are a staple in your social life. But if you make this change, your body will thank you for it.

Ah, that darn belly fat! Hours on the treadmill, calorie cutting, and perhaps even a pair or two of Spanx can’t seem to banish it permanently. What’s the secret to losing the belly fat first?

I’ll tell you. It’s no secret. It’s all about hormonal balance (aka blood sugar control), quality calories (i.e. cutting out the junk) and good digestion (that’s well, you know, making sure you go as often as you need to go).

To achieve these basic weight loss principles and say good-bye to the ol’ muffin top, I encourage people to do the following:

1. Start your day with protein – This triggers glucagon, our fat-burning hormone, first thing in the morning instead of letting insulin, the belly fat-storing hormone, get the first word.
2. Keep grains unrefined – Going for whole grains is good for flat abs because 1) it causes less of an insulin rush, thereby decreasing cravings and increasing satiety, and 2) it encourages regular bowel movements, thereby eliminating bloating that may be inflating the belly area.
3. Cut out sugar – White sugar is an obvious culprit that lurks not only in conventional sweets but condiments, sauces and beverages too. Any time your body gets a hit of any type of sugar, even fruit sugar, insulin levels rise and fat storage is turned on. So try to limit your sugar intake as much as possible.
4. Include “good” monounsaturated and polyunsaturated omega-3 fats – Research has consistently linked high saturated fat intake from foods of animal origin to increased abdominal obesity, while swapping the sat fats for natural, plant-based fats from seeds, nuts, olives, and avocado leads to smaller waist circumferences and less visceral fat. Don’t forget your fish and fish oil! They’re also good for you.
5. Rule out food allergies – Sensitivities to gluten, dairy, corn, or soy can cause you to hold on to weight around the middle. Visit a naturopath or nutritionist to get assessed for food allergies.

Another tip – Stress is also linked to storage of more belly fat. Aim to keep cortisol levels in check by getting enough sleep and exercise.

This is your year…lose the weight…live your life!

Check out our latest transformation at Shulman Weight Loss Clinic. Barb lost a whopping 68 pounds! Bravo Barb!

What is your health goal in 2011? Take 5 minutes and fill out the following exercise to start the momentum of health rolling.

• Why do you want to lose weight and/or get healthy?
• Where did you fall off track with your health?
• What are your triggers? When do you eat or drink too much and why?
• How do you feel when you wake up in the morning?
• What is your daily energy like?
• How do you want to feel?

Once you have finished the questions above, it is time to start to visualize your success. Sounds a little “out there” for you? I understand, but I assure you, it works.  Begin by conjuring up a picture in your head of what health looks like to you. See if you can tap into the feeling of it as well. Even if you have to “fake it until you make it”, that is okay. Repetitive visualization works each and every time. Small changes will soon turn into major transformation for you!

Stay tuned to Cityline as I work with 3 viewers to help them transform their health and lose weight to be their best self.

Don’t forget – sign up to my newsletter at shulmanweightloss.com or www.drjoey.com to receive free recipes, articles and more!

Wishing you health, love and joy in 2011,

Dr. Joey Shulman DC, RNCP

Q: So…what’s the deal with soy?

Soy has been researched quite extensively with a variety of conclusions being drawn. Thus, making your way thru the soy controversy can be quite confusing, as the press received has been mixed.

As a general rule and as far as health and nutrition go, it is never a good idea to base recommendations on one or two studies. I have come to realize, if you pick and chose research carefully enough, you can prove just about anything you like. The best approach that offers the least amount of bias is to review the entire body of research and then draw your own conclusion.

Now, I realize you do not have the time to start pouring over all the soy researched double blind studies to make a decision, so allow me to summarize for you what the findings show.

Benefits of soy:

• According to the Food and Drug Association (FDA), soy foods can help to lower the “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and is good for heart health.
• Soy contains an impressive amount of isoflavones (phytochenicals found in plants) which have been shown to slow the relief of certain menopausal symptoms, offer cancer protection, slows and may reverse osteoporosis and reduces the risks of heart disease.
• People often use soy as a healthier choice option (i.e. instead of eating red meat), so in that regard it is also beneficial.
• Moderate soy consumption appears to reduce most types of cancers with the exception of estrogen dominant breast cancers being unknown (see below).

Negatives of soy:

• A very large percentage of soy is genetically modified (over 90%) and is heavily sprayed with herbicides and pesticides.
• Soybeans have an anti-nutrient called “phytic acid” which can block the absorption of certain minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.
• The isoflavones in soy have a very weak phytoestrogenic effect (i.e. they mimic estrogen). While a growing body of research shows that eating a healthy diet that includes soy foods protects and lowers the risk of breast cancer, the research is not clear for estrogen positive cancers.
• Similar to dairy products, in some individuals, soy can cause allergenic reactions.

Tips to eat soy in a healthy manner are:

• Always choose organic soy products
• Choose fermented soy products. After a long fermentation process, the phytic acid levels of soy are reduced significantly. Examples of fermented soy products are:

√Tempeh– A fermented soybean cake with a nutty flavor. Add to stir-fries or eat as a “tempeh” burger.

√Miso – A fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery taste. Perfect for when making soup broths and readily available in health food stores.

√Tamari (or Shoyu), a fermented soy sauce that is very flavorful and salty

• For other soy options, I recommend trying to consume products that have undergone as little processing as possible (i.e. organic edamame).  I am not an advocate of making highly processed soy meats, burgers, milk, baby formula etc. as a regular part of your dietary intake.
• If you do have an estrogen positive breast cancer (ER+), limit your soy intake to 2-3 selections of fermented soy products per week. The National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society recommend that breast cancer survivors can safely consume moderate amounts of soy foods (a few servings per week).

Lastly, I am frequently asked the question, “Is soy safe for males to eat because of its weak estrogen like effect?” Human studies have found that males who consume soy have had no changes in sperm count, quality or motility. Studies have also shown that soy isoflavones have no effect on circulating levels of testosterone or other reproductive hormones.

I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Recently I had a client join my clinic who was 35-40 pounds overweight. She was inactive, had an intense sugar tooth that was causing her to binge eat at night and also had a very high stress level due to work and family demands. When I gently asked her, “Why is this is the right time for you to lose the weight?” Her response was honest and blunt –“I am just so sick and tired of being sick and tired!” This lovely woman had reached her “breaking point” in terms of feeling lousy and was ready to take back control of her health.

If you are like my client and are not feeling like your best self, I assure you, you can change this in a very short time. What I know for sure, is that the quality and quantity of food you consume daily can make it or break it in terms of mood, vitality, weight and health. When you’re standing on the crossroads of health, you have a choice. My goal is to help take you pave a path of health incorporating food, supplements and lifestyle changes so YOU can be your very best physically, emotionally and even spiritually.

 To get started, simply try the four steps outlined below;

1. Get regimented with your supplements and commit to taking them daily. I high recommend taking a mutli-vitamin, fish oil, green powder and vitamin D supplement for optimal health and wellness. Visit www.genuinehealth.com to learn more.
2. Drink as much hydrating fluids as you can to lose weight and boost energy. In the wintertime, we do not tend towards cold water. In order to keep hydration high (which will also keep your skin looking its very best), switch to your favorite type of herbal tea. If you are interested in trying some super yummy teas (the flavor “forever nuts” tastes like candy!), visit www.davidstea.com
3. When it comes to exercise, as the Nike ad states, “Just do it!”.  If you want a quick mood, energy and strength booster – start to lift weights 2-3 times per day. For quicker results, lift slightly heavier weights than you are used to at a slower pace.
4. Take a sugar holiday. Cravings, mood swings, weight gain and fatigue are hard to balance and deal with when refined flours or sugars are on the scene. You do not have to give up naturally sweet foods altogether (i.e. fruits, homemade frozen popsicles, frozen fruits in a smoothie), rather, it is the added sugars found in cereals, granola bars, fruit bottom yogurts, pop, candy, cookies and other baked goods that are an issue.

If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, I assure you, simply implementing the steps above will have a hugely beneficial impact on your weight, mood and energy within a very short time!

 Do you have topics or recipes you would like me to blog about? If so, simply drop me a quick line at inquries@drjoey.com

We are all busy….sometimes too busy. Running around with the kids, trying to get errands done, hitting work deadlines etc. With the busy pace of life, we often forget to put ourselves on our own list. What happens? We slowly begin to lose energy, gain weight, emotionally eat and feel less then our best selves.

The truth is, if you are that busy, you likely will stay that busy! You can’t get rid of your kids or quit your job, so it is time to find a little balance in your chaos. What do I mean by this? It’s time to plan ahead.

Simi lair to any other new venture, in order to stay healthy, fit and energetic all you have to plan.

Planning + Preparation + Implementation = Success!

If you don’t think you can do it, or heaven forbid, you don’t have time – try me. Simply implement these 4 simple steps below for 1 week to see how you feel. I am betting woman, and I assure you, you will shift your health!

1. Drink 8 hydrating drinks per day (herbal teas, water). Limit yourself to one coffee daily and opt for green tea. Green tea secretes an amino acid called l-theanine that helps you to feel calm and alert at the same time.

1. Work out a minimum of 3x per week. Whether it is brisk walking, lifting weights or hitting the treadmill. As the Nike ad states, “Just do it!”

1. Stop eating grain by 2pm. After 2pm stick to vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, nuts and seeds.

1. Wake up 15 minutes before anyone else in your household to stretch, journal or meditate. It literally changes the flow of your entire day.

In addition, try to enjoy your chaos. When speaking with people in their 80s or 90s, they always recall how they loved the “busy times”. Long may it all last!

If you have a topic you would like to see discussed, e-mail me at drjoey@drjoey.com

I would love to hear from you!

Joey

There is a quote by nutritional pioneer Adele David that reads, “We are indeed much more than we eat, but what we eat can help us to become much more than whom we are.” I really could not agree more. When people lose weight, they feel better emotionally and physically and quickly become their best self.

I love the world of weight loss – I really do. Getting to go to work at Shulman Weight Loss and help people lose the weight and get back to their best self is truly the best type of work I could ask for. This is why I was so thrilled when host of Cityline, Tracy Moore called me in late August to help her lose weight and get back to her original 144 pounds. “ Joey, I am about to have a baby and I have gained a lot of weight – 57 pounds! I am going back on TV 6 weeks after I have my daughter, so I need a weight loss solution that works, is easy to follow and I can do with two little kids at home”. After meeting with Tracy and giving her the plan (keeping in mind she was breast feeding and needing adequate caloric intake for her and little baby Eva), she was about to embark on the road to success that all new, busy moms could relate to. Tracy’s plan would have the following principles in place:

I am happy to report that 9 weeks out, Tracy has lost 41 pounds and only has 16 more pounds to go! Whoha….I am so proud of her.  Tracy sticks to the plan most of the time, but is also honest with her viewers about her little bit of cheating here and there and the exercise she does commit to early every morning.

If you would like to see a sample of Tracy’s 10 step plan, click here. To view a 7 day sample meal plan, click here. I will keep you posted on the results!

Wishing you best health,
Dr. Joey Shulman DC, registered nutritionist