How to Stop Craving Sugar-and Get Your Weight

There is just that time when you need a fix.

It's almost like you're some kind of drug fiend and you need a hit,

Just to take the pain away.

No, I'm not talking about Zammo In Grange Hill,

I'm taking about sugar cravings.

You know what I mean.

I was talking with Eleanor, one of the KFF members on Tuesday and she asked me...

"Mike, what can we do to stop sugar cravings?"

Good question Eleanor.

It's kind of complex subject the topic of sugar.

But you know we don't complex here at Hendricks Health, so I'm going to explain it in simple terms and show you what you can do to reduce your sugar cravings.

Are you sitting comfortably....?

OK.

It's important to know why we sometimes crave sugar if we are going to beat those cravings.

Why Do We Crave Sugar?

There are a number of reasons why we crave for sweet foods

Sweet is our preferred taste from birth because we associate sweet with calories. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, a chemical that gives us a feel good factor.

Sugar is a carbohydrate, but carbohydrates come in other forms too such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The taste of sugar also triggers endorphins that calm and relax us, and offer a natural "high"

The fact that most sweet foods taste good if not amazing, reinforces rewarding ourselves with sweet treats, which can only add to the problem and increase our desire for them.

And for females, at certain times of the month, cravings may increase further due to hormone fluctuations.

So you can begin to see why sugar is hard to give up. With all that going for it, why wouldn't we crave sugar?

The problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when our sugar consumption becomes excessive.

And with the foods that are produced today, that is very; very easy. Sugar in everywhere, breads, yogurt, juices, and sauces,chocolate. It's hard not to find it in some form or another.

Simple put, food, including sugar, is just a messenger telling the body what to do. Either keep/store calories or use/burn calories.

We need to learn which foods communicate best with our bodies.

No two bodies are exactly the same.

So the key take away here is not to avoid sugar completely, but to regulate your sugar intake, as too much will send the wrong messages to your body, increasing your weight and make it hard to lose weight.

How do I stop Sugar Cravings?

You know I love you and i"m here to help.

In true Mike style, I've done you a '5 steps' lIst of what you can do today to start to reduce your sugar cravings and see a reduction in your weight and become more toned.

Don't make the mistake of trying to do them all at the same time.

Just choose one that you think you can stick to and do it!

It will make a difference. Many of my clients have adopted these tips and had success and seen their weight come down as a result.

5 Tips to Use Right Now

If you're craving sugar struggling with weight loss, here are some ways to tame those cravings and help get your weight moving down.

• · Give in a little. Eat it. If you want it, eat it, but just a little or smaller portion. This may sound strange suggesting you eat what you are trying to avoid. However, enjoying a little of what you love can help you steer clear of feeling denied. Try to stick to a 150-calories max each treat.
• · Combine foods. If the idea of stopping at one biscuit or a small chocolate bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving. I like combining the craving food with a healthful one. For example, If you like chocolate, dip a banana in a 'quality' chocolate sauce and that gives you what you're craving plus the bonus of the banana. or have some raisins with your biscuits. As a beneficial bonus, you'll satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.
• · Go cold turkey. Completely cutting out all simple sugars can work for some people although the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough as your body will be crying our for a sugar. Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.
• · Reach for fruit. It's always a good idea to keep fruit handy for when sugar cravings hit. Try keep your fruit seasonal. You'll get fibre and nutrients along with some sweetness. And stock up on foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Get into the habit of having fruit handy.
• · Don't buy it. If the food you crave is to hand, chances are you're going to give in. So to avoid this don't buy it or have in your home. Also, when a sugar craving hits, just try to walk away. Easier said than done, but try it.

Take a walk or do something to distract yourself from the food you are craving.

Bonus tip...

• · Choose quality over quantity. If your need a 'fix' go for a high quality, decadent sugary food, But keep it small. For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate (75% cocoa) instead of a chunky kit-kat or Special (K) bar, or a nice wholemeal biscuit; then enjoy and savour every bite -- slowly --. Learn to incorporate small amounts in your diet(a treat) but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and nutritious healthy foods.

Ok, so there you have it, some simple tips to help you stop your sugar cravings.

Remember this is a process, think about reducing sugar over time, not straight away.

If you'd like to see how smart ladies in Leeds reduce their weight you'll need out check out the KFF program

http://optimumhealthstudio.com/our-services/kettlebells-weight-loss

All the ladies on the program are learning the smart way to exercise and enjoy food.

Done without counting calories.

Open Your Mouth and Swallow

My good lady had a shunt from another car, well actually a van, into the back of our car on Tuesday evening.

I was on the way to the 7pm KFF session when I heard about it.

Thankfully, it was nothing too serious.

The consultant at A&E said she had a little neck sprain from the collision,

“We no longer call it whiplash” he said. And sent us on our way.

I’m glad we went to get it checked out though, better to be safe than sorry.

Which is a key point I’m about to underline with this short tale.

Are you sitting comfortably….

This maybe a little awkward for you.

Now as you may know, we are in the month of June 2014,

Half-way through the year.

You may read this holding your head high as you have broken free of the norm and taken action.

You made the choice and to get into a routine of exercise this year and stick to it.

You may, on the other hand, be the same as your were on the 31st of December 2013, Just happy to read these emails and do nothing.

Still complaining about how you have no time or are too busy to exercise.

Still complaining that you’re overweight and will never get into that dress again.

Excuse after excuse.

Now before I judge, I must say that I can be found just as guilty.

I’ve been with my Good lady for about 3 years now, and as long I can recall, she has been telling me to go to see the doctors about a lump located on the bottom of my jaw.

Like some of you I found excuses. “I’m too busy” “Its nothing” "I’ll do it soon”
same old same old, maybe you can relate.

Anyhow, I got another skin issue that came up on the back of my neck about three weeks ago.

She begged me to book to see the doctors. I eventually gave in and went to see the doctor on Monday.

I said to the doc. “ It’s nothing major- I just want you to check out these two issues”

She looked at the back of my neck and after about 2 seconds said “oh that’s fine it looks like a small bacterial infection” "you’ve probably picked it up at the gym”

She then checked the lump out at the bottom of my jaw.

This time with a lot more interest and intrigue.

She then put on some blue medical gloves and then proceeded to shove her hands down my mouth for a good feel around.

“Open your mouth and Swallow”

“how long have you had this lump?” asked the doctor.

“err.. don’t know, about 3 years?” I said.

“Ok well we need to send you into the hospital to receive a scan”

“Sorry” I said?

“Don’t worry it’s nothing too serious, but we need to get it checked out as soon as. I think you may have a blockage in your gland and if we don’t get I sorted soon, we might have to operate.
You’re fortunate it hasn’t got worse.”

I was silent.

But then I erupted into a flurry of questions.

After a few more questions, and some more questions, I said thank you and left.

As I went back to the car I was thinking, wow you can ignore something’s for so long but eventually it WILL catch up with you.

Now I’m sure all will be fine and I will keep you in the loop as to how I get on.

But let this act as a warning to you. Putting things off is not a good idea.

ESPECIALLY when it comes to your health.

If you’ve been thinking about getting back into exercise or thinking about improving your posture and reducing back pain but keep coming up with the same tired excuses over and over again.

Just remember this story I share.

You know the benefits regular exercise brings and you know that only through a combination of exercise and a good diet are you going to lose weight and get into those clothes.

Don’t put things off. Why run the risk?

Life, is life and things will always happen for one reason or another.
Even with your health you may not be able to prevent every health issue.

But surely you can see that if and when health issues do arise, you’re much better equipped to deal with them when your fit, healthy and well through regular exercise, than not.

Make’s sense right?

Take heed, do it while you can. Regardless of age or ability.

P.s. If you’re ready to stop making excuses and start to get back to your healthiest and fittest best, you can by clicking here. or if you’d like to reduce your back pain and improve your flexibility whist toning your body with our new Pilates course starting in July, just click here.

Energy Boosting Workout

I know can be hard to keep your energy levels up at times, especially when your on the go. to help keep your energy levels up you need to have your metabolism fully optimized.

Fear not, I got you covered.

I’ve done a quick energy boosting workout for you.

I’ve tested this workout on one of my clients and he really enjoyed it.

It did exactly what it said on the tin!

Try it.

Energy Boosting Workout.

It will only take you about 15 minutes to complete.

You can do it first thing on a morning or anytime you’re feeling lethargic.

If you’re in the office,make sure the boss join’s in too or at least watches!

5 ‘Super Simple’ Ways to Burn Off Fat

I've not been in the best space for the last few days so apologies if the tone of this post is a little off.

I’m not sure why I let these little self-doubting conversations go on in my head to the degree that they end up affecting my mood in a negative way.

But I guess that’s just the way it goes sometimes.

I think it’s OK to have doubts, but I don’t think you should let them get on top of you or in the way of moving forward.

You may be able to relate. How do you deal with doubts?

ANYWAY…. before I turn this email into my own personal therapy session, I do have some good news!

I’ve been training well over the last week or so and I’ve lost 1% body fat!

It’s early days, but it’s a step in the right direction. I’ve been following the plan on the ‘Shape up Summer challenge’ and It’s working.

I’ll be back in the KFF session doing my bit tomorrow. Come down and see me do my thing.
I’m also pleased to report I’ve received some great updates from the ladies on the Shape up Summer challenge program too.

Take Emma S.

Emma started the program on t he 19th of May.

Like many ladies I speak with, Emma wanted to tone up and improve her body’s ability to burn off fat.
Emma has already lost over 3 inches off here waist and hips and over 6lbs in weight in 2 weeks by flowing the plan and getting into a regular routine of ‘quality’ exercise sessions.

Well done Emma.

I’ll be keeping you up to date with how they are all progressing.

The other good news is, even if you missed out on signing up for the challenge,
I’m still going to help you out.

See the best way I think you can improve your mood is to help someone else,And that’s exactly what I’m going to do for you.

I’m nice like that.

I’ve got 5 simple steps that you can do this week so you get your body fat down too Just Like Emma.
These are simple tips that you can start this week and they don’t even cost that much.

5 Super simple Step to burn off Fat….

1. Drink more water. at least 2-3 litres of quality water a day. I know I say this ALL-THE-TIME, but we don’t drink enough water. But keeping hydrated is key when helping your body burn off fat.

2. Get to bed. Yes, that’s right you need your sleep. Good quality sleep 7-9 hours each night is very important to help your body rest and recover and replenish.

3. Eat Fish. Regular fish eaters tend to have lower levels of the hormone leptin. Research suggests that people with high leptin have been linked to low metabolism and obesity. So try to increase your fish intake with oily fish such as salmon, tuna mackerel.

4. Go Green. People who took green-tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent; and you know that having a good metabolism is key to burn off fat.

5. Axe the alcohol. Is alcohol good for you? A recent study done in Italy suggested that the theory of drinking wine for health benefits might not be accurate. Anyhow, one thing I do know is that excess weekly alcohol will impact on your ability to burn off fat, so moderation with alcohol is key. Try drinking water with your favorite tipple.

One bonus tip…

6. Workout with weights. Weight training is the best way to boost your calories burning ability and fast. Just a pound of muscle burns up to nine times the calories of a pound of fat. Simple exercise like squats, dead lifts, lunges, shoulder press, done with weight or with just your body weight; will have you boosting your metabolism burning fat fast and effectively.

So there you go, 5+1 things you can start doing this week to help burn off fat and start losing inches.

By the way you can learn how you can workout with weights the smart way when you join our KFF program. It’s a great way to boost your metabolism and get yourself looking trim and toned in no time at all.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a workout session that you can try at home!

Weight loss Leeds: How to do the Pilates Spine Stretch

Weight loss Leeds: How to do the Pilates Shoulder Bridge

Weight loss Leeds: How to Grow Younger The Easy Way pt.6

3 Simple things women can do to start losing weight today.

The larger percentage of the Optimum Health client base is of female orientation over the age of 38 so I’m looking at starting a blog exclusively for that population. I’ll be telling you more about that in due course but in the mean time, I’ve go 3 great simple tips for all women who would like to see a reduction in there body weight and body fat.

I was recently speaking with a new visitor to our kettlebells class. As with any new client I ask them what they are currently doing in the way of exercise to gain an understanding of their current fitness ability. She went into detail about the many activities she was doing which included, running, cycling, using the cross trainer at the gym, and going through a 30 minute routine on the weights machines.  “I’m putting all this effort but I’m not seeing results”. I went on to ask what her goals were and she explained weight loss and toning up were here goals.

Here is what I said to her about 3 things she can start doing right way to starting seeing real results….

1.     Stop doing loads of Cardio Exercise.

I know if may seem hard to believe but for females, doing too much cardio is actually counterproductive if your goal is to reduce your weight and burn fat. Many of you know my feelings about Zumba, but this also extends to excessive cardio exercises on the whole. To much “steady state” cardio exercise like running/jogging, cycling, using the elliptical trainer at the gym leads to a detrimental effect on the female metabolism and studies have also demonstrate beyond any doubt that in women, cardio chronically shuts down the production of the thyroid hormone- not what you want!

I’m not saying never to do cardio exercise especially if you enjoy doing it, however if your goal is to reduce your body fat and tone up there are better more time effective ways to achieve this goal.

If you love doing cardio exercise and refuse to exercise in other more effective ways, don’t complain if you still looking fat & flabby and not lean and firm. If you have to do some cardio, try doing no more than 1 hour a week.

2.     Start getting to bed on time.

Lack of sleep or lack of quality sleep is one of the main reasons why females(and males) fail to reach their weight loss goal. From the minute you wake up to the time you go back to bed your body is working away to survive. All this work requires energy and maintenance of correct hormone balance. When you rest, its your bodies chance to replenish and recover from the days work, and you need sufficient time to do this. Studies have shown that people who sleep less than seven hours a day are 30% more likely to be obese than those who get nine hours of sleep or more due to lack of correct hormone balance. So try switching off the TV or tablet a little earlier tonight and get into bed before 10.30pm

3.     Start lifting weights that challenge you.

I know from my years of Personal coaching that many women have a fear of

lifting weights because they think they will get big and bulky. I can say categorically this is not going to happen with the weights I’m asking you to lift. For women to see huge increases in muscle size and weight, they need a little help, both physically and biologically, something that I will not be asking you to do- unless you wish. Powerlifting anyone?

Joking aside, many female power lifters do have lean, athletic body shapes without developing very large muscles. The point being, raising your metabolism and have you effectively burning calories, will be best achieved by resistance/weight training and/or metabolic training.  This type of training includes H.I.I.T training, Kettlebell training, body weight exercises, even working with resista-bands! As long as the exercise takes you to a point where you are working hard over a short period of time, resting, then going again doing the same or similar form of exercise, you’re going to get a much better metabolic effect and your fat burning efficiency will go through the roof. This is only a good this as you’ll quickly begin to see an acceleration of your bodies’ ability to loose weight and burn fat.

So in summary ladies, once you establish what you are really trying to achieve health and fitness wise, think about the best type of training for you. You may even save yourself some time whilst achieving your goals quicker and who wouldn’t like to do that!

I’d love for you to share this post with anyone you think would enjoy it.

Committed to your health.

Mike

Why you need Encouragement

Hello all its been a few weeks since I’ve been on here sharing my thoughts with you.  I’m not going to make excuses about why I've been less consistent, just a promise to you I’ll be here sharing my ‘pearls on wisdom’ (or just my opinion) with you more often.

It’s been a strange last few weeks- lots of change going for me with regards to the cubs. My eldest is relocating which has left me a little reflective. I’m not going to get into the detail of that now, but its all good- life goes on.

As you do know, I did get away for a week with my family, which included my youngest. A week in the sun is often a good form of medicine when you a little off. We had a great time. The weather was hot (33 degrees!)  beaches were great and the food was good - with one exception. The restaurant on this particular evening looked great. Expensive modern look, nice sea front view, great table position and friendly waiting staff. So when the food came we are expecting to be blown away!

To say it was a disappointment would be an understatement. 
I ordered grilled chicken while my good lady ordered risotto – it was very poor. I the think the only one that was happy was Rowie with his spaghetti bolognaise.  I don’t think we’ll be going back to that venue again not one of Lanzarotte finest.

At some point on most days we would sit by the pool and chill, read books and listen to music. Rowie was keen to get in the pool but was a little tentative, he’s been swimming before but was acting a little shy and scared. We kitted him out with a ring float and some armbands, which helped boost his confidence. We offered lots of encouragement and lots of praise with every effort on achievement made. There was no stopping him now. By the 3^rd day the ring float had gone, he was jumping in the pool and challenging me to a swimming race!

By the end of the week he as well pleased with himself and progress. He could not stop smiling and his previous state of fear and apprehension was a distant memory. It was hard to remember he was the same boy at the start of the holiday, and all this was from praise and encouragement from the two of us.

He was nervous, shy and thinking the worst could happen, but that all changed. It was the same when we went down to the beach. Swimming in a pool is one thing, but the sea is another. But it was the same scenario. Apprehension at first, but with a little encouragement- the fear melted away!  

This highlighted to me the importance of teaching with encouragement. We all want to do better achieve more or improve in certain areas of life. That could be to learn a language, drop a dress size or lift more weight. Regardless, having someone to encourage you can be the difference between success and failure.

You may have some goals or desires that you wish to achieve- my advice- find someone to help you along the route and encourage you.  It could be a exercise coach, Therapist ,friend or an organization, having someone to share and to say “well done” or ‘Keep going” will help make your steps to success a little easier.

I see my job to help you along your road to success and encourage you “keep going” and do that little bit more that could make all the difference. You may be trying to loss some weight, become pain free, or eat a little more healthily so you can reduce your belly fat. 

As a reader of this post I have to say thank you and well done and encourage YOU to keep at it. You are doing a great job.

I’m not saying that to try to blow smoke up you’re ar*e, but its my simple way to encourage you along your journey. They are words that we don’t often hear but are very important. Reaching any goal is a continued process and you're doing what a lot of people fail to do - take action. 
I encourage to keep taking action and you’ll continue to see success.

Committed to your health

Mike

5 Thing youshould know about low fat foods

It’s always interesting to me when I go shopping to the local supermarket. 


I always seem to  bump into a client or a former client. It always follows a set sequence of steps. Firstly it’s the courteous “ hello! How you doing?” then the update on recent events and holidays and work politics. Then there is the quick glance down into my basket to asses what an 'Exercise coach' eats, this is then followed by the 2 minute explanation and justification from them as to what is in their trolley or basket.  Sometimes this leads to an awkward silence as they wait for me to comment- almost tell them off for making such poor choices. I never comment.

Now you may ask why I choose not to comment or offer advice, but experience has told me that a supermarket is the last place to be telling anyone about food or how to purchase the right food. That would be like taking a child to a sweet shop or ice-cream parlor letting them look at the range of sweets or ice-cream and then saying  "sorry son, you can’t have anything to eat".  There simply is no point. They are not going to appreciate it and it not their fault.

Being in the know about foods and understanding the right foods to purchase and eat to fuel your body is never going to be done in a 10 min talk in the coffee aisle!
Learning about food is a process, something that is a achieved over years. Reading and more importantly trying and sticking with what works for you is the only way in my opinion to find out how you and your family can eat healthiest. I will continue to do my best to share with you what I know to be better food options and choices for you.

There are something’s you should be aware of when you do go shopping. One of those is the term “Low fat”. The term’ low fat’ has helped the food industry generate billions of additional revenue over the last 30 years. This term ’Low fat’ taps into the shoppers desire for food that appears healthier than normal food. That is often the very opposite. Don’t purchase foods that are labeled ‘low fat’ or at the very least use these food very sparingly. Hers’ why…

 5 things you should know about low fat foods and diets...

1. They are full of sugar.

Although we think of sugar as the stuff we might put in tea, that is not the only place you’ll find sugar. Many foods, such as white and brown bread, pasta, rice, and Yoghurts are made up of sugars, Some recent research found the same sugar content in one slice of white bread was the same in a mars bar! These foods, like sugar, can cause blood sugar swings and cravings due to spikes in blood insulin, and if you eat too many your body converts the excess into fat for storage. Most low fat products/ produce are high in sugar so do your best to avoid these.

 2. They contain synthetic ingredients

Many ‘low fat‘ and ‘low sugar’ foods contain synthetic sweeteners such as sucralose, saccharin and aspartame.  These sweeteners are simply bad for you. As they're sweet, they don't help to curb your sweet tooth and send confusing messages to your brain, which can lead to overeating. There is lots of research supporting the theory that these sweeteners, consumed over time will increase your risk of a stroke.

3.You’ll start over eating                                                                                

 If you're always choosing low-fat or fat-free foods when you shop, you could be short changing your weight-loss efforts. Many of these processed foods contain added sugars to enhance taste; often they're similar in calories to the original full-fat product. Research has shown that people tend to believe these foods are "freebies" and will even overeat them, thinking they're healthy or low in calories when they're anything but.

4.They are more expensive.

I’ve not quite figured this one out as yet, as it appears to be more cost effective to eat unhealthily. Most product you find the ‘non fresh’ produce section of the supermarket, will have two varieties, the ‘standard’ and the ‘fat free’ or reduced fat’ version. In most instances it will always cost you more to purchase the ‘ fat free’ version or the ‘lite’. my theory is that because it cost more to produce (foods that has been highly processed will cost more). They pass the cost onto the end user, you and me. My advice is to stay away from any so call health options like reduced fat or fat free. You may only be saving 30 or 40pence. But like Tesco’s says ‘every little helps!’

5.They don’t taste as good.

Why do you like certain foods? Simple you like the taste. Why do you eat chocolate or drink wine? You like the taste of it. Food manufactures know this all too well. You and I will not buy an item if we don’t like the taste of it. Taste is subjective however, some people like red wine some people like white wine, some people like dark chocolate magnums others like the original magnums.

Foods that have good fats in them do offer health benefits and do taste better. Fat helps carry flavour in our foods and give them a certain texture. This helps us feel full and satisfied, which means you can get by longer on a meal or snack that provides fat without feeling the need to eat again soon. When that fat is missing, your appetite may get the best of you. As I’ve always encourage you to do, try eat foods that are as close to nature as was intended. That way you will be eating your healthiest best.

Committed to your health

Mike

P.s.

I’d love for you to share the post with your friends and family-but only if you like it.

What is a good supplement?

As some of you will know, that for the last 8 months or so I’ve been sharing with you a range of new supplement products I have had the benefit of using. I often get asked about what is the best form of supplementation and as an exercise coach what do I recommend. I was not always a big fan of supplementation. My mind set was, if your eating correctly, then why do you need to supplement your diet? Well I’ve since grown to understand that even if you are eating your healthiest best, supplementation is still beneficial.
 
Because of the way the majority of our foods or produced now, by the time they reach our tables to eat, they do not hold the same nutritional value as they did 20 or 30 years ago. You would need to eat about 15 of today's tomatoes to get the same lycopene as tomatoes 20 years ago because of the mineral depleted soils that many tomatoes are grown in today. One of the richest source of lycopene in the diet is tomato and tomato derived products (purees and real sauces) Lycopene is a antioxidant strongly associated with helping to reduce the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
 
Since I started using some of the Touchstone essential products, I’ve noticed a big improvement in my health. My skin texture has improved, my mental clarity is much more consistent and my energy levels have been boosted. I’ve even got my girlfriend using them and she has felt the benefits too!
 
I’m not writing this post try give you the hard or soft sell, but I am writing it to share with you what I believe to be a good product and what you should look for when choosing a multivitamin or any form of supplementation.
 
Weather you are a marathon runner or a new mum, if you are trying to shed some weight or build muscle, the use of a good supplement will offer you huge benefit and will often make the difference between you reaching your particular health goals and not.
 
Here’s what to look for when choosing a good supplement…..    
 

 

1. A good Multivitamin or supplement should have a complete complex of vitamin E (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-), not just alpha tocopherol.  (a class of chemical compounds of which many have vitamin E activity)

2. Multi-vitamins & supplement’s should not contain any form of sugar. This is often used to fill out the tablet or tastes a certain way.

3. Contain a full complement of B-vitamins.

4. It should not have binders, artificial colours, or fillers try to always use capsules instead of tablets. This will help make it easier for your body to actual absorb and use the supplement contents

5. They should contain some real vitamin A instead of just beta-carotene. Too much beta carotene can have adverse effects.

 
 
When choosing a source of supplement, try the to avoid the vitamins that have lots of extra ingredients that sound like industrial chemicals or contain different forms of sugar.  The following ingredients are found in many over the counter multivitamins & supplements:   sodium aluminosilicate, maltodextrin, sucrose, BHT, cupric sulfate, crospovidone, FD&C yellow no.6 aluminum lake, gelatin, folic acid, hypromellose and hydrogenated palm oil, propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol PEG, high fructose corn syrup, which are ingredient that are not the best for your health.
 
If you’d like to find a good source of supplementation just have a look here.
 
Committed to your health
Mike

How to cure Cancer? 5 things you can do to reduce your risk

It was around September 2011. I was looking forward to my Personal training session with Richard who I see every month for a new program. Richard had recently become semi-retired and was a keen golfer and tennis player. The exercise programs we designed for him to work on, helped improve his posture, core strength and hip mobility, all of which would help him improve his performance in golf and tennis.

On that late summer afternoon, Richard came to the studio to his 2pm session but looked a little off. After going through the normal pleasantries. I began in my normal excitement to explain the session I had planed out. We began the exercise session; and as he always does’ Richard worked hard with concentration and maximum effort. It wasn’t until I told him about my fathers recent stroke that it came out why he was a little distracted. Earlier that that month Richard found out his wife had cancer.

Wow! Words failed me. I wasn’t sure what to say. I ‘d known both Richard and his wife for over 2 years and both of them were active people. So when he told me this it was a big shock. We spoke for a least an hour after the session, I spoke about dad and how he was doing and he spoke about his wife and the details of the diagnosis. To say that conversation was emotional, would be an understatement. It was on another level. Conversations like that really bring everything into true perspective.

We arranged the next session for November, both knowing that this may need to be rearranged. I did see Richard in November. At the time, Dad had come out of hospital but Richards wife had not. He told me the situation was not looking good.
We went through the session and at the end he thanked me for offering a bit of a distraction. Christmas came and went but unfortunately for Richard’s wife, she did not see 2012.

I still see Richard now and he has just come back from Trip to Asia which he enjoyed. He made a decision after his loss to use this ‘period of change’ to live life and do more.  His whole life changed in just 3 short months and is a reminder to everyone reading this nothing is forever.

As you maybe a aware this week is National cancer awareness week. You may have even heard of a certain celebrity helping to raise awareness of breast cancer with her decision to proceed with a double mastectomy – we salute you Angelina. The topic of cancer is huge one –too big to tackle in blog post, however I do believe that even cancer is curable (in some cases) and not just through tradition treatments such as radio & chemotherapy.

My stance and understanding through personal research and reading, is that there are known cures for cancer and treatments that have been tested. But these have been kept form the public. Why you ask? if I were to be honest I’d say because there is no money in finding a cure, but there are billions to be made in providing drugs.

Today is not the day to go into that you can find out more here when you have time. Its a really interesting video/article on cancer. Many people have successfully overcome cancer through traditional treatment and that is no bad thing. That debate is for another time.

Here at Optimum Health we study just that, Health. I know if you study a subject long enough it will become a part of you. So with that said, I will continue to encourage you to keep on studying health, you are doing a wonderful thing and your body will thank you for it. Do your best to be your healthiest best and I’m sure will be just that- Healthy and Happy.

I’ve listed 5 things you can start doing 'today' help reduce your risk of disease including cancer.

1.     Drink Tea

Studies shave show that for younger women (under 50) drinking 2-3 cups of tea a day can reduce your risk of breast cancer by 37%. This was not the case with women aged 50 and over and drinking tea to excess will cause liver stress. But 3 quality cups a day and ideally green tea will have positive health benefits. 

2.     Use quality supplements

Recent studies are confirming that use of quality supplements will help reduce risk of disease including cancer. Lack of Omega-3 is a regular underlying factor for cancer, and by simply supplementing your diet with animal-based omega-3 fats you may reduce your breast cancer risk by 32%. Vitamin D is also important. If you live in the UK, you know too well we are lacking natural vitamin D from the sun. I recommend the use of Krill oil for omega 3 source and Supergreens+D if going on holiday every month is not an option for your Vitamin D source.

3.     Laugh a lot

It's so true that smiling and especially laughing does make you feel good. When you laugh to create an 'alkaline state' in the body, which is an environment that disease cannot live in.It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins.So do your best to have a good giggle whenever you can.

4.     Reduce your use of drugs (prescribed or otherwise)

The use of prescribe drugs is on the increase and so are the side effects associated with long term drug use. It’s now a proven fact that the use of statin, a cholesterol lowering drug, will increase your risk of colon cancer. It may seem hard to do but try to seek alternative medicine or treatments for any conditions you have whenever possible. You may have do your own research, but it may well be worth it.

5.     Exercise.

You are 3x more likely to live pain and disease free and live longer if you engage in regular exercise. Exercise helps to boost your immune system and reduce your risk of certain cancers including colon cancer. I could go on about the benefits of exercise, but all I will say is reducing your risk of any disease is a very good reason to exercise.


I'd love for you to share this post with all you friends to help spread the word, but only if you like it.

Committed to your health.
Mike.

Why I love number 3

 
How’s your week been? The last few days have certainly raised the mood of the nation as we have been blessed with some fantastic sunshine. I just hope it’s around for the weekend.
 
I have a short story I would like to share with you but before I jump into that, let me remind you that the door to our Shape up Summer challenge will close in just 24 hours. If you haven’t joined the growing list of folk wanting to really change their lives and feel and look great, you need to be quick just click here and you’re in.
 
Today is a special day for me. Today is the 3^rd of May. I love the number 3. 3 is such a cool number-popular-but cool. The holy trinity is represented by 3, the father, son & holy ghost, 3 is considered a lucky number by many and there were 3 wise men. You may have even seen my recent video post on 3 mistakes people make when trying to get fit. 

Why I like the number so much started 10 years ago. I was in my late 20’s when I found out I was going to be a father for the very first time. I was shocked but very excited. 9 months later I was sat in the hospital doing my best to offer support, at 11.03 Reuben James joined us. My first born, born on the 3^rd of May 2003, a truly special day.
 
It is truly a humbling sight and a blessing to see a life being brought into this world, an experience that will stay with me for life.
 
A lot has happened in those 10 year since then. Reuben has had the privilege of living in Ibiza and Brazil for a number of years. He’s also learned to play the guitar.  In 10 years we’ve seen may famous people pass including Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Whitney Houston. We’ve seen the birth of Facebook, twitter (hard to believe what life was like before social media) and Reuben has a little brother too!
 

 
10 years seems a long time, but when you look back, it seems like only yesterday my first born came on the scene. Where does time go? What today has reminded me is that “time and tide wait for no man” and as you read this post I hope that it gives you that elbow in the ribs and prompts you into action to make the most of now and doing what you need to do.
 
Whatever goal or desire you may have, its important that you take action before you’re left looking back after 10 years saying “where does time go?” It’s so easy to put things off until tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. My advice is to do as Nike say “Just do it!”
 
Congratulations to those who have taken action, whatever you are trying to achieve, you are clever and are going to see the benefits of taking action and not waiting for tomorrow.
 
So as your coach friend and fitness professional, here to help and encourage you on your journey towards better health & fitness, I have 3 more tips(random, but very important tips) to help you as you move toward your health & fitness goals.
 
 
 
 
3. Get Plenty of Sleep 7-8 hours
Fatigue isn’t good. Apart from making you look old and tired it makes you crave sugary foods because they help release brain chemicals depleted by sleep deprivation.
 
2. Move your body
Keep active in any way you can. Exercise, ballroom dancing, horse riding whatever you do, Keep yourself active. Studies have shown that people that engage in regular physical exercise activity, on average live 8-10 years longer and in better condition than those who don’t.
 
1.Make it habitual
If you are going to achieve anything and experience the benefits, you must keep consistent with it. Exercise and adopting a healthy life style is no exception. This is my number one tip to you today –keep going, be honest and you can  achieve all those goals you want.

 

 

I’d love for you to share this post in celebration of  Reubs 10^th birthday. It’s good to share.

 

Committed to your health.