S Eden Back to Perfection

September 2010

8
US$9.95

Steps to
Successful
Weight Loss

Obesity: Worried about

Save your kids your sexual
from this curse! health?

Fight
The antioxidants and
tonics you should take,
page 17

Change Your
Health Habits­—
6 Ways to Get

Fatigue
Yourself Moving,
page 7

A Winning
Formula to
Stop Smoking,
page 15

The supplements
you should take Now!
A note from the Publishers

living in a
golden age
O ne could say we live in a Golden Age. Technology brings
information on a sundry different topics in a flash;
medical science and wellness breakthroughs are allowing
us to get closer and closer to everlasting youth; and
everyday, the beauty of before-unchartered areas around the globe are
being made available to us, as we too, are opening ourselves more and
more to becoming citizens of the world.
There are inevitable prices to pay for such developments however: this
Stress, diet, and general lack of good health practices can also affect
one’s sexual drive and performance. Popping the usual pharmaceutical
fix is just what it is: an easy solution, but not a lasting one. On page 17,
Sacred Eden gives you different options on the daily vitamins, minerals,
and anti-oxidants that can help your body regain its balance, and
“instant generation” is breeding bodies and minds that are loathe to get up ultimately, pump up your sexual health to acceptable levels. From modern
and break a sweat, ethics are put into play in the name of science, and for day medical research to ancient Chinese wisdom, there is a supplement for
each piece of paradise found, a swathe is lost in the name of progress. you. (Speaking of supplements, we’ve also got an article for women and
This issue is dedicated to the little things we take for granted while the options available to her for fighting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Turn to
living in this Golden Age. With everything – music, games, entertainment, page 5 to read more about it.)
football statistics – available with just one click, and food readily available As in every issue, we devote a good chunk of it to helping you look
with just a quick call to fastfood delivery and a few punches of the button and feel trimmer and better. This issue’s got tips on staying motivated and
on the microwave, time and effort may be efficiently cut down, but so is our keeping your goals in mind and in sight, to make sure you don’t falter
ability to burn wasted calories. These unwise decisions in lifestyle options (page 7); and ways to help you successfully keep those extra pounds
affect no one most than our children. It affects more than their weight, off—and make sure they stay off (page 8)!
however—their precious self-esteem is dented, sometimes permanently, by
teasings and the feeling of being left out (whether imposed by others or by A Golden Age this may be, but it’s up to us to keep it golden. It’s
oneself). Parents, guardians, older friends and relatives can all do their part up to us to open ourselves up to new, well-researched information and
in developing a child’s health habits early on to prevent obesity. More on enlightened decisions to achieve our highest potential—not just for
this on page 13. ourselves, but for the generations that follow us, and for this beautiful
planet we call home.
Whether for work or play, the computer or laptop has become an
indispensible part of our lives. Most of us spend most of the day at our
workstations in the offices or homes, and some don’t give a second thought
about how those long hours affect our health. Some very minor
The Sacred Eden Team
tweakings in one’s work area or habits can go a long way in
preventing long-term bone and muscle wear and tear, and
eyesight problems. Simple exercises to beat these are on
page 6.
 Table of Contents

4
6
1 A Note From the Editor

Regulars
Healthy Solutions Features
3
10 Body
5 Ways to Stop Your Snoring; ABCs Of Staying Healthy;
Relieve Stress By Meditation; Tips to Get Started With
Detoxification; The Dangers of Crohn’s Disease 11
All Hail the Coconut Tree. From
its trunk to its leaves, every part of the

5
coconut tree is beneficial to humans.
Taking centerstage, though, is the
oil from its meat—virgin coconut oil
A New Way to Fight Fatigue. Simple bed rest and
11 relaxation just doesn’t cut it with CFS. Time to load up on your
vitamins and minerals!
or VCO—which can help you lose
weight and fight disease

6 Get Yourself A Healthy Workstation! Pay more

attention to your work area and cut down work-related
discomfort and ills, pronto
13
When Your Kids are More than
Fluffy. Fat isn’t cute when your kids

7
are afflicted with obesity. Halting it,

13 Working Out: How Motivated Do You Feel?

though, starts with the parents. Here’s
what you can do to curb this no. 1
health threat
Working out is fun and all, but how do you keep on track?

8 8 Ways To Lasting Weight Loss. Moderation and

balance unlock the key to shedding off those pounds and
toning that body, successfully
15
Yes, You Can Quit Smoking!
It may be the hardest thing to do,
but stopping this habit will not only

9
The Curse of Bad Breath. It could kill your social life
and cause deep embarrassment. If you suspect you have it,
benefit you, but your close family
and friends, as well. Here’s why you
should begin your process now—and
what it takes

17
face it now and find your permanent fix!

15 Food and Nourishment

17 10 Artichokes­—A Strange But Healthy Food.

Great for appetizers, this sensual vegetable is also good for
Enhance Your Sexual Health with
Anti-Oxidants. Failure to have your
body behave “in a manly way” when it
rightfully should can be disheartening,
digestion, fighting heart disease, and lowering blood sugar
to say the least. Luckily, there are

19
supplements and options to get it back
“in the mood”
A Juicy Way To Take Your Vitamins. The
watermelon is a nutritious and delicious source of vitamins,
minerals and fiber—and it’s fun to eat, too!
HealthySolutions
5 Ways to Stop Your
Snoring ABCs Of
Staying
T
ake a look at your diet. You could have an intolerance to certain
foods which affects your breathing, especially when lying on you
back. For example, too much (or an intolerance to) dairy produce
is likely to cause you to become blocked up with mucus. When
Healthy
horizontal, this collects causing heavy breathing and snoring. Alcohol is A Is For Abstinence
another common offender.
Most probably many would
Being overweight is another significant contributor. Excess weight in the already be thinking that this
neck and chest puts pressure on the breathing passage. seems like the same ABC
Sleep on your side or front. Now this is easier said than done, because tip for responsible sex.
it’s hard to control your sleeping position when you are asleep! However, Abstinence should be
there is an old trick that may be worth considering. You could stow a practiced by the person
walnut, table tennis ball or similar size object into the back of a shirt and in declining the things
wear that in bed. Each time you roll on your back it will dig into you, that would not make
causing you to roll back again ñ providing you donít take your shirt of in him healthy. Abstinence
your sleep. should be the basis of any
individual to serve as a
Use nasal strips. Often used by disciplinary concept.
athletes, they open the air passage
for you, thus removing or preventing B Is For Be Faithful
blockages. If your desperate, it’s Being faithful is being
worth a try, but the cost can add up able to hold out and
over the days, months and years. maintain focus on your
Exercising the muscles in objective of staying
your throat, tongue and healthy.
doing breathing exercises C Is For Calisthenics
can completely cure your
snoring. For more detailed Calisthenics are simple
information and more tips activities which would
go to http://stop-snoring- allow one’s self to move
treatment.com about and permit the
proper flow of blood to the
different parts of the body
for optimal oxygenation of
the cells.
Calisthenics should
be done everyday
for at least 30 to 45
minutes which includes
mainly aerobic exercise. Not only
does daily calisthenics improve the
cardiovascular flow of the body, it also
adds up to the amount of calories to
be burned for the day to maintain the
desired body weight and fitness level.

Relieve Stress By Meditation

W
e all have different types of stresses in our lives--our jobs, relationships, children,
finances. Taking the time to meditate in your own way will help with the stress. The word
meditation simply is defined as to be in a continuous contemplative thought.
Find some quiet time for yourself and yourself alone: let the kids get out of the house,
ask your spouse for an half hour alone, or stay behind the office to collect your thoughts.
Close the door behind you. Find a comfortable position and
close your eyes. Put some relaxing music on your iPod. Breathe
in and out slowly while focusing on a peaceful scene. Find a
way of meditation that will work for you and you will see
that even if it's for only a few minutes, your mind will be
able to quiet itself. You have to remember you are using
your thoughts to meditate so you want to take the time
to clear out all the negative feelings. When you take the
time to relax and really stop, you maybe could even find some
answers to some of your nagging questions.

3 sacrededen
 HealthySolutions
The Dangers of
Crohn’s Disease

A
lso known by various other names such
as granulomatous enteritis or colitis,
Crohn’s disease is not easily diagnosed
since its symptoms resemble those of
other IBD. The inflammation causes abdominal
pain and often results in diarrhea. Other
symptoms include persistent rectal bleeding,
weight loss and fever.
Crohn’s disease causes the intestinal wall
to swell, resulting in blockage of the intestine.
It causes ulcers that can tunnel into and affect
surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina,
or even the skin. These tunnels, or fistulas,
can become infected and may require surgery.
Crohn’s disease also results in nutritional
deficiencies resulting from a poor diet or
intestinal loss of protein. Patients suffering
from Crohn’s disease may also develop
complications such as arthritis, skin problems,
kidney stones, and inflammation in the eyes or
mouth.
There are various theories about what causes
Crohn’s disease. The common opinion is that
the inflammation in the intestine is caused by
the reaction of the body’s immune system to
a virus. There appears to be enough evidence
that it could possibly be inherited as about 1
in 10 sufferers have a relative who has also
suffered from this condition. The evidence isn’t
absolute, but of certain degree to be significant.
Although some people may be genetically
predisposed to suffer from Crohn’s Disease,
it needs some kind of germ to trigger it. The
theory is that the germ triggers the immune
system to cause inflammation of the gut.
Interestingly, Crohn’s disease has become more
common in recent times. The reason for this is
unknown, however, smokers and women who
use a combined contraceptive pill are at higher
risk.
Treatment
As of now there is no cure for Crohn’s
disease. Treatment includes measures to reduce
inflammation, rectify nutritional deficiencies,
and relieve other symptoms. The following have
also been done to
treat the disease:
* Drugs to firm up the stools
* Antibiotics to fight any infection
* Acute inflammation is normally
treated via application directly up the
back passage using various drugs such as
corticosteriods.
* There may be some surgery required to fix
damaged portions of the bowel or to remove
obstructions. The problems with surgery,
though, is that it normally causes the Crohn’s
Disease to flare up again.
Crohn’s disease is chronic and patients may
require medical care over a long period, though
some may experience periods of remission and
can continue to function normally at work and
at home. Some patients need surgery to deal
with blockages or abscesses in the intestine.
Patients with Crohn’s disease in the large
intestine might require surgery to remove their
entire colon, while others only need to have the
diseased part removed.
The Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease
The symptoms of Crohn’s Disease are different dependant
upon which part of the gut is affected and to what degree.
The pain is normally located in the area where the
inflammation is. Using the example of the inflammation
being in the ileum, then the area of pain would be on the
lower right side of the abdomen.
Ulcers may develop which affect the raw area of the lining
of the gut.
Diarrhea may be mixed with mucus or blood. What is
common is the feeling of wanting to go to the toilet but when
you get there, of not having anything to pass.
Some general feeling of being unwell with a loss of
appetite, fever and tiredness.
If you lose a lot of blood, then you may suffer from
anemia. Mouth ulcers are common, as are painful cracks in
the skin of the anus called anal fissures.

If you’re a first-time detoxifier, keep these of the regular food should be allowed. On the
things in mind:
Tips to Get
third and final day of the diet one should allow
#1: Focus on the Benefits himself to undergo a full body cleansing, which
includes strictly water, along with natural and

Started With While on the detoxification diet, one thing

to remember is the benefits. Many people
plain fruit and vegetable juices, along with
herbs and vegetable soups.
are easily side-tracked and overcome by the
Detoxification difficulties of the detox process, such as drinking
horrible-tasting liquids. Keep your focus!
#3: Relax
A first-timer to the detoxification process

J
ust as there are many ways in which
a person is able to physically cleanse
their skin and hair, so too are there
many ways in which a person is able to
cleanse themselves on the inside. This process
of cleansing our bodies on the inside is called
detoxification.
#2: Start Out Small
One general rule of thumb if you’re a newbie
is to make your detoxification diet last for two
or three days during the whole process. For
example, on the first day you should allow
yourself to have regular food along with some
of the other elements of the diet. On the second
day of the detoxification, only water and less
could have many fears about the products
and liquids that he or she may be drinking.
It is important that this detoxification process
and weekend be a time of relaxation with
no worries about the family or work at the
office. Individuals should not only engage in
relaxing physical exercises during the day, but
meditation should also be practiced.
sacrededen 4
Body
A New Way to
Fight Fatigue
Simple bed rest and relaxation just doesn’t cut it with CFS. Time to
load up on your vitamins and minerals!
A
bout 20 percent of adults
experience excessive fatigue.
It can be so debilitating that it
affects their ability to function
well at work and at home. Some are able to
bounce back after taking a short respite from
work, or taking some medication--but there is
a significant number of people whose stressful
experiences last longer that usual.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) affects at
least 800,000 people in the United States. This
disabling fatigue usually persists for as long as
six months or even longer. The eight common
CFS symptoms include muscle pain, joint pain,
memory gaps or loss of concentration, sleep-
lessness, headaches, sore throat, and unusual
fatigue after exercise.
Supplementing Your
Health
Our bodies need carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins to speed up chemical reactions and al-
low our internal organs to function. Like a ma-
chine, nutrients from food serve as fuel. These
nutrients are the very foundations of good
health. However, due to our polluted environ-
ment and the toxins found in the food we eat,
sickness and muscle fatigue can no longer be
totally eradicated. All human beings eventually
get sick and require medical treatment as well
as supplements during the recuperation stage.
One of those conditions that supplements
can help with is fatigue. Vitamins and minerals
are necessary to maintain the many biological
processes that take place inside our bod-
ies. Mental alertness, proper digestion, and
resistance to bacterial and viral infections are
dependent on the proper working of internal
organs which are, in turn, dependent on nutri-
ents that come from the food and beverages we
consume.
These are only some of the vitamins and
minerals that one can consume daily in order to
sustain health and consequently fight CFS:
Vitamin E. This vitamin can be found in plain
yogurt, rice milk, calcium-fortified soy, kale,
nonfat milk, cheddar cheese, turnip greens,
5 sacrededen
cottage cheese and spinach. Vitamin E is an
anti-oxidant that helps prevent cardiovascular
disease and high blood pressure. It also pro-
motes good skin complexion, enhances sexual
performance, and helps alleviate fatigue.
Vitamin A. This vitamin helps prevent cancer,
heart disease, and eye problems. It also helps
repair skin cells and promotes the forma-
tion of bones and teeth. It plays a big part in
the functioning of the entire immune system.
This vitamin can be found in cheddar cheese,
steamed or raw carrots, fortified skimmed milk,
cantaloupe, spinach, mangoes, and peaches.
Vitamin K. This vitamin is vital in bone miner-
alization, cellular growth, and the prevention of
hardening of the arteries. This can be found in
broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, beef and sprouts.
Vitamin D. This vitamin is needed to absorb
calcium and phosphorus, which, in turn,
are needed for the normal development of
the bones and teeth. Getting enough of this
particular vitamin helps protect women against
osteoporosis. Vitamin D-rich foods include
salmon and fortified milk. Sunlight is also a
good source of Vitamin D.
Magnesium. This mineral is needed for pro-
tein and bone formation. Magnesium gives us
energy and helps prevent muscle spasms. Dark
green and leafy vegetables such as spinach,
grains, legumes and black-eyed peas are rich
sources of magnesium.
Calcium. This mineral is vital for proper
bone and teeth development.
Potassium. It is a mineral that maintains
fluid balance, sends nerve impulses, and releas-
es energy. You can get this from potatoes, fish,
yogurt, carrot juice, dried potatoes, citrus juices,
and bananas.
There are other nutrients that should be in-
cluded as part of our daily food intake. Vitamin
C, iodine, dietary fiber must be consumed every
day. Filling these nutritional gaps is easy if you
practice good eating habits and eat the right
types of food. Indeed, taking multivitamins will
go a long, long way in boosting your energy
levels and over-all health.
Women and Fatigue
Fatigue is more common among women. It is a
state of overwhelming, sustained exhaustion and
decreased capacity for physical and mental work
that is unrelieved by rest. Fatigue often is an early
sign of a neurological or psychological illness.
Debilitating fatigue can be an early sign and
symptom of either multiple sclerosis or Parkin-
son’s disease. Some studies show that eight out of
10 patients with depression report fatigue.
Marianne Legato, a professor of clinical medicine
at Columbia University said in an interview that
there are a number of conditions that can make
a woman chronically feel tired or experience
excessive fatigue. Women who go on crash diets
and don’t get enough nutrition can feel lethargic.
Reports say that high-fat, low-carb diets are the
worst offenders. Foods that help boost energy in-
clude complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain
bread, whole meal rice and pasta, fish, lean
meat, fruit and vegetables.
Moreover, according to the Thyroid Foundation,
there are approximately 14 million people in the
U.S. who have underactive thyroids and about 70
percent of them are women. Dr. Legato said that
the most common type of thyroid disease is called
“Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.” This is an auto-immune
condition in which the person produces antibod-
ies that have an immune response to the thyroid
gland.
Excessive fatigue can also be a result of anemia,
chronic illness, infection, diabetes, medication
effects or depression, among others.
Excessive fatigue could also indicate an impend-
ing heart attack in women, researchers say. A
study looked at more than 500 women who had
suffered heart attacks. About 70 percent had
experienced unusually high levels of fatigue and
48 percent had reported disturbed sleep for more
than a month before their attack. The research-
ers said they studied women because they have
higher death rates and higher rates of disease
than men.
The study focused on women with an average
age of 66 who had suffered a heart attack in the
previous four to six months. They were asked if
they had experienced any of 33 early signs which
can precede heart attacks, or any of 37 symp-
toms which can accompany one. The women
were also asked about other health problems,
risk factors, medication and their social back-
grounds. About 95 percent of the women said
they had experienced new or different symptoms
more than a month before their heart attacks that
did not continue afterwards. Excessive fatigue was
the most common symptom.
Get Yourself
A Healthy
Workstation!
F
By Wendy Young
or many people, almost two-thirds Solution: Adjust the armrests up or down
of their days are spent in front of so that the shoulders muscles are in a relaxed
the computer. Be it work-related position while resting on the armrests. If your
or for recreation, it seems that the shoulders are shrugged at all then the armrests
computer has become an indispensible part of are too high. If you are leaning into either arm-
our lives. rest this could be an indication that the armrests
There are prices to pay for such attach- are too low. The best way to do this is to drop
ments, however—many of them health-related. your arms down by your side and just let your
Many experience pain in their wrists, fingers, shoulders relax. It is important that you get a
hands, neck, shoulder or back if they work at "feel" for this. In this fast paced and competitive
a computer for more than four hours per day; world computer users are so focused on their
much of this pain, though, is due to the faulty work that they are not aware of the physical
design of their workstations. Take a look at the comfort changes that are occurring in their bod-
following and see if any of these circumstances ies on a daily basis.
apply to you.
Improper Sitting Posture: If you are
Chair Armrests Too High Or Low: slouching in your chair you might be reduc-
In most instances the armrests are adjusted too ing your ability to take deep breathes due to
high. Most keyboards are placed on surfaces collapsing your diaphragm. This can cause
too high for them and the computer user will fatigue and discomfort because oxygen and
adjust the armrest to the height of the work nutrients cannot travel efficiently to your lower
surface, thinking this is sup- extremities and your brain.
porting them properly.
They are inadvertently Solution: Sit all the way back in your chair
raising their shoulders with the lower part of your back firmly touching
to a tensed position. If the backrest. This will enable you to sit in a
the shoulder muscles neutral posture with ease. Be sure you know
are tensed for any how to adjust your chair. The chair is the
length of time with foundation of the computer work area and if
repetitive motion in you have a great chair that is not adjusted
the hands or arms, properly then it will not do you any good.
varying levels of You want you feet to be flat on the floor or
pain or dis- on a footrest.
comfort may
develop de- Monitor Too High Or
pending on Low: If the monitor is too low
the length
it requires bending the neck
of time in
forward or down to view the
this tensed
screen. In high position the
position.
neck will bend backwards to
read the screen.
Solution: Try this ex-
ercise. Relax your head
and neck. If you do
this correctly your
head will
be in a
slight
Stop Being a Computer
Potato!
Schedule breaks every 15 to 20 minutes.
Walk around and do something different for a
few minutes. People tend to think that the inter-
ruption of thought will hinder their work. On the
contrary, folks who actually take these breaks
insist that they have twice as much energy and
get nearly quadruple the amount of work done
each day.
Why? The brain refreshes, sort of like your
webpage does. When you come back to a task
after a break, you’re more revitalized and ready
to tackle your current project. If you have a
laptop, that’s even better. Take it to a different
room every hour and a half. Watch how your
overall energy increases as you change scenery
once in a while!
During the wait time on your computer, you
can do a few stretches. While your page is load-
ing, try these neck exercises to reduce strain and
stress in this area.
Slowly, turn your head to the right as far as
you can. Hold this position for fifteen seconds.
Then repeat for the left side. When you get
up for a break, stop at the door frame of your
office. Hold your arms in the “hold up” position
ñ as if Jesse James were robbing you and you
had your hands in the air (bent at the elbows).
Then place the inside of your arms and your
palms on each side of the door frame and lean
in slowly. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds.
These little stretches can literally save you
much stress. Many computer workers end up
with a stiff neck or arm and hand pain. Taking
frequent breaks and getting in the habit of
stretching when you have downtime can lessen
the possibility for problems in the future.
forward tilt. Now relax your eyes by letting your
eyes "fall" to their lowest position in your eyes.
Notice the lowest line on the screen you can
read without raising your eyes or head. Position
the monitor height so that the information you
are reading is centered in this area.
For 19 to 21" monitors the top of the view-
able screen will be approximately two inches
below the line of sight. The line of sight is
defined as the imaginary straight line from
your eyes to the screen. Let your eyes and body
determine what is comfortable.
Monitor and Keyboard Not Cen-
tered Together: The computer user often
will have the monitor placed to the side and will
twist their neck left or right to view the screen.
This added tension in the neck can create vary-
ing levels of discomfort.
Solution: Place the keyboard directly in
front of the monitor so that you can look at the
monitor without turning your neck sideways at
all. If you use the mouse frequently and do not
use the number pad on your keyboard you may
consider an ergonomic keyboard with a 15"
footprint. This will balance the keyboard AND
mouse with the monitor.
sacrededen 6
Body
Working Out:
How Motivated
Do You Feel?
Working out is fun and all, but how do you keep on track?
By Marc David
L et me make a prediction...
Ninety six-point-eight percent of
subscribers who actually are reading
this have wished they had more pas-
sion in the gym.
And a full 99 percent of those still reading, do
not have their goals written down anywhere.
Why is motivation so difficult? How come the
no. 1 question I receive is from somebody who
asks, "I know what to do, but I just need some-
body to motivate me to do it all year round."
So let me ask you:
Can you clearly see your goals that you want
to obtain? No really. Can you SHOW me what
you want to accomplish in the next six months?
Personally I always thought that writing down
your goals and to-do's was crap. Until I took a
sticky yellow post-it and wrote down four things
I wanted to accomplish on my website over the
weekend. Nothing fancy at all but clearly the
things I wanted to do. They were specific, simple
and realistic.
Needless to say, I did them all over the
weekend. And here I'd thought about them for
six months!
Goal orientation is the key element in estab-
lishing strong motivation.
Let me say that again: Knowing what you
want to accomplish is key in establishing the
desire to actually do it!
A goal is nothing more than a stepping
stone from one goal to another. It's the bridge
between wanting to achieve something and actu-
ally achieving it.
So let's being with the Six Steps you must do to
go from thinking about it, to actually doing it.
1. A Goal Must Be Well
Defined
If you've seen those Red Cross thermometers
or any place that shows some type of chart with
the money received and the ultimate goal, that is
pretty well defined.
What sounds best to you?
a) I want to lose weight
7 sacrededen
b) I want to destroy 15 lbs of fat and get to 10
percent body fat with a year
Please tell me you picked B. B is clearly more
defined and therefore more obtainable.
2. A Goal Must Be Stated In
Writing
Life gets in the way. My story of wanting to
do just foursimple things to my own website that
I had the ability to do just kept getting buried
under the complexities of life and schedules.
Once it was a simple post-it note on my
desk, it had a magical way of getting done as
I checked off each item. It didn't require any
more work on my part but it was defined and
clearly visible.
Tony Robbins, Tom Venuto, Jon Benson, Jeff
Anderson--those guys are right. That is their se-
cret to success. They write down what they want
and once it's in writing, it gets done.
3. A Goal Must Be Stated In
The Positive
I'm not a medical doctor of Neuro-Linguistic
Programming, but I know enough about the
subconscious to know it doesn't understand
negative goals.
Use a positive mindset when creating a goal.
"I won't eat junk food" is better stated as "I will
eat healthy foods eat day." Even better is "I will
enjoy eating healthy foods each day."
Now your goal is an affirmation which can be
used to kick-start some action!
Rather then state what you won't do, start tell-
ing yourself what you will do.
4. A Goal Must Have A
Deadline For Completion
How many of you get excited about payday?
Or an up-coming vacation? Or even a UFC
fight in Las Vegas?
Simple. It's something to look forward to and
think about. It creates a sense of urgency in
ordering tickets and getting the hotel if you know
you are leaving on a specific date.
If there's no real goal for completion, there's
no sense of urgency after a bit and hence, most
people quit the gym after six months.
After a bit, it's just a routine, gets boring and
since there's no deadline to accomplishing any-
thing, they get back to life and out of the gym.
5. A Goal Must Have
Sincere Emotional Appeal
If you don't really care, how much passion do
you have for that thing?
Creating a goal should be a sincere effort with
something tied to your emotional desires. Heck,
if you don't even care, trust me, your mind will
find a quick way to end that gym session.
An emotionally charged goal will have a
sense of urgency and that leads to passion
to complete something specific by a certain
deadline.
Passion is the fuel you are looking for and
only you can create it. Sadly, it's not available in
any gas stations that I know of--yet.
6. A Goal Must Be Difficult,
Yet Realistic
With that said, if it's too easy, it's unlikely you'll
give it enough attention to really focus on it or
care. "I'm going to make it to the gym tomor-
row," is hardly an earth shattering revelation for
most. To make matters worse, if it's too difficult,
you'll get frustrated with the lack of progress and
your confidence in actually doing it will be com-
promised. That means you need to create goals
in such a way that with a continual, concentrated
effort, you know you can get the job done.
Imagine a mountain top with a red flag at the
very top. That is your long term goal (specific
too). But it's unrealistic to think you can achieve
that in two months.
But if you had little yellow flags along the
path to that red flag, those would be short term,
achievable goals you could look forward to with
a sense of urgency because they could have a
shorter deadline and time to completion.
Short term thinking but with long term results-
-if you know you can get the job done, your
passion for doing it will rise.
Now go get some yellow sticky notes!
 8
Moderation and balance unlock the key to shedding off those
pounds and toning that body, successfully
By Meri Raffetto
T
he key to weight loss is finding the right balance of what you
eat, what you think, and what activity you do. It is not about
following a perfect plan—it’s impossible to be perfect every
day! Finding the right balance helps you to decrease your
calorie intake, increase your metabolism and keeps the self-sabotage at
bay. Here are 8 steps to bring more balance into all corners of your life so
you too can find weight loss success.
1. Eat more frequently during the day
Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals can have a negative
impact on your metabolism and results in overeating later in the day. It’s
best to have three small meals and one to two snacks throughout the day.
You will feel more satisfied and eat less. Plan to have a snack or meal
every four to five hours.
2. Watch portion sizes
Appropriate portion sizes are still quite misunderstood. Most Americans
eat two to three times the recommended portion sizes. Limit your grains,
cereals, pastas, and rice to one half to one cup serving sizes. Keep meat,
poultry and fish to 4-ounce portion sizes. Restaurants are notorious for
giving extremely large servings of food. Keep this in mind when eating out.
Eat half of the food on your plate or take the rest home for lunch the next
day. Studies show that when people are given large portion sizes, they eat
up to 56 percent more calories without realizing it. To add insult to injury,
our portion sizes are larger than they have ever been. Start to become
more aware of the portions you are served wherever you are.
3. Eat the right fats
Yes some fat is important. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important strat-
egy for weight loss success and yet most Americans are not eating enough
of these healthy fats. Some reports show these fatty acids may be helpful in
increasing your metabolism. They are also shown to be a wonderful mood
supporter and people report significantly less food cravings and triggers
to eat when they incorporate omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis. This is
especially important for any emotional eaters out there. Omega 3ís are
found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod; they are also found in
canola oil, walnuts, and ground flax seeds.
4. Increase fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are not only packed with important vitamins, min-
erals, and antioxidants, they are also loaded in fiber and low in calories.
Include five to eight fruits and vegetables every day. This is one of the most
important diet changes you can make. When you fill your plate up with
fruits and vegetables you eat less of the higher calorie foods. For example,
let’s take a sample steak dinner.
Original meal: Meal Makeover:
4 ounce steak
8 ounce steak
one half baked potato with fixings
Whole baked potato with fixings
one half cup steamed broccoli
One half cup steamed broccoli
Side salad with mixed greens, tomatoes,
and 1 Tbsp light vinaigrette dressing
Body
Ways
To Lasting
Weight Loss
By changing the balance of this meal to include more vegetables while
decreasing the steak and potato we saved approximately 350 calories.
Saving 350 calories daily can result in almost a one pound weight loss per
week. Small changes are the key.
5. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when
you’re full
Our bodies have an innate weight management mechanism. It per-
forms this task by making you feel full when it is time to stop eating. Every
time you eat past full you are taking in more calories than your body
needs which will result in weight gain. Start to become more aware of your
internal cues for hunger and satiety (fullness). You will be amazed how
many times you wait too long to eat and how often you eat past full and
enter into stuffed. It’s common for all of us to do this from time to time.
However, it’s time to check in with yourself and see how often you are fall-
ing into these food patterns. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you
are physically ready for food and when you are ready to stop.
6. Exercise regularly
I know, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but it is a crucial
part of weight management. It is important to engage in regular aerobic
and weight bearing activity. The aerobic exercise helps you to burn the fat
and weight bearing activity increases your metabolic rate. Muscle burns
up to 90 percent more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have,
the more calories you will burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds
of muscle you could actually burn 100 to 250 additional calories a day.
This combination of aerobic and weight bearing activity is what really kicks
weight loss into gear.
7. Limit sugar
Sugar becomes a major issue for many people wanting to lose weight.
Not only does it add calories, it also causes insulin spikes leading you to
store more calories as fat, it stimulates your appetite, and is a major food
trigger for emotional eaters. However, it doesn’t mean you need to go
all or nothing. When people try to omit all sugar from their diet they can
become obsessed about sugary foods and end up in a binge. Find the
right balance for sugar. Avoid daily use of sugar and instead have some
guiltless treats once in awhile. A little cake at a birthday party or some ice
cream with friends is a good way to incorporate sugar once in awhile to
avoid the negative outcomes.
8. Pamper yourself regularly
Who wants to argue with that?! The reality is many people eat for emo-
tional reasons. Food makes us feel good on many levels. The problem oc-
curs when eating becomes the only coping mechanism your subconscious
knows of. This is why that pesky urge to emotionally eat is so strong. It is
hard to reason your way out of it. For many people food is the only thing
they know that makes them feel better. When you start to do other things
that make you feel good on a regular basis such as taking a hot bath,
going for a walk, having a hot cup of tea; then your subconscious starts to
register these activities as coping mechanisms as well. Over time this will
decrease the constant urge to use food. You canít expect to have a bad
day, go take a bath and not have an urge to eat. It is something you need
to do regularly and something you truly enjoy so your subconscious starts
to recognize it as a new choice.
sacrededen 8
Body
The Curse of
Bad Breath It could kill your social life and cause deep embarrassment. If you suspect you have it,
face it now and find your permanent fix!
I t’s one thing to have bad breath once in
a while or in the morning before we brush
our teeth. This kind of problem is easily
remedied with simple hygiene. But can
you imagine (and some of you can) having
bad breath chronically and so bad that simply
brushing your teeth or avoiding spicy food at
lunch is not enough. Some people have to live
with this nightmare called chronic halitosis.
Causes and Treatment
There are many causes of halitosis: deeply
furrowed tongue, sinus infection, tonsillitis, diet,
drying of oral tissues, digestive problems, smok-
ing, systemic diseases, lung or sinus infection,
uremia, or cirrhosis of the liver, helminthiasis
(intestinal parasitic infections), diabetes, kidney
failure, sinusitis, tonsilloliths, gastroesopha-
geal reflux disorder (GERD), trimethylaminuria
(TMAU), hormonal changes, and a wide variety
of prescription drugs.
As bad body odors in general are second-
ary to the growth of microorganisms (bacteria,
yeast, etc.) that produce noxious fumes as a by-
product of their metabolisms, bad breath may
be caused by a major infection that is causing
the rotten (literally!) smell in your mouth. So go
see your dentist to rule this out.
Often, however, there isn't a huge cavity
or pharyngeal abscess to explain the terrible
smell, and because the etiology is less obvious
the solution is less obvious as well. Killing the
bacteria is still priority, though—it just happens
that some people with chronic bad breath were
unlucky enough to have gotten a particularly
smelly strain of bacteria.
How do you do this? There are several ways.
One is to brush your teeth more often, after
every intake of food; another is to get in the
habit of brushing your tongue. Another is to buy
a good, anti-bacterial mouthwash. Lastly, and
maybe not so obvious, is eating yogurt. Yogurt
contains a bacteria that lives well in the body.
Try it and see how it offsets the bad bacteria in
your mouth.
If a thorough brushing and a breath mint are
ineffective in your fight against bad breath, you
may have a serious condition that, if not looked
into, could cause detrimental effects to your
teeth, mouth and gums. This condition is called
9 sacrededen
xerostomia, another cause of bad breath. More
commonly known as dry mouth, medications
are one of the most common causes of the
disorder.
According to the National Institute of Dental
and Craniofacial Research, more than 400
prescription medications, including some
developed for asthma relief, depression and
products contain a patented enzyme system
developed to treat and restore health to a dry
mouth and are available over the counter.
Dry mouth sufferers also are advised to avoid
starchy foods, floss daily and have a dental
checkup at least twice a year.
cholesterol reduction, can cause xerostomia - a
condition that is a major cause of halitosis. The
condition also can cause cracked lips, cavities,
bleeding gums and canker sores, leading to
the deterioration of oral and dental health.
Severe cases of xerostomia can inhibit the
ability to speak or swallow.
Other causes of xerostomia include
diseases such as diabetes and undergoing
radiation therapy or chemotherapy treat-
ment for cancer. However, the disorder is
often ignored until serious oral damage
occurs.
Dental researchers have discovered
that saliva contains natural antibac-
terial agents, which help to keep
your mouth healthy and neutral-
ize bacteria that can cause bad
breath. If you don't have enough
saliva, you become more suscep-
tible to dental problems, such as
an increase in plaque buildup
and bleeding gums.
Treatment of dry mouth depends
on what's causing the condition,
then taking the appropriate steps
to minimize the symptoms.
Unfortunately for people
with dry mouth caused by
medication use, little can
be done to correct it.
However, if you suf-
fer from xerostomia,
many medical and
dental professionals
agree that you should
use products specifi-
cally developed for
the treatment of
the condition.
These xerosto-
mia treatment

Artichokes
A Strange But
Healthy Food
Great for appetizers, this sensual vegetable is also good for digestion,
fighting heart disease, and lowering blood sugar
O
riginally found around the
Mediterranean, artichokes
were used by the ancient
Romans to treat poor
digestion. Somewhere along the line, the
Romans realized artichokes also made great
appetizers, and they have been a traditional
Italian food ever since.
The Latin name for this greenish-purple veg-
etable is Cynara Scolymus. Sometimes called
French or Globe artichoke, it's the flower of the
plant that is sold in grocery stores. The Jerusa-
lem artichoke, meanwhile, is really a tuber that
grows in North America.
One medium artichoke supplies 20 percent
of the vitamin C you need for the day. With only
60 calories, it's also a good source of potassium
and magnesium, both important for a healthy
heart. And like most fruits and vegetables, it's
packed with disease-fighting antioxidants that
nutritionists rave about.
How to Enjoy Them
Choose artichokes with even, green color.
Don't buy any that look wilted, dried out, or
moldy. Heavy, small heads are best.
Small artichokes are good for appetizers,
and larger ones can be used for stuffing with a
variety of fillings and served as an entree.
Be sure to trim about an inch off the top with
a sharp knife. And then trim about one-quarter
inch from the tips of the leaves since this part is
inedible and rough on your hands.
Artichokes can be steamed in a steamer
basket or boiled in water. They should be
tender and ready to eat in about
30 minutes.
If you're in a hurry, you can
microwave them more quickly.
First, rinse them with water to
add some moisture. Then wrap
each one in microwaveable plastic wrap.
For four artichokes, microwave on high for
10 to 15 minutes or until the meaty part at the
base of the artichoke is tender.
You can serve these veggies hot or cold.
Some people serve a dipping sauce with arti-
chokes. It would be a shame to ruin a lowfat
food with a rich sauce, so try a low-calorie,
yogurt-based dip.
If you've never eaten an artichoke, you might
be a little confused about what part is edible.
The outer leaves are hard and a little bitter, but
at the bottom of the leaf, where they pull away
from the stem, there is a soft, velvety hunk of
"meat" that you can eat by gently pulling the
leaf through your teeth. After you've nibbled
all the leaves this way, you're left with the best
part of the artichoke - the heart. This is a soft,
nutty-flavored center that can be eaten whole.
Just scrape off the soft fuzz with a spoon before
you dig in.
Healthy Eats
3 ways artichokes keep
you healthy
Steps up digestion. As it turns out, the
ancient Romans were onto something when it
comes to artichokes and digestion. An ingredi-
ent in artichoke leaves helps your liver form
bile - something necessary for good digestion.
If your liver doesn’t produce enough bile, your
food doesn’t get broken down properly, and
you end up with stomach pains and indigestion.
Several scientific studies showed dramatic
improvements in people with dyspepsia (poor
digestion) after being treated with artichoke
extracts. You can also get help for your indiges-
tion the way the ancient Romans did - by eating
a delicious artichoke with your dinner.
Chokes out heart disease. Bile from your
liver does more than help you digest food. It
also helps break down cholesterol from the fat
you eat. But a liver that doesn’t produce enough
bile lets too much cholesterol get by. People with
liver problems can have high cholesterol even if
they eat a low-fat diet.
That’s where artichokes come in. Because
they can help you make more bile, you might
be able to lower your cholesterol by eating
them. A study in Germany showed that taking
artichoke extract for six weeks caused LDL
cholesterol, the bad kind, to fall by more than
22 percent. As a bonus, artichokes might also
be able to block some new cholesterol from
forming in your liver.
Lowers blood sugar. Your liver is busier
than you might think. In addition to breaking
down fatty foods, it also stores extra glucose
(sugar) in the form of glycogen and turns it
back into glucose whenever it gets a phone
call from your blood saying that supplies are
too low. This is a great system in a perfectly
working body. But some people have
faulty phone lines, and their livers work
day and night cranking out glucose
their blood doesn’t need. This
overproduction of glucose can
lead to diabetes and other health
problems.
In animal studies, researchers
found that substances in arti-
chokes kept livers from making
too much glucose. More studies
need to be done, but scientists
think artichokes might someday be
useful to people with noninsulin-de-
pendent diabetes. In the future, people
might use plants, like artichokes, to keep
their blood sugar production in check.
sacrededen 10
Feature

All Hail
the Coconut
Tree
From its trunk to its leaves, every part
of the coconut tree is beneficial to
humans. Taking centerstage, though,
is the oil from its meat—virgin coconut
oil or VCO—which can help you lose
weight and fight disease

K nown as the “tree of life,” the

coconut tree’s every part is in
some way, useful and beneficial
to humans. In the Philippines—a
tropical country in Southeast Asia--coconut trees
has been known to provide materials for shelter,
food, and alternative medicine. The trunk is
used as lumber; the woven leaves are used for
roofing; and even midribs from the stems are
brought together to form a native broom.
It’s said that one can stay alive just by eating
coconut; health experts also agree that coconut
and coconut oil incorporated into one's diet
may bring noticeable health benefits--weight
loss, increased energy, an improved immune
system.
A Good Oil
Taken from coconuts is a non-copra oil called
Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). What makes this oil
so special is the lauric acid, which is classified
as a medium-chain fatty acid, an essential
substance in the formation of monolaurin in
the human body. Monolaurin is the antiviral
and antibacterial element used by the body to
destroy viruses like Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV), herpes, influenza and other
infections that may lead to illness.
Using the “cold press” method, the coconut
oil is extracted by grating the fresh coconut and
by squeezing the coconut meat. The coconut
milk is put into a sanitary container, covered,
and allowed to stand for about 24 to 36
hours. The “virgin” coconut oil, which naturally
separates from the water content of the coconut
milk, is then transferred to another container. At
that stage, the VCO is ready for consumption
without cooking, heating, or any other process
that might take away some of the nutritional
properties of the virgin oil.
If you’re starting a raw or vegan diet,
including coconut and VCO into your diet is
probably the best decision you’ll make.
VCO is far more nutritious and beneficial
than corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil,
soybean oil, and even olive oil. It contains no
dangerous trans-fatty acids which can raise
LDLs, commonly known as “bad” cholesterol,
and lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and
more.
Coconut oil increases metabolism and
supports healthy weight loss.
Coconut oil's saturated fat is a medium-chain
fatty acid, which means it is digested more
easily than other fats. Whereas other fats are
stored in the body's cells, the medium-chain
fatty acids in coconut oil are rapidly broken
down and converted into energy, therefore
putting less strain on the liver, pancreas, and
digestive system. By activating the metabolism,
coconut oil is outstanding for weight loss and
for those with thyroid issues.
Coconut oil is antiviral, antimicrobial, and
anti-cancerous. It enhances the immune system
by destroying lipid-coated viruses such as HIV,
herpes, influenza, and various pathogenic
bacteria.
Drink Up Your Coconut
Water!
Coconut water from young green coconut is
low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and has a natu-
ral balance of sodium, potassium. magnesium,
and calcium--making it a healthy drink. Elec-
trolytes that aid in the restoration of nutrients is
present in coconut water and may help severely
dehydrated people. Drinking natural coconut
water optimizes muscle performances and can
eliminate muscle spasms because of high levels
of potassium. It also boosts circulation, raises
metabolism, and maintains the proper body
temperature.
Coconut water also helps prevent intestinal
gas and aid in removing toxins because it bal-
ances acid levels and flushes toxins out. Diar-
rhea and headaches are some of the illness that
can eliminated because of detoxification.
Coconut water is considered by many as a
natural stress buster because of its cooling and
calming effects. Studies add that coconut water
relieves burning sensations and restores emo-
tional stability in menopausal women. Coconut
water is also an excellent supplement for liver
problems, hepatitis, and inflammation.

11 sacrededen
Two
Tablespoons Not All Fats Are Bad
a Day
Fats have been unfairly lumped together as being all
Some medical bad for too long. Fat doesn't necessarily cause disease, and
experts recommend that can actually cause a role in its prevention. The truth is that
at least two tablespoons some fats are very bad for us and some fats are actually
of VOC a day can act very good for us.
as a preventive measure
against bacterial infec- It turns out that the bad guys are polyunsaturated oils,
tion. VCO kills many which carry toxic fatty acids (long chain fatty acids or LCTs).
forms of viruses and These LCTs tend to produce fat in the body. Polyunsatu-
bacteria that cause rated oils are the vegetable oils we commonly see in the
pneumonia, ear and grocery store, such as soy, corn, cottonseed, rapeseed and
throat infections, and safflower.
other illnesses—a much We have been told that they lower cholesterol, but they
healthier alternative way that they do is not healthy, as it ends up collecting in
than popping antibiot- the liver. These oils are easily oxidized and damaged by
ics and other synthetic free radicals. When cooked they become rancid in a few
drugs! hours, even in the refrigerator. This causes damage to
Take VCO also if our body at a cellular level, the end results showing up as
you have digestive According to Dr. Mary Enig’s Eat Fat, Lose Fat: problems like diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism and heart
problems. Fat in VCO is The Healthy Alternative to Trans Fats, coconut oil disease. And if that is not enough, these oils help us to get
easily absorbed without can also be used as: fat, lower the metabolic rate in our bodies, help suppress
the aid of digestive the thyroid function and cause our skin to age quicker.
a stable cooking oil
enzymes. This process Trans-fat is one of the worst. Trans-fatty acids often
aids the digestive sys- a salad dressing appear on ingredient labels as hydrogenated or partially
tem, enabling it function hydrogenated vegetable oils. It is what they do to veg-
in shakes, smoothies, juices
properly. A fit digestive etable oils to make them into hard fats such as margarine
system is essential to a skin moisturizer and vegetable shortening. It is used in the prepared food
maintain proper weight industry in baked goods like cookies, crackers, and most
a massage oil
and enables the body supermarket peanut butter to prolong the shelf life. These
to absorb the right vita- Some requirements to look for would be: bad fats are used almost exclusively in fast foods that are
mins and minerals. fried. When heated and eaten, they turn into something
certified organic, USDA standards like poison in your system, because your body can not pro-
low-level heating to preserve natural nutrients cess this kind of chemically-made fat. Trans-fats not only
increase levels of bad cholesterol, but they will decrease
made from fresh coconuts, not dried levels of good cholesterol in the blood stream and trans-
no chemical additives fatty acids have been linked to heart disease, cancer and
diabetes. Fats such as margarine and shortening should be
no refinement totally avoided, as well as foods items that contain them.
non-GMO By January 2006 the U.S. FDA required that food prod-
no hydrogenation ucts to label the amount of trans-fat they have in them.
What is frightening is that trans-fats are found in over 40
no hybridized coconuts percent of the products on our supermarket shelves.
The fatty acid chains in coconut and olive oil, mean-
Good for the Skin while, are medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs) and they
Lately, coconut oil has been given much attention not promote weight loss by increasing the body's metabolism
only for its use in cooking but also for its value as a hair to create energy. Coconut oil has become popular lately,
and skin care product. Many Filipinos use coconut oil to because it has been discovered that coconut oil is nature's
maintain a youthful, wrinkle-free skin. VCO can also be richest source of MTCs. If you decide to add coconut oil
used to treat sunburned skin. to your diet, it is recommended that you purchase virgin
coconut oil (VCO), usually found in health food stores,
As mentioned earlier, the lauric acid in VCO makes
Babies Can the antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties
because it from the best part of the coconut and has not
Drink it too! been chemically bleached and heat processed. It is better
possible. Lauric acid helps prevent disease-causing
for cooking than olive oil, because olive oil can be dam-
Mother’s breastmilk bacteria that may lead to skin infections.
aged by the heat of cooking, making it similar to the other
is still best for babies, VCO is also high in antioxidants that penetrate into vegetable oils in the body when cooked.
but in some instances, the concealed tissues of the skin. Unlike most skin care
coconut oil is used Even saturated fat from animals is not as bad as it once
products in the market today that use vegetable oils that
in hospitals as an was thought to be, especially if it is from organically raised
have gone through various refining processes, making
important ingredient animals (free range and grass fed). Organic butter has
these products prone to free radical generation, VCO
in baby formulas when a very high conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content, which
on the other hand helps protect the body against the
breastmilk is impossible helps us lose weight and gain muscle. But non-organic
formation of free radicals, which are molecules that
to produce. The healthy meats may still be dangerous because of the way the ani-
rob electrons from the millions of cells in the human
fatty acids in coconut mals were raised or fed. Most grocery store meats are filled
body. Free radicals damage and destroy these cells
oil nourish babies with hormones, pesticides, medicines and unhealthy fat that
including the body’s connective tissues. These tissues
and aids them in their gets transferred to us when we eat it.
are responsible for keeping the skin elastic and flexible.
growth. They also serve VCO helps to strengthen these connective tissues and Organic grass fed and free range meat and eggs avoid
as health booster that aids in the prevention of skin sagging and wrinkling. these problems, and give us a much healthier source of
protects babies from VCO softens and moisturizes the skin, and removes dirt protein and saturated fat. Organic saturated fats and oils
virus and bacteria while from the outer layer of the skin, making it shiny and are actually good for you and should be eaten daily. The
their immune systems smooth. body needs these fats for healthy functioning.
are still weak.
Feature
When Your Kids
are More than
Fluffy
Fat isn’t cute when your kids are afflicted with obesity. Halting it, though, starts with the parents.
Here’s what you can do to curb this no. 1 health threat
I n 2004, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) ranked obesity as the
number one health threat facing America.
But obesity is a rapidly growing problem all
over the world. A recent study has shown that
in the United States alone, 65 percent of the
population is overweight and obese. All around
the world, an estimated three hundred million
adults are obese. Fifteen percent of United
States’ child population has also been reported
overweight. Around the world, an estimated
twenty-two million children aged five and below
are overweight.
Obesity means having too much fat content
in the body. To describe it scientifically,
obesity is characterized by having a weight
measurement and body mass index well
above the norm. It results from high
amounts of calorie intake and very little
expenditure of energy.
The Obese Child
Nothing can be more heartbreaking,
though, than seeing an obese
child—and seeing him or her suffer.
Like any other medical condition, child
obesity may be caused by a number
of factors, most often in combinations.
Obesity may either be: acquired from
external factors, hereditary, caused by
psychological factors, or secondary to
a present condition.
1.Acquired. This may be a result
from poor eating habits and a
lack of physical activities to
burn off the calories.
2.Hereditary. Children born
of obese parents are more
prone to being overweight
and obese themselves. This is
usually brought about by shared
13 sacrededen
unhealthy eating habits observed from the
parents.
3.Psychological factors. Obesity may have
come secondarily to children who overeat to
cope with stress and/or negative emotions
such as boredom, anger, sadness, anxiety or
depression.
4.Illnesses. Various conditions such as
hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome,
depression and other neurological concerns
may lead to obesity and weight gain in children.
If a child continues to indulge in poor eating
habits and does not engage in physical activities
to burn off the calories, childhood obesity may
develop into life-threatening complications
including: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart
diseases, sleeping problems, cancer, and other
health concerns. Overweight kids are likely to
grow up as overweight adults as well.
Most often than not, obese children get
subjected to teasing and public humiliation.
To some point, it even leads to harassment,
violence and even discrimination by his family.
This causes children to grow up with extremely
low self-esteem and depression.
Steps to Take
It is never a good idea to ignore signs of
obesity in children. Intervention should be
taken to establish good health before your
child’s obesity worsens.
Set an achievable weight-loss goal. Your
goals shouldn’t be too far-fetched and
should still allow room for normal growth
and development. Start small, so as not to
overwhelm or discourage your child with the
changes you’re planning to implement.
Manage your child’s diet. Keep a journal
or diary of your child’s daily food. This
helps come up with a more accurate dietary
assessment. This food journal should be as
detailed as possible.
Set aside time for physical activities. Exercise
is necessary for continuous weight loss. This
also helps redistribute body fat into muscles.
Again, start small to avoid discouraging the
child. Build up exercise time slowly for better
results.
More Ways to Deal
A child that suffers from overweight or obesity
is one that should be regarded as having a
temporary disease. Physical activity and diet
come naturally to the mind, but it is slowly and
gradually changing the behavior of the child-
-and sometimes of the whole family—that can
ultimately help him. The new behavior patterns
can be treated as rules first, making sure you
explain why it is not good to eat candies, for
example, and gradually easing them in from
time to time—but not completely blocking and
deleting the treats from their lives.
What to Avoid
Parent’s eating and lifestyle habits
affect the way the whole family views
food and physical activity. For a start,
stop stocking up on unhealthy foods
at home—chuck those chips, candies,
processed foods out the window. Fast
foods such as burgers, pizzas, macaroni,
hot dogs, chocolates, cakes and crisps
should be avoided. Ditto with fried foods.
Try grilling or baking (meats and fish,
not sweet cakes and cookies!). Keep your
children away from carbonated drinks
that have high sugar content. Substitute
them with fresh juices and other sugar-
free drinks.
What to Do
Get your kids out of the house
and do outdoor activities together-
-gardening, skipping and cycling
can help to prevent obesity.
Encourage your children to walk
down to school or the market,
instead of simply jumping into
the car. Motivate them to get into
sports. Take a healthy cooking
class together!
Studies also indicate
that breastfeeding a
baby may reduce his
chance of becoming
obese later in life.
You can start with a family meeting. Make it
that the children feel that they are setting these
rules. You can also join their activities to show
them they are not alone.
Another technique uses imagination and
positive thinking to encourage obese children
to maintain a diet and physical activity routine.
Have a weekly talk with your child and go over
the last week events, good and bad, and try to
explain what happened and why. Don’t forget
to compliment the child where compliments are
due. Once the events have been reviewed and
points made clear, you both close their eyes
and imagine how it would be like in a month or
two ahead, with more weight loss and a better
fitness and daily routine. Talk about the benefits
of losing weight--nicer clothes, more energy,
social admiration and so on. Just make sure
that the goals are realistic and can be achieved
in a month or two of hard work. And when your
child does achieve this, remind him of this talk
how belief and will power has real effect on life.
The Fight Continues in
Fat Camps
Fitness and nutrition expert, Tracey Redford of
Curves International says, “The inactivity among
young people can not be blamed solely on the
evolution of Internet technology and television in
itself. Child obesity has led to a number of other
health related issues such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, and heart disease from the combination
of improper nutrition and lack of exercise.”
Redford goes on to say, “We live in a complex
society where children of all ages have to contend
with social issues such as depression, violence
and divorce all having a downward spiraling
affect both physically and emotionally. The psy-
chological impact this has on our youth triggers
an imbalance in eating habits and leads to a lack
of motivation creating a domino effect.”
Last year in Canada alone, the government
spent over $2 billion on medical procedures sur-
rounding obesity. No matter how many times we
read about or see it on the news, children still do
not understand the connection between eating,
exercise and a healthy body. Rather than point-
ing fingers and placing blame, we need more
resources and programs that can be offered such
as summer camp programs specializing in weight
loss. These camps are sometimes referred to as
ìfat campsî for young children and teens to guide
them and educate them on making good healthy
choices.
Children and parents shouldnt be turned off
by the words, “fat camp” which simply means a
place where children of all ages can get fit, learn
about nutritional balance and have fun doing
so. Getting to participate in sports, crafts, and
making make new friends while achieving weight
loss in a nurturing environment provides a posi-
tive alternative for kids, and can pave the way to
combat obesity.
When children feel they have no options, they
continue on the same path of poor eating habits
leading to a state of helplessness. Sending a
child to a gym where they feel isolated and even-
tually lose motivation is not the solution either.
Redford explains, “We need far better choices
if we want our youths to get on track and stay
on track. Weight loss camps for pre-teens and
teenagers are a viable solution.”
What exactly is a weight loss camp? It’s a
place where the goals are about building a bet-
ter self-image and self-esteem while promoting
health and wellness with individualized programs
geared to weight loss that yields long term results.
This is the foundation of the whole weight loss
summer camp experience. A nutritionist designs
an appropriate menu enabling campers to lose
the weight and provide the necessary tools to
keep the weight off upon returning home from
camp. Understanding that the parent’s role is
crucial in encouraging proper weight control for
their children, the camps provide access to a
network of nutritionist across the country.
Written on behalf of www.campshane.com, the
original, longest running weight loss camp in the
world located in the New York Catskill Mountains.
Feature
Yes, You Can
Quit Smoking!
It may be the hardest thing to do, but stopping this habit will not only benefit you, but your close family
and friends, as well. Here’s why you should begin your process now—and what it takes
T here are many ways to take tobacco. You
can chew it, inhale it through the nose,
and smoke it in the form of cigars or
cigarettes. No matter how it's taken, it is
dangerous, but because smoking is the most popular
way to consume tobacco, it has also received the greatest
attention from the medical field and the media.
When a smoker inhales a puff of cigarette smoke,
the large surface area of the lungs allows nicotine to
pass into the blood stream almost immediately. It is this
nicotine "hit" that smokers crave, but there is a lot more
to smoke than just nicotine. In fact, there are more than
4000 chemical substances that make up cigarette smoke
and many of them are toxic.
Cigarette smoke is composed of 43 carcinogenic
substances and more than 400 other toxins that can also
be found in wood varnish, nail polish remover, and rat
poison. All of these substances accumulate in the body
and can cause serious problems to the heart and lungs.
Cancer is the most common disease associated
with smoking. Smoking is the cause of 90 percent of
lung cancer cases and is related to 30 percent of all
cancer fatalities. Other smoking-related cancers include
cancers of the mouth, pancreas, urinary bladder, kidney,
stomach, esophagus, and larynx.
Besides cancer, smoking is also related to several
other diseases of the lungs. Emphysema and bronchitis
can be fatal and 75 percent of all deaths from these
diseases are linked to smoking.
Smokers have shorter lives than non-smokers. On
15 sacrededen
average, smoking takes 15 years off your life span. This
can be explained by the high rate of exposure to toxic
substances which are found in cigarette smoke.
Second-hand Smoke and
Women who Smoke
Smokers also put others at risk. The dangers of
breathing in second-hand smoke are well known.
Smokers harm their loved ones by exposing them to
the smoke they exhale. All sorts of health problems are
related to breathing in second-hand smoke. Children
are especially susceptible to the dangers of second-hand
smoke because their internal organs are still developing.
Children exposed to second-hand smoke are more
vulnerable to asthma, sudden infant death syndrome,
bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections.
Smoking can also be dangerous for unborn children.
Mothers who smoke are more likely to suffer from
miscarriages, bleeding and nausea, and babies of
smoking mothers have reduced birth weights or may
be premature. These babies are more susceptible
to sudden infant death syndrome and may also
have lifelong health complications due to
chest infections and asthma.
Quitting smoking is easier
said than done. And
women, it turns out,
have an even harder
time quitting than men.
Stronger withdrawal
symptoms may be
 Practical Steps to Take
health is also affected due to depression and How does one begin to quit smoking and keep
anxiety disorders. Women are more likely to be their promises to remain smoke-free?
depressed than non-smokers, and that women
with anxiety disorders are more likely to smoke. 1. Prepare yourself for the battle you’re about to
face. Admit it. Your biggest opponent here is
Some women, however, are finding creative your self: your will and determination to say no
ways to break the habit for good. to cigarettes. Psyche yourself up, think only of
positive thoughts. Negativity will only make you
Deciding to Quit lose your drive to quit easier.
The real problem is the decision process. 2. Make a list. Jot down every reason you
That’s right, it’s a process, not a simple have in mind to want to quit smoking. List
decision. It’s a decision that you want to down all the positive effects quitting will bring
change your state and your behavior, to replace you. Write down all the activities you can enjoy
something you’ve enjoyed doing with absolute once you’ve let go of smoking. This gives you
nothing. That’s the main reason why some something to look forward to when you’ve
people eat like crazy when they quit. They finally achieved your goal.
miss the behavior, the everyday routine. The
Try Tea everyday repetition of the same process creates 3. Condition your body. Get started in a
a very powerful link in your brain and your moderately-paced exercise routine that will help
One method to consider is drinking tea. whole being. get your body in the best condition to fight your
One ex-smoker found that the steam helped cigarette cravings.
him breathe, and the hot water cleared his First, question yourself and my habit. Most
throat. Rooibos Tea and Jasmine Green Tea likely, it’s more and emotional, than physical, 4. Mark the date. Set the date when you will
in particular helps relax and calm down the habit. Ask yourself if it is really so important finally quit smoking. Make it sacred, let nothing
nerves (something smokers crave, as well). Tea to inhale something bad, just to control your or no one break it for you. It may help that you
also contains large amounts of anti oxidants state? Here are some questions and tips that make the quitting date fall on a significant date
to fight against the increased level of free can help you understand your habit more. The to make the event something to look forward to.
radicals in one’s body from smoking (the key to deciding is to understand your habit and 5. Know what you’re getting yourself into.
cause of aging skin and of course, cancer), yourself. Keep your expectations simple and attainable.
cleanses my body of toxins, and aids in the Only when the resolution to quit, can Over-expecting may magnify little failures.
recovery of sore throats. something tangible be achieved. All half- Understand what you’ll be battling while trying
hearted measures are bound to fail. Remember, to quit. You’ll experience withdrawal symptoms,
in the blood of a hard smoker, each and every but these symptoms will pass in a matter of
attributed to hormones or the bigger nicotine
cell is surcharged with nicotine. It has become minutes, it is just a matter of holding on to your
dose absorbed by smaller female bodies.
part of the blood. Each withdrawal symptom will a little longer than usual. It is also best to
Regardless of women's age, the dangers
is powerful and difficult to endure. At times keep in mind that most quitters never got what
of smoking contribute to infertility, anxiety,
you feel that the only way to get over them is they wanted in their first tries. So don’t be too
blindness, and osteoporosis.
to smoke--just one last time. If you succumb hard on yourself if you’ve failed a few times
While cigarette smoking was rare in women and slide, then it is doubly difficult to restart the before.
during the beginning of the 20th century, pilgrimage to the smoke-free zone. So, with 6. Gradually cut back on the amount of
the tobacco industry realized the potential of lots of determination, this dizziness, depression, cigarettes you light. It doesn’t help to abruptly
women as a market for the expansion of the irritability, anger headache, restlessness and deprive yourself of the cigarette and nicotine
cigarette industry. In fact, tobacco companies trouble in concentrating will have to be tackled. intake that you’re body has gotten used to.
launched the campaign slogan “Instead of
Some will approach it by “slowing down”, Something as little as one stick every one or
a sweet, reach for a smoke” to encouraged
and not going cold turkey. This is fine as well. two weeks will help your body ease out of your
women to smoke so as not to gain weight.
usual nicotine fills.
This was followed by “You've come a long way,
baby” as a tribute to the burgeoning women's
liberation movement.
These marketing campaigns not only
depicted women smokers as beautiful,
independent and fun, but also sent subliminal
messages that smoking helps women control
their weight. Cigarette ads are banned in kids
and teens magazines but billion of dollars are
spent on TV, billboards, and adult magazines
which can easily be accessed by the youth.
Since 1987, lung cancer has surpassed
breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer
deaths among women in the United States.
About 87 percent of all lung cancer cases
in America is directly attributed to smoking.
Smoking causes heart disease, which is the
number one killer of women in the U.S. The
dangers of smoking contribute to respiratory
diseases such as emphysema and chronic
bronchitis, as well as many kinds of cancer.
Women who smoke also harm their
appearance as smoking speeds up the aging
process and produce more facial wrinkles, gum
disease, dental decay, and halitosis. Mental
Feature

Enhance
Your
Sexual
Health
with
Anti-Oxidants
Failure to have your body behave “in a manly way” when it rightfully should can be
disheartening, to say the least. Luckily, there are supplements and options to get it back
“in the mood”

F rom newspapers to television sets,

the antioxidant craze has been
touted as the next big thing—that it
may help prevent the development
of cancer, slow-down the aging process,
prevent chronic diseases, and many more.
Recent medical studies suggest that antioxidants
may also bring improvements in male sexual
health.
Consider the following:
Vitamin C is one of the versatile antioxidants
known to man. It may strengthen the tiny vessels
that carry oxygen and other nutrients that are
sent to all parts of the body. Recent studies
suggest that sub-fertility in men, which is caused
by sperm clumping (impaired sperm motility
that prevents them to swim) can improved
with Vitamin C intake. Supplements of 500
milligrams of this vitamin may reduce sperm
clumping by over 23 percent in just one week.
Sperm count, motility, and lifespan may
also be improved because of Vitamin C
supplementation.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble
antioxidant vitamin that may
penetrate cell membranes
and protect them from
free radical attacks.
It is important for
men to obtain
adequate
amounts of this vitamin because it plays a role
in promoting sperm motility. Vitamin E is also
beneficial on the flexibility of the sperm walls.
Daily supplementation of about 100 milligrams
of Vitamin E is beneficial for overall sperm
health and motility. This kind of vitamin is non-
toxic and might be safe at 1,000 milligrams per
day.
Zinc is important for cell division and
production of healthy sperm. It is probably the
most essential mineral for male sexual health.
Testosterone metabolism, testicle growth, sperm
production, and motility are some of the health
benefits of proper zinc supplementation. The
body does not naturally produce zinc that is
why it is important to take adequate amounts
of this mineral. Men need a minimum of 15
milligrams of zinc in their daily diet.
Alternative Options
Argentine is a nutrient that is considered a
highly important ingredient for peak sexual
performance. Often nicknamed as “nature's
Viagra”, current studies of this supplement
suggest that it helps ensure nitric oxide
secretion, a substance that must be produced
in sufficient amounts to keep the blood flowing
to the penis. Therefore, proper blood flow
will then make an erection successful, since
an insufficient supply of nitric oxide can stop
the penis from becoming erect. To back this

17 sacrededen
Meds that can Affect Your
Performance
There are definitely physiological and
biochemical factors that can affect the physical
aspect of the topic. Various medications, even
ones that may not necessarily be related to
sexual health or the areas of the body that are
directly connected to it, may have side effects
that alter one’s libido or physical ability to
“perform.”
Antidepressants can have an effect on a
person’s sexual health. Most antidepressants
work by inhibiting various neural receptors
in the nervous system and brain, such as
serotonin. There are some circumstances where
the mix of a person’s individual biochemistry
up, a study published in 1994 showed an
80 percent improvement of men who had
erectile dysfunction who were given such a
supplement. Argentine is available even without
a prescription.
Another supplement called tyrosine supports
and assists the functions of neurotransmitters
in the brain. Normally, when the body feels
stressed out, aged, or tired, the availability
of tyrosine is decreased. This is a
supplement that helps reduce stress,
improves mental
alertness, and
enhances mood--
all of which help
increase a
man's sexual
drive. Of
course,
mood is
important in
terms of male
sexual wellness,
and major reasons for having
short-term impotence can be stress,
anxiety, and depression. Tyrosine helps by lifting
one's mood, and as a consequence, can also
enhance one's sex drive and libido.
Chinese body tonics are known to improve
improving mood and blood flow around the
body, including the circulation of blood to the
genitals. Gingko Biloba is a supplement that
is used to improve blood flow to the brain,
thus improving concentration and memory,
and enhancing blood flow to the legs. It
also doubles as an antioxidant. Ginseng is
and the effects of the drug can result in any
number of side effects, not the least of which
can have repercussions in the sexual arena.
The effects from this sort of problem usually
last for about as long as a person is taking
the medication. Don’t forget that it’s best to
consult your health practitioner before switching
formulations.
The flow of blood is very important to sexual
performance. As such, any medications or
drugs that have an effect on the circulatory
system can have drastic effects on a person’s
sexual health. Any medication used to treat
hypertension and high blood pressure can
potentially have effects on erection, arousal,
and performance, and such.
also good as a revitalizing tonic that is both
stimulating and restorative. This improves
physical and mental energy, stamina, strength,
alertness, and concentration.
What to Avoid
In addition to taking the right supplements,
individuals should avoid alcohol and cigarettes.
Alcohol may hamper testosterone production
and hasten the conversion of estrogen
in the liver. This may lead to
lowered sperm count and
decreased sex drive.
Alcohol may also
hamper the
absorption of
many vitamins
and minerals.
Recent medical
studies suggest
that refraining
from alcohol may
improve sperm
quality. Cigarette
smoking, on the other hand, generates
enormous amounts of free radicals that make
smokers vulnerable to sperm damage.
Heavily processed foods and those with
lots of preservatives also pose a health risk.
Men should eat a lot of vegetables and lean
meat. A good reminder for men: you are
what you eat. Remember that the body does
not work in groups and isolated portions, but
rather functions well as a whole. If the body
is generally healthy, then an increase in both
sexual health and libido can be expected.
Sexual Impotence: When
You’re Let Down
They say penis size doesn't matter; that it's not
how big the package is but how one uses it that
counts. But what of cases where the man just
“won't stand at attention”?
Sexual impotence, more commonly known
as erectile dysfunction to health professionals, it
can be a total inability to develop an erection or
a tendency to maintain it only for a brief period.
One out of 10 men experience it. It affects most
men around the age of 60 to 70 years old. It
rare cases, it hits as early as age 20. An erection
is similar to a hydraulic system in the sense that
blood rushes to and fills the penile shaft to make
it rise up. Symptoms of impotence may include
an inability to get an erection, the inability to sus-
tain an erection, an inconsistency in the ability to
do so, a tendency to sustain an erection for just a
short period of time, and the inability to ejaculate
after intercourse.
Erection begins through either mental or sen-
sory stimulation of the male organ. The brain will
then send impulses to the muscles surrounding
the corpora cavernosa, a chamber located at the
top of the base of the penis, to loosen up and let
blood rush in. This will make the penis expand.
Another muscle, the tunica albuginea, will then
trap the blood within the corpora cavernosa,
thereby sustaining the erection.
Reasons for impotence may be classified as ei-
ther physiological or psychological. Physiological
impotence occurs when the erection is impeded at
the beginning, middle, or end of the process. It
fails to initiate when the systems necessary to get
and/or maintain an erection malfunction. The
brain fails to send specific chemical messages
to the necessary muscles to initiate the erection.
This may be an after effect of previous illnesses
or accidents. Hormonal insufficiency, spinal cord
injuries, radical pelvic surgery, multiple sclerosis
and Parkinson's disease are only some physical
conditions that may cause impotence. Failure for
blood to fill the penis disables it from sustaining
an erection hard enough for intercourse. This is
most commonly caused by artery blockages. Im-
potence can also be caused by the penis' inability
to contain the blood in the corpora cavernosa
within chamber, causing it to escape too quickly
from the penis back into the body.
Psychological impotence happens when erec-
tion fails due to too much thoughts and feelings
occupying a man's mind during intercourse.
Pressure from work, financial worries, frustra-
tions; or feelings of anger and depression often
contribute to psychological impotence.
Treatment
Medications, penile implants or prosthesis, and
sex therapy are the most commonly used treat-
ment for impotence. Testosterone supplements
are used for impotence caused by hormonal
deficiency. Medications can either be taken orally
or injected directly into the penis. Medicinal
herbs can also be used as treatment. Prostheses
such as internal penile pumps and penile sheaths
are used in worst cases wherein medications or
therapy no longer work. For cases of psychologi-
cal impotency, constant counseling and therapy
helps a lot to help let a man let go of anger
issues and relax his mind.
 Watermelon Fish
Procedure:
Slice 1/4 inch off the bottom lengthwise to

A Juicy Way
provide a stable base.
With a melon baller, cut half circles over half
the top of the watermelon in a rectangular
shape, remove and set aside. This piece will

To Take Your
be used for the top fin and tail.
Scoop out the flesh.
Cut out the tail shape and the melon balled

Vitamins
fin-piece from the rectangular piece set aside
earlier. Attach the fin and tail with sturdy,
round toothpicks.
Cut out eyes using a melon baller. Trim
around the outside of the eye socket, then
place it back in, rind side out.
For the mouth, point a paring knife at a
downward angle above the stem and slice
through 3 inches on either side of the stem,
The watermelon is a nutritious and delicious source of vitamins, minerals cutting through the rind. Push out the mouth
and fiber—and it’s fun to eat, too! from the inside. For the side fin, cut 3 cuts
into the side using the melon baller to make
the curves on the back of the fin. Then slice
straight cuts to form the top and bottom of

T
the fin.
he solution to feeding picky eaters? Serve watermelon and you can both be happy.
Watermelon is a fun, nutritious way to make sure active kids don’t get dehydrated; it’s
92 percent water.
Fruit Salad
You can also toss watermelon balls (cut out
A two-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and it
by a baller) with melon (cantaloupe), citrus
provides 7 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium, with only 80 calories.
fruits, apples, pears, and grapes. Drizzle with
Watermelon is fat-free and also contains fiber. Its beautiful red color comes from all-natural natural honey and you’re set!
lycopene, an antioxidant that can help keep kids’ bodies healthy.
Watermelon can be eaten at any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and it’s a wonderful snack for
the whole family. Delicious on its own, watermelon is a fantastic ingredient in recipes, too.
Previously just a summertime treat, tasty watermelon is now available year-round.
A watermelon carving makes a great addition to a kids’ party
buffet, and the birthday boy or girl can help make it. The salad
inside can be as simple as a mixture of blueberries,
seedless green grapes and balls of watermelon,
cantaloupe and honeydew melon. It’s
colorful and kids love it.