In a past article, I discussed some of the common medical causes of chronic fatigue. But the truth is that many times, there isn’t just one single cause. Rather, there are often many different factors that can wear you down and zap you of energy. So what can you do? In this article, I will provide some practical tips that will help you fight fatigue and gain more energy.
Over the past year, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the ketogenic diet. Not surprisingly, I have encountered many questions regarding them. What is it? Is it safe? Would I recommend it?
Despite the recent trend, a “ketogenic diet” is actually not new at all. In the 1970’s, Dr. Atkins popularized his low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss that began with a very strict two-week ketogenic phase. Over the years, other popular diets also incorporated similar approaches for weight loss. But in medicine, we have been using this method for almost a century to treat some forms of epilepsy, especially drug-resistant types in children.
As you know, whenever something is popularized, much information goes around—some accurate, some not so accurate. The purpose of this post is to summarize for you what the medical community actually knows so far through its research on the health effects of ketogenic diets. This post is not to make a stance either for or against, because as you will see, there are both pros and potential cons (as well as some unknowns); rather, I simply want to equip you with the right information in order to empower you to make the best decision for your personal situation.
So let’s get started!
Have you ever thought of something you either wanted to do (“I want to lose weight“) or felt like you should do (“I should eat healthier“), but you just cannot get yourself to take the first step, because the task seems too overwhelming or out of reach? Or maybe you start making changes, but then after a while start to feel discouraged at your apparent lack of progress? If so, you are not alone. Starting today, I want you to begin incorporating something into your life—a way of goal-setting called the Action Planning technique. The purpose of an Action Plan is to set you on the road towards your personal goals by breaking them down into small, achievable steps. So let’s get started!
Continue reading “Action Planning: How To Easily Achieve Your Health Goals”
Do you enjoy salty snacks? Do you often find yourself reaching for the salt shaker at the dinner table? In general, people eat much more sodium (salt) than they should. But why is it important to watch the amount of sodium you eat? It is important because the more sodium you consume, the higher your blood pressure becomes, which in turn can harm your health in the long run. Some conditions, such as certain heart and kidney problems, cause the body to hold onto sodium, which causes extra fluid to build up in the body. This extra fluid forces the heart to work harder. Therefore, if you live with chronic conditions, it is especially important to control the amount of sodium you eat. This article will cover the essential information you need to know that will make it simple to cut down salt and start on a low sodium diet.
Continue reading “Low Sodium Diets: How To Cut Down on Salt”
Your diet, as most people know, is a big component of healthy living. There’s even much truth to the idiom, “You are what you eat!” However, when it comes to living with chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, having the right diet becomes even more important, as the foods you eat can make a huge difference not only in the symptoms you experience day to day, but also in the way your chronic conditions progress over time. What this means is that with the right diet—aka the heart healthy diet— you can take control of your health by helping to slow or even reverse your chronic conditions. When it comes to heart disease, being on a heart-healthy diet can protect you against further narrowing of your heart’s blood vessels and in turn help prevent further complications such as heart attack and strokes.
In this article I will discuss what types of foods make up a heart healthy diet. In a subsequent article, I will cover the essentials of a specific component of heart healthy eating–the low sodium diet.
Continue reading “Heart Healthy Diet: Practical Tips on Getting Started”
Inflammation. Foods that fight inflammation. Anti-inflammatory diets. It has no doubt become a buzzword in the world of nutrition and health these days. But while there’s little question that the food we eat is an important part of staying healthy, some of these diets are being promoted with very big health claims, among them the assertion that they can cure serious diseases. But does the actual science match up to these claims? And should you follow these dietary guidelines? And what exactly do these diets consist of? These are the questions that will be addressed in this post.
Omega-3 fatty acids and omega-3 foods. The benefits of fish oil. No doubt you’ve heard these mentioned before. But is it all true? While this article will present the fundamentals of omega-3 fatty acids—what they are, how much you need, and how you can get them naturally—be sure to check out the article focused on fish oil supplements and their benefits, with a discussion on what is known about them, what has changed, and what you need to be aware of. In this way, you will be empowered to make the best decisions for your personal health.
Continue reading “Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Food Guide”
