The Physical Component of the Wellness Wheel

Let's talk about Heart Health today...

Heart disease is still our nation's number one disease killer - in spite of decades of low cholesterol diets - in spite of an abundance of drugs and surgical procedures. Atherosclerosis has reached epidemic proportions.

From The National Post, October 25, 2006

"North America is in the midst of a heart failure epidemic that will only get worse because of ageing Baby Boomers and more people surviving heart attacks with damaged hearts. This is what 3500 delegates were told at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress held in Vancouver this week.

Dr. Malcolm Arnold, a London, Ont., cardiologist who heads a national task force on newly released diagnosis and treatment guidelines, said in an interview that an estimated 400,000 Canadians have heart failure and about 25% of them go to the hospital each year with abnormal heart function symptoms. These range from lightheadedness, breathlessness and fatigue, to swollen legs and feet.

Heart failure is the most common diagnosis in people over age 65, and hospitalizations (13 days, on average) because of it are projected to double in the next 20 years. Heart failure is said to be the only type of serious heart disease that has steadily increased over the fast five to ten years.

To help stem the increase in hospitalizations, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society is asking family doctors to bone up on their heart failure knowledge so they don't waste any time getting patients diagnosed and treated while they wait the weeks to months it takes to get a patient an appointment with a heart specialist."

One of my favorite quotes:
"Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness..." by a British Earl who lived until 1893 (I can give you more specifics, if you care to ask!).

I would go one step further and say that we need to make time for healthy living and eating, and physical activity NOW.

I've been reading a book by David Rowland, PhD, the founder of the Edison Institute of Nutrition and former publisher of Health Naturally Magazine. He writes that the human body was very cleverly designed to be self-repairing and that we live in a body that has incredible, innate healing wisdom.

I've been impressed by the concept of restoring heart health by natural means. Dr Rowland's program can reverse atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries, arterial blockages) without surgery.

Here I give you Dr. Rowland's suggestions for the Nutritional Bypass program that consists of:

1. Reducing one's exposure to harmful factors,
2. Increasing one's intake of those foods that have a protective effect, and
3. Taking specific supplements that can help the body remove arterial plaque.

These are Dr. Rowland's guidelines:

• Stop smoking.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat fish twice weekly.
• Increase dietary fibre by consuming 100% whole grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds or legumes at each meal. Use fresh, raw fruit for snacks.
• Drink at least 8 large glasses of purified water daily.
• Reduce intake of polyunsaturated oils. Use butter, olive oil or peanut oil.
• Restrict consumption of concentrated sugars of all kinds (sucrose, glucose, fructose, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, molasses, etc).
• Eliminate caffeine. Use herbal teas, coffee substitutes, pure water, fruit juices or decaffeinated beverages.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.
• Avoid processed meats.
• Reduce exposure to radiation, x-rays, exhaust fumes and other suspect inhalant chemicals.
• Strengthen the immune system by taking specific supplements, which give the body the raw materials it needs to heal itself.

Don't wait until heart disease finds you in the doctor's office. I recommend you implement the first 11 points by systematically changing your dietary and activity habits.

For the 12th point, I recommend you consider a supplement I discovered almost ten years ago, produced by a company near San Diego, CA called Body Wise International:

Cardio Wise is a superior formula with targeted nutrients that have been shown to support cardiac health. It has a unique balance of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals to maintain heart health. It contains an expert blend of modern science and traditional botanicals to support heart health.

The nutrients in Cardio Wise were specially selected for their known benefits in supporting heart health. The formula is rich in important B vitamins - niacin, folic acid, and vitamin B12, known to be integral to heart health functioning.

Cardio Wise is an excellent source of antioxidants that are known to support heart health: vitamin C, vitamin E, and Pycnogenol (R) are all excellent sources of antioxidants.

Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, work together. A number of them have special properties and may be taken in supplement form. Cardio Wise contains Taurine, L-Cysteine and Carnitine, amino acids that are known for their heart-supporting properties.

Hawthorn berries and garlic are traditional herbs that have been shown to support healthy heart functioning.

The product contains no yeast, no egg, no gluten, no dairy, no artificial coloring, no flavoring, and no preservatives. I can supply you with their 17-point manufacturing criteria, which comes with every product. Free shipping is available anywhere in North America.

Remember, you own your body. You can take control of it. You can direct the course of your own health without having to trust blindly in anyone else to do it for you. You have the ability to prevent and reverse serious health problems, to improve the quality, and perhaps even the length of your life, as so many others have done already. The choice is yours.

For more information on this and other health-promoting ideas and products, please e-mail me at getyourbodyback@hotmail.com and I will respond within 24 hours. And don't forget about the Executive Challenge. We've had lots of inquiries and the respondents will be contacted in the next few weeks to see if they meet the criteria to become one of the 15 case studies for our book. To express your interest in The Challenge, which will begin with the preparation phase on December 1st, e-mail me at executivechallenge@hotmail.com.

I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...Billie

The Wellness Wheel

Wellness means different things to different people but we know that wellness, with all its various components, is important for everyone.

What is a working definition of Wellness?

It encompasses the active, lifelong process of educating ourselves and making life choices that will lead to optimal health and a more successful and balanced existence.

Wellness is multi-dimensional and is based on the premise that our minds, bodies, spirits, and our sense of community, are all important and interrelated.

The Wellness Wheel offers an integrated overview of human life. It encourages the development of a harmonious balance of life components that result in overall well-being.

The six components of the Wellness Wheel are: Physical, Emotional, Occupational, Social, Intellectual, and Spiritual.

When we focus an inordinate amount of time on one area, and neglect other areas, our lives are out of balance. For example, this can often happen with the Occupational area. Some people spend so much time at their jobs, that they have little time for anything else. The other areas of their life suffer.

If you're a new business owner, perhaps you have to invest this time in the start-up phase. But, if it's been a few years and you still don't "have a life", it's time to re-evaluate your business game-plan. Other areas of your life may be suffering from neglect. And you are suffering along with them.

As the Dalai Lama once said, "I believe both external things and internal development are important, and must be developed side by side so as to achieve a good balance between them. "

The next six postings will each cover a component of the Wellness Wheel. As a Wellness Coach, I strongly believe that, in order to be truly happy with our lives, we must strive for success in all of these areas.

If you would like a transcript of the Dalai Lama's recent talk in Vancouver, BC, please e-mail me at bsinclaircoaching@hotmail.com and I will be happy to send it to you in an attached Word document.

As always, I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...and achieve a life of balance!

Yours, in wisdom and health, Billie

Measuring Your Success

We all know that being overweight increases our risks associated with many illnesses and conditions. To name a few:

Heart disease and stroke
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Cancer
Gallbladder disease and gallstones
Osteoarthritis
Gout
Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma

But how do we measure our degree of risk?

Today, obesity is commonly measured by using a mathematical formula called the Body Mass Index.

BMI is determined by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and then multiplying by 705. For example, a woman who is 5'6" and weighs 190 would have a BMI of 31.

That sounds complicated, right?

(This calculation is based on the formula example from: The Calorie Council www.caloriecouncil.org)

How do you use this information in your real life? Fortunately, there is a more simple way to get this calculation.

To calculate your BMI, go to www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi and input your height and weight. This online calculator will give you your results immediately.

• An individual is considered underweight if their BMI is less than 18.5.
• BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered a "normal" measurement.
• Individuals who fall into the BMI range of 25 to 34.9 begin having some health risk concerns.
• Specifically those who have a waist size of more than 40 inches for men, or 35 inches for women, have a higher risk for obesity-related health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
• BMI of 30 or more qualifies an individual as obese.
• BMI over 40 indicates that a person is morbidly obese.

I'll use myself as a guinea pig here. We all have weight fluctuations, preferably minimal ones. When my weight is around 130, my BMI is 24.9. Considered on the high-end of Normal.

If my weight should fluctuate to 135, my BMI is 25.5, and I cross the line to Overweight on the BMI scale (over 25).

So I know that it's in my best interest to keep my weight around 130 or lower, for the sake of my health and longevity. This is a good measure for me to work with, compared to a weight scale, which doesn't give me enough of a picture of my overall risks.

Go to the BMI calculator now and enter your current numbers to get your current reading. Then keep entering a lower weight until your reading comes out in the Normal range, which is 18.5-24.9. This will give you a reading to set your healthy weight-goals by.

These results are based on your height and general frame. A smaller-framed person may prefer to be on the lower end of Normal, while a larger-framed person may prefer to be on the higher-end of Normal.

Play with the numbers. Then consider joining the Executive Challenge and let my team of experts help you lose 20 pounds in 90 days. Have your success story profiled in our new book. For more information, e-mail us at executivechallenge@hotmail.com. We're looking for 15 case studies and there are only a few spots left...

The important thing is to be aware of your risks, and following your BMI is a great way to measure your progress. I just know that you can Get Your Body Back...

Why Nutritional Supplements?

In 2002, Harvard researchers Robert Fletcher and Kathleen Fairfield convinced the conservative Journal of the American Medical Association to rewrite its policy guidelines on the use of vitamin supplements, based on a landmark review of 38 years of scientific evidence. In two reports, the authors concluded that the current North American diet -- while sufficient to prevent vitamin deficiency diseases, such as scurvy -- is inadequate to support optimal health.

They concluded that given today's diet, daily supplementation with a multiple vitamin “is a prudent preventive measure against chronic disease.”

The case is very strong for taking the necessary nutritional supplementation; the body requires 17 vitamins and vitamin-like substances, a diverse group of plant-based antioxidants, and at least 14 trace elements and minerals.

Like the four basic nutrients (water, carbohydrates, protein, and fats), vitamins and minerals are essential to life. They are often referred to as micronutrients simply because they are needed in relatively small amounts compared with the four basic nutrients.

When beginning a Body Transformation program, it's important to get the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, along with all the essential nutrients that the body needs for optimum functioning. Many of today's popular fad diets and meal replacements are designed for quick weight loss, without long-term maintenance and optimum health in mind.

Resist the urge to cut out whole food groups (carbs, for example), restrict calories (how little can I eat and still function?), or consume one main food (vegetable soup or bananas, anyone?)...

The Get Your Body Back program offers a proven system for losing 20 pounds in 90 days, plus the ability to either maintain that fat loss, or to continue losing the next 20 pounds.

You can say goodbye to fads, diet pills and yo-yo dieting forever, once you've gained the knowledge and the experience to work with your body, and give it what it needs for optimum health and an energetic life.

Imagine feeling that good! I know you can Get Your Body Back!

Weight Gains over Holiday Season

Both the Canadian (October) and the American (November) Thanksgiving holidays are just around the corner. I hate to say it but Christmas is shortly after that. For most men and women, this time of year signals weight gain of between 5 to 10 pounds.

This, in itself, wouldn't be such a big deal. But the facts are that most people have this happen EVERY major holiday and, over the year, a few pounds creep on at each big meal or holiday. Do you realize that, if you gain just a small 1-2 pounds per month, by the end of the year you are 15 - 20 pounds heavier than you were the year before? But everyone knows how hard it is to hang on to the weight you're at and not gain a few pounds here and there.

Let me add that some careers are on the "buffet circuit". You go from one meeting to the next, from a grand opening to an awards night, from the company convention to the planning sessions. Every company function is complete with an array of non-resistable goodies.

And with busy careers, executive and otherwise, who has time for a visit to the gym or a run in the neighborhood, to burn off all those rich, wonderful calories?

That's right - very few people. And you're reading my blog right now, looking for the solution to on-going weight gain. You're not weak, you're not lazy, you're not even addicted to food (most of the time) and it's not that you lack willpower. It's just that a lot of things are against you in this situation. Your body is being asked for the impossible.

Body Transformation will be the topic of a book being written this year. Like any good book, we need more stories about real people; ordinary business-people who have struggled with their weight and achieved victory over the battle of the bulge.

Do you want to be one of those stories? If so, find out more about the Executive Challenge. We know how to help you lose 20 pounds in 90 days. And, once you've learned the steps and achieved your goal, you'll never have to fight with seasonal weight-gain again.

For more info, contact us at executivechallenge@hotmail.com

After all, you do want to Get Your Body Back, don't you?! I DID IT! SO CAN YOU!

Water and Supplements: Secrets to Flushing Out Body Fat

In Step 5, we learn about water. "Are you nuts?", you're asking. "Everyone knows about water. What's water got to do with anything?"

As incredible as it may seem, water is the single, most important catalyst in losing body fat and keeping it off. Most of us take it for granted but pure, clean water may be the only true magic potion for permanent weight loss.

Water suppresses the appetite naturally.

Water helps metabolize stored fat.

Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase.

The kidneys cannot function properly without water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone.

Water helps to prevent sagging skin following weight loss.

Water helps rid the body of waste and, during weight loss, the body has more waste to get rid of.

It'll be no surprise to you, then, that the Get Your Body Back 10-step Program incorporates an increase in water consumption. In fact, how about you start that step right now...

That's right, go to the kitchen now, and get yourself a glass of fresh, cool water. Your body will thank you and, after all, you do want to Get Your Body Back, don't you?

Have you inquired about The Executive Challenge yet? There are still a few spots left for Case Study participants...

If you have friends that are struggling with the same issues, tell them about this blog and get involved in The Executive Challenge together.