5 Steps to Help Beat Obesity in the New Year

BY Eleni Delfakis, MS, RD, ACHS Instructor Introduction to Nutrition

It’s hard to follow the news without reading or hearing about obesity and the risks associated with it. The United States is still trailing behind most industrialized countries, as over 65% of the population is now suffering from being overweight or obese.

As a nation, we need to reallocate more of our resources towards health programs and education, and provide incentives to companies that promote good health. Physical education in schools should reflect changing currents in sports trends to keep kids interested in staying fit. However, even without any help from our government, we can all take serious steps to ensure the safety of the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the quality of our food.

To be healthy, you must think healthy. To lose body fat, think positively about losing the extra pounds and give yourself the time you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Frantic overly restrictive dieting prevents the delivery of essential nutrients needed to maintain good health.

Here are 5 steps that I recommend to help you reach your goal:

1. Purchase fresh and organic food products whenever possible, which means food that is free of nitrites and other preservatives, pesticides, chemicals, and hormones.
2. Cook at home with whole foods. Each whole food contains one ingredient; it is unprocessed and unrefined. Over 75% of the diet should come from whole foods, with a good balance of foods from all the food groups and from a variety of textures and colors.
3. Consume low-fat yogurt and foods rich in fiber (such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) on a daily basis. These foods will keep your digestive track in good working order by eliminating the toxic by-products of digestion. Adults need 25-30 grams of fiber per day. For children, a good way to determine how much fiber they need is to calculate their age + 5.
4. Replace red meat with wild caught salmon or small fish, nuts, and legumes at least two times per week.
5. Consume small portions (3-4 ounces) of meat or poultry three times a week. Unless you’re a muscle-bound body builder you don’t need more. Also, remove the skin from the chicken and all visible fat from meats prior to cooking. Eating small portions and maintaining ideal body weight may help prevent the onset of Type II Diabetes.
   

For 10 more steps you can take to help best obesity in the new year, read the full-text article available in the January edition of the ACHS holistic health newsletter, The Reporter, available online HERE.

Got Drugs? Don't Flush. Drop Them Off at a DEA Take-Back Site.

Got drugs? Perhaps you have some old prescriptions lurking in your medicine cabinet or stuffed into the kitchen junk drawer? Resist the temptation to flush your old medicines. Drop them off instead.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has organized a National Take Back Initiative for this Saturday, September 25. Find a local drop site in your area on the DEA website here.

The FDA says some medicines can be disposed of in the trash by mixing with a substance like coffee grinds and sealing in a container. But many medicines can be harmful, if not fatal, if consumed by someone to whom they have not been prescribed. And flushing medicines down the toilet can also be harmful for the environment and leech into our water supply.

The FDA does have a list of medicines they feel are safe to flush. You can download the list here. But recent studies also suggest that pharmaceuticals can find their way into our lakes, streams, and drinking water. The effect on people and wildlife has yet to be determined. Why take the risk?

Play it safe. Gather your old medicines tonight and drop them off at a DEA take-back location tomorrow morning. We thank you!