The foods we eat that contain starches, carbohydrates, calories are made up of sugar.  When food reaches our stomach in time digestion starts to take place where these foods are broken down in the stomach into individual or complex sugar molecules ( glucose being one of the most common and important ones).  The glucose then passes from our stomach into our bloodstream when it reaches the liver 60 to 80 % of the glucose gets stored in that organ turning glucose into inactive glucose that’s converted to glycogen.  The purpose for glycogen is when our glucose is low and our body needing energy we have this extra stored sugar, glycogen,  to rely on.  This is done by the liver which allows the sugar to be stored and released back into the bloodstream if we need it=energy,  since nothing is in our stomach at that time, in that case scenario).  When glucose=an active sugar, it is our energy for our cells and tissues and is a sugar ready to be utilized by the body where it is needed,  by many organs.  Think of a car for one moment, and what makes it run?  That would be gas/fuel for it to function.  The same principle with glucose in your bloodstream=fuel for the human body so we can function, for without it we wouldn’t survive.  That is the problem with a person that has diabetes.  They eat, they break the food down, the glucose gets in the blood but the glucose fuel can’t be used due to lack of or NO insulin at all.  Insulin allows glucose to pass into our cells and tissues to be used as energy/fuel for the body parts to work.  Glucose is used as the principle source of energy (It is used by the brain for energy, the muscles for both energy and some storage, liver for more glucose storage=that is where glucose is converted to glycogen, and even stored in fat tissue using it for triglyceride production).  Glucose does get sent to other organs for more storage, as well.  Insulin plays that vital role in allowing glucose to be distributed throughout the body.  Without insulin the glucose has nowhere to go. *

So lets review this, when digestion occurs a process happens = Breakdown of the sugars that release into the circulatory system gives you free floating active glucose in the blood, than the pancreas senses that and releases insulin in the blood, the insulin allows sugar to pass into the blood cells & to be stored somewhere or utilized by the body (without this process hyperglycemia would occur, like in a diabetic=high sugar levels).   When the glucose in the blood reaches the liver a cell sensor picks it up and allows the glucose to go into this organ where glucose is stored as glycogen=inactive glucose.  Insulin plays a key role in multiple parts of your metabolism.  Insulin allows the building up of many sources in the body that is called SYNTHESIS.  Insulin allows protein synthesis, fat synthesis and cell growth to occur in the body.  Now understanding how the body works with insulin and glucose lets understand how this has anything to do with controlling obesity.

When you eat a meal let’s say breakfast (fasting from the night before) your sugar level in a normal person is about 80 that time of the day.  After the meal in 1hr the sugar level starts peaking as soon as the pancreas senses glucose it starts releasing insulin that does its storage in the different ways previously discussed. Within a few hours  after the meal the glucose level is down again, if eating several small meals a day and healthy.   People eating 3 large hyperglycemic meals a day cause spikes in their glucose levels and are turning on insulin to be released in the bloodstream, by the pancreas organ, which stimulates up your FAT STORAGE system.  You need to make a change in that diet by eating 6 small low glycemic meals a day (have one meal every 3 hours).   This shuts down your fat storage.  When eating low glycemic foods like lentils they raise sugar in the body 28% (slightly) as opposed to high glycemic (sugar) foods like pizza, soda, bread, cornflakes.  Your body can handle high glycemic foods occasionally but not daily since it will allow constant high levels of glucose with the pancreas stimulated to frequently releasing insulin into the bloodstream and this turns on fat storage and converts all extra energy=glucose to FAT.  Do that eating pattern routinely and you’ll see higher risk of putting weight on.                                                                                                                                                                            This extra energy=glucose is because the meal was high in glucose and what the body needed was used but the excess glucose from the high glycemic meals goes to FAT storage.  So what’s the key resolution to weight loss eat 6 low glycemic meals a day= low fat, low carbohydrates, low sugar keeping your baseline glucose at a steady and low sugar level on a regular basis with still treating yourself to occasional high glycemic meals.  Follow this plan and in the first week eating like this I lost 5lbs or more and in the second week another 5lbs and since 1 to 2 lbs. per week .  Remember don’t start occasional high glycemic meals till you reach your ideal weight that you want to be at.  If you don’t, you put your diet 3 days back.   To learn more about healthy habits in your life with diet, some exercise, and how to reach your ideal weight like I am doing come to my website

healthyusa.tsfl.com .   I lost 22lbs already and I’m not obese by the body mass index.  Join me and go to healthyusa.tsfl.com.  No charge, fee, gimmick, donations and no hacker.  It’s just obtaining information about how to live your life healthier, even your family or friends (if interested) get involved in being healthier with possibly spreading this great news to make a healthier USA for ALL age groups.  Thank you for your time and I hope I have spread some light on someone.  When I made this a routine in my life it got so EASY since I put health before my taste buds desires.  It took time for not cheating but it worked.

In our body we have cholesterol which is a type of fat.  In certain foods is cholesterol depending on the food you buy. Your total cholesterol includes LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol.  Let’s differentiate the two, LDL is bad cholesterol because it can build up in the arterial walls and form plaque in time.  That build up in the arteries will reduce blood flow and increase your risk to heart disease, especially eating frequently the wrong foods with high and bad cholesterol over years (Example. coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and eating like this for years can lead to a heart attack or from s/s arising scarring the person to go to the doctor and find out they have blockages & need surgery.  The sign and symptoms arising scarring the person can range from chest pain, and can be radiating down the arms,  sweating profusely, weakness/fatigue increases in your life, dizziness, you feel like you’re going to fall or actually due to the fatigue/weakness=low blood pressure due to the blockage or the heart just working too hard in doing its function since the cardiac output is decreased from the blockage) Take one of my dear friends who I have known almost 35 years who was a workaholic 10to14hr/7 days a week for at least 25 years and this week he had to undergo surgery for a coronary artery blockage bypass for  5 vessels blocked 80% to 100%.  He had a successful bypass done but now has a long rehab haul to get better due to high cholesterol eating, smoking (that both play an impact in plaque & tar build up in the vessels) but he also was obese by about 50lbs.  This could have been prevented if he changed his diet, watched his weight, and quit smoking years ago but that takes discipline, making sacrifices=all within your hands to allow for healthy habits now (prevention) or later when problems occur (treatment), if caught in time. There is a way out of this happening to you.

HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is also known as good cholesterol because it is thought to help remove bad cholesterol from the body; if you decide the right foods in the right portions that will have more HDL than LDL in them.  Differentiating the 2, now another component to keep in mind is risk factors that can put you at risk for heart disease and your doctor will determine what additional risk factors you have putting you at risk for heart disease.  These risk factors can be modifiable (controllable by individuals) or non-modifiable (non-controllable by individuals).

Modifiable Risk Factors=High B/P, Diabetes, Low HDL=good cholesterol, High LDL=bad cholesterol, smoking, eating foods high in SATURATED FAT & CHOLESTEROL, lack of any activity in your life (your regular routine doesn’t count), & harmful use of alcohol.

Non-modifiable Risk Factors=4 types only which are:  1-Heredity (The higher the risk is when the heredity is closer to you in your family tree=Nuclear family–mom, dad, and siblings). 2-Age (Men aged 45y/o or older & Women aged 55 y/o or older) 3-Gender (It may affect your risk, for years heart disease was considered a man’s disease but we now know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for women as well as men.  Although men tend to develop coronary artery disease earlier in life, after age 65 the risk of heart disease for both genders is equal.)

4-Race (Heart disease is higher among African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians, and some Asian Americans compared to Caucasians).

The answer to prevention or treatment of cardiac disease is changing or modifying your diet, if it’s unhealthy 100% or just partially.  The answer includes exercise (from just walking or if you like working out, even better) and if needed medication but your doctor will decide.  All these changes can modify your blood lipid profile=cholesterol control, which helps increasing your heart to a better tolerance with activity, stress and simply functioning.  Recommended is going to a cardiologist for people diagnosed with heart conditions or your general practitioner with any illness/disease before making changes to help guide you towards the right choices.  Your doctor can help you in determining which prevention or treatment plan is best for you.

Foods high in cholesterol=Fast foods, whole fat dairy products-milk/cheese/butter/mayonnaise/ bacon/processed deli meats/salad dressings and shortenings.

The key is to be living a healthy life.  This consists of diet, exercise or activity and healthy habits learned and practiced routinely in your life that will help prevent or assist in treating cardiac disease.  The better we treat ourselves regarding health the higher the odds we will live a longer   life.  There is not just one food to eat or one type of exercise to do or one healthy habit to keep you healthy, there are choices.  Come onto my website which is no fee, no charge, no hacking, just letting you check us out to look further in understanding how to take a shape for your life with Dr. Anderson and even myself as your health coach in helping you learn what healthier habits or changes you want for a healthier way of living.  It allows you to make all the decisions in what you want to do regarding what to eat (diet), exercise/activity, and what healthy habits you want to add in your life.  We just provide the information and healthy foods in your diet, if you decide you want it.  You make all the choices.  Wouldn’t you want less disease/illness for yourself and for others throughout the nation including the future generations?  Thank you for taking the time to read my introduction to how we can help you get healthier and make a healthier USA.  Click onto heathyusa.tsfl.com and I hope to hear from you soon.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE AND HAVE A HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!

Elizabeth Lynch RN (Creator and Writer of Strive for Good Health Blog)

A Healthy Heart expands the life, by far.

The heart is like the engine to a car but for us it’s the “pump” for the human body; without the engine the car won’t run and without the pump we won’t live.  The normal size of the heart is about the size of your fist, maybe a little bigger.  It pumps blood continuously through your entire circulatory system.  The heart consists of four chambers, 2 on the right and 2 on the left.  The right side only pumps high carbon dioxide levels of blood, after all the oxygen was used by the tissues and returns to the heart in the right upper chamber and leaves to the lung from the right lower chamber.  From the lungs it than goes to the left side of the heart now, which is a very short distance as opposed to where the left side pumps the blood.  The L side of the heart pumps blood to the feet, brain and all tissues in between with high oxygen levels of blood.   This is why the L side of the heart does more work than the R side since the blood leaving the L side has a longer distance in distributing oxygen.  The heart pumps the blood with high oxygen blood levels to reach all your tissues and cells, going to the feet, brain, and to all other tissues in between returning home again to the right side of the heart (upper chamber) to get sent to the lungs again for more oxygen.  This is why the muscle on the L side of the heart is larger than the right, it works harder.  Every time your heart beats (the sound we call lub dub) the organ is sending out a cardiac output of blood either to the lungs for more oxygen or to the body tissues through the aorta to give oxygenated blood to your tissues and cells.  This is the mechanics of how the heart works in our body.

Let’s see what can occur if the heart doesn’t function properly.  If your heart is not pumping out a sufficient amount in your cardiac output to either the lungs (from rt. Side) or to the tissues (from the lt. side) than it tries to work harder where it does ok at first but over time weakens.  As this weak heart struggles to pump blood the muscle fibers of the heart stretch.  Over time, this stretching leaves the heart with larger, weaker chambers.  The heart enlarges (cardiomegaly).   If this continues to go on this could go into R or L sided heart failure.  When this happens, blood that should be pumped out of the heart backs up in the lungs (L sided failure) or in the tissues (R sided failure).  The side the failure is on doesn’t allow proper filling of the chambers on that side and back up happens; so if on the L the fluids back up in the lungs or the R the fluids first back up in the veins which can expand to hold extra blood but at some point dump the extra fluids in your tissues (This is edema in feet first due to gravity).   This is all due to overloading of the blood not filling up in the chambers of the heart to make a good cardiac output of blood and in time the fluid backs up (bad pumping=backup of blood=fluid overload in the lungs (pulmonary congestion) to fluid staying in the skin (first the lower extremities due to gravity=feet which we call edema working its way up the legs.).  This condition in time with no treatment will go into congestive heart failure (CHF) to the other side of the heart if not controlled.  CHF can range from mild to severe.   There is 670,000 cases are diagnosed with this every year and is the leading cause of hospitalization in people over 65 y/o.  Causes of CHF are: heart attack, CAD (coronary artery disease), cardiomyopathy, conditions that overwork the heart like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity (These diseases can be completely preventable or at least well controlled).

There is many of us in this world with knowing how our activity/exercise, eating, and habits could be better for health but do little action if any on our own to change it, which is a large part for certain diseases being so high in America (diabetes, stroke, cardiac diseases=high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis to CHF and more).  If people were more healthier and more active regarding these diseases alone it would decrease in population creating a positive impact on how our health system with insurance presently (a disaster) with our economy for many could get better.  A healthy heart can pump to all parts of the body in a few seconds which is good cardiac output from the organ but when it gets hard for the heart to keep up with its regular routine it first compensates to eventually it decompensates causing ischemia (lack of oxygen to the heart tissue).  It’s like any tissue in the body, lack of oxygen=lack of nutrients to the body tissue=STARVATION and with lack of oxygen will come PAIN eventually to death if not treated.  Take the heart, if it isn’t getting enough oxygen it can go into angina.  That is reversible since it is heart pain due to not enough oxygen to the heart tissue=no damage but if left untreated what will occur is a heart attack=myocardial infarction (MI) and is permanent damage because scarring to the heart tissue takes place.

Let’s understand what the heart can develop over time with an unhealthy heart due to bad health habits.  If you are eating too much for too long foods high in sodium your vessels will narrow in size.  By allowing this you increase the pressure in the vessels that increases your blood pressure called hypertension.  If you are also inactive you are at risk of obesity which puts stress on the heart and in time causing high B/P.  Constantly be in a high B/P and this could cause the vessel to rupture (at the heart=possible heart attack, at the brain=possible stroke, also called CVA with both on high occurrences in our population of the US.).   With bad habits (especially poor diet, inactive, and smoking) you can cause over time atherosclerosis=a blockage in the artery with the resolution surgery (from a cardiac catheterization up your groin or having difficulty in the arm to the heart where an angiogram to an angioplasty with possibly a stent is performed or if the blockage to blockages is so bad a CABG=coronary artery bypass=a 6hr plus operation where diversion of a vein from your leg (donor graft site) around the blockage is done.  Smoking can lead to this but it also can cause your vessels to become brittle=arteriosclerosis.  Healthy Habits would impact a positive result for all people who have had this diagnosis before but most important be a great PREVENTATIVE measure for people not diagnosed with cardiac disease.    There are 4 things you have no control over heredity, age, sex, and race but healthy habits are sure to benefit you by keeping the odds down of you inheriting, help your age factor, and race a lot can be associated with eating cultural habits.

If you make the decision to live a life that’s healthy for your heart through proper eating, doing healthy habits and doing some exercise or activity with balancing rest in your busy schedule and would like direction or want to expand your diet/exercise/healthy habits then you came to the right blog.  Go to my website for no fee, no charge, no hacking, just letting you check us out to look further in understanding how to take a healthier shape for your life with Dr. Anderson and even myself as your health coach in helping you learn what healthier habits or changes you feel you need and want for a healthier way of living. It allows you to make all the decisions in what you want to do regarding your health.  Includes what to eat (diet), what exercise/activity, and what healthy habits you want to add in your life.  We just provide the information and healthy foods in your diet through information to broaden your knowledge even a catalog on diet foods, if you so choose to do so.  You make all the choices.  Wouldn’t you want less heart disease or obesity or diabetes for yourself and for others throughout the nation including the future generations?  Than join me and others.  Thank you for taking the time to read my article in how we can help you with others gets healthier you including a healthier USA.  Click onto heathyusa.tsfl.com and I hope to hear from you soon.  If you like what you see spread the good cheer.   Let’s build a stronger foundation regarding HEALTH in America.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

A better diet, a little more exercise – healthy living is easy if you take it one tip at a time.

Holidays, stress, post-holidays, even more stress — who has time for taking care of ourselves?

You do! Resolve to follow these eight diet, exercise, and lifestyle tips, and you can be good to yourself this winter – and all year long.

1. Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt

It’s creamy smooth, packed with flavor — and just may be the wonder food you’ve been craving. Research suggests that that humble carton of yogurt may:

Help prevent osteoporosis

Reduce your risk of high blood pressure

Aid gastrointestinal conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation

Ready to take home a few cartons of yummy yogurt? When buying think low-fat, make sure the yogurt contains active cultures and vitamin D, and keep tabs on sugar content.

2. Help Holiday Heartburn

Getting hit with heartburn over the holidays? Help is at hand! Try these hints and you can stop the burn before it starts:

Nibble:

Enjoy your favorite foods — but in moderation. No need to heap on the goodies (or go back for seconds and thirds!). Packing your stomach with food makes heartburn much more likely.

Know Your Triggers:

Certain foods feed heartburn’s flame. Typical triggers include foods full of sugar and fat — think pumpkin pie slathered with whipped cream. Instead reach for complex carbs like veggies and whole-wheat breads — or at least share that dessert!

Get Up:

Stretching out for a nap post-meal is a great way to guarantee you’ll get reflux. Instead, keep your head higher than your stomach — or keep right on walking, away from the dinner table and out the door. Light exercise is a great way to prevent heartburn.

3. Kiss Holiday Cold Sores Good-bye

Holidays: That busy time for toasting the coming year, savoring seasonal sweets, staying up late — and cold sores?

If you find you’re more prone to cold sores (also called fever blisters) during the hectic holiday season, you may be your own worst enemy. That’s because lack of sleep, too much alcohol or sugar, stress, and close physical contact (think auntie’s smooches) can all contribute to outbreaks.

So, to help keep your kisser cold-sore-free this year — or to keep from passing your cold sores to others — try these tips:

Don’t overdo the holiday goodies — maintain a healthy diet.

Get plenty of rest.

Wash your hands.

Don’t share food or drink containers.

Discard used tissues.

Don’t kiss on or near anyone’s cold sore — and don’t let them near yours!

4. De-Stress With Meditation

The bad weather, the seasonal pace, work: If this time of year has your stress meter spiking, it may be time to close your eyes, breathe … and get a little repetitive.

Repetition is at the heart of meditation’s soothing power. The act of banishing thoughts, focusing on your breathing, and repeating a single word or phrase, fires up your body’s natural relaxation response.

And meditation can do more than soothe away stress. Research shows it may help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, reduce PMS symptoms, even aid in fertility and the delivery of a new mom’s milk.

Walking:

It’s suitable for young or old, with a pace that’s sedate or speedy. Try these ideas to get the gang on their feet:

Do laps at the mall. If you shop, cart your own packages and then unload them in the car after every store.

Disguise the walk as something else. Toss a ball as you stroll, fling a Frisbee, or take the dog to the park.

Instead of driving, walk over to your favorite local restaurant.

Take part in a holiday fund-raiser, like the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk

Make the Living Room Your Gym

When everyone’s on the couch chatting, or watching TV — why not sneak in a little calorie burn, too?

Do crunches: Sit on the edge of the couch, hands gripping the edge at your side, then bend knees, lifting them toward your chest.

Leg lifts: Use the same position as above, but lift your legs straight up, instead of bending them.

Trim those triceps by doing dips off the couch edge.

Build your biceps: Grab a bottle of water or a can of soda and do curls.

6. Eat Locally

Organic may be today’s healthy-eating watchword, but don’t forget this phrase too: eat locally.

Some nutritionists think eating locally may be even more important than eating organically. That’s because a vital factor in a food’s nutrient profile is how long it took to get from farm to table: A head of locally grown lettuce, for example, may be more nutrient-dense than one shipped coast to coast.

Does this mean you should forgo pesticide-free foods when they’re available? No, but it’s a great idea to make room on your plate for locally-grown goods too, even if they haven’t been grown the organic way. Better yet: Eat locally and organic, when you can.

An easy way to get local — and often organic — food on the table: Join a CSA (community-supported agriculture). CSAs help you form a relationship with a local farm, which then provides you with fresh, local produce, even milk, eggs, or cheese. Some also function twelve months a year. Find a CSA near you at LocalHarvest.org.

7. Try These 3 Simple Diet & Exercise Tips

Go Slow:   You don’t need to do a diet slash-and-burn. If you cut just 200 calories a day you’ll see slow (and easy) weight loss. Skip a pat of butter here, a cookie there and you’re on your way!

Start Small:  Banning junk food from the cupboards or boosting fiber may be your goal, but think baby steps. Switch from potato chips to low-fat popcorn, for example, or toss a carrot into your brown bag lunch.

Just Show Up:

Don’t feel like working out today? Don those exercise clothes anyway. Still not in the mood? Fine. But chances are good that once you’re dressed, you’re also motivated and ready to go!

8. Invest in Your Health – Literally

If you have a high-deductible insurance plan, you’re probably eligible to deposit tax-free cash into a health savings account (HSA).

HSAs help you sock away savings now for medical expenses later. Open an HSA and each year you can stash $3,050 for yourself ($6,150 for a family) — tax-free. And if you don’t use up the balance in your HSA this year, it simply rolls over into the next year, and the next — and continues to grow tax-deferred. Intrigued? Talk to your human resources department to find out if you’re eligible.

Whichever healthy steps you take this year — eating better, exercising more, saving — remember they’re an investment in you and your future. So follow these steps toward better health — or take your own. Bank a little more sleep this year. Set aside stressful differences. Stock a healthier pantry. Salt away … a little less salt. It’s your body — and your future!

Holidays come up in the winter and we celebrate a lot here’s a few things to know:

The holidays are a time to celebrate, give thanks, and reflect. They are also a time to pay special attention to your health. Give the gift of health and safety to yourself and others by following these holiday tips.

References in Part 1 and Part 2 of “Although Winter comes as no surprise” and today’s article:

1.)www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/WinterhealthYour health, your choices                 “Winter Health”  Page last reviewed: 09/15/2012

2.) simplemom.net/20-ways-to-stay-

healthy-and-happy-this-winter–season/  12/2009

3- ByWendy C. Fries  “8 Winter Tips for Healthy Living”

4.)  www.cdc.gov/family/holiday  Department of Health and Human HYPERLINK “http://www.hhs.gov/”ServicesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA  “The 12 ways to health holiday song”   The article was last reviewed December 13, 2012

“Yet the second you mingle with others on a plane or in a tourist spot, your chances of getting sick increase – especially during winter cold and flu season.”

Fran Golden (Writer for Lifescript – Healthy Living for Women)