Three Easy Ways to Reduce Your Food Cravings

Many of my patients ask me for advice about how to reduce their appetites or cut cravings for certain foods.

As a general rule, if you are craving something, your body probably needs a small amount of it. If you're craving fat, you probably need some fat. If you're craving bread, eat one piece of bread.

The problem is that most of us aren't that good at receiving messages from our bodies. In fact, we're used to ignoring them. Tired? Have a cup of coffee. or It's Martha's birthday, time to eat a piece of cake whether you're hungry or not...

After years of overriding our body's signals, it can become hard to be sensitive to what we really need. The following behavioral techniques will help you reset your appetite so that sticking too a healthy diet doesn't feel like an impossibility.

1. Get Enough Sleep - Recent studies show that individuals who get four hours of sleep a night have a 24 percent larger appetite than individuals who sleep for eight hours a night.

Why? Because people who sleep less produce less leptin and more ghrelin. Leptin, a hormone produced in fat cells, lets the brain know that it's time to stop eating. Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the gastrointestinal tract, stimulates an individuals appetite.

The result? When you don't get enough sleep, you're hungry more often. If you're trying to lose weight, you've got to prioritize a good night's sleep.

2. Reduce Your Stress ASAP - When the body is under stress, it produces more cortisol, a hormone that stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for increased energy, increases insulin production and increases appetite.

Weight gained because of increased cortisol production tends to gather around the abodomen, so if you are accumulating belly fat then you know that it's time to take steps to decrease your stress level.

3. Your Brain is Hard-Wired to Seek Out Fatty Foods - A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that fatty foods trigger memory consolidation using the same neural pathways as emotional learning.

What does this mean to you? Comfort food isn't just a clever catch phrase - it's a real, palpable emotional experience, and gives scientific evidence to support the fact that overeating can be triggered by specific emotional situations.

In addition, this information gives insight into the failure of lowfat diets. Without fat, a meal is not satisfying, and therefore indiviudals are tempted to overeat.

How can we overcome this deep-seated programming? Eat a little bit of a fatty food. The small portion will satisfy your craving and, if you give yourself a minute, you'll feel satisfied. (The key word in that sentence is "little.")

Another great tactic is to stay focused on a goal that you want to achieve - fitting into your skinny jeans or climbing the stairs at work without losing your breath - and let that motivate you to take a pass on the comfort food that you're craving.

In short, the answer is easy: three small meals a day, consisting of protein, fat and carbohydrates; two snacks and as much water as you want. Stick to this, and you've got it made.

Antibacterial Soaps Could Be Hazardous to Your Health

Most people who use antibacterial soaps are trying to be healthy. They want to kill germs that could cause them to become sick, prevent the spread of disease and make the world a happier and healthier place.

Unfortunately, the active ingredient in many antibacterial soaps, a chemical called Triclosan, has been linked to endocrine system disorders such as thyroid and reproductive system disorders. Environmental groups are fighting to get the ingredient pulled from consumer products. Even the FDA is not entirely sure whether or not Triclosan is safe - they have decided to re-evaluate the product's health risks in the year 2013.

In the meantime, I'd recommend avoiding products that contain this ingredient, especially if you are considering becoming a parent. In case you're not a label reader, here's a list of products that contain Triclosan.

Not ready to give up antibacterial soap yet? A recent study revealed that plain soap is just as effective at removing germs as antibacterial products, and carries none of the health risks. So next time you want to lather up and get clean, reach for good old-fashioned soap.

Eating Healthy is Harder Than You Might Think

Many people think that eating organic is only for the rich and the fussy. They believe that the USDA and the FDA do a fine job of regulating foodstuffs and keeping the general public safe.

In general, this is true. But there is one exception: cottonseed oil. Any byproduct of the cotton plant, for that matter.

It's not that cottonseed is bad for people in its natural form - on the contrary - it is naturally hydrogenated and contains many antioxidants. The problem is that the plant is not classified as a food, and, therefore, the pesticides used on cotton are not subject to the same regulatory standards as the pesticides used on food.

Cottonseed oil manufacturers assert that the oil can be purified, but scientists at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition say that it's not clear whether or not pesticides can be removed.

Cottonseed oil appears in our food supply in two main ways. First, cottonseed oil is used in many different kinds of processed foods - crackers, cookies, salad dressings, potato chips and more. For example, most Nabisco products contain cottonseed oil.

The second way that cotton enters our food supply is through food fed to cows, more specifically a substance called "gin trash." Gin trash is a natural substance - plant byproducts from cotton production given to cows for roughage. These materials can contain pesticide residues that are absorbed by the cow's digestive systems, and passed on to humans through milk and meat.

How can you avoid ingesting potentially harmful pesticides? Simple: Don't purchase any processed food that contains cottonseed oil; don't cook with cottonseed oil; and, finally, consume only organic beef and dairy products.

Cardiologist Recommends Red Yeast Rice to Replace Statins

Approximately 20 percent of all patients taking statin drugs have a dangerous side effect called "myopathy," which means muscle pain, and have to stop taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

A study published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that the over-the-counter supplement Red Yeast Rice, combined with diet and lifestyle changes, lowers LDL cholesterol by 20 percent without the risk of side effects.

In a recent CNN article, Cardiologist David Becker says that the statins work for some people, but can cause myalgia symptoms in others, so the supplement is not a panacea for all patients.

In a previous study conducted by Becker, a combination of Red Yeast Rice and Fish Oil outperformed Simvastatin, the generic version of Zocor.

What does this mean to you, the person who has borderline cholesterol that's going to be re-checked at your next yearly check-up? This is the perfect time to make diet and lifestyle changes that will reduce your cholesterol.

As a natural medicine practitioner, I see people improve their cholsterol levels without the aid of medications, but often they have to possess the willpower to make substantial lifestyle changes. Our bodies have the ability to heal themselves if treated correctly.

If that doesn't work, and your doctor suggests that you take a statin drug, I would recommend asking if you can come back for another blood test in three months. Tell him or her you'd like to try a natural remedy and if your levels don't improve you'll happily go on the statin.

Most doctors will agree to this. It's a perfectly reasonable request.

Try taking the recommended dosage of Red Yeast Rice, in conjunction with the recommended dosage of Fish Oil. If you don't have any noticeable side effect after three months, then it's time to take the medication. But the above studies suggest that if you stick to this regimine, you will have lowered your cholesterol by 20 percent without taking medication.

And if you lose your medical insurance for any reason, a walk in the park, Red Yeast Rice and Fish Oil are a lot cheaper than statin drugs. Just sayin'.

Don't Believe the Influenza Hype

I'm not here to tell you that the swine flu is nothing to worry about, but the level of fear associated with the media coverage in the past week seems inappropriate to me.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the 1918-19 Influenza Epidemic was not caused by the influenza virus acting on its own -- most of the victims that succumed to death also suffered from concurrent bacterial pneumonia infections. Pathologists who examined individuals effected by the 1918 virus found that the virus destroyed the cilia in the lungs that fight infection, leaving the body vulnerable to a bacterial attack.

Another reasearcher, Lawrence Broxmeyer, MD, believes that the virulence of this particular influenza strain could be boosted by a concurrent exposure to the tuberculosis mycobacterium, based on the symptoms associated with TB, the age range of affected persons, and the high case rates for TB among Mexican immigrants.

Here's the good news: Given the state of modern medicine, both bacterial pneumonia infections and mycobacterial infections like tuberculosis are highly treatable with antibiotics.

The most important thing to do is get checked at the first signs of flu-like symptoms, get tested, and get the appropriate treatment.

Don't forget my tips for boosting your immune system.

Be Well!

Boost Your Immunity and Beat Swine Flu

At the time that I'm writing, 103 people have died in Mexico from swine flu and there are 40 cases reported in the United States. All of the cases in the U.S. are mild, but there is a world-wide alert to prevent a possible pandemic.

The U.S. government has declared a public health emergency, and U.S. citizens are being advised to avoid any non-essential travel to Mexico.

Sounds scary, but there's a lot that you can do as an individual to boost your immunity and keep yourself healthy and strong while others are getting sick around you.

Here are six important tips for keeping your immune system functioning at its peak:

1. Put Lemons in Your Water - This simple health tonic benefits your entire system. Although Lemons are acidic, they help boost your body's natural alkalinity. Also, Lemons are rich in flavonoids, nutrients that are essential to your immune system functions.

2. Take Herbs to Boost Your Immunity - My favorite herbal formula during the cold and flu season is Jade Windscreen. More effective immune symptom tonics are elderberry, echinacea, astragalus and raw honey.

3. Don't Skimp on Sleep - Sleep is essential to a healthy immune system.

4. Drink Plenty of Water - Your immune system won't function properly if your body isn't properly hydrated. Drink enough water, and avoid dehydrating substances like caffeine and alcohol.

5. Call in Sick - Staying at home when you're sick is the best thing for you and for your co-workers. If you stay home, you'll get better faster and you won't be exposing everyone else to the contagious pathogen that's got you feeling bad.

6. Take Good Care of Yourself - If you're sick, don't stop doing things that make you happy, because stress and depression have a negative effect on your immune system. Do whatever you can to boost your mood - watch funny movies, read books that you enjoy - while you're at home recovering. You'll bounce back faster than if you lay around stressing about what you're not doing.

Good Luck! Be Well!

Flavonoids: Your New Favorite Supplement

If you ask anyone what you need to do to lead a long and healthy life, the answers are always the same: exercise, drink water, get plenty of rest, reduce stress and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Now, thanks to a recent German study, we are one step closer to understanding exactly why fruits and vegetables keep us healthy. The answer? Flavonoids.

Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites, and are ofeten referred to as "biological response modifiers" due to their ability to moderate the body's response to allergens, viruses and cancer.

The German study found that birds actively selected fruit with the highest flavonoid content to maintain their health. Researchers offered birds two servings of food - identitcal in every respect except for the amount of flavonoids it contained. The birds chose the food with the higher flavonoid content.

After four weeks, the researchers tested birds who had consumed a high flavonoids diet compared with those that did not, and found that the flavonoid eating birds had stronger immune systems.

The health benefits of these natural compounds are as varied as their appearance in nature. So if you want a strong immune system, less allergic reactions and a reduced risk of cancer, you know what to do. Eat your fruits and vegetables!