I met with a friend of mine the other day and during that visit she drank a few diet sodas, and I asked her, “What grade of gas do you put in your fine car?”  She said, “supreme gasoline.”  “And, what would you think if I told you to put that diet soda in your tank?”  She said, “I’d say, that wouldn’t be very good for my fine car.”  I said, “That’s right, so is your body not more valuable than that car?”  “Of course it is.”  Then why are you putting low-grade food in your body?”  End of conversation.

I’m sure that friend of mine is still drinking diet sodas but, maybe she’s cut back to one a day because she’s thinking food is fuel and this “chemical cocktail” isn’t really that good for my engine.  Silly story I know, but you get the point. Food is fuel…that is a fact.  Our human fuel comes in the form of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, good fats, healthy protein, whole grains and a rainbow of veggies and fruits to give our body what it needs to do all that it has to do to keep our engines humming along.  (Of course, a lot of good lovin’ fuels us as well!)

I believe that it is hard to do anything really well in life if we’re not taking care of ourselves to some degree.  Good sleep, for one, is critical to our well-being.  Sleep is the number one fuel upon which we need to focus.  Apparently, we will die from lack of sleep before lack of food or water.  And we all know that a good night’s sleep makes us feel like “new money.”  But, if you want to have good and restful sleep then you need to support your body with satisfying and healthful foods so that it can repair itself while you sleep.  It is a real good “catch 22:”  Eat (fuel-up) well, so you can sleep well, so you can repair well, then get up and do it all over again. I know that if I wake up and feel groggy and have low energy then I immediately look at what I ate the day before.  And, the reason for my “low mood” always points back to too many grains/breads and something sugary to boot.  Bad fuel equals a bad night’s sleep and then I wake up with a “food hangover” because I didn’t focus on top fuel and give my body what it likes to feel nourished  – so I can sleep well.

I always tell people if you don’t nourish your body primarily with real, nutrient-dense foods then it’s hard to do any of the following really well:  sleep, pray, volunteer, work, achieve, dream, parent and LOVE.  It’s really hard to “be all that we can be” when we’re running on half empty tanks of bad fuel.  So start 2011 off right and make the choice to begin to prepare and eat real, nutrient-dense foods for you and your family.  When I refer to real food I’m talking about food with one ingredient, itself; foods that are as close to how they were grown and raised with little or no processing.

There is no quick fix diet plan to heal you and keep you strong for the long haul except real food…the way God made it!  If you need help getting started on a real food journey then check out my book, “Fourteen Days of Eating in a Real Food Way.”  In my book you’ll find ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, shopping lists and all the recipes.  And then it’s up to you to take it step by step and make a real food change in your life each week.  You can do this!  And when you start to feel better you will make the connection between what you eat and how you feel and you won’t want to turn back to your old ways.  But, don’t drive yourself crazy with making too many changes at once, just focus on the rule of 80/20:  80% of the time be diligent and 20% of the time be human…because you are!

So why should you bother to “fill up with supreme food?”

To live a healthy and happy life for as long as you are able, that’s why.  Unfortunately, we have been misled for years on the importance of real food and which foods are essential to our well-being (more to come on this subject later).  Sadly, it is easier than ever to take a pill rather than choose to heal ourselves with food, rest and less stress.  I know that real food won’t cure everything that ails us but, it’s a great start towards better health and great energy to achieve all you’re being “called to.” One of the greatest gifts we’ve been given is the ability to choose…so choose well.

May You Have a Glorious and Blessed Year in 2011!

Chef Shane Kelly  www.chefshanekelly.com

To purchase “Fourteen Days of Eating in a Real Food Way,” please click here.

I have been overweight pretty much my whole entire life.

I was the biggest kid in school. My mommy had to shop for clothes for me in the husky section at Sears. Yeah, I know there are some of you reading this article who remembers the husky section at Sears.

I was told I ate too much and if I just stop eating so much, I would lose weight. So I deprived myself food. I counted calories. I went to Weight Watchers. I took diet pills. I even did hypnosis. I did all this stuff thinking I ate too much food and if I just controlled how much I ate; I would get skinny and live happily ever after.

Well, that did not happen. In 2003 my weight reached an all time high of 272 pounds. How in the world did that happen? I was not sitting on my couch stuffing myself with food. Why was I getting fatter?

In 2006 I made the decision to leave a stressful job and became an elementary school librarian. In one year I dropped 15 pounds without really trying.  Then I got an idea. What if I used my librarian skills to research everything about diet and nutrition? I would learn as much as possible and use the techniques that worked for me.

I was reading and studying about diets and my weight got down to 240 pounds in 2008 when I stumbled upon a 600 page book titled Good Calories, Bad Calories. The author, Gary Taubes, is an award winning science journalist who basically states in his book that obesity is not a moral failure due to gluttony and sloth. Obesity is a disorder of fat accumulation caused by too much of the hormone insulin circulating in the body. And what causes the secretion of too much insulin? Sugar and refine carbohydrates.

When I read this, my first thought was, “Man, was Dr. Atkins right after all?” But the more I read and studied about sugars and refine carbohydrates, the more I agreed with Gary Taubes that these foods were the cause of obesity, not dietary fat.

So what did I do?  I drastically cut down on the amount of refine carbohydrates and sugars that I consume.  I stopped eating processed packaged foods. I stop eating fast food, including healthy Subway. I began to eat more protein, more vegetables, and yes, more fat. The result? I am now 60 pounds lighter from my all time high of 272 pounds. I still have 35 more pounds to go and feel confident if I continue to eat the way I am eating, I will be successful.

Sugar is what is making Americans obese, not dietary fat. Americans have been taught that fat makes us fat for the past 30 years and guess what happened? We got fatter!  Food processors began to make low-fat foods to satisfy Americans fear of fat and they replace the fat in food with sugar in order to make the food taste better. Did you know that healthy low calorie, low-fat Yoplait yogurt contains 6 teaspoons of sugar?  How about the healthy low fat 6”sweet onion teriyaki sub from Subway? It contains 4 teaspoons of sugar. How about salad? Salad is good for you, right? Well, the Thai Chicken Salad from California Pizza Kitchen contains 11.5 teaspoons of sugar. That is how Americans can easily consume 150 pounds of sugar a year and not even know it because most of the sugar we eat is hidden in all the processed foods that we eat.

I am passionate about helping others live a healthy life. I want to educate as many people about the dangers of sugar and refine carbohydrates and how it is taking a toll on Americans. For those of you struggling with your weight, just like I did, I know you are not stuffing your self with food. I truly believe people who struggle with their weight it is an issue of what they are eating not how much they eating.

To begin your low-sugar lifestyle, start slowly. I would suggest begin reading food labels carefully and observe how many grams of sugar are in processed foods. You will be so shocked! Aim to eat no more than 20 grams of sugar a day, which is about 4 teaspoons. This does not include natural sugars contained in fruits, milk, and vegetables. I would definitely recommend staying away from fruit juices. Soda pop is definitely a no-no.

Giving up sugar in the beginning will be tough. But with diligence and determination, it will get easier as the days go by.

Feel free to contact Michelle at burtonmic@hotmail.com and read her blog, www.michelleslowcarblifestyle.com

Laughter can reduce stress and pain. If you are dealing with an illness or going through a tough time in your life, laughing can help to boost your mood and improve your immune system.

It can also create bonds with people, which is also good for your health. When you are laughing, you are most likely not thinking about the pain or suffering you are experiencing for a few  moments. Although if you have certain types of pain, such as sore stomach muscles or pain related to surgery, laughing may make it worse. I’ve laughed so hard one time that my stomach hurt the next day. It felt as if I did a bunch of stomach crunches.

Laughing is especially good for emotional pain. It can help to boost your mood and connect with other people. It can take your mind off of negative things for the time being.

Here are a few ways to get some good laughs.

Watch a funny movie.

Read a good joke book or look for some funny jokes online.

Think about something embarrassing that happened to you in the past. It may not have been funny when it happened, but maybe you can look back on those moments now and have a good laugh. For example, did you ever go out with the price tag still on your clothes? Did you ever walk out of a public restroom with a tail made out of toilet paper? I once had a coworker who showed up at work with two different shoes on and she didn’t realize it until she got to the office. We both couldn’t stop laughing for awhile. Sometimes we do silly and embarrassing things, but looking back on them can give us a good chuckle.

Go to a comedy club or watch stand up comedians on television.

Go online and go to YouTube and look up some old funny clips of tv shows that you used to watch. You can also find a variety of funny things to look at on YouTube.

Spend some time with funny people that you know. Do you know someone who is always joking around and making people laugh? Call them on the phone for a few good laughs or invite them over and enjoy their company.

Bring out your inner child. Do things that you wouldn’t expect to do as an adult. If you are able to, you could jump rope, play hide and seek with your significant other or your own children, play a game of hopscotch, run through a sprinkler. I’m sure those things you did as a child will make you laugh if you do them as an adult.

Dress up in silly hats, wigs or clothes. Do you have any old and outdated clothes? Dress yourself up in something funny and make other people laugh as well. You don’t have to wear it out, just around the house for a few laughs.

Don’t be afraid to let loose and get downright silly. Everyone has their own sense of humor and things that they find to be funny. Make up silly things off the top of your head. Try to write your own jokes, even if they don’t make sense.

Read the comics in the newspaper.

Have you ever gotten into a fight with someone and either of you used humor as a way to resolve the fight? Laughter can reduce anger and stress and can help you to get along better with others.

Whatever it is that you decide to do to get yourself laughing, remember that by laughing you are doing your body and mind a lot of good. So go ahead and enjoy a few good laughs!

Alyssa Russo is a freelance writer who believes that “tough situations don’t last, but tough people do.” She also knows how to enjoy a good laugh!

As women, we are usually the caretakers of our families. Husbands, children, elderly parents, and sometimes other family members depend upon us to help them with their daily needs. Employers expect us to fulfill our job requirements. The demands that are made upon us often leave us with little time to take care of our own needs. We become emotionally stressed and physically exhausted, and our health suffers as a result.

We must become proactive in taking care of ourselves, and our own emotional and physical health must become a priority. As women, we must educate ourselves about what we must do to retain our own optimal well-being. Our attitudes and actions can determine whether we struggle through life or enjoy a vital, healthy and rewarding existence.

Having a regular healthcare provider in whom you have confidence is an important first step, but educating yourself on health issues that may affect you can alert you to early warning signs that may need addressed before your yearly checkup is due, or you have an emotional breakdown. Research women’s health issues online, or through non-profit and government agencies.

Bring research material with you when you visit your physician, and be prepared to ask questions. And ask lots of questions! You may want to know about the prescriptions your doctor gives: Is there a suitable generic? What side effects may you expect? Is there an alternative treatment that does not involve medication? You may want to ask about follow-up treatments, the length of recovery time that may be expected, or other issues concerning your health. A quality physician will take time to explain the results of tests, procedures and treatment options thoroughly, and answer any questions that you may have.

Being proactive in your health care involves more than just having a yearly physical check-up, and making healthy diet and lifestyle choices. We must take responsibility for our own emotional health. Having a positive mental attitude and managing stress in a healthy way has powerful anti-aging effects on our bodies.

Stress is a part of life that we can’t avoid but we can either allow it to manifest itself with physical and emotional symptoms, or we can take control of the situation when people, events, and situations make excessive demands upon us. Setting realistic goals and determining whether there is anything we can do to change the situation can keep stress from taking over our lives. Don’t sweat the small stuff, just let it slide! Prioritize responsibilities instead of becoming overwhelmed with too much to do, and don’t be afraid to say no when you already have a full schedule.

Take a few minutes every day to de-stress! Physical exercise is known to relieve stress. A simple walk in the park will do, you don’t need to run a marathon! Take a long, hot soak in the tub with your favorite bath oil after the kids are in bed. Whatever it is that relaxes you, set aside a time each day when you can indulge in your favorite tension-relieving pastime.

Our soul, our inner essence, is unique to each of us and requires nurturing to remain healthy. It is our self-awareness, and defines the values by which we think, feel, and live. Spiritual health can be found by tapping into a source of energy that brings us love, hope, optimism and empowerment. Whatever our religious beliefs are, spirituality and physical health are linked. A healthy spirit can reduce depression and self-destructive behaviors (smoking, drug and alcohol dependence, and suicide for example), boost the immune system, and create a more satisfying life.

By having a proactive attitude about our physical, mental, and spiritual health we can create healthier and more fulfilling lives for ourselves and may also inspire our family, especially our daughters, to adopt this attitude for themselves.

J.E. Davidson is self-employed as a secondhand goods merchant and writer, married with four adult children and many grandchildren

Eating nutritiously while hurrying through our daily schedule can be a challenge.

Between being on the road, or being rushed through our lunch hours – it is easy to forsake nutrition. However, there are some simple and helpful guidelines on ways to increase your healthy eating. Here are some suggestions and guidelines to help you while eating on the run:

While eating in sit-down restaurants:

1) More and more traditional sit-down style restaurants are offering up healthy eating meals. Order:

a. Steamed veggie platters,

b. Salads,

c. Soups,

d. Low fat dishes. Many eateries devote an entire menu to low fat and/or healthy eating options.

e. Broiled meats

f. Tomato bases instead of cream

If you are unsure of ingredients, ask your server. They should be knowledgeable about menu items.

Many sit-down restaurant meals can be ready in 15 minutes. Order carryout.

2) Order all dressings and condiments on the side. This way you control the amount you would like. This helps in the calorie counting, also.

a. A wonderful salad dressing to be enjoyed consists of simply squeezing a fresh tangerine or orange over your greens.

b. Ask for some fresh orange, lemon, or lime to squeeze over your entrée. The citric acid will offset any saltiness. Plus, it adds taste!

c. Order low fat vinaigrette dressing for your salad.

d. Have your toast or bread served dry, spread your own butter or spread on it. This is when you ask for the butter on the side.

Ordering condiments on the side is an easy way to enjoy healthy eating on the run.

3) If soup is to your liking, choose a non-creamy one such as minestrone, bean, or veggie. Creamy soups are traditionally high in fat and calories. Try egg drop soup (Chinese) or miso (Japanese) for variety. In fact, egg drop soup is considered a ‘free food’ in meal planning. This means low calories.

4) Baked potatoes are another great idea for healthy eating on the run. Enjoy a topping of steamed broccoli and onion. Or, for a complete protein meal pour some baked beans over the baked potato.

a. A very simple and great way to enjoy a baked potato is to simply spritz some butter on it. Then, sprinkle some garlic powder.

Healthy eating guidelines in fast food restaurants:

a. Order broiled chicken sandwiches with fresh veggies on them.

b. Order extra tomatoes for your sandwich.

c. Order a baked potato instead of French fries.

d. Order a salad. Watch out for the dressing, though.

e. Order a low fat salad dressing. Or, order lemon slices.

f. Order fresh fruit instead of sugar-laden desserts.

Healthy eating guidelines for Home preparation:

Of course, the easiest way to enjoy eating healthy on the run is to prepare your food beforehand at home. This will provide you with total control over the ingredients. You will know what is in your food. You also will have control over the portion size, taste, and cost. Schedule time for it.

Here are some easy suggestions and guidelines for healthy eating on the run that you can prepare at home:

a. Mix some fresh herbs with freshly squeezed juice for a low calorie dressing. Store in an airtight container.

b. An apple with peanut butter.

c. Wholegrain sandwich of tuna and mustard.

d. Plain yogurt with fresh fruit.

e. Hummus on either pita bread, English muffin, or fresh veggies..etc.

f. Creamed soup using pureed tofu instead of heavy cream

g. List goes on and on for healthy eating on the run…

These guidelines for eating healthy while on the run are easy to follow. Eating healthy is easier than it used to be, and getting easier every day. Go for it and enjoy!!

So many weight loss stories have an addendum in the small print that negates just about everything a quick-loss product promises to do. Usually, they say: “Weight lost in conjunction with diet and exercise.” I’ll bet you’re sick of seeing buff models work out on the latest “As Seen on TV” exercise product, intimating their athletic body is a result of that one machine. We all know weight loss commercials and infomercials are designed to suck us in by our strong desire to lose weight and have a more beautiful physique.

So what do we do?

My weight loss wake-up call

I’ve always been athletic and enjoyed outdoor activities. Once I left the workplace, however, to homeschool my children I began to pack on the pounds over the past several years. Before I realized it, I was at 240 pounds. 240 pounds is a lot of weight on a medium 5’7″ frame.

I found it more difficult to participate in activities with my kids. I hid under big clothes, and I was generally more fatigued and definitely clumsier. This wasn’t working well for me, but for a long time I did nothing about it.

When I turned 40, it suddenly occurred to me that being overweight was going to shorten my lifespan and continue to prohibit my ability to get out and enjoy my kids. I also thought of five to 10 years down the road when I have grandkids. I wanted to be able to care for them and play with them without feeling like I was going to pass out.

Weight loss was no longer about how others viewed me. Weight loss became a health issue to me.

Beginning the journey toward weight loss

In order for me to lose weight and improve my health, I knew I had to take an introspective look at my life, identify factors that contributed to my weight and make a decision based on what I learned.

Among the things I discovered about myself were the following:

• My family has a predisposition to being overweight.
• I was comfortable with my weight because it allowed me to hide behind fat.
• I often ate for comfort.
• My lifestyle had become largely sedentary.
• I paid little attention to my diet, eating what was quick and convenient.
• I drank around 20 Diet Cokes a day and very little water.

Each of these issues had to be addressed, but it couldn’t be done all at once. It took time to deal with each issue. Some were dealt with concurrently, but once I identified them and wrote them down there was no avoiding addressing these weight issues anymore.

Weight loss success despite genetic predisposition

We are all different. Although there are many generalities, we could each come up with our own excuse for being and remaining overweight. Regardless of my family’s disposition to being overweight, I had to shed that as an excuse.

My medical doctor performed thyroid tests, found I did need synthroid to give my thyroid T3 production a boost, and put me on the medication.

This knocked out one of the first reasons I was overweight, but synthroid didn’t make me lose weight. I had to put more effort into changing my lifestyle.

Lose weight by getting comfortable in your skin instead of behind your fat

I’m generally outgoing. I am a pastor’s wife, so there are certain expectations, fair or not, placed on me. In my quest to lose weight and make positive lifestyle changes, I also came to the realization that I didn’t have to be a fat and jolly preacher’s wife. God created me the way that I am, and I began to realize that the fat was hiding me and preventing me from being who God created me to be and doing all that God created me to do.

I had to change my thinking about myself and my role in society and the Church. It was time to step out from behind the cellulite.

Successful weight loss didn’t change who I was, but it improved my ability to convey who I am and what God has created me to do.

Successful weight loss meant finding fulfillment in life, not food

If you are a comfort eater, you know exactly what I mean. When you feel emotionally empty or hurt, it is very easy to turn to cool, creamy foods, high-carbohydrate foods and high-fat foods to fill you up and help soothe your feelings. In reality, comfort food does you better than those who choose to self-medicate their problems with alcohol.

It is very easy to become addicted to food, especially the foods that make you feel better. In order to successfully lose weight, I had to acknowledge the foods that I ate for comfort and, although painful, identify what inside my soul or psyche was empty and in need of fulfillment.

This was one of the most difficult parts of beginning successful weight loss. But once I pinned down the issue of comfort eating I was able to control it; this lead to moderate weight loss even before I began to exercise.

Lose weight by changing your lifestyle — for good

Losing a little weight by giving up comfort food was nice, but I knew there was more I had to do. I needed a lifestyle change, one that included diet and exercise.

As I worked to overcome comfort eating and related issues, I tackled exercise first. I didn’t have much stamina to begin with, but I joined a gym (American Body Works, Ridge Road, Hiram, Georgia) where professional employees and trainers encouraged me. I was never made to feel uncomfortable about my weight, but was encouraged to get moving in order to become healthier.

At first I could only do about 15 minutes of cardio. I weighed too much to put much pressure on my knees, so I did a lot of work on the elliptical and the spin bike. In no time at all I had lost 30 pounds.

Once I could see the light of breaking beneath the 200-pound mark, I was highly motivated. I began to work out five or six days a week. The more cardio I did, the more fat was burned.

Lose weight by paying attention to your diet

Once I dropped 30-plus pounds, I hit a plateau. It was time to focus more on my diet. I knew the basics and implemented the basics of a healthy diet, cold turkey. I ate more lean protein, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates were limited to complex carbs like oatmeal, whole grains and sweet potatoes.

My weight dropped even more.

Everyone always asks if I ever cheat on my diet? No. I didn’t, and I don’t cheat because I AM NOT ON A DIET. I made a lifestyle change. Yes, that change does allow me to enjoy a small piece of cake at a birthday party or have a bite of something sweet when I get a craving. The amazing thing is that once I changed my lifestyle, including eating habits, I no longer wanted — nor want now — foods that are more harmful than beneficial to my body.

Successful weight loss involves not drinking most of your calories

Many people are not aware of the number of calories they pour into their bodies when they drink soda, juice filled with high fructose corn syrup and sweet tea. I didn’t have that problem. The only thing I drank was Diet Coke. It has zero calories. What harm could it do?

A little research and a discussion with the nutritionist at American Body Works Ridge Road / Villa Rica opened my eyes to the harmful effects of Diet Coke. The problem with Diet Coke is two-fold. One, carbonated soda leeches calcium from your bones. That’s not good for anyone, unless you want brittle bones. Two, aspartame breaks down into a few toxic components in your body. One of them is formaldehyde. It is little wonder, then, that fat on my thighs and belly didn’t want to move. It was well-preserved.

One of the biggest aspects of my successful weight loss was giving up Diet Cokes. I did it cold turkey, not for the nutritionist and not because someone sold me on a scare tactic, but because I felt that it was in the best interest of my health.

Within one week I lost another 10 pounds.

I now drink a minimum of one gallon of water each day.

Lose weight successfully by exercising

I was well under 200 pounds when I hit another plateau. At this point, I spoke with a personal trainer at American Body Works, Ridge Road in Hiram. I was advised to continue working on cardio to burn fat, but to increase weight training.

Like every other woman, my immediate response was that I didn’t want to look like a brute or weight lifter. I was assured that weight training would help replace fat with healthy muscle mass, help strengthen bones and burn calories.

Successful, lasting weight loss does not happen overnight

All of my weight loss efforts have taken place over the past year and eight months. I have tried yo-yo diets in the past, quick weight loss pills and even starvation. Those methods did more to harm my overall health and slow my metabolism than to help me lose weight.

All the time, the key to successful weight loss and healthy weight maintenance was a change of mind and lifestyle.

How successful weight loss has changed my life

I now weigh around 160, but I’ve learned not to pay attention to the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat. What matters to me is that I no longer wear a size 20. I wear a size 10. I’m still losing fat and maintaining weight training.

I no longer have a weight loss goal. I already look smaller than my weight, which is up due to toned — but not bulked — muscle mass.

Fat weight has been replaced by muscle. My skin isn’t flabby, as it would be if I lost quick weight, which included muscle.

I am stronger and have more stamina.

My cardiovascular health is no longer worse than that of a 40-year-old. It is much closer to that of a young 30-year-old.

My borderline hypertension has been eliminated without the use of any medications.

By changing my lifestyle to include cardiovascular exercise, weight training and healthy eating, I know that my life — and my weight — has been changed forever.

I lost 80 pounds, have kept it off, and I continue to work daily toward weight loss and greater health and fitness. If I did it, you can do it, too.

Wendy Dawn is a freelance writer. She enjoys research and writing on a variety of topics.

After speaking on a panel of incredible women at the Women’s Empowerment Expo 2009, with over 20,000 women in attendance, I stumbled upon another incredible speaker. Standing at 5 foot even was a poised, statuesque woman with a body most would die for. She had on an amazing pink dress that perfectly complimented her perfect form and a smile that radiated across the room. Although she looked really young, she had a wisdom about her. She was supposed to be on the same panel as I was but as the day’s agenda changed, we ended up on different panels. When another panelist introduced us, I felt an instant connection to another woman out to motivate and transform lives.

Her name is Dr. Joy Ohayia. She’s the author of Don’t Let “IT” Get You and BluePrint For Success. I was so fascinated by her ageless appearance and her passion for health and wellness that within a few seconds I knew she would be our June P3 Pearl Cover Girl.

At 47, looking very much in her early 30′s, she’s holding her own. Dr. Joy and I finally caught up a few months later. We sat down for a little girl talk about her vision and how she made it where she is now, her regimen for her fabulous body and how she’s been able to stay so fit with two children.

You’ll discover the meaning of Dr. Joy’s coined phrase, “the it’s” of life which often times lead to disaster when it comes to producing results.

There are also some tender moments during our talk. One in particular stands out when she candidly reveals how her life was while wearing the golden handcuffs. She opens up about that time in her life and offers what actually drove her into the arms of her truth passion for health and fitness.

You’ll experience her deep desire to share her wisdom when she explains the 5 steps to a good workout which will give you maximum results you’ve been looking for. She states “just because you’re working out, doesn’t mean you can eat anything. A perfect combination of both fitness and healthy eating is key.”

She even gave me a tip on my workout as well. Believe me, you want to sit back and listen to this hour of unscripted girl talk with Dr. Joy. Find out what she knows for sure, two of her favorite quotes and a new “mantra” I shared with her that we both agree is worth sharing with all women pursuing a strong vision.

Enjoy this moment with me, Lisa Thomas with Dr. Joy Ohayia.

Humor me . . . blink your eyes!

Do you know how fast the blink of an eye really is? Research indicates we blink approximately 12 times per minute and on average a blink takes approximately 300 to 400 MILLISECONDS. That’s pretty darn quick!

Consider this – in the blink of an eye , any one of us could have our lives change forever. In the blink of an eye , any one of us could have a stroke or someone we care about could have one.

Did you know strokes are our nation’s 3^rd leading cause of death?

What exactly is a stroke? A stroke occurs when a blood vessel is either blocked by a clot or ruptures, preventing blood from carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to parts of the brain. When that happens, the area of the brain that doesn’t receive blood begins to die and the body functions controlled by that area become hindered.

 There are three critical things I want you to take away from this article:

I want you to be able to:

- RECOGNIZE signals

- RESPOND quickly

- REDUCE risks

Let’s look at signals so we can RECOGNIZE them:  

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.

• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

One evening I was on the phone with my best friend (age 51). I’d called to see how she was doing because she was having some severe health issues and was scheduled for surgery. She didn’t sound like herself; her speech was somewhat slurred and she complained about the lack of control in one of her legs. Back in the dark recesses of my brain something nagged at me but I remembered she’d just told me she’d taken some pain medication the doctor had prescribed. I decided the slurred speech and loss of coordination in her leg were due to the pain med. Perhaps if I’d been quicker to recognize and acknowledge those signals and respond , she might have only had one stroke . . . instead of three! Fortunately, she recovered and is in good health today. She still has slight trouble with the coordination of that leg from time to time but she’s very lucky not to have had more devastating and lingering consequences.

If you ever suspect someone is having a stroke, please RESPOND quickly. Time is of the essence! The shorter the time from stroke to treatment – the shorter the recovery time and the lower the risk for lasting damage. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SIGNALS & SYMPTOMS CAN GO AWAY AS FAST AS THEY APPEARED. Remember, “Time lost is brain lost .”

Are we at risk? Let’s see.

The American Stroke Association lists the following risk factors:

Unchangeable/uncontrollable factors include:

a. Chances for having a stroke more than doubles each decade after age 55 BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE – STROKES DO NOT RESPECT AGE – children as young as 11 years of age have had strokes!

b. Men are more prone to strokes than women; HOWEVER, more women die from stroke than men.

c. Risk of stroke is greater for those who have parents, grandparents, or siblings that have had strokes.

d. People who have had a stroke, heart attack or TIAs (Transient Ischemic Attacks) have a higher risk factor than those who have not. TIAs are “warning strokes” that produce stroke-like symptoms but typically leave no lasting damage.

Good news! Some risk factors that can be changed and/or controlled:

a. High blood pressure

b. Cigarette smoking

c. High cholesterol

d. Diabetes

e. Heart disease or arterial disease

f. Sickle cell anemia

g. Poor diets such as those high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium *

h. Obesity / lack of physical activity

I have both controllable and uncontrollable risk factors – how about you?

 What we can do to REDUCE our risk of having a stroke?

The American Stroke Association tells us . . . “Exercise your POWER!”

• P ut down cigarettes and stop smoking.

• O bserve advice from your doctor and know your family’s medical history.

• W atch your weight and be physically active at least 30 minutes on most days.

• E at healthy; avoid foods high in saturated and trans-fats, cholesterol and sodium.

• R egulate high blood pressure and diabetes.

What can we do to help knock stroke out of its “3^rd place position?”

1) KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Learn all you can about strokes so you can RECOGNIZE the signals and RESPOND. Visit stroke.org, strokeassociation.org

2) Help raise awareness – educate your friends, family and co-workers so we can all REDUCE our risk.

Strokes occur “In the Blink of an Eye.” Please for yourself and for the people you care about, be ready to:

 - -RECOGNIZE signals

- – RESPOND quickly

- – REDUCE risks

If you have comments or questions for the author, you can email GiGi at tidbitz2009@yahoo.com .