4 Out of 10 Americans May Be Obese-What 2 of Them Did About It.

Justin & Lauren, Sept. 2011

Not long ago I wrote about obesity rates and how our world is getting wider. 4 out of 10 Americans are overweight and since 1980 worldwide obesity rates have doubled.  Overweight & obesity are the 5th highest cause of death in the world.

 

Medical emergencies related to weight served as the wake up call for Justin & Lauren Shelton-two young Americans who decided to solve the problem of their own obesity. This is their story from an interview I did with Lauren.

"Both Justin and I were always bigger than the other kids. We each faced different challenges. It’s easy to be in denial and not realize that you are getting bigger that it’s actually happening. And then one day you say “wow-how did I get this way?” When we faced the medical emergencies we realized we had to take responsibility and the only way for us to lose weight was to do it for ourselves.

Everyone has to find what works for them. Anyone can do it. Stay positive and keep at it. You may make slips or mistakes or sometimes eat that donut. Justin can set his mind to not eating unhealthy things and just not eat them. For me it was a mental battle. I was a stress eater and needed more motivation. We had each other to help with the hard times. We understood each other and never judged one another as a failure.

Many have never struggled with looking sloppy in clothes no matter what you wear or the seat belts that don’t fit around you. Not being able to sit in regular chairs. All of this makes you feel bad about yourself and can even make you eat more. I used to be afraid to say no."

How they did it: Justin and Lauren got help from a supervised weight loss program. They began to follow healthy eating guidelines and started walking around the park and swimming. They kept track of everything they ate with a smart phone program and learned new recipes for healtier versions of foods they loved. The first month Justin lost 25 pounds and Lauren lost 30. Soon they were able to join a gym and began exercising 5-6 days a week at the gym. They used their weekend time for fun activities like hiking or swimming. Their food plan consisted of vegetables, fruits and lean meats. They still follow this diet and keep a record of all that they eat. Weekly weigh ins and keeping track of their progress on a graph helped them stay motivated and get through the hard times.

"Neither of us ever saw ourselves as small people-by doing this together we were able to support each other…learning about healthy foods and learning how to say no to the unhealthy foods and all the hard work. Sometimes there are psychological issues that come up when you go through a big physical change like this."
 
What is the greatest gift you received from this journey?

"My greatest gift is happiness and learning to love myself. No matter how many times bad things have happened. You can turn it around. Even if you are unhappy with yourself you can learn to love yourself no matter what size you are-you don’t need to hate yourself. If I can do it-you can."

   

Justin & Lauren Shelton, Septeber 2013-together they lost 572 pounds.

Justin & Lauren are happy to share what they have learned:https://www.facebook.com/lauren.shelton.739
Or email Lauren at:
Lauren@overcomingo.com

If you like what you see on this blog, I'd appreciate your thoughts.
You can email me:drsiotabelle@gmail.com. or use the comments box below.

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Natural Regenerative Therapy for Glaucoma

 

Natural therapies can be of great value in helping your eyes to heal and to have better results with your prescription medication. Glaucoma is a serious condition – so medical intervention with regular checkups is important. These suggestions
are meant to work in conjunction with the instructions from your MD.

Too Much Stress Is Hard on the Eyes

Our eyes and especially eyes with glaucoma or other eye diseases like cataracts, macular degeneration etc. are very susceptible to oxidative stress.

As the cells in our body accomplis their natural metabolic processes toxic byproducts called free radicals and peroxides are produced. These chemicals  produce oxidative stress.

Mother nature has given us a sophisticated means of neutralizing these buzz bombs with super active enzymes working to support our detox process…. but some people need extra help to reduce the effects of this  physiological stress. 

Vitamin C therapy can help reduce the intraocular pressure (IOP) that may build up in the eye due to oxidative stress.  Bioflavanoids-a  form of vitamin C from citrus, lipoic acid, magnesium, B12, and omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils also reduce oxidative stress, improve circulation and blood flow to the eyes.

Life Can Be Sweet Without So Much Sugar

Insulin resistance, levels of insulin that are too high and difficulty processing carbohydrate foods causes diabetes, weight problems and can raise your blood pressure. All of these are associated with elevated eye pressure.

Avoid sugar- cut  back on how much you use. Reduce bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, crackers, cereal etc to balance your insulin metabolism.  Get your blood sugar level checked regularly because like glaucoma insulin related problems can be difficult to feel.

Regular exercise-walking, yoga, swimming, bike riding or perhaps  aerobics can  rebalance blood sugar metabolism reduce stress, improve well being and decrease the buildup of ocular pressure. However, it depends on what is going on with your eyes -check with your MD. Make sure the exercise you plan on doing regularly will be easy on your eyes.

Are Your Adrenals Wearing Their Dancing Shoes?

An intricate dance goes on between our adrenals, the kidneys and the mineral stores in our body. The adrenals regulate the kidneys with aldosterone. The kidneys respond by excreting urine with contains minerals. Our fluid balance and minerals stores change which affects our blood pressure and fluid levels in the body & our eyes.

Rebalance your adrenals by- reducing stress,  practicing meditation, learning how to sleep/rest more deeply and walking your dogs or playing with pets you love.  The adrenals work in close connection with the thyroid- have your thyroid checked at the same time your blood sugar is evaluated.

Vitamin C therapy, B complex, calcium magnesium and zinc  help reduce the stress load and normalize kidney and adrenal function.

Other alternative possibilities  include: homeopathy, herbal therapy, nutrition, acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, ayurvedic therapies and massage.

Eat Nutrient Rich Foods Every Day

Use these foods to protect the eyes, promote healthy vision and slow down the progression of eye disease, decrease IOP, and strengthen blood flow to the eyes

*spinach, kale, chard, collards, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy green veggies and egg yolks are high in lutein &  zeathin.  

*orange fruits and vegetables: squash, carrots, pumkin, yams, sweet potatoes and apricots contain vitamin A derivatives

*almonds, sunflower& pumpkin seeds, hazlenuts and wheat germ are rich in vitamin E.

*berries-cranberries, blueberries, bilberry, raspberry etc are high in bioflavanoids a natural form of vitamin c

* things to avoid: excess caffeine, alcohol, smoking and rich fatty foods with high sugar content like doughnuts, pastries and fried foods.

 

 Be gentle with yourself- Start with one or two changes at a time and listen to what your body tells you. Let your inner vision guide you to what helps you feel more relaxed and rejuvenated.

 

“The natural healing force within each of us

is the greatest force in getting well.” - Hippocrates

 

Resources:

1. http//www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/17604498

“A novel perspective on natural therapeutic approaches in glaucoma therapy”.

Mozaffarieh M. Flammer J.

 

2. http//www/ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmd/11302779

“Natural therapies for ocular disorders, part two:cataracts and glaucoma”.

 Head, KA.

 

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