Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Great Juice Fasting Method

Everyone is trying to lose weight and stay healthy. Many people have turned to weight loss pills, extreme workouts, and even drugs both legal and illegal. I am here to tell you one of the best most under-rated methods of weight loss....The juice fast. Many people have tried the all juice no solid food diet but have failed because of how hard it is to train your brain to let go of solid foods for a while. This is a method I have used for months at a time to lose weight and to feel great. Not only is the juice fast a great method to lose weight, it is also a great way to clean out your body of toxins, and to improve your mood! This method is safe and you don't have to worry about other unsafe juice methods. This is simply the best way to do it.

Before you start your juice fast you need to prepare your body for a juice fast. Two days before the fast make sure you eat nothing but fruits and vegetables in their solid form. It is best if you can start your fast by getting an enema, or a purgative (a natural laxative). Everyday while you are fasting, if you don't have a bowel movement it is a good idea to get another enema, this is so dangerous toxins don't build up in your body if you have never done this before especially. Before you start you want to try to do a bowel movement as much as possible. This is to remove as many contaminants as possible before starting. It is a good idea to drink some hot tea with lemon in the morning. Researchers have proven that this is a great way to stimulate your bowels to move. Remember being regular with your bowel movements is key!

Here is the schedule to follow while you are fasting.

Breakfast: All you should have is a warm cup of herbal tea. Try not to use any fake teas. Herbal tea is key, and no sugar!

Mid-morning: Have a glass of freshly made juice. Make sure you dilute it with 50/50 water. This is so that you can make sure you are getting enough water throughout your day. This is important especially if you aren't a big water drinker. Stay away from sugar!

Mid-afternoon: A great cup of warm herbal tea.

Late afternoon: Go out and have a walk and breathe some fresh air.You could also even take a bath, or do a mild exercise. (Make sure not to over do it.)

Early evening: Make yourself a big glass of fruit or vegetable juice. Make sure to dilute it 50/50 with water.

One hour before your bedtime: Have a nice big cup of vegetable broth!

This is an example of a schedule I use when I juice fast. Remember you don't want to perform a juice fast for longer than 10 days. You want to make sure that if you feel thirsty to drink water. Nothing is wrong with water. If you want to do a juice fast for 10 days make sure you talk to your doctor to make sure it wont give you any problems later. With supervision, it is possible to do a juice fast for up to 30 days. Starting out I don't recommend doing more than 10 days its a shock to the body, and it should be done off and on until you can handle it for longer. Once you do this method you will feel absolutely great. I would recommend this to everyone if I could. Thank you for reading. Please post a comment about your juicing experiences, and let us know about your results.




Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Toxic Mercury: How to Keep Your Family Safe


We all know that mercury is extremely toxic to human beings, however you would be surprised in the places you can find it in. When you are over exposed to mercury it is close to impossible to detect the symptoms because there are very few of them until it is too late. Before doctors knew the danger of mercury exposure they were treating syphilis patients with the dangerous metal. Also, hat makers would use mercury when making hats. That is where the term "Mad Hatter" originated. I guess they went a little crazy...

People know about the obvious ways you can be exposed to mercury. I want to talk about 4 ways that you can be exposed that no one talks about. Why does no one talk about this? Some of these things are covered up for private interests. One thing is for sure this blog is about health, and real facts this needs to be included in our arsenal of helpful, and healthy information.
  1. Did you know that dental amalgam has mercury in it? It sure does. This could be in your mouth, but it is not the only way we come in contact with dental amalgam. It is also found in sewage sludge. Something to remember if you are around sewage all day, or come in contact with it often.
  2. Coal factories that burn coal emit mercury into the air, and it even collects on top of bodies of water (both big and small) and can even expose fish and other animal life to mercury. It is not a good idea to be over exposed to these coal burning places.
  3. Anywhere people get cremated, there is a mercury emission that is sent out from their out gassing methods. This is something that people don't talk about, it is however pure fact.
  4. There is a preservative used in many modern "new" vaccines (including the h1n1 vaccine) that is called "Thimerosol" this chemical found in vaccines contains mercury. This is also rarely talked about.
I hope this has helped you understand other ways that you could be exposed to mercury that aren't often talked about. I assume the reason why these things are not talked about is because of private interests. If you live around places such as these, or are afraid of over exposure, the best thing to do is move. People will lie to you all day and say that things like this are safe. Are you willing to take that chance?

Choosing the Right Person to be Your Personal Trainer


I don't have anything against personal trainers. They are essential for taking the right path to achieve your specific goals. Whether it be weight loss, gaining muscle mass, or losing baby weight, they can help you take the right path to maximize your results. They are also a great way to stay motivated, and keep you coming to the gym, everyone could use more of that.

Make sure your personal trainer has experience
One of the worst things you can do is get a personal trainer that just doesn't have the experience to be a personal trainer in the first place. Some gyms are notorious for assigning personal trainers that are new recruits and have no previous experience training anyone. You definitely don't want a person like this. Also be sure to check out how fit the personal trainer is themselves. Some of these new personal trainers aren't in shape in the first place, and have no business helping anyone get in shape or reach their ultimate goal. This is not a good sign for obvious reasons.

Credentials and paper work to back up their knowledge
Most of the great personal trainers all have college degrees to back up their line of work. For example a good personal trainer might have a degree in exercise physiology, exercise science, and even physical education. I am not saying that it should be required that they have degrees in all of these areas, however its a good thing to have if your looking into getting a great personal trainer, and is a great deciding factor when choosing between some you have already picked out.

Attitude and personality
Last thing you want is a personal trainer that conflicts with your own personality type. You don't want to make an enemy, and you want to make sure your personal trainer is going to keep you motivated. A good way to find out what a future training session might be like, before you have your first appointment, you might want to schedule a meeting and ask the personal trainer in question about their philosophy on personal training, and how they plan on helping you reach your desired goal.

Many trainers offer the first session for free. If you don't feel like that person is going to be able to help you, then the last thing you want to do is let them push you into a contract. Let them know that you don't think its going to work out. Remember you are the customer, you have the right to chose. Leave a comment about your experiences finding a personal trainer. Thank you for reading!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Signs You or Someone You Love Might Be Hearing Impaired


No one likes being told they can't hear anymore. No one wants to wear a hearing aid. The fact is so many people go without hearing everything and they don't even know it. Some people that have trouble hearing feel like they are all alone on an island with no one to talk to. It is extremely hard to be in social situations and attend parties with background noise, and you can't even understand what people are saying. Many people have issues with this. There are many ways you can help someone you love by seeing the warning signs of hearing impairment and maybe save them or you some grief. Here are some easy ways that you can tell someone is having trouble hearing.

Repetition Required
Do they need to have things repeated often? Are they constantly asking if something should be repeated over and over again. Sometimes even after repeated they still didn't hear what is said, but are acting like they did. This can be highly depressing to anyone that is going through this. Give them strength!

Conversations are difficult
Conversations for the hearing impaired can be extremely difficult. Just imagine how hard it is to hear 3 people talking at once at a social gathering when you can hear everything perfectly, that is not easy in itself. The hearing impaired have even more of a difficult time and it is very hard for them to engage in conversation.

Responses are out of context
When responses don't pertain to the conversation you know someone is hearing impaired. Most of the time people blow this off or don't realize it. If you are on the look out you can help someone that is hearing impaired get some help.

I hope this helps you spot someone that is hearing impaired. No one should be forced to live when they can't hear what is going on around them. This happens to more people than you think. It is nothing to be ashamed about. Love and light.

8 Simple Ways To Prevent From Getting Motion Sickness


Do you struggle with motion sickness? I have a real problem with getting motion sick when I'm on boats. The smaller the boat the worse it is. I recently went out fishing with my father and I really got sick from some of the movements that little boat was doing. I have come with with simple ways to prevent from getting motion sick since it has become such a problem for me. I have tried wristbands, drugs, and different things that claim to work. None of them actually do, at least not for me. This is why I have come up with my own ways to combat this problem. Motion sickness is caused by disorientation from your head movements. It can happen while you are moving in any situation. It just so happens to affect me whle im traveling.

Here are the ways I use to prevent from getting sick while I am traveling either by plane, or by boat...

  1. Try to keep your eyes on the horizon. One of the worst things you can do is focus on something inside the boat or plane. Try not to read if you are already feeling sick.
  2. Try to sit in the front seat of a car. Try to avoid sitting in the back as much as possible. Also don't sit in a seat that is backwards.
  3. Do not smoke cigarettes. I know if your a smoker it sounds like a good idea. Trust me it's never a good idea, especially if you are feeling like you want to lose your lunch.
  4. Turn any available air vents towards your face. Trust me it helps.
  5. Try not to turn your head to quickly you don't want to do any movements too quick. Keep it slow, try not to do any twisting and whipping your head around.
  6. Do not look at or try to talk to another traveler while you are feeling sick. Chances are they don't feel sick and the motions of their body might make you feel worse. Concentrate my friend.
  7. Try to avoid changes in position as much as possible.
  8. Rest your head against your seat back to try to reduce as much movement as possible.
I hope those tips will help you next time you are traveling. I have found that it is more of a mind over matter type of thing, and I have learned to deal with my motion sickness pretty well over the years. Give my tricks a shot and I promise you will have a good trip, try not to think about it. Have fun. Leave a comment and let me know your experiences with motion sickness.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

How to make protein bars



Most people buy protein bars at the grocery store or vitamin stores to provide extra energy, supplement meals, or to lose weight. Most over the counter protein bars do contain the added protein that maybe you are looking for but they also contain a wide range of preservatives and added ingredients that just are not necessary. By making the protein bars in your home you can add or take away ingredients and you can make a weeks worth at a time. By making the bars this way it not only saves you time but you can see what you are putting in your body.
I thought I would share one of my favorites. You can make your own recipes by adding or taking away certain ingredients. This one is super easy and fast and makes a great breakfast on the go or a snack.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Trail Mix Protein Bar
1 cup of organic peanut butter
1 cup of Agave nectar ( can also use one packet of Stevia dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water)
6 scoops of vegan chocolate protein powder
2 cups of Oatmeal (uncooked)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt the peanut butter and stir in the agave nectar then mix that into the remaining ingredients and blend on a low speed. You may need to add 1/2 cup water if your consistency is too dry.
Spread with a spatula in a 9x13 pan and refrigerate, cut into squares, and take on the go!
** I use a protein powder that is plant based protein, gluten free and vegan. You can use other brands but this one does not contain whey which most do and this is much healthier for your body. You can purchase the protein by visiting my websites and looking under products- Daily Fit Essentials-
www.mylittlelifecoach.com or
http://purehealthybeauty.myarbonne.com/

I hope you enjoy them. This one is delicious and it is hard to believe you are eating healthy!
photo:kendracannoy

Friday, February 17, 2012

Low Fat and Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Today I did some experimenting. Trying to cut the fat calories from food is not easy, especially when baking. Everything seems to use butter (lots of it) and sugar (lots of that too). I am searching for better alternatives. I have been using Stevia to replace sugar, stevia has  zero calories and you can use less than what the recipe calls for in sugar. I also have made a switch to coconut oil versus butter. This is an incredible alternative for butter. It has the same consistency but with a million times more healthier reasons to switch. I have also used olive oil instead of butter in some recipes. It really is one of those things you have to experiment with while baking. Stevia and Coconut Oil are two amazing things that will not disappoint.


So this is what my experimenting came up with today and I have to admit they are pretty good. I hope you can try them and maybe tweak them to suit your taste. Enjoy!
Blueberry Muffins
1 cup of non bleached all purpose flour
1 cup of wheat flour
3 tablespoons of Stevia
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups of low fat organic milk
2 tablespoons of Olive oil
1 large egg
2 tsp of vanilla
2 cups fresh blueberries
Zest of one lemon
1 scoop of Fiber boost (optional but you can buy the fiber boost HERE)
Topping
1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp of stevia
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 400, place cupcake liners in pan or use a non stick spray in your muffin tins.
Mix all the dry ingredients. Flour, stevia, baking powder, baking soda, fiber boost, and salt. In small bowl mix the milk, olive oil, egg, and vanilla. Make a small hole in the dry mixture and pour the liquid mixture into the center and begin to stir until blended. Fold in the blueberries and place the mix into the muffin tins. Fill 2/3 of the way and top with oatmeal, cinnamon, and stevia mixture.
Bake 18-20 minutes.
Makes 12.

I hope you enjoy creating something new and healthy for yourself and family.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Wellness Program

Just started a wellness program for women who want to achieve better health and want support while reaching their goals. We will meet once a month for a physical activity such as yoga, walking, hiking, etc. We will work out together and then have some time to talk about our goals and challenges we face meeting them. I am opening this up to any women in the area that are interested. Please email me for more information.   (mylittlelifecoach@gmail.com)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Caring for your Child’s Teeth and Smile

It seems that many of my patients and friends have babies on the way, so I thought it was time to answer some of the most popular questions that I have been asked about "Caring for your Child's Teeth and Smile":


When should I expect my baby’s teeth to come in?
Baby teeth (also called ‘primary’ teeth) can show as early as six months after birth. These teeth will help the baby chew, learn to speak and will save room for the permanent teeth. The baby may act fussy or uncomfortable because the gums around erupting teeth can become sore. 

How can I comfort my baby’s sore gums?
You can rub the gums gently with your finger or give the baby a cool teething ring to chew on. Keeping the gums clean also helps them heal. Use a moist, soft cloth to wipe the gums after meals. 


When will the permanent teeth come in? 
The adult teeth (also called ‘permanent’) will start to erupt around age 6 or 7. By this age, your child should have developed good oral hygiene habits such as brushing with fluoride tooth-paste (just a pea-sized amount is plenty for kids). Sealants are recommended for permanent molars to prevent caries. 


How can I avoid caries from developing in my baby’s teeth?
It first starts with diet; you should limit the amount of sugar-containing drinks your child has -- such as apple juice, sodas, sports drinks, and even milk. Never put your baby to bed with a bottle containing sugary drinks. Visit your dentist to get coaching on developing good oral hygiene habits. 


When should my baby first visit the dentist?
Your baby should visit the dentist after the first tooth comes-in or after their first birthday--whichever comes first. This allows the dentist to check on any possible bad habits, such as thumb-sucking and also show you how to clean your baby’s teeth properly. 


You can learn more about healthy foods for healthy teeth here!

For any dental related questions feel free to ask!

Best Regards, 

Dr. Josh Berd, DDS
Dentist and Educator
San Francisco, California