Plop Plop Fizz Fizz | Oh What a Relief it Isn't?

Remember back in the day the little Alka Seltzer guy - Speedy?  He was  telling us that if you have indigestion, just plop a little tablet in water and let it fizz away your troubles. You know the song, "plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is."  Such a happy little tune and such a cute little guy, making you want to run out and grab the answer to your indigestion.  Then a few years later we see the man sitting on the side of the bed with "indigestion" and the whole picture gets wavy.  But, tum ta tum tum TUMS comes to the rescue!   We had Pepto Bismol to coat the stomach bringing relief. And I'm sure you can think of many more that TV marketing splattered across the screen for us in such a way that we would run out and buy the product.. Since that time, more elaborate things have come onto the market  like Prevacid, Zantac and others to help ease digestive woes.   But have we really gotten to the bottom of why in the world we have Acid Reflux, GERD, and just plain old indigestion?  Did you know that most bouts occur at night?  

Indigestion doesn't just happen. It is brought on by what we eat, when we eat, how we eat, stress,  eating late big dinners and snacking at night.  Bottom line!  Do we really think that fizzing the digestion issues tonight are going to take care of the underlying problem tomorrow? Not really.  The only way is to make changes.  Here's some tips to help you get rid of indigestion for good!.

1.  As much as most people don't like to hear it, eating that large dinner at night is the main problem.  A good number don't eat much during the day - starting with the cup of coffee and donut for breakfast, then maybe a salad for lunch or a sandwich, or light meal, then the big meal at night since now we are starving!   Problem with that is, we tend to eat way too large a portion, as well as too much fat and protein at the end of the day.  Considering your metabolism burns its brightest during the day, and slows down to a trot at night, heavy meals just sit in your stomach, and on your waist.  Ever wonder why you aren't hungry for breakfast?  That's because dinner is still trying to fight its way out.   So the first tip is assess your evening eating habits.  As a matter of fact, your entire day! Chances are you will find the culprit right there. Ease up on the evening meals, eat lightest then, and don't snack afterwards.  Drink water instead.

2.  Another major, and maybe the #1 reason for indigestion is an acid condition in the body.  How does that happen?  Well once again, food choices and lifestyle issues.  For example, when  you get up your tummy is wanting food, and digestive juices are churning away in your stomach preparing to digest.  Give it only a cup of coffee (which is acidic) and the juices have nothing to digest, and the coffee basically attempts to burn a hole through the stomach lining,  sometimes causing pain.  Of course eating the donut or pastry does help to absorb some of the stomach acids.  Instead, start with a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon in it.  Not only will you flush acids out of the body (lemons actually alkalize your body!), it will cleanse the liver and the digestive system. Then about half hour later give the body what it is craving...Breakfast!  Choose fruits and whole grains here, maybe some protein to give you staying power.  Most animal foods are acidic, so amp up more on the fruits, veggies and whole grains like brown rice and oats and cut back on the acid forming foods.  Take a look at what you are eating each day, or start a journal. You will soon learn that certain foods, sodas, coffee, etc. will add to the problems.  Remember its a vicious cycle, that needs to be broken.

3.  Drink water.  Water helps to flush acids from the body, and will help keep your digestive system primed.  Thinking that the sodas you drink all day hydrate you?  Think again.  Not only will you become more dehydrated, but you will also find that phosphoric acid leaches calcium from the bones.  Choose water instead.  Or if you'd like a treat, take some 100% juice and add a little bubbly spring water (such as Perrier, or even seltzer water) to it for a fun alternative.

4.  Another reason why there is so much of a influx of digestive issues is the problem with our overweight society. Weight presses on our organs, causing them to work harder, and causing things like indigestion, especially at night when you try to lie down. The weight pushes on the intestines and the stomach, and pushing the stomach up.   Maybe its time to look at that, and possibly get on a good weight loss program. - exercise and diet changes.

5.  Get some fresh air and exercise daily.  This will not only keep you fit and trim, but also help with elimination problems.  (nobody likes to talk about this, but a full colon, or one that has accumulated years of junk, is a major reason why there is a problem with indigestion. )  Think about it - the colon fills up and pushes up on all the other organs, causing the stomach to be pushed up as well...and hence hiatus hernias can exist in this condition.   Take a look at your lifestyle and try to incorporate movement and outside activities into your week.

Of course, if you'd like to keep your indigestion and just pop a pill or fizzzie, keep doing what you're doing!   The only way to totally eliminate indigestion is to change our habits.

To your health!

Your Contrarian Coach!

Robin

Raising Healthy Kids

  A few weeks ago I was going through my 'Memories' box..we all have them...the ones with pictures, letters, memorabilia, etc. Well I found my old report cards from elementary school. (I wont even tell you how many years ago that was!).  I enjoyed the teachers comments about how I loved to talk in class, how i interacted with the kids, etc.  Of course I noticed my grades.  But then there was one other area that really caught my eye.  It was the number of days absent per marking period.  My eyeballs popped when I saw that most marking periods I was out anywhere from 5 to 20 days sick!  Being out that much could have had a little to do with the (ahem) grades I got.

As parents we want the best for our children.  We want them to be healthy, well mannered, and prosperous. But are we, as parents, setting our children up for a lifestyle that will cause them many health issues in their early years, and not even realize it?  You see my parents rarely got any exercise. They both smoked.  My mom, even though she was the best cook on the planet, didn't incorporate fruits and veggies in our meals.  We drank soda, ate a lot of candy and baked goods (and I have the fillings to prove it!) and had a lot of stress in the home.  At the age of 15 I had already developed kidney stones, and at 18 had a lump removed from my breast that the doctor said would be cancer in 10 years if I didn't change things.   Thank heavens back in the day, doctors actually took the time to educate their patients - mine gave me diet and lifestyle changes that made a world of difference back then.

Our children are little mirror images of us.  Many times we do things that, unbeknownst to us, are not healthy for us, and because of not being wel informed, we pass those same diets and lifestyles down to our children. For example, did you know that Diabetes is mainly a diet and lifestyle related disease that can be reversed?  Take a look at the parents and grandparents, and chances are the kids will be diabetic at some point too.  This is one disease that can be eliminated if changes are made.  But most don't know where to start or how to change.

So, what can we do to raise healthy, robust miniature citizens?  Here are a few tips to get you started.

1.  Kids normally have an abundance of energy!  Be sure your kids get at least 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic physical activity per day. More is better. (One benefit - they'll be calmer in the home and sleep better at night!) Sedentary lifestyles are common today with video games, TV, and the internet to keep them occupied.  Parents, its monkey see, monkey do with kids! If you spend hours at a time on the computer, chances are they will too!  Why not have family time a couple times a week where you ride bikes, play basketball, play tag, go for a walk, etc. to give them a jumpstart. You might find it winds up being more like 6 or 7 days a week with the family enjoying socializing with each other for a change too!  Meanwhile, be sure your kids get outside every day for sun, fresh air and exercise. Set a schedule if need be.

2.  Snacks!  In many families today both parents have to work outside the home to make ends meet.  When the kids come home from school they look for a snack (and then sit in front of the Xbox or TV).  Most snacks are prepackaged, microwaveable, fattening and unhealthy. Why not cut up some apples, carrots, or put out grapes, Cuties (oranges) or something healthy they can grab and eat that will not put on pounds or unhealthy cholesterol and sodium, but give them better health!

3.  Become educated on how to have better health, and talk about it with your kids. Explain that you are turning over a new leaf and going to start eating better so you can all be happier and healthier!  Find ways to spend time in the kitchen together making healthy meals. Find new recipes together.  And if necessary, go on a weight loss program together. Kids LOVE to exercise with their parents! 

4.  Set an example.   Remember, kids mirror their parents.  If you are eating unhealthy, drinking gobs of soda and coffee, not getting any exercise...be sure your kids will do the same.   Studies show that kids who start out in life with poor health habits may not only be overweight as children, but have very poor health starting as young as their early teens!  

5. Smile!!!    Create a healthy, happy, stress free environment for your kids. Remember, the family that plays (and prays) together, stays together!

Our children are our future.  Sadly over 35% are obese,  there is a growing number daily with diabetes and other diseases, and are having major health issues younger and younger as the years pass.  We can start with one family at a time...Why not you?  There really IS a better way of health!   And we can create it for our kids now!

Resolution, Schmezolution...Bah Humbug!

Ahhh... a New Year has come, along with a new set of Resolutions for me to make up.  So as I sat there to make up my list to accomplish for the entire year...I suddenly took the paper, crumpled it up, threw it away and told myself that this is totally ridiculous!  There was NO way I would be able to complete all those in a year.  It all looked so inundating and overwhelming on that sheet of paper that it totally depressed me. 

But then the light bulb went off!  What if I made them 'goals' instead of 'Resoltuions', and what if I did them in one month snippetts instead of a whole year-at-a-glance!   Yeah I know, they make planners so you can plan the whole year out.  But I also thought that my Resolutions today, may have to be slightly altered by March, then I'd have to erase the whole rest of the year and write it over.  Not only did that sounds like an undesirable chore, but it sounded like a mess! So here's what I decided to do - I just wrote out what I wanted to accomplish for January (with a couple things in February).   And I called them Goals for the month! 

You see, when people are trying to lose weight, and make up these 'exotic' Resolutions, by mid January they become disheartened that they didn't or can't do ALL of them and then forget the whole thing, throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.  They go back to their old ways, and Resolutions are just a Bah Humbug!    So here are a couple of tips to help when making up your 'Resolutions'  for the New Year.

1.  Make it a goal, instead of a Resolution.   First, its much easier to say, making it easier to accomplish!

2.  Write your goals out for only one month (two at the most), but make it them short and do-able  instead of "50 Ways to Lose Weight in a Month."  You'll be overwhelmed and you might wind up forgetting the entire thing.

3.  Start a journal, and jot down how you are doing each day:  your feelings, emotions, support you received, and how you can do better tomorrow.

4.  Get a buddy1  Many times, especially with weight loss, people tend to do much better when they are accountable to someone.  Our weight loss support group on Facebook is a great place to join if you don't have a buddy (or even if you do - strength comes in numbers!!   Come visit the Healthiest Losers Club!

5.  Don't beat yourself up if you don't make your goal for the day or the month!   Just take a deep breath, get up, get back on the horse again, and make a decided effort to do it as planned  the next day.

Folks tell me Resolutions are made to be broken.   So then, why write them at all?  Take it a day or a month at a time, and make the decision to just DO IT!!   You'll feel so much better about your weight loss journey and yourself in the end!

Ok, time to get my goals in place for the month! 

Happy 'Goal' Making!