Why Marina Loves ThinStick

"I am so grateful that you introduced me to ThinSticks. I noticed a HUGE difference as soon as I starting using them. I noticed from the very first one that my evening cravings were GONE. I often feel like I want something sweet after dinner and that night I didn’t! I noticed over the next few days that my appetite was reduced for several hours and I was able to go 3-4 hours without snacking. I am hooked and am excited to receive my next shipment."

- Marina James-Galvin, Nutrition Consultant & Personal Trainer

End 2009 Healthy with these 4 tips

Great Health Tips from: JJ Virgin, CNS

End 2009 healthy and Start 2010 healthy  

• Introduce a new veggie into your life each week. Make this fun as you stand in the fresh produce aisle of your supermarket. Choose something that looks intriguing and then find a healthy way to make it. You can't go wrong by steaming veggies or stir frying them in a bit of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). If you're a parent, teach your children that veggies make us strong and help us have great energy. Remind them that veggies also help them grow. If your child is making that twisted, this-veggie-will-make-me-pass-out face then ask them to eat three bites before deciding if it's good or yucky. I love to add Italian spices to veggies and you can even sprinkle a bit of cheese on top with marinara sauce to disguise the veggies for your kids.
• Make sure, especially during this hectic season, to keep some 911 emergency healthy foods on you for snacks. You won't be tempted to eat that piece of gummy shopping mall pizza if you're armed with better choices that are easy to carry. Bring nuts, veggies and an apple with you for 911 moments. These are also great for long car rides and for plane trips. If you have a snack at the ready, you will avoid fast food stops or quick snack foods that are almost always just a carb bomb. Remember that you don't really need to snack. If you eat three good meals each day you will be satiated full and have great energy. You won't even want that snack. Do remember to add protein and high fiber foods (veggies, legumes, nuts and berries top that list) to each meal because they will keep you feeling fuller longer.
• Remember that Julia Roberts film “Sleeping with the Enemy?” Well, I refuse to sleep in the same house with the enemy. This means that I don't play eating roulette with myself and keep my favorite chocolate or ice cream in the house. Once in awhile, if I have a yen for it then I'll just go out for a treat. I'm not a big believer in this idea that your will power will win out over those Famous Amos cookies in the cabinet. Famous Amos isn't going to be living with you anymore. By the way, when you have this occasional treat have a mini-sized portion or three bites of it. I promise you will get the taste and feel satisfied without over-doing it.
• Finally, making small, conscious choices as 2009 winds to an end is a great way to mentally get ready for additional lateral shifts we'll make in 2010. Be proud of each change you make because it's a wonderful accomplishment. It's also the best gift you can give yourself.

picture found at http://www.csiro.au/files/images/pggv.jpg

Today's ThinStick Testimonial

Written to JJ Virgin regarding Metabolic's product, ThinStick...

JJ:

I have often wondered how when thin people had tempting food placed in front of them, they couldn't eat it unless they were hungry. I have no problem eating at any time, anywhere, providing it is something that I like.

I had eaten a late breakfast and was meeting a friend to see a movie at 1 pm and I didn't want to watch a movie and listen to my stomach growl, so I mixed a thin stick in milk and went on my merry way. My friend is one of those really thin people with an over-active thyroid, so she can eat all the time and not worry about her weight. She had a large soda and popcorn, which I normally would have been tempted to share. (This theatre has an assortment of flavors to sprinkle on your popcorn!)

I not only was not hungry, I actually felt that I absolutely did not want to eat. It wasn't like when you eat too much and you are so stuffed that you can't eat, I was very comfortable but had no desire to eat. Amazing!

Later in the day, I was hungry enough to eat but was able to control what and how much I ate. After using ThinSticks for 3 days, I have lost 2 pounds. I definitely like this product!!

- Janet Bollinger

picture found at http://surfcitysites.com/design/hear-what-our-clients-have-to-say/

What Does JJ Virgin Have To Say About ThinStick?

If you would like a FREE sample from JJ Virgin, please click on the following link. http://www.jjvirgin.com/thinstickchallenge

Whole Grains Lower Hypertension

By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

Men who are interested in lowering their blood pressure should switch from refined to whole grains. In a study from Harvard School of Public Health, whole grain intakes were measured in a group of 51,529 men ages 40- to 75-years-old enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. A total of 9, 227 men developed hypertension during the subsequent 18 years. Those men who ate the most whole grains had a 19% lower risk of developing hypertension compared to men who ate little or no whole grains. Researchers at Tufts University found that people who ate whole grains had a lower percent body fat and abdominal fat compared to people who ate few if any whole grains.

In Perspective: Whole grains are good for us, but finding them in the store is not as easy as you might think. Just because a product is laced with a dusting of whole grains does not turn junk into a health food. Look for grains that say “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” on the label. Also, read the ingredient list and choose only products made from whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, brown rice, or bulgur. The word “wheat” in the ingredient list means white flour, not whole wheat.

Flint A, Hu F, Glynn R, et al: Whole grains and incident hypertension in men. American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition 2009;90:493-498. McKeown N, Yoshida M, Shea M, et al: Whole-grain intake and cereal fiber are associated with lower abdominal adiposity in older adults. Journal of Nutrition 2009;139:1950-1955.

What's your craving personality?

1. A friend gives you a small box of exquisite chocolates. You count them and think, I can make these last for two weeks if I have one a day. Then you:

* a. Set aside a few minutes every evening to sit in your favorite chair and enjoy one piece of  chocolate. It's a great two weeks.
* b. Eat one, then later in the day, another couple. The box lasts a week.
* c. Have one, then another...whoops, it's 10 minutes later and they're gone.

2. At the last big cookout, your hosts served all kinds of salty goodness in great big salad bowls. You:

* a. Scooped some guacamole onto a plate, counted out 15 chips, and really enjoyed them.
* b. Realized, after your third handful, that you'd put away so many calories you were already into the next day's allotment, so you got yourself a glass of diet soda.
* c. Were so engrossed in conversation, you're really not sure how many you ate.

3. You're at the mall, where the air is infused with the scent of baking cinnamon buns. You're finding it very hard to resist, so you:

* a. Enjoy the smell, but hurry on to the kitchenware store.
* b. Buy one, cut it in half, and share with your shopping companion (or, if you're alone, save it for breakfast the next morning).
* c. Buy one and try to eat half, but before you've reached the kids' clothing outlet, you've eaten the whole thing.

4. You ordered a salad with grilled chicken and your friends are splitting a pizza, which looks and smells delicious. You:

* a. Enjoy your salad but ask for a few more Parmesan shavings to feed your cheese craving.

* b. Pick at the half slice your friends left.
* c. Order a slice for yourself.

5. It's been a busy week. On Friday afternoon, you're exhausted, so you:

* a. Take a brisk walk or meditate for about 10 minutes.
* b. Head down to the kitchen, cafeteria, or vending machines for a cup of coffee and some crackers and cheese.
* c. Buy a chocolate bar and eat it.

6. There's a slab of coconut layer cake in the fridge from yesterday's birthday party. You are:

* a. So busy you've completely forgotten it's there.

* b. Aware you're thinking too much about it, so you get engrossed in mah-jongg on the computer.
* c. So totally obsessed with the thought of it, you cut yourself a slice.


Scoring:

If Your Answers Were Mostly A's: You have it under control. You can safely sample $60-a-pound chocolates and still lose weight. But if you occasionally need help resisting temptation, check out the "Give In" tips.

If Your Answers Were Mostly B's: You're clearly not a mindless eater (that's good), but you sometimes bite off more than you should be chewing. You can follow the "Give In" advice unless there are particular foods that call to you. If so, familiarize yourself with the "Give It Up" tips.

If Your Answers Were Mostly C's: You have a tendency to go one truffle over the line, so you need to stick with the "Give It Up" advice until you master the tricks for staying in control.

If You Can Safely Give In...


* Have a little bit of really good stuff. You're more likely to be satisfied with a small amount of the real thing. "Otherwise, what can happen is that you say to yourself, 'I want chocolate, but I don't want the calories,'" says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., associate professor of nutrition at Boston University. "So you start with some cocoa, then go on to other foods that don't satisfy your craving, and you end up having the chocolate anyway."

* Never eat a treat by itself. Feed your yen for chips, but have only a few with a low-fat dip (like hummus or a yogurt-dill mix). Include something healthy and low-calorie, too, like red pepper strips and celery, recommends Susan Roberts, Ph.D., director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University. Filling out your snack will help you resist downing a bag of chips. And the veggies are full of fiber, which will make you feel full — all for a few calories.

* Go the distance. Don't keep treats in the house. "It's like living in a bakery," says Blake. "You won't be able to resist them." If you really want something special, go to the store and buy a snack-size amount — just one small pack of cookies or chips.

* Clear your palate. Once you've had your little taste, have a drink of water or brush your teeth, suggests weight-loss coach Janice Taylor. "If the taste of that food lingers in your mouth, it will trigger more eating."

* Schedule your delights. Plan your daily menu, and include a couple of 100- to 150-calorie treats. A group of dieters in Roberts's program not only gained more control over their trigger foods doing this, but also lost, on average, 22 pounds in 16 weeks on a 1,400-calorie diet. "Even people who thought they'd never be able to eat chocolate again lost 20 pounds while occasionally indulging," says Roberts.

If You Need to Give It Up...

* Tap your forehead. It may sound woo-woo, but there's science behind this five-second trick to displace your craving thoughts. Since the working memory is small, you can crowd out your food desires by placing the five fingers of one hand on your forehead, spaced slightly apart, and then, at intervals of a second, tapping each finger while looking upward and watching it. You may need to do some reps "until your thoughts go elsewhere," says Roberts.

* Walk for 15 minutes. That's how long it took for a group of 25 chocoholics to exercise off their desire for a chocolate bar. And their resistance was severely tested: In the University of Exeter study, the scientists had teased the subjects with mental challenges (stress triggers cravings) and an actual chocolate bar — which participants had to unwrap.

* Take a whiff of mint. A study at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia found that people who sniffed peppermint periodically throughout the day ate 2,800 fewer calories during the week. "When you focus on the scent, your attention is driven away from cravings," says psychologist Bryan Raudenbush, Ph.D. (Peppermint inhalers are available at sportsinhaler.com and in sporting-goods stores — mint also can improve athletic performance — for about $10.)

* Call a friend. Studies in rats suggest that eating comfort food reduces stress response, which may explain why turmoil sends you to the kitchen for your best friend, cookie. "It does help you temporarily," says diet expert Elizabeth Somer, R.D., "but better to vent with a girlfriend. That always works."

* Be at peace with your cravings. A study done at Drexel University found that people who'd been taught to use techniques similar to mindfulness meditation were better able to resist a treat — in this case, a package of Hershey's Kisses — than those who didn't have the training. Mindfulness teaches that thoughts are just thoughts and don't require any rush to judgment or to action. "If you try to make them go away, all your focus is on the food," says researcher Evan Forman, Ph.D. "But if you just exist with the thought, it loses its power." One way to make that easier: Think about what you want out of life that feeding your craving might deny you. To be fit enough to hike with your kids? Slim enough to wear a slinky red dress to your cousin's wedding? "Identifying what's ultimately important to you will allow that goal to direct your behavior, rather than a food craving," says Forman.

* Never be hungry. That's the other lesson from the Roberts program in which participants lost weight while still enjoying their favorite foods. And it's the one tip that will allow you to go from depriving to indulging yourself — even having chocolate every day if you like — without fear of bingeing. "If you eat the right foods, you won't be hungry," says Roberts. "The people in my program were eating three meals a day with two snacks, and almost 100 percent of them said their cravings weren't bothering them anymore." Won't it feel nice to finally get that Chunky Monkey off your back?

Article found at http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/conquer-your-food-cravings
Picture found at www.younglivin.org.uk/.../binge_eating.htm

Java Junk

"Java Junk"
Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD

A cup of black coffee is almost calorie-free. However, gourmet coffee drinks can pack more calories than a platter of deep-fat-fried onion rings, according to a study from New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. A survey of customers at 42 Starbucks and 73 Dunkin’ Donuts in New York City found that servings of coffee or tea averaged only about 63 calories, even with the addition of milk and sugar. However, blended drinks averaged 239 calories (approximately 90 more calories than found in a can of soda pop), a large ice-blended drink contained 750 calories, and large blended drinks topped out at up to 880 calories - which is more than two Quarter Pounders at McDonalds!

Huang C, Dumanvosky T, Silver L, et al: Calories from

beverages purchased at 2 major coffee chains in New
York City, 2007. Preventing Chronic Disease 2009;6(4),
on line.

Picture Found At: http://www.sipsearch.com/coffee/

Organic, Yea or Nay?

"Is Organic More Nutritious"
By: Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD

Many folks are not going to be pleased with the findings of a recent study from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Consumers are demanding more foods be organic, but information is lacking on whether or not these foods are more nutritious. This study assessed the differences in reported nutrient contents between organic and conventional food products by conducting an in-depth review of the published literature. From a total of 52,471 articles, 162 studies were identified as well-designed and accurate. Results from those studies showed that conventional foods had a higher nitrogen content, while organic
crops had more phosphorus and were more acidic. There was no evidence that foods grown or raised organically, including both plants and animals, were any different nutritionally than similar crops and animals raised by conventional methods. The researchers conclude that “...there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs. The small differences in nutrient content detected are ...mostly related to differences in production methods.”

Dangour A, Dodhia S, Hayter A, et al: Nutritional
quality of organic foods: A systematic review. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009;90:680-685.



Picture Found at: joearay2.tripod.com/foodandtravel.htm

Citrus Alert

It is very important that those of you who are currently taking ThinStick, know that it will not work properly if you add ThinStick to any food or drink containing citrus.
Do not add the sticks or the shake to: Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Orange, Tangerines, etc.


Citrus picture found at: http://drinkwiththewench.com/?p=1216

A Fresh Morning

Kick off your weekend morning with a mouth-watering smoothie for breakfast! Then take a jog, hike, walk, run, or if the weather isn't permitting you to do so, head off to the gym or do indoor exercises at home!

        Sunny Start Smoothie

             2 bananas - cut

             2 Tbsp. honey

             1 Mango 

             1-2 sticks of ThinStick

           


                                                                       

            Blueberry Blast

            1/2 cup of fresh blueberries

            1/2 banana

            1/2 cup ice

            1 scoop vanilla ThinStick Shake

                                           Be Healthy and You'll Be Happy. 

Free Friday

I recently put together 3,000 samples of ThinStick for JJ Virgin. So please take advantage of these FREE samples and JJ Virgin's ThinStick challenge www.jjvirgin.com/thinstickchallenge

What have you got lose by testing ThinStick out?

Crave Less, Naturally.

Healthy Eating

*The word "diet" just means eating healthy and lower calorie meals.
By: Mayo Clinic Staff

"Your weight is a balancing act and calories are part of that equation. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit will make the pounds drop off. But when it comes to weight loss, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to reducing extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity. (ThinStick helps to control your appetite so you can keep your calories under contol. ThinStick completly supports a healthy diet and also regular exercise)

Once you understand that equation, you're ready to set your weight-loss goals and make a plan for reaching them. Remember, you don't have to do it alone. Talk to your doctor, family and friends for support. Also, plan smart: Anticipate how you'll handle situations that challenge your resolve and the inevitable minor setbacks.
If you have serious health problems because of your weight, your doctor may suggest weight-loss surgery or medications for you. In this case, you and your doctor will need to thoroughly discuss the potential benefits and the possible risks.
But don't forget the bottom line: The key to successful weight loss is a commitment to making permanent changes in your diet and exercise habits."

When changing your diet for the better ask yourself if it...

• Includes foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds
• Includes proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you maintain a healthy weight
• Includes foods you like and can easily find in your local grocery store
• Fits your lifestyle and budget

Red Meat Causes Pancreatic Cancer

The short article below is a research study done on those who consumed fatty meats and dairy products. This does not mean that you should avoid red meat and dairy all together, just remember to eat all things in moderation.

Red Meat Causes Pancreatic Cancer

By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A. , R.D.

"The saturated fat in red meat and fatty dairy products might increase a person's fisk for developing pancreatic cancer, according to researchers at the National Cancer Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Dietary intakes of more than half a million people were compared to pancreatic incidence during the subsequent six year follow-up. Results showed that men who consumed the most fat from meat and dairy hda a 53% increased risk, while women had a 23% increased risk compared to people wo consumed little of no fatty meat or dairy."

In Perspective: A diet high in meat and fatty diary foods also is linked to other canceres, such as breast and colon cancers. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Other risk factors for this deadly disease include being overweight, smoking, and diabetes.

ThinStick.com

ThinStick.com has a fresh new look and we want you to see! Visit our main website and discover what possibilities you can have with our product and/or the information you need to feel right about using ThinStick!

• Send us your story about how ThinStick worked for you and get a FREE 30 day supply of ThinStick



• Read tips on how to use ThinStick in the Morning, At Noon, Afternoon, and Evening



• Read tips for exercising and how to plan ThinStick into your day



• FAQ- Find the answers to questions you may already have!



• Read the Research/Studies/Science behind ThinStick



• You will find the link to this blog so you can always come back and read posts!



• Read others success stories

Visit us on the web at http://www.thinstick.com/

Eat Less, Lose Weight

Nutrition Alert
By: Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

It doesn't matter whether you eat high-carbs, low-fat, high-protein, or moderate net-carbs, people lose weight because they eat less and cut calories, state researchers at Harvard School of of Public Health who studied a variety of diets and how they affect weight loss. More than 800 overweight adults were randomly assigned to one of four diets varying in the amount of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. the diets consisted of similar foods and met the recommendations for heart health. After six months, dieters had lost an average of 13 pounds or about 7% of their initial body weight. Most began to regain the weight after one year. By two years, weight loss was similar in those who followed a diet with 15% protein, 25% protein, 20% fat, or 40% fat (~7.26 pound loss in each). Those people following a 65% carbohydrate diet lost about 6.4 pounds, and those on a 35% carbohydrate diet lost about 7.5 pounds each. Satiety, hunger, satisfaction with the diet, and attendance at group meetings were similar for all diets (attendance was strongly associated with the greatest success at weight loss). Weight loss from all diets improved risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. In short, no one diet was better than another for long-term weight loss. What was critical to success was to eat a heart-healthy diet and cut back on the quantity of food.

To help control quantity of food, add 1 or 2 ThinStick packets to your meal or liquid. Drink ThinStick Shake for breakfast as a meal replacement drink.

5 Truths about Exercise

Exercise and Weight Loss: 5 Truths
By Miranda Hitti WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

"You've heard it time and again -- to lose weight, you need to exercise and watch your diet, so that your calories burned exceed your calories consumed.
But if you've been working out and your extra pounds won't budge, you may be wondering why that seemingly simple strategy isn't working.
Don't hang up your sneakers and throw in the towel. If you do, you're going to miss out on the biggest weight perk exercise has to offer, experts tell WebMD.
First, you may need a reality check about what to expect from exercise. Here are five truths about exercise and your weight."

1. Exercise is only part of the weight loss story.
2. Exercise is a must for weight maintenance.
3. Food splurges may undo your efforts.
4. Exercise machines may not tell the whole calorie story.
5. One daily workout may not be enough.


READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN DEPTH: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-and-weight-loss-five-truths

Health Cartoon

A funny health cartoon just to make you smile today!















Stress less about what the scale reads and be more conscience of what you put in your body. What matters is you exercise regularly, have a balanced diet and get an adequate amount of sleep.

Restricting Calories article by: WebMD

Healthy Aging Health Center
Restricting Calories Thwarts Disease, Aging
Study: Monkeys Fed Calorie-Restricted Diet Live Longer, Have Less Disease and Fewer Signs of Aging
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
July 9, 2009 -- Reducing calorie intake slows aging and significantly delays the onset of age-related problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and brain atrophy in monkeys, a new study says.
It’s likely that reducing caloric intake would have the same positive effects in people, researchers report in the journal Science.
During the 20-year study, 50% of the monkeys allowed to eat freely have survived, while 80% that ate the same foods but with 30% fewer calories remain alive, University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists say.

"This is the largest and most highly controlled study showing the beneficial effects of calorie restriction on disease and survival in a primate species," study author Ricki J. Colman, PhD, of the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, tells WebMD. "We believe that what works in primates will work in humans because primates are so closely related to humans. This has allowed us to understand the mechanisms of the aging process."
The message for all human adults, and especially for younger people, is to reduce caloric intake permanently and you'll likely "experience the same benefits," Colman tells WebMD.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Increases Survival
The research started with 30 rhesus macaques in 1989 to chart the health effects of a calorie-restricted diet and expanded in 1994 with the addition of 46 more.
All of the animals were enrolled as adults, at ages from 7 to 14. The researchers write that of the original 76 animals in the study, 37% of the control monkeys died of age-related causes, compared to only 13% on a calorie-restricted diet.
Rhesus macaques have an average life span of 27 years in captivity, and the oldest one still in the study is 29.
Looking at overall animal health, the calorie-restricted diet leads to longer life span and improved quality of life in old age, Richard Weindruch, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and co-author of the study, says in a news release.
"There is a major effect of caloric restriction in increasing survival if you look at deaths due to the diseases of aging," he says.
According to the study, the incidence of cancerous tumors and cardiovascular disease in the monkeys on a restricted diet was half that seen in the animals that were allowed to eat freely.
Although diabetes or prediabetes was seen in 42% of the monkeys that could eat all they want, it has yet to be seen in any animal on the calorie-restricted diet, the researchers say, adding that they consider this result remarkable.
"So far, we've seen the complete prevention of diabetes," Weindruch says.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Preserves Brain
Sterling Johnson, a neuroscientist and one of the researchers, says the brain health of the monkeys on a calorie-restricted diet also is better.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Preserves Brain continued...
"It seems to preserve the volume of the brain in some regions," he says in the news release. "It's not a global effect, but the findings are helping us understand if this dietary treatment is having any effect on the loss of neurons" in aging.
The study shows that the regions of the brain responsible for short-term memory and problem solving are better preserved in monkeys that ate fewer calories.
"Both motor speed and mental speed slow down with aging," Johnson says. "Those are the areas which we found to be better preserved. We can't yet make the claim that a difference in diet is associated with functional change because those studies are still ongoing. What we know so far is that there are regional differences in brain mass that appear to be related to diet."
Similar results have been shown in studies on fish, mice, spiders, worms, and rodents, Weindruch notes.
Calorie-Restricted Diet Better Than Drugs?
Weindruch says the researchers have shown that caloric restriction can slow the aging process in a primate species.
"We observed that caloric restriction reduced the risk of developing an age-related disease by a factor of three and increased survival," Weindruch says.
Samuel Klein, MD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was asked by WebMD to review the study, described the study’s findings as "remarkably positive" and "very good news."
The study shows that "caloric restriction is more potentially beneficial than any pharmacologic benefit," Klein tells WebMD. "This may be better than any kinds of medications in the toolbox."
He says he’s "very impressed" that the study showed that caloric restriction reduced brain atrophy (brain shrinkage) in monkeys that were studied. Such studies can't be done in humans for ethical reasons, "so this is getting as close as you can get to that," Klein says.
Calorie-Restricted Diet in Humans
Lary Walker, PhD, a research scientist at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University, tells WebMD caloric-restriction studies have been done on small numbers of human volunteers, and fewer signs of cardiovascular aging were noted.
More research needs to be done, Walker says, especially to determine if the lack of brain shrinkage among monkeys fed calorie-restricted diets may shed light on dementia.
"The study is really nice, intriguing, and I would like to know more," Walker says

9 Strategies for Healthy Eating

Eat enough calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don't eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.

Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don't normally eat.

Keep portions moderate, especially high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.

Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce

Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.

Limit sugary foods, salt, and refined-grain products. Sugar is added to a vast array of foods. In a year, just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can increase your weight by 16 pounds. See suggestions below for limiting salt and substituting whole grains for refined grains.

Don’t be the food police. You can enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries aren’t!

Get moving. A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular physical activity and exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.

One step at a time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on one food group or food fact at a time I wanted to share this because they are great realistic tips! We promote health and are firm on the belief that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. For more info go to: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

ThinStick in the News!

In April, we were featured on a local news station in Central Oregon. (The original name of the product was SlimStick.) Enjoy!