Dallas Alternative Nutritional Supplement Source Tim Wallace of Dallas Health Helpers points out the dangers of skipping breakfast.

Dallas Alternative Nutritional Supplement Source Tim Wallace of Dallas Health Helpers points out the dangers of skipping breakfast.

Today’s lifestyle leaves us in a rush much of the time. There are appointments to make, deadlines to meet and more things on our lists than can humanly be done in a day. One of the fallouts of this hectic pace is the most important meal of the day-breakfast.

As we wake from what is now too few hours of sleep, we are in a rush to get ourselves psyched up for the day and get out the door and to our first task. Often this means a less than healthful selection of food to just get something in our stomachs rather than a wise choice of nutritional sustenance. That is if we even eat anything at all.

There are consequences to missing breakfast. If you think about it, your last meal was several hours ago. If you ate at 7 p.m. last night, breakfast at 7 a.m. is 12 hours away. During this time your body has processed the dinner and is now awaiting breakfast.

Denying your body breakfast causes it to go into a preservation mode. The body will do all it can to preserve what energy it has available so it can last until more food is taken in. One of these preservation methods is to slow the metabolism down. A slower metabolism burns up fewer calories, thus making a less than optimum intake of calories last longer. This chronic slowed metabolism leads to an increase in fat levels of the body composition.

This increase in fat levels is another preservation mode of the body. Because it is not getting enough to sustain normal daily activities, the body adapts by increasing its ability to store energy for later use. This energy is stored in the form of fat.

A good healthy breakfast is important to keep the systems of the body working at their optimal levels. One should include protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats in the breakfast meal. This can be easily done with the proper selection and can be accomplished in a way to fit into that frantic morning routine we often find ourselves doing.

Because supplementation is, in my opinion, mandatory these days, a good breakfast drink is Caffe Latte Life Shake, from the Shaklee Corporation. This meal replacement, which also comes in vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavors, contains protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats as well as fiber to give you a healthy break to your fast. It is rated as a very low glycemic food. Give it a try for 2 weeks. You will notice a more alert, even keeled energy through out your morning.

Dallas Alternative Nutritional Supplement Source is about being healthy without drugs or synthetics. Call 214.770.9596 or email us to learn more about vitality and health.

Uptown Dallas Massage Therapist recommends daily stretching.

Uptown Dallas Massage Therapist recommends daily stretching.  Flexibility is a part of being healthy and these simple guidelines will help even the novice feel good and effective when stretching.

Many people seem to find stretching to be a bore and a waste of time.  Besides, stretching may take some precious time out of the alloted exercise period.  However, stretching is so good for the body and mind, it may even enhance your workout.  Even if you are not on a regular exercise regime, a nice stretching session can actually improve your day.

The most effective time to stretch is generally in the morning.  A short, 10 to 15 minute routine will get the blood flowing and loosen up muscles that may have tightened up during the night.  Carving out that short period of time can pay back big dividends during the next few hours.  And done daily, the benefits will compound for you.

Often, when one begins a new exercise regime, the tendency is to over do it and go at the activity full force.  Stretching is best performed slowly and gently.  It is a process of allowing the muscles and tendons and ligaments to lengthen.   Forcing the soft tissue to lengthen too quickly is where the trouble can come from.   Compare your soft tissues to a rubber band.  If a rubber band is cold when you try to stretch it, it breaks more easily.  A rubber band that is warm will stretch more easily and possibly farther.  A cold muscle is much more prone to damage than a slightly warmed one.

Begin slowly and breathe comfortably.  Get yourself into a peaceful state of mind and let the stresses of the day, past or upcoming, drift away for this brief period of time.  Focus on your body and the calmness that resides deep inside you.  Once you’ve gotten your mind at ease, begin your stretching.

Stretching should feel good.  Forcing the muscles generally does not feel good.  Stay in your happy state of mind.  Whatever stretches you choose, listen to your body.  With stretching, less is better than a little bit more.   We all naturally, without conscious thought, stretch. Pets will stretch themselves and their movements can be easily immitated.  Try what a dog or cat does and see how it feels.

Expand your stretching thoughout your day; sitting at your desk, walking down the hall, sitting in the car at a redlight.  Do those innate moves that you do to make yourself feel better.  Just be aware that whatever you do to lengthen your muscles makes them feel better.

Again, don’t make stretching a big deal.  Just do what comes naturally and comfortably. Make sure you do it often.

Dallas Health Helpers has been involved in natural approaches to health for 26 years.  We are located in Uptown Dallas, but our influence is nation wide.

Dehydration in North Texas is a real threat

Dehydration in North Texas is a real threat.

 

Dehydration while working in the heat can be dangerous.  If you are not accustomed to working outdoors, you may be in for a shock: a big shock to your system.

 

It is mid-June and summer has come to Dallas, Texas.  The heat has hit with a vengeance.  Spring was nice, but now that’s over and it’s really hot outdoors.  Especially with the rain we had two days before, the air was quite steamy.  There was some clean up in the back yard I wanted to get done.  Much of the shrubbery had grown beyond its borders and needed to be trimmed and the debris underneath had to be thrown away.

 

I got started in the heat of the day: about 1:45 p.m.  All was going well.  I was seeing some great progress. And did I mention it was hot?  I went into the garage and got a cold bottle of water out of the small refrigerator and gulped it down.

 

A short time later, I needed more water.  I got another bottle and began to drink it.  I was feeling slightly wiped out and felt I needed to sit for a minute.  Then I remembered that I had some Shaklee Performance Maximum Endurance Sports Drink in the house.  I went inside and mixed a large water bottle of the stuff and drank about a third of it immediately.  I put the rest in the garage refrigerator.  I thought I’d sit down for a few minutes.  I did sit, but only for a short time.  I quickly realized I was feeling better and the fatigue was gone.  It was much better than when I drank the water.  I got up and finished the work I was doing on the yard.  I drank the rest of the Performance Recovery drink as I worked.

 

The upshot of all this seems to be that the Shaklee Performance Drink made a big difference for me.  I know there are other hydration drinks on the market, but my knowledge and experience with Performance keeps me using this one particular brand.  Other drinks are mostly sugar and are not well researched.  They are mostly marketing ploys, spending big bucks to hire sports celebrities to make expensive television commercials.

 

Shaklee Performance is a well-researched product that has proven itself time after times.  They have many amateur athletes who use Performance because of its results.  These athletes are not paid by Shaklee to use its products. Check out how many Olympic gold medals have been won by Shaklee users.

   

Dehydration while working in the heat can be dangerous.  My whole-hearted recommendation is to use Shaklee Performance Sports drink before you begin to do your yard work and through out the process.  It’s not only for athletes; it’s for anyone who is doing more physical activity than usual.  Keep your fluids flowing, and keep the right fluids in your body.  

 

Dallas Health Helpers has been involved in natural approaches to health for 26 years.  We are located in Uptown Dallas, but our influence is nation wide.

Colonoscopy Day

Colonoscopy day started early.  My appointment was at 7:30 a.m. and they wanted me there at 6:30.  My procedure was done at the doctor’s clinic.  It was not far from home and it was raining.  Bob took me to the office and waited for me.  My anesthesiologist later said she was surprised that everyone was showing up on time because of the weather.

 

After filling out paperwork, I waited only a few minutes before they called my name.  I verified the correct spelling on my wrist band and we were taken to the bed that I would have my procedure done on.

 

A nurse came and began asking questions. There were the typical questions about family history and current status.  She was quite impressed that at 52, I am on no medications.  She complemented me on my excellent blood pressure and the fact that I have had only one surgery in my life:  a tonsillectomy at the age of 18.  She then started an IV in my right hand.

 

A second nurse came and asked most of the same questions.  She, too, was impressed with my status.  I contribute my good health to the 26 years of taking vitamins and just about as many years of exercising on a regular basis.

 

Then the anesthesiologist came.  She, again, asked many questions and then rolled me down the hall on the bed.  I had never seen a hospital hallway from a rolling bed or guerney.  She must have passed her driving test, because she made the turns and corners with experienced ease. 

 

In the procedure room a nurse was very friendly and energetic.  She offered me a blanket and I waffled on the request.  She said, “You want a blanket,” and put a warm one over me. It felt good for the time I remember it.  The anesthesia began to kick in.  The last thing I remember was saying, “Here it comes.”

 

When I woke up I think I was back in the original space where all the prepatory questions were asked.  I felt a little groggy, but came around pretty quickly.  Someone offered me some juice and it really was good.  I was quite thirsty after the preparation day and having had no fluids after midnight.  The doctor came by and brought pictures of my colon and said he’d call in about 5 days. They had snipped off a small pollup and were sending it to the lab for a biopsy.

 

Soon we were on our way back home in the rain.  I seemed to feel every bump in the road.  I didn’t want to go sit in a restaurant to eat, so we came home.  I did  have some cereal with Café Latte Cinch Shake in it.  It was very good.  Soon after that I laid on the sofa and slept.  I slept off and on until about 11:30 a.m.  I kept getting up to get something to drink and going to the bathroom. 

 

That was the part I was not ready for.  The same routine as last night was happening on the day of the procedure.  This kept up until later in the day.  I think the corner was turned when I had more cereal, this time with high fiber.

 

So all is better, two days later.  The only remains are the irritated circles on my chest were they monitored my heart during the procedure and a bruise on my right hand where the IV was installed.

 

Colonoscopy day started early. I will get more results from the doctor 5 days after the big day.  It wasn’t as bad as I expected and it was a longer ordeal than I expected.

 

Dallas Health Helpers has been involved in natural approaches to health for 26 years.  We are located in Uptown Dallas, but our influence is nation wide.

Dallas Children’s Health Expert says children need the following.

Children’s health is very important to parents. Often this is correlated directly to children’s nutrition.  Kids don’t often eat as well as they should.

Many children consume about 25% of their calories from junk food and french fries are the most eaten vegetable. 

As indicated by studies, those children who have a nutritionally inadequate diet generally perform poorly in school.  This poor nutritional status can also impact a child’s bone growth, immune system and overall physical development in a negative way.

Did you know that since the 1970’s kids’ consumption of soft drinks has more than doubled?  And this is at the cost of more nutritious drinks such as milk and juice.  This high soda intake also leaves children with less than adequate levels of calcium, phosphorus, folate and vitamins A and C.

So what is the solution?  We can not be with our children 24 hours a day.  At school or social functions, it is difficult to ensure that they are getting good nutrition.  Of course we can send healthy foods and snacks with them, but someone often has something more appealing and is willing to make a trade.

Try to send foods that are good for your child with them to school.  Notice what your child likes that is nutritious and have plenty of that around.  Limit the amount of soda and sugary snacks in your home.  Make fruit easily accessible at all times.  Encourage other parents to provide healthy snacks for the children on sports teams and at other social events.

One good tactic is to provide a good vitamin supplement for your children.   There are many on the market that highly appeal to children.  Most of the appeal is slick marketing tactics.  The best I find are manufactured by the Shaklee Corporation.

Children’s health is one aspect of concern for Dallas Health Helpers.  Dallas Health Helpers has been involved in natural approaches to health for 26 years.  We are located in Uptown Dallas, but our influence is nation wide.