Tag Archives: health

What Are Your Fingernails Saying About Your Health?

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What are your fingernails saying aout your health?Your fingernails, along with your tendons, joints, hair, and skin are made from collagen–a group of naturally occurring  proteins that strengthen the connective tissues of your body.We know that if your nails are weak or problematic, they represent a communication from inside the body to the outside.

Your nails are a reflection of your nutritional status and the overall quality of your health. This communication can bring to your attention deficiencies in essential nutrients. They can also reflect environmental chemical exposures.

To improve the quality and health of your nails, you first need to understand their constitution and chemistry. The nutrient calcium is an essential component of healthy nails; it is often deficient in dry and brittle nails. Fat-soluble vitamins in addition to a “good fats”, which are part of the metabolism of collagen, may also be missing or deficient.

Another issue may be low thyroid function, especially if the hair and skin are dry. Thyroid function is directly connected to the deposition of protein into our connective tissues and our nail beds.

Iron deficiency can produce pale, thin nails. Vitamin B and C deficiencies can be contributing factors to shredding, weak nails. Often if there is a digestive problem, which includes a lack of hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen or poor eating and absorption, vertical nail ridges can be found. Zinc and mineral deficiencies can create white spotting in the nail beds, along with chronic nail crack patterns and damage.

External factors can include exposure to household chemicals when cleaning without gloves, exposure to garden chemicals, handyman repairs, and cleaning or dying your clothes or rugs and upholstery. Excess use of nail polish remover is another culprit. An interesting fact is that repeated exposure to water is the number one external cause of dry, brittle nails.

When we understand how our fingernails tell the story about our internal nutritional and metabolic status, we can immediately address and correct the problem by choosing higher quality foods that are rich in calcium, minerals, vitamins B and C, and omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh fruits, vegetables, cold-water fish, whole grains and beans are excellent choices to help eliminate nail weakness and splitting.

The best way to healthy, beautiful nails is through a healthy, beautiful diet.

Can Seniors Improve Their Memory With The Help Of Diet And Supplements?

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Can Seniors Improve Their Memory With The Help Of Diet And Supplements?

Approximately 40 percent of seniors experience memory impairment, according to past published studies. Of those diagnosed, around 1 percent of them will eventually progress to dementia — a medical condition linked to the progressive decline of the brain function. In fact, memory loss has now become a common senior worry along with DVT and heart disease. As people get older, many of them admit to worrying about themselves or their loved ones and a potential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s if signs of memory loss happen to show up. However, not all memory problems are linked to these conditions; in some cases, it can be attributed to aging or other lifestyle factors. In those instances, there are steps seniors can take to boost their memory power, starting with their diet.

Understanding What Impacts Your Memory As You Age

Age-related memory loss can be mainly attributed to three main causes: the decline of the hippocampus region, reduction of the hormones protecting your brain as you get older and a decreased blood flow to the brain. All of these causes are quite common with age and while it can affect your ability to recall memories or your cognitive skills, it should not affect your ability to function in your daily life. If you do find your memory loss is progressive or disabling, it may be time to have a conversation with your doctor about the differences between age-related memory loss or dementia.

As you age, regions like the hippocampus will decrease in size. This means your ability to retrieve information already stored or encode new memories can be hampered. Similarly, low blood flow to the brain- commonly associated with dementia and higher incidences of falling in seniors- may cause memory slips. Alternatively, many medications taken by senior citizens can carry a memory impairment side effects. If you or a senior you know is worried about whether they are experiencing age-related memory loss or a medical condition, viewing Harvard University Health’s loss of cognitive abilities checklist can provide some answers. 

Eat A Diet That Supports Brain Health

Multiple studies have established a link between eating healthy and brain health. For instance, a past study showed that a diet rich in added sugars can lead to declined short term memory ability while another published in the Journal Annals of Neurology highlighted the impact of a diet rich in saturated and trans fat on memory abilities. 

Start with including fatty fish like salmon or trout in your diet at least twice a week. These foods are rich in omega 3 fatty acids- which helps to build brain cells, promote learning and steady any memory loss already experienced. Seniors should also aim to include green leafy vegetables, berries, and broccoli in their diets. All of these are rich in antioxidants and vitamin K, which can lead to better memory. Caffeine has also been shown to help; adding some dark chocolate, cocoa, or a cup of coffee in your day can help seniors remain alert. 

Make Time For Sleep And Meditation

Lifestyle factors like your sleeping habits can significantly influence your ability to recall or register any new information. Make time for exercise and relaxation daily. Not only does regular exercise help to maintain the physical wellbeing of seniors but it is a great stress relief tool. Mediation has also been shown to reduce stress and improve short term memory.

Older adults should also aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Without it, the consolidation of memories is interrupted. While sleeping changes are common with age, implementing tips like setting a bedtime routine, avoiding screens and caffeine before bedtime and including exercise in your daily life can help. 

Boost Your Memory Progress With Omega 3 Supplements

In addition to diet and a healthy lifestyle, using nutritional additives that boost brain health can help seniors with age-related recollection abilities. Among the most recommended supplements are Omega 3 or fish oil supplements, which are the same polyunsaturated oils found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. There have also been studies showing the benefits of taking 5 grams of creatine daily (the supplement popular amongst the athletic and fitness crowd) in enhancing cognitive functions.

There is also evidence supporting the use of other over the counter supplements including vitamin E, caffeine, curcumin, and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMS). However, it is important that these supplements should not take the place of a healthy diet. For instance, curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric which can be easily added to your recipes or nightly glass of warm milk. Similarly, 100 grams of cocoa solids contain up to 230 mg of caffeine.

There is no quick fix to improving memory loss, but there is hope. The best bet is the ongoing adoption of healthy food and lifestyle choices.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

For an overview of more Whole Health topics, Watch Two Hours of FREE Course Excerpts from the National Institute of Whole Health.

Accomplish Your New Year’s Resolution With Mindful Eating

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Accomplish Your New Years Resolution With Mindful Eating

I love what Geneen Roth has to say about our relationship with food and how it reflects our relationship with ourselves.  In my over thirty years as a clinical nutritionist, I have observed, like Geneen, that we feed ourselves the same way we live our lives. The way of mindful eating is that our eating patterns and nutrition, like adaptation and survival, are critical components of our ability to live and thrive. Accomplish your New Year’s resolution, such as improving your health or losing weight, with mindful eating.

The Source Of The Challenge

In spite of the fact that the food we eat has such a significant impact on our whole being and quality of life, most of us are wildly confused about nutrition. This is especially true today because this basic necessity has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry, selling us foods and nutrition related goods our parents didn’t need or know about.

“In the old days”, food was produced more naturally with less processing, lifestyles were less complicated and decidedly less stressful.  Remember how we said we would never grow up to be like our parents? We may want to rethink that – they are the healthiest and wealthiest generation ever!  Nutrition has become a big health issue because of poor quality food, soaring stress levels and our lack of exercise.  “The balanced diet” –the tried and true standard for good nutrition has been pushed aside for every conceivable variation on what and how to eat.

Some of this new information is quite useful and lots of it appeals to our vanity or desire to avoid taking the long look at what Geneen Roth refers to as “being present to our food and our lives.” If we are present, we realize that moderation and balance (just like with stress!) is the way to go.  Our foods are chemicals and can affect our emotions as well as our bodies.

A Grainy Example

An example of this is excess grain consumption. Human beings do not produce enzymes to break down cellulose, the outer protective layer of grain.  Many animals like cows and horses can eat grain in its natural state without a problem. If we attempted that, we would injure our mouths and esophagus, so we alter the grain from its natural state to flour, in order to consume it.  We think we can eat whatever, so we get creative and bake, fry, boil, etc. this processed grain into “food.”

Unfortunately, the majority of us do not tolerate the protein gluten found in most grains.  Gluten can damage and weaken the lining of our gut, leading to all kinds of problems, which can include eating disorders, obesity and depression. Humans are also the only mammals that continue to consume milk after weaning, and it’s breast milk from another species at that.

When we are experiencing mindful eating, we become aware of our body’s responses to what we put into it.  That requires slowing down, which is what our nervous systems have to do for our digestion to work properly. Stress is “anti-nutritious” because during stress our ability to deal with the “emergency” at hand.  Stress also significantly increases the need for certain nutrients, which are critical for the stress response. Protein, Vitamins A, B, C, and E, unsaturated fatty acids and minerals need to be replenished.

Moving Forward Mindfully

How we can improve our nutrition and discern what is best for us? We can observe why and how we eat, what feedback our bodies give us and consider the always prudent common sense approach of balance and moderation.  We are living beings, we need to eat living food.  The good news is you can eat all the fruits, vegetables, salads, veggie soups and stews you want (barring allergies) and you can’t go wrong!

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Mastering New Beginnings In The New Year

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“Happy New Year” is a greeting that fills us with anticipation, excitement and hope. The anticipation is for the new beginning we feel as the ball drops and we say good-bye to the past and look forward to the future. Our excitement is for the many possibilities that may lay ahead in the coming year and the hope is for a better twelve months than those that came before.

What are some simple, positive and productive actions we can take in this New Year that will support our optimistic January resolutions?

Clean The Slate

Cleaning and organizing your home space is one of the most positive ways to start the New Year. It has been shown in numerous studies that a clean, organized environment provides a sense of relaxation and calm and also helps us to be more productive because we are more organized. This results in a more efficient work or study outcome.

Spend Less

Commit to spending less and saving what you don’t spend. Setting a goal of saving a realistic amount of money each month and achieving that goal by spending that much less is an empowering and satisfying way to take more control over your finances. It also reinforces the idea that you can transform your saving/spending patterns without much stress and strain.

Eat Better

Eat less processed foods and more living foods – this is not only a healthy resolution but also a cost saving one as well. We as Americans enjoy an abundant lifestyle and have the highest obesity rate in the world to prove it. By focusing on life-giving, plant-based foods, we nourish our bodies. And, we save a lot of money by not buying high priced processed and often non-nourishing “foods.”

Give Back

Identify an organization, charity or cause that you can either provide a small but heartfelt donation or voluteer time to. Participating in meaningful assistance to others is rewarding on many levels and is good for our health as well as our sense of contribution.

Each New Year is an opportunity for a new beginning…and life, it is often said, is a series of new beginnings.

 

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888-354-4325 Take charge of your health!

Breathing For Your Health

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Breathing Underwater- Breath and Whole Health

Most of us take our breathing for granted. We generally do not think about how our amazing brain automatically regulates the most urgent and important bodily function we have. If we do not breathe, we do not live beyond a few short minutes. The ability to breathe and the quality of our breathing clearly has an important impact on our ability to live, but also expresses a great deal of information about the state of our nervous system and emotional health.

Breathing is such a critical function that in addition to being under the automatic control of our brain stem it is also a physical function we can control at will. We know that our breathing is affected by and directly affects our emotional states, exertion levels, nervous system fluctuations and overall whole health.

The affects of emotion on the respiratory system can readily been seen during an asthma attack, which can be very frightening and further reduces the individual’s ability to “catch their breath”. Many of us do not breathe freely. We are breathing freely when we breathe in and out through the muscles of our bellies. We tend to breathe through the chest muscles because we are tense and “holding our breath,” which starves our cells of energizing oxygen.

Deep breathing or relaxed breathing exercises can make an enormous difference in our health and vitality. By changing our breathing from shallow to deep,  we can experience many whole health benefits:

Breathing Underwater- Breath and Whole Health

> Breathing deeply rather than shallowly creates detoxification within our cells, bringing oxygen rich blood into our cells and cleansing out carbon dioxide.

> Breathing deeply into our bellies rather than our chest muscles produces a greater sense of calm and relaxation brought about through the increase of oxygen to the nervous system.

> This form of cleansing, nourishing breathing is conducive to whole body health and brings about a sense of inner peace.

> Deep breathing can help you sleep better and also feel more energetic because of the increase of oxygen to the brain

This is a great subject to review in your patient education process as a health coach or nurse coach. If you would like to re-train your breathing so that you derive the most benefit each day from this life-sustaining, automatic body function – start slowing. Take just five minutes twice a day to sit quietly in your chair with eyes closed, body relaxed. Allow yourself to focus on your breath. Rather than tensing your shoulders and back muscles, let your breathing rise and fall from your belly muscles. Slow, relaxed breathing for five minutes each day, twice a day, can re-train your automatic breathing patterns and help you to feel better, sleep better and be healthier and more energetic.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful accredited health program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Loneliness and Isolation Affect Our Health

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Naturally, everyone feels lonely at one time or another. It may seem harmless, but loneliness and isolation are part of a fast-growing epidemic in this country. At any one time, 60 million Americans report feeling alone. It’s an invisible discomfort that can lead to physical disease. New research suggests that social isolation creates so much stress and strain that it might be a bigger threat to your health than obesity.

Necessities To Survive

This shouldn’t be surprising. Abraham Maslow, MD, PhD, ranked belonging as the most important necessity to our survival after food, water, shelter and our immediate safety was taken care of. Relationships, or the belonging component of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs, is also the most difficult imperative that most of us experience as human beings.

Unhealthy Trade Off

Being in relationships that feel bad is unhealthy and unhappy – and not being in relationships with others can also feel bad, unhealthy and unhappy. This is why many individuals, especially females, will remain in unhealthy situations even though they do not want to continue in a dysfunctional relationship.

Depressed Functioning

The effects of depression is one topic often discussed in the health advocacy program. In numerous studies, loneliness (especially in the elderly) has been shown to have a significant impact on an individual’s health and well-being in addition to their feeling of being valued or loved. Depression is a real problem for those experiencing loneliness. Depression has an immediate impact on an individual’s health and ability to function.

Alternative Solutions From The Health Advocacy Program

Relationships with pets has increased dramatically over the last 10 years in the U.S. Pets can eliminate the sense of being “alone” or lonely and have proven to have healing effects on individuals of all ages and all stages of illness.

Even our relationships with plants can help us to feel less alone and caring for them provides a sense of purposeful work and fulfillment.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health advocacy program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Does That Morning Cup Of Coffee Affect Your Health?

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Coffee and your health

Coffee is controversial. Depending on who you talk to, it’s either a lifesaving beverage, or a dangerous, addictive poison. Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant and can cause issues in some people, including sleep disturbances.

Despite the potential for addiction and the precautions that should be taken when drinking coffee, there are many good things to be said about it. In a June 2016 report, the WHO officially lifted coffee from the list of potentially carcinogenic foods. It went on to commission coffee as a potential defender against cancer of the uterus and liver. Coffee can boost energy, mood, and its active ingredient, caffeine, is one of a few natural substances proven to aid in fat burning.

Coffee Can Help With Energy And Performance

Pretty much everyone is familiar with the energy-boosting effects of coffee. Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which causes a stimulant-like effect, temporarily improving energy, mood, memory, and brain function overall. A study commissioned by the National Coffee Association surveyed 3,000 Americans about their coffee drinking habits. It found that 64 percent of Americans drink at least one cup of coffee every day, with many opting to consume caffeine regularly through the convenience of personalized coffee subscriptions rather than going on the daily Starbucks run.

Caffeine has been proven to help burn fat, and specifically increases fat burning by up to 10% and can boost metabolism from anywhere between 3-11%. For this reason, it is found in almost every commercial fat burning supplement on the market. Stopping for coffee on the way to the gym could actually be beneficial to your workout. In addition to stimulating the nervous system, it increases adrenaline levels, which prepares the body for physical exertion. Perhaps the coolest benefit of caffeine for a work out is that it breaks body fat down, which frees fatty acids to be used as extra fuel. It’s been shown to improve physical performance by up to 12%.

What About Health Benefits?

Did you know that your morning cup of Joe contains some essential nutrients? One cup of coffee can contain up to 11% of the recommended daily value of riboflavin (B12), 6% of pantothenic acid (B5), 3% of manganese and potassium, and 2% of niacin. Studies have shown coffee drinkers (those who drink from 4 to 5 cups a day) to have a 25-50% lower risk of Type 2 Diabetes, a 40% lower risk of liver cancer, and a 15% lower risk of colorectal cancer. The same amount of coffee can significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and can even lower the risk of Parkinson’s, which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease.

For many people in the US who adhere to some version of the Western Diet (comprised predominantly of processed foods, refined sugar, fats and flours), those daily cups can be their biggest source of antioxidants, providing more than fruits and veggies combined.

Everything In Moderation

Caffeine on its own has no nutritional value. It will make you feel energized, however, over time, too much can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, irritability, drowsiness, and anxiety. According to studies, it is safe for most adults to consume up to 400mg of caffeine per day. Drinking coffee on a regular basis usually leads to a heightened tolerance in most people, and factors such as body mass, age, etc. can determine an individual’s tolerance. Women should limit their intake to between 200-300 mg per day when trying to get pregnant, and keep it around the same while pregnant.

Despite the fact that some studies carried out regarding coffee and health have been observational, they have all demonstrated strong and consistent associations meaning that coffee could have a positive impact on your health, both physical and mental. However, before you pour yourself another cup of Joe, experts say it’s important to remember that caffeine is a drug, and as with any drug, there are right ways and wrong ways to use it.

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How To Stop Allergies

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The cleanliness of your home is intricately linked to your whole person health and happiness, with recent research by German and Swiss scientists showing that there is a positive association between anxiety and seasonal allergies, and between depression and perennial allergies. The exact reasons are unknown, but it makes sense that a condition that can cause a wide array of symptoms – everything from headaches to respiratory difficulty – and can wrest from the state of wholeness and balance, preventing you from being your most motivated self. If there are allergens in your home, how can you eliminate them while keeping the air quality in an optimal state?

Common Allergens In The Home

Some of the most common allergens in American homes include dust, pet dander, and (if you live in a humid area) mold. Signs that you may be allergic to these substances include sneezing, having itchy/watery eyes/nose/roof of mouth, coughing, facial pain and congestion. If you have asthma and you are allergic to dust mites, mold or other microscopic allergens, you could have difficulty sleeping and experience wheezing and breathing problems when you develop a common cold or flu.

There Is Hope For People With Allergies

Another study by M Nanda et al also indicated that children with allergies are more likely to have anxiety and depression. Those with hayfever, in particular, have three times the risk of having these mental conditions as those without allergies. Boston University academic Sandro Galea, meanwhile, states, “There is good circumstantial evidence that’s growing that a number of mental illnesses are associated with immune dysfunction.” The good news is that treatment (which sometimes involves antihistamines) can reduce anxiety and depression, by reducing the symptoms that can lead to frustration and stress. Sometimes, even small design changes can make a big difference. Testing and diagnosis are the two first steps to take before defining your personal anti-allergy strategy.

Allergy Testing Is Key

Those with persistent symptoms of allergies should be tested for allergies so they can take specific steps to lower their exposure. The usual test for common allergies like dust and pollen allergies involve prick/scratch testing, in which the doctor places a small drop of the potentially offending item on your skin. If the area becomes red and itchy within a few minutes, then it is indicative of an allergy. Often, symptoms can reduced by making a few key changes in the home – including steam vacuuming regularly and the utilization of a HEPA filter – capable of trapping dirt as small as 0.3 microns.

Testing For Mold Allergies

If mold is the suspected culprit, the doctor may recommend either a skin test or IgE blood test. If you live in a humid area, it is vital to test for the presence of spores, since they can be present in areas such as basements and other humid areas, without being visible. Mold can hide in pipes, sinks and broken HVAC systems. If you are allergic to mold, professional testing and cleaning to eliminate spores is important. The use of anti-microbial sprays, a HEPA vacuum and air scrubbers are just a few solutions you can look into.

Studies in both children and adults have shown that allergies are linked to anxiety and depression. If you or your child have symptoms such as watering eyes or an itchy throat, testing and receiving a diagnosis are vital. Sometimes, symptoms can be reduced through simple changes in the home. For others, antihistamines and/or other treatments can stop allergies from interfering with your whole health and quality of life.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

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How To Detoxify Your Environment

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By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

Detox Your EnvironmentWe are bombarded every day with hundreds of chemical toxins in our environment. Plastic particles, heavy metals, pesticides, cleaning toxins, air pollution and hundreds of other chemicals find their way into our lungs, blood stream, immune system and body systems.

Here are 10 easy tips from the National Institute of Whole Health, to help de-toxify your environment and purify your body, preventing illness and even early aging.

Tip #1: Protect your body from pesticides by thoroughly washing your fruits and vegetables to remove most of the pesticide residue.
If you can find, grow or afford organic produce, this is your best assurance against ingesting unwanted pesticides.

Tip #2: Use cotton, polyester or hemp over plastic bathroom shower and window curtains. Plastic emits toxic chemicals easily eliminated by using alternative materials

Tip #3: Don’t inhale gas fumes when you are filling your tank and avoid exhaust fumes when jogging or walking in a heavily trafficked area. We know that gasoline contains lead and other pollutants and should not be inhaled>

Tip #4: Use only natural body creams or replace them with olive or walnut oil. The chemicals found in body creams and lotions as well as makeup and other beauty products can be carcinogenic and should be avoided.

Tip #5: Avoid all second-hand and third-hand smoke. Exposure to second- or third- hand smoke kills over 50,000 people every year.

Tip #6: Keep over the counter pill use to a minimum. Studies show a direct correlation between high over the counter drug use and liver and brain damage, as well as an increase of Alzheimer’s disease.

Tip #7: Wipe your feet or take off your shoes of before coming into your house. This will reduce the amount of lead dust and allergens you can bring into the house from your shoes.

Tip #8: Lather up. Using soap liberally when you are showering or bathing is the best and most natural way to eliminate environmental toxins from your skin, which is the largest immune component of your body, and also the part of the body most in contact with the external environment.

Tip #9: Eat low mercury fish. By choosing cod, flounder, wild Alaskan or Pacific salmon – as well as clams and shrimp – you can avoid mercury rich foods. Swordfish, mackerel and tuna fish all have higher levels of mercury than the white fish mentioned.

Tip #10: Replace highly chemical house cleaners with the now popular green cleaners that do not irritate the lungs or skin.

By following these 10 simple ways to detox your environment, you can save your liver and immune system the work of detoxifying these chemicals out of your body. This will, over time, prove to be a “life saver” – literally!

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Integrity Influences Your Healthy Choices

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Healthy Choices

Driven by personal history and ambition, successful people offer perfect examples of the potential outcome of serotonin-driven self-soothing. This invites us to ask and answer questions about self-esteem and self-care. In exploring theme, we often find that integrity and healthy choices tend to go hand-in-hand.

When we understand the relationship between our unconscious mind, our self-esteem, and the stress of looking for love “out there,” it becomes clear that what is at the core of our “super sizing” or over-eating is not solved by the diet of the month or the next how-to best seller. Rather, what is called for is an examination of:

  • Ego State
  • Personal World View
  • Treatment of Nature and Others
  • Values
  • Beliefs
  • Consumption
  • Accumulations

Aspects of Whole Health And Self-Awareness

When these aspects of self are aligned with choices that lead to moderation rather than ambition, that produces balance rather than extremes, which debunks the thinking that “more is better.” We then select the foods we innately know are healthy, even when we must choose from a fast food menu.

In a culture comprised of 5% of the world population, using 75% of the world’s resources, we have come to accept access as a way of life. The 1980’s Robin Leaches’ TV show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, tainted our appetites for over-consumption, which has brought us to where we are today– obese and chronically diseased.

Making Healthy Choices With Integrity

World wide, healthy cultural traditions offer us an opportunity to re-think our approach to the way we live. Folk wisdom invites us to ponder:

How much do I really need to —–

> Have?
> Eat?
> Own?
> Control?

What do I need in order to be content? And, what role does gratitude in my life is? Having a calm, well-functioning nervous system can be a main objective for all of us instead of trying to trick the body into doing what is not natural with the latest diet craze or supplement pills available.

Asking Different Questions

It may be time for us to not only change the question we ask ourselves but the questions we are asked as consumers. What if, when making food purchases, the questions were “supersize or downsize” and the choice we make could result in significant weight loss rather than weight gain? That might put us on the road to health instead of heart disease and diabetes, which more and more research shows comes from stress and poor food choices.

So, are your food choices congruent with your personal values?