Health Benefits of Coffee

            It seems there's often conflicting information in the news about whether or not coffee is actually good fro you. So,lets take a look and see what we find.
           Coffee's main benefit is its antioxidant content.In fact,according to reseachers from the University of Scranton,coffee is the number one source of antioxidant in our diet. Decaf coffee appears to provide as much of an antioxidant punch as regular coffee.Coffee's ORAC score is 15,000 to 17,000-one of the highest levels of any food.
            The caffeine in coffee may help reduce the chance of developing Parkinson Disease and protect against gallstones. Regular coffee drinkers will not be surprised to know that caffeine has been shown to increase alertness,enhance mood, temporarily improve physical stamina,and relieve headaches.Moderate coffee consumption has also been associated with a reduced rate of type 2 diabetes and a lowered risk of Alzheimer's Disease.Of course, moderation is important. Too much caffeine can cause sleep troubles and may cause fertility difficulties for women who are trying to become pregnant.

How to Choose Coffee at the Store
If possible, buy whole beans anf grind them at home to get the freshest cup.You'll maximize the antioxidant content,plus your coffee will taste better,so you wont have to add as much milk and sugar to make it palatable. Dark roast appears to deliver more antioxidants than light roast coffee. 

Ways to Include Healthier Coffee in Your Diet
You probably dont need help including more coffee in your diet,so let's look at ways to include healthier coffee in you diet instead,

Use less sugar: Adding sugar to coffee ups its calorie content and artificial sweetners are loaded with chemicals and are not good for you. Try adding a little cocoa or cinnamon to your coffee instead
Use Real Milk or Cream: Creamers are full of unpronoucceable ingreients,and the flavored versions often contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup
Watch the Coffee Shop Drinks: Be careful what you order at coffee shops. Some of their drinks have as many calories as you would consume in an entire meal. Drip coffee or an Americano is your best bet.
      I hope this has helped clear up some of the confusion about coffee. Enjoy !                 

 

Choose !

    Think about the word "choose."
It may be the single most important word
in your life.  
Why?
     Let's look at what the dictionary says about the word "choose"  
1. to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference:
Example: She chose Sunday for her departure. 
2. to prefer or decide (to do something): Example: He chose to run
for election. 
3. to want; desire. 
4. to make a choice: Example: He chose carefully. 
5. to be inclined: Example: You may stay here, if you choose.   
      Let's look at #3 first, "to want, to desire," we all have wants and
desires, you can "choose" to love or not be loved. You can choose
to seek after that which you desire, or simply hope it will
magically come to you someday.
       Look at #1 "to select from a number of possibilities" WOW, this is
powerful. A number of possibilities, I would say this is almost
unlimited.  
      Here are some examples:
1. You could choose to live a sedentary life or an active life.
2. You could choose to imagine your life as successful or believe
    that success will never come your way.
3. You could choose to believe in something when all those around
   you say you should not believe in it.
4. You could choose to take "action" or not take action.
5. You could choose to gain knowledge by reading newsletters like
this one as well as books and magazines that will empower you with
life changing information, or you could choose to watch more TV.
(here is something to think about when watching TV.....VIRTUALLY
EVERYONE YOU ARE WATCHING IS GETTING PAID TO BE ON TELEVISION...
how much do you get paid to watch it?)
6. Look at #2 from the dictionary listing above. To prefer or
decide (to do something): Example: He chose to run for election.
Every President the United States has ever had first chose to seek
and/or accept the job.  
     You see, it is "YOU"  that chooses, YOU have the power to choose
the direction of your life.
* You can choose to seek success.
* You can choose to have a healthy body by choosing what you put in
it and what you do with it.
* You can choose to use the power of attraction (as discussed in
The Secret) by creating a movie in your mind of you succeeding and
believing that the success you are visualizing is already yours!
* You can choose to take that new job in another city.
* You can choose to forgive.  
     But here is the bottom line.
 
    It is "YOU" who must choose, no one else can choose for you.  
Here is an important question......Will you choose?  
   Make no mistake about it, even if you choose NOT to choose you have
chosen a direction for your life......that is POWERFUL!
So I challenge you today to look at your life and CHOOSE!
* Choose success
* Choose unconditional love 

* Choose health  
* Choose to take the time to teach your children what you have
    learned about choosing.
 
    You know there are areas of your life "RIGHT NOW" where you have
failed to make a choice....to choose.  
    Why do I issue this challenge to you?
 
Because I care about YOU......I "choose" to care about you.
   

"The law of the farm"

I think I remember Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People making reference to what I believe he called “the law of the farm.” The reference was meant to show that most of the truly good things in life take time and can’t be forced or rushed. Covey described the process of farming and alluded to how it requires patience and diligence to grow crops properly. In addition, farming requires belief in the system. The farmer must believe that all the hard work and preparation will eventually yield a long-term result.   

As a strength and conditioning coach, business owner and personal trainer, the concept has always stuck with me. The process of exercising is much like farming or like planting a lawn. There are no immediate results from exercise and there are no immediate results from farming. 

First, the seeds must be planted. Then fertilizer (nutrition) and water must be applied consistently. Much like fertilizer in farming, too much food can be a detriment to the exerciser. Only the correct amounts cause proper growth. Overfeeding can cause problems, as can underfeeding. As I sit and wait for my lawn to sprout or crops to grow, I feel many of the same frustrations of the new exerciser. When will I see results? How come nothing is happening? All this work and — nothing. 

The key is to not quit. Have faith in the process. Continue to add water and wait. Farming and exercising are eerily similar. Continue to exercise and eat well and suddenly a friend or co-worker will say, “Have you lost weight”? Your reaction might be, “It’s about time someone noticed.” Much like the first blades of grass poking through the ground, you begin to see success. You begin to experience positive feedback. Clothes begin to fit differently. 

When my friends or clients talk to me about their frustration with their initial lack of progress in an exercise program, I always bring up the farm analogy. We live in a world obsessed with quick fixes and instant results. This is why the farm analogy can be both informative and comforting.  

An exercise program must be approached over a period of weeks and months, not days. The reality is that there is no quick fix, no easy way, no magic weight loss plan, no secret cellulite formula. There is only the law of the farm. You will reap what you sow. In reality, you will reap what you sow and care for. If you are consistent and diligent with both diet and exercise, you will eventually see results. However, remember, much like fertilizer and water, diet and exercise go together.  

Try to grow crops or a lawn without water. No amount of effort will overcome the lack of vital nutrients.  

The law of the farm.  

Plant the seeds.

Feed and water

 

Wait for the results,they will happen,not in days or weeks but months.

 

Dont let anybody tell you different.

Drinking during adolescence may increase risk of breast cancer for women

 A bad hangover isn’t all to fear from alcohol consumption. A new study warns that if a woman drinks one alcoholic beverage per day, on average, between her first period and first full-term pregnancy, her risk of breast cancer increases.

The study was done by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. It was the first to link increased breast cancer risk to drinking in the period between adolescence and pregnancy; previous studies focused on risks occurring later in life.

The study’s findings were based on 91,005 mothers who participated in a major U.S. health study from 1989 to 2009. These women had no cancer history, and completed questions on early alcohol consumption in 1989. To analyze risk of breast cancer they were followed through 2009.

The results? Alcohol consumption between adolescence and first full-term pregnancy was associated with 13 percent increased risk of breast cancer in the women.

ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross had this to say: “There are data showing a link between amount of alcohol consumed daily (or weekly) and an elevated risk of breast cancer in adult women and seniors. This is the first similar study I’ve seen focusing on young adults and teens. While some caution is indicated in terms of how much alcohol to consume with the thought of breast cancer in mind, note that this is an observational study and the degree of putative elevated risk is not substantial enough to really be of concern. There are more significant reasons to keep alcohol ingestion under good control.”

11 Days

                It’s January the 11^th, 2014. We are now 11 days into 2014. Are you better off today than you were 11 days ago? Are you fitter, healthier and happier? Are you paying attention to what you eat and getting in the gym on a regular basis? If you answered yes then well done! Good for you. Just keep doing what your doing and you will reach your goal, whatever that may be. If not, why not? Really, just what are you waiting for? Your not going to waste another year are you? Do you really want to be having this same conversation on January the 11^th 2015? Right now is the perfect time to get started. Not tomorrow .Not next month. Now! All it takes is a phone call. It starts with a call. That is the beginning of the process to change your life. But if you don’t call me I can’t help you. Lets just start with the call and then we’ll go from there. Remember, it cost you absolutely nothing to call me. We'll talk first. Then if you decide you would like to meet in person fine. If not you have lost nothing.

Say no to sugar

                Sugar causes weight gain and increases the risk of diabetes,it also lowers the good cholesterol and increases the bad cholesterol. Sugar contributes to premature ageing due to the constant raising of blood sugar,thereby speeding the ageing of skin and your vital organs.
                 Sugar causes an overgrowth of unhealthy yeast, candida albicans,in bowels,which is the culprit uncomfortable yeast infections.It also causes bloating,unexplained fatigue and cravings.And if that isnt bad enough. Sugar decreases the body's immune system response by suppressing the formation of white blood cells and disrupting vitamin C absortion  

"Thoughts" that will sabotage your efforts

1. “Slow and steady wins the race”. Tell that to Mo Farah or Usain Bolt 

2. “ Everything in moderation”. I have never seen this approach work in anything. Its like telling your boss you don't want to make to much money   

3. “It’s better than doing nothing”. We should set the standards by which we judge our efforts higher than doing nothing     . 

 4. “It could have been much worse”. Not doing as much of a bad thing is not the same as doing a good thing.

 

5. “That’s good enough” .This statement means you’ve settled. Saying “that’s good enough” is not the same as saying"I've done the best that i can".    

 6. “ I don’t have time”. Really? Research has shown that just 90 minutes a week can lead to significant improvements. That’s just three,30 minute sessions. Record Eastenders on Monday ,Wednesday and Friday nights and go to the gym instead.  

       If you find yourself rationalising or justifying your behaviour chances are your talking yourself into doing something you shouldn’t be doing. Remember to have both conversations with yourself. Talk to yourself with the same honesty and respect you would expect from someone speaking to you.