My 4 Month Transformation by B. Smith II

Click on photo to go to the body unburdened website for more information

Click on photo to go to the body unburdened website for more information

From the second week of July (2015) until (11-14-2015), I have been on a very special food diet that completely changed the way I look at dieting. I am 42 years old, 6’4, and weighed in at 256.6 pounds on average. In this four month experiment, I noticed some astounding changes. I went from 256.6 pounds to 230.0 pounds. I am back to a size 34 from size 36-38. I am healthier than I have ever been. I do not get the acid reflux at all anymore. My skin has never looked better. I am not plagued with headaches like I used to be. My body is no longer in the “Acidic” stage and has moved into the “Alkaline” stage (More on that later). I do not feel tired and run down halfway through the day anymore. Even my teeth are a lot whiter. On the day of this writing (11-29-2015), I am 225.4 pounds from the original 256.6 pounds when I started. That is a total loss of 31.2 pounds in this time frame.

So, you want to know what my secret is? It’s nothing new really. I experimented with all the research I had done over that last few years dealing with health, nutrition, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, diet, etc. and put together a little regimen that anyone can do if they want to get healthier and stay that way. Are you ready… Here it goes: Continue reading

Canning Tomatoes 101 by: Patrick Barton

Click on Photo to go to the Canning Tomatoes 101 by Patrick Barton video for the full canning process.

Click on Photo to go to the Canning Tomatoes 101 by Patrick Barton video for the full canning process.

Here we are canning 50 pounds of NON-GMO Beef Steak tomatoes from Georgia. Canning tomatoes, especially a large amount of tomatoes, is one of the best ways to keep and store freshly picked garden tomatoes. Canned tomatoes will stay fresh for several years and are especially good for home made chili.

When preparing the tomatoes, wash, core, and blanch the tomatoes. Blanching means to dip the tomatoes in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds. What blanching does is makes the skin of the tomato come right off.

After blanching, place the tomatoes in an ice bath. After the ice bath, peel the skin off the tomatoes. The skins of the tomatoes will mostly come right off very easily.

Then cut the tomatoes into four pieces (also known as quartering). Continue reading

Hydration: Why It’s So Important? by: familydoctor.org editorial staff

Click on photo to go to the FamilyDoctor.org Website for more information.

Click on photo to go to the FamilyDoctor.org Website for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is it so important to stay hydrated?

Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ in your body needs water to work correctly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate joints. Water is needed for good health.

How does my body lose water?

Water makes up more than half of your body weight. You lose water each day when you go to the bathroom, sweat, and even when you breathe. You lose water even faster when the weather is really hot, when you are physically active, or if you have a fever. Vomiting and diarrhea can also lead to rapid water loss. If you don’t replace the water you lose, you can become dehydrated.

How do I know if I’m dehydrated?

Symptoms of dehydration include the following:

Little or no urine, or urine that is darker than usual
Dry mouth
Sleepiness or fatigue
Extreme thirst
Headache
Confusion
Dizziness or lightheaded feeling
No tears when crying

Don’t wait until you notice symptoms of dehydration to take action. Actively prevent dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Continue reading

Why Does Your Knee Snap and Pop? by: Howard J. Luks, MD

Click on Photo to go to the Howard Luks, MD Website for more information

Click on Photo to go to the Howard Luks, MD Website for more information

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Does Your Knee Snap and Pop?

Snapping and popping knees bring many patients in the door. Some patients have painful snapping of their knee and some simply have snapping with no pain. Some patients note a history of trauma, some do not recall any injury. While not all cases of knee popping require treatment, some do. Let’s explore what are some of the more common reasons that our knees will snap and pop.

What Makes Our Knees Snap and Pop?

Our knee joint is composed of three bones — the end of the femur or thigh bone; the top of the tibia or shin bone, and the patella, or kneecap. The knee is supported or held together by a number of ligaments. The knee moves because of a number of large strong muscles and tendons. The force across the knee is borne by the medial and lateral menisci, which are two cartilage discs that protect the cartilage surfaces of our knees.

All of these structures can be damaged by activity, trauma, injury or simple degeneration. Many injuries to the knee structures mentioned above can causes snapping and popping of your knee.

Most common reasons your knees pop or snap:

Chondromalacia
Meniscus tears
Cartilage Defects
Patella Instability
Osteoarthritis Continue reading

My Shoulder Snaps and Pops and I Hear Clicking … Why? by Howard J. Luks, MD

Click on Photo to go to the Howard Luks, MD website for more information.

Click on Photo to go to the Howard Luks, MD website for more information.

Snapping Shoulder

Shoulder snapping and poppingShoulder snapping or popping is a very common issue— it is so common that this is one of the most frequently searched topics on my website. I see between 5-10 patients a week who are simply in my office because they want to know – Why my shoulder snaps and pops?

The shoulder is a very complex joint composed of bone, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and two different linings we call the synovium and the bursa. If any of these structures are injured, the smoothly functioning shoulder can pop, snap or click. These “injuries” can be simply due to everyday use, chronic repetitive stress of sports or because of a significant trauma, fall or accident. The most common cause of rotator cuff related pain and popping is rotator cuff tendinosis

Should I be worried if my shoulder pops?

Most of the time the clicking or snapping is due to everyday use and changes that occur naturally within our joints. As we age this causes some of the surfaces to roughen —thus when they rub against one another they will snap, click, or pop within the shoulder. In the majority of circumstances snapping or clicking of the shoulder is not an issue to worry about. Painless clicking and popping usually does not require any treatment at all. Once I see you for your shoulder examination many of you have tried various remedies. I’ve seen many of you try Glucosamine , and Hyaluronic Acid to try and “smooth” things out. Additionally, many of you have tried Tart Cherry Juice as a natural anti-inflammatory. Sometimes you report these supplements worked… but most of the time I do not hear favorable recommendations. Many of you have also tried a shoulder brace or compression sleeve — but generally find these to be cumbersome. Continue reading

Healthy Eating for the Family by: Peter Young

Click on Photo to go to the green living ideas website for more information.

Click on Photo to go to the Green Living Ideas website for more information.

 

 

There are a lot of things you can do to keep your children and family healthy, safe, and happy but none are likely to have a greater impact on a daily basis than the careful selection of the food they eat. While it remains bizarre how it became common place to consume processed, chemical laden foods with a list of ingredients that reads like a high school chemistry test, it takes little more than common sense to decide that they may not be the best choice when it comes to eating healthy foods.

Informed Shoppers Are Healthier Shoppers

Choosing to eat and live in a healthier more natural way is as simple as learning to read labels and see past advertising hype to get to the truth. If there was an accurate description of the way foods were grown, processed, and delivered to the grocery store or your table. There is little doubt most would choose the natural and organic methods automatically. Unfortunately, after years of overlooking labelling requirements people have learnt to not ask questions about foods. Now we simply consume them without thought. Healthier living starts with learning to ask questions again. Continue reading

Foods That Are GMO’s by: Michael Edwards

Click on Photo to enlarge chart

Click on Photo to enlarge chart

It’s really awesome to see a growing concern over genetically modified foods. People seem to be waking up to this issue. They don’t want genetically modified foods in their diets. And for good reason!

Are GMOs Safe?

While many studies claim no correlation to any health issues with GMO consumption, there are a number of studies that do show frightening correlations including multi-organ damage and reproductive disruption. The serious health risks are becoming harder to dismiss. Continue reading

Macronutrients: Protein, Carbs and Fats, the Basic Facts for Fitness

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Click on image to go to the Mckinley Health Center Website for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every day we shift around these essential nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fats in our diets. Some of us do it mindlessly, while others count every kilocalorie derived from these macronutrients. For those of us who are on a weight loss program, into body-building, or who simply want to pursue a healthy lifestyle, pay a little more attention to the ratio of these nutrients in the diet.

To be clear on what macronutrients are, these are substances obtained from 3 primary sources:

Carbohydrate (carbs)

Protein

Fats Continue reading

Teen Boys: The Eating Machines

Click on Photo to go to the Healthy Children Website for more information.

Click on Photo to go to the Healthy Children Website for more information.

Teen Boys are eating machines.  They can eat 2000 calories for lunch and not gain an ounce of fat.  Teen boys use the calories for height and muscle mass and may seem like bottomless pits.  They need a well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, calcium, and protein for strong bones and muscles. Fruits and veggies are the two groups that would be lacking most in a teen’s diet.  Snacks are important to the teen’s diet and make up a quarter of the kcals for the typical teen.
Teens boys need to consume 10 ounces of whole grain, 4 cups of vegetable, 2½ cups fruit, 3 cups low/fat free milk, and 7 ounces of meat and beans everyday.

Eat these amounts from each food group daily.  This plan is a 3200 calorie food pattern.  It is based on average needs for A 16 year old male, 6 feet 1 inches tall, 189 pounds, and physically active more than 60 minutes a day.  His food needs also depend on his rate of growth and other factors.  See a health care provider who can track height and weight over time to identify specific needs. Continue reading

Good Health Tips

free-health-tips

Maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle with bring a lot of good fortune in the future. People that stick to strict healthy lifestyles end up looking younger than they normally are and remain healthy and active many years after. It can be tricky for younger folks to stay motivated in being healthy because many people already feel healthy and just want to do what they are most comfortable in doing. But slowly applying some of the small tips for good health doesn’t hurt.

In fact, some health tips are actually easy to implement than others and once the benefits of these small health tips surface, people will be far more interested in trying out more methods to live even healthier. Here are some of the basic tips for good health that everyone can try out without much difficulty.

Keep the Exercising Flowing

Exercising is at the top of this list because it can serve as a nice counter for not having those perfect diets. It also happens to be one of the health tips that often get neglected because of the amount of work that is required. But the truth is, there are so many forms of exercise and it does not always have to involve strenuous activities like weightlifting or doing hundreds of sit-ups. Continue reading