Recently there was a news flash which reported that the United States Coast Guard had upped the average weight per person by 25 pounds which means fewer of us would be able to travel on ships and ferries at the same time. At first I thought maybe they were overreacting but then I looked down at the 5 pounds I had packed on in recent months eating those dastardly ice cream sandwiches for desert and decided that it probably was true.
But then again was it really? I really didn't know for sure and decided to take a closer look at my neighbors, co-workers, fellow airport travelers, and friends. What I found was shocking as their belt sizes seemed to be growing faster than livestock on steroids and their general wellness deteriorating faster than a shopaholic can make it to the mall after hearing the word sale.
The next question was what has changed making those of us who are typically fairly health conscious to all of the sudden start moving in the wrong direction when it comes weight management and health and wellness.
The truth is many reasons for this are quite obvious.
The first obvious one would be that fatty high calorie food simply taste better and delivers a higher crave-ability factor. After all most people crave what they can't have and psychologists tell us that the subconscious mind doesn't do a good job of distinguishing between can and can't have. So by telling someone they can't have their chicken fried steak and gravy with cheesecake for dessert it actually only giving them more motivation to sneak off and indulge when no one is looking.
The second thing is stress. Stress causes the body to secrete hormones such as cortisol which cause the body to store fat. Here lately most of us would consider our stress levels to be somewhere between very high and very, very high due to finances, loss of job security, natural disasters, gas prices, relationship struggles, mortgage foreclosures, and so on and so forth.
There are other reasons as for the general decline in health and wellness but the two listed above are two of the most common.
So what can be done?
Most people know what they need to do to keep their waist size under control, blood pressure in a manageable range, cholesterol low, and reduce their chances of falling victim to a serious illness which puts life on hold but may need a casual reminder once in a while.
While the steps below have proven to be tried and true for me and my family they are not for everyone and certainly not intended to diagnose or treat any major illness. This article is meant to help you start the race toward returning to health and wellness rather than providing information for crossing the finish line.
Steps for maintaining and reducing belt size while encouraging wellness
*Stay active: If you can squeeze in 20 minutes a day to take a walk or participate in some type of light doctor approved exercise you might be surprised how much good it will do both in short and long-term. So dust off those walking shoes and get going.
*Don't eat too much: One of the best pieces of advice for me has been simply not to consume more calories than I will be able to burn. For example if you are behind a desk all day consuming 2000 calories or more for lunch will eventually end up as excess body weight.
*Control saturated fat intake: According to the American Medical Association a heart healthy diet includes only 10 percent or less of saturated fat. While few have the discipline to achieve this lofty goal it is not too difficult to keep it under 20 percent with a little effort.
*Don't forget about supplements: Supplements can play a valuable role in health and wellness when used in the right way. A few examples would be to take bilberry based remedies for eyesight, B12 to keep dangerous cardiovascular saboteurs such as homocysteines under control, and glucosamine and chondroitin to improve joint health.
*Mental health is important for both maintaining weight and overall health: When you are feeling bummed out it is difficult to stay active. Additionally, most of the pharmaceutical medications for mental health have a list of side effects just about as long as this article which could make alternative herbal and homeopathic remedies realistic options worth considering.
*Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep is terrible for both short and long-term health. Most sleep experts stress going to bed at a certain time and getting up at a certain time to help alleviate sleep deprivation. If you feel you might need a little help and don't want to trouble your doctor for a prescription there are a number of safe and effective homeopathic remedies currently available.
Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for the use of alternative natural health products and supplements, with over 10 years experience in the field. To learn more about natural remedies for supporting current and future health visit Purchase Remedies.com
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