A Loaded Gun

2.16
"Your genetics load the gun. Your lifestyle pulls the trigger."
Dr. Mehmet Oz

Those are strong words, and some folks may be a bit put off by them. The fact is, we've learned an extraordinary amount of information about our health, healing and wellness in the last 20 years because of advances in genetics. That great knowledge is empowering when taken seriously and acted upon.

What we suspected in the 80's and prior is that there was a ______ gene (fat, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.). Now we know it is that simple and more. Nutrigenomics looks at the interaction between nutrients we get from our food, and how genes are expressed. Change the food and you change the gene expression (to the good or to the bad.) Last year, I did a post on how we are more than our genes, and that the lifestyle choices of the Amish actually overcome the fat gene which many of them have. That fat gene is a loaded gun that these folks live with year after year, and generation after generation. And yet, by their healthier lifestyle choices, they don't pull the trigger.

I know there is diabetes lurking in my genetic makeup, and all sorts of cancer opportunities, as well as some heart disease. One of my goals, which I take very seriously, is to prevent those genes from ever being "expressed". If my wise nutritional and wellness choices will keep me from having to deal with degeneration of disease, why would I choose any other path?

So, the gun is loaded by our genetic makeup. I think it is then up to us to not pull the trigger. No one else puts food in our mouths but us, and no one else makes us pass on our exercise routine but us. It's a slow burn either way, but eventually, with poor choices, the gun goes off.

There's obviously good news, though. I consider it great news. Our power pantry choices have real consequences, and when we're honest with ourselves we can accept responsibility for the condition our bodies are in. And it's simple, too. Choose whole foods, invest regularly in physical activity, be intentional about limiting stress and dysfunction in life... the list goes on. The underlying power pantry premise: choose well.

By the Way

If you're really interested in the leading edge of genetics in wellness, you can get your own genetic test. Now it's easy to find out what health challenges you may be predisposed to, and receive suggested solutions on how to achieve greater health. Check out these providers of genetic testing and see what's available for as little as a few hundred dollars:
www.geneplanet.com/
www.pathway.com/
www.inherenthealth.com/

Say Something Nice

2.15
What goes around comes around, especially where our words are concerned. I like getting a pep talk, or just some practical encouragement from Kid President, Robby Novak, and wanted to share something that encouraged me. If you haven't tuned into Soul Pancake on YouTube and checked out Robby's videos, give him a try. He's become famous as YouTube star, "Kid President", and the world needs more people (kids and adults) like Robby.

Here is one of his videos from 2013, 20 Things We Should Say More Often:

I think part of a wellness lifestyle is doing well in and with the world around us... and our words hold significant influence over how well we do. Besides the fact that Robby has some good thoughts in this video, it's just plain fun.

Go be awesome today as a part of your power pantry lifestyle, and remember to say something nice.

By The Way

Robby's "Pep Talk" video has been viewed over 34 million times on YouTube...that shows a lot of people could use a pep talk... If you haven't seen it yet, click here.

Success!

2.14
So often we need proof in order to accept ideas which stretch our thinking or require us to change. I'm a fan of Dr. Joel Fuhrman's work and perspectives, and believe that his 'nutritarian' approach to wellness and healthy eating is the way future generations will see their food. Fuhrman's whole-foods approach, and avoidance of dairy and processed grains, make some folks really uneasy, even skeptical. To overcome those misgivings, people need proof that Dr. Fuhrman's thinking isn't misguided.

Because a picture is worth a thousand words, and personal testimonies hold more sway than academic lectures, Dr. Fuhrman has a whole section of his web site dedicated to Success Stories. There are over 380 stories posted, describing sometimes dramatic journeys to wellness, where folks have overcome obesity, diabetes, heart disease and more.

Click through on this link
Success Stories

and check out real life examples of folks who lost hundreds of pounds, or overcame heart issues, or ended their diabetes, to reclaim their lives. And all this was done simply by following a nutritarian lifestyle.

If you've started on a power pantry journey, be encouraged. You're not alone in taking responsibility for your wellness and pursuing healthy choices in food and physical activity. Read just a handful of the testimonies on Dr. Fuhrman's website, and you'll get the motivation to take your own next steps toward healthful living. Better yet, share this post with others who may be skeptical about all this nutritious food stuff. The proof is in the changed lives described in these success stories, just as you may be changing.

By the Way

One of the most dramatic stories is of Scott, who lost over 330 pounds, after topping out at 563 pounds and a size 10XL. I love that he says, "I’m just doing what’s healthy for my body, and the results follow."

Keep Well and Carry On

2.13
I've shared on this blog before that my weight topped out around 220 back in the late 90's. Now my normal weight is about 155, give or take a few pounds. That's a big difference... I've carried 50 and 60 pound bags of stuff, and it's really tough to go for very long, much less a whole day or a whole year! And yet, I chose to carry that weight daily, and tolerate it in everything I did.

I have been reminded of this extra baggage lately, as I'm training for a half marathon coming up in April. I bought some 15 pound and 5 pound dumbbells and have added them to my workouts. Now I do flights of stairs with the extra 30 pounds, and I do my cardio / aerobic portions with the 5 pounders (maybe I'll size up... we'll see). The point is to work on my endurance and stamina with the extra weight so when I put it down and run for time or distance, my body has gained valuable strength for that longer, broader based exertion.

Interestingly, that extra 30 pounds gets me back up around 185, which was my target weight for years, prior to 2012. I figured it was a BMI of around 25, and that was good enough to keep me out of the overweight categories on the charts, so that became my number. Now, I can't imagine carrying that additional weight with me all day, every day, everywhere I go... how exhausting!

And it's not that shedding weight and keeping it off is easy because it's not. I still love to eat, it's just that now I eat really great, whole foods (with little to no wheat and dairy) which are filling and nutritious, so my body rewards me by maintaining a very appropriate weight.

If you're struggling with extra pounds, I get it... my struggle was decades, and maybe yours has been as well. The good news is that there is hope and help available through power pantry choices. Today is a new day, and you can push the reset button anytime to begin living out a healthy wellness lifestyle.

By the Way

The coolest thing about dumbbells is that I can choose to pick up those thirty pounds any time I want... and I get to put them right back down as well.

Telltale Telomeres

2.12
There are real benefits to a discerning wellness lifestyle. As the years go, and technology helps share valuable information and knowledge, the revelation of these benefits happens even more rapidly. I think that's what's happening with the understanding of genetic influences on our health.

Telomeres at the end of a DNA strand

The human genome was mapped between 1990 and 2003, and since completion, it has yielded an incredible amount of insight into how our genetic makeup influences our well-being. Even before that, genetic research in the 1970's studied the unique protective caps at the end of each chromosome, or strand of DNA, which protects the genes when dividing. These ends are known as telomeres, and hold the key to understanding aging and numerous human ailments like cancer. 

For a general understanding of telomeres, check out this explanation from TA Sciences:
What is a Telomere?

What's interesting to me about this sophisticated construct in our genes, is how our power pantry choices can improve the condition of our telomeres, and therefore our health. By making simple, healthful choices like nutrient dense foods, physical activity, reduced stress, and reducing our weight, we can significantly improve the condition of our telomeres, and our overall wellness and longevity.

Prevention magazine did a great article on telomeres a couple years ago. Check out this 8-slide resource from the www.prevention.com website:
7 Steps to a Longer Life

So there you have it: the key to a healthier, longer life is encoded in our DNA in the form of our telomeres, and our healthy choices can literally save and extend our life when we choose wisely. Make some wise power pantry choices today to yield improved health and longer life.

By the Way

The Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah, did a great 'lesson' on the positive influence our telomeres can have on our well being. Check it out here:
Are Telomeres the Key to Aging and Cancer?

The Royal Diet

2.11
Simple wins every time, and sometimes simple can be pretty easy. Years ago, I heard of a really simple, effective diet, which was referred to as the "royal diet". And I'm not talking about how Kate Middleton slimmed down in preparation for her big wedding day... In reality, it's not all that hard to live out the royal diet; it just takes a little discipline and a shift in the daily flow of meals.

Here's the concept: at breakfast, eat like a king (or queen); at lunch eat like a prince (or princess); at supper eat like a pauper. It's so easy to remember and execute, I don't know why more folks don't try it. As it turns out, when we do try it, it really works. Our bodies are designed to handle extensive proteins and carbohydrates really well when eaten early in the day. And if we have enough discipline to eat more sparingly at lunch and even more-so at supper, our bodies reward us by shedding pounds and better utilizing the calories we consume.

Let's say we're looking at a 2000 calorie/day goal. When translated to the royal diet, it might look like this:

• 1000 calories for breakfast, heavy on proteins (eggs, nuts, lean meats), carbs (whole grains), and even a little bit of regular old sweets (empty sugar calories)
• 700 calories for lunch, heavy on fruits and veggies, maybe a little bit of lean meat and healthy carbs
• 300 calories for dinner, again, heavy on fruits and veggies, a little lean meat and healthy carbs (which doesn't go really far for only 300 calories)

By the time you wake up the next day, you're ready for a big breakfast! So the structure of the diet is self-perpetuating in a good way. The fact is, our bodies metabolize calories into useful energy over about a four hour time frame (some calories turn into instant energy, and others take hours...). It only makes sense that eating light at lunch and lighter still at supper would appropriately scale down the energy we're offering our bodies as the day winds down. By doing this, we leave less reason for spare calories to be turned from usable glucose into stored fat.

If you're interested in getting to your ideal weight, consider the royal diet. Begin indulging at breakfast, followed by discipline at lunch and a lot of discipline at supper. You're body will thank you, and I think you'll be pleased with the results.

By the Way

You can check out a little more on big-breakfast diets at these sites:
WebMD - The Big Breakfast Diet
LiveSTRONG - Benefits of a Bigger Breakfast
Dr. Oz - Your Weight-Loss Ally

Take Back Control

2.10
The holidays are over, we're a month into the new year, and spring will be here in seven weeks... it's time to get serious about our wellness. There's no time like the present, even if we feel like we've been backsliding or fudging or cheating with our power pantry choices. Tomorrow is a blank page and we have the chance to write whatever we want, so let's write something awesome...

If you caught the first half of the super big game tonight, you saw a commercial for Weight Watchers that really hits the theme of choices in our eating. We're in control when it comes to either following or denying the standard American diet...all we need to do is choose well.

If you missed the football game, and the commercials, check out the "All You Can Eat" video from Weight Watchers, courtesy of iSpot.tv:
All You Can Eat


What I take away from this commercial is that there will always be a food industry more than willing to separate us from our money, in exchange for a shallow satisfaction and false fulfillment. But we need to think differently; we need to act differently.

To me, taking back control means choosing as if our life depends on it, because frankly, it does. Our choices need to bring whole foods into our diet: fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean meat need to be our constant companion in our pantry and on our plates. Artificial anything (flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, oils) need to be a thing of the past. Take back control of your health, and ultimately your longevity, by simply choosing wisely.

By the Way

You can check out a longer, uncut version of the Weight Watchers commercial on YouTube:
All You Can Eat (full length)