Health and Fitness Tips from Steven Dean

Its Halloween, and you know what that means: sugar, sugar, sugar! Beginning late summer, stores begin taunting and tantalizing us with prominently displayed festive treats conveniently packaged in small, easy to eat servings. By the time the actual holiday rolls around, we've been wading through candy corn and "fun sized" candy bars for months. All holidays have their peculiar food traditions, but Halloween perhaps wins the prize for being the most focused on candy and other sweet treats as the center of attraction. And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will undoubtedly find yourself staring down a confection before all is said and done. WILL YOU GIVE IN? While one piece of candy won't make or break you health, few of us stop at just. In fact, most of us see Halloween as we see every other festive occasion from Thanksgiving to our neighbor's cookout: as a perfectly good time to indulge in whichever kind of sweet temptations are presented to us.

No matter how committed we are to getting in the recommended five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits every day, sometimes we come up short. It may be that we are busy and barely have time to eat at all, or perhaps we find ourselves in eating situations that don't include many fresh vegetables choices. Or maybe we just don't like them (I know the feeling). On days that you find it hard to eat enough vegetables and fruits, a green drink is the perfect answer. It is a great way to boost your health and even detox your system. Green drinks are just that-- green, because they contain the juice of fresh vegetables and other vegetables and fruits. There are many reasons to consider adding green drinks to your diet.  WHY DRINK GREEN JUICE  Vegetables and fruits are full of essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes that your body thrives on. And because you are consuming it in liquid form, your body can digest it quickly. This is especially helpful if you have di

There's a reason why celebrities and other highly successful people use coaches and trainers: IT WORKS. And that is why so many people are turning to personal trainers to help them move from mediocre to excellence in their pursuit of health, fitness and weight loss. THE REALITY More than 91% of people who start an exercise program quit early--- even before their new routine becomes a habit, and 61% will give up within the very first week! (1) WHY? Because changing your lifestyle is hard. In spite of all the infomercials and ads claiming that you can lose weight and transform your body in thirty days (or six weeks at the longest), the truth is, getting fit requires a lifestyle makeover that takes -Time -Determination -Support If any of these components is missing, the odds of success plummet. THE FIX The good news is that one component virtually guarantees the continued presence of the other two, and that is support--  and support is the heart of what a goo

Chances are that you have heard of adrenal fatigue, but you may not be quite sure what it is. Understanding this condition is important however, because some experts suggest that 80% of the Western world will be affected by adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys and are responsible for secreting more than 50 different hormones that are essential for life. Among these are adrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone. Because they regulate so many important hormones, their proper function is critical for many functions essential to life such as producing energy, balancing electrolytes and storing fat. These glands also help you deal with stress. When you are under stress, the adrenal glands engage many different responses in your body to make it easier for you to handle that stress. But during periods of intense, prolonged stress or chronic illness, the adrenal glands begin functioning below the level needed to maintain h

If you have ever tried to ignore a box of doughnuts at work, you know how hard it is to keep your hands to yourself and walk on by. And once you walk on by, the battle isn't over. Even if you are in a different room and down the hall, you can’t stop thinking about those doughnuts. Why is it so hard to resist something as small and seemingly innocent as a doughnuts? It has to do with habits- and mind set.  HARDWIRED HABITS  The draw you feel from the doughnut goes way beyond just a mild interest:  you are wired to want it, and resistance is hard.  In his book,  The End of Overeating,  Dr. David Kessler MD explains the breakdown: When you taste foods that are highly palatable (such as foods containing excess sugar, fat and salt), your brain releases opioids into your blood stream. Opioids are brain chemicals that cause you to have intense feelings of rewards and pleasure, as well as relieving pain and stress. The pleasurable effect is similar to the feelings th

Fall is here, and that means that cold and flu season has arrived. Have you ever noticed that some people seldom get sick? Or maybe you have wondered why after being exposed to the same virus, one person gets ill while the other remains well. The reason lies in the strength of the immune system.  And the strength of your immune system is largely dependent upon the condition of your digestive system. When you are exposed to bad bacteria or viruses, it is up to your immune system to protect you from being infected. If your immune system is strong, your body will fight off the threat. If your immune system is weak or compromised, you may end up sick. Microbes: the good, the bad, and the ugly Inside your digestive system are many microbes. Microbes are live organisms that affect your overall health. Some of these organisms are beneficial and protect you from disease. These good bacteria recognize when illness-producing intruders enter your body; they promptly attack the intru