A healthy person is a wealthy person.   Yes, it is true that you cannot buy health, but you can improve your health through good habits, positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle.   Most of us need to consider improving what we eat, being more active with regular exercise, and getting more rest.   Nutrition is a choice that affects all aspects of our life.   It is true when they say,  "You are what you eat".   Poor choices in nutrition can lead to obesity, a decrease in overall energy levels and well being, and in more drastic cases, disease that leads to serious health risks.

Poor nutritional choices can lead to increased blood pressure, contribute to high cholesterol and possibly cause diabetes.   Making lifestyle changes that are intended to increase overall health are some the best ways to reduce your risk of disease and increase your overall health.   In an effort to assist you in your journey towards overall health, we have developed simple steps that we feel will assist you in evaluating your own needs and creating a healthy lifestyle program that is right for you.

STEP ONE : CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN

The information provided here is not intended to replace your annual physical or other services provided by your health care provider(s).   We encourage you to obtain the information you need from your health care provider(s) in order to begin designing a program of nutrition and exercise that is just right for you.   Be sure to ask your health care provider if you are predisposed to such conditions as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypoglycemia, arthritis, etc.

STEP TWO : EVALUATE YOUR OWN NEEDS: THE HEALTH RISK APPRAISAL

There is an important link between acquiring nutritional information and actually making changes in your behavior that create a healthier lifestyle. Our goal as professional counselors is to help you change your behavior, live longer and be happier. Often times, evaluating your current lifestyle and nutritional choices can aid in determining what changes need to be made.

The following links are health risk appraisal websites that serve as excellent starting points in determining what behaviors and habits you may need or want to change. These websites allow you to calculate your "real age" based on your current lifestyle. Our suggestion is that discovering your "real age" is a good place to start any nutritional program. Please take a moment to review the following websites, and remember - have fun and always maintain your sense of humor. You are more likely to continue any program if you view it as a fun and rewarding experience.

http://wellness.uwsp.edu/other/lifescan/
Lifescan Health Risk Appraisal
LifeScan has been created to help you learn more about the health risks you might be taking each day. The data used by this program have been collected from literally millions of death certificates. Over the past twenty years, millions of Americans have died prematurely. Carefully supervised research projects have shown the majority of these deaths were the direct result of lifestyle choices.

STEP THREE : THE FOOD JOURNAL & INDIVIDUAL NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM

Once you have obtained helpful advice and information from your health care provider(s), and the health risk appraisal website, consider developing your own nutritional program.   As professional counselors and body image consultants (coaches), we are reluctant to use the word "diet" as it implies, "starve now and reward yourself later".   Instead we like to refer to what some people call a "diet" as a nutritional program that is part of an overall lifestyle.

Food Journaling

3 "R’s" diet. As previously mentioned, we don't like the term "diet".   Having said that, the long-term concept of a life long nutrition plan is the goal.   In addition to your basic nutrition planning, we encourage you to consider these three "R’s": eating the Right Food at the Right Time and the Right Amount.

Each day we strongly encourage you to keep a journal / log with you to write down what you eat and the time of day that you are eating.   Please note that if you go more than 3-4 hours without food, especially between lunch and dinner, you may eat too much or make poor nutritional choices because you are too hungry.  

DEVELOPING A NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM

As you keep your own food journal/log you will design your very own nutritional program that will work for you in the long stretch.  With this approach you will develop a personal plan that is just right for your body type and bone structure.   In order to insure that you are creating a plan which includes a variety of food groups, try using the back of your log to keep an ongoing grocery list of acceptable foods as you think of them throughout the week.

Be sure to get into the habit of writing down the food before you eat it and taking a few long, deep breaths to relax before you eat.   Also, consider grocery shopping on Saturday or Sunday and cooking enough to eat for lunch and dinner for 3 or 4 days.   This will help avoid the pitfall of fast food (often filled with too many calories and preservatives) as healthy alternatives will be readily available.

As you begin to lose weight and feel "in control" it is good to have a small reward for yourself.   If you "forbid" certain foods, the mind oftentimes will fixate on these foods and your desire to eat them may lead to binging. Allow yourself to eat certain favorite foods, like chocolate or desert, as long as it is in moderation.   Using these foods as a reward helps to motivate you as you work hard to change unhealthy habits and strive to meet your goal of ultimate health.  

STEP FOUR : INFORMATION GATHERING - EDUCATION IS POWER!

The more information you have in regards to nutrition, health and wellness, the better equipped you are to implement healthy changes in your own life. Please take some time and review some ( or all! ) of the following websites.   The more you know, the more empowered you are to actualize the authentic you - a you that is healthy and happy and whole.

HELPFUL LINKS

Diet

http://www.deliciousdecisions.org/
American Heart Association - great tips on diet, grocery shopping, recipes, etc...

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-adult.htm
CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) provides a BMI (Body Mass Indicator) calculator to help you determine your "ideal" healthy weight.

http://www.mayoclinic.com
Excellent site for healthcare consumers. Easy to navigate. Includes condition and wellness centers, a reference section, interactive tools, decision-support aids and multimedia packages.

Diet and Exercise

http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/diabetes-weight-loss-finding-the-right-path
Diabetes and weight loss

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/cgi-bin/chd/step2intro.cgi
The "TLC" (Therapeutic Lifestyle Change) diet.   Approved by the AHA. Has a calculator to help you discover your "fitness level" and exercise advice.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/
The CDC Nutrition and Physical Activity website. Provides a wealth of information regarding diet, exercise and nutrition.

Complementary and Alternative Choices

www.nccam.nih.gov
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine .   For reliable information on alternative therapies without the hype, start here. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is a part of the National Institutes of Health that conducts and supports research on alternative medicine.

http://www.camaweb.org
Complimentary and Alternative Medicine in Georgia (Great Articles)

Children and Adolescents:

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
Provides facts re: obesity in children and adolescents and offers helpful advice and tips on helping your child with a weight management issue.

http://www.bodypositive.com/childwt.htm
Provides information re: obesity in children and adolescents. Also focuses on social implications of childhood obesity (self esteem, bullying, etc). Provides chartrooms and feedback forums and helpful links and reading suggestions.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/bmi-for-age.htm
CDC provides a BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator specifically designed for children and adolescents.

Other Helpful Links:

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-do-basic-deskercise
Deskercises

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/alphaidx.asp?p=a_dt
A-Z List of Diseases

http://my.webmd.com/medical_information/condition_centers/default.htm
A-Z Healthy Resources

http://www.dmoz.org/Health/Pharmacy/Drugs_and_Medications/
A-Z Prescription Drugs

http://www.menshealthnetwork.org
Men's Health and Wellness

http://www.rxlist.com/drugs/alpha_a.htm
A-Z Prescription Drug Information

http://www.womenshealth.com
Women's Health

http://www.drkoop.com
Health and Wellness

http://www.caloriecounter.co.uk
Calorie Counter

http://www.caloriecontrol.org
Calorie Counter

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/how2quit.htm
Stop Smoking

http://www.authentichappiness.org
Happiness Test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWGqETd6oxk
Cancer Crusade Survivor

Diabetes – Find out if you are at increased risk for Type II Diabetes by answering a series of simple questions.

Breast Cancer – Determine your risk of developing breast within the next five years based on your age and other known risk factors.

Coronary Heart Disease – Determine your risk of developing significant coronary heart disease within the next ten years based on a number of risk factors

STEP FIVE: DEVELOP A SUPPORT NETWORK

Despite what we may sometimes think, no man is an "I"-land.   In other words, we all need help and support from time to time.   When making lifestyle changes and changing old habits, it is often helpful to find that there are other people who are there to support you, or who may even be going through a similar experience. Having the support of a friend, or a network of friends, can be a crucial component in successfully achieving your goals.   We encourage you to find a friend, or group of friends, who will commit to supporting you and encouraging you in your efforts to change your lifestyle.