Even though losing as little as 5% of your weight can be beneficial, losing 10%-15% was even better in reducing diabetes and heart disease. This is why, in my practice, I emphasize weight loss so much. Believe it or not, losing weight can actually be healthier for you in the long term then taking a lot of prescription medications!
 
 
Clinical Evidence Has Shown That Greater Weight Losses Were Associated With Greater Improvement in Cardiovascular Risk Factors Associated with Diabetes
For overweight and obese patients, the NIH recommends 10% weight loss over the course of 6 months as a goal for clinically meaningful differences in patients’ health. An observational analysis examined the association between the magnitude of weight loss and changes in cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors at 1 year and the odds of meeting predefined criteria for clinical significant improvements in risk factor in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Significant Improvement in HbA1c (Diabetes)
Significant improvement in HbA1c (P<0.0001) was noted with a 10%-15% weight loss goal. The clinical endpoint evaluated was a 0.05% decrease in HbA1c (odds ratio, 5.44 [95% CI, 4.15-7.13]).

Significant Improvement in HbA1c (Diabetes)
Significant improvement in HbA1c (P<0.0001) was noted with a 10%-15% weight loss goal. The clinical endpoint evaluated was a 0.05% decrease in HbA1c (odds ratio, 5.44 [95% CI, 4.15-7.13]).

Significant Improvement in Fasting Glucose
Significant improvement in fasting glucose was noted in patients achieving ≥10% loss in total body weight (P<0.0001). The clinical endpoint evaluated was a 20-mg/dL decrease in glucose (odds ratio, 4.07 [95% CI, 3.09-5.36]).

Study Conclusions
The Look AHEAD study confirmed the benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes:
    •    The magnitude of weight loss at 1 year was highly related to the improvements with glycemic control
    •    Patient who lost 10%-15% had great odds of improvement than those who lost 5%-10%

Study Design
The Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study* is a multicenter, randomized clinical trial that examined the long-term effects of lifestyle interventions on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in 5,145 overweight or obese participants with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) or to usual care, referred to as diabetes support and education (DSE).

Dr. George Bray (Chief of clinical obesity and metabolism at Pennington Biomedical Research Center): Calories in- calories out. The more you eat-the fatter you get. Government subsidies to farmers for cheap corn and sugar have lead to cheap high calorie food and candy.
 
Gary Taubes (Science journalist): Obesity stems from a dietary overload of carbs (Adkins). More carbs lead to higher blood insulin levels which then increases fat. Protein and fat do not increase insulin levels.
 
Kevin Hall (Senior investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases): He wants to know why we are not more obese! He is using computer models to try to figure out whether it is “calorie in-calorie out” or just “carbs”
 
Dr. David Kessler (Former medical school dean and FDA commissioner):He seems to think that the food industry has added so much fat, sugar and salt to food that it has made us addicted to them, which causes overeating.
 
Bruce Blumberg (Biologist at University of California at Irvine): OBESOGENS (chemical additives to foods) interfere with body functions which then lead to obesity. Not necessarily the calories!
 
Let us know what you think.

Recently we warned of diabetes, obesity and even liver disease for those who consume sugar sweetened drinks (Sodas and Fruit Drinks). Here is a study from the journal CIRCULATION (March 12,2012) that now links sugar to HEART DISEASE, ABNORMAL LIPIDS, INFLAMMATION AND DECREASED LEPTIN LEVELS (the hormone that makes you feel full and satisfied).
They found a 20% higher relative risk of these disorders in HEART DISEASE in men between 40-75 years old who drank on average 6.5 drinks/week.
Please note that there were NO ADVERSE events noted with ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS.
 
KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS
LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLORIDA 3420
941-556-7788

A study just released from Europe showed data from 75,000 people linking high BMI’s to heart disease.
Forget genetics, the higher the BMI, the higher the likelihood of obesity related diseases (26%)
Let’s now add in genetics and the risk goes up to 52%!
It is standard medical practice to control risk factors by lifestyle changes. Even angioplasties do not compare favorably to lifestyle changes when it comes to survival.
At KAIZEN, and in our medical practice we will continue to emphasize the importance of risk factor modification on your health.

Why play guessing games with non-physicians and internet entrepreneurs?
Come visit and meet our dieticians, fitness trainers and physical therapists. See our own office based state of the art safe, low impact gym.
Our programs are open to the public and we will be happy to send reports to your physician.
Call for more information or to schedule your free Power Plate / bioDensity demonstration.
941-556-7788

I have seen many patients in the office complaining of “cold” symptoms. After several courses of antibiotics and cough medications, their symptoms persist even though they otherwise feel fine.
Sometimes we need to order chest X-rays and blood tests, but many times the cause is related to acid reflux from the stomach. Heartburn may or may not be present, but acid reflux is the most common cause of asthma in adults as well as chronic coughing and hoarseness. It might even cause sinusitis and mimic the pain one would see in a heart attack!
Obesity is a common cause of acid reflux (GERD), but many foods, such as tomatoes, chocolate, peanuts, mints, alcohol, coffee, spicy foods and drinking carbonated beverages late at night don’t help either.
If you have that cold or cough that just won’t go away, please seek medical advice.

Here’s the top 7 preventable causes of Alzheimer’s Disease:
 
7. Diabetes
6. Poor Education
5. OBESITY
4. Hypertension
3. SMOKING
2. Depression
1. LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 
In 2012, let’s resolve to change our lifestyles. Eat better. Stop smoking. Get active.
Give us a call and see what KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS can do for you.

941-556-7788

A third of the cancers diagnosed each year in the UK - more than 100,000 - are caused by smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diets and obesity.The most comprehensive review of cancer and lifestyles ever conducted in the UK showed that 45 percent of all cancers in men could be prevented, compared with 40 percent of cancers in women. Smoking is still the most important factor when it comes to causing cancer. The study found it was responsible for 23 per cent of cancers in men and 15.6 per cent in women.
But the review also found that a lack of fruit and vegetables was responsible for 6.1 percent of cancers in men, while being overweight causes 6.9 per cent of cancers in women."Looking at all the evidence, it is clear that around 40 per cent of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change."
 
The conclusions from this recent study from the British Medical Journal:
 
It is very important for people to understand that long-term changes to their lifestyles can really reduce their cancer risk."
 
At Kaizen Total Wellness, we believe that lifestyle changes are possible for everyone. Our philosophy is that we should make these changes slowly, one step at a time, so we do not shock our bodies.

KAIZEN TOTAL WELLNESS
941-556-7788

I have written about “Metabolic Syndrome”(hypertension, hyperlipidemia, abnormal glucose tolerance and obesity) many times in the past. We know that it markedly increases one’s risks of cardiovascular disease.
A study from the American Journal of Kidney Disease (Sept 2011) has shown that patients with the Metabolic Syndrome have a 25% increased risk of kidney stones. High blood pressure alone can increase kidney stone risk by 47%!.
Once again, our philosophy is that it is a lot easier to prevent disease rather then wait for the inevitable to happen.
Our Kaizen programs are designed to prevent disease.
Why take chances with your health?

Studies from Australia show that children with obese fathers are more than 4x likely to become obese themselves!
While some of this might be genetic, don’t underestimate your child mimicking his parents!
At Kaizen Total Wellness, we teach healthy lifestyle to adolescents and adults of all ages. It is never too late to change.
Don’t just do this for you, but for your family.

For personal wellness that includes nutrition consultations and fitness training, call Kaizen Total Wellness: 556-7788
 

Are you Short of Breath?
There are several reasons why obese people get short of breath. When you are heavy, your diaphragm can not expand enough to allow you to take a deep breath. Also, heavy people generally do not exercise, leaving them in a deconditioned status. The last reason is that fat cells in the abdomen lead to inflammation in the lungs, further decreasing lung capacity.
Here is an article showing how shortness of breath may in itself be a precursor to diabetes or metabolic syndrome (obesity, hypertension, abnormal lipids, gout and diabetes)
There is a reason why we consider obesity to be a major disease and why we have many programs in our office to help you make lifestyle changes to try to prevent these diseases.
Our practice is one of the few in the United States to employ dietitians, fitness trainers, physical therapists and massage therapists. We are aligned with the nationally known Venice Nutrition System and even have our own gym with our exclusive Power Plate and bioDensity machines.
To learn more, please call 941-747-2090.
 
 

Obesity in Adults Is Associated With Reduced Lung Function in Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes

The Strong Heart study
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purposes of this study were to investigate whether reduced lung function is associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) and diabetes (DM) in American Indians (AIs) and to determine whether lower pulmonary function presents before the development of DM or MS.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Strong Heart study (SHS) is a multicenter, prospective study of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors among AI adults. The present analysis used lung function assessment by standard spirometry at the SHS second examination (1993 to 1995) in 2,396 adults free of overt lung disease or CVD, with or without DM or MS. Among MS-free/DM-free participants, the development of MS/DM at the SHS third examination (1996 to 1999) was investigated.
RESULTS Significantly lower pulmonary function was observed for AIs with MS or DM. Impaired pulmonary function was associated with MS and DM after adjustment for age, sex, abdominal obesity, current smoking status, physical activity index, hypertension, and SHS field center. Both forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were negatively associated with insulin resistance or DM severity and with serum markers of inflammation (P < 0.05). FVC and FEV1-to-FVC ratio both predicted DM in unadjusted analyses but not when adjusted for covariates, including waist circumference. In the adjusted model, abdominal obesity predicted both MS and DM.
CONCLUSIONS Reduced lung function is independently associated with MS and with DM, and impaired lung function presents before the development of MS or DM; these associations may result from the effects of obesity and inflammation.

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This is one of the reasons we have developed a total wellness program for our patients and friends. Everyday, we read about the connection between “fat” and heart disease. There is a reason why we measure waist lines (not belt or pants sizes): Any man with a waist greater than 40” or woman greater than 35” has elevated visceral (belly) body fat. This is the fat that literally surrounds and infiltrates important organs in the body. Notice its link to inflammation. Most chronic diseases are also linked to obesity. Arthritis. Cancer. Diabetes.
With diet and exercise, we believe that most illnesses can be either prevented or diminished. Of course, once the horse has left the barn........
For more information, or to schedule a free demo, including a measurement of your abdominal body fat, call 941-556-7788.

Adipose tissue pro-inflammatory gene expression is associated with cardiovascular disease
Authors: Weiss, T. W.; Seljeflot, I.; Hjerkinn, E. M.; Arnesen, H.
Source: International Journal of Clinical Practice, Volume 65, Number 9, 1 September 2011 , pp. 939-944(6)
 

Background:  Obese patients are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Several studies suggest obesity as an independent risk factor. Adipose tissue is now accepted as an endocrine organ that produces and secretes a variety of cytokines, hormones and other metabolic players involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Among this versatile group of mediators and effectors of inflammation and atherothrombosis, we have studied the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). All these markers, in their circulatory form, have been associated with cardiovascular disease. However, there is no much data available on their expression in adipose tissue in human subjects with and without cardiovascular disease.

Material and methods:  We successfully isolated RNA from subcutaneous fat biopsies of 61 patients with or without cardiovascular disease. We then measured the RNA expression of MMP-9, TIMP-1, PAI-1, IL-18 and IL-6 with Real-Time PCR, using relative quantification.

Results:  Albeit not statistically significant, all inflammatory mediators - except IL-18 - were highly expressed in patients with cardiovascular disease (n = 16) compared with those without (n = 45). Pooling the gene expression data, trying to capture the overall inflammatory activity in adipose tissue in a score system, we observed a highly significant association with CVD.

Conclusions:  Trying to capture the overall inflammatory activity, in addition to the mass of adipose tissue, could provide useful hints towards a pathogenetic link between obesity and presence of cardiovascular disease.

www.kaizentotalwellness.com   (941)556-7788

Maybe the strict Lakewood Ranch, FL zoning laws aren't so bad after all! Please take a look at this article associating the number of fast food places in a neighborhood with obesity:

As Unhealthy Food Outlets Multiply, Teens Eat More Junk
ScienceDaily (July 27, 2011) — Got lots of fast food restaurants and other outlets that sell junk food in your neighborhood? Then your teen is more likely to nosh regularly on burgers and fries and wash them down with a soda.

That is the unpalatable finding of a new study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research that examined the effect of higher concentrations of less healthy food outlets on adolescent junk food consumption.
The upshot? Nearly three-quarters of California teenagers live or go to school in neighborhoods that are crowded with fast food restaurants and other outlets that sell unhealthy food -- convenience stores, liquor stores, dollar stores and pharmacies -- relative to the number of healthier food outlets, such as grocery stores, produce vendors and farmers markets. And unsurprisingly, teens who live or go to school in such neighborhoods are more likely to drink soda and eat fast food.
Research has shown that the consumption of fast food and soda has been linked to taking in excess calories and can contribute to diabetes and obesity.
"You are what you eat. You are, also, where you live," said Susan Babey, a study co-author and a senior research scientist at the center. "And if you live in a place where there's a fast food restaurant or convenience store on every block, with few healthier alternatives, you are likely to eat more junk."
Many more unhealthy outlets
Using both the 2007 California Health Interview Survey and InfoUSA, a 2007 database of U.S. businesses, the study's authors calculated a Home and School Retail Food Environment Index, which measured the number of less healthy food outlets relative to the number of healthier outlets surrounding the homes and schools of California teens, and compared that measurement to teen junk food consumption.
They found that the average California teen has more than seven times as many junk food outlets near home and school as healthier food outlets.
And teens in more unhealthy neighborhoods were 17 percent more likely to drink soda every day and 18 percent more likely to eat fast food at least twice a week than their peers in healthier neighborhoods.
"It is a travesty that our kids have better access to liquor stores and other unhealthy food outlets than a grocery store," said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of the California Endowment, which funded the study. "We have put our children and youth in harm's way, and they are paying the price for our carelessness. If nothing is done, this will be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents."
Few counties immune
The research showed that few counties, whether rural or urban, were immune from the unhealthy effects of junk-food outlet density. In San Benito, Sutter, Merced and Fresno counties, more than 70 percent of teens consume at least one soda per day. In Tulare, Riverside, Ventura and Kern counties, more than 55 percent of teens eat fast food at least twice a week. In total, 13 counties across California had Home and School Retail Food Environment Index scores of more than 8 points -- an indication of a relatively unhealthy food environment.
The authors recommended a number of policy options to improve the food environments where teens live and go to school, including better zoning, especially around schools, and farm-to-school programs that bring fresh produce into school cafeterias. They also noted that better incentives were needed to bring healthy food outlets, such as farmers markets and grocery stores, into underserved neighborhoods.
"The research shows that how we plan and zone our communities has a real impact on our health and quality of life," Babey said. "Policymakers need to take this into account when deciding whether to zone a new grocery store or a fast food restaurant. Hopefully, they will make the healthy choice."

www.kaizentotalwellness.com   941-556-7788
www.drmishner.com   941-747-2090

Here is an interesting article...
Playing video games for hours and hours don’t seem to be associated with childhood obesity!!!
Why? Exercise is important but it’s the diet!
Parents, please try to teach your children to eat right. NEVER DIET or DEPRIVATION! Just lots of healthy stuff all day long!

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Trying to help children lose weight by cutting back on the time they spend in front of a TV or video game doesn't have much of an impact, according to a Canadian study.
Interventions designed to reduce overall screen time, including individual and family counseling, automatic monitoring of screen time and classroom curricula, have all been largely unsuccessful, wrote Catherine Birken of the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto.
For the study, which appeared in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Birken and her colleagues reviewed 13 large studies involving more than 3,000 children.
The methods the studies tested were unable to help the children lose weight or watch less TV, she said.
"Obesity is a complex problem that is probably not going to be solved by one particular intervention in one particular setting," she told Reuters Health.
"That doesn't mean it can't be solved."
Experts for decades have worried about the impact on young viewers of the violence and sexual content in some TV programs, movies and video games, but another issue is that children watch TV or playing video games instead of playing outside.
According to the report, one in four children in the United States watches an average of four hours of TV every day.
The study did find that some interventions succeeded with very young children, when preschool-aged children had their screen time cut by nearly four hours per week on average.
"It's certainly possible to teach parents to reduce screen time in young children," Birken said.
Other medical professionals said the results did not surprise them.
"Food is a very rewarding event to everyone. To children, so is screen time," said Robert Klesges at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, who did not work on the study.
"So it doesn't surprise me too much that interventions aimed at reducing two things children love struggle."
He noted that the interventions lasted from one to 24 months and were quite variable, which may explain why they were ineffective overall.
"I think very often, they're comparing apples and oranges. I think it's premature to conclude that interventions aimed at (weight) and Parents can help by turning off the television during meals and "strongly encourage" children to take part in activities or structured sports that will have them exercising for hours.
But success, no matter what method is chosen, may not be easy, Birken said.
"It's very hard to change behavior," she added.

www.kaizentotalwellness.com / www.drmishner.com

So what is the biggest cause of obesity? SODA? CANDY? ICE CREAM?

An the answer is.........POTATO CHIPS?
Yes, you know how important eating right and exercising is, but this report, from the New England Journal of Medicine shows the impact of eating chips vs. other junk foods over a 20 year span.
It doesn’t matter if you are eating sugars or starches, your body recognizes both as HIGH GLYCEMIC sugars.
At Kaizen, we can teach to to break the carbohydrate addiction with the help of our nutritionists and our nationally acclaimed online Venice Nutrition System. Please call 941-556-7788.

LOS ANGELES – Blame the potato chip. It's the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream. And the reason is partly that old advertising cliché: You can't eat just one.
"They're very tasty and they have a very good texture. People generally don't take one or two chips. They have a whole bag," said obesity expert Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer of the St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.  What we eat and how much of it we consume has far more impact than exercise and most other habits do on long-term weight gain, according to the study by Harvard University scientists. It's the most comprehensive look yet at the effect of individual foods and lifestyle choices like sleep time and quitting smoking.

The results are in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.Weight problems are epidemic. Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past three decades. Pounds often are packed on gradually over decades, and many people struggle to limit weight gain without realizing what's causing it.The new study finds food choices are key. The message: Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Cut back on potatoes, red meat, sweets and soda."There is no magic bullet for weight control," said one study leader, Dr. Frank Hu. "Diet and exercise are important for preventing weight gain, but diet clearly plays a bigger role."Doctors analyzed changes in diet and lifestyle habits of 120,877 people from three long-running medical studies. All were health professionals and not obese at the start. Their weight was measured every four years for up to two decades, and they detailed their diet on questionnaires.On average, participants gained nearly 17 pounds over the 20-year period.For each four-year period, food choices contributed nearly 4 pounds. Exercise, for those who did it, cut less than 2 pounds.Potato chips were the biggest dietary offender. Each daily serving containing 1 ounce (about 15 chips and 160 calories) led to a 1.69-pound uptick over four years. That's compared to sweets and desserts, which added 0.41 pound.For starchy potatoes other than chips, the gain was 1.28 pounds. Within the spud group, french fries were worse for the waist than boiled, baked or mashed potatoes. That's because a serving of large fries contains between 500 to 600 calories compared with a serving of a large baked potato at 280 calories.Soda added a pound over four years. Eating more fruits and vegetables and other unprocessed foods led to less weight gain, probably because they are fiber-rich and make people feel fuller.For each four-year period, these factors had these effects on weight:

— An alcoholic drink a day, 0.41-pound increase.
— Watching an hour of TV a day, 0.31-pound increase.
— Recently quitting smoking, 5-pound increase.People who slept more or less than six to eight hours a night gained more weight.The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and a foundation. Several researchers reported receiving fees from drug and nutrition companies."Humans naturally like fat and sweet," said Dr. David Heber, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, who had no role in the study. "That's why we always tell people to eat their fruits and vegetables."Pi-Sunyer, who also wasn't involved in the research, said the study gives useful advice."It's hard to lose weight once you gain it," he said. "Anything that will give people a clue about what might prevent weight gain if they follow through with it is helpful."
The federal government earlier this year issued new dietary guidelines advising people to eat smarter. This month, it ditched the food pyramid — the longtime symbol of healthy eating — in favor of a dinner plate divided into four sections containing fruits, vegetables, protein and grains.

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www.kaizentotalwellness.com / www.drmishner.com

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Obese men are at a higher risk of their prostate cancer worsening, even when treated to suppress tumor growth, according to a study.

"Over the past decades, there has been increasing prevalence of obesity in the U.S. and Europe, and a high rate of prostate cancer that is the second-most lethal cancer for men," Christopher J Keto, M.D., a urologic fellow at Duke University Medical Center and lead author of the study was quoted as saying.

Roughly one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society, and about one in three men is obese.

Keto and Colleagues identified 287 men whose disease prostates had been removed. The men were also give androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a treatment preventing tumor growth.

Men who were overweight had a three-fold increased risk of their cancer spreading to the bone compared to normal weight men, and obese men had a five-fold increase.

"We think perhaps obese men may require additional ADT," Keto said. "The dose is the same regardless of weight, while most drugs are dosed according to weight."

The Kaizen approach to eating means no "dieting". Diets simply do not work to develop a healthy, sustainable body weight.  Diets are, by definition, temporary vs. long-term changes in eating behaviors, the only method which helps you gradually achieve your desired weight and keep it.  However, we all know that nothing is more popular in our culture than the latest fad diet. Many are dangerously restrictive or imbalanced and you should check with a dietitian or doctor before starting an extreme diet.  One of the most popular diets we have found which is not extreme, and is relatively healthy and effective for those looking for a short-term plan, is the South Beach diet.  The best part of that plan is it encourages removing refined sugar from your diet.  This should be a goal and permanent intention for anyone.   If you stick with their recommendations, you could also benefit from eating less saturated fats -- which you should avoid to help raise your 'good' cholesterol and lower your 'bad' cholesterol.   One problem with South Beach is that the first-phase menus are so restrictive they can lead to rapid weight loss, followed by relief-binge eating and rapid weight gain.  Often called yo-yo dieting, this process is very unhealthy and hard on your critical body systems.  Also this initial weight loss can be mostly water or even muscle mass.   It is much better to eat more of a variety of foods in smaller portions and thus avoid nutritional deficiencies.  Call the Kaizen Wellness Center (941-556-7788) if you would like a one-time complementary pass to attend the Kaizen Healthy Lifestyle Class, next Monday, 6 -7 p.m. at Dr. Mishner's office in Lakewood Ranch.   One of the topics will be the South Beach Diet. 

During an extended period of time focused on weight loss, there will be weeks when there are more pounds lost than expected, sometimes less than expected and sometimes there are 'plateaus' where the scale just seems stuck for a while.

In Monday's Kaizen Healthy Lifestyle class we discussed how to deal with plateaus so they aren't too discouraging nor lengthy.  Again, keeping a food log is one of the best tools anyone has used which helps us not only be more mindful during the day but can provide important clues when weight loss plateaus and we aren't sure why. Class members shared that looking at the food log helped them break a plateau period by making them more conscious of portion sizes, how much water they were drinking, how frequently they were eating out at restaurants, and how much fiber they ate each day.

In addition to a high-fiber diet reducing your risk of diabetes, digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, certain cancers and heart disease, getting plenty of fiber assists with weight loss and weight maintenance.  The USFDA recommends including 20-30 grams of fiber each day.  Eating fiber adds no calories yet helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied.  When class members paid attention to getting enough fiber they found they were eating more desirable foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and feeling satisfied. They decreased overeating and junk food snacking.

Keeping your eye on fiber has many benefits, and if you want to give your weight loss efforts a boost, read your food labels and choose higher fiber products. For example, for cold cereals, look for more than 5 g of fiber and less than 5 g of sugar per serving.  Adding sliced almonds or walnuts boosts any cereal's fiber without sugar, so try that also.

Many people with COPD (chronic bronchitis, emphysema) have muscle wasting and are obese

A recent study examines the inflammatory contribution of belly fat that makes breathing even worse, in addition to the lung disease itself. At Kaizen Total Wellness let us show you how to make muscle and burn fat in a safe medically supervised environment. We specialize in reconditioning patients to improve health.