How so you ask? Part of the mechanism behind asthma is over-breathing. When we breathe too much our carbon dioxide levels drop. Insufficient carbon dioxide causes smooth muscle spasms throughout the body, such as in the brain (as in migraines) and in the bronchii (as during asthma attacks). Despite more air entering the lungs of an “overbreather”, no increase in blood oxygen level is has been shown, but because of the lowered CO₂ level, less oxygen actually makes it to the cells that need it.

Chronic over breathing over prolonged periods of time can change the set-point for the autonomic trigger of when to take the next breath. It is not possible to just hold your breath to increase the amount of CO₂ in your body because you will automatically gasp air when it is slightly beyond what it is accustomed to. Holding your breath also makes you take an even bigger, deeper breath when you do take your next breath.

Still, if you can overbreath your way into asthma (no matter what triggers the overbreathing), you can underbreath your way out of it.

The Buteyko method  is a form of physical therapy that consists of “breathing retraining” as a treatment for asthma as well as other conditions. One very good Buteyko based program I have found is called Kick Asthma Naturally.

You can read more about it, as well as my experience with it at the above link. I have seen it work miracles and use some of the techniques myself periodically even though I am not asthmatic. I know plenty of people who became asthmatic in mid-life and I plan on NOT becoming one of them!

I find it interesting that fitness and weight loss rank second and third right behind spending more time with family. It tops the list however on broken resolutions (with eating healthier as the #5 most broken resolution)

So, what happens in the month of January that takes people from being all fired up about their goals and resolutions breaking them?

One possibility is that the foods themselves (“healthy” or not) are interfering with, and PREVENTING weight loss and motivation to exercise. This is a phenomenon called food intolerance. Food intolerance causes swelling, inflammation, fatigue, cravings as well as a variety of other symptoms one might not necessarily trace back to being food related, like skin disorders, headaches, aches and pains, foggy mindedness, depression, and general malaise. Removing the offending foods can created a quick and surprisingly effective method of reversing unpleasant associated symptoms–which often baffle doctors. (Why every doctor does not run this test as part of an annual physical, I do not know.

The information I gained from getting tested myself has been invaluable. I no longer eat onions, apples, eggs or turkey –and I feel 100 times better than I did before I knew that those specific food were NOT healthy choices for ME! My energy increased dramatically within just a few days, and the bonus was that I lost 8 lbs in the first 3 weeks without even trying.

The results I see in clients is often just as impressive if not more so. I have seen people lose 10lbs in a week, horrible skin conditions (that they had had for years) disappear in three. It is the norm, not the exception,  for weight to drop and energy to go up as a result of making some “this not that” tweaks to diet using the information obtained with the Food Intolerance test. It is my TOP recommended test, especially those struggling with low/inconsistent energy and inflammatory conditions.

It is an easy way to to stay on track…making specific, easy, doable, changes that give good, and sometimes even miraculous results.

Sometimes it is the little changes we make that has the biggest impact on overall health. It doesn’t have to be hard.

(FYI: A true yam is a root vegetable belonging to the Dioscorceae family. Sweet potatoes belong to the Convolvulaceae family. It is sweet potatoes we find in the grocery stores although the long orange flesh varieties are often called yams anyway.)

Method #1 My absolute favorite way to make sweet potatoes (and I do prefer the orange flesh varieties for this one) is to scrub them well and put them in a 350 oven for 1.5 hrs. until they are soft all the way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store them uncovered in the refrigerator for up to a week. They taste like candy and can be eaten as a snack or as a side to any meal.

That almost isn’t a recipe. See, I told you it was easy.

Method #2 My second favorite way to make sweet potatoes is to peel them and cut them into 3/4″ chunks. Toss them lightly with olive oil and spread them in a baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes in a 375 oven. This is a better method when you have to get diner on the table in a hurry. Store the leftover in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Some nutritional benefits from sweet potatoes simply may not be achievable unless you use steaming or boiling as your cooking method. Recent studies show excellent preservation of sweet potato anthocyanins with steaming, and several studies comparing boiling to roasting have shown better blood sugar effects (including the achievement of a lower glycemic index, or GI value) with boiling.

Method #3 This may well be the most nutritious of the 3 methods. Peel and chunk the sweet potatoes. Place chunks in a steamer basket above an inch of rapidly boiling water. Cover tightly and cook for 5-7 minutes or until chunks are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork.

And when picking out your cranberries, be SURE to get organic! Find out why.

ENJOY!

The term “salad” does not do justice to this delicious, warm dish. It is tasty, tangy and full of the flavors of the Mediterranean. You could improvise and add a few olives, capers, or even Feta, but you may not want to; it is perfect just the way it is.

The real beauty of this recipe is that all of the items are “pantry” items; things you would likely have with no special shopping required. It is a great way to use up the last of head of celery, limp or not, carrots, fresh or not. And BTW, it is good for you!

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ onion, diced
• ½ cup white wine (optional)
• 1-3 tomatoes, chopped or pureed (canned tomatoes can be used)
• 3- 8 leaves chard, chopped, stalk included
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained  – any other kind of beans can be used in addition or substituted
• Juice of 2-4 lemons
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Sweat carrot, celery, chard stalk, onion, and garlic until they are slightly soft.
2. Add wine, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add tomato, and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.
4. Add chard leaves, beans, and cook for a few more minutes, until chard is cooked.
5. Turn off the heat, and add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.
6. Put in a serving bowl, and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.

ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• 2 T. Thai hot sauce (Sriracha is my favorite)
• 2 T. Honey
• 1 t. Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Pork tenderloin

For glaze

• 2 teaspoons arrow root powder OR ½ teaspoon glucomannan powder as a thickener
• 1 c boiling water

Directions:

1. Make a glaze with Thai hot sauce, honey, garlic powder, s&p. Rub all over pork.
2. Roast at 350° until done (20 -40 minutes depending on size) or cook on the grill. Do not over cook.
3. Deglaze pan (or use juices from grilled meat) and add thickener cook a minute then add water slowly whisking until sauce is smooth.

Enjoy!

This is such a classic cool weather stand-by I almost hesitate to put up a recipe for it. But my version is very fast, very easy, and ultra healthy, so why not! It is also a Perfect Pantry recipe, so chances are you already have everything you need on hand right now (or would if you had my Perfect Pantry shopping list. Download free at: http://lindaliving.com/).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef/chicken/turkey/lamb/pork/venison – please buy organic, and even better, grass fed/pasture raised.
• 2 15oz cans organic kidney beans (other varieties are fine too), rinsed and drained
• 2 15oz cans organic fire roasted tomato with green chillies (available at Trader Joe’s) – you can also use leftover salsa and diced fresh tomatoes if you have some that need to be used up.
• 1 4oz can of diced green chillies
• Seasoning to taste – I like the flavors of the main ingredients to shine through in my chili, so I go very light here and use only a dash of Mexican meat seasoning. Ground cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder are the traditional spices used in chili. If desired, use 1 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, and 1 TBS. chili powder. Add salt only if absolutely necessary. The tomatoes and beans will have plenty in them already.

Directions:

1. Brown the meat in a large frying pan deep enough to hold all of the ingredients. Have the lid or a frying screen handy.
2. Drain off any fat created by cooking the meat.
3. Add the tomatoes, salsa, and green chillies to the pan while it is still very hot. Allow to cook at a high heat for 5-7 minutes (covered to reduce splatter). Stir frequently and add seasonings all except for salt.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add beans. Cook for another 10 minutes covered. Add salt only if required.
5. Serve over rice, quinoa, or with corn chips, with slices of avocado. (skip the cheese and sour cream; you will never miss it!)

Enjoy!

As the mother of two boys, autumn also brings on a shortage of discretionary time. Between the pressures of sports, homework, quality time, and bedtime, keeping up with healthy meals can be a challenge. I know first hand what a struggle it is to put (a healthy) dinner on the table night after night. The temptation to do quick-and-not-so-healthy can be hard to resist.

Here are some suggestions, tips and tricks that will help you make the most of your time in the kitchen, save you money, and keep your family at the peak of health.

Suggestion #1 — Start the season off with a clean pantry

Take everything out –and I mean EVERYTHING and clean the space. Paint it, re paper it, or whatever. Make the space look attractive and appealing. Be selective when putting things back. Toss anything that is expired or you would not want to eat. Get rid of items that undermine healthy habits. Stock the shelves with things like beans, tomatoes, whole grains, and canned fish like tuna, salmon, or sardines. Stock the freezer with chicken, ground beef/turkey/buffalo, frozen vegetables and home made soups.

Suggestion #2 — Make your own frozen entrees to freeze for later

You can do this by setting aside a couple of hours one day a week, once a month, or by simply making enough extra to get another meal out of it. Be sure to choose recipes that will freeze well like soups, stews, lasagna, and cooked grains too. (See my recipe for gluten free hi protein lasagna)

Tip #1 — Do some meal planning at the beginning of each week

It does not have to be fancy, just some notes of what is for dinner the different nights. Each morning refer to the list and be sure you have everything you need, or need to defrost.

Trick #1 — How to defrost something in a hurry

The best way is NOT in the microwave. It diminishes the taste and texture, not to mention the healthfulness of your food.

The best way to defrost rice or other whole grains is to put them in a strainer and run them under warm water. It only takes a minute.  For other things fill a large bowl with very warm water. If the item you are defrosting is watertight, submerge it weighted down with a glass jar filled with hot water. If it is watertight, put it in a zip lock with all the air pushed out or in an empty plastic produce bag with the open end above the level of the water. Submerging it will push the air out. Change the water as it cools down. For best results, defrost meat completely before cooking.

I wish you a happy, healthy, and stress free back-to-school season—whether you have school aged kids of not!

You could use any kind of winter squash although I prefer either a hubbard or a kobucha type.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cups squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1″ pieces
• 1 qt vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 15oz can coconut milk
• 1 small bundle glass noodles, soaked for 10 min. in hot water and cut into 1/2″ pieces
• pinch of salt or to taste
• 1-2 tablespoon sliced scallion to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel and dice squash into bite-sized chunks.
2. Simmer them for 10-15 minutes in broth until they are fork tender.
3. Add coconut milk and simmer a minute or two more.
4. Salt to taste.
5. Turn off heat and add glass noodles and scallion.

Serves 4 – 6 people

Enjoy!

]]> http://lindaliving.com/recipes/coconut-squash-soup/feed/ 0 http://lindaliving.com/weight-loss-2/fast-track-to-healthy-weight-loss-%e2%80%93-results-guaranteed/ http://lindaliving.com/weight-loss-2/fast-track-to-healthy-weight-loss-%e2%80%93-results-guaranteed/#comments Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:18:49 +0000 lindaliving http://lindaliving.wordpress.com/?p=318 Have you ever set a health or fitness goal for yourself and failed to reach it? Even though your commitment level may have been at a “10” on the day you started, the flow of your daily life may have distracted you from your focus.

This is something I hear a lot as a health coach. Despite peoples’ best intentions, life gets in the way of, well, health.

This, combined with a “flying by the seat of the pants” approach to diet and exercise, leaves people not too far from where they would be without ever having set a goal in the first place –only with a lot more guilt.

This is a conundrum I have pondered long and hard: how to help people achieve the goals they set for them selves with a degree of certainty, and finally, I have come up with a solution!!

I am SO excited to announce the brand new Linda Living —Fast-Track program.

This revolutionary one-of-a-kind program is designed to speed up the time it takes to lose weight –in a HEALTHY way!

It is completely compatible with other all weight loss programs and designed to support you by ensuring you get the results you are seeking.

Here is how it works:

• Laser Targeted Nutrition – Testing enables us to know exactly what foods make weight loss more difficult for each person. Targeted Supplementation supports the body’s ability to metabolize fat to turn it into fuel.

• Commitment – —Fast Track keeps participants committed on a level that will ensure success –despite the ebb and flow of a busy life.

• Overcoming Stumbling Blocks – These can be physical, habitual or emotional. The intensive nature of this program allows for an unparalleled insight into what is working and what is not. Once we know, solutions are possible.

• Tools for Success – Changing the way we think is every bit as important as changing the way we eat and exercise. Fast Track uses NLP and EFT to “reprogram” our patterns creating great change in a short amount of time.

Where diets, gym memberships and grand plans have failed before, this program will work. (find out more)

The Fast-Track program puts it all together for you! This program will work –I GUARANTEE it!

I invite you to have a conversation with me to see if this program is right for you. Email me at Linda@lindaliving.com.

***I am currently looking for Beta Testers to participate in this brand new program. Please spread the word and have anyone interested contact me ASAP. Thanks!

Over the last 2 years I had become more tired than usual. It happened gradually so there was no one day that I felt like everything changed or even particularly took notice. Looking back to 2 years ago I see that a lot had changed. I used to workout regularly and enjoy it. Since then I have had to make myself go and it was always a drag. As a result of all of this I rarely did it and gained weight. I used to wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, not sleep for 8 hours or more and wake up feeling tired and hung-over –even though I don’t drink. Even the healthiest of meals left me feeling lethargic, unfocused and sometimes even dizzy. I don’t l know why it took me so long to notice, or to think of getting retested for Food Intolerance (a.k.a. food allergies), but it did.

The foods I have eliminated over the past month since getting the results of the test read like most peoples’ “healthy foods” list. They include: apples, onions, garlic, ginger, eggs, lamb, pepper, lemon, and turkey, and more –I won’t list them all.

I had this test done 25 years ago and it dramatically changed my life. I had been dragging around, feeling totally exhausted for more than 2 years before I was tested. It followed a bout of Mononucleosis, which had lasted for an entire year before being diagnosed. I had gone to doctor after doctor looking for answers as to why at the age of 20 all I wanted to do was sleep. The best any of them could do was to tell me I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. All that meant was that I was tired all the time and they couldn’t figure out why. My mom finally took me to a Holistic doctor in the city, who my uncle, a doctor, called a quack.

Among the many tests he did, was the ALCAT Food Intolerance test. This is a blood test that looks at the immune response of live blood cells to different antigens. The result was that I was “allergic” to things I was eating every day. They included: corn, tomato, potato, bakers yeast, and shrimp. I stopped eating them immediately, and within 1 week was feeling dramatically better. After 6 months I had lost 20 lbs and was back to my energetic old self. I was also able to start putting those foods back into my diet on a rotational basis (not more than once every 4^th day). Keeping to that rotation I was able to enjoy all of those foods and feel fine.

So, this “quack” cured me in 1 week where all the different doctors had failed. The cure was giving me the vital piece of information I was lacking; that there were a few foods I was better off not eating. It was that simple.

And now, one month after my re-test, since removing the newly discovered offenders from my diet, I feel significantly better. My energy is coming back and I have lost 5lbs already. I don’t have the new regimen completely down to a science yet, but it gets easier every day. I have been here before and I know the benefits of abstinence strongly outweigh the inconvenience of avoiding foods I enjoy.

I should note too that the foods that were troublesome for me 25 years ago no longer showed up as being problematic. I am sure if I had been retested earlier they would have come up as “safe”. This is because our bodies change throughout our lifetimes. We can become over sensitized to things with which we are in constant contact. Frequently it is a bout of illness or extreme stress that precipitates food intolerance.  Additionally certain cosmetics, sucralose (Splenda), and amalgam filling have an effect on the mechanism behind it. Continual exposure to problematic foods does not give the body a chance to break the inflammatory cycle and heal.