We all have certain expectations of
ourselves. Unfortunately, many of them aren’t exactly realistic. In
today’s image-conscious world, we all hold an idea of what the
“perfect” person looks like, and dismally, for most of us, we don’t
measure up to that ideal that we have created in our own minds.

Even
though we know that perfection really isn’t achievable, on a deep
subconscious level, we still expect ourselves to be perfect. We find it
really difficult to accept our weaknesses, and sometimes even our
strengths. Instead, when we find ourselves addicted to food and more
specifically, addicted to sugar in our battle with inner and outer
selves, we’re our own harshest critics. We feel terrible for being
unable to “eat like a normal person” and berate ourselves for not being
able to maintain a “normal” weight.

But there is hope. Read more

We all have certain expectations of ourselves. Unfortunately, many of them aren’t exactly realistic. In today’s image-conscious world, we all hold an idea of what the “perfect” person looks like, and dismally, for most of us, we don’t measure up to that ideal that we have created in our own minds.

Even though we know that perfection really isn’t achievable, on a deep subconscious level, we still expect ourselves to be perfect. We find it really difficult to accept our weaknesses, and sometimes even our strengths. Instead, when we find ourselves addicted to food and more specifically, addicted to sugar in our battle with inner and outer selves, we’re our own harshest critics. We feel terrible for being unable to “eat like a normal person” and berate ourselves for not being able to maintain a “normal” weight.

Read the rest or post a comment >>

Yesterday Yvan and I took a road trip out to New Mexico and through Texas. Along the way, We stopped at the White Sands National Monument. http://www.nps.gov/whsa/ I have never in my life seen something this cool (and weird) looking. It feels like you are either walking through a blizzard of snow or a gigantic bowl of sugar.

We drove another 3 hours to New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns:
http://www.nps.gov/cave/ and Did the main tour of the cavern It was quite a workout, but worth it! The cavern was so enormous, the size of 5 foot ball field. It took my breath away and was quite beautiful.

Interview with Raymond Francis

Aging is worse than a mistake, it is a catastrophe. Aging reduces quality of life and causes so-called “diseases of aging”
such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. Making yourself old and sick is not a sensible choice-it is a mistake.

Each disease, even a cold, accelerates aging, makes you sicker, and causes more disease. Then our physicians manage these diseases with treatments that create still more aging and disease. It’s a vicious cycle, and we have to learn how to break that cycle.

To live a long disease-free life, it is essential to learn how to prevent and reverse aging and disease. Fortunately, this is not difficult to learn.

With just a little bit of effort, any of us can become healthier and biologically
younger. While we cannot control our chronological age, we do have control over our biological age.

Did you miss your chance to join us in the live session? No problem! You can still access the audio recording and transcript

A number of diets such as The Fat Flush Plan by Ann Louise Gittleman, The Rosedale Diet by Ron Rosedale, M.D., and The Perricone Prescription by Nicholas Perricone, M.D., advise their followers to quit ingesting caffeine to help their weight loss process. Why? Because there are documented scientific studies that support the premise that caffeine interferes with weight loss programs.
Here are just a few results:

• Caffeine elevates stress hormones. People tend to eat when they feel stressed, and this thwarts their diet goals.
• Caffeine triggers hypoglycemia and increases appetite. Well-designed weight loss diets are designed to achieve stable blood sugar levels without insulin spikes. Caffeine raises blood sugar, which can result in subsequent low blood sugar levels, which often drive people to eat high fat, refined carbohydrate foods to get a quick energy boost.
• Caffeine aggravates Insulin Resistance Syndrome. Obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and cellular insensitivity to insulin are part of a syndrome that can lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes. Caffeine contributes to insulin resistance and impairs glucose tolerance. 41 million Americans are considered to be pre-diabetic and are advised to adapt to healthy lifestyle and dietary habits to avoid progressing to Type 2 diabetes.  

 A good caffeine substitute is Teeccino Mediterranean Herbal coffee (no CAF) Mocha – 75% organic, and you can use organic coconut milk instead of milk. This is a great substitute for your coffee and coconut milk is also a great substitute for milk  Teeccino Mediterranean Herbal coffee is:

Naturally caffeine-free – no processing- no chemical residue   -High in heart-healthy potassium and soluble fiber -A natural energy boost - from nutrients, not stimulants    Alkaline - which helps reduce acidity and restore alkaline balance  -Rich in insulin, a soluble fiber found in chicory root. It improves  digestion and elimination. It also increases calcium and mineral absorption. So get rid of that caffeine and try Teeccino – a good substitute.

Here’s some good advice by Bruce Fife, MD, from his book, The Fat That Can Make You Thin: Research has shown that those who get an adequate amount of fat in their diet generally eat less than those who try to reduce fat intake. The less you eat, the fewer calories you consume. Ingesting an adequate amount of fat in the diet is essential for effective and permanent weight loss.

When people become hungry soon after a meal, they tend to overeat at the next. One of the reasons why fat is necessary for successful weight loss is that it satisfies hunger, helps in reducing appetite and lowers overall food consumption. Fat slows the speed at which the stomach empties, so that you feel full longer. When you’re less hungry during the day, you’ll cut down on snacks and eat less at mealtime. As a result, you’ll consume fewer calories.

Even though fat contains more calories than either protein or carbohydrates, its effect on curbing appetite more than makes up for the extra calories it contains.

Here’s another tip:

Stay away from FAT-FREE labels- fat-free does not mean healthy. When you see fat-free on a label, be assured that the company is trying to deceive you, so don’t buy it. Most fat-free products are simply loaded with unbelievable amounts of sugar and chemicals to help enhance the taste.

Instead choose: A salad dressing made with olive oil, or
just use olive oil and lemon as your salad dressing. If you try it
you might like it.

When I first started changing my diet years ago, overeating
was a daily habit. I couldn’t help myself – I just felt hungry all the
time. That really had me puzzled. Here I was, eating a healthy diet,
supposedly getting all the nutrients my body needed, yet I was still
feeling hungry. What gives?

Back then, two things were happening:

First,
my body wasn’t actually absorbing as many vitamins and minerals as it
could – like it does now – because nutritionally, it was building its
reserves and exuding toxins.

Second, and this is a major cause of
overeating – was what I call the “psychology factor”. Basically, I was
just used to my stomach feeling “full” the way it felt after eating
highly processed cooked meals. My brain had no experience with the raw
foods I had started feeding my body, so it kept sending out signals
that I must be hungry, simply because my stomach just didn’t feel the
same! Read more

I’ve finally finished reading To Become a Better You by Joel Osteen. It’s been sitting on in my bookshelf for the last year! You should already know everything in his book, but I suggest that you read it anyway because virtually every one of us can benefit from it.

It’s a very nice book that breaks down seven very simple keys to leading a happy life. Who doesn’t want to be happy? One might expect evangelist Osteen to be heavy-handed and preachy with advice that’s laudable but hardly practical, but this isn’t the case at all. There’s a healthy balance among lots of good advice.

Joel Osteen encourages you to stop dwelling on negative thoughts so you can reach your full
potential. In order to fulfill your destiny, you have to leave your past mistakes behind you as you reach into the future by following spiritual wisdom. Here’s the link for the book!

Herbs have become such a part of my lifestyle! I have several single
herbs in my collection, and I use many different blends, depending on
how I feel that day. This delicious blend will nourish, cleanse and
support your body in many ways.

So if you're in need of a little reviving this winter, why don't you
try one of these soothing herbal teas!!

• 4 cups water
• 3 slices fresh ginger, cut to the thickness of a quarter: warming, immune enhancer
• 1 inch piece licorice root: antiviral, antibacterial, fights depression
• 1/2 to 1 inch piece cinnamon stick:warming, digestive support, useful for Diabetes
• 4 tbsp organic orange rind:sweet
• 1 nutmeg (whole): digestive aid, anxiety, calming muscle spasms
• 1 tbsp dried parsley – digestive aid
• 3 clove: warming, digestive aid

In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Steep 5 to 15 minutes. Strain and drink twice a day. Makes 4 cups.
optional: you can add 1 teaspoon of Raw honey

I’m in Albuquerque, New Mexico now for the next three months. We just finished settling down and found a beautiful condo within walking distance to everything we need. I’ll fill you in more about my personal journey next week via my blog.

I’ve received many e-mails this week asking about cleansings and detox. Which one should you do?

If you haven’t done the 7-day cleanse yet, I would strongly suggest you start with this one first! The 7-Day Sugar-Free Diet has been designed to fit various lifestyles and goals, so you don’t have to worry about trying to squeeze into a plan that’s not right for you – especially if weight loss is NOT your goal. You choose which meal plan you want to follow. The intention is to help you manage your sugar cravings or carbohydrate sensitivity, whether you want to lose weight or not. Either way, you WILL see results.

Inside, you’ll find 92 pages of expert advice on how to stop your sugar cravings and transform your eating habits without feeling hungry or deprived. You will eat three meals a day and enjoy healthy snacks in-between.

Better yet, with the help of the 7-Day Menu Planner, you’ll get easy-to-make recipes and expert guidance on your journey to a new, healthier you.

Plus, you’ll get my recommendations for super-food supplements to speed up the process of knocking that sugar right out of your body. These are supplements I personally trust and use regularly. I’ll tell you precisely where to get them.

Check it out! You can get your copy right here