Today, more than ever, our choices of foods are enormous. Prepared/processed foods are everywhere. Although we are gaining convenience, we are losing health. It is a dangerous misconception that a product labeled “Low Fat” is healthy for us. Most of the products that are labeled “Low Fat” contain a dangerous form of fat that is most often labeled as: “Partially Hydrogenated Oil”. This type of oil (which can be soybean, corn, palm, cottonseed etc.) actually increases dangerous free radicals in our body. Free radicals are known to increase the risk of cancer. These oils, labeled sometimes as “Trans-Fats or “Margarine” also cause inflammation within our joints and blood vessels. The inflammatory process can worsen arthritis, heart diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, allergies, infections and other conditions as well.

It would be healthier to choose products without “Partially Hydrogenated Oils” (margarine or trans- fats). Ideally you should limit the intake of saturated fats as well. These include meat and dairy fat (such as cheese and butter). In moderation the saturated fats are not as dangerous as the Partially Hydrogenated Fats. Any “trans fat” is dangerous.

If you are searching for the healthiest oil, the answer can be found in the Mediterranean diet. The staple fat of this diet is Olive Oil. If you don’t care for the taste, Canola oil is the next best alternative. If you take the time to read some labels, you may be surprised at the amount of unhealthy oil you eat. The rewards of eliminating this deadly fat could be years on your life.

Ask Dr. Gina about some of the common foods you may eat that contain these dangerous oils. The answers may surprise you and some simple changes may save your life.

Have you ever taken the time to think about whether or not you are truly healthy? Most of the time when we assess our health we base the answer on how we are feeling. Unfortunately, how we feel is not really a good measure of how healthy we actually are. It is all too common to hear stories of people we know who have died just a day or two after they were pronounced “healthy”. If you had asked these people how they were feeling just a day or two before their death, they would have told you they were healthy. Conversely, when we don’t feel well, it does not necessarily mean that we are unhealthy. True health is really a measure of whether or not all of our body systems are working to their full potential at all times.

Healthy people should feel pain. If you touch a hot stove it is important to feel pain so you can remove your hand before severe damage is caused. If you get exposed to germs, it is often a healthy response to get a cough, sniffle or fever. Too often we rush to take medication to stop our bodies NORMAL function. We suppress fevers and coughs as if they are all negative. If your body is healthy it is much better to trust in the innate wisdom that controls your functioning and allow the expression of symptoms.

So, if how we feel is not a good measure of our health, how do we ever really know if we are healthy? The answer is that you don’t. What we do know is that there are certain behaviors that are healthy. If we adopt strategies for healthy living then we can assume our bodies are as healthy as they can potentially be. If we are employing healthy strategies, then our bodies can better adapt to the stress of our environment. These stresses come in physical, chemical, mental and emotional forms. Many of them can not be eliminated, but by behaving in a healthy way, we can better adapt to these stresses and remain well. The main spokes on the wheel of health are:

1. DIET
2. EXERCISE
3. POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE
4. REST AND HYGIENE
5. MIND BODY CONNECTION
6. GOOD CLEAN WATER
7. SUNSHINE
8. CLEAN AIR

If you pay careful attention to taking care of these areas, you will be doing as much as you can for your health. A dedication to focusing on these parts of your lifestyle will go a long way toward making you healthy. The literature is filled with facts on what types of diet and exercise prolong life. We are blessed to be in an area that abounds with classes and programs geared towards improving mental attitude and attaining ultimate relaxation. Good luck on your wellness journey.

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are. After that, we’re frustrated that we have teenagers with whom we must deal. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when?

Alfred Souza said: “For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin – real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid; Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.”.

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time… and remember that time waits for no one. So, stop waiting until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until the season changes, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.