February is American Heart Month
Valentine Day is known as the universal day of love, but the traditional heart-shaped boxes of candy may not be the best way to shower your lady with love and romance. This is because February also marks Heart Health Awareness Month, putting much-needed focus on one of the biggest threats to our health.
As Valentine Day approaches, I know we tend to think of those we love who are here with us and also those who have passed. I lost my dad 4 years ago and one of his enemies was SUGAR. Unfortunately high cholesterol combined with high blood pressure killed him.
We hear day after day about a “healthy eating plan” but many of us just don’t know where to start. Everyone is unique and I’m not here to promote or negate any particular style of eating – they all seem to work for someone. I just want to help you, if you’re stuck or confused, take those first steps back to health – because you really can do it!
So what can YOU do?
There is a simple answer: First step is starting with body detoxification and body cleansing.
Not only will you flush out fats, toxins and sludge that slow you down and chop years off your life, but you’ll instantly have a refreshed feeling like you are on top of the world.
Why? Because our environment (food, water and air) has about 60,000 chemicals swirling around, just waiting to enter our body. Even so the body does a good job, often the body can’t keep up with the amount of toxins present in the environment. That’s why you need a jump start every once in a while and today the process it’s known as ‘detoxification’.
When you engage in routine detoxification you greatly reduce your risks for:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Infertility
- Hormonal imbalances
- Allergies
- Gastrointestinal disease
Second step is to start a Diet Plan.
We have designed what we call the “21 Day Diet Eating Plan”. It seems it’s the best Valentine gift I could give you in American Heart Month. Briefly, I offer you three simple rules:
1. Track teaspoons of sugar in your meals.
2. Strive to minimize eating the daily teaspoons of sugar (6-8) if you’re concerned about heart health.
3. Eat 12 portions of lean protein daily.
To accomplish this, you’ll choose a diet low in grain-based and/or refined carbohydrates and sugars, high in vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins, nuts and seeds. That’s it!
You’ll be looking at labels to determine the sugars contained in your meals (and with unlabeled foods, this link is very helpful). The following equation will become one of your most valued (and eye-opening) tools:
# Of Teaspoons of Sugar per serving = (Total Carbohydrates – Dietary Fiber) divided by 5.
It’s amazing how fast the teaspoons of sugar will add up, I promise you. Remember, do your best with small, slow steps. We recommend finding a partner who shares your commitment, which could be helpful. My goal in this newsletter is to get you through the starting gate! Next weeks we’ll expand on the program and offer more tips and action steps.
For today, for your health, and for those you love, let’s recognize one of the primary enemies of your happy future – SUGAR, in all its forms—and give it a heart-felt shove out of your life! It’s amazing, but after a short while, you won’t even miss it!
