Staying healthy and maintaining a healthy weight not only reduces your risk of developing chronic disease.

It also helps maintain cognitive function.

New Findings in Healthy Lifestyle Mental Benefits

Research shows that that there is an association between being overweight or obese and impaired cognitive function.

In addition, people with metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes or high cholesterol are at increased risk of mental decline as well.

Studies show that these metabolic abnormalities like diabetes and elevated lipids are predictive of lower cognitive function regardless of BMI (Body Mass index, a measure of body fat). However the higher the BMI in this group the greater the mental decline.

Healthy eating and lifestyle can not only combat chronic disease but also can help maintain mental function as we age.

Food is medicine, so choosing whole foods, lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, lean protein and healthy fats combined with regular exercise, stress reducing activities can all help keep your body and mind healthy.

The post Research Shows Maintaining a Healthy Weight Helps Prevent Mental Decline appeared first on Optimal Wellness Weight Loss Center.

Whole foods are those we eat their natural state. Manufactured, refined or processed foods aren’t whole foods, no matter what other labels they have. Even staples like bread, peanut butter and jelly don’t qualify.  That’s because all (or almost all) of their ingredients are machined to a far cry from their natural state. They’re fast and convenient, but do you wonder what’s in them and what this means for your health?

Why Processed Foods Are So Unhealthy

According to researchers, most Americans are essentially malnourished. By some estimates, 90% of the food we buy is processed. Because nutrients get removed with processing, we receive too little vitamin C, fiber, and other essential nutrients every day. When you look at the quality of food we eat, it isn’t surprising.

Processed food contains more fat, sodium, oils, and empty calories than their natural counterparts. Their ingredients also include artificial dyes and flavors, chemical sweeteners, and preservatives to extend shelf life.  Products made from corn are often added, usually under many different names like citric acid. This causes problems for weight loss, because it concentrates more calories into what we consume than we need to eat.

Processing and refining ingredients removes the fiber, vitamins and minerals our bodies need to keep our muscles and organs working well, to fight disease, and use for energy.  Worse – it throws out of balance the proportions of nutrients and calories we absorb during digestion, and the body stores more fat as a result.

When your body goes without the nutrition of natural foods, weight control and health suffers.  Everything from metabolism to waste elimination to food cravings becomes maladjusted to too much fat, sugar, and too little vitamins, minerals and fiber.

But, how do you avoid this?

By eating more foods as they come from nature.

Why Whole Foods Help with Weight Loss

Whole foods are in their original state – or very close to it – when you eat them.  Because they’re intact, you get more fiber and complete nutrients, and sugars and carbohydrates in natural proportions.

By eating whole foods, you feel satisfied without eating unnatural levels of calories per serving.  Your body is better able to maintain a regular metabolism, decrease cravings, and avoid turning extra calories into fat.  With the right fuel, you can lose weight more easily and feel healthier.

Examples of Whole Foods and Their Benefits

There are all kinds of great whole foods to choose from. Here are some examples:

• Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, chia, and flax, contain omega 3 – an essential fatty acid that helps prevent heart disease.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, especially when they’re raw. They can help reduce the risk for many illnesses and lower blood pressure.
• Whole grains reduce the risk of chronic illness and obesity. You may have heard people say that whole grain is better than white bread, and it’s true! White flour is highly processed and lacks the nutrition in the entire wheat grain.
• Legumes such as black beans, lentils, and red kidney beans are a great source for fiber and protein. They help in reducing cholesterol and maintaining sugar levels.

Some nutritionists say that your body can better use vitamins from the food you eat than from pills and supplements—it’s certainly a lot more fun!

Eating whole foods is one of the best ways to take care of yourself.

It’s a simple change that can help boost your health.

About Dr. Betty Keller:

Dr. Betty Keller practices integrative medicine at the Optimal Wellness Center in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.  She is a board certified doctor specializing in weight loss, chronic pain treatment, medical acupuncture and disease prevention, serving Ridgewood, Wyckoff, NJ, and nearby areas.

The post What Are Whole Foods and How Do They Help You Lose Weight? appeared first on Optimal Wellness Weight Loss Center.

Summary:  While acupuncture isn’t a cure-all, it can help make your weight loss plan work for you.  Acupuncture — an ancient medical treatment using small needles at precise points — stimulates the nervous system.  One result is pain reduction, by triggering the body’s own hormones that stimulate a sense of well-being.  You feel more energetic and mobile, which makes it easier for you to exercise and enjoy being more physically active.  Following a healthy eating plan is an important part of successful weight loss.  Acupuncture has been shown to reduce cravings and stress levels that can make it harder for you to follow healthy lifestyle changes.  Many people looking to lose weight and keep it off find that acupuncture is just what they need to over come  cravings, boost  energy, decrease  appetite, and reduce  stress.  It may be the little extra help you need to succeed.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a medical treatment to encourage the body to promote natural healing and to improve functioning. This is done by inserting small needles into precise acupuncture points.

The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in patterns through the body.  These channels are called meridians. Acupuncture helps restore the natural flow when there is an obstruction in these energy channels.

The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in muscles, the spinal cord, and the brain.  These chemicals can decrease or eliminate pain; they can also trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones, which influence the body’s own internal healing system.

The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body to heal itself and promote physical and emotional wellbeing.

How can acupuncture help me lose weight?

We all know weight loss is a complex subject, and a program must be multifaceted to be effective. A good program would include, a healthy diet, exercise, stress reduction and behavioral modifications. As an adjunct therapy acupuncture can help. It is not magic, and is not a substitute for adopting a healthy lifestyle.  However it can be effective in making it easier to lose weight and keep it off in those individuals who are willing to make appropriate healthy lifestyle changes.  Studies have shown that people following a healthy diet and exercise plan can lose more weight when acupuncture is included in their weight loss program. If you need ideas to get started on your weight loss program, call or contact us to learn more about acupuncture as part of a whole-person treatment plan.

How does acupuncture help with weight loss?

When acupuncture needles are inserted into specific points in the ear or the body the body releases endorphins.  Endorphins are proteins similar to opioids.   When these proteins are released into the body they cause a sense of well being.  They also act as an analgesic, which means they can reduce pain.  These endorphins have a calming and relaxing effect on the body. When a person is calm and relaxed it makes it easier not to overeat and gain weight.

Acupuncture can relieve stress, a major contributor to weight gain.

When needles are placed in specific point in the ear they stimulate the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. This nerve functions to increase the smooth muscle tone of the stomach, which decreases your appetite by causing a sense of fullness. Stimulation of this nerve also causes an increase in serotonin.  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced in your brain. When released it gives you a  ‘feeling of happiness’ and helps to keep you calm.  In addition, serotonin also helps to suppress your appetite.  This may be particularly important in a subset of overweight people who have low levels of serotonin.

What happens at a treatment session?

Needles are placed in specific points in the ear and body based on your particular eating type. There are specific points in the ear that correspond to different eating habits. Depending on your particular needs different points will be used. After the area is clean with an alcohol wipe a small disposable needle is inserted into a precise acupuncture point.  After the needles are inserted they will be left in place for about twenty minutes while you relax.  Before leaving press tags are placed in the area that is best suited for your treatment. These small beads are attached to a small piece of tape and placed in the area most appropriate for you. They can be stimulated for 10 seconds gently when needed to suppress appetitive or cravings or induce a feeling of calm.

How many treatments are needed?

The number of treatments depends on your personnel wellness goals.  Dr.Keller will assess you at each visit and determine the appropriate number of treatments for you.

What happens when the treatments are completed?  Will I gain all the weight back?

Congratulations, if your treatments are completed you have reached your wellness goal.  You now have made permanent healthy lifestyle changes and these changes will help you maintain you’re your new healthy weight.  The positive effects of acupuncture will persist.  This may be because not only does acupuncture release endorphins and serotonin and other beneficial chemicals it may also cause the body to continue to release a higher level of these chemicals even after the treatments have stopped.  Once you have reached your goals you and Dr.Keller may decide to have a treatment every four to six months to stay on track with your wellness goal.

Those who follow a healthy diet and exercise plan in combination with acupuncture should see a boost in their weight loss and energy levels.

What are some of the advantages of adding acupuncture to your weight loss program?

• Both men and women of all fitness levels can benefit from acupuncture.
• Patients can help reduce their stress while losing weight.
• Acupuncture helps suppress your appetite.
• Acupuncture may help reduce fat, increase lean muscle mass, and improve joint mobility.
• Acupuncture can also be used to relieve pain, a benefit, which will make exercising easier.
• You may find that in addition to healthy life style changes that acupuncture is just what you need to over come your cravings, boost your energy, decrease your appetite, and reduce your stress.  It may be the little extra help you need to succeed.

As with any weight loss program, acupuncture treatments for weight loss will not work for everyone. You will need to evaluate your health and fitness goals. Contact us to to learn more about weight control therapies and to decide if trying acupuncture for weight loss is right for you.

The post Can Acupuncture Help You Lose Weight? appeared first on Optimal Wellness Weight Loss Center.

Our approach at the Franklin Lakes Optimal Wellness Center is to find what works for you.   Long term weight loss and, ultimately, your lower risk of chronic disease come from making livable changes that become a regular part of your life each day.

Here are 10 basic tips to start you on your way to permanent weight loss, one step at a time:

#1 Start with a personal commitment to yourself.  Before you can make changes that last, promise yourself that you are doing this for real.  No medical consultation in the world is going to make a difference if you are not committed to making changes happen.  Your progress in choosing foods, activities and ways to reduce stress only work if you are ready and willing to make the new choices you’re giving yourself.

#2 Find what motivates you and work with that.  Only you know the real reasons you want to make a change.  No one can tell you the right reason. This has to be what you want for yourself.  Think about what means most to you, like “I want more energy and fun playing with my kids,” or “I want to feel more comfortable in my body.”   Write your reason down.  Keep it in mind.  These thoughts will help you make positive, healthier choices.

#3 Say to yourself:  I can do this! Your mind is powerful – the most powerful tool you have.  When you tell yourself “I can,” you’re helping set the course of your actions.  Your actions follow your thoughts.  “I can do this” leads you on to your own personal success.

#4  Look at how you think about food, and change the way you think about it. Food is meant as fuel for your body.  It gives you nourishment and the ability for your body to perform.  People may talk about “comfort” food.  But any “comfort” in eating doesn’t last very long.  Our thoughts and relationships about food are complicated.  Be willing to reflect on your thoughts and feelings about food, and decide which thoughts to keep.

#5  Take time to relax and enjoy yourself when you eat.  Enjoy your food.  Be minfdful and allow yourself to sit down for your meal, and enjoy every bite. Don’t watch TV while eating, or check your email, or read.  Make meal time a pleasure and a break you take for yourself.

#6 For the first 3 weeks, write down what you eat in a food diary.  This isn’t forever, — it’s good to do at least for the first 21 days.  Keeping a food diary will help you become aware of the new habits and choices you are forming.  It will help keep you on track..

#7 Keep unhealthy foods out of your home.  Remove any foods you’ve decided to keep out of your life for now.  You save yourself a lot of stress and temptation if it’s not in your house.  Make sure you remove trigger foods from your home: those which you can’t stop eating once you get started.  Know that you’re not alone in having foods that are just not safe for you to have nearby:  There’s a reason why certain potato chips makers advertise that “You can’t eat just one.”

#8 Drink water.  Plan times to help yourself to a glass of water.  Drink a glass before you have a meal, and before you have a snack.  When you make sure to give your body enough water, you are less likely to make the common mistake of eating, thinking you’re hungry, when you are actually thirsty instead.  Drinking plenty of water also helps prevent food cravings, and keeps you from feeling fatigue due to dehydration.

#9 Get active.  Find an activity that you enjoy.  Make time to enjoy your activity for at least half an hour, 5 days a week.  Exercise speeds up your metabolism.  If you stay active for 60 minutes a day, you reach your weight loss goals even faster.  In addition to an activity that gives your heart rate and metabolism a healthy boost, find an exercise that helps you improve muscle strength.  Just two days per week of strengthening exercises is enough to improve wellness.  Your doctor can help you find a range of activities that are safe and beneficial to you.   Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

#10 Eat breakfast – don’t skip it.  A healthy breakfast is a signal to get your metabolism going after having no food overnight.  When you skip breakfast, your body respons as if you are under stress.  It automatically responds with hormones that tell your body to conserve fat tissue.

Even if you have struggled with your weight for years, you can find a solution that works for you.

Struggling with your weight for years can leave you feeling discouraged.  But in over 25 years of practice, I have seen hundreds of patients benefit greatly from our whole-person approach.  Patients regain lower weights they enjoyed in their younger years, and find more energy and enjoyment in life.

The good news is that you can maintain a healthy weight, even if other attempts have failed.  If you are located near Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, call the Optimal Wellness Center to schedule an appointment, and find a weight control lifestyle that works for you.

We are located in Fraklin Lakes, New Jersey.  We are close to Saddle River, Paramus, and Ridgewood.  We serve patients from throughout Bergen County.

The post Weight Loss: 10 Tips to Make a Plan That Works for You appeared first on Optimal Wellness Weight Loss Center.