Stanols And Sterols Instead Of Statins?

Most people have gone to the doctor and had a blood lipid panel done at some point in their lives.  And unfortunately, the majority of individuals living in the United States have high cholesterol, which is measured in the blood lipid panel.  And the fallback intervention most doctors immediatly suggest to patients is starting on a cholesterol-lowering medication.  But are there other, better ways to naturally lower blood cholesterol instead of taking medications?  Maybe so.

When an individual gets their results from their blood lipid panel and total cholesterol is high, the immediate response from the doctor is most often to start on a blood cholesterol-lowering medication.  The most common group or class of medications that are prescribed to individuals are called Statins.  You might have heard of the drug Lipitor, this is considered a Statin.  Lipitor is actually the best selling medication in history, that is how many people are prescribed a Statin.  The mechanism of action of Statins is that they inhibit the enzyme that allows the liver to generate or make cholesterol.  Without that enzyme, the liver cannot make new cholesterol, therefore lowering the amount of cholesterol crawling through the bloodstream.

But are there any other interventions that can be just as effective as taking a medication?  Well, let me introduce stanols and sterols from plants!  Plant stanols and sterols are phytoesterols (small but essential components of certain plant membranes). They are found naturally (in very small amounts) in some vegetable oils, nuts, grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

Research has shown that plant sterols and plant stanols have the ability to help lower cholesterol. Hoping to cash in and make common food products even "healthier," food manufacturers have taken these phytoesterols from their naturally occurring sources, concentrated them, and added them to common foods that wouldn't normally contain them, such as vegetable oil spreads (margarine), mayonnaise, yogurt smoothies, orange juice, cereals, and snack bars to name a few.

OK, but how do these phytoesterols work in reducing cholesterol?  Well, on a molecular level, sterols and stanols look a lot like cholesterol. So when they travel through your digestive tract, they get in the way. They can prevent real cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead of clogging up your arteries, the cholesterol just goes out with the waste.  Thats right, you poop that cholesterol right out!

Experts have been studying the effects of food fortified with plant sterols for decades. One important study of people with high cholesterol found that less than an ounce of stanol-fortified margarine a day could lower LDL cholesterol by 14%.

A more recent study from the University of California Davis Medical Center looked at the effects of sterol-fortified orange juice. Of 72 adults, half received regular orange juice and half the fortified orange juice. After just two weeks, the people who drank the stanol-fortified juice had a 12.4% drop in their LDL cholesterol levels.

The FDA gave these products the status of a "health claim." This means that experts widely agree on the cholesterol-lowering benefits of stanols and sterols. It also allows manufacturers to advertise the heart-healthy benefits on labels.

That being said, foods that contain these plant stanols and sterols are quite expensive.  Typically, these fortified foods are also quite difficult to find.  If you are interested in checking out the stanols and sterols instead of statins, I encourage you to call your local grocery store and see if they are currently stocked!

Curb Those Cravings!

Summer is right around the corner and with that comes hot, humid weather.  Is your body ready for those short shorts, tight skirts, tiny tanks, or lest we forget the itty-bitty bikini?  Any person can have a body that looks amazing in those little summer numbers.  A huge roadblock to getting that beach-ready body is that feeling of hunger and the inability to overcome those pesky cravings.  No one is immune to food cravings, myself included, but there are some things you can do both to satisfy your cravings AND get a beach-ready body.

Give In To Your Craving...But Know Your Limit!!
If your truely craving a certain food that you have deemed "unhealthy", the worst thing you can do is to tell yourself you can't have it.  Think back to when you were a kid and your parents told you that you "can absolutely NOT have that chocolate cake!"  And what did you eventually do?  You ate that cake anyway...as much as you could get your hands on.  Alright, maybe that is actually a true story from my childhood, but I'm sure most of you can relate at least a little bit.  I mean, let's be real, if someone tells you that you can't do something its human nature to respond with "yes I can...watch me!"  This includes internal struggles within yourself dealing with food as well.  If you completely deny yourself certain foods that you feel should be off-limits, it will end up backfiring on you at some point.  Denying yourself certain foods will most certainly equal excessively overindulging on those foods at some point.  Why not let yourself have a bite or two and then ask yourself if you really want any more?  Usually when we crave a certain food it is beyond a biological urge and is actually an emotional urge.  Take a spoonful or a forkful and check yourself: do you really want another bite?  Or another 8 bites?  Internalize these feelings.  Maybe after you explore how you really feel all you need is a bite or two to squash that craving. 

Pump Your Craving With Protein

I don't know about you, but I hear all the time that a great, healthy mid-morning or afternoon snack is a nice piece of fruit or vegetables.  But my goodness, if that is all I have for a snack, my tummy is growling within 1 hour.  Brightly colored fruits and vegetables are a great mid-morning or afternoon snack, but a great way to increase your satiety after eating these healthy bites is to add a little bit of protein.  Protein will make you feel fuller and keep you full longer becuase it takes your body more time and energy to break down a protein compared to a fruit or a veggie.  So if you eat an apple, carrot, or celery, why not add a little bit of peanut butter or cream cheese?  Maybe you can put some yogurt on top of your berries.  But lets be real here, who really craves fruits and veggies on a daily basis?  So, maybe today your craving chocolate...have a dark chocolate bar with almonds.  Or what if your craving ice cream...add some almond butter on top and mix it in.  Do you crave savory foods, like chips or crackers?  Add a tiny piece of cheese or hummus on them.  Adding that protein to your cravings will help curb your cravings and trim your tummy. 


Fill Up On Fiber
So, lets say your craving a juicy steak or mouthwatering macaroni and cheese for dinner.  Something that contains a good amount of saturated fat and is, unfortunately, your vice.  A great way to offset your inevitable overindulging on your favorite rich foods is to start with some fiber.  Have a huge salad before your meal.  Order a starter salad in the restaurant and eat the whole thing before you start on your meal. If your going to a place where you won't have an opportunity to have some veggies at the restaurant or party, you can eat a handful of carrots, celery, or zucchini (or any veggie, really) before you go.  Filling up on these fibrous veggies will make you feel full and won't add to your calorie count for the evening, or any part of the day, for that matter. 

Mind Over Mouth

There are always those times when there is food sitting in front of us that we know we just don't need.  Thats the time you need to use your mind over your mouth and tell yourself "no!"  As adults we should be able to take some of the control away from our food and put it back onto ourselves.  What a liberating thought: you control what you eat, not your food!!  I gaurantee if you say no to a certain food, the craving will pass and you won't even be thinking about it after a few minutes.  Additionally, once you are able to say no to some of your cravings, you will start curb the cravings and think of all the calories you will be skipping in the process!

Using these four rules of thumb, you can curb your food cravings and makeover your body so you can feel comfortable wearing those fun, flirty summer clothes we all love to sport!

Great Grilling

As the days get longer and the nights get warmer, there is a certain subtle smell in the air that is a staple in the summer.  The great smell of grilling out.  That time of the year is right around the corner, and many people (myself included!) are eager to get that grill out of storage and dust it off.  There are so many food and flavor choices you can use while grilling, above and beyond the boring plain old brats and burgers, so let me share my favorite great grilling ideas with you!

Mouthwatering Marinades
A great way to jazz up a grilled dish is to add a marinade.  Any piece of red meat, poultry, or fish can have a marinade that really brings out the natural flavor.  As a rule of thumb I like to keep my piece of protein in the marinade for at least 4 hours to really let the flavors absorb and to use either olive oil or canola oil as a base to keep the protein nice and moist.  I don't know about you, but a dried out piece of steak or fish isn't too appetizing!  Then, add your favorite sauces like worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, lime juice, or even honey or maple syrup.  Don't forget to add some spices and salt and pepper to taste.  Then, whisk it up, pour into a resealable plastic bag with the pieces of protein you will be cooking and let sit for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Spicy Beef or Chicken Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 cup canola oil
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

1.)  In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, ground ginger, canola oil, green onions and black pepper.
2.)  Place desired meat in marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before grilling.

Irresistible Rubs
A great way to add a ton of flavor to your grilled masterpieces without adding any calories is to use a rub.  Rubs are usually best with steaks, pork, and chicken breasts.  Rubs are also great because they are fast, easy, and a great way to be creative in the kitchen (or on the patio by the grill!).  Start with some salt and pepper and add whatever spices you feel like that day.  Maybe your in a spicy mood, or maybe its a tangy night tonight.  Add fresh herbs to bring a great seasonal flare to your rub.  Mix all the spices together, make sure your piece of protein is a bit moist and press both sides into the rub mixture, then grill away!

All-Purpose Rub for Meats

4 tablespoons white sugar

4 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried thyme

1.)  In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, paprika, mustard, pepper, oregano and thyme.
2.)  Coat meat in mixture, and then grill as desired.      

         

Perfect Pizzas
Why not try putting a homemade pizza on the grill this summer?  This can add so much flavor and crunchiness to an otherwise sub-par alternative of ordering one from Domino's or Papa Murphy's.  Making your own pizza can be fun and you can control the flavor combinations and the calorie counts!  Start with a pre-made thin crust or make the crust yourself.  If your making the crust yourself, make sure to bake it (or put it on the grill on a pan) for about 10 minutes prior to adding the toppings.  Add some sauce, olive oil, or just chopped tomatoes for the base, along with some oregano and basil.  Then add your favorite toppings and as much or as little cheese as you would like.  Don't be shy, load up on those veggies!  They are a great way to get some good fiber and color to your pizza.  Throw the pizza on the grill and sprinkle some of your favorite fresh herbs on top.  Then cut it up and enjoy!

Mouthwatering Mediterranean Pizza
1 whole wheat pizza crust

Olive oil spray

1 cup basil pesto
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup fresh arugula, chopped
2 cups roasted red peppers, chopped
2 cups artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
5 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

1.)  Take the pizza crust (either store bought or homemade) and spray with olive oil.  Thinly spread on the pesto.  Add the spinach, arugula, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. 

2.)  Place the pizza on the grill for around 10 to 12 minutes (depending on how hot the grill is).  Take the pizza off the grill and garnish with sliced basil leaves.

Serving Size = 1 slice (when pizza is cut into 8 slices)

Total Calories - 275 kcal
Fat - 24g
Carbohydrates - 12g
Protein - 10g
Sodium - 570mg

Mix It In!!
If your favorite grilling food is still the classic burger, there are ways to jazz that up as well.  Why not mix some great flavorful ingredients to the ground meat before you grill it to keep your taste buds satisfied.  Throw in some sauteed onions, garlic, your favorite veggies, and some crumbled or shredded cheese.  Don't forget the salt, pepper, and spices.  Even include your favorite sauce to the mix, like hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, or barbecue sauce.  Each time you can make a little different burger concoction to keep your family guessing and always excited for grilling night!

Great Greek Burger

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 cups chopped chopped, fresh spinach (or 3/4 cup frozen, drained spinach)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

8 whole wheat hamburger buns

8 tomato slices

8 cucumber slices

Sauce:

1 cup fat free plain yogurt

1 cup low fat sour cream

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1.)  Saute garlic, onion, spinach, and extra virgin olive oil in a shallow pan until fragrant. Take off the heat and let cool. Combine the garlic mixture, feta cheese, dill, salt, and pepper with the ground turkey, mixing evenly. Form turkey mixture into 8 patties and grill until cooked through (temp at 165 degrees for 15 seconds).

2.)  Combine the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped dill, salt, and pepper for the sauce. Serve burger on a whole wheat hamburger bun with a tomato and cucumber slice, and top with sauce.

Serving Size = 1 burger, 2 tbsp sauce

Total Calories - 265 kcal
Fat - 12g
Carbohydrates - 23g
Protein - 17g
Sodium - 380mg

Great grilling is easy, fun, and tasty!  Enjoy those cookouts this summer!

Do You Eat Pink Slime?

Do you ever wonder what is in that ground beef hamburger that you ordered from McDonalds?  Or what was part of your kids' meat loaf at their school lunch?  Did you ever stop to think that it could be "pink slime"?  No, I didn't make this concept up (you all know how I feel about McDonalds and school lunches!).  Pink slime is in more foods than you think, and you might be eating some for lunch today.

What is Pink Slime?
Pink slime, also known as lean finely textured beef (LFTB) or boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT) is a beef-based food additive that may be added to ground beef and beef-based processed meats as an inexpensive filler.  It consists of finely ground beef scraps and connective tissue which have been mechanically removed from the fat. The recovered material is processed, heated, and treated with ammonia gas or citric acid to kill E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria. It is finely ground, compressed into blocks and flash frozen for use as an additive to beef products. The term "pink slime" was coined in 2002 by Gerald Zirnstein, who at that time was a microbiologist for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The additive itself cannot legally be sold directly to consumers, but can constitute up to 15% of ground beef without additional labeling, and can also be added to other meat products such as beef-based processed meats.  Prior to the invention of the disinfection process, beef scraps could only be sold as pet food or as an ingredient for cooking oil.

Widespread public attention was drawn to the product in March 2012 by a series of reports at ABC News, which reported at that time that 70 percent of ground beef sold in U.S. supermarkets contained pink slime.  Subsequently, many grocery stores and supermarkets, including the nation's three largest chains, announced that they would no longer sell products containing the additive.  Manufacturer Beef Products Inc. (BPI) and meat industry organizations have countered the public concern by stating that the additive is in fact beef, and have begun using the slogan "beef is beef".


Is Pink Slime Bad For You?
Well, to be perfectly honest, there is absolutley no research that statistically proves pink slime can cause adverse health affects.  That being said, knowing that it is contained in foods that are commonly consumed on a daily basis in the United States is making consumers uneasy. This seems like a new wave of consumer enlightenment, these days more and more people want to know exactly what is contained in their food.  I don't blame them, I am one of them!

On The Other Hand...
Some food safety advocates say this pink slime critisism is overblown. The term 'pink slime' is unappetizing ... but perhaps not more so than other things that are routinely part of hamburger, states an attorney with the food safety program of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

In an interview Thursday the Center for Science in the Public Interest said that the pink slime brouhaha was "a little bit of a tempest in a teapot, once you recognize what else goes in burger." Things such as head meat, cheek meat, edible lean organ meats (the heart and other internal organs), as well as weasand -- raw esophagus.  Head meat trimmings are particularly in wide use, according to the Center, in a range of burger products -- ground beef, hamburger, pure-beef patties, regular beef patties.

The nonprofit center, a consumer advocacy group, does not believe pink slime poses a safety concern. What officials there are looking at is whether the stuff in pink slime is nutritionally less useful or less digestible, which the agency had plans to sample and test it.


Naturally, the American Meat Institute doesn't see a safety problem with the product, either.  The institute's president, J. Patrick Boyle, said in a statement on the website: 

"To make the product, beef companies use beef trimmings, the small cuts of beef that remain when larger cuts are trimmed down. These trimmings are USDA inspected, wholesome cuts of beef that contain both fat and lean and are nearly impossible to separate using a knife. When these trimmings are processed, the process separates the fat away and the end result is nutritious, lean beef. It’s a process similar to separating cream from milk."

Not As Bad As It Sounds?
The meat industry has been trying to raise awareness of other foods that contain ammonia, in response to what it has characterized as an unfair attack on a safe and healthy product.

"Ammonia's not an unusual product to find added to food," Gary Acuff, director of Texas A&M University's Center for Food Safety, told a recent press conference hosted by Beef Products Inc. "We use ammonia in all kinds of foods in the food industry."

Even in turning milk to cheese, a tiny amount of ammonium hydroxide is added to a starter dairy culture to reduce the culture's acidity and encourage cheese cultures to grow.  Actually, ammonia was cleared by U.S. health officials nearly 40 years ago and is used in making many foods. Related compounds have a role in baked goods and chocolate products.

How Can You Aviod Pink Slime?
I absolutely understand the want, and in some cases need, to stay away from pink slime, and there is a very easy way to do this.  Any empolyee in the meat department of your local grocery store can tell you if the ground meat you are buying contains any pink slime.

Down And Dirty With Diabetes

Recently I was talking with an individual who had been newly diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, and I was cringing in disbelief at what her doctor had told her to do in regards to her diet.  "Stay away from carbs!  Those will cause your blood sugar to spike and send you into a diabetic coma!" was exactly what he had told her to do.  With two thirds of our country classified as overweight and one third of that classified as obese, Diabetes is on the rise, particularly Type II Diabetes.  So what can you do to manage it once you get it?  Let's talk Diabetes.

There are three types of Diabetes: Type I, Type II, and Gestational.  About 90% of diagnosed cases are Type II, with the other 10% a mix between Type I and Gestational.  All three have different etiologies and nutrition therapy that corresponds with them, so knowing which kind you have is key. 

Type I Diabetes
Type I Diabetes is most typical in individuals younger than 30 years of age.  The peak age of onset for Type I Diabetes is 10 to 14 years old.  In Type I Diabetes, the body attacks and destroys the beta-cells in the pancreas.  Now, these beta-cells are very important because they secrete the hormone insulin.  Insulin is the hormone that takes the glucose from the food we eat from our bloodstream and pulls it into our cells, so our body can use that food for energy.  In the case of a Type I Diabetic, whether it be an immune system response or an unknown etiology, the body destroys those beta-cells and therefore, is unable to produce and secrete insulin.  This means, no matter how much an individual eats, their cells will starve because they are not able to absorb those nutrients. 

The only way a person with Type I Diabetes can manage the disease is to give themselves insulin.  No amount of nutrition-related changes can jump start the body to start producing insulin again.  That being said, they still need to monitor the amount of carbohydrates they are ingesting at a given meal and adjust their dose of insulin appropriately.

Type II Diabetes
Type II Diabetes was formerly known as "Adult-Onset Diabetes", mostly due to the fact that there were no diagnoses of Type II Diabetes in individuals younger than 50 about twenty years ago.  Now, we are seeing children as young as 9 being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes.  This type of Diabetes is related to poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and being overweight or obese.  In Type II Diabetes, there are three steps in the process: insulin resistance, beta-cell failure, and glucose production in the liver. 

Step One: Insulin Resistance
In order for insulin to draw glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, it needs to find a receptor to hook up to on the outside of the cell.  Think of it as a lock-and-key type of situation.  In an individual who is overweight or obese, these cells are stretched out and larger than in an individual who is normal weight.  This causes the receptor, or keyhole, to change shape as well and stretch.  When this happens, the insulin either doesn't recognize the receptor as one it can hook up to, or insulin tries to hook up to the receptor, but it doesn't quite fit in the hole anymore.  Without insulin hooking up to the cell, the cell cannot take in glucose from the bloodstream.

Step Two: Beta-Cell Failure
So, now we have a lot of glucose running through our bloodstream.  The pancreas notices this, and thinks that we need more insulin.  The pancreas is not aware that there is actually enough insulin being produced, it just can't get hooked into the receptors.  So the beta-cells on the pancreas are working overtime trying to produce more and more insulin.  And as everything that works overtime all the time, the beta-cells get burnt out and ultimately they fail.  At this point, the Type II Diabetic is not producing hardly any insulin, if any at all.  This is when the pathophysiology of a Type II Diabetic starts looking more like the pathophysiology of a Type I Diabetic.


Step Three: Glucose Production in the Liver
OK, so now the insulin receptors on the cells are stretched out and not hooking up with insulin, the beta-cells in the pancreas are burnt out and not producing insulin, so your body is on overdrive thinking you are not making/eating enough glucose because your cells are starving.  So what happens?  The liver starts going on a glucose-making rampage.  Why is this so bad?  Well, lets stop and think about this.  You are still eating a normal (or normal for you!) diet, and the food is still getting broken down into glucose for your cells to use, but that glucose isn't getting absorbed into the cells.  So, we have the glucose we are already getting from food in the bloodstream at a very high concentration because its not going anywhere.  And now, the liver is producing a lot more glucose that isn't getting absorbed into the cells either.  When this happens, an individual can have fasting blood glucose levels in the 400s (normal range = 70-100 mg/dL).  This is one intense sugar-high!

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes occurs when there is any degree of glucose intolerance (the cells not absorbing glucose out of the bloodstream) with the onset or first recognition during pregnancy.  Usually this appears in the second or third trimester.  Gestational Diabetes is reported in about 2 to 10% of pregnancies, and is resolved once the baby is born.  Gestational Diabetes is caused by an increase in the hormone levels in the mother, particularly the hormones that suppress insulin.  With all those extra hormones running through Mom's body, it can get a bit confusing for them and sometimes it ends up that there are adverse effects, one being insulin suppression and glucose intolerance.  Women who have Gestational Diabetes do have a 35 to 60% chance of developing Type II Diabetes in their next 10 to 20 years.

So you were diagnosed with Diabetes...now what?  Well, lets talk about it.  I'm going to focus on Type II Diabetes, just because that is the one that can be primarily controlled through lifestyle changes, as in diet and exercise. 


Let's Talk About Carbs...
When people think of Diabetes, they immediately think...NO CARBS!  It seems even health professionals are under this impression.  Well, today I am going to tell you the opposite...EAT CARBS!  The key to controlling a Diabetic diet is not cutting carbs out of the picture, its about consistent carbs.  What do I mean by that?  Having consistent amounts of carbohydrates throughout the day.  Don't have eggs and bacon for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and then load up on pasta, bread, and potatoes for dinner.  That's not very consistent. 

OK, consistency, that seems easy enough.  But what is a carbohydrate?  When we are talking about Diabetes, there are four food groups that are considered "carbohydrate foods".  Those are: starch, fruit, milk, and sweets.  Starches include anything from pastas, breads, crackers, tortillas, and even starchy veggies like corn, potatoes, and beans.  Fruit is pretty self-explanatory, but don't forget fruit juice!  Milk also includes yogurt.  Sweets can be anything from a candy bar to ice cream to gummi worms. 

Additionally, we want to aim for more complex carbohydrates, meaning going for more whole grains, whole wheat, and alternative grains instead of the refined carbohydrates and simple sugars.  Replacing your white rice and pasta for brown rice and whole wheat pasta.


Physical activity is also a focus when treating individuals with Type II Diabetes.  One of the major causes of Type II Diabetes is being overweight or obese.  Adding regular physical activity to your everyday routine will improve insulin sensitivity to the receptors on the cells, reduce the chance of you getting high blood pressure or high cholesterol (also risk factors of having Type II Diabetes), it will help control your weight, and may even improve your well-being.  When Type II Diabetes is diagnosed early, some individuals have actually been able to alter their lifestyle so much by changing their diet and beginning an exercise regimen, that they reversed the diagnoses.  It takes dedication, but it is absolutely possible, if your health is worth that much.

So, lets work the other way now.  So you were diagnosed with Diabetes, but have no intention of changing your lifestyle.  You love eating all that fried chicken, steak, and ham.  And don't forget that beer every night.  And exercise?  Forget about it.  So what happens in a situation like this?

Every now and then you will find an individual that has no interest in changing their lifestyle.  Eventually that individual will end up with hyperglycemia (high blood glucose), hypertension (high blood pressure), and hyperlipidemia (high blood lipids, or fats).  That individual will end up taking oral insulin medication followed by insulin injections prior to each meal and once in the morning and once in the evening.  At the end of the road, that individual will end up on dialysis and die.  Doesn't sound too fun, does it?

But lets face it, this could all be avoided by doing two very simple things: include a little physical activity in your life and having a sensible and nutritious diet.  Its your life, your choice.