Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

1. Develop healthy eating habits all year long. This is the first step toward healthy eating habits during the holidays.

2. Don't try to lose weight during the holidays. Rather, maintain your current weight. Don't set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals.

3. Stay physically active. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress, curve appetite, and burn off extra calories.

4. Don't go to parties hungry. Eat a snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to help curve your appetite.

5. Watch your food portions. Opt for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is the key.

6. Limit high fat foods such as fried foods, cheese filled casseroles, and pastries.

7. If you overeat at one meal go light on the next.

8. Drink plenty of water. Alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body.

9. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., stick to foods that you are allowed to eat. You don't want to start your new year in a health crises situattion.

10. Don't drink and drive!

"Step Up To Wellness" Live Internet Broadcast

Join Dr. Lottie Perkins on Thurday November 19, 2009 from 12:30 - 1:30 P.M., Pacific Time.. Log on to: www.innerlightradio.com

Dr. Lottie's special guest will be Sabrina Hocker, ND, Natural Lifestyle Coach. The topic is "How to Begin your Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle." Learn about natural remedies, plant based vitamins, detoxification, exercise, and much more.

Visit Dr. Lottie's website for health tips, news, and events: www.drlottie.com

BLACKS "DO" CRACK

“Blacks don’t crack.” If you’ve never heard this old adage, it may be because it outdates you. It is an ancient saying among African Americans referring to the fact that people of African decent have a great advantage over other races - we scarcely wrinkle because of the abundance of melanin in black skin.

Unfortunately, Blacks may not crack on the outside, but we are CRACKING UP ON THE INSIDE.

We hear the statisics all of the time, “African Americans are dying at higher rates of this, or a higher rate of that,” the media proclaims.

Sometimes I doubt the validity of these reports, or try my best to tune them out. But the sad reality is that they are drawn from factual data.
As much as I dislike hearing these statistics, I dread having to remind you of them, but here are a few of the dreaded facts:

·African Americans are 30 percent more likely to die of heart disease than whites.

·1 out of 3 African Americans suffer from
high blood pressure, which is the number one risk factor for stroke.

. African American adult onset of diabetes is 70% higher than white Americans, and we are more likely to develop diabetic complications including kidney disease, blindness, and amputations.

To find out what factors are contributing to our state of health, and how we can change our health status, read chapter 3 in my book Eating to Die. "Changing African Americans Attitudes about Health."

To purchase a copy of my book or for more health tips visit www.drlottie.com

Reduce Stress: Learn relaxation techniques

Stress is the wear and tear that your body experiences as you adjust to a continually changing enviornment. If you don't reduce the stress in your life, it can have a devastating effect on your health, and contribute to major health problems such as high blood pressure, adnormal heart rate, digestive problems, and overeating.

Physical reactions to stress:
...Increased heart rate
...Increased blood pressure
...Increased blood sugar
...Increased muscle tension

Relaxation techniques can reduce stress symptoms and help you to enjoy a better quality of life.
Relaxation is a process that decreases the wear and tear on your mind and body from the challenges and hassles of daily life.

Relaxation techniques:
...Meditation
...Yoga
...Bio feedback
...Progressive relaxation
...Guided imagery

Explore the relaxation techniques in my book "Eating To Die, Changing African American Attitudes About Health. It will get you started on de-stressing your life and improving your health.

What Are You Eating These Days?

Eating healthy food is the single most important factor necessary to achieve and maintain good health. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds have not only nutritious value, but also medicinal substances with healing and disease prevention properties. Healthy foods can prevent many of the diseases that plague the African American community such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Benefits of Eating Healthy Foods:
Aides in recovery from illness ........ Rich in minerals/vitamins
Reverse the aging process ...............Low in calories
Boost the immune system ................Rich in antioxidants
Rich in fiber..........................................Rich in enzymes

Positive Health Attitude

Having a positive attitude about your "health" starts with having a positive attitude about "yourself."


In my book "Eating to Die: Changing African American Attitudes About Health," I discuss how attitude affects our behavior in Chapter 5, "Attitude shapes Behavior."
Our attitude is the way we think, feel, or act that shows our opinion about something. Whatever attitude you have about your health, good or bad, is reflected in how well you take care of yourself.

When you have a positive attitude about yourself you are more likely to make healthy lifestyle choices, think of your life as valuable, and feel that as a human being you are worthy of the best.

When you have a negative attitude about yourself, consciously or subconsciously, you are not likely to value your life as something that is precious and deserving of care. As such, circumstances relevant to quality of life and making healthy lifestyle choices will not be at the top of your priority list.

Dr. Lottie