By Guest Blogger Hannah Daniel

Hannah Daniel enjoys providing dental plans to small businesses and individuals through 1Dental.com and helping them save money on dental care. She also manages The 1Dental.com Blog.

People often associate diabetes with the need for weight loss, but few realize that gum disease (also called periodontal disease) can be related to both. Periodontal disease and diabetes have a two-way correlation: Periodontal disease can be a side effect of diabetes, and new research shows that gum disease can actually worsen or lead to diabetes in some cases. If a person is diagnosed with diabetes, it is just as important to find a dentist as it is to find a good physician while he or she navigates those new changes in life.

Gum Disease Affects Diabetes

Gum disease refers to the infection and subsequent inflammation of the gum tissue.

• Gingivitis refers to the early stage of periodontal disease, which occurs in a large percentage of the population and often goes unnoticed. Symptoms include redness and bloody gums (the latter most often when brushing/flossing).

• Periodontitis is an advanced stage of gum disease which can actually destroy the bone structure in your mouth.

How it Happens

Gum tissue becomes inflamed when bacteria feeds on plaque gathered around the teeth and infects the area. The teeth begin to decay, releasing toxins that irritate the tissue. As tartar accumulates unchecked under the gum tissue, it breaks down the bone structure, including the connectors between tooth and bone. The jaw bone eventually becomes too weak to support them and disintegrates. Infections like this can actually raise a person’s blood sugar, leading to diabetes or making the symptoms harder to control.

Diabetes Affects Gum Disease

Periodontal disease can lead to diabetes, but it also goes the other way. Research shows that Type 2 diabetics are more likely to develop gum disease than people without diabetes. Diabetes is marked by fluctuating blood sugar in the body, and disease-causing bacteria can feed on the higher concentrations of glucose in the mouth. Diabetics are also more prone to bacterial infection, and their bodies are also less equipped to fight infection once it sets in.

Weight Loss

Weight loss can help stabilize a person’s diabetes symptoms, and taking care of one’s teeth can also involve a healthier diet. Crunchy, low-calorie fruits and vegetables like celery and apples help scrub the teeth while providing plenty healthy vitamins in the process. Garlic offers numerous health benefits while also killing bacteria in the mouth. Water is the healthiest way to hydrate the body, and it also plays a huge role in oral health by washing away debris and encouraging saliva flow. Healthy teeth and healthy living often go hand in hand.

Oral Health

In addition to closely managing insulin levels, it is also important to brush, floss and rinse with mouthwash daily to help prevent additional health problems. Visiting a dentist at least two times a year for a checkup and cleaning is also a necessary part of proper oral hygiene. The dentist can also check for signs of oncoming periodontal disease and help the patient reverse it. Proper oral hygiene and dental care can help patients control their diabetes as well as prevent gum disease.

By guest blogger Dr. William D. Charschan

Most people assume that we are supposed to hurt and fall apart as we age. For many over the age of 40, there are indeed changes in flexibility and in the types of things we can do as compared to when we were younger.

The problem is compounded when your local health care primary doctor assumes this is normal, and makes you feel like everyone goes through this. The hard truth is that there are many people who age really well, while others have knees and hips as well as other joints that go bad. Have you ever wondered what is different about those people? Most of us never have. Since we have always been built a certain way, which by the way has the result being chronic pain for some, and since this is all we have ever known (let’s call this our frame of reference), and since you can never jump inside the body of someone else, you will never likely experience what someone else’s body feels like. In other words, if you are always stiff, and inflexible, you will likely think this is normal and compare this to everything else you feel. If one day, you hurt your back, you will likely say it was fine until I did … . The truth here is that your normal may not be normal at all, however, you may consider this to be normal for you. Since you are surrounded by people who not only look a little like you (unless you were adopted), but walk like you too, you may never realize it is not normal to be in constant pain, since your parents, grandparent’s as well as cousins all suffered from similar problems that you grew to accept as the norm.

Did you know there is a secret inherited trait that defines who is most likely to have those problems and those who do not? That secret inherited trait is how we are built. Those who are built asymmetrically tend to experience more pain than those who are built symmetrically. Those who are built asymmetrically tend to be stiff all the time, however, they consider it normal and for some, exercises keeps them loose (or does it provide the illusion of flexibility). Many people find that if they do not go to the gym regularly, they feel really stiff. They then go to the gym which kicks off endorphins from the workout and later on feel stiff again. What they do not know is that eventually, they will hurt so bad that they can no longer work out and they will never understand why unless they understand this simple concept.

Asymmetry is an inherited trait that is the source of most chronic pain.

The truth is finally out there. You are probably wondering why? The simple answer is that all forces go through our mid section, also known as the core. All muscle are controlled the fascia, not the muscles themselves. This concept contradicts what most doctors where taught, including myself. Recent work by Thomas Myers, the author of Anatomy Trains and also discussed in the book Cheating Mother Nature; What you need to know to beat chronic pain shows the myofasia which most doctors cut through during their anatomy lab controls movement. The problem is that all force from the ground up goes through this region which when stable and functioning properly, helps us walk efficiently. When we walk, the force comes through the core into the upper body. When you are built asymmetrically, the fascia will distort since it molds according to the forces placed upon it. If those forces from the ground up are asymmetrical, the core will eventually distort, which causes your legs to tighten, may be the cause of idiopathic scoliosis and cause back pain, neck pain, disc problems and in the worst body styles, prematurely destroy perfectly capable knees and hips. What is worse is that most doctors do not understand or are suspicious of this claim simply because they have little knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and body mechanics is out of their scope of knowledge, understanding the limits of the medical diagnostic paradigm which labels symptoms as conditions rather than attempts to understand why the conditions develop.

Simple tips to see if body style is at the cause of your pain.
1. When your clothes tailor says both legs are different lengths, you likely are built asymmetrically.
2. If you wear high heel shoes and your back feels better, you are built asymmetrically.
3. If your chiropractor sees your hips are always out the same way, you are likely built asymmetrically (you may wish to ask him or her about foot orthotics).
4. If your parent constantly yelled at you to straighten up, you are likely built asymmetrically and may even have flat feet. Slouching is not a habit, it is a response to gravity.

Simple things you can do to create symmetry and avoid chronic pain.

1. Regular visits to massage therapist or a chiropractor who performs myofascial release with manipulation to the back and extremities – this can help you avoid chronic pain.
2. Wear foot orthotics. This can level out the body and improve the way you feel.
3. Take Pilates, do the Wii fit or other regimens that help stabilize the core.

–

William D Charschan DCCCSP (”The body mechanic”) is the author of Cheating Mother Nature, what you need to know to beat chronic pain.  He is the current medical director of USA Track and field NJ and specializes in runners and athletic injuries.  He has two locations including North Brunswick and Scotch Plains NJ and is currently writing his second book on how to avoid running injuries and run faster with less effort. Visit his web site at backfixer1.com and be sure to visit his blog Diary of a NJ Chiropractor (http://www.backfixer1.com/blog/)

In a society where the phrase “diet and exercise” is repeated millions of times over in a 24-hour period of time, it comes as no surprise that everyone is conscious of their health. Even preschoolers know the difference between healthy and unhealthy.  But being aware of it does not automatically mean success when everything is tried in the pursuit of health.  This is particularly true when it comes to weight loss for obese individuals.

I ask the question that many people need the answer to in order to survive:  What to do when diet and exercise is not enough?

It turns out, a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that followed patients of bariatric surgery for an average of almost fifteen years reveals cardiac benefits of the once-controversial weight loss surgery.  Researchers at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden learned that death due to cardiovascular-related complications were reduced by 53% in recipients of bariatric surgery.

Obesity is deadly. It’s as if with each heavy step forward, knees aching and back breaking – there are chains strapped to overweight people as they literally walk straight into the shadow of their own grave.  But like so many illnesses obesity is one ailment that is completely reversible. If you are one of the countless people that just can’t seem to get diet and exercise to do what they are supposed to – there is hope.

The very first step is rather than give up, try to get to the root of your problem.  One very successful route is seeking psychological counseling to uncover underlying emotional issues that contribute to eating compulsions.  Getting to the core is by far the best way to attack weight-related issues because it does just that – gets to the very heart of why you’re eating the way you are.

So when I say, “Don’t die of a broken heart” I’m saying a multitude of things.  Try to live healthy.  Strong nutritional values and solid exercise outlook provides and continues to feed healthy living.  If that is not enough, talk to someone that can help you learn the reasons for the choices you make over and over again; choices that lead to and perpetuate obesity.  Relationships end and people eat to self-soothe.  Relationships end because people eat to self-sooth.  But if you manage your psyche behind these things, you can enjoy the promise of long-lasting relationships that have nothing to do with food except enjoying a healthy meal together.

When all else fails, there is bariatric surgery.  While it is not the first option, it is definitely the better option when you consider the alternatives.  As a social media medicine expert, surgery is not the first approach I take with my patients.  But it isn’t the last.  Especially in light of this new study, I am even more convinced that working to solve the problem of obesity is essential – so much so that if all else fails, trying surgery makes sense.  Since weight loss and the endeavor to stay on top of the pinnacle of health is an ongoing struggle for so many, the conversation continued on a recent edition of the Wellness for the REAL World show.  Guests of the show include a veteran bariatric surgeon with over 3,700 surgeries performed to date and a psychologist/author with first-hand experience.  An excellent resource for more information on bariatric surgery options, the show delves into greater detail with respect to the varying types of weight-loss surgeries out there.

It is very important not to underestimate the power of counseling.  So many people neglect to realize the significance of attacking the very emotional triggers responsible for overeating in their lives. If anything, a quality reputable therapist can work to get you to begin the process of venting the issues in your life.  Therapy can accomplish major strides and help you to explore other ways of dealing with stress, emptiness and emotional gaps, otherwise filled by unhealthy emotional eating.

If nothing else works, consult a surgeon.  The best thing you can do for your health is to lose weight and if that means the only way to lose weight is through surgery, then so be it. We know that bariatric surgery significantly reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and lowers the chance of dying as a result of either. So the outcome of your weight loss whether you diet and exercise or choose surgery will be the same – only with added years of longevity and prosperity of health if you find you have no other choice than to come under the knife.

Republican Presidental candidate Rick Santorum had to abandon the campaign trail in late January when his three-year-old daughter Isabella Maria, who suffers from the serious genetic disorder Trisomy 18, was hospitalized with pneumonia of both lungs. Shortly after Bella’s birth, Santorum and his wife Karen were informed by the baby’s doctors that their daughter had Trisomy 18, and that Bella would probably not reach her first birthday. Choosing to remain upbeat, the Santorums informed the doctors that “we were not going to concentrate on her dying, we’re going to concentrate on her living, and do everything we can to help her.”

What is Trisomy 18?

Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome, is the second most common genetic disorder caused by a chromosomal defect after Trisomy 21. It occurs in 1 in 6000 live births the majority of which are female. Trisomy 21 by contrast occurs in 1 in every 733 live births. Unlike Trisomy 21, or Downs syndrome, which numbers among its victims Sarah Palin’s son, the developmental issues associated with Trisomy 18 include medical complications that are more life-threatening in the early months and years of a child’s life. Fifty percent of the babies afflicted with this disorder will be stillborn, with male babies suffering a higher stillborn rate than baby girls.

Some children afflicted with Trisomy 18 will eventually be discharged home with their families, provided in-home nursing care for the child has been put into place. Although less than ten percent of these children reach one year of age, some live on for many years at home with their families, reaching milestones made all that more poignant by how stacked the odds are against them.

Cause of Trisomy 18

During conception, twenty-three chromosomes from each parent combine to create an embryo with forty-six sets of chromosomes per cell. A Trisomy 18 occurs when a child has three # 18 chromosomes instead of the usual two. It cannot be stressed enough that the parents have done nothing either before or during the pregnancy to cause this disorder in their offspring. However, the incidence does increase as the age of the mother increases with the average age of the mothers being just 32 1/2.

Characteristics of Trisomy 18

The genetic material from the extra eighteenth chromosome can cause a host of problems of varying severity. Just as children with Down syndrome can range from mildly to severely affected, the same holds true for children with Trisomy 18.

Typical characteristics of this syndrome include:

Heart defects

Kidney problems

Part of intestinal tract located outside the stomach

Clenched hands

Fluid on the brain

Rocker bottom feet

Delayed growth

Small jaw

Small head

Longevity and Trisomy

A small number of afflicted children, usually females, reach adulthood. Some are living into their twenties or thirties; though admittedly with severe developmental disabilities that do not allow them to live independently.

A study of Trisomy 18 sufferers ranging in age from eight to thirty-three shows that these individuals function at infant-to-toddler level. They can sometimes ambulate with the aid of a walker for short distances, but in most cases are confined to a wheelchair. Communication is limited to vocalizations and facial expressions, and most are fed via tube feedings.

This, of course, matters little to their loving family and friends. To quote Rick Santorum, “Some people describe people like Bella as disabled children … I look at the joy, the simplicity and the love that she emits and its clear to me that we’re the disabled ones. Not her … she’s got it right.”

By guest blogger Isabelle Johansen

I don’t think that one mindset fits all individuals. Wellness for The REAL World offered you a wonderful opportunity to listen to 5 people talking about the mindset that allowed them to lose weight. You can pick the one you relate to the most.

The Bellsai approach is about letting go of what triggers you to reach for food for any other reasons than feeding yourself. Not everyone needs this approach. If you’re overweight because you have poor eating habits and are ready to change them, a good diet with some psychological support will most likely work. But if you’ve struggled with losing weight for years, can’t follow through with a diet and consider yourself an emotional eater, then the Bellsai approach will make a lot of sense to you.

When you’re drawn to eat because you’re sad or frustrated… you use food as a way to cope with these emotions. Instead of experiencing them fully, you escape from them by changing the way you feel using food. And it works. Every time. You feel better because you enjoy the food you eat. Maybe you eat in front of the TV to really make sure that your mind doesn’t focus on the negative thoughts and emotions which made you so uncomfortable in the first place. The Bellsai program includes specialized coaching that helps you realize that you are the one creating this negativity. We all react in a “pre-programmed” way. Our education, past experiences, relationships… shape the person we are today, including the way we think, our beliefs. If a stranger offers you flowers, you might feel touched by the gesture and thank them, but someone else might think that it’s strange and refuse them. Recognizing that there’s not only one way to react to one given situation proves that the situation itself is not responsible for your interpretation of it and therefore the way you feel about it! This understanding will allow you to reconsider the way you process the situations in your life which trigger negative emotions… Because you’re aware of this, you can change it. Instead of falling into judgements that prompt unbearable emotions, you start looking at your life situations for what they are. You don’t need to escape from them with food.

This process is very progressive. In my work with clients, I start from where they are and move forward step by step. This is why I don’t ask someone who can’t follow a diet to do so right off the bat. Of course, stopping to overeat and a healthy diet are part of the solution. But they appear as a natural unfolding of the work I do with my clients. Indeed, by progressively facing their life as it is, they simultaneously  move away from denial. They realize how they’ve treated their body and themselves. A good example is from one of my clients, let’s call her Sheryl, who told me repeatedly how she hated her herself. I asked her,   “Would you care for and support someone who tells you every day that you’re ugly, fat and worthless…?” She answered, “No, why would I?” Then she realized the obvious: she didn’t take care of herself because she hated herself! Why would she care for her health and wellbeing? Realizing that you treat yourself like your worst enemy is powerful and puts things in perspective. In the end, this process is like falling in love, but that special someone is you. You take good care of yourself, not because you have to, or to show off, but because you feel compelled to do so.

What makes my work so fulfilling, is that not only do my clients lose weight effortlessly, they also transform their lives in the process because they’re not afraid to deal with those situations that used to plunge them into deep emotional turmoil.

Getting these results requires the help of a professional, who can give you an outside perspective as it is very hard to decide on your own to face situations you dread dealing with. Also, this new mindset needs to be maintained. Good luck on your journey!

Isabelle Johansen is a life coach specialized in mindful weight loss. She’s developed several weight loss products and programs which are radically different from the mainstream weight loss market offerings. She helps her clients losing weight by changing their mindset so they feel compelled to eat right.

By guest blogger Irma Jennings

“Sit back and light up a cigarette – it does a body good.”

As shocking as that sounds today, there was a time when it was widely accepted.

My early memories are filled with smokers.  In the 50’s my parents would light a cigarette whenever they wanted to relax:  during and after family meals, cocktail hour, canasta gatherings, or in solitude as a reflective tool.

My childhood career was “find mommy’s cigarettes.”

It took decades, unfortunately lifetimes, to bust the myth that cigarettes were harmless, even beneficial.  Smoking has been clearly linked to lung cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

There is even evidence that smoking may be linked to osteoporosis and slower bone growth.  Nonsmokers form one centimeter of new bone in 69.6 days on average, compared with 89.4 days for smokers. (1)

Is milk the next tobacco?  Dairy’s lobbyists and advertisers have us believing that drinking milk is good for our bones.

Milk equals fractures
The truth is that milk weakens our bones.  The largest milk drinking nations suffer the most osteoporosis according to Amy J. Landou PhD. co-author of ‘Building Bones Vitality – A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis.”.

Referencing four studies conducted by four different groups of investigators over 21 years on two continents, Landou concludes that “countries that consume the most milk, dairy and calcium suffer the most hip fractures.”

In fact, women who drink 2 glasses of milk per day have an almost 50% increased risk of breaking a hip as those who drink 1 glass or less a day.

Vitamin A reduces bone growth
One reason is that milk is high in vitamin A in the form of retinol.  In two vitamin A bone studies, high levels of retinol were associated with doubling the risk of fractures.   Researchers believe that even moderate levels of retinol reduce bone growth and interfere with vitamin D’s ability to help the body use calcium. That’s not true for the beta carotene form of vitamin A we get from fresh fruits and vegetables.

Acidic foods leach bone calcium
Another reason may be milk’s acidic nature.  Your body’s ideal pH level is 7.35 to 7.45 but milk’s level is 6.5 to 6.7.  Milk shifts your blood pH levels to an acid state.  Your body’s natural response is to find an alkaline substance to re-balance itself.  By robbing your bones of calcium (which is alkaline), the blood achieves balance, but the bones suffer.

Not convinced yet?

Let’s turn to nature and the big boned animals: elephants, giraffes, gorillas, cows, horses.  What do they eat?  Leaves, grass, vegetables.

They don’t drink milk.

After weaning from our mother’s breast we, like the large boned animals, don’t need milk to build strong bones.

Calcium is not enough
We’ve been led to believe that calcium is the whole story when it comes to strong bones but bones, according to Susan Brown, Phd, also need  between 18-20 additional vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, zinc and boron to maintain strength and flexibility (2).

Here’s a great dairy-free breakfast recipe that provides many of the vital minerals and will have your bones smiling; calcium (a), magnesium (b), manganese(c), zinc (d)and boron (e)

Bone Healthy Oatmeal
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup Organic Steel cut oats (soaked overnight fully immersed) (a), (b), (d)
1 ½  cups water
¼ tsp cinnamon
dash of sea salt
¼ cup  of raisins (c), (e)
1 TB black sesame seeds (a), (b), (d)
¼ cup Almond milk (a), (b)
1 cup fresh or frozen organic blueberries (c)
¼ cup walnuts (b), (c)

Rinse oats. Bring fresh water, soaked oats, cinnamon, salt and raisins to a boil.
Reduce flame to low and cover.
Cook for about 20 minutes.

Top with almond milk, walnuts, fresh berries and seeds.

Irma Jennings, CHC, Holistic Bone Coach, was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2005.  This diagnosis catapulted her into a journey of deep transformation into the marrow of her bones through food, which led her to her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  To learn more and to access Irma’s bone webinars, visit:  www.foodforhealthybones.com

Resources:
(1) Joseph Martino, MD and Angelo Galante, M.D. http://www.hughston.com/hha/a.smoke.htm
(2) Better Bones, Better Body by Susan E. Brown, PhD

By guest blogger J. T. Tran

Asian men have small penises.
Black women are too loud.
Asian women are all submissive.
White women should be a trophy partner.

Since when do these statements sound like a sensible way to think about other people, let alone affect who you choose to date?

Thanks to those bad guys in the media, colonial imperialism, and our own cultural conservative family values; it is way too easy in modern day America to get stuck in a single race dating rut.

Dating shouldn’t be about restriction: it should be about having as many options as possible, to make you as happy as possible.

As an Asian man growing up in Texas, I’ve experienced it all. I’ve had pressure from my family to focus on certain activities (yes, they wanted me to study hard!), found it tough to meet many women from my culture and then been hit with some negative stereotypes when dating outside of it.

What I quickly realised is:

-       Racial stereotypes are BS. Anyone who’s actually dated a beautiful black woman like I have will know that for a fact.

-       By placing artificial restriction on who you date only reduces your dating options and thus your own personal happiness.

One of my missions as the Asian Dating Coach at the ABCs of Attraction is to help other people to share my vision of dating the rainbow.

I’ve dated black, white, Asian women and every shade or color in-between. I’ve worked with Asian men that have ended up blissfully happy with a black woman; white men that have clicked with an Asian woman.

The truth behind all the miscommunication is that confidence is universally sexy; as is being smart, knowing what you want and being open minded to others.

People in Australia, and England, seem to be a little ahead of us in the USA on this front. I get a lot more dates ‘across the pond’ than I do on home territory. Why? Because I think we here in multicultural America still allow a lot of negative stereotypes to continue.

A black woman may believe an Asian man lacks machismo (trust me, we don’t!); and an Asian man may believe a black woman will be too narrow minded to give him a shot.

So all this miscommunication flies back and forth. Certain racial groups get a lot more attention than others, and people find it tough to meet enough people they connect with in their racial groups. This is not a recipe for dating success!

The fact is, we shouldn’t be making any race a ‘trophy’ race to date. We shouldn’t disqualify someone we click with based on the color of their skin. We shouldn’t make any quick judgements.

It’s time that we start to open our minds to different races: to humanise people, and face the facts that the old methods of rigid dating just don’t work.

So I’ve got a challenge for you. If you’re a beautiful black woman, I want you to take a chance on an Asian guy: and if you’re an asian man I want you to return the favor by having the confidence to know that women from all races are going to find you sexy.

Remember, being confident, cool and smart is sexy all around: so start to apply this to not only how you think about yourself, but how you date other people.

J.T. Tran is the leading dating and lifestyle coach for Asian men.  His company, The ABCs of Attraction, has been featured on NBC, ABC, and on the front pages of New York Magazine, AsianWeek, and LA Weekly. He leads a wide variety of bootcamps, seminars, and confidence workshops across the nation and internationally.

By guest blogger Randy Gilchrist, Psy.D.

Why is it than some people are just skinnier than others?  Is it genetics?  Of course, to some degree.  I just wouldn’t recommend assuming you’re overweight primarily because of your genetics. If that were the case—why bother fighting it?  Why not just accept being overweight? In contrast, a more useful, empowering theory is that thinner people are thin primarily because they “think thin” and approach food accordingly.  Here are several ways thin people generally approach food and eating:

• They think food is mainly for bodily nourishment—not emotional comfort, escape, or entertainment.  Therefore, food is just “fuel”, and they rarely engage in emotional or comfort eating.
• They are in tune with their bodies and give themselves the quality nutrition their bodies really crave, versus unhealthy junk food. Remember, our bodies are wired to recognize and enjoy natural/healthy foods for the nutrition they contain. Therefore, our bodies will reward us for eating such accordingly with increased energy, health, and a lower weight. These healthy foods include raw vegetables, nuts, fruits and berries, lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy, etc.
• They don’t eat unconsciously; they stay more aware of what they’re eating and the effect it’s having on their body. In other words, they pay attention to what they are and are not consuming and make healthy choices accordingly.
• They are internally guided and stop eating when their body’s hunger is satisfied from within. This naturally results in taking smaller portions of food and leaving excess food on their plate. Like a car, once they’ve fully fueled up, there is no need for more!

At this point, you may be thinking, “OK, so how can I get myself to think thin and approach food like this?”  Well, there is no quick fix.  It will take some time and commitment.  However, you can make the change, and here are a few suggestions to start:

1. Regularly be aware of and improve your “self-talk” about food. Notice your attitudes about food and what you tell yourself about eating.  Examples of self-defeating self-talk include: “I can’t live without eating ______” (insert your favorite junk food); “I just can’t stop eating”; “I’m starving”; or “I love food”.  In contrast, thin self-talk could include, “I don’t need ______” (junk food); “I’ll stop eating when I feel full”;  ”I feel fine”; and “food is just fuel”.

1. Slow down how quickly you eat. Chew slowly. Pause between bites and notice how you feel inside. When you feel comfortably full but not excessively so, put down your utensils, push away your plate, and stop eating.  Get used to leaving food on your plate and walk away.

1. Recondition your mind with a regular flow of thin thinking ideas and suggestions. A great way to do this is by listening to quality hypnosis for weight loss sessions on a regular basis, such as each night before bed.  Hypnosis is the best approach I am aware of to improve beliefs and attitudes about eating and weight loss in a powerful, natural, effective manner. Hearing a flow of hypnotic ideas and suggestions each night relating to healthy eating and weight loss is an excellent way to train yourself to think and live thin.

Be kind to your mind. Best wishes on your weight loss journey!

Dr. Randy Gilchrist is a licensed clinical psychologist and hypnosis expert from Roseville, CA.  He is the creator of The Weight Loss Mindset®, a comprehensive hypnosis for weight loss audio program at www.TheWeightLossMindset.com. Dr. Gilchrist welcomes your questions or comments.  Send to DrGilchrist@TheWeightLossMindset.com.

by guest blogger Rev. Dr. Nicole Sebastian, B.A.A.S., CAC-R, ACE-CPT, ICADC, D.D.

The Sociology of Reality TV can be summed up in the phrase: What you see is NOT what you get! In other words, things are not as they appear. As a Celebrity Life Coach and Therapist on several different reality shows, my experience has been one of manipulation and control. The producers and creators fabricate the drama and manipulate each guest through a maze of contrived scenarios and scripts to play to the lowest common denominator intelligence. This type of television contains minimal substance and plays to the lack of focus and attention of the general audience who watch this sort of Reality show.

“Reality TV has become an American Drug of Choice! Specifically, TV acts like a muffler on our imagination. Imagination is food for the Soul and Reality TV has caused an American Famine. As a Sociologist, I feel that the medium itself is neutral. However, today’s reality TV leaves one numb and dumb and lost in an electronic stupor! In other words, that giant flat screen at the center of our home keeps us frozen in darkness and drama! We walk around with these mini-dramas in our heads and the next time we are confronted with a similar social context, we respond with the emotion of the original programming. We get involved in electronic dramas and lose sight of our own original drama called Life.” – Nicole Sebastian, “Sociology of Soul: A Spiritual Wake-Up Call,” p. 70-71

The real issue is not the quality of the programming but the medium itself! TV is an Addiction and like any addiction—it’s destructive! The real challenge to our sanity and national psyche is to pick up the remote and hit the off button. If you think you aren’t addicted to TV, try turning it off for an entire week. The simple truth is that most Americans cannot do without TV for one day, let alone one week. TV Deprivation is the first step to bringing back balance and harmony to a fractured, addled and unfocused psyche.

In the book, Sociology of Soul, I chronicle what happens when you turn the TV off. The transformation is absolutely stunning. It improves relationships, one’s sex life, diet, exercise, communication, and sleep patterns to name a few; even our dreams are infused with TV shows because most people sleep with the television on.

As a Sociologist, I challenge all my clients to embrace the TV Deprivation Challenge and simply Turn-Off the Tube and go for a walk or talk to a friend or speak to your spouse for the first time in a long time. You will notice that even your diet improves when the TV is off. It gives you more time to prepare your food with attention and love as opposed to the electronic vibration of Realty TV getting infused into your daily supper. No wonder so many people are overweight, depressed, stressed out and addicted to drugs.

Reach over and hit that remote and listen to the Silence —- you have taken the first step toward Recovery…Congrats!!

-Rev. Dr. Nicole Sebastian, B.A.A.S., CAC-R, ACE-CPT, ICADC, D.D.

Featured on A&E, E!, VH1, and countless others, Rev. Dr. Nicole Sebastian, B.A.A.S., CAC-R, ACE-CPT, ICADC, D.D. is the Co-Founder of Divine Guidance Institute and Wellness Center Inc., as well as a Celebrity Life Coach, Expert Decision Coach, Author, Celebrity Dream Expert, Relationship Expert, Certified Fitness Trainer, Certified Nutrition Counselor, Certified Addiction Counselor, DUI Specialist, Certified Smoking Cessation Counselor, and Ordained Minister.

By guest blogger Rochelle Peachey

As the founder of Transatlantic dating site I Love Your Accent it pleases me that people from all across the world are interested in meeting foreigners. For some it may be purely getting to know a different culture, others may seek friendship across various Oceans and many more are looking for love.

“Niche” dating sites have sprung up all over the Internet assisting in one’s search for just the type of person they desire to meet. There is absolutely nothing wrong in being specific and voicing your likes, dislikes and whatever else you desire in your partner but what is a little odd is when you believe that one particular race will give you everything you want.

So for instance, let’s say the African American girl is fed up with Black men for whatever reason and she joins a dating site stating in her profile that she wants to meet a White man as they treat women better. Does she know that for sure or did she get that from someone at work who is dating a White guy and she said so? Will everything in her life be so much better because her boyfriend is White? Like most normal intelligent people I am extremely delighted that interracial dating is no big deal  (no big ting) any longer, who cares who is dating who? But your life will only change if you want it to and Mr. White can only do so much.

On the flip side, the White girl who has suddenly become attracted to Black men will write on her profile that she would just love to date a Black man as they know how to treat a woman. It’s the same thing right? Is the grass really greener if the man is White instead of Black and vice versa?

From my point of view the more open you are to dating other races the more likely you are to find the one, that special person who does it for you. Even dating within your own race it’s much more sensible to lose the checklist and list of must have’s and must be’s. So what if the guy you just met is 5 ft 9 and not your requisite 6ft, you find him attractive don’t you? What’s a couple of inches anyway?

Which brings me back to the Black man, it’s a myth ladies. Not all Black men are hung like a donkey and not all White men are two inchers. If that were true all the White men would be single and no Sisters would give them the time of day, would they now?

In London where I am originally from no one bats an eyelid at interracial couples and for that I am grateful, London is a beautiful cosmopolitan city where almost anything goes. I am so glad I grew up there as half of my classmates at school were Jamaican due to the influx of West Indian immigrants in the 60s. Curried goat and rice and peas were so much more enticing than my mum’s roast dinner, much to her chagrin. I learned many (bad) Jamaican words thanks to my classmates and still use them on my many visits to Negril.

I decided to set up iloveyouraccent.com because so many of my friends’ marriages and relationships were breaking up. My American friends would ask if I could set them up with a lovely Brit and my British mates were asking me to get them a date with a gorgeous Yank.

Again, these people believed that everything would be OK if they met the American they saw in the movies. As for the Americans, they wanted to meet the type of Brits they saw on TV, always drinking tea and waking around in the fog wearing a cape of course.

One of the things that I see quite often on my site are the American women who write along the lines of this…  Tired of American men, all they do is drink beer and watch football. The British girl writes this… Sick and tired of British men, all they do is watch football and go down to the Pub.

So when it comes down to it, I believe that men are men are men all over the world they just have different accents.

Rochelle Peachey is founder of the Transatlantic dating site ILoveyouraccent.com.  She is also the author of Eat Your Lonely Heart Out (Virgin), and My 1,000 Americans (Random House). Additionally, she specializes in counseling psychology and is a dating/relationship guru and body language expert. Born and raised in London, England, she has lived in the USA for 12 years and  currently resides in Florida with her husband and 2 sons.