Natural Weight Loss Coach

Scientists believe they may have uncovered a key reason why obese people have a raised risk of health complications such as type 2 diabetes. They blame a specific protein called pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), which is secreted by fat cells.

Research on mice suggests blocking some of PEDF's action may reverse some complications.

Because PEDF is produced by fat cells, people who are overweight have higher levels of the protein in the bloodstream. The protein sends a signal to other tissues in the body, triggering development of insulin resistance in the muscles and liver.

Raised PEDF levels were also linked to a release of fats into the bloodstream, raising the risk of complications such as heart disease.

262,085 miles since Dec 31st, 1989.

Pictured here is one of the best material investments I’ve ever made since migrating to the US.

I bought this car brand new on New Year’s eve and she’ll probably run until 350,000+ miles, without any major work.

But what has this car got to do with health?!?!?

I’m getting there in a minute, so please bear with me.

I don’t get 35 miles per gallon mileage anymore, but she’s still at a respectable 26-30 mpg. Still pretty green, relatively.

Here are the top 3 biggest expenses I’ve incurred to date:

• clutch replacement – $897.73 May 2008
• strut replacement – $690.47 Apr 2002
• distributor replacement – $527.77 Jun 2006 (this was my fault because I made some simple, but stupid modifications)

Notice that the major components: the engine, the transmission, the frame, the body are all original and intact. Heck, even the paint is original.

Normal maintenance:

• timing belt – $550.06 May 2006 (3 yrs premature – long story)
• timing belt – $353.56 Mar 2003
• timing belt – $365.40 Jun 1997
• oil change – guestimated at $1,050 over the 19-yr period (as prescribed, every 7500 miles)

All throughout its life of 19+ years, only once did this car ever stop on the road, and I had to call a tow truck to help me out. (That was a result of my stupid modifications!)

One more thing: this car is NOT pampered. It doesn’t sit idle in the garage with a warm blanket, but it does stay inside the garage every night.

So again, what has this got to do with health?

Here’s my point. If you take care of your car, the car will take care of you.

Take Care of Your Body and
It Will Take Care of You

Take care of your body TODAY and everyday thereafter, and it will take care of you for a long and healthy life.

In reality, your entire body is in constant repair and maintenance. Almost every living cell dies and gets replaced by a new cell – CONSTANTLY.

As you age, however, the cell duplication process becomes less and less efficient. It slowly deteriorates over time – normally. But it could accelerate depending on your lifetyle.

It’s just like making a photocopy of a picture. A copy of the original is fine. But a copy of the copy is not quite as good. What if you make 50 subsequent copies of the picture? What do you think will the last picture look like?

Get the picture? (No pun intended.)

When a living cell duplicates itself, do you think it needs raw materials or ingredients to do that?

You betcha. Specifically, your living cells need MICRO nutrients (minerals, enzymes, vitamins, biotics, etc.), which in turn, come from MACRO nutrients (carbs, proteins and fats) that you eat.

This is the reason why I don’t believe in counting calories. Quality food will keep your metabolism going, while bad calories will CHOKE your metabolism.

So if you feed your cells on empty calories, the cells do not reproduce properly. If your organ cells fail, then eventually the organ itself fails.

Let’s take the pancreas. When its cells start to age prematurely, then it will slow down in producing insulin. And of course, lack of insulin (which is different from insulin resistance), can potentially lead to weight gain.

I’m not a body builder, and I don’t really have any aspirations to be one. I’m just a regular guy who’s discovered REALIZED some common sense approach to maintaining a lean (not mean) body.

As I grow old into my sunset years, I’d like to be strong, healthy and ACTIVE up to at least 100 years.

Please, no chronic disease that would cripple me for 10, 20 or even 30+ years. No organ transplants or heart bypass operations either.

I don’t wanna be moving around with a cane, let alone in a wheelchair or cart, with an oxygen tank strapped behind me. It’s not the way to enjoy the time with my grandkids.

Preferably,  I’d just stop breathing in my sleep one day. (After I’ve had my last words with my family & close friends.)

Here’s one of my simple rules – don’t mess around with the manufacturer (unlike the “simple” modification I did with my car).

When it comes to my health, NATURE is the manufacturer. I try my darn hardest not to mess with it.

As much as I practically can, I let natural foods maintain my health – avoiding, as much as possible, man-made medication including processed foods and pre-packaged “weight loss” meals.

Are you investing on wellness and prevention, instead of spending for repair and intervention?

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While I was working on my computer today, cleaning up my Twitter account, my stomach started to nudge me.

It was beckoning … asking me for some food. It wasn’t quite hungry yet, but just beginning to get there.

I looked at my clock…10:15am. It’s only midmorning, and still have a few hours before lunch.

Now if I wanted to lose weight – this would be an agonizing couple of hours before lunch, wouldn’t it?

But before I grabbed something to snack on, I decided to take my blood sugar.

Alas, it was at 74 mg/dl. That explains the grumblings from my stomach. It’s not too bad, but it’s certainly an indication that’s it going south.

That number tells me that I’m in the hunger zone – my body has a legitimate need for food.

Doughnut? Bagel? Coffee w/ sugar? Nah…that would just overshoot my blood sugar into the fat zone.

Instead, I grab some mixed nuts and a stick of pepperjack cheese. And of course, water as always.

It’s easy to fight hunger by eating smart with nuts.

It has lots of fiber, proteins and healthy fats. I buy the unsalted variety in bulk from my local grocery, and mix it with tamari cashews to add some ZING in the flavor.

In less than 15 minutes, my hunger magically went away.

Do I count the calories? Nope. I don’t really care.

Fiber calories don’t count – they don’t get metabolized.  The fats actually send a signal to my brain that I’m full – that will stop the cravings. And of course, proteins help repair my muscles – which in turn revs up my metabolism.

Two hours later, I took my blood sugar again –> 84 mg/dl. I’m way, way below the fat zone.

Probably too low, but guess what? I’m not hungry anymore, and if my body needs sugar energy – it will retrieve it from my body fat!

“But coach, I can’t have nuts!?”, you tell me. “I want some sugar. I want some chocolate.”

Here’s what I did –> M&Ms,  the peanut variety (almonds are better),  NOT the regular ones.

However, I do have to tell you that these M&Ms are only temporary. You should try to limit your consumption to a serving or two, at the most.

I’ve used this M&Ms technique personally to wean myself off from my mild sugar addiction. Here’s the key -> if you eat your sugars in combination with a healthy protein or fat, it stabilizes your metabolism.

Slowly over time, I switched to carob energee chunks. Also purchased from the bulk foods section of the local grocery.

At first, it may taste weird – you have to allow your tongue to get used to it – that’s why you’ll need the M&M nuts.

If you just try this simple technique, you will see yourself not suffering from hunger pains, and yet losing all that body fat.

WHAT SAY YOU?

Have a wonderful day,

Health Coach Harry

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