Should Insurance Pay for Exercise Programs?

We are all aware of the health care situation our nation is facing.  We also know that the government would like to have us purchase mandatory insurance.  I got to thinking about this.  They want us to have health insurance, to take care of existing health issues, as well as health issues to come - after all, we are paying out a staggering 2.5 Trillion Dollars in health care per year. 

My first thought was, instead of thinking about how much more we are going to be paying, why not think about what we can do to lower the cost.  The thing that came to mind was diet and lifestyle.  The reason we are in the state we are in, is because of what we have done to ourselves over the many decades.   And it keeps getting worse.  

In order to motivate people to start taking health into their own hands, overcoming disease,  getting healthier, etc, Insurance could pay for exercise programs such as gym memberships, physical activity programs, and medical nutrition therapy (training that includes blood glucose management, nutrition, physical activity and preventing and treating complications of diabetes). Corporations could put workshops into play to educate their employees on how to live healthier lives, possibly installing a small gym. The insurance companies would give discounts to those who are participating in these events, give drastic cuts to employers, or even pay for them. 

It's obvious that many have gotten on the exercise and diet bandwagon to better their health and lose weight and that in itself speaks volumes.  But to have to purchase mandatory insurance when nobody is doing anything to help themselves, and depending solely on the medical establishment to get them well, says nothing about trying to make it better and in the end, is only going to wind up costing us trillions more per year.

So what's your opinion? I feel  that mandatory insurance  is ridiculous. There are many who are unemployed right now who could never afford it in the first place. A full family to be covered exceeds $800.00 per month for basic coverage.  My opinion?  Start educating yourself, make drastic changes in diet and lifestyle.  Insurance wont be necessary, and the cost of health care will have to go down.  Sounds like a plan to me!


Want ideas on how to better your health?  contact me at coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com, and watch for local workshops coming up!
To your health!
Robin


www.befitandwellnow.com for some great exercise DVD programs!

What Good are Blueberries Anyway - they just turn my mouth blue!

Ah Blueberries!  When we think of them, we think of a blue mouth. When my kids were young, we visited my mother in law in Maine. The blueberries there are amazing, BUT they grow in little bushes close to the ground. So while picking not only your mouth gets blue when tasting, but so do your knees and feet (and any clothing that was on you!).   The local blueberry picking site at the farm is in large bushes (under a high tension wire to boot and so they are huge!).  Anyhow, they are much easier to pick and you dont get as blue.  So, when you think about blueberries, do you think of a blue mouth, OR do you think of all the nutrition in those little blue round balls?

The funny thing is, blueberries have been with us for many years.  We know it's blueberry season, and try to get 'em while we can.  Up until recently, blueberries were just another berry that came into season.  Now they are famous!  Why? Because they are a powerhouse of nutrition!

Here are some fun facts - did you know:

Blueberries are not only antioxidants, but may also be the cure all for certain illnesses or diseases?

Blueberries can shrink tumors?  Mice were tested in Ohio State Univ, and were given an extract. They lived twice as long and their tumors shrank.

Blueberries can inhibit the growth of bladder and liver cancer cells?

Blueberries contain a compound chemical related to Resveratrol that may cut the development of liver cancer lesions in half?

Blueberries can cleanse the urinary tract and prevent bladder infections?

Blueberries also:

Promote intestinal health

Fight inflammation related to gout and arthritis

Protects against macular degeneration

Improve cognitive function

Reduce cholesterol

Reduce nasal congestion

And taste great!!! My family loves them in pancakes, on cereal, in shakes and on top of non-dairy ice cream!

I know, but they cost 4.99 a pint!  Maybe its time to consider the health benefits of these little berries, and maybe cut out something a little less healthy and substitute blueberries instead.

Enjoy!!

The Battle of the Bulge

At some point in time, it seems all my conversations with people tend to somehow lead to health - mainly weight loss - especially amongst my lady friends.   It seems somewhere along the line we messed up, or was it we become hormonally incorrect?

Well I've come to find out, that its not necessarily the hormonal connection, although there certainly are times that it is the problem, along with thyroid issues. Most of the time however, and I say this tenderly, it's what we did to ourselves for many years, that caused that muffin top, or pouch. Oh, and guys, this is for you too!!!

So what was it that lead up to this battle of the bulge issue anyway?  Well I'm happy to say, it's not just one particular thing.  I have found, for myself, it was lack of exercise, and eating at night.  Now, I don't eat a ton of snacks at night, but no matter what it was, I had to realize that my metabolism slowed to the point of not burning off those extra calories at all.  And considering I didn't do much of anything to boost my energy levels during the day, then my system was pretty much depleted at night, and it just held on to the food I put into my stomach like glue!

Here's 5 little tips that I found to be extremely helpful...and trust me, they work!  

1.  Eat your smallest meal in the evening, and don't snack.Ewwww, did I make you shivver? Easier said than done? Well, not exactly. It's really a matter of changing habits.  I rarely ate much for dinner - soups and crackers, salads, fruit.  But the problem was the after dinner 'treats'.  So, instead of eating the jagunda meal at night, eat light, and only drink water for the rest of the night, ending an hr before bed.  

2.  Make Breakfast the biggest meal of the day (lunch would be my second choice).  Studies have shown that people who eat a good breakfast do better in the weight loss area.Now that I have readjusted, i love eating breakfast and dinner, well, I'm not really hungry for much.

3.  Get some exercise. I'm not kidding here!  I know I spend a majority of my day sitting at work.  I found that early morning exercise pumps me up for the day.  If I cant get it in the morning, then mid afternoon picks me up from my mid day slump!  Walking, treadmill, trampoline, exercise DVD programs...whatever. Get the body moving!  Its the only way to get the metabolism fired up to burn calories. AND when I'm just sitting here, I may get my BIG Pilates ball, and sit and bounce while typing....you may see my letters a little wavy!

4.  Make water your beverage of choice. Soda, Coffee, Crystal Light, juices, all add calories, plus other problematic health issues.  Dont like water.  Suck it up and drink it anyway!  The more you drink it, the easier it will be.Try to abstain from tap water becasue of the chemicals, floride, and chlorine. Also, dont think you have to drink a whole gallon a day.  Your body can only process 6-8 ounces at a time.  Fill up your 8 oz container and then just drink 6 to 8 of those a day...or as much as you can. If you want an added boost, squeeze a 1/2 lemon in one of those glasses...cleanses the liver, adds vitamin C, antioxidants and bioflavonoids.  Key is, start slowly, build up...but DO build up!

5.  Diet it DIE with a T!   Skip the fad diets. They may work for a little time, but chances are you are going to gain the weight back.  Eating a balanced, low fat, plant based diet - consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes - you will never have to worry about counting calories again!  I've been a vegetarian for about 20 years now (and I'm not saying you have to turn vegetarian although it does add years to your life, reverses disease, and makes you healthier), but at least cut back on the sugar, fat, snacks, and junk.  The bigger the snacks, the larger the slacks folks!   Learn how to create some non-meat dishes, and again, make the most of your food intake for during the day. Oh, and here's a side note.  Eat meals, then don't eat again for 4-5 hrs.  Digestion works in 4-5 hr intervals, and if you eat a snack 2 hrs later, you just turned off the digestion and what you have now is fermenting food that is trapped inside your stomach.  That in itself will cause heartburn, reflux and a host of other digestive issues.  Chances are if you are hungry 2 hrs after you ate, you are really thirsty. So drink the water BUT don't drink with your meals! Dilutes the digestive juices.  Drink up to 1/2 hr before and start again 1/2 hr after meals.  

Got questions?  Bring it on...that's why I'm here!   Email me at coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com.

Your health is wealth!

Robin

RXercise

A new global initiative called Exercise Is Medicine, encourages doctors to prescribe exercise in the same way they prescribe medicine. Early evidence suggest it works!  A study done in New Zealand prescribed exercise to 544 inactive women ages 40 to 74 years of age. 39% were still exercising after two years and they felt better!  Timothy Church, MD, PHD says "Exercise helps ensure you can lead the life you want well into your 80's. There's no pill for that!"  Imagine that...coming from a doctor!  Just goes to show, exercise is the key to better health and longevity.  So pull on those sneakers, dust off that treadmill, and get moving.  Quality of life is something no doctor can give you!

Have a health filled day!

I Love Natural Health!

I love natural health.  There is so much out there to help us get well without using medications, which we all know carry some pretty hefty side effects.  We have had some great experiences with not just exercise, water, sunshine, and eating right, but with herbs, oils and whole food supplements. Health is wealth...its important to cherish it!

For example, not too long ago my son told me his ear was starting to hurt. Usually if he does a lot of swimming underwater, he gets some form of ear infection. Well, this time I had an idea.  Instead of running to the doctor, and having him tell us the same thing as usual, and prescribing the ear drops (which usually costs me about 100.00 when all it totaled - and I just didn't have the money), I decided to try something different.  And I just happened to have some on hand!

I had an essential oil called Purification by Young Living that I was using to diffuse in the house to kill bacteria and germs and make the house smell nice, and heard that it can help ear infections without side effects (its also great for bee type stings, deterring mold, getting rid of stale smells in the house like cigarette smells, excellent for putting on cuts and scrapes too).  So I took a couple drops on my finger and just rubbed it in behind his ear and down the line of the Eustachian tube. Then I put a couple drops on a cotton ball and stuck it in his ear.  I will say, I had some doubts!   I'm a skeptic, but I also know the plant kingdom has amazing healing properties.  

Anyhow, I repeated that scenario a few times during the day.  The next day I asked my son how his ear felt (since he hadn't said anything, I wasn't going to ask...since it may have meant he was feeling better!).  So he told me his ear didn't hurt as much.  Hmmmmm.  We repeated this for three days, and by then the pain was  gone and he didn't have that full feeling anymore.  And the cost was about 1/3 of what the doctor and prescription would have cost me, plus I can use the Purification for a ton of other things too!! Great job Purification! 

Purification really did the trick..and continues to do the trick for many different things like I mentioned above. It is made up of Citronella, Lemongrass, Lavadin, Rosemary, Meleleuca and Myrtle...making it not only disinfectant, and healing, but also a good bug deterrent!

Wishing you Abundant Health!

Robin

If you would like more information or to purchase the product, click here.

Good Eats!!!

Want some new recipes to add to your collection?  Then just click on the recipe tab above for some good ones. New ones added weekly too!  AND if you have a healthy recipe that you might like posted on my blog (no meat please!) then I'd love to see it.  If I use yours, you will get your web link and info posted at the bottom of the recipe post. Email me at coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com with your recipe.

Meanwhile, check in weekly for new recipes are added all the time! Bon Appetite!

Something Cute for Your Business!

I thought I'd change things up a bit and show  you something really cute that you can do for your business!

I have been involved in Direct Sales for over 12 years now, and I found that at some time or other, I'm going to be giving out either brochures or samples at some point.  Handing a brochure to someone may or may not be effective.  So here's a cute way to present your samples, brochures or anything to your client in a way that will make them feel special!
I use Cello In a Box cello bags and ribbons for this.  What I do, since I am working with Beachbody, is to put a Shakeology sample in the bag with a brochure, recipes and my biz card, and then tie with a matching ribbon.   Here's a picture:


Cute, huh?   So imagine the difference in your recipient's attitude when they receive this, as opposed to just receiving the brochure alone.

You can tailor this to any business!   If you don't have samples, just put a brochure, flier, piece of candy and biz card in there.  Maybe the flier would have info on product with a coupon for discount, or maybe an event you are holding.

These can be so versatile!  Give them to the waitress, bank teller, receptionist in the Dr's office or dentist office, hair dresser, friend.  Be creative...there's a lot you can do with this. And the bags are VERY inexpensive.  Besides, you can use them for a tax write off!
So give it a try!  Take a pic and post it here!

If you'd like more info on Cello In a Box bags, ribbons, bows, boxes, etc....please visit
http://www.celloinabox.com/mall/shopcustadmin.asp?=492

Robin
Health and Lifestyle Coach

Lessons from Shopping

Being a health and lifestyle coach, I seem to gravitate my eyeballs to randomly selected shopping carts when I am in the market.  I don't know why that is...surely I am not being judgmental. Maybe it's curiosity. After all, the US spends over 230 trillion dollars a year in health care, 65% of adults are obese, and 1 in 3 get cancer.  Could there possibly be a connection with the food in the cart (plus some other factors) that can be causing this influx of ills and bills?

So I was in the store the other day doing my major shopping, and I was behaving myself and not looking in every cart. I had a mission to accomplish, and I refused to get sidetracked.  Well....it happened.   There I was in the checkout line and in front of me the cart was piled to the ceiling. That's probably what got my attention in the first place. I never realized a cart could hold so much!  I noticed the wheels were buckling under the pressure.  

I nonchalantly perused the cart, trying not to look obvious.  Of course there were the usual cleaning products, paper products, feminine products, kid stuff, candy, meat, dairy....then my eyeballs focused on three things....three cases of diet soda.  Big cases, not six packs.  Those were under the cart (isn't that where we put things to hide them so nobody like me can see em?).    And my mind started thinking.

Most folks that are trying to lose weight and drink soda at the same time, use diet food products, such as diet soda, not realizing what the ingredients are, let alone the devastating effects on their health.  Thankfully much more is being revealed now about the effects of soda drinking.  For example, regular soda contains 10-15+ (depending on the size) teaspoons of sugar per bottle - enough to render your immune system useless (which is why you get sick anyhow).  Then there is caffeine which also causes a whole other heap of health issues.  One of the biggest problems is the fact that those sodas contain phosphoric acid, which leaches calcium from the bones.  Don't we have huge issues with osteoporosis in our country? (high protein diets add to this as well).    Diet sodas are no better.   Just because they don't contain sugar, they do contain artificial sweeteners, which can cause brain tumors and seizures, joint issues, and a myriad of other health problems (but Ill save that for another day).  Diet sodas dehydrate you and also make you gain weight...the very reason why you want to drink them anyhow - so you don't gain weight.

So my brain went into overdrive thinking of all these things.  When I was a kid I did drink some soda, but those silly bubbles always made me burp and gave me indigestion.  Add to the fact that developing kidney stones forced me to change my choice of beverage to water. Took some getting used to, but I did it.  Back in the day there really wasn't as much information out there as there is today.   I found that after starting to drink water, my kidney stones started to disappear, I had more energy, my brain worked better, and I got sick a whole lot less.  Who'da thunk it! 

In a way I'm glad I did get those kidney stones.  It was an eye opening experience, similar to labor pains, that got me on the right track to drinking the right beverage.  I hope that won't happen to you...and that you or those you love may start to consider that water is the most healthy, best tasting beverage money can buy.   

No, this little incident didn't make me stop looking in carts.   As long as I am a coach, I'll probably peruse them from time to time as I think about it...just for fun!

Wishing you health in abundance! 

Robin

The Healthiest Losers Club

Obesity is a problem in our country - 65% of adults and 35% of children are plagued with it.  Sometimes its not their fault.  Stress, fast food diets, sedentary lifestyles, depression all play a part in the role of unnecessary weight gain.  Some have a hard time losing because of lack of education, lack of motivation and support.

I started a Monday evening phone call for just those who are on their journey to lose a few pounds, but want that added push to get them going...get them motivated...make them accountable! If you have one pound or 101 pounds to lose...you are invitedl.  Come join us every Monday evening at 7PM EST (4PM PST) for a short call that will help you get the jumpstart you need.  Share your successes and failures and get motivated, encouraged, uplifted...and pick up some tips too!  Info is below, but you can also check under the Events page as well.

Join with us as we set forth to reverse the trend of obesity.  Be a testimony to others, and be a help to those who are just starting their journey.  I'm in...are you?

Call number:   (605) 477-3000
 

Passcode  1031808#
:

Time:   7PM EST (4PM PST)  for 15+ minutes.

Want more info?  Contact me at coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com.  You can find me on facebook, or join my fan page Energized Lifestyle.

Those Pesky M&M's

Ever have one of those moments when you felt you had to eat something you shouldn't eat...that you know is bad for you, that will make you sick, or that will just add to those extra pounds you already dont want? 

 The other day I was in the food store, and  in the checkout line. To the right of me were tons of magazines, so of course since it was a long wait, I had to read all the headlines on each cover.  On the other side was the junk food.  Normally I have no problem just passing all that stuff by, and move on, or just continue reading the headlines.   But this day was different.  I had been running around like a maniac all day.  Perhaps I was a little hungry or just a lot stressed.  I usually have great will power (or the power of prayer) and these things just dont faze me.   Affter all, these stores know you have to wait in line and face the junk food while you are there. But I guess I must have fallen off the wagon or had a moment of insanity, because it hit me.  M&M's! 

There they were! It seemed the packages grew to be bigger than life and just screamed my name/ Just then the TV commercial about how they fit those pretzels inside of the M&M.....and the other commercial where the M&M's dont want to get in the bowl came flooding into my brain.  I could blame it on the TV set, but then nobody twisted my arm to watch it. I could have blamed it on the store for putting those there.  But I wasnt thinking of that at the time. It was like I was mezmorized...like I was being pushed ever closer to those packages of M&M's.  

 My health experience kicked in for just a moment, and I started picking up those little packages and actually reading the ingredients.   Do you know there are a lot of things on there I could barely pronounce?   I didnt care.  Amazingly, something made me pick up the package with the M&M pretzel and put it on the conveyor belt. And  so, I went through the checkout with the little package of M&Ms pretzel and headed for home.  All the while my brain was wrestling with me...why did you do that?  You know better? Didnt you read the label?   You arent even supposed to eat chocolate!   The voice kept getting louder in my head.  

I got to the car, and the first thing I did was sift through the bags to find my prize.   I opened the package and took out a lovely M&M....it was SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!   I offered one to my son, who also took one (he didnt want any more than one?) Good grief! At that point I felt like Eve offering Adam that dreaded apple!   Did it stop me from eating? Nope. I finished the entire bag.  I will admit I was a little disappointed in the fact that the pretzel wasn't preztel shaped, but round instead.

Ok, now please understand. One bag of M&Ms  once a year or very seldom isnt going to kill you.  And all of us have weak moments in life.  But its the continual use of sugar, perservatives, coloring, and artificial mumbo jumbo that will directly affect your health in a negative way either quickly, or over time.  Sugar depletes the immune system, and causes a myriad of health issues, as does  chocolate...but that's another post.   I know this, and teach this, yet I failed by doing something I already know is going to hurt my health.

Should I beat myself up over my senior moment?  Definately not. If anything, I learned that next time when I see a package of M&M's or any other candy (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!!!!...drool), Ill know that it will be a moment of satisfaction, then its gone leaving me unfulfilled.  They weren't all they were advertised to be after all. And I can smile at the commercials and their ingenious methods of advertising, without guilt.

 By the way, I kept the bag so I can share all the ingedients at my next seminar.....and share my story.  Those pesky M&M's!

To Your Health!

Apology - What a Week!

Ever have one of those weeks when you figure you have an open week and you'll get a lot done, only to find that by Monday afternoon the whole week has basically blown up?  That's my week this week!  I totally forgot to give you your Tuesday Tip!  So instead of a Tuesday tip...I'm going to tell you about  upcoming teleseminars you wont want to miss!

Starting this month on the 18th, I'll be having Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backwards...an interesting open forum where I will discuss stress, what it is, what it does to the body and how to beat it without eating a ton of desserts.

Next month we will move into other topics on weight loss, the 8 step plan and more!  

You'll want to be on my email newsletter to be updated on all the goings on! The newsletter covers some great health topics and you can receive yours by emailing coachrobin@befitandwellnow.com. Plus you can join my Facebook pages Energized Lifestyle and Coach Robin for updates, and of course, follow this blog!

I apologize for not having a tip for you this week, but I AM posting a recipe!! Check it out!! Click the Recipes tab!

To your health!

Robin

New Recipe Posted!

Good Morning!  Hope you are finding the New Year has been good to you so far, and that you are sticking to your game plan.  So far, so good on my end, but then we are only one week into it.

I thought a few recipes would help perk that creative cook in you so each week I'll be posting one or more recipes for ya in the recipes section - click the tab above.

Today's recipe is Blueberry Buckle..and it made with good-for-you ingredients.  Give it a try, and spice up your January with a little something new and tasty.  I'd love to hear what you think of it. So click the RECIPES tab above and keep an eye out for more to be added each week.

Bon Appetite!

Robin "Smiles"

Tuesday Tip - Move A Little Every Day

With dreary winter days, I'm finding I get into a hum drum tiredness all day long...especially if all I do is sit, and the only exercise I get is walking from the computer to the kitchen and back.   I have learned, that on days that I take time to exercise, I have much more energy...even in the winter months!

Exercise will:

Boost your immune system

Build strong muscles and bones

Generate endorphins to keep you in a good mood

Improve mobility

Improve digestion and elimination

Tone and cleanse internal organs

Keep you flexible

Strengthen your heart

Stabilize blood sugar

Lower cholesterol and blood pressure

And give you boundless energy and stamina.

If you choose to do the kitchen to computer walk....be prepared to get the opposite of what exercise will do for you.  Remember, if you dont use it you lose it. Everything will start going 'south', and skin will also lose elasticity. You'll be tired, moody, sick, achy, have headaches, and just be a bear to live with!

So start the year off right, and get moving!  Lets do it together!

To Your Health!!

Robin
Looking for an exercise program to do from home? Beachbody has many for all expertise levels, even for kids.  www.befitandwellnow.com