Lost and Found – a Novel by Ron Rink

Have you ever equated the amount of sleep you get to how much you weigh? Is it possible that sleep could have some effect on whether you are gaining or losing weight?

Over the recent past, there have been many studies that indicate that it is true that your sleep patterns could have a lot to do with controlling your weight.

Especially in America. our culture is focused on productivity. Sleep is one of those things that gets in the way of getting our work done. Not only that, it tends to get in the way of just about every aspect of our lives — family, TV, the internet, staying caught up with your email. We have to do all these things — there just isn’t enough time for sleep.

So, how do we compensate for this lack of sleep — we load up with sugar, refined carbs, caffeine, and a variety of other stimulants. Now, the food industry is even coming out with these “energy drinks” that are nothing more than an enormous amount of sugar and caffeine disguised as something good for you.

We have become a nation of sugar and caffeine addicts. The consumption of these two items has increased dramatically (over 185 lbs of it per person each year) — and our collective weight has increased accordingly. And, we all know what sugar can do to your weight — and the consumption of caffeine right along with it is certainly no help.

Here are a few tips to help you get enough sleep … and also help you to control your weight …

1. Avoid substances that affect sleep, like caffeine, sugar, and alcohol.

2. Avoid any stimulating activities for 2 hours before bed such as watching TV, using the Internet, and answering emails.

3. Go to bed (preferably before 10 or 11 pm) and wake up at the same time every day.

4. Exercise daily for 30 minutes (but not 3 hours before bed, which can affect sleep)

5. Use your bed only for sleep and sex.

6. Keep your bedroom very dark or use eyeshades.

7. Block out sound if you have a noisy environment by using earplugs (the soft silicone ones work the best).

8. Make the room a comfortable temperature for sleep – not too hot or cold.

9. Take a hot bath at night for 20 minutes. Add 2 cups of Epsom salt and 10 drops of lavender essential oil to the bathwater.

10. Take 200 to 400 mg of magnesium citrate or glycinate before bed, which relaxes the nervous system and muscles.

11. Other supplements and herbs can be helpful in getting some shuteye, such as calcium, theanine (an amino acid from green tea), GABA, 5-HTP, melatonin, valerian, passionflower, and magnolia.

12. If you are still having trouble sleeping, get checked out for other problems that can interfere with sleep,
including food sensitivities, thyroid problems, menopause, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heavy metal toxicity, and, of course, stress and depression.

It’s important to know that weight control isn’t always about food and exercise — although it is important. There is also this connection between your sleep habits and being able to control our weight.

So, get to bed early — sleep a good 7 or 8 hours every night — and your nutrition and weight loss program will see more success.

Have a great and healthy day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

Shanti,

Ron
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Have you ever thought about the fact that stress could make you fat — and that relaxing can make you thin? Do you notice that when your life is stressful and hectic, you have a harder time losing weight?

Let’s think about what is going on with your body and your nutrition and weight loss program when you are stressed. When stress takes control your body is pushing out a variety of hormones that will slow your metabolism and make you more likely to store calories as fat — even if you’re eating less and exercising more.

Let’s face it — we are a nation of worriers. We spend way too much time fretting over things that are completely out of our control. We worry about things that haven’t happened yet — and may never happen. All that worrying can take a huge toll on your desires to keep your weight down.

Can we eliminate stress from our lives? Probably not — but there sure are plenty of ways to keep stress under control. If I could give you a really cool way to eliminate worry from your everyday life, I would be delighted to do that — and I would follow that advice myself — but I don’t have the answer to that.

However, I can give you some advice to control stress …

One thing you can do when you’re feeling something begin to stress you out — just stop for a minute — and take a few deep breaths. Nice and deep and slow. Inhale right down into your belly — then slowly exhale. Do this about three or four times and you’ll feel your body begin to relax. It’s magical.

I also have in my “bag of tricks” a neat product that I keep right here next to my computer. It’s called “Sunset” — it’s a liquid — and it has all these great herbs and herbal extracts that are designed to help support the nervous system and manage the effects of stress on your body. If you’d like some for yourself, just take down this ID#: 20369984 and then call 1-800-531-4877. Just tell them you’d like to order some Sunset and give them my ID#. You could also go to: http://www.lifeforce.net/20369984 and place your order online. Just follow the links for “Products” and fill out the forms. As you’ll see, this product isn’t available anywhere else.

Oh — and one last thing — one other good way to help you control stress is to get plenty of sleep. Try to get 7 or 8 hours every night.

So, I guess the words to leave you by are — “Chill Out!”

Have a great and relaxing day.

Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my nutrition and weight loss program. These have helped me more than I would have ever imagined.

I urge you to click on the links below — it’s a fast and easy way to learn the benefits these products have for you!

Here are the page links — take a couple of minutes and check them out!:

— My Health Products – and – Testimonials — and – Uses for My Products.

Read through those pages and then contact me with your questions. I’m here to help you to achieve your nutrition and weight loss goals.

Not only can you find my contact information, you can also get a FREE 2-week supply of the flagship product, Body Balance, sent directly to your home. Take advantage of this limited-time offer — it’s on me, folks!

Have a great and healthy day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

Shanti,

Ron
_______________________________________________________________________________

Anyone who is following a good nutrition and weight loss program knows the value of using as much of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products as possible. With that as part of our lifestyle, we are most likely purchasing more fresh foods than we did in the past.

The question now is … How do you know how long the fresh food will last? What do those “Use by” and “Sell by” and “Expiration” dates mean? Let’s see if we can help to clarify some of this for you.

Best if used by (use by):

This is the date by which you should aim to use the product, but be advised that this date does not indicate when a food will spoil. Manufacturers voluntarily place this date on the packaging as a general guide. (Voluntarily means they don’t always do it!) Most foods are okay to consume for about two days after the use-by date but may be lacking in flavor or freshness. Of course, if you notice any signs of spoilage, such as an obvious odor or mold, play it safe and assume the food has perished.

Sell by:

This date is for vendors — not consumers. The sell-by date is meant to notify your grocer to pull the product off the shelf. While you shouldn’t purchase foods beyond their sell-by dates, as with use-by dates, foods past their sell-by dates are not necessarily spoiled. If the product has remained unopened and there aren’t any signs of spoilage, it may still be OK to eat.

Expiration:

Just as the word indicates, this is the date on which a food is expected to spoil. You should not consume or taste foods past this date. Eggs are one important exception — they can typically last an additional month past the expiration date as long as they’re kept properly refrigerated.

Hope this has helped to clear up any confusion about when to toss the food and when to keep it.

Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my nutrition and weight loss program. These have helped me more than I would have ever imagined.

I urge you to click on the links below — it’s a fast and easy way to learn the benefits these products have for you!

Here are the page links — take a couple of minutes and check them out!:

— My Health Products – and – Testimonials — and – Uses for My Products.

Read through those pages and then contact me with your questions. I’m here to help you to achieve your nutrition and weight loss goals.

Not only can you find my contact information, you can also get a FREE 2-week supply of the flagship product, Body Balance, sent directly to your home. Take advantage of this limited-time offer — it’s on me, folks!

Have a great and healthy day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

Shanti,

Ron
_______________________________________________________________________________

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve talked about the nutrition and weight loss benefits of eating fish — particularly oily fish, like salmon and lake trout.

Both of these fish are rich in the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time, you should use caution when eating fish that may be high in mercury (including tilefish and tuna). I know, that does seem like conflicting advice to some extent. In an effort not to add to your confusion, let’s discuss some of the “fish facts” that I’ve learned in my own research and see if we can sort through some of this for you.

First, fatty fish helps to fight heart disease.

Numerous studies have determined that the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), (yes, I copied and pasted those — I’d never have been able to spell them otherwise!!) help make the blood less sticky and, thus, less likely to clot and cause heart attacks and strokes. There is also compelling evidence that omega-3s fight the inflammation process, which is important since inflammation is thought to be involved in many diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. I’m one who highly recommends adding fish to your weekly menu (along with taking a fish oil supplement in capsule form if you want). Just two servings a week will provide the benefits. Omega-3s are most concentrated in sardines, salmon, and mackerel.

Second, wild fish is the way to go. (There is a ton of controversy about this — therefore, the following is only my opinion based on the research I’ve done. Use your own best judgement and do your homework, also.)

Farm-raised salmon contains the environmental toxins PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which are thought to promote cancer. Farmed-raised salmon are contaminated because their food contains PCBs. Salmon store the PCBs in their fat, where it can accumulate, just as it does in humans who eat contaminated fish. The best way to avoid encountering PCBs is to choose wild salmon whenever possible. Canned and pouched salmon are a convenient and unexpected source of wild salmon. There are also ways to reduce the PCBs in farmed salmon: Remove the skin (and the fat beneath the skin) before you cook it, and broil, bake, or grill the fish to allow the fat (again, where PCBs accumulate) to drain off. Of course, this will lower the omega-3 content as well, but you’ll still get some of its benefits.

And, finally, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and women considering pregnancy should limit exposure to fish containing methylmercury.

This industrial pollutant is most concentrated in long-lived, deep-sea species, like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tuna. While adults need to be concerned only about high levels of mercury (which can cause neurological damage and vision problems), even low levels can impede the development of the nervous system in fetuses, babies, and young children. The best way to avoid mercury exposure is to eat fish lower down on the food chain (the smaller fish that larger fish eat, like cod, sole, halibut, and shellfish). Try to vary your seafood selection and stay away from those high-mercury species.

Here is some information about the nutritional supplements I add to my nutrition and weight loss program. These have helped me more than I would have ever imagined.

I urge you to click on the links below — it’s a fast and easy way to learn the benefits these products have for you!

Here are the page links — take a couple of minutes and check them out!:

— My Health Products – and – Testimonials — and – Uses for My Products.

Read through those pages and then contact me with your questions. I’m here to help you to achieve your nutrition and weight loss goals.

Not only can you find my contact information, you can also get a FREE 2-week supply of the flagship product, Body Balance, sent directly to your home. Take advantage of this limited-time offer — it’s on me, folks!

Have a great and healthy day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

Shanti,

Ron
_______________________________________________________________________________

Now is the season for those delicious delights — apples. The varieties will be in abundance. They are one of nature’s most wonderful treats and should definitely be a part of your nutrition and weight loss program.

You’ve all heard the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. There certainly isn’t a concrete proof of the truth of that statement, but there is plenty of proof that apples do provide respectable amounts of fiber, some Vitamin C, and potassium. Apples are also a good source of quercetin, a flavonoid that may help protect against heart disease.

Of the 7,000 varieties of apples available worldwide, only a few make their way to the produce section of your grocery store. Some of the most common varieties include Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, McIntosh, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Winesap, and Golden Delicious. Below are a few tips for buying, storing, and eating apples, especially as a great, crunchy snack.

Buying:

The skin of an apple is not always a good indication of its quality, so try to shop for apples by touch instead of appearance. Avoid wrinkled, bruised, or soft apples. Remember that each apple has a distinct flavor, so some are better for baking, while others are better for eating. If you’re not familiar with the different varieties, ask your grocer for their recommendations.

Storing:

Apples can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three months. They should be kept in a plastic bag with holes for ventilation. Check them frequently and remove ones that are bruised or brown. There is definitely truth to another old saying, “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch”. If you keep your apples in the refrigerator, try to keep them away from strong-smelling foods, as they will absorb the odor. If you keep your apples out of the refrigerator, put them in a cool, dry place and eat them within a couple of weeks.

Eating:

Always clean the skins thoroughly before eating. Washing will remove dirt and pesticides, but only a good scrub or produce cleaner will remove the built-up wax. When you go to cut your apples, wait until just before you’re ready to eat them. Cut apples will turn brown if exposed to the air for too long. You can prevent this by dipping the cut apples into a bowl containing one part lemon juice and three parts water.

Can you hear the sound of that first bite into a fresh apple? Mmmmm — so good!

Have a great and healthy day. I’ll be back soon with some more nutrition and weight loss thoughts for you.

Shanti,

Ron
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