Be it for Kwanzaa, Christmas or Hanukkah, everyone wants to look their best at the holiday parties this season. The best thing you can do is nourish your body by eating and sleeping properly over the next couple of weeks so that when those parties begin you won’t have cravings nor have the desire to binge. Bean Sopwith at the Body Alchemist said,

“You want to get it into balance as much as possible before you take it out of balance. You need to address a number of things, including how you’re eating, when you’re eating and the importance of sleep.”

Here are six pointers to get yourself ready.
1. Diet - Eat regularly balanced meals and snacks and don’t skip breakfast. You don’t want to arrive at a party with a low blood-sugar level and do something silly because the alcohol went straight to your head.
2. Drink- Consume probiotics to get healthy bacteria running through your system and boost your immune system before the onslaught of cocktails that may or may not await you.
3. Sleep - Take a pre-party 30 minute nap before going out and when it’s time to go to bed that night take 200mg to 300mg of magnesium which acts as a natural sedative.
4. Skin - Don’t let those party toxins sit in your gut all day. Be sure to drink plenty of water and consider a dry-skin brushing. You can buy the brush at the Body Shop.
5. Body-Boosters - Don’t forget your supplements. Try co-enzyme Q10 for energy and get your Vitamins C and D for the immune system.
6. Post-Party Pick-Me Ups - A few ideas to get rid of that sluggish feeling after a hard night is to drink aloe vera juice, rub half a lemon over your skin, grill your breakfast instead of fry and last but not least, drink water.

Celeb Diet Doc…
Hmmm… everyone seems to be on a probiotic kick. Frankly this is a waste of money. Here’s the key.  It doesn’t matter what probiotics you take if you eat processed foods they will do absolutely nothing for you, except drain your wallet.  There is a much better and more effective way to get probiotics into your system and it costs no money and I have already dropped a huge hint.. In the comments below let me know what you think the answer is…

And supplements are another huge sink hole of hype. Most of the data does not show any benefit with supplements and may even cause harm… but that’s better left to another post.  Just giving it to you straight, celeb diet doc style!

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Outlawing smoking in public places has a direct impact on the amount of heart attacks, a new US study says. According to Reuters, smoking bans can cut down the number by 36%, proving that these laws do actually work.

Led by James Lightwood from the University of California, researchers looked at data from 13 studies examining smoking bans in the US, Canada and Europe, and found that the number of heart attacks decreased almost immediately – 17% in the first year and 36% by the third year.

“This study adds to the already strong evidence that second-hand smoke causes heart attacks, and that passing 100% smoke-free laws in all workplaces and public places is something we can do to protect the public,” Lightwood told Reuters.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say second-hand smoke kills about 46 000 Americans each year and raises adults’ risk of developing heart disease by 25%.

Dr David Goff, of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina, told Reuters that in the current financial climate and with the country’s growing concern over its healthcare system, smoking bans are a cost-effective way to reduce heart attacks.

Celeb Diet Doc
Now if we could just ban sodas or at least levy a tax (think cigarette tax), we’ll see another healthy drop in diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and a number of chronic diseases. Yup, it’s time to tax Coke and Pepsi. Sodas, along with other refined foods, are guilty of making America fat and it’s time to start spreading the increasing burden of health care costs with these responsible parties.

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The short answer is no. Brett Blumenthal, a trainer and co-founder of healthy lifestyle website SheerBalance.com, says that while walking 30 minutes a day for 3 days a week may improve your cardiovascular health, it isn’t enough if you want to be in good physical shape.

Walking is low-impact and easy enough no matter your fitness level, but “saying that walking is the only thing you need is like saying that gas is all your car needs to function properly,” Blumenthal says. The wellness expert with more than 15 years’ experience offers 4 tips to help you gain the most from walking.

Intensity – You need to push yourself and not merely stroll along the sidewalk. For any activity to be beneficial, your heart rate has to pushed up to between 65% and 85% of its maximum rate.
Challenge – Pace yourself to figure out how far you walk over 30 minutes, and how many steps you take. Once you’re comfortable with that rate, challenge yourself to walk a little faster and longer; you need to keep pushing yourself so you don’t fall into a rut and the exercise no longer benefits you.
Strength Training – Introduce weights into your walks. You’ll burn more calories, build muscle and boost your metabolism.
Healthy Diet – Eating properly plays a major role in weight-loss and maintaining a healthy metabolic rate.

Celeb Diet Doc
There are a number of studies suggesting that brisk walking is as good as vigorous exercise in reducing the incidence of heart disease. This one from the NEJM shows that women who either walked briskly or exercised vigorously at least 2.5 hours per week had a risk reduction in heart disease related events of approximately 30 percent. So yes walking can keep you fit! And I like his suggestions on how to get more out of your walking. Walk on!

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Like many other First Ladies before her, Michelle Obama appeared on Sesame Street, a fantasy that many of us have had at least once in our lifetime.  Who doesn’t want to hang out with Elmo, Big Bird and the rest of the gang?  She teamed up with the lovable Elmo to tape a PSA (public service announcement) as part of the Healthy Habits for Life initiative.  In the PSA the First Lady talks with Elmo about eating right, getting regular exercise and the role that parents play when it comes to being a healthy and positive influence.

In the PSA Elmo asks Mrs. Obama what she plans on doing while on the show and she replies,

“Well, first I want to get some exercise, so I’m going to take a walk around Sesame Street.”

Elmo then jumps around for joy for the pure thought of exercising like the First Lady does and he runs off stage while Ms. Obama gives the PSA:

“If you want your child to have healthy habits, practice healthy habits too, because you are your child’s best role model.”

When she revealed she was going to do the PSA she said,

“I’m on a high…..”probably the best thing I’ve done at the White House.”

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