A Lack of Sleep Contributes to "Almost Immediate Weight Gain."

When making changes to your lifestyle and committing to new goals, you need to be performing at your best each day to help ensure you have the physical and emotional strength to stay focused on your priorities, and consistently make the right decisions. A lack of sleep negatively affects your ability to do this in several ways and "studies have shown that people who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are much more likely to have a higher than average BMI."3

"Losing just a few hours of sleep a few nights in a row 

can lead to almost immediate weight gain." 1

Too little sleep upsets the balance of hormones that control appetite, energy metabolism, and glucose processing. 3 This lack of sleep causes the body to:

Increase the amounts of the steroid hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is known as the "stress hormone," as it is released in the body as a response to stress to increases blood sugar, heart rate, and prepare the body to repair tissue easily. 4 While this is a temporarily useful mechanism your body relies on to protect you from a perceived threat, it has some negative side effects as well, especially when compounded over a long-term basis. Cortisol also "alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system, and growth processes."4  The "overexposure to cortisol ... can disrupt almost all of your body's processes ... [putting you at risk for] anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, weight gain, and memory and concentration impairment."4

Increase in insulin following a meal. Insulin is a hormone "that regulates the glucose processing and promotes fat storage; higher levels of insulin are associated with weight gain."3

Lower levels of leptin. Leptin is a hormone that tells brain that body that it has enough food. A lack of sleep results in leptin levels lowering in the body, signaling your brain to "make you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested."2

Increase ghrelin levels. Ghrelin is a biochemical that stimulates appetite. When ghrelin increases in the body, it sends signals to the brain telling it that you're hungry. In addition to the hormonal imbalances already affecting the body's ability to discern whether it is truly hungry or not, a lack of sleep may result in being "more likely to eat foods such as sweets that satisfy the craving for a quick energy boost [and] may leave us too tired to burn off these extra calories with exercise."3 

Perform at a lower level mentally. "Studies show that ... if you're sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change."2 All of these tools are critical, whether it be in your effort to begin a weight-loss program, adhere to new healthy behaviors, or maintain your healthy lifestyle on a regular basis.

Struggle to Remain Healthy. In addition to the above, your body depends on sleep tremendously to replenish systems that were depleted during the day, such as the immune system. Several days of a lowered immune system, lack of sleep, exposure to stress and pathogens greatly increases your risk of getting sick. Remaining healthy and full of energy is critical in ensuring you are able to take the steps you need to each day to reach your weight-loss and health-related goals.

Some resources for creating healthy sleep habits:

6 Tips to Start Your Own Meditation Routine

Engineering a High-Quality Restful Night

16 Tips for Better Sleep


References:
1. Parker-Pope, Tara. "Lost Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain." New York Times. 18 March 2013. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/lost-sleep-can-lead-to-weight-gain
2. "Why is Sleep Important." National Heart, Lunch, and Blood Institute. 22 February 2012. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why.html
3. "Sleep and Disease Ricks." Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. 18 December 2007. http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk
4. Mayo Clinic staff. "Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk." Mayo Clinic. 11 July 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001
5. Matthews, Jessica.  "When it Comes to Weight Loss, How Important is Sleep?" ACE Fit Family Health. 25 November 2009. http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/59/110/when-it-comes-to-weight-loss-how-important-is

Inflammation: 9 Foods to Avoid & 5 Foods to Include

When you first hear "inflammation" you may think of the body's reaction to injury or infection where the affected area becomes swollen and red to help heal the problem. This type of inflammation is a good thing, and a response we count on to stay healthy.

Chronic inflammation - when the body's immune response to potentially harmful things does not stop - can be very harmful and lead to very serious health concerns such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer's.* Obesity, environmental factors, lifestyle choices, and the food we eat all play a role in the inflammatory responses in our bodies.

9 Inflammation Causing Foods:

Trans Fats - look for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated ingredients in the label and eliminate these options completely from your diet as they cause inflammation.

Sugar "increases advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs, resulting in damaged, cross-linked proteins."* These AGE proteins contribute to inflammation and the development of age-related chronic illnesses.

Refined Grains - more commonly known as "white carbohydrates" such as white bread, sub rolls, pizza dough, and bagels. These cause dangerous amounts of inflammation while offering no nutritional value and are best if avoided.

Red and Processed Meats - processed meats contain high levels of sodium nitrates, among other inflammatory causing ingredients, and red meats contain high amounts of arachidonic acid that can cause inflammation.

Alcohol is immediately metabolized into sugar and causes inflammation.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids - the imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the body leads to inflammation. Most Americans consume more omega-6s (soy, corn, and cottonseed oils) in their diet than omega-3s and it is recommended to reduce the consumption of these ingredients and switch to olive oils, fatty fish, and walnuts.

Dairy Products, especially those high in saturated fat, cause an inflammatory response.

Artificial Additives such as MSG or monosodium glutamate should always be avoided. Not only does MSG, along with the following, cause inflammation, they are harmful to your health and should be unconditionally avoided: Aspratame, acesulfame-K, Sucralose, high fructose corn syrup, olestra, artificial colors, and artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, and EDTA.

Gluten - Aside from celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease itself, gluten causes inflammation in everyone whether they suffer from celiac disease or not. Limiting gluten intake is recommended to reduce the inflammatory response in the body.

5 Inflammation Fighting Foods:

Dark Leafy Greens - Kale, swiss chard, spinach, and collards all contain powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - To counteract the possible imbalance of omega-6s and omega-3s, it is recommended to consume foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout, fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is rich in polyphenols which protect your body from inflammation, and the monounsaturated fats it contains are also converted into anti-inflammatory agents.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods - Eating a diet rich in color is extremely beneficial for many reasons. The more color, the better. Some fruits and veggies packed with phytochemicals are strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, squash, sweet potato, and turnip greens.*

Some Spices - Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and turmeric all have anti-inflammatory properties and are great to include in anything from your meals to smoothies and shakes.


References and Resources:
Dulan, Mitzi. "Top 5 Foods to Fight Inflammation." U.S. News Health. 8 Nov 2012. 
Klein, Sarah. "Inflammatory Foods: 9 of the Works Picks for Inflammation." The Huffington Post. 3 Mar 2013.
Daniluk, Julie. "When Food Causes You Pain." CNN. 20 July 2012.

Meditation for Health. Transcending Spirituality.

In western culture the value of meditation is too often dismissed as a foolish spiritual pursuit and a waste of time, despite the fact that countless scientific studies have proven otherwise. These studies continue to show that the benefits of meditation transcend simply achieving spiritual clarity, but they also include "stronger immune system, enhanced attention, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease, less anxiety and depression, increased feelings of compassion and empathy, fewer binge eating episodes, lower blood sugar, improved sleep, and better pain management," just to name a few.

Here are six tips from Diksha McCord on how to begin a meditation practice.

• Create a dedicated space. A small room or closet is ideal, but if this is not possible, create a quiet area in your home and return there each time you practice. 

• Set a consistent time. Choose a regular time - such as dawn, noon or dusk - and try to practice daily. 

• Ensure quiet. To sharpen your mental focus, wear headphones or earplugs if sounds are distracting. 

• Sit with good posture. Sit upright, with spine erect and body relaxed, and place your hands, palms up, on the thighs at the junction of the thighs and abdomen. 

• Be comfortable. Use pillows and cushions as necessary. Sit in a chair if it's more comfortable. Place a pillow across your thighs as needed as a place to rest your hands. Experiment with different positions (including different hand positions) to find what works for you. 

• Start gradually. Start with as little as 5 minutes and increase your sitting time in increments of 5 minutes. Work up to 30 minutes, twice daily, if possible. Let enjoyment be your guide.