Sugar is Making You Fat!

In the 1990s Americans learned that fat was possibly the cause of heart disease. The war on fat began. We started eliminating fat from our diets. The food industry started replacing fat with sugar instead. Problem solved right? Wrong! Heart disease is now worse than ever and Americans are fatter than ever. Why is that?

Is it because we eat too much? That plays a role in it. Obviously if we eat more calories than we can burn we will store the excess energy and our best stores are fat. The problem goes much deeper than that though. What if what we are eating doesn't let our brain know that we are full or even blocks the hormone leptin, which lets us know we are full. We will just keep eating and eating. Research shows that there is such a food out there that does that and it is popping up in more and more of our foods. It's called high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). But don't the TV ads say that it is no worse for you than sugar. The ads say it is natural and has no more calories than sugar. This is true to some degree because sugar is also bad for you! The problem is sugar has never been in all these foods or in the quantity. We have gone from eating around 15 grams of sugar a day, tops, to now eating 73 grams of sugar a day with the majority coming from HFCS.

This sugar is not only making us obese but it causes many more problems. It has been linked to causing diabetes, heart disease, strokes, fatty liver disease, hyperactivity, and adrenal fatigue.

So what are your options? It is in so many foods. Should I just stop eating? There are many solutions to this problem.
1. Reduce your stress. When you are stressed your body craves fast fuel, sugar, because we are in flight or fright mode. Reducing your stress will decrease the cravings you have for sugar.
2. Eat foods in their natural forms. If it comes in a box, bag or can, it could be processed and it probably has HFCS added to it.
3. Eat carbs with a low glycemic index. Whole grains tend to have lower glycemic index.
4. When eating carbs add fats to slow digestion down, this will help you avoid that insulin spike that can cause your blood sugar to drop too fast which causes a person to crave sweets again. For example if you are eating bread add some olive oil or organic butter to it.
5. Here is a list of alternatives you can use for sugar
Stevia- in powder or liquid form
Honey
Molasses
Agave Syrup (make sure it is unprocessed)
Carobs instead of chocolate chips
6. Use the herb gymnema (learn more about this in our product of the month.

We realize that not everyone is made the same so for some this may not be the solution. If you are trying these and are still having problems with sugar cravings, it may be a larger problem. Scheduling an appointment with our Naturopath or Nutritionist may be the solution.

To learn more go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

Why Didn't It Work?

Every year millions of people are excited for the new year. They are excited because they can see the new year as a time to start from scratch, to start with a clean slate. So with the hopes of a new year and a new you many people make New Year resolutions. Unfortunately a couple weeks to a couple months later many of those same people are back to the old habits they tried to break and the new habits they tried to create are gone. So why didn't it work? There are hundreds of reasons but I believe that they can all be summed up into three.

The first reason is really very simple. The cause of not accomplishing your resolution is the purpose is not big enough. If a person is given a big enough purpose, they will find a way to accomplish it. Don't believe me? Most people would not run into a burning building to save their TV but they would to save their children if they were in the building.

The other day my family and I packed meals for starving children. The director said you could look at what we did from three different ways. One we spent a few hours packing food into a bag, two we helped feed some kids that were starving, and three we saved children's lives today. I gave up a few hours of my life to save lives not pack food. The reason why you want to change something in your life will make all the difference in the world. Do you want to lose weight so you can fit into those old jeans, or is it because you will be healthier, or is it because you can honor God by taking care of your body. You can glorify God by being healthy! Do you want to be out of debt so you can buy that house you always wanted or not have that stress hanging over you or is it to show God that you can be a good steward of your money.

The second reason most resolutions fail is there is no plan or the goal is unrealistic. I know that sounds like two reasons but I believe they go hand in hand. Most people who go on vacation make a plan. They plan on where they are going, how they are going to get there, what they will do when they get there, and how they will pay for it. Imagine going on vacation without that plan. The likelihood of your vacation being everything you hoped it to be would be slim. We have all heard that failing plan is truly planning to fail. When we make a plan we can learn if the goal is realistic. If you live in Minnesota, good luck taking your family to Florida with $100. We have all heard that failing plan is truly planning to fail.

The final reason I think most people fail is the goal does not include seeking God first. I know this because I have done this many times. I get a great idea and start taking action without first praying about and making sure this is what God wants me to do, then I wonder why it failed.

Do you want to look back at 2010 and feel good because you accomplished your resolutions? Here is how!

1) Make sure your goal or resolution are in line with what God wants in your life. Exercising, eating healthy, living within your means are definitely in line with what God wants but does he want you to start a business, start a new job, find a spouse, home school your children, etc. The best way to find this out is to ask Him.

2) Have a big enough why. Make sure the purpose for achieving this goal is big enough. Running a marathon this year may be a great goal but why do you want to do it? Because my friends are doing it may not be a big enough reason to get out of bed at 5 am on a Saturday morning.

3) Have a plan. One way guideline for achieving goals is to make them SMART.
S- Be specific in your goal. There is a big difference between saying you want to lose weight vs. saying I want to lose 15 lbs.
M- They need to be measurable. If you want to lose 15 lbs you should know how much you weight to start and I would highly recommend knowing you body fat as well.
A- Your goal should be achievable. Trying to lose 15 lbs in one week is setting yourself up for failure.
R- It also must be realistic. Losing 15 lbs can be realistic but not in one week.
T- The goal should also be trackable or have a time that it needs to be accomplished by. Having deadlines for some people are stressful but for many of us it is very helpful as it gives us the motivation we need.

Following these three steps will not guarantee your success but it will improve them significantly. If you fail don't give up and don't wait until next year to try again. Re-evaluate, re-organize and try again!

Cat Allergy Clears with BAX 3000 Treatments!

There is a new technology on the scene that can reduce or eliminate allergic reactions to both harmless and harmful environmental substances such as foods, animals, and chemical stressors. The BAX 3000 is a Neurological Stress Reduction Therapy where brief cold laser treatments are used to reset the body's negative responses to these stressors.

Kerri is a 50 year old woman who has experienced severe cat allergies since childhood. In October of 2009, Kerri started BAX 3000 treatments in hopes of clearing this allergy for good. Treated specifically for CAT and generally for substances related to cats, Kerri experienced remarkable success! Only days after treatment, Kerri picked up, petted, and held a cat without the usual physical reactions. Previously, Kerri told us that she used to carry Benedryl to prepare for the inevitable constriction in her throat, hoarseness, sore throat, itchy and watering eyes, and sneezing that resulted from exposure to any cats. Kerri's most recent treatment cleared her completely of these negative responses!

"People who know I had cat allergies would vacuum everything in their home twice to try and help me not to "flare up" -- it didn't help and it was embarrassing to have to leave because of my cat allergy. My friends and family felt terrible and so did I. Finally after 40+ years I'm free from that!"

Prescriptions Now Biggest Cause of Fatal Drug Overdoses

Addiction to prescription painkillers — which kill thousands of Americans a year — has become a largely unrecognized epidemic, experts say. In fact, prescription drugs cause most of the more than 26,000 fatal overdoses each year, says Leonard Paulozzi of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the past, most overdoses were due to illegal narcotics, such as heroin, with most deaths in big cities. Prescription painkillers have now surpassed heroin and cocaine, however, as the leading cause of fatal overdoses, Paulozzi says. And the rate of fatal overdoses is now about as high in rural areas — 7.8 deaths per 100,000 people — as in cities, where the rate is 7.9 deaths per 100,000 people, according to a paper he published last year in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety.

"The biggest and fastest-growing part of America's drug problem is prescription drug abuse," says Robert DuPont, a former White House drug czar and a former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "The statistics are unmistakable."

About 120,000 Americans a year go to the emergency room after overdosing on opioid painkillers, says Laxmaiah Manchikanti, chief executive officer and board chairman for the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

USA Today October 2, 2009

Dr. Aaron's Comments
- Why do so many Americans turn to drugs as the solution to their problem? Maybe it's because we teach children when there is something wrong to take a pill to fix the problem. We tell them to say no to drugs but put a drug store on every corner of our towns. I am not against drugs when they are used properly but I am against the overuse and abuse of drugs in this country. Satan is getting a foothold on our lives through sickness and disease and then has fooled us into believing that drugs are the solution.

- The numbers of people dying from prescription drugs is much higher than what the article talks about. The article talks about people overdosing on the drugs. What about the people that die due to long term use, or having a reaction to the drug, or if it causes other organs to shut down. To learn more about the true numbers go to

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/aug2006_report_death_01.htm

- There are so many other natural options to deal with health issues that cause people to end up on drugs (too many to list here). At Valeo Health and Wellness Center our goal is to get to the cause of your health issue, resolve it and then help you stay healthy! It's cheaper, it's the right way to do it and the only side effects are more energy, feeling better, and a longer life!

What does a person with low back pain, a person with infertility, and a marathon runner have in common?

I know this sounds like the start of a bad joke but it is no joke. All three of these people have the same thing in common and that is they can be helped in our office!

There are really three groups of people that we see everyday that we can help.

The first group are people who are dealing with a health issue. They are in a health crisis. Whether they are dealing with low back pain or have recently suffered a heart attack. They are coming in to get help for a specific problem they have and they want to fix the problem not just treat the symptoms.

The second group of people are ones who have either exhausted all other options and they are looking for a different approach or they have been told of a health issue they have and they are looking at all their options of care before doing anything.

The final group, and this group makes up a significant amount of our clients, are ones that are looking to optimize their health. They may not be dealing with any one specific health issue or any for that matter but they are looking to be as healthy as they possibly can. They know it is much better to prevent a health problem than to have to deal with one later in life.

Whether you fit into group 1, 2, or 3, know that we can help you! We believe that everyone can experience wellness and work our hardest to help YOU achieve greater health!

Flex Dollars Going to Waste?!

Use Them at Valeo and Get Healthy
Nobody likes to see money go to waste. If you have a flex spending account through work, you know that it can be difficult trying to figure out ahead of time how much money you should put in it each year. If for some reason you overfunded your flex accounts this year, don't let it go to waste.

Ask yourself is my health exactly where I want it to be? Am I as healthy as I can be? In five years will I be healthier than I am now or sicker? If you answered no to any of these questions. What's stopping you from answering yes. Maybe you are dealing with a health issue. One that you thought could not be helped. You may not realize that we could help you! We have added many new services and practitioners to our office that you may not be aware of.

Are you suffering with allergies, IBS, Crohn's Disease, asthma, eczema, chronic sinus issues, chronic infections, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, or obesity? These are all things that we have helped people with. Now is a great time to help with these problems and if you have flex dollars, use money that would have gone to waste otherwise. call us today and learn how we can help you!

Refer a Friend; Receive Valeo Bucks!

Finding a doctor, dentist, nutritionist, or other health care providers can be scary. Who wants to find their doctor through the yellow pages? Or even looking through or insurance book? What can you learn about them. Not much. Most people when looking for a health care provider will ask their friends who they should see.

At Valeo Health and Wellness Center we are proud of the fact that most people, 92% to be exact, come to our office because someone referred them. We don't take it lightly. We feel very privileged when someone trusts us to take care of their family member, friend, or co-worker. We take care of them like they are are one of our own family members.

We also want to take care of you for referring someone to the office. Their are laws in place that restrict us from how much we can do but we do want to first and fore most THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts for referring the people that you have! We also want to give a gift for referring someone in. Starting this December for every person that you tell about our office and they come in for an initial visit we will give you $10 in Valeo bucks. Valeo Bucks can be used for products and services at Valeo Health and Wellness Center. While $10 is little compared to the life changing results your referral may receive, we do want to thank you as much as we can!