I believe

I believe in the mind and the body, so people who are over exercising and not eating right may experience a lack in that connection. I correlate a person's immunity to their spirit and their mind. A healthy thought process leads to healthy actions in life. For example, I was in a relationship where I felt so vulnerable that I was not happy with myself. Let alone I was not happy in the relationship, my soul just felt that the partner I was with, was not right for me. I mean there were many fights, arguments, and neglect that allowed me to believe, I could receive better and be loved by someone who will appreciate me all around. Since my mind was very saddened and gloomy I let the relationship take a toll and it led to the relapse of my illness. I was back in the hospital trying to recover, because this man was like a disease. It was the longest rollercoaster ride of a lifetime. Yet, it left me with a stronger spirit, a cleaner mind set, and a fresh start to a better life style! :) So ladies out there my message to you, is not to settle for anyone, and make sure the man treats you well because otherwise, he does not deserve a second of your time! The mind, body, and soul are triggered in this situation and I hope I can help many people. Please leave me some feedback if you have faced similar problelms! Otherwise drink verve and feel the energy just boost through your veins!

Obesity and Binging

Now that you have heard my story let me talk about the other end of the spectrum. Obesity and the confusion of obesity. One of the confusions include, if obesity is considered an epidemic or is it a disease? Well, a disease is a incorrect functioning of the body and epidemic is something that is rising. People tend to say it is a disease in order to relieve themselves from the guilt, or they made fun of less, or even get Medical coverage. Now, what is really considered overweight and how can people overestimate or underestimate weight.
Some of these criticisms include the frame size of a person, if they are more muscular, then muscle weighs more than fat so the BMI would be incorrect. Some insurance companies are determining overweight through phone calls and collecting them to make surveys. These results can tend to be very biased towards the different states these are recorded from. Others say obesity runs within the predominantly white, middle class in which there is no say because this nation is the melting pot so everyone is taken into consideration. People that do surveys over the phone have no say because they didn't actually weigh the people, and giving them the benefit of the doubt can lead them in the wrong direction. Also clothes and shoes weigh more on the scale than they do off the scale, so they did not take that into consideration.
Some methods used include the BMI which is your weight relative to height, and it is easy, but it doesn't distinguish fat mass from lean mass. Also the waist circirmferance, which is the midpoint between bottom of ribs and top of pelvis. This is a rough assessment of the upper body fat deposition, but doesn't assess visceral fat. Skinfold thickness is measured through calipers. This is fairly easy, but high inter-observer variability and no information on visceral fat. Hydrodensitometry which is fat=dry land weight-underwater weight. This is quite accurate, but it is not easy to do and not so great for the very young and very old. Bioimpedence is the difference in the conductance of current between lean and fat mass. This is quite simple, but not as valid as hydrodensitometry for obese and lean individuals.
My Goals:
1. Inform people the live a healthier life
2. The benifits of health and fitness
3. Inspire those with eating disorders to go out and reach help before something serious happens.
4. Inform. people of my story and learn from it.
5. Teach people with eating disorders to love themselves.

Here is my Story

I was 17 years old in high school, I was into my studies and I felt like I had to be perfect in everything I did. I went to school and I was criticized by my peers because they were calling me ugly as I walked down the halls. I came home and my father always use to look at other women, and he use to always tell me I should watch what I eat. My mom never got along with my father and our family dynamics were atrocious with rage. I felt as though I couldn't control anything in my life. I felt as though I couldn't get accepted by anyone. I wasn't loved by anyone, and a part of me felt very lonely and vulnerable. Then my cousin from Texas came to visit me, and she was always getting attention from everyone, and I saw that she was really thin. I wanted to be like that.
Then I started making a strict diet for myself, cutting out EVERYTHING. All I would have everyday was a apple, cereal, and some fruit for dessert. Then I would run 7 miles 7 days a week. The first thing I noticed was that I lost my period. Then 7 monthes later I began feeling really week, but I was in control of my weight and I was receiving compliments from everyone. I was really happy! Afterwards, I went to the gym and I saw a business card for this woman, named Kelly Jean, she specialized in personal training. I wanted to maintain my weight so I called her to get lessons, and she said sure meet me at the gym. I went the next day and she saw me and she just dropped. I was underweight so she took me to Boston Market and I looked at all the food in great fear. Kelly wanted me to take a bite of chicken and I just went into tears. I was afraid of food!
Kelly Jean said "food is god" you should have food. So I embraced it. I began eating normally and then I started gaining weight. All of a sudden one day I passed out in her house, and I was unconscious, so she took me to Scripps Hospital and I was hospitalized for 7 days. They figured out I had Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia and my hemoglobin was down to a 4.0. I was put on corticosteroids that made me gain weight and feel awful. I had to have transfusions, and mild chemotherapy done. Then I started UCSD, while on the medication and it was like a rebirth of the next chapter in my life, living with a life long disease!

How to Approach a Friend

If you know a friend who is going through a eating disorder you have to be very cautious about how you approach them. First, you might want to start by watching their behaviors around food. You can do this eating out with them, offering them to eat a meal with you, and watching them as they go and use the bathroom. However, please do not make it obvious because it will make them furious.
Now if you confront them they will try to deny it, by saying things like, "there is nothing wrong with me". Thus, you might want to set a time to talk. This might be a private place, so they do not feel uncomfortable. Then you want to communicate your concerns to them. This may include their behavior around food, or even their weight dropping. After wards, you will politely want to ask your friend to explore these concerns, even though most of them probably will not think twice about it. In any case, avoid any conflicts or battles of wills with your friend. Also avoid placing any shame, guilt or blame. I believe avoid giving them simple solutions, and just continue to express your continued support.
Now when you bring up the subject, you will use "I" statements instead of using "you" which will turn them away. In all honesty you are the one interested in their behaviors and you want to support them in any way you can!
These are the steps you would take when approaching someone, but I believe the reactions you will get might be: denial, anger, "mind your own buisness", "you're not so great yourself"

Psychology of Eating

I believe there are many of us who are manipulated by food. Even when it comes to organic vs. non-organic; how can one distinguish the difference between the two? It is very difficult, especially when it comes to vegetables. In meats the sodium levels are higher, so it is noticeable from the taste. In addition, chronic dieters have a special way of eating, which is by time. There was UCSD study consisting of times to eat. There were two variables, one person was a chronic dieter, and the other person was normal. The time was 7 pm, so the clock was set back two hours, and the chronic dieter usually ate at 5. Then, the normal person was not hungry but the chronic dieter was, because they ate consistently by time. I believe chronic dieting can change your life dramatically and it puts so much focus around food and the things you eat. Soon, a person will also lose the connection with their stomach and start looking at external sensors, such as time. I am a true believer of the mind and body connection. When the mind has upsetting thoughts, the body follows it. This also can contribute to one's immunity, if your immunity is well, usually there is a high correlation with your spirit and being. For example, in India, there are ritualistic people who live on 3 almonds a day, but their spirt is so strong, they remain very healthy. For this reason, the psychology of the mind, body and spirit can relate to being a healthy individual!

The Biology of food and healthy eating stems from the pathological times. Today food is so processed that even pathological people would recognize. For example, they would probably think a Twinkie is used as a sponge to take a shower. Pathological people believed in eating food as a whole instead of manipulating it. They were also vagabond eaters and they would eat as they want and saw in small amounts. Today people eat very large portions in a small amount of time, this causes the stomach to expand, thus create extra weight. In addition, if one is getting too many nutrients then the excess is stored. This stored amount is then used during the time one is sleeping, thus creates the morning breathe. I believe if everyone ate in moderation, weight would not be an issue, but now the question is: what is a moderate amount? Well, it is not the feeling of being full but the feeling of being satisfied from the food you ate. I believe food is like god, and it works miracles, and beauty is truly inside out.

Now proper nutrition for a meal would consist of a carbohydrate, protein and a vegetable. Carbohydrates can either be complex or simple. Complex are most preferred because they digest slowly, thus they absorb more nutrients. These would consist of your: rice, potato, sweet potato, and other starches. Proteins consist of fish, poultry, beef, beans, and other legumes. My holistic doctor always use to tell me that there is "no protein like animal protein, because animal protein contains all the enzymes and amino acids." Proper nutrition is necessary for the skin, nails, and hair. Also brain health is a major factor of proper nutrition. There has been a critical study at UCSD dealing with ones brain and strong spirit. They say one who does not focus on the luxories of life such as: food, clothing, their body, and materialistic objects is more head strong than a person who does. In my next blog I will describe the psychological factors that take place in food and eating.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are the new major trigger in this generation. Not only are the stars having them, but millions of people are wanting to change their body image. According to Dr. Amanda Roberts there are 3 million who don't look like super models and 8 who do. I have personal experience with these kinds of disorders. I was lucky I didn't pro-long it because if I did I would have died. There are three- kinds of eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, and eating-disorders not yet specified. Anorexia is when one is not happy with their image and even when they are thin, they still feel fat. They will obsess over the intake of calories and over-excercising. Bulimia is when one is not happy with their body image so they will throw up the food they eat. Other eating disorders, may include obsessive yo-yo diets, fad diets, or people who will do anything to look as thin as they want without caring about the side-effects.

Dieting has become the new phase in America, where food has become so abundant. I believe this is one of the major reasons eating disorders are becoming so popular. During pathological times food was not abundant so people were not able to want more than they had, they were able to appreciate just the amount they had. Today food has become abundant, so people never have enough. For example, McDonald, the burger went from 210 calories to 608 calories. Also the large serving of fries in the pathological times has become the small today. Today people manipulate their foods and don't consider their food as whole. For example, people today manipulate their food, so it is used as rewards, or excuses to eat. Food is catogorized by the amount of nutrients now a days rather than being considered as a whole food. I believe this is the major reason why people in America have eating disorders.