Bad eating habits can be corrected by using the right workarounds

Published: September 24

We all have those moments when a fresh-baked cookie seems like a much tastier option than a fresh green pear. Or when potato chips on sale — and in bulk! — seem like a more fiscally sensible choice than pricey vegetables that might not last long in the refrigerator. With so many challenges to eating healthfully, can you really win the battle against bad eating habits?
Yes, with the right workarounds.
Here’s how to counter four common excuses that can get in the way of making good choices.
●The excuse: Healthful food is too expensive.
How to fix it: Find the best nutrition deals.
Healthful food doesn’t have to be more expensive, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a nutrition expert in Chicago and author of “The Flexitarian Diet.” If you’re looking for nutrient-dense but inexpensive foods, try fiber-rich grains such as barley and quinoa. Instead of planning meals around meat, choose less expensive proteins, including beans, eggs, skinless chicken thighs and canned salmon. And when buying fresh produce, get what’s local and in season, says Elisa Zied, a dietitian in New York and author of “Nutrition at Your Fingertips.” You’ll often save money, since the food didn’t have to be flown or trucked from a faraway place.
●The excuse: It’s hard to eat healthfully at restaurants.
How to fix it: Do some research and plan ahead.
In particular, see if you can look up the restaurant’s menu online ahead of time. Many chain restaurants post nutrition information on their Web sites, allowing you to see which dishes best suit your dietary needs. If the restaurant you’re going to doesn’t provide nutrition information, scan the menu for grilled fish, chicken or vegetable dishes, which are often leaner and lower in calories than other items. Consider getting a baked potato or vegetables instead of french fries or mashed potatoes. And ask for salad dressings and sauces on the side.
●The excuse: It’s too hard to change bad habits.
How to fix it: Try new, better-for-you foods — then try them again.
The best way to regularly get more-healthful food into your diet is to make it a habit. But that’s not always easy, especially since you might not like new items much the first time you try them. The trick is to keep trying them, according to Zied. “It can take up to 20 exposures to a new food for someone to accept it,” she says.
Experiment with different cooking techniques, temperatures and seasonings. Perhaps you prefer your asparagus grilled rather than steamed. Or maybe you find lentils more palate-pleasing with a little curry added.
“It helps to pair something you like with a food you’re not sure about,” Zied says. For example, if you like carrots but you’re wary of parsnips, chop them all up and saute them together. You’ll get a tasty dish with familiar flavors but twice the variety of produce.
●The excuse: I don’t always know what’s healthful at the store.
How to fix it: Use the 50 percent rule.
Blatner offers this advice for grocery shopping: Your cart should contain 50 percent produce (canned, fresh or frozen), 25 percent lean protein (eggs, beans, fish, chicken, leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy) and 25 percent whole grains (breads, cereals, pasta and wraps). Read nutrition labels on packaged food and compare serving sizes, calories, saturated fat, sodium and fiber among similar products to make the best choices.
Other strategies to try
●Eat breakfast. A meal of low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruit and protein is filling and sets a healthful tone for the rest of the day.
●Avoid liquid calories. Skip sweetened drinks such as soda in favor of water, seltzer or tea. You’ll have more calories to spend on food.
●Plan what you’ll eat. Plot out meals and snacks ahead of time so you have the right items on hand when you get hungry.
●Eat mindfully. Turn off the TV, radio and computer, and focus on what you’re eating. This can make it easier to notice when you’re full.
●Slow down. Savor each bite and chew it thoroughly. It gives your brain time to catch up with your stomach.
●Don’t go shopping for food when you’re hungry. You’re liable to reach for higher-calorie food and overbuy in general.
●Control portions. Use smaller plates (10-inch diameter or less) and keep serving dishes off the table.

20 Best Quotes (Knowledge Bombs) from Personal Trainers & Physical Therapists

By nick On September 21, 2012 · Add Comment · In Strength Training

As fitness professionals, we all have a training philosophy, which molds our approach to putting our knowledge into practical application. Now, some people develop their own philosophy while others (unfortunately) adopt one from someone else, which is very dangerous as it leads to guru-worship and basing what your training practices on beliefinstead of science.

The scary reality is, fitness (even in much of the professional fitness training realm) has increasingly had little to do with what’s real (i.e. science) and not real – It’s a religion. And, “faith” is basis for religion, not science.

Put simply, there’s a big difference between learning from some one and following them like a shadow. At Performance U, we have simple philosophy on learning, “stick your head into everyone’s work, but never stuck your head up anyone’s ass.”

In other words, we never let our schooling (i.e. what we learn from others – in theory) get in the way of our education (i.e. what we learn about ourselves – that works for us in reality).

Today we’re sharing our 20 favorite (best) quotes from other health professionals that have had a powerful influence on our hybrid training approach.

Since we feel these quotes have helped us to become better trainers and teachers, we wanted to share them with you as we’re confident they can provide extremely valuable insight to all fitness professionals:

1. “Due to different schools of thought among industry leaders, functional training is often pitted against modalities like bodybuilding. The result is a gang-like environment where the strength coaches think functional training is a circus act, and the functional advocates think strength training is for “no-necks” just interested in aesthetics or lifting heavy stuff. Then, of course you have the yoga and Pilates crews that look at the other two groups and think they are nuts.  It is always: function vs. strength, bodybuilding vs. Pilates, Yoga vs. who knows what. These comparisons aren’t even accurate; they are like asking what do you think is best to eat for optimal nutrition: apples or broccoli? Of courses, “both” is the right answer.  Eating only one or the other, although each is nutritious, leaves one without the nutrition of the other. Bringing this simple example to the world of physical training drives home a very important point.  Every training method has its benefits (i.e. nutrition), and combining the most effective methods (i.e. combine apples and broccoli) will provide better training than exclusively using any one training method…. Therefore it behooves, it behooves the fitness and conditioning professional to learn as many different training disciplines as possible, keep an open mind, and continuously re-examine the efficacy of one’s training philosophy and continuously push to develop a “system less system of training.” Juan Carlos Santana

2. “Although some personal trainers give themselves fancy titles (like “Corrective Exercise Specialist”), at the end of the day, we are just modern physical education teachers for a population who has lost physical education.” Juan Carlos Santana

3. “If your hips aren’t movin, your core isn’t groovin” Gary Gray

4. “Strength Coaches and Personal Trainers love to talk about getting faster by training  fast twitch muscle fibers, but you’re only as fast as your slowest twitch.”Mike Gittleson

5. “First it was spinal flexion, then it was spinal extension, now it’s neutral. I don’t know which of those is the best? All I know is that you can’t have sex in neutral.” Sean P. Gallagher, PT

 

6. “Nothing is guaranteed in Physical therapy. But, a good strength training program, designed around one’s current successful movement capabilities, can have drastic physical (and mental) improvements in 6-weeks.” - “These YMCA statistics describe what happens to most of us. The average American gains one pound per year after the age of 25, and loses ½ pound of lean body mass per year after the age of 25.  Consequently, the average 55 year old has gained 25–30 pounds and lost 10–12 pounds of those tissues required to counteract the weight gain. The increased weight gain overloads the skeleton, causing injury and pain (arthritis). And, the average female looses 1/3 of her skeleton in a lifetime. The key to living life to its fullest is to strengthen your body with the appropriate exercise, increase muscle mass and decrease body fat.  The home run: Get Lean and Stay Lean…Learn to Exercise and Become a Student of Nutrition.”  Jim Porterfield PT (of Porterfield & DeRosa)

7. “Compensation (if controlled) is a normal part of human function – Compensation is adaptability. Increased range of joint motion or compensation is frequently observed due to a variety of reasons. This hypermobile range does not necessarily constitute a stability dysfunction. Stability dysfunction requires a demonstrable lack of muscle control of joint motion. This is “uncontrolled” motion. Put simply, I’m not worried about compensation, I’m worreid about uncontrolled compensation because there’s a big difference between true dysfunction and simply a variation or normal.”  – Mark Comerford PT

8. “Jogging reduces strength, power, and muscle mass. It increases catabolic hormone output, punishes joints, and, in summary, basically reduces every commonly accepted marker of masculinity. The evidence against jogging is so abundant it needn’t be regurgitated here, but suffice it to say that jogging is probably the most effective form of non-surgical gender-reassignment available to those of you itching to explore your feminine side.” Charles Staley

9.  ”I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen what is referred to as some “new, functional, cutting edge, real-world, you-fill-in-the-blank” drill, technique, or method become highlighted as some intelligent, ground-breaking training solution when in reality it’s nothing more than an ignored component that got lost in the tidal wave of our field’s high percentage of attention-deficiency. In essence, the old becomes new again through a new coat of paint , and the forgotten becomes the new-found star via a sexy marketing campaign.” – “While there have been some marked advancements in a few key areas such as assessments, soft tissue and joint health, and nutrition, for the most part, the subject of program design and application has taken a few leaps backwards. The root of this regression is the focus on catchy, hyped systems and the ignorance of foundational principles.” – “Systems are excellent servants but horrible “masters.” Vince McConnell

10. “Metaphorically speaking, our physiology basically has the universe mapped out and you’re thinking it needs to be taught addition and subtraction.” Alan Aragon

11. “In regards to training athletes, understand the difference between a thoroughbred vs. a plow horse. Work Capacity is NOT a bio-motor skill – Anyone can work!” – “Drills don’t equal skill. You can be great at drills, but still suck at your sport.” – “I’m concerned with form, but there isn’t just one form. Don’t try to clone – Similar is not the same.” Vern Gambetta

12. “As Personal Trainers and Coaches, we always tell people what they’re doing wrong, but we rarely tell people what they’re doing well or that we’re proud of them.” – Your best will never fail you!” – “Fitness doesn’t come from a lab, it comes from your fire. If you’re IN fitness, you’ve got to be INTO fitness.” – “We seem to be chasing fatigue and cool exercises instead of results. Don’t sacrifice technique for intensity.” Martin Rooney

13. “Most people really don’t care about health & wellness. And, unless you’re working with a pro athlete who makes money with their body – People want to look better naked! Dr. Jose Antonio

14. “The answers aren’t as important as how you arrived at your answers. – “A good workout program is evidence based, systematic and scalable.” – “The biggest impact a personal trainer can have on their client is already within our scope of practice.” Bill Sonnemaker

15. “Training is a moving target, but certain exercises are always included regardless of the goals of the program.” – “Are you trying to IMPRESS me, or are you trying to EDUCATE me?” Jonathan Goodman

16. “If an exercise makes you better without making you worse, then you can’t say it is “non- functional.” Brad Schoenfeld

17. “If you know enough about anatomy, physiology, and strength training, you could make a case for why every exercise in the book should be avoided. Conversely, you could also make a case for why every exercise in the book should be performed.” Bret Contreras

18. ”In all tests which presume to measure bilateral balance, stability and strength ratios, it is essential to remember that everyone displays functional asymmetry, so that small to moderate differences in all of these factors tends to be rather meaningless. Humans are not symmetric machines and it can often be more damaging to try to alter “natural asymmetry” than it is to leave it alone. Far too many tests assume that there is some sort of norm or ideal against which everyone can be compared. At best, one can only validly make comparisons against oneself over time or against the mean of groups who are similar to you in age, bodymass, gender, sport, sporting level and injury profile.” Dr. Mel Sif

19. “Functional Training? Can you honestly tell the difference (during a sports competition) between the athletes who did squats and the ones who did the legs press?” Robert Taylor

20. “If you’re excited about what you learned from a book, course, DVD, etc., you may attempt to tell others what’ve you’ve learned. If you try to support it by saying, “(insert name of author or teacher) said …” then you do not yet understand WHAT was taught and WHY. You offer no support for your knowledge by referencing the name of an individual. In fact, you diminish it! The only support that matters is science itself, not hearsay, no belef in an individual.” Tom Purvis

Final Thoughts…

No smarty pants, that last quote (#20) doesn’t invalidate all the other quotes we shared and make them “hearsay” as no one here is using these quotes to “support” an argument for or against anything in the fitness training field. As clearly stated in the beginning of this post, we are simply sharing our favorite quotes, which have helped us and influenced our approach to hybrid fitness training.

Finally, if you’re wondering why we didn’t follow each of these quotes by answering “What does he mean when he says…” and injecting our own interpretations, this final quote from Tom Purvis will provide your answer: “There is only one person to ask about information you’ve heard. The person who said it.”

Sure we have our own perspectives on each of these quotes, which we’ve already shared by simply telling  that these 20 are some of our favorites. Interpreting what they mean to YOU, and deciding if they’re meaningful to you is part of the beauty and fun of being a free-thinking human!

Paleo Diet: Healthy Or A Hoax?

Welcome to Ask Healthy Living -- in which you submit your most burning health questions and we do our best to ask the experts and get back to you. Have a question? Get in touch here and you could appear on Healthy Living!

"Ask Healthy Living" is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified health care professional for personalized medical advice.

My health practitioner advised me to adopt this Paleo diet to reduce cholesterol and blood sugar. Also said it's an ideal way to lose weight. It recommends avoiding dairy, sugar, grains and legumes. Is this the answer to most of our health problems?

-- Rita

If you're unfamiliar with this popular diet, the Paleo Diet (also known as the "Caveman Diet") prescribes a pattern of eating that mirrors the way your ancestors ate back (way back!) in the day. The assertion is simple: diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease are illnesses "of civilization" and so, to combat the ill effects of the modern diet, we should return to a pre-civilization, hunter-gatherer diet of meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. That means all gains from the agrarian revolution -- grains, dairy, legumes, salt and sugars -- are off the menu.

"Although in theory this may seem like a sensible diet, particularly when removing sugar and salt, it has eliminated several food groups like dairy and grains, which provide essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and phosphorus in dairy and B vitamins, fiber and antioxidants in grains," says Joy Dubost, a registered dietician and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Legumes also provide a great protein source with little fat and lower in calories while providing essential nutrients and fiber."

Lisa Sassoon, a registered dietitian and assistant clinical professor of nutrition at NYU, agrees. "There's no real research behind it either. And it eliminates things thatdo have research behind them: grains, beans and low-fat dairy."

That research shows that nutrients in legumes, whole grains and dairy help to lower one's risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, reduce blood pressure, and maintain a healthy weight, according to Dubost.

And while the diet's restrictive nature might result in initial weight loss, it can be problematic as a long-term weight loss solution, according to the researchers we spoke with. When you eliminate whole food groups, you are bound to pay more attention to what you eat. And the ban on refined grains, salt and sugars means that processed foods are out. For those with a relatively processed diet, that will likely result in weight loss. And excess weight is one of the major associated conditions to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and pre-diabetes.

"If you lose weight, your cholesterol comes down. Weight loss will help all of those other things, with the exception of certain cases, where there’s a genetic predisposition," says Sassoon. In this way, Rita's doctor may be correct: if she currently eats a diet high in refined carbs, processed meals and sugar-laden treats, the Paleo Diet is certainly a step in the right direction.

But if she already has a diet full of fresh produce, lean proteins and whole foods, Paleo eating may not result in weight loss and may prevent healthy eating behaviors that come naturally. "If someone eats low-fat plain yogurt with berries for breakfast, that's not allowed on the diet," says Sassoon.

"The biggest issue to be addressed is not eliminating these food groups but ensuring that portion size is appropriate," explains Dubost.

There's also problematically little stated about saturated fat. As part of the Paleo diet, it would be easy to choose cuts of meat that are sky-high in artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and saturated fat. Especially for someone used to eating low-fat dairy protein, this switch would be harmful to cholesterol levels. And while the Paleo diet is high in fiber (thanks to all the fresh produce), forbidden foods like whole grain oats, beans and other grain and legume sources of fiber have been found to help moderate cholesterol levels.

There's another, wholly unrelated problem: pleasure. "It eliminates quinoa, ice cream, pasta -- these things we love to eat, that make us social creatures," says Sassoon. "And that means we're less likely to stick with it, more likely to binge. It's not just about losing weight, it’s also about learning how to enjoy food in a healthy way."

So does the Paleo Diet really lower cholesterol and help with many of the conditions that lead to metabolic syndrome? Only insofar as they cut out sugary, fatty and processed foods. Buy you can do that without eliminating whole food groups or imitating the eating patterns -- most likely dictated by food scarcity -- of pre-agrarian ancestors.

Brain Food: Superfoods To Improve Your Cognitive Function

We've all had those days when we just can't seem to concentrate. And while there's no magic pill to bring us back to the height of our cognitive powers, there aresome foods that have been shown to improve brain function, protect against age-associated cognitive decline and encourage focus and clarity.

But before you dismiss the diet-brain connection as mere conjecture, keep in mind that study after study has found a relationship between what we put in our mouths and how well we can perform important thinking and memory tasks. While certain nutrients may specifically assist brain function, there is also the totality of our diets to consider. One recent U.K. study found that a diet high in saturated fat actually caused damage to neurons that control energy and appetite in mice. And several well-regarded studies have shown that meal timing is an important predictor of performance. For example, research shows that eating breakfast can improve the memory and acquisition skills of schoolchildren.

We put together the top brain foods -- tell us in the comments if any have made a difference for you. After all, who couldn't use a little extra oomph up there?

Vitamin C and beta-carotene help protect against Alzheimer's dementia

by John Phillip 

(NaturalNews) Alzheimer's dementia strikes fear in millions of aging individuals, as this memory robbing disease strikes one in eight older Americans and more than half over the age of 80. Pharmaceutical companies have lined up in an attempt to find a synthetic pill that will prevent or treat this condition. Despite spending billions of dollars on research, all attempts have proven fruitless in a desperate attempt to profit from the suffering of millions around the globe. Yet the true key to prevention may be in the bounty of natural fruits and vegetables so deficient in the typical western diet.

Critical support for the importance of a natural diet packed with antioxidant vitamins and nutrients comes from a group of researchers at the University of Ulm in Germany that has been published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. A research team headed by Dr. Christine von Arnim has discovered that the serum-concentration of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene are significantly lower in patients with mild dementia than in control persons.

This finding means that it is possible to influence the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease by bolstering a person's diet with healthy foods and dietary antioxidants. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by significant changes in brain chemistry that alter electrical and chemical transmissions that affect learning, memory and cognition.

Vitamin C and beta-carotene help clear dangerous protein accumulations in the brain

Forward-thinking scientists believe that oxidative stress from external pollutants, household chemicals and hybridized foods over the course of decades leads to this fatal form of dementia. To further examine the effect of antioxidants from foods and supplemental forms on progression of the disease, researchers developed a cohort of 74 Alzheimer's patients and 158 healthy control participants.

The participants, aged between 65 and 90 years, underwent neuropsychological testing and answered questions regarding their lifestyle. Additionally, their blood was examined for levels of key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and coenzyme Q10) and BMI was calculated. Researchers found that concentrations of vitamin C and beta-carotene in the serum of Alzheimer's patients were significantly lower than in the blood of control subjects. No difference between the groups could be found for the other antioxidants tested.

It may come as no surprise to natural health followers that a variety of nutrients from natural food sources and supplements help in the prevention and treatment of many potentially lethal diseases. Vitamin C and beta-carotene cross the blood-brain barrier where they help to squelch stress-related oxidation. In this capacity, the duo synergistically promote the normal clearance of amyloid proteins to help protect against Alzheimer's dementia.

Sources for this article include:

http://iospress.metapress.com/content/h3215182vr7h5830/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120911103040.htm
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/ip-vca091112.php

About the author:
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.

Do the five Tibetans for a long life

by Sarka-Jonae Miller 

(NaturalNews) The five Tibetans are a unique sequence of yoga poses reputed to be the key to longevity. According to legend, the sequence was created by Tibetan monks in a Himalayan monastery and then brought into the world by British Army Colonel Bradford. The colonel was amazed by the monks' vitality and superior health. They credited their religious observances, simple diet and the five Tibetans.

1. Whirling Dervish

The first of the five Tibetans is a standing exercise. To perform this exercise, stand up straight with your arms held out to your sides at shoulder height. Spin to the right and keep looking forward. Let your vision blur as you spin. Breathe deeply into your abdomen. Slowly work up to 21 spins.

2. Tibetan leg lifts

The second of the five Tibetans is similar to an abdominal exercise called leg lifts. To begin, lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms at your sides. Touch your legs together. Inhale as you lift your legs until they are perpendicular with the floor. Raise your head off the floor at the same time, bringing your chin toward your chest. Exhale as you lower your head and legs back to the floor. Work up to 21 leg raises.

3. Moving through camel pose

The third of the five Tibetans promotes flexibility of the spine and gently stretches the back, chest, abdomen and neck. The exercise is similar to camel pose used in other styles of yoga but is a less extreme back bend.

To perform the exercise, kneel on the floor and relax your arms against your sides. Your back is straight with your hips, shoulders and knees in line. First, exhale and bend your chin toward your chest. Then, inhale as you bend your head back to look up and you gently arch your lower back. Slide your hands up to your lower back as you bend backwards. Repeat up to 21 times.

4. Staff to upward plank pose

The fourth exercise combines two popular yoga postures, the staff pose and a variation of upward plank pose. The exercise strengthens the wrists, arms, core and legs.

To begin, sit with your legs together and straight in front of you. Place your hands on the floor next to your buttocks with your fingers pointing forward and flex your feet toward your shins. This is staff pose. Inhale as you bend your knees and raise your hips off the floor. Lift up until your spine is parallel to the floor and your knees are in line with your ankles. Look at the ceiling. Exhale as you lower back into staff pose. Perform up to 21 repetitions.

5. Down dog to cobra pose

The fifth exercise moves from downward-facing dog pose to cobra. The Tibetan exercise strengthens the arms, shoulders and chest while also stretching the abdomen, shoulders and legs.

To begin, assume push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Inhale and press your hips up toward the ceiling. Your arms and legs are straight. Push your heels down and align your neck with your spine. This is down dog. Exhale as you lower your hips and arch your back. Lift your chest to face forward as you tilt your head to look up. Your hips are inches from the floor and your arms are straight. Perform up to 21 reps.

Starting off the day with the five Tibetans provides energy and increases alertness. The sequence can also provide a burst of energy in the afternoon or evening, when many people's energy levels drop.

Sources:

http://www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energy-rejuvenation-exercises.htm
http://www.mkprojects.com/pf_TibetanRites.htm
http://home.acceleration.net

About the author:
Sarka-Jonae Miller is a former personal trainer and massage therapist. Get more health and wellness tips on Sarka's blog, www.naturalhealingtipsblog.com

Sarka-Jonae Miller is a former personal trainer and massage therapist. Get more health and wellness tips on Sarka's blog, www.naturalhealingtipsblog.com 

Seven rarely mentioned requirements for happiness

by Mike Bundrant 

(NaturalNews) I put together the following list of requirements for happiness based on research as well as my experience as a counselor and coach.

1. Inner alignment

One of the best ways to be miserable is to live in conflict with you. Sometimes we conflict ourselves by trying to live opposing values. For example, some men try to be a family man and a playboy at the same time. Their values for family and their values for fun with women conflict heavily. The result is hypocrisy and misery all around.

Other people create inner conflict by trying to please too many people, all of whom want different things. Still others live out of alignment by through shear dishonesty. Regardless of how to get there, misalignment sends you in opposing directions, making happiness impossible.

A prerequisite to happiness is inner alignment and simplicity. You know your priorities and don't spend time on other things.

2. A primal companion

A primal companion is a term I coined for your deepest friends and lovers, those whom you have allowed to get behind your defenses and public front. A primal companion knows who you really are and still loves you.

Often friends and lovers are not primal. They don't know who you are because you hide yourself from them. This is fine for most common friendships, colleagues and acquaintances. If you are in a marriage with someone who doesn't know how you really feel or think, then you cannot be happy in that relationship.

To be happy, everyone needs at least one primal companion in life - someone who knows you deeply and whom you can trust with your deepest thoughts and feelings. Of course, most studies that factor in long-term relationships cannot evaluate the quality or depth of the relationships. Still, research concludes that long-term relationships significantly increase happiness and decrease depression.

3. A true projection

My wife's goal in life is to be the same person on the outside as she is on the inside. If she thinks or feels it, she expresses it. I have never seen her hide from anyone. Most people call her courageous, yet she takes it for granted. She says she is not willing to live with the anxiety that comes from putting out a false message.

When you project a false front, you automatically create anxiety by having something to hide, even if others have no idea that you are doing it. You still create the threat of being discovered in your own mind. Whether you project yourself as more or less than you actually are, you are hiding the truth, which is a pressure cooker.

This one boils down to honesty, which Americans don't take all that seriously. Research suggests that the average American tells 11 lies per week. Interestingly, research also suggests that your health can be improved by discontinuing the stream of lies and half-truths that flow from most people's mouths.

4. A clean diet

Of course we know toxic food creates bad health. It also creates mood disorders. Years of processed sugar alone will depress the immune system and create a physiological depression. There are even cross-cultural links between sugar and depression, with an established correlation between the prevalence of depression and sugar use across several cultures.

A totally clean diet is best: organic, non-GMO food, pure water, nothing processed or artificial, lots of raw stuff. However, if you need a place to start, eliminate processed sugar.

5. A realistic goal

I cannot remember the last time someone came to me for coaching and said, "I want to live an ordinary life. You know, I want to find more meaning in what I already have, rather than search for more. My goal is to be a typical person who enjoys life."

People often pursue crazy, unrealistic goals and wonder why they are stressed and discouraged. Crazy, unrealistic goals create stress, pressure and anxiety until discouragement settles in and you give up. Have you ever done this?

Amazingly, happiness is available any time we look around, count our blessings and make the most of what we have. As soon as we begin to desire something beyond, we create dissatisfaction.

This is why I love setting goals that are just a few steps beyond where you are right now. It keeps a forward momentum and does not create dissatisfaction by comparison to what you have.

6. A view of others as people like you

Happy, well-adjusted people see others as similar to themselves. Over 30 years, the Arbinger Institute has created an impressive collection of stories that demonstrate people's lives change the moment they begin to see others as people, too.

The concept is deceptively simple. As soon as you acknowledge that other people have wants, needs, desires and feelings that are as real to them as yours are to you, your life changes. You become more responsive, respectful and compassionate. Your perspective broadens and you begin to live in harmony with those around you. For most people, this is a massive paradigm shift.

7. An engaged mind

The happiness bottom line is the conscious use of your own mind. When you consciously engage your brain in any task, you automatically relax. In a real way, it doesn't matter as much what you are engage in, as long as you are present and intentional in how you use your attention.

Try this: Listen to the sound of a fan, or the refrigerator. Tune in to some monotonous white noise. Do it consciously and intentionally. Just listen and do nothing else. After 10-20 seconds, you will feel yourself settle a bit inwardly. This relaxation is your brain's response to conscious use, as opposed to autopilot use.

Your mind was designed for conscious use. It won't be happy any other way.

About the author:
Get the free mini-course taken by more than 10,000 people, Three Soul Stirring Questions That Reveal your Deepest Goals.

EXCLUSIF. Oui, les OGM sont des poisons ! - Le Nouvel Observateur

Créé le 18-09-2012 à 00h19 - Mis à jour le 19-09-2012 à 16h31

Par Guillaume Malaurie

Photo du film "Tous cobayes ?". (Jean-Paul Jaud / ©J+B Séquences)

SUR LE MÊME SUJET

• » INFOGRAPHIE. Les OGM en France et dans le monde : on en est où?

LES VIDÉOS

• VIDEO. Le making-of de l'enquête VIDÉO

LES PHOTOS

• OGM : les images glaçantes du film "Tous cobayes ?"

(Cet article paraît dans le "Nouvel Observateur" daté du 20 septembre 2012) 

C’est une véritable bombe que lance, ce 19 septembre à 15 heures, la très sérieuse revue américaine "Food and Chemical Toxicology" - une référence en matière de toxicologie alimentaire - en publiant les résultats de l’expérimentation menée par l’équipe du français Gilles-Eric Séralini, professeur de biologie moléculaire à l'université de Caen. Une bombe à fragmentation : scientifique, sanitaire, politique et industrielle. Elle pulvérise en effet une vérité officielle : l’innocuité du maïs génétiquement modifié.

Lourdement toxique et souvent mortel

Même à faible dose, l’OGM étudié se révèle lourdement toxique et souvent mortel pour des rats. A tel point que, s’il s’agissait d’un médicament, il devrait être suspendu séance tenante dans l’attente de nouvelles investigations. Car c’est ce même OGM que l’on retrouve dans nos assiettes, à travers la viande, les œufs ou le lait. 

En 2006, c’est comme un véritable thriller que commence cette recherche, dont le maître d’œuvre, Gilles-Eric Séralini, divulgue lui-même les conclusions dans un ouvrage à paraître la semaine prochaine ("Tous cobayes !", Flammarion, en librairie le 26 septembre).

Nom de code In Vivo

Jusqu’en 2011, les chercheurs ont travaillé dans des conditions de quasi-clandestinité. Ils ont crypté leurs courriels comme au Pentagone, se sont interdit toute discussion téléphonique et ont même lancé une étude leurre tant ils craignaient un coup de Jarnac des multinationales de la semence.

Le récit de l’opération – nom de code In Vivo - évoque la très difficile récupération de semences de maïs OGM NK 603, propriété brevetée de Monsanto, par le truchement d’un lycée agricole canadien. Puis la récolte et le rapatriement des "gros sacs de jute" sur le port du Havre fin 2007, avant la fabrication de croquettes dans le secret le plus total et la sélection de deux cents rats de laboratoires dits "Sprague Dawley". Bilan ? Glaçant : "Après moins d’un an de menus différenciés au maïs OGM, confie le professeur Séralini, c’était une hécatombe parmi nos rats, dont je n’avais pas imaginé l’ampleur".

Dans l’Obs : Oui, les OGM sont des poisons par LeNouvelObservateur

Pathologies lourdes, tumeurs mammaires

Tous les groupes de rats, qu’ils soient nourris avec le maïs OGM traité ou non au Roundup, l'herbicide de Monsanto, ou encore alimentés avec une eau contenant de faibles doses d’herbicide présent dans les champs OGM, sont frappés par une multitude de pathologies lourdes au 13e mois de l’expérience. Chez les femelles, cela se manifeste par des explosions en chaine de tumeurs mammaires qui atteignent parfois jusqu’à 25% de leur poids. Chez les mâles, ce sont les organes dépurateurs, le foie et les reins, qui sont atteints d’anomalies marquées ou sévères. Avec une fréquence deux à cinq fois plus importante que pour les rongeurs nourris au maïs sans OGM. 

Comparaison implacable : les rats nourris au maïs OGM déclenchent donc de deux à trois fois plus de tumeurs que les rats nourris sans OGM quel que soit leur sexe. Au début du 24e mois, c’est-à-dire à la fin de leur vie, de 50% à 80% des femelles nourries aux OGM sont touchées contre seulement 30% chez les sans-OGM.

Surtout, les tumeurs surviennent nettement plus vite chez les rats nourris aux OGM : vingt mois plus tôt chez les mâles, trois mois plus tôt chez les femelles. Pour un animal qui bénéficie de deux ans d’espérance de vie, l’écart est considérable. A titre de comparaison, un an pour un rongeur, c’est à peu près l’équivalent d’une quarantaine d’années pour un homme…

 

Exiger des comptes

C’est forte de ces conclusions que Corinne Lepage, dans un livre qui paraît vendredi 21 septembre ("La vérité sur les OGM, c’est notre affaire", Editions Charles Léopold Mayer), entend bien exiger des comptes auprès des politiques et des experts, français et européens, des agences sanitaires et de la Commission de Bruxelles, qui se sont si longtemps opposés et par tous les moyens au principe d’une étude de longue durée sur l'impact physiologique des OGM.

Cette bataille, l’ex-ministre de l’Ecologie et première vice-présidente de la commission Environnement, Santé publique et Sécurité alimentaire à Strasbourg, la mène depuis quinze ans au sein du Criigen (Comité de Recherche et d’Information indépendantes sur le Génie génétique) avec Joël Spiroux et Gilles-Eric Séralini. Une simple association 1901 qui a pourtant été capable de réunir de bout en bout les fonds de cette recherche (3,2 millions d’euros) que ni l’Inra, ni le CNRS, ni aucun organisme public n’avaient jugé judicieux d’entreprendre.

Une étude financée par Auchan et Carrefour

Comment ? Autre surprise : en sollicitant la Fondation suisse Charles Léopold Mayer. Mais aussi les patrons de la grande distribution (Carrefour, Auchan..), qui se sont réunis pour l'occasion en association. Depuis la vache folle, ces derniers veulent en effet se prémunir de tout nouveau scandale alimentaire. A tel point que c’est Gérard Mulliez, fondateur du groupe Auchan, qui a débloqué les premiers financements.

L’étude du professeur Séralini laisse donc présager une nouvelle guerre meurtrière entre pro et anti-OGM. Les agences sanitaires exigeront-elles de toute urgence des études analogues pour vérifier les conclusions des scientifiques français ? Ce serait bien le moins. Monsanto, la plus grande firme mondiale de semences transgéniques, laissera-t-elle faire ? Peu probable : sa survie serait en jeu. Pour une seule plante OGM, il y a une centaine de variétés. Ce qui impliquerait au moins une dizaine d'études de 100 à 150 millions d’euros chacune !

Le temps de la vérité

Sauf que, dans cette nouvelle confrontation, le débat ne pourra plus s’enliser comme par le passé. Dés le 26 septembre, chacun pourra voir au cinéma le film choc de Jean-Paul Jaud, "Tous Cobayes ?", adapté du livre de Gilles-Eric Séralini, et les terribles images des rats étouffant dans leurs tumeurs. Des images qui vont faire le tour de la planète et d’internet, puisqu'elles seront diffusées sur Canal+ (au "Grand Journal" du 19 septembre) et sur France 5 (le 16 octobre dans un documentaire). Pour les OGM, l’ère du doute s’achève. Le temps de la vérité commence.

Etude publié par la revue américaine "Food and Chemical Toxicology" :

Première mondiale : des tests in vivo menés sur des rats nourris aux OGM mettent en évidence de graves effets toxiques.

Première mondiale : des tests in vivo menés pour la première fois pendant 2 ans sur des rats nourris par un OGM et son herbicide associé , le Roundup, l’herbicide le plus vendu au monde,  mettent en évidence ses effets toxiques graves.

Un maïs OGM tolérant au roundup (le NK603) a été testé sur des rats pendant 2 ans. Il s’agit de l’étude la plus détaillée jamais menée sur des rats nourris pendant 2 ans avec un maïs OGM qui est  tolérant au Roundup c'est-à-dire capable de s’en gorger sans en mourir. La revue scientifique « Food and Chemical Toxicology » vient de publier aujourd’hui les résultats de cette étude réalisée par le Pr Gilles-Eric Séralini.

Les résultats publiés mettent en avant l’importance de réaliser des tests de longue durée avant mise sur le marché des OGM de ce type alors que les test actuels réalisés par les industriels ne durent que 3 mois…

Voici l’interview que nous avons réalisé pour vous du Dr Joel Spiroux,  directeur adjoint de l’étude réalisée par l’équipe scientifique du Pr Seralini :

Docteur Joël Spiroux, vous venez de publier une étude scientifique avec le Pr Gilles-Eric Séralini qui est alarmante car elle met en évidence des effets toxiques graves d’un OGM et de son herbicide associé sur la santé. C’est une première mondiale.

J’ai le grand plaisir de travailler depuis prés de 15 ans avec mon ami Gilles-Eric Séralini. J’ai un profil particulier car je suis médecin libéral, et directeur adjoint de l’étude dont nous parlons. Cette étude est effectivement une première mondiale car personne au monde n’a réalisé une étude aussi longue et aussi complète pour tester un OGM et son herbicide associé.

Pouvez-vous nous expliquer en préambule ce qu’est  un OGM ?

Un OGM est un organisme vivant (micro-organisme, végétal, animal) ayant subi une modification non naturelle de ses caractéristiques génétiques initiales, par ajout, suppression ou remplacement d’au moins un gène. On appelle donc OGM tout organisme hébergeant un ou plusieurs gènes provenant d’une espèce à laquelle il n’appartient pas. Les « gènes étrangers » sont alors appelés transgènes, l’OGM un organisme transgénique. Il existe à l’heure actuelle des maïs possédant jusqu’à 8 transgènes.

Pourquoi cette étude ?

Il nous a paru indispensable de tester un OGM alimentaire tolérant au Roundup alors même que les industriels fournissent des études biologiques pour obtenir un accord de mise sur le marché de leurs produits par les différents  gouvernements. En effet nous considérons que les études fournies par les industriels sont superficielles et ne permettent pas de mettre en évidence des signes de toxicité. Par exemple les études les plus longues pour un OGM alimentaire ne dure que trois mois sur des rats et que les pesticides formulés ne sont pas testés au long terme. Par ailleurs cela fait plus de 10 ans que dans le  laboratoire de Gilles Eric Séralini sont publiées des études mettant en évidence les effets toxique « in vitro » de certains pesticides et en particulier le Roundup. J’ai même été coauteur de plusieurs publications mettant en évidence des signes de toxicité hépatiques et rénales dans des études de Monsanto et qui ont néanmoins été acceptés à la commercialisation par les agences réglementaires.

Où fut elle réalisée et par qui ?

Elle fut réalisée par l’équipe du Pr Gilles-Eric Séralini du laboratoire de biologie moléculaire de l’université de Caen avec la participation de quelques prestataires extérieurs et  le soutien du CRIIGEN.

Dans quelle revue scientifique votre étude  a-t-elle été publiée ?

Notre étude est publiée dans une des meilleures revues scientifiques internationales de toxicologie alimentaire et sera en ligne à partir du 19/09/12. Son titre:

”Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize”. Food and Chemical Toxicology, Séralini G.E. et al. 2012

Quel fut son protocole ?

C’est l’étude la plus détaillée jamais menée sur des rats nourris pendant 2 ans avec un maïs OGM, le NK603 qui est  tolérant au Roundup c'est-à-dire capable de s’en gorger sans en mourir.

Nous avons pris 10 groupes de 10 rats mâles  et 10 groupes de 10 rats femelles. Chez les mâles comme chez les femelles nous avions 1 groupe de rats témoins, 3 groupes de rats mangeant de l’OGM seul à la dose de 11%, 22%, 33%, 3 groupes de rats mangeant de l’OGM  à 11, 22, 33% pulvérisés pendant la culture par du Roundup, et 3 groupes de rats mangeant le maïs non OGM mais buvant du Roundup à trois doses : celle que l’on peut trouver dans l’eau du robinet, celle équivalente au résidus de Roundup toléré dans l’alimentation et celle correspondant à la dose susceptible d’être absorbée par les utilisateurs de Roundup.

Par ailleurs tout au long des 2 ans nous avons pratiqué un monitoring le plus complet possible, poids, prise de sang et examens de tous les organes à la fin de l’étude. Ces tests ont donc porté sur les 200 rats en observation pendant deux années sur plus de cent paramètres.

Pourquoi utiliser  des rats ?

On ne teste pas au niveau réglementaire ces produits toxiques sur des humains, mais sur des rats. En tant que médecin, je préfère que ces produits soient testés sur des rats plutôt que sur la population comme nous sommes en train de le faire dans de très nombreux pays au monde.

Quelles différences avec les études réglementaires nécessaires avant la mise sur le marché ?

La différence primordiale est la durée. Les études réglementaires ne portent que sur 3 mois alors que notre étude porte sur 24 mois. Nous dosons plus de paramètres biologiques et en particulier les paramètres hormonaux qui ne sont pas dosés dans les études réglementaires. Pourtant il est bien connu que les pesticides et en particulier le Roundup sont des perturbateurs endocriniens !!!

Quels sont les résultats les plus marquants ?

Le premier résultat inattendu est que les premiers rats sont morts à 4 mois, alors que les durées d’études réglementaires sont limitées à 3 mois !

Les rats nourris aux OGM, traités ou non au Roundup meurent plus rapidement et de manière plus importante que les témoins. Les femelles sont principalement mortes de tumeurs mammaires et d’anomalies hypophysaires. Les rats nourris aux OGM, traités ou non au Roundup ont eu des tumeurs plus rapidement et de façon plus importante que les témoins. La majorité des mâles sont morts de problèmes hépatiques et rénaux. Des effets métaboliques toxiques sont dus à l’OGM seul. Le Roundup a des effets graves sur la santé à très faibles doses.

Quelles retombées sociétales attendez-vous ?

Cette étude montre clairement que les études réglementaires présentent de grosses lacunes trop courtes, trop superficielles, incomplètes et semblant être faites pour ne pas mettre en évidence des effets sur la santé. Par ailleurs, ces études sont réalisées et financées par les producteurs et les résultats interprétés par ces mêmes firmes. Ce manque d’indépendance est très préjudiciable pour la sécurité alimentaire  de la population. Nous pouvons aussi accuser le laxisme des instances d’accréditation.

Nous demandons que les autorisations de ces produits soient revues, que les tests de 90 jours soient prolongés (2 ans) pour tous les OGM, que les pesticides soient testés 2 ans à faibles doses et en formulations et dernier point que les tests réglementaires soient publics, indépendants des compagnies, et soumis à l’expertise contradictoire.

Vous êtes tous les deux membres du CRIIGEN ; vous n’êtes pas sans savoir que certains de vos détracteurs vous considèrent comme des « anti OGM », qu’avez-vous à me répondre sur ce sujet ?

Nombreux sont les scientifiques appartenant au CRIIGEN qui travaillent dans leurs laboratoires sur les OGM pour mieux comprendre le fonctionnement des gènes. En tant que médecin je suis très favorable à l’utilisation de la technique de transgénèse pour l’obtention de médicament comme le plus emblématique d’entre eux : l’insuline. Vous voyez donc qu’au CRIIGEN nous ne sommes pas des anti OGM, mais nous sommes contre les plantes à pesticides que sont les OGM agricoles et qui par-dessus tout sont mal évalués, comme nous venons de le montrer.

Quelle suite y aura-t-il à cette étude ?

Avant de penser à la suite, je suis persuadé que notre étude fera  l’objet de nombreux articles dans la presse nationale et parmi tous les médias. Dès maintenant, les résultats et l'expérience, son contexte et ses conséquences sociales font fait l'objet du livre « Tous Cobayes ! » de Gilles-Eric Séralini, publié le 26/9 chez Flammarion. Un film est librement adapté de cet ouvrage « Tous Cobayes ? » de Jean-Paul Jaud; sortie nationale au cinéma le 26/9. Un documentaire télévisé « OGM, vers une alerte mondiale ? » a été réalisé par François Le Bayon. L’impact juridique et  sociétal est l’objet du livre « La vérité sur les OGM c’est notre affaire » de Corinne Lepage publié par les éditions Charles Léopold Mayer.

Par la suite, au point de vue scientifique nous aurons à continuer à étudier tous les résultats de cette étude et cela fera vraisemblablement l’objet  de 5 ou 6 publications scientifiques.

Propos recueillis par Vianney Poissonnier 

Si vous souhaitez recevoir les résultats de l'étude détaillée, cliquez ici