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Are You Drinking Enough Water? |
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 Next to oxygen, water is the most essential nutrient for the human body. Dehydration is probably the most common cause of fatigue, headaches, elevated blood pressure, indigestion, constipation, muscle cramping, and joint pain. Most people do not get near the amount of water they need each day to prevent these conditions and ensure optimal health.
Without water, we would be poisoned to death by our own waste products. It is essential to proper kidney function. In fact, dehydration is typically the cause of kidney disorders, such as kidney stones. Water regulates the amount and concentration of uric acid and urea removed by the kidneys. If there is not enough water available to the kidneys, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones.
Water is also vital for chemical reactions in the digestion and metabolism of the nutrients we ingest every day, including fat metabolism. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood and helps to cool the body through perspiration. Water also lubricates our joints. In fact, chronic dehydration is a major factor in osteoarthritis and back pain.
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 Are you completely un-enthused about making another New Year's Resolution this year? Tired of setting yourself up for failure? So why do you suppose this tradition is so discouraging? Why can't you just do what you say you want to do? Are you ready to break the cycle? Let's take a closer look at this fascinating dynamic of human psychology and then consider some possible solutions.
There are three main reasons people fail to follow through with their New Year's resolutions.
One reason is that the whole idea of making a behavioral change is being initiated by an external event. In fact, we tend to put off change until such an event occurs, whether it's a holiday or a loved telling us they've had enough of some negative aspect of our behavior. In other words, your decision to change is often not entirely your decision. And it is a truth of human psychology that any decision that requires you changing your behavior is not likely to stick if it was initiated or made for you by someone else. It is a well-known fact that a smoker will never quit until he has decided for himself that he is ready to quit. All of the hypnosis or other smoking cessation programs in the world will not work unless and until that persona decision has been made. If you want it to stick, it has to be yours (i.e., you have to own it).
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Have a Zero-Gain Holiday! |
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 So how do you avoid gaining weight over the holidays? The obvious answers are not eating too much and avoid eating the sweets. But how realistic is that this time of year? After all we are surrounded by all the “wrong foods.” And getting in your exercise can be more challenging because there seems to be less time.
Start by planning your "cheats". If you know you are going to a party or gathering where there will be sweets, commit ahead of time to having a small portion of your favorite thing rather than “giving in” to an urge when you get there. Also, eat something healthy, preferably low-sugar, before going so you won’t be as hungry for the bad stuff when you get there. Planning your "cheats" puts you in control as opposed to giving into temptation, and that eliminates guilt and inspires you to stay on track. |
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With over a decade of experience, Michael specializes in Weight Management, Post-Rehab, Functional Conditioning, Fatigue/Energy Issues, Back/Spinal Care, Disease Prevention and Management, Women’s Health and Sports Performance Enhancement. He is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sport Medicine (NASM) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE), a Medical Exercise Specialist (MES) through the American Academy of Health and Fitness Professional (AAHFP), an Holistic Nutritional Consultant through the American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC), and is a Ph.D. candidate in Holistic Nutrition from the Clayton College of Natural Medicine.