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ROCK Your Body Melissa Etheridge,Grammy- and Oscarwinning musician, sings the praises of life after cancer and the healing powers of the mind

2 - June 2010

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FEATURES

The New Pap Smear Guidelines

Publisher: Carl Walworth Advertising Director: Tammy Jordan

By MARIA HORVAT MD, FACOG

P

ap smears are a screening for cervical cancer. By performing Pap smears, the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased by 50% in the past 30 years. The Pap smear guidelines were revised as recently as December of 2009.

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CELEBRITY HEALTH: MELISSA ETHERIDGE Rock star turned Oscar winner talks life after cancer and how the happiness of the mind makes for the healthiest of bodies

SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but a little time and effort can turn that frown upside-down

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The first Pap smear should be done at age 21, regardless of the women’s age at the time of first sexual intercourse. Sexually active women under age 21 should have annual exams which include screening for chlamydia. For women age 2129, screening can be every two years. Women over 30 may choose to have a Pap every three years if they have three consecutive normal Paps or a normal Pap with a negative HPV test. Women 65-70 may discontinue the Pap test if they have had three normal Paps in the past 10 years. Those who have had a hysterectomy with removal of their cervix for benign reasons may discontinue Pap testing.

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There are situations where we do not follow the above mentioned recommendations. If a woman is immunocompromised, has HIV, or a previous history of abnormal cells of the cervix, they will be followed more closely. Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV (human papilloma virus), which is why I advocate the Gardisil immunization series administered to all females during the pre-teen or teen years. Bear in mind that these recommendations are for the Pap

smear screening only. Your annual visit is still highly recommended for examination of the breasts, vaginal tissue, rectal exam (when age appropriate), medication follow-up and a basic systems review to maintain your optimal health. At our office, we strive to follow the guidelines but also make adjustments based on individual risk factors. It is excellent news that with improved screening methods and the Gardisil immunization, we have a chance to almost eradicate cervical cancer with the next generation of women.

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Smile continued from page 4 that trying new things and taking on challenges generally bring happiness. “I was convinced it wouldn’t work for me because familiarity and mastery make me happy. I eat the same foods every day, I hate to travel, and I find comfort in having a routine,” Rubin says. She did a complete turnaround, though, when the novelty and challenge of keeping a daily blog brought her so much satisfaction. Keeping a gratitude journal, however, annoyed her. A person can write down that she’s grateful for aged cheddar cheese, but that observation isn’t necessarily edifying. Rubin concedes that just

Melissa continued from page 9 and that’s love and fear. If you’re not in that vibration of love, you’re in the other one, and that’s where the body starts breaking down.” Illnesses are symptoms. Even cancer. Especially cancer. Etheridge has been very open about her battle with breast cancer, but she perceives it in an atypical way. For her, cancer was a means to an evolving end. “I started changing right before cancer, like weeks before,” she says. “I had an enlightenment, an awakening ... where everything that I thought was as it was, was not, and I got really turned upside-down.” Noting her penchant for reading celebrity magazines when traveling, she says, “I just fed on the snack food of our reality, and all of a sudden, it was like, ‘Wait a minute. What am I doing? What life am I living?’ And I remember being at the airport, and I walked into the bookstore. And I found myself walking back to the philosophy section, and I picked up Ken Wilber’s ‘A Brief History of Everything’ – which is from quantum physics to cosmology – and I understood it, which blew my mind. And I started on this path. “A few weeks later, it was like I almost came to peace with what life and death was, that death wasn’t really the end, then all the sudden I get this cancer diagnosis. But I had already changed right before it, so I just saw my body break down metaphorically because I knew that what I was doing was breaking down all of my old beliefs. So then I fell into this cancer, which was a perfect excuse to check out and rearrange. “I mean, it was horrible. I wouldn’t do it that way again. Our bodies need health and less stress. They

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because the gratitude journal didn’t work for her doesn’t mean it won’t prove useful to someone else. A happiness project, as defined by Rubin, is a three-stage approach to changing your life. First is the preparation stage, when you identify what engages you and brings you satisfaction and joy and what makes you feel guilty, angry, bored or remorseful. Second is the resolution stage, when you identify concrete actions that will boost your happiness. The third stage is putting those resolutions into practice. A happiness project assumes people play an active role in creating their own satisfaction and inner peace. “A lot of people see happiness as something that happens to

them – if they are fortunate, good things will happen, and they’ll be happy. But that’s not the whole story,” Fleeson says. The less passive approach is “scary and exhilarating,” he says. “You have to take responsibility for your own unhappiness, but you also have the power to take control and make changes for the better.” Fleeson’s research has found that acting extroverted – bolder, livelier, more assertive and more social – makes people happier for the time being, even if they are introverts by nature. Generally, “People were able to act extroverted on demand and reported feeling happier in as little as 10 minutes,” he says. Fleeson has yet to determine whether practicing extroversion

until it becomes habitual will bring about a permanent rise in happiness, though. In down times, “Probably one of the best things you can do is go out and help someone, even if you don’t feel like you have the energy and that the world has taken something from you,” says Los Angeles psychiatrist Dr. Mark Goulston, editor of the Huffington Post column “The Resilient Life.” “It helps you gain perspective if the person is worse off than you, and the sincere smile you receive will make you feel better,” he adds. Plus, “What often makes people unhappy is that deep down, they don’t feel like they deserve to be happy,” Goulston says. But by helping someone or thanking someone who’s provided assistance, you “earn” the right to be

happy. Followers of Rubin’s blog report broader success with certain behaviors. For example, most readers said keeping a one-sentence journal was helpful, but longer-form journals were taxing and time-consuming. A surprising number of readers reported that simply making the bed was a big help. “When you’re facing down times, taking control of the things you can control is very reassuring,” Rubin says. “They don’t need to be gigantic changes. They can be little things.” In fact, she says, that’s the whole point. “It’s all about what you can do in a normal day. You don’t have to change your life to change your life.”

can get all the way to cancer and then we either find it or die, or you can change before. So I saw my body kind of break down and reassemble, with my spirit, with everything. So yes, it changed me and there was life before and after, but I would say cancer was more symptomatic of the change than what made it change.” Etheridge writes honestly about her life in her music. But her latest

efforts suggest a larger shift. “The last five years have been a lesson in really speaking my truth in everything, just being fearless,” she says. “When I first started, after cancer, when I started getting into what reality is, and what spirit is, and what health is, what life is, when I really started walking it every day, I knew that it would have to go into my music because my music has always been a reflection

of me.” “Fearless Love” (to be released on Island, April 27, 2010; a tour kicks off in June) is the next leg of her latest musical journey, which began with the release of 2007’s “The Awakening.” It’s part two of a trilogy, she says. “I had to make ‘The Awakening’ to be able to make this album.” And next? “It’s the path to oneness,” she says. “The working title of the next album is just ‘One-

ness.’ ” But make no mistake: Etheridge hasn’t strayed from her rock ’n’ roll roots. Music may empower her own exploration, but more than ever, she wants to help others connect with their emotions. “That’s what rock ’n’ roll is,” says Etheridge. “It should be part of your soul.”

“When I first started, after cancer, when I started getting into what reality is, and what spirit is, and what health is, what life is, when I really started walking it every day, I knew that it would have to go into my music because my music has always been a reflection of me.”

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June 2010 - 3

With a Grain M of Salt, But Just One

By BEV BENNETT CTW FEATURES

How much sodium is too much? Not much at all

easure out one level teaspoon of salt. That’s 2,325 milligrams of sodium, close to the limit that you should consume daily, whether from a salt shaker or the food you eat. But if you’re eating a typical American diet heavy on processed food, you’re getting almost twice that. High-sodium diets could increase your risk of developing hypertension, in turn leading to heart disease, kidney decline or stroke. (Sodium is an essential mineral your body needs in minute amounts. Table salt is sodium combined with chloride. Many health experts use “sodium” and “salt” interchangeably when giving recommendations.) In addition, your salt habit may make you heavier by increasing your food cravings and making you bloated, according to sisters Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames, registered dietitians, New York City. Although both hypertension and weight gain are more likely when you’re older, you should make dietary changes regardless of age. “We should all be concerned about sodium because of the health implications – fluid retention, high blood pressure and other cardiovas-

cular risks,” says Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, Ph.D., registered dietitian, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Good advice, but challenging to incorporate. Even if you avoid adding salt to your food, it’s hard to stay within the guidelines of 2,400 milligrams a day, unless you pay close attention to your food choices. “Most of the sodium in the diet comes from foods we don’t think about,” says Gazzaniga-Moloo, author of “The No-Salt, LowestSodium Cookbook” (St. Martin’s Griffin/Thomas Dunne Books, 2002). Sodium is a natural part of dairy foods and some fruits and vegetables. Processed foods, such as canned soups, vegetables and breads, also tend to be high in sodium. Eating a low-fat diet, while healthy in many respects, won’t necessarily protect you. “With a [processed poultry] turkey sandwich, you can get almost a day’s worth of sodium,” says Lyssie Lakatos, co-author with her sister of “The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat and the 4-Week Plan to Drop a Size & Get Healthier with Simple Low-Sodium Swaps” (Health Communications, 2009). © CTW Features

“Most of the sodium in the diet comes from foods we don’t think about.” — Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, PhD, registered dietitian

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To reduce sodium • Read the Nutrition Facts panels, compare products and select the lowest sodium brands. • Switch from processed food to cooked-from-scratch dishes. • Opt for frozen vegetables, not canned, which usually have more added sodium. • Don’t use the salt shaker until after you take your first bite of food. • Be patient. “It may take as much as 21 days [for your taste buds to adjust]. After that, you’re tasting the flavor of the food, rather than relying on salt for flavor,” says Lyssie Lakatos, a registered dietitian in New York.

But It Doesn’t Taste Salty! Food doesn’t have to taste “salty” to be high in sodium. The sodium content of these five foods may surprise you: Food 1 cup creamed cottage cheese with fruit

777 milligrams

1/2 cup chocolate pudding made with 2% milk

417 milligrams

1 (3-ounce) can oil-pack sardines, drained

430 milligrams

1 plain (31/2-inch) bagel

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11/4 cups Rice Krispies

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Journal Gazette & Times-Courier

Maybe money can’t buy happiness, but a little time and effort can turn that frown upside-down

LIKE YOU MEAN IT

By DAWN KLINGENSMITH CTW FEATURES

world,” says Shawn Achor, CEO of Aspirant, a positive psychology consulting firm based in Cambridge, Mass. “It is harder initially to be happy in down times because of our previous expectations, but in the long run, resilient individuals find ways to see possibilities for growth, even in hard times.” Only at the extreme lows do external circumstances affect happiness, research has shown. For example, poverty and severe illness breed unhappiness, but unless you’re extremely poor or unhealthy, income and health do not affect happiness as much as might be expected, says personality and quality-of-life researcher William Fleeson, associate professor of psychology at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. Research also has shown that some people are just happier by

nature. “Genes set our initial baseline of happiness,” Achor says. “But we also know you can change your baseline easily by changing your habits and practicing positive mindset. The key is believing your behavior matters.” Some behaviors shown to boost happiness include listing three things each day for which you are grateful, journaling about one positive experience each day, exercising four times a week, doing yoga, meditating and performing a daily act of kindness, Achor says. These behaviors, along with principles set forth by philosophers, religious leaders and the likes of Oprah, were tested by Rubin during her yearlong project. What surprised her most by its efficacy was the scientific finding

See Smile page 10

Sodium

Sodium 98 milligrams

1 ounce Swiss cheese

54 milligrams

1 corn tortilla

12 milligrams

1 (41/2-ounce) piña colada 8 milligrams 1/4 cup raisins

4 milligrams

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Data Laboratory

Melissa Etheridge By BETH KUJAWSKI CTW FEATURES “Grit” is the word that won’t go away. Melissa Etheridge has grit. Fortitude. Tenacity. Take your pick. Or take all three. She was born in a prison town, “black-and-blue and close to death,” as described in her 2001 memoir “The Truth Is …” Her mother went into labor in the middle of the day, and nurses held her legs closed until a doctor arrived. “I was not allowed to enter the world as planned.” Growing up grappling with feelings of shame and isolation, she found solace in songs and security on the stage. In sixth grade, she wrote what she considers her first real song, “Lonely Is a Child,” and performed it with friends at a local talent show. As a finalist, she earned her first award for her music, a small trophy. Today, it stands alongside her GRAMMY Awards and her Oscar. From the day she packed every-

June 2010 - 9 thing she owned into her car and drove from Kansas City to L.A., hers has been a journey of rock ’n’ roll on the road to awareness, with wellness along for the ride. The road, it is worth noting, contains occasional, necessary, feel-good detours. With her diet, for example, she tries to avoid wheat, dairy and sugar, but she makes exceptions, like breakfast at her favorite place for pancakes when she’s in Chicago on tour. “You have to,” she says, on the phone from her home in California. “I would lose my mind if I just said ‘Never.’ And I don’t think that’s what health is all about. I think health is about the pretty much constant awareness of what’s going in your body and how you’re treating it and the track that it’s on. And part of that is being aware of your fun side, of treating yourself, of understanding.” Etheridge is mindful of the con-

nection of her body and spirit. “I think that’s something that we get messed up here in Western medicine,” she says. “We think that there’s no emotion or spirit involved in our health, and that’s just madness.” She cites stress as the No. 1 factor in degenerative disease. “Each individual has to take responsibility for what they’re putting their body and their spirit through – things they don’t like, where they’re living, who they’re living with, where they’re working, how they feel about themselves, all those.” “It’s all being out of vibration with yourself,” she continues. “That vibration we’re supposed to be in which is peace and well-being and love. As we go further down that road, I believe there’s only two things in the world, there’s only two vibrations, there’s only two choices

See Melissa page 10

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Cutting back on sodium doesn’t mean bland and boring. Here are five fun foods that are low in sodium: Food 1 cup cheese-flavor popcorn

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Celebrity Health:

SMILE Gretchen Rubin’s life, on the whole, was sunny – handsome husband, delightful daughters, successful career. Maybe it was the rain, but one April day, though nothing had changed, she realized she wasn’t as happy as she ought to be. Her epiphany led to a yearlong commitment to try to be happier, culminating in an improved outlook and her book, “The Happiness Project” (HarperCollins, 2009), based on her popular blog of the same title. But what if her life had been like that day’s weather – all storm clouds and no sun? What if she had lost her job or even her home, and the financial pressures were threatening her marriage? That’s the reality for a lot of folks these days. Can a happiness project work for them? It depends on their mindset. “Only 10 percent of our long-term happiness is predicted based on externals. The rest is based on the lens through which we view the

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Need a little more shuteye? You’ll have to do a little more than just wish for it

“Combined with water, both soluble and insoluble fiber help facilitate the body’s natural cleansing process.” — Holley Grainger, MS, RD, food editor of MyRecipes.com every corner of your body (think dewy, glowing complexion!) and toxins are getting flushed out. Even mild dehydration can cause the blood to thicken, which will slow these functions and force your heart to work harder, leading to fatigue. Grainger advises drinking at least 10 to 12 glasses of water daily and eating fluid-rich foods to get the biggest bang for your buck. Studies have also shown that getting plenty of water can ramp up your metabolism and aid in weight loss by helping you feel full, adds Randi Luckman, MS, CEC, CHHC, a nutritionist and life coach based in New York City. To avoid taking in additional toxins when you drink, Luckman recommends filtered water. Options include simple water-filtering pitchers ($16 and up) and reverse osmosis systems ($200 and up).

Excise It with Exercise In addition to the obvious calorie-burning benefits, physical activity aids in gastric and intestinal motility, so aim for at least 30 min-

utes of moderate to vigorous exercise like walking, dancing, spinning, basketball or yoga at least five times per week, Grainger says. The key is to do something you really love so that you’ll stick with it. Another bonus: Exercise increases circulation, which prevents breakouts and promotes the production of collagen, the support fibers that help ward off wrinkles.

Renew with R & R You can eat well, drink plenty of water and exercise, but if you don’t get sufficient sleep (the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get seven to eight hours), the result is cognitive impairment and a weakened immune system. Your snooze time is when the body replenishes its energy stores and produces proteins that allow cells to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and environmental toxins. “I can’t emphasize the importance of sleep enough,” Luckman says. “Sleep deprivation can affect how you feel and function, as well

as your weight.” Researchers have found that sleep impacts the balance of hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite; consistent lack of sleep increases the chances of obesity. Cortisol and other stress hormones are also linked to weight gain, digestive problems, depression, heart disease and skin problems including eczema. To prevent this, Luckman recommends using a relaxation technique called diaphragmatic breathing: Breathe in for 10 seconds, hold for four, exhale for 10. “Do it five times while you’re sitting in traffic,” she says.

June 2010 - 5 By DANA CARMAN CTW FEATURES any people think of sleep as elusive. It’s that thing that other people, less busy people, are getting in spades and the rest just daydream about. While some suffer from medical conditions that affect sleep, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, often lack of sleep is a byproduct of lifestyle – and getting more of it, or quality hours, is well within reach. Some fixes are straightforward, such as don’t drink gallons of water before bed if you don’t want to spend the night in the bathroom. But society’s lack of sleep – with so many of us desperate need to get more – suggests that our approach to sleep is what’s lacking. With a slight attitude adjustment, you could be asleep by the end of this article.

M

The Me Factor

Hush BIG Baby

Forgo the Fads While it’s true that packaged or extreme detox plans (such as the Master Cleanse) may help you quickly drop pounds, they will creep right back once you return to your regular eating habits, Grainger says. Following these plans can actually do more harm to your body than good, she adds. In the short-term, extreme cleanses flush out key nutrients

“We don’t get sleep because we don’t get what sleep is,” says Dr. Rubin Naiman, sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. “Sleep is very different than waking and people proceed into sleep the same way they wake up in the morning. We bring waking life into the bed; we’re filled with intentions and things we want to get done.” Beyond that, Naiman feels that people are “over-energized” during the day, as in, they take in too much of what energizes us: light, food, information. He also notes that a lot of it is junk – heavily processed foods, artificial light and Twitter, anyone? At night, during sleep, our body is about diverting this energy, healing itself and cooling down. Naiman believes that bodies are absorbing more energy than can be released. We take in more than we can let go. And, because we define sleep “negatively” – it’s not waking time we can be using to get things done – we aren’t letting go at night. “The bottom line is that sleep is a lifestyle issue,” Naiman says.

“Make an attempt to set your own bedtime and stick to it every night. Doing this will set your biological clock so you won’t be tossing and turning and wasting the time you have to sleep.” — Elizabeth Pantley, author of “The No-Cry Sleep Solution” and good bacteria and can cause headache, fatigue, irritability, dehydration and frequent bathroom visits. Long-term consequences can include vitamin and mineral deficiencies and muscle breakdown. Blatner says they can also be dangerous for people with conditions such as diabetes, heart or kidney disease and digestive issues; women who are pregnant or nursing; children, teens and the elderly, since they affect electrolyte and blood sugar balance. Symptoms range from dizziness and fainting to coma. These harsh plans also aren’t necessary. “A healthy individual’s body is already a natural detoxing machine,” Grainger says. The liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin and lungs are always working together to purify the body by expelling environmental toxins and unhealthy foods. “What you do for a few days can’t ever make up for how you take care of your body the rest of the year,” Blatner says. “Really cleaning up means making lifestyle changes you can keep, whether it’s spring, summer, fall or the last few days of winter.” © CTW Features

“What we have to do to get good quality sleep is incredibly consistent with good quality waking: exercise, nutrition, stress management and sleep.” He believes that sleep is a sacred process and ought to be treated as such, so nighttime rituals, like daytime schedules, are incredibly important. It’s a gentle shift: Sleep as a cycle of waking life and not an “end” to the day that falls last on the To Do list.

Why Can’t I Sleep, Then? There are sometimes more simple explanations for why we can’t sleep, such as a big event taking place: a breakup, a job loss or the birth of a child. Nothing wreaks havoc on sleep like the arrival of a joyous bundle of screaming. New parents have never wanted to sleep so badly in their lives yet they literally can’t. The adage “Sleep when they sleep” is ideal in theory but not always feasible, especially if there are older children in the mix. Elizabeth Pantley, author of “The No-Cry Sleep Solution” (McGraw-Hill, 2002), suggests that even 10 minutes of napping, if you can, will take the edge off sleepiness, but that in the throes of sleeplessness, taking care of

yourself in other ways can help new parents remain healthy – and sane. “Give your body what it needs nutritionally to get you through this time of sleep disruption,” Pantley says. Hydrate well, she says, and don’t grab for the junk food, which will only make you feel worse. She also suggests making sure you squeeze in some sort of exercise, even if it’s just walking. Like Naiman, Pantley believes in the bedtime routine, and not just for babies. “Make an attempt to set your own bedtime and stick to it every night. Doing this will set your biological clock so you won’t be tossing and turning and wasting the time you have to sleep,” she says. Tossing and turning and watching the clock just adds to the anxiety of insomnia, which is why Dr. Anthony Proske, neurologist and sleep specialist at the sleep disorder and research center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, says that those who have trouble falling asleep should block the clock from view. He also notes that the bedroom is for sleeping, not reading, not working and not watching television, especially the news. “There are situations that per-

petuate the insomnia,” Proske says. Keep the bedroom a place for sleep only, he advises, and don’t get into bed unless you’re sleepy. Avoid ingesting a giant meal and cool it on caffeine, which can cause wakefulness for up to eight hours. Dr. Meena Khan, sleep medicine specialist at Ohio State University, suggests winding down in the evenings and addressing any worries or concerns earlier in the day so you’re not taking them to bed with you. Both Khan and Proske note that if you can’t fall asleep in 10 to 20 minutes that you should get up, leave the bedroom and do something boring. They stress the boring part. “Don’t do something you’re interested in,” Khan says. Often the things that keep people awake are the same things rousing them in the middle of the night and preventing further sleep. Relaxation exercises can help soothe the brain back into slumber in addition to the strategies above. Another natural solution may be found in traditional Chinese medicine, like acupuncture, which helps restore balance in the body. “We can make a distinction between true sleep disorders and sleep that is disturbed because of short-term and acute

circumstances,” says Noah Rubinstein, licensed acupuncturist and clinical herbalist in New York City. “Treatments can be a bit more personalized for people.” Keeping the body balanced also means finding the right level of hydration at night, so sleep isn’t interrupted by frequent trips

NEUROLOGIST • ELECTRODIAGNOSTICS • SLEEP SPECIALIST

8 - June 2010

to the bathroom. Limit fluid intake prior to sleep, Khan says; if you’re on a diuretic, take it earlier in the day. If these tactics fail, consult your physician. Similarly, if you’re getting at least seven hours of sleep on a

See Sleep Page 6

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Sleep Continued from page 5 consistent basis yet still feeling groggy in the morning or having a tough time getting out of bed, see your doctor. Sleep apnea may be the culprit. At the end of the day, though, literally, if you’re not suffering from a medical issue that’s affecting your sleep then the problem, quite simply and utterly complicated, is you. Naiman believes that “people are reluctant to spend a few minutes in the dark with themselves” as it could allow unresolved fears and anxieties to surface. Establish a lovely bedtime ritual and practice what Rubinstein calls “good sleep hygiene,” making sure your sleeping arrangements are just that – arranged for sleep and nothing else. Then, as Naiman suggests, let go. And sleep.

Body & More

June 2010 - 7

This year, put away the broom and pick up the berries for a happier, healthier you

“The bottom line is that sleep is a lifestyle issue. What we have to do to get good quality sleep is incredibly consistent with good quality waking – exercise, nutrition, stress management and sleep.” — Dr. Rubin Naiman, sleep specialist and clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine

Spring Cleaning For Your Body By ANNA SACHSE CTW FEATURES Sometimes, life in the 21st century can feel like a labyrinth filled with toxic obstacles, from pollution to pesticides, cosmetics to chemical cleaning agents, plastics to

processed foods – not to mention sky-high stress. No wonder so many folks feel sluggish and achy, like their skin is dull and their pants don’t fit. The remedy? It’s time for a little spring cleaning. Just as the season’s rising temperatures and budding blooms remind us to get organized and tidy up our homes, spring is the perfect time to re-prioritize whole body health and clean up your system. Here, the experts weigh in on the right ways to “detoxify.”

Freshen Up with Food The first step to kick-start weight loss, boost energy and ensure everything is flowing as smoothly as possible is eating a balanced diet based on fiber and antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, lean protein, low-fat dairy and healthy fats. These foods fuel the body with the healthful nutrients it needs to Infrared Sauna with many Health Benefits

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fight free radicals and sustain itself on a daily basis, says Holley Grainger, MS, RD, food editor of MyRecipes.com. In particular, Grainger recommends incorporating three items into your daily meal plan: bran or whole-grain cereals that contain insoluble fiber; berries or citrus fruits, which are rich in soluble fiber; and plain water. Insoluble fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, which contributes to healthy bowel movements. Soluble fiber can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. “Combined with water, both soluble and insoluble fiber help facilitate the body’s natural cleansing process,” Grainger says. Although fiber recommendations

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fluctuate with age, the Institute of Medicine generally advises 30 to 38 grams per day for men and 21 to 25 grams for women. As an incentive, foods high in fiber (oats, barley, peas, apples, tubers and most vegetables) are usually low in calories and tend to keep you full longer, promoting weight loss. As important for both shedding pounds and detoxing is limiting calorie-dense but nutrient-poor consumables such as alcohol and highfat, high-sugar, preservative-filled processed foods, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and author of “The Flexitarian Diet” (McGraw-Hill, 2009). Overdoing these items can lead to insulin resistance and illness, in addition to lethargy, moodiness and consti-

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