Dr. Gold's Optimal Living Institute

  Fighting Stress   What’s worse than feeling out of control, feeling like life is happening TO YOU, rather than FOR YOU? Stress is prevalent and it can be debilitating, making you feel depressed, anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed and angry, due to circumstances you feel are beyond your control. In this blog, I will define stress, why we all have it and what you can do to manage it better. What is Stress? It’s your body’s response to physical or emotional circumstances, that causes chemical changes to occur in the body. All humans experience this and it’s perfectly normal. Its main purpose is to keep YOU safe. That’s why in dangerous situations your heart races and blood pressure increases, so you have MORE blood flow. Blood sugars rise and adrenaline is pumping to give YOU Energy and help YOU Focus on the task at hand. Short periods of stress can aid in survival towards an unexpected threat and drive YOU to do great feats .   However, when you experience chronic non-l

  Is Sitting Too Long Killing You?   Do you sit for work? Studies show irrespective of whether you exercise or not if you sit for prolonged periods (greater than three hours) that's an independent risk factor for early death. [1]   The Harm (of sitting too long) 1. Ninety percent of the pressure is directed to your low back (hence the reason many people get low back pain when they sit for too long) 2. Metabolism is slowed by 90% after sitting for 30 minutes or longer. This translates to a 9-pound weight loss in a year merely by standing up more (3 hours/day). 3. Worsening cholesterol and blood sugar 4. Increase risk of early death (37% increased risk in women and 17% increased risk in men) Why is this? When you sit, the muscles in your lower body are turned off. This causes calorie burning to plummet . Remember our ancestors were hunters and gatherers. As such, our bodies are made to move , except when

  Heart disease kills millions of people each year [1] . It’s the number one cause of death of all humans. What increases your risk?   1.STRESS 2.STRESS 3.STRESS 4.Sedentary lifestyle 5.Poor nutrition   Here’s a simple remedy that helps you manage the STRESS. Remember having stress is normal, but what matters is how YOU handle it. Perspective is everything and simply asking yourself “is this serving me?” Think about the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors you’re experiencing, along with practicing this simple technique can make all the difference. Your life is determined by what YOU CHOOSE to FOCUS ON (and ACT UPON). These thoughts and actions can either lead you closer to the grave or closer to wellness. Of course, please seek professional counseling if you need it. Use the handout below to check in with yourself each day. It’s the best kept secret. I say this because many folks do NOT practice this. It’s sad because it’s so simple. Not always easy, b

  3 Simple Steps to Avoiding Nighttime Cravings Do you know anything worse than you’ve been good all day and now you have these unbearable cravings to eat all the junk food in sight? If it’s not in the fridge or pantry, you may want to splurge on ice cream or order some “bad food” that will just add to your belly fat! Why does this happen? 1.Low blood sugar- A simple remedy is to eat good sources of protein (almonds, lentil soup, eggs, salmon, etc.). Low blood sugar can occur with missing meals. If you’re doing intermittent fasting and getting lightheaded or dizzy, please check your blood sugars (and fluid levels) and speak with your health care provider. **2. Emotional- This is one of the most common reasons I see in my practice. My patients tell me they’re upset, frustrated, feeling overwhelmed or they’re just bored. What were you taught to do when feeling emotional? Eat “comfort foods” of course! 3.Dehydration- Simply drink 2-3 cups of water with electrolytes and not