Radio Naturopath Episode 474: New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Keep!

This week we talked about New Year's Resolutions that are actually accessible, that you can keep. Stuff like: eating more whole foods, cooking more meals at home, finding exercise you enjoy, add in a little bit of meditation, get more good sleep. Notice that NONE of these are LOSE WEIGHT! Having weight loss as a goal just makes you nuts, and you never know if it's actually going to happen. However, eating a healthy meal and exercising are things you can do TODAY. That's the focus! Develop some good lifestyle habits now, and before you know it you'll be feeling great, regardless of your weight!

Radio Naturopath Episode 460: Lisinopril finally! More Weight Loss Basics

This week, I talk about my jump to the Dark Side. Well, not really. Hey, did you know that the term "going to the Dark Side" was popularized by Star Wars? I'm going to try another BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION, and hopefully this time I can take it and stay on it! We're going to try low dose lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. The more I talked with various cycling friends, the  more of them I discovered were taking it, feeling fine, and enjoying riding their bikes as much as they liked! So my PCP prescribed it, and first dose will go down the hatch tonight. I'll report on how I'm feeling, hoping for no dizziness!

We continued the series on weight loss, some basic good advice on lifestyle choices that can help. Drinking water, reducing carbs, reducing stress, eating produce and fiber, all good! All of those things are basic habits that are great for healing from anything. Ron also read off some calorie, fat and sugar content of some very large coffee-based drinks available at a popular regional establishment. A large version of one of them had 1100 calories! Pair that with a glazed jelly stick, and that's all your calories for the day! We particularly talked about Neuropeptide Y, which gets stimulated when you eat fat and starch or sugar together. It turns off your satiety signals, so you wind up eating most of the pizza, or the entire pint of ice cream! So avoiding large portions of fat and sugar together is a good idea. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 379: Happy New Year! Easy Resolutions for 2023; Weight Loss 101

Today, of course, I talked about New Year's resolutions, things people can resolve to do but aren't gargantuan and you don't feel like you've failed at them after two weeks. They are more things that take a little effort once in a while, like volunteering at a food pantry, creating a gratitude journal and writing in it only when you feel like it, and resolving to exercise because it feels good and not because you feel like you have to. Doing bite-sized self-improvement actions can be really helpful! Another one I emphasized is that it's OK to rest MORE, take some down time and do less stuff. Restoration and rejuvenation are really important this time of year!

I also reviewed the basic principles of fat loss, as I like to do periodically, and people are definitely interested in that this time of year. The most important thing? REST! It lowers cortisol, reducing blood sugar and insulin and making restorative hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone more available. The LEAST? Supplements. Fat loss happens in an enviroment of caloric restriction and hormonal balance. Supplements can only go so far in helping with that; you have to change what you do.

Radio Naturopath Episode 197: Healthy Hot Cocoa, Rest Is the Most Important Part of Weight Loss, Why Jicama is Good For You

HOT COCOA. It can be good for you, and I think it can be even better with matcha in it! Rock those antioxidants! Or do cocoa chai, with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and cayenne. Way to warm you up on a cold day. Don't forget the marshmallows! Also, REST is the most important part of weight loss! If your cortisol is too high, you'll store fat. So nap, meditate, breathe, walk in nature! The first rule of weight loss? Don't talk about weight loss. Talk about all the other good things that you can do for your health that can incidentally get you there. Plus JICAMA is good for you! It's crunchy, low calorie, and has lots of fiber. Great healthy alternative to crackers!

Radio Naturopath Episode 164: IUD's Post Partum, Storrs (and other) Farmers' Markets, What's Stopping Your Weight Loss

I went on a rant about why you shouldn't use IUD's post partum and while nursing. If you use the progestin ones, they block progesterone receptors and can lead to/aggravate post partum depression! They  and the copper ones can also just cause inflammation, which you don't need right after giving birth. Time for barrier methods!

Salute to the STORRS FARMERS MARKET, which was SUPER FUN last week. We talked about who was there, and the other markets everyone should check out. 

And what's stopping your weight loss? Part of it is TIME. Suddenly it's March and people haven't been paying attention, and the weather gets nice and they notice. It's going to take time, and by this time next month you'll be a little lighter, because the light, more activity, and less heavy food. So be patient!