Add 12 years to your life
Turbo charge weight loss to increase longevity.
New research following close to 5,000 adults - mostly in their 40s - finds that obesity cuts 12 years off the human lifespan. Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, this study also underscores the importance of eating your veggies and fruits, exercising regularly, moderate alcohol use, and not smoking.
While this is not exactly surprising, research in the May issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology is. According to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for a healthy weight, between half and two-thirds of all women in their reproductive years are obese!
How can this be? WHO guidelines use body fat to determine obesity - rather than body-mass index (BMI), a measure of whether height and weight are proportional - favored in this country.
"BMI is not 'one size fits all,'" says Abbey Berenson, MD, director of the University of Texas Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health. "Inaccurate classification can decrease the impact of obesity prevention programs that will result in many women not receiving the help they need."
Dr. Ann Louise's take:
With more than one billion adults worldwide are obese and 10 percent of the world's children are overweight or obese, safe weight loss is a critical health need now more than ever. Linked to higher blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and numerous other chronic diseases, it's no wonder that obesity can cut a decade off your lifespan.
Experts at the University of Michigan report that 20 percent of 20-somethings are now obese. That's one of the reasons why we created Smoothie Shakedown - an easy, inexpensive weight-loss plan that's fun to follow. Like all my Fat Flush plans, it helps shed unwanted body fat, especially belly fat so closely linked to heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
In clinical research, the Smoothie Shakedown jump-starts weight loss in as little as two weeks. And many women lost up to 20 pounds in that short time! You simply enjoy a great-tasting, plant-based smoothie for two meals a day plus another healthy meal. And like any Fat Flush protocol, drink plenty of water and CranH2O in between meals.
Go to Smoothie Shakedown for delicious recipes using a special gluten- and dairy-free protein. Combining yellow pea and brown rice for a complete source of essential amino acids, Fat Flush Body Protein has one of the highest Protein Efficiency ratings available. This means you'll feel full and energized for a good four hours - without cravings or blood sugar highs and subsequent lows.
Added support
If you're on Facebook, log on to the Smoothie Shakedown page. You'll also find plenty of support on the Fat Flush Forum. Studies have shown that this kind of online support helps people stick to their weight-loss goals - and the Forum is filled with useful tips from 1,000s of Fat Flushers worldwide.
For anyone who has 50 pounds or more to lose, Fat Flush for Life offers a longer term, season-by-season approach with menu plans and more than 50 recipes for healthy weight control. Named one of Time's Top 10 Diets for 2010, this plan supports the liver while protecting against vascular inflammation in diabetes and heart disease.
Spring's lighter diet filled with superstar food and more exercise is a great way to support the liver - the body's premier fat-burning organ. Fat Flush for Life also includes anti-inflammatory fats including omega-3 rich fish oil and Hi-Lignan Flax Oil to trim belly fat and support cardiovascular health.
If you hit a weight-loss plateau or want expert help in modifying any of my Fat Flush programs, try personalized meal planning services, lshapiro@annlouise.com. With eight years experience as a Fat Flusher, Linda knows how to design cost effective, easy-to-prepare, flexible meal plans - incorporating your own favorite foods. Best all, this personalized service can be adapted to all of my books including The Fast Track Detox Diet and The Gut Flush Plan.
Sources:
• Smoothie Shakedown
• Fat Flush for Life
• www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=637983
• www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=638265
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20432259
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20428625
• www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-04-26-bad-habits-death_N.htm
Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman is the award-winning author of more than 30 books on health and nutrition and guest on many TV and radio programs. She resides in Kootenai County. Info: annlouise.com