Why does this happen?

There are a variety of reasons why people fail. Some are physical, most however, are psychological. Most people actually fail before they begin. What do I mean by that? It’s quite simple; they have very little understanding of the p-r-o-c-e-s-s of changing their body. Consequently, they quickly become frustrated and give up. I have written this post specifically for those of you who consistently “hit-the-wall” when it comes to changing the dimensions of your body.

The human Body is an amazing machine. If properly cared for it will function at a high level creating a strong, healthy and lean physique. If improperly cared for it will become weak, sickly and obese.

So let’s begin the story of how you are going to get your body back. The first thing I would like you to know is that your body works with the laws of nature. Like gravity, these laws work 24 hours a day 365 days a year and are predictable.

Changing the shape of your body does not require fancy equipment, a trainer or a $200 DVD program bought on a late night infomercial. However, it does require 3 things:

1. A Solid Plan
2. Realistic expectations
3. A willingness to do certain things over and over again until you get the desired result.

A Picture is worth a 1000 words.

Have you ever looked at pictures that were taken of you through the years and wondered what happened? Those pictures are a historical representation, a visual diary of sorts, of how you have cared for your body up to this point. Are you pleased with how you look or displeased? Most people are displeased.

Understand this… Your body has adapted to your daily thoughts and habits. To change your body you have to change your daily thoughts and habits. The majority of people work on changing one but not both, that is why they fail.

What You Resist… Will Persist!

True change always begins by making a decision and then committing to that decision. Commitment is critical to any worthwhile endeavor. When was the last time you made a commitment to yourself that you kept? Has it been a while? Now is your chance. You are worth it!

“True Commitment is doing that in which you said you were going to do, even though the mood in which you said it has left you.”

Okay so you are now committed to begin the process of changing your body. You know that inspiration and motivation tend to diminish in short period of time. Because of this, in the past you gave up. So why is this time going to be different? Because I’m going to teach you what to expect when using this plan.

A great analogy for making changes in your body is rehabbing an old house. First of all, if you purchased the house you obviously saw potential. You had a vision of what the house will ultimately look like. The same goes for your body. The first thing I want you to do is get a vision of what you will look like when you have reached your goal. I want you to create a very Precise Vision. At night before you fall asleep with your eyes closed, imagine you are sitting in a theater by yourself watching the “you” that “you” are becoming on the screen. It’s important that you create and notice details about the new you that you are becoming. How you eat. How you move. How people look at you differently. Your energy level. Again, the more detail the better. Clarity is power. Have fun with it! By doing this nightly you are creating a mental target or blueprint for your mind and body to follow. This step is critical.

Let time be your friend

Like any process in nature, time is required for change to occur. Choosing a time frame correctly will help keep your expectations in check. You probably know the saying, “A watched pot never boils.” I always tell my clients to allow themselves a minimum time frame of 18 months. Trust me… 18 months goes by quickly if you stay focused on the process of becoming a better version of you. In a span of 18 months, many transforming things occur both physically and psychologically. These gradual changes will not only change the way you feel but also dramatically change your habits.

Take out the garbage

Okay back to the analogy of rehabbing the house. Typically, the first step of rehabbing a house is tearing out all of the old out-dated materials so that new more functional materials can be put in their place. Your old habits and behaviors are to be looked at in the same way. They function but they are no longer useful in helping you to attaining your goal. In fact, they are counterproductive. So from now on, I want you to look at any thought, habit or behavior that is not drawing you closer to your goal as Garbage. Begin the process of eliminating them. Know that in the beginning your mind and body will argue with you. This is great news. Welcome it! This lets you know you are the right track.

Thoughts are things!

I cannot possibly emphasize how important your internal dialogue is when it comes to achieving your goal. The thoughts that you accept are very powerful because they drive your daily behavior. It’s your daily behavior that either moves you towards or away from your goal. When confronted with a decision always ask this question… Is this moving me towards or away from my goal? Then choose accordingly.

Fats & Sugars

Did you know that your body has the amazing ability to burn two types of fuel? Fats and sugars. If you are overweight and have a lot of body fat, you burn mainly sugar. Did you know your body can be coaxed to burn fat by simply changing the way you eat?

It’s a proven fact that the over abundance of carbohydrates in one’s diet causes a variety of problems. For our discussion however, the main problem it causes is weight gain and obesity. To make serious changes in your body you need to begin eliminating carbohydrates from your diet. As you remove carbohydrates begin adding more high quality proteins and vegetables. As your intake of sugar/carbohydrates drop off your body will begin “choosing” fat as a source of fuel. This can take a while but the results will make you very happy.

Are you retaining water?

Did you know your body holds on to water if you are not properly hydrated? Drinking more water is a must. The rule of thumb is half your body weight in fluid ounces per day. Example: If you weigh 100 pounds you should drink 50 fluid ounces of water per day.

Time to get moving

Many people despise exercise. In fact, they equate it with pain. In reality, it is a wonderful tool if properly used and understood. I want you to look at exercise as a tool. Exercise is a very efficient way of putting a specific demand on your body. There are two forms of exercise both will help you to sculpt out a new body. Exercise five days a week.

(Remember: This is an 18 month process start out slow)

Aerobic Exercise

I’d like to teach you the secret of burning fat. To burn fat you have to get your heart rate into a range that is specific for YOU! Ones size does not fit all. Everybody is different!

So how do you figure this out? There are several ways, this I have found to be the easiest. 220 – (your age) X 70%= Your Target Heart Rate. Let’s say you are 30 years old. Here is how the calculation would go 220 – 30 X 70%= 133. So if you were 30 years old, your target rate would be 133 beats per minute. This is basically 70% of your maximum heart rate for your age. When your heart is beating in this zone your body’s chooses fat as a fuel. When your heart rate exceeds this your body chooses sugar as a fuel. We do not want this!

Ideally, you would slowly bring (over a period of 5 to 10 minutes) your heart rate up to your target rate. Once you achieve your target rate, the longer you stay there the better. Start out slow maybe 12 minutes. Over time work up to 15 minutes. Soon you will be doing 45 minutes to an hour.

I always advise my Wellness Clients to buy a Heart Rate Monitor. This is not necessary but it makes monitoring your heart rate much easier. In my opinion Polar Heart Monitors are the best. The heart monitor becomes an invaluable tool. I call it my coach. It will let you know when you are above or below your target rate. It also helps you to create a target zone. Bottom line, it makes doing this EASY!

Anaerobic Exercise

Strength training or weight training typically involves lifting weights or using weight machines. Doing push-ups, pull-ups and squats also can be used to do strength training. The procedure is straight forward try to incorporate several exercises that hit all the main areas of your body. As mentioned above you could do push-ups for your chest. Pull-ups for your arms and back and squats for your lower body. Work your way up to where you can do 3 sets of 12 reps. Over time you will get stronger.

Exercise 5 days a week.

Do aerobic exercises one day and anaerobic exercises the next day. Start out slowly until you develop a good base and then expand on that base.

Discipline is not an end in itself, only a means to an end.

Remember that the past does not equal the future. You failed in the past because you simply did not understanding the process. You now understand that your body works with the laws of nature and by following the above plan, you will be partnering with these laws. I wish you success. If you have questions please leave a comment.

Yours in Health!

Dr. Gould

So if you suffer from digestive problems try the below and you will be amazed.

1. Eat slower. Chew your food better.
2. Don’t drink fluids while you eat. Wait 30 minutes after you eat to drink.
3. If your case is severe read my post on proper Food Combining.
4. Every night commercials try to convince you that your indigestion is due to too much acid. This simply is not true. As we get older we simple do not make enough acid. (achlorhydra)

Let me know how this works for you.
Yours in Health!
Dr. Gould

Habits of the Three Percent

They have a different philosophy than the other 97%.  It’s their belief that it is much easier to stay well than to get well. (What a Concept!)  They constantly look for ways to drive their health upward to the next level.  They understand that medicine has its place, yet they rarely use it.  They have a deep understanding that one’s immunity is “everything” and they work at keeping it strong.  They don’t worry about the Media’s Latest Health Worry. They understand that true health comes from the inside and so does disease.

“The Microbe is nothing. The terrain is everything.”

Louis Pasteur, said the above on his deathbed, finally recanted his germ theory by admitting that the microbe (germs) is nothing. The terrain (your body’s immunity) is everything.  The 3% understand this fact.

The Strategy of the Three Percent

They eat quality foods. Drink pure water.  Exercise regularly.  Get adequate rest.  Exercise stress management. Have their spine’s routinely checked for subluxations. Take quality whole food supplements.  Spend time out in nature.  Read positive literature.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  However, the numbers suggest that it is not that easy.  It all comes down to a choice.  Your Choice!

Yours in Health!

Dr. Gould

Torticollis (Wry Neck)

A person with torticolles typically enters my office with his head tilted to one side and is able to turn his head in one direction but not the other. The pain initially is mild but becomes intense as time passes. This can actually happen at any age. Some people are born with it. Torticollis usually has an insidious onset. Sleeping funny or having your head turned to one side for a prolonged period of time. In fact, initially most people think they just have a crick in their neck.

The problem in the majority of cases begins at the spinal joints or facets. When the spine is put into rotation for a prolonged period of time, this causes the affected spinal joints to separate. This separation causes the capsule to stretch. As the spinal joint surfaces get pulled apart, the surrounding capsule can be pulled into the joint due to a negative pressure. Once this occurs, the joints are now able to “pinch” the capsule. This pinching in turn causes the muscled that cross that joint to go into spasm which causes more pinching. This in turn causes more spasm. This is why the pain tends to spread over time and is always on one side. Warning: Get this treated ASAP.

I hope this post has been helpful.

Yours in Health, Naturally!

Dr. Gould

Are you in Pain? Do you frequently get sick? Do you feel tired most of the time? Do you feel bloated after eating? Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you have trouble having bowel movements? Do you crave certain foods? When you first get up in the morning do you feel miserable, tight and stiff?

Did you know?

These are common complaints of Baby Boomers. All these complaints are due to Lifestyle. Individual Lifestyle is determined by one’s Personal Philosophy. I would suggest to you, if you are suffering from “any” or “all” of the above, you need a new Personal Philosophy.

All the above symptoms are feedback, that your body-is-struggling. There are several ways of dealing with this feedback but only one correct way. Roughly 3% of our society chooses the correct way.

1. Many people choose to do nothing. We all know these people and their excuses: I can’t change. I’ve been smoking since I was 12 years old. I can’t live without junk food. I need my Whisky to sleep. I need my six pack at night to relax. Exercise makes me put on weight. I’m not that fat. This is the best one… I’m waiting till the beginning of the year to make my changes. I’m here to tell you, all of the above reasons are lies. People lie to themselves all the time and by doing so, allow their most precious asset “TIME” slip away. This is what I call a poor philosophy choice.
2. Many people choose prescriptions or over the counter medications. I have a question for you. Do you actually believe drugs correct the problem? They don’t! I know that drugs are amazing at getting rid of symptoms but it is a rarity when they actually address the causation of the symptom. Consequently, the problem continues unchecked and gets worse. This is also another poor Philosophy choice. I have to admit, this choice in many instances, is due to the Billions Pharmaceutical Companies spends on convincing the public via advertising that their drug is the answer to any and all health issues. The public has simply been dumbed down and brainwashed.
3. A small but growing group of people, however, have decided to become educated. The truth is… know one will ever care more or less about your health than you. By the way… it’s all up to you. In this group, all have concluded that if they want to enjoy vibrant health, they have to make a study of it. In other words, these people have decided to Get Real. They understand that if you want to get good at anything you have to make a study of it. Then they do something amazing… they put in the time and the discipline and within months they start reaping the rewards of amazing health and energy. In doing so, they have created a new Philosophy and are living a completely different much more enjoyable Lifestyle.

As a Wellness Coach, I help individuals navigate their journey back to a more vibrant Life. The journey begins by exploring their current philosophy. Finding what is right and addressing what is wrong. With effort, discipline and time, amazing things can happen.

If you have been procrastinating with any of the above and you are tired of feeling sick and tired, I challenge you to begin your journey and new life immediately. Action creates momentum. Momentum creates results. If you would like to know more please call me.

Yours in Health, Naturally!

Dr. Gould

What is Yoga? (My simplified definition)

Yoga is a system of well-being. Its origin in India dates back five thousand years but its practice is very relevant to modern life. Yoga (which means “union”) is a process through which mind, body and spirit are restored to optimal balance. Personally, midway through the class it was as if my mind slid into neutral. My mind actually quieted. Amazing!

Yoga exercises strengthen and tone the body. They also increase flexibility, improve posture and encourage correct alignment. Proper breathing in the postures heats up the body, making the workouts more invigorating and enabling the release of deeply rooted tension.

Yoga practice is a distinct form of exercise because of its constant attention to complete breathing. Attention to the breath quiets the busyness of the mind, bringing a clarity and focus to the practice.

I would recommend Yoga to anyone that is feeling out-of-balance.

Our culture and fast paced life creates disconnects in our mind, body and spirit. These disconnects create tension in our body and our lives. Yoga helps to eliminate these disconnects, allowing our mind, body and spirit to reunite and relax.

Be Well!

Dr. Gould

I find that the majority of people know very little about maintaining a healthy body. In fact, most people only become interested when they become ill or develop a disease.

Sad to say most people are oblivious to the concept of a health strategy. Partly due to ignorance, laziness and the insidious nature of a health care industry that is driven by selling more and more drugs to people that have been brainwashed into thinking that both health and disease come from the outside. We have always been taught that germs are out to get us and if they do, there is a drug for it. I’m here to tell you, there is another way, a natural more holistic way.

This is the first of several posts that I’m going to write, titled Common Sense Health Strategies. So let us begin learning how your body works and how to make it work better.

Your body is a High Performance Machine

What makes it such a high performance machine is its ability to rapidly respond to both internal and external stimuli. This rapid response is made possible due to your brain and nervous system. A truly Amazing Duo!

Did you know your nervous system was the “first” system in your body to be formed, after you were conceived? This irrefutable fact is a clue to your nervous system’s importance. Did you know your nervous system controls “everything” in your body? Essentially, your nervous system is an information super highway. The brain sends information to the body parts and then, the body parts send information back to the brain. This amazing feedback loop allows constant monitoring of all the systems of your body. This is why problems in the nervous system can create serious health problems. Because of this fact, your spine should be the first thing checked when you are not feeling well and regularly maintained to keep you well.

Fact: In the body information is Health! Lack of information is Disease!

Your spine is made up of many segments called vertebrae. The vertebrae are stacked on top of one another. Your spine acts like a support structure for your upper body, it also houses and protects your spinal cord and it allows you bend and twist. On occasion these segments can lose their proper alignment or relationship with on another. When this happens, the nerves exiting the spine can become pinched causing a disruption in the communication between the brain and the affected body part(s). If this communication is not restored the body’s level of functioning is reduced. This reduction in functioning can predispose you to illness, pain and disease.

Strategy #1 “Spinal Hygiene”

Keeping your spine in proper alignment by having it checked and if needed, having it adjusted. Did you know your current level of health is in direct proportion to the level of communication that currently exists between your brain and your body. This simple fact has eluded the masses with the exception of elite athletes and those who seek optimal health.

Sadly many people deal with health problems by simply drugging the symptom. Drugging the symptom however, never corrects the cause it merely allows it to get worse. This is why I say common sense is not so common.

Have you had your spine checked recently? Do you know that is suffering, if so, please share this post with them.

Yours in Health!

Dr. Gould