Healthy Living

Robin Williams

Patients, friends, family: The news of Robin Williams' death yesterday has me in awe.  As a doctor I see many patients who have depression, and through medication and other means we are able to help them.

Please don't every be afraid to talk to me about feeling depressed.  We can work together to find the right solution to make you feel better.

Rest in peace, Robin.  You were a gift to the world.

-- Dr. Dale. 

 

12 Foods To Keep You Fuller, Longer

This is great!  Perfect for summer and losing the undesired weight. -- Dr. Dale

--------- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/29/foods-control-appetite-full_n_5486104.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

By Carey Rossi

When you're trying to lose weight, cutting back on the amount you eat is a given -- but feeling hungry all the time is one of the major reasons why most diets fail within a week. Still, you can silence your grumbling stomach without consuming extra calories. In fact, eating certain foods sends a signal to your brain that you're done eating and quiets your appetite. Shut out the ice cream pint that's calling your name by eating these healthy and satisfying foods.

  1. Apples
    Chomp on an apple approximately a half hour before a meal -- the fiber and water from the apple will fill you up, so you'll eat less, says Debra Wein, RD, president of Wellness Workdays, a leading provider of worksite wellness programs.
  2. Avocados
    Eating half of an avocado with your lunch may help you feel full for the rest of the afternoon, according to a study published in Nutrition Journal. Women who did that felt 22 percent more satisfied and had a 24 percent lower desire to snack three hours later than on days they ate a calorically equivalent lunch without the avocado.
  3. Beans, Chickpeas & Lentils
    Dietary pulses such as chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas are protein-rich superfoods that also pack in fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins and iron. Eating more of them may also help you control your appetite. A recent meta-analysis published in the journal Obesity found that people were 31 percent more satisfied after a meal when it included pulses.
  4. Soup
    In a Penn State study, people who slurped a bowl of low-calorie, broth-based soup before their lunch entrées reduced their total calorie intake at the meal by 20 percent. "Soups can take the edge of your appetite since they take up a lot of volume in your stomach, but with very few calories," says Beth Saltz, RD, owner of nutritionskitchen.com.
  5. Pickles
    Pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods have short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and recent research in the Annals of The New York Academy of Sciencesfound that they help strengthen the bond between the gut and the brain. SCFAs stimulate production of hormones that cross the blood-brain barrier and improve appetite signaling. Fermented foods also boast probiotics, the healthy bacteria that help digestion. Some experts believe probiotics may reduce appetite and aid weight loss, though research is inconclusive.
  6. Chili Powder
    You may already know that capsaicin, the compound in chilis that gives them their kick, fires up your metabolism. Recent research from Maastricht University in the Netherlands shows that adding heat to your meal may also control your appetite. The study, which was published in the journal Appetite, found that adding 1/4 teaspoon of chili pepper to each meal increased satiety and fullness. What's more, some participants were only allowed to consume 75 percent of their recommended daily calorie intake, but didn't feel any more desire to continue eating after dinner than those who were given 100 percent of their daily calories.
  7. Dark Chocolate
    When you're craving something sweet, reach for dark chocolate. Research suggests dark chocolate can help reduce blood pressure and protect the heart and brain. It's also more filling than milk chocolate and may help curb cravings for both sweet and salty foods, according to a study in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes. In fact, participants consumed 17 percent fewer calories at a meal following a dose of dark chocolate.
  8. Eggs
    Starting your day with eggs will leave you satisfied until lunch. The power's in the protein: research from the University of Missouri at Columbia suggests that eating a 300-calorie breakfast made up of 30 to 39 grams of protein (think: eggs and sausage) reduces hunger pangs and increases fullness during the time between breakfast and lunch. What's more, the research revealed that high-protein breakfast eaters consume fewer calories throughout the day.
  9. Nuts
    Nuts are another filling food that may help you eat less. In a British Journal of Nutrition study, obese women who paired either 1.5 ounces of peanuts or 3 tablespoons of peanut butter with Cream of Wheat cereal and orange juice felt fuller for up to 12 hours after finishing breakfast than those who didn't eat the peanut products. "Nuts are essentially designed by nature to control appetite because they're rich in healthy unsaturated fat, along with bonus protein and fiber," says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health magazine contributing nutrition editor. Together, the three nutrients slow digestion and regulate blood sugar when combined with carbs like fruit, oatmeal or brown rice.
  10. Oatmeal
    Consider ditching cereal for warm, gooey oatmeal. Oatmeal will keep you feeling fuller longer, suggests a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Participants were served 250 calories of cereal or oatmeal with 113 calories of milk. The oatmeal-eaters were satiated longer, and they also experienced a greater reduction in hunger and a decreased desire to eat compared to ready-to-eat cereal eaters. Why the difference? Oatmeal is higher in fiber and protein and also has higher amounts of beta-glucan -- the sugars that give oatmeal its heart-healthy properties, hydration and molecular weight compared to ready-to-eat cereals.
  11. Water
    Being low on H2O can trick you into believing you're hungry. Why? The symptoms of hunger are similar to those of being dehydrated: low energy, reduced cognitive function, and poor mood. So next time you're craving an afternoon snack, drink a tall glass of water and wait 10 minutes. Chances are, your hunger pangs will pass, and you'll have saved hundreds of calories.
  12. Whey Protein
    Dairy whey -- one of the two proteins that make up milk products -- may be the most filling type of protein. According to a study published in the journal Appetite, people who drank whey protein ate 18 percent less two hours later than those who had consumed a carbohydrate drink. Use whey protein powder to give smoothies a protein punch.

10 Ways To Get More Sleep

Well, we all know everyone can use this advice! -- Dr. Dale

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/get-more-sleep_n_5526580.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living

By Rebecca Scritchfield for U.S. News Health

It's 1 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you're awake, sluggishly trying to finish every last item on your jam-packed to-do list. Sound familiar? You're not alone. Sixty-three percent of adults report that getting enough sleep is extremely or very important to them, but only 30 percent say they are doing a very good job achieving this goal,according to an American Psychological Association survey. In fact, and on average, American adults get only 6.7 hours of sleep per night.

These statistics are exactly why I created a 30-Day Sleep Challenge for the month of June. I'm challenging you to improve the quantity and quality of your rest, so you can be your best, healthiest self.

Sleep is often neglected in favor of getting more done, which almost always backfires. When you're sleep-deprived, you're less productive, more irritable and you often have too little energy for healthy eating and exercise that day.

If you habitually get too little sleep, your health could be in real trouble. Sleep is the time when your body recuperates and rebuilds from the day's stress. Imagine how much happier and healthier you could be with an additional 60 to 90 minutes of sleep each night.

What's keeping so many people up at night? Stress. It's the No. 1 reason people don't get enough sleep, according to the APA survey. Forty-three percent of people report lying awake at night because they feel stressed. We have too much to do and not enough time to do it, and instead of respecting the boundaries of our rest time, we take precious minutes (and even hours) from our sleep to worry about what didn't get done.

If you're stuck counting sheep, unable to fall asleep, try these healthy remedies: Make a list. If your mind is racing with all the things you have to do the next day, get them down on paper. This can help you move on and get your much-needed rest.

Drink a cup of warm milk, chamomile tea or tart cherry juice -– each can positively influence your sleep patterns.

Eat magnesium-rich foods like almonds, and calcium-rich foods such as cheese and crackers, which help your body use tryptophan and serotonin to get sleepy. You can also learn more about sleep producing foods by visiting my blog.

Leave your phone and other screens turned off. The glow can interfere with your body's production of melatonin, which is a hormone that makes us feel sleepy.

Don't lie awake staring at the ceiling for too long. If you’ve been awake for more than 30 minutes, get up and either get a glass of water, walk around the room or gently stretch. Doing so can help interrupt the "I can't sleep" pattern.

Hide your clock. The last thing you need to do is count every passing minute that you're awake. If you need an alarm clock to get up in the morning, just turn it around so you can't see the clock face at night.

One of the best things you can do for your health is create a better sleep routine. These are tips to help establish a healthy, long-term sleep pattern: Set sleep boundaries and stick to them. Allot at least eight hours for sleep every night. Don't stay up late or set your alarm extra early just to knock out a few extra to-do items. The more rest you get, the more productive you'll be during waking hours.

Give yourself a bedtime, and go to bed at that time every night. Our bodies become accustomed to the routine, and eventually you'll fall asleep faster.

Don’t workwatch TV, email, text or look at social media from bed. Your bed should be for two things only: sleep and sex.

Keep screens out of the bedroom, or at least away from the bed.

For my #30daysleepchallenge, I encourage you to improve your sleep habits so you can be ready for whatever life throws at you on a daily basis –- physically, mentally and emotionally. I'm posting tons of tips and information on my blog, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest to help you get better sleep. We've already been going for a while, but you can join in at any time! Be sure to share your thoughts, and I'll be responding to your questions every day.