Dr. Paul BekkumHelping you achieve pain relief to peak performance, naturally.

Avoid eating when you are angry, upset, or depressed.

Stress depresses your body’s digestive abilities. You will tend to eat more when you are in situations where you are stressed. Before you reach for that candy bar, bag of chips or hopefully not the bottle alcohol, learn to take some deep breaths and take a drink of a tall glass of cold water.

Put some time and space between what ever made you angry, upset or depressed and realize that you are in control of your response to any of those situations.  Use that time and space not to avoid the situation, but to thoroughly think through what ever is stressing you.  You can then focus on the solution to the stressful situation, rather than reacting to the problem and doing something that you will regret later.

Keep your eye on the outcome you desire and you can achieve it.  Setback will occur, expect them to happen.  But remember to refocus back on your desired outcome and take things one step at a time.  Always look ahead at what is your next positive action to bring you closer to your desired outcome.

Drink water every day.

You need to drink water everyday.  In your quest to loose weight, hunger pangs can actually be the first signs that you need to drink some water.  The next time you feel hungry, first drink some water and see if that may satisfy you.  As you know, there are no calories in water.  Use your hunger to help you develop the habit of drinking more water during the day.  You maybe surprised at how this small habit change can help you in the short term get through a plateau in weight loss and also help you in the long term to maintain a healthy weight.

Remember, you should use your hunger as a guide for when you should be drinking water and not just thirst alone.

Here is a link to the article:  http://news.health.com/2009/07/27/almost-10-percent-u-s-medical-costs-tied-obesity/

Include aerobics in your workout program.

Benefits of an aerobic workout:

1. Weight Loss
2. Improved Physical Health by loosing extra weight
   1. Decreased risk of heart disease
   2. Decreased blood pressure and heart rate
   3. Decreased stroke risk
   4. Decreased risk of certain cancers
   5. Improved muscle function
   6. Improved cardiovascular function
   7. Increase HDL cholesterol levels
   8. Decreased triglyceride levels
3. Improved Mental Health
   1. Increased endorphin levels
   2. Decreased stress levels
   3. Decreased anxiety
   4. Decreased depression
4. Better Sleep
5. Less daily fatigue

What are some activities you can perform to get an aerobic workout?

Here is a short list:

1. Martial Arts
2. Running
3. Walking
4. Cycling
5. Swimming
6. Skiing
7. Various home exercise equipment

How often should I be doing aerobic exercise?

You should be doing aerobic exercise 30 minutes daily.   But, start slowly and build up your workout to that level. One good indicator to make sure you are not over doing it is to exercise with a partner.   As long as you can carry on a normal conversation when you are exercising, you’ll stay at an exercise level that won’t over tax your body.

Eliminate junk foods.

Definition of junk food–noun

Junk foods can create nutrient deficiencies, can be high in saturated fats and refined sugars, and can lead to cravings that will cause you to overeat. If you feel the need to snack, eat some natural foods such as nuts, fruits or vegetables. The natural foods will calm your hunger and produce a healthier result.

Eat foods high in fiber.
They aid in the regulation of the gastrointestinal system. They also bind with fats, so they are less absorbable to the body. Great sources are raw fruits and vegetables, oatmeal (not the instant kind), and grain products.  I have attached a link to an article on dietary fiber from Mayo Clinic.  Visit the link @ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/nu00033

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome that occurs predominantly in women and is marked by generalized pain, multiple defined tender points, fatigue, disturbed and nonrestorative sleep, and numerous other somatic complaints.

Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia

To meet the fibromyalgia criteria for medical diagnosis, patients must experience:

Widespread pain in all four quadrants of their body, for a minimum of three months, and,

At least 11 of the 18 specified tender points (see sketches below)

The 18 sites used for the fibromyalgia diagnosis cluster around the neck, shoulder, chest, hip, knee, and elbow regions. The finger pressure that must be applied to these areas during a “palpation” exam is roughly equivalent to the amount that causes the finger nail bed to blanch or start to become white. Over 75 other tender points have been found to exist, but are not used for diagnostic purposes.Tender Points may occur at nine bilateral locations:
Thanks to About.Com for access to these pictures.

Front of the Body:

Low Cervical Region: (front neck area) at anterior aspect of the interspaces between the transverse processes of C5-C7.

Second Rib: (front chest area) at second costochondral junctions.

Lateral Epicondyle: (elbow area) 2 cm distal to the lateral epicondyle.

Knee: (knee area) at the medial fat pad proximal to the joint line.

Back of the Body:

Occiput: (back of the neck) at suboccipital muscle insertions.

Trapezius Muscle: (back shoulder area) at midpoint of the upper border.

Supraspinatus Muscle: (shoulder blade area) above the medial border of the scapular spine.

Gluteal: (rear end) at upper outer quadrant of the buttocks.

Greater Trochanter: (rear hip) posterior to the greater trochanteric prominence.

Thanks to
About.Com for access to these pictures.

Lower your fat intake.
To do this, you must develop an awareness of the fat content in common foods.  But, you have to be aware of what fats are good and what fats are bad for you.  Here is an article from WebMD that covers good fats and bad fats: http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/good-fat-bad-fat-facts-about-omega-3

Information about good fats and bad fats have been around for awhile(over a decade), but they are now just being discussed in the mainstream media.

Remove all refined sugar from your home.

Sugar hinders the body’s immune system, lowers your vitality, and is linked to weight gain. It has no nutritional value that can’t be obtained from other sources.

*Instead try some fruits and vegetables that are naturally sweet like carrots. Again, remember to only eat until your hunger is satisfied not until you feel full.

Here is a link to a website on fruits and vegetables: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/