This February, SHOW YOUR HEART SOME LOVE 

 Learn what you need to do to have a healthy heart!

It’s February; the month of love. People everywhere are trying to come up with the perfect gift or gesture to express their love and appreciation for that special someone in their life. It’s strange though, because when we really want to give something meaningful, everlasting from the heart, we rarely thinking about our actual beating heart. When in reality, one of the best acts of love is making the priority to LOVE YOUR HEART.

Here are 3 reasons you should show your heart some love:

1.   One in three women will die from heart disease, while one in 31 will die from breast cancer. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer of women over the age of 20

2.  Heart disease is complicated because anyone could be at risk, not just those who are overweight or obese, but people with high blood pressure and high triglycerides.

 3.  Eighty percent of the heart disease is preventable by simply living a healthier lifestyle (e.g. food and fitness)

You see, YOU – being around – is the best gift you could ever give to yourself and to others.

Since  having a healthy diet is essential to having a healthy heart, our non-profit wants to offer you….

A FREE nutrition appointment to discuss what you can do to have a healthy heart.

During your FREE consultation, your new Nutritionist, Nancy, will be interested in learning more about you, so that she can provide the best solutions to fit your specific needs.

Throughout the 30 minute session, you will discuss

• Any past struggles and current obstacles you’re experiencing with your health (e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight gain, prediabetes, diabetes, heart disease)
• How choosing the right foods can boost your metabolism and address other health concerns at the same time
• Small changes to your current diet that can make a big difference, improving both the health of your heart and metabolism
• Steps you should do today to regain your health and start showing your heart some love
• Our 2012 Guide to a healthy heart, including a list of foods that will help your heart and appeal to your taste buds. Plus an extra bonus.

Getting your FREE Healthy Heart Consultation is easy! Simply follow these 3 steps:

1. Click here to Book your FREE consultation, or click on the BOOKNOW button below
2. Select FREE: Getting a Healthy Heart
3.  Find a time and date that best fits your schedule ( NOTE: All times are listed as PST)

Please keep in mind that the time you select is reserved for YOU. So, mark it on your calendar!  We will call you at your selected time at the phone number you provide.

**Important** Due to the limited number of appointments available, and to reduce the number of no-shows, you will be asked to reserve the appointment with a credit card. You must give at least 24 hr  notice prior to cancelling or rescheduling appointments, otherwise you will be charge $5 no-show fee.

How good of deal is this?

Well, let’s just say that some Nutritionists charge $110 for a 30 min session. We DON’T have these charges.  We’re a non-profit organization that is sincerely interested in helping you to have a healthy heart. We are offering this program for FREE in February only, so don’t miss this great opportunity to show your heart some love!

We know how busy things can get, so don’t wait. A healthy heart is too important. Click the BookNow Button below to book your appointment.

We look forward to speaking with you!

BERRIES 

Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries-whatever berry you like best-are full of anti-inflammatory agents, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. Berries may also help to prevent diabetes and age-related cognitive decline. Their low fat and high dietary fiber content makes them ideal for weight loss they are satisfying without adding on the pounds.

Love berries? Try this recipe!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/strawberry_melon_avocado_salad.html

LEGUMES 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00577

SPINACH

Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber. Upping your servings of any veggies is sure to give your heart a boost.

The Physicians’ Health Study examined more than 15,000 men without heart disease for a period of 12 years. Those who ate at least two-and-a-half servings of vegetables each day cut their risk of heart disease by about 25%, compared with those who didn’t eat the veggies. Each additional serving reduced risk by another 17%.

Looking for ways to eat more spinach? Try this recipe!

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/spinach-artichoke-dip

Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties-which contain more fiber-and top your bowl off with a banana for another 4 grams of fiber.

Add a little color to your oatmeal with this recipe.

http://www.eatrightamerica.com/Recipes/Breakfast/Blueberry-Nut-Oatmeal

SALMON  

Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has been found to keep blood flowing through the body and reduce the risk of heart attack. These essential fats, meaning you need to eat them because your body cannot make them itself, not only prevent cholesterol from becoming embedded in artery walls, but reduce blood clots from forming, a major cause of heart attack. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third.

Here’s a great salmon recipe to try

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/black_bean_salmon_tostadas.html

AVOCADO 

Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to up the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.

The fat in avocado is mostly the good fats -essential, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.  These good fats have been found to lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol, which is important for everyone, especially those with diabetes or are overweight and at risk for heart disease

One avocado should be divided into 5 – 1 oz servings- providing 50 calories, 3.5 grams unsaturated fat, total fat of 4.5 grams.  With one avocado totaling 250 calories, you can see a bowl of guacamole (and the fried chips) can provide 500-1000 calories and 50-75 grams of fat pretty quickly.

There are lots of ways to add avocado into your diet. Here’s one suggestion. http://www.avocado.org/recipes/view/16772/avocado-cilantro-bagel-spread

COCOA 

Dark chocolate and cocoa are super foods that contain a very high amount of antioxidants and flavanols – meaning they have been proven to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol , therefore lowering your risk of heart disease! The darker the chocolate the more super the food! Try dark chocolate with the highest percent of cocoa, preferably 60-70% cocoa solids (it’s written on the package). It is the “perfect combination between health and taste.”

If you love cocoa, you’re sure to love this recipe .

http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/i-heart-chocolate/

NUTS 

Walnuts are full of omega-3 fatty acids and, along with almonds and macadamia nuts, are loaded with mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Plus, nuts increase fiber in the diet, and they are a great source of healthy fat.

Try new ways to incorporate nuts into your recipes. Here’s an example.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/health-nut-blueberry-muffins

Have you ever met someone who seemed a little close-minded? Or perhaps a picky eater? Well, this month I came across something very interesting that I thought I’d share with you.

 Early in October, I started to prepare for our Skinny Gene Project Halloween Party (otherwise called the “sugar presentation”) for my patients. It’s always exciting to get everything ready for our group events. We want our members to really enjoy themselves.

 When the day came, I had prepared healthy food for them to eat at the party, as well as healthy treats to take home – our “Skinny Gened” version of a trick- or-treat bag.

 As the patients began to arrive, I told them to help themselves to the food while we waited for our other guests. One of my patients came in with her husband and two children and sat in the back so they could see what was going to be served for dinner. When the husband saw the spinach salad I prepared, he automatically hesitated. He kept saying “I don’t like it”. His wife said with embarrassment, “you haven’t even tried it” and put a small amount of salad on his plate.

As I began giving my presentation, I could see him out of the corner of my eye, eating the salad and commenting to his wife.  I thought to myself, could it be that he actually likes it? When I finished with the presentation and moved on to the sugar demonstration, I actually saw him go back to the table and serve himself more salad! I couldn’t believe my eyes. Only 30 minutes ago he was so hesitant and confident that the salad would be something he wouldn’t like, but as it turns out… he came back for seconds. J

I wanted to share this with you because oftentimes people set their minds to believe something negative, or take “appearance” too much into consideration, that they don’t give themselves the opportunity to try new foods. So next time you come across a “healthy” food you think you won’t like… Go for at least “one bite.”   Is that too much to ask? You didn’t know you liked cupcakes until you tried them! Trying new foods help lead to a lifetime of healthful eating!

By Eye so green

By Nancy Juarez, Skinny Gene Bilingual Nutritionist

During  the course of our lives, we go through many stages, whether it is childhood, adolescence, or the transition to becoming an adult. But there is one thing that NEVER changes – the love and support from our FAMILY.

Over these last several weeks, I have encountered different ways in which I affect the lives of not only these wonderful individuals I have the pleasure of working with, but their families as well. For me, this is a way of giving a piece of myself to make the world a better place. Keeping it true to the saying “even the smallest things can make the biggest difference.”

At each appointment, I have the chance to ask every patient how their week went. I enjoy these opportunities to get to know a little more about each of them and gain a better understanding of what’s going on in their lives.  During my normal chat with Alice, I learned something interesting. Something I’d like to now share with you.

From the very beginning, Alice has done extremely well in the program. She’s shown her dedication to improving her family’s health in addition to her own. Her family consists of herself, her husband, and 6 children. As you may know, this is quite a handful!

Alice makes the time to continue with the program and apply what she learns at home. Creating a healthy home is particularly important for this family of 8. Her son has suffered from high blood pressure since he was small. Alice had been to many doctors to try to find an answer to this problem, since the main contributing factors (which are weight and heredity) are not an issue in her family.

This week she came in extremely happy. She was happy to report that her son has had his blood pressure controlled during these past few months, solely based on what she had taught him!

Alice’s son isn’t the only one in the house that is benefiting from Alice’s healthy lifestyle changes. Her mother, who has had an extremely difficult time losing weight in the past, is amazed by her own weight loss. Even Alice’s husband slimmer waistline is feeling the effects of this new healthy home. It’s apparent, that in this house anyway, health is contagious!

It makes feel so accomplished to know that Skinny Gene is not only making positive changes in Alice’s life, but also her family’s.

And it brings me to want to share this quote with you from the Dalai Lama “With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”

This makes me feel that not only am I helping an individual person, but we are helping make the world a healthier place one person at a time.

What More???

Meet Nancy

Lose a little, Gain a lot

Your Body’s Talking, Are You Listening?

Great Things Happening for Skinny Gene in TX

MEET RACHEL

Rachel has been gaining weight for the past 3 years due to a thyroid problem. Doctors told her since this is very hard to control; she should monitor her weight for the years to come. When Rachel first met with me she was so discouraged, she would tell me, “I don’t want to continue gaining weight. My legs and back hurt. I want to play with my daughter while she is still young.”  As her daughter grows up, Rachel wants to be able to keep up with the normal physical demands of being an active mom.

She was skeptical about being part of the Skinny Gene Program; she didn’t want to get her hopes up about losing weight. Her husband had just been diagnosed with diabetes and had been having very high blood sugar levels. I encouraged her and assured CHANGE was going to occur and for the better. She began to change her eating habits radically, and began exercising everyday encouraging her husband to do the same as well. The other day I received a phone call from Rachel and as I answered I heard “Nancy! I am at a clothing store and I now fit into a smaller size!”  Having completed one month of the program, Rachel has now lost 6 pounds and has dropped 1 clothing size! Not only is she motivated, but as a result of her making healthier choices her husband has now been able to cut back on insulin since his blood sugar level is now under control. Rachel and her husband are now beginning to walk 3 miles each day at the park, while their daughter plays nearby. Not only is Rachel feeling better about herself, but her family is adapting to this new lifestyle by not only making a change, but starting to make it a habit.

MEET JESSICA

Jessica is an older woman, who has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Her doctor told her that if she controlled her blood sugar levels (which she has at 250 and 300); she might be able to get off insulin. During our first appointment, she was really depressed about being diagnosed with diabetes, which was a huge life changer for her. During the following weeks she began telling me, “I feel better every morning I wake up, knowing I am doing something for ME.”  She had spent the last 30 or more years of her life concentrating on just working but not taking care of herself and what she needed. Jessica has been in the program for a month as well, she has lost 10 pounds and her blood sugar levels have dropped! If she continues with this progress, she will be able to get off insulin sooner than she’d thought! Jessica has been following the nutrition plans and has incorporated a little more walking into her daily lifestyle.  This last appointment she told me, “I feel so much better; I have more energy throughout the day, and can finally accomplish my everyday tasks from start to finish.”  She will continue to go to the doctor regularly and I will keep you updated on her progress.

These are only two of the stories of the marvelous people I work with, but I will keep you posted about each milestone that each of them reaches, or just comments or facts they have found interesting! But for now as the song says “I Feel Gooood!”

By Nancy Juarez- Skinny Gene Bilingual Nutritionist

Related posts:

Meet Nancy

Your Body’s Talking, Are You Listening?

Great Things Happening for Skinny Gene in TX

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND SPECIAL IN THEIR OWN WAY

At the Skinny Gene Project, we provide a personalized approach to helping others live a healthier lifestyle. Each person in our program is special to us. We pride ourselves in getting to know each person (from stay at home moms to successful businesswomen), understanding their needs, and giving them the individualized attention needed to live a healthier life.

Our personalized approach to positive lifestyle change is particularly important when it comes to the wonderful group of people we’re serving in San Antonio.

Here’s a glimpse into the work we are doing in Texas.  

Every two weeks, I meet up with my patients for about an hour to talk to them about how to make little changes in their diet that can really make a BIG difference. This particular time, I began to teach each person how to listen and understand their body’s needs.

LESSON 1: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Previously, I had given each patient a task of completing a 7-day food log, to see what, when, where, and how much food they ate on a daily basis. I then compared their food diary to what their body REALLY needed. We generally refer to process as a nutrition analysis.

Now… knowing what a person needs to change, and explaining it to them are two completely different things. Some my next step was to give each person a personalized presentation on “Understanding And Listening To Your Body.”

As the presentation began, I started explaining different metaphors on how the body works. For example, comparing our bodies to a car. Much like how a car requires fuel to run, our bodies need food to function. Our body sends us signals when its fuel source is running too low or too full. We also talked about the body’s “fuel gauge”. So when our body is hungry, or may be close to (E) empty, we begin to experience symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, or grouchiness.  When the body can no longer take any food, just like when cars have reached (F) full, we may begin to feel symptoms such as being bloated, gassy, or tired. These metaphors make it easier to understand how the body works when compared to everyday life.

What we need to learn TODAY to have a healthier TOMMORROW  

After discussing how our metabolism works, I  began showing each person (individually) their total nutrition needs (calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates, etc). Every patient was in SHOCK when they realized that what they had been eating was so harmful to their body, in comparison to what their body truly needs!  They were surprised about what they had learned, but they were also pumped up and knew they wanted to make some serious CHANGES in their lives.

APPLICATION: EATING BREAKFAST

After the presentation, each patient was weighed. They were given a diet that contained their specific caloric intake needs and their weight loss goal! Their main objective for the week was to concentrate on eating BREAKFAST— I taught them that it is the MOST important meal of the day!  I showed them examples of healthy breakfast options, whether they had time to cook or were on the go.  I also had the opportunity to go through a shopping list, which ranked foods from levels 1- 4; level 1 being foods you could eat several times a day, and level 4 foods you should eat very infrequently and with extreme caution.

Each patient was asked to bring any additional nutritional labels that they would like to be included in their special Skinny Gene grocery list for the next appointment. I really stressed the importance of drinking more water and trying to make exercise a daily habit. They left the clinic motivated and excited to start using the information that we provided to them.

Each of them wants to become a new person; they want to look good and feel good, on the inside and out. To make this transformation, they’re ready to start living a better and healthier life!  

By doing this I am helping them have a better understanding on what they need to do TODAY to have a healthier TOMMORROW.  

I am really excited to see my patients next week!

Stay tuned for more updates….

By: Nancy Juarez-Skinny Gene Bilingual Nutritionist

See more post about our program in San Antonio:

Great Things Happening For Skinny Gene in TX

Meet Nancy Juarez