Homeopathy: The Good, Bad, and Healed!

PRO’s of Homeopathy	CON’s of Homeopathy
Case studies show dramatic improvements in well being following homeopathic treatments.1,2	Lack of clinical trials supporting homeopathy and non-systematic gathering of evidence.5
There are over two centuries of clinical observation and trials to support homeopathic medicine.1,2	There is not a clear understanding/explanation of how homeopathy works based on current knowledge of chemistry and physiology.1,2,5,6,7
There is an extensive data-base of clinical treatments build on patient treatment successes, and clinical and toxicological research.1	Dilution rates of remedies are so high that it is unlikely the original ingredient is left in the final remedy. 2, 4
Holistic system of medicine, treating the individual and their specific symptoms.1,2	Meta-Analysis published in Lancet 2005 indicated that homeopathic remedies were consistent with placebo. 4,  According to Dr. Shalt’s lecture
Utilizes natural medicines, some which have been used for over 200 years.1	Pharmacists have concern about having homeopathic remedies in pharmacies due to the violation of ethical boundaries, bound to practicing evidenced based medicine. 4
Studies show improved quality of life and patient satisfaction with care in homeopathic treatment when compared with allopathic treatments.1	Low profit.1
Homeopathic treatment cost are cheaper than allopathic treatment cost.1	Consistent standards and academic rigor are lacking in most homeopathic schools and training programs  and there is no centrally designated authority governing these programs in the U.S.1
Homeopathic medicines are regulated by the FDA.2	There are a limited number of Homeopathic Practitioners.1
Fewer adverse events with better patient satisfaction has been seen in several studies comparing homeopathic treatment with both placebo and allopathic treatments.2	Lack of regulation of practitioners may result in improper use and non-homeopathic use of reputable homeopathic products, increasing the risk of adverse drug reactions.2
Homeopathy, like other CAM treatments does not see a need to be explained by Western medicine standards.5	Low quality effectiveness for the for homeopathy.5
When you are ill, your body becomes hypersensitive to homeopathic preparations.5	Scientists believe that it cannot have curative effects since it is chemically identical from water.5
Homeopaths believe that we do not understand the biological mechanism behind some allopathic medications so it shouldn’t be necessary with homeopathy either.5	Scientists do not support that homeopathic remedies that are chemically identical from each other can have different effects in the body.5
Effectiveness is incredibly strong.5	Scientists believe homeopathic solutions will have trace impurities beyond those of the active ingredient.5
Patients exhibit sudden and sometimes astounding improvements after receiving a homeopathic remedy.5	The placebo effect.5
Patients tend to improve regardless of treatment.5	Due to the enormous amount of unexplained mysteries with homeopathy,  answering those mysteries would require massive revision of standard chemistry and physiology.5
Homeopathy is more than just a placebo effect.6	Homeopathic uses need to be more thoroughly evaluated.6
Homeopathic treatment appears to have clinical pathways to a specific prescription that exist.6	Homeopathic products may be legally recognized as “drugs” but that does not mean that the FDA recognizes them as effective.7
Patients consulting  a physician using homeopathy cited the fact that the physician incorporated homeopathy into their medical practice as the main reason for seeing that physician.6	Since many homeopathic remedies contain no detectable amount of active ingredient, it is impossible to test whether or not they contain what their label says it does.7
Suggests that homeopathy can be evaluated in clinical trials.1,2,6	Unlike most drugs, they have not been proven effective against disease by double-blind clinical testing.7
Homeopathic philosophy emphasizes self-healing and patients using homeopathy appear to regard their practitioners and the treatments they prescribe as having less of an influence on their health than the patients treated  with  conventional  medicine.6
Use of homeopathy is rapidly growing in the US and Europe.6
The U.S. Congress passed a law in 1938 declaring that homeopathic remedies are to be regulated by the U.S. FDA and can be purchased without a physician’s prescription.7
Homeopathic remedies are required to meet certain legal standards for strength, quality, purity, and packaging.7
Used worldwide.7
The remedies work by stimulating the body’s immune system, rather than by suppressing it.7
The remedies work by stimulating the body’s immune system, rather than by suppressing it.7

References:

1.      Whitmont R. The Science of Homeopathy: Part I. American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine[serial online]. Winter2009 2009;102(4):177-185. Available from: Alt HealthWatch, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

2.       Sehon S, Stanley D. Evidence and simplicity: why we should reject homeopathy. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice[serial online]. April 2010;16(2):276-281. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

3.       Whitmont R. The science of homeopathy, part II. American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine [serial online]. March 2010;103(1):12-21. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

4.       Johnson T, Boon H. Where does homeopathy fit in pharmacy practice?. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. February 2007; 71(1): Article 07. Accessed October 12, 2011.

5.    Sehon S, Stanley D. Evidence and simplicity: why we should reject homeopathy. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice [serial online]. April 2010;16(2):276-281. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

6.    Riley D, Fischer M, Singh B, Haidvogl M, Heger M. Homeopathy and conventional medicine: an outcomes study comparing effectiveness in a primary care setting. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine [serial online]. April 2001;7(2):149-159. Available from: CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

7.       Valverde J. Homeopathy: The lost of credibility of the Institutions. Pharmaceuticals Policy & Law [serial online]. January 2011;13(1/2):79-90. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 13, 2011.

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Phoods For You

We all know that proper nutrition is necessary for a healthy body. A diet with a variety of foods and a variety of colors will keep our bodies running well. A diet high in fiber with a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates will help our bodies to run optimally. Today there is a new group of foods called functional foods, or phoods for the pharmaceutical element. Functional foods are only one aspect of diet, and diet is only one aspect of a comprehensive lifestyle approach to good health, which should include regular exercise, tobacco avoidance, maintenance of a healthy body weight, stress reduction, and other positive health practices. Functional foods can sometimes be part of an effective strategy to promote good health, but they should never be considered a substitute for other good health habits and they should never be used instead of medically prescribed therapy for any health problem.

All plant foods are functional at some physiological level; the American Dietetic Association (ADA) states that functional foods that include whole foods and fortified, enriched, or enhanced foods have a potentially beneficial effect on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis, at effective levels. All foods have a function when consumed in proper balance as part of an overall healthy diet. Functional foods include whole foods (eg. fruits and vegetables). Those foods that have been fortified, enriched, or enhanced with nutrients, phytochemicals, or botanicals, as well as dietary supplements, also fall within the realm of functional foods. Functional foods do more than meet minimum daily nutrient requirements, they also can play a role in reducing the risk of disease and promoting good health. Functional foods provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients, when they are consumed at efficacious levels as part of a varied diet on a regular basis.

While functional foods potentially offer health benefits, it is important to keep these in perspective and that they are enjoyed in the knowledge not that they offer a magic bullet against health problems, but that they are a positive, health enhancing addition to an overall balanced diet and active lifestyle.  Adding a food that contains a particular nutrient to one's diet does not necessarily mean that the nutrient will have the desired effect; issues like effective dosage also must be considered.  These "functional foods" are not a substitute for a well-balanced diet, which is the cornerstone of good nutrition.  While some products have merit for certain consumers, we should all remain skeptical about whether these "functional" foods are useful for everyone.

Functional foods are a current trend that has very little scientific evidence to back them up.  Many food components are under investigation for their health benefits, but only few are proven.  The word functional also means useful, practical or purposeful.  So for a food to be termed ‘functional’ it means that it must do its’ job to provide energy, or calories, or vitamins/minerals to our bodies.  If the food we are ingesting is going through the metabolic process, providing our cells with energy and keeping our bodies alive, it is a functional food, it is purposeful.  Provided that there are foods that do better at disease prevention, nourishment, repair and sustained growth than others, but is this trend of functional foods just another ploy by the supplement manufacturers to sell more products?  “The probiotics in yogurt are functional, but this brand of yogurt is better.” “Skip the yogurt completely and buy our tablet.”  “More fruits and vegetables are great, but you don’t have to eat any if you buy are supplement.” “Eat more omega-3’s, but if you don’t like fish, buy our brand of fish oil.” If we continue to eat a well balanced diet of the foods we were eating before the trend, proper nutrition can be obtained.

References

Clare M. Hasler, 2002 The American Society for Nutritional SciencesJ. Nutr. 132:3772-3781, December 2002 Functional Foods: Benefits, Concerns and Challenges—A Position Paper from the American Council on Science and Health

"Functional Foods." Encyclopedia of Food & Culture. Ed. Solomon H. Katz. Vol. 2. Gale Cengage, 2003

Meister, K. MA. Facts About Functional Foods retrieved on 11/20/11 from http://www.acsh.org/publications/pubID.348/pub_detail.asp

Eat Right, The American Dietetic Assoc. Functional Foods, Volume 109, Issue 4, Pages 735-746 (April 2009)

The New York Times, Business Day. Foods with Benefits, or So They Say. Retrieved on 10/20/11 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/business/15food.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

European Food Information Council. FOOD TODAY 12/1999 Functional Foods

Torpy, J. (2002) Medical News & Perspectives Integrating Complementary Therapy Into Care. [Electronic version] JAMA. 287(3):306-307.

Ebbing, M; Bonaa, K; Nygard, O; Arnesen, E; Ueland, P; Nordrehaug, J; Rasmussen, K; Njolstad, I; 
Refsum, H; Nilsen, D; Tverdal, A; Meyer, K; Vollset, S. (2009) Cancer Incidence and Mortality After 
Treatment With Folic Acid and Vitamin B₁₂[Electronic version] JAMA. 2009;302(19):2119-2126.

Zhang, S; Cook, N; Albert, C; Gaziano, J; Buring, J;  Manson, J. (2008) Effect of Combined Folic Acid, Vitamin B₆, and Vitamin B₁₂on Cancer Risk in Women: A Randomized Trial. [Electronic version]   JAMA. 2008;300(17):2012-2021.

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Yin & Yang and Today's Medical Paradigm

The light and dark side of the mountain: the symbolism of energy within and without.  The two opposing forces which consists in every aspect of being, yin and yang, impacts our very existence. Within our existence, is our life force energy, or qi, which flows in everything and through everyone.  Maintaining a proper balance of qi, particularly yin and yang, creates harmony, a sort of homeostasis; similarly, an imbalance begets disharmony. It is this imbalance that allows our entire being to succumb to disease, our organs to fail and increases our susceptibility to disease.

Understanding a little more about qi: Master Duan Zhi-Liang Wuji Qigong Master Shur Qigong Master

One major disease yin and yang imbalance is associated with is cancer. It is suggested that lin28/let-7 signaling link can be viewed much like a yin and yang balancing act. Consistent with this concept, lin28 and let-7 have been shown to have opposing expression patterns suggesting that this yin and yang imbalance is mainly associated with tumor progression and functions in development and tumor progression.  In mast cells where the suppressor and activator roles of mast cells in allergic inflammation are opposites. During allergic exacerbations there is an imbalance of mast cell functions which result in the symptoms related to allergic asthma and food allergy. During remission the balance is restored.  

One more disease viewed differently in Chinese medicine is diabetes, which is called xiao ke, or "wasting thirst syndrome". It is believed in Chinese medicine that there is a deficiency of yin, thus creating fake heat which affects the lungs, stomach and kidneys. The Chinese medicine understanding of what causes diabetes is very similar to Allopathic medicine in that those who eat/drink too much alcohol, sugar or fat (all yang foods) and live a sedentary life will develop xaio ke. Toxic heat develops which is thought to consume vital organs’ fluids and causes malfunction and disharmony between lung, stomach and kidney.
The combination of Allopathic and Chinese medicine can be shown in the example of insulin and glucagon:
We can ascertain by their functions, insulin would represent yin energy while glucagon represents yang energy.  One cannot function without the other, and without both in balance, the body becomes diseased.

Knowledge of yin and yang energy can help in the prevention, diagnosis, and cure of diseases, even where Allopathic medicine lacks.  It would behoove Allopathic medicine greatly to adopt this paradigm, and it would also benefit the millions of people who suffer from diseases in which there is no known cure for in Allopathic medicine.  The incorporation of such knowledge into our medical paradigm could potentially save millions of lives.





Sources:
A.D. Kraneveld, et al., The two faces of mast cells in food allergy and allergic asthma: The possible concept of Yin Yang , Biochim. Biophys. Acta (2011)
Ageless Herbs. Traditional Chinese Medicine .Yin Yang Theory. Catherine Browne, L.Ac., MH, Dipl.Ac . Retrieved on 11/4/11
Ho, L. Robertson, M. The Yin and Yang of Diabetes. Exploring Chinese medicine's understanding of diabetes mellitus.
J.B. Soriano, A. Agustı, Eur Respir J 2008; 32: 1426–1427 COPD: or balancing repair (yang) and inflammation (yin)
Junfang Ji, Xin Wei Wang A Yin-Yang balancing act of the lin28/let-7 link in tumorigenesis
Journal of Hepatology Volume 53, Issue 5, November 2010, Pages 974-975
K. Maiese, Yin Yang: A Balancing Act for Oxidative Stress, Volume 3 (2010), Issue 4, Pages 227-227, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity
Monti, Daniel A. and Yang, Jingduan, "Complementary medicine in chronic cancer care" (2004).Jefferson Myrna Brind Center of Integration Medicine Faculty Papers.
Source: adapted from"Protein Power."
Diabetes Health, Investigate, inform, inspire. Yin and Yang: Balancing Insulin and Glucagon. Retrieved on 11/4/11 from http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2000/02/01/1789/yin-and-yang-balancing-insulin-and-glucagon
Shen-Nong Limited 2002-2005 “Understanding Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang” April 25-2009 http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/principles/kidneyyinyang.html

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Food, Healthcare, Government, and Our Future

What do you think will be the biggest challenges and issues for healthcare policy and healthcare policymakers in the future?  What we have begun to see is a war between the food industries, health care, and the government.  Just coincidentally, the consumers are both the victims and beneficiaries of this war.

To clarify what I mean, we begin by knowing a little bit about our food.

The food industries make our food as cheaply as possible. It would take an entire paper to tell you all that they do so I will just add a few videos that summarize what all they do.

Our meat comes from this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idgNd0OHL58

Hormones in our beef: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1ixshimfM&feature=relmfu

Our agriculture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcrGJoaXoxU

Everything we eat is corn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSbgTfg1Lro

The biggest secret ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMMtrmdp-NA&feature=related

So why don't they just stop? Well, the short answer is money. The long answer is a little more difficult. The food industries rely on our government to regulate and aid them in setting standards and providing subsidies/tax breaks in their businesses. But, in a weird catch-22, the government relies on the food industries to provide a big chunk of American revenue. This creates a symbiotic relationship all based on revenue. Consumers, aka the American population, are prone to accept the safety standards in which the government places on the food industries produce.  The government sets its standards based on the expected revenue generation the industries will potentially make. The food industries set their standards based on what the government allows. Hence the reason why 99% of our food is junk.

Here is a video explaining more in depth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMMtrmdp-NA&feature=related

How does this impact our health care? That too is a complex issue. First, Americans are not getting the nutrients they need out of the mass quantity of food being consumed. Second, toxins within our food are being consumed and bio-absorbed within our body's organs and tissues. Third, Americans consume non-food foods within our food supply, i.e. soda and candy. Lastly, American water (which is used in food, to grow food, produce food, and make food) is contaminated with agricultural drain-offs, pharmaceutical wastes, and chemicals from hazardous waste (industrial, recreational, and house-hold).

The future for us looks grim: our soils are taxed, our meat is perverse, our agriculture is tainted, and our health is declining. The American health care system is trying to keep up with how the drastic changes of our food supply have impacted human health, however the rapid decline in health over the past two decades has proven challenging to keep up with. As old-school medical thinking persists, most health care professionals view nutrition and health as separate subjects. Thus, medications, instead of lifestyle and dietary changes, are sought for treatment of diseases and ailments. New medications, such as Qsymia, have been approved by the FDA in order to combat the obesity epidemic³.

Plus, the submergence of politics within the two industries (health and food) has made it difficult to set standards whereby both the consumers and industries win. This is most evident by the recent action by Congress when they denied bills to reduce junk food marketing to children, declared pizza as a vegetable, and defeated bills for taxing sugary beverages².

In the larger picture, as these three inter-tangle in this food fight, Americans suffer the consequences. For anything to change, the U.S. Government must take initiative to change policies which aid the food industries in their pursuit of capitol gains, and the lawmakers which benefit from lax regulations. The FDA must be overhauled and new policies must be put in place to keep harmful and toxic ingredients out of our food supplies. The EPA needs more funding in order to help regulate and keep agricultural lands and water sources from being contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and hazardous wastes. If these things do not happen now, then human health will continue to suffer in the future.

1. Begley, S. (2012) Obesity fight must shift from personal blame-U.S. Panel. Reuters, New York, NY. Retrieved from http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/nm/obesity-fight-must-shift-from-personal-blame-u-s-panel

2. Nestle, M. (2012) Reuters: How the White House Wobbled on Childhood Obesity. Food Politics: Currently browsing posts about: Obama Retrieved from http://www.foodpolitics.com/tag/obama/

3. Obesity.org (2012) Obesity Care Continuum (OCC) Commends Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their Continued Proactive Support and Approval of New Obesity Treatments. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.obesity.org/images/pdf/Publications/Vivus%20Approval_71712%20FINAL.pdf

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Healthy Does It: Two Different Views On Fitness

When it comes to health and nutrition, it should be straight forward: exercise regularly and eat a well balanced diet.  However, there are different philosophies on the subject matter depending on the expertise and background of the professional.  This is why I wanted to interview two different fitness and health instructors who hold expertise in two different backgrounds.  The comparisons between the two are very interesting to say the least. 

            First, I interviewed an allopathic physical fitness trainer whose own training and views of fitness and nutrition come directly from the Centers of Disease Control nutritional  and physical activityguidelines.  Next, I interviewed a yoga instructor whose approach to complete health and nutrition stems from ancient Ayurveda  traditions, where she commits to a vegan lifestyle, meditates, and emphasizes on physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.      

            In fact, that was the biggest difference I noticed between the two: the one fitness trainer focused on purely the body as a mechanism to be sculpted, while the other worked on the entire mind-body-spirit connection.  This difference was seen in every aspect of their work.  The allopathic fitness trainer asks her clients their goals and then creates a customized fitness plan in order for them to achieve their goals.  She keeps in mind their safety, needs, and wants during each session.  She advises her clients to make healthy choices as far as nutrition, and shows them exercises to do.  On the other hand, the Ayurveda fitness instructor encourages her clients to do some form of exercise for a minimum of an hour at least three days per week.  She encourages her clients to do any kind of activity and then build up to an hour every day.   She also believes in experimentation with different forms of exercises in order to provide variety and enjoyment to the activities.  She also recommended yoga as the primary exercise, especially when a person starts their program. 

            Why is exercise so important?  Both experts agree that exercise begets health.  For the allopathic fitness trainer, physical exercise is important to burn calories, increase muscle mass and stay fit.  For the holistic fitness instructor, exercise, especially yoga, is for a multitude of factors including: stress relief, pain relief, deeper breathing, flexibility,  increasing strength, weight management, improved circulation, cardiovascular conditioning, presence, and inner peace.  When done correctly, exercise can be very beneficial to the health and well-being of every individual.  However, without proper training or supervision, it is easy to hyperextend ligaments and joints, pull muscles, and even break bones.  With any activity, there are risks of injury.  Both instructors are trained to teach clients proper techniques and methods during their clients' workouts.  Safety is of the utmost important when working with clients.    

            Nutritional needs of clients are just as important.  The allopathic fitness trainer encourages clients to eat a healthy and well balanced diet, complete with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and dairy, and watch fat and caloric intake; the balance for maintaining weight is “calories in” and “calories out” are equal.  To lose weight, it is important to decrease caloric intake while increasing caloric expenditure.  Low calorie foods can often take place of higher calorie foods, especially when consuming beverages.  Food journals often help to track calorie intake and exercise regimen. 

            The holistic fitness instructor prefers to go by a different set of dietary rules including buying organic foods when possible; buy locally grown whole foods, naturally produced, mostly raw, and minimally packaged.  Consume mostly raw vegetables, only whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds , and fruits.  Eat for your Ayurvedic constitutional type when possible. It is also important to stay away from processed foods, such as foods in cans and boxes, packaged with preservatives, and modified chemical composites of food.   Her main points, however, were specifically foods in raw form, nothing deep fried, not cooked with olive oil, no carbonated beverages (including diet), no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no coffee or other beverages with caffeine,  alcohol only in moderation, never microwave food, eat only natural and holistically derived meats, consume good fats, and eat flax seeds regularly.

            One major point the holistic fitness instructor differed from the allopathic one is in the fitness of whole aspects of the being, including the mind and spirit.  In allopathic physical fitness, the point is to train the body by overcoming the mental roadblocks and proving to yourself that there are no real limitations except the ones which are constructed mentally.  In holistic physical fitness, it is viewed that there is an inner balance between the physical body, the mind, and the spirit.  It is important, in this paradigm, to go through a mental and emotional detoxification by letting go of anger, negativity, jealousy, hatred, and hostility.  It is viewed that these feelings are toxic to the mind and soul.  Through the practicing of mindfulness, the thoughts and emotions absorbing life can be lifted and genuine gratitude replaces it.  Positivity induces a positive lifestyle where one can thrive and flourish.  Plus, through prayers and positive affirmations, this positivity can be enhanced, where thoughts actually become reality.  Prayer is a very powerful tool to reunite the mind-body-spirit, reciprocate love, find inner peace, show gratitude, and heal.

            So how applicable is exercising to lay people?  The allopathic fitness trainer finds that some people need more motivation than others to continue with the training.   Some people have to be pushed to work out, some people give excuses to why they can't work out.  The clients are worked at their own pace, and that is why it is important to listen to them to plan for their wants and needs during each session.  The cost can be quite reasonable depending on the facility, hours, and type of physical fitness trainer hired.   When personal trainers become expensive are when they are part of an exclusive gym, or club, or require a long-term contract.  Although these methods can get costly, it is always important to note that one does not need to hire a professional trainer to walk, ride a bicycle, swim, or play sports with friends. 

            On the flip side, the holistic fitness instructor has found that her clients do not subscribe to such a strict diet or lifestyle, however she challenges them to make baby steps toward such a healthy lifestyle.  She doesn't charge for her yoga classes, and sometimes meets with people afterwords to follow up on some healthy living basics.  Holistic exercise, in general, can cover a broad spectrum of  exercises including, but not limited to: Qigong, T'ai chi, zero balancing, water aerobics, and yoga.  Easiest way of finding a qualified instructor is to do so online.  Sometimes being referred to a class by a friend is a fantastic way of starting an exercise routine.  Some instructors charge more than others depending on facility and their qualifications, and if their instruction is private or not.  It is important to scrutinize the instructor's qualifications to make sure they have the proper training and certifications.

            Keeping this in mind for my future practice, I will need to establish a knowledge base of the variety of exercises, and specifically know the specific functions of each type of exercise so that I am able to make recommendations to my clients.  Knowing which type of exercises, whether it be a type of allopathic or holistic, my client would benefit from the most is very important to establishing a lifestyle change that would last a lifetime.

            Thus, I close this by saying that no one type of physical trainer or fitness instructor is better than the other.  The perfect fitness instructor depends on the individual, their needs and wants, goals,  budget, and even their mindset.  It is important that opinions of nutrition are just that, opinions, and genuine concerns about nutritional needs should be taken up with a specialist, either allopathic or holistic.  Staying healthy is important no matter what, so eating healthy, staying active, being positive, and being grateful are all necessary in achieving that goal.  Achieving a healthy lifestyle through a fitness instructor can be a fun experience, but it is always important to remember that the best exercises are free.     

    

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) “Physical Activity for Everyone: How Much Physical Activity do you need?” Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) “Nutrition for Everyone.” Retrieved from  http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/index.html

Jakicic, J; Winters, C; Lang, W; Wing, R. (1999) Effects of Intermittent Exercise and Use of Home Exercise Equipment on Adherence, Weight Loss, and Fitness in Overweight Women: A Randomized Trial[Electronic version]. JAMA. 1999;282(16):1554-1560.

Kraft, Jessica, personal communication, October 21, 2011.

Lee, I; Djousse, L; Sesso, H; Wang, L; Buring, J. (2010) Physical Activity and Weight Gain Prevention [Electronic version] JAMA. 2010;303(12):1173-1179.

Tate, Beverly, personal communication, October 22, 2011.

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