health and wellness

The Number 1 Rule for Teenage Weight Loss

A lot of teens seek weight loss advice and seem desperate to lose weight for their school Prom. But by doing so, you must first start by educating yourself and getting the facts. A story I once read about reminds me of a teenage girl who wanted to lose about 25 pounds in 3 weeks. She was told this could not be done in such a short period of time. So she went off and starved herself for 3 weeks. What do you think happened? She lost about 7 pounds, and then developed a HUGE mass of spots. (ouch) Point is, when we stop eating, we stop giving our body the goodness it needs to stay healthy and fit. So whatever you do, be an informed idiot and don’t attempt to starve yourself without having the facts of what the unfavorable, end results will be. The lesson here is that starving yourself will only make you fatter. Oh, and BTW, the teenage girl never made it to the Prom. So let’s take a look at the facts.

Why Healthy Eating is Better Than “Dieting”

One of the reasons that adults experience weight problems and ill-health, is because they followed drastic or unhealthy weight loss diets during their teenage years. Dieting to reduce weight is not recommended until growth (including internal physical development) has ceased, usually around the ages of 17 or 18. If you are younger than this, and very overweight, your doctor can help you by putting you in contact with a dietitian who will create a healthy eating plan to allow growth to continue but prevent further weight gain. Ideally, discuss this with your parents.

How “Dieting” Causes Problems For Teens
Health research shows that even a short period of very strict “dieting” during your early teens can lead to low bone density, which causes weak bones in later life. Between 12 -17 years of age, up to 90 percent of adult bone mass is laid down, so this is not a time to limit your intake of calcium, vitamin D or Vitamin C, all of which are essential for proper bone growth.

“Dieting” may also lead to poor intakes of folic acid and iron. Both these nutrients help to prevent anemia, a condition which leads to constant tiredness as well as impaired intellectual performance. If you lead a busy life at school, with exams, sports and so on, you can’t afford to suffer from the ill-effects of anemia!

Strict “dieting” won’t make your weight or health any better. Instead, by focusing on eating healthy foods and taking in daily exercise will improve your weight and health permanently.

What Does Healthy Eating Really Mean?

There is no single “healthy diet.” As long as you eat a variety of foods, from the main food groups (fruit, vegetables, grains [rice, pasta, oats, etc] lean meats, dairy, fats) you should get all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrition you need. A healthy diet doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of higher-calorie foods, like rich ice cream, cheeseburgers and fries. You can enjoy these and other similar foods, but in moderation, or as occasional treats especially if you are participating in P.E. or other sports in school.

The miracle behind apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries among ancient cultures for remedies said to heal almost any ailment.  From Hippocrates, Biblical times, and throughout the Middle Ages, apple cider vinegar was well known to treat a host of infections. Unfortunately, it has often been overlooked in current days except for its general use as an antiseptic and disinfectant to cleaning coffee machines, washing windows, removing film on flooring, polishing certain types of silver, and so on. But some overlook the fact that apple cider vinegar is a superb ingredient in salad dressings and has many health benefits worth exploring.  

But let’s look at apple cider vinegar a little deeper. First, it is a fermentation of apples loaded with potassium and other healing minerals. Apple cider vinegar became well known in the U.S. in the late 1950’s when author, D. C. Jarvis, wrote a best selling book called Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health. It was promoted towards alternative medicine with claims to treating many health conditions; its abilities to promote digestion, reverse aging, aid in weight loss, and often used in flushing the system as a toxins cleanser. It has been said to lower blood pressure, and to stabilizing blood sugars and fight against cancer. 

Some nutritionists suggest using a teaspoon or two mixed in with warm water and honey for its soothing effect. I myself have used apple cider vinegar for years in salads with a little extra virgin olive oil and seasonings. I also enjoy it lightly poured over warmed steamed spinach with a dash of salt. Either way, my mother has always raised us on apple cider vinegar, and I have long since enjoyed its benefits in small doses at a time.

It’s fun I get the honor to write about this topic because it brings to mind an article I once read on one of my most favorite movie stars, the great Shirley MacLaine who once shared one of her secrets. She suggested, once a week, a healthy, and all natural, home facial using the following ingredients mixed in a blender until gluey and sticky, then applying to clean face and neck, leaving it on for five or 10 minutes and rinsing with warm water and then pat drying skin with clean towel. She quotes, ’soft as a baby’s bottom’:

• 10 green grapes
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp oatmeal