I stumbled on a highly effective hunger-free weight loss program 15 years ago. It was 1998 and I was twenty-two years old when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time I was diagnosed my neurologist at the University of Miami suggested a change in diet and lifestyle could make me feel better and help slow the progression of my disease. I quickly learned that MS was a disease made worse by inflammation and that I would need to do absolutely everything I could from a lifestyle standpoint to reduce inflammation, which primarily meant changing my diet. I was a fitness instructor at the time and I had always been slim, so the whole concept of “dieting” was foreign to me.

My husband, Andy Larson, M.D., is a surgeon now, but at the time I was diagnosed he was in medical school and I asked for his help in researching the best anti-inflammatory diet to follow. Even though Andy was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which is consistently ranked one of the best medical schools in the country, nutrition is not something that was emphasized in medical school, so he pretty much had as much learning to do as I did.

The more we learned together about anti-inflammatory nutrition and disease the more we realized that the common link between MS and many seemingly unrelated diseases (asthma, allergies, heart disease, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, arthritis, etc.) was inflammation. Andy decided to start the anti-inflammatory “MS diet” with me because he figured it was a healthy diet to follow even if you don’t have MS or any other inflammatory condition. Although he was not overweight when he started, Andy promptly lost 15 pounds without even trying (he was not restricting portion sizes or trying to count calories, etc.) and reduced his borderline high blood pressure down to a normal healthy level. That was sort of an “ah ha” moment for both of us.
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By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., TheBestLife.com lead nutritionist

I snack on the same stuff that I recommend to clients and readers: fruit, yogurt, lattes, nuts, carrots and other raw vegetables. But I also concoct more offbeat snacks that I don’t tend to recommend because they might seem too weird or too health-foody to someone just coming off a potato-chips-and-snack-cake habit. I figure you DietsInReview.com readers have seen it all…and might even enjoy some of these yourselves.

Numi Organic Savory tea (5 calories; available at Whole Foods)

Nutrition highlight: the Broccoli Cilantro has 90 percent of the Daily Value for calcium and the Beet Cabbage has 20 percent (I haven’t tried the four other flavors yet)

How to: Steep teabags in boiling water for 10 minutes.
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By Team Best Life

Your feet take a beating just living everyday life. Add in your recommended exercise, and finding footwear to cushion and protect your feet becomes even more important. Treat your feet right using these tips as a guide.

Don’t get too attached.

Using shoes that are past their prime can lead to injury or painful conditions like shin splints. It’s not always obvious when your running or fitness shoes are worn out, as wear and tear on the inner cushion isn’t visible. As a general rule, replace shoes before you put 500 miles on them—about six months’ worth of 10,000 steps a day or running about 20 miles a week.
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Parents are always juggling many priorities. However, in times when obesity, diabetes, food allergies, and picky eaters are so prevalent, the most important priority is the health of their families. With everyone’s busy schedules, it’s hard to provide healthy foods all the time and not reach for the wacky mac or frozen pizzas. But it is possible with a bit of planning and organization. Below are my best tips that can help your family get on the right track.

Be Organized! Create a shopping list at the start of the week. Take into account each family member’s food preferences. Make a tentative meal plan early in the week so you can buy all the ingredients you will need in advance. Try to prepare one main meal for everyone so you’re not a short order cook.

Cook Ahead! Pick a day at the beginning of the week that you’ll have available time (hard as it may be!) to prepare and store items in the fridge or freezer. Slice up fruits and vegetables and keep them in the fridge. This will help save time when preparing salads during the week and make grabbing healthy snacks easier.  
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According to MayoClinic.com, the number one reason people don’t exercise on a regular basis is lack of time. I hear the same thing from clients.

But lack of time also tops my list of excuses for not exercising that are crap.

Our world is a busy one. I run my own business, so I get it. Yet, have you ever asked yourself how much time you waste on Facebook, reality TV or complaining you don’t have time to exercise? In the time you spent complaining you could have done something!

To start many of my clients off, I give them exercise homework that takes 5 minutes or less. A Cornell University study found that just 5 minutes of exercise per day can result in fitness gains and improve our self image. It can go a long way toward forming the habit of being active and chances are once you get going you’ll want to do more than those 5 minutes.
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