Blog Posts by Brett Blumenthal - Sheer Balance

Not long ago, I published an article about six qualities to admire in others, and the response was extraordinary. I prefaced the article by saying that the six I mentioned were by far not an exhaustive list, but included those traits that seemed especially hard to find. In reading all of the comments, however, I was inspired to write a follow-up list that covers some of the other qualities that I, as well as others, believe to be important when looking for friendships and relationships with others.

Our relationships are vital to our mental well-being. However, toxic relationships can really do a number on our happiness and outlook on life. As a result, it is important to look for individuals who possess qualities that allow for healthy relationships. Although, once again, not an exhaustive list, the qualities listed below are those that should be at the very heart of a healthy relationship. And, just as you would expect your friend, family member or loved one to display these

If you haven't heard by now, fiber is an extremely important part of a healthy diet. And, unfortunately, most Americans aren't getting enough. On average, Americans consume only 5 to 10 grams of fiber a day…15 to 20 grams less than the 25 grams recommended by the FDA. But why is fiber so important?

1. Fiber helps stabilize energy and sugar levels. Because fiber slows digestion, it also helps to slow absorption of sugars into the bloodstream. Soluble fiber, specifically, delays the absorption of sugars and starch by dragging partly digested food through the intestine. This keeps your blood sugar, insulin and energy levels more stable throughout the day.
2. Fiber fills you up. Fiber is a bulking agent that stays in the stomach longer, providing a greater sense of satisfaction between meals. For instance, a slice of 100 percent whole grain bread is more filling than two slices of white bread. Additionally, because fiber needs to be chewed thoroughly, it slows down the eating

I'm not a big fan of taking supplements. I believe that if you eat right, you won't need them because you'll get the nutrients, vitamins and minerals you need from the food you eat. Unfortunately, however, we don't always eat the foods that we need to really get the doses that are recommended. That said, gobbling every supplement on the market (currently a recorded 29,000+) is not necessarily a great strategy either.

In my interview with Dr. Alan Logan, Board-Certified Naturopathic Physician and faculty member of Harvard's School of Continuing Medical Education, he agreed. When it comes to getting nutrients, vitamins and minerals, he believes that we SHOULD get them from our diet, especially plant-based foods and whole grains. However, when asked if there are any supplements worth taking, he conceded that given the typical American Diet, we could benefit from the following:

1. Multivitamin/mineral: A daily multivitamin/mineral supplement ensures you are getting all of the

Recently, I was fortunate to have Debbie Robins as a guest on The Healthy Living Show. Not only does Debbie have a fantastic story…with a career history that most could only dream of…but she is witty, candid and inspiring.

To thank me for having her on the show, she sent me a copy of her new book: Shovel It: Kick-Ass Advice to Turn Life's Crap into the Peace and Happiness You Deserve. I had no doubt I'd be entertained and by title of her book, I had no doubt that Debbie would get right to the point.

Shovel It! is refreshingly honest and fun to read. Debbie Robins harnesses life lessons from those we know from the media, film and entertainment industry, including Deepak Chopra, Sandra Bernhard, Julia Ormond, Rosanna Arquette and others, in order to help us find our balance, peace, and happiness when the "crap" hits the fan. Debbie entertains us with seven "Crap-Shoveling" techniques to help us gain more control over our lives and turn life's challenges into the peace and

I recently watched Food, Inc., a documentary by Robert Kenner and Eric Schlosser exposing the highly mechanized food industry. The film dives into various issues with our food supply, including the influence of government regulatory agencies (FDA and USDA), how it is controlled by a mere handful of corporations that are more concerned with their bottom line than the consumer's health or the livelihood of the farmer, and how we have become an obese nation with childhood obesity becoming a bigger and bigger issue.

Although I loved the film, I took huge umbrage with a family of four who argued that eating healthy is too expensive and time consuming. In the segment titled "The Dollar Menu," the family orders dinner at a local fast-food drive-thru, purchasing $11.48 of burgers (5), chicken sandwiches (2) and soda (2 small sprites and 1 large Dr. Pepper).

For the purposes of setting the stage, I'm not going to sugar coat this…neither the father or the mother looked to be

When it comes to potato chips, I tend to stay clear. From a nutritional perspective, they define the empty calorie food: They are generally high in fat and low in everything else (10 grams of fat, including 2 grams of saturated fat, per 150 calories). Further, although they are made from a vegetable, any trace of fiber is relatively non-existent. And, although Tortilla chips tend to be a bit better in that they are generally lower in fat (7 grams per 140 calories), they too lack much fiber. If you want to decrease your fat intake when you are enjoying your chips, you may opt for the baked varieties, but let's face it, baked options have a good number of not-so-great-for-you ingredients (extra preservatives and additives to make up for the lack in fat content) and often taste more like a cardboard box than a chip.

So, what do you put with your guacamole and salsa? How do you get the flavor and taste, and not forgo the nutrition? Food Should Taste Good may have found the answer:

Taking care of ourselves is one of the most important things we can do to live a long, healthy life. And, the more we take care of our hearts, the more they will take care of us. Heart health is extremely important in preventing heart disease, which can include stroke and heart attack. Regardless of your age, gender or race, there are some very simple things you can do to take care of your heart and keep it ticking for years to come.

1. Get Moving: Staying active is tremendously beneficial to keeping your heart strong and healthy. You might assume that this means hitting the gym every day for long protracted periods of time, but it only takes 30 minutes of activity each day to reduce risk of heart disease. Regular activity helps the body stay strong and function properly.
2. Enjoy Healthy Fats: Consuming healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (specifically Omega-3s), while limiting unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats) will help to boost your good cholesterol and

I've said it before and I'll say it again…stop dieting! Actively dieting means restricting your caloric intake, depriving yourself of foods you love and more often than not, eating in a way that is unhealthy. Eating a healthy diet, however, is different: It is actively choosing to eat healthier foods rather than unhealthy foods at least 85% of the time…focusing on your health instead of your weight..leading to natural and HEALTHY weight loss. Why am I bringing this up, once again? Because, this time, I want you to stop dieting for the sake of your heart.

Although eating a healthy diet helps your heart, dieting, including yo-yo dieting, fad diets, crash dieting and extreme cleansing (such as the Master Cleanse) can put a tremendous amount of stress on your heart and can even lead to heart disease.:

1. Heart Function: Crash dieting can lead to deficiencies in potassium and sodium, among other nutritional deficiencies. Deficiencies in sodium and potassium are especially dangerous