Starting to Exercise? Time for SOLE Searching!

If your New Year's Resolutions include an exercise program, START by taking a close look at the BOTTOM of your shoes. If they look like mine in the picture above, get thee to a shoe store before you get moving with your walking/jogging/running plan. Note the smooth areas (not to mention the circular area trying to be an actual hole)- that means I have completely lost the tread and traction in that area. 

Are new, good quality running shoes necessary? YES. After two decades of private practice (and seeing hurt knees, hips and ankles that might have been prevented with proper fitting footwear), my mantra is "yes, new shoes may be expensive, but NEW SHOES are cheaper than NEW KNEES."

If you are walking or jogging regularly for exercise, odds are good that you should be replacing your shoes every six months...even though the "shoe still fits"- meaning you have no foot pain, and the tops may even look "practically brand new". 

BOTTOM LINE: Look deep into your "soles" to see if it is time for new shoes! 

PS. I strongly encourage you to head to a local running shoe store with experienced and knowledgable sales people to be properly fitted for shoes. They should not only measure your foot, but watch you walk/run/jog to help advise you on your shoes. Locally here in Austin, I recommend Ready to Run.

2018 SIMPLE Doctor Approved Master Cleanse

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2018! 

This year, my theme is SIMPLE. Attention spans are decreasing as fast as our waistlines are increasing (coincidence? Hmm). With tongue firmly planted in cheek, I'm putting everything in my life on a "diet"- or at least a simplification plan, from our overflowing garage and closets, to medicine cabinets, to e-mail in-boxes, to my blog word count, and yes, my own body. Like many, I happily over-indulged in treats, sweets and celebratory liquid calories during the holidays, but now it's time to face the scale, own the numbers and get to work.

How do I kick start my own weight loss program? 

Dr. Grimes' Master Supreme Cleansing 3-Day Detox Diet*:

SIMPLY PUT: Drink water, and eat fruits, vegetables, and a protein source at every meal.

Yep, that's it. Processed foods are eliminated. This "cleanse" is automatically gluten-free and dairy-free (which helps those with undiagnosed celiac disease or lactose intolerance).  Skip everything with high fructose corn syrup and additives or chemicals you can't pronounce. Skip carbonation, caffeine and alcohol. Yes. Those are extras our body does not need. If you are going to get a caffeine-withdrawal headache, keep one cup of coffee but drink it plain- no sugar, cream, etc. Feel free to add a lemon, lime or orange wedge to your water if you want flavor. Please skip sugar substitutes (aspartame, etc.) We are going for a "cleanse" here!

What counts as a protein source?

•  Eggs, fish, nuts, beans or lean meat

Can you cook them?

• Absolutely! This is not a "raw food" diet, but a simplified diet. Feel free to use olive oil (one to two tablespoons should be enough per meal), salt, pepper, or herbs to season and cook the protein or veggies. 

How much should you eat?

• Limit your protein to a serving roughly the size of your expanded, cupped hand (at each meal)
• Fruits and vegetables? No maximum, but a minimum of two servings per meal (a handful is one serving.)

How often?

•  Eat four meals: (essentially breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner.)
•  Make sure your first meal is within an hour of waking up.

How much water?

• One large glass with each meal, and any time you are thirsty (no maximum)

*Despite the tongue-in-cheek Master cleanse name, there is nothing special or magical about this recipe. Does it work? Well, yes- it does. It "works" to help you realize what your body needs, versus what your mouth, eyes or mind want. For those with lactose intolerance or celiac disease, this often "works" to improve bowel/abdominal bloating and discomfort. For those trying to focus on better nutrition and weight loss, this frequently "works" as a great jump start. Can you modify this and use yogurt as a protein source? Certainly! The point here is to spend a few days with simple eating and no extra..."extras". Wishing you good luck and great health in 2018!

Bottom Line: If you're looking to "cleanse" your body for a few days, keep it SIMPLE and stick to water, fruits, veggies, and simple proteins (eggs, beans or meat) for a healthy jump start!