June 2006 Newsletter

An Inspirational Quote

"The real primary diseases of man are such defects as pride, cruelty, hate, self-love, ignorance, instability and greed; and each of these, if considered, will be found to be adverse to Unity.”

Dr. Edward Bach, M.D., founder of the Bach Flower remedies

The Cholesterol-Stress Cycle
By James Williams, james@totalfitness.net

High cholesterol has been purported by the conventional medical community as being a bad guy. Apparently it clogs your arteries and "may increase the risk of heart disease or heart attack".
This is the standard phrase used by American Medical Association and other Western medical groups to describe the relationship between cholesterol levels and heart disease.

Did you notice the word may was used? The word may has been singled out here because many researchers are now questioning the link between high cholesterol levels in humans and increased incidences of heart disease. If you’d like to know more about this, read The Oiling of America in the free files in the Radio Show section of our website, http://www.totalfitness.net/radio_show_free.htm
The word may in this context means there is insufficient evidence to say for definite that high cholesterol levels will cause heart disease. There may well be another reason for painting cholesterol as the bad guy - the projected $51.6 billion profits projected for 2006 alone from the sales of the cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor.

After reviewing the cholesterol debate and the key points in our 34th radio show on May 12th, you may realize that high cholesterol levels indicate that a person is experiencing mental, emotional or physical stress, or any combination of these.
As you listen to the archive of this radio show, you will learn what you can do to lower your cholesterol naturally. If you've not heard our radio show on cholesterol then don't miss it - listen to it now.

We have found studies as far back as 1958 in the journal Circulation showing that work stress raises cholesterol levels and rapidly reduces the blood’s clotting time and it’s the reduction of clotting time that may cause blocked blood vessels and heart attacks.

The main physician in charge of this experiment had a 62-year history of researching cholesterol. His findings indicated that negative emotions and behavior associated with stress, especially hostility, time urgency, and insecurity, contributed to the onset of plaque build-up in arteries and heart attacks. He coined the term "hurry sickness." Recent research by Professor Andrew Steptoe at University College London also shows that mental and emotional stress raise cholesterol levels.

When a person moves out of alignment with their true self and makes decisions that compromise their values, they may feel mental or emotional discomfort in the form of worry, anxiety or depression. These states increase the production of stress hormones in the body. Cholesterol is the base material needed to make the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol.

Other examples of lifestyle factors include working long hours and not taking sufficient rest, spending insufficient time with your partner or children or doing a specific job because it brings in the most money. Also, taking on additional loans to buy materials items to make up for an unhappy life may add to your overall stress.

When the pressure is on to make money just to survive, you may develop unhealthy habits to try to cope, such as skipping meals, not drinking enough water, not exercising, over exercising or bingeing on junk foods.

Drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and recreational drugs are also common coping mechanisms. All of these may create physical irritation to the body's tissues and impair healing, which generates the production of more stress hormones and anti- inflammatory hormones, increasing the need for the body to manufacture more cholesterol.

It’s important to understand that cholesterol provides the raw materials for the body to repair itself from inflammation. As you make conscious choices to destress physically, mentally and emotionally - your need for cholesterol will naturally decrease.
Here are seven simple steps you can take to get out of the cholesterol-stress cycle. Listen to our radio show for much more information about these:

• Drink at least 5oz of filtered water for every 10Ibs of your weight. Add minerals or celtic sea salt so your body can absorb the water. Many people don’t realize that being dehydrated in and of itself can raise stress hormones in the body.
• Go to bed and put the lights out by 10 or 10:30 p.m. at the latest.
• Do something relaxing after 9 p.m.
• During the day, create time just for you.
• Clean out the garbage foods from your kitchen, especially foods with hydrogenated fats.
• Identify what you feel stressed about and find some solutions.
• Implement one change at a time and make gradual, consistent progress.

For more information about why cholesterol is a good guy, helping your body repair itself from inflammation and mental and emotional stress, read Uffe Ravnskov's article.

If you do have high cholesterol, be sure to take antioxidants. This is because when cholesterol becomes oxidized, its ability to repair arteries and other body parts may be disabled, thereby contributing to arterial plaque. Researchers are rethinking their views to conclude that cholesterol itself isn’t what causes a problem - it’s oxidized cholesterol that’s the problem.

We at Total Fitness have helped our clients lower cholesterol as much as 70 to 100 points with zero medication. You can reestablish new habits that will naturally balance your cholesterol levels and regain your health. Let us show you how.

Client Success: Congratulations, Patrick Keenan:
Irish Race Car Champion

It’s always fun for us at Total Fitness to work with athletes. Of course, each of us can be an athlete when we work out regularly, but not all of us compete in day- long rally car races through the hills of Ireland.

Such is the case of Patrick Keenan, 44, a keen competitor in the Irish National Forest Rally Championship. Although Patrick works as the U.S.A. product manager for Hiab Inc., a distributor of forklift trucks, his real passion in life is rally car racing. Little than two months after starting work with Catherine Carrigan, Patrick placed 10th out of more than 90 racers in Cork, Ireland. Before working with Catherine, I struggled to be inside the top 20, recalled Patrick. Our work with Patrick focused on nutrition, brain integration, kinesiology and life coaching.

" I have been more focused, calmer, had more energy, had a better tone of voice and was more productive and more of tolerant of others," Patrick said. "These things were also noticed by other people I work with. But the biggest shifts I noticed were in my ability to control the car and concentrate during the race, which is spread over the whole day. Before, I had trouble trusting myself and the car. The work I did with Catherine helped me deal with the high speed sections of the race."

Patrick’s navigator, who had driven with him before his coaching at Total Fitness, noticed the changes immediately. "He said my control had improved phenomenally." In all, Patrick estimated his hand- foot-eye coordination a key aspect of success due to the quick changes demanded by high-speed auto racing, had improved about 30 percent. "I am a firm believer in the science Catherine uses I am living proof."

Summer Snacks: What’s Healthy To Eat On A Hot Summer Afternoon

Rob Mottram, director of the Golf Health and Performance Center in Palm Desert, California, and the guest for our June 9 radio show, How To Train For Golf, knows how to keep golfers healthy, both on and off the course.

We asked Rob for snack ideas foods that you can easily take with you while you are playing golf. Notice that these are great ideas for hot summer days. Just get organized and take your healthy snacks with you it’s easy to eat healthy when you plan ahead!

Rob Mottram’s Golf Course Snack Ideas:

• Raw organic Macadamia, walnuts and cashew mix
• Cut green apple slices and/or berries
• Cut up fresh veggies - cauliflower, brocchilli and carrots
• Celery with organic cashew butter
• Smoked salmon on rice crackers
• Cooked cold chicken drumsticks and wings
• Cup of tuna (in olive oil or mustard) with diced tomatoes, onions and avocado at the turn
• Plenty of water

To listen to Rob’s radio show, click on http://www.totalfitness.net/radio_show_past_shows.htm

Nina Lynn, our colleague in Los Angeles, also has these snack ideas:

• Organic pumpkin seeds and raisins mix, with a hard boiled egg
• Smoked wild salmon on rice crackers
• Good old PB&J made with organic Valencia peanut butter and organic preserves on rice bread
• Cut organic vegies. broccoli, carrots, celery and organic almond butter
• Cooked organic chicken pieces with fresh organic fruit

Nina reminds you to make sure your snacks are glycemically balanced in other words, combine a carbohydrate with a protein to make sure your blood sugar and energy levels stay evenly balanced.

Total Fitness Radio

Have you been listening to our great guests on Total Fitness radio show? All you have to do is tune in to www.voiceame rica.com LIVE every Friday at 10 a.m. EST/7 a.m. PST OR you can listen to the archives for FREE 24/7 at http://totalfitness.net/radio_show_past_shows. htm.

To call in with a question or comment, dial toll-free, 1-866-472-5792.

Here’s our calendar for June and July:

June 16: Danny Dreyer, author, Chi Walking, "Chi Walking"
June 23: Eric Braverman, author The Edge Effect, "Your Optimum Brain Type"
June 30: Ralph Sanchez, acupuncturist and naturopath, "Brain Fitness"
July 7: Paula Begoun, author of Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me, will discuss The Truth About Cellulite
July 14: Julia Ross, author of The Diet Cure, will discuss ow To Overcome Eating Disorders
July 21: Ilsedora Laker will discuss Healing With The New Medicine
July 28: Helene Byrne, author of Exercise After Pregnancy, will discuss Flattening Your Abs After Childbirth

Mark Your Calendar: July 22, 2006

Join James Williams on Saturday, July 22, as he presents a seminar on healing your posture. Discover what’s going on with YOUR posture and find out how to make it better. This talk is ideal for fellow practitioners and clients alike. Details are still being worked out. Call James Williams at 404-350-8581 for more information.

Total Fitness Classes in Atlanta

Yoga Classes: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 4465 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA. $15 per class or $65 per calendar month.

Qi Gong Class: Every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. 1951 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA. $15 per class.

Booking appointments with Total Fitness

To schedule an appointment to find out about a personalized fitness, nutrition or healing program that will help you get results, please contact us:

In Atlanta

Catherine Carrigan catherine@totalfitness.net

James Williams james@totalfitness.net

In California

Nina Lynn nina@totalfitness.net

You can also visit us on the web at www.totalfitness.net