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Guidelines for Those With Special Needs
By Dana Thornock as excerpted from Dana's Cookbook: Cooking Lean - Not Extreme!
In my work with thousands of students of the LEAN & FREE LIFESTYLE, I have seen many physical and emotional health problems vastly improve and in many cases disappear completely, as these students incorporated the principles of the program into their daily lives. You can find many examples of these transformations in the Success Stories beginning on page 176 of your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book. Read them again and again as a source for your own confidence and inspiration. You'll also hear from many people with special needs on your support group video tape that can serve to greatly enhance your knowledge of your new lifestyle as well as your vision of yourself as a lean, healthy and happy individual.
Recently, a woman told me that she was having a hard time with the program because, she said, "I have such a difficult time actually believing that I can lose fat without abusing my body." As we talked further, I discovered that she didn't have any of the new video tapes and had only skimmed the book. Her understanding of the LEAN & FREE program, on a scale from one to 10, was only a "one." I see this problem repeatedly. People assume they already understand this program because they're familiar with all of the diet programs out there that scream that they aren't really diets. Yet hidden in the subtext of each is caloric and nutrient starvation. It's not unusual to see a so-called "health expert" whose hair has fallen out and whose skin looks like shoe leather--and isn't that a good indication that what they're teaching you is wrong!? You must study LEAN & FREE and live its principles every day if you want to establish faith in your own body and in its responses to nurturing, nourishment and lack of caloric and/or nutrient starvation. This program is light years ahead of "quick-fix" diet programs. Every element of it is vastly different! And even if you study those differences, if you don't continue studying and reinforcing this new information, you may threaten your progress. That little crevice of LEAN & FREE knowledge you're carving into your brain will be obscured and swallowed up by the Grand Canyon of diet falsehoods you've been learning all your life.
So give yourself the freedom to live, love and be happy by adequately preparing yourself--continue studying and reaffirming the LEAN & FREE principles until they are an integral part of your nature. You can then, finally get on with your life.
An important part of your self-affirmation lies in the ability to overcome obstacles, many of which are self-imposed, even though they may seem beyond your control. These obstacles often stem from fears and doubts based on physical handicaps or illnesses that people feel will interfere with their ability to follow the program. To help you overcome those doubts, I will briefly discuss some of the physical and emotional health problems that many LEAN & FREE students have brought to my attention. Many of these subjects are discussed much more fully in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book and on the tapes. Let me emphasize the fact that this information can in no way serve as a substitute for the advice you should be seeking from your physician for these special health needs and disorders. I am not a doctor. But I am a very informed woman who for many years has researched the most effective eating and exercise habits. When I could not find the answers to my own problems organized in a complete, sensible, livable way, I began to formulate them myself. I never planned to design a program for the public. It simply developed naturally because the need was so great and because so many people began asking me to share this knowledge with them.
My advice is simple: listen to your doctor; listen to this program; and then really learn to trust and listen to your body. It already knows what you need. All you have to learn to do is correctly interpret its signals to you; and LEAN & FREE, along with your personal physician, can teach you how.
Now let's briefly explore some of the special physical and emotional conditions to which this program can be adapted and which, in many cases, can be alleviated by its principles.
Learn more about your special need(s).....
Allergies, Amenorrhea, Anorexia, Arthritis, Back Problems, Bulimia, Cancer, Children, Chronic Dieting, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Sore Throats, Constipation, Depression, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Fibromyalgia, Foot Problems, Gastrointestinal Distress, Hair Problems, Headaches, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, High Resistance to Fat Loss, Hypoglycemia, Infertility, Knee Problems, Leg Problems, Menopause, Morbid Obesity, Muscular Disorders, Nursing, Osteoporosis, Physical Handicaps, PMS, Pregnancy, Premature Aging, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Esteem Problems, Senior Citizens, Skin Problems, Stomachaches, Stomach-Stapling Surgery, Stress Control and Weight Gain as a Goal.
See Osteoporosis/Premature Aging/Skin and Hair Problems.
First, consult a doctor to determine the cause and treatment for your headaches.
I have worked with many people whose headaches were caused by caloric and nutrient starvation, and/or the use of artificial sweeteners. Such sweeteners have been linked to additional symptoms such as loss of memory, dizziness, inability to think clearly, fainting and grand mal seizures. A woman student I once taught stood up after four weeks of class and announced: "I've had loss of memory, dizziness, seeing stars and fainting spells for one year. I'm only 35, but I thought I had Alzheimer's or a tumor on my brain, as did my doctor. My CAT scan revealed nothing. It's been four weeks since I had a diet pop or even a stick of diet gum. All of my symptoms are gone. My mind is back. No fainting--no fogginess; I feel wonderful!"
Many headaches can be avoided by following the exact same guidelines I described in the previous section on Diabetes/Hypoglycemia. Follow those guidelines closely as you work with your doctor.
See High Cholesterol and Heart Disease.
If you don't already suffer from high blood pressure, and you follow the LEAN & FREE program to the letter, chances are very good that you'll never have this problem. If you already suffer from high blood pressure, work closely with your physician and follow the LEAN & FREE program exactly, making certain to adhere to the following special guidelines:
Drink 8 to 16 eight-ounce glasses of water a day (do not drink soft water or soda pop).
Many LEAN & FREE students have completely freed themselves from high blood pressure problems after following this program faithfully for just a few months. For many people the biggest initial problem isn't excessive sodium or salt; it's a deficit of good balanced calories, water and gentle exercise. A healthy, fat-burning, hydrated body handles a little extra sodium much more efficiently than an unhealthy, fat-storing, dehydrated body. So live the LEAN & FREE LIFESTYLE every day!
High Cholesterol and Heart Disease
Work closely with your doctor and follow the basic optimum health guidelines of the LEAN & FREE program. Study the numerous Success Stories in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book to form a vision of yourself as a lean, healthy, energetic person with an optimal cholesterol level and a strong heart. Basic guidelines include these:
I have seen many people whose cholesterol levels have dropped dramatically in very short periods of time when they began to follow this program. They are often people who previously tried reducing the fat in their diet and increasing their fiber and exercise, with no positive results. One 66-year-old woman told me: "My husband eats poorly and does not exercise. I do just the opposite, and I have high cholesterol while he doesn't. So I did what my doctor said. I cut my fat more, increased fiber more and exercised more; but, I guess because I didn't know how to put it all together, in six months my cholesterol rose from 276 to 285. Now, after one month with LEAN & FREE, which helped me understand how to balance my eating, it's already down to 220. I didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle before. Now the whole thing fits together. It's so easy. It feels right and it just makes sense."
Put all the pieces together as this woman did, and use your Success Planners. They are very effective and can make all the difference between success and failure when it comes to body fat, cholesterol levels and a healthy heart.
High Resistance to Fat Loss and Women Experiencing Menopause*
Many women past the age of menopause, wonder if they are too old to lose excess body fat. Absolutely not! See a physician to monitor your possible need for estrogen replacement. In excess, estrogen may encourage fat storage; but if deficient, it can result in osteoporosis or bone loss and increased risk of heart disease and strokes, as well as thinning and wrinkling of the skin.
The biggest frustration I see in women experiencing menopause is that they are often more resistant to fat loss than before (or after) menopause. This is because their bodies are experiencing profound changes. Many of these women were not born with fat-loss-resistant bodies (as I was), so they become scared, anxious and frustrated with their bodies.
If this describes you, you need to slow down, relax and enjoy your new LEAN & FREE LIFESTYLE. If you stay with it and continue to nurture, nourish and gently move your body, you will see remarkable changes. Permanent fat loss becomes a reality, not just a dream.
Follow all of the guidelines for high resistance to fat loss that I include throughout the introduction, menus and recipes, including these:
You can do this...it will work for you! There's nothing to procrastinate. Both LEAN & FREE and life are fun exciting journeys, not destinations. If you aren't happy today, becoming healthy and lean won't make you any happier. So get excited; go for it; give it 200 percent just for today!
*Many women who are currently experiencing menopause find that their bodies are more resistant to fat loss. Other individuals are "born" with highly-resistant bodies. Still others develop high resistance to fat loss through years of dieting, meal skipping and junk-food eating. Regardless of the reason for fat-loss resistance, the guidelines in this section may significantly increase a highly-resistant person's rate of fat loss.
See Pregnancy/Infertility/Amenorrhea.
See Back, Leg, Knee and Foot Problems.
See Back, Leg, Knee and Foot Problems.
See High Resistance to Fat Loss and Women Experiencing Menopause.
If you have more than 100 pounds to lose, work closely with your doctor, and follow this program diligently. Make certain not to starve yourself, either calorically or nutritionally. And listen to Marie's story on your first support group video.
It is very upsetting to me when I see the messages in television programs about extreme obesity. Such obesity is almost always blamed on one thing--overeating, brought on by emotion and lack of self-control. I heartily disagree. (Read "The Myth of Food Addiction" beginning on page 209 of your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book.)
As you have read in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book, numerous studies indicate that overall, even with binges taken into account, obese people eat fewer calories than lean people; and the difference in activity levels doesn't even begin to account for the difference in caloric intake!
So please, follow these menus. Feed your body, and study--study--study! The information in this program is completely different from any you have heard before. Finally--you are free. Knowledge is the key to that freedom. Let go of the guilt and learn. Once your mind catches the vision of LEAN & FREE, it's only a matter of time before your body follows!
Oh yes, and don't forget your Enjoying the Freedom aerobics video. Start with just five minutes on the extra-gentle level. If standing is too difficult, do the arm movements while sitting, or while reclining, propped up. Good luck! You have found the answers--now you can succeed!
See Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Muscular Disorders.
The process of nursing may promote an accelerated rate of fat loss in your body if you're fully satisfying your body's caloric and nutritional needs. However, if you are slightly "under-eating," not balancing your meals, and not keeping your daily fat intake at about 20%, your body may perceive a threat of starvation that affects not one, but two people. Therefore, your body may decide to begin storing fat for two people, or it may simply retain the extra fat it may already have stored during pregnancy.
Three Water/Veggie/Grain/Protein/Fruit meals, plus three good-sized "veggie plus other food" snacks, are an excellent way to feed your baby, feed your lean muscle and starve your fat!
If your calorie requirement for comfortable satisfaction when not nursing is 1,800 to 2,500 calories, your calorie requirement while nursing could easily be 1,000 calories more than that, especially if you don't supplement your baby with other food.
When my babies reached about 18 pounds (which occurred when they were about six months old--I had big babies!), my caloric intake averaged about 3,800 a day. I was never full, but my babies were. They were very healthy and happy and I couldn't keep my weight on--for a brief period I actually got a little too thin. But if I didn't eat enough, and didn't completely follow the LEAN & FREE nutrient-balance guidelines, I would be stuck with a couple of sizes to lose.
Occasionally, there is a complication that requires an adjustment in this plan. For instance, one of my children had severe stomach aches. He would scream and stiffen from the pain all day long. He weighed only twelve pounds when he was five months old. My child's doctor suspected a dairy allergy and had me omit all dairy products from my own diet. My baby's stomach aches and his mucous-filled cough immediately stopped; his complexion went from white to rosy; and in one month he gained five pounds. I proceeded to nurse this child for 18 months. During the last six months, I added a lot of good solid foods to his diet, and a few dairy products to mine. He could tolerate a few dairy products "through me" after he was a year old.
At twelve years old this child is still allergic to dairy products, but he does tolerate small amounts of them (with acidophilus added). I believe he tolerates them better because I nursed him and introduced dairy products gradually into his diet.
Osteoporosis/Premature Aging/Skin and Hair Problems
Recently I read in the newspaper of a study on the effects of a well-balanced 1,000 to 1,200 calorie diet, combined with aerobic exercise, on young, premenopausal women aged 18 to 38. The expected outcome was an increase in bonemass. But the result was quite the opposite--a 3% bonemass loss! Just imagine what repeated low-calorie dieting can do.
As you study the Body Composition Chart on page 45 of your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book, you'll make an exciting and relieving discovery. Lean muscle, body hydration and increases in bone mass occur when you feed your body. Feed it to be naturally lean, high-energy and healthy; and don't starve it to be temporarily and artificially skinny (and low-energy and fatigued).
Remember that you want a beautiful, curvy, dense body, not a withered, saggy and soft body. If someone asked you: "Would you rather be a size 12 and 120 pounds, or a size 6 and 135 pounds?" Which would you choose?
| Dieting Can:
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LEAN & FREE Can:
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I truly believe that by following the principles of LEAN & FREE, we will get about as close to the fountain of youth as we can get.
Work closely with your doctor and therapist in devising an exercise program that meets your individual needs. Learn to listen to your body as you follow the principles of the LEAN & FREE program. If your ability to move is greatly limited, your caloric needs will be less than if you were more mobile. Eating small meals often can help greatly to increase your energy level and accelerate your metabolism. Be careful to satisfy your hunger and energy needs. Cutting calories below your level of comfortable satisfaction or going way beyond this level can reduce your energy and your ability to think clearly and increase your excess fat stores.
Be creative with your exercise and gently move the areas of your body that function well (for many people this may be the arms). Do the arm movements following the extra-gentle level on your Enjoying the Freedom aerobics video if your doctor and physical therapist give you the "go-ahead." If both your upper and lower body are handicapped, start out with deep, slow breathing for five minutes, three times a day. This, along with your perfectly balanced LEAN & FREE eating, can help to increase the overall good health of your body and decrease excess body fat.
Premenstrual Syndrome is a condition linked to abnormal seratonin metabolism. It requires the advice and assistance of a doctor. LEAN & FREE can be a great benefit to you in your efforts to manage this problem. Make certain to:
*See page 90 in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book for recommendations.
The increase in endorphins, energy and overall health can make a remarkable difference and improvement in your PMS symptoms and discomfort. (Study the many LEAN & FREE success stories in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book, including Jane's story on page 176.)
Pregnancy/Infertility/Amenorrhea
Work closely with your doctor. If you are nauseated the first three to four months, eat very small amounts of good food frequently and drink plenty of water throughout the day. It is best to eat dry food and do not take solids and liquids together. If your doctor gives the okay, exercise gently three to six days per week for 20 minutes, taking care not to over-heat (this greatly helped my own nausea during pregnancy).
Continue with good LEAN & FREE eating habits and take the supplements recommended by your doctor. Many women on the LEAN & FREE program experience inch loss in their arms, legs, face and neck throughout their healthy pregnancies; inch loss they didn't experience before the program, even though they were already exercising. (See Toni's story on page 197 of your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book.)
Women with infertility and amenorrhea problems (loss of menstruation) have also been greatly helped by LEAN & FREE principles as they totally avoid caloric, nutrient, physical and emotional starvation. They often develop the wellness sufficient to signal their bodies that they can now support two lives, not just one. Study Lisa's story on page 194 of your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book. Lisa's husband now refers to this program as the "Eat and Get Pregnant!" program.
Work closely with your doctor regarding your infertility problem. LEAN & FREE is definitely not a cure-all. However, it is true that we are made up of exactly what we eat; and our entire body chemistry changes for the better when we eat the LEAN & FREE way.
See Osteoporosis/Premature Aging/Skin and Hair Problems.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
See Chronic Fatigue/Depression/Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
See Stress Control/Self-Esteem.
Isn't it nice to know that the rules are basically the same if you are two or 92 years old? My grandfather will be 93 this year, and he is a perfect example of the benefits of the LEAN & FREE principles. He had a massive heart attack 30 years ago and was not expected to live. Grandpa gradually began incorporating many of the common-sense, livable principles you are learning in this program. Today he still drives, plays pool twice a week and exercises six days a week for 20 to 30 minutes (including lying on the floor and touching his toes behind his head 20 times and men's push-ups). He eats like a horse and yet says he would love to "gain" a little weight. Grandpa said to me the other day, "My only complaint is, I don't quite have the energy I did in my 80's". Grandpa was told two months ago by his doctor that he had the body of a 65-year-old man. (I might add that his mind is extremely alert, as well.) This is especially amazing, since one-third of his heart is nonfunctioning.
Grandma, at 89, also does very well. She is extremely active mentally, but arthritis is slowing her down physically. The only LEAN & FREE guidelines that she has not adhered to are regular exercise (she is a very hard worker, but work is not aerobic) and avoidance of soda pop. In her words, "I'd rather be dead than give up my cola!" Well, for 89, I would say she is doing pretty well.
Stay active, maintain a sense of purpose in life, lose yourself in service and follow all of the LEAN & FREE eating, exercise and positive-thinking guidelines. Here's to a happy, healthy life and glowing golden years! (Study Luann's, Gib's, Kyle's, Janet's and Renee's success stories in your LEAN & FREE 2000 PLUS book. These people are all 60 or over.)
See Osteoporosis/Premature Aging/Skin and Hair Problems.
Stomachaches/Gastrointestinal Distress
These conditions are often brought on by adding too much fiber to your eating program too quickly (see the Fiber Progression Chart on page 13 of Dana's Cookbook: Cooking Lean - Not Extreme!. Adding foods you are allergic to can also cause discomfort as can infrequent eating. (Never go more than four to five hours without eating.) Stuffing or eating beyond the point of comfortable satisfaction can cause distress and pain as well.
Legumes are not tolerated well by some people and can often be a cause of stomach distress. If you have this problem, try taking Beano* drops (ask your pharmacist for them) and drink more water when you have chili, split-pea soup, bean soup, etc.
Gastrointestinal problems can have numerous other causes. If symptoms persist, see your doctor immediately.
*Beano drops are a natural food enzyme that aids in the digestion of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
See Anorexia, Bulimia and Chronic Dieting/Stomach-Stapling Surgery.
You have found a large part of the solution right here. The entire LEAN & FREE LIFESTYLE is about stress control and self-esteem. This program could be renamed, "The Ultimate Self-Esteem / Stress Control Lifestyle"! Dutifully follow every element of this program and chances are strong that your life will even out. You will become your own best friend. Meanwhile, take life just one day at a time! Have faith in yourself and tell yourself every day what a remarkable, intelligent, priceless, human being you are--the kind everyone wants to have as a personal friend--especially you! And remember--complete your Success Planners every day to ensure optimum physical and emotional health and stress control.
Invariably, at the end of my seminars, someone will ask me what to do to gain weight or to muscle-up a bit. This is what I say:
These guidelines can help you bulk up in a healthy manner while you continue to share meals with the rest of your family. Simply add more cheese, nuts, seeds, avocados and olives next time you have a salad or potato bar; and appreciate that wonderful, healthy body you are maintaining and enjoying for life!
Learn more about your special need(s).....
Allergies, Amenorrhea, Anorexia, Arthritis, Back Problems, Bulimia, Cancer, Children, Chronic Dieting, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Sore Throats, Constipation, Depression, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Fibromyalgia, Foot Problems, Gastrointestinal Distress, Hair Problems, Headaches, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, High Resistance to Fat Loss, Hypoglycemia, Infertility, Knee Problems, Leg Problems, Menopause, Morbid Obesity, Muscular Disorders, Nursing, Osteoporosis, Physical Handicaps, PMS, Pregnancy, Premature Aging, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Self-Esteem Problems, Senior Citizens, Skin Problems, Stomachaches, Stomach-Stapling Surgery, Stress Control and Weight Gain as a Goal.
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