Keith Ahrens

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2011 — Agriculture Secretary TomVilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government’s evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.

Because more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, the 7th edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity.

Reprinted with permission from The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dept. of HHS

I’ve struggled with food all my life. Because of my family having it so tough financially growing up, I can remember stuffing myself when we did have food because we just didn’t honestly know when we would have another meal. I became obsessed with having food. Weighing 92 lbs. in the second grade sticks out in my mind. Then weighing 160 lbs. in the 6th grade hurts too but the biggest factor that led me to my life change was that I was 37 years old, 5’2, weighed 372 lbs. and was sick constantly from silent acid reflux. I had two daughters to raise. I was miserable in how I physically felt and disgusted at how I looked. After I was diagnosed with silent acid reflux and being prescribed Nexium. I thought this is just plain crazy to have to take medication because I am letting my eating get so out of control. After having seen 3 friends have gastric bypass with success and doing a lot of research and seeing a surgeon, I knew that this is something I had to do. I tried unsuccessfully all my life to lose the weight and keep it off in every way a person could imagine. What was sad was my grandpa who was in his 80s thought he would live longer than I would because of my weight. That thought made me feel so bad.

March 3, 2011 will be six years since I’ve had my gastric bypass. I lost 200 lbs. in the very first year. It’s been an up and down journey mentally because gastric bypass is a tool not a fix. The obsession in my mind with food never goes away. I struggle every day in my mind with food. My want for a healthy life far outweighs the battle in my mind with food though.

March 3, 2005 I made the life altering change of having gastric bypass.

Keep moving;

Eat healthy to stay healthy;

Support from friends or a support group

Going to the gym and seeing people of all shapes, sizes, and age inspires me to keep moving. Knowing how much better I feel and that I am not physically limited to do what I want motivates me even more. To be able to shop in the same clothing department as my teenage daughters is a great feeling. My fear of my two daughters ever having to struggle with their weight the way I have is always something I keep in mind. I feel so good that the three of us go to the gym and work out together.

I’ve gone from a size 32 to a size 10-12. The only way I want to continue to go is in a healthy direction. Sometimes I fall off the wagon but I get right back on because feeling good and looking good is too important to me.

On Sunday, America and the world lost a health and fitness icon.

Jack LaLanne, The Godfather of Fitness, passed away at the age of 96.

I’m having trouble finding anyone that compared to LaLanne.  He was the original, the first, and the leader of the modern fitness movement.

LaLanne influenced and inspired more people to get fit and live a healthier life than anyone I can think of.

When I look at LaLanne’s website, JackLaLanne.com, It’s hard not to be in awe of his accomplishments and achievements.

What impressed me so much with LaLanne is that he always approached fitness in a way that made it so easy for the sedentary to understand. He made fitness approachable.

With such a sedentary nation, video games, inactivity, poor eating habits, and other factors, perhaps we need LaLanne now more than ever.

Because of LaLanne, fewer of us will be in a hurry to get to heaven and heaven will just have to wait a little longer for us.

R.I.P. Jack LaLanne.  Thanks for everything – Keith

To learn more visit JackLaLanne.com

The fight against heart disease and obesity takes place everyday, every moment, every second.

A commitment to eating heart healthy, getting regular physical activity, taking time to relax, and developing other heart healthy habits puts you in the game.  These heart healthy habits determine whether we’re in the game or on the sidelines.

There’re so many resources out there to help us learn, succeed and fight Americas #1 Killer.

By making daily commitments and dedicating your efforts to implement an action plan to succeed takes effort.  Let me tell you – It’s worth it!

Managing our individual risk factors is critical to a healthier life.

Get off the sidelines and Get In The Game! – Keith

I had a routine follow-up appointment with my internist today. All of my blood work came back excellent and my blood pressure was an outstanding 110/70.

We were talking about early detection and how a large number of patients put off their regular appointments until a problem complicates itself or progresses for no reason at all.  Note: The people we were talking about were all people with insurance.

Early detection is critical in the treatment and prognosis of any disease or illness.

Remember, almost 4 years ago a routine EKG detected a heart abnormality on me.  It ultimately helped save my life.

I tell everyone to get a checkup. The doctor may tell you everything looks great or he may tell you there’s an issue that needs to be addressed.  Either way it’s a win win situation.  By this I mean if there is an issue that’s detected then you can tackle that problem.  It’s much better to know of a potential health problem and be able to treat it then to let it go unnoticed and get worse.

So, when is your next doctor’s appointment? – Keith

Wal-Mart’s getting healthier and taking its customers with them.

According to a story in the New York Times, Wal-Mart is going to announce a plan to reduce unhealthy salts, fats and sugars from their packaged foods.

They’re also reporting that they will be lowering prices on fruits and vegetables.

This is fantastic news for the consumer and millions of families.

Read Full Article Here: (Wal-Mart, NY Times Story).

Do you follow the golden rule when it comes to taking care of your heart?

For your heart to work properly, stay strong, and do its job, then you need to treat it right.

Heart healthy nutrition and regular exercise are the cornerstones of good heart health.  They’re also the first prescription given to fix a bad one.

I wish we were all given 2 hearts when we were born.  That way, if the first was to be worn out then we could shut it off and turn the other one on. This just isn’t the case.

Take care of the Heart you have, treat it better and pay attention to what it needs to stay healthy. – Keith

A team can’t win without scoring. Neither can we.

Think of any team sport that you like and how a team scores.  Is it a touchdown, a basket, a run, a goal, a point, or something else?

Teams get excited and have momentum when they score.

So do we when we’re trying to lose weight or increasing our fitness level.

We need to score and have the “little wins” in order to feel good and stay motivated.

The energy level rises when a team scores and spreads to every player and fan in the stands.  The same is true about the people around us.  They can just feel the added energy and vibes we put out.

By having little wins it keeps us focused on a bigger picture.  Losing that pound, walking that extra mile, lifting the higher weight all have huge effects when it comes to motivating us.

Create momentum in your own life.  It seems to take on a life of its own. – Keith

Perhaps they should be.

Drug interaction, allergies and adverse side effects from medication are a big deal.

Share with your pharmacist ALL of the medication and the specific dosages you’re taking. Make sure to inform them of any vitamins or supplements you’re taking also.

By asking simple questions your pharmacist just may help you stave off an emergency.

Your pharmacist can and should serve as a valuable source of information.

Nowadays, so many of us are under the care of more than one doctor with multiple prescriptions. We take vitamins and supplements too.

I’ve never had a pharmacist ask me for a co-pay or charge me to answer a question.  Most are happy to assist. The patient consultation window at your local pharmacy is one of the few free health care benefits we have.

There are more and more websites coming on line to answer questions about medicine too. Ask the pharmacist Walgreens, Web MD, and others.

Use your pharmacist as a source of information.  Take advantage of their expertise. – Keith