This is one of the most common questions I get asked here at Dr. Sears’ wellness clinic, especially from women. With the way things are in the modern world, I don’t blame them for being concerned.

Your bones are under constant assault from toxins. Air pollution, cosmetics and even tap water can have any number of poisons in them, especially metals like lead, cadmium and aluminum which are very toxic for your bones.

The good news is, with five simple steps, you can help your body get rid of these toxins and keep your bones healthy and strong.

Why is it so important to eliminate these metals?

Well, lead will commonly store itself in your bones, displacing calcium. It also limits calcium absorption by disrupting the way you make vitamin D. This can give you weak bones and prevent vitamin D from doing its bone-building job. As your bones break down, especially after menopause, lead can be released and reenter the body.

Cadmium can increase bone mineral loss and change the way your body metabolizes calcium. Too much cadmium can also lead to osteoporosis and an increase in bone fractures.

When you have too much aluminum, it also keeps your body from absorbing calcium. This interferes with bone mineralization and production of bone-supporting proteins like collagen.

Your body is equipped to handle a small amount of these metals and eliminate them from your system. Unfortunately, there’s more than there used to be, and it can overwhelm your ability to eliminate them the way your body normally would.

The good news is, you can help your body overcome this modern body burden. You can get rid of these toxins and increase your bone density naturally at the same time.

All you have to do is follow what we at the clinic like to refer to as a “bone-building lifestyle.”

Here’s what I tell the women who come into the center:

Step 1 – Go Out in the Sunshine. Vitamin D is critical to bone health. And your skin uses sunlight to make it. Vitamin D regulates and assists in calcium absorption, helps maintain your immune system, regulates energy metabolism, muscle strength and coordination, and helps reduce inflammation. These are all important to building strong bones.

Do your best to spend at least 10-15 minutes in direct sunlight every day. If you can’t because of the area you live in, you can supplement with Vitamin D3.

Step 2 – Take the Test. Here at the clinic we perform a test that measures the heavy metals in your body. If the results come back high, we put our patients on a detox program to help get rid of them. The outcomes have been amazing. Patients start feeling better almost immediately!

Step 3 – Move Your Body. To improve the strength of your bones, try weight-bearing exercises like walking, Pilates or calisthenics. PACE is a great one. Keep in mind that weight-bearing means that gravity is involved, so swimming, in this case, does not work so well.

Step 4 – Water Yourself. Start off your day with a big glass of water. This simple step can really help your body’s systems get rid of toxins naturally. Stick to natural spring water or filtered water.

Step 5 – Feed Your Bones. Eat bone-boosting foods that are high in calcium, magnesium and vitamin K. See the chart below for specific examples. Steer clear of foods high in sugar and refined grains, and avoid processed foods in addition to limiting your caffeine intake.

Foods That Boost Your Bone Health

Sincerely,

Kamila Fiore, ARNP, NP-C

[Ed. Note: Kamila Fiore is the resident Nurse Practitioner at the Sears’ Center for Health and Wellness in Royal Palm Beach, Fla. Kamila is passionate about taking a natural approach to healthcare. She believes it’s a vital necessity in this day and age – a time when our health is being jeopardized by the chemicals, toxins and processes that are incorporated in almost everything we consume, touch or breathe. She earned her Master of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Florida and became state-licensed and board-certified in 2007. Her professional experience includes Aesthetics, Internal Medicine/Geriatrics and Anti-Aging. Kamila educates her patients on health promotion and disease prevention.]

But I was still surprised to see what my new friends in Bali, Lelir and Westi, had made us for dinner. I expected them to eat like birds, but every single dish on the table was rich, creamy or sweet.

My first bite of bubuh injun had me wondering how in the world the Balinese stay so slim.

I’d just flown halfway around the world to see for myself if what I’d been reading about could possibly be true: Could they eat as much rich food as they want throughout Bali and still stay naturally thin?

I may have found the answer hiding in Lelir and Westi’s everyday routines. It’s a fat-melting flower that’s one of Bali’s best-kept secrets.

And the truth was even better than I imagined.

You see, Bali is a place that doesn’t give up its secrets easily. After centuries of being invaded and conquered by hostile nations, the Balinese have become fiercely protective of their culture.

That might be why so few people know the full story behind one of their most celebrated treasures.

They call it sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). I saw its large, pink petals blooming above the surface of freshwater ponds. A few times I saw peddlers selling its unusual fruit, which grows right in the center of the flower and looks like the spout of a watering can. But most of the time I saw it carved into intricate stone statues outside of Hindu temples.

The sacred lotus accelerates the breakdown of fat, essentially draining it right out of your fat cells.

Westi told me that the sacred lotus represents divine beauty and purity, and has symbolic importance in the Hindu religion, which most Balinese practice.

Although it seemed to be everywhere I went on the island, very few outsiders know what this beautiful flower can really do.

The sacred lotus may hold the key to helping you achieve accelerated fat reduction.

Researchers were able to see this at work in a recent animal study. They found that sacred lotus appears to have slowed down the animals’ natural process of making new fat cells…and signaled for the breakdown of existing fat at the same time.¹

Sacred lotus seems to specifically target fatty tissue. It helped keep the animals from gaining more weight – and many even dropped weight.

Another animal study suggested that sacred lotus interfered with the body’s digestion and absorption of fat and carbs. At the same time, it accelerated the breakdown of fat and helped the body melt it faster.²

These preliminary results are very exciting and I anticipate that human clinical trials will show a similar benefit. The results look very promising in my opinion.

Imagine what a relief it would be if this fat-melting flower could have the same effect for you… making it even easier to drop weight when you add it to the efforts you already make to melt off those excess pounds.

But that was only the first slimming secret I uncovered in Bali. My friends Lelir and Westi had the second one growing right in their own backyard, a treasured spice that shuts down fat cells.

My friend, herbalist Ni Wayan Lelir, shows me the turmeric root she uses in her daily tonic.

I wasn’t surprised when Ni Wayan Lelir (pronounced Nee Why-an Lee-leer) told me, “We don’t like to go to doctors. We don’t need chemicals. We use the herbs surrounding us. Like for immune health, we use turmeric.”

Lelir is a fifth-generation herbalist from a long family tradition of natural healers, called Balians. She learned the art of Jamu medicine from her mother and grandmother, and has spent years developing formulas in her workshop that you can’t get anywhere else. Her husband, named I Made Westi (Eye Mah-dee West-ee), is an agriculturalist and herbalist, and he oversees their incredible herb garden.

People come to Lelir and Westi’s herb shop for nearly everything you can think of; immune-strengthening teas, detoxifying tonics, skin soothers… even organic cocoa butter and lip balm.

But while I was there, I didn’t see one person come in asking for help with their weight. They don’t need to. There’s no sure way to know why this is true, but the speculation is that it’s because of what they eat.

This includes eating powerful roots like the turmeric many of them get every day from Lelir’s “Jamu” formulas (Jamu means herbal healing in Javanese). And they cook with turmeric too.

Westi took me to see the turmeric plants in his garden, growing on a huge plot of land tucked away in the jungle high in the mountains near his home town of Ubud. There were at least 6 different kinds of turmeric there, in rows as far as I could see.

Westi shows me row after row of turmeric growing in his herb garden in the lush tropical forests of Bali.

I’d already known about turmeric’s power to support immune health and promote proper inflammatory response. But I suspected there was something else at work in this plant.

Turns out that the active component in turmeric, called curcumin, is also thermogenic – it may help increase metabolic rate! Think of it like turning up the heat in your cells. The temperature goes up and the fat is converted into energy.

Back in my Florida office, I found an eye-opening study from the USDA’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

When they gave animals curcumin and a fat-inducing diet for 12 long weeks, the obese mice actually shed weight!³ It seems the curcumin “induced apoptosis of adipocytes.” It caused the death of fat cells.

No wonder there’s no word for “diet” in Bali.

But shedding excess fat is only part of being able to reduce weight. Another component has to do with reducing hunger.

And when I traveled to India, I learned something from a long tradition of tribal hunting that’s virtually unknown in the West. There’s an ancient cactus that can give you iron willpower.

Tribal hunters in India know a little something about controlling their appetites.

They go away on hunting trips for a week at a time and they only bring a few handfuls of an unusual edible cactus with them as food.⁴

These hunters know that they’ll be traveling great distances in harsh conditions, and all of their supplies have to be carried on their backs. They have to carry all of their water, too, so there’s not much space for pounds of food. And despite all of these forces working against them, these hunters aren’t fatigued. They are energized and focused on the success of the expedition.

The cactus makes it much easier for them. In fact, they’ve been relying on it for hundreds of years.

It’s called Caralluma fimbriata, and its nickname is “famine food.” Not only does this cactus suppress the appetite, it gives you the feeling of being satisfied and full. Even better, it also increases endurance and quenches thirst.

Instead of struggling to adhere to a strict diet, this cactus makes it easier for you to feel satisfied. It could reduce your hunger and help get you through that hungry period after you eat smaller meals.

When you combine this ancient cactus with the potential fat-melting power of sacred lotus and turmeric…you have a triple-action formula you can use as part of your effort to become the slim, sexy, confident person you’ve always wanted to be.

I couldn’t wait to get the word out about these remarkable herbs from around the world. I started working on a new formula right away that would bring Bali’s secret home to you—and just in time for the New Year.

I call this new weight-reduction formula Bali Slim… and it just became available for the first time.

I think you’ll find it to be a powerful and helpful way to melt off unwanted fat and help put the brakes on hunger.

But I wouldn’t consider making Bali Slim without adding a certain mineral that I use with my patients. I’ve published dozens of articles on it and I believe it’s essential for any weight-reduction plan.

In fact, it works without you having to do much of anything.

I’m talking about the mineral chromium. It helps promote balanced blood sugar levels which may help control your appetite, and help manage food cravings, especially for sweets. It also has the ability to carry protein where your body needs it most, helping your body choose to build muscle over storing fat.⁵

Chromium plays an essential role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats and has been shown to promote cardiovascular health.

Dr. Gilbert Kaats and a team of researchers from the Health and Medical Research Foundation and the University of Texas Health Science Center studied over 150 people to see if they could improve their body composition by taking chromium.

The people were told not to change anything else… just take chromium.

After three months, the group taking the placebo showed no changes. The chromium group shed between 3.4 and 4.6 pounds of body fat.⁶ In addition, the chromium group gained an average of 1.4 pounds of lean muscle.

I’ve experienced similar benefits at my clinic.

And combined with the weight-reduction herbs I discovered in Bali, I believe you have an excellent addition to your weight-reduction efforts.

Based on my experience, I can tell you that adding Bali Slim is one of the best ways to get a lean, attractive body.

But with a few tips on choosing the best fat-melting foods, you can also get better results from Bali Slim with a simple secret I give my patients.

Bali Slim can help shrink your fat cells and take your mind off hunger. But what about the foods you eat every day?

Bali Slim works best when you eat smart and follow the fat-blasting shortcut that I’ve shown my patients.

All you have to do is pay attention to the glycemic load.

You’ve probably heard the word “glycemic” before, and maybe you’ve even heard of something called the “glycemic index.”

But there’s a difference between the “index” and the “load.”

The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly foods break down into sugar in your bloodstream. High-glycemic foods like carbohydrates turn into blood sugar very quickly.

Blood sugar that your body can’t or won’t process gets stored as fat. So it’s foods with excess carbs that can make you fat.

The idea is to eat foods that don’t spike your blood sugar. The GI helps with that, but it won’t tell you how much carbohydrate per serving you’re getting.

That’s where the glycemic load (GL) comes in. The GL makes it a lot easier to shed weight and keep it off by helping you choose foods that deliver a smaller load of carbs.

That makes it much more practical for your everyday life because the GL tells you how fattening a food is.

But the best part is, you won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself. It’s a way to eat smart, and help you know which of your favorite foods can assist in your efforts to slim down.

For example, here’s a tip that will help you build a better sandwich: Cheddar cheese and pumpernickel bread have a much lower glycemic load than Swiss cheese and a Kaiser roll.

I’ve put together an easy-to-use chart that will show you lots of simple swaps like these.

I’ve included this chart, along with more of my best strategies for melting fat, in my three-part, special-edition New Year’s Resolution Kit: How to Become the Sexiest Person You Know in 2012. In this kit, I show you exactly how to use the glycemic load. You’ll find many of your favorite foods on it!

And I’ll give it to you free when you order a 6-month supply of Bali Slim. You’ll have the tools you need to shed the excess pounds—and keep them off—all through the summer.

It’s my way of saying thanks for trying Bali Slim.

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll find inside your FREE copy of the New Year’s Resolution Kit: How to Become the Sexiest Person You Know in 2012:

• Part 1: The Glycemic Guide.This guide shows you how to use both the glycemic index and the glycemic load to further fat-shedding efforts. You’ll get an extensive listing of the glycemic index and glycemic load for many of your favorite foods…plus my tips for putting together a delicious fat-busting meal.
• Part 2: Build Your Dream Body the Easy Way. “Fitness experts” have got it all wrong. You don’t need to spend hours at the gym to look good. I’ll show you a faster, smarter way to get fit…and it only takes 12 minutes a day. I’ll also reveal the top 3 exercise myths that could be ruining your health.
• Part 3: Feast on the Fatty Foods You Really Love. Get an inside look at why fat is NOT the enemy…and why cutting it out of your diet can actually cause you to pack on more pounds! I’ll show you how to tell the good fats from the bad…so you know which ones to feast on and which ones to avoid like the plague.

The experience I had in Bali was transformative, and I believe Bali Slim can help you with your own transformation. And I’d like for you to try it yourself with no risk or regret.

The idea is simple. Take Bali Slim and stay with your diet and exercise plan. Use my fat-blasting shortcut—the glycemic load—for even better results.

When Bali Slim arrives at your home, I invite you to give it a shot. See if it’s everything you hope it will be. If you don’t like the results you get with Bali Slim, for any reason at all…you’ll get a full refund, no questions asked.

Even if you ask for a refund, you’ll get to keep your special reports with my compliments.

Combine Bali Slim with the fat-dropping secrets you’ll find in my New Year’s Resolution Kit: Become the Sexiest Person You Know in 2012. You’ll get the attractive, lean body you’re looking for. Choose your package below and get started today.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

P.S. – I want this to work for you, and I’m going to make sure you have every opportunity to make it work. For even faster results, combine Bali Slim with the easy fat-busting strategies you’ll find in my special-edition New Year’s Resolution Kit: Become the Sexiest Person You Know in 2012. A $44.91 value, it’s yours FREE when you try a 6-month supply of Bali Slim. You’ll have everything you need to reach your goal and stay fit until the summer. Just click the link below.

Choose one:

1 Bin X, et al, “Nelumbo nucifera alkaloid inhibits 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and improves … body fat accumulating in rats,” Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 2011; 5(10):2021–28. 2 Ono Y, et al, “…effect of Nelumbo nucifera leaves extract in mice and rats,” Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2005;106(2):238–44. 3 Ejaz A, et al, “Curcumin inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and angiogenesis and obesity in C57/BL mice.” Journal of Nutrition. 2009;139(5):919–25. 4 Kuriyan R, Raj T, Srinivas SK, Vaz M, Rajendran R, Kurpad AV. “Effect of Caralluma fimbriata extract on appetite, food intake … in adult Indian men and women.” Appetite. 2007 May;48(3):338-44. 5 Anderson RA, “Effects of chromium on body composition and weight l,” Nutri Rev. 1998 Sep; 56(9): 266–70. 6 Kaats GR, et al, “The effects of chromium picolinate supplementation on body composition: A randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study.” Current Therapeutic Research. 1996; 57(10): 747–56.\

Results not typical and reflect the unique experience of this person.

Sure, some models starve themselves to stay thin, but what about the rest of them? I wanted to know their secrets.

So I started doing a little research and stumbled upon some of the best-kept secrets in the modeling industry. And they all had one thing in common… boosting your metabolism.

Your metabolism is like your body’s inner personal trainer. It works 24 hours a day using calories as fuel to give your body the energy it needs. But as you get older, your metabolism slows down. This is what can account for stubborn excess fat even if you watch what you eat and exercise.

But thanks to the healthy supermodels, I now know a few tricks these smart women have up their sleeves that keep their metabolisms running at full speed.

Here are the top five ways to help you get your own super-charged, supermodel metabolism:

1. Drink your water on the rocks. If you tend to drink cool or room temperature water, try throwing in some ice cubes. Everyone who knows me knows I love my water icy cold. By drinking ice water, you can bump up your metabolism because your body uses extra energy to heat it up. Don’t forget to drink water throughout your day either… many times you think you’re hungry when you’re really just thirsty.




2. Spice it up! Next time you’re preparing a delicious dinner or going out to your favorite restaurant, pick a dish with a little extra spice. Black pepper, ginger, chili peppers and cinnamon all help accelerate your metabolism because they’re thermogenic. They raise your body temperature and help you drop the excesss fat a little faster.




3. It’s tea time! Asian cultures have been onto the metabolism-stimulating qualities of green tea for thousands of years. Green tea works to keep your blood sugar in check and helps keep fat from being stored. It’s also a great natural appetite suppressant. But what’s even better about this lovely green beverage is that one of the components – ECGC – is also thermogenic. Have a couple of cups a day (skip the sugar and cream) and you’ll notice a difference.




4. Eat… more! That’s right. You must eat, especially if you’re trying to drop a little weight. Eating more often helps your metabolism do its job. But you have to choose the right types of food. Do your best to stay away from processed foods and make sure you have some protein at each meal – don’t forget to load up on those veggies! Also try to scatter your meals throughout the day into five or six small ones, instead of three larger meals. This will keep your inner furnace constantly burning and your metabolism running high. 
   Extra tip: Eat before you become too hungry so you don’t eat everything in sight (yes, it’s happened to me!).




5. Pump up the intensity. Swap out long, boring workouts for short bursts of progressively intense exertion — like in Dr. Sears’ PACE fitness program. PACE consists of short rounds of intense activity (think jumping jacks, pushups, lunges, etc.) followed by brief periods of rest. The best part is that your metabolism stays fired up even after you’re finished. In fact, your body will keep using up calories to recover from your workout for up to 24 hours.

Have a Youthful Day,

Jackie Silver

[Ed. Note: Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.] 

That’s a lot of calcium.

Even with all that calcium, modern medical doctors and health “experts” will tell you that as a woman, it’s important for you to take a calcium supplement to keep your bones strong and healthy.

But there’s something you should know before you eat another chewable or swallow another capsule.

A study looked at 1,471 women over five years. Half took 1 gram of calcium a day, and half took a placebo.¹

The women assigned to take calcium supplements were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks compared with those who took a placebo.

Another review done by the British Medical Journal carefully analyzed 11 different calcium supplementation studies. The BMJ found that taking more than 500 mg a day increased heart attacks by 31 percent.²

Those supplementing with calcium were also more likely to have more than one heart attack.

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture found that most Americans take in around 800 mg of calcium every day. Fortunately, that’s about how much you need if you’re a healthy adult.

And as long as you eat anywhere near a normal diet, you don’t need calcium supplements. You get plenty of calcium through the food you eat.

My favorite way to get my daily dose is to eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables like mustard greens and broccoli.

Some other good sources of calcium are:

Also, I like to use spices when I cook, and two very flavorful spices in their powdered form – curry (30 mg in each Tbsp) and mustard (60 mg per Tbsp) – are loaded with calcium.

To make sure you retain the calcium you take in, try to get 400 mg a day of magnesium. It works in your bones to balance your calcium.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

1 Bolland, Mark J., “Vascular events in healthy older women receiving calcium supplementation,” BMJ Jan. 2008; 336: 262
2 Bolland, Mark J., et al, “Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis,” BMJ 2010; 341:c3691

“What is it? Like, a machete?”

My marketing manager C.S. knew I’d been hacking my way through the jungles of Bali.

“It’s called a Bali knife. It’s cooler than a machete. It’s like half knife, half hatchet. It’s got a big thick blade and a heavy handle to balance it out.”

“How’d you get that home?” she joked.

Of course, I just put it in my suitcase and checked it on the plane. I’m sure glad I didn’t put it in my carry-on and forget I had it in there. They’d probably still have me in Bali …

My friend Westi made me a drinking cup from a coconut.

My new colleague and friend Westi made a little presentation of giving me the knife as a present on my last day there.

I had remarked about how much I liked his Bali knife, and complimented him on his skill in using it. The Balinese use them as all-purpose tools, and Westi used it for everything.

He even showed me this technique of making a drinking cup out of a whole coconut. Everywhere I’ve traveled they have a different way of opening a coconut, and his was the best I’ve ever seen.

He shaved off a little piece of the coconut and set it aside. Then he chopped a little V-shaped hole in that spot with his short, heavy Bali knife. At one end of the hole, he chopped a slit, picked up the shaved piece and bent it a little, then stuck it in there to make a spout. Voila! Drinking cup.

After we drank the water out of it, Westi cut the coconut in half in two quick chops, then did something else I’d never seen before. He made a spoon out of the shaving we had used as a spout. Then he used the sharp edge to scoop out the delicious coconut jelly about as fast as I’ve ever seen it done.

Here I was, struggling for years to cut open coconuts at my house in Florida… and now I’ve got a Bali knife. I’ve managed not to cut myself too badly using it in my yard, too.

It’s great because I used to kind of spill the water all over the place when I chopped open coconuts, but I’m getting the hang of my Bali knife. Now I can drink coconut water right from the source.

Coconut water comes from young, green coconuts, and it’s not just for drinking. It’s also naturally sterile. In tropical countries where coconut trees grow wild, they use a combination of coconut water and coconut oil to heal skin injuries faster.

Take a drink and you’ll be re-vitalized almost immediately. Within five minutes you’ll feel a burst of energy, have clarity of mind and a sense of well-being.

One of the reasons is that coconut water can boost thyroid function. Having your thyroid work efficiently is essential for boosting your metabolism and energy production.

Coconut water is also loaded with the electrolyte potassium. That makes it a pretty good substitute after your P.A.C.E. workout for those sugary “sports drinks.”

If you don’t have coconut trees in your yard like I do, you can still get coconut water. Many health food stores sell fresh coconuts now, and it’s fun to learn how to cut them open yourself. All you have to do is make a hole and use a straw. The raw, fresh water will always be the best tasting coconut water you can get.

The next best thing is pre-packaged, “virgin” or no sugar added coconut water. There are quite a few companies selling it now, so it’s easy to get at your local grocery store or health foods store.

The three most popular brands are Vita Coco, Zico and O.N.E. They all use Brazilian coconuts which have a different but equally refreshing taste compared to Southeast Asian coconuts like the ones I tried on Bali.

All three brands have flavored versions of their coconut water, so be sure to find the ones labeled 100% pure coconut water with nothing added. You can find them in most grocery stores.

Some others brands that are worth looking a little harder for are:

• Harmless Harvest – It’s made with 100% raw, organic coconut water
• Taste Nirvana – All their coconuts come from one place: Samui Island in Thailand
• Nature Factor – The first to be certified organic.
• Blue Monkey – They make sure their coconuts come from local Southeast Asian groves that use sustainable farming practices.
• Naked Pure Coconut Water – Also made from Brazilian green coconuts.
• C2O Pure Coconut Water – Made from inland coconuts grown in fresh water conditions, which taste a bit different from either Brazilian or Thai coconuts.

Avoid the ones that are “coconut juice” or “coconut drink” because they are the ones that usually have added sugar and flavors.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

The National Weight Control Registry is a database of more than 5,000 people who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for long periods of time. Seventy eight percent of the people in the registry found that eating breakfast daily was an excellent weight control strategy.

Cold cereal tops the list of most common breakfast foods, cited by 31 percent of those who eat breakfast. Where did the concept of cereal for breakfast originate? John Harvey Kellogg was a doctor in Battle Creek, Michigan, and an advocate of vegetarianism. He is best known for the invention of Corn Flakes cereal with his brother, Will Keith Kellogg, in 1897. John and his brother did not actually invent the concept of the dry breakfast cereal, though. That honor belongs to Dr. James Caleb Jackson who created the first dry breakfast cereal in 1863, which he called Granula, probably the predecessor to what we now call granola.

Healthy Breakfast Tips

1. Start the day in a healthy way. It’s probably been 10 to 12 hours since you last ate, so use the first meal of the day to refuel with healthy food choices. Some studies have shown that having breakfast can actually boost your metabolism.
2. Think outside the (cereal) box. Instead of opting for the usual cold cereal, try having vegetables for breakfast. If the thought of having veggies so early in the day is not appealing, try sauteeing them and folding them into an egg white omelet.
3. Feed your brain. Researchers at the University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School did a study that compared three groups of normal weight adults. One group ate no breakfast, one group ate a healthy breakfast and the third group ate what is considered an unhealthy breakfast. Participants were tested for cognitive performance 30 minutes after mealtime, and then two hours and four hours later. Results confirmed that eating breakfast of any kind, even the unhealthy breakfast, was beneficial. Skipping breakfast consistently caused hunger and led to performance difficulties on tasks requiring concentration.

Have a Youthful Day,

Jackie Silver

[Ed. Note: The latest addition to our panel of top experts, Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.] 

1 Endnote: Burgio K. "Prevalence, incidence and correlates of urinary incontinence…" J Urol.Nov 1991;146(5):1255-9.