I am sure you have been following along as our new President tries to fix our ailing economy. But have you been paying attention to what some of the States want to do?

They are hurting jst as much as everyone else. There are a lot of states, if not all, that are having to cut budgets and are coming across shortfalls. The chances are that any tax breaks we get from the federal government are going to be offset by higher taxes by the states.

The one that really caught my attention is the one they call the ‘obesity tax’. It is called that because there are some states that want to tax those items that are contributing to obesity. The State of Florida is looking at taxing all non-diet soft drinks.

I don’t know about you but I don’t need anymore taxes, especially on food. Luckily, I don’t drink soft drinks. Most people shouldn’t.

My tip to you this week will not only help your waist line but also your pocket book. Drink more water. Yes. It is that simple. Our bodies were made to drink a lot of water, not all of these sugary drinks. That is especially true during the hotter months. The sugar drinks will not rehydrate your body the way it needs to be.

Definetly stay away from sports drinks. They are made for athletes or people who work out intensly for more than an hour at one time. My son and I drink it when we train for soccer but that is because we will spend from 2 to 5 hours training in 75 to 85 degree weather. It is a myth that anyone who sweats should drink it.

Helping depression

We know that most depressed drinkers will start to feel better within a few weeks of cutting out alcohol. So, it is usually best to tackle the alcohol first, and then deal with the depression if it has not lifted after a few weeks.

After a few alcohol-free weeks, you will probably feel fitter and brighter in your mood.  Friends and family may find you easier to get on with. If your feelings of depression do lift, it’s likely that they were caused by the drinking.

If the depression is still with you after four weeks of not drinking, talk to your GP about further help. It may be useful to talk over your feelings, particularly if your depression seems linked to some crisis in your life. Common issues are relationship problems, unemployment, divorce, bereavement or some other loss. Counselling may be helpful.

If the depression does not lift and is particularly severe, your GP may recommend a talking treatment called ‘cognitive psychotherapy’ or suggest antidepressant medication. In either case, you will need to stay away from alcohol and go on with the treatment for several months. There are some medications used to reduce the craving for alcohol, but these don’t seem to help many people and are usually prescribed by a specialist.

Stopping drinking

If you are worried by the idea of stopping or cutting down your drinking, or if you just can’t cut down, it might help to talk with a specialist alcohol worker. Your GP can tell you about the local services – you can then refer yourself or ask your GP to refer you.

Treatments for alcohol problems and depression do help, especially if you can regularly see someone you can trust – your own doctor, a counsellor or a specialist alcohol worker or a specialist psychiatrist. Changing your habits and style of life is always a challenge and can take some time.

Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you’re new at working out.

Park and Walk
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.

Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you’ll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.

At first, this sounded like the magic pill for which we’d all been waiting. Wow! Eat what you want but gulp down three pills a day and don’t gain a pound. What a way to lose those unwanted 10 or 20 pounds, especially now in the New Millennium.

Then we discovered the real truth. While this pill is definitely a breakthrough in the weight-loss field, it is recommended for morbidly obese people. It can be obtained only by prescription. Doctors prescribe it primarily for people who have health problems related to their obesity and cannot function normally. For instance, a 300-pound man who can’t walk up a set of steps without getting winded; a 250-pound woman who cannot reach down to tie her shoes or hug her child; a person whose high-blood pressure cannot be controlled by other medication and those with family histories of heart disease and stroke who cannot otherwise lose weight.

Maybe you could talk your doctor into it for losing those 20 or 30 pounds if your health-related reasons are justified. You still must exercise and follow a low-fat, low calorie diet while taking the medication. The possible side effects are: diarrhea, oily bowel movements, gas, discharge, urgency and increased number of bowel movements. Orlistat is not recommended for people with food-absorption problems, diabetes or for pregnant or lactating women and for use with certain other medications.

Much research is being undertaken on how glucosamine can benefit patients with arthritis. Glucosamine has been shown to reduce inflammation and to retard the progression of joint deterioration in arthritis patients. Many arthritis patients have added a dietary supplement of glucosamine to their diets and are reporting it has the ability to bring about arthritis pain relief.

Glucosamine is a natural substance which is found in the body. The supplemental form of glucosamine usually originates from sea creatures, such as the shrimp, shark, or lobster. The great thing about glucosamine is that you can use it in conjunction with your prescription medication. You should always tell your doctor when you add a supplement (or use another form of alternative medicine) to find arthritis pain relief. Glucosamine is not a fad. In fact, there are many reputable hospitals which are currently researching glucosamine and how it can aid in arthritis pain relief. So, you should not feel you need hide your intake of glucosamine supplements from your doctor.

Glucosamine supplements come in liquid, powder and capsule form. Most individuals take the capsule form of glucosamine for arthritis pain relief. Capsules are convenient and tasteless. They are also fairly inexpensive. Glucosamine comes in different forms, but most individuals take glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine supplements are available in extended relief or time release form. This is perfect for the individual who is looking to have glucosamine inside their system throughout the day for arthritis pain relief.

Everyone who has arthritis is encouraged to be proactive and find the arthritis pain relief treatment which works for them. Your best bet is to start with glucosamine supplements. You will know within a few weeks if they are working for you. If they do not, you are no worse off than when you started. If they do provide arthritis pain relief for you, you will be joining the list of countless other arthritis patients who are benefitting daily from glucosamine supplements.