These 13 easy steps and take home messages were compiled  from a public forum that was held by Dr. Tytus and Dr. Curnew earlier this week.

#1 Start a Journal. 
- Record daily entries. If possible an entry at each meal and snack intake.

#2  Eat Small Meals Frequently. 
- Every 2-3hours if possible.

#3 Buy a Pedometer/ Take the stairs when possible. 
- Record average steps per day… helps personally motivate for better performance
- Park further away from door entry or destination
- Walk rather than drive when possible.

#4 Eat Breakfast every day!
- Within an hour of waking.

#5 Eat oatmeal -large whole flakes. Not instant. 
- Add Flax seed and blueberries as an option.

#6 Decrease refined sugars and starchy Carbs
- Decrease simple sugars except fruit and decrease portions of complex carbohydrates EXCEPT veggies

#7 Increase Vegetable intake.
- Veggies are a complex carb that portion size needs to be increased!
- Fruits – 2 servings a day, you do not need more when attempting to lose weight

#8 Cut out the Juice! 
- Avoid drinking excess calories. Eat an apple and drink water!

#9 Eat FISH at least 3x a week.
- Try to follow the Mediterranean diet and eat fish 3-5x a week if possible.

#10  HALT THE SALT!    
- Read labels
- Decrease the amount of processed foods including soups.
- Beware of all soups in a can or package. Make your own!
- Limit fast foods and restaurant meals.
- Limit condiments.
Health Canada and Heart and Stroke Foundation recommend:
Age 19- 49 -1500mg.
Age 50-70 1300.
Age 71+ 1200

#11 NO artificial sweeteners. 
They increase your appetite! 
- It has been proven that people who use Diet products or artificial sweeteners will eat more and consume more calories.
- Do not use Sweet & Low or Splenda
- Train palate to take coffee or tea with NO sugar.
- If using sugar or honey limit to a very small amount a drop- to half teaspoon.

#12 Moderate EXERCISE at least 30 min a day 5-7 days per week. 
- Moderate exercise if you can tolerate if not start with light exercise even chair exercises can help expend calories.
- Resistance training will give the best results.

#13 Do it for yourself and loved ones!
- Motivate others- find a healthy lifestyle/Exercise buddy
- Start or join a walking group. Committing to someone else helps you stay motivated and stick to it.

Follow the above tips on a daily basis and it will not be luck, you WILL lose inches and most importantly see a decrease in abdominal fat.

Happy and Healthy Lifestyle to all!!

Here is an article from Ontario Medical Review that features Dr. Tytus’ role in “It’s Hamilton’s Time to Quit”. Read about how the campaign was started and see the poster that was distributed to Hamilton doctors and their patients.

Hamilton discovered it only takes anindividual to start smoking, but a com-munity to quit.

Read the article here!

We know little about how the 2006 Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management and prevention of obesity relate to Canadians’ weight management experiences or whether these experiences reflect the recommendations in the Guidelines.

This is the introduction to a journal article that Dr. Tytus has authored. It’s entitled, Weight management experiences of overweight and obese Canadian adults: findings from a national survey. Click on the link to read the article.

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share with you this link to StrokeandAF, a resource website for Atrial Fibrillation.

Please let me know if the website has helped you. And if you’re a patient not familiar with AF, read Understanding atrial fibrillation.

Regards,

Dr. Rick Tytus

It’s a safe bet that virtually everyone in Canada knows smoking is bad for your health. Many years of anti-smoking campaigns, and widespread prevention programs in schools, the workplace and in the community, have driven the message home that smoking is deadly.

In Ontario alone, smokers account for a half million days of acute hospital care annually. Thirty-five Ontarians die each day from tobacco-related illness, tallying 13,000 premature and avoidable deaths each year. Fully one-half of all smokers will die from smoking-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and lung disease.

(Read the rest)

3 Hamilton Doctors, Dr.Walter Owsianik, Dr.Akbar Panju, and Dr. Richard Tytus were quoted in the following Toronto Star news article: Top 7 health concerns for men (June 17, 2010)

Secret Recipe!

Tastes how it looks!

1/3 cup Large Flake Oatmeal
1/2 Scoop Protein Powder
1 cup Boiling Water
1 Handful of Blueberries
1-2 tbsp. Ground Flaxseeds

In a Large Wide Mouth, Hot Food Thermos, add Oatmeal & Protein Powder.
Pour in Boiling Water & Stir Well with Fork.
Add Blueberries & Close Thermos.
Wait 30 minutes.
Open Thermos, Add Flaxseeds & Stir Well.
Ready to Eat!

~Mmmm, Yummy~

Dr. Tytus cannot recommend any particular brand of anything, but this is what he uses:

-Quaker Oats, must be Large Flake

-Weider 90% Chocolate Protein Powder 600g size, available @ WalMart

Whole Flaxseeds, which are ground fresh before use, or
can be purchased already ground.
Keep refrigerated or frozen to maintain freshness.