Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover

by Marilu Henner, Laura Morton

Overview

Now's the time to create the healthy, balanced life you want—and become the truly vibrant, happy person you were meant to be. Combining good humor with solid science, Marilu Henner provides essential information on every aspect of health and fitness, including:

• Detoxing your body
• Preventing or alleviating health conditions from obesity to cancer
• The secrets of stress reduction

Real food and the organic way to fuel your body Free yourself forever from diets and disease-causing toxins, boost your energy, lower and maintain your weight—and change your life.

About the Author:
Marilu Henner is an actress who is best known for her roles on the hit TV series Taxi and Evening Shade. She is also the bestselling author of Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover and The 30-Day Total Health Makeover. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Robert Lieberman, and their two sons.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060988784
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	12/28/2000
Edition description:	1ST TRADE
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	7.37(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Marilu Henner is well known for her roles in Taxi and Evening Shade and her participation in The Celebrity Apprentice. She is the author of two other New York Times bestselling books, Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover and Healthy Life Kitchen. She lives in Los Angeles.

Read an Excerpt

One Step at a Time


Approximately 400,000 Americans a year die as a result of an unhealthydiet and a sedentary lifestyle.
Now that I've got your attention: When was the last time you felt healthy?Do you think you feel healthy right now . . . this very instant? Look aroundyou. Take a look at who you see walking around the shopping mall or in lineat the movie theater. What do you see when you're at an airport? Do thesepeople look healthy to you? Really take a good look around, and I thinkyou'll be hard-pressed to find a truly vibrant, healthy person, someonewho has skin that's tight and smooth, alert eyes, positive mental energy,and a look of real physical fitness. As human beings, we have taken ourselvesso far away from our natural instincts. We don't walk with good posture,we carry excess baggage (physical and emotional) like it was designer luggage.We eat completely unnatural foods for our bodies, and basically live a verydifferent lifestyle from the one we were intended to live. When I watchthe Discovery Channel with my kids, I'm always so respectful of how animalseat and live the way nature intended. You never see a giraffe with a sparetire or a panther with cellulite. When I look around, I'm struck by howmuch less healthy human animals look compared with the animals I see onTV. And believe me, I'm not saying that we should all be naked, in factfar from that. (Would you want to see most of the people you see in a mallwith their clothes off?)
It's time to wake up and realize that on the whole, even if you think youfeel healthy and strong, you probably don't. The problem with knowing howyou're feeling is identifying what "healthy" feels like. How doyou look toeveryone else? Most people walk around a little slouched over,completely stressed out, and at least slightly overweight. We're not evenstaying the same shape that human beings were intended to be. As we gainweight, we actually distort our natural body outline and become a misshapenversion of the human form. If you are nodding your head in agreement rightnow, you are the perfect candidate for my program. Do you have the gutsto read on?
As a society, Americans eat a higher-fat diet than people in most othercultures, and we live a life of fast food and instant meals. Who has thetime to cook anymore? From a health perspective, we don't take care of ourselvesas we should. We ignore common ailments, put off that workout, completelyoverwork ourselves, and underestimate our need for sleep. Do any of thesesound familiar? Then it is time to make a change in your life! We know somuch more now than we ever have before about health and diet. I believethat many people are ready to make that change and are finally willing totake the right steps toward becoming healthy.
Most of us are very trusting people and believe what we're told and everythingwe read. We really buy into the idea that if something is available andwe're told it's good for us, it must be okay, yet we never look beyond that.The truth is, we're manipulated by the media and by food manufacturers.There's so much conflicting information out there, how can you possiblyknow whom to believe? Should we be eating a high-protein, low-carbohydratediet, or is it a high-fiber, low-protein diet? Does fat-free mean it's goodfor you? It's all so confusing. We certainly don't take the time to readfood labels as we should. I mean, if you can't pronounce it, why in theworld would you put it in your body? Anything with a food label that reads,"Continued on the next can" should not be a part of your regulareating habits. It's a good indication that it's not a "real" foodfor your "real" body. We have to educate ourselves so that wecan make a move to take that first step. That's why I have created thiseasy-to-understand ten-step program.
The plan in this book is a simple one, but it has the power to bring yourhealth and vitality to a new level, and add years to your life. My ten-stepprogram is really about liberating yourself from your old habits. It freesyou from learned behavior. Once you discover that you have a choice aboutwhat you eat and how you live your life, you will find that my program isthe opposite of deprivation. It is, in fact, a path to freedom. Take thisinformation and process it as if you were a computer updating an old program.It takes a little while to load in the information, but the upgrade is definitelyworth it. Suddenly, your computer can do things it never could before. It'sfaster and more productive. The upgrade just makes your life easier. Soundsgood, doesn't it?
Ask yourself one question. Am I the best version of myself? Most of youmay not even be able to answer that question honestly at this moment. Youmay not know the truth. Can you handle the truth? Well, I am certain thatby virtue of your having gone out and bought my book, you must be on a questfor a better life. If that is your goal, read on.
What are the ten steps? They're ten things that, over the years, and throughmuch investigation and experimentation, I changed about my life. I knewthat I wanted to get healthy and feel great, but I didn't want it to bea temporary change. I created a lifestyle that worked for me, and if youfollow just one of these steps, you'll definitely feel better. If you followmore than one, you'll feel better than you ever have. And if you followall ten steps you'll be your B.E.S.T. The overall idea is to reexamine yourrelationship with food, your lifestyle, and your health. Pick any one stepand decide if you want to try the beginner, intermediate, or advanced versionof that step. Try the version you've chosen for at least three weeks tofeel a difference. If you don't feel a difference after one week, you maybe ready for the next level.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments		xxii
Introduction: Boys and My Weight		xxvi
One Step at a Time		1	(26)
The Ten Steps---One at a Time		5	(8)
What is Freedom?		13	(2)
A Workable Program		15	(2)
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses!		17	(2)
Marilu's Questions to Think About		19	(3)
Health		19	(1)
Food		19	(1)
Dieting		20	(1)
Body Image		21	(1)
What is B.E.S.T.?		22	(1)
"Somewhere over the Rainbow ..."---My Rainbow Theory		22	(5)
Balance		27	(23)
Understanding Extreme Foods		31	(3)
Balance in Your Diet		34	(2)
Food and Behavior		36	(2)
Changing Your Palate		38	(2)
The Art of Chewing		40	(3)
Food for Thought		43	(4)
Protein		43	(1)
Carbohydrates		44	(1)
Fat		45	(2)
Balancing/Centering Your Body		47	(3)
Taking the Plunge		50	(13)
Making the Commitment		51	(4)
Detoxification and Healing Crises		55	(8)
Step 1: The Dangers of Chemicals, Additives, and Preservatives		63	(16)
Dangers of Food Additives and Preservatives		67	(9)
Acesulfame K		67	(1)
Artificial Colorings		67	(1)
Aspartame		68	(1)
Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHA and BHT)		69	(1)
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)		70	(1)
Nitrites and Nitrates		71	(1)
Olestra		72	(2)
rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone)		74	(1)
Saccharin		74	(1)
Sulfites		74	(2)
Organic Food		76	(3)
Step 2: Caffeine and Nicotine---Breaking the Habit		79	(12)
A Stimulating Brew		79	(2)
Caffeine Overload		81	(2)
Are You a Java Junkie?		83	(2)
Caffeine Health Risks		85	(3)
Smoking		88	(3)
Step 3: The Not-So-Sweet Bad News About Sugar and Aspartame		91	(15)
Get off the Sugar Treadmill		94	(2)
Sugar Substitutes		96	(7)
Brown Sugar		97	(1)
Saccharin		97	(1)
Aspartame		97	(1)
Acesulfame K		98	(1)
Honey		99	(1)
Sucrose and Fructose		99	(1)
Maltose		100	(1)
Cane Juice		100	(1)
Lactose and Fruit Juice Sweeteners		101	(2)
The Scoop on Sugar		103	(3)
Step 4: The Health Risks of Meat		106	(8)
Seeing Red---How Animals Are Slaughtered		109	(2)
Good Nonmeat Sources of Protein		111	(3)
Step 5: The Miracle of Dairy---Free		114	(28)
What's the Matter with Milk?		119	(8)
Bovine Slime		127	(2)
Dairy and the Cancer Connection		129	(1)
Dairy and Nutrient Deficiencies		130	(1)
Breast Feeding and Dairy		130	(2)
Fat and Dairy Products		132	(5)
Dairy Alternatives		137	(5)
Milk		138	(1)
Cheese		138	(1)
Eggs		138	(2)
Butter		140	(1)
Mayonnaise		140	(1)
Ice Cream		140	(2)
Step 6: Food Combining---The Winning Combination		142	(19)
Why Food Combining?		143	(2)
How Food Combining Works		145	(16)
Step 7: Fat---The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly		161	(11)
The Skinny on Fat		163	(1)
Lexicon of Fats		164	(2)
Cholesterol		166	(2)
Limiting---Not Eliminating---Fat		168	(4)
Step 8: The Beauty of Exercise and Stress Reduction		172	(27)
Stress---What the Hell is it and Why is it Bugging Me?		181	(1)
The Effects of Stress on Your Body		182	(2)
Reducing Stress in Your Life		184	(11)
Exercise		188	(1)
Just Say No!		189	(1)
Laughter is the Best Medicine		190	(1)
Stress and Eating		191	(2)
Baths and More		193	(2)
Skin Brushing---Giving Your Body the Big Brush-off		195	(1)
How to Skin Brush		196	(3)
Step 9: Sleep---The Cure-all		199	(15)
What is Sleep?		201	(1)
The Body's Need to Sleep		202	(1)
Sleep and the Immune System		203	(1)
Sleep and the Brain		204	(2)
Insomnia		206	(5)
Natural Remedies		209	(1)
To Nap or Not to Nap---That is the Question		210	(1)
Keeping a Sleep Journal		211	(2)
Sleep on This		213	(1)
Step 10: Gusto---The Missing Ingredient in the Mind/Body Connection		214	(14)
Are You Ready for Gusto?		216	(7)
My "Toy Box" Theory		218	(2)
Looking Good, Feeling Good		220	(3)
Confidence and Self-Esteem		223	(1)
Gusto and Food		224	(1)
Setting Goals---A Road Map to Gusto		225	(1)
Imagery and Visualization		226	(2)
Why Certain Diets Work and Others Don't		228	(24)
Die-it		228	(4)
Live-it		232	(1)
Diet Roulette		233	(3)
Men Versus Women		236	(6)
Childhood Eating Habits		237	(3)
Overweight Men and Women		240	(2)
The No-Fat Explosion		242	(3)
Is There a Magic Pill?		245	(2)
What is Obese?		247	(2)
Finding Your Ideal Weight		249	(1)
Readjusting Your Weight Set Point		250	(2)
Is Heredity Destiny? To See Your Future, You Must Know Your Past		252	(21)
Is Heredity Destiny?		253	(6)
Understanding Your Genes		259	(14)
Obesity		260	(1)
High Blood Pressure		261	(1)
Heart Disease		262	(1)
Depression		263	(3)
Cancer		266	(1)
Osteoporosis		267	(4)
Diabetes		271	(2)
Reading Your Face		273	(12)
How to Read Your Face		275	(3)
Getting Under Your Skin		278	(5)
Vitamins and Minerals That Help Your Complexion		283	(2)
What's the Poop?		285	(32)
Your Digestive System and How it Works		286	(4)
The Poop on Poop		290	(6)
Frequency of Elimination		290	(1)
Stool Weight		291	(2)
Transit Time		293	(1)
Stool Consistency		293	(1)
Effort		294	(2)
Digestive Disorders		296	(15)
Gas		297	(3)
Constipation		300	(2)
Diarrhea		302	(3)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/Inflammatory Bowel Disease		305	(4)
Heartburn		309	(2)
Fix it with Fiber		311	(6)
Listening to Your Body		317	(17)
How to Set Up and Keep a Lifestyle Journal		321	(1)
Tracking Your Weight		322	(1)
What to Put in Your Journal		323	(1)
Tracking Your Food		323	(2)
Food Allergies and Food Intolerances		325	(5)
What to Put in Your Journal		329	(1)
Tracking Your Exercise		330	(1)
What to Put in Your Journal		330	(1)
Tracking Your Bathroom Activity		330	(1)
What to Put in Your Journal		330	(1)
Tracking Your Sleep		331	(1)
What to Put in Your Journal		331	(1)
Tracking Your Menstrual Cycle		332	(2)
What to Put in Your Journal		332	(2)
Alternative/Preventive Medicine		334	(15)
East Versus West		336	(2)
Alternative Medicines and Treatments: Do They Work?		338	(7)
Acupuncture		338	(1)
Shiatsu and Acupressure		339	(1)
Homeopathic Medicine		340	(2)
Herbs/Supplements		342	(3)
Marilu's Secret Cure-alls		345	(4)
Cold Sores		345	(1)
Colds		346	(1)
Headaches		346	(1)
Jet Lag		347	(1)
Morning Sickness		347	(1)
Motion Sickness		347	(1)
PMS		348	(1)
Sprains		348	(1)
Practical Living in Your New Total Health Makeover World		349	(24)
How to Order in a Restaurant		350	(9)
T.G.I.Friday's		355	(1)
Chinese Restaurant		355	(2)
Josie's		357	(1)
Deli		357	(1)
Italian Restaurant		357	(2)
Stocking Your Pantry		359	(5)
Breakfast Items		359	(1)
Lunch and Dinner Items		360	(1)
Snacks		360	(1)
Cheese Substitutes		361	(1)
Condiments		362	(1)
Drinks		362	(2)
Eating at a Friend's Home		364	(2)
Flying		366	(1)
Marilu Henner 101		367	(6)
Things I Have Learned About Health		367	(1)
Things I Have Learned About Food		367	(1)
Beauty Tips		368	(1)
Things I Have Learned from Macrobiotics		369	(1)
Things I Have Learned from My Parents		369	(1)
Things My Therapist Says		370	(1)
Things My Life Has Taught Me		370	(2)
Things I Say to My Kids		372	(1)
Things My Kids Say		372	(1)
B.E.S.T. Advice		372	(1)
Some Final Thoughts		373	(2)
Appendix A: Rich Sources of Nutrients		375	(6)
Appendix B: Josie's Recipes		381	(30)
Bibliography		411	(5)
Index		416

What People are Saying About This

Fran Drescher

Marilu is my mentor. Her philosophies about health changed my life as well as my figure.

Tony Danza

If changing your body and looking great are qualifiers, then Marilu is definitely qualified to write this book.

Editorial Reviews

Actress Marilu Henner offers a ten-step program for adopting healthy eating and lifestyle habits in this warm and approachable book. Eating less meat, dairy, and processed foods and more grains, fruits, and vegetables is one important aspect of her plan; others include reducing stress, incorporating exercise into daily life, and even tapping into the mind-body connection and taking advantage of alternative therapies and preventive medicine. Henner writes that she looks and feels better today at 45 than she did in her 20s, when she tried "every crazy diet known to man" and her weight yo-yoed constantly -- she offers readers great advice on balancing a passion for good food with good eating habits to maintain a stable, healthy weight.

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