2 weeks to better health

Assignment 1 : Put The Soda Down
Whether you call them "sodas," "pops," "tonics" or "soft drinks,your first assignment for you is to cut these sugary drinks out of your life for two weeks. "The entire obesity epidemic, according to all the long-term studies we've done, comes down to [consuming] 100 calories less in a day. "Now a soft drink usually has about 160 calories. Plus, on average, you'll eat an extra 125 calories at the meal you're having with the soft drink. If you can just cut out that soft drink, then you're going to be able to lose an estimated 15 pounds over the course of a year."You can drink other nonsugary carbonated beverages. If you're addicted to the caffeine, try switching to coffee or green tea, which he says are much healthier options. "We've got to break those habits that you've formed," Dr. Oz says, "to remind you what life should be like."

Assignment 2 : Whole Grain Bread and Olive Oil
For the next 14 days, you need to eat one slice of 100 percent whole grain bread lightly dipped in non-chemically processed extra virgin olive oil before every dinner. "[The bread has] B vitamins in it. It has fiber, which we've talked about is important for you," he says. "That's all good because it actually slows the movement of food through your stomach."
The olive oil, is a healthy fat. "Remember, healthy fats are the ones that are liquid at room temperature in general, and olive oil has vitamin E in it," "It's got all these cool little chemicals that work as antioxidants. If you combine them together, you're giving yourself wonderful nutrition to feed the liver." yet powerful, combination will reduce the amount of food you'll eat at dinner and keep your fuller for longer amounts of time. "Dinner's our big meal where we make most of our mistakes," . These mistakes can lead to serious consequences, like heart attack or diabetes. Eating whole wheat bread and olive oil can reduce your risk for both, "And you'll probably lose weight to boot."

Assignment 3 : Take A Deep Breath
Now it's time for a "breather."
For the next two weeks, simply take 10 deep breaths in the morning and another 10 in the evening. "Lie on your back. Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. As you inhale, push your stomach way out to the count of five,". "After five seconds, a comfortable breath should be held and then slowly exhale—again, letting your stomach come down really pushing your stomach down till your belly button hits your spine." Making this a regular habit has three great health benefits. It makes your lungs and blood vessels function better, it helps with stress relief and also helps with the drainage of your lymphatic system—the system that removes toxins from your body.

Strokes Don't Discrimate

Since 1988, the incidence of stroke for middle-aged women has tripled, according to a recent study. The lead author of the research, Amy Towfighi, MD, an assistant professor of neurology at USC, found that one reason for the sharp increase is that like American women—like men—have begun putting on weight around the waist, a significant risk factor. What's more, women fare worse than men after strokes, with higher risks of lasting disability or death. Towfighi believes women can turn those numbers around with a better understanding of the risk factors and signs of stroke.

Women don't realize they're at risk

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity all place a woman at risk for stroke. But diabetes, which disproportionately affects women after the age of 45, and pregnancy can also increase risk. For reasons that aren't completely clear, migraine headaches, especially with auras (characterized by visual disturbances such as lights or blind spots), are linked to stroke—even in women under 40. Migraines, high blood pressure, and smoking are particularly dangerous for women who take oral contraceptives. If you have any of these factors, talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your stroke risk.

Women have different symptoms

A woman experiencing a stroke is more likely to feel face and limb pain, shortness of breath, hiccups, or nausea than classic symptoms like numbness on one side of the body or dimming or loss of vision. That means not only that women are less likely to rush to the ER when a stroke hits (they take up to 46 percent longer to get to the hospital than men) but also that doctors can miss the signs. If you're in a high-risk category and have symptoms, don't hesitate to go to the ER and inform doctors as soon as you arrive that you may have suffered a stroke. The more quickly you are treated, the better your chances of recovery.