Is it possible that spending a little time in the tropics or living in the tropics might actually translate to health benefits? In other words, can a tropical life or tropical lifestyle actually improve your health and make you perhaps even live a little longer?

No doubt these are powerful questions, and researchers have provided us with some tantalizing answers. The first point to consider is the impact that stress can have on the human body. When your body is exposed to stress for too long of a period of time, it can become damaged due to the effects of a powerful hormone called cortisol.

Too much cortisol can result in signs of aging, such as wrinkles and even gray hair! However, the relaxation and slower pace of tropical life can reduce the amount of cortisol in the body. As a result, you will look and feel better when you are enjoying the tropics.

There is another important way that a tropical life might be able to help you live a longer, healthier life. When we spend time in the sun, our bodies use that sunlight to produce natural vitamin D. As it turns out, most of us don't receive enough sunlight and, as a result, our vitamin D levels are lacking. Unfortunately, a variety of health problems have been linked to a lack of Vitamin D, including cancer.

Living a tropical life almost guarantees that you will receive enough vitamin D. After all with beautiful beaches and lots of sunny days, why wouldn't you be enjoying the great outdoors? Just remember to bring sunscreen!

A friend of mine was given the opportunity to go on a Cruise to the Caribbean. You would think she would be excited about this fabulous trip, however, that was not the case. All the food, parties, tropical cocktails and socializing by the pool and beach were too much for her. She would rather skip spending time with family and friends than put herself in harm's way of tempting tropical food and drink for a week.

It doesn't have to be that way. Denying yourself of food and drink on a daily basis is not a sensible eating strategy to stay healthy, lose weight and keep it off. Getting ready for a trip to the tropics should not mean going on a "diet" in preparation for your trip because eventually you have to "get off" the diet, much like the cruise ship.

Eating less food in order to find your "abs" for the trip is the last thing you want to do because your body will burn away muscle to maintain itself and survive. You will lose weight and body fat too but the minute you go off your "diet", you will start to put weight back on – the kind you do NOT want – FAT! When your body has gone into starvation mode, it stores fat for future use, just in case, you decide to "diet" again. This is the roller coaster ride so many embark on when they try to lose weight, often referred to as "yo-yo" dieting.

The goal is to lose body fat and keep the muscle which will allow you to keep the weight off for life, without feeling deprived or starved. I want you to feel healthy, strong and ready to take on your trip to the tropics. You can become a fat-burning machine instead of a fat-storing one.

Eating a complete meal of protein, fats and carbohydrates every 3 hours will support muscle and release body fat.

Blaze a new path to a healthy body with this combination at every meal:

• 60% CARBOHYDRATES – leafy greens, spinach and other green vegetables, berries, oats, whole grains
• 20% PROTEIN – turkey, chicken, fish, tuna, egg whites with one yolk, whey protein powder
• 20% FAT – extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, peanut butter, almond butter

Get ready for your Caribbean Cruise with these delicious meals you can prepare easily at home. Every time you eat a meal, you will help your body lose weight and keep the muscle. Having the foods listed above on hand makes it easier to make a healthy meal any time of day so you will not skip meals or be tempted by sweets or junk food.

Be sure to try out some of my favorite tropical recipes.