Nutrition: Back to the Basics

Eat this, not that.  If it’s derived from the ground, it is most likely a go-ahead.  Everything in moderation.  High carb, low fat.  High protein, low carb.  Gluten-free.  Juicing…you can drink more vegetables and fruits then you can chew.  Improve your mood, concentration, coordination, sleep, and energy while treating or preventing migraines, acne, ADHD, leg edema, heart disease, colon cancer and more with the simple removal of one thing:  wheat.   No eating past 8:00 pm—even if you are physically hungry… drink water and you will suddenly cure your hunger pains. 

Now combine our own monkey chatter with the “eat this, not that”, “everything in moderation”, “not eating past 8:00 pm” and more media or “nutrition expert” derived food phrases and we are left in complete confusion on deciding what to eat; thus, leading to anxiety, stress and fear.  Instead of looking at the big picture, we find either excuses or reasons why we should or shouldn’t eat something—we can focus on small details, like avoiding apples because there is too much sugar, and miss what is really going on behind our food choices.  I want to encourage everyone at home to go back to the basics.  Think about when you were a kid or think about a time in your life when your food choices were not as complicated or confusing:  parents made sure breakfast was never skipped; food was eaten when you were physically hungry; family members encouraged us to try a particular vegetable at least once before it was dismissed as the worst food created on the planet (I used to think my parents were trying to poison me with green beans); portions were reasonable.  In some ways, we need to go back to how we were eating as children…

1.  Listen and honor your hunger ques.  Before your meal, rank your hunger on a scale of 0 to 10.  Ranking yourself at a 0 would mean you feel completely empty or “starved” and you could be at risk for overeating.   A neutral state would represent neither being hungry nor full.  Before your meal, being at a 3 or 4 is ideal as this is where hunger has awakened. 


2. Train your palate.  Guests come here all the time trying new things they never would have tried at home.  Continue to do this in your everyday life.  If you used to hate tomatoes as a child, you may find that you really enjoy them now.  In fact, you can train yourself to enjoy foods you never used to—for example, change the way you prepare certain foods and you may find this becomes a new weekly staple in your kitchen. 


3.  Be your own researcher.  If something sounds too good to be true, it is probably too good to be true.   Start asking yourself the “why?” question when you hear media regarding fad diets, super foods, etc.  Make sure you are looking at scientifically based sources and the information is backed by solid research.   


4. Whole Foods > Highly Processed.  Whole foods including non-starchy vegetables, starchy vegetables in proper portions, fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, healthy fats such as olive oil and omega-3 rich salmon, healthy protein sources, herbs, salt-free seasonings, water, water and more water.

Is Gluten Free The Way To Be?

First it was fat free, then it was carb free, now it’s gluten free. Is gluten free just the latest gimmick or really an important health and nutrition issue? The answer is both.

For the one out of a hundred people in the U.S. that have celiac disease, gluten free foods are literally a life saver. Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. Those with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, even in minuet amounts. Gluten is a protein that is found in thousands of foods made with wheat, rye and barely as well as everyday products such as medicines, vitamins and lip balm. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, bone or joint pain, depression or anxiety, missed menstrual periods and left untreated can cause serious long term consequences. Celiac disease must be diagnosed by a physician, so make an appointment if you are experiencing these symptoms.

If diagnosed with celiac disease you must eliminate gluten form your diet. Most pastas, cereals and grain products are made with wheat, wheat flour, rye and barely and should therefore be avoided. Fortunately “gluten free” products made from potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat or bean flours are increasingly available, making the gluten free diet more palatable and easier to follow. Since “plain” meat, fish, rice, fruits and vegetables do not contain gluten they can be safely eaten. Oats can be eaten in small amounts as long they are not contaminated with wheat gluten during processing. Some people, while not diagnosed with celiac disease, have similar symptoms and may benefit from limiting their exposure to gluten.

The gimmick side of gluten free comes from the belief that foods with gluten are bad, and if it is “gluten free” it must be healthy. First of all, whole grain products made from wheat, barley and rye can make a very positive contribution to a healthy diet and there is no reason to exclude them unless you have celiac disease or you experience the symptoms described above when consuming them. Secondly, there are many gluten free products that are not healthy or nutritious. Food companies are now making gluten free versions of cakes, cookies, muffins, doughnuts, brownies and other junk foods. While it is not bad for someone with celiac disease to enjoy an occasional gluten free treat, a gluten free cookie or brownie is still a cookie or a brownie. If because of the “halo” effect, you give yourself the permission to eat more gluten free snacks than you would eat the regular version of those snack, gluten free could be part of the problem not the solution.



For more information on celiac disease, contact the Celiac Disease Foundation at www.celiac.org. For information on digestive disorders in general, visit the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. at www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov.

 

The HCG Diet: Helpful or Harmful?

As some of you may remember, a few months ago I posted an article about the HCG diet. I ended the article with this quote by Dr. John Schwartzberg, chair of the editorial board of the University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter, “ the HCG diet is complete quackery”. With its renewed popularity, however, I continue to get a lot of questions about it so I thought it was time for an update.

The FDA has gotten involved, saying that the diet goes beyond quackery and is potentially dangerous. HCG, a hormone that is produced by the placenta during pregnancy, has been touted to help people lose a lot of weight rapidly, but it is used along with an extremely low 500 calorie diet .While the promoters of the diet suggest that the weight loss experienced is the result of the HCG, Elizabeth Miller, acting director of the FDA’s Division of Non Prescription Drugs and Health Fraud, says “the date simply doesn’t support this; any loss is from severe caloric restriction, not the HCG.” Shirley Blake, nutritionist at the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition says that such restrictive diets “can be dangerous, and potentially fatal.”  

While there are many HCG products on the market for weight control, none have been approved by the FDA, so the sale those products in stores or online is illegal.

Watch the video below for more on the FDA’s position concerning HCG products.

Coaching Corner: Redefining “Diet”-Daily Intake of Essential Things

For many people, the most dreaded word in the English language is the “D” word. Nothing conjures up a state of misery faster than the thought of giving up pancakes and pizza for protein shakes and fiber supplements. But the reality is, to lose weight, you must evaluate the fuel you are putting into your body—not only the quantity, but also the quality.

People say that diets don’t work. They say this because the vast majorities who go on one eventually fall off the wagon and gain the weight back. The truth is, diets work great. While one may work better for you than another, any program that restricts caloric intake will be effective to a certain degree. I dare say that you could succeed (temporarily) on one of those nonsense plans like the Twinkie Diet or the Cabbage Soup Diet, but please don’t try this. Besides wrecking your health and metabolism, eventually you are going to crave some “real” food, and by then you are likely to be ravenous and out of control. Beware of quick fixes and instant solutions that sound too good to be true. They are.

Although many reputable diet programs are available, the best plan is to focus on the principles of healthy eating you have learned at Hilton Head Health. If you insist on “dieting,” it should not have an end. It should be a transition into a lifestyle that you can enjoy and sustain for the rest of your life.

Notice I said enjoy. Yes, food is glorious and should provide pleasure as well as nourishment. The trick is to strike a balance between the two. Finding your optimal balance will likely require you to change your relationship with food and with your body. By learning to feed yourself exactly what you need physically, emotionally and spiritually, you can take charge of your health and well-being.

Mind shift: Instead of associating diets with deprivation, start thinking of the word as an acronym for Daily Intake of Essential Things. In addition to food, what’s essential for you could be more sleep, something fun to do or someone to do it with, a career change, a massage or a hug. Rather than focus on what you might have to give up, think in terms of what you can add in the areas of self-care and what you have to gain when you lose that extra load you’ve been lugging around. Benefits are sure to include better health, more energy and greater confidence.