Tag: hemingway

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Nosh

How Fermented Foods Could Help You Lose Weight

A few years ago, I was at a health food expo in North Carolina where I was scheduled to speak on weight loss and healthy living. As I toured the exhibitor’s booths, I struck up a conversation with a woman who advocated eating fermented foods every day as part of a healthy diet. I was curious about fermented foods because I had never really thought about what they were and what role they played in health.

After I returned home, I did some research on fermentation and realized that fermented foods were not only good for me from a health perspective but also had the potential to be an ally for people who want to lose weight. My family kind of rolled their eyes when I told them what I had learned; they are sometimes skeptical about trying new healthy foods I discover. Think chia seeds and spirulina and you can probably guess what kind of reaction I got.

What is fermentation anyway?

You probably consume fermented foods on a regular basis and don’t even realize it. I know I did. The fermentation process has been used for centuries as a way to preserve food. It generally does not require extreme heat or refrigeration, although you can refrigerate vegetables after fermenting them to help them last longer.

Why does fermentation help with weight loss?

The jury is still out on how beneficial fermentation is for weight loss, but the theory is that fermentation of food preserves the enzymes and probiotics that are in the food. These enzymes and probiotics can increase your energy levels and keep your digestive system balanced. Eating food that is fermented can also decrease your desire for sugary foods that are high in carbohydrates. And everyone knows that eating less sugar is a great way to reduce the number of calories you consume. A 2011 study in the academic journal Nutrition Research reported that people who regularly ate kimchi (a Korean fermented food) weighed less and had lower blood pressure than people who did not eat kimchi regularly.

What foods are fermented?

There are many foods that are fermented. Some are good for weight loss and others…well, not so much. Fermented foods that are good for weight loss include yogurt, some cheeses, yeast breads made with whole grains, kefir, sauerkraut, and wine (in moderation). If you are trying to lose weight you probably should skip loading up on fermented foods such as beer, miso, pickles, and tempeh.

Do store-bought fermented foods work?

Unfortunately not all fermented foods are created equal.

Many commercially fermented foods, like pickles, are pasteurized during the manufacturing process, which kills beneficial enzymes and probiotics. Bummer, I know. Like many people, I am too busy to ferment a lot of foods myself, so I take advantage of store-bought foods that are fermented naturally, such as organic yogurt and cheeses, natural sauerkraut, and organic kefir.

If you’re like me you may need to rely primarily on store-bought fermented foods. Maybe someday I will ferment some vegetables in a mason jar and see how it goes. But in the meantime, adding fermented foods into your daily eating plan is easy to do. If you already eat yogurt, you are doing a good thing. Just make sure it is organic and has live active yogurt cultures in it. You can find kefir in health food stores, and some specialty stores sell freshly fermented vegetables.

Categories
Lifestyle

Why Your Friends Are Begging For Labels

“A genetically engineered food is a plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered in a laboratory by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria, in order to produce foreign compounds in that food” (Label GMOs).
Recently the scare of genetically engineered organisms (GMO) has been gaining speed and popularity. Introduced in 1996, GMOs are here to stay, for better or for worse.
Scientists and farmers have assured consumers that they are creating “better” food, and by better they mean food that is herbicide tolerant and possessing the ability to yield its own pesticide (Down To Earth).
But there are some concerns that consumers are vocalizing. Mommy bloggers, liberals, and conservatives alike are banding together to bring about change, or at least some sort of enlightenment. Scientists have been giving the green light to continue the use of GMOs, but, at closer investigation, this seal of approval has become relatively one sided.
In 1974, there was strict regulations on experimentation with the preliminary form of GMOs by scientists who feared the effects behind genetic engineering. However, in 1984 the White House was able to regulate, along with the American Food and Drug Association (FDA), the biotechnology. Not much was said during this period, as GMOs were a relatively unknown and undiscussed issue. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempted to ban certain pesticides, they were eventually overruled by agricultural scientists and their supporters in Congress (Council on Foreign Relations).
This type of strong-arming for health and safety reviews still occurs and is actually supplied by the very companies who are seeking approval for their GMO products. This is a serious conflict of interest which begs the question as to how much validity these statements that “GMOs are harmless” posses (Down To Earth). This blurring of lines is one reason that so many people are confused regarding what they should believe in the GMO debate.
The fact of the matter is that the health risks behind GMOs are unknown. There has not been enough time to draw conclusive evidence whether GMOs are harmful or not. However the studies that have been conducted on animals does not look promising.
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) believes that GM foods can be doing long-term damage to the human form. “The AAEM reported that several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,’ including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system” (Institute for Responsible Technology).
As studies continue to focus on animals being subjected to GMOs, even more problematic findings arise, such as third generation hamsters becoming infertile. Which may sound trite, but this could be an issue humans may face decades from now. And unlike drug regulations, there have been no human clinical trials for GM foods. So, at best, the studies that have been evaluated are only surface level.
Forty percent of the world’s population already label genetically engineered foods, including the entire European Union (Label GMOs). What is even more interesting is that the companies that are fighting so hard to ban GMO labeling are submitting to the EU’s rules, and either label or provide non-GM enhanced products.
Whether or not there are risks involved with consuming GM products, it is important for people to be informed about what they ingest. There never used to be nutrition labels or calories listed on products, but since they have been integrated it has been a big help for nutritionists and regular individuals.
However there is a flipside to the argument, which is “no” to GMO labeling.
Scientist and professor, Kevin Folta presented a slide which shows the difference between the genetic makeup of table sugar. An organically grown sugar beet was compared to a glyphosate-resistant sugar beet (GM food), and the end results were the same. Neither of their genetic makeup was different even though the sugar beet was a GMO (Kevin Folta).
The Washington Post had a special section back in 2013 where Tamar Haspel, a nutrition expert who has been writing and researching nutrition for the past 15 years, discussed the fact and fiction behind GMOs. “There is no mainstream scientific evidence showing that foods containing GMOs are any more or less harmful for people to consume than anything else in the supermarket” (Washington Post).
What’s more toxic than GMOs is the conspiracy and fear behind them. Haspel acknowledges that there are flaws behind the organizations who whole-heartedly claim that there is zero concern in relation to GMOS, but she is also quick to point out that those who are avid advocates against GMOs are just as harmful. She encourages an impartiality test to be used by consumers. When one is researching the truth behind GMOs it is a red flag if an argument is just one sided, chances are that this person is a “dog” — whether financial or ideological — in the GMO fight (Haspel).
Worrying about unknown risks is is seen as unproductive by certain scientists, as there is always a risk that you’ll get salmonella or fall victim to a car accident. Worrying over food that the FDA has already deemed safe is “futile,” and for those that are so concerned there is a solution: buy organic. Although these foods are more expensive, people can splurge the extra dollars if it gives them a peace of mind (Science Line). People argue that it is pointless and an unnecessary cost to label items as “GMO” since the foods that are missing these GM traits have already been flagged.
Since many people are uneducated with the GMO argument, labeling GM products could lead to hysteria.
Journalist Katherine Foley points out that as scientists continue to study GMOs and more factual and concrete information becomes available to the public there still should not be GMO labeling. She points to the denial of the climate change argument, which she believes if it has taught people anything, it is that we are no where close to ready for knowledge on that scale (Science Line). A common sentiments is that there is virtually no reason for people to be concerned over inconclusive evidence because, whether it is GMO or non-GMO, there will be its own variable type risks.
The world’s population is rapidly growing with one birth occurring every eight seconds, balanced against one death every 13 seconds, therefore providing a net gain of one person every twelve seconds (Census). Basically the births are outweighing the deaths on a rapidly growing scale. An argument for GM is that it could potentially assist in supplying food to the starving. Although there must be room for caution, to completely disregard a rather promising solution would be, as the editors of the Washington Post put it, “self-indulgent” (Washington Post).
The United States government has acknowledged that Americans throw about 40% of perfectly good food away due to slight imperfections that lead people to believe the food is inedible or just plain “gross.” Okanagan Specialty Fruits received the green light to produce genetically modified seeds that would essentially stop apples from browning when they are sliced or bruised. This is not to say they would never spoil, but the typical unfounded reasons for tossing an apple would be eliminated (United States Department of Agriculture).
The only answer to the GMO debate is research and time. Time will tell the true effects, but when one looks to more biased journals it appears that individuals can either be over cautious or accept the “truth” that is presented to them.  The chances that GMOs may be providing genetic abnormalities is slim, but if true, the consequences can be severe. However, just laying out in the sun for an hour or getting on the highway can result in the same if not greater consequences.
Technically, people have been eating GMOs for thousands of years, ever since farmers discovered the trick of selectively breeding crops to have certain traits. However with science, more precise modifications are being made (National Geographic).
Whether or not someone agrees with GMOs there’s a simple solution until GMO labels are created: buy non-gmo labeled foods. GMOs are not going anywhere so it is time to get used to that little green label that has begun to pop up on so many bags. If you do not see it, then you can infer that somewhere along the line a gene has been changed one way or the other.

Categories
Lifestyle

Government Role in Obesity: Helpful or Hurtful?

The government’s role in obesity should be straightforward. Agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report obesity statistics, the United States Department of Agriculture issues nutritional guidelines and offers practical guidance to consumers on how to put together a healthy plate and balance caloric intake. Even first lady Michelle Obama is involved in shaping how American school children eat.

With all the interventions, statistical analyses, recommendations, and regulations, you might assume that the obesity rates in America have fallen steadily over the years.

To the contrary, obesity rates have increased exponentially between 1970 and 2013. Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that more adults are obese, meaning they have a BMI of at least 30, than are simply overweight, with a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9. This increase is concerning because obesity is associated with numerous health problems from heart disease to some cancers.

Clearly the current government practices and recommendations are not positively impacting the war on obesity. However, even though there are more interventions and regulations now than in the past, I do not believe the government has caused our current obesity crisis. Instead, the government’s role is ill defined, the message is muddled, and the message of healthy eating is not being heard or supported on a local level.  

Does this mean that the government is doing more harm than good or is the government focusing on the wrong interventions and muddling the message?

In examining this topic, I discovered that when the government issues official recommendations, whole industries respond.

Food manufacturers change packaging to show consumers that their foods contain the latest recommended ingredient, marketing companies respond by featuring one food over another, and previously recommended foods such as bread, are suddenly shunned.

The government’s official nutrition guidelines, called the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, are revised every five years. Over the years the guidelines have become more detailed and foods rise and fall in popularity. For example, the 2015 guidelines will recommend Americans eat fewer meat products and more vegetables. Older guidelines recommended consuming a higher percentage of carbohydrates than the current guidelines recommend.

The shifting nutritional guidelines make it difficult for consumers to know for certain what foods to consume and what foods to avoid. If indeed, consumers read the guidelines at all. I asked a group of my friends if they knew the government issued nutritional guidelines every five years and of 12 people, not a single one did. And not one knew what agency issued them or what the guidelines were called.

From the mid-1950s to the early 1990s, the government simply broke down foods into four groups: Cereals and Breads, Meat, Vegetables and Fruits, and Milk. Oils, sauces, and jellies were classified as “other.”

The obesity rates were under 15 percent in all reporting states during the mid to late 1980s, according to information from the CDC.

In 1992, with the introduction of the food pyramid and later the food plate called MyPlate, the obesity rates began to climb and have not slowed down.

Some Americans are understandably confused as to what foods are actually good for health and what foods can help with weight control. In speaking at conventions, counseling clients on food choices, and responding to questions via email, I have spoken to hundreds of people struggling with their weight.

In many cases, there is a high level of confusion on what foods should be eaten and what foods should be avoided. I can see where the confusion comes from. The government currently recommends 8 ounces of grains each day but a popular diet, the Paleo diet, shuns grains completely.

Who is the consumer to believe?

A poll conducted by the The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research in 2012 found that most Americans feel that more governmental intervention in the form of regulations and taxes is not necessary. The infamous attempt by Governor Michael Bloomberg to regulate drink sizes in New York backfired and obesity rates did not budge.

Although the government recommendations are clearly not impacting obesity rates, are they in fact hurting the fight against obesity? I would have to say no. Even though the shifting nutritional guidelines are confusing, the bottom line is that the government cannot regulate individual choice even if they so desire.  

Well, unless you believe that the total governmental control scenarios painted in George Orwell’s famous book “1984” could come to pass. In that book, the government controlled every aspect of a person’s life including their food choices. Since that is unlikely to ever happen, individuals are ultimately responsible for their food choices.

Where the government can help is in providing tax incentives to grocery stores that open in areas that are primarily populated by lower income people without access to transportation or healthy food options. The government calls these areas “food deserts,” and in places where access to healthy food is limited, obesity rates are higher. (USA.gov)

Education is another way the government can use its resources to reverse the tide of obesity. When people truly understand the impact their food choices have on their health and their weight, they have more of an incentive to make different choices.

For example, I was speaking at an event in Pennsylvania one afternoon and after I finished a woman stood up and told me that no one had ever really explained why fast food and frozen dinners were not good for her family. Later that day I ran into her at one of the booths and she again thanked me for my talk. She was a well-educated woman who honestly did not understand the impact food has on health. She just fed her family whatever was easy and tasted good to them without considering the nutritional value.

She is not alone.

Education programs in schools, through community centers, at farmer’s markets, and during community wide events could make a difference in obesity rates. Your tax dollars are much better spent educating people in small groups or one-on-one than spending millions of dollars on nutritional guidelines that are sometimes influenced by lobbyists and special interest groups. (FoodPolitics)

A third way the government can use its vast resources to help the obesity crisis is to offer incentives to farmers who make their produce available to local customers at farmer’s markets, roadside stands, or donate food to community outreach centers.  Local food growers can be paid to go into neighborhoods and establish community gardens and pass on their knowledge of gardening and healthy eating.

The government has not caused the obesity crisis and cannot fix it. However, governmental resources can be used in a smart, deliberate way to educate the public, encourage grocery stores to open shop in “food desert” areas, and give incentives to farmers who sell or donate their produce locally.

Those strategies, in combination with individual accountability, can finally put America on a path back to the time when the majority of Americans lived their lives at a healthy weight.

Categories
Sweat

Why 'Skinny' Isn't the Goal We Should Aim For

We can talk all day about the unrealistic and unfair expectations of what a woman’s body should look like. I mean, have you seen models lately? First of all, there’s just no possible way that big of an, uh, ‘upper chest area’ could be naturally on that tiny of a waist. It’s just not.

But, for some reason, we convince ourselves it is. And, we try to get that. Us regular, everyday women. Why is this stuck in our heads? Hey, I’m not yelling at you. It’s stuck in my head, too.

I’ve had to work to accept the fact that my more ‘athletic’ body (re: big thighs) is going to be my body forever. I just can’t physically get my thighs to shrink enough to get that coveted thigh gap (re: sarcasm, on the coveted part. It’s dumb. Unless you naturally have small thighs, then kudos for having a natural thigh gap. Keyword there: natural).

Anyway, the point is that we shouldn’t do things with the end goal of being ‘skinny’. Here’s why:

1) Skinny doesn’t always equal healthy.

You know those people that can eat whatever they want and never gain a pound? I’ve always been jealous of them. I have to count every single calorie I put in my mouth. But, really, we’re putting way too much emphasis on weight.

Studies show that those people with lightning-speed metabolisms make up a large portion of the percentage of people that have medical issues we pair with obesity: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It’s become known as ‘skinny fat’. These people with the envious metabolisms stay skinny, without exercising or eating right, and it’s unhealthy. So, maybe skinny isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

2) Skinny has become a state of mind.

When you’re aiming for skinny, are you aiming for skinny because you want to be healthier and weigh less, or is it because you want to be like those girls? Those girls being the ones that I talked about with the impossible-to-get bodies. I’ve aimed for skinny before. I bought into that mindset that to be attractive, you have to look (at least close) to how they look.

But, then I metaphorically slapped myself out of it. When I was aiming for skinny, I wasn’t eating right. I ate way less than what my body needed. I was exercising, but with the little protein and carbs I was getting each day to help my body recover the exercises weren’t helping me be healthier. I just felt tired and wasn’t getting much skinnier.

Working out without eating enough won’t decrease your body fat percentage in the long run. You’ll feel worse, sleep worse, and won’t be able to concentrate (probably because your stomach is growling). It’s an unhealthy way to try to be what we have come to believe looks good and is healthy.

It’s dangerous to slip into this state of mind when you believe skinny is the only way to be. This is where eating disorders take root. Everyday in the U.S. eating disorders affect 10 million women and 1 million men. That should be proof enough that we need to be working to change this ‘state of mind’.

3) Being fit will feel and be so much better!

Even if it is a long journey, both mentally and physically, having a goal to be fit will feel so much better. Having a good balance of calories each day–that includes some fats, some sugars, and, yes, some carbs–along with an active lifestyle, will get you to a body you’ll feel happy about. You might not be a size zero, but you’ll be the size you weren’t meant to be: a healthy, fit size!

Having a mindset for being fit will be more energizing. You’ll feel happier and have better mental health. You’ll be less likely to have health problems. And, once you let go of that nagging feeling, that societal pressure to be skinny, the possibilities of what you can do and how you great you can feel are limitless.

Let’s change the conversation. Let’s stop aiming for skinny and start aiming for being fit, healthy and in love with our own bodies!

Categories
Wellbeing

Easy Steps To 'Zen' Your Move

There’s nothing quite as overwhelming as living out of a box. You’re looking for a fork and instead find the sandal that’s been missing for days. You’re wanting to make dinner but the only cooking item you find is a beater and spoon; not too helpful. MOVING…that dreaded word that holds excitement and anxiety in one.

Moving is exciting, but it’s also incredibly stressful and exhausting. However, my friend recently went through a move, and I never even knew it. There were no espresso IV drips, no crying phone calls, and no rumpled outfits in sight. What was her secret? Goal-setting, organization, and a little bit of zen.

This sounds simple enough, but we all know how easy it is to get derailed. Luckily using some of these tried and true strategies can assist you in not only coping, but avoiding the typical unpleasantness that’s usually partnered with your big move.

Switch Over Bills And Subscriptions

It’s tempting to put the busy work off until the last minute or even for when you’ve already moved, but this can be incredibly detrimental. Not only for your finances but for your mental health as well. You can do this as early as a month before your move-in date. Go to the post office and submit a forwarding address, and begin making phone calls to your credit card company, utilities office, and any other offices where you need to submit your new location.

Pack At Least A Week Before

I hope you’ve been collecting those boxes because now’s the time when you’re going to need to cash in. Go room by room, each day after work, and pack up all of your items; labeling has never been more important. If you make sure that each box is clearly titled then this could very well be your easiest move yet.

Ask For Help

Moving day is stressful, and it’s even more bothersome when you’re encumbered with the entire move yourself. Seek out help, whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers. Not only will it speed up the process, but it can help prevent injury as well.

Stay Hydrated & Fit

It’s crucial to maintain your health whether it’s the weeks before, during, or after your transition. Fast food and soda may seem like the answer, but that’s one of the worst things you could do to yourself. Although proper nutrition and exercise may seem tedious, it’s wildly beneficial. Exercise has been given increasing credence for reducing stress. So guzzle down that water while you’re lifting heavy boxes, and even though you may be exhausted, going for a light jog will remove you from your chaotic mess and assist you in coping.

Unpack One Room At A Time

Containing a mess is preferable. When you focus your energy on one space at a time you’ll feel more accomplished and not so overwhelmed. That sense of relief when your kitchen is finally organized and ready for the next Rachel Ray meal is amazing, and can easily be attained if you’re not flitting about your space frantically trying to unpack.

Find Your Zen Space

Sometimes you’re just not going to be able to handle the mess and stress of your new move, and that’s okay. If you have an established place that provides you with serenity, now would be the time to indulge. Go to your favorite yoga studio, traipse through the park, or just go for a drive. Whatever it is, make sure that it’s something you’re comfortable with because when you’re going through change the best resource is something that’s familiar.

Change is stressful and leaving your comfort-zone is doubly so. But if you’re organized, ask for support, and take care of yourself this move could possibly be your best one yet.

Good luck!

Categories
Wellbeing

What To Do When Weight Creeps Up on Your Teen

Let’s face it.  Puberty is a messy, awkward, embarrassing roller-coaster of body changes and hormone induced emotional turmoil.  As difficult as it can be to parent a teenager, it is easy to forget how hard it is to BE a teenager – especially a teenager struggling with his or her weight.

Weight gain for most kids going through puberty is natural, but society tells both parents and kids that it isn’t okay.  Girls especially can gain a layer of fat all over the body before blossoming into curves.  Natural hormonal changes transform teen’s metabolism so that a kid who once was able to eat anything, suddenly is gaining weight without changing any eating habits.  To complicate matters further, the adolescent years are when kids are making more and more food decisions on their own.  All of these factors can cause a teen’s weight to creep up.  In our family, we have one teen daughter who can eat anything, but her twin sister can look at a cupcake and gain weight.

These natural body differences can make teens who do gain weight feel embarrassed and even ashamed.

Open communication with a hormonal teenager can be difficult, but taking this subject head on is the key. Healthy eating habits are always important, but if a teen is overweight after their growth spurt ends (typically age 14 for girls and 16 for boys) or were overweight before their growth spurt, it is probably time to be concerned.  Talking with your teen during the growth spurt and creating a healthy environment at home will support healthy habits and a teen’s positive self image.

Here are some questions to start a healthy dialogue about food and weight:

“Isn’t it amazing how one person’s body can be so different from another?”

Be honest.

Yes, it is totally unfair that your friend, sister, brother, or parent can eat junk food all day and have clear skin and never gain an ounce. Listen to what your teen has to say about his or her own body issues.  Make sure your teen understands that weight gain in puberty is a natural. Each person’s body is different.  Our metabolisms are different and change over time.  Judging yourself against someone else, or an airbrushed image in the media isn’t healthy.  Remind your teen that appearance isn’t what is important, being healthy is the key. We all need to figure out what our individual bodies need to be healthy.

“Do your friends talk about going on a diet?”

Diet is a four-letter word in our household.  Being healthy and managing weight are both lifelong commitments, not something that can be “fixed” with a temporary solution.  Diets, particularly restrictive diets, in the teen years set kids up for a lifetime of weight yo-yoing, which is anything but healthy.  Help your teen understand that developing habits of eating nutritious foods most of the time and enjoying periodic treats is essential. We all need to find our own body’s natural equilibrium. How much healthy food do we need to eat, how much do we need to move, how many treats can we have, and maintain a healthy body?  What makes this particularly difficult, however, is that given the choice between chips and veggies, most kids are going to choose the chips.  Food manufactures design junk food to trigger the pleasure centers in the brain and make us want more. In our own school cafeteria, kids are offered multiple kinds of chips and sweets, but only one or two choices of fruits or vegetables.  Being restrictive about food, counting calories, or having a bunch of rules or “nevers” (you can never have chips, never have soda, never have candy) sets your teen up for rebellion.  Don’t make food your battle ground.

The best strategy to support healthy eating habits is often to create an environment at home.

“What are your biggest temptations, and how can I help you enjoy them periodically?”

Creating a supportive and healthy environment at home is essential for teens developing life-long healthy habits.  For example, one of my daughters loves to bake.  We don’t want to squelch her creativity, but none of us needs the temptation of baked goods.  Now, I ask her what she plans to do with the items she bakes.  As long as there is a plan for the goodies leaving the house, the answer is yes to baking.  Ask what your treat your teen loves to eat.  If it is chips, perhaps that is something you purchase periodically, rather than keeping a supply in the cupboard.  Removing the temptation at home can make a big difference and there is always ample opportunity for treats away from home.  Creating a temptation-free zone at home could not only improve the health of the teen, but also the whole family.  In addition, families who eat at least one meal together tend to be healthier and have better relationships.  Making at least one healthy and delicious meal per day (it doesn’t have to be dinner), and enjoying it together without interruption by phones, television, or other electronic gadgets can positively impact health and family communication.

“Would you go for a walk with me?”

Leading by healthy example may be the best way to help your teen navigate creating their own healthy lifestyle.  While it is important to be honest and open, you may want to think hard about the messages you send your kids.  Both my husband and I talk about the amount of exercise we need to do to be healthy and are careful not to be judgmental about our daughters’ activity levels.  Inviting them to join us, or providing opportunities to be active, is more effective than telling them they need to be more active.  Both of us also often choose not to have a dessert or treat because it isn’t “worth the calories.” We save our treats for something delicious and really savor them too.  We again try not to be judgmental about the girls’ choice to have a treat.  Rather than asking, “Do you really want (or need) to eat that?”  we find “Are you really going to enjoy that?” more effective and supportive.

“What can I do to motivate you to develop healthy habits?”

Most of us are motivated by reward.  Let’s be honest, eating healthy and being active are often not very fun.  Yes, healthy food can be delicious.  Yes, activity can be enjoyable.  But yet, most of us don’t choose those habits.  We do what we want to do, not what someone tells us we should do. Connecting healthy habits with a reward, of course not a food reward, can make a big difference.  For example, when I was trying to lose the 80 pounds I gained during pregnancy, I wasn’t motivated until my husband offered to buy me anything I wanted if I could exercise for 20 minutes per day for 100 days in a row.  That made the difference for me. Now exercise is just a daily habit.  What could you offer your teen to develop a life-long healthy habit?

Help your teen navigate the natural body changes and develop habits to support a lifetime of wellness through open conversation, a healthy environment, and the right kind of motivation.

Categories
Nosh

Time to Decaffeinate?

Have you ever tried to give up coffee? I did. It was arguably the most difficult habit I’ve ever had to deal with. Along the way, I learned a few things about what happen when you cut back, how caffeine works, and what it does to a body. Thought you might like to know what you are in for if you are cutting down, or trying to go cold turkey.

It all started when I was drinking 8 cups a day and looking for a ninth–that’s when I knew I needed to quit. Sleeping less and moving my coffee maker into my bedroom were early signs. Are there 12-step groups for coffee addicts I wondered? Could I just cut the consumption in half? What about switching to tea?

Bingo. I’d heard that tea has only half the amount of caffeine in it than coffee. My plan was to go on the tea-maintenance program and shake this monkey. I’ll get right on that. First, let me get a little cup-o-joe so I can pry these rusted garage doors I have for eyelids open. One cup–and I’ll get up and put my brilliant plan into action.

That strategy, the one cup and I’m launched fiasco, kept me hooked for another few months. One cup kept leading to another. Then my friends began a modern day version of a Greek chorus. They took turns looking into my eyes–then speaking. You look terrible. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you okay? Long day? Are you sick? Then the one that got me:  You look ten years older–what’s wrong?

Addicted (or at least terribly dependent) but not wanting to admit it, I rationalized. Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. Eighty percent of the world’s population uses caffeine in one form or another. Coffee is the world’s most abundant commodity. Financial markets are tied to the price of coffee. More people are dependent on caffeine than any other drug. Although my rationalization was working beautifully, I still wanted to cut down. While I wasn’t stealing pocketbooks just yet to get my boost, I just couldn’t give it up and this troubled me. I reckoned I wasn’t the first one to deal with this habit, and, since I am a writer, I decided to do a little research. Some things I knew about caffeine and coffee–some things blew my mind.

What I knew:  I function better (read: human) when I have caffeine. It makes you more alert, have better endurance–and much more productive. However, it can also make you jittery and give you problems falling or staying asleep. Your heart rate can go up and it can make you dizzy, dehydrated, and dependent. Drinking it can give you a headache–but you can also get one from giving it up. In addition, from previous attempts at cutting back, I knew to expect a serious brain fog without my morning java fix.

What I didn’t know:  Caffeine can make you irritable and give you muscle tremors. (This explains my reaction to my friends who said I look older.) Some antibiotics can make caffeine last longer in your body and even the herbal supplement, Echinacea can increase the concentration of caffeine in your blood and intensify its effects.

Some other interesting facts came my way. A regularly brewed 8 ounce cup of coffee can have between 100 and 200 mg of caffeine, and black tea can have as little as 14 mg up to 70. (Just so, you know–Starbucks lists its “short” 8-ounce coffee at a whooping 180mg, while Duncan Donuts has a comparatively modest 132mg in a 10-ounce serving.)

However, two things really blew my mind. The effect of caffeine happens largely because it blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine acts like our chemical parents– they tell us it is time to go to slow down and go to sleep. However, caffeine does one other thing–it increases dopamine levels in the brain–the neurotransmitter that generates positive mood. These two chemical effects make us want it on a regular basis. (It also explains why I sing so loud in my morning shower.)

So, what is a safe amount of caffeine? Medical sources say four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two “energy shot” drinks, about 400-500 mgs a day, is safe for most people. But there is wide variability. Men feel the effects more than women, and body size and metabolism alter its influence.

Switching to black tea seemed just fine at first. However, there was one drawback. I needed a LOT more cups of tea than coffee. One article I read said to keep count–so I did. I downed an even dozen cups my first day. My caffeine habit was looking to get its fix and the first few days a cup of tea was a permanent fixture in my hand.

This sent me on a search to understand why I craved caffeine so much. What I learned was the biggest surprise of all. Remember that chemical parent, adenosine? When we flood our brain with caffeine, our brain chemistry creates more adenosine receptors to compensate for the ones the onslaught of caffeine shut down. That is why we build a tolerance to the level of caffeine. In an addictive cycle, we take in more to get the desired effect. That’s why when it comes to caffeine the saying “too much aint enough” says it all.

When you cut back on caffeine the extra adenosine receptors vanish–creating the difficult side effects. Remember that headache thing I mentioned? Oy. Imagine someone putting a 6-pound baseball cap on your head in the morning that ends up weighing 10 pounds by the end of the day. My reasonably sharp and alert brain turned into overcooked oatmeal. On day three I had to give a lecture. Not pretty. My brain fog had rolled in and the class had some idea it would be a difficult day when I walked in and put 6 cups of tea on the podium.

If you stop caffeine altogether you will get through the symptoms in about 7-12 days. But for me it was a gradual reduction. The tea worked to launch the cutback, and then I switched to half-caff and decaffeinated, and sprinkled in a few latte’s, which cuts the caffeine in about half from a regular cup of coffee. The positive effects included sleeping much better and being much less jittery.

I’ve done pretty well for the last 6 months.  I keep under 400mg and most days closer to 200.  I sleep great–and this helps in a million different ways during the day.

The only time I go over my limit is when there is a writing deadline–like tonight. This article is due–so  I do what needs to be done. Tonight I’m headed out to a place where I can get 180mg in one shot. I can already feel a few adenosine receptors starting to grow.

Categories
Sweat

Dear New Runners: Don't Be Embarrassed

One of the number one hesitations I hear from new runners is “I don’t want people to watch me run”.

I’ve known clients and friends who would purposefully run in the wee hours of the morning or late at night, simply so their neighbors wouldn’t see them struggling through their run. I’ve known beginner runners who refused to come out to group runs or races, for fear of people snickering under their breath about how they are too slow, or that they don’t belong there.

Before I even start debunking those fears, I will admit, I get it. Running can be intimidating.

Though I’d argue that our earliest human ancestors were designed to run; namely, running for food or running from becoming something else’s food, it is no secret that running is no longer a necessary life skill in our society. And with inventions like remote controls, moving sidewalks, and cars… half the time we don’t even have to walk anymore if we don’t need to. So yes, perhaps if you haven’t run since the gym teacher forced you to run a timed mile back in middle school, you may feel awkward and uncomfortable the first time you purposely pick up the pace from walk to trot to run. Muscles that have gone years without being fully engaged will jiggle, your stride will feel awkward and foreign, and you will more than likely start out way too fast, causing yourself to start gasping for air in no time at all. Nothing about running when you haven’t run for years (or ever, really) feels graceful.

I also get that runners as a whole can be intimidating. Neon, flashy running clothes, shiny new sneakers, high tech GPS watches. Svelte, tanned, muscular legs from countless hours pounding the pavement. A whole vocabulary of lingo that sounds like a language of its own. Talk of marathons and ultra marathons, when the thought of running a mere mile seems impossible to you. It is overwhelming.

But I’m telling you that you shouldn’t be embarrassed. And as an avid runner for nearly a decade, I will tell you why:

Have you ever been driving down the road in your car, passed a runner, and thought to yourself “Ha! What a fool! He/she looks like an idiot!” Or did you think to yourself “That is awesome! I wish I had that motivation and dedication he/she has to get out there and run.” I’m guessing 99% of you answered the latter. The majority of people you pass aren’t judging you…they are admiring you. You never know who you might be inspiring.

Everyone starts somewhere. Even the fastest runner once had to start with overwhelming task of conquering one single mile. Sure, for some it probably came naturally, but most runners probably struggled through that first run, just like you did (or will). And almost every single runner you encounter will not only remember that, but will be excited for you, because you are taking up the sport that they love so much. And don’t be afraid to ask about all of the new vocabulary, gear, and other things you might not know about. If runners like to talk about one thing, it’s most certainly running.

Your wellbeing, both physical and emotional, should not be negatively influenced by how you think other people perceive you. In other words: who cares what anyone else thinks, take care of YOU first.

Lastly, and most importantly in my opinion, is the fact that you’ll never know your true potential if you let the fear of embarrassment stop you. A quick internet search will reveal countless professional athletes who at one point were told they would never be good enough, or that they didn’t make the team. They didn’t let other people’s opinions stop them. Now, I’m not promising that you’ll be the next Kara Goucher or Meb Keflezighi, but my point is, you never know what you are capable of if you don’t let go of the fear of embarrassment and give it a try.

So, next time you start to feel embarrassment and intimidation creep up on you, remember this: the hardest part of anything new is the act of actually starting. And you are already doing it, so give yourself a pat on the back.  And run on, my friends.

Categories
Wellbeing

Can You Get By On Just Two Hours Of Sleep?

I’ve had Timothy Ferriss’ book The 4-Hour Body on my to-read list for a while. But it wasn’t until someone mentioned that he has a “surefire” method of getting by on just two hours of sleep a day that I finally picked it up and started reading. As someone who suffers from insomnia, if I could find a way to live on just two hours of sleep a day and not feel like a zombie, I’d be all over that.
When I first heard the idea, it triggered something in my brain, like maybe I’d heard his theory before, and the thought niggled that it had something to do with short naps throughout the day, but I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t until I actually read the chapter “Becoming Uberman” that the wheels clicked and I remembered where I’d heard about this idea of polyphasic sleep. Before I tell you where I heard about it, let me explain what polyphasic sleep is.
The idea of polyphasic sleep is pretty much just as I thought. It’s all about spreading your sleep out. According to Ferriss we really only need rapid eye movement (REM) sleep; all those other stages are basically a waste of time. He says that since we only spend about two out of eight hours in REM sleep, we should just bypass the other stages altogether. To do this, Ferriss suggests tiring yourself out to the point that when you fall asleep you jump straight to REM.
Ferriss presents several options, all focused on taking 20-minute naps throughout the day. The differences in the options come down to how many naps you take. You can take just one nap during the day and cut 40 minutes off of your normal sleep time. The options range from there, allowing you to cut your total sleep time with each 20-minute nap that you take.
The extreme “uberman” option requires you to take a 20-minute nap every four hours, getting a total of just two hours of sleep in each 24-hour period. Sounds awesome, right?
This brings me back to where I heard about the “uberman” polyphasic sleep method. It was in the book The Game by Neil Strauss. Don’t judge me! I was just curious and it turned out the book was pretty good. In case you aren’t familiar with The Game, it’s a nonfiction book about picking up women. In the course of the book, Strauss and a couple of his buddies decide to try this “uberman” sleep method. In the end they find out that the catch isn’t quite worth it.
Yes, there’s a catch! There’s always a catch. So, what is the catch, you ask? Let me explain.
There are actually two catches. The first is that you have to follow a very strict schedule of taking a 20-minute nap every four hours. Any delay throws your whole schedule out of sync. The second is that it takes a good three weeks to get your body and brain used to this sleep pattern, and in the meantime you are a walking zombie.
Catch 1 is hard enough to overcome for the average person, but Catch 2 could be downright dangerous!
For me personally–and I’m guessing for those who already suffer from insomnia and fatigue–I don’t think I’d make it the full three weeks. I’m sure my husband wouldn’t survive three weeks of me without sleep.
This brings me to one very important question about this whole theory: Is it true that we only need REM sleep?
REM is the fifth out of the five stages of sleep. The third and fourth stages are called “deep sleep,” and this is when Delta waves occur. Delta waves are one of five types of brain waves. They are responsible for helping the body and mind heal.
Delta waves are pretty important and something we want to encourage, especially if our bodies are already suffering from any sort of acute or chronic illness. The fact that these waves decrease overall as we age would make it even more important that we not do anything to decrease them further, like eliminating stages 3 and 4 of sleep. REM sleep is definitely important as well, as it’s believed that during REM sleep our brain organizes information, aiding in memory and learning.
All in all I’d say that Stage 4 sleep is more important than REM for our bodies and our minds, but REM is certainly important too. I wouldn’t want to do anything that decreases either of these stages. I think I’ll stick to my typical nine or so hours of sleep a night and hope I’m hitting all the stages.
References: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm

Categories
Wellbeing

The Surprising Lesson About Food and Health In Disney Pixar's "Inside Out"

The first time I heard about Disney Pixar’s new animated film, “Inside Out,” I was, shall we say, skeptical. A kid’s movie about talking emotions? I wondered if, and how, that premise could possibly be fleshed out into a feature film.

Fast forward a month or so, and I sit in a dark theater, surrounded by children, all of us on the edges of our seats, but for very different reasons. While they are captivated by characters in peril and reverse-serendipitous cases of bad timing, I am enthralled by the parallel between the narrative playing out in front of me, and a counseling technique I teach to my nutrition clients every day.

It feels, in a way, almost too obvious to conclude that a movie taking place in a little girl’s brain can teach us a lot about mindfulness, but then, that is essentially what  mindfulness is all about: clearing away all of life’s distractions and focusing on the simple, beautifully obvious truths before us.

Mindfulness can be applied to any aspect of your life, but I find it particularly useful when working on habits related to food and nutrition. Food, I tell my clients, is rarely about the food. We eat for so many reasons: celebration and sadness; boredom and nervousness; anger and betrayal. We eat as though to smother these uncomfortable emotions in a blanket of Ben and Jerry’s; as though comfort, reprieve, and joy are buried at the bottom of that tub of chicken wings. And we do it all without much thought at all.

What if, however, instead of trying to ignore these complicated feelings, we were to zoom out and observe them instead? When we personify emotions the way that “Inside Out” does so effortlessly, we walk down a path of self-awareness and understanding.

Let’s take a look at how this works. Close your eyes and picture a stressful day at work. You’re late because of gridlock traffic, there is a surprise meeting, a co worker falls through on a project, you work through lunch to catch up, and leave the office at 5p.m. feeling like you have been confined by those four walls for a near century. You finally get home with barely enough energy to change into comfortable clothes. Maybe you trip on a child’s toy. Maybe you forgot to defrost something for dinner that morning. Maybe a half dozen other things pile onto your shoulders. There is a box of cookies in the cabinet. You tell yourself you deserve them. Five minutes later, the box is empty, and you feel guilty and stuffed – an even worse combination than the exhaustion and stress from before (which, by the way, are still lurking in the background somewhere).

Phew! I feel drained just imagining that scenario. Now, let’s change some things around. You still have the same crummy day at work. You still come home to more aggravation, and those cookies still call your name.  You still think to yourself, I deserve them. But wait! A red flag goes up. What is really going on here? Before you reach for the cookies, you go into a quiet room and sit down. You close your eyes and imagine the emotions inside your head, just like in the movie. Who is in the driver’s seat today? Is it Anger? Sadness? Fear? If the red flag didn’t fly until after the box of cookies was empty, is Disgust chiming in (perhaps with Mindy Kaling’s sassy voice, just like in the movie)?  Try to imagine them as separate entities from the rest of you, and explore those thoughts and emotions with curiosity rather than judgment.

When we think of our emotions as colorful doppelgangers (narration by iconic celebrities optional) we are reminded that we are more than any one emotion or reaction. We are not “bad” when we eat cake or “good” when we eat salad. We are not failures when we eat more of something than we originally intended. We are simply human beings who sometimes need comfort, sometimes need sustenance, and too often have been taught to conflate the two. As we practice this mindful way of considering the triggers that drive us to eat, whether it be stress, boredom, habit, or hunger, we gain a stronger sense of self and a more comprehensive toolbox to face all of the situations life throws at us.

And you thought you just bought a ticket to see a children’s movie.