![]() Talking about nutrition is like talking about religion or politics. Talking about sugar can be equally controversial. To level the playing field, I suggest that we can all agree on two things no matter where we are in our nutrition beliefs:
Why diet books are denouncing fruit:
Answers:
The real question to ask yourself:
Sugar statistics:
Recent meta analysis findings: Dr. Lisa Te Morenga (University of Otago, Nuned in New Zealand) and colleagues, included the results of their meta analysis that included 30 randomized controlled trials and 38 cohort studies of dietary sugar intake and adiposity. They published their paper online in the BMJ, January 15, 2013. They found that cutting consumption of sugar produces a small but significant reduction in weight for adults and not as much for children. Why? Because children were not as compliant. They defined “free sugars” as sugars that are added to foods by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer, plus those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices. The review is accompanied by an editorial by Dr. Walter C. Willett (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA) and Dr. David S. Ludwig (New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, Boston Children's Hospital, MA). I like what Drs. Willett and Ludwig said in their editorial of this meta analysis:
More practical comments:
Actions you can take:
Diet matters. If one person eats a granola bar containing added sugars, flavorings and color, and another eats an orange and a handful of almonds, which will perform better? Eating healthy makes us feel better. Eating junk displaces healthy foods that provide needed nourishment, and ESPECIALLY for our children’s proper growth and development. The brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose circulating in the blood stream which is about the amount found in a banana (not to be confused with "added sugars"). It is suggested that eating smaller meals works well for the brain. For perspective however, a small diabetes study proved that those eating two larger meals per day vs. those eating smaller meals throughout the day, lost an average of 8 lbs. more over the study period. Studies focus on what they are trying to prove or disprove. The practicality of a healthy diet is to find what works for you based on your preferences and healthy choices. Feeling satisfied has a lot to do with our cravings or lack thereof. Real food, prepared healthily, will help you feel satisified. Processed food will not. Choose wisely, know what you are eating and how much, enjoy your favorites sometimes and in the right portions; and remember, fruit is not the enemy. Health Inspires.
0 Comments
![]() Beach!! I intentionally loaded up on several snacks and treats at the grocery store for our last year’s summer beach vacation. It was fun to treat our kids with fun snacks they do not typically get at home. As much as I was enjoying the moment and some of the snacks myself, I couldn’t resist the urge to say something. It was about the second day when I realized every box or bag was open and I finally said, ”How much junk are we going to eat?” in my half playful voice, which means the other half of my voice was expressing alarm. One of our boys shrugged his shoulders and matter of factly said, “I don’t know…as much as we have.” He nailed it! Are your children as smart as mine?! Of course they are. Kids simplify and say it like it is. As a matter of fact, studies show, the more food choices you have, the more you will eat. In addition, the more convenient a food is to take with you, the more you will eat. There are processed and packaged foods everywhere. The sooner we start grabbing an apple for a snack instead of a package of something junky, the better off we will be. As a matter of fact, I feel confident to say if you bring a packaged bar of some sort with you to work, you will eat it regardless. If you bring an apple, for example, you will eat it only if you are hungry. Can anybody relate to this? I want you to avoid processed foods. I will share 7 ingredients you should avoid, and give you good reasons why. By reading the ingredients panel on every food you consider putting in your basket and avoiding these 7 ingredients, you will naturally eliminate many processed foods from your pantry and fridge. At the very least, it will help you make better choices.
The best approach to a healthy diet is choosing real foods in their purest form. Shopping the perimeter of the grocery store where your produce, meat, fish, poultry and dairy are, is the best place to shop. Make sure to buy whole grains that are just the grain and no other ingredients (“brown rice” for example) and a few bags of frozen veggies to help you eat healthy throughout the week when your fresh veggies run out, or when you are in a time pinch. Moderation, portion control and variety are key. I do not like the idea of “food science” which is anything artifical and made in a lab. I love the idea of real food and I love the practice of moderation. Have your favorites sometimes, choose wisely, and mostly eat plant foods. We have many choices. Let’s make good ones! Health Inspires. ![]() What is the greatest investment you can make in yourself that requires no cash outlay, 150 minutes per week, gives you an edge, makes you feel stronger and happier, saves you medical expenses, promotes your good health, provides you with energy, inspiration and confidence? Answer: Exercise. Exercise is a natural antidepressant. Physical activity enhances your overall wellbeing. One good thing positively affects another. We truly cannot compartmentalize areas of our lives; and that is the mind, body, spirit connection. Most of us know exercise is good for us. The hard part is getting started. If you are thinking about getting started and looking for motivation, keep reading. Focusing on what you want is a good strategy. Allow me to build a case for you. Why are we sedentary?
What does that mean, in general?
What is recommended? The American Heart Association recommends 30-minutes of moderate activity most days, or 150 minutes per week. There are other options such as being active for three 10-minute periods a day and that is almost, but not quite as beneficial to your overall physical fitness as one 30-minute session. The ten minute push is about getting started, and that something is better than nothing. Ten minutes is achievable, it gets you moving, and success breeds success. Getting started and achieving will help you sustain. There is a natural progression in taking one healthy step, literally. Good things follow. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans describes “Physical activity” as any bodily movement that enhances health.
Proof: The Women’s Health Study, published in April 28, 2008 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at 39,000 women free of Cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes at baseline. The study found that women who were normal weight and physically active had the lowest risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease over more than 10 years of follow-up. Next up with good results were women who were lean, but not physically active and then finally, women who were overweight but physically active. It is worth pointing out that the findings demonstrated that having a healthy body weight might have more significance in your health than physical activity, although both play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease in overweight or obese women. YOU WANT TO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU START ANY EXERCISE REGIMEN. SEE YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. After you are cleared, your goal is to start and sustain. How to start and sustain:
All activity counts. Find what works for you and focus on how good you feel after achieving. Find your meaningful motivator to get started. It could be those hard dollar cost savings, or it could be that you feel amazing, or that you look and feel sexy! Top 5 Reasons and Motivators to Exercise:
What's your motivator? Health Inspires. ![]() The overarching umbrella to all other things are principles. Living by principles tells the story of who you are. It certainly feeds our emotional, intellectual needs and even our spiritual needs. It affects our relationships for better or for worse. It is the very soul and conscience of who you are and who you want to be. The peaceful feeling, knowingness and energy you will have tells you that you are living right by your principles. Making decisions based on correct principles cultivates wisdom, integrity, trust, sincerity, honesty, confidence, perseverance and dependability. All good things. We are all busy, and have life demands, circumstances and situations that test us. Reacting to those situations isn’t peaceful. Living and practicing a principled centered life is essentially “doing the right thing”…and we all know that is sometimes the hardest thing to do. Here are some great reasons to stay on track and live right. 10 Benefits of Living a Principle Centered Life:
10 Actions to Peace:
Health Inspires. ![]() My prediction for 2014 is that there will be a study published claiming something is bad for you. I also predict, there will be a study published that claims something is good for you. My final prediction is that both scenarios will have had a reverse finding in the past. I bet you knew that! Although there are holes in most every study, some scientific findings provide valuable data that lead to protocols, guidelines and standards of care for certain diseases and risks such as heart disease and the treatment of high blood pressure, for example. The daily dietary fiber recommendations for disease prevention comes from studies. Based on studies, The Institute of Health established these recommendations for daily fiber intake:
A recent meta-analysis published December 19, 2013 in the BMJ (British Medical Journal), found for every 7 grams of dietary fiber eaten, the risks of CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) and CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) were each lowered by 9%.1 A meta-analysis is a review of several studies, on a specific topic, from specific databases and time period. In this case, 22 studies were analyzed specific to CVD and CHD by Diane Threapleton, a doctoral student at the University of Leeds, UK, et al. The conclusions were that “Greater dietary fiber intake is associated with a lower risk of both cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.” Greater intakes of insoluble fiber from cereal and vegetable sources reduced the risk of CHD and CVD, and fruit fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of CVD.1 Fiber has consistently, clinically proven to prevent disease risks associated with specific cancers and heart disease, withstanding the test of time; i.e. ...not a fad. It truly is another way of saying “eat your veggies, eat your fruits and eat your whole grains, eat less refined and processed foods and less sugar”. We can each improve our health, prevent disease and reduce our reliance on medications by eating more fiber. Fiber is found in plant foods and for the most part, is not digested by human digestive enzymes. Fiber makes you feel full longer so you are not as hungry and therefore aids in achieving a healthy weight, helps control blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol and helps maintain bowel health and normalizes bowel movements. It is divided into two categories; soluble (partially dissolves in water) and insoluble (does not dissolve in water). Soluble fiber is found in fruits (apples and citrus), oats, barley and legumes.
Ways to easily increase your fiber intake:
Action: Focus on at least one of these 8 ways to increase your fiber intake that will work for you. Start today. Other good habits will naturally follow. The following list of “high fiber foods” ARE your “super foods”, your “cancer fighting foods”, your “anti-inflammatory foods”, your “antioxidant and phytochemical foods”. These food lists overlap. They all have health benefits. They all help you shed pounds, promote health and prevent disease. Look at this list and also reference my defined “super foods” list (defined by healthy and transportable). Find some foods that you like and add those to your daily/weekly diet for extra fiber. Food Amount Fiber in Grams Turnip Greens, boiled 1 cup 5.0 Raspberries 1 cup 8.0 Bananas 1 medium 3.1 Apple, with skin 1 medium 4.4 Sweet Potato 1 medium, baked 3.0 Almonds 1 ounce or about 23 nuts 3.5 Whole Wheat Bread 1 slice 1.9 Black Beans 1 cup 15.0 Broccoli, cooked 1 cup 5.1 Carrots 1 medium 1.7 Oatmeal 1 cup 4.0 Bran Flakes 3/4 cup 5.3 Raisin Bran 1 cup 8.0 Brown Rice 1 cup 4.0 Garbanzo Beans 1 cup 12.0 Peas and Carrots, cooked from frozen 1 cup 4.0 Health Inspires 1BMJ 2013;347:f6879 Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis (Published 19 December 2013) ![]() July 9th Start your day with a whole foods breakfast, and not processed foods. This means foods in their original form like real eggs, 100% whole grain oatmeal (not instant), and/or fruit for example. If you are in a hurry, grab a handful of almonds and a piece of fruit. ** Want to catch up on the items you missed in the challenge so far? Here's the list of posts... ![]() July 8th It's Monday and the day after a fun long weekend for many of you.Start your day by adding on to those pushups, squats and crunches from July 1st. Do 20 pushups, 20 squats and 50 crunches. Repeat if you can! ** Want to catch up on the items you missed in the challenge so far? Here's the list of posts... ![]() July 7th Make a veggie tray Sunday afternoon for healthy family snacking. Cut up whatever you have and place on a platter. Place hummus or ranch or whatever you may have for dipping veggies in and physically offer it to your family members. Enjoy some yourself. ** Want to catch up on the items you missed in the challenge so far? Here's the list of posts... ![]() July 6th Go for a 30 minute walk if you are new to exercise. If you exercise regularly, make it a jog. If you are a "tweener", then make it a "wog", jogging and walking at the intervals that suit your fitness level. ** Want to catch up on the items you missed in the challenge so far? Here's the list of posts... ![]() July 5th Eat 5 servings of bright colored fruits and vegetables today (1 small piece of fruit = 1 serving, 1/2 cup raw vegetables= 1 serving). ** Want to catch up on the items you missed in the challenge so far? Here's the list of posts... |
Kathryn ScoblickMy passion and purpose is helping people reach their full potential and master their wellbeing. Categories
All
Archives
February 2021
|
Disclosure: Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before beginning any diet or exercise program and ask whether you are healthy enough to engage in a diet and exercise program. Never disregard, avoid or delay in obtaining medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider concerning your overall health and wellness, including your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. It is your choice to follow the suggestions, opinions and advice given by a Health Inspires wellness coach.
|