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A little won’t hurt…or will it?

May 23, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

As I was checking out of the grocery store the other day, a display near the register caught my attention.  It was an end of aisle snack display.  With a 75 cent price tag, I’m sure they get picked up easily and without much thought. As you know, I love to check the Nutrition Facts Labels.  So I had to take a look at the Little Debbie display of donuts, Honey Buns, Ho Ho’s, and other sweet snacks. I will always check the most important number first: SERVING SIZE.  Fortunately, the serving size for all of the items was one whole package.  Knowing that my kids would prefer the donuts, I picked up the Chocolate Frosted Mini Donuts.  With six donuts in a package, I could see each child downing one package a piece.

clip_image003Let’s look at the Nutrition Facts: 1 package, of 6 mini donuts, provides 430 calories with 26 grams of Total Fat and 15 grams of Saturated Fat.  This product also provides 340 mg of Sodium. 

So what does that mean?  It depends.  Depends on your nutritional needs and your health history!  To give you an idea of where your needs may fall, women generally require between 1500-1900 calories a day. Total Fat should range between about 50 to 65 grams and Saturated Fat no more than 8 to 10 grams.  Men require around 1800-2400 calories a day. Total Fat should range between 60-80 grams and Saturated Fat between 10 to 14 grams.  All Americans would benefit from keeping Sodium intake below 2000 mg each day. 

Keep in mind, these are just general guidelines.  To find out your individualized needs, see a Registered Dietitian and have them perform a Nutrition Evaluation. 

If we use the guidelines above, eating just one serving of these mini donuts will exceed the daily requirements of Saturated Fat for both men and women and significantly add to the Total Fat for both as well.

The 340 mg of Sodium accounts for 17% of your daily intake total.

If you ate just one of the six donuts, you would still get 70 calories, 4 grams of Total Fat, 2.5 grams of Saturated Fat, and 55 mg of Sodium. You can see how the calories and fat add up quickly.

Remember, this is a snack food, not a meal.  So if you were to eat it and later had a meal, your fat and saturated fats would increase as well. These numbers are significant. I often have clients tell me that they are not eating much, yet cannot lose the weight they thought they should be losing. Eating small amounts of foods like those shown here can make it difficult to reach your nutrition goals.

People often talk that all foods are ok in moderation. That is true. However, if we are not sure what moderation is or we are not mindful of the amounts and types of foods we eat each day, we will find ourselves getting into nutritional trouble.

So as you get ready to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend, be aware of your food AND beverage choices! Those liquid calories can add up quickly also.  Make sure to add some fruits and vegetables to your meals, drink plenty of water and truly follow the concept of moderation. You’ll feel better and your body will thank you!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Filed Under: Childhood Obesity, Diabetes, General Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition, Wellness Tagged With: calorie needs, fat, portion sizes, reading food labels, saturated fat, serving sizes, snack foods, sodium, weight loss

Change Doesn’t Come in a Pill!

April 25, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Statin drugs were recently shown to lead to a potential worsening of health behaviors for those that take them to battle high cholesterol levels.  A study released April 24th in JAMA Internal Happy sunsetmedicine and reported in the news today detailed the findings.  Using ten years of data, calorie and fat intake actually increased in those taking the medications.  Remember, fat intake, especially saturated fat intake, can have a dramatic impact on cholesterol levels, as well as heart disease.  What the researchers concluded was that those taking the medications may feel less obligated to follow any type of heart healthy nutrition guidelines because they believe that medications will protect them. 

My question to the researchers would be, “Is this phenomena only seen with the statin drugs or would you expect to see the same thing from those using diabetes and blood pressure medications?”

From my observational studies, I would say, “Yes!”  Many times when taking medications for a specific ailment, lifestyle changes are not adequately stressed or addressed.  I have been told frequently in my practice by clients that they don’t follow any dietary guidelines because they are on a medicine to control their condition.  I am not an anti-medication person.  The drugs we have to control diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol are very good, especially when taken correctly.   However, I am a big believer in doing more through lifestyle change to help reduce the reliance on medicines.  I teach a class on Food-Drug interactions and how what we eat can impact the effectiveness of the medicines that are prescribed.  Many times, people focus on the major interactions seen with drugs like Coumadin (Warfarin) a medication designed to slow the clotting time of the blood to help defend against blood clots.  There are certain foods that need to be monitored to allow the drug to work as intended.  There are also interactions between many blood pressure medications, as well as statins, and grapefruit products.  During the class, we discuss how any medication we take can be impacted by what we eat.  For instance, if you are on a fluid pill, or diuretic such as Lasix which is designed to keep you from retaining fluid and yet you continue to eat a high sodium diet, then you are going to continue to retain fluid.  As a result, your doctor may choose to increase your dose to achieve the wanted results.  However, by simply reducing the sodium content in your food, you may be able to reduce or eliminate the need for that medicine!  The same is true for cholesterol and diabetes medications.  Remember, it was Hippocrates in 400 BC that said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. 

We hold the keys to better health in our own hands.  We cannot rely solely on medications to make us better.  The body has an innate ability to heal itself.  We just have to be mindful of that and find ways to assist our bodies.  This is called the mind-body connection!  If you want a strong example of how the mind-body connection works, look at the so called, “Placebo Effect”.  Many drug studies have to discuss this phenomena when people are given a placebo instead of the real medication and are able to achieve the same positive results that the true medicine provides.  By believing they are receiving an active medication, those patients are often able to see a positive result! 

Exploring the mind-body connection is central in the integrative health process and even more so with Integrative Health Coaches.  Making positive behavioral changes are paramount to finding the healthy lifestyle that you want.  You will not find that in a pill.  You will find it within yourself!  If you are interested in making changes that support a healthier lifestyle with a focus on mind, body and spirit, contact us today and Make That Change! 

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ John

Filed Under: Diabetes, General Nutrition & Wellness, health coaching, Nutrition, Wellness Tagged With: cholesterol medications, diet change, Healthy Lifestyle Change, integrative health coaching, mind-body connection, placebo effect, statins

Making Change Requires Brain Work!

April 15, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

A recent article from US News & World Report detailing the outcomes of a study showing that almost 10% of the US population has a diagnosis oA Strong Positive Mental Attitudef Diabetes.   Given the current state of the Health of America, this report may not come as a surprise.  To review about diabetes, there are two main types, Type 1 and Type 2.  If you’re pregnant, we could discuss Gestational Diabetes but they were not included in this study.  Remember, Type 1 Diabetes comes about from an autoimmune response within the body. A person with Type 1 will require daily insulin injections to live.  Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, has been referred to as a  “lifestyle” disease.  While the exact cause or reason Type 2 begins remains a mystery,it is evident that diet, weight and a sedentary lifestyle play a significant role in setting the stage for Type 2 Diabetes.  With Type 2 Diabetes, many people get a warning to make change if they are diagnosed with what has become known as “Pre-Diabetes”.  Pre-Diabetes simply refers to having blood sugar levels that are elevated outside of the normal range but not yet high enough to be classified as having Type 2 Diabetes.

We know the public health crisis that Diabetes presents.  With increased levels of Diabetes comes increased levels of heart disease, stroke, kidney, nerve, and eye damage which all require increased amounts of money to manage health care costs.  The remedy to prevent this from happening?  Well, it’s known.  It requires a change in our lifestyle and food choices.  Simple right?  No, not simple at all.  I want you to think about a purposeful change you’ve made and have been able to maintain.  How did you make that change? What lead you to make AND maintain that change?  Have you ever thought about how our brains are actually wired to resist change?  Take a simple test.  Clasp your hands together.  Notice which hand is on top.  Now, clasp your hands together again.  This time, however, reverse which hand is on top.  Feel weird? Sure it does.  For the next couple of days, try to clasp your hands in this reversed way.  Can you do it?

We are used to doing things a certain way.  These “ways” become habits.  As habits form, our brain develops pathways that allow for those habits to occur without us really having to think about them.  The more we follow a habit, the deeper that pathway becomes.  Think of those pathways like a river bed.  The longer the river flows, the more defined that bed becomes.  Altering the bed becomes very difficult the longer that pathway exists and is used.

Can we change our habits?  Sure, but it takes time and dedication. Part of the model that makes up Integrative Health Coaching at Duke is understanding the Neuroscience of Change.  Survival is the name of the game for the brain.  We have developed three basic guides for survival:

  1. We want to be in control of our own destiny.
  2. We want stability and predictability.  Knowing what is stable helps to make it predictable and allows us to easily determine safety levels.
  3. We embrace pleasure and avoid pain.

The trouble is, we are in a constant state of change.  We are not alone in this world so we will never be in complete control of our destiny.  Life is full of instability and unpredictability.  While this may alter our feeling of safety, it is also part of what makes life fun and exciting.  We all try to avoid pain in hope of only feeling pleasure but we know that won’t happen all the time either.  Without pain, we cannot fully appreciate the pleasures of life.  A proverb, “The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.”, attributed to the Minquass Nation and the title of a book by Guy Zona, sums up the importance of experiencing all of what life has to offer.

The experiences we have in life is what helps to define who we are and how we act and react in different situations.  Those experiences can serve us well.  However, when a change in our habits is necessary to help us become better or healthier, that can be a difficult thing to achieve.  So what can we do? Start at the very beginning.  You are the most important part of this equation. If you want to change something about yourself, you are the expert about that!  You may require some help in becoming more aware of how you act or react in different situations but  that is good first step to help you find your path to wellness.  Being able to visualize what your success looks like will help you formulate a plan.  Like Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”.  The key is to develop your plan, taking small steps.  Celebrate all success, no matter how small it may seem.  Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat the new action you are trying to bring out.  It has been estimated that it can take 10,000 repetitions before a new action forms a neural pathway in the brain.  That’s a lot of doing but remember why it is that you’re making these changes!

Angie & I are both Duke-trained Integrative Health Coaches who know and live with diabetes and will empower and support you in making health changes that will prevent or better manage diabetes.  Interested in working with a health coach?  Visit our coaching services page here.

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ John

Filed Under: General Nutrition & Wellness, Professional Interest, Wellness Tagged With: Change, Diabetes, Diabetes Awareness, Healthy Lifestyle Change, Pre-Diabetes

Spring is Here! Breathe!

March 22, 2014 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Photo by Tori Tillett

Have you ever paid attention to your breathing?  I know we all have when we get active and realize we are out of breath.  But I want to know if you pay attention to your breathing when you are just breathing.  We are a busy society running ourselves all over the place while we multi-task.  Can you put down your phone or not check your email or text messages?  It’s hard.  We have become wired to our society.  This constant barrage of information can take a toll on us.  Many people complain about how stressed out they become during the day.  This daily stress can then lead to sleepless nights, anxious moments, increased irritability, a change in our diet or lifestyles.  Stress can have a profound effect on not only our health but also our personal relationships.  We can become mindless of things happening around us because we are caught up in everything we were supposed to do or things that are waiting for us to do.  Life can get pretty busy.  So what can we do?  Breathe.  That’s right, breathe. 

Take a moment to sit down and get comfortable.  Now, breathe and notice your breath.  Notice how your body responds to the steady inhalation and exhalation of a bodily function that happens without us thinking about it.  What happens when we start to think about it?  Changes occur!  While you are breathing, don’t try to control your breath, just let the body do what it is designed to do.  All you have to do is notice how your body changes, notice how your muscles respond, how your shoulders and belly move.  While you are breathing, other thoughts may enter into your mind.  Don’t worry about them.  Notice them and let them flow out just like your breath flows out.  Return to noticing your breath.  As you breathe, you can repeat this great poem from Thich Nhat Hanh:

“Breathing in I calm my body.  Breathing out I smile.  Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment.”

Taking a few minutes each day to practice breathing can help you become more aware, more present in the current moment and may help to bring you a bit of calmness and peacefulness to our crazy days.  Remember, your breath is always with you.  All you have to do is stop and notice it for a few minutes.  Practice that everyday for a week and see what happens.  I’ll be interested in hearing if you notice any changes!

Happy Friday, enjoy!

~John

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: breathing, mindfulness, relaxation techniques

To Diet or Not to Diet?

January 1, 2014 By Angie Lamberson Leave a Comment

labels

To Diet or not to Diet, that seems to be the question that many people ask themselves when trying to lose weight. There is no question that weight loss is one of the most frustrating tasks you may ever undertake. What’s the best approach? When it comes to diets, there seems to be a million experts on the topic. Some say eliminate fats, others say eliminate carbohydrates and eat more protein, still others say drink grapefruit juice or cabbage soup or take this supplement or this medicinal shake, and so on and so on. The list of diets is long. The problem is that these approaches may work in the short-term but fail to hold up over time. Plus, eliminating a whole food group will lead to boredom with food choices. Our goal is to get you feeling better, eating better and living better. It does not have to be complicated!

When thinking about weight loss, you must remember that you will not lose the extra weight overnight and, more importantly, remember that there is no magic bullet. To be successful at long-term weight loss, you must eat right, exercise more and stay motivated. Exercise alone will not get it done. Proper meal planning is a must.

We do not prescribe a “Diet”. Instead, we want you to focus on the foods you are eating and become more aware of how those food choices can be promoting weight gain or assist with weight loss. The nutrient content of your foods can influence your health.

Fruits & vegetables are key ingredients to healthy food choices. These foods have been shown to improve health by reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and weight gain. It has also been shown that those consuming more than 9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables lower blood pressure levels and heart disease risk factors. Of course, how you prepare these foods can change their effects on your body.

“Very Low Calorie Diet” usually refers to a diet plan that provides less than 1000 calories per day. While this would promote short-term weight loss, it does not meet the body’s need for other vitamins & minerals. These types of diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies and imbalances that can be dangerous. If attempting to follow this style of dieting, a physician must closely monitor your progress to help avoid potential complications.

“High Protein/Low Carbohydrate”Diets generally promote weight loss through the restriction of carbohydrate foods. While this might help you to reduce the amount of soda, cake & cookies you generally eat, it will also restrict your intake of fruits and certain vegetables. Another component to these types of diets is that fat content is usually excessive. As you know, for anyone with a personal or family history of heart disease, excessive fat intake is not recommended. Early weight loss on these diets is usually the result of fluid loss. As you progress through the diet, weight loss shifts to muscle & fat breakdown. The biggest drawback of these diets is the restriction of fruits and vegetables. As with the Very Low Calorie Diet, you can run into nutrient deficiencies if followed for extended periods of time. In addition to missing vitamins and minerals you will also have a reduced fiber intake. We need fiber in our diet for a number of reasons, for most people, fiber helps with avoiding constipation.

“Low Fat Diets” usually promote weight loss through cutting down on fat intake. Because fat can contribute a large amount of calories, cutting back can help. However, fat is not the only source of calories in most diets. For example, regular sodas, sweet tea, fruit drinks and juices are all fat free but provide significant amount of calories. A regular soda, such as Coke or Pepsi will have 150 calories in a 12 oz. can. Fats are not a bad thing. We actually need some fat in the diet to help with bodily functions. Fats, especially mono-unsaturated, provide the body with essential nutrients and help protect the heart.

Successful weight loss will involves reducing calorie intake. Those able to lose weight and keep it off not only reduce calories but also exercise more frequently. Don’t let advertisers, family and friends confuse you. We need to take the complexity out of our dietary habits. Remember, a balanced diet which includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, with whole grains and is your best choice. Taking the time to plan and prepare more foods on your own will also help you meet your health goals.

Still not sure where to start, give us shout and we’d be glad to help you out! It was Buddha that said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters the most.” As we start this New Year, it is a great time to find that new, healthier You!

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change.

~John

Filed Under: General Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition, Wellness Tagged With: Dieting, Diets, New Year

“The best medicine for overweight and obese kids is better use of their feet and forks, not something from a pill bottle.” ~ Dr. David Katz

December 18, 2013 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Love the quote in the title!  That quote applies to more than just overweight and obese kids.  It applies to all of us.  The quote was a comment by Dr. Katz, the director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, on a study that was recently reported on December 17th, 2013.  The meta-analysis, reported in the article, Metformin causes modest weight loss,  evaluated previous weight loss studies and the use of Metformin (Glucophage) given to overweight children, without diabetes, to help with weight loss efforts.  Metformin is a drug used in those with Type 2 Diabetes to help reduce the incidence of insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance occurs when the body does not recognize insulin and it cannot lower blood sugar levels adequately.

Results of the analysis did show a small amount of weight loss seen with the children using the medication.  However, the difference in weight loss between those using Metformin and those changing only lifestyle behaviors was minimal.  Once again, we see that the best resuliStock_000010497610Smallts come from us making changes not with us relying on medications to make those changes.  The other benefit of not relying on medication is that we reduce costs and do not have to fear the potential side effects that come with any medication.

Start improving your health today by going for a short walk, or by reducing the number of sodas or sweet tea you drink.  Add a piece of fresh fruit to your meals, increase the amount of vegetables, or fix more meals at home.  We have the opportunity each day to make changes that will improve our health.  Remember, each one of us holds the keys to bettering our health.  Medications are not something that needs to be avoided.  But, we do need to commit to a healthier lifestyle and be responsible for our own care. 

Make today the day you start something new…..

It’s Your Life. It’s Your Health. Make That Change!

~John

Filed Under: Childhood Obesity, General Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition, Professional Interest, Wellness

Happy Thanksgiving, Diabetes Style!

November 28, 2013 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

2012 Lamberson Family

We wanted to wish everybody a Happy, Healthy and Safe Thanksgiving!  This is the kickoff to the Holiday Season and as a person with Type 1 Diabetes, I am frequently asked how I handle eating during this time of year and still control my blood sugars.  My approach is simple.  First, I maintain my exercise program!  Exercise is part of the blood sugar control program. Second, I never say or let it be said, that I cannot have a certain food.  I do not forbid myself from eating anything.  I do continue to watch portion sizes and keep track of the amount of carbohydrate that I have eaten.  And, I check my blood sugars more often to help me identify how my body is reacting to the foods I’ve had.  Checking blood sugars allows me to better dose my insulin and maintain control.  Most importantly, I try to shift the focus from the foods to the people.  To me Thanksgiving is about sharing memories about the past year and looking toward the future.  Cherish the time with one another and enjoy the love, laughter and warmth the Holidays can bring.

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~ John

Filed Under: Diabetes, General Nutrition & Wellness, Wellness Tagged With: Diabetes, Handling Holidays Diabetes, Holiday Eating, Thanksgiving & Diabetes

8120 days and still counting!

November 5, 2013 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Welcome to November!  This is the month of giving thanks and preparing for the Christmas Holiday.  It is also a time of reflection as the year draws to a close. November is also National Diabetes Awareness Month.  There are many great causes happening this month to highlight the need for better Diabetes education and the importance of maintaining continued research in looking for a cure.  The JDRF, what used to be called the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is a leader in raising funds and awareness of how to improve treatment options for those with Type 1 Diabetes.  While that cause is truly noble, I write today not of raising money but of raising awareness that YOU hold the keys to better health.

I have been living with Type 1 Diabetes since AugPotato Festival Spring Sprint 5.18.2013ust of 1991.  Um, that’s over 22 years! Actually, that’s about 8120 days, or 194,880 hours of living, breathing and thriving with Diabetes.  Those 22 years have resulted in over 40,600 blood glucose checks, and more than 32,480 insulin injections.  That’s a lot of poking and sticking going on.  I’ve been through more than 15 different blood glucose monitors, have gone from using pork insulin and drawing up into a syringe, mixing and making sure each insulin dose is correct to using more synthetic versions of insulin that are “cleaner” and don’t cause insulin site reactions. Today’s insulin now comes in a convenient “pen” that only requires attaching a needle to it to allow for injection.  The insulin pumps, that many with Diabetes use, continue to decrease in size and improve accuracy and titration of insulin to better meet the needs of the person with Diabetes.

I still wake up every morning wondering what this day with Diabetes will hold but I am always thankful for the opportunity to share another day with my family and my friends.  While having Diabetes never gets easy, living with Diabetes is very manageable.  Treatment guidelines and management goals can be individualized for each person attempting to gain better control.  Successful Diabetes management requires focus, commitment and sacrifice, not just for the individual diagnosed with it but also from the family and friends of that individual.

I do hope a cure for Type 1 Diabetes is found.  But I am not asking you for money to support that cause.  I am asking you to take control of your health now.  Stop making excuses as to why you can’t eat right or exercise or visit the doctor.  You are much more powerful than you realize!  Step up and take A Strong Positive Mental Attitudethe challenge to change your life.  We don’t  have to have complex algorithms to achieve this.  Start with one small step.  Be it recruiting friends to walk with you each day or eating at least 1 piece of fruit everyday.  Remember, there is no finish line in this race.  This is a long journey that will change and evolve as we change and evolve. We have to allow ourselves the opportunity to completely mess things up but we must also keep our eyes on our goals.  We have to keep a positive outlook!

So, if you have Diabetes, whether Type 1, Type 2 or Gestational or have Pre-Diabetes, take the opportunity to learn more.  Seek out the counsel of Certified Diabetes Educators. Become an active participant in your own health care.  We don’t need a health care reform act from the government to help us become healthier.  We need to reform ourselves and our way of thinking.  We can do this!

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

~John

Filed Under: Diabetes, Wellness Tagged With: Diabetes, Diabetes Awareness, Health Care Reform, National Diabetes Awareness Month

FoodPlay in Camden, NC!

November 1, 2013 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

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Special thanks to Danielle Gendron, "Coach", Jordon Phillips "Johnny Junkfood", and Brittany Giles, stage manager, of FoodPlay Productions for their performances today at Grandy Primary and Camden Intermediate Schools in Camden, NC. Angie and I are thrilled to have been able to provide this for the schools! What a fun and innovative approach to spreading the word on the importance of making good food choices and living a healthy lifestyle.

~ John

It’s Your Health.  It’s Your Life.  Make That Change!

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: child nutrition, FoodPlay, nutrition, school nutrition, wellness

Take the Complexity out of Nutrition

September 6, 2013 By John Lamberson Leave a Comment

Is nutrition a complex science?  Some would answer with a resounding , “Yes!”. How would I answer that question?  I’m not sure.  Nutrition can be very complex.  When we start talking about metabolism, nutrient breakdown, energy production, the Krebs cycle, the thermogenic effect of food, nutrient needs, and so forth, things get complex quickly.  But what we’re talking about there is different from what most people think about when it comes to nutrition.  Most of the time, the thought of nutrition focuses on fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.  We can even throw sodium and fiber into the mix.  Normally, we don’t think about what makes up our foods or how food plays a role in our health.  We simply eat.  We eat foods that taste good, that we are familiar with, that are accessible.  When we are hungry, we eat.  (We also frequently eat when we’re not hungry but that’s a different story!). 

What I don’t like is how nutrition has been turned into this complex monster.  Some of this was done intentionally, some not.  As we continue to learn more about the relationship of food and how it interacts with our bodies, complexity will continue to be a part of the subject matter.  We cannot let the complexity in the science of nutrition impact us in a negative way when it comes to our food choices. 

Take the exotic fruit, the Acai Berry.  You remember that one, right?  It popped onto the scene and people were paying more than $1.50 an ounce for the juice from this berry.  Some people are still paying close to that amount now.  We can’t get enough of the supplements and so called “super” foods. From TV personalities like, Dr. Oz to Oprah to the Doctors to everyday people like beauticians, personal trainers to friends and family, it seems each one is trying to out do the other by touting the latest and greatest health-promoting item.

This is where the complexity issue really starts to hit.  There is no doubt that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation, misunderstanding and confusion associated with nutrition.  Marketers of supplement products prey on that confusion.  Pseudo-scientific wording with claims of weight loss, improved health, increased energy and metabolism with fat loss and muscle building properties makes it hard to turn away.  We will eagerly pay money to try a pill claiming to cure our ills even though it has not gone through any type of rigorous testing.  But, we don’t have to jump on the latest “super” food out there.  We have easy access to “super” foods everyday, easily found in our local stores or gardens, that will help with weight loss, improve health, increase energy and all those other things advertisers claim their supplements promote.

I have been an advocate for eating more fruits and vegetables for a long time.  The fruits and vegetables that grow in our own yards and fields provide us with the nutrients we need to help us get and stay healthy.  The difference between those foods and the highly touted “super” foods is that the produce grown in our fields is not exotic sounding or newly discovered. Plus, the food grown in our yards or community is going to be richer in nutrients because it requires less processing and reaches our plates much quicker.  The cost of growing foods in your yard is much less than that of the “exotic super food”!

There is no easy button to better health.  But, better health does not have to be complex.  It does take some planning and commitment.  With many of our clients, our first goal is to get them to start adding just one piece of fruit to each meal.  If they are dining out, we encourage them to take that fruit with them and eat it as a dessert.  Change does not have to be difficult but we must have a plan to make sure we do what we need to do to get healthier.  Take time to think about your health.  For meal planning ideas, seek help from a Registered Dietitian.  Be open to change and allow yourself to try new foods or new cooking techniques.  Remember……

It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!

~John

Filed Under: General Nutrition & Wellness, Nutrition, Wellness Tagged With: diet and health, diet change, nutrition, Registered Dietitian, supplements, weight loss

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