Nutrition Pair

Make That Change!

Death from Coke?

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Have you seen this story from New Zealand?  It discusses a trial that was brought on by the family of a woman that died in 2010. Her cause of death was determined to be from a cardiac arrhythmia and low potassium levels. The family claims that they should receive benefits from the Coca-Cola company to help care for her eight children.  The main claim is that Coke should have warning labels on it like those found on alcohol.  While I am not here to defend Coke, it does speak to the problems of doing things in excess.  What is interesting, is the fact that not much credence is given to the fact that she not only drank at least 7 liters of Coke a day, which alone would provide about 2800 calories, but she also smoked about 30 cigarettes a day. 

She was noted as vomiting 6 times a day, had lost all of her teeth and ate only a small amount of food.  She drank little else other than the soda. Her partner was asked during the trial if he suspected that her overall diet was not healthy.  When asked about the amount of soda she drank and if that played a part in her health, he replied, "I never thought about it. It’s just a soft-drink, just like drinking water."

Drinking 7 liters of water a day could cause some major health problems as well.

Let’s use this story as a motivator to ourselves to ensure that we are eating a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables and reducing or eliminating intake of sweetened beverages, whether that be sodas, teas, energy drinks or alcohol.  In other words, let’s be mindful of what we eat and drink.  And, remember to always read beyond the headlines!  There’s more to the story than just the soda.

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

~John

Spring is a Great Time for New Beginnings with Integrative Health Coaching

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Azaleas in bloom- by B.Lamberson

Spring is a great time for new beginnings! Have you ever said, “I know what I should do to improve my health, I just need help doing it”? If so, then Integrative Health Coaching is for you!  As an Integrative Health Coach, Angie partners with you to discover, achieve and maintain an optimal state of health and wellness.

“I have always felt I didn’t have choices when it came to my health, and having Angie as a health coach allowed me to see that I do. I have had great progress thanks to her insightful coaching, which has had a ripple effect on several other areas in my life and health.” ~ Jody M., New York.

Angie is a graduate of Duke University’s Integrative Health Coach Professional Training Program. She & John are both Registered Dietitians & Certified Diabetes Educators. They also provide Nutrition Counseling, Presentations and Consulting Services. Contact them at (252)335-WELL or visit www.nutritionpair.com.

Achieve your highest level of health. Contact Nutrition Pair today to set up your first Integrative Health Coaching session!

“The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something”.                                                                                                             –Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French aviator and writer

~ Angie                                                                                                                   “It’s Your Health. It’s Your Life. Make That Change!”

Five Things You Can Do in February to Taste Life: Guest Post

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Thank you to Chere Bork for this guest post:

Chere believes life is easy and we make it hard. She empowers people as a National Speaker, Media Spokesperson and Wellcoach® with the 5 key ingredients for savory living – purpose, energy, balance, happiness and health. Learn more here:  www.cherebork.com.

Five Things You Can Do in February to Taste Life

  1. Melt a Hershey chocolate bar in a saucepan and dip strawberries for a quick “Be My Valentine” treat.
  2. Each morning declare your “SELF LOVE” intention for the day…only ONE. Just do it!
  3. Give yourself a valentine card to yourself. Pick one that you will treasure. Fill it with loads of affirmations.
  4. Send a valentine to someone that would least expect it.
  5. Connect with your heart – it is the center of self love. Still your mind and focus on the feeling around your heart. Feel it!

Achieve Your Highest Level of Health with Integrative Health Coaching

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“The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something”.     ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French aviator and writer

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I know what I should do to improve my health, I just need help doing it”?  If so, then Integrative Health Coaching is for you! 

Working with a personal health coach is increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for achieving health goals and improving overall well-being. Specifically, an Integrative Health Coach uses a client-centered approach to empower you to achieve your highest level of health.  Additionally, an integrative approach acknowledges that your good health is about the whole of you (your personal values, goals, work, balance, fulfillment and life purpose).   

Integrative Health Coaching (IHC) is about you achieving your goals for optimal health and well-being.  It helps you identify your health values and your individual goals and take decisive, active steps to achieve those goals. IHC was developed at Duke University’s Integrative Medicine Center following the realization that the need is not just to help people follow their doctor’s orders – the actual need is pro-active self care and support for self-directed change.  

Through the coaching process, you will articulate your vision of optimal health and develop your own personalized health plan. You will reach your goals, improve your performance and enhance your quality of life.

Angie Lamberson is a graduate of Duke University’s Integrative Health Coach Professional Training Program. Make 2012 your most fantastic year yet!  Partner with her to discover, achieve and maintain your optimal state of health and wellness. A variety of coaching packages are available to suit your individual needs. 

Angie and her husband, John, are Registered Dietitians & Certified Diabetes Educators. Contact Nutrition Pair today at 252-335-WELL, www.nutritionpair.com, or www.facebook.com/Nutritionpair and schedule your initial Integrative Health Coaching Session today! 

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

~ Angie

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1 in 3 American Babies Will Have Diabetes

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One in three American babies born today will have Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetime.  That is, if current trends continue. 

Today is World Diabetes Day.  In the past 25 years, the rate of diabetes in the United States has more than tripled. Currently, over 26 million Americans have Diabetes.  Another 79 million have a condition known as “Prediabetes” and are at a high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes.  The current prevalence of diabetes could double or even triple over the next 40 years if exercise and eating habits do not improve (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

One out of every 5 health care dollars is spent on the treatment of Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and is triggered by both controllable and uncontrollable factors which include: 

    • Age over 45
    • Overweight or Obese Status
    • Sedentary Lifestyle
    • Family history of Diabetes
    • African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina or Hispanic Ethnicity
    • Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

The good news is that diabetes is a controllable and, sometimes, preventable disease. We can’t control our genetics, ethnicity or age, but we can control unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Complications are decreased when blood sugar control is managed through healthy eating and physical activity. For every 1% reduction in Hemoglobin A1C (average blood sugar over the previous three months) the risk of developing eye, kidney, and nerve disease is reduced by 40%.

If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes or are at high risk of developing diabetes, find a Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE). A CDE is a health care professional that teaches people with diabetes to manage their condition. Formal education, years of practical experience, and a Board Examination are required. CDE’s provide tools, skills and emotional support to help control blood sugars and decrease the risk of complications.

Let’s reverse these trends and take care of ourselves!  Stay active.  Eat well.  Most importantly, let’s be positive role models for children. 

~ Angie

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

We are Angie and John Lamberson, Registered Dietitians, CDE’s and owners of Nutrition Pair, LLC. Because John has Type 1 Diabetes, we know what it is like to manage a chronic disease on a daily basis. We often personal experience when educating on and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Nutrition Pair ™ offers the following services:

  • Nutrition Therapy
  • Duke Integrative Health Coaching
  • Group Presentations
  • Consulting Services for Health Care Facilities and Corporations

Contact us at 252-335-WELL. Visit our website at www.nutritionpair.com & become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/Nutritionpair.

Celebrating Life AND Diabetes!

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This past August, I celebrated my 20th year of living with Diabetes.  That’s right, Celebrated!  I’m excited to have accomplished all that I have because of Diabetes.  Is being diagnosed with Diabetes hard?  Yeah, sometimes.  But life, in general, is hard sometimes.  Barriers are barriers only if we let them be.  We hold the keys to our own happiness and health.  We can’t control others or control all events in our life BUT, we can control how we respond to those events. Every challenge and difficulty we face gives us the opportunity to find out more about ourselves and to discover new ways to succeed. 

Since November is American Diabetes Month, we want to encourage everybody to get checked for Diabetes.  In the United States today, there are over 26 million Americans with Diabetes and another 79 million have a condition known as “Prediabetes” and are at a high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. One out of every 5 health care dollars is spent on Diabetes!  (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

You are considered high risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes if you:

    • Over the age of 45
    • Are Overweight or Obese
    • Have a Sedentary Lifestyle
    • Have a family history of Diabetes
    • Are African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Latina or Hispanic
    • Gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds or were diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes

Check out the American Diabetes Association site to help calculate your risk of Diabetes. If you have Diabetes, work with your health care team to make sure you are in control.  If you have been diagnosed or told that you have Pre-Diabetes, work with your health care team to control your risk factors.  It has been predicted that by the year 2050, 1 out of every 3 Americans will have Diabetes.  Don’t wait to be told you have Diabetes, take control321064_10150295068832831_101846912830_8161234_1207462758_n[1] of your health now!  Join the Stop Diabetes effort.

Remember, you control your health.  It will take effort, sacrifice, commitment and hard work, but you’re worth it!

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

~John

Take Control of Your Health!

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Two recent studies have just come out detailing findings on the use of vitamins and supplements and their impact on health. There has long been a controversy regarding the impact supplements.  It has been difficult to find any definitive outcomes on the subject.  The new studies released this week do not offer a clear answer either.  But, they do provide a reason to stop and think about what we are doing.  In the first study, researchers looked at the use of Vitamin E by men.  The study found that those taking high doses (400 units/day) had an increased risk of prostate Nature's Perfect Supplementcancer by about 17%. Vitamin E joins the list of other supplements that have an inconclusive status. In 2005, studies surfaced that looked at the risk/benefit of using Vitamin E to help against heart disease. There was no significant benefit noted. In fact, those in the cohort taking a higher dose actually increased their risk of death.

The other recent study looked at the use of multivitamins, folic acid, iron and copper by older women.   The report of findings from those researchers found that women taking the vitamins and supplements had a higher risk of death as compared to those not taking them.  Before jumping to any conclusions, however, there are some things to question in this study. The average age of admission to the study in 1986 was over 61 years old. It is reported that by 2008, over 40% of the participants had died. That is a long 22 year span to follow participants. The strength of the study may be questioned, as it should. The headlines, “Dietary Supplements Linked to Higher Death Risk”, can be seen as alarmist.

My point is not to analyze the studies. Instead, I want to encourage you once again to look at what you are eating. Dietary supplement use in the United States is a huge business with reported sales of over $9 million dollars a year. Combine that with the heavy reliance on pharmaceuticals and you can see what a pill happy society we’ve become. The challenge is to make changes to your lifestyle to prevent having to use pills. Diet and exercise play a huge role in our health. A very interesting report just recently came out on the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.  The report looks at the genetic expression of the 9p21 chromosome. The 9p21 variant has been implicated in heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that those with a genetic predisposition of developing cardiovascular disease could alter gene expression by increasing intake of fruits and vegetables. While there are still many questions to answer concerning this study, it is interesting when we start discussing how our genetic code can be influenced by our diet.  (Original Source)

If you are looking for better health, start with your lifestyle. Increasing fruits and vegetables has long been seen as a deterrent to poor health. Make a true commitment to change. If I had a dollar for the number of times I’ve been told by clients, “I know what I should be doing, I just can’t/don’t want to do it!”, I could retire. We’ve let our health get away from us and we put too large a reliance on medications to help us instead of helping ourselves. Become responsible for your own health.  I know lifestyle changes are difficult but the road to better health is not an easy one.  If it were, we would not have as much sickness in our country. You have the power to change. You hold the key to better health!  As we always say here at Nutrition Pair:

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

~John

Breast is Best!!! August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week

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“Imagine that the World had created a new ‘dream product’ to feed and immunize everyone born on earth.  Imagine also that it was available everywhere, required no storage or delivery and helped mothers to plan their families and reduce the risk of cancer.  Then imagine that the world refused to use it”.     — James Grant, Executive Director for Unicef  (1980-1995).

John and I are huge fans of breastfeeding.  As parents, we have seen the wonderful outcomes and rewards that breastfeeding has provided in our own children.  As Registered Dietitians, we know that breastmilk is nature’s most perfect food.  Besides the ideal balance of carbohydrate, protein, fat and micronutrients, it contains antibodies specifically obtained from the mother to destroy viruses and harmful bacteria.  The benefits of breastmilk extend well into an infant’s adult years and will reduce their risk of ever developing obesity, diabetes or cancer.

This week is World Breastfeeding Week  and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has announced this year’s theme as “Talk to me! Breastfeeding – a 3D Experience”.  The focus is not only on the importance of the mother-baby connection (two-dimensions) but also the support needed from the health care system, friends, family members and the community (the ever-important 3rd dimension).

For more information about this year’s world breastfeeding theme, visit the WABA website at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.  Also, to view what the state of North Carolina is doing to encourage support for nursing moms, please see:  http://www.ncdhhs.gov/pressrel/2011/2011-08-01-nursing_moms.htm.

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

~ Angie

Summer Oatmeal Recipe

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Sharing a quick and easy summer breakfast that I’ve been enjoying since the weather has warmed up…This recipe for Summer/Swiss Oatmeal was given to us by our good friend and colleague, Jennifer Spellman.  Jennifer is the Director of School Nutrition Services for Great Falls Public Schools in Great Falls, Montana.

This is the perfect combination of high quality complex carbohydrates and low saturated fat protein.  It is a quick, easy and filling breakfast.  The recipe for one serving is as follows:

Summer/Swiss Oatmeal

1/2 cup Quaker oats, Scottish oats, or steel-cut oats
4 oz skim milk (or soy milk)
cinnamon to taste
dash of salt
fruit of choice (blueberries, bananas, raisins or dates, etc.)
4 oz  of 2% or 0% plain Greek yogurt*                                                                                                                                                                                           2tsp. Flax Meal (optional)
1Tbsp Favorite chopped nuts (optional)

The night before, combine oats, milk, salt, and cinnamon. Stir and store in tight container overnight. The next morning, stir in the yogurt, flax meal, fruit, and nuts. This dish can be sweetened with 1 packet Splenda or 1 Tbsp maple syrup.  Enjoy!!!

I’ve been enjoying this using steel-cut oats, dates and macadamia nuts.  It makes for busy mornings make easier,   just remember to mix the oatmeal, cinnamon and milk before heading to bed the night before!

*I make my own Greek yogurt the night before:  take 3/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt and strain using either cheesecloth or a small strainer.  (This is a much more economical way to make Greek yogurt, or “labneh”).

Nutrition Facts, per serving:

  • Calories:  420
  • Fat:  13 gm
    • Saturated Fat:  2 gm
    • Trans Fat:  0 gm
  • Sodium:  270 mg
  • Carbohydrate:  66 gm
    • Fiber:  9 gm
  • Protein:  19 gm

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

– Angie?????

A Must Read for Heart Attack Survivors or Anyone at Risk for Heart Disease

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I have just finished reading Dr. Janet Bond Brill’s (PhD, RD, LDN) newest book, “Prevent a Second Heart Attack”.   This book is packed full of useful information. Dr. Brill carefully explains the “How” and the “Why” the vessel damage occurs. More importantly, she thoroughly explains what you can do to prevent another cardiovascular episode. The book is full of tips for adopting a healthier diet. She includes a sample meal plan and over 50 delicious recipes to help you eat the Mediterranean way (“Dr. Janet’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus” is superb and a new family favorite of ours!). The Mediterranean-style eating plan that Dr. Brill describes is a delicious, easy and cost-effective way to improve your health and prevent a second heart attack.

As Registered Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators working in the areas of public health, cardiac rehab, dialysis and long-term care, John & I routinely see the detrimental effects of poor dietary habits. This book will not only be useful to those who have had a heart attack, but to anyone who wants to adopt a healthier way of eating. It will be especially useful for anyone with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes. Research has shown that people with Diabetes, even Pre-Diabetes, are much more likely to have a cardiac episode. In fact, the risk for having a second heart attack is twice as likely in someone who has diabetes. I am highly recommending this book to my clients, especially those who are living with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes

This is not a “diet” plan. It is a delicious lifestyle that can easily be adopted and followed for life!

You can visit Dr. Janet Bond Brill’s book website at: http://preventasecondheartattack.com/

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

~ Angie

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Angela Lamberson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE, Certified Integrative Health Coach

John Lamberson, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE

Phone: 252.335.WELL or 252.335.9355