June 8, 2018 Nutrition

What is Your Vitamin & Mineral IQ? by Janet Lynas, Ph.D., N.H.D.

The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book written by Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., CNS, FACN and Nancy Bruning is an interesting read. They start their book out with a quiz on vitamins and minerals so you will have a base of your own knowledge on the subject. I want to post their quiz so you can take it and see how much you do know.

If I eat well, I can get all the nutrients I need from food. A. True B. False

2 Vitamin E has been shown to: A. Improve your sex life B. Help prevent cancer C. Prevent baldness D. None of the above

3 Enriched white bread is just as nutritious as whole wheat bread. A. True B. False

4 Which drug(s) increase your need for certain vitamins and/or minerals? A. Antibiotics B. Aspirin C. Birth control pills D. All of the above

5 Who generally requires a higher intake of vitamins and minerals?

A. Senior citizens B. Body builders C. Marathon runners D. All of the above

6 Which mineral(s) has been shown to protect against many forms of cancer?

A. Calcium B. Magnesium C. Selenium D. None of the above

7 As long as you take supplements, you can eat whatever you want.

A. True B. False

8 Vitamin C has been shown to ________________________ colds.

A. Cure B. Prevent C. Shorten the duration of D. All of the above

9 Which nutrient(s) may be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease?

A. Calcium B. Vitamin E C. Niacin D. All of the above

10 The more supplements you take, the better.

A. True B. False

Answers:

B. This may have been true for early humans, who lived physical active lives, ate wild, fresh whole foods, and breathed clean air. Today, we eat relatively few nutrient-dense fruits, nuts, and vegetables. We are under physical and psychological stresses our ancestors never dreamed of, paradoxically raising our need for many nutrients. Our food has less nutrients because it is raises using synthetic chemicals, then stored and processed at a later date.
B. Many studies show that vitamin E helps protect us against the harmful effects of a variety of carcinogens and toxins.
B. The flour used to make white bread has been stripped of over 20 nutrients. Whole wheat and whole grain breads are higher in nutrients.
D. Many drugs interact with nutrients in the body. Antibiotics have been shown to interfere with vitamins B, C, K, and calcium. However, vitamin C can destroy the action of the antibiotic so do not take vitamin C if you are taking an antibiotic. Birth control pills deplete the body of B6, folic acid, and vitamin C. Aspirin over a long period of time may deplete the body of vitamin C and folic acid.
D. People who participate in heavy exercise programs will need to increase carbohydrates and thiamin. The elderly have reduced absorption and at times poor eating habits and are at greater need of calcium, vitamins B6, B12, E, and D; folic acid; and zinc.
C. Cancer rates are higher for people who live in areas where the soil is lower in selenium. There is evidence that calcium may help protect against colon cancer.
B. Supplements should be taken in addition to a healthy diet. Supplements are not intended to overcome a diet that is too high in fat, sugar and low in fiber.
C. Vitamin C has been shown to shorten the duration of colds and lessen the severity of the symptoms. Vitamin C is necessary to support the immune system, but has never been proven to prevent or cure the common cold.
D. Studies have shown that a higher calcium intake will lower blood pressure. Vitamin E may reduce cholesterol in the blood and increase HDL or the “good cholesterol”. It may be effective in prevent platelets from clogging the arteries. Niacin is effective in helping with these conditions as well.
B. There is an optimum amount of each nutrient and taking more than the recommended amount is of no benefit.

Score:

7-10 Correct: Excellent
4-6 Correct: Average
0-3 Correct: poor

Future postings will look at vitamins and minerals and how they benefit the body.

May 20, 2018 Nutrition

Protein, Protein and More Protein By Janet Lynas Ph.D., N.H.D.

What is the best source for protein? Under the section of Natural Health we are discussing the book, The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II. We are examining the scientific research on proteins that cause cancer in that section.

We are now going to examine which foods are the best source of “low quality” proteins. We learned in the Natural Health section the difference between “high quality” and “low quality” proteins and that the labeling can be deceptive.

The discussion today is focused on plant based proteins and why plant based proteins are healthier. Below is a list of plant based proteins recommended by the American Diabetes Association.

Plant-Based Proteins

Plant-based protein foods provide quality protein, healthy fats, and fiber. They vary in how much fat and carbohydrate they contain, so make sure to read labels.

Beans such as black, kidney, and pinto
Bean products like baked beans and refried beans
Hummus and falafel
Lentils such as brown, green, or yellow
Peas such as black-eyed or split peas
Edamame
Soy nuts
Nuts and spreads like almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter
Tempeh, tofu
Products like meatless “chicken” nuggets, “beef” crumbles, “burgers”, “bacon”, “sausage”, and “hot dogs”

We think about a vegetarian diet as being a diet that doesn’t include meat, poultry or fish. But vegetarian diets vary in what foods they include and exclude:

Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, are included.
Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products, but allow eggs.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
Pescatarian diets exclude meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allow fish.
Pollotarian diets exclude meat, dairy and fish, but allow poultry.
Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products.

Confusing isn’t it! Let’s focus on a middle of the road approach to a more vegetarian diet called a flexitarian diet. This diet is primarily a plant-based diet but includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities. This approach is less challenging and easier to transition into. Later, if you choose to become more vegetarian, it will be easier to make the transition.

One way to ease into a vegetarian diet is to gradually reduce the meat in your diet while increasing fruits and vegetables.

Each week increase the number of meatless meals, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry. Incorporate ways to include greens, such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard and collards, in your daily meals.
Take your favorite recipes and try them without meat. For example, make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans. You may be surprised to find that many dishes require only simple substitutions.
Search the Internet for vegetarian menus. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisines. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the more likely you’ll be to meet all your nutritional needs.

Most of us like pizza. This recipe is a healthy and simple start to eating less meat.

Vegetarian Pizza:

One pizza crust

Top with pizza sauce, your favorite vegetables which could include; carrots, mushrooms, spinach, onions, sweet peppers, squash, olives, tomatoes, feta cheese or your favorite cheese

Use your imagination. The object is to have a meatless meal. Use the cheese sparingly, the idea is to have a tasty and healthy meal.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 16-20 minutes

Add a salad to go with the pizza and you have a complete meal.

For dessert try grilled fruit or a sorbet.

Enjoy!!!

May 7, 2018 Nutrition

Cancer and the American Diet Connection by Janet Lynas Ph.D., N.H.D.

In my last post, I introduced Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. to you. Dr. Campbell maintained a twenty-seven-year laboratory research program in experimental animal studies. These studies investigated the link between diet and cancer with funding coming from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the late 1960s. His findings were published in the most prestigious quality scientific journals and brought attention to the core principles of cancer research on the cause of cancer.

Dr. Campbell received a total of seventy-four grant-years and these findings were completed in thirty-five years. He co-authored over 350 scientific articles. He was presented numerous awards for these findings. Awards from the American Institute for Cancer Research in diet, nutrition and cancer, and was awarded as one of the “Top 25 Food Influentials” by Self magazine in 1998. In 2004, he was given the Burton Kallman Scientific Award by the Natural Nutrition Food Association. Dr. Campbell has received several other awards and has been interviewed on at least twenty-five TV programs. Dr. Campbell is 85 years old and his career spanned over forty-five years.

Why do I go into detail on his background? I want you to understand how prestigious this man is and the impact he has had on nutrition and health. This background will also drive home the viciousness of the AMA and our government when to comes to findings on natural cures for disease.

Dr. Campbell’s research in his own laboratory showed in experimental animals that cancer growth can be turned on and off by nutrition, despite strong genetic predisposition. Eating the right diet not only prevented disease, but also generated health and a sense of well-being, both physically and mentally. His research has helped athletes both young and old discover that eating a low-fat, plant-based diet gave them a significant edge in performance.

Dr. Campbell states that his entire professional career in biomedical research centered on protein. Protein research was the cornerstone and the foundation for his research. From the basic research laboratory to the practical programs of feeding malnourished children in the Philippines and into the government board rooms where our national health policy was formulated.

The Dutch chemist Gerhard Mulder discovered this nitrogen-containing chemical in 1839 and since its discovery, it has risen to be the most sacred of nutrients.

Dr. Campbell ask what is the first word that comes to mind when we think about protein? Meat, right? Taken a step further, one might say beef is an important source of protein. So, the thought, meat is protein and protein is meat has been hammered into our brain since the discovery of the protein molecule.

A cultural bias became firmly entrenched in society. If you were rich, you ate meat for protein, but if you were poor, you ate plant based foods, like potatoes and bread. Protein is a vital component of our bodies. There are hundreds of thousands of different kinds of proteins. Proteins must be replaced on a regular basis. Various food proteins are of different quality, depending on how well they provide the needed amino acids used to replace our body’s proteins.

Dr. Campbell points out that the best source of protein to eat and the one most efficiently providing the building blocks for our protein replacement is human flesh. Since we are not having our fellow humans as the main course of the meal, we turn to animal protein. The protein of animals is very similar to our proteins because they mostly have the right amounts of the needed amino acids. These proteins are call “high quality” and also include the proteins of milk, eggs and dairy products.

The “lower quality” proteins are plant proteins because they may be lacking in one or more of the essential amino acids, but as a group, they do contain all of the amino acids.

In the next posting, we will take a look at the “lower quality” proteins found in plant based protein, which allows for slow but steady synthesis of new proteins and we will discover that this is the healthiest type of protein. The quality of a protein is based on how fast an animal will grow while consuming that food. The efficiency of body growth, which is not necessarily good health, encourages protein of “high quality”. This marketing tactic has been used for over 100 years. We have been mislead in thinking that the higher the quality the healthier we will be. We’ve been scammed! In the following postings we will take a look at which proteins provide the best quality of health and how to prevent disease and reverse the ill effects of eating the wrong diet.

Which are the best proteins?

Do you remember in a previous post that I told you by combining beans and rice, you have a complete protein?

April 19, 2018 Nutrition

Diet and Health by Janet Lynas

“He who does not know food, how can he understand the diseases of man?”

Hippocrates, the father of medicine (460-357 B.C.)

Take a look at the chart above, really look at it. We will talk about #3 in a later posting, but study the diseases causing death in the chart. Can any of these diseases be prevented by diet?

More than 68% of American adults are considered overweight or obese. The risk of obesity includes:

Diabetes
High blood pressure or high cholesterol
Heart disease
Gallbladder or liver disease
Cancer of the colon, breast, prostate, liver, or kidney
Sleep apnea
Arthritis or gout

It was estimated that health care cost would run over $4 trillion for the year 2017 in the United States. Other countries spend about one-half of what the U.S. spends per capita on health care and yet, the U.S. is consistently among the worst performers. It is clear that the U.S. does not have the best health care in the world and we are blindly telling ourselves that we do. Isn’t that a form of insanity, to deny the facts and believe an illusion we have been spoon-fed?

There is confusion around nutrition in the U.S. New books on diet come out every few months and people are ready to jump on the “bandwagon” for the newest and latest diet “quick fix”. But, where is the research behind these celebrity diets? These fad diets are not health based and employ the worst of medicine and science.

T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and one of our nations leading scientists in the research of diet and health states that the prescription for good health in short, is about the multiple health benefits of consuming plant-based foods and the largely unappreciated health dangers of consuming animal-based foods, including all types of meat, dairy and eggs. Dr. Campbell grew up on a dairy farm believing that meat and dairy products were the foundation to good health. So, to his surprise after years of research on nutrition he discovered that this was not the case.

I’m not going to lecture you on the dangers of the American diet, some of the evidence is listed above. What I will tell you after 46 years in the medical field is that Americans are lazy. Yes, lazy, we want a quick fix and we don’t want to have to work at improving our health. We want someone else to fix it for us, that way if it fails, it’s their fault, not ours.

What I am going to do is to give you the tools to improve your health. It will not be an overnight “quick fix”. You did not get in the shape you are in overnight, it was a process. Regaining your health is a process. Even when presented with the facts on nutrition and health, some of you will still continue down the path of destruction. That is your choice and I feel no obligation to try to change your thinking. I do feel an obligation to help those of you who do want to turn your health around and the health of your family.

Did you know that:

Obesity is the most prevalent nutritional disorder among children and adolescents in the United States. Approximately 21-24% of American children and adolescents are overweight, and another 16-18% is obese; the prevalence of obesity is highest among specific ethnic groups.

We are passing along our deplorable health care practices to our children and grandchildren. Is that what we really want, to set our children and grandchildren up for failure and for a lifetime of health issues? A lifetime of diseases and early death?

I realize that people decide what to eat based on a number of reasons, health care consideration being only one factor. I would venture to say that the most popular reason for eating a particular food is taste, especially if it is sweet. We live to eat, not eat to live.

The benefits of a plant-based diet are far more diverse and impressive that any drug or surgery used in medical practice. Remember #3 on the above list? There is impressive evidence now that exists to show that advanced heart disease, relatively advanced cancers of certain types, diabetes, heart disease and a few other degenerative disease can be reversed by diet. Eating the right way not only prevents disease but also generates health and a sense of well-being, both physically and mentally.

So, what are you going to do? Continue down the path of destruction or the path to better health? Some of the tools we will be talking about in this section and the sections on Hypnosis, Natural Health and even Spirituality will be tied together and you can chose the tools you want to use.

Until the next posting under nutrition, I want you to take the time to think about what you want to do about your health. I mean to sit down and really think.

This is the first step. Make a decision on what you want to do about your health and the health of your family. You are, after all, the one who is setting the example.

March 29, 2018 Nutrition

Eating and Living to be 100 by Janet Lynas

“When old age descends upon you, slowness of movement appears; The eyes become dim; the ears hard of hearing; Muscles become weak, every movement is difficult; And the spirit is forgetful and cannot even remember yesterday” ~Ptahhotep

Give me a break… Our Egyptian friend Ptahhotep was a physician to the Pharaoh Izezi around 4,600 years ago. During that time the average life expectancy was about 25 years old. Ptahhotep, himself was older than 100 when he wrote the above description.

The sad thing is, we still believe these words 4,600 years later. The largest growing population is the oldest old, those living to be 100 and beyond. The majority of this population is healthy and many living independently. What are the factors contributing to their longevity?

Ernestine Shepherd is in her 80s.

As we learned in the last posting on nutrition, the bulk of our diet should be vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, limited meats, and few grains. Eat mindful. Eat when you are hungry.

Here are some tips to control calories and how you eat.

Slow down – Americans tend to eat fast and as a result, we eat more food than we should. By eating slower, it gives our brain time to catch up with our mouth. It can take up to 20 minutes for our stomach to tell our brain it’s full. By slowing down with eating, we can save as much as 100 calories. Sometimes, this can mean 100 calories per meal. That is 300 calories per day saved.
Use a small plate and trick the mind into thinking the plate is full. When we use a large plate, we feel we have to fill it, meaning we are eating more calories than we need. Fill the plate only once. This can be another couple of hundred calories a day saved.
Eat only at the table. We can eat several hundred calories a day grazing in the pantry on cookies, chips and other junk foods.
Eat only from a plate. Eating from a bag or a shared container like a bowl of chips makes it easier to eat more calories than intended since it is harder to regulate portion control eating from a bag or shared container.
Move the serving dishes. Eating from the stove instead of having all the food on the table helps to regulate our intake. It is easier to reach over for the serving plate in front of you than it is to get up from the table to go to the stove for another helping.
Eat better desserts. Become a dessert snob. Eat fruits for dessert instead of desserts of cakes and pies. Avoid the sugary desserts with ingredients higher in fats.
Eat when you are truly hungry. As a society, we have set aside certain times for meals and we eat at mealtime instead of when we are hungry. When we eat at a set time instead of when we are hungry, we become unaccustomed to listening to our bodies and we don’t recognize true hunger sensations. We may not be hungry, we may be thirsty instead.
Eat when you eat. In other words, mindful eating is necessary. Don’t eat in front of the TV or while reading or talking on the phone. You will eat more calories by mindless eating.
Pay attention to the liquid calories. Sodas, juices and speciality coffees are high in empty calories. Drink water, teas, coffee (preferably decaffeinated) without all the added ingredients that add calories. Use natural sweeteners such as stevia.
Manage cravings. If you have waited 5 to 10 minutes after a craving has started and it’s still there, put a small amount of the food on a plate, sit at the table and eat it slowly. Try to eat a healthy snack instead of the plate of cookies.

Recipe: wash and slice one organic apple, place the apple slices in a pan and steam until softened, plate the apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger. This dessert taste similar to a piece of apple pie without all the calories.

March 19, 2018 Nutrition

How Body Image Affects Our Diet by Janet Lynas

Our perception of ourselves can be grossly inaccurate and our observation of our body image changes as our feelings about ourselves change. Women tend to have a more distorted body image than men, but men also have distorted body images.

Distorted body images usually start during the early teenage years. Our society promotes the idea that one’s body must be perfect or you are not valued. This is a tragic view with tragic outcomes.

Women report that they feel confused and lonely as they go through life changes. As young girls, we are obsessed with how our bodies are changing compared to our friends. If the girl is an “early bloomer” she is self conscious and thinks something is wrong with her. If she is a “late bloomer”, then she sees herself as being unattractive and that she will always be less desirable than her peers. If she thinks she is too thin her self-image takes a plunge and if she thinks she is to fat, then her self-esteem takes a nose dive.

Boys on the other hand have problems with self image as well. If they are a “late bloomer”, they are often ridiculed and made to feel that they are worthless. If they are over weight they are made to feel like they are lazy and slobs. The athletes are the guys that everyone wants to be around. They are the ones who are sought after not only in school, but later in life in the work force especially in areas of public relations such as sales.

I will not go into the psychological aspect in this article, but I will focus on developing a healthy attitude towards food.

The best way to help our children develop healthy attitudes about eating is to be a good example. When shopping for food, have a conversation with your children about food choices and why some foods are better choices than others. As an example, a banana has vitamins and minerals to help the body grow and be strong verses banana ice-cream loaded with sugar.

Encourage your children to eat the “rainbow”. The more colors of food on a plate , the more appealing the meal is. The more colorful the food, the higher the vitamin and mineral content, therefore, building healthier bodies.

Be mindful when eating. Turn off the TV, put away the cell phones, and eat at the table as a family. This in itself is a positive step in building good family relationships. Eat mindful. Eat when you are hungry, not because society stipulates a certain time to eat, and once you notice that your feeling of hunger is gone, stop eating. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to catch up with the sensation of being full. If you eat until you are full, then you have eaten to much and you will then feel “stuffed”.

Don’t nag your children about eating. During growth spurts, a child will eat you out of house and home. But when they are not in a growth spurt, they may not want to eat. Just make sure that what they are eating is healthy. Be mindful of eating disorders, but don’t pressure children to eat more food or to eat less food. Take a sensible approach to eating.

Teach children skills in communication, critical thinking, help your child have a good self-image of their body, help them build self-esteem and a solid value system, and give your children the tools to deal with difficulties when they arise. These skills will help your child in developing good nutritional habits.

Most of all, make food and meals a time of enjoyment and a time for building strong family ties.

Fun snack: Ants on a log

Wash and clean 1 celery stick, apply peanut butter in the indention in the celery stick, place raisins on top of the peanut butter.

March 6, 2018 Nutrition

Eating To Stay Youthful by Janet Lynas

Which is better for you to eat? Butter or margarine? If you said margarine you are wrong. Margarine was developed to fatten up turkeys, but the turkeys started to die from the margarine. Instead of discontinuing use of the product, it was relabeled and marketed to the public for human consumption as a healthy alternative to butter. Margarine is one molecule away from plastic. The food pyramid for 2018 shows that grains should be the base of our food consumption, then, fruits and vegetables, milk, meat and beans, with a tiny amount of oils.

The New Food Pyramid

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new food pyramid, which breaks food categories into a spectrum to emphasize variety. Exercise was introduced as a component of the food pyramid, and 12 individualized intake profiles were added.

Looks confusing doesn’t it. In fact, the food pyramid is not only confusing, it is wrong. So, what are we to do? How do we know what is best for our bodies to eat?

Vegetables and fruits should be the mainstay of our diet. Healthy fats are needed to promote energy and weight maintenance. Healthy fats are: avocados, whole eggs, nuts, fatty fish, chia seeds, olive oil, and coconuts and coconut oil.

Organic meats should be eaten as much as possible over commercial meat distribution. These animals are grass feed and not feed corn and other grains that they can not digest properly.

Grains should be use sparingly and corn should be avoided because it is not digested easily by the body. The body has a harder time digesting grains and many people have allergies to grains causing digestive problems.

Avocados are among the best sources of potassium in the diet, even containing 40% more potassium than bananas, a typical high potassium food. They are an excellent source of potassium and fiber, and have been shown to have major benefits for cardiovascular health.

Whole eggs are among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Despite being high in fat and cholesterol, they are incredibly nutritious and healthy. Studies show that eggs do not affect cholesterol in the blood. Eggs are full of protein and help in weight reduction. The best eggs are omega-3 enriched or pastured. Don’t throw away the yolk, that’s where almost all the nutrients are found. If you can afford free range chicken eggs you are much better off.

Fatty fish includes salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring. These fish are loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, high quality proteins and all sorts of important nutrients. Remember that fresh wild fish are healthier than farm grown fish. Farm grown fish are feed grain pellets.

Nuts are loaded with healthy fats, protein, vitamin E and magnesium, and are among the best sources of plant-based protein. Studies show that nuts have many health benefits.

Chia seeds are very high in healthy fats, especially an omega-3 fatty acid called ALA. They are also loaded with fiber and minerals, and have numerous health benefits.

Extra virgin olive oil contains vitamins E and K, and is loaded with powerful antioxidants.

Coconuts are very high in medium-chain fatty acids, which are metabolized differently than other fats. They can reduce appetite, increase fat burning and provide numerous health benefits.

Did you notice that I left out milk products? I once worked with a pediatrician who said, “Cows milk is for cows and man is the only mammal who drinks milk after infancy and this is why humans have so many digestive problems.” He is 100% correct in his statement. Yogurt does not have the probiotic benefit that the advertising agencies would like for you to believe they do. Cancers grown on sugar and milk is good at feeding cancers.

To stay healthier and younger feeling, eat as much fresh foods as possible. When you shop for food, buy from your local farmers market when you can. At the grocery store, remember to shop around the outside edges of the store in the fresh produce sections. Stay away from the processed foods.

Black Beans and Yellow Rice

Beans and rice make a complete protein. Use yellow rice or wild rice in your menus. White rice has had the nutritional value stripped from it. Try salsa with your beans and rice, it’s delicious!

January 30, 2018 Nutrition

Food Cravings by Janet Lynas

The definition of crave is to “want something very much and in a way that is hard to control.”

Dr. Annell St. Charles Ph.D., R.D. published a course on food cravings based on several studies. In her course, she looks at Evidenced Base Practice and what contributes to food craving and what can be done to address the situation.

With food cravings the best description is: An intense desire to a particular food or type of food to the extent that one would go out of the way to get it.

Is there a genetic explanation for food cravings? There is DNA and fossil evidence to indicate that the source of our craving for fat, sugar, and salt may date back to the Stone Age. Our ancestors were genetically similar to modern man. We, however, don’t have to be concerned with forging for food and our bodies do not have to store fats for survival. It can take thousands of years for human genes to change, to adapt to our environment.

Modern humans do not have to cope with an absence of food or water. Our food choices have also been affected by the introduction of highly processed, refined ingredients. We do have a genetic inclination to stuff ourselves even though food is plentiful. This causes us to suffer from a variety of chronic diseases.

Early views of the origin of food cravings was that they represent the body’s need for a specific nutrient for both food and nonfood items and this may occur in response to a nutrient deficiency.

Women tend to experience intense food cravings both in the perimenstrual period and prenatally. These food cravings are a response to hormonal influences such as sex hormones, insulin, cortisol, and sertotonin.

Sex hormones can cause food cravings suggesting that hormone fluctuations may play a role during these times as well as during pregnancy. Women commonly report cravings for chocolate, sugar, and other simple carbohydrates during various stages of menstruation.

Without getting technical, there is a network of nerve cells signaling that can also be modulated by insulin, leptin, and gherkin. Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells when they are full; its chief role is to signal the hypothalamus to reduce food intake and increase calorie burning. Resistance to leptin of a deficiency of ghrelin has been identified in eating disorders with eating behaviors and food cravings. Obese individuals are typically found to be leptin-resistant and gherkin-deficient.

So, in the absence of proper signaling from these hormones, the brain’s responsiveness to food cues would be enhanced to the point of an overfed state.

Food cravings can be a response to dietary restriction either from caloric consumption or from specific macronutrients. One of the studies Dr. St. Charles researched found that restricting food intake to lose weight had stronger cravings making it more difficult to resist. Dr. St. Charles also noted in one study that limiting portion size did not result in the food cravings.

While more research is needed, one outcome from the studies is that food cravings are derived from a physiological reaction to a perceived psychological pleasure. Moderation is the key.

So what are some steps we can take to help reduce food cravings during weight loss programs? Portion size is more important than counting calories. A portion size is the size of the palm of your hand and the thickness of a deck of cards. Calories are reduced when we eat the proper portion size. Hypnosis can help in weight reduction as well. I will discuss the use of hypnosis in weight reduction under the hypnosis section.

January 18, 2018 Nutrition

Taming of the Chew by Janet Lynas

In the book,The Taming of the Chew by Denise Lamothe, Psy.D., H.H.D., Ms. Lamothe talks about compulsive eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia and the importance of taking a holistic approach to food and body image.

In the introduction, she uses the phrase, “This means to cultivate knowledge and understanding of compulsive eating from many perspectives – considering mind, body and spirit as well as societal factors.” Later on in the introduction she says, “To do this successfully it is essential to understand ourselves in this way. This means to truly know ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually and to understand the impact that societal messages have had on us.” page xix

Do you remember “Twiggy” the anorexic model? Young girls starved themselves to look like her, not considering that her body was like that of a 12 year old boy.

When did it become “in fashion” for women to look like 12 year old boys? What does it say about our society when we celebrate young women morphing themselves into an unrealistic body image? Early in the 1900s, women curves where celebrated and “sexy” was considered as having curves in all the right places and a little meat on the bones.

On the other side of the coin is the extreme morbid obesity that is becoming more the norm that in recent years. Television shows are made about 600 pound people and their struggles in society. They are put on reality shows that shadow the “fat lady” at the carnival and people staring at them and pointing.

Both of these conditions were almost none existent 70 years ago. So, what happened?

Someone tells a young person they are fat and makes fun of them, a form of bullying. The young person in some cases goes to the extreme and starves themselves or they turn to food to fill the void in their lives. They use food to manipulate family and friends to get the attention they are “craving”.

In reality, this is a form of addiction. It is just as difficult to deal with as a person addicted to heroine or cocaine. As a general approach, health care for these individuals is disjointed. An individual will go to their primary care doctor who might send them to a nutritionist if they are malnourish or overweight, if they are lucky. More often than not, the physician will give the individual medication. Medication to increase the appetite if they are malnourished or a diet pill if they are overweight. At some point, the physician may refer the individual to a mental health provider who may offer some form of behavioral, cognitive or insight-oriented therapy. Seldom do these providers collaborate with each other in a case conference to map out a plan of care for the client. Even more rarely do they refer the person to a spiritual provider to incorporate this area of need in the client’s life.

Hypnosis is used with success in treating these eating disorders, but only if the client really wants help.

Is one treatment better than another? Is there one treatment with high success rates that are lasting? Or is the holistic approach better?

In the next posting, we will look at compulsive eating, the impact it has on the chemicals in the brain, what causes cravings, what research findings are published, and approaches that are helpful.

My recommendations are if you have any of these disorders, please seek help from a health care provider. Even though the programs may be somewhat disjointed, they are better than continuing down the current path you are own.

In the next posting, we will investigate “Food Cravings”. We will discuss the role of insulin, cortisol, and serotonin in food cravings.

January 12, 2018 Nutrition

Diet

There are as many diet books out there as there are people, so it seems. There are books out there stating there are no “bad” foods, eat whatever you want to eat and lose weight, count calories, don’t count calories, and the book “What would Jesus eat?”, just to name a very few.

Statements are made that our soil is depleted and that food has no nutritional value. If that statement were true, then nothing would grow. I do agree that we need to add minerals to the soil when we plant a garden or grow crops.

There is the concern about genetically altered foods and the effect it has on the body. We have or at least should have concerns about the preservatives and additives added to our foods. Why is it that the American population seems to be struggling with morbid obesity? In this section, I will attempt to offer some thoughts, research, and suggestions on nutrition and healthier life styles.

Do you know that the food industry is allowed to add substances to foods that cause cravings? Think about this, how can the food manufactures make more money? By selling more food, right? How can they sell more food? By having additives that cause cravings. Preservatives are added to foods to give a longer shelf life. Do you remember when a loaf of bread was bought, it had to be eaten in a few days or it would begin to have mold growing on it? No longer, it will last for weeks now.

I threw out some store bought tomatoes last summer that were getting old. I noticed that the birds were not eating them. I had a visitor that day and he remarked, “I wonder what’s wrong with the tomatoes if the birds won’t eat them?” I no longer buy that brand of tomatoes. I have noticed the same thing with bread. If you throw the bread out the birds will not eat it. I noticed that some bread was thrown into the neighborhood pond to feed the fish and the fish would not eat it. What do the animals know that we do not know?

In the next posting I will present research addressing some of the concerns stated in this posting.

Category: Nutrition

The New Food Pyramid

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new food pyramid, which breaks food categories into a spectrum to emphasize variety. Exercise was introduced as a component of the food pyramid, and 12 individualized intake profiles were added.