Sandi Thompson, Nutritional Wellness Coach

Be Your Own Coach!

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:27:00 +0000

Last year I taught a workshop titled, "Be Your Own Coach." I thought that it would be appropriate to list the highlights here. That way, if you are hoping to accomplish some new outcomes, change habits, or fulfill New Year's resolutions, you could find some tools here on the blog.

How to Be Your Own Coach

1. See yourself as is naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. Deep within you lies the knowledge of how to find the answers/resources to reach your goal/desired outcome.

2. The five elements of coaching: Listening; Curiosity; Intuition; Self-Management; Forward/Deepen. Listen to yourself, be curious, trust your intuition, set up a means of accountability,and move forward while deepening your commitment to change and growth.

3. Where are you in the here and now? Acknowledging your starting point and knowing where you want to be are key facotrs to your success. If you want to lose 30 pounds, you need to know your current weight. Say you want to exercise more. If you make a plan to workout 3 times per week, is that more? Knowing where you're starting from and accepting it WITHOUT JUDGEMENT is a first step.

4. Road block to achieving your goal – the saboteur. We all have one of these, whispering in our ear. Perhaps yours tells you that you don't deserve success. Maybe it tells you that you can outsmart a diet. Or perhaps that if you keep smoking, you'll be okay...it hasn't killed you yet. Here are some tips to handle our critic, doubter, and self-saboteur. Fill in the blanks for your situation.
- Name your saboteur
- My saboteur often says things like:
- My organization/family/community uses saboteur phrases or comments such as:

5. Designing the actual work of self-coaching. If you do these things you'll have a much better chance at success. Really!
A. Write your life vision ie: I see myself as a world traveling best-selling author giving speeches internationally on a variety of wellness topics. I’m delivering a message that resonates with many people, helping them to attain their goals of health and wellness for themselves and their families.
B. Begin with the end in sight. See yourself at this goal and feel what it’s like to be that envisioned self.
C. Know what you will commit to. Big step or small, it’s the realization that you can do it that we’re aiming for here. This is where we outsmart and silence the saboteur.
D. Create a personal SWOC assessment: my strengths, my weaknesses, my opportunities (to change), my challenges or (competition) to success.

6. Design the strategies to reach your goal by outlining the steps along the path and how you’ll deal with obstacles and challenges. An example: I want to quit smoking and I love to hang out with someone who smokes. How will I deal with my desire to engage in that behavior? Substitute drinking, excessive eating, exercising, whatever it is that you want to change.

7. Sources of support: who will make the journey easier? If you feel you have someone you’d like to support you but think they may instead undermine your determination, realize that you’ll need to speak up. They can’t read your mind. Perhaps they need to be told what you want them to say or do to support you. Be specific.

8. Planning for success. Celebrate along the way. Make it fun. Get creative but don’t make the celebrations anything but supportive of your goals. Examples: I’m going to quit drinking soda, so when I’ve gone 1 week without, I’ll celebrate by having a root beer float – not a good choice. Instead, I’ll celebrate by hiking, biking, walking or some other activity that I now have the energy to do. Or if it’s smoking – you save a lot of money by not smoking, so what could you buy that re-enforces your decision and your behavior? Maybe it will be a fabulous meal, since you’ll be able to taste so much more after you quite smoking.

If you have questions about taking your coaching to the next level, contact me. I'm here to help you succeed.

You CAN Keep New Year's Resolutions!

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:48:00 +0000

The first step to keeping any resolution is finding your motivation. If you intend to eat more healthy, quit smoking, lose weight, or be a better spouse, parent, partner or friend, then finding the main motivation to do it will help assure success.

1. If you have health concern and you have been told you must change a habit or make a lifestyle change, then find a motivation to make that change. It might not just be living longer. Perhaps for you it's being around to see your grandchildren, or your daughter graduate, or perhaps it's because you have a 'bucket list' to accomplish and you need more time.

2. Determine your goals. This is creating a written plan. Make it simple, measurable and have a date to accomplish the goal. An example would be that you want to stop smoking by January 15. When it comes to weight loss, have a realistic goal of losing between 30-50 pounds in a year. To be a better parent, make a list of goals to accomplish with your child. Keep the list to an achievable number. You can always add more as you accomplish your original goals.

3. Make a plan. If you state you want to lose 20 pounds by June to fit into your wedding gown, then formulate a plan of action that will help you achieve slow, steady weight loss of 4 pounds a month. That's 1 pound a week. Will you need to pre-plan meals? Will you incorporate exercise 3-5 times a week? At this stage you might want to gather information to formulate your plan.

4. Be accountable. This is why coaching is such a hot field! The coach holds you accountable to your stated goals. If you find a buddy to join you in your endeavor, your chances of mutual success will be higher. Consider group coaching or support groups if you have chosen to stop drinking or gambling.

5. Celebrate successes! As a wellness coach, this is the step most people leave out. If you decide ahead of time how you will celebrate the accomplishments of your milestones, you'll stay more motivated than if you just doggedly stick to your plan. Some examples would be for every 5 pounds of weight you lose, you'll put some money aside for a trip or new clothes. Perhaps you enjoy movies, so if you follow a healthy diet for a week, give yourself a movie night. If you quit smoking or drinking, maybe a new golf club or running shoes for a month of sobriety will motivate you. Be sure to plan for success is the message.

I wish you a very Happy New Year, full of the accomplishments of your choosing!

Exercise for a Longer Life

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:05:00 +0000

This time of year is all about food. There are parties to attend and give, special foods we associate only with this time of year, like eggnog and Aunt Stella's fudge. Often, we regret our indulgences and hope for a miracle readout from that devil in our bathroom – the scale.

One of the typical New Year's resolutions I often hear is: I want to get more exercise. If you can come up with a strong motivation to exercise, you'll probably have a greater chance of sticking to an exercise program – any program.

Here are some reasons that I think are motivating. Hopefully, you'll find at least one of them helpful.

1. Curb the risk of cancer. Colon cancer has been associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Simply getting things 'moving' may cut your risk. Reducing breast cancer risk takes more activity than walking; moderate-to-vigorous exercise has been shown to be most effective.

2. Increase insulin sensitivity. Strength training and aerobic exercise have both been shown to have a positive affect on a protein called GLUT4. This protein moves blood glucose into your muscles and fat cells. The more of this protein that you have, the better you'll respond to insulin. This is a win-win for anyone with insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes.

3. Aerobic exercise reduces visceral fat. This is the type of fat that is surrounding your organs. It's linked to insulin resistance, heart disease and full blown diabetes. Men with big bellies have more likelihood of having quite a lot of visceral fat. Women with big bellies may have less. Men and women can benefit from the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking a day.

4. Did you know that sitting can be deadly? If you sit for the majority of your day, you have a much higher risk of metabolic syndrome. This increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Say you get a bout of exercise during the day...if you are not standing up and walking around to encourage muscle activity and blood flow to the lower extremities, you are at greater risk of dying sooner.

This post was inspired by an article in the Nutrition Action Newsletter. Please get moving! Need some wellness coaching ideas for success? Contact me.

Holiday Dining, Insulin and a Recipe

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:17:00 +0000

The holidays are coming fast! Eating is a huge part of the celebations and deciding what to prepare, buy, and eat are always part of the challenge.

With all the classes I've been teaching lately on longevity, preventing diabetes, and staying healthy, I've been thinking long and hard about what to do over the holidays. Sweet and starchy foods form a big part of the meals. Neither of these food categories rank high on the list of longevity foods.

That's because sweets and starches trigger insulin and lower insulin levels are correlated with longevity. A traditinal Thanksgiving dinner is not the best for keeping insulin levels low.

If you love the specialty foods of the holidays like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, eggnog, gingerbread, turkey, stuffing, and more, then here are some tips to keep things in perspective.

Enjoy...but not too much. Have you ever notice that with many foods, it's the first two or three bites that are really delicious and satisfying? After that, it's just habitual to clean your plate. My suggestion...share the wealth with someone so you're not faced with eating whole humongus serving of anything. Cozy up with someone and share the starchy-sugary foods, such as stuffing and potatoes, pie and desserts.

Plan for seconds...of the really healhy foods. Or fill your plate just once and don't take seconds. Both these strategies work, so choose one that makes sense for you.

Holiday meals are about more than food. Conversation, football, catching up with family and friends, these are highlights, beyond the actual eating. So spend more time in conversation. Put your fork down between bites and engage with others at the table. This slows your eating down and you'll eat much less before feeling full.

Using what's in season is high on my priority list when it comes to choosing foods to prepare. Right now cabbage is plentiful in many varieties, so I'm going to be taking cabbage-based dishes to potlucks throughout the season. Not only is it low in starch, calories, and fat (for those who watch those things), it's also high in nutrients and fiber.

Here is my recipe for Rainbow Firecracker Coleslaw. It's not traditional, but it's really good. Leftovers taste great and it will last for at least 4 days refrigerated. You can make Turkey-Reuben Sandwiches with leftovers.

Rainbow Firecracker Coleslaw - Serves 4-6 and can easily be doubled.

1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 head red cabbage, shredded
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional) this is a firecracker ingredient
1 small carrot, grated (optional)
1 small tart apple, diced (optional)
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Dressing:
2-3 Tbls. olive oil
2-3 Tbls. apple cider vinegar
pinch of stevia - to taste
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes (optional) - this is another firecracker addition
Combine all the dressing ingredients together until well blended and pour over veggies to coat.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Insulin-Longevity and More...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:48:00 +0000

Today I'm preparing for a two-part class called Eat For Longevity. It's being presented over the next two Saturdays at a local community college - Lane Community College in Cottage Grove. If you're interested, the dates are November 7 & 14. Best news, they're FREE.

Contact the college directly (541)463-4202 Class ID: #23682

Thanks to the Taubert Memorial Foundation; they have underwritten the cost of the classes.

Researching info on longevity raised some really interesting items. There is a correlation between insulin levels and lifespan. Not just in humans, but in most living creatures-even worms. Who would have thought?

In my practice I've found the majority of clients have blood sugar regulation issues. They are either pre-diabetic, diabetic, hypoglycemic or have symptoms of all three. Underlying these issues are their cravings for either very salty or sweet snacks. Usually the snacks they choose are very high in refined carbohydrates like flour, dried potato (chips), corn (chips), sugars (white, high fructose corn syrup) and questionable fats. These items don't do a thing for increasing longevity. Quite the opposite.

Are you looking for some simple ways to make choices that will help with blood sugar regulation and insulin control? Then consider the following, sent to me today from a friend and colleague, Dr. Matt Freedman. He pointed out a list that came from Michael Pollan, author and journalist. It's his list of 20 rules about eating. The ones I particularly like are in bold. At the bottom is a link to the article.

1. Don’t eat egg salad from a vending machine.
2. Don’t eat anything that took more energy to ship than to grow.
3. If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re not hungry.
4. Eat foods in inverse proportion to how much its lobby spends to push it.
5. Avoid snack foods with the “oh” sound in their names: Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Ho Ho's, etc.
6. No second helpings, no matter how scrumptious.
7. It’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor.
8. You may not leave the table until you finish your fruit.
9. You don’t get fat on food you pray over. (Meals prepared at home, served at the table and given thanks for are more appreciated and more healthful than food eaten on the run.)
10. Breakfast you should eat alone. Lunch you should share with a friend. Dinner, give to your enemy.
11. Never eat something that is pretending to be something else (artificial sweeteners, margarine, etc.)
12. Don’t yuck someone’s yum. There is someone out there who likes deep-fried sheep eyeballs and, well, more power to them.
13. Make and take your own lunch to work.
14. Eat until you are seven-tenths full and save the other three-tenths for hunger.
15. I am living in Japan and following these simple rules in preparing each meal: GO HO – incorporate five different cooking methods, GO SHIKI – incorporate five colors, GO MI – incorporate five flavors.
16. One of my top rules for eating comes from economics. The law of diminishing marginal utility reminds me that each additional bite is generally less satisfying than the previous bite. This helps me slow down, savor the first bites, stop eating sooner.
17. Don’t eat anything you aren’t willing to kill yourself.
18. When drinking tea, just drink tea. I find this Zen teaching useful, given my inclination toward information absorption in the morning, when I’m also trying to eat breakfast, get the dog out, start the fire and organize my day.
19. When you’re eating, don’t talk about other past meals, whether better or worse. Focus on what’s in front of you.
20. After spending some time working with people with eating disorders, I came up with this rule: Don’t create arbitrary rules for eating if their only purpose is to help you feel in control.
from:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/03/Michael-Pollans-Favorite-Dietary-Dos-and-Donts.aspx

Try the rule about eating an apple next time you crave chips, soda, candy, or fries. Your blood sugar will thank you, and your grandchildren will too when you show up for their graduation. Longevity with vigor is a goal we can all aspire to.

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:03:00 +0000

Are you running on empty? Calories, that is...

Many people push themselves to accomplish way more in a day than they ever can. Their TO DO list is endless, and yet there is an urgency to get it all done - no matter what. To help get through the day you might have one more cup of coffee, one more diet soda, one more sweet snack "just this once."

If that sounds familiar, then you may be setting yourself up for adrenal fatigue syndrome.

Here are some symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
1. Hitting the 'snooze' alarm repeatedly before dragging yourself out of bed.
2. Needing to lie down for a nap around 3:00-4:00pm.
3. Catching a 'second wind' around 11:00pm.
4. Finding yourself suffering from every cold or flu bug around, particularly as a teacher or parent of a young child.

Adrenal glands sit atop your kidneys. They are very small glands with a very big job. They produce many hormones, including adrenaline, epinephrine and cortisol.

We live in very stressful times. Our lives sometimes seem like a soap opera, although we can't change the channel or hit the off button on the remote. Our adrenals respond to constant stress by releasing more and more hormones, until we overwork them and they start to rebel through exhaustion.

What can we do?

Here are just a few, simple steps to take to help relieve this all-to-common occurance of adrenal fatigue and exhaustion:
1. Take your Vitamin C - make sure it has bioflavinoids. Many people take just ascorbic acid and that's not the best kind. The bioflavinoids help the Vitamin C function better in the body.
2. Eat regularly. If you skip breakfast as a routine, knock it off! Have a balance of protein, fat and carbs with each meal. If you didn't get the memo that eggs are okay to eat, you read it here. Have an egg, a slice of whole grain toast or a small bowl of oatmeal, and a small piece of fruit for breakfast. Skip the 10:00 coffee break and eat a handful of nuts. Same in the afternoon. Caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate and sodas wreaks havoc on your adrenals. Drink some water instead.
3. Get your ZZZs. Sleep refreshes your body like nothing else can. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. If you go long periods of time without restful sleep, you will become more susceptible to illness. Your immune system will suffer. This causes stress, which overtaxes your adrenals.

Of course, this is an over-simplification of how to deal with adrenal fatigue. It's a good start and for more information I suggest the book ADRENAL FATIGUE: the 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson, N.D.,D.C.,Ph.D

Pre-diabetic Syndrome is Scary

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:36:00 +0000

Maybe you know someone who has recently been diagnosed as being pre-diabetic. Often that is the last warning they'll have before their next visit to the doctor reveals full-blown adult-onset diabetes, usually called Type II diabetes. The good news is both conditions are often reversable through diet and life-style changes.

One of the misconceptions linked to Type II diabetes is that eating 'natural' foods is okay. I have to say that eating natural foods overall is great! It's way better than processed foods in any case. But the truth is that if you have a tendency to be insulin resistant, another term for having a pre-diabetic condition, or if you have diabetes, even some natural foods should be eliminated.

What are those foods? Over eating fruits, grains and starchy vegetables are examples. Most people with insulin resistance should limit fruit to 2 per day. Instead, eat more fresh vegetables, especially greens. Many people think if they eat whole grains, they can reduce their dependence on insulin. It's just not the case. Starchy foods like whole grains and potatoes are converted very swiftly to sugar and then the job of insulin is to clear the excess sugar from the blood by getting it into the cells.

When our bodies are exposed over and over to surges in insulin due to eating too many refined carbs or even whole-grain carbs, we become resistant to insulin. I often make the analogy of Chicken Little running around saying, "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" This is particularly true if you drink or eat foods sweetened artificially. After awhile the body realizes that just because there is a sweet taste it doesn't mean there will be calories following. The cells are bombarded by insulin because the brain signals the pancreas to release insulin when there is an expectation of calories. The cells become resistant to insulin's message. The sugar stays in the blood, and problems follow.

My suggestion is to eat less starch BY FAR than usually recommended. This could be no starch in some cases. Instead, try eating more crunchy veggies and greens. Eat more wholesome fats, such as olive oil and coconut oil. Drink more water and less sweetened beverages, especially sodas. Have adquate protein, but not too much.

Hopefully, if you or someone you know is in need of more help coping with diabetes or insulin resistance, you'll contact me 541-953-8715.

Can You Live Longer on Less Food?

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:03:00 +0000

I'm continuing a theme from last time - eating for longevity.

Recently, I've been reviewing material for a class I'm teaching next week on this topic. A common thread that keeps appearing in the literature is CRON - calorie restricted optimum nutrition.

First scientists noted that rats fed a nutrient dense diet with about many fewer calories than their counterparts lived longer - 30% to 20% longer. This research has been going on for about 70 years.

The population that is often sited as examples of how a calorie restricted diet can extend life is that of Okinowans. These people are said to eat a diet mostly of green and/or yellow vegetables with some legumes and little meat, eggs or dairy. Fish is also a minimal part of the diet.

However, I checked to see the records of those whose long lives were verified. I used Wikipedia and found that many people living to a very advanced age, exceeding 100 years live outside of Japan and actually lived or still live in the United States.

If you want to live a longer, healthier life, with more vitality, mental alertness and less debilitating disease and pain, what are your best choices? Scientists are now looking at a variety of theories, including CRON and hormesis, and the genetics of longevity.

Hormesis is interesting because it looks at the affects of low intensity stressors on the mitochondria of cells. Mitocondria are often referred to as the powerhouse of the cell. This is where energy in the form of ATP is formed from nutrients and other building blocks. The response to low level stressors can be a revving up of the repair aspects of the cell. This translates into a better health picture overall. It also means that a little stress is better than no stress and a lot of stress is not good at all.

How can we put this to work in real life? When it comes to eating, leaving out refined foods, which can be big stressors for many people, is best. An example of a food stressor for some is gluten. For others it's dairy. Sugar is probably the best example of a universal stressor. Another stressor, but at very low levels with a positive result is curcumin from turmeric.

Another factor in longevity appears to be low levels of insulin. Avoiding refined foods that contain sugar will help keep insulin levels low. So will avoiding refined grain products: pasta, crackers, dry cereals, and most breads.

Most interesting to me was the idea of intermittent fasting. This is something that many cultures have practiced. Fasting can be every-other-day, or it often may involve one day of fasting a week, or a week of fasting a year. Sometimes it is a weekend per month of a simple water fast. The benefits seem to be lower serum glucose and insulin along with improved mental function.

Before undertaking a fast it is best to have any tendency toward hypoglycemia under control. Check with me or your health care practitioner for information on controlling hypoglycemia.

Nutrition for Longevity

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:51:00 +0000

My most recent reading material has been Primal Body - Primal Mind by Nora T. Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT (NTP). There is a lot of great information about how to eat and what to eat. One section that really interested me was increasing fat in the diet for longevity.

Now this is counter to what many of us have been taught for the last several decades. In fact, fat is just a downright dirty word in most circles. Animal fat in particular has had a bad rap and Nora has no fear of jumping right in the face of this conventional wisdom.

Listing references dating back to the late 1960s, she points out that calorie restriction that includes increased fat actually helped lower LDL cholesterol and demonstrated that increased lifespan could be expected, along with lowering the risk of cardiac disease. Wow!

Another point she makes is that the combination of sugar/starches and fats is one of the most unhealthy, if not 'deadly' - her words, combinations one can choose to destroy your health and increase risk of diabetes. This is something I've been preaching to my clients for years now, so it's nice to have an author like Nora make the same information available in an easy-to-understand format. She also quotes one of my favorite doctors, Ron Rosedale, MD, from his book The Rosedale Diet. You scroll down on this blog to see it listed under my favorites.

Dr. Rosedale points out that it's not simply insulin that we need to control to avoid diabetes, but a recently discovered master hormone called leptin. Keeping leptin levels low is very important when it comes to controlling everything from appetite to thyroid hormone levels. And guess where leptin comes from in our body? Fat!

Fat cells produce leptin and so far big pharmaceutical companies have not found any way to control leptin, other than following a diet high in greens, non-starchy vegetables, adequate protein and good fats.

So, following this train of thought into nutrition for longevity here are some simple recommendations:

1. Avoid fried starchy foods. These are about the worst thing you can eat because the oils and fats used for deep frying things like potato chips and french fries are among the worst possible. Not only is it often an inexpensive, highly treated vegetable oil, but the high heat changes it into a trans fat. Don't believe the labels! There are loopholes in labeling laws that allow some trans fats in the product and they don't have to be listed.

2. Don't eat donuts. Sorry, there just isn't any way around this one. Not only are donuts a deep fried product, but they are based on starch and have sugar added. These are probably as bad for you as fries and chips.

3. Do eat more leafy greens, green vegetables in general, brightly colored vegetables like peppers, kales, and cabbages. Many people suffering from hypothyroid avoid many veggies from this category. If you steam these lightly, it will help to eliminate the problem.

4. When it comes to fruits, berries pack a bigger punch than watermelon. They are lower in sugar, higher in fiber, and contain an awesome array of antioxidants. Antioxidants help put out the fire and quell the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are exacerbated by eating #1 and #2 above. They are also created simply because we breathe oxygen. Think of free radicals as rust. Oxidative damage can be minimized with good nutritional habits.

5. Drink water to flush out toxins. If you want to lose weight and you drink more water than usual, you will feel fuller, keep hydrated, be tempted less to drink soda, and flush toxins that get released into your body by shrinking fat cells. Many toxins are stored in fat cells. Soda is not the same as water. It is a chemical soup.

6. Eat good fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, walnut, and hazelnut oils. The whole food sources of these oils are also good choices. So are fatty fish like salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, smaller tunas, and mackerel.

7. Minimize starches such as potatoes, wheat, grains, many root vegetables, pastas, breads, and other foods containing starch. Try this for 3-6 weeks and see how you feel. This is one of the hardest habits to break. Most of our snack foods are starch-based. Try substituting exercise for snacking. Easier to do in the summer, so start now and the habit will be well ingrained by the time winter gets here.

Seven nutritional suggestions for longevity is of course a very simplistic model. There are so many more things you could add for an even more effective life extension program. Begin with these seven simple steps. They can go a long, long way to helping you achieve some of your goals of living a longer, healthier life - one that includes graceful aging and less dependency on our already overburdened health care system.

Planning for Healthy Meals

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:28:00 +0000

Do you wonder about eating the right fats, the right foods, the right cooking methods? Welcome to my world!

Everyday I see clients who would like to be healthier. We often discuss how to change their eating habits, but rarely do we talk about how to change their actual routine of meal preparation.

The bad economic situation has had some unexpected health benefits for my clients who are used to dining out. It’s now becoming necessary to prepare more meals for ourselves and many of us don’t have a clue where to start.

Here are a few simple steps to get organized in the kitchen for healthy eating.

1. Plan your meals. 7 breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks need to be addressed weekly. Remember those old lunch menus from school? Create your own meal schedule. Start with only one meal, maybe dinner, plus snacks. You can build up to the rest over time.

2. Write out a shopping list. Figure out how many times each week you’ll be at the grocery store and plan accordingly. If you only want to shop once a week, it will be a big list. Breaking the grocery shopping down to 2 or 3 trips per week can make for a more manageable list and you are more likely not to waste food.

3. Refer to your menu and prepare in advance. If you are grilling something for dinner, don’t forget to defrost it in the refrigerator the night before. Plan on having a vegetarian meal based on dried beans? Then you’ll need to soak those beans the night before unless you use a pressure cooker or a different cooking method. If you use canned beans rinse them before using to get rid of excess salt.

4. Increase your repertoire of recipes. Boredom is the fastest way to break down your resolve to stay home and eat healthy meals. Here are some websites to research for recipe ideas.
http://www.eatingwell.com/
http://www.epicurious.com/
http://whfoods.org/recipestoc.php
You can also google healthy_dinner_recipes to find a wealth of online resources.

5. Start with what you like when planning your meals. Hate fish? Leave it off your menu. Love burgers and fries? You can make oven fries for a healthier version and grass-fed beef is very nutritious. Want a vegetarian meal plan? Check out some Indian cookbooks for tasty recipes dating back thousands of years. A new favorite of mine is 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer.

Trying these 5 steps for a few weeks can really help with your goals of eating healthier and less expensive meals. Contact me for additional ideas. I’m here to help.

Coach Yourself Lean, Fit, or Happy

Tue, 26 May 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Do you wish you could afford a coach? Even though I am a wellness coach, I have a coach I rely on to keep me focused on my goals. We do a trade, so that cuts out those pesky fees.

I am offering a class called Be Your Own Coach at Tamarack Wellness Center in Eugene on June 2. For those of you who live out of town or can't make it Tuesday night at 7:00pm, here's some thoughts on being your own coach.

First, know what you want to accomplish. Be specifc about this, so you can form a mental picture in your mind. If it's a weight loss goal, see yourself at that goal weight. Really build some emotion about how good you feel and hone the description of yourself. Write it down. Two or three sentences will do. Here's an example: I have lost 20 pounds by October 31st and feel energized, impowered and strong. I can now see my belt buckle without looking in the mirror because my belly has shrunk.

Second, figure out why this goal is important to you. Usually, my clients want a change to enable them to enjoy life more. This can mean being able to hike in the mountains without stopping every 15 minutes to recover their breath, or being able to crawl around on the floor with a future grandchild without struggling to get up again. It can also mean recovering lost self-esteem, renewing vigorous activity, or fulfilling a life-long dream.

Whatever it is for you, picture yourself in that situation and then write it down. Here is an example: I am now playing frisbee on the beach with my kids. We are laughing and having the best time ever. I'm am fit and healthy and so are my kids.

Third, map the steps that it will take to get to your big vision of health and wellness. These are the actions you'll commit to so reaching your vision is not just a dream. Action steps have components like a date, a commitment, and a duration. For example: I will walk every day for 20 minutes (commitment), beginning May 29 (date) and I'll add 2 minutes per week for 6 weeks (duration).

You can make many steps to reach your goal. In fact, most people need to approach their goal from several aspects. Try to think of all the different areas of your life that will contribute to your overall success in reaching your goal. Write them down.

Your list is probably pretty long, right? If you feel overwhelmed, then you're doing it right! The next step makes it easier to achieve your stated goals.

Fourth, break these big steps into tasks. Using my example of walking everyday for 20 minutes, I'll need to do a few things first. Here are a few examples of tasks that will help accomplish this step of our plan: buy some shoes, get up 1/2 hour earlier, lay out clothes the night before, simplify breakfast to a smoothie.

Some things won't need a task list, so don't think you need to break everything down into its component tasks. Laying out your work clothes the night before isn't going to require a step-by-step list. However, if you aren't already in the habit of making smoothies, you may need to create a shopping list, find time to do the grocery shopping, and maybe even make the smoothie the night before and re-blend it in the morning.

Fifth, celebrate your accomplishments as you achieve the steps. Make these rewards something to support your overall goal. If you are planning to write a book, the steps would be something like write an outline, plan the chapters, find a publisher, write the book. When you get the outline completed, you probably deserve a celebration like a great dinner with a friend. If your goal is weight loss, you'll want to plan something like a trip to coast or a hike. You don't want to celebrate weight loss with a hot-fudge triple scoop sundae, right? Well, you may want to, but your goal is staring you in the face, so you'll make a better decision.

The point is to plan your celebrations so you have something to look forward to when you accomplish the steps to your goal.

If you'd like to come to the workshop and do some of this work, register at Tamarack Wellness Center, 541-683-7506 or online at Tamarack Wellness Center.

I hope you will set some goals and use these coaching tools to help you reach them.

Boost Your Immune System

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Do you want a stronger, more competent immune system? Sure you do!

If you take loads of supplements hoping that will do the trick, you could be overloading your system, leading to the OPPOSITE outcome.

Here are a few things you can do to enhance your immune system while not going to extremes.

1. Get sufficient Vitamin A, which is an anti-viral. Eggs, calves' liver and milk are animal products with pre-formed Vitamin A. Vegetable sources have carotinoids which your body converts to Vitamin A. Sources high in carotinoids include carrots, cooked spinach, kale, and raw red bell peppers. How do you know if you are deficient in Vitamin A? If you have permanent goose bumps on the back of your arms, you're likely deficient.

2. Other vitamins are important too, of course: C, D, E, and minerals such as zinc, iodine and magnesium. I'm a proponent of low-dose, naturally occuring vitamin supplementation. Look for supplements that say whole food derived. Cleaning up your diet and eating organic, locally grown foods are an excellent way to boost your immune system while cleaning up the 'terrain' of your body - the host for viral, bacterial, fungal, and other illness-causing invaders.

3. Hydrate yourself. If you drink half your ideal body weight in ounces of pure water every day, this is a great start. Why your 'ideal' body weight? It's just too daunting to think that if you weight 250 pounds, you need to drink 125 ounces of water daily. However, if you drink lots of caffeine containing beverages: soda, coffee, green tea, or loads of juice, alcohol, and other diuretics, you'll need more water to offset those dehydrating beverages.

4. Reduce sugar and simple carbohydrates in favor eating less processed foods. Nutrient dense, properly prepared food is key to boosting your immune system and providing your body with the building blocks for maintenance and repair. Variety is important to get all the micronutrients needed for a strong immune system. Adequate protein is particularly important. In case you didn't get the memo - eggs are fine to eat daily. Read more about the benefit of eggs here. If you are a vegetarian not eating eggs, be sure to use good protein combining skills. Don't leave it to chance that you will get all the essential amino acids you need to enhance your immune system. Quinoa, hemp seed, kelp, spirulina - eat these nutritious foods often.

5. Rest, sleep, relax! Our body does its greatest repair while we sleep.

6. Move - the dreaded E word is EXERCISE. After resting, move your body to detoxify through perspiration and deep breathing. Exercise circultes blood and lymph. Lymph moves toxins out of your system. If you want to enhance that pathway, try dry skin brushing when you can't adequately exercise.

7. Remove stressors, such as allergens. If you know you have a wheat allergy, an egg allergy, a chocolate allergy, etc. don't eat the foods that cause your immune system to over-react. Instead, concentrate on healing your gut, which is often inflamed from dealing with allergens. Seventy to eighty percent of your immune system is adjacent to your gut. A healthy digestive system can go a long way to enhancing immunity. I'm a nutritional therapist, so this is my personal bias and there is plenty scientific information to back me up when I say, "Heal the gut, heal the entire body." If I was a chiropractor, I'd probably say something like, "Balance the nervous system, balance the entire body." Another way to say this: don't challenge your immune system unnecessarily.

Here's a quick recap for increasing immunity: adequete nutrients, ideally from foods and low-dose supplements; good hydration; get rid of crappy foods in your diet; sleep 7-8 hours nightly; exercise; reduce stressors.

Make a Commitment to Wellness

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:41:00 +0000

Recently, I moved into an office at Pure Life Chiropractic. That's the practice of Dr. Matt Freedman in Eugene, Oregon. He puts out a newsletter too and one of the articles inspired me to write this. Thanks, Dr. Matt!

How would you define health and wellness?

It’s certainly not as simple as being upright and vertical, or being able to get from point A to point B without assistance. It’s also not just the absence of overt symptoms or illness.

Over 50 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health as, "A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

In addition to the WHO definition, you might choose to define “health and wellness” as a balance of body, mind and spirit. Do you feel balanced in these three areas? Can you say that you’re living up to your highest potential, living fully in every area of your life?

Not many of us will answer these questions with a resounding, unequivocal, and confident “Yes.” Well, maybe Deepak Chopra! We can say that it’s never too late to start the journey toward wellness by embracing and DOING the activities, behaviors, and lifestyle changes that will move us closer to health and wellness.

Here are some actions and behaviors that can be incorporated into your lifestyle to move you steadily toward a state of well being and health. When it comes to wellness, every little bit helps - at any age.

• Choose to eat right – Fast foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners, soft drinks and most snack food just won’t add up to wellness. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, grass-fed lean meats, nuts and seeds, whole grains – these are foods that promote health. Drink lots of pure, clean water. Moderate your alcohol consumption. Don’t buy unhealthy food in the first place. Remember – out of sight is out of mind. If it’s not in the kitchen, you can’t eat it.

• Make exercise a habit – Our bodies are made to move. Regular exercise can lead to a healthy cardiovascular system, while increasing your metabolism which burns more calories and prevents or reverses unhealthy weight gain. It also enhances your skeletal system including bones, muscles and ligaments. Exercise boosts your immune system and sweating helps detoxify your body. We all know that obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Proper nutrition and exercise can reverse this trend.

• Get enough sleep – Your body heals and recharges during sleep. Adult needs 7 – 8 hours of sleep nightly, young growing children and teens need even more. Sleep is necessary to restore and repair the body so it can function optimally the next day. Plan to get enough sleep and take action to correct poor sleep patterns. Your health depends on it.

• Live the healthy life – This goes beyond your physical needs. Express kindness and compassion toward yourself and others. Seek to develop a code of moral and ethical principles. Then live by them. Discover your life’s purpose. Connect with joy and connect with others, not just through Facebook or Twitter, but in person. Nurture your spirituality and religious connections. Bring someone else joy by helping others who are less fortunate.

Lastly, remember that it’s never too late to get on track to true health and wellness. Make a plan, draw up a list, then ask yourself, “What’s on my list and how will I get there?”

It's Snack Time!

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:09:00 +0000

It's springtime in western Oregon! We're on Spring Break right now and that means lots of activity with kids and family.

Spring in this area also means rain, with periods of sunshine. Then more rain. We are called to be outdoors when we see more sunshine: biking, gardening, hiking, taking longer walks with our kids and our dogs.

All the added activity and longer days means more challenges when it comes to snacks. These don't have to be complicated. A sliced apple with some nut butter, a handful of a healthy trail mix, or a quick lettuce wrap can fill the bill for between-meal-eating. There are even a few brands of pre-packaged snack bars that aren't too bad.

My criteria for snacks are low in sugar which means 7 grams of sugar or less per snack. I'm not too concerned about fats, which have gotten a bad rap for about 25 years. The fat in nuts and seeds are a good source of omegas, the essential fatty acids that many of us lack. A moderate amount of protein is also a good idea for a snack.

Here are some ideas for healthy snacking, which are mostly gluten, dairy, soy, and egg free.

Hummus with cut up veggies: carrots, celery, zucchini, cucumbers, jicama, peppers, etc.
Tuna salad with veggies or lettuce-leaf wraps
Almond or walnut butter on apple slices or celery sticks
Goat cheese-not dairy free on Ezekiel-not gluten free or Manna bread-not gluten free**
Trail mix of raw almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, raisins, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried unsweetened cherries, goji berries. ¼ cup
1/2 LARA bar. These bars are whole food, usually no more than 5 ingredients and include dates, nuts, coconut, cocoa mass, and other whole foods. They are not low glycemic foods and very concentrated.
1/2 KIND nut bars. These are high fat, moderate protein, lower than usual carbohydrate snack bars from Australia. Very satisfying due to fat content.
1/2 TRIO bar. This is another high fat nut and seed bar. They are gluten-free and vegan. However, they are made in China, so use your best judgement. Each bar has 3 nuts, 3 seeds, and a small amount of dried fruit.
Veggie dip: Pureed lightly steamed broccoli, parsley, spinach mixed with goat cheese – not dairy free**, or tahini/almond butter. Spread on raw veggies.
Guacamole with cut up veggies. Try red bell peppers, jicama, or celery for dippers.
Lettuce Wraps: wrap chicken, turkey, or tuna salad in romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
Yogurt - sometimes tolerated by those with a lactose or milk intolerance - or almond butter topped fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or other fruit. Cashew and macadamia nut butters are particularly good as a fruit topping.
Bean dip from pinto, black, or white beans with cut-up veggies.

Do you have a healthy snack that you'd like to share? Please post it here.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:34:00 +0000

Limited budgets and the desire to eat in a more healthy manner can seem contradictory at first. However, knowing what to choose at the grocery store can not only save you money, but prove to be a wise nutritional decision.

In the winter, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli are plentiful. So are dark green leafy vegetables such as kale and chard. These vegetables keep longer than delicate salad greens, tomatoes, and green beans.

Cabbage seems to keep the longest of any vegetable in my refrigerator. It also has many different uses, from a raw coleslaw; a quick sautee with onions and garlic; a wrapping for a meat and rice stuffing - or a vegetarian version; or fermented into a sauerkraut. Cabbage is one very versatile veggie.

How do you choose a cabbage? Like all vegetables, it's best to pick out the ones that seem heavy for their size. Red cabbage is a more nutritious choice than a light green cabbage. The purple/red color is an indication of additional nutrients.
Here's a recipe for one of my favorite cabbage dishes - Rainbow Firecracker Coleslaw. It is quite adaptable to a wide variety of tastes, so if you don't like spicy food, eliminate the jalapeno and cayenne. This keeps for at least 3 days in the refrigerator.

Rainbow Firecracker Coleslaw

1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 head red cabbage, shredded
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (optional) this is a firecracker ingredient
1 small carrot, grated (optional)
1 small tart apple, diced (optional)
Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Dressing:
2-3 Tbls. olive oil
2-3 Tbls. apple cider vinegar
pinch of stevia - to sweeten to your taste
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes (optional) - this is another firecracker addition
Combine all the dressing ingredients together until well blended and pour over veggies to coat.

Want some variations? I sometimes toss in a 1/4 cup of raisins or goji berries (wolfberries). When I do this, I eliminate the stevia, since these dried fruits sweeten up the coleslaw. I've also substituted different vinegars, which change up the taste. Balsamic vinegar works well.

Cabbage is a very nutritious food. In fact, it has been used for centuries its gut healing properties. For more information and recipes using cabbage, check out the book by Sally Fallon - Nourishing Traditions.

Digestion for Better Health

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:44:00 +0000

I was at a health fair yesterday at our local community college. It was apparent from the questions I was asked that people want better digestive health. It was also clear that they are mystified when it comes to achieving even adequate digestion.

Bowel transit time is one thing that will tell you if you are digesting your food in a reasonable time. Eat half a can of corn. This is the ONLY time I will suggest eating canned corn! Pay attention to when it leaves your body. If it doesn't appear in 12-24 hours, you have sluggish digestion, unless you have diarrhea or other bowel problems, such as IBS or an allergy to corn. Canned corn works best because your body won't break it down. If you don't want to eat canned corn, try beets instead.

Perhaps you feel bloated and gassy within an hour of eating? That's often from lack of adequate hydrochloric acid in your stomach. Don't worry, your stomach can handle it. In fact, if you don't have an acidic stomach of 1.5-3.0 on the pH scale your digestion will be delayed and you'll probably get heartburn. If this happens to you, don't resort to antacids.

Instead, sip lemon water or apple cider vinegar to lower the acidity of your stomach so the food will move on to the small intestine. Then consider taking a hydrochloric acid supplement with your meals. Also think about increasing your zinc intake by eating raw pumpkin seeds and raw pumpkin seed butter. I like Rejuvenation Brand. Once your zinc levels are adequate, you may notice that you no longer need the hydrochloric acid supplement because your cells which secrete HCL are now working properly.

Just today I received an email from a client thanking me for helping him by suggesting hydrochloric acid supplementation. He felt it had really helped him to digest well and get rid of unwanted weight gain after the holidays because he was absorbing more nutrients from his food, so he needed to eat less. He also had more energy for exercise.

This Saturday at 10:00AM for women in the Eugene area, I am teaching a class on digestion. It's called The Secrets of Digestive Health. It's open to drop in, so come on down! It's at a beautiful workout facility called Body Now. The address is 453 River Ave, near the Santa Clara post office. The cost is $25. There will be lots of handouts! I'd love to see you there.

How Much Vitamin D Should I Take?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Since it's winter and the sun doesn't shine much, or for very long this time of year, I thought I'd address Vitamin D in today's post.

I was told about a low cost vitamin D test available from vitaminDcouncil.org. I've also been seeing ads on TV for a test that pays you $35 if you're a woman and enter a study. I have not explored either of these options personally.

Here is an excerpt from the Vitamin D Council's website. It reflects how little is known about adequate vitamin D levels, and how important this fat-soluble nutrient is regarding a wide range of health benefits.

HOW MUCH VITAMIN D SHOULD I TAKE?
Again, we don't know. This is a difficult question because it relies on so many personal factors. Everyone's situation is either a lot, or at least a little, different. How much vitamin D you need varies with age, body weight, percent of body fat, latitude, skin coloration, season of the year, use of sunblock, individual variation in sun exposure, and—probably—how ill you are. As a general rule, old people need more than young people, big people need more that little people, heavier people need more than skinny people, northern people need more than southern people, dark-skinned people need more than fair-skinned people, winter people need more than summer people, sunblock lovers need more than sunblock haters, sun-phobes need more than sun worshipers, and ill people may need more than well people.

Quite a few factors are involved, as you can see. However, don't feel bad, no one understands it. Vitamin D is used by the body—metabolically cleared—both to maintain wellness and to treat disease. If you get an infection, how much vitamin D does your body use up fighting the infection? If you have cancer, how much vitamin D does your body use up fighting the cancer? If you have heart disease, how much vitamin D does your body use up fighting the heart disease? If you are a child with autism, how much vitamin D does your brain need to turn on the genes that autism has turned off? If you are an athlete, how much vitamin D does your body use to make you stronger and quicker? Nobody knows the answer to these questions.

After the Holidays - Now What?

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:11:00 +0000

So what? You gained a few pounds. No big deal, right?

Not if you know some secrets to eliminate the extra poundage safely and effectively. Here's my list of the top 12 things you can do as we head into the New Year. You'll be lookin' and feelin' fine in 2009.

1. Meet yourself where you really stand on diet and weight loss. Do you think you gained all that weight in the last 4 weeks? Or did you really start in college or after your first child? Whatever the answer, be honest with yourself.

2. Analyze your favorite flavors. This is key to having a weight loss plan you can stick with. If you LOVE big flavors, then make sure you've got lots of spices around to liven up your food.

3. Was it the sugar? If you love the holiday baking treats, then you probably love most sweet foods. It's easy to say you'll cut out the cookies, the pies, the luscious holiday treats. But what about all those hidden sugars? Bread, potatoes, pasta, juices, and even yogurt are all loaded with sugar. Learn to read labels and concentrate on buying food with the lowest sugar content.

An example: compare sugars in yogurt with those in cottage cheese. Cottage cheese has only 3 grams of sugar compared with flavored yogurt, which can have 25 grams of sugar or more.

4. Portions are another area to examine. Pre-packaged food comes with the serving sizes listed on the label. If you cook at home or buy pre-made food, it probably doesn't come with the serving sizes attached. Learn what constitutes an average serving size. Here are a few that might surprise you. Pasta, rice, potatoes, carrots, peas, beets, and most other starchy or sweet grain or vegetable servings are 1/2 cup. Not much when you consider that the average person takes 2 CUPS of pasta before adding sauce. That's four times the serving size. Remember that the portion you put on your plate may not be the same as the recommended serving size. Here's a link to the MAYO CLINIC that might help.

5. Learn about good fats. These include real fats, not artificial ones. Also, don't cook with polyunsaturated oils. Fat is a necessary component of healthy eating. You can't process many vitamins or minerals without fat. Eliminate fried foods and eat more salad with healthy cold-pressed olive oil. Fat keeps you feeling satisfied and full longer, so enjoy avocado and other good natural fats as part of a weight loss plan. I often suggest clients eat 5 avocado halves per week.

6. Eliminate artificial sweeteners. Studies show that these actually cause overeating and weight gain. Soda is the biggest culprit. Learn to find a substitute such as ice herbal tea, sparkling water with citrus peel, or just plain water! Don't count on juice being better for you. It is loaded with sugar and has none of the fiber of whole fruit. If you are a juice drinker, learn to cut the juice with water.

7. Eat breakfast. This is a number-one mistake many dieters make. If you want to skip a meal, make it dinner. Better yet, don't skip meals and have adequate protein with each meal. If you want to eliminate a food group, I suggest starches and refined, processed foods of all kinds.

8. Learn to love exercise. There is no getting around this. Our bodies are made to move. Important! start where you are, not where you want to end. This means if you haven't taken a walk or gone for a run in 3 months or more, start with 10 minutes or less. Be determined to increase the duration and intensity over time. Make this a lifestyle change, not a quick fix to holiday weight gain. Find something you love. Dancing, swimming, tennis, even golf. Just do it! (Thanks Nike)

9. Drink plenty of water. You can start slowly if you don't already drink adequate amounts of water. Try to drink at least six 8-ounce glasses a day. Did you know that many people think they are hungry or need a snack, but really they are just thirsty. Learn to tell the difference.

10. Make a plan. If you plan your meals for the day, you're ahead of most dieters. If you can plan a week's worth of meals in advance, you are on a winning track. That's because when you plan and shop for healthy eating, you have a better chance of eating exactly what you know is healthy, rather than grabbing the first thing that comes to hand in the panic to satisfy your hunger. In addition, shopping for healthy food and not for junk food and tempting foods will keep them out of your home and out of reach. Why tempt yourself unnecessarily and sabotage your efforts?

11. Be prepared to be hungry - at least a little bit. We live in a land of abundance and we're not used to doing without. Learn to recognize the pangs of hunger, not just eat out of emotional need or habit.

12. You can also get support for weight loss. There are many organizations around the country. Here in Eugene, I will be teaching a series of classes called, New Year, New You! beginning January 17, 2009. Contact me for more information. I'm here to help.

Planning for Holiday Temptation

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:05:00 +0000

I've been slacking. It's hard to admit, but I have not wanted to post anything on my blog for a month. The reasons are varied and complicated, but the reality is that I've been busy.

Being busy is an amorphous expression that can mean doing anything that takes our time, energy and focus. No matter what the activity, we can say we're busy. In my case, it's about preparation for upcoming events.

We all have preparations for the holidays, even if we celebrate in a low-key way. We are currently snowed in with ice-encrusted roads, so I'm automatically less busy. That's because many of the events I've been planning for have been canceled. Guess I'm not so busy after all!

Instead of planning for events, I'm going to focus on a strategy for getting through the holidays without feeling bloated and overwhelmed. I'm sure I'm not the only one who dreads that experience. Here's what I do and if you have ideas, please post them here.

1. Plan ahead. A game plan before a party is really a smart way to go when it comes to curtailing over-eating and over-drinking. Example: eat more veggies than dip, drink 12oz of water before and after an alcoholic beverage.

2. Decide what YOU want out of the holidays. Do you want more time with friends and family, traditional foods that you only eat once a year, or something else entirely? Whatever it is WRITE IT DOWN NOW! This is a way to achieve what you want.

3. Big-spread bash strategy - decide before you go what you REALLY want. Write it down. When you get there, if it's a buffet check it out before loading your plate. Take only what's on your list. Savor and visit. Enjoy!

4. Hosting and potlucks - plan some healthy foods. I've noticed at the functions I've been attending that there is a serious lack of fresh veggies. Lots of fancy crackers, cheeses, potatoes dishes, etc. but somehow, those fresh veggies are missing. If you're the host, plan some crunchy munchies to nibble on. Same goes for that party platter you're taking to Aunt Sue's.

5. Saying thanks, but no thanks - this is often really hard, isn't it? Try out some good ways to say thank you to someone for their invitation or special holiday treat of double-fudge-mint-chocolate-chip anything, extra helpings, etc. Start with a positive statement, like "I love those! I'm really having a hard time resisting, but doctor's orders!" or "You are so good to think of inviting me! I just wish I could cancel that other commitment..."

You really can make the holidays more enjoyable, when you know what you want, make yourself a priority, and have a game plan. Here's to a happy, healthy, and abundant time for all!

Making Assumptions

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:04:00 +0000

Have you ever assumed something? Something so obvious, that when you realize, to your embarrassment, that your assumption was totally wrong, you just have to apologize, learn, laugh, and move on...

Well, that's how my morning started. I was preparing for a talk to a group of employers, interested in wellness for their respective employees. I had just sent one form that I planned to take, to the printer, another one was waiting to be picked up at my office, and I was pretty sure I was going to nail the presentation.

Then I got the call: Where are you? We're meeting RIGHT NOW!

Eeeek! I had assumed that the meeting was at night, not in the morning. Silly me. Looking back, I can see where I misunderstood, based on my particular bias, and my lack of asking that obvious question: morning or evening?

So, here's what I learned: even if a.m. or p.m. doesn't appear in the information I'm reading, step up an ask the question. Don't assume anything.

It's sort of like that with our food supply too. We used to assume that if it's fat free or sugar free, it must be better for us than the regular, right? Or what about cholesterol free, or trans fat free. Those are no brainers, right?

Well, here's what I'm now busy teaching others: fat free is not healthier, it's usually loaded with added sugars for better taste. Sugar free usually means additional chemical additives. Talk about a marketing gimmick, cholesterol free is often a vegetable product which never, ever contained cholesterol in the first place. Canola oil is not the best oil you can find in your favorite foods. When you fry something in the wrong kind of oil, you create trans fats, even if the product started out trans fat free.

Assumptions are often put in our heads because marketing departments love to get on the current fad or bandwagon to sell us more products. It's one way that they show us they are cutting-edge when it comes to their foods. Soy is a good example of that.

Remember when soy was being touted as the newest way to balance your hormones? Well, it has since been shown that soy instead, unbalances many people's hormones. Along with corn, soy is one of the most prevalent genetically modified foods found in our diets, whether we want to be eating it or not. Often, the animal products that we eat come from livestock and poultry force-fed on soy and corn. Usually, not organic!

So, learn from my hard lesson: don't assume anything! Ask questions and be willing to look a bit dumb once in awhile. It will save you from making even dumber decisions, and possibly help you improve your health.

Now it's time to eat crow and ask to reschedule!

Index of Blog Posts

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Leptin, Weight Loss, and You

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Well, our election is over and we have a new president! No matter how you voted, it's time to move on and heal our nation's problems with openness, honesty, and integrity.

We can all play a part by taking responsibility for our own health. Our healthcare system is over-burdened and over priced for millions of Americans. The biggest culprits, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, and obesity have some common roots.

Diet is a lifestyle choice in this country. It's not that way around the world. Many countries have traditional diets that have been in place for thousands of years. They are being undermined by modern foods such as margarine, refined sugar (only 400 years ago this was an unaffordable luxury), over-processed foods, and genetically modified foods.

So, what does that have to do with Leptin - the fat hormone, Weight Loss, and You? When we eat bad fats, such as highly refined 'vegetable' oil, heat processed canola oil, and oil from genetically modified corn and soy, we ask a lot of our body. Why? Because we are 5,000 generations old in our genes. Only 500 generations have seen agriculture. Less than 5 generations have known processed foods like the ones mentioned above.

Where do all these nasty incoming molecules get stored? In our fat cells. That's because fat is one of the least metabolic tissues in the body. We don't use much fat anymore because we are loading up on carbohydrates, especially from refined grains and sugars of all kinds. Those calories are burned first for fuel. Then we get hungry and in goes the fast burning fuel. Any excess is stored as fat.

To burn fat, we need to increase our response to leptin, the fat hormone. This is not going to happen unless we mobilize our fat cells by reducing carbohydrates like starch and sugar. Leptin helps our brain turn off the hunger signals.

When you burn fat, you lose inches. In turn, the weight goes down and so does your propensity for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and a host of other ailments of modern living.

This is easier said than done, of course. For those of you who would like to modify your diets, pop a pill, and have your leptin levels return to normal, I can help. Those of you who know me personally know that I am very excited about the breakthrough science at the University of Connecticut. The clinical trials conducted there prove that with MAX WLX, people lost an average of over 20 pounds in 8 weeks. And many inches from their bodies.

Not everyone wants to take supplements to lose weight. If you can eat an optimum diet of fresh whole food and suppress those carb cravings at the same time, that's wonderful. I help lots of people achieve that goal through a weight loss coaching program that may or may not include supplementation. See the post below for information about the ROSEDALE DIET.

The point is, losing stored fat is key to getting back on track. It's not just the weight, of course, it's the reduction of stress to your system that allows the return to health. Similar to reducing the stress on many of our country's internal systems by cleaning out the gunk.

Let's go forward together and make ourselves and our nation healthier.

Rosedale Diet

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Here I am with Dr. Ron Rosedale. He is saying some things about our diets that we can all benefit from putting into practice.

Have you noticed that when we were told to eat a low fat or non-fat diet, many diseases went into epidemic proportions? I'm referring to Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, cancer and autism...just to name a few.

Perhaps it's time to take a look at an alternative approach, one that many 'health' organizations have refused to take into consideration. I'm talking about increasing our fat intake. Whew! I've said it. We need to eat more good fats.

I'm not the only one who is questioning the wisdom of fat free foods. Dr. Ron Rosedale, author of THE ROSEDALE DIET, is another. He is a world renown authority on leptin, the fat hormone discovered in the 1990s.

His theory, and that of others, such as Dr. Mercola, is that we don't get enough fats to satisfy our hormonal feedback loops and it causes overeating and leptin resistance. This is similar to insulin resistance from overeating refined carbohydrates and excess sugars. He also says that reducing starchy carbs is one of the best ways to lose weight and re-set cells to be less insulin and leptin resistant.

You can check out his book on Amazon.com by clicking on the cover in the carousel on the right-hand side. Scroll down to find it. I think it's worth looking into and considering.

A-Z Healthy Eating Strategies For Weight Loss

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:17:00 +0000

Thanks to Miranda at MyLife Personal Fitness Studio for inspiring this newsletter. It was adapted from Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column.

ATTITUDE – a positive, can-do attitude can help you through the tough times. Anticipate slip-ups and backsliding and learn to get back on your weight loss path quickly. Perfection is not required. Instead, focus on your target and move toward it, even when it feels like 2 steps forward and 1 step back. Remember, you’re still one step ahead.

BREAKFAST – one of the most important steps you can take to achieve weight and better overall health is to have a nutritious breakfast that contains a healthy protein and very little, if any refined carbohydrates. Eggs or cottage cheese, fresh fruit, and whole grain make a smart start to your day.

COUNT CARBS – look at food labels. It’s all about calories, particularly those from sugars. Less sugars in a high carb food means more fiber. Avoid refined carbohydrates, including processed grains, whenever possible.

DIET DELUSIONS – diets just don’t work. Lifestyle change does. Look for a weight loss plan that helps you make new habits, not one that has you starving and feeling deprived. Instead, look for a lifestyle change such as adding more water, increasing your exercise, substituting an activity for a snack.

EATING OFTEN – regular meals, and planned snacks are essential for successful weight loss. Don’t go more than 4-5 hours without eating. Intense hunger can trigger binge eating, and all the negative emotions that go with it.

FIBER – you’ve heard this before, that we don’t get enough fiber in our Standard American Diet (SAD). Fiber found in oatmeal and dried beans is soluble fiber. In fruits, vegetables and whole unprocessed grains, it’s insoluble fiber. We need both for good health. If it comes in a package, chances are it has inadequate fiber. Shop the fresh fruit and vegetable aisle, as well as the bulk bins for a variety of dried beans, peas, and whole grains.

GRIND IT UP – with your teeth! Chewing starts the mechanical digestion of your food. Often we eat so quickly that we don’t adequately jump-start the digestive process, leading to bloating, gas, and many other uncomfortable sensations. In addition, when you chew thoroughly and slow down your eating, you get fuller faster.

HOME COOKING = BETTER HEALTH – when you cook at home you control all the ingredient. Using good, natural fats instead of margarine and overly processed vegetable oils and shortenings to cook you food in or spread on your vegetables is a healthier choice than the cheap fats used in many fast food and sit down restaurants. Freshness, quality ingredients, less sodium, less processed foods, and more whole food translates to better health. www.whfoods.org is a great resource for recipes.

INVEST – in your health by purchasing a pedometer, some free weights, resistance bands, and other inexpensive tools to help you increase exercise at home or at the office. When you increase your walking in a measurable way, using a pedometer, you can achieve your fitness goals more rapidly. 10,000 steps a day might seem unattainable right now. But adding a little bit more everyday will get you there eventually. When every step counts toward achieving your fitness goal, all you have to lose is weight.

JUST DO IT! – ala Nike. Here in Eugene, everyone knows that slogan. If you get regular physical activity you will feel better. How? You’ll improve balance, breathing, coordination, relieve stress, and burn calories. Not only that, you’ll be surprised how quickly exercise can become a positive habit. Just because you’ve never run a 10-K doesn’t mean you can’t in the future. Or, walk it for fun. That’s really the key to exercise: a habit that is fun.

KEEP AT IT! – not as well known as JUST DO IT!, a habit can be positive and not something to break, like cutting back on coffee or beer. Instead, use the power of habit to start something great. The more you keep at it, the more ingrained it will become. Pretty soon, in about 6 weeks, you too can have an exercise habit that is hard to break. Why not give it a try? What have you go to lose? – the excess weight, the excess stress, the excess time in front of the TV.

LOW BLOOD SUGAR is a big problem for many people and can lead to all sorts of irregular eating habits. Breakfast is important. So are planned snacks between meals. Here are 3 excellent snacks: apple with a few walnuts, celery with nut butter, mozzarella stick or hard-boiled egg with fruit or crunchy vegetables. I like red bell pepper pieces with cheese or carrot sticks with a hard boiled egg.

MINDFULLNESS – paying attention to what you eat is a great way to monitor your body’s signals of pleasure and fullness. Often, we eat so fast, we don’t even taste our food. Slow down, savor every bite, notice when we start to lose that hungry feeling and then, pay attention to satiety. That’s the feeling we get when we’ve had enough to eat. Fullness is fine, overfed and bloated is not.

NIGHT EATING – snacking after dinner is one way we sabotage our weight loss efforts. If you need something after dinner, try a small square of dark chocolate. Savor it and make it last. Then brush your teeth! If you need one last bite of something before bed, try a little hot tea instead.

ONLY ONE MORE – if you like to have seconds, take less the first time. Better yet, serve yourself once and don’t go back for more. This is a great rule for buffets. When dining out, ask for a to-go box at the beginning of your meal. Put half your meal in the box, and shut the lid.

PORTIONS – check out the serving sizes that are listed on packages. Chances are, you may be eating more than one. A good rule to follow is that ½ a cup is like a tennis ball, not a softball. A serving of beef is like a deck of cards, not checkbook.

QUIT TORTURING YOURSELF – when you go to a restaurant, avoid reading the appetizer and dessert sections of the menu. Instead, skip to the salads. Ask for special treatment – send back the bread basket, ask for salad with the dressing on the side, request your entrée grilled, not sautéed, keep your water glass refilled.

REALISTIC TIMETABLE – it took a long time to gain weight and it will take some time to get rid of it. If you make a 300 calorie reduction daily, you will lose 30 pounds a year. Add to that some exercise and you could double that. Remember, lasting weight loss requires lifestyle changes, so keep adding new habits that increase the possibility of realizing your goal within a realistic timeline.

SUPPLEMENTS – if you haven’t had a blood test to measure Vitamin D, it’s a good idea. Chances are, you are low in this essential nutrient. You may also be low in other vitamins and minerals, especially trace minerals like zinc. Digestion plays a key role in how effectively supplements are absorbed, so consult a nutritionist if you think you aren’t adequately utilizing the supplements you are currently taking. Chewables or liquid supplements may work better for some people.

TRACKING – the more you know, the more you’ll lose. It’s true. Weigh yourself daily, weekly, or monthly and write it down. Take your measurements before you begin a weight loss program and re-take those same measurements monthly. Daily, write down your food and water intake. Journal about your activity. These are proven tips for successful weight loss.

USE COMMON SENSE – if your grandparents ate it, it was probably a good food. We’ve been on the planet for 5, 000 generations. So have our genes. We’ve only had new, man-made foods for 1-3 generations, so look to the past for the types of food to eat. If your grandparents were raised on fast food, look beyond that generation to the traditional foods of the cultures they came from. Highly processed, brightly dyed, plastic wrapped and genetically modified foods were not part of your ancestry. Don’t make them part of yours or your children’s heritage. Regarding exercise - before cars, people walked more. Our bodies were designed to move, so park the car and walk the extra blocks. It’s just common sense to move more and sit less.

VOLUME – eat foods high in water, such as fruits, vegetables like salad greens, raw foods like peppers, cabbages and cucumbers, and soups. You’ll feel full while losing weight if you plan your meals around these foods. Throw in a little protein and you're set. One caution, fruit juice is watery but loaded with concentrated calories mostly from sugars. Eat the whole food instead.

WATER – drink at least 6-8 eight ounce glasses of pure water daily. Many people have lost touch with their thirst signals. Instead of having a glass of water, they eat something. Learn to incorporate drinking lots of pure water. It’s a habit that will stop you from overeating when you are really thirsty, not hungry.

EX-CUSES NOT TO EXERCISE – don’t let your natural tendency to remain in your comfort zone stop you from taking the first steps toward exercise. In fact, starting slowly is the key to sticking with an exercise program. Three easy ways to start are (1) to park farther away from your destinations and walk, (2) find a buddy and agree on an exercise activity to do together like walking or a class, (3) grab some cans from your pantry and do some arm curls while watching TV. The idea is to start slowly to avoid any pain that will keep you chair bound.

YOU’RE IN CHARGE – so take responsibility to learn to read labels, find reliable information, and follow through on making positive choices and changes in your life. If you need help, investigate getting a wellness coach or personal trainer. Interview them to make sure they know what your goals are, not what they think your goals should be. If you want a boot camp style trainer, don’t get on board with a mellow, soft spoken yoga instructor. And visa versa: boot camp yoga might not be for you.

ZERO IN – on your goals. Make a plan on paper. Stated goals are achieved 90% more often than unwritten goals. If you want to lose 10% of your current weight, figure out how much that is and make a plan. Will it be putting your fork down between each bite? How about increasing your water intake by 20 ounces a day. Maybe it’s walking 15 minutes twice daily. Rewards are important when you reach milestones in your plan, so build them in.

For more help in planning and reaching your goals, contact me.

Sandi Thompson, Nutritional Wellness Coach
541-953-8715
sandi.thompsonntp@gmail.com
www.sandinutrition.com

Vegetarian Kids - Omnivore Parents

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Several clients and friends are omnivore adults with vegetarian children. Usually, the children are girls, between 7-10 years old when they made their vegetarian decision, and the kids are extremely sensitive and compassionate about animals.

What's a parent to do? You worry about whether they get enough protein, iron and B12. Humans seem to absorb those nutrients best when the source is animal-based. You can practice protein combining: beans and grains, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and sea vegetables.

However, please, please, please avoid soy on a regular basis. Read the info from accredited and respected sources on the dangers of soy.

Regarding iron, cooking in cast iron pots with an acid food, such as tomatoes, will leach a small amount of iron into the food from the pan. If iron supplements are used, take them with vitamin C, for better absorption. B-12 is especially hard to get for vegans. Good sources are animal based, even for vegetarians: yogurt, milk, and eggs.

For vegans, it is usually suggested to eat fortified cereals, and meat analogs. Meat analogs are soy-based, so I don't recommend them. Here is a link to a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine report. Again, choose something other than a soy-based product for B12. I suggest spirulina, sea vegetables, and Red Star and other nutritional yeasts, fortified with B12.