I know it's funny to even think of a caveman or cavewoman worrying about his or her figure. Back then it was survival - eat what you can find. Contrast that with today where most of us don't have to struggle to find food. It's as near as your 7-11 or gas station. And that's the rub. Accessibility has taken us far from our roots. Of course, social standards of size hasn't helped us either.
Back then cavemen didn't have to practice the skill of resistance. We do. Studies are showing that practicing a little resistance can end up with big rewards. In one study the authors found that in situations when self-control is repeatedly tested, a defense strategy that works for a first temptation can be used to tackle the next. Let's say that when you go to McDonald's you're tempted to have fries with your hamburger. You decide that you will resist the temptation and just have the hamburger. You finish your lunch and head back to work. You're proud of yourself for having resisted the fries. According to the study results, the next time you head to McDonald's you'll more easily be able to resist the fries because you were successful the last time.
This philosophy holds true, as well, for trying to decrease your intake of fat. Every time you eat something with a little less fat, it becomes that much easier to eat something else that has less fat. In fact, in time your taste buds and tongue won't even enjoy greasy foods. You will have lost some of the "need" for fat. The same holds true for sugar. Put a little less sugar in your coffee each day and you'll see that one day you may even be drinking your coffee without sugar.
Believe it or not, even though the saying goes "you can't teach an old dog new tricks", it isn't so. You can change as long as you want to change.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Pea and Lentil Capitol of the World
Pea and Lentil Capitol of the World – The Palouse, an area of rolling hills in Washington and Idaho, had been the Pea and Lentil capitol of the world. After all, that’s where both crops were started in the United States back in the 1900s. More recently, North Dakota and Montana’s production has outpaced that of Washington state.
According to the USA Pea and Lentil Council, lentils provide more fiber than any other legume. That’s one reason why Washington's local lentil crop is used as lentil flour to enrich pasta, such as Barilla Plus and Fiber Wise. The Council also represents chickpeas (garbanzo beans) which have increased in production to meet the growing demand for hummus.
One interesting tidbit about chickpeas. They got their name because they have a little "beak" that makes this pea resemble a chick’s head.
(Source: Nutrition Education Network of Washington "Energize" and Jennifer William, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, 208-882-3023, www.pea-lentil.com.)
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
According to the USA Pea and Lentil Council, lentils provide more fiber than any other legume. That’s one reason why Washington's local lentil crop is used as lentil flour to enrich pasta, such as Barilla Plus and Fiber Wise. The Council also represents chickpeas (garbanzo beans) which have increased in production to meet the growing demand for hummus.
One interesting tidbit about chickpeas. They got their name because they have a little "beak" that makes this pea resemble a chick’s head.
(Source: Nutrition Education Network of Washington "Energize" and Jennifer William, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, 208-882-3023, www.pea-lentil.com.)
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Eat Right When Money is Tight
Need some help eating on a tight budget? Go to the government's website, http://snap.nal.usda.gov, and look under Spotlight. Then click on "Eat Right When Money’s Tight" which leads to the SNAP-Ed Resource library with not only that tip sheet but other useful resources.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Eating Home is Becoming Chic
According to Grocery Shopper Trends 2008, a recent survey by the Food Marketing Institute, 71% of families are cooking at home more and eating out less in order to cut costs. Interestingly, 91% of those surveyed say they eat healthier when dining at home. Families also save money because a restaurant meal costs more than twice per person, a median of $12 compared with $5 in the FMI report.
This means that more people will need to learn how to cook. Cooking can be fun and it doesn't have to be gourmet. The best part of it is that maybe more families will sit down at the dinner table together - a great opportunity to enjoy each other's company.
I can remember when my girls were younger. They'd come home from school - I'd ask them how their day was - and they'd say fine and that was all I heard about what went on. Yet, when we were all sitting down at the table for dinner and we really got to talking, so many stories would flow. So, don't miss that opportunity to connect with your kids and family. Maybe even consider cooking together. And as the survey showed, you could be the healthier for it.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
This means that more people will need to learn how to cook. Cooking can be fun and it doesn't have to be gourmet. The best part of it is that maybe more families will sit down at the dinner table together - a great opportunity to enjoy each other's company.
I can remember when my girls were younger. They'd come home from school - I'd ask them how their day was - and they'd say fine and that was all I heard about what went on. Yet, when we were all sitting down at the table for dinner and we really got to talking, so many stories would flow. So, don't miss that opportunity to connect with your kids and family. Maybe even consider cooking together. And as the survey showed, you could be the healthier for it.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Cooking Healthy With Macadamia Nut Oil
Most people think of olive oil as being the healthiest of the oils because of it being associated with the Mediterranean diet. Research has shown people who live in the Mediterranean area have a lower risk of heart disease, partly because of what they eat. They eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, a little fish and their fat normally comes from olive oil. Olive oil is a healthy fat because it isn't too high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids, when taken in great amounts, overpowers the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The real benefit of olive oil is it's high amount of monounsaturated fat (omega-9 fatty acid), which has a neutral effect on our blood lipids.
But back to discussing omega-6 fatty acids overpowering omega-3 fatty acids in the diet - Americans tend to eat almost 12-16 times as many omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. Research shows that a 2:1 ratio is far better for us. All the margarine we eat, the crackers, cookies, and cakes made with such oils as corn oil, sunflower or cottonseed oil, contribute to our high intake of omega-6s. Put that together with a low intake of fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, which are high in omega-3s, you can understand why our ratio of the two fats is out of whack.
Because I love the taste of macadamia nuts, when I was in the market the other day, I was happy to find a bottle of macadamia nut oil. What a fantastic flavor it has. And what's even better is knowing that it has an ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids - that is, 1:1 or equal amounts. You can even cook with it because it has such a high smoke point. I "heartily" recommend macadamia nut oil for use in cold dishes, as well as hot dishes. Consider using it on your salads or when you're stir-frying.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
But back to discussing omega-6 fatty acids overpowering omega-3 fatty acids in the diet - Americans tend to eat almost 12-16 times as many omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3s. Research shows that a 2:1 ratio is far better for us. All the margarine we eat, the crackers, cookies, and cakes made with such oils as corn oil, sunflower or cottonseed oil, contribute to our high intake of omega-6s. Put that together with a low intake of fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, which are high in omega-3s, you can understand why our ratio of the two fats is out of whack.
Because I love the taste of macadamia nuts, when I was in the market the other day, I was happy to find a bottle of macadamia nut oil. What a fantastic flavor it has. And what's even better is knowing that it has an ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids - that is, 1:1 or equal amounts. You can even cook with it because it has such a high smoke point. I "heartily" recommend macadamia nut oil for use in cold dishes, as well as hot dishes. Consider using it on your salads or when you're stir-frying.
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
It's All in the Genes
Have you ever heard of the term "nutrigenomics"? It's the science that studies the effect of what you eat on how your genes get expressed. If you visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrigenomics, you'll see a brief discussion about it. Also visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_expression for a brief discussion of gene expression.
First you need to understand that all the proteins in your body, such as enzymes, hormones, cell walls and immune factors, are made based on your DNA. Your DNA, which contains your genes, serves as the blueprint to make these proteins. So much of how our body functions is based on gene expression. For example, when you eat carbohydrates, your pancreas produces insulin to help those carbohydrates (which are now broken down into glucose) enter your liver and other cells in your body. The presence of the glucose in the bloodstream turns a sensor on in the pancreas that says make insulin.
Your pancreas contains DNA. That DNA is the blueprint or instruction guide on how to assemble proteins in a particular order to make the insulin. So every time you eat carbs, whether they be simple (e.g., sugar) or complex carbs (whole grains), the pancreas is signaled to start the DNA factory production of insulin.
That is just one example of how what we eat dictates what genes need to be expressed. Here's another one which is really not healthy for you. When you're overweight, your fat cells get bigger and bigger (you also make more fat cells). There comes a point where the fat cell gets so big that it bursts. Now you've got broken cell walls and loose fatty acids floating around, which are irritating to the body and cause inflammation. Your body knows to clean up the mess. So now the genes for "clean-up" are activated, making macrophages to act like Pac-Man and gobble up the mess. So all of the excess calories you've been eating that have been turned to fat and stored as fat, are now causing your genes to have to make macrophages, exacerbating the inflammation. What you don't want going on in your body is inflammation.
Just losing some weight will decrease your odds that your fat cells will burst. Eating less refined carbs (most anything that is white - white flour, white sugar, white bread) will keep your pancreas from having to work so hard and so fast.
I'll talk more about nutrigenomics in upcoming blogs because it is so important to know about. For now, try to eat your carbs in the form of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods. Limit your fat intake and when you do eat fat, focus on eating unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and canola oil that should replace such oils as corn oil and safflower oil (found widely in margarines).
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
First you need to understand that all the proteins in your body, such as enzymes, hormones, cell walls and immune factors, are made based on your DNA. Your DNA, which contains your genes, serves as the blueprint to make these proteins. So much of how our body functions is based on gene expression. For example, when you eat carbohydrates, your pancreas produces insulin to help those carbohydrates (which are now broken down into glucose) enter your liver and other cells in your body. The presence of the glucose in the bloodstream turns a sensor on in the pancreas that says make insulin.
Your pancreas contains DNA. That DNA is the blueprint or instruction guide on how to assemble proteins in a particular order to make the insulin. So every time you eat carbs, whether they be simple (e.g., sugar) or complex carbs (whole grains), the pancreas is signaled to start the DNA factory production of insulin.
That is just one example of how what we eat dictates what genes need to be expressed. Here's another one which is really not healthy for you. When you're overweight, your fat cells get bigger and bigger (you also make more fat cells). There comes a point where the fat cell gets so big that it bursts. Now you've got broken cell walls and loose fatty acids floating around, which are irritating to the body and cause inflammation. Your body knows to clean up the mess. So now the genes for "clean-up" are activated, making macrophages to act like Pac-Man and gobble up the mess. So all of the excess calories you've been eating that have been turned to fat and stored as fat, are now causing your genes to have to make macrophages, exacerbating the inflammation. What you don't want going on in your body is inflammation.
Just losing some weight will decrease your odds that your fat cells will burst. Eating less refined carbs (most anything that is white - white flour, white sugar, white bread) will keep your pancreas from having to work so hard and so fast.
I'll talk more about nutrigenomics in upcoming blogs because it is so important to know about. For now, try to eat your carbs in the form of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods. Limit your fat intake and when you do eat fat, focus on eating unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and canola oil that should replace such oils as corn oil and safflower oil (found widely in margarines).
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Is Your Personality Type Making You Fat?
If you're ready to lose weight, you might want to consider what your personality type is (based on the world-renowned Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). Once you know your type, then pick the best weight-loss approach for your type. Just think - no more use of willpower.
The only reason people use willpower to lose weight is because they're having to do things that aren't comfortable for their type. As I tell my clients, "You have not failed. The plan failed you." So find out what is right for you to finally have the success you're capable of having.
Visit www.advantagediets.com to see more details about this series. There's a link on the page (about midway down) called "About Personality Typing". Click on that and watch the slideshow to learn more about personality typing.
Friday, January 23, 2009
What are you eating that for?
Good morning.
With most of us not having overactive metabolisms where we can eat just about anything and it never shows, we need to make every calorie count. So I decided to use that thinking and analyze what I had for breakfast.
I had an orange for its vitamin C (to act as an antioxidant and help my immune function) and fiber (to provide bulk for the intestines to keep their muscle tone), along with 1/2 a banana for its potassium (for fluid balance, heart muscle activity and the nervous system).
The hot oatmeal I had gave me a good supply of soluble fiber. (Soluble fiber turns into a gel with the water in your intestines. It then traps cholesterol, making less cholesterol available for absorption. That's great news for lowering one's risk for heart disease and high cholesterol).
I added about 1/2 cup of lowfat milk, giving me about 150 mg of calcium. (While I know 150 mg of calcium is far from my goal of 1200 mg, it was contributing to my overall total in my attempts to protect my bones against osteoporosis. But calcium isn't just for your bones. It also regulates heart beat, muscle action and nerve function, and a number of other chemical reactions that occur in your body. There is also some protein in the milk. For those of you familiar with "complementary proteins", the missing amino acids in oatmeal are complemented or made up for by the amino acids in the milk. By the way, there isn't a concern that they be eaten in the same meal. Your body will manage them even if they come in at different times of the day.)
I included about 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed to give me some healthy omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce any inflammation in my body. (Inflammation is the basis for many of the diseases in the United States, from heart disease to diabetes to arthritis and inflammatory bowel syndrome.)
Lastly, I topped it off with about 1/4 cup of lowfat Greek style yogurt for its probiotic content, calcium and protein. (Probiotics are healthy bacteria that we need in our intestines. Most people don't appreciate that there are many, many different types of bacteria in our intestines, some doing some very valuable jobs of breaking food down and giving us some healthy byproducts. What's even better about having the fiber in the oatmeal and the flaxseed, is that these foods will feed the healthy bateria so that if I ever get some bad bacteria down there, I'll always have a larger population of healthy bacteria to fight them.)
And what's best of all, I came away very satisfied and know that I won't be hungry in an hour. The fiber will slow down the absorption of my meal so it becomes more like a time-release energy capsule.
In many of the following blogs, I'll share with you foods that I think you should be eating and why. I hope that you'll start thinking about food in terms of "why am I eating this?" While you can justify dark chocolate now that we know it has valuable antioxidants, I'd love to hear how you would justify, say, jelly beans!
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
With most of us not having overactive metabolisms where we can eat just about anything and it never shows, we need to make every calorie count. So I decided to use that thinking and analyze what I had for breakfast.
I had an orange for its vitamin C (to act as an antioxidant and help my immune function) and fiber (to provide bulk for the intestines to keep their muscle tone), along with 1/2 a banana for its potassium (for fluid balance, heart muscle activity and the nervous system).
The hot oatmeal I had gave me a good supply of soluble fiber. (Soluble fiber turns into a gel with the water in your intestines. It then traps cholesterol, making less cholesterol available for absorption. That's great news for lowering one's risk for heart disease and high cholesterol).
I added about 1/2 cup of lowfat milk, giving me about 150 mg of calcium. (While I know 150 mg of calcium is far from my goal of 1200 mg, it was contributing to my overall total in my attempts to protect my bones against osteoporosis. But calcium isn't just for your bones. It also regulates heart beat, muscle action and nerve function, and a number of other chemical reactions that occur in your body. There is also some protein in the milk. For those of you familiar with "complementary proteins", the missing amino acids in oatmeal are complemented or made up for by the amino acids in the milk. By the way, there isn't a concern that they be eaten in the same meal. Your body will manage them even if they come in at different times of the day.)
I included about 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed to give me some healthy omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce any inflammation in my body. (Inflammation is the basis for many of the diseases in the United States, from heart disease to diabetes to arthritis and inflammatory bowel syndrome.)
Lastly, I topped it off with about 1/4 cup of lowfat Greek style yogurt for its probiotic content, calcium and protein. (Probiotics are healthy bacteria that we need in our intestines. Most people don't appreciate that there are many, many different types of bacteria in our intestines, some doing some very valuable jobs of breaking food down and giving us some healthy byproducts. What's even better about having the fiber in the oatmeal and the flaxseed, is that these foods will feed the healthy bateria so that if I ever get some bad bacteria down there, I'll always have a larger population of healthy bacteria to fight them.)
And what's best of all, I came away very satisfied and know that I won't be hungry in an hour. The fiber will slow down the absorption of my meal so it becomes more like a time-release energy capsule.
In many of the following blogs, I'll share with you foods that I think you should be eating and why. I hope that you'll start thinking about food in terms of "why am I eating this?" While you can justify dark chocolate now that we know it has valuable antioxidants, I'd love to hear how you would justify, say, jelly beans!
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
Friday, January 2, 2009
Make It a Different New Year's Resolution This Year
We all feel we've got to make those New Year's resolutions. And why not? It's such an exhilarating feeling to know you’re starting with a clean slate. You allow yourself the privilege of forgiving your mistakes of 2008, promising you won’t make those again. It’s very possible you won’t. But that doesn’t guarantee you won’t make some new ones. Always keep in mind that if you’re not making mistakes, you’re not growing. So, view what you did wrong last year from a different perspective. Evaluate what worked, what didn’t work and what you’d like to change.
I’m sure many people will have, right at the top of their list, to lose weight. Considering that almost 65% of Americans are overweight or obese, you’d expect some of them to want to come to terms with how much they weigh. But wait — before you jump to that resolution called “I promise to lose so many pounds this year”, let me suggest a new approach. Forget the number of pounds. In fact, forget discussing weight at all.
Restage your thinking. Instead of stipulating that you want to lose weight or want to lose a certain number of pounds, consider the alternative resolution: I’m going to do whatever it takes to become a healthier me. It’s not the weight that’s the issue as much as resolving to change your not-so-healthy lifestyle habits that have led you to wanting to lose the weight. When you appreciate “why” you’d want to make some changes, you’ve got a resolution taking shape.
What you really should want is a good quality of life. For example, if you’re too heavy, walking upstairs is a struggle. Wouldn’t it feel so much better to walk up those stairs without huffing and puffing? Now that is a good goal — being able to walk upstairs comfortably. Once you’ve set yourself a goal such as this, you’ll figure out what is required for you to reach that goal. And not once will you moan over having to make those changes. In fact, you’ll embrace the changes, always keeping that picture of the “new” you in your mind’s eye.
Most of the relatives on my dad’s side of the family died of heart disease. For me, staying as heart-healthy as possible is my resolution. Then I ask myself what steps does that take? I get on the treadmill in the morning for 30 minutes, not because I enjoy jogging, but because to be heart healthy, exercise is right there on the top of the to-do list. I eat foods that I know will foster a healthy heart — fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, and grains that are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and drink plenty of fluids. I’m not eating these foods because I’ll lose weight with them. I’m eating them because I know they’re good for me. Instead of using the scale as my judge of how well I’m doing, how I feel is my guide. Having more energy, feeling more alive, keeping my sense of humor all will tell me I’m on the right track.
Your resolution should be in terms of how you want to feel this year. For me, it’s to be the healthiest I can be, whatever that takes. How about you?
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
I’m sure many people will have, right at the top of their list, to lose weight. Considering that almost 65% of Americans are overweight or obese, you’d expect some of them to want to come to terms with how much they weigh. But wait — before you jump to that resolution called “I promise to lose so many pounds this year”, let me suggest a new approach. Forget the number of pounds. In fact, forget discussing weight at all.
Restage your thinking. Instead of stipulating that you want to lose weight or want to lose a certain number of pounds, consider the alternative resolution: I’m going to do whatever it takes to become a healthier me. It’s not the weight that’s the issue as much as resolving to change your not-so-healthy lifestyle habits that have led you to wanting to lose the weight. When you appreciate “why” you’d want to make some changes, you’ve got a resolution taking shape.
What you really should want is a good quality of life. For example, if you’re too heavy, walking upstairs is a struggle. Wouldn’t it feel so much better to walk up those stairs without huffing and puffing? Now that is a good goal — being able to walk upstairs comfortably. Once you’ve set yourself a goal such as this, you’ll figure out what is required for you to reach that goal. And not once will you moan over having to make those changes. In fact, you’ll embrace the changes, always keeping that picture of the “new” you in your mind’s eye.
Most of the relatives on my dad’s side of the family died of heart disease. For me, staying as heart-healthy as possible is my resolution. Then I ask myself what steps does that take? I get on the treadmill in the morning for 30 minutes, not because I enjoy jogging, but because to be heart healthy, exercise is right there on the top of the to-do list. I eat foods that I know will foster a healthy heart — fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, and grains that are high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and drink plenty of fluids. I’m not eating these foods because I’ll lose weight with them. I’m eating them because I know they’re good for me. Instead of using the scale as my judge of how well I’m doing, how I feel is my guide. Having more energy, feeling more alive, keeping my sense of humor all will tell me I’m on the right track.
Your resolution should be in terms of how you want to feel this year. For me, it’s to be the healthiest I can be, whatever that takes. How about you?
Visit www.advantagediets.com for more health and wellness information
Copyright 2008 - Advantage Diets
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