The Un-Diet: Say NO to Dieting in 2014

So you're on a diet, eh? Undoubtedly the most popular New Year's Resolution is to lose weight, meaning going on a diet. I hate diets and completely disagree with them. You could say I am an old fashioned Nutritionist when it comes to making changes in your life. If you've read yesterday's post, New Year, New You - 5 Tips to Help you Stick to your New Year's Resolution you'll see that I am a believer and advocate on finding balance in your life. For the sake of this blog post I will be using the word diet, as in what you eat. If your New Year's Resolution is to lose weight then please consider not going on a diet and instead making a lifestyle change. Concentrate on getting healthy and naturally the excess weight will come off.  Please take it from me when I say dieting does not work! Have you heard the phrase, easy come, easy go? It also applies to dieting. Drastically cutting calories will give you weight loss but as easy as it came off the easier you'll pack it on, and some. So say no to dieting, will ya? No more grapefruit diets, master cleanses, cabbage soup diets and all that other garbage. Just eat, and eat well. Here's how...

Eat Whole Foods – This means eat foods that are closet to their natural state or closet too natural state. For instance, eat a baked sweet potato as opposed to a bag of potato chips, which has been processed, striped of its nutrients and saturated in oil and salt. Enjoy a crisp apple as opposed to packaged applesauce which in most cases contains refined sugar and preservatives. Choose sprouted or multi-grain breads over refined wheat where the bran and germ (the reservoir for vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) have been removed.

Choose Certified Organic – The term organic simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic in the diet means less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to your body. Your body is an organic being and needs organic, natural foods to be well. Certain organic foods can be pricey and others are quite comparable to non-organic. Find a ratio of organic and non-organic foods in your kitchen that fit your household budget. Fact: If you are healthy and eating all fresh, organic foods you should have no body odor. Body odor is a sign of toxicity. See: Spring Cleaning: Your Body for more information on toxicity in the body.

Choose Foods that are Dense in their Nutrients – When making food choices concentrate on picking foods that are dense in their nutrients. For example, eat oranges for their vitamin C and Kale for its calcium. Also, go for more nutritious foods; romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce, yams over white potatoes, brown rice over white rice and lean cut meats over organ meats and pork.

Moderation, Variety and Rotation – We are all human and sometimes you just want to go out and have a burger and a beer with your bff. Let yourself have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it. A cheat day is an example of having moderation in your diet. Remember this: Everything in moderation, even moderation. Don't be too laid back, you must own your lifestyle change to stick with it. Variety is just as important. A good rule of thumb is to buy brightly coloured fruits and vegetables to ensure you are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals in your diet. Remember this: Similar Colours = Similar Nutrients. Lastly, make sure to rotate your foods every day. Eating the same foods day after day can result to food intolerances.

Drink Water – Drink fresh spring or distilled water everyday. Your body is 55% body after all so it just makes sense! How much you ask? Divide your body weight by 2 and then divide by 8 to get the number of 8oz glasses of water you should drink per day.

Balance – Find a diet that is realistic and complements your lifestyle that way it becomes a part of your life and not just another fad. Balance in nutrients, food groups, flavours and colours, prevents boredom and nutritional imbalances. For more information on realistic goal setting read: New Year, New You - 5 Tips to Help you Stick to your New Year's Resolution 

Pledge that 2014 will be the year you finally say NO to ridiculous dieting. Eat, eat well and be well. Don't make it complicated because it's not. 


You may also find these articles I wrote helpful:
Tips on Healthy Snacks
Sports Nutrition: Pre-Workout
Sports Nutrition: Post-Workout
Top 5 Healthy Sugar Substitutes 
5 Stress-free Stress Busters



The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage. 

Originally posted on January 2, 2012. 

Earth Day 2012: 10 Reasons Why you should choose Organic

The term ‘organic’ simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic food in the diet means less toxins in our soil, air and water and less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to your body.

Choosing local reduces carbon emissions from planes, trains and automobiles and supports your local farmers. When these non-local foods ride in trucks for a few days they lose some of their nutritional quality and taste. You should also keep in mind that local produce for instance is harvested at its peak whereas non-local is picked when it’s not even fully ripe. This ensures the produce will not rot on its way to the supermarket.

Top 10 Reasons to Eat Organic

 

Healthier

Organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Contains more nutrients

Organic farming practices create higher-quality soil that produces more nutritious crops. Organically grown crops are more nutrient dense and contain more antioxidants.

GMO free

Eighteen percent of all genetically-modified seeds are engineered to produce their own pesticides. Research shows that these seeds may continue producing pesticides inside your body once you’ve eaten the food grown from them! Organic certification standards prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms.

Tastes better

Organic farming starts with the nutrients of the soil which eventually leads to the nourishment of the plant and ultimately our palates.

Organic farming works in harmony with nature.

Britain's Soil Association reported that organic farms have five times as many wild plants with 57% more species, 44% more birds and twice as many butterflies as non-organic farms.

 

Organic farming is better for the soil.

Organic farming techniques help to build soil on an ongoing basis thereby preventing topsoil erosion and organic soil contains up to twice as many beneficial microbes, earthworms and insects as non-organic soil.

Organic farming can feed more people.

A 2002 Greenpeace report showed that organic farms in Ethiopia produced 3-5 times more food than non-organic farms; corn production increased by 20–250% on Brazilian organic farms and in Peru organic crop yields increased by 150%.

Certified organic food carries a guarantee

Any food product that bears an organic certification label is your guarantee that it has been grown and handled according to strict organic production standards and that absolutely no toxic chemicals have been used.

Organic farming is climate-friendly

Studies have shown that organic soil stores up to 33% more carbon than non-organic soil, which directly helps in the fight against global warming.

Organic foods are supportive of growing children’s brains and bodies 
Children’s growing brains and bodies are far more susceptible to toxins than adults. Choosing organic helps feed their bodies without the exposure to pesticides and genetically-modified organisms, both of which have a relatively short history of use (and therefore safety).

The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Most Heavily Sprayed Crops

FDA and USDA research shows high levels of pesticide and chemical contamination in these common foods:

1) Beef, Pork and Poultry

2) Meat, Cheese and Butter

3) Strawberries, Raspberries  and Cherries

4) Apples and Pears

5) Tomatoes

6) Potatoes

7) Spinach and other greens

8) Coffee

9)  Peaches and Nectarines

10)  Grapes

11) Celery

12) Red and Green Bell Peppers

Earth Day 2012: 6 Easy Ways to Improve your Diet and the Environment

Earth Day is a week away and in it's
honour and in appreciation to our bodies here are 6 easy ways to improve your diet and the environment.

We all know that natural nutrition is essential in preventing disease and bringing our bodies to a place of balance. Little tweaks in your current diet can make all the difference in the world to your health.

But did you know that these changes to what you put on your plate can have an impact on the environment?

Follow these 6 easy tips and enjoy your ride to optimum health and a greener earth through natural nutrition.

 

Eat Whole Foods

This means eat foods that are closet to their natural state or closet too nature. For instance, eat a baked sweet potato as opposed to a bag of potato chips, which has been processed, striped of its nutrients and saturated in oil and salt. Choose sprouted or multi-grain breads over refined wheat where the bran and germ (the reservoir for vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) have been removed. Try This: Close your eyes and imagine what a “whole food” looks like. Does a cereal box with a picture of a toucan come to your mind? (If so, you definitely need to continue reading) Or does the words “whole food” bring a picture of freshly harvested fruits, vegetables and whole grains?

Most “food” products, if not all, that come neatly packaged in colourful boxes and plastics have been made in a factory where pollutants are being pumped into our air and waste is being spilled into our oceans. Whole foods do great things for your body and even greater things for our earth.


Choose Local and Certified Organic

The term ‘organic’ simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic food in the diet means less toxins in our soil, air and water and less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to your body.

Choosing local reduces carbon emissions from planes, trains and automobiles and supports your local farmers. When these non-local foods ride in trucks for a few days they lose some of their nutritional quality and taste. You should also keep in mind that local produce for instance is harvested at its peak whereas non-local is picked when it’s not even fully ripe. This ensures the produce will not rot on its way to the supermarket.

If you’ve ever eaten a tree-ripened peach I don’t need to tell you how it bursts with flavour and juices over the truck-ripened peach which is dry and bland. Ideally you want to eat food that is both organic and local.

Choose foods that are dense in their nutrients

When making food choices concentrate on picking foods that are dense in their nutrients. For example, eat oranges for their vitamin C and Kale for its calcium. Also, go for more nutritious foods; romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce, yams over white potatoes, brown rice over white rice and lean cut meats over organ meats and pork. A package of frozen french fries is not dense in its nutrients because of the chemicals, fats and salt added to them.

Making your own homemade French fries reduces waste in the landfills and air pollutants spewed from the factories. And of course, they will taste a million times better and will be so much healthier than the packaged kind.


Moderation, Variety and Rotation

We are all human and sometimes you just want to go out for a burger and a beer with your bff. Let yourself have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it either. A ‘cheat day’ is an example of having moderation in your diet. But remember a ‘cheat day’ meal is not an ‘everyday meal.’

A Smithsonian study estimates that the need for grazing land and grain feed leads to the destruction of a land area equivalent to seven football fields in the Amazon basin every single minute. This means that if you eat a hamburger from a cow raised in South America, you’re meal has contributed to 55 square feet of rain forest destruction. (1) Still want that Baconator?

add variety to your plate

A good rule of thumb is to buy brightly coloured fruits and vegetables to ensure you are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals in your diet. (similar colours =s imilar nutrients).
Lastly, make sure to rotate your foods every day. Eating the same foods day after day can result to food intolerances.

Drink Water

Drink fresh spring or distilled water every day.  Divide your body weight by 2 and then divide by 8 to get the number of 8oz glasses of water you should drink per day. Your body needs water to live, detoxify, metabolize fat, transports nutrients and oxygen to cells and moisturize and protect your organs.

Soda pop and so-called nutritious boxed juices come in a variety of plastic, tin and tetra materials which overflow our landfills. Substituting these non-foods with clean drinking water will help reduce landfill waste. Be sure to invest in a glass or stainless steel water bottle to reduce plastic bottle waste in the landfills.

I like: DAVIDs TEA Noble Glass Travel Thermos as it's not only for your loose leaf tea but can also hold your water, smoothies and post-workout shakes.

 
Say NO to GMO

Genetically Modified Organism (GMOs) and Genetically Engineered Microorganism (GEM) refer to a living organism that has been genetically altered using molecular genetics techniques such as gene cloning and protein engineering, making them more stable and resistant to drought, disease and pesticides. Studies have shown that the B.T. gene used in the GMO crops caused death in organisms such as the monarch butterflies (1).

An article published in Lancet examined the effects of GMO potatoes on the digestive tract in rats (2)(3) This study claimed that there were significant differences in the intestines of rats fed GMO potatoes and rats fed unmodified potatoes which led to pre-mature death. “Would you like to super-size your fries?” Not unless they’re Certified Organic!

On Earth Day 2012 make an effort to find a diet that has balance in nutrients, food groups, flavours and colours. A varied diet will prevent boredom and nutritional imbalances. Be sure to keep it realistic and complementary to your lifestyle that way it becomes a part of your life and not just another ‘fad.’

By incorporating even one of the 6 tips you will not only be nurturing your body but also making a positive difference in preserving our beautiful precious earth. Remember, we only have one Earth and once it’s gone it’s never coming back.

(1) Smithsonian Institution, “Smithsonian Researchers Show Amazonian Deforestation Accelerating,” Science Daily Online, 15 Jan. 2002.
(2) Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae (Nature, Vol 399, No 6733, p 214, May 1999)
(3)Effect of diets containing genetically modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine (Lancet, Vol 354, No 9187, pp 1353-1354, Oct 1999)
(4)Safety of genetically modified food questioned: Interview with gene scientist, Dr Arpad Pusztai(http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/jun1999/gmo-j03.shtml )
For more on GMOs visit: http://www.saynotogmos.org/scientists_speak.htm

Some of the photos in this post belong to Melissa Macchione.
Unauthorized use is prohibited. If you have any questions please contact the administrator.

6 Easy Ways to improve your Child's Diet



This photograph belongs to Melissa Macchione.
Unauthorized use is prohibited. If you have any questions please contact the administrator.


I'm very excited to be teaching my Feeding your Baby:  Tummy to Tot Workshop this Fall to show mom's (and dad's) how easy it is to prepare wholesome meals and snacks for their children. To get you started, because it is only May, here are some easy tips you can start right away!





1) Feed Them Whole Foods – This means prepare foods that are closet to their natural state or closet too natural state. For instance, enjoy a crisp apple as opposed to packaged applesauce which in most cases contains refined sugar and preservatives. Choose sprouted or multi-grain breads over refined wheat where the bran and germ (the reservoir for vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) have been removed.

2) Choose Certified Organic – The term organic simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic in the diet means less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your child’s body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to their tiny organs.

3) Choose foods that are dense in their nutrients – When making food choices concentrate on picking foods that are dense in their nutrients. For example, eat oranges for their vitamin C and Kale for its calcium. Also, go for more nutritious foods; romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce, yams over white potatoes and brown rice over white rice.

4) Moderation, Variety and Rotation – Allow your child to have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it. A cheat day is an example of having moderation in the diet. Variety is just as important. A good rule of thumb is to eat brightly coloured fruits and vegetables to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals in their diet. (Similar colours = similar nutrients). Lastly, make sure to rotate your child’s foods every day. Eating the same foods day after day can result to food intolerances. Visit (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergy/AN01109) for more information on food intolerances.

5) Drink Water – Have them drink fresh spring or distilled water every day! Divide your child’s body weight by 2 and then divide by 8 to get the number of 8 oz glasses of water your child should drink per day.

6) Balance – Balance in nutrients, food groups, flavours and colours, prevents boredom and nutritional imbalances. A daily dose of Omega 3 is ideal for children’s developing brains. Try adding 1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil in yogurt or a smoothie for children 1 year-old and over.

Jackson’s Favourite Smoothie

Here’s a smoothie recipe I have been making my son, Jackson since he was a year old. I vary the strawberries with whatever fruit we have. Other berries and mango work just as nicely.











In a blender combine the following:

½ Banana

½ cup Fresh or Frozen Strawberries

1 cup Raw Baby Spinach

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil

2 ice cubes


Blend, serve with a straw…Yum!

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.

The Skinny on Carbs

Carbohydrates, or Saccharides, are sugars and starches, which provide us with energy.

There are two types of Carbohydrates, Simple, or Monosaccharides and Complex, or Polysaccharides.

Simple Carbohydrates (a.k.a. Bad Carbs) are often found in processed and refined foods such as white sugar, pastas, white bread and baked goods. Because Simple Carbohydrates are smaller molecules of sugar unlike the long chains in Complex Carbohydrates they are digested quickly leaving you hungry sooner.

Bad Carbs = Body Fat
The liver digests carbohydrates by breaking them down into simple sugars, or glucose, which stimulates the production of insulin in the pancreas. The insulin functions to get the sugar into the body’s cells to be used as energy. The two different types of carbohydrates affect the production of insulin differently—when digesting simple carbohydrates, insulin levels spike faster, and the carbohydrates are used up more quickly for energy. This explains why many who turn to a chocolate bar for a quick supply of energy find that their energy levels crash when the “sugar high” comes to an end. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest, resulting in longer lasting energy, and less of an insulin reaction in the body which in the end keeps you fuller longer.

If the body produces too much glucose, it will be stored in the liver and muscle cells as glycogen, to be used for when the body needs an extra burst of energy. Any leftover glycogen that isn't stored in liver and muscle cells is stored as fat. The body uses the immediate store of glycogen for short bursts of exercise. For extended periods of exercise such as long distance running and more strenuous workouts, the body will turn to its fat reserve to draw extra energy.

Complex Carbohydrates (a.k.a.Good Carbs), which take longer for the body to digest, are most commonly found in fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice, and legumes. Because of its complex chain form, your digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines. Because of that, the digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides you with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored. Eating a serving of whole grain cereal such as oatmeal will fill you up and give you longer lasting energy than a bowl of sugary cereal due to the way the body processes and uses the carbohydrates.

Low Carb Diets = Bad Health
The body needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to function properly, and insufficient intake may cause fatigue, muscle cramps, and poor mental function. Although carbohydrates are an important part of our diet, the body can produce energy from fat and proteins alone. While this may do for short periods of time, avoiding all carbs will adversely affect your body. Many low-carb diets have been labeled as healthy, but if taken to the extreme, they can be very dangerous to a one’s overall well-being.

It's important to remember that "low-carb" doesn't mean "no-carb." Be sure to eat moderate amounts of the right type of carbohydrates to keep your body fueled properly.

Daily Recommendation
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 55-75% of an adult’s “dietary energy” should come from carbohydrates; no more than 10% of carbohydrate consumption comes from simple carbohydrates.

Complex Carbohydrates
• Dried apricots and prunes
• Beans: Navy, Kidney, Romano, Pinto, Garbanzo, Soy
• Peas: Split peas, Lentils
• Whole Grains: Buckwheat, Barley, Millet, Quinoa, Brown rice, Wild rice, Oats, Ezekiel, Spelt.
• Fruit: Apples, Pears, Berries, Plums, Citrus (oranges, grapefruit)
• Cruciferous Vegetables: Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Radishes, Kale, Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Rapini. Arugula.
• Night Shade Vegetables: Eggplant, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Peppers
• Other Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers, Leafy greens (spinach)
• Sprouts

Simple Carbohydrates
• Table sugar
• Fruit juice
• Candy
• Cake
• Bread made with white flour
• Pasta made with white flour
• Soda pop
• Candy/Chocolate
• All baked goods made with white flour
• Most packaged cereals
• Honey
• Milk
• Jam

Benefits of Whole Grains
Whole grains are excellent foods which are rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber and essential nutrients. Here are some of the many benefits of whole grains.

1) Weight Loss – Whole grains are Complex Carbohydrates; Complex Carbohydrates keep you satisfied for a longer period of time than simple carbohydrates thus making you eat less. Complex Carbohydrates also don’t have the same insulin effect as simple carbs do. Simple carbs release excess insulin which your body stores as fat.
2) Beautiful skin and beautiful mood– Whole grains are high in B Vitamins. B Vitamins are known to help kick depression and give you glowing skin.
3) Elimination – Whole grains contain a large amount of fiber. Your body needs fiber to move waste out of the intestines and into the toilet where it belongs.
4) Basic bodily functions improve – Whole grains help your body metabolize protein, release energy from muscles, protects your cells, keeps your bowel movements regular, provides heart health and helps relax your nervous system.



Some Whole Grains to consider introducing to your diet
1) Barley – Highly nutritious with high values of niacin and thiamine. Known to lower bad cholesterol.
2) Buckwheat – Contains all 8 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Good source of calcium, B Vitamins, iron and fiber.
3) Kamut – High energy grain and easily digested.
4) Millet – Gluten-free. Great source of magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and B-complex vitamins.
5) Oats – Known to lower bad cholesterol. Mildly laxative. Contains good level of protein, B vitamins and minerals.
6) Quinoa – Contains all 8 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Rich in iron, calcium and phosphorous.
7) Brown Rice – High levels of B Vitamins and fiber.
8) Rye - High in B vitamins, protein and iron. Highest of all grains in the essential amino acid, lysine. Whole grain flour is best, then dark and light flour.
9) Spelt – More easily digested than wheat for most people. Higher in nutrients – protein, minerals, vitamins than wheat as well.
10) Amaranth– High in protein, Vitamin C, calcium and iron. Great source of fiber. Gluten-free. High level of lysine, essential amino acid.

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.

Olympians' daily food choices as important as their rigorous training

Have you ever wondered what food the Olympians put on their plates?
I found a great article explaining the importance of consuming an Alkaline diet.
Click on the 'Title' to view the article.
Enjoy.