What is Psyllium Seed Husk? - 2

Either this week I started discussed adding fiber to a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, for staying regular.

A good way to introduce psyllium husk seeds (or any new fiber) to your diet is to add a small amount more of it to your diet slowly about every two to three to days, always making sure you consume enough liquids. Adding it into your diet too quickly could cause flatulence, bloating and cramping. 

Be aware that high dosages of any kind of fiber should not be taken with prescription drugs and/or vitamin/supplements because it will render them ineffective. Ideally fiber should be taken two hours before or after a meal on an empty stomach with adequate water intake.

Why is lack of fiber problematic? Although constipation is not a disease it’s just plain uncomfortable and certainly may lead to other health problems. Lack of fiber has been highly associated with coronary heart disease, cholesterol, diabetes (it helps regulate blood sugar balance) and cancer.

You can Think Yourself Thin!

I have a client who needs to reward herself. She works over eight hours a day and uses alcohol as her reward to de-stress. And apparently her anti-depressant meds weren’t doing it for her either.

Although anti-depressants can be of value sometimes they can be a wrong match for a person. Doctors admit that sometimes you have to try several different ones before you find the right match and even then medications seem to have a life span working only so long before a switch may be needed again.

A continuing class on stress reduction which I attended suggests this, and the fact that meds are not exactly the magic bullet either. Usually you have to work on cognitive behavior therapy too. This is simply re-framing any negative thinking into something more positive.

The client mentioned above, had lost 30 pounds, a significant amount yet was still beating herself because her weight had stalled, giving no positive thought to all that she was doing right most of the time. Alcohol was her “reward,” now and then, and the way to enjoy summer. So the re-framing here could be, “There are other festive beverages I could still enjoy...” and she could also work on other ways to de-stress.

A great book on cognitive behavior and how it is linked with our thinking patterns is The Beck Solution.

Readers what are other ways  do you “re-frame” your thinking when it comes to weight loss, especially when it comes to finding rewards for yourself and de-stressing?

What is Psyllium Seed Husk? - 1

Today I’m going to tackle a touchy topic people almost whisper about because it’s so embarrassing to talk about although it’s a normal part of everyone’s life. It’s plain old constipation. It’s been estimated that 63 million people are constipated probaby due to unhealthy eating habits lacking in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods, lack of exercise, traveling, specific medications or just not consuming enough water. 


Most Americans are only consuming 5 to 12 grams of fiber a day. We should be consuming around 25-30 grams of. Dieters in particular suffer from it because there’s less food volume going through the body.

But we don’t need laxatives to deal with irregularity. One natural fiber source is to add psyllium seed husk  (a native herb to parts of Asia) to the diet. And even though fiber just passes through our bodies it “soaks” (this fiber soaks) or “sweeps” our intestines potentially ridding our body of toxins. (We need both kind.)

Evacuating the bowels once a day is considered “normal.”  Most doctors will use the term “regular” to mean one time a day to three times a week. Holistic practitioners suggest usually more than once a day would be better, although few people achieve that.

Caution:  psyllium  has been known to cause allergic reactions. Gastrointestinal tract obstruction could also occur, especially for someone  with prior bowel surgeries or anatomic abnormalities, or if taken with inadequate amounts of water.

 I’ll finish up on this topic later in the week on how much to take and how to take it properly (any fiber may interfere with medications/supplements or cause other problems if not taken properly).

The United States of Fat!

A friend sent this to me so I honestly do not know what the source is but I almost have to believe that it is true judging by the 67%  obesity rate.

"This is what the average American will consume in a single year:

46 slices of pizza (23 pounds)

50 gallons of soda

4 1/3 lbs.of pasta

30 lbs. of cheese

63 dozen donuts

100 lbs. of refined white sugar

80 qts. of ice cream

5 lbs. of potato chips

70 lbs. of cookies and cakes

So from here on out, let’s make an effort to get our cookie consumption down to at least 50 lbs. Okay, maybe 60 pounds.... we don’t want to be unreasonable."

Kidding aside, did you know The World Health Organization recommends limiting added sugars  (not including  natural sugars found in fruits and plain dairy products) to 10% of our total caloric intake,  about 50g of sugar a day for a 2,000 calorie diet or around 200 calories a day. That's almost equal to one small (12 ounce) soda a day! And the reality is even 2,000 calories a day is too many calories for most of us even at maintenance (at a reasonable weight). No wonder so many of us are struggling keeping our weight under control.

Probiotics and Yogurt

As a Nutrition Consultant I’ve been on top of this topic for already a long time. Another one of my biggest peeves at the grocery store are yogurts claiming to “restore digestive health.” Personally I love yogurt but not the types that come in those cute little convenient cups with a lot of artificial ingredients, food colorings, sugar (literally teaspoons or artificial sweeteners) and thickeners.

So yes the ones that say, " live active cultures" may have some redeeming features but they come at a cost.
Instead purchase a good quality non-fat Greek yogurt (rich and creamy, really!) or plain non-fat yogurt in a quart container and add your own fresh fruit, stevia (a non-artificial healthier sweetener) or a bit of unprocessed honey and consume a full eight ounces of the yogurt. You not only get more health benefits  but a whole lot less of the other useless additives and more savings in today’s economy.  Note though as good as the Greek yogurt is, it does not contain as much calcium as other natural plain yogurts.

And the amount of probiotics you find in about a half cup of regular yogurt won’t help you if you have major digestive issues. You probably need more fiber (from real fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and possibly a good quality brand of supplemental probiotics for stronger benefits. Note that sugar (found in many of the probiotic yogurts) actually depletes your immune system so what’s the real point other than convenience?

An Apple a Day

You know the old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Well here’s maybe why. According to a published article from Nutrition, researchers found that the pectin, phernols and polyphenols contained in apples may prevent colon cancer. Additionally in another study with mice, scientists at Cornell University found that an apple a day with mice reduced breast cancer tumor growth by 24%. Experimental Biology found that those who consume apples regularly also have a 27% lower risk of metabolic syndrome. Another bonus some researchers indicate is that people can experience a 30 point drop in their diastolic blood pressure.

As Hippocrates said, “Let your food be your medicine… and let your medicine be your food.” Guy daSilva, MD, puts it in a profound way: “Our consumption of fast food and sugar has enabled us to be the kings and queens of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and nearly every chronic disease on the earth.” How true is that?

So what else can I say, at least eat your apple a day! And know that all fruits and vegetables contain
 valuable nutrients.

Putting Portions Sizes together for Balance

This week I’ve been discussing serving sizes and I’ve given you resources to learn them. Today I’ll show  you what  a menu for a day might translate into with 1400-1500 calorie day. To reduce calories cut out a starch or two.


                                                 Breakfast:

Smoothie:

1 cup non-fat/1% milk or 8 oz plain, non-fat yogurt
1 small banana or fruit of choice (you may prefer to use an additional fruit, just count it)
Dash vanilla extract/stevia/honey
1 scoop high quality whey protein powder
Ice cubes-optional
One teaspoon of flax oil
Blend together, adding protein powder in slowly at the very end. Do not over process protein powder as it renders it less effective.
1-2 slices 100% whole grain crackera/bread (no more than 80 calories a serving).

Snack: A small sliced apple/carrot sticks with seven almonds.

Lunch:
Tortilla roll-up
1 oz. low fat cheese (Baby Bel light, or 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese)
1 oz. chicken or lean meat (no more than 3 grams fat per ounce)
1 corn tortilla (should not be more than 80 calories each)
½ cup fat free refried beans, salsa and shredded lettuce/cabbage/tomato
Place ingredients in your tortilla, heat and enjoy.
1 cup cut julienne and carrots sticks with lime juice/chili powder (optional 1 teaspoon olive oil)

Snack:  a Small fruit of choice and a tablespoon of mixed nuts (be sure and measure!)

Dinner:
3 oz. grilled chicken breast
Season with Montreal blend spice mix for chicken
1 cup of whole grain pasta, seasoned with a teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of poppy seeds.
1 cup stir-fried broccoli/mushrooms/onions (use Trader Joe’s MSG free chicken or vegetable bouillon. (Use oil or fats as needed and count).


This menu is balanced nicely and not overkill on the starches although some people may require less food to lose weight. It is about 50% carbohydrate (including fruits, vegetables and dairy) 20%-25% fat and 20%-25% protein.

More on Portions

This week I've started to the topic of serving sizes with the food groups. Today I'll finsh up.

• Of all the food groups, vegetables are the most neglected yet the most important because of the valuable vitamin, antioxidant and phytonutrient composition for preventing disease (and discouraging the aging process). One half cup of cooked vegetables or one cup raw of vegetables make up a serving. The government suggests "five a day" (including fruit) but other leading health organizations (AHA and ADA) are suggesting more like nine to eleven servings a day (including both fruits and veggies). Yes it may seem like a lot but you literally have to plan  them your day. Have two veggie servings at lunch and two at dinner and you are almost there. How hard is that, really?
• Fats are an important health nutrient but too many of the wrong kind or just too many can add up fast in calories if you are watching your weight, so be careful. In restaurants you can't even find them most of the time because they are so well diguised. Fats are also invisible in protein sources so refer back to the Mayo clinic's list here and then refer to this exchange list on fats.
• There's also a dairy list. If you are eating all your leafy greens and other veggies you only need one to two servings a day from this list. Yogurts may contain a lot of fat, sugar, artificial ingredients/colors, binders and fillers so read your labels carefully. No one needs any of that. To keep it simple just remember it's usually just eight ounces of 1% or non-fat milk or 1 cup of plain non-fat yogurt (you can sweeten your yogurt with natural stevia (Truvia is considered a better tasting version) and fruit.

Later this week I'll show you what it might look like in a day's menu.

Learning Portion Control

People eat too much and too much of the wrong things. This relates to portion control,  and of course  you know what happens when it’s just sitting there on your plate especially when dining out.

As a professional Nutrition Consultant I prefer to use the diabetic exchange system for reviewing serving sizes. They are like units of measurement and each person should have so many of these “units” to constitute their own individual serving sizes with food. And just because it was originally formulated for diabetics doesn't mean it's exclusive to them. I personally have not found anything better to determine serving sizes for the general public. So how much is a “serving” for a specific food group?

In general:

• Usually, an ounce of protein, or 7 grams of protein equals a “serving unit” of protein, but you may have up to 6-9 servings or ounces spread throughout the day, depending on your age, sex, gender, and activity. (It varies like that with all the other food groups too). What you have to careful with  is how much fat is contained in an ounce of any specific kind of protein. The link above provides that information. 
• A unit of starch is generally15 grams of carbohydrates which translates to a half of cup of rice or cereal, asmall three ounce potato or a small piece of bread. This equals one serving, but again you might be able to have up to 6 or more servings a day.
• Note on starch servings: Sugar  is considered a starch which contains only empty calories, although indulging now and then is ok. Just remember 15 carbs equals one serving of starch. So if you are looking at a piece of candy for example and you see 30 grams of carbohydrates that is equal to two servings of your total carbohydrate allowance for the day, without any nutritional value at all!!!) The problem too is that manufacturers have their own idea of what a serving size is and it doesn't always correspond with the exchange lists.
• Fruits are more challenging because they are so diverse but a person usually should have at least two to three servings from this group every day. Here is a more complete list. They are a much smaller serving that you might see in the grocery stores.

 In a few day days I’ll finish up on portion sizes of the other food groups.

Movie Time for Better Health

Want to watch  some “food flicks" to give us “food for thought?” These movies help us understand manufacturing and food growing practices in a new light, hopefully giving us a new and improved way to look at how we eat.

Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser reveal the shady practices of food processors (another reason to eat whole fresh food) in Food, Inc. (This certainly doesn’t surprise me at all considering what the FDA lets manufacturers get away with….remember HFCS and trans fats?)

The End of the Line examines the way we consume fish and what that means for the environment. (A few weeks ago I gave you the full big scoop on the positives on fish for good health but I have not seen this movie myself so I am not sure where this movie really takes you.)

Another movie is called Dirt! The Movie which reveals how as people become nutritionally deficient, it’s no wonder they are finding out that it it partly caused by the soil in which we grow our food, so no big surprise there to me.

Weight Loss Supplements and Immune Boosters

A few months ago I was reading an article on weight loss supplements in Prevention magazine, although, with all due respect, the article gave no real support as to why these supplements provide help with weight management.

One of the supplements is Vitamin D. Not only is it good for your bones and immunity but newer studies are indicating that heavier people in particular are lower in Vitamin D, according to the Endocrine Society.

Another popular nutrient Prevention mentioned is a prebiotic, which  is especially good for immunity and a healthy digestive system. Of course we don’t want to get sick while we diet but tell us how it relates to weight loss! This article explained it more thoroughly in terms of hunger and satiety. And another educated guess as a qualified nutritionist is when you are properly digesting your food and absorbing nutrients better you literally improve your gut’s immunity and that allows your body to shed weight more easily because it is not fighting off viruses and other ailments. You will lose weight better when you are in better health and getting the nutrients your body needs, especially those which interact with so many other functions in the body.

Also remember when you are dieting your body is doing more physical work internally (more stress, as if we don’t have enough of that in our everyday life). The body is detoxifying itself and rebuilding itself more and if you are deficient in nutrients you probably won’t lose as much. So generally a high end mult-mineral which includes more optimum doses of the B vitamins can be beneficial.  Not only do they fight general stress and fatique but they play a big part in digestion as well. These were mentioned in Prevention's article as well.

More on this later in the week.

Wine and Libido

I’m not a great fan of excess alcohol consumption especially when a person is trying to lose weight because of the way it’s metabolized (it can stop fat loss in its tracks). However drinking in moderation does have some health benefits due to revesteral, a powerful antioxidant in red wine. (Note: by moderation most health authorities suggest no more than 4-5 ounces of wine, 1 ounce of hard liquor or one beer daily, for women, and twice that amount for men. And keep in mind most of the health benefits are from dark red wine.)  What I found interesting though is that Italian researchers found that women benefited with better libido functioning possibly due to the production of nitric acid, a gas which helps artery walls to relax and seems to increase blood flow to the genitals. Researchers did say though you need to keep the amount consumed in moderation because too much alcohol  may inhibit the sexual response. (in other words being drunk probably won't work!)

For more fun info on foods that may liven up your libido watch this current audio for women : http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34022883

Controversy over Soy

For years I have wanted to be a  vegetarian but my body rebelled on me as I just did not have the same energy and satiety level while eating soy, beans, lentils and other nutritious non-animal food sources (I also struggled more with  my weight  because I always seemed hungry). 

While I still include many vegetarian foods in my overall food plan I consume only organic soy based products sparingly because of some of the vigorous arguments I hear against the genetically modified versions of these particular foods. 

I’ve questioned genetically modified foods in general, based on what I learned in nutrition school (not much of it was positive information) as well as the information researched by the holistic doctor, Dr. Mercola who usually uses reputable good resources to back up his claims. (Note: soy baby formula in particular has been in the hot seat lately.)

So, readers this time I’m asking, what are all your thoughts on soy products, particularly genetically modified ones? Here are some links on the subject:

http://www.westonaprice.org/Experts-Dispute-Soy-Formula-Safety. htmlhttp://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/01/genetically-modifiedorganisms-are-a-looming-threat.aspx

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/




(For more information in general about genetically modified foods read any of the books listed here. You will be surprised at what you will learn.)

Kids and Exercise

In the "old" days many children used to exercise by simply playing outside with each other whether it was a ball game of sorts, playing hopscotch or even hide and seek. Obviously times have changed but what I found really interesting was an article in the Mercury News San Jose California  paper a few weeks back wrote an interesting article. It was about how parents are getting trainers for their children!

It makes some sense since statistics say that 20% of U.S children are overweight, and let's not forget the competitive edge parents want their kids to have in sports and self-esteem. And I have to say it might be a safer place for children to get activity since neighborhoods have changed so much.

What is especially good, states one of the trainers, "...is that kids have a much more appreciative attitude with little results compared to adults who want more of  immediate gratification with their progress."

In my opinion if you have that kind of money to spend for your kids go for it but you also have to be the example to your kids by exercising yourself. And don't forget how nutrition fits into the big picture. Better yet isn't there a way parents and children could do this sort of thing together with family outings (especially in the summer months) or with all the Wii programs or even exercise videos available wouldn't that work as well?

Readers what are your thoughts on this?

"We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are."- Anais Nin

I ran across the above quote and immediately thought of numerous dieters who are so critical of their weight loss efforts.

For example when a client comes in and she’s “only” lost a pound, she right away says, “Well I didn’t follow my plan very well, I didn’t drink enough water and I only exercised two times this week.” This person is only seeing herself through her own filter. I see that she was still trying, she got in more than half the amount of water she usually consumes and she still exercised rather than doing nothing at all! Sure there was room for improvement but I also see that there was some definite areas of work being done! (And I also see an entire pound of fat gone; visualize a pound of butter!)

All I’m saying here is not to beat yourself up when you don’t have a perfect week (it’s a moving target anyway). Look at all that you did that  was right. And, as I’ve said to many a client, what did you learn  this week and would you change anything next time?

Readers what are your thoughts on this?