Body In Mind Nutrition

Sometimes (mostly) it feels like we are swimming against the current, surrounded by a culture that is twisted around a plastic beauty ideal, fat stigma, and LOTS of focus on what is wrong and "bad" about food.  So I HIGHLY RECOMMEND creating your own tribe for the support of your health and recovery.  Here's to Rediscovering a Joyful Relationship with Food and a Comfortable Relationship with your Body!!  This blog offers a "best of" list for you-check it out!!


http://www.medicinalmarzipan.com/2011/05/01/body-loving-blogosphere-050111/

The behavior of eating goes well beyond eating what you think is "good" for you.  The most common thread in all of my work with clients, no matter what their eating problem, is that eating (or choosing not to eat) is many times used to calm and comfort.  This is true for all ages.

Please remember this when you talk to your kids about eating and weight.  As a nation, we are doing a much better job of addressing the need for our kids to become more active and have access to healthier foods, but we are leaving out a major issue-emotional health.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/bullying_weight_041911.html

I once had a client call Spring "Christmas in Shorts" because of the heightened level of stress in her life.  School comes to a close with exams and festivities, there are religious rites and family get togethers, which  all sound fine one at a time.  But they seem to be crashing into one another, leaving us feeling a little frazzled.  Please take a minute to read this amazing post about what the wise Jolee McBreen can teach us as she turns 100 years old!  "Drink Beer and Eat Chocolate", she says.  Not what you would expect to find a nutritionist writing about, but the stress messes with your eating, my friend.  So learn to let go first, the eating will follow!

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/04/drink-beer-eat-chocolate-live-to-100--jolee-mcbreen/

Great post with guidance about how to navigate the choppy waters of "diet and exercise" with your teen.

"It’s important to remember that each kid is different; what works for one child may not work for another. And Forman encourages parents to ask for help. “You don’t have to wait until you are in crisis,” she says. “Talk to a friend whose judgment you trust, someone maybe who has teens. Get advice from your doctor or from a nutritionist. Talk to a psychologist or social worker—they may have ideas you just didn’t think of. It’s hard being a parent—we need all the help we can get.”

In summary:

1. Model healthy behaviors and body image-Don't Diet!!
2. Provide an environment that makes it easy for your children to make healthy choices.
3. Focus less on weight. Instead, focus on behaviors and overall health.
4. Promote a supportive environment with lots of talking and even more listening.

Learning the skills which support mindfulness, mindful eating, and a mindful lifestyle are being used to manage symptoms of menopause, such as "hot flashes".  My experience is that learning to live and eat mindfully increases your ability to manage the stresses of modern life all the way around.  Now we have more and more research that supports this experience!  (Again, research is supporting what we already know-I love it!)

Next month's Mindful Eating Book Club discussion is focusing on Mindful Eating:  A guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays, M.D.  Feel free to contact me if you would like to know more about this powerful and effective approach to eating and living well.

The link below describes the latest research on mindfulness and menopause.  Check it out!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/hot_flashes_041211.html

Feeding your kids seems like it would be a simple, natural job.  But there are mistakes and complications which sometimes create power struggles in the grocery store and at the dinner table, and can lead to bigger problems.  The following article does a great job of summarizing a series of simple meal-time strategies which can help even the pickiest eater learn to like a more varied diet.

1. Invite your kids to the kitchen and teach them to cook
2. Don't pressure them to "take a bite"
3. Give kids access to the pantry and choices
4. Don't model "dieting" lifestyle
5. Offer vegetables with a flare
6. Continue to offer, don't give up

Sooo many of us are getting less sleep than we need and it affects the way that we eat!  When we start to drag, we many times reach for the energy we find in food when we really need rest.  Get to know yourself well enough to know the difference.

Here are 7 very good ideas to help you get a good night's sleep in the first place!:  "Seven Steps to Sweet Slumber".

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/9iAHV0/www.good.is/post/seven-steps-to-sweet-slumber/?utm_source=supr

We now have evidence that putting children on diets, although well intentioned, many times causes harm. Children learn to sneak and typically gain more weight.  There is also evidence that daughters who have mothers dieting"with" them, and becoming too involved in their eating,  have a greater risk of struggling with bulimia.

There is another way to handle concerns about your child's weight.  Focus on healthy eating and more activity for the whole family and remove the focus from weight.  Seek help from a professional for a clear understanding of approaching this subject with the greatest insight and skill and prevent problems down the road.

Below is a short interview with Dr. Ed Abramson discussing this issue in greater detail:

http://www.kqed.org/a/perspectives/R201104010735

The title is unfortunate but the basic premise is Mindful Eating, so I thought I would pass it along to those who missed Dr. Michelle May on Dr. Oz this past Monday.




http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/can-you-think-yourself-skinny-pt-1

Focusing on all of the ways you are grateful for your body rather than your perceived "imperfections" actually pays off!!  We actually have research showing the benefits of the "Acceptance" model which reports that women can more accurately eat when they are hungry and stop when they are satisfied when following this approach!  Finally.....

"the more women are able to focus on the inner workings of their body -- or how their bodies function and feel -- rather than how they appear to others, the more they will appreciate their own bodies.
And the more a woman appreciates her body, the more likely she is to eat intuitively -- responding to physical feelings of hunger and fullness rather than emotions or the mere presence of food.
"Women who focus more on how their bodies function and less on how they appear to others are going to have a healthier, more positive body image and a tendency to eat according to their bodies' needs rather than according to what society dictates,"


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329141559.htm

Please take a minute and give this short article about Eating Disorders in Midlife a quick read.  I see this so often.  There is so much pressure to stay thin and look young that as we become older, we get more desperate and aggressive in our attempt to manipulate and control our bodies.

Experts say that while eating disorders are first diagnosed mainly in young people, more and more women are showing up at their clinics in midlife or even older. Some had eating disorders early in life and have relapsed, but a significant minority first develop symptoms in middle age. (Women with such disorders outnumber men by 10 to 1.)

Building your own support for loving your body in today's world is ESSENTIAL for pushing ED away!  I've pointed to this blog before but she has pulled together a post on the "body-loving blogoshphere" that is a great place to start supporting yourself.

"Medicinal Marzipan is a blog about body image and unconditional self-love, as well as learning to lead a positive and authentic life."

Check it out!!

http://www.medicinalmarzipan.com/2011/03/27/body-loving-blogosphere-032711/

One of my missions is change the vocabulary we use when we talk about food and nutrition from the fear-based and disease-oriented to the "what our food provides and supports" in us.  Words like nourishment sound so good to my ears!  So I simply relish posting research that once again highlights the many benefits of a food like Cocoa!!  Bon Appetit!

http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20110323/cocoa-rich-in-health-benefits

When you feel tired, do you find yourself reaching for the energy that you receive from food or the restoration of a nap?  Ask yourself if you are hungry (from your stomach) or are you tired or both?  If you are hungry, eat.  If you are tired, nap (if possible).  At least ask yourself the question and discover the difference!

Of course the energy required to discern between body-centered eating and emotional eating is harder to come by when you are sleep deprived.  A new study finds that those who had only 4 hours of sleep eat around 300 calories a day more than those who had a good night's rest.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011/03/Sleep-deprived-people-eat-300-more-calories-a-day/45227686/1

I often advice my clients to notice when they are eating not because their bodies are asking for nourishment, but because they are emotionally uncomfortable.  Becoming aware of that moment when you are no longer eating because you are hungry.  You are now eating to control your feelings.  This awareness creates the opportunity for choice.  Conscious choice is the starting place for recovery!

A new book has just been published about how overeating or binge eating can be used to control feelings:

Food,The Good Girl's Drug by Sunny Sea Gold.  In it she explains:

"Another widespread but subtle myth is that going on a diet will help to reduce binge eating. It’s the idea that dieting will give people with BED the control they lack. That somehow rules and regulations will keep their eating in line. To the contrary, dieting usually leads to overeating and is a major trigger of BED. Diets don’t treat BED"

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/food-the-good-girls-drug-how-to-stop-using-food-to-control-your-feelings/

To move from a negative, judgmental, pejorative dialogue about the issue of obesity in our country to one focused on what we CAN do is most welcome!!  To move our discussion to how we support health and fitness separate from weight will serve us all.


 "The Surgeon General's Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation" is an attempt to change the national conversation from a negative one about obesity and illness to a positive one about being healthy and being fit. We need to stop bombarding Americans with what they can't do and what they can't eat. We need to begin to talk about what they can do to become healthy and fit."


 "We should remember that individuals are more likely to change their behavior if they have a meaningful reward - something more than reaching a certain weight or dress size. The reward has to be something that each person can feel, can enjoy and can celebrate.
The real reward is optimal health, which allows people to embrace each day and live their lives to the fullest - without disease, disability or lost productivity. "




http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/21/AR2011032103241.html

Many of my clients have concerns about changes in their weight if they begin to take birth control pills.  I wanted to pass along a well done article discussing this issue.

Bottom Line: " The story that taking birth control pills makes you gain weight is based on more fiction than fact."  The recommendation is to take the lowest dose that is effective for you.

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-birth-control-pills-20110316,0,3564299.story?page=2

You know that I don't believe in "Diets", because:

1-they don't work
2-they set you up for reactive overeating
3-they disconnect you from your Body's own ability to control your eating (if you commit to mindful eating)
4-they many times create harm (disordered eating)

Actually, the list goes on, but I will hush.

I just want to give you a head's up on the latest Fad Diet that everyone is talking about.  I am attaching WebMD's evaluation, which includes statements from well-respected experts in the field.

Don't fall for the Dukan promise of magic!!!

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/dukan-diet-review

Yep, there has been a theme around here this week-the healing power of loving your body!  I continue to unearth more and more  places to stand as we join in the effort to feel good about our bodies-exactly as they are!!  Feeling comfortable in your skin is the ultimate place of power.  I wish you confidence as you take the next step...

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/weightless/2011/03/body-image-booster-building-confidence-being-bold/

Yesterday, I blogged about creating a world of Body Love through connecting with bloggers writing about this topic.  Today, I am taking it up a notch and recommending Activism.  Instead on being unhappy with yourself, direct your anger/unhappiness outward and become an Activist for Body Love.  Here is a post which directs you to a couple of exciting projects to get your blood flowing, pumping, cursing through your veins!

The Illusionists is a documentary about the body as the “finest consumer object,” focusing on how mass media, advertising, and several industries manipulate and exploit people’s insecurities about their bodies for profit.

This week in London an international summit “Endangered Species: Preserving the Female Body.” Eminent experts, activists, and politicians are holding presentations and workshops under a common goal: to “challenge the toxic culture that teaches women and girls to hate their bodies.” 

POWERFUL STUFF-DON'T MISS IT!!

http://ht.ly/4eO7d

Funny how making a commitment to your Self, in whatever form, is a much harder endeavor than committing to caring for others-even if the other is a dog!  I had a very wise client say to me many years ago, "If I could just move mySelf up on the priority list before my dog, I will be doing so much better".  So take a look at this well done article on how having a dog affects your health....

“If we’re committed to a dog, it enables us to commit to physical activity ourselves.”

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/14/forget-the-treadmill-get-a-dog/?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2

The work (and at first, it is real work!) of body acceptance requires great intention and commitment.  It helps to create support for this effort as you walk around in a world obsessed with unhealthy, twisted images and messages about our bodies.  I am finding a wealth of blogs which are committed to Body Love.

Take a look at the blog below.  This particular entry invites you to join this community of "happy bodies" by submitting your own thoughts, story, poetry, video, photograph, you name it.  Please take some time to review the submissions of others.

 This is a powerful way of creating and cultivating supportive connections as you tip toe, leap, grab or brush up against loving your own precious body!!!

http://happybodies.wordpress.com/join-us/

Before you go into the kitchen and start to rummage through your pantry and refrigerator, try this simple yoga exercise.  If your body still tells you "I am hungry for nourishment", please eat....

http://www.yogajournal.com/dailyinsight/yjnl_20110311.html?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=dailyinsight

"Participants who followed the Mediterranean diet had better outcomes for waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and glucose, as well as reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, compared with those on control diets or those who had low adherence to the Mediterranean diet...The meta-analysis also found that active lifestyle coupled with the diet had additional preventive effects on metabolic syndrome components."

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DietNutrition/25287?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&em=debra@bimnutrition.com

Mindfulness is about being fully aware of whatever is happening in the present moment, without filters or the lens of judgment. It can be brought to any situation. Put simply, mindfulness consists of cultivating awareness of the mind and body and living in the here and now.

This story is making it's way across major media outlets.  Please make sure that you take a look, pass it along, and talk to your kids about it.  We need to keep talking about this part of the story instead of just Pediatric Obesity.  Do you think there is a relationship between the two?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134341051

The fact that women (mostly) are willing to pay $1000/month to be injected by a hormone and starve themselves on 500 calories a day to see TEMPORARY weight loss is the sign of pure desperation.  The resurgence of the very old diet craze utilizing hCG shots (a hormone derived from the urine of pregnant women) is "as popular as ever, even though there is scant evidence that it makes any difference."

Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor at Harvard medical school who researches weight-loss supplements, said that aside from the issue of side effects, the use of hCG as a diet tool was “manipulating people to give them the sense that they’re receiving something that’s powerful and potent and effective, and in fact they’re receiving something that’s nothing better than a placebo"

The following article from this morning's NY TImes describes the side effects and other costs in more detail.



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/nyregion/08hcg.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2

When it comes to making changes in our habits, there are several steps that we go through without realizing it.  At first we imagine ourselves doing things differently.  New research supports the fact that picturing yourself actually engaged in the behavior you want to work on increases your chance of success!  Intentionally picture yourself breaking the habits that concern you and actually doing what you know would improve your health.....

"...research has shown that if people make a concrete plan about what they are going to do, they are better at acting on their intentions. What we've done that's new is to add visualization techniques to the action plan"

http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=650501

This wonderful interview with Seane Corne from Krista Tippett's radio show "Being" gets inside the" practicalities and power of yoga".  I encourage my clients to integrate yoga into their program of changing their eating habits for all of the reasons that she so beautifully describes.  


http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/yoga/

I know that the week dedicated to End Fat Talk is in October, but I hear so much "worry" about bodies during the Spring, that I wanted to dust this off and post it now.  Well done piece by Tri Delta, check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKPaxD61lwo&feature=player_embedded

This is so exciting-Jamie Oliver hits the road with a Food Revolution Food Truck!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12629525?utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=13511981&utm_campaign=Food%20News%20Friday%2C%20March%204

I have been working with clients to help them manage weight for almost 25 years and "fat prejudice" has always been a part of the conversation.  Some people avoid exercising outside of their homes because of the concern that people will make jokes about them (and who likes to use exercise equipment at home really?).  Some people avoid seeking regular medical care because they do not like to be weighed and lectured to about the obvious need to lose weight.  For those who struggle with overeating, stress and isolation contribute to the struggle.  It is no surprise to me that we now have research that makes this association perfectly clear.

"Obesity is a physiological issue, but when people have negative interactions in their social world -- including a sense of being discriminated against -- it can make matters worse and contribute to a person's declining physical health," Schafer said."

We need to be careful as we develop programs to address obesity, especially programs for kids, that we do not contribute to this stigmatization.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/03/03/stigma-often-adds-to-burden-of-obesity

This is amazing technology which could help increase awareness of your eating.  But would you start to obsess?  How do you think this would go for you?

http://www.myfox8.com/news/wghp-story-food-app-110303,0,5695750.story

Encouraging your kids to eat "from the rainbow" with more fruits and vegetables just got a little easier.  (I am not talking about added coloring agents, but colors in foods coming from the ground!)  Try this Nutrition Sudoko to engage them in a conversation about trying more fruits and vegetables every day.  This would be a great game just before your next trip to the market-invite them to join you in the produce isle!

http://www.eatright.org/nnm/games/sudoku/kids/index.html

Can you be trusted with food?  Most of us think not and look to rules and diets to keep us in check.  If we don't know what we "should" eat, then our fear is that we will be "out of control".  I believe not trusting ourselves is at the root of the need to impose strict guidelines for our own eating.  So when we break these imposed rules, the judgement rages in our own heads!

Being compassionate with yourself will allow you to break free from this rigidity and the negative self-talk that follows close behind.  Not beating yourself up and finding compassion does allow you to be more in control with your eating AND invites a more positive attitude.

Now we actually have research that supports incorporating self-compassion as an integral component of a successful weight management program!!  Here you go:


"Preliminary data suggest that self-compassion can even influence how much we eat and may help some people lose weight."



http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/go-easy-on-yourself-a-new-wave-of-research-urges/?ref=science

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Ks1ceHkus&feature=player_embedded

One of my clients said it best, "now it is not OK to just look like a mom, now you have to look cute too".

“Women with eating disorders who are age 30 and above fly under the radar in terms of getting noticed and treated,” says Dr. Tamara Pryor, clinical director of the Denver center and the author of the study. “Over the past four years or so, we've been seeing more midlife women with eating disorders in our center.”

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23680261/

As I coach and guide my clients to become aware of their eating, their thoughts about their bodies, their choices to rid themselves of the food they have devoured, I ask them to be a student of their behavior and to please try to "drop the judgement".  To struggle in disordered eating is to struggle with the harshest of inner critics.  Asking to drop the judgement is a very tall order, yes, but essential.  To begin to  see food as nourishment and not the enemy requires the harsh, mean voice of judgment to be quiet. A calorie is a source of energy-and that is all.  Drop the Judgement.

This poem by Jane Hirshman beautifully describes the internal dance we all have with Judgement.  I highly recommend listening to the audio as a way to begin your day with the intention to Drop the Judgement.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=31251

Have you ever noticed how much promise there is in starting a new diet?  How many numbers there are?  How effortless it all sounds?  How all of your dreams come true if you just get this one right?  No wonder the continued seduction to start "fresh" with the next diet is so powerful!!  But most of the diets with the promises are not sustainable ways of living your life in the real world.  There is another way to approach controlling your eating and your weight WITHOUT DIETING!  This post does a good job of summing it all up!

http://www.healthforthewholeself.com/2011/02/conquering-the-urge-to-diet-three-steps/

Yes, there is good reason to try to make healthy choices when you are deciding what, and how much,  you are going to eat.  But sometimes, trying to make these choices starts to take on too much importance and creates a rigidity in your behavior and an imbalance in your life.

Most eating disorders start with a "diet" or an attempt to start to eat "healthy".  Below is a link to a well respected and validated screening test which you can give yourself to take a look at your own attitudes about eating.  Identifying eating problems early, before you become entrenched in these habits, can mean preventing your own eating disorder.  If you think that your attitudes about eating and food have become rigid and create emotional discomfort, please ask for help now!

http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/eat.htm

Just a little something to raise your awareness of the presence (NOT) of women in your movies...check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bLF6sAAMb4s

One of the most common themes with my clients struggling with eating issues is anxiety and/or an inability to tolerate strong feelings.  It is fairly common to use eating, not eating, purging, excessive exercise, and/or obsession with controlling body size as a way to cope with anxiety and uncomfortable feelings.  Learning the skill of calming you mind and tolerating emotional discomfort is essential in both preventing, and recovering from, disordered eating of all types.

"The same mind that can create such harsh judgments is capable of undoing them through the power of awareness and attention."


This article by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche summarizes the process of developing awareness very well:

Step one:  The Main Exercise

• stage one:  just notice and identify what you’re thinking or feeling
• stage two:  meditative awareness - approaching thoughts and emotions as objects of focus through which we can stabilize awareness, again without judgement
• stage three:  intuitive “tuning in” to determine the effect of the practice

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  I will post every day this week in dedication to this cause.

Today's post is to acknowledge the essential nature of loving one's Self to both protect yourself from this very mean dis-ease and to recover from it.  As you read this wonderful poem from The Writer's Almanac, The Kama Sutra of Kindess:  Position Number 3 by Mary Mackey, read it to your Self as your object of sweet love.

To kick off National Eating Disorder Awareness week, check out the powerful partnership of NOW and NEDA!  Check out these videos and/or submit your own!

What you can you do?  Just try one week of being intentional about ending your own "Fat Talk".  This is harder than it sounds because the "Fat Talk" in your own mind counts!  Would love to hear your ideas...

http://now.org/press/02-11/02-20.html

I am posting a blog about a reaction to an article in today's NY Times regarding Obesity research in primates.  Obesity is a serious problem and research which provides insight into eating behavior is essential.  However, this author makes several points which ring true and of them, I would like to share this with you:


"Fight the problem of obesity yourself: the solution is ancient – ignore your restless monkey-mind and eat mindfully.
Let’s face it: there is no shortage of overweight primates (just look around); there is a shortage of humanity and compassion.  Fill the gap.
Wake up, fellow primate!"

Another example of simple, but not easy.....


http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindful-living/

When the domineering, the harsh, mean voice in your head is pushing you to be perfect, talk back!!  What we consider to be our problems and our flaws are opportunities to be liberated from the craziness of perfectionism.  Self-compassion is the antidote to perfectionism and frees us to be fully, joyfully, in the flesh human!

 Below is a link to a video of Krista Tippett presenting on the topic of " a linguistic resurrection for reconnecting with compassion" to the United Nations, well worth your 18 minutes!

http://blog.onbeing.org/post/3401777593

 This is an old article, but worth reading again.  Bittman does a great job in writing an overview of the environmental impact of eating meat, so I thought I would post it.  I'm not saying "go forth and be vegetarian", but eating less meat is a really good idea!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?_r=2

We all try to pack so much activity into our lives, that we many times forget that our bodies need to be nourished every four hours or so.  This is especially important for kids and teenagers, but they need the support of parents who plan, and make time, for snacks.

"Parents need to work with teens on managing their time, planning healthy meals and snacks and providing them time to eat," she says.
"Parents need to role model the behavior they are looking for in their teenagers as well. Monkey see, monkey do.
" If Mom and Dad don't take time to eat breakfast, pack a healthy lunch and have nutritious food stocked in the house, it sends the message to the child that nutrition is not a priority."

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Running-on-empty-1009607.php

I hear it all of the time, "I know what to do, I just can't do it!"  Telling yourself why you should exercise doesn't motivate actually changing your habits.  Imagining yourself being active and creating a very specific plan about how you can go play is the most effective way to start.  Picture yourself enjoying the activity that you can successfully begin in your current life.  Maybe taking a walk with a friend instead of going out for lunch, maybe asking your sweetie to take a walk after dinner, maybe asking a friend to join a dance class?  Be highly intentional about making time for play and moving your body, put it on your calendar and keep it visible (use your gadgets and apps to help you remember!)  Set achievable goals and then take note of your successes with a "how I took care of myself" journal.  Skip the gym class "shoulds" and move straight to recess!!  


" Behavior strategies include feedback, goal setting, self-monitoring, exercise prescription and stimulus or cues. Self-monitoring, any method where participants record and track their activity over time, appears to significantly increase awareness and provide motivation for improvement, Conn said."



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110217171342.htm

If you want to check in with your 2011 Intentions or Resolutions, take a minute to read the most recent Newsletter out this morning!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Essential-Peace-for-Real-Behavior-Change.html?soid=1102783429410&aid=KjdhmSvemUw

"The good news? In preliminary results, the researchers are exhilarated to find that a diet high in Omega 3 oils and low in cholesterol appears to significantly reduce the negative effects of the APOE4 gene  (associated  with developing Alzheimer's disease) in mouse models."

"The main take-away message here is that good diets can alleviate the effects of bad genes. Of course nutritionists have had this general idea for a while, but it's nice to be able to show that this approach can be applied to specifically counteract the negative effects of Alzheimer's disease-related genes," says Prof. Michaelson."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110215102848.htm

If you are tired of your dinner ideas (we all get in ruts with our dinner menus), give black rice a try.  You can make up great stories about exploring other cultures, countries, or ancient history and your kids will think you ( or your dinner) are way cool and exotic!!  The truth of the matter follows, along with a link to another black rice recipe (see yesterday's blog for more).

"(NaturalNews) In ancient China, nobles commandeered every grain of a variety of black rice known as "Forbidden Rice" for themselves and forbade the common people from eating it. Now 21st century scientists have discovered that black rice truly is a treasure -- at least when it comes to nutrition. In fact, a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, plus the rice bran has less sugar, more fiber and an abundance of vitamin E.

That's the conclusion of Zhimin Xu, Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Xu just announced his research team's findings at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS)..."

So you have shown those who are special to you how much you love and care for them.  What about you? The women in my Eating With Your Body In Mind course and I enjoyed a wonderful yoga class with Sydney Hughes-McGee last night and it was one of the best Valentine's Day gifts ever.  Aaaaaaaah..... Please give yourself permission for Self care every single precious day!

http://www.eatingdisordersblogs.com/minorities_and_men/2011/02/valentines-day-redux-tending-your-garden.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2FGurze%2Fminorities_and_men+(Recovery+Matters

I hesitated to write about the New Dietary Guidelines published Jan. 31 by the Departments of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services because there are no really big differences to point out.  But the little things that are different are significant and worth talking about.  The overall message is that Americans need to "eat less" in general, which means our bodies really don't need all of what we are eating.  Politically, this is significant because the food industry lobbyists lose out when we eat less in general.  For us to eat less, we may also buy less!  So this is a move toward supporting our health and not the food industry-that's certainly good news.

Also, my continued recommendation to pay attention and to eat without distraction, holds true.  Mindful eating supports eating less and is much easier when we are making smart nutritional choices and are being physically active.  All of these behaviors support one another beautifully and you feel SO MUCH better when you get in the rhythm of living this way-without all of the worry, counting, deprivation, and struggle!!  Jane Brody's most recent column does a good job of describing these changes in more detail.  I disagree with only a few of her recommendations.  What do you think?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/health/15brody.html?_r=1&nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb3

Our bodies have been letting us know that chocolate feels so good!  Science continues to explain how cacao seeds (the source of chocolate) nourish us and provide us with health-supportive nutrients.  Our bodies can be trusted to lead us to healthy choices. "...chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and contains more polyphenols and flavanols than fruit juice.  Cacao seeds are a "Super Fruit" providing nutritive value beyond that of their macronutrient composition." Which is great news for chocolate lovers."

Dark Chocolate, containing 70% or more Cocoa, offers the greatest health support.  The addition of sugar confuses our bodies and makes it difficult for us to self regulate, so milk chocolate is a more challenging choice.  Dark Chocolate, we love you!!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110207073748.htm

I am reeling with the attention that food in our daily lives is receiving from so many angles!!  When a professional model turns yogi  and food guru, I have to take notice and scratch my head.  AND I agree with him (well with some of what he has to say)!!!  We share the work of finding a way out of the twisted house of mirrors we continue to build with food and body size and get back to listening to our bodies and enjoying food (at least, that is part of what he is working to do).  Still scratching my head though.....

DISCLAIMER:  I DISAGREE WITH HIS RECOMMENDATION TO FAST!


 “You’ll enjoy it more if you eat slow,” he offered. “And then you’ll see: you won’t eat even half as much as you usually eat.”
It sounded like a lot of work. Doesn’t such an intensity of dietary awareness prevent him from just enjoying food?
“Food has now become a burden to us,” he said. “A lot of people don’t look forward to life anymore. They just look forward to food. People tell me, ‘But I love food.’ And I tell them, ‘You can’t love something that owns you.’ ”      


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/dining/09yogi.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

One of the toughest truths about being is a parent is that you cannot protect your children from so many things.  Eating Disorders is one of them. 


"...urges parents to follow their gut instincts.  Too often physicians tell parents that it may be just a phase, that they should wait and see what happens," says Le Grange, who likens this to an oncologist who ignores the earliest signs of cancer. "Parents are nine times out of 10 spot on in their thinking that something is amiss. The sooner you recognize and diagnose the disorder the better the chances of recovery," Le Grange says. "


Here are 5 signs your child may be at risk.


1. Weight loss or lack of expected gain.

"Dermatologists are advising parents of infants and young children affected by this common skin condition to be aware of the potential for future food allergies.

Typically, a food allergy occurs rapidly (within 30 minutes from the time a person is exposed to the food), with skin symptoms such as hives and itching of the lips. More severe reactions may include respiratory, gastro-intestinal or anaphylaxis problems that could be potentially very dangerous."

There are new guidelines for diagnosing food allergies and new research re: prevention of food allergies.  If you are a parent with concerns about your child developing food allergies, this article may help shed some light on the topic.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110205140828.htm

Scroll down for this wonderful recipe just in time for Valentine's Day from the Splendid Table:




Lover's Figs in Honeyed Wine with Mascarpone
http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=1171789&mlid=499&siteid=20130&uid=536e806efb

New parents tend to look to health care professionals for answers to questions about what to feed their children.  I believe that we are all born with finely tuned, and precisely accurate, appetite regulation systems that let you know when to eat and when to stop eating.  ( I know this is an unconventional viewpoint, but I refer you to Ellyn Satter's How to Feed Your Kid, But Not Too Much if you would like to learn more!).  But parents, and others in a child's life, tend to get involved and sometimes create a disconnect between the child's appetite and what a child actually eats rather than supporting the child in trusting their body.

Parents cannot determine the number of ounces a child is receiving when a child is breastfed, allowing the parent to follow the child's lead.  This research supports that children who are breastfed, rather than formula fed, have a decreased risk of becoming obese.  Those who are not introduced to solid foods too early (before 4, preferably 6, months) also have a decreased risk.  Support your children in trusting themselves.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/07/us-starting-risk-idUSTRE7161C220110207

I know you already sense this to be true, but playing outside does a mind (and body) good, more than indoor exercise, so says science.  Again, science confirms and affirms our intuition.  I love it when that happens!  The sun is shining today and spring is around the corner, so Go Play Outside!!

"...exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalisation, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.

Our research, which brings together data from a wide variety of sources, adds significant weight to the case for spending more time in the natural environment as members of the public and their clinicians fight to counteract the negative outcomes of modern living, such as obesity and depression."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110204130607.htm

With our renewed interest in eating less meat, I receive almost daily requests for recipes using tofu.  Here are quite a few ideas to get you started.  Bon Appetit!!

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/tofu/index.html

I confess that I am always keeping an eye on both the research re: coffee (as I am a true addict) and good news about food in general.  Giving yourself permission to enjoy good food (and good coffee) AND being smart about your choices is a tough balance to strike.  So here is some good news to add to your (coffee) pot!

"Lead author Yazheng Liu and co-author Prof. David Kitts found that the prevailing antioxidants present in dark roasted coffee brew extracts result from the green beans being browned under high temperatures.  Antioxidants aid in removing free radicals, the end products of metabolism which have been linked to the aging process."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110202132607.htm

Powerful story about a chef working with teenagers to learn about food farm-to-fork.

"These kids feared food. Not only are they disconnected from it, they fear it," Garcia observed one Friday. "They have few reference points to describe their culinary experiences."

But slowly, they came around. And one warm evening last week, Garcia gave seven of them their graduation present: a sophisticated, eye-opening taste of the meaning of farm to table.

They arrived at sunset, shy but game..."

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-fig-garcia-20110203,0,7920606.story

• End subsidies to processed food
• Begin subsidies for small farmers who sell actual food for direct consumption
• Break up the bureaucracies at the USDA and the FDA
• Ban factory-farm style animal feeding
• Encourage and subsidize home cooking
• Institute a junk food sales and marketing tax
• Encourage recycling while reducing waste
• Require truth in labeling
• Invest in sustainable agriculture research

Research continues to support that deficiencies in Omega-3 fatty acids in our diets can result in mood disturbances.  This study gives us another piece to this puzzle.

Bottom Line:  "In conclusion, the authors estimate that their results provide the first biological components of an explanation for the observed correlation between omega-3 poor diets, which are very widespread in the industrialized world, and mood disorders such as depression."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110130194143.htm

This is a great post from a mother about responding to her daughter's weight.  This is such a complicated and emotionally uncomfortable topic.  I am always thrilled when I find a healthy response to the question:  What do I do if I think my child is overweight?

http://www.beautifulyoubyjulie.com/2011/01/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-child-is.html

"We should focus on our health, not size or weight. If it was a show about "Let's be healthy," it probably wouldn't have as many viewers, but it would at least be sending a positive message to viewers.

Diets are multibillion-dollar marketing campaigns that people buy into. I believe it's about a lifestyle change, not a diet. Since 95% of the people who diet will regain their weight within five years, this TV dieting is just setting people up for failure."

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-weight-loss-reality-shows-20110131,0,1018771.story

I am always searching for little ways to create a supportive environment for developing the skill of mindful eating.  Today's radio show On Being was an interview with Jon Kabat-Zinn, which was powerful and "spot on".  Along with this, the website for the show provided a poem which describes the goal of mindful eating, which is so difficult to articulate, and a bell sound meditation which you can download and use as a guided meditation.  I hope that you find these resources as rich and helpful as I do.

http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/opening-to-our-lives/poem_walcott-loveafterlove.shtml#loveafterlove

http://blog.onbeing.org/post/724957186/bell-sound-meditation-shubha-bala-associate

"In 2007, Neumark-Sztainer's study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior indicated that teens in families that watched TV while eating together had a lower-quality diet than children of families that turned off the tube while eating together. Teens watching television ate fewer vegetables, calcium-rich food and grains; they also consumed more soft drinks than their peers who ate meals without the TV on.
And a 2010 study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition showed that school kids who spent prolonged hours in front of television tend to be overweight or obese. A national sample of adolescents indicated that 64 percent of 11- to 18-year-olds had the TV on during meals.
One reason for the weight gain, Burley says, is that people tend to eat more slowly -- and consume less food -- when they are not glued to the tube."



Bottom Line:
If we turn the TV off, he added, "we can engage others and pay attention to our food. It gets closer to what we all claim our values to be."

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_108193.html

I don't want to waste one more minute of your time.  Move on and read this powerful and moving post by a mother writing to her daughter's ED...

http://www.medicinalmarzipan.com/2011/01/20/impact-disordered-eating-families-friends/

Great Diane Rehm show today with author Peggy Orenstein of Cinderella Ate My Daughter.


"The dark side of pretty and pink: how choices we make for our toddlers can influence their teenage years and beyond."

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-01-27/peggy-orenstein-cinderella-ate-my-daughter

 The new commentary in JAMA may serve as a warning shot across the bow of the energy drink sector.
“More research that can guide actions of regulatory agencies is needed,” write Arria and O’Brien. “Until results from such research are available, the following should be seriously considered: health care professionals should inform their patients of the risks associated with the use of highly caffeinated energy drinks; the public should educate themselves about the risks of energy drink use, in particular the danger associated with mixing energy drinks and alcohol; and the alcohol and energy drink industries should voluntarily and actively caution consumers against mixing energy drinks with alcohol, both on their product labels and in their advertising materials.”


http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Industry/Energy-drinks-threat-to-public-health-JAMA-commentary

The popularity of the gluten-free diet is hard to resist.  It is so easy to be persuaded by nutrition fads when you are trying to reach your peak performance or manage your weight.  In the case of going gluten-free, it is not recommended for everybody-far from it!

"...there is no evidence whatsoever that gluten-free eating offers any performance benefits over a balanced diet that contains gluten. "The theory that removing wheat from your diet is going to ease inflammation and digestion and speed exercise recovery just doesn't hold up..."

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-301--13683-0,00.html

I just love it when the science catches up with my kitchen table wisdom!!  More research supporting the truth that continuing to make strict and uncomfortable changes with "diets" and "exercise" creates more problems.  Developing an individualized plan to make attainable, sustainable changes in behaviors that support a healthier lifestyle (mindfully eating satisfying foods and creating more play every day!!) proves most effective over time!  YES!!!

"Concern has arisen that this weight focus is not only ineffective at producing thinner, healthier bodies, but may also have unintended consequences, contributing to food and body preoccupation, repeated cycles of weight loss and regain, distraction from other personal health goals and wider health determinants, reduced self-esteem, eating disorders, other health decrement, and weight stigmatization and discrimination. "

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/10/1/9

Research has found that yoga can help people who are dealing with health problems as wide-ranging as back pain, chronic headaches, sleeplessness, obesity, neck aches, upset stomach, anxiety, depression and high blood pressure, said Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an associate neuroscientist in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
The health benefits mainly stem from yoga's focus on the connection between mind and body, Khalsa said.
"The best evidence really shows that yoga is good at reducing stress and helping people cope with the stress they have," he said. "It improves management of stress both psychologically and physiologically."


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_107974.html

The FDA has been discussing changing food labels to help consumers make healthier choices, but some in the food industry are not waiting for new FDA food labeling guidelines.  Consumers need to be aware of possible confusion with these changes.  Read on...

"Starting in the next few months, the front of many food packages will prominently display important nutrition information, including calorie, fat and sugar content. The industrywide program was announced Monday by food makers and grocers. "      

The  administration concluded that “in the end, the label was going to be confusing, because those things would be included out of context, and it could make unhealthy foods appear like they had some redeeming quality,” said an official who was not authorized to discuss the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. For example, the official said, “ice cream would be deemed healthy because it would have calcium in it.”        

David A. Kessler, a former F.D.A. commissioner, said the industry should wait for the government to set labeling rules. “What the industry is proposing can make something look healthier than it really is,” he said.      

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/business/25label.html?_r=1&ref=business

I'm pinching myself!!  Great News for our health and for our planet!


"It's easy for health advocates to call for change," says Sid Lerner, founder and chairman of Meatless Monday, "but it's a lot more meaningful when the Sodexo's and Walmart's of the world do so -- when there's real business on the line."
Sodexo intends to keep its Meatless Monday program fresh by sending out new tool kits to its client reps every 4 months. These will include newly created recipes, promo materials and educational background. It also hopes to launch other fitness and health programs created by The Monday Campaigns.
Whether it's about encouraging health and wellness, or simply selling products according to USA Today's top marketing trends for 2011, Meatless Monday is on the cusp of an extraordinary year of growth. It's thanks to institutions both big and small that people around the country are adopting this simple message of moderation and choice for their health and the health of the planet.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-elam/sodexo-meatless-monday_b_812889.html

Love this powerful blog about letting our daughters know how much we value them, not what they look like.  I believe this is just as protective and powerful for our boys to hear from us!!

http://www.eatingdisordersblogs.com/nutrition/2011/01/aaron-sorkin-to-his-daughter-smart-girls-have-more-fun.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2FGurze%2Fnutrition+%28nutrition%29

Developing the skills needed to cope with stress offers a great support to your ability to make healthy food choices and manage your weight.  Most of us eat more than we need and exercise less when we are under stress.  My clients are much more successful in making smart food choices when they are learning healthy ways to cope with stress !!


"Participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.
Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110121144007.htm

The government's U.S. Food Environment Atlas website mapping tool has been updated to include 168 searchable criteria. The site lets users compare U.S. counties to see how many fast-food restaurants are in a given area, how many children qualify for free school lunch and what was eaten by people in any one county over the course of a year

http://www.ers.usda.gov/FoodAtlas/

"... this is an extremely important question as concern about weight gain is one of the main reasons why women may avoid or discontinue birth control, which in turn places them at greater risk for an unplanned pregnancy."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110119141901.htm

Just in case you were wondering what to expect when you see a Registered Dietitian:


"New experiences are often a source for anxiety, but don’t let your being a first-timer stop you from seeing the dietitian. Use these tips to help get the most out of visits.
So what’s it like? Consider a visit to the dietitian as the mid-point between seeing the doctor and seeing a therapist. A dietitian will assess many things about you, here is a rough sketch":

"... because Wal-Mart sells more groceries than any other company in the country, and because it is such a large purchaser of foods produced by national suppliers, nutrition experts say the changes could have a big impact on the affordability of healthy food and the health of American families and children.  "
 "A range of studies has shown that low-income people, especially those who receive food stamps, face special dietary challenges because eating healthy costs more and healthier food is harder to get in their neighborhoods. James D. Weill, president of Food Research and Action Center, an organization that has been pressing Wal-Mart to help tackle this problem, said the company seemed to have recognized “how much hunger and food insecurity there is in the country.”
Mr. Dach said the lower prices and food reformulations were motivated by the demands of Wal-Mart’s own customers. He said the company believed that, if it was successful, the price reductions would save Americans who shop at Wal-Mart approximately $1 billion a year on fresh fruits and vegetables alone.
“Our customers have always told us, ’We don’t understand why whole wheat macaroni and cheese costs more than regular macaroni and cheese,’ ” Mr. Dach said, adding, “We’ve always said that we don’t think the Wal-Mart shopper should have to choose between a product that is healthier for them and what they can afford.”    

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/business/20walmart.html?_r=1&hp

So many of the messages that we receive about food are negative, that I think we just stop listening or stay focused on what's wrong with our food.  It is a welcome relief to hear good news about the support, pleasure and nourishment offered by food!

"The Mediterranean diet — heavy on vegetables, fish and olive oil, with moderate amounts of wine — may be associated with slower rates of mental decline in the elderly."      

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/health/research/18aging.html?nl=health&emc=healthupdateema6

If you are curious about cooking with tempeh as a way to eat less meat, this recipe would be a great place to start!
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11155?utm_source=Vegetarian&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=Vegetarian

'if you yearn for the rippled look of "six-pack" abs, consider what you may sacrifice to obtain it: That look might cost you flexibility and freedom of movement. Overdoing abs exercises can lead to a flattening of the lumbar curve, creating a weakened spinal structure. "We're even beginning to see hunchback conditions because of excessive abdominal crunches," claims biomechanics and kinesiology specialist Michael Yessis, Ph.D., author of Kinesiology of Exercise (Masters Press, 1992).

Society's obsession with flat tummies has psychological consequences too. "We want to control our feelings, so we make our bellies hard, trying to 'keep it together,'" says yoga teacher and physical therapist Judith Lasater, Ph.D., author of Living Your Yoga (Rodmell Press, 2000). Soft bellies appear vulnerable; abs of steel don't.


Our center of gravity lies just below the navel, a spot many yoga teachers call the "power center." The source of our vitality, the abdomen is a sacred space in our bodies, so we would do well to shift from criticizing how it looks to respecting how it feels."  

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/168?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight

"That is why I believe the most important and the most powerful tool you have to change your health and the world is your fork. Imagine an experiment -- let's call it a celebration: We call upon the people of the world to join together and celebrate food for one week. For one week or even one day, we all eat breakfast and dinner at home with our families or friends. For one week we all eat only real, whole, fresh food. Imagine for a moment the power of the fork to change the world.
The extraordinary thing is that we have the ability to move large corporations and create social change by our collective choices. We can reclaim the family dinner, reviving and renewing it. Doing so will help us learn how to find and prepare real food quickly and simply, teach our children by example how to connect, build security, safety and social skills, meal after meal, day after day, year after year."http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/family-dinner-how_b_806114.html

This is a powerful resource that you will want to keep handy as you work to challenge the constant message that there is something not quite good enough about you!  Here are links to this year's winners and those who were short-listed for the Body Image awards in the following categories:

-Best Body Image Bloggers
-Best Body Image Website
-Best Body Positive TV Show, Movie, or Documentary
-Best Body Positive Book or Magazine
-Most Body Positive Ad Campaign
-Best Body Image Post or Article
-Best Body Image Boosting Organization
-Most Body Loving Company
-Best Body Positive Photo or Image
-Most Body Positive Celebrity

http://www.nourishing-the-soul.com/nourishing-body-image-awards/

 "If the agency bases its decision on science rather than sympathy, however, it will reject the recommendation — because there is no research proving that a lap band provides slightly obese patients with long-term health benefits that are greater than its risks."



"But what matters for most patients is whether a lap band is more effective than diet and exercise for years and years after the surgery — and unfortunately we don’t know if it is."

""Under the proposed change, lap bands would be approved, for example, for a 5-foot-6-inch woman weighing 186 pounds (a body mass index of 30) who does not have diabetes or heart disease but does have joint pain that might be relieved by weight loss. Under the current rules, this woman could get a lap band only if she was willing to pay $12,000 to $30,000 for the 30-minute surgery. Because the procedure does not have F.D.A. approval, insurance plans and Medicare usually do not cover it. "
     
"The F.D.A.’s job is to make sure that the lap band is safe and effective, but it cannot do this without long-term data on a more diverse group of patients. Moreover, if the F.D.A. approves the lap band for people who are only 30 or 40 pounds overweight, taxpayers may soon be paying billions of Medicare dollars for these procedures, and for fixing the potential complications. Health insurance companies would be pressured to follow Medicare’s lead, which could add to the cost of insurance for all of us."    

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/opinion/12zuckerman.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212

In our culture, the barrage of plastic and "barbiesque" images  is constant.  Do we even know what real bodies look like anymore?  No!  Have we internalized this definition of beauty ideal?  Yes!  Do we believe that our bodies should look like the ideal or we are not OK?  Yes!

If you would like to push against this and find a place to snuggle up with nourishing words and images, here you go:
http://www.nourishing-the-soul.com/

"As a concerned parent pay attention to the messages you are communicating to your kids. If you're unhappy with your weight make sure that you don't model body image dissatisfaction to your child. Kids don't need to hear about mom or dad's continuing struggles with diets and weight loss. Regardless of your weight, let your child hear you express satisfaction with some aspect of your own appearance, even if it's only a new haircut or article of clothing.
Help your child make healthy food choices and encourage her to be more active. Let him see you enjoying a physical activity, even if it's only walking around the block. Focusing on healthy eating and physical activity rather than diets and weight loss will help your child achieve a healthy weight without increasing the risk of an eating disorder."



http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/its-not-just-baby-fat/201101/is-the-campaign-against-juvenile-obesity-responsible-the-increase-?goback=.gmp_1806863.gde_1806863_member_39696602

The Eating Attitude Test (EAT) is a well respected screening tool that you might want to use if you are wondering if you have crossed over that very fuzzy line between trying to eat "healthily" and disordered eating.

http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/eat.htm

This is the question of the day!  With both obesity and eating disorders on the rise, what is "normaI" eating?  I have only run across one definition in the writings of Ellyn Satter from very early in my career and this author cites the very same.  It still rings true for me.   See what you think about it:

• Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.
• Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
• It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.
• Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.
• Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life

"We perceive our own bodies in many different ways. We can look at our bodies, feel touch on our bodies, and also feel our body from within, such as when we experience our hearts racing or butterflies in our stomachs. It seems that a stable perception of the body from the outside, what is known as "body image," is partly based on our ability to accurately perceive our body from within, such as our heartbeat."

Could it be that the disconnection from our bodies that comes with our distracted, busied way of living creates fertile ground for body dysmorphia?  Try this:  Find a quite place, close your eyes, place one hand over your heart and the other on your belly (eek!), and breathe deeply from your belly for 5 minutes or go for a walk, ask for a hug, or rub your sweetie's shoulders.  These little moments of intentionally connecting with your body may help.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110105071151.htm