Body In Mind Nutrition

"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

There is growing evidence supporting the essential nature of developing the skill of mindfulness in order to develop lasting changes in eating habits.  The dogma of dieting is clearly being questioned.  The work of becoming aware of your own eating habits and developing the skill of mindful eating is a much greater challenge than following a diet.  But the lasting effect of your efforts makes it worthwhile, life changing, and I would even say, life SAVING!!


" to help individuals cultivate awareness of both internal and external triggers to eating, interrupt dysfunctional cycles of binging, self-recrimination and over-restraint, and re-engage the natural physiological processes of eating regulation. Furthermore, the program emphasizes the pleasure and nurturing aspects of eating, while encouraging healthier patterns of food choice, in terms of both types and amount of food eaten. MB-EAT is further designed to do so in a way that is effective in internalizing and maintaining change.“

http://www.drsharma.ca/mindfulness-training-and-meditation-to-combat-obesity.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+AryaSharma+%28Arya+M.+Sharma,+MD%29

If you are a teenage girl, the values of the world you walk around in, and certainly the values of your friends, influence your risk for developing an eating disorder.  I think this is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  From where I sit, this is not just true for teenage girls-they were simply the subjects for this study.

"It appeared that changing attitudes within a group that had been exposed to television were a more powerful factor than actually watching the programs themselves. In fact, higher peer media exposure were linked to a 60 percent increase in a girl's odds of having a high level of eating disorder symptoms, independently of her own viewing."

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-01-secondhand-television-exposure-linked-disorders.html

  For all of you that are trying to Diet, see if this sounds familiar?

Researchers have shown that dieting sensitizes the brain to stress, which in turn, prompts cravings for treats. These brain changes last long after the diet is over. (They become genetic.) And they entice even healthy individuals to binge -- and ultimately gain or regain weight.

http://www.eatingdisordersblogs.com/ed_science_stuff/

If you haven't heard about how serious the problem of our kids become more and more sedentary and overweight, you must be living under a very big rock.  We have a problem, we know, we know.  But do we have any idea what to do about it?  This author has a great idea about the importance of mobilizing our efforts behind a relatively simple (and positive!) idea-eat your vegetables!!

"As an agriculturist and horticulturist, I believe that the answer is simple. As parents, educators, nutritionists and marketers, we have to imbue our children with the love of—and consumption of—the most beneficial food for growing bodies. This means fresh vegetables and fruits, whether store-bought or home-grown."

"Yet no single institution is sufficient; fighting a problem of this sort requires a multifaceted effort. Churches could do much more to inspire families to grow vegetables. Public and private botanical and community gardening groups should augment efforts to lure neighbors into their educational demonstration gardens. Most families, whether in the city or suburbs, can plant at least a "starter garden"—involving pre-teen children in the planting, tending and harvesting. "

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704774604576035211826290534-lMyQjAxMTAxMDAwNTEwNDUyWj.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVOj2hrWcpc

First, take a deep breath and ask yourself "Am I hungry or am I craving something?".  In order to become more comfortable with your eating, it is essential to know the difference.  The first step is waking up and getting to know yourself.  If you are craving something, there are several paths to choose from.  This article describes research about taking a short walk to handle your cravings-see what you think.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/health/04really.html?_r=1&ref=science

 Register for Eating with Your Body in Mind Course to experience the powerful combination of Mindful Eating Strategies, Smart Nutrition, and Yoga to start your 2011 with fewer distractions!!!

http://www.bodyinmindnutrition.com/services/workshops.php

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/01/132443631/year-in-dieting-distraction-noise-cause-overeating&sc=fb&cc=fp