Body In Mind Nutrition

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

"What happened in eating is that no matter how much people give you to eat, you'll eat the whole thing," Ariely says. "So it's really a question of how much you start with. Because we've also tested this — we looked at what people end up with and how much they throw away. People eat everything you give them. But if you give people a mechanism to limit what they're going to have for food later on, people actually eat less as a consequence."

Research is showing that the effort to educate us about the calories in our food does NOT alter our food choices.  In particular, that we tend to eat all of the food we are served, regardless of the nutrition information. Could it be that the great majority are not aware of the body's sensations of satiety and continue eating all of the food served (and paid for!) even when it is too much?  This research discusses the fact that people may choose to eat fewer calories when they are given choices about altering the calorie content of what they eat by choosing a different side item.  Maybe taking a few seconds to consider another choice helps to increase our awareness just enough.
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/28/132413126/oh-that-hamburger-is-900-calories-yes-please?sc=fb&cc=fp

 An interesting book about the role of genetics and diet/weight- finally.


"... studies report group outcomes. Every plan has its own rare, shining success stories as well. Sometime, a diet just clicks.  Perhaps the remarkable diversity of the human organism — whose various sizes and shapes (double chins, giant thighs and all) are so clearly driven by such a vast array of different appetites and genetic cues — simply means that it is foolish to expect a single diet to serve all comers.
There. A proposal to end the war, just in time for the new year. "     


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/28zuger.html?ref=science

"The cost of not treating is astronomical, both in human suffering and medical problems," said Dr. Murray Zucker, a medical director with OptumHealth, the care management arm of UnitedHealth Group. "From a cost-effectiveness standpoint, it makes sense to treat eating disorders as quickly as possible and in as efficacious a way as possible."

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/112457489.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUoD3aPc:_2yc:a_ncyD_MDCiU

"Support for Contrave is less about how good this particular drug combination is (it's modestly effective and has some toxicity), and more about how bad the overall state of pharmacotherapy for weight management is," said David L. Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. "The FDA committee's decision can be justified by invoking the 'any port in a storm!' clause."

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Obesity/24049

"And I bet it’s time for you to update that ol’ workout playlist. “Best” Workout Songs of course, is a matter of taste, but the following songs are guaranteed to get your body moving (even though they don’t include The Suckers’ wonderful, non-exercise-related song by that name.) And if you don’t exercise, just think of all this great music as reason to get up offa that thing."

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2010/04/the-80-best-workout-songs.html

I recently had a conversation with a friend about the many merits of eating sardines, which, is an acquired taste in my opinion.  But the list is quite long, and sardines are a nutritional powerhouse!  So I did a little research about exactly how I might begin the adventure of cooking sardines.  I came across this video and thought you might be encouraged to join me.  (I have received no financial support from any fishing industry and neither has any member of my family-rest assured).



http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/12/24/dining/1248069379379/broiled-sardines-with-lemon-and-thyme.html?scp=1&sq=sardines&st=cse

"A food-drug interaction is the alteration of a drug’s pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics when certain foods or beverages are consumed at the same time. Older patients are particularly at risk for negative food and drug interactions simply because this population takes more than 30% of all prescription drugs.1 Patients with cancer and/or malnutrition, gastrointestinal tract dysfunction, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; patients receiving enteral nutrition; and transplant recipients are also at risk."

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/121610p26.shtml

I have struggled with my reaction to "The Biggest Loser" (along with other TV shows about body size), but my strongest reaction is to the seductive quality of the magical transformation that we see in the contestants.  My experience is that changing habits that result in permanent weight loss requires SUSTAINABLE changes in our eating and activity patterns.  Fast weight loss is fun to watch on TV, but weight loss that is for keeps requires a very different approach.

"My concern is that such shows not only establish unrealistic expectations but could promote unhealthy, potentially risky, behaviors from viewers attempting to emulate these spectacular results (see Chart at link below). In the article, "Is "The Biggest Loser" Really a Big Winner or Just a Big Loser?" Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado at Denver states that such entertainment is "...trivializing the complex genetic and environmental influences on our behavior and weight."

http://scienceblogs.com/deanscorner/2010/12/_nbcs_biggest_loser_has.php

The debate continues about when a gluten-free diet is recommended for the treatment of Celiac Disease.

"Our results demonstrate that metabolic alterations may precede the development of small intestinal villous atrophy and provide a further rationale for early institution of gluten-free diet in patients with potential celiac disease, as recently suggested by prospective clinical studies," the scientists conclude.



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101215121916.htm

You do know that Ronald McDonald is THE most recognizable figure to our children.  The debate starts to get interesting when you throw in the concepts of personal responsibility and parenting.

"Parents are responsible for their children’s diet. And they certainly could do a better job: almost 17 percent of American children are obese, three times as many as in the 1970s. But it would be easier for parents to do their job if they didn’t have to push back against the relentless tide of marketing aimed at their children."      

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/opinion/20mon4.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a211

No matter what the distraction, listening to a story, watching TV, computer tasks, reading the newspaper, you name it, you will find yourself less satisfied when you eat while doing other things.  Usually, this leads to eating more.  When you are not present to really savor your food as you are eating it, you may find yourself craving more.  The research has been done on meals eaten in front of the television.  Now we have research re: snacking in front of the computer.

I know the issue for many is the feeling of not having the time to stop and allow yourself the time for lunch or a snack unless you continue to work while you eat.  You and your health are worth the investment!  Start small and commit to one meal or snack a day where you sit and enjoy your food without distraction.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106761.html

"Overall this study illustrates an important principle: that what is genetically advantageous in one cultural or historic context may not be in another. In fact, Montminy does not view obesity as an aberration or a "disease." "Storing fat in adipose tissue is a normal response. A lot people are obese but do not develop type 2 diabetes," he says, suggesting that genes like CRTC3 could serve as diagnostic tools as well as drug targets. "A goal is to go to your doc and learn whether you have the risk factors to progress to diabetes."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101215133310.htm

I am not one to recommend avoidance, but protecting yourself and your kids is something I do recommend.
"My thoughts? This isn't a movie I'll be going to, nor will I be taking my daughters. Why add one more trigger?"

Don't even say the word Exercise!  Find ways to play and move that you look forward to so you will make it a part of your day.  Try to create an activity that you "want to" do instead of feel like you "have to".  

"The most important thing is to find activities that you like, that you can do, and that you can stick to over time," Hankinson told MyHealthNewsDaily. "Maintaining activity is really the key."




http://www.livescience.com/health/exercise-maintain-weight-101214.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+livescience%2Fhealthscitech+%28LiveScience.com+Health+SciTech%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/can-foods-trigger-migraines/?nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb6

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/health/research/14hazards.html?ref=nutrition

I continue to be fascinated with the compelling research about how our brain changes when we overeat and then become accustomed to overeating.   This particular research is especially interesting because it also addresses how overeating affects children at risk of obesity.

"What that suggests, the researchers said, is that the caudate response decreases as a result of overeating through the lifespan.
"The decrease in caudate response doesn't precede weight gain, it follows it," Small said. "That suggests the decreased caudate response is a consequence, rather than a cause, of overeating."


"One of the primary culprits behind obesity, she said, is the constant availability of "excessively rewarding food" that, when eaten often, may alter the brain's reward system.
"It's increasingly being recognized that the brain itself plays a fundamental role in obesity and overeating," Volkow said."


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106525.html

This is amazing work done by a talented group of passionate animators here in Winston-Salem, NC- Out of Our Minds Animation Studios.  Please check it out and pass it on!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SZjtmjnnpU

"Food cravings are a complex mix of physiological, psychological, environmental and hormonal aspects," Heller added.



Maybe visualizing yourself eating a specific food allows you to become more mindful and intentional when you actually eat it!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106480.html

Remaining committed to taking care of yourself through the Holiday Crazies can help you remain mindful in your eating and prevent overeating.

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/516?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight

"This is likely because young people's eating patterns are influenced by many complex factors, and the family environment plays only a partial role. More attention should be given to the influence of the other players on children's eating patterns such as that of schools, the local food environment and peer influence, government guidelines and policies that regulate school meals, and the broader food environment that is influenced by food production, distribution and advertising." He added, "Parents need to be better empowered to be good role models and help their children eat a healthy diet."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101208142257.htm

"A recent study found that 95% of non-eating disordered women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box!!!"
http://www.mybodygallery.com/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/changing_mealtimes_120610.html

"Vitamin D boosts immunity by stimulating production of cathelicidin, an antimicrobial protein that serves as a "natural antibiotic" in the body, says Michael Zasloff, a professor of surgery and pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
But so far studies looking directly at whether higher vitamin D levels help prevent upper respiratory infections have had mixed results."


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704156304576003531437073192.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

If you realize that you are eating because you are feeling stressed out, allowing yourself a few minutes to take a deep breath can break the cycle of overeating.



"rapid breathing is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. It's part of the "fight or flight" response — the part activated by stress.
In contrast, slow, deep breathing actually stimulates the opposing parasympathetic reaction — the one that calms us down"

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever&sc=fb&cc=fp

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/nyregion/04watchers.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a29

"In a new study, children who ate the most vegetables and fruits had significantly healthier arteries as adults than children who ate the fewest.  Here are 10 tips to encourage your children to eat more vegetables and fruits. "

1. Make fruit and vegetable shopping fun!
2. Involve kids in meal prep.
3. Be a role model
4. Create fun snacks
5. Give kids choices — within limits
6. Eat together as a family
7. Expect pushback
8. Grow it
9. Covert operations
10. Be patient

"An advisory committee to the FDA will consider on Friday a request by a pharmaceutical company, to significantly lower how obese someone must be to qualify for surgery using the company’s Lap-Band device, which restricts intake to the stomach.

... still leaves some people uneasy, in part because of side effects and failure rates. In addition, long-term weight reduction is hard to maintain.
“You’re talking about millions and millions of people who would meet these criteria,” said Dr. George Blackburn, associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School. “Let’s make sure by the most rigorous research that this is safe and effective.”

“It would be kind of ironic if people have access to surgery and not medical therapies, where they can go from Weight Watchers to surgery and have nothing in-between,” said Dr. Louis J. Aronne, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medical College."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/business/02obese.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&adxnnl=1&emc=a25&adxnnlx=1291295148-RvWZEvjiccKgSP3FbEl/5A

"These results suggest that dieting not only increases stress, making successful dieting more difficult, but that it may actually 'reprogram' how the brain responds to future stress and emotional drives for food," said study co-author Tracy Bale of the University of Pennsylvania, in a news release."                                                                                                  

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-yo-yo-diet-20101130,0,4227680.story

From the very first client that I saw when I started to practice in 1986, there has been an ongoing conversation in my office about the possibility of being "addicted" to certain foods, primarily foods high in sugar.  This conversation continues, but is becoming louder in the scientific community.  This article is a must read if you sometimes feel as if you are addicted to food.

"DiLeone, the Yale researcher, says it's still not clear how far the food-drug comparison holds up, especially in people.
"There's an ongoing argument in my field whether food is addictive or not," he says. "But whether it's addictive or not, there's probably components that are similar to addiction."
That means it makes sense to focus on eating behavior early in life, when the brain is adapting to a particular environment. It also probably makes sense to take approaches used to treat addiction and adapt them to overeating," DiLeone says."

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/01/131698228/overeating-like-drug-use-rewards-and-alters-brain?sc=fb&cc=fp

Latest report recommends taking Calcium and Vitamin D supplements with caution:  "The 14-member expert committee was convened by the Institute of Medicine, an independent nonprofit scientific body, at the request of the United States and Canadian governments. It was asked to examine the available data — nearly 1,000 publications — to determine how much vitamin D and calcium people were getting, how much was needed for optimal health and how much was too much. "      

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/health/30vitamin.html?_r=1&nl=health&emc=healthupdateema2

In reaction to pediatric obesity, my concern is that we have become unbalanced in the way we talk to our children about what they eat and their bodies.  There is no denying that pediatric obesity is a very real problem.  However, it is also becoming very clear that eating disorders in our children is also a real problem.  "Among children younger than 12 with eating disorders, hospitalizations surged 119 percent between 1999 and 2006. That's according to government data contained in an American Academy of Pediatrics report released online Monday."

Learning how to talk to your children about what, and how much, they eat can be a challenging task, especially if you have your own eating issues and concerns.  As a parent, it is your responsibility to provide your children with a variety of healthy foods with SOME treats, encourage and model an active lifestyle, and to limit the time your child spends in front of the computer and television. It is also your responsibility to educate yourself about what you can do to protect your child from developing an eating disorder.  However well intended and loving you are re: your child's weight, please be aware of going too far in controlling your child's eating and weight.  Powerful messages from our culture at large and your child's own social circle contributes to your child's perceptions as well.  Educate yourself about the warning signs of an eating disorder and seek professional help sooner rather than later.  Please see the resources section of my website for more information.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gTIKgGZ4OnwM1A4w6xa4BEG_Pjcw?docId=4d513ceeeef44c9ea9bc5163adacf708

A large scale study supports the recommendation to include more protein in your diet if you want to manage your weight.  I continue to caution against simplifying these types of recommendations.  Where the protein comes from will continue to make a big difference in supporting your health.  Plant-based proteins, such as nuts, seeds, soybeans, etc. have additional health supportive components.  The most powerful piece of this puzzle continues to be the level of satiety we all feel when we include protein in our meals and snacks.  The feeling of satisfaction that your body experiences prevents overeating and the cravings that can result in overeating.    Include smart protein choices in every meal and snack if possible!!

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/209291.php

"the richest Americans can afford to buy berries out of season at Whole Foods—the upscale grocery chain that recently reported a 58 percent increase in its quarterly profits—while the food insecure often eat what they can: highly caloric, mass-produced foods like pizza and packaged cakes that fill them up quickly. "

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/22/what-food-says-about-class-in-america.html#

This is another perspective to add to the conversation about how to feed your kids.  Do you shoot for what you know they will eat and is convenient or do you continue to challenge their evolving palates?  "I read somewhere that children who reject foods on first sight will be more willing to taste those foods the 3rd or 5th or 10th time they loom over the edge of the dinner table. This is the guiding principle behind Dad’s Weird Suppers."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/magazine/21food-t-000.html?ref=magazine

The most recent information on how a low-fat "diet" may increase the risk for heart disease contributes to the confusion about smart food choices.  Walter Willett, M.D. -He added that while the pervasive dietary guidance given to consumers has been to eat fats sparingly, to load up on starch and eat non-fat products, “the food industry quickly realized sugar was cheaper than fat and laughed all the way to the bank.”


Bottom Line:  the oversimplified message of "low-fat" rather then smart fat has lead to an increase in the consumption of carbohydrates, and in some cases, more refined carbohydrates.  A heart healthy diet includes heart healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats from nuts, seeds and olive oil.

http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/11/17/10-tips-for-a-sustainable-thanksgiving?fb_js_fbu=757915220

The often overlooked connection between celiac disease and other autoimmune diseases:  "As previously discussed, when individuals with celiac disease follow a gluten-free diet, their anti-tTG levels return to normal. A growing amount of research suggests that when people with celiac disease and ATD adopt a gluten-free diet, not only do their celiac-related antibody levels improve, but their thyroid antibody levels also decrease."

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/110310p52.shtml

"Emerging research supports the possible role of vitamin D in protecting against cancer, heart disease, fractures and falls, autoimmune diseases, influenza, type 2 diabetes, and depression. Many health care providers have increased their recommendations for vitamin D supplementation to at least 1,000 IU."


http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/731722?src=mp&spon=17&uac=144206BZ

 "As a member of the ginger family, cardamom has been used to make heavy and acidic foods easier to digest for more than 5,000 years. Throughout the Middle East even coffee is brewed with ground cardamom seeds, reducing its acid and neutralizing the stimulating effects of caffeine (plus, it tastes good!). Cardamom is also one of the richest sources of the phytochemical cineole, a potent antiseptic for bad breath, gum disease, sore throats, and respiratory conditions."

http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2786?utm_source=EatingWisely&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=EatingWisely

"While the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease says food allergies occur in 6 to 8 percent of kids, and about 4 percent of adults, there's a lot of self-diagnosis, overdiagnosis, and just plain misdiagnosis Bahna says."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/11/12/131279854/allergy-expert-says-peanut-bans-are-an-overre

You don't have to skip dessert this Thanksgiving!  Check out this Pumpkin Rice Pudding Recipe!!!  I'm on my way to the kitchen ya'll....


http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-meal-makeover-pumpkin-rice-pudding/package/index.html

I wanted to let you know about a great new resource to help with feeding our kids.  This can be the first place to look when you are wondering about feeding your kids.  Teaching your kids about how to eat well (other than by setting an example!!!) is a tough job.  There are lots of tough questions, like: What is the best way to handle a picky eater?  What do I do if my child will not try a new food?  What do I say if my child wants candy?  Does my child eat enough protein?  Check it out!

http://www.eatright.org/kids/

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/dr-weils-simple-roasted-root-vegetables/?ref=healthupdate&nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb2

The effort to educate and offer healthy choices to consumers is a big enough job.  The intrusion of big business and government policy sure does make the job even tougher.  Educate yourself about who is funding the research!!

" The organization’s activities, revealed through interviews and records, provide a stark example of inherent conflicts in the Agriculture Department’s historical roles as both marketer of agriculture products and America’s nutrition police.
In one instance, Dairy Management spent millions of dollars on research to support a national advertising campaign promoting the notion that people could lose weight by consuming more dairy products, records and interviews show. The campaign went on for four years, ending in 2007, even though other researchers — one paid by Dairy Management itself — found no such weight-loss benefits.   "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/us/07fat.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha1
  

If you notice that you struggle more with making healthy food choices and overeating when you are stressed, I have good news!!!  A new study finds that the changes which occur in your very CELLS when you meditate can alter your ability to cope with stress. Learning the skill of calming your mind and eating mindfully can alter your ability to change your eating habits.  Check it out....

"The effect appears to be attributable to psychological changes that increase a person's ability to cope with stress and maintain feelings of well-being. "

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/206714.php

"Dr. Goldacre has his favorite nemeses, one of the most prominent being the popular British TV nutritionist Gillian McKeith, whose books and diet supplements are wildly successful. According to her Web site, “Gillian McKeith earned a Doctorate (PhD) in Holistic Nutrition from the American Holistic College of Nutrition, which is now known as the Clayton College of Natural Health.” (The college closed in July of this year.) Clayton was not accredited, and offered a correspondence course to get a Ph.D. that cost $6,400. She is also a “certified professional member” of the American Association of Nutritional Consultants, where, Dr. Goldacre writes, he managed to get certification for Hettie, his dead cat, for $60. Ms. McKeith has agreed not to call herself “Dr.” anymore. "      

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/science/02scibks.html?_r=1&nl=&emc=a210

Learning how to eat mindfully includes the centerpieces of slowing down and allowing yourself the wonderful experience of savoring every bite.  Again, simple, BUT NOT EASY!!

"Appetite is complex, and dieting is a challenge. Even so, people who are trying to lose weight may want to start by chewing more slowly. In that way, they allow themselves enough time to experience pleasure and satiety."
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=102110_tw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6wJl37N9C0

Successful weight loss requires a life long change in eating and activity behaviors....quick fixes, such as diet pills and diet and exercise programs only work in the short-term.  


"Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the center for nutrition and weight management at Boston University Medical Center, who has consulted for drug companies, said, “We’ve shown over and over again that it’s very difficult for anyone to lose weight and keep it off through diet and exercise alone.” When that approach is successful, she said, it often requires intensive coaching, which is impractical for medical offices to provide on a large scale. "      

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/health/policy/29drug.html?_r=1&emc=na

“At a certain point,” she said, “you cross that line and you can’t help what you are doing, and the eating disorder owns you. I lost my bearings on reality and maturity.”

Please be mindful that your commitment to controlling your weight/body can become an obsession or a full blown Eating Disorder.  If you are concerned for yourself or for someone you love, ask for professional help EARLY-please don't wait!!  


http://nyti.ms/aBKxmB

Fighting the forces that are creating the tragic problem of pediatric obesity can feel like fighting the "perfect storm"!  Helping our kids make healthy food choices while they are at school is a major challenge but a great place to start.   It will take a village....

 http://www.c-ville.com/index.php?cat=141404064431134&ShowArticle_ID=11801110103505573

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e32jfiyugf9zoq2n/start

Promise, this will take 5 minutes!  I am thinking about adding an online course-what do you think?

Sometimes, you may feel desperate about losing weight quickly to fit into a certain dress or jacket for a special occassion.  Or you may think that if you get a "jump start" and lose that first 5 or 10 pounds quickly, then you can commit to really changing your habits to lose weight.  Beware of using supplements to do this!!

"While herbal weight-loss supplements may bring the promise of shedding pounds using "natural" products, a new study shows that many are laden with pharmaceutical agents (lab-made drugs) — some of which are illegal."

http://bit.ly/bWyHiX

There is an ever growing body of research suggesting a relationship between sleep and body weight.  If the body is not rested, it may be sending signals of hunger.  Pay close attention to your eating habits when you are running low on sleep-maybe you need a nap before you snack!

http://bit.ly/bOYHqB

Is it possible to be fat and fit? Perhaps, researchers say, but losing weight may make you even better off. However, the major question remains, if dieting fails more than 90% of the time, should it continue to be promoted?  There is very real evidence that weight cycling, or "yo-yoing", is detrimental to your health.  Bottom line-Making SUSTAINABLE lifestyle changes that improve your relationship with food and eating can stop weight cycling and help you lose weight for good!
   http://bit.ly/9EW35E

The authors of Savor:  Mindful eating, Mindful life are hosting a recipe contest.  See the link to the contest on Facebook at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129859596&sc=fb&cc=fp

Marketing is everything!  Food labels continue to baffle and confuse the consumer.  It seems the more effort toward informing the consumer, the more baffling the result.  This article quickly explains some of the history and what is currently up with the words "high fructose corn syrup".  Bottom Line:  the American Heart Association is making strong recommendations to limit ADDED sugar in our diets, in whatever form they come in! Limit processed foods and enjoy foods which are naturally sweet, like fruit.  P.S.  Good News:  High Quality Dark Chocolate is very low in added sugar!!

http://n.pr/daD5dA

 Sally Davies, the New York City-based photographer and painter is in the middle of an "experiment" with the iconic dish entitled "The Happy Meal Project". She's snapping pictures — once a day — of a standard hamburger Happy Meal with fries.

Exercise Bulimia is difficult to detect, especially in yourself, in a society that praises fitness. At what cost are you dedicated to your fitness plan?  Do you become irritable and emotionally upset if your exercise routine is disrupted?  Do you find yourself sacrificing time for relationships in your life so that you can stick to your plan?  So how do you know if you're crossing the line from fitness enthusiast to exercise bulimic?http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sc-health-0901-fit-bulimia-20100901,0,5748703.story

http://bit.ly/diglL2

How wonderful that a food that gives us so much satisfaction (high yummmmm factor), travels well, is inexpensive (even when it is organic!), contains no animal products, provides us with wonderful protein and heart-healthy fat, also gives us Vitamin E that may keep our brain healthy as we age!  Pass the peanut butter, please!!

http://bit.ly/dyXzi1

“ It is also the first time that a behavioral intervention (ie, yoga postures) has been associated with a positive correlation between acute increases in thalamic GABA levels and improvements in mood and anxiety scales."

This means a great deal if you are eating when you are anxious.  The next time you are heading for the pantry when your stomach is not hungry, experiment with taking 15 minutes to do a few restorative yoga postures.  See if you still feel the need to eat!!  IT'S WORTH A TRY!

http://nyti.ms/aMuhHZ

Bottom Line:

 “The B.M.I. tables are excellent for identifying obesity and body fat in large populations, but they are far less reliable for determining fatness in individuals,” explained Dr. Carl Lavie, a cardiologist at the Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans.  

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eating-in-the-dark#comments

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/t-magazine/22face-merkin-t.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss

We talk about the "obesity" epidemic instead of simply talking about people being fat!  Why can't we just say it?!   'There is something in us that doesn’t like fat, something deeply ingrained in us that draws us to thin. Female consumers of all sizes, according to a recent study, seem to prefer looking at ads with thin rather than plus-size models. The origins of this preference are complex, having to do with tangled notions about purity versus contamination, self-indulgence versus self-control, and the ambivalence with which we regard our own appetites. In some sense fashion designers are merely messengers, delivering up to us our own grotesque parody of religious grace, in which food substitutes for sex and the sinful pleasures of the flesh lead only to the purgatory of size 14.  "

There is now another good reason to exercise. Besides burning calories, exercise restores the sensitivity of neurons involved in the control of satiety (feeling full), which in turn contributes to reduced food intake and consequently weight loss.

Give up Gluten to Lose Weight?

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/184072.php

Research shows that the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans accompany the emergence of compulsive eating behaviors and weight gain.  "It demonstrates how just the availability of food can trigger overconsumption and obesity"says Johnson, one of the coauthors of the research.

My interpretation of this information, is the importance of helping you develop insight into how food in your daily environment affects you.   To develop the skills which help you cope with this challenging dilemma is essential for success with eating and weight management.  As a culture, we need to address the issue of personal responsibility and the abundance of food available to us-everywhere!