Photo: quinn.anya

Having some health issues that you just can’t seem to shake? Can’t afford to go to the doctor, or whatever they’ve told you to do isn’t helping?

Maybe it’s your diet. Or lifestyle. Or a little of both.

Most of us can stand to tweak some things in order to have more energy, feel happier, look a little brighter. Because it’s possible to have better health. And it’s in your control. Sometimes, you just need a little guidance.

That’s where I come in.

I’m giving away a free “Quick Start” 30 minute session to one lucky reader. Think of it as a Valentine’s Day gift to you – I love the gift of helping others to feel their seriously-sassy best.

Here are the details of this type of coaching session from my Services page:

Quick Start: Have a couple of pressing health issues you want to tackle by shifting your diet and lifestyle, but not sure how? Try this 30-minute session, where we’ll discuss your concerns and possible underlying triggers, specific ideas for change, and goal setting.

And no, you don’t have to live near me to do this session, due to the magic that is known as Skype. (Though the law makes it so I can’t give away anything outside of North America, unfortunately.)

This session is normally $25, and is a good way to start tackling some of the bigger questions and issues you face. It’s always exciting to work with someone as we make connections missed just a bit on their own.

The winner will have up to six months to claim their consultation and to set up an appointment with me that fits their schedule.

What do you have to do, you ask? Just two, simple little things. Here you go:

How To Enter

Two steps. First, fill out this form:

Second, follow us on Twitter – if you haven’t already – and retweet this message:

I’m taking my health to the next level in 2012 by entering the LH wellness coaching giveaway. You can too! http://bit.ly/ySn58S #LHhealthcoaching

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to learn about future contests, plus you’ll get to keep up with everything you need to know in the world of feeling sassy healthy (note: this is not necessary to be entered).

Winner will be chosen and notified on February 14th. Hey, you deserve some Valentine’s love, so hook yourself up now!

Official rules:
No purchase necessary. Open to North American residents only. Contest begins January 31, 2012 and ends February 14, 2011. One (1) prize package composed of a health coaching session will be awarded. Retail value does not exceed $30. Odds are dependent on amount of entries. Winner will be chosen at random from all entrees submitted and informed via email. Winner will be chosen on February 14, 2012 and notified that day. Winner will be listed on the site by February 15, 2012.

Photo: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

There are no easy answers to the obesity “epidemic”.

I’m not trying to diminish the issues faced by so many Americans by putting epidemic in quotation marks. But that word makes it seem like we just need to create some vaccine to kill the monster.

I know most people are well-intentioned in their pursuit of weight loss, or in their pursuit of their partner’s, or parent’s, or child’s weight loss. I know that many are heartened to watch people cry in joy on The Biggest Loser after a contestant has finally ‘broken through’. But all of these bright outlooks on permanently losing weight (which many people mistakenly believe will automatically lead to a happier life) are not really based in reality.

And that’s the part I appreciate most about Tara Parker-Pope’s recent cover article in the New York Times Magazine, The Fat Trap. She scientifically, and rather bluntly, shows us that permanent weight loss is damn near impossible for most people who take it on.

Not completely impossible, mind you, but close. Essentially, most people who lose a large amount of weight will have to closely monitor their diet and exercise every day for the rest of their lives.

And before you go thinking that it’s simply about calories in, calories out and will power, Pope explains what is finally breaking into mainstream medicine – our metabolism and weight is dependent on a myriad of body functions, including hormones and brain receptors that act similarly with food as they do to with other addictive substances. Our evolution, emotional landscape, and deeply wired brain patterns all play roles in maintaining weight loss.

Even more disheartening is that science has proved a person who has lost a large amount of weight will have to eat less and work out more than a person who was already at that lower weight to begin with. In fact, a person who is naturally 150 pounds can consume 300-400 calories more per day than a person who has lost weight. For those who don’t know, that’s a meal – or a good chunk of one.

The part of the article’s revelations that made my heart open is that maybe, just maybe, people will begin to realize that condemning others for their weight isn’t fair (particularly when they have dieted often, lost weight, and then gained it back. Which is true for almost every ‘obese’ person). That people will begin to understand losing weight isn’t simply about will power, or lack thereof. That people who try to lose weight unsuccessfully, particularly when they have previously been successful, will stop beating themselves up.

That the paradigm on weight loss is beginning to shift.

The Science of Weight Loss

Photo: Tumbleweed:-)

In this interview on NPR, Parker-Pope and Dr. Arthur Frank, founder and former director of George Washington University Weight Management Program, discuss the fact that the people who do lose weight and keep it off long term – which is only an estimated 5-20% of the people who diet, meaning an 80-95% failure rate – remain “enormously dedicated” every single day, exercising the equivalent of four extra miles a day just to maintain their new weight.

This group often still gains a few pounds back from their lowest weight.

It’s worth listening to why this is the case – for example, even a year after a person stops dieting, hunger hormones are still at high levels, while the part of the brain that controls will-power is diminished. Our ancestors packed in as much food as they could to survive during famine, and our DNA is hard-wired to do the same. That means quickly packing on pounds via less food then before starting a diet.

But I couldn’t help but think as I read Pope’s article and listened to the NPR podcast, what kind of weight loss are we discussing here? Fast, manic weight loss, to be sure. Weight loss based on drastically changing ones diet and dramatically upping exercise.

Toward the end of the NYT article even Pope admits, “One question many researchers think about is whether losing weight more slowly would make it more sustainable than the fast weight loss often used in scientific studies.” Though some experts believe the rate of weight loss is “unlikely to make a difference”, I beg to differ.

Because weight loss that happens slowly, that is due to health changes incorporated over time, is a whole lot different than throwing the body into upheaval, which is what happens when you diet.

What if we threw diet out of the equation?

Slow and Steady

What if we focused more on what makes us happy? / Photo: mdpai75

I’m not here to sell you something that is going to work for everyone. I’m not down with shelling out quick fixes. I agree with much of what Pope talks about, and appreciate the fact that she was open with her own weight struggles.

But I am here to tell you that I’ve seen, time and time again, people get healthy by taking slow and strategic steps toward a better life. They start to incorporate new foods that are healthy, ones they actually like. They slowly remove old foods, not based on the fact that these foods are ‘bad’ for them, but that their tastes have changed and they don’t desire those foods so much anymore.

They have found ways to move that feel innate, instead of listening to people tell them they need so many hours and reps at the gym. They have given up on “achieving” a particular number on the scale, and focused instead on loving their bodies as they are as much as they can.

It’s not a simple weight loss plan. This approach goes far beyond just diet and exercise. It’s a lifestyle change, and that goes down to the very core – do you love your work? Are you able to process your emotions in a way that’s good for your body? Do you have support in your life? Do you believe in something larger than you? Can you disconnect at least partially from what society says is a “healthy”, “fit”, or “hot” body and unconditionally love what’s in your skin?

For each person, it’s different. Food addiction is very real. A society full of easy, processed foods that impact our hormones at every turn is something we have to face. Chemicals in our food and environment act as endocrine disruptors and mimic estrogen while slowly diminishing our thyroid function. All the science Pope so eloquently elaborated on is fact.

But slowly unwinding from these traps so as to not shock our bodies is a stronger option than dieting. Sometimes, our bodies don’t want to move as quickly as our minds want them to.

Pope notes that people losing weight have to “find a new normal.” In other words, they can never go back to how they ate before. With this, I totally agree. But what if you found your own new normal first, and the weight came off because of it?

Photo: Buster Benson

I’m in the middle of putting together a workshop about the title above that lured you in, making some pretty little handouts and an e-book to pass along some of that secret juju.

As I was pulling in tips from all sorts of different places, I was also thinking about what to post on this week here at LH. Finally the “duh” hit me and I realized I’d go ahead and offer some of those recommendations to you guys.

I picked a couple of tips that I think are super important from three of the sections in the book, especially when you go ahead and be honest with yourself that parties are a part of the game, sugary foods will be eaten, and alcohol will be imbibed. The point here is to minimize damage while having a good time, and maybe, just maybe, come out of the holiday season even better than when you went in.

Two of the 5 Most important Ways to Get Through All the Raging Parties

2. Coconut Lovin’. Eat something with coconut, or drink full-fat coconut milk, before you go out and consume a couple (or let’s be real, several) drinks. Coconut protects your liver!

5. Drink EmergenC. Take one of these bad-boys with you to your shindig, and drink one halfway through your evening of alcohol beverage imbibing (as part of one of those “water in the middle” drinks). If you drink EmergenC right before bedtime, it can wake your body up, but if you take it before you start to swig on an egg nog cocktail, it’s going to be out of your system by the time you say “Feliz Navidad.” Take another one upon waking the next morning.

5 Necessary Ways to Start and End Each Day

I don’t care if it’s October 15th or December 24th. Start doing these things NOW, and do them every day during the holidays! They will keep you healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

1. Lemon in warm water every morning before eating.
4. Digestion or detox tea at night sometime after dinner.

Move It or Don’t Lose it

2. Go dancing. There are so many opportunities to dance during the holidays, at parties, special shows, even at work once happy hour has started. Do yourself a favor and stop thinking that people are watching. Other than to say, “Damn, she looks good!”

3. Rake leaves, shovel snow. Seriously, this is good exercise. And if you have your iPod tuned to Barry Manilow’s “Because It’s Christmas” (or AC/DC’s “Mistress for Christmas”…whatever floats your boat), you can rock out that yard in no-time, burning a couple to a few hundred calories in an instant.

What’s my biggest secret to not gaining weight and staying healthy during the crazy holidays? Check back here on Nov. 1, when my Get Through the Holidays Without Gaining Weight (and Still Have Fun) interactive e-book will be available for $14.99. Or, if you sign up in November for a nutrition and wellness consultation, it will be your free gift, along with some other goodies!

Photo: drtel

I’ve long loved the Enneagram ever since I was classified as a Type 4 by my therapist almost 10 years ago. At first, I responded in a “meh” kinda way when she told me I exhibited signs of the Individualist (aka “tragic romantic”), but not long after, I read up on the Enneagram and my jaw dropped as I closed out the description.

Uh, yeah I am Type 4.

My love affair with this personality-typing system has continued over the years, where I intertwined it more and more with my daily life and work. Last year, I wrote a piece over at Brave New Traveler called What’s Your Travel Personality? to try and figure out how different people liked to travel. Knowing your likes and dislikes can make it easier to figure out what kind of travel is right for you, instead of getting stuck on some trip you hate.

Though I’ve also long thought about how the Enneagram relates to health approaches, only recently have I begun to use it in my work with clients. But I feel it’s a great tool in not only determining what you should do to improve your health, but how you should do it.

Here’s a synopsis of some of the health quirks I’ve observed based on Enneagram types. Before you read them, be sure to take an Enneagram test (free ones available at Eclectic Energies, the Enneagram Institute, and 9 Types) to determine your number if you don’t already know it. Then add your comments after the article, noting if you relate or feel if the description is totally off base.

Type 1: The Strict Eater

Decided to be a vegan? No problem. Honey ain’t even gonna get near your lips. And leather shoes? Sure, it has nothing to do with eating, but you don’t care. You’re a 1, dammit.

Insert Paleo, GFDF, or fruititarian for vegan, but definitely not flexitarian. Not enough structure for this get-things-done kinda woman (or man). Work it out, 1.

But if too many food fights are happening between you and your loved ones, or you’re on the verge of an eating disorder, it’s time to give a little love, compassion – and ease – to yourself and your diet.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: anorexia, bulimia, an obsession with healthy eating

Type 2: “I don’t know, what do you want to eat?”

Photo: Fast Forward Event Productions

Sure, you might be hankering for a Rib-Eye. But your best friend is all about raw foods these days. So you’ll deal with eating some of that nut-loaf bunk. Again.

That is, until you get home and you’re alone. Out comes the BK Broiler you picked up on the way.

Notice your tendency to eat in private and hide certain foods from others. Also, pay attention to how you may use food to make yourself feel better about relationship and work issues.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: secret eating, overindulging too often, using food to deal with feelings

Type 3 – “My Diet Rocks!”

Has everyone noticed how svelte you’ve gotten lately? Well, they should take note. And probably do it themselves. Cause you are ROCKIN’ IT OUT.

Be careful, though, that you aren’t too caught up in the way you think food makes you look, instead of how it makes you feel. Also, watch out for the tendency to use coffee and other stimulants to get you through your crazy work schedule, which in turn leads to wine to get you into bed.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: overuse of stimulants followed by depressants to come down, jumping on the latest diet craze

Type 4 – “I’ll take whatever it is you’re NOT having.”

You were gluten-free before everyone else had even heard of gluten. You know every single food you’re allergic to thanks to multiple allergy tests, muscle testing, and the elimination diet. You understand that coconut water is soooo yesterday.

The problem is, all that healthy eating on the one end often leads to bingey, bingey on the other. Moments of weakness – or the 4s nemesis, depression – often includes a serious amount of raw cookie dough. Beware the fall of the 4 – too much introspection can lead to too much mind and body altering foods ranging from chocolate bars to chocolate martinis.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: overindulging too often, food obsession/extreme dieting, using food to deal with your feelings

Type 5 – “Calorie in, calorie out”

You understand the vast complexity of food’s impact on physical, emotional, biological, environmental, and societal needs. You might even be able to break down exactly how much fat, carbs, and protein you need a day to be at your best. But food for the sake of enjoyment? Is that part of the equation?

You probably never have to worry about developing an eating disorder (though you may experience weight loss because you just “forgot to eat”), but it is worth breathing deep and really tasting your food. It’s one of the finest things in life – enjoy it!

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: skipping meals, eating “too” nutritiously without thinking about taste

Type 6 – “I’m Not Buying It.”

You know what you like. Most of it’s good for you. But you don’t tend to venture out of your routine. And you may secretly feel anxious about that daily intake of kettle chips…

Relax and enjoy your food and be open to new experiences. Also, watch your caffeine intake, as your workaholic self might be taking it in by the bucketful. Same goes for alcohol to bring down that anxiety. Take a little break from both of these substances here and there.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: caffeine addiction, over consumption of alcohol, lacking nutrition from eating the same foods all the time

Type 7 – “Love It All”

Photo: qthomasbower

You are the true foodie. “Slow Food” was made by and for you. You love the whole process, tasting every morsel until you are stuffed. Not quite stuffed enough to say no to a bite of that dessert…

If food were countries, you would’ve already circumnavigated the world several times over. And given every culture’s food its just due. Problem is, it’s also given your tummy it’s just due, more than likely. Not to imply you’re glutenous, you just have to watch out for a wee bit of overconsumption.

Work on balancing some indulgent meals with healthy, small portions.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: Over-indulging, particularly when it comes to rich or sweet foods, using food as an escape

Type 8 – “I’ll eat whatever I want, when I want”

Go ahead and try to take away your McDonalds. You’ll just go to Taco Bell instead.

You know what you like, and don’t sway from it. You like consistency and constancy – what’s wrong with that?

Sometimes though, the foods you love don’t love your body back. Even if you are a healthy eater, it might only be one type of food you focus on, so you may be missing out on valuable nutrients.

Try and be open when a friend suggests you have Thai for lunch. Odds are, you’ll like it.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: Too rigid when it comes to trying new foods, an aversion to health foods, missing nutrition

Type 9 – The Somewhat Secret Eater

You tend to be open to whatever someone else wants to eat. But you’ll deal with hardships through foods not necessarily the best for you, including caffeine, sugar, and alcohol.

Because of the feelings you sometimes repress in trying to keep things level for everyone else, blood sugar levels may be an issue. Therefore, good quality meats and veggies tend to be your alley.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: Blood sugar issues, including diabetes, using food to repress feelings, addiction to caffeine and sweets

Do you agree with the dietary tendencies listed above? If not, what are your diet ups and downs?

They look so innocuous, don't they? / Photo: Frapestaartje

Back in 2008, I chose to go grainless. Whether whole grain or cracker, tortilla or pasta, flour or bread, if it involved a grain, it was out of my diet.

In my first post on the subject, I shared how grains were negatively affecting me physically, mentally, and emotionally. In the second post, I gave a few examples on what to eat in place of those absent grains. It’s now been three years to the month, and I want to catch you up on my experience and what I’ve learned since originally making this change.

Here’s the truth – I’ve experimented, even indulged a bit (for my standards), when it comes to grains.

See, our bodies change over time. What once affected you greatly, may not anymore. We need different nutrients during different stages of our lives.

What remains the same is whole foods are best. It may be convenient to grab a box of food off the shelf. What’s not so convenient is when your body tries to digest and absorb what nutrients are left in it after the processing it goes through.

What I learned:

I trust my body.

Cravings and Desires

We all have our cravings/Photo: thebittenword.com

If I have a desire for something, and I (intuitively) check in to see if it’s a legitimate craving – whether healthy or not – I will partake. We eat not just for nutrients, but for emotional nourishment, mental clarity, physical energy, and spiritual connection.

Eating is one of the great gifts of life. Whenever you feel like you’re cutting off choices in any area of your life, you’ll end up feel deprived and like a victim. I’d rather have the taco, if that’s what my body is calling for in the moment, and I sense it’s ok for me to eat (meaning: it won’t make me feel like crap after).

I am no longer 100% grain free. Maybe 90%. Some weeks 70%. It varies, as does life.

Eating grains no longer affects me in the same way it once did. So, I’ll have some brown rice occasionally with that stir fry. Or if a small piece of bread comes with the salad, I chew it well and enjoy every bite.

Mostly though, I feel better, more energy, and clear when I minimize my intake of grains. Again, it’s all about paying attention and seeing what works for you.

I’m grateful for what cutting out grains did do for me – I began to eat in a more balanced way with lots more fruits and veggies. I drank more water. I lost weight. I had more energy. I wanted to (and did) exercise more. Doesn’t really matter where you start, once you change one aspect of your life, other pieces fall into place.

What To Do

What I substituted for grains:

Almond Flour- The most versatile, tasty way to create a wide variety of grain like meals. The Queen of Almond Flour as far as I’m concerned is Elana of Elana’s Pantry. Her book, aptly named, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook,is the most used cookbook in my house. I went through a phase where I made all sorts of almond flour based sweet and savory dishes. I’ve since slowed down on my almond flour intake, especially after reading this article on how too many nuts and seeds can clog up your system and produce a wide range of symptoms (ones we wouldn’t tend to associate with eating nuts).

Chickpea Flour - Not a grain but can be turned into a most savory flatbread or pancake. This is one of my favorites. In fact, I made some pancakes last night. For approximately $1 (yes, one dollar) I made about 35 of these babies. So easy! Mix the flour with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, fennel, cumin, and coriander. Whisk in the same amount of water as flour. Bake in the oven or fry in a pan. Tasty. I also enjoyed these articles (from The Perfect Pantry and Fun with Chickpea Flour) that gave more background and recipes for Chickpea Flour.

Buckwheat- Technically a fruit, it works like a grain and can be found in the form of noodles, flour, porridge, sprouted and used like granola. Here’s the wiki definition, scroll down to the food section of the entry. My general go to for buckwheat is Kaia Granola. I have used the noodles and do like them, though my pocketbook isn’t as much of a fan (pricey!).

Kelp Noodles - Made of seaweed, but most noodley in nature, these are a great addition to any soup or if you want to make a pasta salad.

These have been my main substitutes for grains as they can be made into a number of different types of dishes. Some people love coconut flour too.

You might also want to check out sprouted grain products and find that they are more easily digestible. Check out Ezekiel Food For Life and Alvarado St. products. Keep in mind that many gluten free products have tapioca and potato starch in them which may be an issue for some people (it is for me).

Experiment and find out what’s best for your body. I’m sure there are even more options out there. What have you found?

Those Sneaky Substances

Those sneaky potatoes always look so nice in fry form... / Photo: AndyRob

Then, I got tested for food intolerances.

Working with my Naturopath, and knowing that I have a sensitivity to foods, I decided to go ahead with a blood test that would determine my genetic intolerance to certain foods and food combinations.

If you don’t know the distinction between food allergies and intolerances, please see my first article on Going Grainless.

The Carroll Food Test was incredibly helpful. Turns out, I’m not allergic to grains, I’m intolerant to potatoes!

A few years ago, I remember having a conversation with a chiropractor, telling him how grains affected me. He suggested that it wasn’t a grain issue, but a potato one. He was a big proponent of the Weston A. Price diet as well as the GAPS diet (which is connected to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and has some interesting connections to diet and autism). I mentally bookmarked those resources and forgot about them until I took that blood test.

The test also informed me that I am intolerant to the combination of dairy and grains together. Think pizza, quesadillas, many baked goods, grilled cheese, etc. I had thought I was allergic to dairy and grains, and subsequently, cut them both out of my diet. Turns out, I’m not allergic to either, just intolerant of mixing them together.

Oh, the things you learn when you take the time to find out! Maybe it’s time you did, too?

Have you tried going off grains? What was your experience like?

This post was originally published at Let Your Life Bloom.

Move your feet and feel better / Photo: jemasmith

It doesn’t take long, after it comes up in conversation that I’m a Nutrition Educator, for this question to make its way onto the table: “Really, what’s the best way to lose a few pounds? I just want to look healthier.”

Code words of course being:

best way=fastest way
healthier=thinner

My message – if you have yet to notice on this site – is about self-love and appreciating the body you have as it is. But, I get it. I know looking in the mirror and thinking, “well, if that little bit just weren’t there, everything would be fan-friggin-tastic”, or contemplating, “hmm, I’m showing myself to the world in a bikini in how many weeks exactly?”

To be real, human, and female in this society means to desire shedding a few pounds on occasion. Lovely, strong, and amazing as my body is, I still go through it myself.

What I’m not okay with is crazy ways to lose weight quickly, which is, well, most of them. I think it’s just as important to be healthy about the way you lose weight as it is to actually lose the weight itself.

So, here it is kids: tips on how to healthfully shed a couple of pounds quickly:

• Cut the sugar. Three days and you’ll notice a change in energy, mood, and your waist.
• Get your protein, and plenty of it. Lean meats, eggs, tofu. Good quality whey or hemp protein powder, and quality protein bars like Supreme Protein.
• Good fats. Omega-3s from fish, flax, walnuts. Omega-6s from borage seed oil. Omega-9s from olive oil. Cook with coconut oil.
• Vegetables, vegetables, vegetables. Small amounts (note: small) of fruit.
• Eat every 3-4 hours, and eat smaller portions.
• Move your body. Not excessively, but you gotta move it.

Not only will these tips help your pants loosen up nicely in just a few days, they will help you to establish an even healthier weight over time. Plus, it’ll establish better health in general, from your brain, to your heart, to your lovely, luscious skin.

If you’re working it in that bikini soon, you’re going to want that healthy glow on your skin, right?

What tips do you have on losing weight in a healthy manner?

I’m just about halfway through my itty bitty health ebook that will have tons of short-cuts to better health like these. I can’t wait to share it with you, and hope that it can help you in your quest for better well being.

Struggling to fully become who we already are / Photo: Gjeewaytee

It’s probably been about five years since I last quit for any extended period of time.

Much like any drug, especially one you have enjoyed for most of your life, time and time again it’s held out a long, skinny arm with a cold, shaky finger beckoning me back. I look at it with horror, screaming, “I’m done with you!” and go running in the other direction.

But three days, maybe two – hell, even 3 hours later – I crawl back, all the while saying, “Just a little bit won’t hurt. A small amount isn’t that bad.”

Unlike any other drug, this one has its proponents. Ones that say there is nothing wrong with it. That our bodies – in fact – need it. That life is enjoyed less without it. I mean, who could give up all of the baked goods, the gourmet ice cream, the breath mints – beyond that, almost all canned and boxed foods, eating out at restaurants period, and any beverage other than water and plain tea? I mean, SERIOUSLY.

Oh, and that tea better be herbal.

But the truth is, I know this drug is horrible for me. I started to get it almost 10 years ago when I was first diagnosed with candida. I really fucking get it now when the moment I overconsume it, my skin goes crazy, thrashingly red and the tops of my arms look like someone has spray-painted some yin yang sign in red and yellow instead of black and white.

“Dammit,” I think as I look in the mirror. “But I can’t go through that again.”

See, the worst thing I’ve ever lived through in my life – brace yourself here, people – is quitting sugar.

Get Yer Struggle On

Photo: eflon

I’ve certainly had my trials that may seem larger than this to the untrained eye. Never feeling like I quite fit in. Making relationships work. Struggles with money.

None of which were as bad as quitting sugar.

Probably because quitting sugar in some ways encompasses all of my issues. It made me stand out from my friends, because I couldn’t eat at normal restaurants or at pot-lucks. I couldn’t drink alcohol, so those happy hours and Friday night dancing was out, and I felt even lonelier. Plus I became strikingly aware how certain foods – and drinks – eased out my tendency toward social anxiety. Without them, well, I just felt more anxious.

Plus, cutting out sugar means you pretty much always have to eat at home. That means constant shopping and cooking. For one person, it can actually cost more to shop and cook healthy food than to pick up some take-out from Whole Foods (and take a helluva lot more time). For two people, you get into an ingredient war that isn’t much fun.

It cuts out vacations. Cheap holidays to New York. Heading to Italy on a whim.

I could go on and on. Let’s just say – it’s a big, fat mirror held up against the bright light.

The Painful ‘Why’

All this is to say, the last thing in my life that I want to do right now is quit sugar. My work is trucking along nicely; I’m enjoying choreographing a few dance pieces. I get to run around town with friends, and I’m in a stable romantic relationship. Why in the hell would I want to rock the boat?

Reading through this great piece in the New York Times magazine last week did it for me (damn you, NYT and your intelligent prose). The information wasn’t new – I learned a great deal of exactly why sugar (both sucrose and fructose) is bad for you – it has no redeeming nutrients, it leeches minerals from your bones, it creates a fatty liver – when I was in nutrition school, and via many of the alternative health books I’ve read since.

But it was the fact that author Gary Taubes so eloquently wove all the reasons together for me. No matter how much I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.

He did an amazing job of working with “no definitive evidence” (which basically means there has been no money funneled toward studies that show sugar is toxic in humans and no scientist has wanted to take a stand with the overwhelming evidence of toxicity of sugar shown in rats) to still identify that sugar is linked to every one of our Western diseases: diabetes (duh), heart disease, and cancer.

That the insane increase in these diseases and obesity over the last 30 years has to do with our much-increased consumption of refined sugars and foods (which just end up being sugar), and not fat.

Want stats? Here’s a basic overview:

• In a 2005 report by the Institute of Medicine, the authors acknowledged that plenty of evidence suggested that sugar could increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, even raising “bad cholesterol,” but did not consider the research to be definitive.
• In 1980, roughly 1 in 7 Americans was obese, and almost 6 million were diabetic, and obesity rates hadn’t changed significantly in the previous 20 years. By the early 2000s at the peak of sugar consumption, 1 in 3 Americans was obese, and 14 million were diabetic.
• John Yudkin, a leading authority on nutrition in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, did a series of experiments feeding sugar and starch to rodents, chickens, rabbits, pigs and college students. He found that the sugar invariably raised blood levels of triglycerides (fat), which is considered a risk factor for heart disease.
• Metabolic syndrome (which includes insulin resistance) has become a key factor in what doctors look at when trying to prevent a heart attack. If you want to cause insulin resistance in laboratory rats, says Gerald Reaven, the Stanford University diabetologist who did much of the pioneering work on the subject, feeding them diets that are mostly fructose is an easy way to do it. It’s a “very obvious, very dramatic” effect, Reaven says.
• You are more likely to get cancer if you have metabolic syndrome than if you don’t.

It's everywhere you wanna be
Photo: Uwe Hermann

The list goes on, though what Taubes didn’t venture into its sugar’s effects on hormones and neurotransmitters (though I’m sure he knows of it – it’s just a whole other bag o’ tricks to step in). So even if you don’t think you are at risk for any of these long-term diseases (and truth is, we ALL are), how are your moods doing?

It’s Time

I probably see the symptoms of sugar negatively impacting my life more than others. But I tend to cower from this behemoth in my life. “It’s just too hard and too much to cut it out,” I think. “I wanna enjoy life without having to restrict myself,” I whine internally. “I’m wounded by what I went through when I removed it last time.”

Well, last time’s not this time. Just like anyone else who has been through their own private war, I can buy into victim mentality or I can say, “I got this.” Because life offers us the same dilemmas until we deal with them differently. And if I can’t deal with my drug of choice, how can I help anyone else deal with theirs?

Here I am, five days in, and it feels great.

The never-ending image / Photo: alancleaver_2000

Diets and diet books are big business.

More diet books are coming out every day, each one purportedly laying out the best eating plan. Titles follow the trend of society toward ever quicker-fixes; we used to have 30 or 40 day diet plans, now we’re down to days and minutes.

Though we may shake our heads at some of the titles, they simply reflect our thinking; we want answers.

When we have a health problem or want to lose weight, it’s easy to fall into the pattern of looking outside of ourselves for the solution. Maybe a friend of ours goes on a new diet and tells us how wonderful it is, so we decide to try it. We hear about a new diet on TV that promises to give us our life back, so we buy the book.

We try following this diet for some time, then slip back into our usual patterns, until the next idea comes along. Through all of this, what we eat feels like serious business. Whatever our reason for trying a different way of eating, a lot seems to be at stake with our choices.

I’ve tried different diets for health reasons. I’ve been a vegetarian and a chickenetarian (poultry but no red meat). I’ve tried Macrobiotics (briefly) and Ayurveda. I’ve followed Sally Fallon’s principles in Nourishing Traditions and Donna Gates’ principles in Body Ecology. Each time, I’ve hoped that this approach will hold the answer; maybe this one will help me heal.

To make matters worse, if we decide to learn more, we run into the morass of conflicting dietary and nutritional information. Should we eat no carbohydrates or lots of carbohydrates? Is meat the original superfood or something we should avoid altogether? Is dairy good or bad for us? Should we cook our food or eat it raw? It is not difficult to find diets that come down, emphatically so, on either side.

The more we try to learn, the more confusing it all becomes.

How can we play with the wealth of conflicting dietary information and change our thinking about nutrition from serious business to creative joy?

Create Your Own Diet

Photo: anslatadams

Many of the hundreds of diet books were written by someone who figured out what worked for them, and then decided it was the best thing for everyone else and wrote a book on it. But we aren’t all the same. So why shouldn’t you have your own diet?

When we can think about diets in terms of underlying principles and apply those principles to our own individual situation, we can bypass the problematic focus on what we “should” or “should not” be eating and create a diet that is exactly right for our individual physiology and psychology.

Most diets can be broken down into their basic principles. Sometimes these principles relate to types of food to eat or not eat, such as vegan or vegetarian. Some principles have to do with the quantity of food or the ratio between the macronutrients of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Some principles are more lifestyle related. Diets might focus mostly on one or two of these or combine different types of principles.

For example, here is a list of possible principles:

• Consuming food in its raw and natural state for the enzymes that it contains (living foods, raw food)
• Eating what can be harvested without killing any part of a plant/animal (fruitarian)
• Avoiding processed foods (various)
• Eating locally grown foods (various)
• Eating foods grown organically, without chemical fertilizers/herbicides (various)
• Eating whole foods (various)
• Eating to maintain balance: eating foods that are balancing, with highly yin or yang foods used more sparingly (macrobiotic)
• Eating and cooking in alignment with the seasons (3 season)
• Eating and cooking in harmony with your climate
• Eating smaller meals more frequently
• Selecting a diet that fits your constitution (blood type, ayurvedic, ancestry, genotype)
• Not consuming animal products, or only consuming animal products that take into account the environment and the health/welfare of the animal

From this list (or make up your own), create your own dietary principles plan: what are the five top principles that you already follow in your diet, or that you would like to shift your diet to follow more closely?

After picking your top principles, list them out and see if you can come up with a name for your diet. Perhaps a common theme will suggest a name to you, or you can see if the first letter of each principle will form an acronym (hopefully you will be luckier than I was; when I did this exercise, the only acronym I could come up with from my principles was FLABS, which is perhaps not the best name for a diet!).

Tuning in to Body Wisdom

You might still be wondering how to know what principles are right for you, and find yourself wanting to look outside of yourself for the answers. But no one else is living in your body; you must be your own expert when it comes to what works for you.

Photo: zrool laa

You might consider any diets you have been on in the past, and what you learned from them. For example, I learned from trying to be vegetarian that it is not the best diet for me to follow; without some good quality animal protein in my diet I feel less grounded and focused.

Choosing principles to follow can be a very cognitive process, and we also want to make sure to take into account the knowledge and wisdom of our body. Learning to listen to how food affects you is a long-term process, but one that will serve you forever.

If you are not as aware as you would like to be about how different foods and drinks impact you, try tracking how you feel after you eat for some time. Keep a food diary, where you write down what you eat and drink at a meal, and then how you feel immediately afterward and a few hours later.

It’s best to do this solidly for a week or two so you can really get a sense of what is going on. You might be surprised at what you find. The more you go into the process, the subtler your awareness can become. You will naturally stop looking outside of yourself for the answers, because you will already know them from within.

Of course, there is still a place for all the nutritional research, just as there is for getting advice from someone knowledgeable. Particularly if you have a health concern, you want to ensure that you are making dietary choices that will support you, so please discuss any changes with your medical professional. It can also be helpful to have support along this journey, whether from a health coach or a friend who accompanies you along the way.

How have you determined the best way to eat for you?

Sometimes, candida can make you feel like this / Photo: zimpenfish

I recently had a discussion with a doctor about allergies and if it can be a symptom of candidiasis, also known as an overgrowth of yeast. He told me that people tend to blame candida for everything these days and you would without a doubt know if you had an overgrowth of candida in your body.

He went on to say that either you would have a current yeast infection or thrush. These are pretty clear signs.

I couldn’t believe how matter of fact he was, considering how much research there is out there and cases to prove otherwise.

Will the alternative medicine community ever get validation from the mainstream medical model? Could the lack of acceptance be because of the potential of many medications (including birth control, antibiotics, cortisone) being prescribed are often a cause of candida? I am not sure.

Is it possible that the symptoms you are experiencing that just wont go away no matter what you do stem from an overgrowth of candida? Absolutely! Is this true in every case? Definitely not. But if you have tried to treat your allergies, ADD, mood swings, fatigue, and headaches to no avail, addressing a possible candida condition can’t hurt. What you may find, after following the protocol, is your symptoms lessen dramatically or can even disappear altogether.

What is candida? Here is the deal. We all have some candida, which is a yeast-like fungus, present in the body. Certain things can lead to an overgrowth of this fungus, which leads to various unpleasant symptoms. There are several causes, but the most common is overuse of antibiotics or not supplementing with a probiotic after its use. Antibiotics destroy both healthy and bad bacteria in our gut. If we don’t replenish with healthy bacteriathis creates an excellent environment for bad bacteria to multiply.

This is kinda what yeast looks like in your body, too
Photo: Bread & CBG's

An overgrowth of the candida fungus weakens the immune system and can travel through the bloodstream, causing havoc on the body. Possible symptoms include: mood swings or disorders, lack of focus and inability to concentrate, chronic fatigue, chronic joint and muscle pain, cravings for carbs, alcohol and sweets (yeast feed off of sugary foods), recurrent yeast infections, food allergies, chronic allergies, indigestion, recurrent skin fungus infections, and headaches.

Natural ways to Cope: There are many different diets and programs out there but I have found Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Haas, MD to be a great resource that provides a realistic anti-yeast program.

DIET

Try to do this 100% for three-four weeks straight.

AVOID: The following foods cause the candida to thrive and spread: refined flour products, milk fermented foods, all sugar, dried fruits, cheese, vinegar, fruits (okay to eat whole and fresh sparingly 1-2 servings daily) and fruit juice, yeast, soy sauce, and bread.

EAT: fish, meat, nuts and seeds (except peanuts), all natural nut butters (freshly pressed is best), vegetables (cooked, raw or purred into soup), salads and protein, eggs, goats milk or greek yogurt (none that have added sugar), olive, flaxseed, sesame & sunflower oils, lemons, fresh garlic, a limited amount of whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet and buckwheat.

It can be more effective to stick to mostly protein and vegetables but if you are a vegetarian or just can’t live without the carbs, then add the whole grains.

SUPPLEMENTS

During treatment: caprylic acid(may help to reduce intestinal yeast levels), garlic(antibacterial, may help to destroy yeast), oregano,grapefruit seed extract,probiotic (specifically the lactobacillus bifidus strain) milk thistle(support liver health, a congested liver can be a main cause of candida), soluble fiber(3-5 grams before bed to help eliminate candida), and pancreatin enzymes.

Maintenance: After the program, the following helps to restore the immune system (by regulating yeast) and repair damage caused by the condition: magnesium (Calm from Natural Vitalityis my favorite, take before bed for a good night sleep and to help with relaxation), vitamins C & E, beta carotene, omega-3 fish oil,probiotic (lactobacillus),digestive enzymes(with each meal) and hydrochloric acid.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

* Consult your physician before taking any dietary supplement.

Photo: James Jordan

Whipping up a recipe in the kitchen isn’t as simple as it used to be when it comes to the oils we use for cooking. You might find yourself wondering if you should use your new bottle of cold-pressed olive oil to stir fry vegetables, or not? Current nutrition information tells us that the way we use oils for food preparation is very important to our health. The next time you reach for your favored bottle of oil to prepare dinner, consider substituting one of these healthy oils instead.

Healthy Oils for Cooking

Coconut Oil(unrefined and organic): Coconut oil is a saturated fat that stays solid at room temperature. I know what some of you are thinking. ”Isn’t coconut oil BAD for you??” The answer is no. Sadly, coconut oil is still repairing its reputation after studies linked refined, hydrogenated coconut oil with poor health outcomes in animals.

I think we all know hydrogenated oils in any form are bad for our health, so it really wasn’t the coconut oil’s fault all those years ago. Unrefined, organic coconut oil is actually wonderfully healing. It boasts high levels of lauric acid which aid in immune and brain function. The reason I use coconut oil for cooking is because it stays stable at high temperatures making it ideal for cooking and baking. You can find high quality coconut oil at your local health food store. Make sure it is unrefined and organic.

It's not the devil
Photo: Robert S. Donovan

Ghee or Clarified Butter: This is butter that’s been heated and then stripped of milk solids making it stable for high heat cooking. Ghee is often tolerated by individuals who are sensitive to dairy. It makes a nice substitute for butter.

Ghee is easily found at any health food store. It is sometimes in the oil aisle and sometimes in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store.

Butter: Nope, I’m not scared of butter. Honestly, is anything better than butter in a recipe? A plain piece of salmon turns gourmet chic with a quick broil in a butter bath. Mmmmm! Is butter great to use all the time? In my dreams it is. But in reality butter is an ingredient to be used in your kitchen on a rotation, not all the time.

Make sure your butter is high quality, meaning it is organic and free of chemicals, hormones and antibiotics. Butter tolerates moderate heat temps making it safe for cooking, but make sure you don’t burn butter. Once it burns, it becomes damaged.

Oils to use in raw form, but NOT for cooking

Flaxseed Oil: Flaxseed oil offers us brain-building omega-3 fatty acids so we love it, love it, love it! However, flaxseeds are super duper wimpy when it comes to light, heat or oxygen. As a result, flaxseed oil must be refrigerated at all times to keep the beneficial qualities intact.

Don’t cook with flaxseed oil, but instead use it in smoothies and mixed with other oils on salads. It has a strong flavor so make sure to balance it out with other oils when needed.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is a tough one because we are used to cooking with it however, olive oil does not tolerate high heat very well and easily becomes damaged when used for cooking. Some people say cooking with olive oil over medium heat is o.k. and some say avoid it at all costs. I’m going to let you decide. Medium/low heat should be fine. Your best bet is to use olive oil on salads and leave high heat cooking for stable oils like ghee, butter and coconut oil.

Photo: WordRidden

Nut Oils: There are so many wonderful nut oils – almond,walnut,sesame,pumpkinseed,etc. Most are best for drizzling over salads, pasta and vegetables galore, but none of them should be used for cooking. Heat damages the healthy properties in these oils so keep them cool.

Oils to Avoid Altogether

Hydrogenated Oils: Hydrogenated oils (found in margarine, hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortening, processed foods, baked goods, fried foods, etc.) trans fats and damaged fats all create high levels of oxidative stress in the body which leads to free radical damage. Our bodies have a difficult time processing these fats and they cause more harm than good.

Unfortunately, you can also turn a good fat BAD when you cook with fragile oils (like flaxseed oil) at high heat. This damages the healthy fats that naturally occur in fragile oil and creates DAMAGED FATS! The body sees a damaged fat the same way it sees a hydrogenated oil or trans fat. Trust me; damaged fats don’t look pretty to your body!

Canola Oil: Canola oil is highly refined in its production. This process damages any healthy fats canola oil once possessed.

Corn Oil: Corn oil is highly refined and genetically modified. Unless you are a fan of becoming a science experiment at meal time, I’d avoid it.

Canola oil - It looks pretty, but ain't great for ya
Photo: Veganbaking.net

Grapeseed Oil: Grapeseed oil is a tough one. It has a high smoke point, making it ideal for cooking. However, grapes are a heavily sprayed crop giving the oil a nice mix of chemicals, pesticides and insecticides.

Grapeseed oil is usually highly refined as well. High quality organic grapeseed oil is hard to find so I can’t say I’m totally onboard with using grapeseed oil as a cooking solution, even though I do use it from time to time when I’m in a pinch.

Sunflower/Safflower Oil: Usually highly refined, these oils are not ideal for cooking. High oleic safflower and sunflower oils are made with higher levels of oleic acid and smaller amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Made from a hybrid plant, high oleic oils are more stable to cook with, but finding organic, high quality, cold-pressed versions of these oils are hard to find. Unless you are able to source a high quality, cold-pressed bottle of oil, avoid/limit your exposure to conventional sunflower and safflower oils.