Hello my fellow humans! I haven’t written lately but March was National Nutrition month and today is WORLD HEALTH DAY so I’m seriously thinking about my eating habits and yours.
I always learn so much when listening to people who want to change their eating habits and recently my teachers have included Gypsy and Lyzie who have devised simple changes that will definitely improve their health going forward in life. You may relate.
Let’s start with Lyzie and her brilliant strategy to STOP her daily visits to a local coffee joint where she would order a large iced coffee with a flavor swirl adding an extra 150 calories of fat and sugar. Lyzie came up with this behavior change to avoid her path to diabetes. Lyzie saw first hand how her own father’s diabetes became uncontrollable. She vowed to herself (and confided with her brother) that she would not allow herself to follow in her father’s path. Lyzie is in better control of her eating/drinking behaviors and proud of it!
Secondly, Gypsy decided to take the bull by the horns to decrease her cholesterol and blood sugar without more prescription medications. What Gypsy didn’t realize was that her measly 3 pound weight gain over the winter, as felt on her waist, was a contributing factor for increased Hemoglobin A1C(a blood test revealing average blood sugar the past 3 months). Gypsy’s usual diet is full of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and starches, low or no fat dairy and dark chocolate occasionally. Because her usual diet is so healthy, Gypsy noticed that activity had been the missing piece.
Gypsy decided to get 20-30 minutes of aerobic activity per day alternating between walking the dog and riding a bike. The other activity we discussed was a 15-20 minute light weight routine 2-3 times per week to redistribute belly fat to muscle and improve insulin resistance with her type 2 diabetes. We plan to arm wrestle soon.
What an assessment she made of herself with realistic strategies going forward keeping the A1C within normal limits to avoid serious health risks!
FOOD IS MEDICINE and the more Whole Foods we eat, the better. Whole foods are foods that have NOT been processed.
Fruit loops are NOT FRUIT! REAL Fruit and veggies can be purchased fresh, frozen or canned. Frozen fruit without any additives is next best to fresh. Canned fruits and veggies are usually higher in sodium but you can purchase low salt or salt free. The food label is a great way to decipher exactly what a processed food contains and ‘buyer beware’ of added sugars, fats and preservatives that you may not want in your system.
Reliable nutrition information is often skewed by lay people interested in food and nutrition. Fad diets for weight loss, detox and strength abound on social media with and without suggestions for powders, potions and pills. This link is from the objective consumer advocacy group cspinet.org How_to_Diet
Whenever you do an internet search for food and nutrition information, always include in the search bar, RDN (registered dietitian nutritionist, the nutrition expert) to separate fact from fiction and cross reference with other RDN’s online or in person to avoid wasting money and time with an unrealistic strategy.
P.S. A study from the University of Liverpool found that seagulls prefer human junk food over fish and now their health is suffering!
Seagulls are considered smart too so they will remember and follow you for the usual handout. If you’re on the beach and leave your spot for a swim, your bagged lunch may be in the claws of an overweight seagull when you return. Care for yourself first and let the seagulls take care of themselves without junk food handouts!
Starting over can happen any day of the week when thinking about improving our total health.
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