SoCal Nutrition and Welness Blog - Wellness

Intuitive Eater's Holiday Bill of Rights

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:44:41 +0000

Intuitive Eater's Holiday Bill of Rights -- by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD

What if peace on earth could begin at the dinner table? Imagine experiencing an inner peace, free from incessant worry about what to eat. It's hard to enjoy the holidays when you are preoccupied with eating or worried about what to say to relatives who have an annual tradition of telling you what and how to eat.

Consider your Intuitive Eating Bill of Rights, as we enter the holiday season, to help you foster inner peace with food, mind and body.

1. You have the right to savor your meal, without cajoling or judgment, and without discussion of calories eaten or the amount of exercise needed to burn off said calories.

2. You have the right to enjoy second servings without apology.

3. You have the right to honor your fullness, even if that means saying "no thank you" to dessert or a second helping of food.

4. It is not your responsibility to make someone happy by overeating, even if it took hours to prepare a specialty holiday dish.

5. You have the right to say, "No thank you," without explanation, when offered more food.

6. You have the right to stick to your original answer of "no", even if you are asked multiple times. Just calmly and politely repeat "No, thank you, really."

7. You have the right to eat pumpkin pie for breakfast.

Remember, no one, except for you, knows how you feel, both emotionally and physically. Only you can be the expert of your body, which requires inner attunement, rather than the external, well-meaning, suggestions from family.

DISCLAIMER: The information is intended to inform readers and is not intended to replace specific advice from a health care professional.

Laughter Yoga

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:21:40 +0000

The "Joy Cocktail"

Laughter is used as a form of expression to show the happiness you are feeling to those around you, but there may be more to laughing than simply displaying an emotion.

Laughter Yoga is rapidly sweeping our nation as a popular exercise routine. Why are so many people choosing to laugh their way through thirty minutes or more of heart pumping activity? Because it feels good! Laughter Yoga incorporates laughter (of course) with the traditional breathing techniques practiced in yoga generating an overwhelming feeling of energy to its participants. Dr Kataria, founder of the first Laughter Club in India claims that Laughter Yoga does much more than just make you feel good. Laughter Yoga:

Reduces Stress. Laughter is expected to reduce the level or cortisol (a hormone released during times of stress).
Improves Moods. After just minutes of practicing Laughter Yoga, the body releases endorphins or "feel good" hormones.
Strengthens Immune System. Laughter may increase the number of cells that help fight viruses.
Is a great cardio workout. One minute of laughter is equivalent to the cardiopulmonary effects of 10 minutes of jogging.
Increases Oxygen Supply. Laughing combined with the deep breathing practiced in yoga brings more oxygen into your lungs.

Whether or not Laughter Yoga is the new defense against poor health, laughing feels good! So put on your tracksuit, breath in deep and laugh out loud!

Click here to find a laughter yoga practice near you!

Reference: Kataria, Madan. Received 2011. Laughter Yoga.

Pesticide Free versus Organic: What’s the difference?

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Thu, 12 May 2011 05:48:19 +0000

With all the labels on produce these days, it can be difficult to differentiate what they mean and what you’re really purchasing. This guide may help clarify things:

Organic: a way of growing and processing food that prohibits the use of most conventional pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and irradiation. Animals are raised on organic feed and are not given antibiotics or growth hormones, and they must have access to the outdoors. For foods to display the USDA Organic symbol, the product must be produced, processed, and certified in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and the National Organic Program (NOP).

Pesticide-Free: food that was grown without the use of synthetic pesticides. There is no national regulation of this term. Farmers may use this term if their farm is not organic-certified or is too small to afford the certification process. It also may be used if the food was grown in accordance with some organic standards (such as no pesticides), but not others.

Other helpful terms:

Locally grown: product grown in the local area. Unfortunately, this definition can vary widely for example, Wal-Mart considers a product “local” if it's grown in the same state as it's sold. Whole-Foods considers local to be anything produced within seven hours of one of its stores. Truly local foods support the local economy and are better for the environment because they aren’t trucked as far.
Natural: this term applies only to meat and poultry. According to the USDA, natural means the product contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product.
Sustainable Agriculture: a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities.
Seasonal: Refers to the times of the year when a food is at its peak. Purchasing foods in season (and locally) ensures the food reaches you in the least amount of time after being harvested and requires minimal processing, if any. The thought behind seasonal produce is that it is fresher, tastes better, and is more nutritious.

Happy shopping! For more information, refer to the following sites:

This Blog Post Written by: Vanna Shute, Cleveland Clinic Dietetic Intern

Quoted in Newport Beach Magazine

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:06:24 +0000

To read the full article, please click here. The article, "Health Trends 2011," begins on page 60.

Make SMART Resolutions

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:30:33 +0000

Happy 2011 (almost)!! Are you making resolutions for the new year? If so, vow to make them S.M.A.R.T.

SMART goal setting is a way to create goals that will be appropriate for you and specifically tailored to what you wish to achieve. SMART is an acronym:

S = SPECIFIC
M = MEASURABLE
A = ACHIEVABLE
R = REALISTIC
T = TIME-ORIENTED

So when setting goals for the new year, remember to make them specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-oriented. For example, rather than stating "I want to exercise more next year," make your goal SMART by instead stating, "I will walk for exercise 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes for the next 8 weeks." This goal is specific (type of exercise), I can measure it (did I walk for 30 min 3x/wk?), it is a realistic and achievable goal (I know I can find 30 minutes in my day to walk for exercise), and it is time-oriented (it is not an indefinite goal; at the end of 8-weeks I can revise my goal if necessary). Now you try!

October = Breast Cancer Awareness Month

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:40:04 +0000

Many of my clients are often surprised to learn that one's risk of cancer, especially breast cancer, can be strongly related to diet and lifestyle. Genetics and age also play a strong part in increasing one's risk of cancer; those are non-modifiable factors. However, we can control what we eat and how much we exercise (our modifiable risk factors). The research to date suggests that diet and lifestyle are very important in reducing our risk.

Here are some diet and exercise tips to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer:

Limit alcohol to less than one drink per day or avoid completely.
Maintain a healthy body weight. There is an established link between obesity and increased breast cancer risk, especially if the excess weight is put on after menopause.
Be physically active at least 30 minutes per day.
Eat a diet low in fat. This means consuming less than 30% of your total daily calories from fat and less than 7% from saturated fat.

Speak to a Registered Dietitian to assess your diet and to get on the road to a healthy lifestyle that reduces your risk of disease. For more information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month please visit: http://www.nbcam.org/

Earth Day!

nospam@example.com (Janice Dada) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:10:00 +0000

Today marks the celebration of Earth Day worldwide! What will you do to make a difference this Earth Day? Read on for some ideas...

Eat locally grown produce. Eating locally is one of the most important things you can do to eliminate the drain of food and agriculture on the environment. Fossil fuels are consumed in vast quantities daily by trucks delivering food products to market. Click here to find locally grown, sustainable, and organic food stores, restaurants, and more in your area.
Purchase organic, vegetarian-fed, free-range poultry and eggs. Have you seen the documentary film Food, Inc.? According to the film, approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers, pollute surrounding communities, are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming. Free-range hens generally have two to three times more space per bird than caged hens. In addition, feeding hens and chickens a vegetarian diet decreases saturated fat and cholesterol content and increases omega-3 content of the chicken and eggs produced.
Skip the cow. Did you know that cows are one of the biggest contributors to pollution due to the methane gases they release? Join the Meatless Monday campaign and skip meat at least once a week to make a difference in your planet and your body.
Ditch the plastic bottle. Not only can chemicals such as BPA leach into water when you drink from plastic bottles, but plastic bottles crowd our landfills! Purchase a reusable bottle such as a Klean Kanteen to prevent extra plastic usage. Added bonus: Carrying around a water bottle tends to promote increased hydration and saves money.
Bring your own bags. Plastic grocery bags are so environmentally UNfriendly. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags. Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food. Purchase a few grocery tote bags to carry your goods home. Most grocery stores sell them or your can find some great ones here.
Bike, Walk, or Ride-Along. Do you get in the car to drive down the street? Next time consider riding your bike or walking. Not only will you save on gas and decrease your carbon emissions, but you'll also help your waistline by getting extra steps! In situations where biking or walking are impractical, consider your local public transportation options. Taking public transportation isn't an option in every city, but if it is in yours, it can be a great way to multi-task (read a book, respond to emails, etc) and reduce your carbon footprint.