Motion Health & Fitness

Tag: nutrition

  • Sean Kennedy: Health & Happiness Coach

    Sean Kennedy: Health & Happiness Coach

    Though my professional titles have long been Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (what a mouthful!), I’ve long thought of myself as a Health & Happiness Coach.
     
    I’m less interested in helping people build a physical monument to themselves (or their egos) than I am in helping them be happier, more confident and more self-fulfilled. I try to get people to focus less on the amount of fat or muscle on their bodies and more on reducing stress, improving self-esteem, sleeping better, lowering blood pressure and resting heart rate, developing better mobility and balance, and building stronger bones, ligaments and tendons, as well as muscles.
     
    A single workout increases neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, and these mood boosters can also improve your memory and focus for up to three hours afterwards. Research shows that exercise even lowers anxiety levels, and it does it rather quickly — in about 10 minutes. So, exercise helps your mental health, as well as your cognition. Even a brisk walk can help boost your neurotransmitters and mood.
     
    Scientists at Duke University Medical Center tested three groups with depression. One was prescribed exercise; one was prescribed Zoloft; and the third was prescribed a combination of the two. Remarkably, the group that just exercised had the best results. And exercise seemed to do a better job of keeping the depression symptoms from coming back.
     
    Indeed, exercise has a multitude of positive effects; it even helps your brain grow new neurons. During a process called neurogenesis, new neurons (brain cells) develop in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning information, storing long-term memories, and regulating emotions.
     
    Exercise also promotes brain plasticity by stimulating growth of new connections between cells in many important cortical areas of the brain.
     
    Yes, exercise even leads to a happier, healthier brain!
     
    The physical, emotional and mental benefits of exercise are numerous. So, there are bountiful reasons make regular exercise part of your weekly or even daily life.
     
    Yet, our wellbeing can be affected by more than just exercise.
     
    For example, there is a vital connection between the brain and the gut, where 90% of our serotonin receptors are located. The truth is, the foods we eat not only affect our physical health, but also our emotional wellbeing.
     
    Ultra-processed foods and foods that contain chemical additives negatively affect our gut health and increases our risk of illness. Ultra-processed foods, such as fast foods, are typically cheap, and they’re scientifically designed to be extra tasty and make you overeat. Even worse, ultra-processed foods are known cause inflammation and disease.
     
    On the other hand, a recent study found that fiber might be linked with a reduced risk of depression, especially in pre-menopausal women. Previous studies had already suggested the benefits of fiber for mental health. The link between dietary fiber and depression may be partially explained by gut-brain interactions, since fiber improves the richness and diversity of gut microbiota. It’s theorized that changes in gut-microbiota composition may affect neurotransmission.
     
    Additionally, according to the Cleveland Clinic, protein consumption (from foods like fish, beef, chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, eggs and unsweetened yogurt) has been linked to higher levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, the brain chemicals that play a role in your mood, motivation and concentration.
     
    So, our diets can indeed affect our mood state and mental wellbeing, as well as our physical wellbeing.
     
    Finding healthy ways to manage our stress is also very important. The stress hormone cortisol is known to interfere with immune functioning and even the workings of the cardiovascular system. In fact, stress is an underrated, yet profound, factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. Stress exacerbates cholesterol levels, raises blood pressure and heart rate, and it often creates the kind of pressure that prevents a person from engaging in enough healthy self-care activities.
     
    So, it’s important to find healthy ways to mitigate and manage stress. Lowering your stress levels with relaxation techniques, such as meditation, can reduce your risk of health problems.
     
    However, people often turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as food, alcohol, drugs and impulsive shopping to cope with life’s stresses. Yet, these things ultimately make our stresses even worse in the long run. Meditation, on the other hand, can be helpful in managing stress and anxiety, as well as a variety of other health conditions. Research studies have shown that regular meditation can actually change the physical structure and cognitive function of the brain.
     
    Ultimately, true wellness requires a comprehensive, holistic approach, where all of these factors are considered and implemented.
     
    It may seem intuitive or self-evident that being unhealthy could make someone unhappy, and there’s evidence to support that notion. A study at George Mason University found that the degree to which a disease disrupts daily functioning is associated with reduced happiness. According to the lead author of the study, “these results support the notion that health status is one of the most important predictors of happiness.”
     
    A study of the “Economic Determinants of Happiness,” based on data gathered by the U.S. Census, revealed that health is a far more powerful determinant of an individual’s happiness than his or her income, marital status, age or any other factor. In fact, self-described “healthy” people are 20 percent happier than average, while “unhealthy” people are 8.25 percent less happy.
     
    Okay, but how about the inverse? Can being happy make you more healthy?
     
    According to researchers at Southern Methodist University, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that people’s overall sense of life satisfaction and typical levels of happiness are linked to physical health.
     
    And, according to Harvard Medical School, scientific evidence suggests that positive emotions can help make life longer and healthier.
     
    Furthermore, according to Northwestern Medicine, happiness lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease, lowers your blood pressure, enables better sleep, improves your diet, allows you to maintain a normal body weight through regular exercise and reduces stress.
     
    Clearly, happiness and health are interrelated. And most research suggests that the connection between happiness and health is bidirectional. This means that greater wellbeing leads to better physical health, and better physical health leads to greater wellbeing. One thing leads to the other.
     
    This is why I have always taken a “whole-being” approach to health and wellness. We can’t simply focus on having a little less body fat, bigger biceps or a better butt and expect to be necessarily healthier and/or happier. Certainly, seeing improvements in your physique can be positive and uplifting. But adequate sleep, good nutrition and stress reduction are also vital to our overall wellbeing.
     
    Seeing verifiable improvements in your biomarkers (i.e., blood pressure, resting heart rate, LDL cholesterol, etc.) is not only a clear indication of improving physical health, it also gives you a big boost emotionally and mentally — even if your biceps don’t get any bigger or your butt doesn’t necessarily look better.
     
    Ultimately, exercise, a nutritious diet, meditation, and other forms of self-care can make us healthier, happier, and mentally sharper, all of which are very worthwhile pursuits.
     
    If you’d like help in forging a healthier lifestyle, please reach out to me. It could very well make you happier, too!
  • Diet vs Nutrition

    Diet vs Nutrition

    While many people continually “go on a diet” (and then another and another), everyone has a diet. I’ve never gone on a diet, but I’ve always had a diet. As I always say, diet should be viewed as a noun, not a verb. It’s a thing you have, not an action you take. Every action has a reaction (intended or otherwise), so any diet plan you initiate can quickly be halted in favor of something else.
     
    If you instead think of your diet as part of your lifestyle, you’re much more likely to stick to it. 
     
    Everyone has a diet, but not everyone gets good nutrition. In the minds of many people, low-calorie means healthy. Yet, this isn’t necessarily true.
     
    For example, a rice cake has just 35 calories. Yet, it is almost entirely devoid of fiber and protein. Though a rice cake has very few calories, it also has very little nutrition, not to mention that it’s entirely processed.
     
    On the other hand, an avocado, which grows on a tree, is both calorically and nutritionally dense. An avocado can weigh anywhere from 8 ounces to 3 pounds (48 ounces). So, serving size matters.
     
    One cup (8oz) of sliced avocado has 234 calories and 21 grams of fat, most of which is monounsaturated. It is packed with fiber (10g) and potassium (more than a banana), and is also a great source of vitamin-C, folate and B-6. Additionally, it has virtually no sugar (despite being a fruit) and very few carbs (for those who care about such things).
     
    In short, an avocado is loaded with healthy fats, fiber and various important nutrients.
     
    Yet, some people would choose a nutritionally lacking rice cake over an avocado simply because it is lower in calories. Bad move. Caloric content and nutritional content are not necessarily related. 
     
    No one thinks of a Big Mac as health food. Yet, you could eat three Big Macs a day and still lose weight. Don’t believe me? Well, a Big Mac has just 550 calories. Eat three a day and you’d ingest just 1,650 calories. Since the average American now eats a whopping 3,660 calories per day, eating one Big Mac for breakfast, lunch and dinner would cut that average intake by more than half. Do that, and watch the pounds melt away!
     
    However, you’d be missing lots of important nutrition on the Big Mac Diet. McDonald’s signature sandwich has minimal calcium, potassium and fiber, and zero vitamin D. However, it is loaded with sodium (44% of the daily value) and has 11 grams of saturated fat (53% of the daily value). Eat three a day and you’d be ingesting an enormous amount of salt and unhealthy fat.
     
    Oh, and one Big Mac also has nine grams of sugar. Eat three of them and you’d intake 27 grams of sugar, which is above the 24-gram daily limit recommended for women by the American Heart Association.
     
    Yet, on this Big Mac Diet you’d lose weight, and that would ultimately have a positive effect on your health. Scientific evidence shows that losing just 10 pounds can decrease hypertension, improve good cholesterol (HDL), lower triglycerides, decrease insulin resistance, reduce inflammation in blood vessels, improve or reverse sleep apnea, and increase energy and vitality.
     
    That said, there are better, healthier ways to lose weight than the Big Mac Diet. 
     
    The point is that calories and nutrition are not synonymous. You can eat a low-calorie diet that is not healthy. More to the point, you can eat a low-calorie diet and not necessarily be healthy.
     
    On the other hand, you can eat a very healthy diet featuring high-calorie foods that are packed with nutrition (i.e., avocados, nuts, nut-butters, salmon, whole-fat yogurt, etc.). Additionally, high-calorie foods are more filling than most low-calorie foods (like rice cakes), meaning you might ultimately eat less.
     
    Low calorie foods are not necessarily nutritious, beneficial or preferable. And high-calorie foods are not necessarily unhealthy or to be avoided. The goal should be to maximize nutrition at each and every meal, even if you also seek to limit calories.
     
    If you need to lose weight to be more healthy, you can do this by eating healthy, whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, a wide variety of animal- and/or plant-based proteins, plus whole grains (There’s more than just wheat, people! Try spelt, millet, amaranth, quinoa, black or red rice, whole oats, etc.).
     
    And, yes, you can indeed lose weight by including healthy, high-calorie foods in your diet. You just need to limit your total caloric intake. To do that, you need to track your daily caloric input. And you should also know how many calories you need each day.
     
    As the Twinkie Diet proved, you can eat an unhealthy diet and still lose weight. The Big Mac Diet would be no different.
     
    By the same token, you can have a healthy diet and still gain weight, if your caloric intake is higher than your needs.
     
    To lose weight, it comes down to quality and quantity. You should aim for higher quality foods, and a lower quantity of them, each day.
  • Good Habits Can Have a Domino Effect

    Good Habits Can Have a Domino Effect

    We all have various reasons that we work out, assuming we do so at all. For some, it’s to relieve stress and anxiety. Some may feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment afterwards. For others, working out may be a vanity project that provides a sense of confidence and the ability to fit into tight jeans or proudly wear a tank top or a backless dress.
     
    Yet, health outcomes, not simply appearance, should be your main motivation. It’s well established that the health benefits of exercise go beyond the physical. Once you make exercise part of your routine, you may notice a host of psychological benefits, such as feeling more energized, less stressed, and sleeping better.
     
    As you begin to notice how much better exercise makes you feel, the more you’ll want to do it regularly. At that point, exercise becomes a habit. What’s most important is to perform the activities you really enjoy, which will help you adhere to your program.
     
    It’s said that old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form. This is especially true with exercise. If you’re not in the habit of exercising, remaining physically inactive is effortless. To create the habit of exercising, however, takes a lot of resolve, determination and effort.
     
    The more consistent an action is, the more likely it is to become a habit. This means that exercising every day is more likely to result in habit formation. One useful idea is to schedule your exercise for a given time each day, as you would with a personal trainer. Accountability is critical to maintaining your schedule and forming a habit.
     
    As Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit notes, “When people start habitually exercising, even just once per week, they start changing other, unrelated patterns in their lives, often unknowingly. They often start eating better, becoming more productive, smoking less and feeling less stressed. It’s not completely clear why. But, for many people, exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread, positive change.”
     
    Researchers asked some study participants to write down what they ate once a week. This keystone habit, food journaling, created a structure that helped other habits to flourish. Six months into the study, these participants had lost twice as much weight as the other study participants.
     
    Unfortunately, 42 percent of Americans are obese, according to the CDC, and another 30 percent or so qualify as overweight. So, roughly three-quarters of our population has an unhealthy bodyweight. Because of this, many people view exercise solely as a means of weight loss. But there’s a whole lot more to it than that. The mental and emotional components of exercise cannot be emphasized enough.
     
    Exercise has been shown to increase grey matter in the brain, according to research published by the Mayo Clinic. Exercise also promotes brain plasticity by stimulating the growth of new connections between cells. Consequently, exercise improves cognitive ability and memory. 
     
    Furthermore, exercise releases chemicals, such as endorphins and serotonin, that improve your mood. As noted, exercise not only enhances self-esteem, it also reduces anxiety and depressed mood.
     
    “There’s good epidemiological data to suggest that active people are less depressed than inactive people. And people who were active and stopped tend to be more depressed than those who maintain or initiate an exercise program,” says James Blumenthal, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Duke University.
     
    Yet, there’s no denying the impact that exercise can have on our physical health and our ability to function well, aka, perform our activities of daily living.
     
    Don’t wait until your doctor tells you to exercise! At that point, too much time will have been lost.
     
    More than 1-in-3 adults, about 92.1 million people, have at least one type of cardiovascular disease, which is preventable.
     
    In fact, many forms of chronic illness are preventable. According to the CDC, the health-risk behaviors we can change include: lack of exercise/physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use and excessive alcohol use. These four behaviors cause much of the illness, suffering and early death related to chronic diseases and conditions. In essence, they are bad habits that can be corrected.
     
    It’s important to remember that health is not just about food and exercise. Everyone would benefit from things such as meditation, learning a new skill, developing a new hobby, and/or growing your social network. Each of these things can make you a healthier person in measurable ways. 
     
    If you’re new to exercise or haven’t done it in a long time, start slowly. Don’t take the attitude that you can get fit today or even this week. Allow your body time to adjust to the demands you’re placing on it. Your exercise routine should be progressive, growing in either intensity or duration as your fitness level gradually improves.
     
    The physical effects of exercise — such as weight loss, lower blood pressure or a lower resting heart rate — take time and patience; you may not see your numbers move for weeks to months.
     
    The mood boost from exercise, however, is often immediate, offering near-instant gratification. Alleviating mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression, may take longer, but the mental and emotional effects of exercise are often immediately tangible.
     
    The most important takeaway is that good habits can have a domino effect, with one healthy change leading to another and so on. After committing to a few healthy acts, we’re less likely to back-step and commit unhealthy acts. After all, no one wants to undermine their own progress.
     
    Start with the easiest change you can think of; pick the low hanging fruit first. Once you’ve created a healthy daily habit that lasts a couple of weeks, add another easy-to-achieve step. View these changes as rungs on a ladder; take them one step at a time. Be consistent and be progressive. But don’t take on too much, too soon. 
     
    Small victories lead to a sense of pride, achievement and accomplishment. These are all empowering and rewarding feelings. Ultimately, one good change will lead to another.
  • The Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

    The Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

    More and more, doctors and researchers are concluding that inflammation is the root of arterial and heart diseases, as well as cancers. In fact, inflammation seems to be at the heart of all kinds of illnesses and maladies.
     
    Of particular concern is chronic inflammation, the common factor in many chronic diseases. Whereas acute inflammation is a healthy response to injury, chronic inflammation causes problems over time. Aside from heart disease and cancers, other common and well-studied conditions associated with chronic inflammation include diabetes, obesity, arthritis, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.
     
    Chronic inflammation is also said to be the root cause of leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and insulin resistance. Additionally, inflammation can also be the root of chronic constipation, chronic nausea, fatigue, irregular periods, acne, PMS, weight gain and irregular blood sugar.
     
    Chronic inflammation results when the immune system releases chemicals meant to combat injury and infections (both bacterial and viral), even when there are no foreign invaders to fight off. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to protect itself against harm, but it is meant to be temporary. Chronic inflammation, however, doesn’t simply go away.
     
    Moderate exercise and effective stress management are thought to be central in preventing inflammatory diseases. Yet, dietary interventions are also critical. For many people, chronic inflammation is the result of a poor diet. Inflammatory foods cause our body’s immune response to flare up, creating chronic inflammation.
     
    On the other hand, an anti-inflammatory diet can help prevent or reduce low-grade chronic inflammation, which is notoriously a key risk factor in the host of health problems and major diseases previously noted.
     
    Eating anti-inflammatory foods reduces the inflammation in our body, thus reducing the symptoms caused by inflammation and, ultimately, the risk of chronic disease.
     
    “Many experimental studies have shown that components of foods or beverages may have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
     
    This makes sense. After all, food is medicine. Good health starts with good food. Choose the right anti-inflammatory foods and you may be able to reduce your risk of illness. Consistently pick the wrong ones, however, and you could accelerate the inflammatory disease process.
     
    For example, the Mediterranean diet is said to reduce inflammation. This diet emphasizes fish, vegetables, olive oil, fruits, nuts and whole grains.
     
    FOODS THAT FIGHT INFLAMMATION:
     
    • Tomatoes
    • Olive oil
    • Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and collards
    • Nuts, like almonds and walnuts
    • Fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
    • Fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples and oranges
     
    Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may also protect against inflammation.
     
    FOODS THAT CAUSE INFLAMMATION:
     
    • Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, crackers and pastries
    • French fries and other fried foods
    • Soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
    • Red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
    • Margarine, shortening and lard
     
    The anti-inflammatory diet is thought to curb chronic inflammation and help prevent or treat the following conditions: allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, cancer, depression, diabetes, gout, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and stroke.
     
    Research suggests that people with a high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy oils and fish may have a reduced risk for inflammation-related diseases. In addition, substances found in some foods, particularly antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, appear to possess anti-inflammatory effects.
     
    Omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, flax seed/oil, soy, tofu and nuts) may have anti-inflammatory effects, protecting against various inflammatory diseases. Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the incidence of heart disease and benefit intestinal health.
     
    Additionally, elevated blood levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are also an important protective factor against sustained inflammation. HDL cholesterol, often referred to as “good” or healthy cholesterol, picks up excess cholesterol in your blood and returns it to your liver, where it’s broken down and removed from your body.
     
    HDL levels for both men and women should be 60 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or above. When HDL levels dip below 40 mg/dL, your risk of heart disease rises.
     
    People with naturally higher levels of HDL cholesterol are at lower risk of heart attack and stroke. It’s less clear whether that same benefit holds true for people who increase their HDL levels with medications, according to the Mayo Clinic.
     
    Some healthful ways to raise your HDL cholesterol include:
     
    • Consume olive oil
    • Eat fatty fish often
    • Exercise regularly
    • Lose weight
    • Stop smoking
     
    Your dietary goal should simply be to eat more real, whole food and less of the unhealthy, processed, refined junk foods. A healthy diet will help you feel better and also reduce health risks.
     
    The best anti-inflammatory foods include:
     
    • organic fruits and veggies
    • fermented foods rich in probiotics
    • bone broth to heal the gut and boost immunity
    • beans and legumes
    • healthy fats (like salmon, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds)
    • spices and herbs (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cayenne, black pepper, clove)
     
    Some additional tips:
     
    Drinking one green smoothie every day is an easy, delicious way to get 2–4 servings of fruits and veggies.
     
    Before or after working out, down a glass of tart cherry juice, or blend it into your smoothie. The antioxidant compounds in the cherries help reduce inflammation.
     
    Magnesium also has anti-inflammatory benefits. Yet, magnesium deficiency is one of the leading nutrient deficiencies in adults, with an estimated 80 percent of us being deficient in this vital mineral. That’s because merely 30% to 40% of dietary magnesium is actually absorbed by the body.
     
    Magnesium is widely found in plant and animal foods. Green leafy vegetables (such as spinach), legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains are all good sources. In general, foods containing dietary fiber provide magnesium.
     
    The science is clear: Adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet can help protect you from a host of chronic inflammatory diseases. Take the first steps by gradually adding more and more of these anti-inflammatory foods into your diet, which will help to crowd out the inflammatory foods that can lead to illness and disease. Take it one step at a time.
  • The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

    The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

    A lack of sleep may be a big contributor to America’s considerable weight problem.
     
    The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends 7-9 hours of sleep each night for adults, ages 18-64. Yet, more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, according to a CDC study.
     
    Sleeping less than seven hours per day is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and frequent mental distress, according to the CDC.
     
    The hunger hormones leptin and ghrelin have gotten a lot of attention in recent years. Though you may have heard of them, you may not be familiar with their functions.
     
    Think of the ‘l’ in leptin standing for lose. Leptin suppresses appetite and therefore contributes to weight loss. Think of the ‘g’ in ghrelin standing for gain. Ghrelin is a fast-acting hormone that increases hunger and leads to weight gain.
     
    When you’re sleep deprived, research shows, ghrelin levels surge while leptin plummets. The result is an increase in hunger.
     
    The key to reducing your nighttime cravings is to get more sleep; 7-9 hours.
     
    Another key to successful weight loss technique is intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating.
     
    Recent research shows the benefits of intermittent fasting, and those who have tried it often view it as a sustainable, long-term solution.
     
    In the simplest form, intermittent fasting would amount to 12 hours on and 12 hours off. For example, food can be eaten only between 7am and 7pm or 8am and 8pm.
     
    However, research shows that the sweet spot seems to be 10 hours on and 14 hours off. For example, eating only from 9am to 7pm, and then fasting until 9am the next day.
     
    Some intermittent-fasting proponents use only an eight-hour feeding window, with 16 hours of continual fasting each day. For example, eating meals between 12pm and 8pm each day, and fasting at all other times.
     
    This helps to thwart any late-night snacking habits.
     
    The benefit of time-restricted eating is that it allows you to naturally reduce your food intake without counting calories. That’s preferable to most people.
     
    Ultimately, intermittent fasting is about the “when” of eating, not the “what” or “how much.”
     
    Some researchers believe that the rise of later nighttime eating may have thrown off our evolutionary circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle that governs the physiological processes of humans and most other living beings, which may be contributing significantly to increases in obesity.
     
    Some studies suggest that by honoring the circadian rhythm and restricting feeding primarily to the daylight hours, we can improve our health and prevent disease.
     
    Fasting allows us to eat in harmony with our circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms — which determine the sleeping and feeding patterns of all animals, including humans — can be modulated by external cues, such as sunlight.
     
    However, living in the 21st Century has disrupted our circadian rhythms. There is so much artificial light at night that the mind can confuse it with daytime. We also spend an exceptional amount of time (up to 12 hours a day) in front of screens (TVs, computers, tablets and smart phones) that emit blue light, which stimulates the retinal nerves and brain.
     
    21st Century adults spend, on average, 87%-93% of our 24-hours indoors and less than 5% of hours outdoors during the day. This light-dark rhythm disruption leads to less daytime alertness, and promotes depression (especially in older adults) and ADHD.
     
    This has resulted in circadian misalignment, in which our central and peripheral clocks are out of synch. Examples: too much light at night, sleep during daytime and food intake at night.
     
    Time-restricted feeding (12-16 hours of non-feeding) has proven to be the best match to our circadian clocks. The key is to eliminating nocturnal eating. The health benefits of time-restricted feeding double every extra hour of non-feeding time beyond 12 hours, up to 16 hours.
     
    While it is certainly wise to eat a variety of whole foods with high-quality sources of protein, fat and carbohydrate, timing may be the most crucial element when it comes to our eating habits.
     
    Another key is mindfulness. Being a more conscious (mindful) eater also helps you make healthier decisions during your eating window each day, so that you have adequate protein, fiber and water in your diet.
     
    In one study (by Dr. Satchidananda Panda, PhD), participants who adjusted their feeding time from their typical 14–15 hours down to 10 hours not only shed an average of 4% of their body weight, but also reported significantly improved energy levels and more satisfying sleep. Most remarkably, they ate their normal foods and didn’t change their exercise habits.
     
    Choosing to commit to intermittent fasting is easier if you do it with your partner/spouse or family. Any lifestyle change made in conjuncture with someone you live with can make a big difference. It creates a support system and can help keep you accountable.
     
    At the least, focus on getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night and eliminate nighttime snacking. However, you may want to try intermittent fasting / time-restricted eating for about a month to see how it works for you.
     
    It’s not very challenging. I do it and it’s made a difference for me. In fact, I highly recommend it.
  • How Fiber Benefits Your Health

    How Fiber Benefits Your Health

    Fiber… you’ve probably heard that you should be eating more of it. If you’re like millions of Americans, it’s likely true.

    Fiber has many, many health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, controlling blood sugar levels, helping us achieve a healthy weight, normalizing bowel movements and maintaining bowel health. Fiber also reduces the rate of intestinal carbohydrate absorption, reducing insulin response.

    Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that we cannot digest because we lack the digestive enzymes required to break it down. Fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of nutrients, resulting in a prolonged feeling of fullness and reduced appetite. This may reduce food intake and lead to weight loss.

    Women need 25 grams of fiber per day and men need 38 grams per day, according to the Institute of Medicine. Yet, only 5 percent of people in the US meet that recommended target. The average adult eats just 15 grams of fiber per day, which is about half of what we should be getting. Everyone would benefit from adding more fiber to each meal.

    There are different types of fiber and each is uniquely different. Fiber is either soluble or insoluble, viscous or non-viscous and fermentable or non-fermentable.

    Soluble fiber dissolves in water; insoluble fiber does not. Viscose fiber is gel-forming. Fermentable fiber can be metabolized by gut bacteria. And some fibers are combinations of all three. So, not all fiber is created equally; the various types of fiber have different properties in the gut.

    Insoluble fiber or “roughage” goes through your system unaffected by the digestive process. When mixed with water, insoluble fiber acts like a sponge, absorbing liquid and swelling in size in the gastrointestinal tract.

    Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is often viscous, meaning it forms a gel in your gut. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, flaxseed, beans, peas, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium. One serving of a breakfast cereal with oatmeal or oat bran provides 3 to 4 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as a banana or berries, you’ll get even more fiber.

    Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL (bad) cholesterol. How does it work?

    Soluble fiber binds to bile salts in the gastrointestinal tract, causing them to be excreted as part of our fecal matter, rather than being re-absorbed by the colon, as they usually are. Since blood cholesterol is needed to make bile, the body must pull more cholesterol out of our blood to make more bile to replace what was lost. This ultimately lowers the amount of cholesterol in our bloodstream.

    Eating high-fiber foods is also critical to our gut health, which determines our overall health. High-fiber foods feed the healthy bacteria that improve immune function, reduce inflammation and chronic disease, and even help regulate mood.

    When we don’t consume enough fiber, we are essentially starving our gut microbiome, the ecology of trillions of diverse bacteria lining our intestines and colon. Fiber nourishes our gut microbiome.

    There are an estimated 100 trillion bacteria residing in the human gut, mainly in the large intestine (aka, colon). The key is to increase the number of good or healthy bacteria. Both soluble and insoluble fibers undergo fermentation in the large intestine, which stimulates the production of good bacteria there.

    Consequently, fermentable fibers also stimulate the immune system, inhibit inflammation, stabilize blood glucose, and suppress LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

    Foods that are rich in fermentable fibers include beans, legumes, oats and barley, as well as fruits and vegetables.

    Fiber doesn’t just help us poop better. Its ability to fight constipation misses the big picture; daily bowel movements and bowel health are not the same. Providing regularity is just one of fiber’s many benefits, and it is not as important as fiber’s impact on our microbiome.

    The best way to meet your daily fiber requirement is to eat a wide variety of whole foods, rather than supplements, and to minimize processed foods. Focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.

    With low-carb diets (i.e., the ketogenic plan, the Atkins diet and the paleo diet) becoming increasingly popular, adherents of these plans are usually getting insufficient fiber.

    Americans who think going “low-carb” simply means eating more meat often end up eating less vegetables, fruits and grains. Since the latter reduce inflammation, cutting them out can increase inflammation, which has been linked with a variety diseases, including heart disease and stroke, and may also lead to autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

    If you eat a wide variety of whole, plant-based foods every day, and are sure to have some with each meal, you will likely meet your daily fiber requirement. Include veggies in every meal and be sure to eat them first, such as a salad before your meal. This will help you to fill up on very low calorie, high fiber foods before anything else.

    Any food that contains 2.5 grams of fiber per serving is considered a good source, and 5 grams or more is excellent.

    Chia, flax, sesame and hemp seeds are all great sources of fiber. They can be added to to oatmeal, yogurt and smoothies, for example.

    One cup of cooked beans can deliver up to 75% of your daily fiber needs. Beans are also packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.

    Raspberries and blackberries have 8 grams of fiber per cup.

    Avocados are incredibly nutritious fruits and half an avocado delivers 5 grams of fiber.

    One small pear has 5 grams of fiber and apples are also packed with fiber.

    However, if you peel fruits and vegetables, you’ll often remove half the fiber. So, leave the skin on apples, cucumbers and sweet Potatoes, etc.

    By meeting your daily fiber requirement, you’ll achieve a whole series of health benefits, which will pay dividends now and in the future.

     

  • How Many Calories Do You Need? How Many Do You Consume?

    How Many Calories Do You Need? How Many Do You Consume?

    The total number of calories a person needs each day depends on a number of factors, including the person’s age, sex, height, weight and level of physical activity.

    The number of calories you habitually consume each day determines whether you lose, maintain or gain weight.

    How many calories a day should you consume?

    The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimates the number of calories needed to maintain caloric balance according to sex, age group and three different levels of physical activity: sedentary, moderately active and active.

    Estimates range from 1,600-2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000-3,000 calories per day for adult men. Within each sex and age category, the low end of the range is for sedentary individuals; the high end of the range is for active individuals. Due to the reductions in basal metabolic rate that occur with aging, caloric needs generally decrease for adults as they age.

    The physical activity categories are: sedentary, moderately active, active

    Males

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 20s: 2,400; 2,800; 3,000

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 30s: 2,400; 2,600; 2,800/3,000

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 40s: 2,200/2,400; 2,400/2,600; 2,800

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 50s: 2,200; 2,400; 2,600/2,800

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 60s: 2,000; 2,200/2,400; 2,600

    • Estimated calorie needs for males in their 70s and above: 2,000; 2,200; 2,400/2,600

    Females

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 20s: 1,800/2,000; 2,000/2,200; 2,400

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 30s: 1,800; 2,000; 2,200

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 40s: 1,800; 2,000; 2,200

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 50s: 1,600; 1,800; 2,200

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 60s: 1,600; 1,800; 2,000

    • Estimated calorie needs for females in their 70s and above: 1,600; 1,800; 2,000

    For adults, the reference man is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds. The reference woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 126 pounds. If those seem like low weights, that’s because by today’s standards they are.

    The average American man is just over 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 195.7 pounds, according to the CDC. The average male’s waist circumference is 40 inches.

    By comparison, the average American woman is just under 5 feet 4 inches tall weighs 168.5 pounds. Her average waist circumference is 38.1 inches.

    Americans have gotten a lot bigger in recent decades. In 1960, the average man weighed 166.3 pounds; the average woman weighed 140 pounds. The growth in waist size is particularly troubling.

    Waist size is a good measure for the risk for certain diseases, including stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Studies have found that overweight people with large waists — more than 35 inches for women and more than 40 inches for men — are at greater risk of risk of developing type 2 diabetes and are more likely to have a heart attack.

    We can change these lifestyle diseases by changing our lifestyle. One of the best changes would be limiting our excess calorie consumption.

    The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily, according to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. For some healthy adults, who want to maintain their weight, that’s nearly double the daily recommended requirement.

    The problem is that, on average, people underestimate their caloric consumption by about 500 calories. So, if you think you’re eating 2,000 calories per day, you may be getting about 2,500. That adds up to plenty of unwanted weight gain by the end of the year.

    If you want to maintain your weight, you need to eat according to your true physical activity level. If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to eat even less, and you’ll also need to perform weight training.

    But that’s another story for another day. Feel free to ask me about it.

  • Here’s Why You Should Supplement Your Diet With Psyllium

    Here’s Why You Should Supplement Your Diet With Psyllium

    The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume 1.5-2.0 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day.
     
    However, about 90 percent of Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to a 2017 CDC report. Specifically, just 12.2 percent of American adults are meeting the recommendation for fruit and only 9.3 percent are meeting the recommendation for vegetables.
     
    Aside from being packed with valuable nutrients and phytochemicals (helpful chemical compounds produced by plants), fruits and veggies are also packed with fiber, which aids digestion and can help treat digestive problems. Fiber also helps prevent constipation and can reduce cholesterol levels. Adequate fiber intake may even help protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.
     
    The national fiber recommendations are 30 to 38 grams a day for men between 18 and 50 years old, and 25 grams a day for women of the same age range. However, most of us are falling far short. The average American consumes a mere 14 grams, meaning many of us eat even less than that.
     
    A great way to increase your daily fiber intake is by supplementing your diet with psyllium, a natural, water-soluble fiber made from the husks of the Plantago ovata plant. Psyllium can aid our health in each of the following ways:
     
    • Lowering cholesterol
    • Improving digestion
    • Eliminating toxins and heavy metals (psyllium acts like a sponge, soaking them off the walls of the intestine)
    • Slowing the production of blood glucose during digestion
    • Encouraging the growth of healthy intestinal bacteria
     
    For all these reasons, psyllium is a highly valuable dietary supplement. Here’s more detail on each of the above:
     
    Being a soluble fiber, psyllium is able to pass through your digestive system without being completely broken down or absorbed. Instead, it absorbs water and becomes a gel-like substance that slows down the rate at which the stomach empties. As a result, psyllium tends to slow the movement of food through the digestive tract. Since fiber-rich foods take longer to digest, they result in an increased feeling of fullness and satiety. Consequently, psyllium can aid weight loss by reducing the amount of food consumed during meals.
     
    In addition, a more gradual absorption slows the entrance of glucose into the blood stream, thereby preventing large blood glucose and insulin spikes. For this reason, psyllium helps control blood sugar levels, which is particularly helpful to diabetics. It’s recommended that you take psyllium with food, rather than on its own, so it has a greater effect on your blood sugar levels.
     
    Psyllium has also been shown to help lower blood cholesterol. Soluble fiber binds to bile salts in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, causing them to be excreted as part of our fecal matter, rather than being re-absorbed by the colon, as they usually are. Since blood cholesterol is needed to make bile, the body must pull more cholesterol out of our blood to make more bile and replace what was lost. This ultimately lowers the amount of cholesterol in our bloodstream.
     
    Additionally, psyllium also helps with constipation and diarrhea, and perhaps even benefits blood pressure, according to research.
     
    Psyllium is a bulk-forming laxative that also softens stools, which means it makes bowel movements much easier. Quite simply, psyllium promotes regularity and overall digestive health, which matters to millions of people.
     
    A total of 60 to 70 million Americans are affected by digestive diseases, according to the National Institute of Health. This means one in five Americans suffers some type of digestive illness. That’s because the modern American diet is so unhealthy. For example, the top sources of calories in the US are grain-based desserts, including cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, crisps, cobblers and granola bars. Americans also consume copious amounts of sodas, candy, potato chips and pizza.
     
    Having a healthy gut is vital to our overall health. Psyllium encourages the growth of healthful, “friendly” intestinal bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilous and bifidobacteria.
     
    These are among the healthy or “good” bacteria in your GI tract that keep your entire digestive system at its peak, while boosting the health of your immune system. In fact, 80% of your immune system lives within your digestive tract and, obviously, a healthy immune system is vital to your overall well-being.
     
    It is crucial for us to maintain a healthy ratio of “good” to “other” bacteria in our GI tract for optimal health. A healthy and balanced digestive system even helps you better regulate your weight.
     
    The good bacteria in your GI tract need good nutrition to flourish. Dietary fiber can make a huge difference by feeding these good bacteria, allowing them to grow and proliferate. While the less-than-desirable bacteria like to eat refined sugars and fats, beneficial bacteria love to feed on fiber, such as psyllium.
     
    The average recommended dosage for psyllium is about one or two tablespoons with meals, once or twice daily. However, I suggest starting with a lower dose and gradually working up to this level. A tall glass of water should be taken with each dose.
     
    The most common brand of psyllium is Metamucil, which has added sugar and ascorbic acid. There are also 100% pure psyllium versions available, without added sugar, which you can find at any health food store. You may find that finely ground, powdered psyllium, which can be mixed with either water or juice, is easiest to drink.
     
    It should be noted that Metamucil is different from Citrucel, which is made from man-made cellulose fiber. Citrucel is merely a fiber laxative and does not offer the same health benefits of psyllium.
     
    So, there are many good reasons to add psyllium to your diet regimen: it’s all natural, inexpensive, easy to take and has a multitude of health benefits. Ultimately, psyllium is one of the very best supplements to include in your daily diet.
  • Some Simple Diet Recommendations

    Some Simple Diet Recommendations

    In America today, people are more likely to be overnourished than undernourished.

    In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that almost 40 percent of American adults and nearly 20 percent of adolescents are obese — the highest rates ever recorded for the U.S. 

    In total, more than 70 percent of Americans are now either overweight or obese, meaning that an unhealthy weight has become the norm, with healthy-weight Americans — who have a BMI of less than 25 — now in the minority.

    Yet, while we are a nation of overnourished individuals, many Americans are still malnourished. Despite the overabundance of calories (Americans eat an average of over 3,600 calories a day, according to a report by The Food and Agriculture Organization), many Americans don’t get enough healthy calories.
     
    The most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day. 
     
    However, about 90 percent of Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to a 2017 CDC report. Specifically, just 12.2 percent of American adults are meeting the standard for fruit and 9.3 percent are meeting the standard for vegetables.  
     
    Fruits and veggies are nutrient-dense, meaning they are full of beneficial nutrients and minerals, while containing no added sugars or sodium. Every calorie they contain is very beneficial to the human body. 
     
    These healthy, natural foods are also packed with fiber, which aids digestion and can help treat digestive problems, while preventing constipation and potentially reducing cholesterol levels. Adequate fiber intake may also help protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.
     
    Since the vast majority of Americans are coming up short with their fruit and vegetable intake, many are also missing some key nutrients in their diets.
     
    According to the most recent U.S. Dietary Guidelines, there are seven important nutrients in foods that most Americans aren’t getting in sufficient amounts:
     
    • Fiber
    • Calcium
    • Potassium
    • Magnesium
    • Vitamin A
    • Vitamin C
    • Vitamin E
     
    Though each of the above can be found in the form of nutritional supplements, it’s always best to get all of our nutritional needs met through a well-rounded diet, anchored by fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. As the name suggests, supplements are supposed to supplement a healthy diet. Studies have found that they don’t offer as many health benefits as the nutrients naturally found in food. That said, most nutritionists agree that a multivitamin is an inexpensive insurance policy.
     
    One macronutrient that most Americans eat in abundance is protein. Proteins are vital components of the human body, critical to the repair of tissue and the building of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Proteins also help to regulate hormone production and make us feel full. 
     
    The U.S. Dietary Guidelines state that adults should take in a minimum of 10 percent of their daily calories from protein. Most Americans take in about 15 percent of their calories from protein. The healthy range for protein extends up to 35 percent of daily calories, according to the guidelines. The current 15 percent protein intake of the average American, combined with regular exercise, is sufficient to maintain muscle, according to Harvard Medical School.
     
    Most of us get a significant portion of our protein in the form of animal proteins. However, we’d all be well-served to eat plant proteins more often. Good sources include beans (kidney, pinto, black or white beans), peas (split peas, chickpeas, hummus), soy beans (edamame) or soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers), as well as nuts and seeds. These are all naturally low in saturated fat and high in fiber.
     
    The point is to get our proteins from a wide variety of sources and to make sure we’re getting what are known as “complete proteins.”
     
    There are 20 different amino acids that can form a protein, nine of which the body can’t produce on its own. These are called essential amino acids—we need to eat them since we can’t make them ourselves. In order to be considered complete, a protein must contain all nine of these essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts.
     
    Examples of complete proteins include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and soybeans. 
     
    Though most plant proteins are considered to be incomplete, combining them can create complete proteins. We don’t need to ingest every essential amino acid in every meal; we only need a sufficient amount of each amino acid every day.
     
    Here are some examples of complete proteins that are also meatless: quinoa, buckwheat, lentils and rice & beans.
     
    Vegans and vegetarians may have to work a little harder to consume complete proteins, but the following may be helpful: Every time legumes (such as beans, lentils and peanuts) are combined with grains like wheat, rice and corn, a complete protein is created. Peanut butter on whole wheat is perfect example. This snack provides all the essential amino acids, as well as some healthy fat.
     
    That leads us to another vital macronutrient: fats, most especially healthy fats. These include: avocados/avocado oil, nuts (walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews and almonds), seeds (flax, sunflower, chia), nut butters, olives/extra virgin olive oil, coconut/coconut oil, and fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna).

    Here are some simple recommendations:

    Eat a salad every day and have vegetables with every meal. Snack on fruits. Eat more plant-based proteins and make sure to combine them so that they create complete proteins. Limit saturated fats and focus instead on healthier monounsaturated fats (olives, avocados, nuts, seeds) and healthy oils (olive-mono, avocado-mono, flaxseed-poly and grapeseed-poly) and polyunsaturated fats, the latter of which contain the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, flaxseed and walnuts, for example. 

    As Hippocrates famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

  • Beware the Liquid Calories

    Beware the Liquid Calories

    Whether you are trying to lose weight or just maintain it, it’s a good idea to limit your intake of liquid calories. Most Americans only count the calories they get from solid foods, and many are unaware of how liquid calories are sneaking into their diet and affecting their body weight.
     
    A study commissioned by the Milk Processor Education Program found that liquids make up 22 percent of calories in the average American’s diet.
     
    As of 2016, the average American drank about 39 gallons of soda a year—or about eight 12-ounce cans a week—according to the Beverage Marketing Corp.
     
    Yet, soda isn’t the only culprit. Though soda sales have fallen, Americans are still getting lots of unnecessary calories from fruit juice, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas and sweetened coffee beverages. In fact, sugar drinks are the single-largest source of calories from added sugar in the American diet.
     
    A typical 12-ounce can of regular cola contains nearly 9 teaspoons of added sugars; a 20-ounce bottle contains 15.5 teaspoons of sugars. Yet, the American Heart Association recommends a maximum daily intake of 6 teaspoons of added sugars for women and 9 teaspoons for men.
     
    Sodas are the perfect example of empty calories. There is virtually no nutrition or useful quality in soda, which is full of unhealthy additives and preservatives, such as artificial colors, phosphoric acid and bicarbonate. This is why cutting back on liquid calories may be more valuable than cutting back on calories from solid food.
     
    Generally speaking, calories from fluids are not satiating and don’t suppress hunger, which means you can consume a lot of liquid calories without ever feeling full. That can lead to overconsumption and weight gain.
     
    After you ingest sugar, glucose enters your bloodstream and your pancreas immediately begins making insulin to balance the rush of sugar. Most sweetened drinks contain both glucose and fructose. Glucose is quickly turned into energy, while fructose, which is sweeter, is more likely to turn into fat.
     
    Fructose is sent to the liver, where it is converted to be burned as fuel. The excess stored away as fat. There is research on sugar intake suggesting that this fat ends up as belly fat.
     
    If you’re trying to lose weight or just trying to maintain it, your best beverage choice is water, which is calorie free. Water helps cleanse your body of unhealthy and unneeded waste, and helps your body function properly. Most of your body — as much as 65 percent — is composed of water.
     
    If you get hungry between meals, drink a glass of water and snack on fresh fruits and vegetables. Whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber and are therefore much more filling than juice. Critically, fruits and veggies are nutrient dense, while being low in calories.
     
    Although energy drinks are touted as healthy, some can have as much added sugar as sodas. Energy is just another word for calories. In fact, in England, calories are referred to as energy. If you’re not exercising for 45 or more minutes, why would you need an energy drink? If they were called “calorie drinks,” people would be a lot more cautious about consuming them.
     
    Other than water, remember that serving sizes matter. Beverage cans and bottles of 6 or 7 ounces were once commonplace. These days, it’s tough to find retail beverages offered in anything less than 12, 16 or even 20 ounce containers. All of those additional ounces represent additional calories.
     
    Lastly, if you think you’re doing yourself a favor by drinking artificially sweetened beverages, you’re not. Studies show that artificial sweeteners alter your metabolism and increase your sweet tooth. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic and intensely sweet, much more than regular sugar itself. They make you want more sugar, which means consuming more calories in the long run.
     
    Research on these sugar substitutes connects diet soda consumption to metabolic syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A nine-year study, which followed older adults who drank diet soda daily, showed a 48 percent higher risk of stroke, heart attack and even death. Steer clear.
     
    Remember that liquid calories in just about any form — alcohol, juice or soda — are stealth calories. They are often imperceptible, but they can have an enormous impact on your weight status, as well as your overall health.