A recent research article estimated that, at our current rate of growth, over 80% of the US population will be overweight or obese by 2030.  With our media projecting images of slender and fit stars every second of the day, it is no wonder that many people want to lose weight. Over the last few decades, the standard advice has been “decrease calories, and increase exercise.” Over that same time frame we have increased our weight consistently. In clinical practice, this “calorie in, calorie out” equation only works some of the time, and it often leaves people feeling like they are “bad” for eating when they are hungry. But is that how we got fat to begin with? Is it because we ate too much and exercised too little? Or are there other factors involved?

Things to Ponder

Three successful diet and weight loss plans, The Atkin’s Diet, the Ornish Diet, and the McDougall Diet, allow people to eat as much as they want. All three allow for people to lose weight. The Atkins diet has shown some potential health risks in some research studies, but is effective at lowering body weight and body fat. The McDougall program has an average weekly weight loss of 3.5 pounds per week, and the Ornish program has been shown to reverse both cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer progression along with weight loss. In his book, The China Study, researcher T. Colin Campbell clearly states that people eating a plant-based diet, rich in whole foods, can eat more calories than their meat-eating counterparts and still weigh less. With these facts in mind, it appears that the quality of the food we eat, perhaps more than the quantity, has more of an effect on weight loss than previously thought.

Signals in Food

Scientists have discovered that we have more gene expression within two hours of eating than we do most any other time in life. This is because food is information. It contains signaling molecules that speak to our genes. Did you know there are chemicals in broccoli, cabbage, and Brussel sprouts that help our genes make more antioxidant proteins? Beyond calories, carbs, fat, and protein, plants contain chemicals that change cellular function above and beyond what was ever previously thought. It is expected that scientists will discover over 40,000 powerful plant compounds in the next ten years that are found in our food supply. When we eat plants in their whole unadulterated form, we receive the genius that nature had intended to nourish and protect our cells. If you want to know what happens to people when they eat foods that are processed, bleached, treated with chemicals, grown in depleted soils, filled with preservatives, sweeteners,  additives, and colorings, just look at the US and our epidemic proportions of obesity. These foods confuse the body to a point of making it want to protect itself with a buffering substance called fat.

Why Starvation Does Not Work

Hunger is a natural signal from the body telling you to eat. The sensation of hunger comes from a host of hormones that respond to internal chemical signaling. The sensation of being full comes from another set of hormones and chemical signals. Do you know how to confuse those signaling pathways? Stress out. Stress hormones are powerful manipulators of most all hormonal pathways. They are the trump cards that make sure that running away from a lion takes priority over anything else. Do you know what one of the most powerful stressors is in human existence? Starvation. This is why numerous studies have shown that eating a good sized breakfast to break your morning fast, and continuing with frequent meals throughout the day can lead to consistent weight loss. We have numerous success stories of people eating whole foods frequently throughout the day and losing weight without trying. Fat tissue does not use much energy. Lean Muscle tissue does. In fact, lean muscle likes to be fed frequently. If you want to lose weight AND maintain lean muscle tissue, starvation is not the best way. Eating whole foods that supply steady, clean burning energy throughout the day works.

Why Whole Foods Work

Nature is wise. It provides us with fiber, powerful antioxidants, and nutrients that nourish every cell. By eating a diet rich in plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, you:

1.     Provide beneficial fibers that bind to secreted toxin-laden fat in the intestines and get it out of the body. During weight loss, many toxic chemicals that were stored in your fat for many years are released into the bloodstream. Canadian researchers have found that some chemicals even alter thyroid function to a point of halting weight loss altogether. Having plenty of fiber, and potent antioxidants in the diet allows the body to process these toxins and effectively eliminate them.

2.     Provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals that your body needs for processing the energy from food, and protecting itself from damage. Dr. Sydney Baker estimates that the majority of the US population is deficient in the mineral magnesium. Beans, legumes, greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are excellent sources of this mineral. Some experts say this mineral is the most important cofactor for energy use and production in the entire body.

3.     Provide incredible antioxidant protection. The thousands of antioxidant chemicals found in plants help support the survival of our cells that are under constant attack. It is estimated that every cell in our body takes a thousand oxidant hits a day. The most potent compounds to regulate this activity come from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. (Cornell University researches recently found potent antioxidant compounds in whole grains).

Extra Tips for Weight Loss

• 2 cups of green or white tea per day have been shown to accelerate weight loss. Try using the same tea bag over again. This lessens the caffeine while increasing the amount of antioxidant polyphenols that help with weight loss.

• Finding food sensitivities and intolerances can lower a persons stress hormones and inflammatory responses which allows for stabilization of the immune system, digestive system, and often a loss of weight. Gluten and dairy sensitivities are by far the most common.  See www.enterolab.com for testing, and/or try the 28-Day Elimination and Detoxification Diet found in the appendix section of our book, The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. Weight loss of at least 8-11 pounds is common during the elimination diet. 

• Organic food lessens toxin exposure and increases phytochemical content.

• Small frequent meals with a healthy breakfast allow for even keeled metabolism.

• Eating less flour products and more whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and teff will assist in stabilizing blood sugar thus lowering fat storage.

• Recent research shows that getting one more hour of sleep a night lessens body weight.

• Staying away from sweetened beverages (high fructose corn syrup), and trans-fatty acids (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils) will save your life and slim your gut.

• Mild to moderate exercise (like walking or jogging) allows for an increase in metabolism without an increase in stress hormones. If you workout too hard, and you are already stressed out, you might be slowing weight loss in the long run.

• And remember, if you are hungry, you need to eat. Choose whole, organic, gluten-free foods and enjoy eating! Food is energy, life, fun, yum!

Have you ever wondered why it is easy for some people to maintain a healthy diet while others struggle with it? The answer may lie in our childhood. Our early experiences with food shape our eating habits as adults. The first 3 years in a child’s life has been shown to be the most important.  After I read The Continuum Concept by Jean Liedloff, I realized just how much we learn from our parents and caregivers when we are children. Food, flavors, cooking, and eating are a large part of this early learning.

Babies learn the smells, sights, and sounds of meal preparation by being carried about in a sling or front pack while we are cooking, long before they have even tasted food. We have always carried our babies during the dinnertime hours, as this is often the time when they are the fussiest. Our 5 month old twins calm right down watching me sauté something on the stove. My mother said she always carried me in a front pack while she made dinner too. This could be part of why cooking comes so easily and naturally to me.

As they get older, our children can help in the kitchen. Our girls started helping sauté at the stove somewhere between 1 and 1 ½ years old. They have never burned themselves because they learned to respect the heat of the stove. When our oldest daughter was 2 years old she began cutting with a small knife. She loved to help cut the ends off of green beans and put them into a pot. (All children will be ready at different times to work with knives. Read the tips below for easy things children can help with in the kitchen.)

I have very early memories of kneading whole wheat bread dough on the countertop. I can still remember the old cabinets and speckled counter we had. I was about 2 years old then. I also remember the weekly ritual of making chocolate chip cookies. My mom never measured, just a scoop of this and a pinch of that. I learned how to measure without measuring.

But we may not remember everything. Much of what we take in is imprinted in our brain. For example, the first foods we are introduced to form a pattern in our brains. If fresh whole foods such as raw fruits and steamed vegetables are given as first foods instead of dull, packaged rice cereal then our taste buds will naturally prefer the freshest whole foods. If you have a baby then you can refer to the detailed Schedule for Introducing Solid Foods to Infants on page 387 of our cookbook. I feel lucky that my mother took the extra effort and made all of her own baby food for me. It’s very simple really, just a little steaming and pureeing and baby’s food is ready. You can also use a baby food grinder to quickly make baby food from raw, soft fruits such as peaches, pears, apricots, melons, cherries, bananas and also steamed vegetables such as yams, potatoes, and squash.

Exposing Children to New Flavors, New Foods

As children get older they may become pickier eaters. I have heard a number of stories of 1 and 2 year olds that will eat practically anything put in front of them but as they near 3 years old they begin to refuse all of those well-loved foods. I also know this from our own experience. Our girls would eat just about anything between 1 and 2 ½ years and then by 3 the pickiness set in.  In general, the younger the child the easier it may be to offer new foods or change eating habits. Offer small amounts of new foods consistently over a few weeks. Sometimes it may take exposures of up to 10 to 15 times to new foods before they may eat it. We like to use the “try it bite” method where they take one bite of a new food and if they don’t like it they can spit it out. Sometime they may like it, but most of the time they spit it out. Then one day I will serve that particular food again and one of my daughters will eat it all up and ask for more.

Kids in the Kitchen

Children will often be more apt at trying new flavors if they are a part of the whole process. Older children can help with menu planning and both young and older children can help with the grocery shopping. When it comes to meal preparation children of all ages can help with various tasks. My daughter used to love to cut vegetables for me and whenever she cut cauliflower she would eat quite a bit as she was cutting! This is a great way for kids to have the opportunity to eat raw vegetables (without feeling forced to). If your child is new to meal prep tasks then you may set up a station for him or her to work at. You can start with a small cutting board, a dull knife, and a banana. Let them cut the banana as you are chopping onions. Eventually they may play by your side and then ask to take over your task. Turn off the TV, computer, or video games and get them involved. You will be giving your child the gift of self-reliance and health for the rest of their lives!

Below are some easy tips that children can do in the kitchen:

• peeling potatoes and carrots
• trimming the ends off of green beans
• pitting cherries (with a cherry pitter)
• chopping vegetables (for children ages 3 to 5 and up)
• cutting soft fruits (strawberries, bananas, pears, peaches) 
• stirring the simmering soup pot
• measuring out spices and herbs
• sautéing veggies
• whisking muffin or cake batter
• measuring and adding ingredients to baked treats
• washing dishes
• putting away groceries
• sweeping the floor
  
  
   

What would life be like if you got tired, had diarrhea, “foggy thinking” and/or joint pain every time you ate a sandwich? Or how about depressed, bloated, or nauseous after eating pasta? It appears that a portion of the general population deals with this on a daily basis. The immune system in these people perceives the proteins in wheat, barley, and rye as foreign invaders. As a consequence, they launch an attack to these proteins much like they would to a virus. No wonder fatigue, foggy thinking, anxiety, and depression are some of the most common symptoms involved with gluten sensitivity. A recent Feb 20th, 2008 article in the Public Library of Sciences journal shows that we are not alone. Apparently the most common cause of death in captive Rhesus macaques (we call them monkeys) is chronic diarrhea. The researchers found that the majority of these monkeys with non-infectious diarrhea were reacting to gluten. When they fed them a monkey chow that was gluten-free, not only did their diarrhea disappear, but their fatigue, depression, and rashes went away as well.

More and more people are becoming aware of the fact that the consumption of gluten can contribute to a multitude of health problems. As a consequence, there has been a surge by many health care practitioners to suggest that their clients get tested for celiac disease, and/or go on gluten-free diets. Recent research has shown that many of the “standard” tests are missing a large portion of the population that might be reacting to gluten but testing negative. At Whole Life Nutrition, we have seen many clients with arthritis, migraines, chronic diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, ADD/ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, and fibromyalgia find amazing improvement or complete resolution of symptoms with a gluten-free diet. The problem appears to be that gluten is everywhere. It is found in- soy sauce and fish sauces at Asian restaurants, on grills that have grilled hamburger buns or sandwiches, in envelope and stamp adhesives, in communion wafers, hidden in medications and nutritional supplements, and in the majority of processed foods in the United States. Tom recently recorded a presentation on Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Sprue on behalf of Thorne Research. If you would like to view more details on this subject, you are welcome to watch this presentation at the following link.  The password is: nobarley.

https://thorne.webex.com/tc0500l/trainingcenter/record/downloadViewAction.do?actionType=view&recordId=20952832&siteurl=thorne&setted=103

What do you do now? If you suspect you are gluten sensitive you can either get tested or try an Elimination Diet, such as the one found in our Cookbook. The testing done through Entero Lab is an excellent test to detect a gluten sensitivity. Please visit www.celiac.com or www.gluten.net for more information.

With the strength of the sun’s rays diminishing this time of year, many of us are dreaming of far off tropical lands. Our advice…GO! And time your trip around late January or early February so you can refill your vitamin D stores. Recent data shows us that you can improve mood, possibly decrease risk for the flu, prevent autoimmune diseases, increase strength in the elderly, significantly reduce cancer risk, and decrease chronic pain by maintaining adequate blood levels of this essential nutrient. With such broad effects on health, scientists are saying that vitamin D might be the most important hormone in the human body.

Vitamin D can be made in human skin utilizing cholesterol and rays from the sun that are of a particular wavelength and strength. In the Winter months, the strength of these rays diminish as you get farther from the equator. Therefore, anyone living north of Bakersfield, CA, Oklahoma City, OK, and Raleigh, NC, will not be able to rely on the sun for vitamin D during this time no matter how “sunny” it is. Surprisingly, even people below this level suffer from vitamin D deficiencies due to fears of skin cancer.

To give you an idea of the power of sun avoidance, sunscreeen with an SPF of 8 reduces vitamin D synthesis by 92.5%, with an SPF of 15 blocking 99%! To put things in perspective, there are approximately 8,110 deaths per year due to melanoma, 40,460 deaths due to breast cancer, and 52,180 deaths attributed to colorectal cancer. In August of this year, researchers found that you could reduce your relative risk of breast, and colorectal cancer by 50% if you keep your vitamin D levels in normal ranges. (52 ng/ml or higher) Therefore, it appears that safe exposure to sun is far more important than avoiding the sun all together. A light pinking of the skin without burning is all that is needed in the late Spring, Summer, and early Fall to add to your vitamin D stores.

In the Winter, a trip to a tropical location, or supplementation is necessary as many agree that foods are a poor source of vitamin D. The authors of the cancer incidence reduction article were recommending 3,500 IU of supplemental vitamin D3 per day to people who were not able to get sun exposure. And let’s not forget about preventing bone loss. When you are deficient in vitamin D, you can only absorb between 10-15% of dietary calcium. When you have adequate vitamin D, you can get between 30-40% with pregnant women getting up to 80%.

Doctors in the Northwest are telling us that most all of their patients are vitamin D deficient and do much better when they get their levels up to normal. Consider getting your 25’hydroxy vitamin D levels tested regularly and make sure they are in the normal to high normal ranges. That way all of your days can be merry and bright, even if your Christmas is white!

Super Immunity Cocktail

Serves 1 adult or 2 children

     
the juice of 2 Valencia oranges

1 tablespoon pure cod liver oil

two 1000 IU capsules vitamin D

one 200 mcg capsule selenium picolinate

Place all ingredients into a glass and whisk together using a fork. Pour into shot glasses and serve immediately!