Can You Be Happy In Your Own Skin?

An article by Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D.,asks, “How can a man or a woman be accepting of their body when it falls so far outside of society’s vision of the ideal form?” After working with clients for many years, we hear from those of you who wrestle with their weight face that same question. Cederquist, who is a board-certified bariatric physician, insists that, “it is those who accept their weight and deal with it powerfully who achieve the most profound and lasting weight loss results.” So what does she recommend? Change your internal conversation. Here’s her advice:

1. Begin with the belief that you are far more as an individual than just your weight. “Shift your internal conversation from one of shame and self-loathing to one of power and possibility begins with the belief that you are far more than just your weight.”

2. Answer the following questions: Who you are presently? Who you will become when you have powerfully dealt with your weight?
“Think of more than just weight loss, but of how you live your life. Maybe today you are ‘limited by your mobility’ but are creating a future of ‘activity and mobility.’ With this example, what does it look like when you are able to do the things that your lack of mobility has prevented? What new possibilities exist for you, and how is your experience of life different?”
3. Think of the action steps you will take to make the future you have envisioned for yourself a reality.
“Outline each step that you will take in becoming a lighter, healthier you. An action step is not, a statement such as ‘lose weight.’ An action step is a specific action that you will take in order to reach your desired outcome.”

The one takeaway from Cederquist’s advice was that perspective is everything! It’s similiar to the law of attraction: What you focus on and think about internally is what you’re likely to invite in life. True or not, it's food for thought. Part of lasting weight loss is mental. That said, try envisioning a healthier, happier you for a day or two and see if your perspective changes. Remember, you can always lose weight. But you should never lose yourself to guilt or shame.

Soothing Heartburn with Healthy Habits

Some of the clients we see have suffered from heartburn before starting our healthy eating plan.  If you are like them you sure know the telltale signs of that burning pain behind the breastbone.  You may have also had acid reflux from the acid in your stomach backing up into your esopohagus.  If this progresses for more than once a week for months you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Symptoms of GERD include: regurgitation of gastric acid or sour contents into the mouth, difficult and/or painful swallowing, chronic cough caused by acid refluxing up and getting into the lungs, chest pain, hoarseness in the morning, bad breath, nausea or vomiting, or feeling like something is stuck in your throat.

Any of these are certainly unpleasant, and there are simple ways to help prevent or soothe these symptoms. Let's first look at the causes:

Causes of Reflux:
Your lower esophageal sphincter or the muscular passageway between your lower esophagus and the stomach plays a role in this.  Its job is to maintain a tight seal after you have finished swallowing. However, if the sphincter has weakened it can allow acid in your stomach to back up into your esophagus.

Causes Heartburn:
There are two types of foods that wreak havoc.  They are either considered relaxers or irritants.  The relaxers are foods that can lower the pressure between the esophagus and stomach, or they can relax the lower esophageal sphincter.  Either way makes it easier for stomach acid to creep up.  This includes things like caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, peppermint and fatty meals. On the other hand there are irritants that can aggravate an existing irritation of the esophagus from acid reflux.  These include spicy or acidic food, orange or tomato juice, and carbonated beverages.  

This is not to say that all of these foods on these two lists will always bother you, but that they may.  To help, pay attention to how you feel after having them.  Once you find a trigger avoid it for a while and see if it helps.

Lifestyle Choices:
In addition to what we eat and drink there are some lifestyle choices that may be working against us such as being overweight, eating too much that you feel stuffed, lying down right after consuming a large meal, as well as eating most of you food late in the day.  It's important to listen to your body because it is letting you know that you need to make a change. That said, you may want to consider losing weight and eating smaller portions and overall eating less, as well as drinking alcohol in moderation. Making those changes will also help with your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

Here are some ways you can take charge!

• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Eat your meals more slowly
• Don't lie down after meals
• Don't consume the majority of your food as one large meal
• Don't eat within several hours before bedtime
• Don't exercise immediately after meals
• When sleeping, prop up your torso with pillows or a bed wedge
• Rule out heartburn caused by medications or dietary supplements.  Some supplements and drugs can cause reflux or inflammation of the esophagus.

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, April 2018, VOL. 36, NO. 2, Soothe Heartburn With Diet and Lifestyle Changes (pp 3).

How Hormone Havoc Prevents Weight Loss

Have you ever considered why losing weight and maintaining weight is such a challenge?   Well, it turns out that gaining and losing weight can be due to several things like: Sleep deprivation, nutritional imbalances, genetics, environmental toxins, gut flora imbalances, food addictions, allergies, and inflammation. Let's not forget the impact hormones have on our weight and metabolism. Did you know that hormones determine what your body does with food?  That's why balanced hormones are crucial to controlling weight!

With that in mind, as we age our hormone production changes.  Specifically, hormone production declines with age which can trigger a sluggish metabolism and weight gain. In addition, our body shape can change too with fat appearing around your middle, belly, breast, and arms. These hormones that affect both men and women are cortisol, insulin, thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. When any of these are imbalanced, unfortunately hormonal disorders ensue causing weight gain and or difficulty losing weight.

Let's take a closer look at these hormones:

Cortisol
Simply put, stress causes cortisol to be released into the bloodstream because your body is essentially thrown into panic mode.  Cortisol increases your blood sugar and breaks down fat for energy, which is useful in a life threatening situation. However, once that stress is over cortisol soars and leaves us open to cravings of fatty, salty, and sugary foods to restore that energy that was used. Finally, cortisol drops to a normal level.  Here's the thing, periods of prolonged stress leads to consistent high levels of cortisol, and that causes an increase in calorie intake.  Coupled with that the fact that these additional calories are not being used right away, these calories are stored as fat in the abdomen. If you are in a constant state of stress your blood sugar will stay elevated and ultimately lead to insulin resistance. 

Insulin
Insulin helps cells receive glucose.  So, when we eat sugar (glucose) insulin carries that glucose into the cells to be used as fuel.  Once the cell receives what it needs any excess will be stored as fat - especially in the belly and buttocks. In a situation where insulin resistance occurs, basically the body produces insulin, but the cells become less sensitive to it.  That results in the pancreas pushing out more insulin, but the insulin is unable to carry the glucose into the cell.  That means excess circulating insulin now creates sugar cravings, increased appetite, and weight gain.

Thyroid
This is a powerful hormone that regulates the metabolism of every cell in the body. But, when your thyroid is not able to make enough thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) body functions slow.  Symptoms of low thyroid include: fatigue, hair loss, sluggishness, weight gain/difficulty losing weight.  These people can have normal lab tests, which is discomforting because these folks know something is wrong but the cause is not obvious. Thyroid hormone needs to be suspected and tested properly.

Testosterone, Estrogen, and Progesterone
As we age both men and women have a reduction in testosterone, which is seen by both muscle and bone loss, as well as an increase in belly fat, and a slower metabolism. Unfortunately, this effect is more pronounced in men as their testosterone levels are higher to start with.  For women, our ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone starting as early as age 35.  Sadly, when estrogen is out of whack along with other hormones like progesterone we can gain weight.  If you notice weight gain around your midsection, hips, and thigh, along with water retention and abdominal bloating that is a sign of an estrogen imbalance. Additionally, estrone, the main estrogen in menopause, moves the fat from our hips to our abdomen. On the flip side, progesterone helps the body use and eliminate fat, plus it increases metabolism. But, too much progesterone production relative to estrogen leads to an increased appetite and fat storage. 

To prevent weight gain from hormonal imbalance:
1. Limit carbohydrate intake - follow a healthy eating plan with plenty of produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats
2. Reduce stress - this is a big one!  Truly, you may need to reevaluate your needs, and if need be make some changes to ease your stress levels.
3. Have hormone levels checked and balanced
4. Take a probiotic
5. Exercise 45 min., 5 days/week

All of these tips are essential to maintaining your health!  Consider them your foundation.

Reference: http://www.robard.com/blog/post/2017/07/26/how-hormone-havoc-prevents-weight-loss.aspx,26, July 2017, How Hormone Havoc Prevents Weight Loss.

Enrich Your Diet with Fruit!

Many of us have some sort of sweet tooth, and what comes along with that can be foods that are not always the best for our waistlines.  Let's be honest who doesn't like a homemade baked good like a warm brownie or chocolate chip cookie from time to time, or how about something more decadent like a gooey molten lava cake.  The list could be endless!  So, how can you choose something sweet that won't take you off your healthy habits?  Try adding some fruit!

Here are a few easy fruit swaps you can add:
1. Swap sugar-sweetened yogurt for plain yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit.
2. Swap salad croutons for a handful of thinly slices or cubed fruit.
3. Swap fiber or energy bars, and chips with fresh whole fruit.
4. Swap a glass of juice with the whole fruit.
5. Swap syrup for pancakes and waffles with heated fresh or frozen berries for a fruit topping.
6. Swap the jelly in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with apple, strawberry or banana slice for the jelly.
7.  Swap pie, cake, and other desserts for grilled fruit like apples, pears, pineapple or peaches.

Swapping less healthy sweet treats with fruit is a great way to go as it provides vitamins, fiber, and fewer calories.  Why not start today!

A "Mental Diet"?

When you start changing your eating habits at some point you will realize that there is a mental component to this.  That mental component can either help you succeed or fail.  To help you succeed try adopting these actions during the day. Let's break it down to what you can do at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Breakfast - When your day begins take a moment, even if it's 5 minutes, to exercise and set a tone for the day ahead.  To be successful you need to start your day off with intention. If you can try to exercise during this time as there are less distractions along with more willpower.  Also, make time for breakfast and choose something healthy.  You want to feed your mind and body with healthy things.

Lunch - Schedule 15-30 minutes to eat lunch and take a break from your day.  If need be set an alarm.  As we know we already live in a fast paced society, so it is vital that you take some time for yourself. During this time, focus on what you are eating and how you are feeling.  That means pulling yourself away from your computer or device. Use this time to recharge in a calm environment while eating a healthy meal.

Dinner - This is a time where emotional eating can strike. It is also a time where willpower is depleted and cravings kick in.  That leads many to indulge in foods that are considered a reward for the day.  However, that habit can take you away from your health goals.  Instead, use that time to jot down how you feel in a journal or talk to someone about your day. As you prepare for sleep limit your screen time on phones or your T.V. so you can relax. Try a how bath, shower, or a good book.

Reference: Robard, August 2017,  A "Mental Diet" for Weight Management, http://robard.com/blog/post/2017/08/08/a-mental-diet-for-weight-management.aspx

5 Tips to Stay Motivated When You Are Not Losing Weight

Sometimes there are periods during you weight loss journey when you stop losing weight. This can happen for a variety of reasons. To help you during those times here are 5 tips you can use to help keep you motivated.

1. Be Patient - Remember, weight loss takes time! And, stressing out over it will actually cause your cortisol levels to rise making it harder for you to lose weight, and it can even make you gain weight. Instead, focus on journaling, eating healthy, and keeping up a good exercise routine.

2. Be Realistic - It's important to set reasonable goals that you can attain from week to week.  Setting unrealistic goals like losing 10 pounds in one week will set you up for failure. To start, try setting smaller goals like journaling daily, drinking your water, and being active.  You can work up from there. To help you get started schedule an appointment with a health professional like us!

3. Remember Your Why - Think about why you started this journey in the first place. Was it your health? Or did you want more energy? Maybe you wanted to feel better in your clothes. Perhaps you wanted to be a good role model for your children. Those reasons that got you started are important. Use those reasons to drive you forward when things become challenging.

4. Challenge Yourself - Perhaps you have hit a plateau? Or, maybe you have become bored with your routine.  Those are indicators that you need to change things up!  Why not try a new activity, or increase the intensity or length of time spent on an activity you already love! Pushing yourself with help you make progress.

5. Be Positive - Try talking to yourself the way you would talk to a friend.  Use kind and positive words to give yourself a boost.  Remember, negative words just send you on a downward spiral. While you are working on your own positive self talk, be sure to surround yourself with people who support your efforts. Don't forget to keep your appointments with the health professional you are seeing as they are another source of encouragement.

Try applying these tips above and see how things change! 

Reference: Robard, January 2018, 5 Tips to Keeping Patients Motivated When They're Not Losing Weight, http://robard.com/blog/post/2018/01/17/5-tips-to-keep-patients-motivated-when-they-re-not-losing-weight.aspx

Managing Special Diets at Gatherings

There's a lot to think about when entertaining.  One of the most important aspects is considering your guests needs and likes.  That said, we want to share a few tips to help make your next get together a success!

Here are some general tips:

• Inform you guests when the meal will be served - That let' your guests decide if they need a little snack before they arrive.  Additionally, if you are not serving the main course close to arrival be sure to serve an appetizer like vegetables and hummus.
• Check with guests to see what allergies, food sensitivities, and dislikes they have - This ensures that there will be something for everyone to eat.  It's not to say that you must completely cater the entire meal around this, but there should be an option for everyone invited.
• Try to include health conscious items - Most of us are trying to eat healthier these days.  It's a good idea to provide a salad and at least one vegetable side.  Doing so will help accommodate the needs of your vegetarian/vegan guests too.
• Consider serving the meal buffet-style - This allows for everyone to choose what they want and what works for them.  Organizing it this way lets you include traditional dishes along with some "diet-friendly" dishes. 
• Offer simply-prepared dishes - Fewer ingredients make it easier for guests to know what they're eating. Plus, these dishes tend to be healthier.
• Serve toppings/dressings on the side - This allows your guest to choose if they'd like a topping or dressing. For example, serve a dressing next to a salad, and leave other additions like croutons, cheese or nuts off to the side so they can make whatever additions they would like.
• Keep recipes handy - This is helpful to guests with food allergies/intolerances - Providing a label spells out just what is in the dish. You can simply have the recipe written on a note card next to the dish. Be sure to have separate serving utensils too as these folks are very sensitive and cross contamination could trigger an attack.
• Offer non-alcoholic drinks - Alcohol is not part of everyone's lifestyle for a variety of reasons.  Why not try some "mocktails" you can find online. Flavored and unsweetened sparkling water can be something nice to have as well.

Considering these tips will ensure everyone is satisfied and has a great time!

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, November 2017, VOL. 35, NO.9, Managing Special Diets at Holiday Meals (p.1-4).

Lowering Your Risk for Prostate Cancer

Research has shown some promising results to help lower the risk of prostate cancer.  Here are some things you can start doing right now to reduce your risk.

1. Stop smoking.
2. Exercise - Studies have found that men who engage in at least three hours of vigorous activity per week have a 60% decreased risk of lethal prostate cancer.  Additionally, brisk walking for three hours each week can reduce your risk.
3. Weight - Unfortunately, men who are obese have a higher risk. "Higher levels of insulin-like growth factor, insulin and inflammation due to obesity may promote prostate tumors."
4. Eat Cooked Tomatoes - Research showed that eating tomato sauce at least 2 times per week helped lower the risk of prostate tumors by 45%! You can thank the lycopene in the cooked tomatoes for that.
5. Fish - Those who ate fish at least 5 times per week reduced the likelihood of death from prostate cancer by half over those who only ate fish once per week.
6. Dairy - Drinking more that 4 servings of whole milk per week may increase your risk of prostate cancer recurrence. However, low-fat milk and other dairy foods were not associated with a recurrence of prostate cancer.
7. Calcium & Phosphorous - Men who took in more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day from food plus supplements may have a greater risk of lethal prostate cancer.  However, that link could be from the phosphorous, which is found along with calcium in dairy foods.  More research needs to be conducted.
8. Selenium & Vitamin E - One study showed that men who already had high levels of selenium who were involved in the study and then took selenium actually had a higher risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Also, for the men who had low selenium levels their risk of prostate cancer increased when they were given a vitamin E supplement.

For now, it is recommended that if a healthy eating plan is good for your heart then it is also good for your prostate.  That said, focus on consuming lean protein, not much red meat (beef, pork, lamb), lots of fruits and vegetables.  Additionally, avoid obesity.

Reference:  Nutrition Action, April 2018, Prostate Cancer a New Era (pp.5&6).