Start the year off right… with our January special. Purchase two acupuncture treatments and get the third one for free! All three sessions must be used within the month of January.
The New Year always brings with it … New Year’s resolutions. Quite often they involve matters of health, where both diet and exercise come to mind. To help with these efforts, I would like to offer some very basic but foundational diet information. Having studied the subject for most of my life, I understand that for some people it is like a foreign language. For those of you in that category, here is my ‘translation’.
There are three main categories for food: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (including oils). Most foods contain a combination of the three, but one dominates how the body metabolizes it once it has been consumed. Foods that are high in carbohydrates include breads, potatoes, rice, noodles, crackers (also known as starches), but also fruits because of the fruit sugar, fructose. Foods that are mostly protein are meats and eggs. Nuts and beans are often put into this category, but they have a lower percentage of pure protein. Nuts have more oil and beans have more carbohydrates than meat. The third category, fat, includes butter, shortening, margarine, and cooking oils. Nut butters, bacon, high fat sausages, and cheese are also considered fats. Cookies, cakes, and candy are mainly just sugar and are carbohydrates that provide “empty calories”, meaning little in the way of nutrition like vitamins and minerals. I would say that they are not ‘real’ food. Highly processed foods like chips and snacks, as well as most sweetened, cold cereals should also be considered “junk” food - too full of empty calories. Since the 1960’s, the typical advice given to lose weight talked about calories. A calorie is a unit of measure for energy and it is said that consuming an excess of 3,600 calories will result in one pound of weight gain. So, to lose weight the process would be reversed, reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise to burn them up. This line of thinking has since been debunked, mostly because it is a one-size-fits-all solution. This advice does not fit all, more on that later.
Imagine the body as a type of furnace and food is the fuel that keeps it running. Carbohydrates will provide energy faster, but won’t last as long as protein or fat. Fats provide a feeling of being full and also contain the most energy per bite. Proteins provide the longest-lasting energy, build muscle and bone, and take the most time to digest. All three categories are needed, but for different people, different combinations can either cause weight gain or loss.
It has been observed over the years, partly thanks to the Atkins diet, that a diet comprised of high carbohydrate, low protein and low fat, doesn’t always help people lose weight, despite low calorie intake. Some people have a high metabolism, which means they use up calories faster than the average person does. These are people who are “naturally thin”. They don’t seem to need to be concerned about what they eat, what amount they eat, or what time of day they eat. Lucky, lucky, lucky! These individuals are rare.
Then there are people who started out life thin and fit, but things changed. These people were thin as children but sometime during their teens or twenties, their metabolism changed. Thus, eating the same types and the same amounts of food resulted in weight gain. These individuals are frequently surprised to learn that they suddenly must watch what they eat, or the clothes in their closet will no longer fit. Sometimes, this category of people can lose and maintain weight by making small changes like portion control and limiting or even eliminating certain things from their diet. For example, stopping eating at one serving with no seconds, giving up sugary drinks and alcohol, only allowing one dessert per month, and limiting bread and pasta. Eventually, however, if these individuals live long enough, their metabolism naturally lowers with age and they join the third category.
The third category includes me. I was thin until about age 6. From then on, my eyes desired food all the time and I could eat more than my stomach and body could burn up. When I was just ten years old, I realized I would have to watch what I ate for my entire life. I learned all about diet and exercise; I read books, went to classes at Weight Watchers, and tried different diets. Jack LaLane became one of my heroes and I watched him in the morning before school.
People in this category usually find that a diet higher in protein and lower in carbs helps them keep the weight down. Fats need to be restricted, but not as absolutely as carbohydrates. The hallmark of this program is the predominant restriction of carbohydrates. Here’s an odd phenomenon; in general people who must restrict carbohydrates tend to LOVE and crave them. They will say things like, “But I LOVE bread, or I LOVE potatoes!” I have seen and heard this for years; it can’t be just a coincidence. My personal theory is that those of us in this category are almost diabetic-like, and should consider ourselves ‘pre’ pre-diabetic. We should eat accordingly as much as possible, and if this is done, then the occasional once a month birthday party cake is okay to indulge. Two pieces of pizza once every few months won’t cause weight gain. So go ahead and enjoy – once in a while.
At this point, you may have noticed that I haven’t talked about fats much. I used to eat low calorie to the maximum possible and that meant almost no fats. I am here to tell you that the body and the mind need healthy fat! Butter is not the enemy; it’s the white bread that people like to eat with it that IS. Many nutritionists are seeing great results when they tell people to eat half an avocado a day (a fairly high-fat vegetable) and have a tablespoon of fat at each meal. Fat improves skin, hair, and mental clarity. The stomach feels full and is less likely to be tempted by unhealthy carbohydrates.
Here are some books I recommend for further reading: Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It, by Gary Taubes. You will be astounded at the history, research, and logic he uses to both debunk bad diet advice and guide you to figuring out what your particular body needs. I also recommend The Fast Metabolism Diet, by Haylie Pomroy. In it, she talks about a diet that was developed by an agricultural scientist. The thinking is, “We know how to fatten cattle, let’s use this knowledge in reverse.” Another book called, A Woman Doctor’s Diet for Women, by Barbara Eidelstein personally helped me a lot. Weight Watchers is an excellent club to join for group support and education on how to eat to lose weight and keep it off, and educates about the psychological and emotional aspects of eating. Why would anyone keep eating when they are full? That’s a sign that something in the mind/emotions needs help. Another successful weight loss support group is TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly).
Next month I will build on this advice. Did you know they are beginning to refer to Alzheimer’s as “Type 3 Diabetes”? Also, did you know that controlling consumption of carbohydrates can help with arthritis, cancer, heart disease, kidney function, and stress-related high blood pressure? Now that you understand the basic foundational concepts, you will be able to learn what I have to share about diet and these chronic diseases.
Come to our fundraiser… on Saturday, January 13th, from 9am until 1pm. Stop by and receive either a chiropractic adjustment or a meridian balancing treatment, in exchange for a donation in the amount of your choice. All proceeds from this month’s fundraiser will benefit The Little Chapel of Divide food pantry.
The New Year always brings with it … New Year’s resolutions. Quite often they involve matters of health, where both diet and exercise come to mind. To help with these efforts, I would like to offer some very basic but foundational diet information. Having studied the subject for most of my life, I understand that for some people it is like a foreign language. For those of you in that category, here is my ‘translation’.
There are three main categories for food: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (including oils). Most foods contain a combination of the three, but one dominates how the body metabolizes it once it has been consumed. Foods that are high in carbohydrates include breads, potatoes, rice, noodles, crackers (also known as starches), but also fruits because of the fruit sugar, fructose. Foods that are mostly protein are meats and eggs. Nuts and beans are often put into this category, but they have a lower percentage of pure protein. Nuts have more oil and beans have more carbohydrates than meat. The third category, fat, includes butter, shortening, margarine, and cooking oils. Nut butters, bacon, high fat sausages, and cheese are also considered fats. Cookies, cakes, and candy are mainly just sugar and are carbohydrates that provide “empty calories”, meaning little in the way of nutrition like vitamins and minerals. I would say that they are not ‘real’ food. Highly processed foods like chips and snacks, as well as most sweetened, cold cereals should also be considered “junk” food - too full of empty calories. Since the 1960’s, the typical advice given to lose weight talked about calories. A calorie is a unit of measure for energy and it is said that consuming an excess of 3,600 calories will result in one pound of weight gain. So, to lose weight the process would be reversed, reducing calorie intake and increasing exercise to burn them up. This line of thinking has since been debunked, mostly because it is a one-size-fits-all solution. This advice does not fit all, more on that later.
Imagine the body as a type of furnace and food is the fuel that keeps it running. Carbohydrates will provide energy faster, but won’t last as long as protein or fat. Fats provide a feeling of being full and also contain the most energy per bite. Proteins provide the longest-lasting energy, build muscle and bone, and take the most time to digest. All three categories are needed, but for different people, different combinations can either cause weight gain or loss.
It has been observed over the years, partly thanks to the Atkins diet, that a diet comprised of high carbohydrate, low protein and low fat, doesn’t always help people lose weight, despite low calorie intake. Some people have a high metabolism, which means they use up calories faster than the average person does. These are people who are “naturally thin”. They don’t seem to need to be concerned about what they eat, what amount they eat, or what time of day they eat. Lucky, lucky, lucky! These individuals are rare.
Then there are people who started out life thin and fit, but things changed. These people were thin as children but sometime during their teens or twenties, their metabolism changed. Thus, eating the same types and the same amounts of food resulted in weight gain. These individuals are frequently surprised to learn that they suddenly must watch what they eat, or the clothes in their closet will no longer fit. Sometimes, this category of people can lose and maintain weight by making small changes like portion control and limiting or even eliminating certain things from their diet. For example, stopping eating at one serving with no seconds, giving up sugary drinks and alcohol, only allowing one dessert per month, and limiting bread and pasta. Eventually, however, if these individuals live long enough, their metabolism naturally lowers with age and they join the third category.
The third category includes me. I was thin until about age 6. From then on, my eyes desired food all the time and I could eat more than my stomach and body could burn up. When I was just ten years old, I realized I would have to watch what I ate for my entire life. I learned all about diet and exercise; I read books, went to classes at Weight Watchers, and tried different diets. Jack LaLane became one of my heroes and I watched him in the morning before school.
People in this category usually find that a diet higher in protein and lower in carbs helps them keep the weight down. Fats need to be restricted, but not as absolutely as carbohydrates. The hallmark of this program is the predominant restriction of carbohydrates. Here’s an odd phenomenon; in general people who must restrict carbohydrates tend to LOVE and crave them. They will say things like, “But I LOVE bread, or I LOVE potatoes!” I have seen and heard this for years; it can’t be just a coincidence. My personal theory is that those of us in this category are almost diabetic-like, and should consider ourselves ‘pre’ pre-diabetic. We should eat accordingly as much as possible, and if this is done, then the occasional once a month birthday party cake is okay to indulge. Two pieces of pizza once every few months won’t cause weight gain. So go ahead and enjoy – once in a while.
At this point, you may have noticed that I haven’t talked about fats much. I used to eat low calorie to the maximum possible and that meant almost no fats. I am here to tell you that the body and the mind need healthy fat! Butter is not the enemy; it’s the white bread that people like to eat with it that IS. Many nutritionists are seeing great results when they tell people to eat half an avocado a day (a fairly high-fat vegetable) and have a tablespoon of fat at each meal. Fat improves skin, hair, and mental clarity. The stomach feels full and is less likely to be tempted by unhealthy carbohydrates.
Here are some books I recommend for further reading: Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It, by Gary Taubes. You will be astounded at the history, research, and logic he uses to both debunk bad diet advice and guide you to figuring out what your particular body needs. I also recommend The Fast Metabolism Diet, by Haylie Pomroy. In it, she talks about a diet that was developed by an agricultural scientist. The thinking is, “We know how to fatten cattle, let’s use this knowledge in reverse.” Another book called, A Woman Doctor’s Diet for Women, by Barbara Eidelstein personally helped me a lot. Weight Watchers is an excellent club to join for group support and education on how to eat to lose weight and keep it off, and educates about the psychological and emotional aspects of eating. Why would anyone keep eating when they are full? That’s a sign that something in the mind/emotions needs help. Another successful weight loss support group is TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly).
Next month I will build on this advice. Did you know they are beginning to refer to Alzheimer’s as “Type 3 Diabetes”? Also, did you know that controlling consumption of carbohydrates can help with arthritis, cancer, heart disease, kidney function, and stress-related high blood pressure? Now that you understand the basic foundational concepts, you will be able to learn what I have to share about diet and these chronic diseases.
Come to our fundraiser… on Saturday, January 13th, from 9am until 1pm. Stop by and receive either a chiropractic adjustment or a meridian balancing treatment, in exchange for a donation in the amount of your choice. All proceeds from this month’s fundraiser will benefit The Little Chapel of Divide food pantry.
