Posts Tagged ‘nutrition facts’

Nutrition and Health: Dull No More

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Discover the Excitement in Nutrition

Nutrition can be this exciting when you discover how many myths you have been saddled with and how much the truth will change your life

Nutrition’s dull reputation may keep you from delving into one of the most exciting topics you could study. Part of nutrition’s mundane image likely springs from high school classes that indoctrinated you on the standard disease-causing diet while at the same time putting you to sleep.

I still remember my last high school nutrition class. The lesson plan was based on the same four “food groups” I had memorized in elementary school: meat, dairy, vegetables and fruits (combined), and grains (whole vs. refined never mentioned). The instructor was our gym teacher. I had no clue about why this diet was supposed to be good, only that it was what everyone ate. The main concern was about “getting enough protein.” Sound familiar?

From the ages of 16 through 43, I avoided the topic of nutrition whenever I could. This did not mean I regarded food as humdrum. In fact, food was one of my favorite obsessions. Not surprisingly, I was (more…)

Plants Are Nutrient Factories

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Animals Are Nutrient Consumers

Plants are amazing nutrient factories. Consider how complex a tree is, with its functioning roots, trunk, branches, leaves, and flowers - all powered by sunlight.

Plants are the base of earth’s food chain, using solar energy to fuel nutrient manufacture. These green factories effortlessly put together the complex carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and phytochemicals that animals need to survive and thrive. Plants also absorb minerals from the soil to weave into their own cells.

Animals who eat plants reap the benefits of these nutrients, needed for their own lives. With the exception of vitamin D, which forms in skin when sunlight hits it, animals cannot make the raw materials essential for their survival.

When you eat animal foods, you are consuming highly degraded remnants of (more…)

Inner Peace: A Simple Choice

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Sanctuary Animals Give an Invaluable Gift

The Animal Acres T-shirt says it all

The early morning was cool as my daughter Angela, our friends Teagen, Rose, and Rachel, and I set out for the 164 mile drive to Animal Acres. I had long wanted to visit this sanctuary for rescued farmed animals, a bit north of Los Angeles. Finally, my friends set the date and invited me and Angie to be part of the adventure.

I was relaxed, looking forward to spending a cruelty-free day. In summer my favorite haunt is the beach, in search of the perfect body-surfing wave. Being carried by the ocean feels (more…)

Summer Comfort Food that Keeps You Full

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Steaming Potatoes Means a Cool Kitchen and High Energy

Red potatoes, purple, or Yukon Gold are all excellent for steaming. Cut into bite size pieces first.

Potatoes are one of nature’s most satiating foods. This means they get you full and keep you feeling full and satisfied longer than most other things you could eat. These nutritious spuds have gotten a bad name because they are usually made into chips or fried (read unhealthy and weight-promoting oil) or baked and smothered with a dairy topping. So it’s no wonder that potatoes have gotten a bad – but undeserved – reputation.

Baking and roasting are my favorite ways to make potatoes. In the heat of San Diego summer, though, the oven is best turned off. So I experimented with steaming potatoes and am cheering at the results.

First, I scrubbed and cut up about 10 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes into (more…)

Calcium Does Not Make Strong Bones

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

Your bones have a cubby hole architecture. Bones are durable and resistant to breakage when the structural integrity of the cubby holes is intact. When the walls deteriorate, your bones become fragile and brittle. Calcium has very little to do with this process. Learn more in this video.

Weight Loss – Success At Last

Sunday, July 4th, 2010

Why Whole Foods Are the Key to Keeping Pounds Off

The obesity epidemic in the US remains a puzzle to researchers and policymakers. A widely publicized report issued in June 2010

Yes, you can enjoy pasta and still lose weight. Just choose whole grain pasta. It will take about 3 weeks for your tastebuds to adjust to its heartier flavor.

concluded obesity “threatens America’s future.” Both the health and financial costs are staggering and unsustainable.

In just the past year, the adult obesity rate rose in 28 states, falling only in the District of Columbia. If everyone were a healthy weight, Medicare costs would be 8.5% lower and Medicaid would be 11.8% lower.

There’s only one problem. The mainstream nutrition guidelines the report describes to get everyone thin don’t work. These dietary recommendations had the Federal stamp of approval for the last five years, yet obesity rates have skyrocketed in that time.

A complete change in how Americans eat is the answer. Half measures are basically (more…)

Your 70,000 Mile Traffic Jam

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

All Your Cells Get Ideal Nutrition When Your Blood Flows Freely

The problem is that, on diets based on animal and manufactured foods, your blood vessels become clogged with plaque. This life-threatening process begins in childhood and progresses relentlessly. Cardiovascular disease is a leading killer throughout the world. You can stop and reverse this process so easily though – the key is your food choices.

Learn more at this Youtube video.

Blog posting by Janice Stanger, Ph.D. Janice authored The Perfect Formula Diet, a nutrition book built on sustainable food choices. Enjoy six kinds of whole foods for permanent, hunger-free weight loss and health.

Barbecue with a Side of Chemicals

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Killer Reasons to Break Up with Your Grill This Summer

The start of warm summer breezes and promise of the Fourth of July inspire many to drag out their barbecue grill. Charcoal and lighter

Barbeques deliver a double dose of dangerous chemicals. These hazards get into your body through your lungs and your digestive tract.

fluid join the bestseller list. Outdoor cooking sets the stage for traditional get-togethers with family and friends.

This romance with barbecues has a dark side that few know about. After all, information about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is obscured by millions of dollars of ads and happy images for grilled meat.

As is the case for most toxic chemicals, the long-term health effects of PAH are poorly understood, so easy to ignore. Yet PAH is an insidious public health nightmare that can invade your own life and the next generation.

Truth in labeling would require an explicit warning on bags of charcoal and packs of meat and fish. “Eating grilled or smoked animal foods can cause DNA mutation, cancer, and lower intelligence in your children.” Wide knowledge of these dangers might inspire many to consider alternatives, or at least make informed decisions.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a product of incomplete combustion of materials that contain carbon. Burn tobacco, wood, oil, gasoline, coal, garbage – or meat and fish – and PAHs will form. Over 100 varieties of PAHs can menace our health and the environment.

A widespread nutrition myth touts that the major harm from (more…)

Energy to the Max with Whole Foods

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

Michele DeFilippo Finds Vitality and Diet Can’t be Separated

As the owner of 1106 Design, and an active player in the creation of book covers, interiors, and business logos, Michele DeFilippo

The creative tasks at 1106 Design demand Michele's full energy

draws on physical and mental energy through long days and tight timelines. I met Michele when, impressed by 1106’s strong portfolio, I worked with her and her team on the cover and interior for The Perfect Formula Diet.

Several months later, Michele shared with me that she had decided to try the Perfect Formula Diet eating plan. This diet, based on whole plant foods, includes vegetables, fruit, beans, potatoes, whole grains, herbs, spices, nuts, and seeds. There are no artificial portion sizes. Instead, the diet balances the proportions of the different food types so you can eat whenever you are hungry and stop when you are full. The benefits for both health and permanent weight loss are impressive.

Here is Michele’s account of her experience with the Perfect Formula Diet.

Janice: What kinds of foods did you grow up eating?

Michele: I’m of Italian descent, so our diet was typically (more…)

Whole Food Nutrients are a Superstar Team

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Each Player on Its Own Can Do Little

No matter how well you eat, you may worry about your diet. You may doubt you are getting enough of certain nutrients. Iron, zinc,

With a superstar team, all players work together to win. Similarly, for whole foods, the benefit of all nutrients together is more than each taken on its own.

calcium, protein, omega-3 fatty acids…concern about these may hinder enjoyment of your food. Or maybe you are reluctant to begin a plant-based diet, because you are not sure if some critical nutrient is lacking.

We do not benefit from dissecting our foods into proteins, fats, carbs, calcium, iron, individual vitamins, and other components. The modern practice of taking food apart and worrying about each piece separately has led to bizarre eating patterns.

You may fret about lacking protein, or eating too many “carbs,” or not having enough “good fats.” So instead of eating whole foods, you then choose protein powder, neatly wrapped food bars, or bottles of oil. These foods narrowly focus on one or a few nutrients, leaving out most of the goodness of the entire plant.

Think of these manufactured foods as similar to a demolished building. You can live in an intact house, but won’t find shelter in a pile of bricks. Similarly, you won’t find the nutrients you need in (more…)